Super Combat Soldier

Chapter 1722: Chapter 1721: The Legendary ”Zhongnan Mountain

The ten ancient Divine Swords are well known across Earth’s Three Ancient Martial Worlds, but the true origin and strength of these swords remain unknown. The mystery surrounding these ancient Divine Swords is immense, and the legends that once circulated have become scarce today!

”Each of the ten ancient Divine Swords carries its own legend and possesses different powers. They seem unrelated, yet are intricately connected. Who forged these ten swords back in the day, and what was their intent? If all ten are gathered, what will happen?” Ye Tianchen pondered in his heart.

Early the next morning, Ye Tianchen did something unprecedented in the Mortal World—he woke up early. The first thing he did was go to Liu Rumei’s villa. Liu Rumei was still sleeping, but the sound of Ye Tianchen knocking on the door woke her up. She could only guess that it was her brother, Liu Fei. Had he gotten into trouble again?

”Wake up, wake up, we’re getting ready to leave!” Ye Tianchen knocked twice and shouted.

Liu Rumei, still drowsy with sleep, was startled awake upon hearing Ye Tianchen’s voice. This guy was actually knocking on her bedroom door, saying they were leaving? Where were they going?

”Got it, wait for me in the living room!” Liu Rumei replied.

Ye Tianchen glanced around the living room, noticing Liu Rumei’s desk was covered with work materials. It seemed she had stayed up late working. Over the years, the Sea King Group’s success was truly thanks to Liu Rumei’s efforts.

”Hey, isn’t it only a few days? Has dawn come? We’re leaving already? Where to?” Liu Rumei asked, dressed, looking at Ye Tianchen.

”Of course, to Zhongnan Mountain! I’ve made all the arrangements; the servants have prepared the car!” Ye Tianchen answered.

”To Zhongnan Mountain? Are we going to watch the sunrise?” Liu Rumei looked outside the villa; dawn was just beginning to break.

”That’s a possibility, if I drive fast enough!” Ye Tianchen laughed mischievously.

”Oh my, does it have to be this early? I just went to bed after one last night!” Liu Rumei said, still sleepy, as she sat on the couch.

”Come on, sleep in the car. I told you we’re going on a trip, but you still worked so late?” Ye Tianchen glanced at Liu Rumei’s messy desk.

”Precisely because we’re going on a trip; the Sea King Group’s major project might be finalized before we return. I need to prepare so Qianwen faces fewer issues when taking over.” Liu Rumei explained.

”Alright, since you’re working so hard, how about I carry you to the car?” Ye Tianchen chuckled.

”Stop it, I need to freshen up. Wait for me; this is way too early...” Liu Rumei rubbed her sleepy eyes and headed for the washroom!

Ye Tianchen waited in the living room of Liu Rumei’s villa. This time, Ye Tianchen indeed woke up early. When he arrived at Liu Rumei’s villa to knock on the door, it was only five in the morning, and it wasn’t even light yet. When Liu Rumei finished washing up and got dressed, it was only six.

Liu Rumei wore a simple white t-shirt on top, and denim shorts on the bottom, with sneakers on her feet. Despite the casual attire, her appearance and figure were indeed stunning, perfectly accentuating her beauty. A beauty is beautiful, no matter what she wears!

”Sporty outfit, nice!” Ye Tianchen chuckled.

”This doesn’t quite seem like you; aren’t you usually aloof?” Liu Rumei looked at Ye Tianchen, asking.

”Aloof? I’m only six-foot-tall. Can’t be too cold in this summer, right?” Ye Tianchen looked at Liu Rumei, puzzled.

”I... it seems like you’re really out of touch with the world!” Liu Rumei couldn’t help shaking her head and said.

Traveling light, Liu Rumei and Ye Tianchen, apart from wearing clothes, with Liu Rumei carrying a handbag, didn’t take anything else as they walked out of the old residence of the Ye family. By the time they reached outside, a sports car was waiting for them. This car had been prepared by the Ye family’s servants at Ye Tianchen’s request, as he planned to personally drive Liu Rumei to Zhongnan Mountain!

”Hey, are we driving there?” Liu Rumei glanced at Ye Tianchen and asked.

”Yes, I’ll be driving myself. Don’t you trust my skills?” Ye Tianchen replied with a cheeky smile.

”I don’t quite trust you, honestly. You should sit in the passenger seat, I’ll drive!” Liu Rumei said, tossing her handbag onto the back seat of the car.

”Are you sure you can handle it?” Ye Tianchen asked, somewhat doubtful.

”You’ll find out once you get in!” Liu Rumei said with a slight smile on her lips.

Ye Tianchen looked at Liu Rumei. To be honest, it’s not surprising that Liu Rumei could drive, but he was a bit skeptical if she could do it well. After all, considering someone like Liu Rumei, a pampered young lady, how often would she personally drive? Generally speaking, women tend to drive hesitantly, a trait that seems inherent!

”Are you ready? Seatbelt fastened!” Liu Rumei glanced at Ye Tianchen and said.

Ye Tianchen thought about it and decided to see how Liu Rumei would perform. He fastened his seatbelt, and the roaring sound of the supercar engine was quite loud, but it was exhilarating. With a whoosh, Liu Rumei drove the sports car out!

”Wow, your driving skills are impressive, it’s like we’re in a racing car!” Ye Tianchen couldn’t help but admire.

”I practice when I have free time, otherwise life would be too boring!” Liu Rumei said with a smile.

Ye Tianchen was surprised by Liu Rumei’s driving skills, especially with this Bentley supercar, which was considered a very good car in the Mortal World. Under Liu Rumei’s control, it was a whole new level of speed and excitement. Ye Tianchen thoroughly enjoyed it, but he couldn’t help but wonder what secrets Zhongnan Mountain held?

Last night, Ye Tianchen read some introductions about Zhongnan Mountain in the Mortal World, and he felt it wasn’t that simple. The information seemed to suggest that this place was full of mysteries, and it was peculiarly located within the territory of China!

Zhongnan Mountain, the birthplace of Taoism’s Quanzhen Sect, also known as Taiyi Mountain, Earth Lung Mountain, Zhongnan Mountain, Zhou Nan Mount, and simply referred to as Nan Mountain, is a part of the Qinling Mountain Range covering a total area of 1074.85 square kilometers, starting in Baoji City’s Mei County to the west and reaching Xian City’s Lantian County to the east. It is known by the accolades ”Immortal City,” ”Cave Heaven Crown,” and ”The First Blessed Land under Heaven.”

Zhongnan Mountain is characterized by geological relics of the Qinling orogeny, Quaternary geological relics, landform relics, and ancient human relics. The park contains five themed yet interconnected areas of unique features: Cuihua Mountain landslide landform area, Lishan rift valley block structure area, Ice Crystal Peak ductile shear zone and tectonic mylonite area, Yushan Island arcuate granite ridges area, and the southern Taibai plate collision suture zone and Quaternary glacial area. Located in the central part of China’s northern and southern continental plate collision juncture, it serves as a natural geological, geographical, ecological, climate, and cultural boundary, earning the titles ”China’s Natural Zoo” and ”Asia’s Natural Botanical Garden.”

May your fortune be as long as the flowing waters of the East Sea, may your longevity rival the ageless pines of Nan Mountain!

The main peak of Zhongnan Mountain, Taiyi Mountain, is abundant in herbal medicine, known as the ”Kingdom of Herbs.” Locally, the saying ”On Taiyi Mountain, treasures abound; with illness, don’t worry, just pick some herbs from the mountain” has been passed down, with Taiyi Mountain Black Ointment originating from this area.

With steep terrain and rugged paths, Zhongnan Mountain is interspersed with five major valleys and hundreds of smaller ones, stretching over several hundred miles. ”Zuo Zhuan” refers to Zhongnan Mountain as the ”danger of the Nine Provinces,” and ”Records of the Grand Historian” describes the Qinling as ”the obstruction under heaven.” A ”Changan County Records” written by Song People records: ”Zhongnan Mountain extends across the southern side of Guanzhong, starting from the Qinlong in the west to Lantian in the east, spanning eight hundred miles. Among the large mountains, beyond the Taihang, none surpass Zhongnan.” Its magnificent beauty enchants with countless verdant ridges and tranquil deep valleys. Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai wrote: ”Leaving my gate, I see Nan Mountain, inspiring endless boundless thoughts. Its beauty difficult to name, the verdantly blue ever in sight. At times white clouds arise, freely stretching on horizon’s edge. Inwardly aligned with its essence, amusement and meaning never thin.”

Zhongnan Mountain is one of the cradles of Taoism. Legend has it that during King Kang of Chu’s reign, the astronomer and diviner Yin Xi, who was the keeper of Hangu Pass, built a grass tower in Zhongnan Mountain where he observed the stars and celestial phenomena daily. One day, upon seeing auspicious purple clouds coming from the east and beneficent stars moving west, he sensed a sage’s passing and waited at the pass. Soon, an old man dressed in multicolored cloud robes arrived riding a green ox – it was Laozi traveling west to enter Qin. Hastily, Yin Xi invited Laozi to the tower to hold discourse and write books. Laozi taught Yin Xi the ”Tao Te Ching,” five thousand words in all, on a high ridge south of the tower before departing. Today, it is said the Scripture Platform at Louguan is where Laozi disseminated his teachings. After Taoism emerged, Laozi was venerated as the Taoist Ancestor and Yin Xi as Master Wen Shi, with the ”Tao Te Ching” revered as the fundamental classic. Thus, Louguan became the ”Original Place of the Taoist Forest under Heaven.” Zhang Heng, in his ”Xijing Fu,” describes Zhongnan Mountain’s grandeur: ”Zhongnan Mountain, originating from Kunlun, with its tail linking to Songshan, embodies spiritual elegance, magnificent and rare. It forms a southern screen for the capital, a grand barrier of Yongliang. Its meandering paths lead far, deep and hidden valleys unfathomable. Should anything occur in Guanzhong, Zhongnan would undoubtedly be contested? One is Ziwu Road, a major route from Xian to Han Zhong and Sichuan. In the Tang Dynasty, Sichuan Fuzhou (now Fuling City) tributed lychees to Concubine Yang along this road, reaching Chang’an in less than three days, hence it was also called Lizi Road. Wuguan Road is a major route from Xian through Shangluo to the Chu and Yu regions. In the 28th year of the First Emperor of Qin, he ’returned from the southern prefecture via Wuguan,’ traveling this route. During the Tang Dynasty, poet Han Yu, while passing Lan Pass to reach Chaozhou in Guangdong, penned the famous lines: ’Clouds traverse Qinling, where is home? Snow engulfs Lan Pass, halting the horse from moving forward.’ (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you’re welcome to vote for it at qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation. For mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)