One person: Starting with the Snow Drinking Blade

Avoiding main roads and choosing secluded and difficult paths, the two spent more time than expected before finally spotting the towering buildings and bustling traffic on the outskirts of Jinghong city around 9 a.m. Unlike the chaotic and noisy border town, Jinghong, as a tourist city and capital, appeared more modern and orderly, but also more densely populated and complex.

Nie Lingfeng, at a relatively secluded bus stop, led Chen Duo onto an early morning bus heading to the city center. The bus wasn't crowded; most passengers were elderly people getting up early to buy groceries or local residents rushing to work. They chose window seats in the back. Nie Lingfeng positioned Chen Duo on the inside, seemingly resting with his eyes closed, but actually sensing the presence and movement of every passenger. Chen Duo, curious, pressed her face against the window, watching the streets, shops, pedestrians, and the uniquely designed, Dai-style buildings rushing past. Her bright green eyes were filled with wonder, her mouth slightly open, as if she couldn't get enough of looking at them.

Following the markings on the mountain guardian's map and the instructions given by "Eagle" over the phone last night, their destination was "Ancient Tree Tea House," located on a relatively quiet old street near the center of Jinghong City.

The tea shop was easy to find; it was a two-story wooden building with a courtyard, exuding a sense of history. The facade was rustic, and the four characters "Ancient Tree Tea Shop" on the signboard were powerful and vigorous. It wasn't yet noon, and the tea shop had just opened. A young waiter dressed in Dai ethnic clothing, who was sprinkling water and sweeping at the entrance, paused for a moment when he saw Nie Lingfeng and Chen Duo, a pair of seemingly travel-worn individuals who seemed out of place with the refined and leisurely tea drinkers around them. However, he quickly resumed his businessman's smile.

"Gentlemen, would you like to buy tea or just drink tea? We have excellent Pu'er tea from ancient trees, both raw and ripe, and you can also sample the tea," the waiter greeted them warmly.

"We're looking for Boss Yan Wen." Nie Lingfeng didn't waste any words and directly gave the name given by the mountain guardian. At the same time, seemingly casually, he used his right thumb to quickly draw a simplified symbol on the mountain guardian's map on his left palm, which represented "a circle with mountains surrounding it."

The waiter's smile remained unchanged, but his eyes sharpened instantly, quickly scanning Nie Lingfeng's hands and their faces, especially Chen Duo's overly clear emerald eyes. He nodded and stepped aside, saying, "The boss is making tea in the backyard. Please come in, both of you."

He led Nie Lingfeng and Chen Duo through the front hall (where two early risers were already leisurely enjoying tea) to a quiet little courtyard. Several lush banana and orchid trees grew in the courtyard, along with an ancient well and stone tables and benches beside it. An elderly man in his sixties, wearing a gray jacket, with gray hair, a thin but upright figure, and intently tending to tea leaves in a bamboo sieve, looked up at the sound.

The old man had a gaunt face and skin tanned from years of wind and sun. His eyes were gentle yet revealed a shrewdness and world-weariness. He saw Nie Lingfeng and Chen Duo, his gaze lingering on Nie Lingfeng's face for a moment. He then glanced at the young waiter beside him (who nodded almost imperceptibly), a warm smile spreading across his face. He put down the bamboo sieve and patted the tea leaves off his hands.

"Honored guests, I am so sorry for not greeting you sooner. Ah Long, go brew a pot of 'Lao Ban Zhang' tea that I just picked out," the old man instructed the young waiter. Then he gestured for Nie Lingfeng and Chen Duo to sit down. "I am Yan Wen, the manager of this small tea shop. May I ask where you two have come from and what business you have with me?"

His Mandarin is very standard, with a slight Yunnan accent, and his tone is unhurried, carrying the unique calmness of a tea connoisseur.

Nie Lingfeng pulled Chen Duo to sit down on the stone bench. He didn't answer immediately, but waited for the young waiter named A Long to bring over the tea set. He skillfully scalded the cups, rinsed the tea, and brewed the tea. He placed three cups of clear, golden-red, and fragrant tea in front of the three of them, then tactfully withdrew and closed the small door leading to the front hall.

In the courtyard, only the three of them remained, along with the faint aroma of tea and the rustling of banana leaves in the morning breeze.

Nie Lingfeng picked up his teacup, but didn't drink it. He simply inhaled the aroma of the tea, then looked at Yan Wen and slowly said, "I came from the mountains at the request of an old friend to visit Boss Yan Wen. My friend said that if I encounter any difficulties, I can come here to find a cup of tea and ask for guidance."

He used his finger again to gently draw the mark of "a circle with a point in the center, surrounding the mountains" on the stone table.

Yan Wen's gaze fell on the mark, his eyes instantly deepening. He picked up his teacup, took a slow sip, seemingly savoring the aroma, and also seemingly processing Nie Lingfeng's words. After a long while, he put down the teacup, looked at Nie Lingfeng, his gaze lingering for a moment on his face, especially on those calm yet sharp eyes, then at Chen Duo, who had been sitting quietly but whose emerald eyes were filled with wariness and curiosity as she observed him, and slowly spoke:

"Is that 'old friend'... doing well?"

Nie Lingfeng paused for a moment, then shook his head: "My friend has passed away, but his long-cherished wish has been fulfilled. Before he left, he entrusted me to give this item to a trustworthy person."

He took out the "Heart of the Earth Vein" crystal from his pocket, but didn't take it out completely, only letting a corner of it show in his palm. The dark red crystal, with what seemed like a river of stars flowing inside, refracted a warm and restrained luster under the sunlight, exuding a pure and profound aura of vitality.

The moment Yan Wen saw the crystal, his pupils contracted sharply! His hand holding the teacup trembled almost imperceptibly! The warm and calm expression on his face could no longer be maintained, instantly replaced by shock, disbelief, and an almost pious excitement! He stood up abruptly, the movement so forceful that he almost overturned the stone bench!

"This is... the Heart of the Earth's Vein?! The Mountain God's (he was referring to Shanpan)... Heart of the Earth's Vein?!" Yan Wen's voice trembled noticeably as he stared intently at the crystal in Nie Lingfeng's palm, as if he were seeing some kind of sacred object that only existed in legends and the ancient memories of his tribe! "How... how could it be... in your hands? The Mountain God... could it be..."

"Senior Shanpan has perished along with the altar, fulfilling his final vow and protection," Nie Lingfeng said solemnly, putting the crystal back into his pocket. "This 'Heart of the Earth Vein' is one of the 'Sparks of Hope' he entrusted to me last. He said it might be beneficial to the restoration of this land. Shoushan... your old friend guided me to find you."

Upon hearing the words, "The mountain has perished along with the altar," Yan Wen's face revealed deep sorrow and reverence. He slowly sat back down on the stone bench, closed his eyes, as if in some form of mourning or prayer. After a long while, he reopened his eyes, the excitement in them now replaced by a heavy solemnity and resolute determination.

"I understand." Yan Wen's voice returned to normal, but became more serious. "The Mountain God entrusted you with such an important token and had the Mountain Guardian guide you here, which shows his trust in you. I, Yan Wen, have been blessed and favored by the Mountain God and the Mountain Guardian for generations. I run this tea shop here not only to make a living, but also to... watch over the 'eyes' and 'ears' of this mortal world for them."

He looked at Nie Lingfeng, his gaze sharp as a knife: "Mr. Nie, Miss Chen Duo, your identities, and what you did in the Savage Mountain and at the altar, although secretive, have already been leaked."

Nie Lingfeng's eyes narrowed: "Who do you mean, Boss Yan Wen?"

"Just three days ago," Yan Wen lowered his voice and leaned forward slightly, "several groups of unusual people came to Jinghong one after another, and... subtly inquired about this 'Ancient Tree Tea House' and... me."

"The first group consisted of a few people dressed like tourists, but their eyes, gait, and the unmistakable menacing aura emanating from them were clearly not ordinary people. They were carrying several blurry photos—like they had been taken from a distance with a telephoto lens—and asking around at several border inns and black market brokers if anyone had seen the people in the photos. In the photos, you could vaguely make out a man and a woman; the man was tall and slender, and the woman… had a pair of very distinctive eyes."

Nie Lingfeng's heart sank. Sure enough! It was the "Council"! They had indeed obtained information about him and Chen Duo, and might even have had blurry photos! And they acted so quickly, already tracing back to Jinghong, and possibly even suspecting a connection to the mountain guardian!

"The second wave," Yan Wen continued, his expression growing even more serious, "was from the local 'company' office. The leader was a stranger, very young, but with a very imposing presence, surnamed... Wang. They were quite polite, saying it was a routine security patrol, asking if there were any suspicious individuals or unusual situations recently, but the questions they asked subtly pointed towards the Savage Mountain area and... possible signs of 'special ability users' activity. I managed to handle it, but I'm afraid they won't give up easily."

People from "the Company" have come too? And they're unfamiliar faces, surnamed Wang? Are they sent by "Eagle" to make contact? Or... are they from another faction within "the Company," or people who received information about "parliament's" infiltration and came to investigate? Nie Lingfeng frowned. The situation was more complicated than he had anticipated.

"There's a third wave," Yan Wen's voice was even lower, almost a whisper, "and the most troublesome one. They're from northern Myanmar. Not ordinary caravans or drug dealers, but real desperados with weapons, eyes like vultures, and a bloody,...something unsettling, chilling aura about them. The leader is a one-eyed man with a scar on his face and blind in one eye, nicknamed 'Viper.' They've advertised on the black market a high bounty for a 'man with a special girl (features: green eyes, possibly a bit dim-witted), and very skilled,' dead or alive, but the girl must be alive. The bounty...is terrifyingly high. Right now, all sorts of shady characters along the border are sniffing out the scent."

People from northern Myanmar! "Viper"? Dead or alive, but Chen Duo must be alive! This is undoubtedly the "Parliament's" influence in northern Myanmar, or the local armed forces they employ! A bounty has been issued! And the target is clearly Chen Duo! They're trying to capture her as a "precious sample" or "experimental subject"!

Although Chen Duo only half understood what Nie Lingfeng was saying, she still understood the words "the girl must be alive," "bounty," and "desperate criminal." Her face paled slightly, and she subconsciously moved closer to Nie Lingfeng. A hint of fear flashed in her emerald eyes, but more than that, she felt a kind of anger at being treated like prey. Her small hands unconsciously clenched into fists, and a few golden sparks uncontrollably burst from her fingertips, which she then forcibly suppressed.

Nie Lingfeng grasped her slightly cold hand, a gentle force flowing through it to soothe her emotions. He looked at Yan Wen and said in a deep voice, "Thank you for informing me, Boss Yan Wen. The situation is worse than we anticipated. We must immediately establish reliable contact with the people at 'The Company' and then leave here as soon as possible."

Yan Wen nodded: "I know the meeting method you agreed on with the mountain guardian. This afternoon, there will be a small tea party at the 'Zen Tea Garden' behind Mengle Grand Buddha Temple. The organizer is a trusted senior figure in the 'company' in the area. Captain Wang should also appear as a tea guest. This is currently the safest and least conspicuous way to meet. You can blend in with the tourists, and I will arrange for Ah Long to prepare suitable clothes and disguises for you."

He paused, looked at Nie Lingfeng, and solemnly warned, "However, Mr. Nie, you must be extremely careful. From the moment you stepped into Jinghong, you've probably been under the watchful eyes of many. The people in the 'Company' may not be entirely reliable. The 'Viper' in northern Myanmar and his men are truly vicious wolves, and... I suspect there are other forces also secretly watching you. This afternoon's tea party could be an opportunity, or it could be a trap. Act according to the situation, and if things go wrong, evacuate immediately. I'll have a car prepared at the back door of the teahouse; the key is with Ah Long. You can use it to escape if necessary."

"I understand. Thank you again." Nie Lingfeng clasped his hands in a respectful gesture. The information and arrangements provided by Yan Wen were undoubtedly a timely help.

"No need to thank me. If you want to thank someone, thank the Mountain God for his entrustment and the Mountain Guardians for their trust." Yan Wen waved his hand, a hint of weariness on his face. "This land has been peaceful for too long, but the undercurrents have never stopped surging. Now, I'm afraid the winds are about to rise again. You... take care."

He called Ah Long over and whispered a few instructions. Ah Long nodded and quickly brought two sets of clean, ordinary casual clothes (Nie Lingfeng wore a dark T-shirt and trousers, while Chen Duo wore a simple white shirt and denim overalls, along with a sun hat and a pair of non-prescription glasses), as well as some simple makeup products (mainly foundation and eyebrow pencil to slightly alter skin tone and facial details).