Obscuris Labyrinth

Lin Yaxuan's eyes were full of reverence for her witch grandma Li Yuexuan. She said enthusiastically, "My grandma doesn't go out very often. But her witchcraft is unrivaled throughout Xiling. She has saved countless people, so everyone respectfully calls her the number - one witch among the Miao people. In the past, many witches were unconvinced and traveled a long way to come to our Tianwang Fort to challenge her. As a result, every time they could only kowtow to grandma in defeat and slink away. Since I was ten years old, I haven't seen any witches come to challenge again."

Zhao Yuxuan had an idea in his mind when he heard this. So he said to Lin Yaxuan, "Lin Yaxuan, have you ever learned your grandma's witchcraft? Show it to me."

A look of gloom immediately appeared on Lin Yaxuan's face. She slowly shook her head and said helplessly, "No. Grandpa didn't let grandma teach me. Grandpa said that learning witchcraft is very risky and might put me in danger for my whole life. Moreover, since I was very young, Grandpa has been teaching me all kinds of knowledge, including Chinese history, foreign history, and those strange languages and learning. I had to study them every day. I really don't understand what the use of learning these things is. Grandpa always refused to tell me the reason. However, he did let grandma teach me some skills for fighting and self - defense."

Zhao Yuxuan said with a puzzled look, "I really don't understand. Your grandma is so young and beautiful and is the number - one witch among the Miao people. How could she fall in love with an old man like your grandpa?"

As soon as Lin Yaxuan heard this, she immediately retorted, "What old man? When grandpa met grandma, he was only in his twenties. Grandma said that grandpa was very handsome at that time."

Zhao Yuxuan couldn't help but laugh out loud. He shouted, "Haha, your grandma is really a born witch, as if she were protected by a god. Your grandpa is at least thirty or forty years older than your grandma. When your grandpa was in his twenties, your grandma probably hadn't been born yet. At that time, she already knew that your grandpa was handsome. Amazing, I admire her. This is really incredible."

Lin Yaxuan looked at his grinning face and got a little angry. She frowned and said, "What do you know? Let me tell you, my grandma is already seventy - two years old this year, and she is three years older than grandpa."

This time, Zhao Yuxuan was so shocked that his mouth, which had been wide open while laughing, froze all of a sudden and couldn't close for a long time. His wide - open mouth could hold an apple. After a while, he finally regained his composure and stammered, "Wh... what? Your grandma is seventy - two years old and is three years older than grandpa? How... how is this possible?"

Seeing Zhao Yuxuan so astonished, Lin Yaxuan smiled smugly again and said, "Why is it impossible? Everyone older in Tianwang Fort knows that one year of my grandma's life is equivalent to several years of others'."

Zhao Yuxuan knew in his heart that Lin Yaxuan probably wouldn't lie. Recalling the ape that had been tamed to be as docile as a human he had seen before, he realized that her grandma Li Yuexuan's title of "the number - one witch among the Miao people" was indeed well - deserved, and he felt that her family was becoming more and more mysterious. Suddenly, he remembered something and said to Lin Yaxuan, "Lin Yaxuan, where are your father and mother? Why haven't I seen them?"

As soon as he said this, he saw that Lin Yaxuan's beautiful eyes gradually turned red, and her face also became gloomy. She said softly, "When my mother was pregnant with me, grandpa asked my father to do something. But since then, my father has never returned, and no news has come back either. Mother was always very worried, couldn't eat, and her body became weaker and weaker. In the year when I was three years old, she caught a serious illness and finally passed away."

Seeing that Lin Yaxuan was about to cry, Zhao Yuxuan knew that this must be the saddest thing for her, but he had accidentally brought it up again. He was full of guilt and quickly changed the topic, saying, "Lin Yaxuan, by the way, where is the huge stone left by Miezu? Can you take me to see it?"

Lin Yaxuan held back her almost - welling - up tears and nodded, saying, "Okay. That huge stone is at the foot of Lingjiu Peak. Let me take you to see it."

With that, she led Zhao Yuxuan out of the temple and walked towards the north of Tianwang Fort.

After walking for about twenty minutes, they walked out of the stockaded village. In front of them stood Lingjiu Peak, which was as straight as a spire and soared into the sky. This peak was as steep as a wall, and there were very few vines, grass, and other plants on it. It was extremely difficult to climb. From time to time, eagles could be seen hovering above the peak and making cries.

There was still a section of the road leading to the foot of Lingjiu Peak, and this section of the road was very rough and difficult to walk. There was a section of the road, which Lin Yaxuan said was called "Sharp - Blade Peak". Its shape was like the edge of a knife, so narrow that only one person could pass through, and both sides were deep valleys filled with clouds and fog. Zhao Yuxuan was very frightened when walking on this road. He felt as if he were walking on thin ice. Every step he took seemed to use up all his strength. His heart was beating rapidly, as if it was going to jump out of his throat the next second. However, Lin Yaxuan's face didn't change color, and her steps were as steady as if she were walking on flat ground. It seemed that she had walked this road many times.

When Zhao Yuxuan finally walked through the "Sharp - Blade Peak", his whole body was soaked with cold sweat, and his feet were a little weak. But when he saw the sneer on Lin Yaxuan's lips, he forced himself to stand up straight with his head held high, not wanting to be looked down upon by Lin Yaxuan, and at the same time, he was ashamed of his timidity just now. He originally thought that he was no longer afraid of life and death, but who knew that when he was really in danger, he still couldn't help but be nervous and afraid.

But at this time, Lin Yaxuan looked at him and nodded, saying, "Zhao the Bad Guy, you are not too bad. It only took you twenty minutes to walk through the 'Sharp - Blade Peak'. Do you know? When I first came here, I was so scared. If it hadn't been for grandma taking me, I would never have dared to come over."

Hearing Lin Yaxuan say this, Zhao Yuxuan finally regained some confidence and said loudly with an air of pride, "Of course. I have been to even more dangerous places. What is this 'Sharp - Blade Peak'?"

Lin Yaxuan immediately snorted and said disdainfully, "You, Zhao the Bad Guy, are always fond of talking big. Who would believe you?"

As she was speaking, she continued to walk forward. After walking for about another ten minutes, they reached the end of the mountain road. A cliff as if cut by a knife or an axe stood in front of them, and the cliff soared into the clouds. And at the foot of this cliff, there stood a huge stone. Some strange characters were engraved on the stone. However, those characters had been weathered and were almost unrecognizable. But it was exactly the same as the photo shown to him by Li Ruize. Needless to say, this was the thing left by Miezu.

Lin Yaxuan walked up to the huge stone, immediately knelt down reverently, kowtowed a few times, and then said to Zhao Yuxuan, "Zhao the Bad Guy, you should also kowtow quickly. This is not only the sacred stone of our Tianwang Fort but also one of the most sacred places for the Miao people. Since you have come here, you have to worship."

Zhao Yuxuan had to kowtow perfunctorily a few times and then asked, "Lin Yaxuan, your grandpa said that there is also an old - time ballad about this stone. Is that right?"

Lin Yaxuan nodded and said, "Yes. The ballad is very short. The lyrics are 'Lingjiu Peak is high, Lingjiu Peak is dangerous. On the Miezu Stone are engraved divine characters. Who can recognize them and the golden mountain will open'."

Zhao Yuxuan then said, "Your grandpa also said that Miezu was a person more than a thousand years ago. So the characters on this stone were also engraved more than a thousand years ago. Has no one ever been able to recognize them?"