Chapter Fifty-Six: Jade Elephant Gorge

Chapter Fifty-Six: The Jade Elephant Gorge

Chapter Nine: Sword Qi Pierces the Sky; Teng Caiyan and Xiong Jie Sharpen Their Wills Across the Nine Provinces (Part II)

Ye Hua watched them leave and could not help but give a bitter laugh. Baishi Song smiled and said, “Ah, little junior brother, I’ve yet to ask you—where did you come to know this eagle? I feel as if I’ve seen it before.”

Ye Hua replied, “Senior brother, Xiaoyao and I met during a private excursion on the North Terrace. It’s quite extraordinary, so we became friends, though we’ve only met once. Yesterday, I have no idea why it came looking for me at Dafu Lingshan Temple—truly an unexpected event.”

Baishi Song nodded, “No wonder, I thought it seemed familiar. So it flew here from the North Terrace.” He wanted to ask further, but seeing Ye Hua was reluctant to say more, he supposed there must be some hidden reason and did not press him.

Ye Hua then asked, “Senior brother, what sort of place is this Jade Elephant Gorge?” Baishi Song said, “The Jade Elephant Gorge lies several dozen miles west of Bidi Peak—not exactly close. At the mouth of the gorge, there’s a jade waterfall several tens of zhang high called ‘Flying Spring Welcoming Guests,’ already a most serene and lovely spot. Deeper within, the scenery is even more unique, though there’s often poisonous mists and vapors, so few ever venture far; most only stroll about the entrance. I don’t know much more beyond that.”

Hearing this, Ye Hua quietly committed it to memory. After bidding farewell to a few senior brothers, he stepped outside and heard laughter and commotion from his own room. “Xiaoyao must be getting teased by them. But this golden eagle is hardly well-behaved, and facing Senior Brothers Qingxia and Qingyu, I’m sure it’s met its match!” At this thought, a faint smile curved his lips as he hurried inside.

“Ouch!” Ye Hua cried out as soon as he entered, stunned by the chaos within—the room was in disarray. Qingxia and Qingyu were chasing the golden eagle around, both shouting and squealing, while Ling Yun’er looked equally disheveled and breathless, attempting to direct them: “This way, this way—ah, too slow!” Qingxia and Qingyu waved their hands frantically, yet no matter how they lunged, the golden eagle always slipped away at the last moment, utterly at ease, calling out as if urging them to be quicker.

The three of them were exasperated. “That blasted bird!” Just then, hearing Ye Hua’s exclamation, they shot him a look. “You brat, this eagle of yours—if I catch it, I’ll roast it and eat it!” Ye Hua and the others cried out in unison, “You mustn’t!”

The golden eagle hovered overhead, watching their exhaustion and calling out in triumph, clearly mocking them. The three exchanged glances and shouted together. Qingxia, Qingyu, and Ling Yun’er suddenly took up positions, forming a triangle around the eagle. Six palms struck upward, filling the air with force, but their energy vanished into thin air without effect.

The golden eagle paused in surprise mid-air, about to caw in mockery, when suddenly the space before it rippled. Three beams—red, white, and gold—materialized, and as the eagle tried to evade, the lights scattered, weaving into a thousand threads and intertwining like a great net. In an instant, a brilliant sphere of glowing mist formed, three colors encircling, shifting slowly, with Buddhist mantras faintly appearing and vanishing.

The trio exclaimed with delight, “Now let’s see how you escape!” This tri-colored radiance was the ‘Three Bonds of Molo,’ a formidable technique from Bishan Temple’s ‘Great Sun Sutra.’ It required three practitioners, each skilled in the arts of fire, metal, and water, to execute. It could bind an enemy without harming them, and its power was considerable.

The three had spent much time at Bishan Temple mastering this art, believing that even those two or three levels above them would find it hard to break free. Seeing the eagle trapped, they were overjoyed, laughing together.

Inside the glowing cage, the eagle was furious. Not expecting to fall for their trick, it screeched and flew forward, wings slicing through the air. As it neared the glowing barrier, Buddhist mantras appeared along the inner edge, radiating a mighty repulsive force that kept it at bay.

The eagle wheeled about, realizing the power of the tri-colored sphere. Qingxia and Qingyu called up to it, “Heh, Xiaoyao, if you can break out, we’ll follow you. If not, you’ll have to follow us!”

Ling Yun’er laughed, “How’s that fair—why am I left out? No, I protest—ah, this is…” All three turned red and white with embarrassment.

Just then, the eagle’s wings suddenly flared with white light, sharp as blades. It spiraled upward like a whirlwind, sending streams of energy swirling out. In an instant, the radiance shook and shimmered, and before the trio could react, it shattered and dissipated.

The three could only gape, speechless. Ye Hua, lingering at the door, was unsurprised—the golden eagle’s cultivation now rivaled the Third True Realm. Though the Three Bonds of Molo was clever, their inner strength was far inferior to the eagle’s; they were no match.

Ye Hua called, “Senior brothers, senior sister, cease at once!” The golden eagle burst from the light and alighted on Ye Hua’s shoulder. Qingxia, Qingyu, and Ling Yun’er stared at the bird perched on his head. After a moment, Qingxia and Qingyu cried out, “Junior brother, how is your eagle so powerful?”

Ling Yun’er nodded in delight, “This eagle changes at will, and its innate essence is so strong—it’s a rare stroke of fortune to have befriended it.”

Ye Hua looked at the bird on his shoulder, recalling how they’d first met when Xiaoyao battled the serpent by the lake—a fight that nearly cost him his life. He smiled wryly, “Xiaoyao and I haven’t known each other long.” Ling Yun’er said, “Such a spirit beast is no ordinary bird!”

After more laughter, the group dispersed. Ye Hua watched them go, then slipped quietly out of the Orchid Meditation Court. Speaking softly to the eagle on his shoulder, he said, “Xiaoyao, shall we go to the Jade Elephant Gorge?” The eagle stood at ease on Ye Hua’s shoulder. “I wonder where that Manzi Solan flower grows—will it be easy to find…” Ye Hua mused aloud.

Finding a secluded spot, Ye Hua summoned the Moonlight Sword and flew toward the direction of the Jade Elephant Gorge. He traveled swiftly, a silver line across the blue sky, soaring above the shifting sea of clouds, gazing down at cities and towns like a bowl from above. Smoke from distant hamlets, fields and dikes lay below, painting a picturesque scene.

After about half an hour, the mountains ahead rose in layers, sheer cliffs standing tall. Countless peaks crowded together, indistinct and bewildering, like surging tides and rolling waves. From above, Ye Hua noted the sun already slanting west. “The Jade Elephant Gorge must be in that valley ahead—I’d best not be late,” he thought.

Sure enough, beyond the next great mountain, a secluded gorge appeared, shrouded in violet mist and sunset glow, dazzling to the eye. Ye Hua dared not enter directly, so he landed softly at the mouth of the gorge. Looking closely, he saw three bold red characters—‘Jade Elephant Gorge’—inscribed on the cliff face. To the right, a high cliff bore a waterfall cascading down, striking rocks below with the sound of shattered jade and mournful strings. Beneath was a clear, cold pool, feeding a stream that ran eastward, its waters jade-green and transparent, pebbles scattered like gems, fish weaving among the stones, perfectly at ease.

Ancient pines and cypresses lined the shore, bamboo groves stretching into shadowy depths, old vines winding over rocks, the gloom profound. Farther on, the valleys twisted and turned, white clouds billowing thick above—truly a scene from another world.

Leisurely, Ye Hua wandered on, admiring the beauty while searching carefully for any unusual flowers. At first, there was a faint path, but soon it narrowed, becoming wild and difficult, with ancient woods growing dense and monkeys wailing in the distance—no sign of human presence. After searching for some time, he found many unknown blossoms, but none matched the Manzi Solan.

As dusk gathered, Xiaoyao had vanished somewhere to play, leaving no trace. Ye Hua grew anxious when faintly, ahead, he heard shouts and commands, and, listening closely, the gentle tinkling of a zither. “Who could be here? Why is there zither music?” he wondered, hurrying forward.

The sounds grew clearer as he neared—a sure sign of combat. Ye Hua slowed his pace, and suddenly the forest opened into a clearing—a sea of flowers, with four figures battling at its heart. Looking closer, Ye Hua was taken aback. “How could it be her?”

It was none other than Li Ningyue from Longquan Temple, who had dueled with Ling Yun’er the day before, wielding the Dragon Spring Sword, her bearing ethereal. She and two other women fought together—one with a sword, the other with a zither, both unfamiliar to him—against a gaunt old man in black. Though the three joined forces, they barely held back the elder’s assault and seemed on the verge of defeat.

The old man cackled, “Heh, you girls—had you left earlier, I might have spared you. Now, it’s too late!” Before he finished, his left hand swept up, producing a black jar that flew straight at Li Ningyue.

Li Ningyue raised her left palm to block and was about to strike the jar aside when the elder’s right fist shot out. With a bang, the black jar exploded into countless fragments, releasing a puff of black smoke that surged at her. Before she could retreat, her sleeve caught a wisp of the smoke, which sizzled and turned to ash in an instant.