Gathering water had continued for over an hour, only ending just before noon. Next, they were to embark on the most dangerous part of the water retrieval, the return journey.
The path back was very clear, as it was the best option based on many years of experience and the most solid road under the heavy load of ox carts. Though it required almost half as much detour compared to the way there, Hou Niao had no objections; he respected the wisdom of these ordinary mortals.
After a quick meal of dry food, the team set off. The heavy water carts made even the sturdy yaks struggle immensely. On uphill stretches, people had to strenuously push, hunkering down, and pull with all their might on the descents. This was the challenge of the return trip—not only to avoid getting mired in mud but also to find the flattest possible paths, since both ascents and descents greatly exhausted the yaks.
