An Yilun also brought good news.
He found definite clues about the ’Chuyun Shrine’ in a hiker’s travel blog.
The picture was the most convincing evidence.
Upon seeing the image, Xia Yu’s doubts were completely dispelled.
It seemed like a blind cat stumbling upon a dead rat this time. An Yilun had contacted the hiker for verification and confirmed the location of ’Chuyun Shrine.’ This secluded and unknown structure was in the mountains near where Xia Yu was currently located.
’Shisheng Mountain’ was just one of the peaks, known for its frequent tremors as an active volcano.
The shrine was approximately located near another peak, ’Meiying Peak,’ yet the hiker couldn’t specify the exact coordinates.
The hiker said it would be difficult for him to find the shrine again even if he climbed the snowy mountain once more.
However, Xia Yu still obtained some clues.
"Is it between Meiying Peak and the northern mountains?"
With this clue, Xia Yu crawled into the sleeping bag.
He had to rest well tonight; cooking practice was paused.
Of course, the bear encountered at dusk served as a warning bell for Xia Yu. Before sleep, he set up traps near the campsite, though unsure of their effectiveness, it provided necessary psychological comfort. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to sleep all night.
As dawn broke, the forest was shrouded in mist.
Forest birds began to chirp, their sounds echoing far across the silent wilderness.
Xia Yu got up, packed the sleeping bag and various camping equipment, and put them back into the jeep. Tang Yuqiong woke up almost at the same time as him, around six o’clock precisely. With nothing to say, they both exercised on the open camping ground.
After an hour, having finished breakfast, Xia Yu had not set hunting traps the night before, only defensive ones. Therefore, all they could eat that morning was canned food without any game.
The jeep traveled the rugged, rocky mountain terrain, gradually reaching the base of the snowy mountains. As the incline increased, Xia Yu pressed the accelerator harder, the engine noise piercing.
Tang Yuqiong got off at the shelter.
Xia Yu waved to her from the car, then drove the jeep across open land covered in black volcanic ash without stopping.
At ten in the morning, Xia Yu arrived in a mountain area entirely different from the volcanic zone.
The area had dense vegetation, with thick forests everywhere. Xia Yu cut down numerous branches with a knife, hid the jeep, and marked stones and trees along the way. The map on the phone was zoomed to the maximum, marked, and he then carried his sleeping bag, tent, and standard hiking gear, officially starting the climb!
On the first day, Xia Yu only covered 10 kilometers of mountain roads, stopping at Meiying Peak’s mid-slope to set up camp and rest early.
On the second day, he successfully reached Meiying Peak at an altitude of two thousand meters. Standing on the mist-shrouded summit, he scanned the mountain but found nothing, forcing him to descend and head north to conquer another two-thousand-meter peak. That day, he trekked 15 kilometers on winding, exposed ridge paths, exhausting himself.
Hiding in the tent, Xia Yu shivered.
Suddenly, a torrential downpour hit the mountain.
At this point, hearing the harsh sound of rocks rolling down the mountain, Xia Yu secretly admired his own wit!
The greatest fear in the mountains was unexpected weather followed by disastrous hazards like landslides. Therefore, caution was crucial when camping. Xia Yu found a shallow cave that, though only a few meters deep, provided enough space to set up a tent.
Thus, hiding in the cave, the rain was kept outside; neither the stones rolling from the mountain could hit him nor need he fear being engulfed by a landslide. Xia Yu just sat, watching the misty mountain landscape in the rain.
The rain finally stopped completely after half a day, but it must have made the mountain roads muddy and slippery, so Xia Yu decided to rest an additional day before proceeding. Anyway, he could connect with the Chef God Space to practice cooking, so he wouldn’t have to sit idly.
Sunlight pierced through the clouds, streaming over the mountain. Xia Yu stretched lazily, but suddenly caught a glimmer of light flashing like a mirror’s reflection, making him squint.
Moments later, the flash disappeared entirely. However, Xia Yu remembered the direction, "Is someone there? Or..."
On the fourth day in the mountains, Xia Yu followed that direction.
Parting layers of branches, a clean stone path led upwards along a gently sloping hill, making Xia Yu’s heart skip a beat. He stopped below, took out the phone photo.
After comparing, he exclaimed with delight.
The hiker had discovered the shrine in winter; now it was late autumn, with luxuriant mountain vegetation, and Xia Yu couldn’t see the shrine building as he looked up.
Ascending step by step.
Pa. Stepping on the final step, the view suddenly opened up, revealing a platform atop a hill among the peaks, unremarkable yet having a deep pool shrouded in thin ice fog.
The pond surface mirrored, the sunlight overhead striking down, reflecting light, making Xia Yu squint with a dawning understanding.
Apparently, the light he saw after the rain yesterday likely came from this spot.
Looking forward, he saw a shrine’s main hall and several ancient wooden huts.
The ’Chuyun Shrine’ plaque was so conspicuous.
Xia Yu quickened his pace, calling out as he went.
His voice spread, but no reply came for a long time.
He stopped outside the main hall, peered inside, and was slightly shocked. The wooden floor inside was spotless, yet there was no furniture, only a stone altar covered in moss.
The altar itself was a miniature replica of the shrine’s main hall.
Shedding the heavy backpack, Xia Yu looked around here and there. Noticing the altar was free of dust and clean inside and out, without dry branches or leaves, he frowned, "There shouldn’t be no one!"
"There is a person, indeed."
A voice suddenly responded.
Xia Yu reflexively turned his head and saw a disheveled, scruffy man standing at the hall entrance.
"Hello." Xia Yu inclined his head slightly, "Are you the owner of this place?"
The man approached lazily, respectfully bowing to the altar first, then observing Xia Yu playfully, "Finding your way here must have been challenging, right?"
Before Xia Yu could respond, he sighed to himself, "When I came here ten years ago, I was much like you."
"But now, I willingly stay here as a monk living simply and abstinently, ha-ha, only in spirit. When it comes to food, I certainly don’t skimp."
Xia Yu pressed his lips together.
"How can I find a hunting target?"
The man pointed to the altar, "Make an offering to it!"
Xia Yu was startled, though not completely flustered.
Having seen beings like yokai, he had various expectations about Chuyun Shrine.
"Dishware, cooking utensils, ingredients..."