018 Forbidden Zone

Li Bai lay down beside Chen Yage, his hands cushioning his head. He dared not look at her, a lingering sense of guilt gnawing at him for having mistakenly believed she was about to throw herself into the lake, only to end up pushing her in himself.

Yet he forgot that Chen Yage was, in truth, as at home in the water as a duck. To her, falling into the lake was hardly worth mentioning.

A gentle smile curved Chen Yage’s lips. “When all the blossoms of April fade in the world, peach flowers in the mountain temple begin to bloom. Brother Bai, if you had to choose between fame and fortune or a secluded life in these mountains, which would you choose? Could you see yourself living forever amidst such beauty?”

He answered softly, “You ask why I dwell in the green mountain; I smile without reply, my heart at ease. Peach blossoms drift upon flowing water, and there is another world beyond the mortal realm.”

Delight blossomed in Chen Yage’s heart. Wasn’t this Li Bai’s “Mountain Dialogue”? She never imagined she would be the one to ask him such a question. Scooting closer to him, she was but a step away when a long sword suddenly blocked her path.

“Who told you two to come here?” Ziyu’s cold voice cut through the air once more. Chen Yage, suddenly emboldened by indignation, kicked away Ziyu’s sword, sprang up from the ground, dusted off her hands, and retorted, “What business is it of yours where we go? Why do you keep haunting us? What exactly are you after?”

“Enough talk. Leave, both of you, now!” Ziyu withdrew her sword with a frosty glare.

“Talk is still talk. At least I can speak like a proper person, which is more than some can say,” Chen Yage shot back. She was in her element when it came to verbal sparring. If she claimed to be the second-best at arguing, no one would dare claim first. She might lack other talents, but she possessed a sharp tongue and an endless flow of words, as inexhaustible as the Yangtze.

Li Bai, ever the chivalrous hero, couldn’t help but intervene, even though neither Chen Yage nor Ziyu was truly bullying the other. “Yage, let it go. Let’s leave,” he urged, reaching out to pull her along.

Chen Yage shrugged off his hand, lay back down, crossed her legs, and began to sing with languid cheer, “Where is spring, oh where is spring? Spring is in the peach blossom land beneath the blue sky…”

“Are you leaving or not?” Ziyu pressed the tip of her sword to Chen Yage’s chin, her murderous intent clear. She had little patience for such antics and saw no reason to indulge those who broke the rules. Mercy was not in her nature when it came to upholding order.

“Miss, spare her!” Just as Chen Yage glanced at Ziyu with contempt and Ziyu, fuming, seemed ready to lose control, Dujuan and Shuiniu came running over in a hurry.

Dujuan and Li Bai quickly helped Chen Yage up, while Shuiniu stammered to Ziyu, “Miss, we’ll leave right away, we’re going now.”

With a cold snort and one last glare at Chen Yage, Ziyu turned on her heel and left.

Thinking of how Ziyu had been provoked to the point of exasperation, Chen Yage was in high spirits. She thumped Shuiniu on the shoulder and asked, “Shuiniu, is there some secret about that lake? Why aren’t we allowed near it?”

Shuiniu gave a guileless smile. “It’s not really a secret. Everyone in Peach Blossom Land knows about it.”

If it wasn’t a secret, why act so mysterious? Were the people here all ruthless killers, drawing swords at the slightest provocation? What if someone had a seizure and accidentally cut someone’s throat? Chen Yage grumbled inwardly.

“The lake is a forbidden zone,” Shuiniu explained. “There are many such places in Peach Blossom Land, and that lake is just one of them. It all goes back to one night, ten years ago. A woman named Chaoyun couldn’t sleep and went for a walk by the lake. The night was hazy, the moon full and bright, a gentle breeze stirring, accompanied by the occasional chirp of insects and birds. Mist curled over the water, making it seem like a fairyland. Chaoyun sat by the shore, hugging her knees, lost in silent contemplation of the moon. Suddenly, a strange sound came from the water. Curious, she approached the lake, and in that moment, a female ghost clad in red with long hair loose sprang from the depths and dragged Chaoyun into the water. Fortunately, Chaoyun wore a jade pendant, a family heirloom believed to ward off evil. The ghost was wounded by the pendant’s spiritual energy, and Chaoyun managed to scramble ashore. She escaped with her life, but after returning home, she was never the same—her mind became clouded, and she would often wake screaming from nightmares, haunted by the ghost. Her family was thrown into turmoil.”

“What happened after that?” Chen Yage pressed.

“After that?” Shuiniu was puzzled. “After that, the lake was declared forbidden territory. No one is allowed near it. Anyone who breaks the rule is dealt with according to Peach Blossom Land’s laws.”

“But isn’t that a bit unreasonable?” Li Bai, who had been silent, finally spoke. “The lake is part of Peach Blossom Land. Why would a single ghostly encounter be enough to make it off-limits? And who can say for sure whether the haunting was real?”

Fated in the Tang Dynasty: Poet Immortal, Please Stay! Chapter 18 — Forbidden Zone, now updated!