Whispers of a Lonely City Beyond the Heavens – Chapter 33

Ch 33: Consecutive Kills of Two Mountain Jiaolongs

“With so many jade bees, there must be a large patch of jade bee flowers up there,” Wei Wei said happily.

“Since there’s a large patch of jade bee flowers, we’ll surely find rain spirit grass there,” Long Yang said, looking up at the stone wall, his heart half filled with joy and half with worry.

The stone wall was too smooth, with only a few tiny cracks—too small to foothold, impossible to climb even with hands. Moreover, the gaps between the cracks were wide. Xiao Hei definitely couldn’t make it up, and besides, it was afraid of the jade bees.

“Big Brother, can you get up there?”

“I should be able to,” Long Yang replied.

He ordered Xiao Hei to wait below. Xiao Hei obediently found a spot, curling its body and hiding under a rock. It still had lingering fears about the things that had stung it.

Wei Wei stretched out her arms, leaped upward, and with a light tap against the stone wall, she stuck to it like a gecko.

Long Yang shook his head with a wry smile, took a few steps back, then charged fiercely toward the stone wall. He ran up several steps along the wall, nearly reaching Wei Wei’s side. Then, he plunged his Jiaoya dagger into a rock, anchoring himself to the wall.

Wei Wei turned her face and asked, “Big Brother, what’s your next move?”

Long Yang looked upward, carefully observing and planning his route. There were still cracks he could use—his fingers or toes just needed a slight grip. In places without cracks, he could chisel out holds with the Jiaoya dagger.

“Wei Wei, I can make it up. It’ll just take some time. Follow me and watch out for mountain jiaolongs.”

He began climbing upward like a gecko. Wei Wei stayed beside him, scouting the route and killing any jade bees that came to investigate. Together, they soon reached the top.

The upper part of the stone wall recessed inward, forming a platform over two meters wide and more than a meter deep. On the inner side, a massive beehive hung from the rock, with some jade bees crawling in and out. The platform was covered with jade bee flowers, their rich fragrance intoxicating enough to make one slightly dizzy.

A large swarm of jade bees buzzed among the flowers. Long Yang couldn’t fathom what they were so busy with in the middle of the night.

He and Wei Wei positioned themselves on either side, each finding a crack in the stone wall to foothold. With one hand gripping the platform’s edge, they peered inside. Disturbed, the jade bees rose in a swarm, spiraling upward and rushing toward the two intruders.

Wei Wei swung her Flying Frost Sword, scattering the jade bees, and in a spare moment, swept the jade bee flowers off the platform down the mountain.

As the flowers drifted downward, the jade bees followed them. Two purple plants came into view.

They were a deep reddish-purple, with slender stems that danced resiliently in the wind. Their small, round leaves were slightly translucent under the moonlight.

“Is this the rain spirit grass?” Long Yang asked, his tone uncertain.

“Yes, yes!” Wei Wei stared at them closely for a moment. “I’m sure they’re rain spirit grass. Grandfather can be saved!” She gripped the wall a bit harder, preparing to climb onto the platform to pick the rain spirit grass.

“Grrr…” Suddenly, a rapid, strange cry echoed from the darkness on the inner side of the platform.

“Be careful,” Long Yang warned urgently. In the split second Wei Wei froze, an animal burst out from the shadows, rushing to the rain spirit grass. It raised its scales and hissed incessantly at the two of them.

Long Yang immediately recognized it as a genuine mountain jiaolong. Fortunately, it wasn’t too large—just slightly bigger than the one he’d killed in the city.

This one, Wei Wei should be able to handle.

“Ah!” Wei Wei screamed in fright.

The mountain jiaolong had been turning its head back and forth, unsure of whom to attack first. Wei Wei’s cry made the decision for it.

It lunged forward, pouncing at Wei Wei.

“Get away!” Wei Wei shouted, swinging her sword wildly without finesse or form—no sword flourishes, no technique.

“Wei Wei, don’t be afraid! Stab its mouth!” Long Yang shouted encouragement and guidance.

Wei Wei steadied herself, seized an opportunity, and thrust her sword into the creature’s open jaws.

The Flying Frost Sword was razor-sharp, and the mountain jiaolong’s belly was full of soft organs. Wei Wei’s hand nearly touched its teeth as she yelped in alarm, then swung hard, flinging the creature’s corpse off the cliff.

“Well done, Wei Wei,” Long Yang said loudly.

Wei Wei smiled at Long Yang, her face flushed. “It was so ugly. So scary!” she said, panting heavily, still shaken.

Long Yang was about to comfort her when he heard more movement from within the platform. “There might be another one,” he said quickly.

Sure enough, as soon as he spoke, another mountain jiaolong—over a meter long, with vertical stripes on its head that wrinkled like an enraged human’s expression—charged out. Its scales stood upright, flapping like wings with a crackling sound.

“Ah…” Wei Wei couldn’t help but scream again, turning her face away, unable to look.

The mountain jiaolong lunged at Wei Wei. Not only was it larger, but it was also faster. Though Wei Wei didn’t dare face it, she swung her sword in wide arcs, creating a curtain of light that blocked its assault.

Long Yang gripped his Jiaoya dagger and stabbed at the creature, but it maneuvered effortlessly on the small platform, moving like the wind. He struck several times without hitting it, and its tail whipped back repeatedly, nearly striking his wrist.

“Wei Wei, be brave,” Long Yang urged loudly. “Look at it to find its weakness!”

“Okay, Big Brother,” Wei Wei shouted back, bolstering her courage. She turned to face it, striking several focused blows with her sword.

Still timid, her swordplay—though swift—lacked precision in timing and force. The Flying Frost Sword grazed the mountain jiaolong multiple times but failed to inflict serious harm, instead rousing its ferocity.

Caught between Wei Wei’s frontal assault and Long Yang’s attacks from behind, the mountain jiaolong grew desperate. It suddenly raised its front claws, coiled its body, and prepared to lunge at Wei Wei.

“Wei Wei, watch out!” Long Yang shouted, ignoring the threat of its tail and stabbing fiercely at its back. Sensing greater danger behind, the creature spun around, snapping at Long Yang’s arm. It moved too quickly—barely shifting its legs, just twisting its body and head to bite. Long Yang misjudged, unable to retract his arm in time, and it seemed half his arm would be torn off.

Unexpectedly, the mountain jiaolong froze, staring at the Jiaoya dagger with a hint of fear.

Long Yang later reasoned that, as a half-cold-blooded creature with limited intelligence, it instinctively feared the teeth of a superior kin. He further speculated that mountain jiaolongs might prey on each other.

But in that fleeting moment, he couldn’t dwell on it. Seizing the chance, he roared and thrust the Jiaoya dagger into its upper jaw, then yanked upward, driving it into its skull. The mountain jiaolong, ferocious to the end, thrashed its ugly body wildly.

Wei Wei let out a delicate cry and slashed at its still-whipping tail, severing it cleanly. Yet, the detached tail retained strength, lashing and coiling around her wrist.

“Ah…” Wei Wei nearly sobbed, her hand loosening, and the Flying Frost Sword fell below.

“Wei Wei, don’t be scared!” Long Yang shouted. He swung the Jiaoya dagger hard, flinging the mountain jiaolong’s corpse off the cliff. Then, he hurriedly pulled the severed tail from Wei Wei’s arm and tossed it far away.