"Snake skin! One, two, three, down!" As I counted to three, Man Niaoniao didn't fall, but looked at me with disdain. "Crawl!" I suddenly remembered that Man Niaoniao had never feared any venomous insects or wild beasts since childhood, and I regretted it deeply. Seeing no way to back down, I was considering how to nullify the bet when Man Niaoniao spoke again, "Forget it! For Ping'er's sake, I'll let you off this time—I actually knew the Jade Bridge was snake skin all along. I was worried you'd be scared, so I said those things inside to distract you!—In this day and age, it's easy to be anyone, just not Lü Dongbin!" His words, laced with sarcasm, left me feeling both ashamed and touched.

When Qin Ping'er heard me say the so-called "Jade Bridge" was snake skin, she was so frightened her legs went weak and she couldn't stand steady. I quickly reached out and pulled her into my arms. In my embrace, Qin Ping'er seemed to have lost all her bones, her face chalk-white; though Ji Ye appeared calm and composed, his grizzled face lacked color; only Hua'er, unaware of the situation, acted as if nothing was amiss.

Seeing that I had revealed the truth, Ji Ye sighed and said to me, "When I first crawled in, I seemed to hear the sound of an animal crawling, which is why I urged you all to hurry." My heart tightened, and I immediately glanced toward the supposed Jade Bridge; I was nearly scared to death. Qin Ping'er shrieked and burrowed into my arms, trembling like a sieve; Man Niaoniao pouted, brushing it off nonchalantly, "Don't be afraid, if it dares to come, I'll f*** it to death!"

Ji Ye saw my reaction and quickly said, "Don't panic! That thing won't come for now! I estimate it just finished shedding its skin and is slow to move. Besides, there are so many Huoma grasses ahead, and I sprinkled some realgar mixed with wine over there. I think it won't dare to come for a while yet!"

"Just how long is your 'a while'?" I cried out in agitation.

Before the words had fully left my mouth, we heard a rustling commotion from the direction of the Jade Bridge, and every hair on my body stood on end. Cold sweat streamed down my forehead. It was less that Qin Ping'er was held in my arms and more that I was leaning on her; I braced my hands on her shoulders to keep myself from collapsing onto the ground.

Ji Ye set down his basket and shouted loudly toward the other side of the Jade Bridge, "If you are a snake, then burrow into the earth; if you are a dragon, then ascend to heaven!" After shouting, he stared intently at the Jade Bridge and the dense patch of Huoma grass. The rustling sound from the Jade Bridge side resumed for a few minutes, then ceased altogether.

Ji Ye let out a breath of relief and turned to us, "It's settled! It won't come!"

"Are you absolutely sure, Elder?" I relaxed slightly, but remained uneasy, saying hesitantly to Ji Ye.

"Do you know why I shouted like that? It was actually saying the words of 'Bestowal.' According to the old guard, if you encounter a strange animal, you must offer it 'Bestowal'; never confront it head-on!"

Hearing Ji Ye say this, I suddenly recalled an incident from my childhood.

When I was in primary school, I had to pass through a gloomy logging area. One time, Man Niaoniao and a few other children were walking home from school when Man Niaoniao, who was leading the way, shouted, "Snake! A red snake!" The children in the middle also screamed, only I, walking at the rear, hadn't seen it. I remembered then that my grandfather had said that if you see a snake, you should say the words of 'Bestowal,' and it won't harm you. So, I summoned my courage and called out to those in front, "Snake crawls to the earth, dragon ascends to heaven!" Strangely, as soon as I finished speaking, Man Niaoniao said the red snake had vanished. Later, Man Niaoniao's mother said that Man Yingying was able to get into university precisely because he spoke these words of 'Bestowal,' while Man Niaoniao didn't, which is why he stayed home to work the earth—that’s fate! It made me feel utterly depressed!

The so-called words of 'Bestowal' originate from mythology. It is said that certain animals, especially snakes, after completing their cultivation, must have someone speak the words of 'Bestowal' to them if they are to fly and become deities; only through this human 'Bestowal' can the snake finally transform into a dragon. Ji Ye's action just now was likely intended in this spirit.

Seeing Man Niaoniao and Qin Ping'er looking confused, I tremblingly explained the reason for speaking the words of 'Bestowal.' They listened with doubt, yet seeing no further movement from the Jade Bridge side, they all let out a sigh of relief. Even Man Niaoniao, who had boasted he would "f*** it to death," now looked pale and green.

"Ji Ye, I suspect the 'Jade Bridge' you mentioned was made up, right?" I let go of Qin Ping'er, touched my chest, and asked Ji Ye.

"The name Jade Bridge was indeed fabricated by me; its real name is 'Dragon Bridge.' A long time ago, those first saltpeter miners used to cross over it!" Ji Ye said while tidying his basket. "Let's talk as we walk; I think I see a path over there."

I pulled out a flashlight from my bag and shone it around, only then noticing the small path Ji Ye mentioned was 'embedded' in a steep cliff face. The path was clearly man-made, a vertical stone trough carved into the cliff, tall enough for one person.

When the flashlight beam hit it, we saw the trough snaking its way along the cliff face, its end invisible; beneath the trough lay that field of Huoma grass of unknown width. When the flashlight illuminated it, we were met with a mass of dark green; further out, the light was too limited to see clearly, only feeling a vast, deep blackness. I looked up at the cave ceiling, finding it not very high, but hung with countless stalactites, some thick, some thin, some sharp, some blunt, like swords suspended overhead, filling us with dread.

I looked at the path on the cliff face and decided to let Hua'er go first, with me second, holding a flashlight, followed by Qin Ping'er, then Man Niaoniao taking up the fourth spot with the other flashlight, and Ji Ye again taking on the crucial role of rear guard. This arrangement was actually based on safety considerations. With Hua'er in front, it would be the first to discover and warn us if we encountered anything unclean. If it were at the back, I worried that in an emergency, it might impulsively rush forward, potentially shoving someone off the cliff. Although falling into the Huoma grass wouldn't be fatal, it would certainly be terrifying.

We tidied up slightly and stepped onto the path along the cliff face. Only after stepping onto it did I realize how prescient my order was, as the stone trough, though higher than a man, was barely wide enough for one person at the bottom.

The four of us held onto the rock wall, inching forward step by cautious step, not daring to breathe deeply. Hua'er, being nimble, darted ahead in a few steps. I was brimming with questions but dared not ask, occasionally shining my flashlight on my and Qin Ping'er's feet to remind those behind to watch the path carefully and not look elsewhere, because falling into the Huoma grass meant a thousand heads couldn't save you.

The stone trough path rose and fell, but the rock wall remained relatively dry. The ground was grooved with chisel marks, clearly left to prevent slipping. I was deeply shocked: what kind of person carved this path?

"Ji Ye..." I started to call out, but Ji Ye spoke from behind, "Don't talk, watch your footing carefully. We'll talk when we reach the front, I know what you want to ask!" I heard a tremor in Ji Ye's voice. Shining the light on him, I saw he was struggling, carefully carrying his wood basket on his back. Man Niaoniao also noticed Ji Ye's difficulty and turned to him, "Uncle An, let me carry the basket for you!" He reached out to pull at Ji Ye's basket. Ji Ye, steadying himself with one hand on the rock wall, waved the other hand in a manner that meant 'no need,' but it happened to brush against Man Niaoniao's hand. Man Niaoniao was turning around and lost his balance; Ji Ye's slight deflection sent him leaning backward, and he looked like he was about to tumble over into the Huoma grass.

The other three cried out and reached out to grab Man Niaoniao, but before their hands made contact, his body swayed back and forth a few times, and he suddenly flattened himself against the rock wall, gasping for breath. Wiping a bead of cold sweat, he muttered, "Damn it, lucky my foundation is stable!"

"Niaoniao, you better watch your feet! I'll carry my own basket, stop being clumsy! Falling into the Huoma grass would be bad news!" Ji Ye told Man Niaoniao. "Who's being clumsy?" Man Niaoniao expressed strong dissatisfaction with Ji Ye's words but didn't insist on taking the basket anymore.

After Man Niaoniao's narrow escape, we proceeded even more cautiously. I held Qin Ping'er’s hand, my other gripping the flashlight, repeatedly reminding her to be careful. Qin Ping'er seemed to hold her breath, and when she heard my reminder, she gripped my hand even tighter, essentially moving only when I moved one step. We stopped speaking; for a time, the only sounds were our ragged breaths.

After walking up and down for an unknown amount of time, I spotted a stone opening ahead, through which the stone trough path passed. I exclaimed in pleasant surprise, "Good, we can rest in that cave!" The others also saw the opening and let out soft sighs of relief. When we entered the cave, we realized it was also artificially carved into the cliff face, just deeper, forming a chamber about ten meters long.

We set down what we were carrying and sank onto the ground.

I took out two cigarettes, handed one to Man Niaoniao, and put one in my own mouth. Ji Ye pulled leaf tobacco from his pouch, rolled it up, put it in his mouth, lit it, and exhaled a long stream. Hua'er had wandered off somewhere ahead, but hearing no noise, I presumed it encountered no danger, so I relaxed my guard. Qin Ping'er sat tightly against me on the ground, hand over her chest, sighing softly, "That scared me to death! This is practically a miniature version of the Shu Road!" Seeing the cave suspended on the cliff face, I no longer feared the giant snake pursuing us, and my tension eased.

The outer wall of the cave was thin but solid; there was no danger of falling into the Huoma grass. To conserve battery and lamp oil, we extinguished the flashlights and bamboo lamp and sat resting in the darkness. The journey from the entrance, filled with danger and excitement, finally offered a chance to catch our breath. Although I usually disliked the smell of Ji Ye's coarse tobacco, a slight breeze in the cave dispersed the smoke he exhaled, and since he sat near the entrance, the odor was barely bearable.

"This path should lead to the saltpeter cave," Ji Ye said, taking a puff of smoke.

Hearing Ji Ye mention the saltpeter cave, I eagerly said, "Can you tell us about the 'Jade Bridge' now? What was that snake all about?" Ji Ye took a drag of smoke and said sternly, "Listen up, you kids, some things said inside here are taboo. For instance, snakes—we usually call them 'Liu Zi' (Slippers); you shouldn't call them 'Snake' directly. And like that enormous one we saw today, you can't call it 'Liu Zi,' much less 'Snake'; you must call it 'Dragon.' In fact, 'Dragon Bridge' was named by our ancestors based on this principle!"

Although we found this novel, the three of us remained silent, listening closely to Ji Ye's 'ancient telling.'

"The Dragon Bridge has been there for who knows how many years. Legend says that when the earliest saltpeter miners arrived, that dragon was already there!" Ji Ye continued after inhaling smoke. "Of course, my father told me these things, and my father heard it from my grandfather. Exactly who the first batch of saltpeter miners were is long forgotten! It's said that when the first miners saw the dragon, they were all shocked and terrified. But seeing it lying there motionless, they assumed the dragon was 'old' and noticed a few bronze clamps holding it tightly, so they dared to walk across it. While walking on this dragon, those people found it didn't move. Over time, driven by the need for survival, our ancestors gradually stopped fearing it, and when they crossed it again, they were much bolder. However, it wasn't until one day that a clumsy person did the wrong thing that they realized the dragon was alive!"

"What happened?" I, Man Niaoniao, and Qin Ping'er asked in unison.

"That person carried a load of saltpeter mud, came out of the saltpeter cave, and reached the spot where we just entered this path. He set down his basket, took a break, and when he finished smoking, he casually tapped his pipe on the dragon's body to put it out before continuing on. He never expected that the dragon, scalded by the pipe, suddenly twisted its body, wrapped its tail around him, and flung him against the cliff wall. The man's head smashed open like a cracked melon, and he died instantly. After twisting a few times, the dragon lay still again. His companions, who came with the man who fell to his death, were stunned speechless. Only then did they realize the dragon was alive. Seeing the gruesome state of the man who was killed by the fall, every one of them turned deathly pale, their limbs weak, wanting to leave but afraid to. They could only scramble and crawl back to the saltpeter cave. But this wasn't a long-term solution; they couldn't just wait to die in the cave! Those people stayed in the cave for a few days, and seeing that their dried provisions were running low, they didn't dare venture further into the unexplored parts of the cave. Finally, they decided they couldn't wait to die there; they had to cross the dragon. A brave man took the lead, stepping onto the dragon's body with trepidation, but the dragon didn't stir. Seeing this, those people quickly ran across the dragon. Later, several more groups came to dig saltpeter mud, bringing live chickens and ducks as offerings, placing them in front of the dragon's head. Some people personally witnessed the dragon open its massive mouth in one gulp, sucking the chickens and ducks into its belly without harming the people at all. Some called that dragon the 'Divine Dragon' and established a rule: no smoking, no lighting fires on the dragon's body, and definitely no extinguishing pipes on it. Furthermore, they had to bring offerings every time for the Divine Dragon to enjoy. Later on, those saltpeter diggers began calling that dragon the 'Dragon Bridge.' When we arrived, for some unknown reason, only a snakeskin remained there. At that moment, I knew that was the 'Dragon Bridge' spoken of by the old guard. Considering that Yingying was most afraid of that, and worried that you would think of a snake when you heard 'Dragon,' I fabricated the name 'Jade Bridge' based on the shape and color of the Dragon Bridge!"

The three young people felt a cold draft down the back of their necks after hearing Ji Ye finish the story of the 'Dragon Bridge.' Qin Ping'er, even more directly, threw herself into my arms, her body starting to shake wildly again. I prepared to hold onto Man Niaoniao for support, but Man Niaoniao suddenly jumped up, slapped his own face hard, and stammered toward the direction of the Dragon Bridge, "Please don't blame me! When I spoke earlier about wanting that, you just thought I let out a big fart!" Man Niaoniao's words made Qin Ping'er and me unable to laugh or not laugh.

"You don't need to be so afraid. I think if that dragon didn't harm our ancestors, it won't come to harm us either! However, Man Niaoniao, your mouth really needs a lock!" Ji Ye comforted us.

Hearing Ji Ye say this, I slightly eased my breath. Remembering that we had passed through the dragon skin without any harm—we hadn't even seen it, suffering no visual stimulation—my state of mind gradually settled.

"Uncle An! Can you tell us why your ancestors went into the saltpeter cave to dig for saltpeter? What is saltpeter?" Qin Ping'er asked Ji Ye, half in terror and half in curiosity, pressed against my chest.

"Sigh! Many years ago, this area was almost isolated from the outside world, and the Tujia people lived very hard lives. Back then, the Tujia people weren't as well-off in food and clothing as they are now. Out of necessity for survival, besides working the land from dawn till dusk, they would also form groups to 'go to war'—'going to war' means hunting. I suppose they had weapons made with gunpowder back then. The weapons were simple to make, but gunpowder was hard to find. Our ancestors learned from somewhere that they could dig saltpeter mud from the Anle Cave, and after washing this mud and mixing it with other raw materials, they could make gunpowder. I don't know exactly what other materials were needed, but the saltpeter mud was one raw material for gunpowder. Do you know? If the weather is dry, a layer of powdery white substance appears on the ground in front of the pigsty at Yingying's house, just like frost in winter—that’s saltpeter mud!" I recalled that when the weather was dry, there was indeed a layer of white powder in front of my old home's pigsty, and I had always thought it was white clay, never realizing it was saltpeter.

Ji Ye continued, "By the generation of Yingying's great-grandfather, there was already a mix of Han and Tujia people living here. To protect their homeland, the Tujia people no longer dug saltpeter mud and refined gunpowder solely for 'hunting,' but as weapons for killing. Later, some people claimed digging saltpeter was for making sugar, and others said it was for fertilizer, and that saltpeter was divided into 'spicy' and 'sweet' kinds. I'm not entirely clear on the specifics. Once we get out, you can look up historical documents to learn more!"

"That's not right, Ji Ye. Since the Dragon Bridge has existed for so many years, has this Huoma grass field also existed for that long? Why didn't those saltpeter miners clear the Huoma grass and carve out a path, but insist on crossing that Dragon Bridge instead?"