Volume One: Arrival in the Noble Land Chapter Two: Days Amid the Mountains

Green mountains rise upon green mountains, and clear waters flow on and on.

Chen Chen drank of the mountain springs, lingering for a moment by the vermilion fruit tree, still cradling the remnants of his former fantasies about the fruit. With a turn, he moved further away from the vicinity of the Ghost Gate.

Great mountains and vast rivers are almost always under the dominion of someone. The jackals, wolves, tigers, and leopards within them, along with various beings who prefer to live in seclusion among the verdant woods—most of these entities cherish their own territories, unwilling to be disturbed, desiring only a quiet and tranquil existence. As for the broader scope—which dynasty, which generation, or which nation’s soil he now trod upon—that remained for Chen Chen to discover for himself.

Since waking this time, Chen Chen’s mind had occasionally flickered with flashes of clarity. He carried his thoughts with him, yet he was no longer the figure who once dreamed only of stirring up the winds and clouds. The passage of time had settled many things within him, rendering him steady, reliable, and unfathomable. There is little mercy in this world; sometimes, one must lie dormant for a long while. Only by planning before acting can one survive for long.

The general region Chen Chen occupied had not changed, but he had chosen to distance himself, watching the fire from across the river. This re-entry into the world was less about settling the past debts and long-cherished wishes of the old Chen Chen, and more about finding, deep within these mountains and forests, the true weight of the name "Chen Chen."

The Underworld seemed to have welcomed a few guests; perhaps the name "Chen Chen" had appeared elsewhere as well—perhaps with greater renown, or perhaps with stories just as compelling. But as the tides of the great world surged, he had to learn to carry this name and continue to live.

Thus, during the day, Chen Chen sought survival in the wilderness, keeping company with nature and building a sense of familiarity with the green hills and blue waters. When night fell, he would often climb a tree, find a cool, level branch, and drift slowly into sleep. After resting his spirit, he would spend the day foraging for wild fruits to stave off hunger.

The area where Chen Chen resided, not far from the Ghost Gate of the Underworld, was steeped in stories. Especially with his arrival—the arrival of this butterfly—the slight breeze he stirred caused frequent anomalies within the Underworld. Chen Chen did not falter; filled with a complex mixture of emotions, he sought enlightenment and waited in the mountains. He waited for fate, and for the day he could brush the dust from his clothes and depart.

He would occasionally sense those from the Underworld passing through on their own errands. If they did not come for him, he would turn a blind eye and let them pass. Those who did come for him were perhaps merely ghosts of his own unfinished past. Places like the Ghost Gate served as a warning to those who followed: stop here, and entangle yourself no further.

After all, most romantic attachments that reach the Ghost Gate are inextricably linked to the concept of sin. Those who emerge from the depths of hell alive have likely witnessed the cruelty of the world. Chen Chen’s former self had been stained by the Underworld, and in this life, carrying the name "Chen Chen," he did not know how many debts of gratitude and enmity he bore.

Around Chen Chen, and around the Ghost Gate of the Underworld, the number of those following in his footsteps gradually dwindled, though occasional entanglements remained. To sever the past is to find a path, but to continue carrying it is to sink, unable to extricate oneself. As the followers decreased, those who stayed began to find some clarity. In this great world, grievances and affections are inevitable; since he was caught in this pass, in this trial, he was one of those destined to face it. After all, what good days are there to be had within the Underworld?

Chen Chen was in the game, but not everyone would become his shackles. Those who arrived as expected had mostly come to the wrong place—or perhaps, they were meant to gather in another year, another place, in the most beautiful of times, in a place that could accommodate romance and beauty.

To sever the past is to sever the shackles; to keep the past is to remain for the sake of love. Even then, lovers enter the Ghost Gate, a husband and wife hand in hand. The story of Chen Chen and Mu Qingcheng had drifted far away. He was still Chen Chen, but a different Chen Chen. With a new history, he looked at the past, and he looked at the path beneath his feet.

Sometimes, you are Chen Chen, and I am Chen Chen. It is just that one does not know in which story one drifted away, nor in which story one found rebirth. The new story continues, but it is no longer the old Chen Chen, nor the old story. On the road ahead, there may be many things to experience, and that was merely a checkpoint used to distinguish one person from another.

Chen Chen ultimately chose to journey onward, having just cast a glance back at the story of the Ghost Gate. Perhaps it was someone else’s story, or perhaps a long-cherished wish for a couple to depart together. It seemed like that marriage ceremony in the Tianwu Continent long ago, where a single kowtow between husband and wife lasted a lifetime. Only, those departing now were not he and Mu Qingcheng, but merely like them, many years ago.

If one does not enter the Underworld to pass the Ghost Gate, the gate remains while the person has already departed. If the Ghost Gate is not there, he is not there; when the gate opens, who knows when they will return.

Chen Chen left. They called it the Ghost Gate, and indeed, it was the Ghost Gate. Many people spend a lifetime at this pass, yet may never truly make it through. This pass requires not only crossing the obstacles set by others but also overcoming the obstacles within oneself. He was a new Chen Chen, or perhaps one already distinct from the Chen Chen of the past.

His eyes still observed the flowers and grasses along the way, and his gaze still rested upon the beautiful landscapes, yet his heart had undergone a transformation. Every person has the right to choose their companion for the remainder of their life, regardless of what kind of life they ultimately lead. Along the way, there are many connections, and within those connections, how many pairs go off together. Perhaps one day, when someone chooses to spend the rest of their life with him, he will no longer be that youth who loved to wander the world.

Chen Chen stepped onto a new path, carrying a new understanding. Perhaps he was seeking a fated connection; perhaps on the road ahead, there were people and things that could not do without his presence.

He walked from the mountains and forests to the rivers, and from the rivers to the wilderness. Although Chen Chen kept moving, he never strayed too far from the water. He was a newcomer to this land and knew too little. Given the chance, he still needed to familiarize himself with it.

A strange thing happened: just as Chen Chen had walked a short distance, a giant, multicolored python lunged from the grass. Regarding this creature, Chen Chen exercised a bit of cultivation, sensing it to communicate and understand why it had blocked his path. The python flicked its tongue, hissing. After some expression, the meaning was clear: there were beings in this land that did not like him. As it happened, the python was also looking for something to eat.

Chen Chen glanced at the python, which was about as thick as a middle-aged man’s thigh. He then looked at his own frame, which was several times larger than the python. It just so happened that Chen Chen felt his stomach growling; a meal of delicious snake meat might be exactly what he needed to satisfy his hunger.

During the encounter, Chen Chen took a few steps and displayed a few techniques, maintaining a standoff with the python. The two stared at each other, eyes locked, until eventually, the python slithered away. Chen Chen did not linger; with a piqued interest, he continued on his way.

This land had snakes. Chen Chen made a mental note, searching for wild fruits to eat as he walked. In the wilderness, there were some narrow paths; he did not know if they were formed by those who had walked them before, or if they had always existed. When Chen Chen arrived, he happened to see the path before him. He did not think much of it—he simply walked. As for the grievances and debts, he also made a mental note. If those who came before did not pave the way, how would those who came after have a smooth road to walk?