The arrival of Yue'er was like adding another layer of insurance to Wu Yun's assurance. Previously, I had suspected Yue'er's identity, wondering why she and Bai Ling'er were so close, almost to the point of sharing everything.
There were even times when Bai Ling'er would tell Yue'er things before telling me, which made me feel jealous for a while. It wasn't until I learned of Yue'er's identity that my jealousy turned into astonishment.
"I'm not late, am I?" Yue'er asked with a cute dimple on her cheek, chuckling.
"No... no, you're not late. If you weren't here, no one would dare to get on the car!" Zhang Dabiao flatteringly said, his words making me nauseous. I couldn't help but roll my eyes and think, "Brother Zhang, when did you learn to flatter? You weren't like this before."
Zhang Dabiao's face flushed as I spoke. "Before... I didn't know her identity. Now that I do, wouldn't I be a fool not to curry favor?" He then gave me a look that asked if I was the fool, leaving me unsure whether to laugh or cry.
Seeing me chatting and laughing with Yue'er, Wang Defa walked over and asked, "Is she the one you were waiting for?" His eyes scanned Yue'er up and down. She was a young girl, seemingly eighteen or nineteen years old, carrying a backpack that seemed disproportionately large for her frame. It looked quite strange.
"Yes, Team Leader Wang, she's the friend I told you about who's going into Qingfeng Mountain."
Wang Defa frowned and looked at me seriously. "Qingfeng Mountain is no place for games. You've been inside once, and you know better than anyone the dangers within. I agreed because I thought you were bringing a companion. Now you're bringing an ordinary girl. Aren't you treating human lives as a game?" He then added, "No, I absolutely forbid you from taking her into Qingfeng Mountain."
I felt a surge of speechlessness. Oh, Wang Defa, you truly have eyes but cannot see Mount Tai! If you knew Yue'er's true identity, you'd likely faint on the spot. If you don't agree to her entering Qingfeng Mountain, do your words even matter?
These thoughts could only remain in my mind. Outwardly, I said, "Team Leader Wang, don't let Yue'er's delicate appearance fool you. She's more familiar with Qingfeng Mountain than anyone else, and she can also detoxify. Qingfeng Mountain is full of poisonous insects and snakes. Without her, we'd be unable to move."
Zhang Dabiao also nodded in agreement. "Exactly. Last time, as soon as we entered the mountain, we encountered black ants the size of a little finger. If it weren't for Yue'er's quick reaction and her ant repellent, all of us would have been annihilated. We wouldn't be here chatting with you now!"
"Black giant ants? Do you think this is Africa's primeval forest? Don't fool me. I know those are called army ants, and they don't exist here." Wang Defa still didn't believe it. After saying this, he seemed too lazy to continue and turned to leave.
Just then, I saw Fang Niuzi preparing to get into the car. My heart leaped with joy. How could I forget this old fellow? I quickly called out, "Daoist Fang, over here, look this way."
Fang Niuzi looked up and saw me calling him. He originally had no intention of responding, but when his gaze fell upon Yue'er, his body trembled involuntarily. His expression changed several times before he finally gritted his teeth and walked over, coming face-to-face with Wang Defa.
"Daoist Fang, are you leaving? What is this..."
"Young Song called me, he might need something. I'll go take a look."
Wang Defa could afford to disregard me because my master wasn't present. However, he couldn't afford to disregard Fang Niuzi, as it would be equivalent to disregarding Longhu Mountain. This time, Longhu Mountain had sent a Grand Celestial Master, who was Fang Niuzi Fang Yuan's own uncle and one of the five current Grand Celestial Masters of Longhu Mountain. This respect had to be shown.
Therefore, there was no choice but to follow behind Fang Niuzi, wanting to see what business I had with him.
Upon reaching us, Fang Niuzi didn't speak to me immediately. Instead, he fixed his gaze on Yue'er and then said solemnly, "Why have you come, esteemed one? Last time, when we were ascending the mountain, I was greatly indebted to your methods, otherwise, this old Daoist's life would have been forfeit."
Yue'er seemed not to hear Fang Niuzi's flattery. She wrinkled her nose, casually took out her earphones, put them on, and completely ignored Fang Niuzi's words, making him feel so awkward that he wished he could disappear into the ground.
However, he also knew that the Yin-Yang Realm was not easy to find, and Qingfeng Mountain was not easy to enter. With Yue'er present, there was an added layer of security. Although Wu Yun was already there to deal with insects, the dangers in Qingfeng Mountain were not limited to insects but also included other unknown perils. Therefore, having another expert in this field could only be beneficial.
"Team Leader Wang, please give me some face this time. Yue'er's entry into the mountain is a good thing. She is a master of medicine. With her here, we don't have to worry about poisonous insects, ants, or snakes. She's no worse than the Witch Gu girl..." As he said the last word, Fang Niuzi deliberately lowered his voice, fearing that Yue'er might hear him.
"This... alright. Since Daoist Fang has spoken, let's get in the car!" Wang Defa said, walking towards the lead car. Fang Niuzi followed behind him. Before leaving, he gave me a meaningful glance.
"Brother, why do I feel like this old bull-nose has ill intentions? He suddenly started helping out. Is he planning to stab me in the back once we're in the mountain?"
I shook my head, indicating I didn't know. However, based on my judgment, this old bull-nose was definitely not as simple as he appeared on the surface. If his uncle, the Grand Celestial Master, weren't here, he might have humbly offered to help and speak well of me. But now, with a powerful backer, and with the Old Celestial Master of Maoshan also present, he had no reason to curry favor with me.
Anything out of the ordinary is suspicious. It seems that after entering the mountain, I not only have to guard against Hu Sixi but also be wary of Longhu Mountain. In short, anything could happen in the mountain. The only ones I could truly trust were my own people.
Zhang Dabiao and I exchanged glances, seeing a hint of worry in each other's eyes. However, looking back at Yue'er, who was shaking her head and listening to music, we smiled wryly at each other.
The sky is vast, and there are tall people to help the short. With Wu Yun's guarantee, and coupled with the presence of the great deity Yue'er, a safe retreat could still be ensured.
Soon, the convoy began to depart. Whether it was intentional or not, Wang Defa arranged for the three of us to be in the same car, and he drove himself.
Yue'er got into the car and sat directly in the back. She took a blanket from her bag, wrapped herself up tightly, curled up, and started sleeping. Zhang Dabiao, after learning of Yue'er's identity, was somewhat apprehensive and voluntarily sat in the front passenger seat, allowing me and Yue'er to sit together.
Then, the vehicles started moving. The speed was quite fast, mainly due to the good quality of the cars, which were all imported SUVs, with performance far superior to domestic cars. It took only two-thirds of the time to reach the first stop before entering the mountain.
Whether it was due to the weather or our bad luck, as soon as we arrived at the first stop, a continuous drizzle began, forcing the convoy to halt. The road ahead was no longer passable by car, and we had to proceed on foot with our luggage.
"What kind of damned weather is this? It starts raining as soon as we enter the mountain." Listening to the sound of rain hitting the car window, Wang Defa couldn't help but curse.
"You'll get used to it..."
The rain intensified. In just a short while, the rain outside was so heavy that visibility was almost nil. Wang Defa quickly took out his radio and instructed everyone to be careful of flash floods and to find safe positions to park.
After receiving responses sequentially, Wang Defa told me that this was the first test.
I was stunned for a moment, then nodded and said, "I suppose it is..."