Chapter Sixty: The Pine Forest

Could it be that someone moved the ice cave?
Well, it doesn’t matter anyway—we’re not here looking for the ice cave.
So I told Wu Xin about our quest for the fragments of the Soul-Capturing Pearl.
“Soul-Capturing Pearl fragments?” Wu Xin repeated thoughtfully.
I nodded to show he hadn’t misheard me.
Wu Xin frowned, “I’ve heard my master mention the Soul-Capturing Pearl fragments. Supposedly, if all seven fragments are gathered, they form a complete Soul-Capturing Pearl. But that’s just a legend, isn’t it? Do such fragments really exist?”
After speaking, Wu Xin gazed at me, bewildered.
I explained, “It’s not a legend. The very reason I journeyed to Azure Cloud Mountain was to seek out the Soul-Capturing Pearl.”
Wu Xin nodded, still puzzled, “So, did you find it?”
I was speechless…
If I’d found it, would I have asked him to help?
I shook my head, “Not yet—that’s why I asked you to lend a hand. Reliable sources say a fragment is hidden here in Thousand Curtain Mountain.”
Upon hearing this, Wu Xin asked, “Do you know what the fragment looks like?”
His question stumped me—I truly didn’t know the appearance of the fragment.
But I did know what the complete pearl looked like.
So I replied, “I’ve never seen a fragment, but I know the Soul-Capturing Pearl itself.”
With that, I drew the shape of the pearl in the snow before us.
Wu Xin propped his chin in his hand, studying my drawing closely.
Lin Wei Yan and Feng Zi Mo, too, were seeing this for the first time; it seemed neither had ever encountered it.
After a long pause, Wu Xin said, “Let me try and see if I can find any clues.”
He calculated with his fingers, and I dared not disturb him.
After three minutes, Wu Xin shook his head.
He didn’t need to say a word—his troubled expression told me he’d found nothing.
“Never mind, let’s just search honestly. Treat it as a journey through the snowy mountains,” I said.
Everyone nodded. Feng Zi Mo suggested, “Why don’t we check the foot of the mountain?”
His proposal made me realize our search shouldn’t remain atop the mountain; perhaps the fragment was below.
Without further hesitation, we set off, trekking through the snow toward the base of the mountain.
After more than three hours, the snow beneath our feet thinned, and ahead of us was a pine forest.
Tall, straight pines, their weathered trunks cloaked in moss.

We followed a narrow path into the woods.
At first, all I noticed was the age of the trees.
But the deeper we ventured, the more uneasy I felt—something was off.
Until we discovered we couldn’t find our way out, and only then did we realize how serious the situation was.
The pines seemed to form a maze; no matter where we walked, there was no exit.
We even tried to fly above the forest to look around, but couldn’t rise into the air.
All our magic seemed to vanish—just like that time in Immortal Valley.
Why was this pine forest the same? Had an immortal placed a barrier here?
The more I pondered, the more unbelievable it seemed—who would set up a barrier in this place without reason?
Could the Soul-Capturing Pearl fragment be here?
But aside from pines and some rare flowers and herbs, there was nothing else.
We wandered the forest for hours, not even glimpsing a wild animal.
Darkness gradually crept in, and there was nothing to do but make a fire.
Tonight, we’d have no choice but to spend the night here, so with everyone’s help, we gathered wood and built a blazing fire.
Soon, the flames were crackling and night had fully fallen.
Sitting around the fire, I asked, “Is there any way we can get out?”
Wu Xin replied, “There is a way, but whether it’ll work is uncertain.”
I said, “Wu, that’s as good as not saying anything.”
Wu Xin laughed awkwardly. Feng Zi Mo slapped his thigh.
We all turned to him at once, wondering if he had a solution.
“Feng, do you have an idea?” I asked.
Feng Zi Mo replied, “I did—until you all looked at me like that. Now it’s gone.”
Good grief…
At a time like this, he still had the mood for jokes; I almost wanted to kick him.
So I turned to Lin Wei Yan, who’d been silent all this time, as if weighed down by some secret.
“Wei Yan, what’s wrong? You’ve seemed gloomy all the way here,” I asked.
Lin Wei Yan smiled gently, “Brother Chu Yun, I’m fine!”
She picked up a small stick and absentmindedly poked at the fire.
“What’s going on with her?” I whispered to Feng Zi Mo beside me.

To my surprise, Feng Zi Mo answered, “Are you serious? You two are so close, and you don’t know? How should I?”
Then he turned to Wu Xin, “We’re almost out of firewood—let’s go gather some more.”
Wu Xin was about to say, “But that’s….”
Before he could finish, Feng Zi Mo gave him a meaningful glance.
Wu Xin immediately changed his tone, “We’re running low, let’s collect some for the second half of the night.”
I was about to say, “Let’s all go together!”
Wu Xin replied, “Brother Chu Yun, you stay here and look after Miss Lin. The two of us will be enough.”
With that, they left.
Only Lin Wei Yan and I remained by the fire, the atmosphere suddenly awkward.
To break the silence, I said, “They’re certainly diligent.”
Lin Wei Yan nodded, but I couldn’t tell what she was thinking or whether she was listening.
I worked up the courage to ask, “Is something on your mind? About what happened that day….”
Before I could finish, Lin Wei Yan interrupted me, “It’s nothing. I chose it myself—it had nothing to do with you, Brother Chu Yun. As long as you’re safe, anything I do is worthwhile.”
Hearing this, I was at a loss for words.
I knew Lin Wei Yan liked me, but…
How should I put it? If I said I didn’t care for her at all, it would be a lie.
Yet the one buried deep in my heart remained an obsession.
But I couldn’t tell Lin Wei Yan that—it would only hurt her.
Seeing my hesitation, Lin Wei Yan forced a smile, “I know there’s someone in your heart you can’t let go of. I never hoped to be that person. As long as I can stay by your side, I’m content. You don’t need to feel troubled—be brave and seek your own happiness.”
“I…”
I could feel her heart bleeding as she spoke these words.
“If I said I could forget her….”
Before I finished, Wu Xin rushed over, breathless.
“Something’s wrong…”
“Something’s wrong…”