Professor Sun frowned, "I'm anxious too, but the only information we have on Commander Feng is his household registration and address when he joined the army. We managed to track down his file later, but we still couldn't find his ancestral home."

Only then did I realize this matter was truly difficult. The influx of bandits into Sichuan during the late Ming Dynasty, coupled with the warfare of the late Qing Dynasty, led to massive migrations, causing large populations of immigrants to settle in Sichuan, Hunan, and Hubei. Thus, the registration address found in the archives was not Commander Feng's ancestral home from generations past. Unless we could find someone intimately familiar with him, it was unlikely anyone else would know the details.

My heart sank, and I asked Professor Sun again, "So there's no hope of finding it?"

Professor Sun replied, "I've inquired everywhere, and only just got a small lead this afternoon, but..." He pulled out a newly purchased map atlas of China and pointed to a spot, "It's hidden deep within the mountains, where the clouds obscure the path."

I looked closely at the location he indicated. It was the Wushan area along the Yangtze Gorges. It has always been said that Wushan is known for its morning clouds and evening rain, and the misty, ethereal presence of the Goddess Peak. In ancient times, it was the fiefdom and burial site of Wuxian, hence the name "Wushan," which has persisted to this day. This area is perpetually shrouded in mist, which obscures the mountain ranges' contours, making the Wang (Observation) technique of the Mojin Xiaowei useless. We needed a more precise location. I asked Professor Sun, "Wushan belongs to the Middle Dragon branch line, which, in Qingu Fengshui, is traditionally spoken of as being like a group of dragons without a head—the most elusive. This mountain is also influenced by the culture of Wu and Chu, with many ancient customs and legends. Even though we now know Commander Feng's ancestral roots are in Wushan County, this region is still vast. Haven't you found out which specific town or village? Don't start quoting poetry about clouds and mist; his hometown must have a proper place name."

Professor Sun looked quite troubled and said, "I did manage to find out the name of a town—it's called Qingxi Town. But this map is quite detailed; it shows every location, large or small, within Wushan County, yet there is nowhere marked as Qingxi Town. That’s why I said it’s hidden deep within the mountains, where the clouds obscure the path."

Hearing that Sun Jiuye hadn't found "Qingxi Town" on the Wushan County map, I also felt a bit bewildered. Could the source of the information be inaccurate? Or perhaps it was due to historical evolution, where the ancient place name was not carried over? If this town existed during the Ming Dynasty, it must be an ancient town; even if abandoned, there should be ruins to find, it's impossible that not a single tile remains. If we examine the local gazettes closely, we might find a clue.

Professor Sun nodded in agreement, "The responsibility for deceiving Old Chen into going to the South China Sea to salvage the ancient mirror is mine. I’ve thought about it for a long time, and I’ve decided to go with you. What are your plans?"

I thought for a moment and said, "Jiuye, you've finally come around. We can inquire about the ancient town of Qingxi after we reach Wushan County. We can't delay any longer; let’s leave tomorrow. The fewer people, the better. Let’s plan it out now."

When I came out of the study, I saw that most of the guests had already left. Professor Chen was completely drunk and had already been helped back to his bedroom to rest. I called Shirley Yang and Fatty into the study, locked the door, and secretly plotted our plan for an "on-site investigation" in Wushan.

In Professor Chen’s study, shelves were filled with countless books, naturally including many local gazettes and historical documents. Sun Jiuye rummaged through boxes and cabinets, looking up the historical changes in Wushan County, but he found no mention of a "Headless King." It seemed the "hint" Commander Feng mentioned was not so easily deciphered.

I said to Professor Sun, "I don't know if there is a Headless King in Wushan, but I heard that during the Yongzheng Emperor's reign in the Qing Dynasty, when he was assassinated, Lü Siniang cut off his head. So, when Yongzheng was buried, his body was headless, and a golden head was used instead. This fits the 'headless' description, but he was an Emperor; calling him a 'King' feels like a demotion. Besides, the time period and geographical location don't match."

Sun Jiuye interjected, "That's just folklore, not to be believed. During the Wu-Chu cultural period, there was indeed a headless general, but he wasn't a noble either. Decapitation was a common punishment in ancient times. During chaotic times, many princes, nobles, generals, and even emperors met a severed fate. If we tried to list them all, we'd never find a clear path. Therefore, we should focus our attention on the Bashu region."

After much discussion, no one could think of a "Headless King" near Wushan. Shirley Yang commented, "Perhaps this King is not a king. We'll only be able to verify local legends after we get to Wushan County. Since we’re heading to Sichuan tomorrow, we should establish a meticulous plan first."

Sun Jiuye asked, "Shouldn't we try to get a letter of introduction or something? It would make accommodation and travel easier everywhere. But getting a letter of introduction would take at least another month."

I said a letter of introduction wasn't strictly necessary, though it would certainly be convenient. I might as well write one myself, and have Big Gold Tooth find a seal carver to make a radish stamp overnight.

Sun Jiuye was astonished, "You actually dare to forge a letter of introduction?"

Fatty chuckled, "These days, the stamp matters more than the person. Having a set of radish stamps ready is good insurance. Old Sun Jiu, you don't know, but there are many craftsmen in Panjiayuan who make a living just carving radish stamps."

Shirley Yang, however, didn't know the purpose of a letter of introduction and asked what gear we needed to bring and what the natural geography of Wushan was like.

I told Shirley Yang, "I've never been to Wushan, but when I was in the army, I had a few comrades from Chongqing. According to them, Wushan is the gateway to eastern Sichuan. The county seat has many slopes and steps. The overall terrain can be summarized as: seven parts mountain, one part land, two parts water, with the endless Yangtze River flowing east. The mountains are often misty and rainy. We don't have much equipment left from our time in Beijing, but I think what we have should be enough. Although this time we are going into the mountains again, this location is not like the deserts of Xinjiang. We absolutely cannot bring explosives or firearms. Aside from the Mojin Xiaowei tools, we only need first-aid medicine, entrenching tools, lighting and communication gear, and basic mountaineering equipment."

Fatty protested, "Bringing guns would be like adding wings to a tiger! Without hardware in hand, our guts aren't steady. I estimate that group of Guanshan Taibao aren't pushovers either; they're probably seasoned, cunning bandits. We should bring more explosives as a precaution."

I told him, "In recent years, checks on railways and roads have been extremely tight; flammable and explosive materials are forbidden en route. Furthermore, all the legends about the Earth Immortal Village tomb mostly describe its mystery and strangeness, not its horror or danger. I think at most, there might be some malfunctioning ancient mechanisms. We are going into the mountains for an investigation, not a war. I suspect the Earth Immortal Tomb hidden in Wushan is just the grave of a major landlord from the Ming Dynasty. Its main feature is its secrecy; it won't be as sturdy or massive as an imperial mausoleum. So there’s no need to use cannons to swat flies. This trip will rely mainly on our tomb-raiding techniques."

Sun Jiuye interjected, "Well said, Hu Bayi. You are so experienced, every word you say hits the mark. And you still claim you don't know grave robbing? But finding the Earth Immortal Village tomb truly requires someone like you."

I replied, "When it comes to deciphering ancient symbols and cryptic writings, you, Sun Jiuye, are the mastermind. But when it comes to searching mountains and finding dragons, you are an amateur. However, regarding that chant of the 'Headless King,' the need to see the Earth Immortal, and the requirement to see the 'Black Sheep' first—we still have to rely on you to figure that out. Then we'll attack from two sides; we won't worry about failing this venture."

Although I said this, I didn't hold an optimistic view in my heart. Perhaps we would ultimately face failure. The legends of the Earth Immortal Village are extremely mysterious and are mostly not recorded in official histories. The only relatively credible account comes from a notebook written by a Sichuanese person in the Qing Dynasty, Bashu Miscellaneous Records. It mentions that during the late Ming and early Qing, bandits flooded into Sichuan and extensively plundered ancient tombs, seeking the Dan Ding (Elixir Tripod) and Heavenly Script from the Earth Immortal Tomb. "Dan Ding" is a very specific term—it's the scientific name for the inner elixir found within ancient corpses. If I hadn't been so desperate, I wouldn't have been moved to travel to Sichuan to search for the Earth Immortal Village tomb based on just a few scattered words. Moreover, the legend of late-Ming bandits digging up mountains did not happen in the Wushan area. However, Bashu Miscellaneous Records is not mere gossip; the book truthfully records many local customs and anecdotes from Sichuan, making its content relatively credible.

At this point, Fatty remembered an important issue that hadn't been discussed. He immediately stood up and said, "What Old Hu just said was good, but the ideological preparation wasn't discussed enough. This commander will add a few points for everyone. Faced with the tearful pleas and cries for help from the fishermen in the South China Sea, we, as tomb raiders who rely on our skills, absolutely cannot stand by. From what you all said, the Guanshan Taibao is a top-tier thief. The gold, jewels, and jade he stashed in the Wushan ancient tomb must be piled up like mountains. I think our expedition team should adhere to the principle of not squandering or hoarding—we should empty the coffin and seize the treasures. Then, what should be redistributed will be redistributed, and what should be packed will be packed..."

Professor Sun immediately objected, "Absolutely not! We will only take rubbings of the Dragon Bone patterns on the Zhou Tian Trigram Map; nothing else is to be touched. I reiterate, I am not doing this for wealth."

Fatty retorted, "Aren't you just deceiving yourself? Is seeking fame nobler than pursuing profit? I stopped Fatty, saying, "Everyone has their own way of doing things; you can't force it. I won't concern myself with other matters, but I must extract the Ancient Corpse Elixir. Debating this now is premature. We'll act according to circumstances once we find the Wushan tomb."

With the discussion concluded, the four of us began preparing our gear. We set off early the next morning, naturally taking the road where possible and boats when we encountered water, not sparing any thought for the hardships of "eating meagerly, drinking sparingly, and suffering from travel fatigue." Wushan County lies within the Wu Gorge section of the Three Gorges. The mighty, surging currents of the Yangtze River, with a power that swallows mountains, cleave through towering ranges as they flow east. This gorge area is divided into three sections: "Zhaidang Gorge, Wu Gorge, and Xiling Gorge," connected by broad valleys, spanning nearly two hundred kilometers.

Zhaidang Gorge is famous for its grandeur and peril. Xiling Gorge is known for its numerous shoals and rapid currents. Its name can also be traced back to the Han Dynasty, much like place names such as Ruanling and Wuling, which were named because ancient mounds or cliff coffins were buried there. However, no remains of these mounds or tombs can be found now, nor can anyone clearly say which ancient person was buried in the places named with "Ling" (Mausoleum).

Wu Gorge, on the other hand, is characterized by its "seclusion, depth, and beauty," with mountains stretching endlessly, veiled in rising mist and fog. Wushan County is connected by a winding mountain road, and one can take a long-distance bus to the county seat. The mountain road is serpentine and rugged. As the fog was particularly thick that day, the vehicle moved exceptionally slowly. The dense, emerald-green forests and rocky slopes on the surrounding hills appeared and disappeared through the swirling mist, making it impossible to fully appreciate the beauty of the peaks.

Before we were halfway there, the driver stopped the car. Presumably, he found it too difficult to drive in the fog and decided to wait for the mist to clear before proceeding, fearing an accident. Automobiles were rare in China at that time, and licensed drivers were even rarer, so anyone who could drive was highly respected. If someone knew a driver, they felt they had status in front of others.

This sentiment was even stronger in the mountains; attractive, well-off girls were eager to marry drivers. A driver's wife was both fashionable and respectable. Those who didn't marry one were often tearful all day long. Drivers had considerable authority and their word was law. If a driver didn't want to move, no passenger dared to rush him. If the driver was in a good mood, had a few drinks, it was not out of the question that he wouldn't drive again until the afternoon. There was only one bus per day, so we had no choice but to get on; we followed local custom, stopping at a small town by the roadside to eat, rest, and inquire about Qingxi Town and the Headless King.

This tiny town was built against the mountain, with most buildings colored red and white, the majority being old houses dating back to before the Liberation. We found a local snack stall at the town entrance for lunch. The owner was bald and slow-witted; in their local dialect, they’d call him a guaxixi (simpleton). He grinned whenever someone came to eat, not knowing how to greet guests properly, but he would make whatever you ordered, and his cooking was decent enough.

After having two bowls of Dragon Wontons in Sauce, my stomach felt full, and the headache from the constant bumping cleared up significantly. I exchanged a look with Shirley Yang and Professor Sun, signaling them to continue eating while I went to extract some "leaks" of information. I got up, walked over, offered the bald owner a cigarette, and started a conversation: "Boss, your head is so shiny! It must be a sign of good fortune."

The bald boss was delighted by the compliment and asked where I was from. I told him we were from Beijing, here to investigate historical sites, and asked if he knew a certain place.

The bald boss nodded, "Sure, what place are you looking for?"

I asked him if he knew where Wushan's Qingxi Town was, and if there were any local legends from ancient times about a king whose head was cut off.

The bald boss shook his head, "Never heard of any king getting his head cut off. There were many civilians whose heads were cut off by bandits and warlords before the Liberation, though. I was just a kid then, and the old folks said the wooden stake at the street corner was used for beheadings..."