The world of film and television starts from the flow of money

After leaving the Three Gorges, the boat entered the Han River, where the current gradually slowed down, and the plains on both banks opened up. It was the dead of winter, and the fields were barren, with only a few villages dotting the landscape, their chimneys emitting wisps of smoke, yet the atmosphere was desolate.

When the ship reached the vicinity of Xiangyang, Yi Huawei transferred to a northbound merchant ship. This ship was larger and carried silk and tea from the south, intended for sale in Luoyang. The ship carried many merchants, including foreign merchants, merchants from the Central Plains, and even several scions of noble families with servants, who seemed to have fled south to avoid trouble but were now turning back.

One evening, the ship docked for supplies. Yi Huawei went ashore for a walk and saw a refugee camp not far away. Hundreds of ragged refugees were crammed into dilapidated shacks, their faces sallow and emaciated, their eyes numb. Several children squatted in the snow, digging for grass roots to eat.

An old woman, cradling her grandson who was starving and on the verge of death, knelt by the roadside, begging from passing merchants and travelers. Most ignored her and hurried past. Yi Huawei paused for a moment, took out a piece of dry food from his pocket, and handed it over.

The old woman accepted it with trembling hands, kowtowing repeatedly: "Great benefactor! Great benefactor!"

Yi Huawei didn't linger; he turned and left, the cries of children fighting over food echoing behind him.

...............

Snow stopped.

The leaden sky pressed down overhead, the air was dry and biting cold, and merchant ships sailed against the Han River into Guanzhong, stopping at Tongguan.

Instead of taking the Tongguan Avenue, Yi Huawei turned southwest and headed straight for Mount Hua.

The mountain path was covered in hard snow, which crunched underfoot. Yi Huawei, dressed in a thick gray cotton robe and hooded, mingled with the sparse group of pilgrims. His steps were steady, his demeanor restrained, making him indistinguishable from any other traveler.

Mount Hua has changed.

In my memory, the courtyards built against the mountain at the foot of Jade Maiden Peak—the Sword Qi Hall, the Pavilion of Unwavering Deeds, the Disciples' Quarters… even the Cliff of Repentance on the back mountain—have all vanished without a trace. The rugged rocks remain silent, and the precipitousness of Azure Dragon Ridge remains unchanged, but the very foundation once occupied by the Huashan Sword Sect is now occupied by a grand Taoist temple.

Green tiles, gray walls, and flying eaves.

The Taoist temple, nestled in tiers along the mountainside, occupies the former site of the martial arts training ground and main buildings. A plaque hangs high above the temple gate, bearing three simple, ancient characters: Yuntai Temple. The snow in the open space in front of the temple has been cleared, revealing bluestone slabs. Several Taoist priests, dressed in thick cotton robes, are guiding worshippers in and out. The air is filled with the scent of burning incense and candles, mingled with the crisp chill of the winter forest.

Yi Huawei stopped under an old pine tree not far from the temple. He raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the roof of the Taoist temple and landing higher up—on the summit of Jade Maiden Peak. There, everything was pure white, with only the outlines of a few huge rocks vaguely visible.

The Huashan Sword Sect... is gone.

The thought surfaced clearly in his mind, without causing any ripples. A century is enough time for a world to change drastically. Yue Buqun, Ning Zhongze, Yue Lingshan... those vivid faces appeared one by one in Yi Huawei's mind.

Yi Huawei walked slowly along the path outside the viewing wall, his fingers tracing the cold stone, the texture rough yet real. Here, once were the steps leading to the Sword Qi Hall; there, the training ground where disciples practiced their morning exercises. Every inch of the ground beneath his feet held fragments of memories from two different eras. In the Ming Dynasty, Mount Hua was ablaze with sword energy; in the Sui Dynasty, Mount Hua was steeped in Taoist wisdom. Only these ancient rocks stood as cold observers of the changing world.

He stopped at the foot of a sheltered rocky cliff. The cliff face was covered with a thin layer of ice, beneath which lay dark moss. He sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, not to practice his martial arts, but simply to listen.

The wind swept through the valley, swirling up fine snowflakes that rustled softly against the bare branches and rocks. In the distance, the faint sound of chanting drifted from the Yuntai Temple, the rhythmic, monotonous striking of the wooden fish drum. Deep within the mountain stream, the faint, unfrozen sound of flowing water beneath the ice could be heard, tinkling, tinkling, extremely weak yet remarkably persistent.

Yi Huawei clearly sensed the invisible pressure, like shackles binding his invisible soul. Although his physical injuries had healed and his strength was slowly returning, the mark of being an "outlier" remained. The warning thunder deep in the sky was not an illusion. Mount Hua was still Mount Hua, but the rules of heaven and earth that governed it were completely different. Here, he was ultimately a passerby, an intruder.

He stood up and brushed the snow dust from his robes. His gaze returned to Yuntai Temple. Pilgrims came and went, and the Taoist priests looked serene. This rare religious tranquility amidst the chaos of war stood in stark contrast to the flames of war raging in the Central Plains below. However, this tranquility was irrelevant to him.

Returning to this familiar place, everything has changed; the people are gone, even the "things" that carried the memories have been transformed. Only this mountain, these cold stones, and this howling mountain wind remain, eternal witnesses.

Yi Huawei glanced one last time in the direction of Jade Maiden Peak, then turned and began descending the snow-covered mountain path he had come from. His figure quickly disappeared among the sparse trees and jagged rocks.

My trip to Mount Hua is over; it's time to head to Chang'an.

………………

At the foot of the mountain, beside the official road, is a simple teahouse.

Yi Huawei sat on a bench in the far corner, a bowl of coarse tea in front of him, now cold. He was wrapped in a thick gray cotton robe, the hood obscuring most of his face, revealing only his sharply defined jawline. Outside the shed, the hard snow was compacted into ice by car wheels and footsteps, reflecting the pale winter light.

"Waiter, a pot of hot tea, please!"

A young man who looked like a scholar walked into the teahouse. He was wearing a faded blue cloth robe and carrying a simple bag. He had a handsome face and gentle, peaceful eyes. He chose an empty table, sat down, and ordered a bowl of hot tea. His movements were natural, yet they carried an indescribable air of calm.

The young man picked up his teacup, his gaze seemingly casually sweeping across the shed. But when his eyes fell on Yi Huawei in the corner, a subtle ripple seemed to spread through the depths of his gentle eyes. An indescribable sense of unease gripped him.

The person was clearly sitting there, breathing, heartbeat, and body temperature no different from an ordinary person, but a deeper sense of presence was unusually faint, as if blending into the background, or as if existing independently outside of this world. This feeling was completely contrary to her keen perception of life force after cultivating the "Compassionate Sword Manual" to the "Sword Heart Clarity" realm.

"This person... is strange."

Shi Feixuan silently recited in her heart. Sword Heart Clarity was not mind reading, but a profound sensitivity to the essence of living beings, their spiritual fluctuations, and even potential threats. The person before her was like a stubborn, dusty stone, blocking her sword heart's probing.

She picked up her teacup, walked naturally to Yi Huawei's table, and sat down opposite him.

"This brother."

Her voice was clear and melodious, with a scholarly air: "I apologize for disturbing you. Seeing that you are also traveling alone, I wonder where you are headed in this desolate winter mountain wilderness?"

Yi Huawei slowly raised his head, and in the shadows beneath his hood, a pair of eyes calmly gazed at Qin Chuan. His gaze was unfathomable, devoid of any surprise or inquiry, only a persistent indifference. Shi Feixuan's heart skipped a beat; her intuitive sword senses suddenly blurred, as if the other's gaze itself were an insurmountable barrier.

"Chang'an."

Yi Huawei's voice was flat.

"What a coincidence!"

Shi Feixuan's face showed a perfectly timed hint of surprise:

"I am Qin Chuan, and I am also on my way to Chang'an to visit a friend. The mountain roads are difficult to travel, and the snow has made them even more treacherous. I wonder if you would mind traveling with me, brother? It would be good to look after each other." Her tone was sincere, and her gaze met Yi Huawei's openly. At the same time, she subtly activated her Sword Heart Clarity, her invisible spiritual tentacles, like the finest sword threads, attempting to perceive him more deeply. However, that invisible "barrier" remained. Her Sword Heart's probe into the past was like a clay ox entering the sea; she only felt a profound silence, and beneath that silence, an unimaginable, inner power. This feeling sent a chill down her spine.

Yi Huawei's gaze lingered on "Qin Chuan's" face for a moment. He naturally saw through this clumsy attempt at cross-dressing. The delicate contours of his skin, the absence of a prominent Adam's apple, and the pure and holy aura emanating from his very bones—none of it could fool him. More importantly, when the other party attempted to probe him using that strange technique, the purple-gold true essence of the "Longevity Mantra" flowing within his body, without any deliberate activation, naturally generated an extremely faint yet supreme majesty, silently annihilating the probing spiritual tentacles. He could sense the "Heavenly Dao" aura contained within the other party's technique; although weak, it was subtly of the same origin as the force that repelled him in this world.

"Cihang Jingzhai... Sword Heart Clear and Bright..."

This thought flashed through Yi Huawei's mind. One of his goals for this trip was this sacred Buddhist and Taoist site. Now, its disciples had actually come to him of their own accord.

"can."

Yi Huawei replied with only one word, then lowered his head again, as if the conversation had exhausted him.

Shi Feixuan's doubts deepened, but she showed no sign of it on her face, remaining as gentle and refined as ever: "Very well then. Shall we set off once you have rested properly?"

She picked up her teacup and took a small sip, using it to conceal the turmoil within her heart. The taciturn traveler before her was like an unfathomable, icy pool, causing her sword heart, which had cultivated to the point of "sword heart clarity," to feel for the first time an impenetrable barrier and a vague unease. But it was precisely because of this that she was determined to accompany him and uncover his true nature.

Yi Huawei said nothing more, but simply drank the cold, coarse tea in his bowl in one gulp, then stood up. His movements carried a calm, steady quality, like a mountain shifting. Shi Feixuan also stood up and paid for her tea.

The two walked one after the other along the snow-covered official road leading to Chang'an. One was as silent as an ancient well, the other as gentle as a piece of unpolished jade in the mountains. Their figures stood out against the bleak winter backdrop, yet they possessed a strange harmony.

Shi Feixuan walked a step behind Yi Huawei, her gaze occasionally sweeping over his figure shrouded in a thick robe. Her keen, intuitive understanding of his sword was always blocked by an invisible barrier, unable to penetrate even a fraction of its depth. This otherwise ordinary journey was shrouded in an unpredictable fog because of this chance encounter with the silent traveler.

The official road leading to Chang'an seemed exceptionally long after the snowfall. The crunching of wheels over the ice and snow, and the crisp sound of horses' hooves breaking through the thin ice, were the monotonous accompaniment on the road.

Yi Huawei walked silently ahead, the hem of his gray cotton robe brushing against the withered grass stems beside the road. Shi Feixuan lagged half a step behind, her clear voice attempting to break the silence.

"Judging from the sky, it looks like there will be another snowfall this afternoon."

Looking at the leaden sky, Shi Feixuan asked with the worry of an ordinary traveler, "Brother, is your ration enough? There seems to be a small town about twenty miles ahead where we can resupply."

Yi Huawei did not turn around, and his pace remained unchanged.

"Are you from the North, brother? Judging from your accent, you don't seem to be from Guanzhong."

Shi Feixuan changed the subject, her gaze fixed on Yi Huawei's back, trying to catch any subtle reaction.

The figure ahead remained silent.

"Traveling after this snowfall is bitterly cold. I have some ginger candy in my baggage; would you like to have one to warm you up?"

She took a small paper packet from her sleeve and stepped forward.

Yi Huawei slightly tilted his head, glanced at the paper package, then turned back, shook his head, and made a very small movement.

Shi Feixuan didn't take it to heart, put away the paper package, and continued, "Chang'an City must be much more prosperous than this mountain wilderness. I've heard that merchants gather in the East and West Markets, and foreign merchants and foreign tourists come in an endless stream. Are you going there to find some business?"

There was no response. Only the crunching sound of footsteps on the snow.

"I've heard that things haven't been very peaceful in Guanzhong lately, with some small groups of bandits causing trouble. Brother, you're all alone, so you need to be extra careful."

Yi Huawei paused briefly, almost imperceptibly, but remained silent.

"Brother..."

Shi Feixuan paused, seemingly choosing her words carefully: "...doesn't seem to like talking much?"

She asked a rather direct question.

This time, Yi Huawei finally spoke, his voice still hoarse and flat: "It's just a habit."

Just two words, yet they inexplicably stirred Shi Feixuan's emotions. This wasn't the answer she had hoped for regarding identity or purpose, but simply "habit."

But those two words were his only response to her several sentences in a row. She subconsciously pursed her lips, suppressing the almost inappropriate, joyful emotion welling up inside her. The feeling came so suddenly that even she was surprised.

"what happened?"

Shi Feixuan frowned inwardly. As the current successor of Cihang Jingzhai, she had cultivated the Cihang Sword Manual to the point of "Sword Heart Clarity," and her mind was already as clear as water, undisturbed by external things.

The stranger's cold indifference should have been like a gentle breeze, leaving no ripples in her heart. But why, simply because he sparingly uttered two words, did she feel a sense of satisfaction at receiving a response? She even secretly hoped he would say something more? This was definitely not the reaction a swordsman with clear vision should have.

Shi Feixuan quickly composed herself, maintaining Qin Chuan's scholarly gentleness and a hint of embarrassment at being ignored:
"Habit...it's good. In this world, the less you say, the less mistakes you make."

She chuckled self-deprecatingly, then posed another question: "Brother, once you arrive in Chang'an, will you have a place to stay? If not, there are a few clean and affordable inns in the southern part of the city."

Yi Huawei stared at the long, snow-covered road ahead and replied with only one word: "Yes."

Shi Feixuan's heart skipped a beat again because of that one word. She immediately became alert and forced her attention to the withered branches bent by the weight of snow by the roadside, silently reciting a calming mantra.

This silent traveler traveling with her exerted a profound pressure on her, more so than any eloquent discourse or deliberately concealed hostility, and an irresistible urge to investigate. Her usually clear-headed swordsmanship seemed to have lost its usual clarity in his presence.

(End of this chapter)