Chapter 57: Dig Open That Mountain |
After an unknown amount of time had passed, He awakened once more.
He opened his eyes and cautiously observed his surroundings.
He was now inside a crude wooden hut.
The furnishings were simple—only a wooden bed, a wooden table, and several stools made from tree stumps.
However, the strange stone bowls on the wooden table caught his attention.
Those bowls were not the usual gray-white or black, but instead displayed peculiar colorful patterns, as if naturally formed, yet also carrying a mysterious rhythm.
It was the first time he had ever seen such colorful stone bowls.
At that moment, the wooden door was pushed open.
An old man entered.
Seeing He sitting up,
a kind smile appeared on his face.
“Young man, you’re awake.”
Hearing the familiar language,
He felt slightly relieved.
“Thank you for saving my life.”
His voice was still hoarse.
The old man nodded,
placing the wild vegetable porridge in his hand beside the bed.
“Your body is still weak. Eat something first.”
“I won’t disturb your rest.”
After saying that, he gently closed the door and left.
In the days that followed,
He recovered while conversing with the old man.
Through their conversations, he learned that he was neither in the Theocratic State of the Stars nor in the Three Great Duchies.
But when he asked the old man where this place was,
the old man did not know either.
He only knew that
his ancestors had lived here for generations.
And surrounding the tribe…
were endless mountain ranges!
Mountains?!
He’s heart sank instantly.
He suspected…
he had arrived deep within the mountains.
He had heard of the terror of the mountains.
The mountains were composed of endless ranges, with treacherous terrain and dense mist.
Even Ya, a wielder of Authority, had not ventured deep into the mountains, instead choosing to settle in a tribe at their base.
He had never heard…
of anyone who could enter and come out alive.
Yet he had actually ended up in this land of death!
At once, despair filled He’s heart. He had barely escaped with his life from Lei—was he now destined to spend the rest of his life trapped in these isolated mountains?
He suddenly thought of Shan, who had fled together with him.
“Shan, when you saved me, did you see my companion?”
Yes, this old man was also named Shan.
Old Man Shan shook his head and said firmly,
“No.”
“I only found you.”
He let out a long sigh,
his heart filled with worry for Shan’s fate.
At that moment, Old Man Shan picked up a well-polished hoe leaning against the wall, preparing to leave.
“Shan, where are you going?”
He asked.
“I’m going to dig the mountain.”
Old Man Shan’s tone was calm and natural,
as if he were stating something entirely ordinary.
“Dig the mountain?!”
He thought he had misheard, his face full of disbelief.
“You’re not joking, are you?”
Even for a Recipient of Divine Grace…
digging through an entire mountain was nothing but a fool’s dream.
And yet, an ordinary person—an elderly man at that—
was claiming he would dig open a mountain!
Old Man Shan looked at He seriously and said,
“I’m not joking.”
“I am going to dig the mountain!”
“Why?” He could not understand.
Hearing this, a near-reverent longing slowly appeared in Old Man Shan’s eyes.
“I want to go out and see.”
“To see what the world beyond the mountains looks like.”
He was surprised. “Have you been to the outside world?”
“No.”
Old Man Shan shook his head, his gaze distant.
“A long time ago, an outsider like you accidentally came here.”
He suddenly understood,
no wonder the language here was the same as the outside world.
At that moment…
a trace of remembrance appeared in Old Man Shan’s eyes.
Since childhood, he had been curious about the world beyond the mountains.
He had once climbed the highest peak near the tribe.
But what he saw… was still endless mountains shrouded in mist.
He had thought, so beyond the mountains, there were still mountains.
Thus, he was no longer curious about the outside world.
Like everyone else in the tribe, he married and had children, believing that this would be his entire life.
Until the arrival of that outsider.
He brought news of the world beyond the mountains!
Vast plains, surging rivers, boundless oceans, prosperous cities, the dynasty of the Stars…
These unheard-of things
instantly ignited his long-silent soul.
So…
there truly was such a wonderful world beyond the mountains!
Just hearing about it filled him with yearning.
But the mountains stretched endlessly…
it was impossible for him to walk out of them!
Thus, already middle-aged,
he resolutely shouldered a hoe!
He would dig the mountain!
Dig through the mountains that stood before him!
Carve out a path leading to the outside world!
Unfortunately, his determination
was seen by the others in the tribe as defiance.
Even his wife was deeply dissatisfied,
saying that at his age, he should settle down.
But even though his family opposed him,
he still wanted to dig the mountain.
Thus, he chose to leave the tribe.
Living alone at the foot of the mountain,
day after day, he swung his hoe,
contending against the silent giant mountain before him.
“What about that outsider?”
He could not help but ask, his heart filled with curiosity about the one who had ignited Old Man Shan’s dream.
A trace of regret and sorrow flashed in Old Man Shan’s eyes.
“His injuries were too severe. He didn’t last long…”
“He passed away.”
Learning that the man had already died,
a sense of indescribable melancholy rose in He’s heart.
He watched Old Man Shan’s figure as he carried the hoe toward the mountain.
Against the towering mass of the mountain, that figure seemed so small, yet carried an unyielding force that stirred the soul.
…
The next day, when Old Man Shan once again carried his hoe toward the mountain, He followed.
He wanted to see with his own eyes
what this so-called “digging the mountain” truly looked like.
Upon reaching the foot of the mountain,
even though he was mentally prepared,
the sight before him…
still left him too stunned to speak.
A massive cave had been carved into the mountain!
The entrance was wide enough for three people to walk side by side.
Old Man Shan explained calmly,
“If I dig it bigger, it’ll be easier for everyone to pass through in the future.”
Even though the tribespeople neither supported nor cared about his actions,
he still hoped that one day,
his people could use this path to see the vast world beyond.
The two walked one after the other into the cave.
The deeper they went, the more shocked He became.
Because they walked over a thousand steps
before reaching the end of the cave!
And the soil beneath their feet still carried a fresh scent.
“You… how long have you been digging?”
He’s voice trembled slightly.
Old Man Shan narrowed his eyes, thought for a moment, and spoke in a tone as calm as if it were something insignificant.
“Over twenty years, I suppose.”
“Over twenty years?!”
He was completely stunned.
Even for him, a Recipient of Divine Grace,
twenty years was one-third of a lifetime!