Journey to the West: Treasure Vase of the Great Dao

Meanwhile, Lu Xun and his companions, after overcoming arduous and perilous challenges, finally arrived within the bounds of Mountain Luoxia. In the distance, they could see a tall mountain situated ahead of them. It was evening, and the setting sun cast its glow upon the mountain, bathing it in a resplendent golden light, making the whole mountain appear as though it were built of gold.

"Is this Mountain Luoxia?" Chen Xiong murmured to himself.

"It should be correct. I once heard Old Apricot mention that Mountain Luoxia has Golden Cliffs. Look over there, isn't that it?"

Following the direction Lu Xun pointed, everyone saw a cliff as smooth as if it had been hewn by a blade. The evening sun shone upon it, dressing the mirror-like cliff face with a layer of brilliant adornment, truly resembling the Golden Cliffs.

"I can feel a special aura from this mountain that compels one to prostrate in worship." A beautiful woman in green clothes spoke, Lady Qing, who was under orders from Ruyi True Immortal to protect Lu Xun. At this moment, her demeanor was restrained and her manner gentle, a stark contrast to her initial appearance.

"Since Sister Qing says so, this place must undoubtedly be Mountain Luoxia." Lu Xun sighed softly.

Gazing at the mountain before him, he suddenly felt an urge to cry. How many hardships had he endured along the way? How many mountains and rivers had he crossed to arrive at this place, to meet the Old Ancestor, to see the faces of his Emperor father and mother appear in his mind? He wanted to shout out loud to them that he had accomplished it, having traversed thousands of miles with his own two feet.

He had seen all manner of human life, encountered demons and ghosts, and at last, he had arrived here. Compared to when he set out, Lu Xun now possessed a more composed disposition, his body radiating an ease born from the trials he endured. He was no longer that naive youth.

"Let's go, let's meet the Old Ancestor." Lu Xun said with a smile, taking the lead towards the heart of the mountain.

The forest on Mountain Luoxia was dense, seldom touched by human presence. There was only a narrow path leading directly to the summit. The quartet followed the path upward, flanked by tall trees that cast deep shadows, and in the heat of summer, they felt wisps of coolness.

As the four advanced, a white mist began to appear and slowly enveloped Mountain Luoxia. Looking back, they found that the path they had come from was already obscured by the fog, and the way forward was also unclear, prompting them to become more cautious.

Following the path onward, it seemed as though they walked a great while, the road beneath their feet seemingly endless.

Suddenly, the mist cleared, revealing a serene scene. A tranquil village came into view, with the sounds of chickens and dogs, and humble homes arranged in an orderly fashion. Unlike the chaos of war outside, the people here seemed to live in peace, their faces brimming with contented smiles.

The four were astounded by this sight. They were certainly walking on Mountain Luoxia, so how could they have ended up in such a strange village? Looking at the dress of these villagers, it differed significantly from the outside world.

The villagers seemed very surprised by the arrival of the four, and soon the place became noisy. In no time at all, everyone in the village, men and women, young and old, gathered around and stared at them curiously.

This peculiar situation left the group somewhat at an impasse, uncertain of where they had inadvertently arrived.

"May I ask if this is Mountain Luoxia?" Lu Xun inquired.

The surrounding people looked at each other, not understanding what Lu Xun was asking. Then, an elder stepped forward from the crowd. He was dressed in clothing completely different from that of Great Chu, yet there was an air of elegance about him.

"We have lived here for generations but have never heard the name of Mountain Luoxia."

The elder's words left the four of them stunned. They had clearly walked into Mountain Luoxia, so how could they have arrived in a mountain village that had never heard of it?

"Then, may I ask what place this is?"

"Our village is called Peach Blossom Spring. Since the Qin Dynasty, we have settled here and never heard of any Mountain Luoxia nearby." The elder said with a smile, his speech carrying an accent they had never encountered before.

Lu Xun, however, keenly sensed something amiss. He prided himself on his extensive study of literature and history, because of his status as Crown Prince, yet had never heard of a dynasty called the Qin Dynasty.

"The Qin Dynasty?" He couldn't help asking.

The elder nodded and said with a smile: "Indeed, during the time of the First Emperor, our ancestors moved here to escape the severe taxation. Now we do not know how many years have passed, nor do we know what the outside world looks like. Perhaps it's already the fiftieth generation of Qin."

The four were completely baffled. They had no knowledge of a Qin Dynasty, and this concept of "the fiftieth generation of Qin" was also completely new to them.

Seeing their astonishment, the elder asked in surprise: "Is the world outside no longer under the Qin Dynasty?"

Lu Xun then responded: "Without concealment, we have not heard the name of any Qin Dynasty."

The elder's expression turned to one of disbelief: "If not Qin, then what dynasty is it? The First Emperor swept through all under heaven and unified the realm; how could anyone possibly overthrow the Qin Dynasty?"

"The current dynasty is called Great Chu, which has been established for eight hundred years."

"Great Chu, could it be the Chu Kingdom's descendants overthrew the Qin Dynasty and reestablished Chu? I used to hear children sing: 'Though Chu has only three households, it is Chu that will doom Qin.' I never thought it would actually come true." The elder murmured to himself.

"Before Great Chu, there was Great Chen. We have never heard of Great Qin." Lu Xun said gently.

The elder was immediately shocked and hurriedly said: "Do not deceive me, old man; how can there be no Qin Dynasty?" He then rambled on, apparently about the might of Great Qin.