Chapter 605: Not a Single One Has Ever Come Back

Everyone was stunned; Bai Boluo is the king of Qiuzi, after all—he doesn't even know White Mountain, so who could know?

Kang An's face turned pale again.

"Dada, think about it again, okay?" Tuan Tuan furrowed her little brows, "Could it be that you're old and forgot?"

Bai Boluo flicked her forehead: "What do you mean old?"

"I'm not seventy or eighty—how could I possibly forget the mountain of my own country?"

Xiao Ningyuan also felt helpless: "Without White Mountain, where should we look?"

He thought for a moment, his eyes suddenly lighting up: "Your Majesty, are there many mountains in Qiuzi? If worse comes to worst, we'll just ask about them one by one."

Bai Boluo chuckled: "Not many."

"Then that's fine."

"If we count by peaks, it's just over ten thousand."

Xiao Ningyuan: "……"

"So many mountains," Tuan Tuan thought, "Dada, do all the mountains have hunters?"

"Hunters?" Bai Boluo replied, "Most do, but it depends on the mountain—there are none on Snow Mountain."

Xiao Ningxun understood: "Tuan Tuan is still the smartest."

He looked at Kang An: "Don't worry, since most mountains have hunters, Tuan Tuan can ask them with that bone-carved eagle token. Rest assured, we'll find it."

Kang An nodded, grateful to have Tuan Tuan there!

Bai Boluo was shocked again: "Bone-carved eagle token? Little Tuan Tuan, how did you get the hunters' favor token again?"

Tuan Tuan opened her little sachet, took out the bone-carved eagle token: "Oh, so this is called the favor token!"

She handed the token to Bai Boluo: "When we arrived, we met Little Dan Dan, who pestered the hunters' uncle there, leaving them with no game."

"I promised to take Little Dan Dan away, and the old gentleman gave me this."

Bai Boluo examined the token carefully: "Exactly, this is it—we all call it the favor token."

"Because only those who have done great deeds for the hunters can obtain it."

"Impressive, little Tuan Tuan—in just a few days you've gotten more than I, the king, have."

Tuan Tuan proudly shook her head: "I'm the best! Right, Dada?"

"Exactly! My Tuan Tuan is the best!" Bai Boluo put the token back into her little sachet.

Bai Boluo scanned the crowd: "Since you still need to go find White Mountain first, I won't keep you any longer."

"After you find it, you still have to rush back to Yutian, which will take considerable effort."

"The battlefield changes in an instant; Xiao Yuanhang is still waiting for you to return—don't delay, set off quickly."

Everyone rose together: "Your Majesty is right!"

Xiao Ningxun cupped his fists: "Then we'll take our leave—Yu Chi Guang will stay here with Your Majesty for now, and we'll bring him back when we return."

"All right."

Just as Tuan Tuan tried to jump down from Bai Boluo's arms, he caught her with his arm: "What are you going to do?"

"Those are things men should do—give the token to them, you stay."

Everyone: "……"

Xue Tong's brows knit: "You want to keep my disciple? Aren't you afraid I'll stab you with a needle?"

Tuan Tuan wrapped her arms around Bai Boluo's neck: "Dada, you can give the token to the brothers, but Little Dan Dan won't listen to them!"

"Little Dan Dan is waiting for me outside the city—don't worry, I'll be back soon!"

"Wait for me to come back and then we can play, okay?"

Bai Boluo held her tightly, not wanting to let go.

"Little girls are just great—soft and clingy, you can never hold them enough, far better than a brat."

"Really hate to part."

He looked full of grievance: "Then you need to kiss me a few more times—I don't even know when you'll be back, and I've only held you a little while; I'm losing out big time."

Tuan Tuan sighed: "Adults are really hard to please!"

She cupped Bai Boluo's big face, kissing left and right while murmuring: "Dada good, Dada obedient! Dada likes Tuan Tuan, Tuan Tuan also likes Dada!"

The kissing made Xiao Ningyuan and Xiao Ningxun's faces grow uglier and uglier.

The kissing made Xiao Er and Lu Qi's fists gradually clench.

The kissing made Xue Tong's face flush with anger as he pulled out his needle case.

Bai Boluo glanced at them out of the corner of his eye, secretly pleased, then relented: "All right, then you'd better come back soon—do you want me to send a squad to follow you?"

Xiao Er muttered: "Thanks, Your Majesty, but no need—we few are enough."

Bai Boluo lifted Tuan Tuan and walked up to them: "Take good care of her—not a single hair may be harmed, or I'll hold you responsible."

"Got it!" Tuan Tuan slipped from his arms to the ground, grabbed Kang An's hand and ran outward: "Let's go! Let's go find White Mountain!"

Kang An was tugged and stumbled, looking puzzled: "What's up?"

Tuan Tuan whispered: "Run, Xiao An'an, a fight's about to break out!"

Everyone cupped their fists in salute and hurriedly followed.

Bai Boluo watched their retreating backs and laughed: "Really clever!"

"Xiao Yuanhang, your fortune is too great—you actually have such a powerful, lovable little daughter."

"Someone! Get their horses and carriage ready, load them with the finest provisions—no need for a camel caravan."

"Issue orders to the Tiger Guard Battalion: from now on, when you see them, do not obstruct—let them pass without hindrance!"

"Yes!"

When the crowd reached the palace gate, the soldiers had already readied the horses and carriage, and Sa Dike sat properly on the carriage shaft.

He had a face full of question marks: "I was just halfway through my meal at the inn when I was dragged into the palace."

"I had just finished eating in the palace, and then I was pulled out again—where are we going?"

Xiao Ningxun laughed and said, "Leave the city, just find any mountain with hunters."

"Ah?" Sa Dike became even more bewildered, but he didn't dare delay, "Oh, okay."

Everyone took their positions, Sa Dike shouted "Go!", and the carriage slowly drove out of Jia She City.

Just as they went out, Tuan Tuan poked his little head out of the carriage window, waving his little arms and shouting, "Xiao Dan Dan! Keep up with us!"

Everyone looked up, and in the next moment, Xiao Dan Dan's figure appeared on a nearby slope, following step by step behind the carriage.

Tuan Tuan shrank back into the carriage, opened one of the many boxes on the seat, and exclaimed, "Wow! So many dried fruits!"

"Master, here you go!"

"Big Brother, Third Brother, try this!"

"Xiao An'an, you'll definitely love this!"

Only after he had everyone smiling did Tuan Tuan let out a breath and stuff one into his own mouth.

The Western Regions were filled with mountains; after less than an hour's travel, Sa Dike reined in the carriage.

He pointed and said, "Everyone, look—over there, it looks like a few tents have been set up; that must be the local hunters."

Everyone looked up, and indeed, on a gentle slope halfway up the mountain, several grayish-brown tents could be faintly seen, almost blending with the rocks.

The mountain path was too narrow for the carriage.

They left Xue Tong, Sa Dike, and the two guards in the carriage, and the rest followed the narrow goat trail on horseback up the mountain.

After a moment, they arrived nearby and everyone dismounted.

The tents were even more dilapidated up close, and on the clearing in front, several hunters were processing their game.

They looked up and asked, "Who are you?"

Tuan Tuan took out an eagle-shaped bone token from his sachet, waved it, and said, "Hello, uncles, I'm here to ask about a place."

The hunters narrowed their eyes, examined it closely, and their faces changed: "A favor token?"

One man turned his head and shouted toward the tent, "Everyone come out! They're benefactors!"

The tent flap was lifted, and several more hunters came out—men, women, old and young.

The eldest hunter, his head full of white hair, said, "Ah, it's you benefactors—what do you need?"

Tuan Tuan put the token away, smiled sweetly, and said, "Uncles and aunts, we want to go to White Mountain—do you know where it is?"

The old hunter stared, and the smile on his face vanished instantly.

Xiao Ningxun felt a stir in his heart and said, "Old sir, could it be that even you don't know where White Mountain is?"

The old hunter remained silent for a while, then slowly said, "You must have already checked the maps and found no White Mountain, right?"

Xiao Ningxun nodded, agreeing that even the king of Kucha Kingdom didn't know about this mountain, so it certainly wouldn't be on any map.

The old hunter raised his hand, pointing into the distance, and said, "From here, go north for about four or five days, and you'll find a mountain range the locals call Camel Bell Ridge."

"'Because after crossing that range to reach this side, you can hear the camel bells of caravans.'"

"'In Camel Bell Ridge there is a peak perpetually shrouded in white mist; beyond a hundred steps you can't see a person's shape, and only we who often walk these mountains know it, calling it White Mountain.'"

The old hunter's expression turned strange: "I don't know why you benefactors want to go to White Mountain, but..."

Kang An stepped forward and said, "What?"

The old hunter's eyes flickered as he said, "Simply put, no one who has ever gone to White Mountain has returned."