Chapter 125: Windfall Valley

Windfall Valley is a gorge near Fanchuan, one hundred and eighty li outside Chang'an, situated to the southeast of Mount Zhongnan. Originally a desolate and secluded wilderness, the Manichaean sect had established a stronghold here to train their loyal disciples.

True to its name, Windfall Valley was characterized by fierce winds and waterfalls. Within the waterfalls lay damp mountain caves. Since the Manichaeans had occupied the site, they had hollowed out the interior, causing the winds to whistle through and dry out the space. However, when the biting winter winds tore through, the young ones forced to stand naked under the freezing waterfall for half an hour had to grit their teeth against the bitter cold.

Gongshu Jixuan had arrived two days ago. On his first day, he had been provided with food. But for the past two days, he had been trapped in a training ground akin to a brutal sect. Beyond the freezing waterfall, his peers—boys and girls alike—watched him with cold, indifferent eyes, gazes far frostier than the frozen cascade itself.

Today, like yesterday, there was no food. Unable to compete with the others, he wept in his frustration. He had never felt such misery; the teachings of his father and the wisdom in books had never spoken of such a world. He believed people should help one another.

A gaunt girl with sallow, withered skin, holding a chicken leg and a bowl of noodles, squatted before Gongshu Jixuan. She was not acting out of kindness; she would never offer charity, for to be kind was to be killed. Last month, an acquaintance of hers who had shared food with a newcomer was ruthlessly murdered by their overseer. The body had been hung beneath the stone wall, now frozen into an ice sculpture.

Having starved for two days, Gongshu Jixuan could not resist the aroma. He looked at the girl with pathetic, pleading eyes. "Please, could you spare me a bite?"

The girl did not answer; her cold expression remained unchanged. She finished the chicken leg, tossed the bone to the ground, and dug into her bowl of noodles. After eating, she let out a satisfied burp. "If you want to survive, go steal. At night, when you go to relieve yourself, you can dig for roots on the back of the mountain! When I first arrived, I starved for seven days. If you don't want to die, go grab what you can. Even if you bite someone to death while fighting for food, nothing will happen to you. If you can't beat them, you’ll be starved to death and discarded!"

Gongshu Jixuan looked at the chicken bone on the ground and reached for it, but another hand stopped him. He forced a smile at the sallow-faced girl. "A gentleman does not eat food obtained through humiliation. My name is Gongshu Jixuan. What is yours?"

The sallow-faced girl’s eyes remained cold. She did not understand his words, for they were not of the same kind. She reached out, stripped the warm outer garment from Gongshu Jixuan’s body, put it over her own thin frame, and turned away indifferently. "The rule here is that the weak are prey to the strong. You eat me, or I gnaw on you!"

"Hahaha!"

In the distance, the others laughed uproariously, mocking the newcomer.

Gongshu Jixuan, having lost his warm coat, was left with only two layers of clothing. Cold, hungry, and mentally shaken, he nursed his grievances, his eyes brimming with tears. For the first time, he felt the cruelty of the human world, yet he still could not bring himself to touch the chicken bone on the ground.

In the dim stone chamber, Gongshu Jixuan watched the sallow-faced girl sleeping in a thick quilt, alongside other peers who had bedding and mats. Lying in a corner on a pile of straw, he felt a deep sense of bitterness. Just moments ago, the girl had fought with others over the quilt, beating a challenger until they were left battered and gasping for breath, their face twisted beyond recognition.

Curled up, dragging straw over himself with a rustling sound, he was about to sleep when the sounds of fighting erupted outside. The girl in the quilt threw it aside, rose, and darted to the door, peering through a crack.

Gongshu Jixuan followed suit. Seeing the blood-drenched scene, his heart tightened. The sallow-faced girl looked on in astonishment as the overseer—who usually acted with such impunity—was struck by a spear wielded by a figure in black, sent flying several yards, and crashed into a jar of pickled vegetables with a deafening shatter.

When Gongshu Jixuan caught sight of a massive hammer, it felt vaguely familiar. Seeing the brawny figure, his heart surged with overwhelming excitement. He shouted for his grandfather, but the girl immediately pressed him to the ground. The group was clearly slaughtering the Manichaeans without mercy; if discovered, they would surely die.

Yet, that cry for help drew the attention of the man in black, who rushed to the chamber and kicked the wooden door to splinters, letting the freezing night wind howl inside.

The sallow-faced girl’s survival instinct flared; she threw a punch at the intruder—a decent stance, her fist thrown with determination.

The man in black let the punch land on his chest, scanned the waking youths, and stood still with his spear. He held the girl’s head with one hand, rendering her punch useless. He spoke calmly, "Do not be alarmed. I am here to save you—and, of course, Gongshu Jixuan."

The next day, in an empty restaurant owned by the Qi family in Chang'an, several high-ranking members of the Manichaean sect sat in council.

"Brother, Windfall Valley has been attacked. All our men were killed. We must investigate this to the end!" Sikong Ming, with his fair face and scholar-like appearance, looked out of place among these sinister men. Yet, his cold eyes betrayed his refined look, growing even frostier as he spoke of the destroyed stronghold.

Tuomanshan remained silent. Ever since hearing that Tuo Shen had been captured, he knew where things were heading. That fellow knew the locations of their two vital strongholds and eight transit points. This was originally Sikong Ming's responsibility, and Ming’s current agitation stemmed from the fear that his leader would punish him for his failure.

Luo Yishi finally broke his silence, rubbing his chin. "First, based on previous incidents—the rescue of the disciple of the high monk from the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, and now Gongshu Lingyun and Gongshu Jixuan—there is a connection. It is likely the work of the Daci'en Temple. However, they show no mercy to our disciples, killing them all. Clearly, the monks of the Buddha’s path can be ruled out; they do not kill."

"Then who is it? Even in the East Market cellars, they left no survivors, and two were killed by having their chests and foreheads pierced through!" Sikong Ming’s voice turned hysterical. He glanced furtively at his leader, his scholarly face contorting.

"Third Brother, calm yourself. Once we find them, we shall have our revenge. Second Brother, continue," Tuomanshan said, comforting his agitated brother while hiding his own simmering rage at the open defiance against the sect.

"I investigated through the Right Chancellor’s connections. Among those recently entering Chang'an are the Gongshu family. They have been craftsmen for generations, and they are currently in the Princess’s Estate. Matters have become complicated. If I am not mistaken, this has to do with the Princess Protector."

"What? A mere princess dares to act like this? Does she not know the Unlucky Ones have been crippled by us? Chang'an is under our control! Not to mention, we have the Right Chancellor as our great backer!" Upon learning that the Princess Protector was behind their troubles, Sikong Ming’s anger turned into a sinister sneer, his mind swirling with venomous schemes against the estate.

"The most important thing is that the Princess’s Estate has a Divine Physician. The poison in the Chief of the Unlucky Ones has likely been cured, so..." Luo Yishi had not finished when Tuomanshan interrupted.

"She saved the Emperor, after all. To deal with her, we must ask the Right Chancellor to step in. But since she dares to harbor the Chief of the Unlucky Ones, we cannot ignore it! Second Brother, contact the Tenth Alliance again. Offer them a heavy reward to do one thing."