Chapter Sixty-Two: A Solitary Snowy Cliff, A Robe of Purple

The burly man wielding the dark golden staff was named Zhensong. Nan Luo learned from him that he had originally followed the Supreme Leader Fuxi in his cultivation. There had been eight companions, but they had all perished along the way. The people they protected, too, had dwindled from tens of thousands to only a few hundred. As he spoke of these losses, the man who had never so much as frowned at death now revealed deep sorrow, his voice tinged with the threat of tears.

Nan Luo gazed at the crowd, his heart a tumult of emotions. The tranquility he once believed he possessed surged beneath the surface like a hidden current. He could offer little true help to these people, but resolved that should any monsters pursue them again, he would slaughter them all without mercy.

He told them that if they continued forward, they would find safety—no more monsters would hunt them there. The crowd thanked him profusely, but Nan Luo felt undeserving, leaving without even giving his name.

Since he had been captured and thrown into the cage at Azure Python Cliff, Nan Luo had known that the human race was the weakest among all living creatures. Yet witnessing the moment when humans became prey for all beings, he found himself unable to accept it.

In the eyes of these people, Nan Luo was cold and ruthless. From start to finish, they had only seen his stern face and the killing aura radiating from him.

As Nan Luo departed, someone among the crowd remarked, "Who would have thought that among the humans outside of Mount Buzhou, such a figure would arise? It is a blessing for our race. Judging by his sword-wielding presence, he must already be among the immortals. Even among the millions under Mount Buzhou, few like him exist."

"The Supreme Leader once said humanity would face calamity, and the only path to survival was in the eastern lands. It seems we have finally escaped."

Escaped? Was this truly escape? The survivors looked at one another, unable to believe it was real. Looking back on their journey, their minds were filled only with cries, shouts, and the blood-red horror. Unwittingly, they had survived—like waking from a dream, uncertain and surreal.

Nan Luo had never imagined his own hands would be stained with so much blood. He did not understand why all manner of mountain creatures hunted humans along the road, as if the world itself held a grand feast with humanity as the main dish. He had no heart for reflection; he simply killed whenever he encountered them, his face as cold as a cliffside in the dead of winter.

Fortunately, those who chased the humans were only lesser monsters, not the great ones.

Nan Luo had lost count of how many bizarre creatures he had slain along the way. Had someone watched from the sky, they would have seen a road paved with blood and corpses, stretching across the land.

And still, many people pressed onward along this path, struggling as if climbing from the depths of hell, crawling over mountains of bodies and seas of blood. On this road connecting hope and survival, a blue shadow flashed by, sword light dazzling wherever it passed.

...

The world was vast, with countless deep mountains and great marshes, each harboring its own mysteries and dangers.

Nan Luo did not know when he had entered a mist-shrouded valley. There was a faint, elusive floral fragrance at his nose. Striding forward, his mind wandered until he suddenly awakened, realizing he was still surrounded by white mist. His vision extended only a dozen meters around him.

Alarmed, he felt a warning rise within. Flames danced in his pupils, but even with his celestial sight, all he saw was the endless, elusive mist—its origin and end indiscernible. The subtle fragrance lingered, faint and hard to catch, present yet impossible to pinpoint.

Where was this place? He looked back along his path, but the mist was so thick he could not tell where he had entered. Even with his celestial vision, he could only see thirty meters around him. Extending his divine sense, he found it even less effective; the mist seemed to swallow and sever his perceptions.

Nan Luo was startled, thinking, "Have I fallen into someone's trap? Such a clever device!" He strode forward, his figure flickering. He felt sure that, with a single leap, he had traveled at least a hundred li, yet the mist remained unchanged.

After a moment's thought, he flipped his wrist, and a mirror appeared in his palm, its surface bright as water.

A flash of light revealed a clear world within the mirror. Nan Luo turned the Demon Moon Mirror, watching as the scenery inside shifted in turn.

There, atop a snow-white stone no larger than a table and perfectly round, sat a young woman in light purple robes, her head bowed as she carved something into the stone.

Nan Luo puzzled over the scene, unsure who she was. The woman in the mirror looked around as if searching for something, then turned her gaze toward Nan Luo. Through the mirror, he saw her brows furrowed in displeasure. Suddenly, she raised her hand, her pale wrist gleaming as she tossed a stone.

Startled, Nan Luo shook the Demon Moon Mirror, but realized the stone was ordinary, untouched by magic. He quickly turned the mirror back to her, but now only the snow-white stone remained, resting quietly.

He rotated the mirror, searching all around, but after a full sweep, found nothing. When he focused again on the spot where the stone had been, even it had vanished.

Confused, he thought to himself that, fortunately, the woman seemed harmless. He wished to leave, but although he could reveal the landscape with his mirror, he found himself wandering for half a day, unable to escape, as if he were circling in place.

The mirror's light flickered, the scenery within shifting. A young woman in light purple robes sat atop the snow-white stone, her hands braced on its surface, tiny gold-edged shoes dangling and swaying. She tilted her head, a faint smile on her lips.

When she saw Nan Luo's mirror aimed at her, her smile grew brighter, her eyes curving like crescent moons.

Nan Luo couldn't help but steal a few more glances, finding her exceedingly charming—a delicate nose, crescent moon eyes, and unruly hair tied askew. Her smile was innocent, yet mischievous.

He let the mirror's scenes shift, ignoring her.

Though he had mostly mastered the mirror, able to communicate with it through his mind, he had little experience in its use. Its only power was to reveal the myriad worlds, but even so, it could not guide him out of the mist. He thought that if he could turn the mirror into a moon hanging in the sky, as Xuanming had done, there would be nowhere that could trap him.

Focusing his mind, he walked forward step by step, holding the Demon Moon Mirror straight ahead, revealing the mist in minute detail. Yet this clarity was only in the mirror; before him, the mist was impenetrable.

Nan Luo had no idea how long he had walked when suddenly, ahead of him, appeared the snow-white stone, beside which crouched the purple-robed maiden, her white hands shrouded in purple light as she etched something into the stone.

She looked up, mouth agape in surprise, as if she had not expected Nan Luo to reach her. She seemed confused, and as she watched him, suddenly stood and hoisted the stone, which was much larger and taller than herself, moving with steps light as a purple butterfly amid flowers.

Nan Luo wondered why she was suddenly moving the stone, but saw her simply set it down a dozen paces behind him, then stood watching him. He felt perplexed—was she afraid he would steal her stone?

Then her voice rang out, clear and childlike: "I'm not blocking your way anymore, so why aren't you going?"

Nan Luo glanced at her puzzled expression and couldn't help but laugh. What was this? He hadn't said she was in his way! He mused—since she could sense his mirror and move freely in the mist, she was likely a native of this place, or at least knew how to leave.

Resolving to ask her, he approached the purple-robed maiden, who was again crouched by the stone, etching lines of purple script from her fingertips that quickly vanished into the stone.

She was so absorbed in her task that beads of sweat dotted her brow. Needing her help, Nan Luo dared not interrupt, afraid to offend her, so he waited by her side. The faint fragrance was now unmistakable, clearly emanating from her.

The maiden suddenly looked up, sweat beading her nose, blinking as she watched Nan Luo in confusion.

He quickly clasped his hands in greeting and said, "I am Nan Luo. I have lost my way in this mountain and cannot find a path out. Would you, miss, know the method to leave?"

His tone was respectful and his demeanor solemn.

The maiden found his greeting amusing, her eyes widening in surprise before she covered her mouth and laughed, her eyes again curving into crescent moons.

"Hehe, I knew you couldn't get out," she said, rising and clapping her white hands, her laughter mischievous.

Nan Luo was taken aback and quickly added, "I hope you might—"

"I won't tell you! You used your mirror to spy on me," she interrupted, turning her head deliberately away, refusing to look at him.

Nan Luo, who had rarely interacted with people since beginning his cultivation, and even less with women, was at a loss. In the past, those he met were either sharp-tongued or taciturn. Now he suddenly did not know how to respond. Should he force her to lead him out?

His thoughts whirled, but only for a moment. The maiden glanced back and, seeing his expression, giggled again, raising her pale wrist as her purple sleeve slipped down to reveal her gleaming white arm. She pointed in the direction Nan Luo had just been walking and said, "There, just keep going straight and you'll be out."

Nan Luo thanked her, wanting to smile but feeling embarrassed, so he turned and left. After a dozen steps, laughter rang out behind him. He turned in confusion to see the maiden calling, "How silly! You actually believe that? Hehe..."

Watching her laughter, Nan Luo felt no anger, only helpless amusement. He thought, "If I could have walked straight out, I would have left long ago—how could I still be trapped?"

"So, do you know how to leave?" he asked sincerely after a moment. "If I had no urgent matters, I wouldn't mind being trapped here for a hundred years, but I have important business and can't afford delay. Would you please tell me the way?"

The maiden smiled slyly, casting a glance at him, then turned her gaze skyward, arms folded, a delicate hand sliding along her rounded chin, pacing slowly around the snow-white stone.

The mist was thick, but Nan Luo could see the faint, elusive smile at the corner of her lips.