I changed the world.

Page 264

After trekking for more than five hours on the mountain path, Guan Zeping truly understood the meaning of "looking at a mountain makes one's horse run itself to death." Even though it was only March, and the Dan Ding Mountain area had even experienced snowfall a few days prior, making the weather chilly, Guan Zeping was still drenched in sweat, panting heavily, and constantly wiping his forehead with tissues. Around him, his disciples were also panting heavily.

The mountain paths here are really difficult to walk. Since the location of Zhebi Peak is not a traditional tourist area, there are hardly any tourists here. Moreover, due to the difficult roads, even the surrounding residents, apart from some hikers, rarely come here.

Therefore, when Guan Pingze and his group stopped at Huangjia Village at the foot of the mountain, the villagers told them that "the road is difficult to travel".

The mountain path here shows no signs of repair or maintenance; it's simply a dirt road worn into the mountainside—the kind of path that "becomes a road with enough footsteps." However, because it's not frequently used, the dirt road is overgrown with vegetation. Fortunately, there hasn't been any rain or snow in the past two days, otherwise the muddy road would be even more difficult to traverse.

Even so, walking on such a mountain path was still very dangerous. The group of people carried bamboo sticks, which they had just cut down in the mountains. As they walked, they tapped the grass ahead, a practice known as "beating the grass to scare away snakes," to avoid stepping on snakes or insects and getting bitten. The pit vipers and bamboo vipers in Dan Ding Mountain were extremely dangerous poisonous creatures.

Along the way, they frequently encountered situations where vegetation obscured the mountain path. Whenever this happened, the disciples even had to use machetes to cut off tree branches to pass through, which further depleted everyone's physical strength.

To be honest, Guan Zeping was already regretting it. If he had known the mountain road would be so difficult, he would have gone back to Huangjia Village first, found a place with a good signal, made a phone call to his sect, and sent the message back.

Now, with no village or shop in sight and no cell phone signal, turning back now would mean all the previous hikes would have been for nothing. Feeling somewhat reluctant, and seeing that the destination seemed close, I decided to grit my teeth and try again…

Based on information they obtained from some elderly people in Huangjia Village, the "Old Immortal's" hermitage was located just beyond the hillside. It was said that a huge, ancient pine tree, its age unknown, stood prominently there, and the "Old Immortal's" secluded meditation spot was beneath it. Because it was so remote, only a few years ago did someone from the village go there to collect medicinal herbs. In recent years, many young people from the village have gone down the mountain to work, leaving mostly elderly people behind, and hardly anyone goes there anymore…

Chapter 504 Seeking Immortals VII

After struggling to emerge from the mountain path, which was almost completely blocked by overgrown shrubs, Guan Zeping and his group finally reached a slope. The terrain gradually became flatter. After rounding a bend, a small, leveled field appeared on the side. Some vegetables were planted in part of the field, mostly leafy greens and beans, but not in large quantities. Large tracts of land remained barren.

Perhaps because the weather is still cold, the fields have not yet been sown, and only a few weeds are sprouting in the fields.

This area is located in a mountainous region, where the temperature is lower than in other areas. Due to the difficulty of accessing water in the mountains, most farmers in this area grow crops such as corn, which are usually planted in April or May.

Having farmland means having people living there. Guan Zeping wasn't the kind of person who didn't know the difference between crops. After a rough estimate, he understood that such a large area of ​​farmland could probably support the daily needs of one or two people, so there probably weren't many people coming here.

Continuing forward, he soon came to see the legendary ancient pine tree in the distance. It was an extremely thick ancient pine, estimated to be as thick as several people could hug. Guan Zeping didn't know much about plants and couldn't distinguish the species of the pine tree, but even from a distance of over a hundred meters, it stood out like a crane among chickens, extremely conspicuous among the trees.

As they approached their destination, the group quickened their pace, while Guan Zeping, who was leading the group, subconsciously began to straighten his clothes as he walked, his heart starting to pound with unease...

After walking several dozen meters, the scenery ahead became clear. Guan Zeping's gaze was no longer on the pine tree, but focused on a stone cave not far from it.