Chapter 046: Old Cliff Pass, Dragon Seekers Team!

Ma Dong was in high spirits now. He pulled Song Kai into the hall, brewed a pot of Jade Dew tea for him, and when he heard Song Kai’s question, he laughed, “Of course I know. Old Chen and I were classmates in elementary school. Old Chen is a good man, but he’s stubborn. He’s determined to make tea, and to make it well. While others mix inferior leaves into their batches, he insists on honesty—pre-rain is pre-rain, mountaintop leaves are picked only from the summit. While others prosper, his business dwindled, and he had to make do with a wooden shack for a storefront.”

Song Kai listened, moved. “People like that are rare nowadays. Tea is something even those who drink it daily might not distinguish—pre-rain from post-rain, mountaintop from hillside, shaded from sunlit. It all comes down to the seller’s conscience.”

“That’s right.” Ma Dong grew even happier at Song Kai’s words, and eagerly began sharing his life philosophies.

Song Kai wasn’t interested in hearing them, so he interrupted, “Uncle Ma, I’d like to ask Boss Chen something. Could you take me to see him?”

“Sure!” Ma Dong led Song Kai toward the northern edge of town, where only one wooden tea stall stood; the other shops were far better furnished.

Ma Dong walked up and called, “Old Chen! Old Chen! Are you inside?”

The shop’s door was closed.

Ma Dong shook it and said, “Looks like Old Chen’s gone back to his hometown. No matter, he’ll definitely be back first thing tomorrow. Song Kai, stay at my place tonight, and we’ll go see him in the morning.”

“Well… alright.” Song Kai agreed, silently hoping nothing unexpected would happen.

He followed Ma Dong home, where dinner was nearly ready, delicious aromas wafting from the kitchen.

Ma Xue Mei was delighted, even more so when she learned Song Kai would stay the night.

During dinner, Ma Xue Mei chatted happily with Song Kai, and afterward she took him for a walk in the nearby mountains. The scenery was truly beautiful, nestled among the peaks, and the local Tujia customs amazed Song Kai.

This region was also steeped in Wu and Chu culture, with sorcery and spirits quite popular. Song Kai found this fascinating.

Ma Xue Mei clung to Song Kai, chatting until bedtime, reluctant to leave for her own room.

Song Kai didn’t think much of it; though Ma Xue Mei was cute and lively, his mind was wholly occupied with the rare Huangjing—the thing that would decide his fate.

Early the next morning, Song Kai rose eagerly, dragging Ma Dong along to find Old Chen, the tea seller.

Sure enough, Old Chen was back, with a basket of dew-covered tea leaves.

“Old Chen!” Ma Dong greeted him familiarly.

Old Chen looked up, saw Ma Dong, and after a moment’s surprise, burst into a smile. “Old Ma, you’re walking again! Congratulations!”

Ma Dong grinned proudly. “All thanks to young Song Kai here, my daughter’s classmate. He wants to ask you something.” Clearly Ma Dong was pleased with Song Kai, already impatient to introduce him.

Old Chen looked at Song Kai and nodded. “What do you want to ask? Buying tea? I do have some excellent leaves.”

Song Kai quickly replied, “Uncle Chen, not just yet. I’ll buy some before I leave. I wanted to ask about something else. About three or four months ago, you sold a bag of tea to an outsider, three thousand a pound. Do you remember?”

Old Chen laughed. “Of course I remember. That was the most expensive tea I ever sold. Still, thinking back, I sold it too cheap. No matter the price, that tea was worth it.”

Song Kai said, “Absolutely, Uncle Chen. That was superb tea. I wanted to ask, where did you harvest it?”

He looked at Old Chen expectantly, afraid the old man might say he’d forgotten.

Old Chen studied him. “You want to go pick some? Young man, you shouldn’t go to that place. It’s at Old Cliff’s Mouth—dangerous.”

“What? Old Chen, are you crazy, picking tea at Old Cliff’s Mouth?” Ma Dong muttered, then turned to Song Kai, “Xiao Fei, don’t go there. It’s too steep. Every year, who knows how many climbers die there.”

Song Kai hurriedly said, “It’s alright, Uncle Chen, Uncle Ma. Please, I beg you—tell me where it is, and how to get there. I have important business, not tea-picking. I must go, so please show me the best way.”

Ma Dong saw his determination and, though puzzled, didn’t press further.

Old Chen laughed. “Alright, I’ll tell you a side path. If you’re careful, you won’t fall.”

He then described the path to Old Cliff’s Mouth in detail.

To be safe, Song Kai drew a map and confirmed the route with Old Chen several times.

Once everything was settled, Song Kai breathed a sigh of relief, grasped Old Chen’s hand. “Uncle Chen, if I succeed, I’ll fund you a grand tea shop—golden and resplendent. Just wait!”

Old Chen was delighted, laughing heartily.

Ma Dong joined in.

Song Kai and Ma Dong returned home. After breakfast, Song Kai packed his backpack, brought a long coil of rope, and set off toward Old Cliff’s Mouth.

…

Song Kai was already heading there, caring for nothing else. As long as he could dig up that rare Huangjing, his future would be smooth.

The path to Old Cliff’s Mouth was treacherous, all mountain trails, and at this time of year in Enshi, there were many banded snakes—if bitten, it could be deadly.

Song Kai hiked for over four hours before finally reaching the base of the cliff. From here, he just needed to climb the small path up.

“Hmm? Footprints?”

He looked down; the path was covered in messy footprints. Their number and shape suggested that just recently, at least a dozen people had gone up, all in professional anti-slip climbing boots, not the cheap shoes worn by local villagers.

“What’s going on? Someone got ahead of me? Who are they, and what are they after?” Song Kai frowned, unable to figure it out. He decided to hurry up the mountain and be extra cautious—not letting them spot him first.

The footprints vanished into the weeds ahead.

Apparently, they didn’t know the path Old Chen had told him.

Song Kai pressed forward quickly. Half an hour later, he crouched low and spotted, dozens of meters away, more than ten men in camouflage, ropes at their waists, climbing picks in hand, scaling the upper cliff.

Their path was wrong—steep and difficult—so their progress was slow.

They didn’t seem like ordinary hiking enthusiasts.

Song Kai immediately lowered himself, creeping closer, intent on observing what they were up to.

“Hey! Buddy, got any spare paper?” a voice suddenly called nearby.

Song Kai jumped, looking toward the sound, which came from behind a tree.

No wonder he hadn’t seen this guy before—clearly he’d been squatting in the grass behind the tree, relieving himself.

“Hey, buddy!” A burly man poked his head out, looking at Song Kai. “Do you have any paper... huh? You’re not with the Dragon-Seeking Team?”

Song Kai quickly sized him up. His skin was dark, obviously from frequent exposure to the sun, with pronounced facial muscles—anyone who could develop muscles on their face wasn’t to be trifled with.

This man wore camouflage, so he was clearly part of the group climbing ahead. And he mentioned a Dragon-Seeking Team—damn, what was that?

Song Kai acted friendly, “Here, I brought plenty of paper. The captain knew you’d forget and sent me over.”

He walked toward the burly man.

The man looked puzzled and said, “When the dragon soars, the wind rises.”

Song Kai laughed, still calm. “Here’s your paper…” As he spoke, he suddenly lunged, drawing a knife from his boot and slashing at the man’s neck.

He only broke the skin.

The man, terrified, collapsed backward into his own mess.

Song Kai realized that line—the dragon soars, the wind rises—was a code, their Dragon-Seeking Team’s password.

Knowing he couldn’t answer, he struck first.

“If you make a sound, I’ll kill you!” Song Kai said coldly.

The man dared not move. Blood trickled from his neck—he felt the threat of death.

“What are you doing at Old Cliff’s Mouth?” Song Kai demanded.

“Looking... looking for the dragon,” the man stammered.

“Be clear—what dragon? There’s no damn dragon!” Song Kai grew impatient, pressing harder with his knife.

The man panicked. “It’s true! We got word there’s a dragon here, so our team rushed over. It’s not a real dragon, but definitely a powerful beast.”

Song Kai narrowed his eyes, then slammed his palm into the man’s neck.

The man’s eyes rolled back, and he collapsed.

“A dragon sighting?” Song Kai sheathed his knife. He understood now—their purpose matched his: both sought the rare Huangjing.

But while he deduced its presence from the tea’s flavor—knowing a rare spirit herb must be guarded by a beast—the Dragon-Seeking Team had come because they heard of a beast’s appearance, and where a beast dwells, there must be rare herbs.

So, though their information differed, their goals were the same.

Song Kai quickly checked the man’s belongings—besides climbing gear, he carried a hand grenade and a pistol.

“Damn, these guys are dangerous!” Song Kai grew anxious, taking the grenade and pistol for himself. Then, keeping low, he hurried along the path Old Chen had described.