劍問蒼天 - 第114章 脫困 - 清風書屋

The mouth of this hidden passage opened halfway up Kongsang Mountain, beneath a cliff on the mountain's shaded side, where the trees grew thick and dense and the spot was utterly concealed. No wonder no one had discovered it in eight hundred years—and it stood to reason that even the descendants of the Blood-Refining Hall today likely knew nothing of this place.

Zhang Qingyue and Bilu staggered out. Almost at the very instant they threw themselves to the ground, there came a thunderous crash; boulders weighing ten thousand catties came down, dust billowed into the air, and the cave mouth was sealed tight. From this day forth, no one would ever again lay eyes on the secrets within the mountain's belly.

Sprawled on the ground, Zhang Qingyue gasped for breath, his fingers clutching tightly at the tender green grass, faintly damp, beneath him. That sensation of running along the razor's edge between life and death truly left a man breathless. After a long while his heart finally began to ease, and he raised his head and looked to the side. Bilu lay right beside him, her once-fair face now lightly dusted with dirt. As though she had sensed his gaze, she too turned her head to look at him.

Slowly, the joy of survival after calamity rose on both their faces. Bilu's lips moved, and it seemed that waves of water shimmered in her bright eyes, glistening through the haze. With a cheer that was half a sob, a release after immeasurable pressure, she could think of nothing else at all—only that the sky was so very blue, the mountains so very high, the clear breeze blowing in gusts, the whole mountain dripping with green, the shadows of leaves dancing, the rustling of the forest like surging tides. This world, it seemed, was beautiful in every corner, enough to stir the heart.

"We—we're alive!" she cried joyfully to the green hills and the blue sky.

Zhang Qingyue laughed aloud beside her, watching her throw her arms wide and show the most beautiful smile in all the world.

With a crackle and pop, the flames devoured the firewood, giving off crisp sounds and spirals of light smoke. Bilu sat by the fire, watching as Zhang Qingyue, using a thick branch, finished dressing a wild rabbit he had just caught and skewered it over the flames to roast. As the fire seared it, the rabbit meat gradually turned golden brown, and beads of fat gathered into droplets and dripped down.

Beneath the mountain forest, a rich, savory fragrance spread on all sides. Having gone so hungry in the cave, Bilu could not help her mouth watering; she swallowed. Yet Zhang Qingyue was in no hurry—he checked how the meat was coming along, then habitually reached to feel at his waist, and suddenly his face went blank, then lit up with delight.

"What is it?" Bilu asked in surprise.

Beaming, Zhang Qingyue drew a small bundle from his waist. "I can't believe we lost all our dry rations, but these things are still here—I never even noticed them these past few days."

Bilu looked at the little bundle. Zhang Qingyue carefully opened it, revealing several small bottles and jars. Curious, she picked a few up and sniffed them, then froze, gazing at Zhang Qingyue, almost speechless. "This—is this salt and seasoning..."

Zhang Qingyue, all smiles, said, "That's right. I've carried them with me ever since I came down the mountain—just in case I had to spend a night in the wild, so I could cook something good. I never thought they'd come in handy today."

Bilu looked him up and down, at a loss for words for a moment, watching as he carefully sprinkled these things—five-spice or salt, she couldn't tell—over the rabbit meat, then slowly turned the branch to roast it, the fragrance in the air growing ever richer. Never had she seen a man of the righteous path who actually carried seasonings on his person. From the look of him, he seemed more like a cook than a disciple of some prestigious orthodox sect.

After a while, Zhang Qingyue leaned in and sniffed. "Done! Time to eat."