Caojiaqingshan

After receiving Duo Jie's confirming gaze, I found myself plunged into profound perplexity. If his words were indeed true, the entire situation would be too dreadful.

In accordance with Second Master's initial description, before my father disappeared, they were investigating what he termed as the "blank history." This referred to the enigmatic "Ghost Tribes" we uncovered, which turned out to be the root cause of the myriad mysterious incidents in the Cao family over the past century.

Evidently, their target was the exploration team that had ventured into Anzigou on a snowy day.

I hurriedly inquired, "Who were the members of that exploration team?"

Duo Jie furrowed his brows for a long time, sighed deeply, and said, "I don't know. I only remember that at that time, my father said to my mother, 'They're not living people.'"

I pressed, "Not living people? Where did they go? How could you not know?"

He shook his head, "I really don't know. In fact, those people never came out again."

I was taken aback, "What do you mean by 'never came out'?"

"We returned to the village, and your father's group, carrying provisions, immediately headed up the mountain. It wasn't until half a month later on a particularly windy day that they came down, bringing my father back on their backs. Although they didn't say much, I, who had been hunting in the mountains for years, immediately smelled the scent of blood on them. Moreover, their group was smaller than before."

Duo Jie raised his wine cup, took a sip, and continued, "They stayed in my house for a few days before leaving. Before departing, my father pulled me aside and said, 'They saved you, and they saved me. Repay kindness when given.' Since then, my father remained silent about the events on the mountain and the exploration team. But after returning from that trip, his health declined. He occasionally coughed up blood and, not long after, passed away.

"That exploration team never reappeared. I initially thought the matter would end with my father's death, but it seems it was just the beginning.

"A year into autumn, I received a call from your father. He directly asked if I had a family, and I said no. He fell silent for a moment, then mentioned he needed a skilled hunter for a dangerous expedition. I informed him of my debt of gratitude, and he subsequently gave me an address."

"Cao Family's Qing Mountain?"

Duo Jie didn't respond to me, but instead, he leaned back as if releasing tension, gazing outside in a daze amidst the smoke.

I could tell he wasn't deceiving me. He was deeply entangled in this foggy situation. The origin of that mysterious exploration team, their whereabouts, and their connection to both the Cao family and the specific location of Cao Family's Qing Mountain were questions that perhaps only Second Master and my father knew the answers to.

However, from Duo Jie's gaze, I could sense that the place my father took him to back then was undoubtedly the Cao Family's Qing Mountain. I took a deep breath, feeling that the sought-after truth was within reach.

In truth, I had already believed most of his words. Although Duo Jie didn't possess the complete truth, after investigating for so long, we had been conversing with individuals from over twenty years ago through various clues. This time, being able to closely interact with a participant from that era, how could I easily let it pass?

I emptied the cup of wine, enduring the fiery spiciness with a "ha," and sat cross-legged on the kang. Sincerely, I said, "Regardless of whether my father is portrayed as a good or evil person in your words, please reveal the truth of that year. I believe you understand the loneliness and perplexity one endures while struggling in the mystery of over twenty years."

Duo Jie looked at me with complex eyes, sighed after a while, and said with a bitter smile, "I don't know if this is right or wrong, but I hope the 'truth' aligns with your wishes."

"I believe you've already guessed. The place I went with your father was the 'Qing Mountain' of your Cao family. In Hubei, to be more precise, deep within Shennongjia."

It had been over twenty years since that incident, but Duo Jie still remembered vividly. When my father called him in early autumn that year, needing his assistance, Duo Jie only discovered upon arrival that this endeavor involved not only the two of them but a nearly formidable team.

They gathered in a secluded village beneath Wushan County, Sichuan. Before entering the village, Duo Jie saw numerous Liberation brand trucks at the village entrance, their truck beds covered with oilcloth. Though concealed, the protruding shapes suggested a considerable amount of equipment inside.

Following the provided address, he found the guesthouse. Inside, many people were coming and going. A few passing individuals eyed him warily. Intuitively, he sensed that many among them were martial artists, carrying a certain level of proficiency. This left him puzzled about the nature of this journey, but he suppressed his speculations. In the innermost room, he found my father.

Upon meeting, Duo Jie was considerably surprised. My father, at that time, had a scruffy face with disheveled hair, appearing exhausted. He was sketching something on an old desk.

Seeing Duo Jie entering, my father's face lit up with a smile. Putting down the pen, he came over and embraced him. Duo Jie was straightforward, expressing his confusion about the journey.

My father had him sit down, poured a cup of water from a thermos, and informed him that their destination was the deepest part of Shennongjia. However, the local hunters there seemed reluctant to guide outsiders into the deep mountains. After pondering, they finally contacted Duo Jie.

Regarding the people outside, my father casually mentioned, patting Duo Jie's shoulder, "They are all from the clan."

They spent three days repairing in the village. During this period, Duo Jie's confusion deepened. Unfamiliar with my father's clan, he could sense that these people were not as close as one would expect among clan members. It seemed there were distinct factions, and even on the second day, people from different factions quarreled until two separate groups took them away.

Secondly, my father seemed to distrust these people. Certain matters were delegated only to a few individuals around him. Although those few were friendly to Duo Jie, two of them had even met him in Anzigou, and he remembered one of them being called Zhao Sanshui.

Thirdly, the purpose of their journey, although my father didn't explicitly state, through conversations, it was clear that their target was an underground relic deep in the remote mountains of Shennongjia.

Duo Jie asked what they were waiting for, and my father informed him that some formalities were still lacking.

At that time, Shennongjia had not yet become a scenic area, but it had a forestry department. Since they were bringing a significant number of people and vehicles, they needed to pass through the forestry department's inspection. Though only one or two people might be manageable, such a large

 group necessitated a legal approach. Therefore, the Cao family arranged for the necessary procedures through connections, posing as a research team from a southern forestry protection group.

Only now did Duo Jie realize the cargo behind the trucks consisted of hollowed-out giant logs, with excavation equipment and gear concealed inside.

In those few days, what Duo Jie saw and heard left him not just puzzled but also astounded. In that era, manipulating such unimaginable resources with such ease wasn't something an ordinary family could achieve. He couldn't fathom the terrifying influence behind the "Cao" family. He tried asking my father, but my father replied with a cryptic statement, "I hope you never come to know."

Two days later, when the relevant procedures were settled, the team finally set off. Departing from Sichuan, it took less than two days to enter the forestry area of Shennongjia.

With the formalities in place, they smoothly passed through checkpoints. Duo Jie followed my father's group, seven large trucks deep into the mountains until they could no longer drive. At that time, tourism wasn't well developed, and few ventured into those areas. The Cao family began to disassemble equipment from the trucks.

The last truck, with a canopy, carried several mules. People hung equipment on them, and thus, they started their journey towards the desolate and uninhabited depths of the Shennongjia mountains.

Shennongjia's mountains were vast, with numerous routes to enter. At that time, they took a route through an ancient battlefield site, now developed into the scenic area of Luan Ying Guzhai.

Luan Ying Guzhai's mountain was an extension of the original Shennongjia primitive forest. Despite the high altitude and treacherous terrain, there was an ancient road, sparing them from the need to blaze a trail for the mules.

Crucially, the Yin Tiao Ridge, centered around Luan Ying Guzhai, was previously known as the Jiuyan Mountain. Its main peak had a massive stone dragon lying across the mountain range, majestic in its grandeur. My father told Duo Jie that the nine peaks of this mountain formation had excellent feng shui, resonating with the destination they were headed to. To determine the subsequent route, they had to visit this place.

The entire team moved quickly, taking less than two days to traverse Long Tanzi, Ma Er He, and Hei Long Dong, arriving at Luan Ying Guzhai.

At that time, Luan Ying Guzhai was still well-preserved. The fort walls were at least four to five meters high, all constructed with stone blocks. The narrow path up the mountain faced steep cliffs on both sides, with the main fortress towering high, exuding an aura of impregnability.

Once the team entered the village, my father instructed a few Cao family members to arrange for the team to repair on the spot. He intended to climb the mountain to inspect and, before leaving, specifically invited Duo Jie. This surprised Duo Jie somewhat because, through these days of contact, he understood that Zhao Sanshui, with his proficiency in ancient texts and terrain, should have been the more suitable choice.

Duo Jie nodded without speaking and followed my father up the mountain. On the way, he trailed behind my father, hesitating to speak several times.

Later, as if my father had eyes on his back, he asked if Duo Jie was curious about why he had invited him up. Duo Jie quickly admitted, saying he had been stifling questions all along.

Unexpectedly, my father sighed, expressing a hint of helplessness, and said there was no other way. With people around all the time, some matters had to be discussed privately.

These words shocked Duo Jie. In his impression, my father had always been a strategic figure, seemingly in control of every major event. However, since their meeting this time, a sense of anxiety had replaced the former confidence. Trusting his intuition, Duo Jie sensed that my father had been anxious about something these past few days, facing some troubling issue. The earlier commanding aura had vanished.

For no apparent reason, Duo Jie shivered. He looked at the vast and distant mountains, asking himself if the purpose of this trip was truly as simple as excavating a relic.