The peaks of the Southern Frontier, unlike the mountain ranges in the Central Plains, lack a certain graceful tranquility and are instead more majestic and perilous.
Under the shroud of night, the undulating mountains stand tall and proud, crisscrossing the landscape. From afar, they exude an aura of solemnity and foreboding.
Ghost Li stood with his hands behind his back, gazing into the distance. Beyond two lower hills and a relatively flat wasteland, four towering peaks suddenly rose from the earth, interlocking to form a valley. Behind these lofty peaks, under the vast night sky, lay countless shadows—the boundless wilderness of the Ten Thousand Mountains of the Southern Frontier.
And at the forefront of these four peaks, amidst the heart of the Ten Thousand Mountains, lies the renowned Incense Valley, a place famed throughout the realm.
This night, the moon hung high and pale, and faintly twinkling stars dotted the sky. The cold, clear light illuminated a distant valley, where a faint mist seemed to linger, drifting like a gossamer veil, adding a touch of mystery to its beauty.
Ghost Li frowned and turned away.
It had been three days since that fateful night when he and the Demon Sect’s Golden Bottle discovered a secret connection between the Incense Valley and the southern barbarian tribes within the Ten Thousand Mountains. They decided to investigate the valley covertly. The name “Incense Valley” was well-known in the Southern Frontier, and it was easy for them to locate it. However, sneaking in proved to be far more difficult than they anticipated.
The Incense Valley covers a vast area, and infiltrating it should have been relatively simple. Indeed, they managed to avoid the ordinary disciples on patrol. Yet, whenever they reached deeper into the valley, no matter how carefully they hid, a mysterious, crisp bell sound would suddenly ring out, immediately alerting the valley’s guards, many of whom were formidable experts.
Ghost Li and Golden Bottle, both sharp-witted, managed to escape each time, but they could not evade this inexplicable bell. After several attempts, they remained unable to penetrate the valley, and the Incense Valley seemed to have become more vigilant, increasing their patrols.
After pondering for a while, Ghost Li still could not figure out how the Incense Valley always knew of their presence. It seemed this prestigious sect truly had hidden masters.
At that moment, Little Gray, who had been quietly perched on his shoulder, suddenly moved, and a soft cry came from behind:
“Ah!”
Ghost Li turned to see a small clearing in the forest where a fire burned. Golden Bottle sat by the fire, roasting a rabbit on a stick. She now frowned, looking rather disheartened.
Ghost Li walked over. In the past three days, they had repeatedly tried to infiltrate the Incense Valley, but each attempt ended in failure. Their relationship was complex—on the surface, they maintained a peaceful facade, but in reality, they were wary of each other, knowing that the other was cunning and ruthless.
As he approached the fire, Little Gray chirped and jumped to the ground. Seeing her, Ghost Li paused. She looked helplessly at the rabbit, one leg of which was badly burnt.
They had spent several days near the Incense Valley, far from any villages or inns. While Ghost Li was fine, Golden Bottle was struggling with the dry rations. That night, she caught a rabbit and decided to roast it for a change. The location was far enough from the Incense Valley that they weren’t too worried about being discovered.
However, it was clear that despite her high level of cultivation, Golden Bottle lacked experience in cooking over an open fire. Her attempts resulted in the rabbit being charred. As she saw Ghost Li standing there, along with Little Gray, both staring at the burnt rabbit, her face flushed. She slowly pulled the stick back from the fire.
“Chirp, chirp…” Suddenly, a strange sound filled the air as Little Gray burst into laughter, rolling on the ground, tail wagging, and pounding the ground with his fist.
Golden Bottle and Ghost Li were both taken aback. Realizing what was happening, Golden Bottle’s face turned red with anger. Ghost Li, unsure where the monkey had learned this behavior, kicked Little Gray lightly, sending him rolling away.
The sounds of Little Gray’s laughter faded into the distance, leaving an awkward silence between Ghost Li and Golden Bottle. Seeing the situation, Ghost Li took the rabbit stick and sat on a nearby rock, saying, “Let me handle it.”
Golden Bottle, surprised, watched as Ghost Li carefully tore off the burnt part and began to roast the rabbit anew. Under his skilled hands, the aroma of the roasting meat soon filled the air.
Golden Bottle watched him, noting how the firelight made his usually pale face look warm and vibrant.
A man, focused on preparing a meal for her…
Silence fell over them as the air filled with the smell of the roasting rabbit. The skin of the rabbit became golden and crispy, and the sight of it dripping with juice was irresistible.
After a while, Ghost Li examined the rabbit and added some salt and spices from small bottles and jars.
“What is that?” Golden Bottle asked, curious.
“Just some salt and spices,” Ghost Li replied, a hint of bitterness in his voice. “Old habits die hard.” He handed the stick back to her.
Hesitating for a moment, Golden Bottle eventually accepted it, thanking him softly.
As they ate, the silence was broken only by the crackling of the fire. Little Gray, having returned with some wild fruits, sat by Ghost Li, munching contentedly.
After a while, Golden Bottle, who had never tasted such delicious rabbit before, praised Ghost Li’s cooking skills.
“It’s just a simple trick,” Ghost Li said modestly, but his thoughts were elsewhere, haunted by memories of a long-ago night.
Suddenly, Golden Bottle let out a small cry, having burned her tongue. Ghost Li and Little Gray looked at her, and she blushed, embarrassed. “I was careless and got burned,” she mumbled.
Ghost Li’s expression softened, and he kicked Little Gray away again to stop him from making a scene.
After a while, a loud, ominous howl echoed from the Incense Valley, and a beam of red light shot into the sky, illuminating the horizon before fading away.
Ghost Li and Golden Bottle’s eyes met, understanding passing between them.
**In the Incense Valley, lights that had been extinguished due to the late hour flickered back to life. Voices, both close and distant, filled the air, some with low, angry curses. The shouts and growls of beasts mixed with the clear ringing of bells and the tolling of warning bells. In the dead of night, an enemy had dared to attack the Incense Valley.**
Ghost Li and Golden Bottle, hidden on another hill, watched the commotion. They wondered who could be so bold as to challenge the Incense Valley, a bastion of righteousness. Even as top disciples of the Demon Sect, they would never dare to be so blatant.
“I’ll go to the entrance,” Golden Bottle suggested, “and you go deeper into the valley.”
Ghost Li nodded, surprised by her concern. “Be careful,” she said, her voice soft, before disappearing into the night.
Ghost Li, deep in thought, made his way into the valley, his eyes sharp and his senses heightened. As he approached a house, he heard the familiar chime of the warning bell. His gaze fell on a small, peculiar creature, a “gray pig” (Note: A type of African ant-eater), and he finally understood why they had been so hard to evade.
**Note: The gray pig, or “aardvark,” is a creature with a long snout, large ears, and a nocturnal nature, known for its keen sense of smell and hearing.**
With the creature in hand, Ghost Li continued his mission, determined to uncover the secrets of the Incense Valley.
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