Chapter 171: The Old Man in the Snow

We sat on the bench for a while before deciding it was time to move on. Tianyang Mountain was far too vast to spend all our time in one spot.

I stood up and signaled for Li Zijian and Chen Chen to follow me as we ventured further. Before long, we found ourselves in a familiar place: Giant Wolf Mountain. This mountain held many memories for me—the time Shi Lei had succumbed to his inner demons, the wolves with their glowing, blood-red eyes, and the place where I had discovered the Ghost King’s token and even ascended a rank in my cultivation.

"Where are we? Old Chen and I haven't been here before," Li Zijian muttered, looking up at the mountain. Having been here before, I took the lead and began to tell them the stories of Giant Wolf Mountain.

I spoke with such vivid emotion that I brought the mountain's true character to life. Both Chen Chen and Li Zijian nodded, insisting that we should go up and explore. Given our current level of strength, there was no real danger, so it seemed like a perfectly fine idea.

"Let’s go, then," I said, taking the first steps and finding a path where the snow was thin enough to walk on.

The mountain was desolate, but blanketed in deep snow, it took on a different, surreal beauty. Everywhere I looked, skeletal trees stood against the falling flakes. Yet, a thought nagged at me—wolves don't hibernate, do they? The terrors I had experienced here were still fresh in my mind; though my current power made me untouchable, the psychological shadow remained.

"This place is actually quite nice..." Li Zijian remarked, brushing against a large tree as he peered around.

Suddenly, a snow-white wolf darted out from behind him. It didn't seem to have any intention of attacking; instead, it leaped over Li Zijian and landed right in front of us. We were all startled, and Li Zijian began cursing as he reached for his weapon.

"Damn it... scared the hell out of me... you’re a ferocious one, aren't you?"

I reached out to stop Li Zijian, sensing that the wolf had a purpose. "What do you want? Or can you understand me?"

From the start, I knew this wolf was no ordinary beast. It wasn't just the dense spiritual energy radiating from it, but the way its eyes gleamed with intelligence. It seemed to understand me, nodding its head like a human. Then, it tilted its head toward the southeast.

"You mean you want us to go southeast?" I asked. It nodded again, confirming my suspicion.

"Why would this thing want us to go southeast? It’s not trying to lead us to our slaughter, is it?" Li Zijian asked. I had considered the same thing, but I had observed the wolf’s strength—it was far below mine. I had no reason to fear any malicious intent from such a clever creature.

"Let's go. We've got nothing better to do, let's see what’s there."

Seeing my resolve, Li Zijian and Chen Chen dropped their concerns and followed. The wolf, however, didn't join us. After pointing the way, it stayed put. I didn't pay it any more mind and kept walking.

By the time we had moved a few paces, I looked back, but the wolf had vanished, leaving only its tracks in the snow to prove it had ever been there.

"Don't worry about it, Yaoge, let’s keep moving," urged Chen Chen. I nodded and pressed on. I hadn't been to this southeastern side before, and the path began to wind upward.

The climb was grueling; the snow was knee-deep in places, making every step a labor. Yet, my curiosity was piqued—I had to see what was worth all this trouble.

"Going down will be easy enough; we can just slide down. That'll be a rush!" Li Zijian’s comment reminded me that I’d never been sledding before. I decided I would try it on the way back.

The higher we climbed, the more I felt a mysterious energy. It was like spiritual energy, but not entirely. It made me even more curious—was it some kind of treasure, a magical artifact, or a weapon? Chen Chen and Li Zijian felt it too, and we picked up our pace.

"Lin Yao, look!"

I had been keeping my head down, focused on the path, and hadn't noticed the old man in white robes standing a hundred meters ahead. Because of the falling snow and the fact that he had his back to us, I could only make out his silhouette.

He radiated no spiritual energy; he seemed like an ordinary person. I called out tentatively, "Who’s there?"

The old man didn't answer. He remained with his back to us, as if he hadn't heard a word. I’ve always been impatient, so I pushed off with my legs, leaping out of the snow and flying forward several meters. Chen Chen and Li Zijian followed suit, though it was tiring for them.

When we were just ten meters away, I could see him clearly. He wore a snow-white silk robe, far more luxurious than my own, embroidered with intricate patterns of animals—the most prominent being a wolf!

Observing closely, I realized it looked exactly like the wolf we had just encountered. I dismissed it as a coincidence, though it was strange. While I couldn't feel any spiritual power from him, his aura was immense—the polar opposite of the monk I had met before. The monk had been filled with Buddhist energy that quelled all fear, but this old man, despite the lack of spiritual presence, possessed an aura so heavy it filled one with dread.

Stranger still, he stood firmly on top of the snow without sinking in. The snow was soft and powdery; even a pebble would disappear into it, yet the old man stood there like a statue.

I went to speak, but the old man dissolved into a phantom and vanished.

"What the hell..." I muttered.

Li Zijian and Chen Chen were stunned. I noticed the direction the phantom had drifted—due southeast.

"Let’s go!" I didn't hesitate, jumping forward with all my might, channeling my spiritual energy to cover more distance.

The old man was no ordinary person. His robes and his overwhelming aura marked him as someone of great significance. The mysterious energy in the southeast must have been emanating from him. I had a theory, but I needed to confirm it myself.

We moved quickly, ignoring the scenery. I had already sketched the old man's face in my mind, even though I hadn't seen it.

As the energy grew stronger, I gathered all my remaining spiritual energy and leaped—sailing a dozen meters through the air before landing in the snow. I could feel the energy pulsing nearby, intense and concentrated.

Li Zijian and Chen Chen caught up, looking around. There was nothing to be seen, or perhaps we just hadn't found it yet.

"It’s definitely around here. Let’s split up and search," I said, heading in one direction.

The snow was deepest here, reaching up to my waist. If it weren't for our cultivation, it would have been impossible to move. But I wouldn't give up. I had to find that old man.

After half an hour of searching, we found nothing and returned to our starting point to regroup.

"This isn't working," Chen Chen said, his hand idly slapping against a large snowdrift.

The impact shook the snow loose, revealing a hidden opening. I brushed away the rest of the snow, exposing a cave entrance over two meters high. A barrier, or "sealing gate," covered the entrance to keep the snow out, and the mysterious energy was radiating from deep within.

I worried I wouldn't be able to enter, but as I drew near, the token of the Grand Elder in my ring began to react. I pulled it out, told Chen Chen and Li Zijian to grab onto my clothes, and stepped forward.

The token allowed us to pass through the barrier effortlessly.

Suddenly, stone lamps inside the cave flickered to life, illuminating the space. It was dry inside, a stark contrast to the dampness outside, though still quite chilly in the dead of winter. We walked cautiously, observing the moss-covered walls—this cave had clearly been here for ages. The lamps seemed to be motion-activated, lighting the way as we moved and extinguishing themselves once we passed.