Chapter 419: Thousand Star Ruins

Taozi nodded, grinning at him. The little witch child seemed to prefer Fu Shanyue, despite his gruff manner. It was probably a case of a cat sticking to whoever found it.

He Lingchuan also overheard merchant team members whispering outside. Apparently, three families of commoners had escaped during the night, leaving their houses empty by morning, and they were all neighbors. The authorities had already ordered a search for these dozen or so commoners.

The carriage subtly vibrated, then began to move. He Lingchuan pulled back the curtain to look out. Tongluo County, bathed in the morning light, was still fast asleep. Most businesses operated at night, so apart from a few small restaurants and inns, all other doors were closed. The boisterous city that never slept last night was utterly exhausted in the dawn light this morning. The Shimen Merchant Team’s wagons rumbled, and they quickly departed from this peculiar county.

With nothing to do, Fu Shanyue extended a hand to He Lingchuan. "Where are the medicines I told you to buy last night?"He Lingchuan narrowed his eyes. "Told me?""Please!" Fu Shanyue corrected himself humbly. "Where are the medicines I asked you to buy last night?"Only then did He Lingchuan toss him an oil-paper package. Fu Shanyue opened it and, pulling out a mortar from somewhere, gestured for Taozi, the witch child, to grind the herbs. Once the herbs were ground into powder, he added water to form a paste, which he then applied to Taozi's face. The moment the medicine touched her skin, she felt an itch. After Fu Shanyue finally finished applying it, the itching intensified several times over. Taozi couldn't help but reach up to scratch, but he slapped her hand away. "If you want to live, don't touch your face!" Of course, she wanted to live, so she had to endure it. After more than a quarter of an hour, Fu Shanyue finally allowed her to wash her face.

By this time, the merchant team had reached the post station on the northern outskirts of Tongluo County. Taozi jumped down and splashed water on her face from the horse trough, remembering to keep her lips pressed together to hide the injury on her mouth. However, other travelers, upon seeing her face, gasped in surprise and quickly moved away. Puzzled, she looked at her reflection in the water and saw a mottled face: her face was covered in patches of white, and her skin tone was extremely uneven. Only after she got back into the carriage did Fu Shanyue explain, "It's just to disguise you with vitiligo. It will shed naturally in half a month, and you'll be fine."

The itching slowly faded. Taozi suddenly pointed into the distance and spoke for the first time: "She, she was the one who sewed my mouth shut."Both men looked and saw a middle-aged woman walking towards the back of the post station. There was nothing special about her attire, but she was leaning on a long staff. Given her age and agile legs, a staff seemed a bit odd."Is she the witch who identified you as the ominous star?""Yes!" Taozi affirmed decisively.Fu Shanyue stretched. "Stay here and don't move." Then he jumped off the carriage and went towards the back of the post station. After only about a quarter of an hour, he returned, his complexion looking somewhat more ruddy than before. He Lingchuan even caught a whiff of blood."You ate her?""Yes." Fu Shanyue smiled, stroking the top of Taozi's head. "I ate the witch."Taozi's eyes immediately sparkled.He Lingchuan clicked his tongue. While replenishing himself, this fellow didn't forget to win over hearts. It showed he was outwardly rough but inwardly meticulous, not a reckless person.

"What about this hole in your sleeve?""I only have one hand, isn't it inconvenient?" Fu Shanyue yawned. "The witch found a moment to fight back. Besides her greed, she had some skill."

The Twilight Plains remained barren. The merchant team passed through several small towns and villages to resupply food and water, all of which seemed lifeless. However, the terrain gradually rose. As they continued northward, standing on a hill and looking out, distant mountains filled the view. The sun was also slowly descending in the west. Second Master Shi pointed his horsewhip northward and told He Lingchuan and the others, "Once we cross the first mountain, we'll have a place to rest tonight." There was a small town there, sufficient for an overnight stay.

As he finished speaking, the wind suddenly picked up. The merchant team had only recently left Fengmo Mountain and were accustomed to the howling northern winds, but this wind carried thick dust, sand, and grass, far dirtier than at a mountaintop, making it impossible to open one's eyes. Even if one managed to close their eyes, the sand seemed to have eyes of its own, relentlessly pouring into people's noses, ears, and necks. At such a moment, opening one's mouth was unthinkable; anyone who did would be spitting constantly. After another quarter of an hour of travel, darkness descended. The sun was clearly still there, but people could barely look up and only saw a faintly glowing, yellowish oval in the dim light. The world was plunged into darkness; a sandstorm had arrived.

Second Master Shi covered his head and face with a cloth and directed the team northward. There were mountains to the north, which could block the wind and sand. Furthermore, this was the only path through the Twilight Plains to the northern Chi Yan Kingdom. The merchant team struggled to advance. He Lingchuan also jumped off the carriage to help. He channeled his protective energy, which could block most of the wind and sand. This was when the benefits of profound cultivation became apparent.

Finally, relying on their extensive experience, the Shimen Merchant Team found the entrance to the mountains. Once inside the mountains, the wind and sand noticeably diminished. However, the trees still swayed wildly as if about to be uprooted. Several loud claps of thunder rolled across the sky, startling the oxen and horses pulling the wagons. Second Master Shi looked around, his face grim. The Shimen Merchant Team's veteran escort also rushed over to him, shouting in the wind, "Second Master, I think we've taken a wrong turn. This is the way to the ruins!"

He Lingchuan, standing nearby, heard everything clearly. "Which ruins?""Which else?" Second Master Shi yelled hoarsely. "Thousand Stars City!"The old capital of Yuan Kingdom? He Lingchuan's heart skipped a beat. Had the sandstorm blown them here?Everyone looked expectantly at Second Master Shi. "What do we do now?"

Just then, a skinny helper who had grown careless after entering the mountains was almost blown away by the wind, thankfully grabbing onto a cargo strap. Even by Second Master Shi's extensive experience as a merchant, this sandstorm was a major one. He had no choice; he couldn't go back to the plains to search for the correct path in a sandstorm with less than three zhang of visibility."To the ruins for shelter, quickly!"The team proceeded deeper into the mountains.

After several li of uphill travel, the wind and sand had greatly diminished, but rain began to fall, pouring relentlessly. The helpers grumbled, "What kind of monstrous weather is this!" Only Taozi, the witch child, was curled up into a small ball in the carriage, trembling, seemingly convinced that she had caused it all.

After another few li of travel, the view suddenly opened up: The mountain path ended, and the valley ahead could even be described as vast. No, it was a basin, surrounded by mountains. He Lingchuan immediately saw the ruins Second Master Shi and the others had mentioned within the basin. As the team advanced towards the basin, they found more trees here than outside, perhaps due to the green waters flowing around it. This abundant water once formed the moat of Thousand Stars City, but now it merely flowed in solitude. Ancient paths appeared faintly within the wild forest.

The merchant team's wagon wheels rumbled, crushing dry branches and fallen leaves as they moved forward. He Lingchuan observed that the bluestone road was originally quite wide, capable of accommodating at least five carriages abreast. Two hundred years ago, during Yuan Kingdom's glory days, this road must have been bustling with traffic and visitors. Now, it lay in ruins amidst wild grass and the setting sun.

Upon entering the basin, they realized the immense scale of Thousand Stars City. From its square foundations and stone perimeter, the city's area was at least half that of Panlong City. The city gate's base, in particular, was wide and thick, making one imagine the grand sight it must have been in its prime. However, the wood had long since rotted away, and only a handful of stone walls remained, covered in long vines."This city was truly thoroughly destroyed." Even the stones bore burn marks. It was a real pity that such a magnificent city, once a regional capital, had no decent buildings left. Even with erosion by wind and water, there should have been some remnants, just like Panlong City back then."It is said that after Thousand Stars City was breached, the Demon Emperor ordered it to be burned and slaughtered completely, demanding 'not a single standing timber' remain," Second Master Shi shouted amidst the pouring rain. "Thus, all palaces, towers, along with common residences and even pigsties, were toppled, with none spared."

The witch child Taozi suddenly pointed into the distance, and He Lingchuan also asked, "What's that?" Indeed, about fifty zhang away, there were over a dozen stone houses, wide and large, built without any aesthetic appeal but remarkably sturdy. One structure even had only three walls, with the fourth side open to the air. Though called houses, they resembled warehouses or storage depots."These were built by passing merchants and travelers themselves, using local materials. Over time, they accumulated into this many," Second Master Shi explained.He Lingchuan wondered, "So it's not completely deserted here.""The mountainous terrain is complex, and people often get lost. When they arrive, they make do; there always needs to be a place for shelter from wind and rain," Second Master Shi instructed the merchant team to drive the carriages into a few of the stone houses, settle their people, and check their goods. Merchants follow profit wherever it leads; even a ghost city could be a stopping point.

The stone houses already contained a lot of thatch. The team's doctor took out several basins, put in dried grass and mugwort, and lit them, fumigating everywhere. Otherwise, the ground here was heavy with moisture, and there were too many snakes, insects, mosquitoes, and ants; if one sat or lay on the grass, they would be covered in red welts within half a cup of tea's time. In severe cases, people might even suffer from malaria or high fever. As the smoke grew thicker, various small animals in the stone houses scrambled to escape, including several golden-ringed venomous snakes. They had no choice but to spend the night in this ghost city, so the merchant team began to set up pots and cook. Once the water boiled, grains and sweet potatoes were all tossed in. Later, vegetables and mushrooms were added, and a thick, mixed vegetable porridge was ready. Everyone had traveled all day, so they picked up their rough bowls and slurped the porridge down, accompanied by two steamed buns and a few bites of pickled vegetables. The rainy night in this wilderness didn't seem so unbearable anymore.

Time slowly progressed into the latter half of the night. The wind and rain, far from subsiding, intensified, with occasional flashes of lightning illuminating the surroundings, followed by prolonged thunder. Fu Shanyue, wrapped in his cloak with his head and face covered, remained motionless for a long time. Others thought he was asleep, but he suddenly sat up: "Someone's coming." Indeed, more than a dozen figures gradually appeared from the low forest, walking towards the cluster of stone houses. The Shimen Merchant Team's sentry immediately blew his whistle, alerting everyone to be on guard. The approaching group was also a team, consisting of twelve or thirteen riders, a carriage, and two monsters. Their steps were unhurried as one rider spurred his mount forward and shouted to the Shimen Merchant Team, "Seeking companionship in the desolate mountains; we'll leave tomorrow morning!" This was a common phrase travelers used in the wilderness to indicate they only sought a place to stay overnight and had no ill intent. Afterward, the group moved about twelve or thirteen zhang away and occupied another two stone houses.