Chapter 10: The Enchanted Valley

Zhang Xiaofan ascended the mountain, arriving at the familiar bamboo forest. The sight that greeted him was a sea of emerald green, with layers upon layers of bamboo swaying like ocean waves in the mountain breeze. It was a breathtaking view, and his heart felt instantly uplifted.

He took a deep breath of the fresh, crisp mountain air, stretched his limbs, and, grasping his machete, ventured into the bamboo grove. His destination today was different from when he first arrived three years ago. This time, it was the deepest part of the bamboo forest, where the bamboos were larger and their trunks sturdier.

The morning mist drifted through the forest, as light as gossamer, and the dewdrops on the green leaves of the bamboo glistened beautifully in the early sunlight.

After walking for a while, he found himself enveloped in a sea of green. Here, the Black Bamboo stalks towered high, their branches lush and dense, reaching up to the sky. Shafts of light pierced through the gaps in the leaves, casting patches of shadow on the ground. Zhang Xiaofan looked around, selecting a large Black Bamboo. He sized it up, then raised his machete, ready to cut.

Suddenly, a dull thud interrupted his concentration. Zhang Xiaofan felt a sharp pain on his forehead; something had hit him. Looking down, he saw a pinecone rolling on the ground. Surrounded by Black Bamboos, there were many bamboo shoots but no pinecones.

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he scanned the surroundings, then called out, “Senior Sister, is that you?”

His voice carried through the bamboo forest, but no one answered. Zhang Xiaofan knew his senior sister loved to tease and play tricks. Just as he was about to call out again, another sharp pain jolted his head. Another pinecone had hit him, and from above came a high-pitched, chattering laughter.

Through the pain, Zhang Xiaofan looked up. There, clinging to a Black Bamboo, was a gray-furred monkey, clutching several pinecones. Its tail hung upside down, and it chattered away, clearly amused by its mischief.

Zhang Xiaofan was taken aback. In the three years he had been here, he had never seen a monkey in the bamboo forest. The Peak of Black Bamboo was mostly covered in bamboo, with only a small wild pine and cypress forest in the shady valleys. It seemed the monkey had come from there.

The Peak of Black Bamboo was tall and steep, not as high as the Heaven-Piercing Peak, but it reached into the clouds. Climbing from the base of the mountain was almost impossible, and most disciples of the Azure Ethereal Conclave traveled by flying.

Zhang Xiaofan’s cultivation was still shallow. Besides cutting bamboo, he often heard his senior brothers discuss the dense, dark forest in the rear valley, which was deep and rarely visited by humans.

Years ago, some of the founding masters of the Black Bamboo Peak lineage had explored the deep valley, but found only a primeval forest, with more ferocious beasts and venomous insects. However, they never ventured beyond the valley, so over the years, peace had prevailed.

As he pondered, the monkey raised its hand, and Zhang Xiaofan quickly dodged, just as another pinecone came hurtling down. If he hadn’t moved, he would have been hit again.

The gray monkey, seeing that he had dodged, chattered angrily, as if scolding Zhang Xiaofan for evading.

Zhang Xiaofan made a face at the monkey, ignoring it and walked away. He thought, “This monkey seems to enjoy throwing things at people, truly an ignorant creature.”

Taking a few steps, he suddenly heard a sound behind him. Before he could dodge, a hard pinecone hit the back of his head, causing him to see stars and cry out in pain.

The monkey clapped and laughed, swinging from the bamboo, clearly delighted. Enraged, Zhang Xiaofan rushed over and shook the bamboo vigorously. The large Black Bamboo swayed wildly, but the gray monkey clung to the trunk with its tail, unfazed and laughing non-stop.

Frustrated, Zhang Xiaofan drew his machete and began hacking at the bamboo. The monkey watched with interest, undeterred.

Sweating profusely, Zhang Xiaofan finally managed to chop through most of the bamboo. Just as he was about to finish, the monkey let out a screech, swung its tail, and leaped to another bamboo. Then, with a “plop,” another pinecone landed near him.

Infuriated, Zhang Xiaofan pointed at the monkey and shouted, “If you have the guts, come down here!”

The monkey scratched its head, thinking for a moment. Clearly, it didn’t understand what “having the guts” meant. It just laughed and made faces at Zhang Xiaofan.

Fuming, Zhang Xiaofan was left with no choice but to finish his task, though he was hit seven or eight times by the monkey’s pinecones, causing him great pain.

Full of anger, he trudged down the mountain, ignoring the monkey. But the monkey, now addicted to the game, waited for him every morning, making his work even more difficult.

That evening, before dinner, Tian Ling’er pulled Zhang Xiaofan aside and asked, “Xiaofan, what happened to your head?”

Embarrassed, Zhang Xiaofan told her about the monkey’s antics. Tian Ling’er, unable to hold back, burst into laughter, her dimples making her look even more charming.

Zhang Xiaofan, feeling a bit embarrassed, lowered his head.

Tian Ling’er patted him on the shoulder, saying, “Don’t worry, little junior brother! I’ve been busy preparing for the Seven Pulse Martial Gathering, but I’ll go with you tomorrow and teach that bad monkey a lesson.”

Her words, though playful, brought a wry smile to Zhang Xiaofan’s face. He was used to her teasing.

The next morning, Tian Ling’er was up early, and together they climbed the mountain.

The cool mountain breeze ruffled their hair. Dressed in red, Tian Ling’er walked ahead, just as she had when they first came to cut bamboo.

Zhang Xiaofan followed, watching the beautiful girl in front, like a crimson cloud floating in the wind, bringing a faint, sweet scent.

Lost in thought, he was jolted back to reality when Tian Ling’er called, “Xiaofan, why are you so slow?”

Blushing, he hurried to catch up.

Reaching the bamboo forest, Tian Ling’er said, “Xiaofan, go in first. I’ll follow behind.”

Zhang Xiaofan nodded and entered, but turned to give her a warning. She was already gone.

Confused, he shook off the thoughts and ventured deeper. When he reached the spot, the forest was silent. He looked around, but couldn’t find the gray monkey. He wondered if the monkey had sensed his company and was hiding.

Just as he was about to cut, a familiar screech echoed above. Instinctively, Zhang Xiaofan jumped, but too late—a pinecone hit him on the head. He looked up to see the monkey hanging from the bamboo, laughing.

Elated, he jumped and pointed, “Ha! You finally showed up!”

Surprised by his laughter, the monkey was confused. At that moment, a flash of red streaked through the air. Tian Ling’er, riding the Amber Red Ribbon, swooped down, her fingers clawed, aiming for the monkey.

But the monkey, quick-witted, released its tail, dropping to the ground. Tian Ling’er, caught off guard, missed her target.

Zhang Xiaofan, on the ground, watched as the monkey swung from one bamboo to another, trying to escape. Tian Ling’er, competitive, shouted, “After it!” and the Amber Red Ribbon shot forward. Zhang Xiaofan ran after them.

In the open, Tian Ling’er would have caught the monkey easily, but the dense bamboo forest made it difficult. The monkey zigzagged, avoiding obstacles, while Tian Ling’er had to navigate the forest and watch for the monkey.

After a long chase, the monkey led them to the remote valley. Zhang Xiaofan, panting, saw the monkey ahead, leading to a clearing. Suddenly, the monkey dropped, and Tian Ling’er shouted, “Watch out!”

Zhang Xiaofan, nearly falling into a cliff, steadied himself. Below, a deep valley lay shrouded in mist. They had chased the monkey to the far reaches of the back valley.

The monkey, still in the air, swung from branch to branch, escaping. Zhang Xiaofan, worried, heard Tian Ling’er calling, “Get on!”

Without hesitation, he grabbed her hand, and she pulled him onto the Amber Red Ribbon. It dipped, then righted itself.

Zhang Xiaofan, holding on, felt a mix of fear and excitement. They flew into the valley, chasing the monkey. The wind howled, and Zhang Xiaofan, feeling dizzy, held Tian Ling’er tighter. Her red dress, like a cloud, and her scent, filled him with joy.

Tian Ling’er, focused on the monkey, chased it through the trees. After a while, the monkey, still energetic, led them to a clearing. The monkey hesitated, but the Amber Red Ribbon was close. It dropped to the ground, moving slowly, as if taking a leisurely stroll.

Tian Ling’er, seeing the monkey, shouted and lunged, but the monkey, with nowhere to go, was forced to run. Zhang Xiaofan, seeing this, felt a surge of nausea. Suddenly, warmth spread from his chest, protecting his heart, countering the nausea.

Looking down, he realized the warmth came from the deep purple pearl given to him by Puzhi. At the same time, Tian Ling’er, also affected, fell from the air.

They crashed to the ground, and Zhang Xiaofan, ignoring the pain, called, “Senior Sister, are you okay?”

Tian Ling’er lay motionless, pale and sweating. Panicked, Zhang Xiaofan, gritting his teeth, picked her up and the Amber Red Ribbon, walking towards the forest edge. The nausea returned, but the warmth in his chest kept it at bay.

Finally, they reached a large pine tree, and the nausea disappeared. Zhang Xiaofan, breathing heavily, looked back at the pool, where the monkey sat, looking pained, pleading for help.

Feeling pity, Zhang Xiaofan walked back. The nausea returned, but the warmth countered it. He reached the monkey, who, exhausted, remained still. Zhang Xiaofan, picking up the monkey, walked back to Tian Ling’er.

The monkey, now calm, lay on the ground, watching Zhang Xiaofan. He examined the pearl, noticing its color had changed, and the green energy within was spinning faster, colliding with the pearl’s surface. The Buddhist mantra “卍” blocked each collision, and the warmth that had saved Zhang Xiaofan came from this mantra.

But, Zhang Xiaofan noticed, compared to three years ago, the mantra’s size and brightness had dimmed significantly.