001: Once upon a time, there was a mountain 1

Wuyu Mountain is located in the southwest of Dajing. The mountain is rugged and has beautiful scenery. It is high and steep, with rushing waterfalls cascading down. The clear waves and green water flow around the mountain, resembling a dragon climbing up, with a majestic and awe-inspiring momentum;
Historically, it has always been a place that scholars and literati must visit. However, there are many who are hesitant to do so, and few who actually climb to the top to get a panoramic view of the mountains.
Wuyu Village is located at the foot of Wuyu Mountain. Despite not being wealthy, the villagers do not have to worry about food and drink, and they are honest and reasonable. Although they may have family disagreements, they always prioritize maintaining harmony. Even if they argue, they will go home to have a meal and then meet again for a chat, which is quite magical.
Three months ago, a wordless temple appeared out of thin air halfway up Wuyu Mountain. The dark-colored plaque is empty, and the deity enshrined inside is also unknown. At least, the villagers don't know who it is.
But this does not prevent them from coming to worship, not for the sake of asking for something, just purely offering.
They are fortunate to grow freely in the world, with sight, speech, hearing, smell, and the ability to work with their hands and feet. They can provide for themselves, support their parents, raise children and grandchildren, taste the various flavors of the human world, experience love, hatred, separation, and reunion. They can have companions in their old age and return to dust together.
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"This is Mount Wuyu." The young man in a blue shirt looked up at the towering and majestic mountain, feeling deeply amazed.
It was already early winter, and even before climbing the mountain, the boy could feel the chilling air emanating from the rushing waterfall. He pulled on his cloak, his eyes gleaming with eagerness.
The young man in the yellow robe beside him squinted his eyes and pursed his lips, shaking his head with a serious expression, "I think it's dangerous."
This is probably going to take three days and three nights to climb!
The boy in blue turned around and looked at the boy in yellow, with a hint of smile in his eyes filled with melancholy. "Ajian, it's enough for you to accompany me here. I heard that the fish in Guojiang village is good. Why don't you wait for me in Guojiang village?"
The boy in yellow, Gu Jian, widened his eyes and stared angrily at the boy in blue, saying, "You heartless person! After using someone to achieve your goals, you discard them like a worn-out tool. You abandon your wife and children without a care for morality or order!"
Jiang Huai: "..."
With so many names, it's fine if they're watery, but what's with abandoning your wife and child? Are you a wife or a child?
Seeing Jianghuai's difficult expression, Gu Jian became even angrier: "What are you looking at! What's wrong with Jianghuai and Huai Sea?! Who told you that the Five Elements lack water!"
Are you trying to drown me?
These words spun in Jiang Huai's mind, but he didn't say them out loud.
Gu Jian threatened fiercely, "If you don't take me, I'll go back to Da De Temple and call for help. If Grandmaster Qiyue finds out that you're risking your life without taking me with you, she won't spare you!"
Gu Jian said that the most worrying thing for Jiang Huai is clearly stated, but it seems that the focus of the whole sentence is only on the phrase "without taking me", which makes Jiang Huai cry and laugh for a while.
"Alright." Jiang Huai knew Gu Jian's temperament well from their childhood friendship. If he didn't take him along, Gu Jian would surely sneak up there secretly. It would be better for the two of them to go together and take care of each other.
"This is close enough," Gu Jianli immediately became happy, his big eyes smiling like crescent moons. He tightened his cloak and grabbed Jiang Huai's wrist, urging him to walk faster.
The two young boys quickly disappeared into the mountains and forests.
In the temple halfway up Mount Wuyu, Anyu placed a plate of freshly cooked fried melon seeds on the table. The melon seeds looked plump and had a very good appearance.
He then took out three incense sticks from under the table, lit them, and held them in a proper and standard manner. He murmured, "I learned this frying method from my grandmother. The taste must be very good. Please have a taste, sir."
The smoke, wafted by An Yu's hand, twisted for a moment and went straight towards her face. She dodged with distaste and said, "Don't be so stingy. I always prioritize everything for you."
As the smoke accumulated, An Yu cleverly inserted the incense into the incense burner and quickly said, "Don't extinguish it yet! The quality of the things doesn't matter, what matters is the intention. If you don't want to eat it, then I will feed it to An Mo in the future."
As An Yu watched the three incense sticks on the verge of burning out without actually going out, she almost couldn't help but burst out laughing, but managed to hold it in.
"How does it smell?" An Yu waited for a while and, seeing that the incense was stable, quickly asked.
If it's delicious, she still has it in her pot, eat it while it's hot; if it's not delicious, she will feed it to Anmo while it's hot!
Smart!
After a few seconds with no movement, Anyu happily went outside and grabbed a handful from the pot.
"I told you, how could it not be delicious? I'm so talented, cough, cough! Phew, phew, phew!"
Angu's face turned pale. She's not actually a picky eater, but the food she made is really inedible.
Looking at the three incense sticks, with the smoke curling and drifting happily, An Yu felt deceived: "Immature!"
Jiang Huai and Gu Jian walked for two hours, and the sky gradually darkened.
Although they are both half-grown boys and usually diligent in exercising, they were exhausted after walking on the mountain path for two hours.
Seeing that, they stopped and leaned over, panting heavily, and the hot breath turned into white smoke and dispersed.
"Did you actually believe in the words of that old national teacher? He hasn't accomplished much during his time in power..."
Jiang Huai responded calmly, "Isn't it good if there hasn't been much accomplishment? It means the country is peaceful and everything is going smoothly."
You can't tell what Jiang Huai is thinking, but regardless of whether he believes it or not, since he's here, just seek peace of mind.
He asked too many unnecessary questions, just to fill the silence.
"So how did you guess that he was talking about Mount Wuyu?"
"Go west," Jiang Huai supported Gu Jian and said, "Before this, he gave me five seeds."
Gu Jian was quick-witted but not stupid. After a moment of contemplation, he suddenly realized, "The seeds of the white magnolia."
Five hundred miles to the west of Da De Temple lies Wu Yu Mountain, which is not only known for its towering peaks and treacherous waters, but also for the white magnolia flowers that bloom in the cold, as frequently mentioned in the poems of literati.
They walked all the way and saw many white magnolia trees with buds. Although the flowers had not yet bloomed, the fragrance was already present.
"Mother's visit to Fushoushan was a sudden decision, and I only learned about it after returning from the national teacher's house, so I thought, whether it's true or not, I have to come and take a look." What if there really is a way to treat Sister A?
Gu Jian nodded, and the two of them walked slowly forward. This section of the road was quite flat and not very steep.
All of a sudden, Gu Jian stopped.
"Ah Huai, I heard Mr. Shu say that there are many monsters in the mountains. Do you think there are any monsters in Wuyu Mountain?" Gu Jian's tone was serious, but the words he said made Jiang Huai want to hit him.
Jiang Huai gently patted his forehead, "You must be missing your father's willow branches again."
In the prosperous capital, the Gu family has been a scholarly family for hundreds of years.
Gu Jian's father is the esteemed Minister of Rites, and the biggest mistake he made in his life was giving birth to a son who appears intelligent but believes in ghosts and demons. It can be summed up in four words, "unfortunate for the family."
Gu Jianxi has been fond of these bizarre folklore stories for a long time, not just for a day or two. She has liked them since she was young, and they have become well-known in the capital.
Gu Jian turned his head and asked, "Are there no residents on Wuyu Mountain?"
Jiang Hua said, "Of course not."
"Then what do you think it is?"