Chapter 182: Crane and Paper Crane

Carrying Wei Yuansheng on his back, Wei Wuwei felt the sounds behind him quickly fade as soon as he entered the mist. Looking back, the mist appeared thin and not very dense, yet he could neither see the Wei family group nor hear their voices.

"Yuansheng, are you scared?"

Wei Wuwei supported Wei Yuansheng's bottom with his left hand, while his right hand pushed aside branches and vines as they walked.

"A little, but it's okay with Daddy here!"

"Good boy!"

As they continued forward, the mist ahead actually thinned out. It increasingly felt like looking at a vast expanse of white mist in the distance, while their immediate surroundings remained clear. After about half an hour, even the feeling of distant white mist disappeared entirely.

Wei Wuwei felt as if he was walking on an ordinary mountain path, having directly passed through the misty area. The further he walked, the more confused he became.

"Daddy, it seems we're taking a roundabout path."

Wei Yuansheng's intuition was more accurate than Wei Wuwei's. As his father walked, he kept looking around. Even though his father was walking in a straight line, it always felt strangely off.

This reminder startled Wei Wuwei, who immediately recalled some precautions the old tortoise had mentioned. He quickly pulled out the family heirloom jade pendant from around his neck, turning the cord so his son could hold it.

"Yuansheng, hold the jade pendant, close your eyes, and tell Daddy which way you think we should go."

"Okay!"

Wei Yuansheng did as instructed, holding the jade pendant with his right hand and hugging his father's neck with his left. He then quietly lay on his father's back with his eyes closed.

Wei Wuwei slightly slowed his pace and continued walking forward.

"No, no, Daddy, you're going the wrong way. The straight path should be to the left."

Wei Wuwei tilted his head to look at his son, then at the path they had taken. The trees they had marked were still in a straight line behind them, but he chose to trust his son and immediately adjusted his angle slightly to the left.

After a dozen breaths, Wei Yuansheng told him to go left again. After about a quarter of an hour, Wei Yuansheng again told him to go left. Logically, they were practically walking in circles.

After walking like this for another good half an hour, Wei Wuwei was drenched in sweat.

It wasn't physical exhaustion, but rather the increasing mental pressure. He had completely lost his sense of direction, experienced occasional tinnitus, and felt more and more panicky with each step, as if he was about to plunge into the depths of the mountain and never return.

However, Wei Wuwei was an extremely rational person. He knew well that he and the Wei family had long since ventured deep into Jade Green Mountain, and his martial arts skills were outstanding. How could fear of the deep mountain forest only now be affecting him?

"Caw... caw..."

A faint crane call from the sky invigorated Wei Wuwei. Wei Yuansheng also instinctively opened his eyes. Father and son looked up together and saw a white crane circling overhead. They wondered if it was the same one that had a past connection with the Wei family.

"Caw... caw... screech!"

But the white crane didn't land; it just circled for a while and then flew away, leaving the Wei father and son quite disappointed.

"It flew away, Daddy..."

"Hehe, it's alright. Yuansheng, are you hungry? Daddy brought some pastries. Let's rest a bit."

They were currently in a mountain hollow, fortunately free of too many tall trees and weeds. Wei Wuwei carried Wei Yuansheng to a clean rock, sat down, and set his son down.

As father and son drank water and ate, a rustling sound suddenly came from the woods nearby. Wei Wuwei instinctively sprang to his feet, two mandarin duck blades sliding from his sleeves into his hands, and adopted a defensive posture.

There were many wild beasts in the mountains, and Wei Yuansheng cautiously hid behind the rock.

However, what emerged from behind the nearby trees was not a wild beast, but a woman. Her face was gentle; at first glance, she seemed around thirty, but upon closer inspection, she had no wrinkles or signs of age, making her appear closer to twenty. She wore light shoes and a white feathered robe, and her long hair was coiled up with two jade hairpins.

She approached gracefully, neither rushing nor lingering.

"Are you two lost in these mountains and unable to find your way out?"

Before she even got close, her gentle voice reached them. As she approached, her gaze lingered noticeably on the two mandarin duck blades of different lengths in Wei Wuwei's hands.

"It just so happens that I'm also lost in these mountains. How about we find our way out together?"

The woman smiled at Wei Yuansheng, who was hiding behind the rock, and then made a suggestion to Wei Wuwei.

However, the Wei father and son understood clearly that in such a special place, this person could not possibly be truly lost; she was very likely the transformed celestial crane.

"Yuansheng, come here quickly!"

"Okay!"

Wei Yuansheng quickly ran around the rock and scrambled to his father's side. Wei Wuwei pulled open his collar, tugged out the jade pendant from inside, untied the cord, and placed it in Wei Yuansheng's hand.

Sure enough, the moment the woman saw the jade pendant, her eyes and expression changed.

"You have this jade pendant... May I ask your surnames?"

Wei Wuwei and little Wei Yuansheng exchanged a glance, then the older and younger man simultaneously bowed to the woman.

"To answer the Immortal Maiden, my name is Wei Wuwei, and this beside me is my humble son..."

"To answer Auntie Immortal, my name is Wei Yuansheng!"

Wei Wuwei frowned and glared at Wei Yuansheng. The boy, shrinking his neck, timidly glanced at the woman and saw that she was looking at him without any sign of anger.

"The Wei family... that was a long time ago..."

The woman sighed with emotion, a smile on her face.

"To be able to find this place, someone must have guided you. But it doesn't matter; the Wei family's kindness must always be repaid. Hmm, is this child named Wei Yuansheng? That's a good name!"

Wei Yuansheng flashed a brilliant smile at the woman, his little face, plump with youth, looking incredibly cute.

"Oh, so young and already so clever. My, his aptitude really seems good; the jade pendant is even glowing with spiritual light!"

Wei Wuwei and Wei Yuansheng looked at the jade pendant simultaneously but saw no spiritual light.

"Alright, this child can come with me into Jade Embrace Mountain. As for you, I will send you out."

That won't do!

Wei Wuwei quickly bowed in a respectful manner, pleading.

"Thank you, Immortal Maiden, for taking my son Yuansheng. But Yuansheng is still very young, not yet five years old. He knows nothing and can do nothing, and needs his parents to care for him. I implore the Immortal Maiden to understand and allow me to accompany my son into the mountain, to stay with him until he can discern right from wrong and care for himself!"

The woman sighed.

"I see this child is so clever; he doesn't seem ignorant at all. Why are you so worried, Mr. Wei?"

Wei Yuansheng again shrank his neck, and his tender voice joined in the plea.

"Auntie Immortal, please, don't make Daddy leave... I'm scared..."

At this moment, little Yuansheng's fear was not feigned; tears were almost overflowing from his eyes. What would he do if Daddy left?

"I beg the Immortal Maiden to help my Wei family, I beg you!"

As Wei Wuwei spoke, he moved to kneel before the woman, but with a flick of her sleeve, she pushed him back several steps, nearly making him stumble.

"Alright, there's no need for this. I will certainly help, but you must know that I... hmm, you know my identity, right?"

"Yes, yes, we know! You are the Immortal Maiden of the Immortal Abode!"

The woman kneaded her right arm with her left hand.

"Oh, I didn't mean that. What I meant was, well, I'm just the celestial crane of the Immortal Abode; I can't make a final decision on your request!"

So that's what she meant. Wei Wuwei quickly bowed again.

"It would be a great kindness to my Wei family if the Immortal Maiden is willing to help. We already knew your identity as the celestial crane. We are truly shamelessly coming to beg you this time. Thank you for your willingness to help, Immortal Maiden! Thank you, Immortal Maiden!"

Wei Yuansheng also quickly made a small bow with his hands.

"Thank you, Immortal Maiden!"

The woman let out a small breath. It seemed this father and son were not stubborn mortals, and they probably wouldn't be afraid that she wasn't human.

"How about this: little Yuansheng will come back with me first, and you wait here. Don't worry, I will seek out all the immortal masters and elders with whom I have close relations and do my utmost to plead your case. I've been in Jade Embrace Mountain for so long and have never asked for anything; today, I'll make an exception for you!"

The woman spoke very seriously, then her expression softened as she extended her hand to Wei Yuansheng.

"Come, come to Auntie Crane."

Wei Yuansheng glanced at his father, saw him nod, and then cautiously walked up to the woman, who picked him up.

"Wei Wuwei, you wait here for my news. I'll be back in half a day at the earliest, or a day at the latest."

"Immortal Maiden, wait!"

Seeing the woman about to leave, Wei Wuwei quickly called out to her.

"Hmm?"

The woman looked at Wei Wuwei with a puzzled expression, seeing that he seemed to have something important to say.

"There is something I must explain to the Immortal Maiden. Years ago, I befriended a scholarly gentleman. Because of his profound knowledge and extraordinary eloquence, I always treated him with utmost respect whenever we met. A few days ago, he visited my home, and my Wei family specifically held a banquet to welcome him..."

"Was it that person who told you to come here to seek immortal destiny?"

The woman mused for a moment and then asked, but Wei Wuwei shook his head and continued.

"To be honest, the matter concerning the Wei family arose because, after overcoming a crisis previously, we unexpectedly gained information about Jade Embrace Mountain from the original attacker. This esteemed old friend was not aware of it."

"However, at the dinner table a few days ago, that esteemed gentleman, who should have known nothing about this, suddenly told me: 'If you wish to enter Jade Embrace Mountain but cannot, tell the mountain-guarding immortal crane: "There is an old friend in my family who knows Immortal Elder Qiufeng of Jade Embrace Mountain."'"

The woman, who was the transformed celestial crane, was immediately startled.

"He knows Immortal Elder Qiufeng? Who is that person?"

Wei Wuwei lowered his head and clasped his hands again.

"To answer the Immortal Maiden, that esteemed gentleman does not like others to reveal his information casually. I can only tell you that his surname is Ji, the 'Ji' as in 'accounting'. He said that if Immortal Elder Qiufeng is told, the elder will understand."

The woman nodded thoughtfully, then her face brightened with joy.

"With your words, I have even more confidence. Wait for my good news!"

As she spoke, she stood up and leaped. The woman, holding Wei Yuansheng, transformed into a white rainbow and vanished into the mist. A faint crane call could still be heard.

Wei Wuwei watched as the woman flew away with little Yuansheng, feeling a temporary sense of relief, but the tension in his heart remained. He instinctively reached for his pouch again to ease the pressure.

But as he reached into his embrace, he froze for a moment. Then Wei Wuwei frantically pulled out the pouch and shook it, finding it limp and empty. He cautiously opened it to look inside, and indeed, the paper crane was no longer there.

"Oh no! Could it have been dropped in the mountain? What do I do, what do I do?!"

Wei Wuwei broke out in a sweat from anxiety, searching frantically on the ground around him. After a long while, he sat dejectedly on a nearby rock, his expression extremely uneasy.

At the entrance of Jade Embrace Mountain, a terrified Wei Yuansheng clung tightly to the woman in mid-air. Finally, they landed together on a mountain peak. It was there that he first saw the various immortal mansions and pavilions, some winding around misty mountain tops, others hidden in secluded valleys.

The tension and unease in his heart were greatly diluted by the surrounding ethereal beauty.

The celestial crane's first order of business was naturally to find Immortal Elder Qiufeng. As long as Qiufeng was willing to accompany them to meet the Great Immortal, everything would be foolproof.

Gliding on the wind, they descended from the mountaintop into a secluded valley.

However, as the woman, holding little Yuansheng, reached the bamboo house at the bottom of the valley where Qiufeng resided, she already sensed that no one was inside.

Just then, a paper crane suddenly flew out from Wei Yuansheng's embrace, flapping its wings and flying forward.

"What is this?"

"Oh! Isn't this Daddy's paper crane?"

Wei Yuansheng instinctively exclaimed, which made the woman, who was about to reach out and grab the paper crane, stop her movement and look curiously at the flying paper crane.

This was clearly a paper bird; yet, it had no magical fluctuations and could amazingly fly by flapping its own wings.

'Could this paper bird have become a spirit?'

This absurd thought arose in Auntie Crane's mind for an instant before being immediately dismissed. How could that be?!

Just then, the paper crane circled the bamboo house once, then immediately left, flying towards the mountain. Its speed was surprisingly not slow; Auntie Crane, caught off guard, was actually left behind by this paper bird.

Auntie Crane quickly followed the increasingly fast paper bird, holding Yuansheng. She felt somewhat odd; this thing was called a paper crane?

The paper crane flew directly to Shuyun Tower, crashing into the outer enchantment. It flapped its wings, circling around, seemingly trying to find an unobstructed spot to slip through.

Coincidentally, an immortal elder happened to walk out of Shuyun Tower at that moment, surprisingly not noticing the small paper crane. The paper crane seized the opportunity, furiously flapped its wings dozens of times, and zipped into Shuyun Tower.

"Oh..."

Auntie Crane, who had just landed, saw this scene and nervously exclaimed, "Oh..." yet felt a bit uneasy. What if it was something evil or unorthodox?