Chapter 51.1 – Kala Snow Mountain (4)
At the peak of the snowy mountain, atop jagged black cliffs, there was once a pure blue ice palace, with tall spires that soared and glimmered in peculiar hues under the light.
Looking up from the highlands of the snow, one could catch a glimpse of distant spires, yet between the snowfields and the palace lay a considerable distance, separated by near-vertical cliffs.
Jiang Yujin: “…”
Well, amending the earlier talk, today’s activity might rival a month’s worth of exercise.
Jiang Yujin lifted his foot and proceeded slowly toward the direction closer to the sheer cliffs.
The snowfields appeared to be the gentlest area on the mountain, devoid of steep rock faces and with moderate undulations. Yet, it was likely one of the places with the most fatalities; every few steps might reveal bones buried beneath the snow. It seemed serene but wasn’t safe; beneath the seemingly thick snow could lie deep ice pits where a misstep could mean becoming frozen in ice, unable to escape.
Between the original position and below the sheer cliffs, lay numerous snow slopes, some leading directly into ice pits with sharp, elongated icicles. Those unfortunate enough to fall inside remained intact due to the extremely low temperatures below.
Upon reaching the towering base of the cliff, Jiang Yujin first glanced up at the staggering height, then decided to circle around this side first to explore alternative routes.
There might be a direct ascent, but it wasn’t necessary and would only waste energy. Surely, there had to be a more comfortable way up.
The mountain where the palace stood resembled an inverted cone. It appeared expansive from above, but in reality, its lower circumference wasn’t that wide; one could likely circle it within a short while.
This area was predominantly covered in grey-black stones, devoid of any passages or paths.
Jiang Yujin lowered his gaze, eventually stopping at a particular spot and crouching down.
At the meeting point of the white snow and the grey-black cliffs, there was a not-so-wide fissure in the hard rock, forming an arch that extended all the way to the snow-buried area. Pushing aside the snow revealed the fissure continuing downward. Glancing around, finding no handy tools, Jiang Yujin sighed; he had to manually shovel away the snow.
If only Yuan Sanshui were here; a little fire would melt the snow, or even stone manipulation would suffice. He was the expert in adapting to mountains and bridging gaps.
Soon, a large pit emerged on the ground, revealing a stone door hidden beneath the snow. Covered year-round, except for a small arched section at the top, the rest had turned a deep black, damp, and piercingly cold due to constant snow cover.
Pushing open the stone door released the musty smell of accumulated dust, somewhat choking.
Jiang Yujin stepped inside. The stone door led to a narrow passage spiraling upwards with stone steps ascending in a continuous loop. It was devoid of light, the only illumination came from various unidentified beams filtering in from outside.
Being a city dweller with the habit of always closing doors behind, Citizen Jiang casually shut the door and ascended the steps slowly. The steps themselves were unremarkable, but the wall on one side bore engravings resembling stone carvings. Over time, the images had blurred and gathered a layer of dust. Brushing away the dust revealed clearer details.
At the entrance, there were carvings of six slender-bodied sheep with long limbs and horns on their heads, unmistakably resembling the previously encountered sheep. However, due to the limitations of stone carving, the depiction of the horns lacked detail, and there were no leaves atop them.
Continuing up the stairs, human figures appeared on the walls—groups of people and individuals, seemingly depicting both collective and solitary actions. The sheep led them into a place devoid of cold. The newcomers held various weapons, advancing towards the flock.
Despite the unique appearance of the sheep, they were ultimately sheep and easily slaughtered by humans. The bodies of the six sheep lay on the ground, heads severed, with triangular symbols beside them—presumably, dropped bells. Before killing the sheep, the humans cut off their horned heads, realizing their uselessness and subsequently discarding them.
After the humans departed, a long-haired figure approached the flock. He removed leaves from his crown and placed them on the sheep’s bodies.
The white sheep revived, convulsing on the ground, struggling to stand again. Their horns regrew atop their heads, sprouting tiny leaves.
The resurrected sheep departed once more, guiding the humans holding weapons. Some humans obeyed them, while others chose to defy, covering their ears against the creatures’ will. Those who obeyed became faithful servants, pursuing and driving away those who resisted.
The subsequent murals depicted an endless cycle of humans killing each other.
This likely narrated the events within the dungeon, captured and documented in this manner.
Jiang Yujin continued upward, and suddenly, the entire staircase trembled. Years of accumulated dust fell, swirling in the air, coating everyone and everything. His clothes turned from black to white instantly, and then distant sounds echoed from far above.
*
Chen Jing directly climbed the snow mountain’s highest peak from the sheer cliff.
It was physically demanding and risky, but it was the fastest route. There was still someone waiting for him on the snowfield. Judging by that person’s character, he wouldn’t wait for long. If he could return, he needed to do so as early as possible, the sooner, the better.
If he couldn’t go back, he needed to at least find the crown of the king here and complete this level’s mission. Despite the seemingly peaceful exterior of this dungeon, aside from the steep terrain and the extremely dangerous boss, all the sheep had been killed. There didn’t seem to be much danger here, but something about the lighting felt off, warning that prolonged exposure might harm the human body.
Arriving at the highest level of this snowy mountain, looking down, everything below was obscured by clouds, making it impossible to see.
The ice palace appeared much grander up close than from afar. Viewing the palace from the ground was as awe-inspiring as looking at the snowy mountain from its base. The architecture was jagged and sharp everywhere, emanating a piercing chill that went straight to the heart.
Without much hesitation, Chen Jing proceeded directly towards the palace.
There was a courtyard in front of the palace, but it lacked any vegetation. Only ice-made streetlights hung, emitting a faint blue glow inside. On the central main gate were intricate carvings of slender sheep—two doors in total, one on each side. The left one had open eyes, while the right one’s eyes were closed.
Footprints already marked the snow leading from the courtyard towards the gate, some deep, some shallow, all the way up to the entrance.
At the spot where the footprints stopped, a person lay on the ground. The man wore a dirty coat, one foot twisted in a strange angle, his face buried in the snow, blood staining a large patch of white.
It was the man who had departed earlier. He had wanted revenge upon reaching the king but didn’t make it past the gate, dying just before entering the palace.
Chen Jing surveyed the area and realized the only passage into the palace was through the nearby gate. So, he approached directly.
As he got closer, he could distinctly feel the left sheep’s eyes following his movements, and the right sheep’s eyes slowly opened.
When he reached the spot where the man lay, the right sheep’s eyes fully opened. The patterns on the gate started changing, seemingly slow but actually at a rapid pace. The faces of the two sheep gradually became three-dimensional, followed by their bodies, and their front hooves stepped out of the gate.
Though they were still sheep, they differed slightly from the ones seen before. They had no horns; their eyes were a misty, blood-red color devoid of any gleam. Consistently, they wore bells around their necks, but these were hollow bells—silent when moved.
After emerging from the gate, the bodies of the two sheep began to grow rapidly. They rushed toward him without hesitation, emitting a faint blue fire under their feet, which floated in the air. Wherever they passed, ice condensed, including the man’s body, freezing everything in their wake.
