The carriage and horses came to a stop at the base of a lush green knoll. Having alighted from the carriage, a few sturdy men were already waiting below and promptly hoisted the cargo onto their shoulders, taking the winding path up the mountain.
Li Piaoqing looked up and saw through the canopies of ancient pines and yellow paulownias glimpses of old eaves, casting a deep, serene quietude. For miles around, there was no one else, and based on what could be seen and heard, being here truly felt closer to that cold, bizarre, and secluded tale of the immortals than in Xiangzhou City.
It wasn't long before they reached the mountain's summit, and the full expanse of the mansion came into view. Li Piaoqing swept a glance over it, noting its vastness and antiquity—it must have been built roughly fifty years ago and occupied half of the flattened mountaintop; even a hundred people living here would not seem crowded.
