One person: Starting with the Snow Drinking Blade

Autumn in Tianjin carries a mixed flavor that is hard to describe.

The aroma of Jianbing Guozi wafts from the breakfast stalls on the street corner, mixed with the white smoke rising from the steamer baskets of Goubuli Baozi, a few wisps of the fishy smell of the Haihe River, and the smoky aroma of coal stoves wafting from the alleys of the old city—these flavors, when mixed together, become the unique taste of Tianjin.

Nie Lingfeng stood downstairs at Lu Jin's house, took a deep breath of the mixed air, and felt a mix of emotions.

It has been three days since he came out of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Valley. During these three days, he has outwardly been eating and sleeping as usual, but every time the night is quiet, the images behind those bronze doors will uncontrollably flood his mind—that huge eye, that indifferent voice, and those sealed truths.

He subconsciously touched the yin-yang jade pendant on his chest. The pendant was warm, like a person's body temperature, and also like a reminder: some things, only you remember.

"Brother Feng, what are you thinking about?"

Zhang Chulan's voice came from behind. He had a fried dough stick in his mouth and a set of jianbing guozi (Chinese crepes) he had just bought, which he handed over, "Here, eat it while it's hot."

Nie Lingfeng took it and took a bite. The mung bean pancake was topped with an egg, sprinkled with scallions and cilantro, brushed with sweet bean sauce and chili sauce, and then wrapped with two freshly fried dough sticks—Tianjin's jianbing guozi was indeed better than Beijing's, with a better chewiness and more authentic sauce flavor.

"I wasn't thinking about anything," he mumbled, chewing on a jianbing (Chinese crepe). "I'm thinking about what to do next."

"What else can we do? We'll just have to take it one step at a time." Zhang Chulan also took a big bite, his mouth full of oil. "Didn't Grandpa Lu say that we should cultivate when we need to and live our lives when we need to? What we need to do now is hone our skills so that we can step up when things get tough."

He spoke casually, but there was an indescribable seriousness in his eyes. This kid has matured a lot after his trip to the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Valley.

Feng Baobao squatted by the roadside, intently watching an ant carrying its nest. The ant was dragging a piece of bread crumb several times its own size, moving forward with great difficulty. Feng Baobao watched very carefully, her eyes unblinking, muttering to herself, "Come on, almost there, the nest is just ahead..."

Chen Duo sat next to her, hugging a panda plush toy, also watching the ants. After watching for a while, she suddenly reached out and pushed the piece of bread crumb forward a little, saving the ant a few steps.

The ant paused for a moment, circled the breadcrumbs twice, and then continued dragging them, seemingly unaware of anything amiss.

"Thank you," Feng Baobao said to Chen Duo.

"You're welcome," Chen Duo replied.

The two girls smiled at each other and continued watching the ants.

Nie Lingfeng looked at them, a smile involuntarily creeping onto his lips. One of them had lived for over a hundred years, and the other had grown up in a place like the Medicine Immortal Gathering. Logically, they should both be people who had experienced many vicissitudes of life, but sitting together watching ants move, they looked like two innocent children.

Perhaps, this is what they are really like.

Perhaps, the most precious thing is to be able to maintain this innocence after experiencing so much darkness.

As he was thinking, his phone rang.

The screen displayed a red "0"—Chairman Zhao's personal number.

Nie Lingfeng looked at the three numbers and sighed. Every time this number called, it was never good news.

He accepted it.

"Where is Xiaofeng?"

Chairman Zhao's voice was as calm as ever, with that unhurried, composed demeanor that suggested he had everything under control. But Nie Lingfeng could detect a hint of... urgency beneath that calm.

"I just visited Elder Lu in Tianjin," Nie Lingfeng answered honestly. There was no point in hiding it, so he might as well just tell him.

"Okay, it's not far." Chairman Zhao paused, as if organizing his thoughts, "Something happened over at Changbai Mountain."

Nie Lingfeng's heart skipped a beat. Changbai Mountain? That place is quite far from Tianjin.

"A remnant of the Wang family," Chairman Zhao continued. "Wang Ai has a distant nephew named Wang Kui. He used to be unassuming, but after the Wang family fell from power, he somehow learned how to control spirits, and he's quite wicked at it. Recently, he's been causing trouble around Tianchi Lake in Changbai Mountain, and he's already swallowed the spirits of several local shamans."

"Spirit Devouring?" Nie Lingfeng frowned.

"Yes, it's not ordinary spirit binding, it's spirit devouring." Chairman Zhao's voice turned serious. "It forcibly merges the power of those spirits into its own body, causing a surge in strength in a short period of time, but also making it less and less human. The siblings Feng Shayan and Feng Xingtong from the Tianxia Society have already gone there, but the situation is not good. Feng Xingtong's spirit binding and command techniques couldn't suppress him, and she was also injured. The company needs someone to go and take a look, and you... are the best candidate."

Nie Lingfeng rubbed his temples. Here we go again? He'd only been out of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Valley for a few days; he hadn't even caught his breath yet.

"Chairman Zhao, I just finished work, could you let me rest for a couple of days...?"

"What are you resting for? Young people need to be active." Chairman Zhao interrupted him, his tone unusually coaxing, almost like he was talking to a child. "Besides, Gao Lian is waiting for you over there; they're old acquaintances. Mission level A, reward 300 points, 150 million funds. How about it, want to go or not?"

Nie Lingfeng remained silent.

300 points, 150 million.

This compensation is really generous.

Moreover, Gao Lian is there too; it's easier to get things done with someone you know.

More importantly—the remnants of the Wang family, the ability to bind and command spirits, the devouring of spirits, Changbai Mountain's Heavenly Lake… these words, put together, gave him a bad feeling. Could that place be related to that "being" in the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Valley?

"I'll go," he readily agreed.

"Okay, I've already bought your ticket. It's a high-speed train tonight, arriving in Changchun early tomorrow morning. Gao Lian will pick you up there." Chairman Zhao paused, then added, "Also, this mission might involve some of the Wang family's secrets in Northeast China. Be careful when handling it, don't make too much of a fuss. After all... although the Wang family is finished, some connections still exist."

"Understood." Nie Lingfeng nodded.

After hanging up the phone, he looked at Zhang Chulan. Zhang Chulan had already finished eating his jianbing (Chinese crepe) and was wiping his mouth with a tissue. Seeing him hang up, he leaned over and asked:

"Brother Feng, another job?"

"Hmm, Changbai Mountain, the remnants of the Wang family are causing trouble." Nie Lingfeng sighed. "I have to go there. You guys go ahead to the Tang Clan, I'll come find you after I'm done dealing with them."

"Alright, then be careful." Zhang Chulan nodded, unusually serious. "The Wang family is cunning. That Spirit Binding Technique is evil, specifically targeting spirits. You may not be afraid, but Chen Duo..."

He looked at Chen Duo with a worried expression.

Chen Duo was munching on a candied hawthorn skewer she had just bought. The hawthorns, coated in a glistening sugar film, glistened in the sunlight. She took a bite, her cheeks bulging like a little hamster hoarding food. Hearing this, she looked up, her bright green eyes blinking, and said very seriously:

"I'm not afraid."

"Yes, she's not afraid." Nie Lingfeng ruffled her hair; it felt soft to the touch and smelled of shampoo. "Besides, she's now protected by the Phoenix True Fire, which is specifically designed to counter evil spirits. Ordinary spirits can't get close to her."

"That's good." Zhang Chulan breathed a sigh of relief, reverting to his usual carefree demeanor. "Then we'll be going now. Sister Bao'er can't wait to go to Tang Sect for spicy rabbit heads."

Feng Baobao nodded beside her, her eyes sparkling: "Spicy rabbit head, delicious. And spicy duck neck, spicy chicken feet, spicy..."

"Alright, alright, Sister Bao'er, stop reciting the menu." Zhang Chulan quickly interrupted her, "If you keep going, we won't be able to leave tonight."

Feng Baobao thought for a moment and nodded: "That's right. Let's go first, and I'll report back on the way."

Zhang Chulan: "..."

Everyone burst into laughter.

At the entrance of Tianjin Railway Station, the four parted ways. Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao went to Tang Sect, while Nie Lingfeng and Chen Duo went to Changbai Mountain.

As they were parting, Zhang Chulan suddenly called out to Nie Lingfeng:

"Brother Feng."

"Um?"

"Take care of yourself."

Two simple words, but with a very serious look in his eyes.

Nie Lingfeng nodded: "You too."

The two exchanged a glance, and everything was understood without a word.

---

The high-speed train arrived at Changchun West Station early the next morning.

Nie Lingfeng looked out the car window. The morning in Changchun was misty, the sky a greyish-white, with distant buildings appearing and disappearing in the mist. There weren't many people on the platform; a few uniformed staff members were walking back and forth, their brooms making a soft rustling sound as they swept the ground.

Chen Duo leaned on his shoulder, still asleep. She hadn't slept well in the car last night, drifting in and out of sleep until dawn. Nie Lingfeng didn't move, letting her lean on him as she stared blankly out the window.

The car stopped, and Chen Duo woke up rubbing her eyes.

"arrive?"

"Okay, we're here." Nie Lingfeng tidied her messy hair. "Get out of the car."

The two carried their simple luggage and walked out of the station.

As soon as he exited the station, Nie Lingfeng saw Gao Lian's iconic black SUV.

It was a modified Toyota Prado, half a meter taller than the regular version, with wide, large tires covered in mud, clearly indicating it frequently drove in the mountains. A row of spotlights was mounted on the front, so bright they could blind anyone.

Gao Lian leaned against the car, wearing a black leather jacket, a cigarette dangling from his lips, idly playing on his phone. Seeing Nie Lingfeng emerge, he tossed the cigarette butt to the ground, stomped it out, and opened his arms to greet him.

"Finally here!"

"Brother Gao!" Nie Lingfeng smiled and hugged him.

Gao Lian then looked at Chen Duo and grinned, "Chen Duo, we meet again! You'd better stay in Northeast China for a couple more days this time, I'll treat you to all the good food and drinks!"

Chen Duo nodded and said very seriously, "I want to eat sweet and sour pork."

"No problem! Plenty!" Gao Lian patted his chest and guaranteed, "I know an old shop in Changchun that serves the most authentic Guo Bao Rou (sweet and sour pork). It's been open for over thirty years, and the owner is my buddy. I guarantee you'll be so full you won't be able to leave!"

The three got into the car, Gao Lian started the engine, and the SUV roared out of the parking lot and merged into the morning traffic.

On the way, Gao Lian began to explain the situation.

"That remnant of the Wang family is a distant nephew of Wang Ai, named Wang Kui," he said as he drove, his expression gradually becoming serious. "This kid used to be practically invisible in the Wang family. He was ordinary-looking and ordinary-natured; nobody paid him any attention. After the Wang family fell from power, he should have disappeared along with them, but who knew..."

He paused, lit a cigarette, rolled down the car window, and let the cold wind blow in.

"Who knows how this kid somehow learned to control spirits and generals. And he practices it in a... very strange way."

"Strange?" Nie Lingfeng asked.

"Yes, it's eerie." Gao Lian exhaled a puff of smoke, his face grave. "He not only captures spirits, but he also 'devours spirits.' That is, he forcibly integrates the power of those spirits into his own body, causing his strength to surge in a short period of time. But the consequence of doing so is that the resentment, obsession, and unwillingness of those spirits will also be integrated into his soul. So he is becoming less and less human, his eyes are becoming more and more crazed, and I heard that now he looks like a ghost all day long, smiling sinisterly at everyone he sees, and then he attacks after smiling."

"How many have you swallowed?"

"At least five," Gao Lian said. "In the Changbai Mountain Tianchi area, there are several shamanic families that have worshipped 'spirits' for generations—actually, they are spirits or animal spirits with spiritual qualities. These spirits and those families have lived together for hundreds of years and are like one big family. In the past half month, Wang Kui has already devoured three spirits and injured seven or eight shamanic disciples. The siblings from the Tianxia Society came to help after receiving a request for assistance from the shamanic families."

"Wind and Sand Swallow and Wind and Star?" Nie Lingfeng asked.

"Yes." Gao Lian nodded. "Feng Shayan's 'Hundred Steps Fist' and 'Spatial Travel,' and Feng Xingtong's 'Spirit Binding and Commanding Generals' are all formidable opponents. Especially Feng Xingtong, who also practices Spirit Binding and Commanding Generals. He originally thought he could suppress Wang Kui, but..."

He shook his head, flicking the cigarette ash out the car window, where it was swept away by the wind.

"As a result, a battle took place yesterday by the Heavenly Lake, and Feng Xingtong suffered a great loss. Two of his spirit generals were devoured by Wang Kui. He himself was almost attacked by the backlash, and his soul was damaged. He is still lying in bed. Feng Shayan was also slightly injured while protecting him. The two sides are currently at a stalemate, but that kid Wang Kui seems to be looking for something deep in the Heavenly Lake."

"Deep within Heavenly Pool?" Nie Lingfeng frowned. "What's there?"

"I don't know." Gao Lian shook his head, stubbing out his cigarette in the ashtray. "Tianchi is a very eerie place. Legend has it that it's connected to a dragon vein, the place where the dragon rose in Northeast China. Some people also say that some ancient ferocious beast is suppressed there, sealed by a shaman high priest during the Qing Dynasty. Anyway, everyone in the area knows that you can't just go down into Tianchi, especially not at night. Anyone who doesn't listen to advice will never come back up."

He paused, then lowered his voice:

"But that kid Wang Kui seems to have received some news and insists on going to the bottom of the pool. When the shamanic family tried to stop him, he forced his way in and even swallowed their 'spirit'. I suspect that someone gave him a message telling him what's at the bottom of the pool."

Nie Lingfeng seemed to be deep in thought.

Is there something at the bottom of Tianchi Lake? Could it be related to that "existence" of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Valley? Or... is it related to what the Wang family did in Northeast China back then?

The Wang family did indeed have some shady dealings in Northeast China back then. Wang Ai, that old fox, appeared to be a respectable businessman, but secretly he did all sorts of dirty work. His relationships with the Japanese, with the puppet Manchukuo regime, and with those remnants of the Kwantung Army... are all things that cannot be discussed in detail.

If Wang Kui really knows something, then this matter becomes complicated.

"Let's go eat first, then we'll go see Tianchi," he said.

"Okay." Gao Lian replied, turned the steering wheel, and turned into a small street.