Lingnan City was only a day’s carriage ride from Tianmen Pass, the frontier connecting to Beichen, and just three days from Tongguan, where her father was stationed. Jiang Yueli had chosen this route partly to visit her father and brother. She hadn’t seen them for years and had truly missed her father. After his severe injury and unconsciousness, she had wanted to go see him but feared worrying her mother and grandmother. Now that she had come of age, she dared to sneak off under the pretense of visiting her maternal family.
Jiang Yueli had already planned that once her grandmother’s leg was treated, she would set off for Tongguan.
Yet, perhaps she had imagined things too ideally. When she and Shen Huaizhi arrived at the doctor’s residence, they found only a young medicine boy; Chu Fengchun was nowhere to be seen. The boy said his master had gone out on a house call and didn’t know when he would return. Only after repeated questioning did the boy reveal that Chu Fengchun had gone into Tianmen Mountain to gather herbs.
Tianmen Mountain, near Tianmen Pass, was the tallest peak in the area. Its danger didn’t lie in its height but in the dense, perilous forest. Ordinary people dared not enter. The mountain was home not just to large beasts but also to venomous snakes, insects, and ants—any could be fatal. The poisonous plants were even more treacherous.
Jiang Yueli recalled a past-life mission in which she had pursued a criminal hiding in the South African rainforest. After two weeks of tracking, she finally found him—but he had already been killed by venomous creatures. She herself had been severely scratched and bitten by toxic plants, nearly losing her arm. Without her spatial storage containing antidotes, she wouldn’t have survived. Thinking back still sent chills down her spine.
“Does the doctor know martial arts?” Jiang Yueli asked curiously.
Shen Huaizhi shook his head. “He probably doesn’t.”
“An old man who can’t fight dares to enter such a deep forest?” Jiang Yueli marveled, baffled by his survival. Surely even a lone wolf could have torn him apart.
Shen Huaizhi smiled. “A’li, haven’t you forgotten? Medicine and toxins are inseparable. If a miracle doctor can treat and save lives, he must be skilled in toxicology. With his mastery, even formidable warriors would find it hard to challenge him. That’s how he has survived all these years. The forest beasts, no matter how fierce, would fall to him; the poisons are trivial to him. We’ve come in vain today. Let’s return and check back in a few days.”
Shen Huaizhi knew there was no rush. He prepared to lead Jiang Yueli back, but she shook her head.
“Big brother, we finally found his residence. What if he returns and we’re not here, and he leaves again? I’ve heard Chu Fengchun is sly and hard to catch. Why don’t you go back first? I’ll wait here. As long as he comes back, we’ll meet him.”
“No, a young girl can’t be left here to face the elements. If anyone waits, it should be me,” Shen Huaizhi said firmly. Chu Fengchun’s residence was in a valley outside the city, with only a few thatched huts and a surrounding herb garden. If Jiang Yueli stayed, she would have to endure harsh conditions.
“I’m not foolish. There’s a village nearby where I can stay at night and return here by day. You have accounts to manage; you can’t linger here. I have time and want to help my grandmother. You can’t deny me this chance. Besides, you know my skills—Wei Yan couldn’t beat me. I can take care of myself.”
Jiang Yueli’s reasoning left Shen Huaizhi in a dilemma. He understood her logic but couldn’t bear seeing the girl suffer. In the end, he reluctantly agreed, leaving her a horse and returning himself. He regretted not bringing two guards, which would have given him peace of mind.
Even if Shen Huaizhi had brought guards, Jiang Yueli would have avoided them. The Jiang family’s protection team had been left behind at the Shen residence; she had no intention of taking others. Her real plan was to go directly to Tianmen Mountain, which she judged faster than waiting idly, as she had no idea where Chu Fengchun would go next.
After Shen Huaizhi departed, Jiang Yueli set off, unaware that Shen Huaizhi nearly received a scolding from her grandfather for leaving her alone in the unfamiliar valley. Her grandmother was anxious, and despite Shen Huaizhi’s reassurances, both remained worried and upset. He returned two days later, fully staffed, hoping at least to provide Jiang Yueli with assistance. Yet by the time he arrived, she had already left the valley that very day.
The cunning girl had deceived him. Shen Huaizhi guessed correctly that she had gone to Tianmen Mountain and immediately sent others to search. Shen Huaizhi himself had no martial skills, so he could only hire local escorts and household guards to help, without informing the elders to prevent unnecessary worry.
Jiang Yueli traveled tirelessly, reaching Tianmen Mountain in just two days. Its terrain was steep, surrounded by rolling mountains and deep forests. She arrived at Tianmen Pass as dusk fell and spent the night in Tianmen City. Early the next morning, she set out for the mountain.
Because Tianmen City was near the mountain, many vendors sold mountain goods, but Jiang Yueli had no time to browse, only glancing briefly.
Under the morning dew, she changed into male attire and entered the mountain. Thanks to her spatial storage, she carried only a small homemade bag for concealing her items. On entering the forest, she encountered hunters and villagers gathering forest goods, but they only dared to linger at the periphery. Even experienced hunters avoided venturing deeper.