"That is not Pure Forest Ginseng," Zhi Xuan said, though he felt a slight disappointment. "It's Waning Moss Root. Grandfather Wu said it's only good for an upset stomach. But it's good for the foundation, Tang. Take it anyway."

  "Damn it!" Tang grumbled, but he still carefully cut the Waning Moss Root with his knife and put it into his leather bag. "Alright, this is a warm-up. The Pure Forest Ginseng must be deeper in this cliff!"

  They moved along the steep path cautiously, every step calculated, with Zhi Xuan in the back, watching Mingling who was sometimes too panicked while helping him climb the cliff.

  As Zhi Xuan helped Mingling past a slippery rock crevice, he touched the cold, damp cliff face. His hand grasped a sturdy tree root. He felt his mortal wheel spinning slowly, providing incredible stability and grip, making the heavy task feel light, but he made sure to groan softly for Tang and Mingling's benefit.

  "Be careful, Ming. This moss is as slippery as a freshly bathed wild boar's butt," Zhi Xuan said, pulling Mingling up.

  Mingling gasped, his wet hair plastered to his forehead. "Thanks, Zhi. I swear, if I get back to the village, I'm burning that staff! Herding is easier than looking for these old roots!"

  "No one asked you to choose the narrow cliff route, Master Planner," retorted Tang, who was already standing above, pointing to a small gap in the cliff. "Look, there's a small cave there! Maybe Pure Forest Ginseng likes total darkness!"

  They approached the gap. It wasn't actually a cave, but a large hole formed by rock collapse, just big enough for one person to enter.

  "I'll go first," Tang said in a softer voice. He leaned his large body into the hole. Zhi Xuan could hear Tang's shaky breath.

  "How is it, Tang?" Mingling asked, jumping anxiously behind Zhi Xuan.

  "Dark, but dry," Tang whispered. "I can smell very damp earth. I'm going in!"

  Tang immediately disappeared into the gap. Zhi Xuan and Mingling waited anxiously. The silence was only broken by the dripping water falling from the cliff and the sound of the swift stream below.

  After nearly a minute of silence, Tang's voice was heard again, this time closer and full of disappointment.

  "Damn it! Just big rocks and some angry blind bats! No Ginseng!" Tang reappeared from the gap, his face covered in dust and cobwebs. "Disgusting hole! I have to bathe three times after this!"

  Mingling burst into laughter. "That's your karma for whining about the waning moss root, Tang!"

  Tang rubbed his face, scowling. "Waning moss root at least doesn't have giant cobwebs. Come on, let's continue! I'm sure we have to go a little higher."

  They continued to move up, taking an increasingly steep and dangerous path. The sun had almost fully set, leaving the forest in a cold, dark purple shadow.

  Tang raised his hand and slowed his pace. "Wait, isn't that... The Ancient Death Cliff?" Tang took a heavy breath, the muscles in his arms tightening. He pointed east, where the silhouette of another cliff loomed high, but that cliff looked different, gloomier. The vegetation was sparse, dry, and above it seemed to be dark clouds gathering, even though the rest of the sky still held the remnants of twilight.

  "Ancient Death Cliff? You're exaggerating, Tang," Mingling said, trying to sound brave, though he hugged his leather bag tightly. "That's probably just the Dry Bamboo Cliff. My father once said the Ancient Death Cliff is far behind the North Peak."

  "No, Ming, I'm serious," Tang replied, his voice containing an unusual tone, without arrogance. "Uncle Chen once took me to see it from afar. He said the cliff got its name because nothing grows there, and the water that flows from it... never reaches the river. It evaporates in the air. He said it was a bad omen."

  Zhi Xuan observed the cliff. It did look unnatural, like a dead piece of landscape. The cold feeling in his chest that usually felt like stability now pulsed slightly—as if his newly patched mortal wheel reacted to the cliff's silent aura. He ignored it, forcing his attention back to mortal thoughts.

  "Maybe it's just a myth, Tang," Zhi Xuan said, stepping slightly forward. "We shouldn't approach that cliff. Bashan's map said the Ginseng is on the 'shadow hills,' and that cliff looks like 'hell hills.' We must continue north on this cliff. We'll look in crevices that still have moss and moisture."

  "Zhi Xuan is right," Mingling said, relieved not to have to deal with the terrifying-sounding cliff. "We have to look in a cool place. Come on, Tang, don't whine! Weren't you the most excited about the Pure Forest Ginseng?"

  Tang sighed deeply, putting his knife back into its sheath with a less confident movement than usual. "Alright. But if we meet an ancient cliff ghost, I'll use this knife to skin you as bait, Ming."

  "Hey!" Mingling protested, shoving Tang's shoulder.

  They continued their journey. The cliff path became narrower, and now Zhi Xuan had to be really careful. The twilight had completely vanished, and they had to rely on Mingling's small lantern.

  "We've gone so far, Zhi," Mingling whispered. "I've never been this far from the village. I'm starting to miss the one-eyed goat."

  "The one-eyed goat misses you too, Ming," Zhi Xuan countered, trying to maintain a relaxed tone. "But he won't get the Divine Wheel by whining. Come on, look here. This crevice looks good."

  Zhi Xuan stopped in front of a narrow gap in the cliff. The spot was very dark and damp, with water dripping from the rocks above. He crouched down, moving aside some thick moss.

  "I can smell something sweet," Zhi Xuan whispered, his nose flaring. The smell was sweet, sharp, and slightly bitter—the smell of potent medicine.

  Tang immediately knelt beside him, his eyes radiating excitement. "That smell! That's Pure Forest Ginseng! I smelled it once when Uncle Chen brought it back!"

  "I'm going in," Zhi Xuan said, without giving Tang a chance to protest. He was much leaner, and the gap was only wide enough for one person.

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  "Be careful, Zhi!" Mingling exclaimed, holding out his lantern to him. "Don't let there be any more spiders!"

  Zhi Xuan took the lantern and entered the crevice. Inside, it felt colder and very damp. The air here was heavy, laden with the intoxicating sweet smell. He lit the lantern.

  The dim light of the lantern illuminated a small space formed by curved rocks. He slowly crawled, and right in front of him, in a narrow gap between two slippery limestone boulders, he saw it. The plant was not large, but the leaves were dark purplish-black, almost like the waning moss root, the difference lying in its heart-shaped broken leaves. Its root, as he touched the moss around it, felt stiff and dense. He inhaled.

  "Pure Forest Ginseng," Zhi Xuan whispered, his voice filled with genuine awe, the joy of a child finding a treasure. "I found it!" Zhi Xuan exclaimed, he turned his body and shouted softly outside. "Ming! Tang! Three clusters! Bring the knife!"

  Tang immediately slipped in, his wide eyes focused on the discovery. "My god, Zhi! You found it! We're rich! Grandfather Wu will kiss our feet!" He knelt beside Zhi Xuan, his eyes shining. "The root... Look at the root! It looks like a shriveled fetus! Uncle Chen once showed a picture like this!"

  "Shh! Lower your voice!" Zhi Xuan admonished, though he himself was smiling widely.

  Tang knelt, carefully pulling out his knife. "We have to dig carefully. The root is very valuable! If we cut it, the Ginseng will lose its power!"

  They both began to dig, using Tang's knife and the tip of Zhi Xuan's staff which was still hidden outside, to slowly dig the soil around the root.

  Mingling knelt at the mouth of the crevice, acting as a lookout. He looked up the cliff, where the shadow of twilight had enveloped them.

  "Hey, guys," Mingling whispered, his voice suddenly tense. "Those footsteps... I think they're above us. I can hear them moving."

  Zhi Xuan and Tang froze. They were only inches away from harvesting their first Ginseng. "Pretend you don't hear anything," Tang whispered, his face pale. He refocused on the Ginseng. "They will pass us. They won't see this small crevice."

  However, the sound of footsteps above them stopped. And then, there was another sound—the sound of small rocks falling and rolling down the cliff, landing just a few meters from the crevice mouth.

  "They stopped, Tang," Mingling whispered, starting to tremble. "They're scouting. Maybe they saw us when we were climbing earlier."

  "Damn it!" Tang grumbled. He dug faster, forcing the tip of his knife into the soil.

  Zhi Xuan felt a cold premonition. He forced his mortal wheel to spin. The cold sensation flooded his senses. He focused on the sound above the cliff. He didn't just hear the footsteps. He heard something stranger—the sound of metal grinding, followed by a slow, regular hiss. That was not an ordinary hunter.

  "Tang, we have to get out now," Zhi Xuan whispered, pulling Tang's arm. "I don't like this. That's not a normal village hunter."

  "One more Ginseng, Zhi! Just one!" Tang pleaded.

  As Tang finally managed to free the first Ginseng root, the sound above them suddenly became loud and fast—like running footsteps.

  SWOOSH!

  Something long and thin shot down the cliff, landing with a "Clank!" sound right in front of Mingling. It was a hunting arrow with a sharp metal tip. The arrow was deeply embedded in the ground, and at the end, a blood-red cloth was tied.

  Mingling screamed, a sound muffled by fear. He retreated quickly, bumping into Zhi Xuan. "I'm going to die! I'm going to die!" Mingling wailed, his voice muffled, his soaked face now deathly pale under the lantern light.

  "Quiet, Ming!" Tang hissed, tightly clutching the freshly harvested Pure Forest Ginseng. He pulled Mingling aside, into the crevice, while Zhi Xuan immediately crawled out to assess the situation.

  Zhi Xuan snatched the arrow still stuck in the ground. The arrow was heavy, with a strangely shaped metal tip he didn't recognize—more like a raptor's beak than a usual hunting arrow tip. The blood-red cloth tied at the arrow's base fluttered faintly in the twilight wind.

  Above the cliff, the sound of running footsteps stopped, replaced by a heavy, deep voice.

  "Who's there? Come out! Or the second arrow will find its way to your throat!" shouted a loud, rough voice, with an accent unfamiliar to them.

  Tang slipped out of the crevice, his knife raised, his face full of anger and fear. "We're just children! We're looking for medicinal roots! We didn't know this was someone else's hunting territory!"

  "Medicinal roots?" A rough laugh was heard from above. "On this Shadow Cliff? Don't lie, boy! Come out, and I'll only take your skin in exchange for our damages!"

  Mingling, still hiding inside the crevice, whispered loudly, "Tang! Don't provoke them! They must be Northern Village hunters! They are known to be cruel!"

  Zhi Xuan threw the arrow into the crevice. "Tang, don't be stupid! We retreat!"

  "Retreat? With Pure Forest Ginseng in my hand? Never!" Tang jumped into a defensive position. "Zhi Xuan, you and Mingling run to the river! I'll hold them off for a bit!"

  "That's the stupidest idea you've ever had, Tang!" Zhi Xuan retorted. He knew Tang had no chance. Tang's strength was muscle, but on the steep cliff path, it would only make him a big target.

  Suddenly, three silhouettes appeared at the cliff edge, dimly illuminated by the fading twilight remnants. They wore thick leather robes and carried large bows.

  "Look! Just three lost goat kids!" one of the hunters exclaimed, his voice full of contempt. "Give us what you harvested, boy, and we'll let you crawl home to your sweet mother!"

  "We won't give it!" Tang shouted.

  The hunter merely snorted. "Alright, enjoy your first lesson about hunting territory."

  Zhi Xuan thought fast, the crevice was too narrow for the three of them, Zhi Xuan had to take a risk! He quickly pulled Mingling and Tang back, dragging them while Zhi Xuan ran half-crouching deeper into the crevice.

  Tang immediately let out a growl, trying to free himself from Zhi Xuan's pull. "Let go of me, Zhi! I can handle them!"

  "Idiot!" Zhi Xuan hissed, his voice containing a sharp tone Tang had never heard from him. He used his new strength—not to attack, but for speed and grip. He pulled both Tang's and Mingling's arms at once, forcing them deeper into the narrow crevice. "Quiet! You're just a big target out there!"

  "Quick! They went in!" the hunter shouted from the top of the cliff, one of them cocking an arrow.

  SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

  Three more arrows shot down, hitting the cliff right outside the crevice. Small rocks rattled down, and one arrow grazed Tang's shoulder. Tang let out a short scream, not from pain, but from shock.

  "Damn it! They really attacked us!" Tang grumbled, his big hand pressing on his injured shoulder.

  "We have to get out of here! This crevice isn't safe!" Mingling exclaimed, his crying voice almost breaking.

  Zhi Xuan surveyed the crevice. It was a dead end. The only way out was back to the crevice mouth, where the hunters were waiting. He looked behind the crevice. There was a small crack at the back, just enough for his head.

  "The back! There's a way!" Zhi Xuan whispered, pointing to the crack. "I'll break the rock. We'll get out of the cliff!"

  "Break the rock?!" Tang glanced at him in horror. "Are you crazy? Do you think you're a Stone-Antlered Deer?"

  "Whatever! Shut up and hold onto me!" Zhi Xuan ignored him. He had to use his full strength; this life-and-death situation was too risky. Zhi Xuan raised his ironwood staff and slammed it against the crack repeatedly.

  BAM! BAM! BAM!

  He channeled the full force of the patched wheel. The sound was loud and dramatic; he was truly hitting with all his might. After five quick hits, the crack widened slightly, revealing the abyss behind the cliff—a steep ravine that led directly to a fast-moving pool of water below.

  "Break! Break! We jump down!" Zhi Xuan yelled, clutching Mingling's and Tang's arms.

  "What?!" Tang turned, his eyes wide at the abyss. "Are you insane! That's a height that could break all our bones! And the current is swift!"

  "Better broken bones than being cut to pieces by their bows!" Zhi Xuan countered. "Ready! I'll break the rock!"

  With a forced loud shout, Zhi Xuan slammed his staff again.

  CRACK!

  This time, it wasn't the staff that broke, but the rock surrounding the crack shattered completely. Zhi Xuan didn't wait. He pushed his staff forward and upward. He pushed Tang and Mingling, making them scream loudly.

  "JUMP!"

  The three of them tumbled out of the crevice, falling into the void. Their screams were swallowed by the sound of the rushing water and the rough laughter of the hunters watching from above.

  Instantly, they were thrown into the cold, hard, fast-moving water. Zhi Xuan opened his eyes. Everything was dark and noisy. The cold water suffocated him, slamming him against hidden sharp rocks. He couldn't breathe. He could feel the water pulling him, like giant hands.