[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-book-of-strange-tales":3,"chapter-the-book-of-strange-tales-the-book-of-strange-tales-chapter-20":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Book of Strange Tales",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2317300,4532,"Chapter 20: The Mountain Moves in Silence","the-book-of-strange-tales-chapter-20",20,"\u003Cp>Another series of wild horizontal and vertical slashes, relentless and chaotic, left the other monkey, tripped and unable to flee, covered in wounds and completely immobilized, writhing helplessly on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue finally exhaled a breath of relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as he glanced sideways, he was startled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Luo man faced far more monkeys than he had, including the monkey leader, and the creatures not only understood coordinated attacks but also hurled stones—yet he remained unscathed, with two dead monkeys already lying on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These monkeys were not human; their advantage came from instinct, not courage, and seeing this, they were already terrified and desperate to flee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this man had earlier dragged Lin Jue into this treacherous spot, originally trapping them in the narrow angle of the Xihe River—now, with positions reversed, he stood alone, blocking the entire monkey horde.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Any monkey that tried to run could not escape his blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they threw stones, he dodged them effortlessly; soon there were no more stones left along the riverbank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stepped forward steadily, swinging his great cleaving sword in a massive arc—no monkey body could withstand such force; they shrieked in panic, scattering as he turned, pivoting to deliver a sweeping horizontal cut at waist height—though the force seemed light, two monkeys were instantly severed at the midsection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Intestines and organs spilled across the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The remaining monkeys had no will to resist, not even a shred left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All of this happened in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did the monkey leader open its eyes wide, shrieking incessantly, unsure what to do—until it suddenly leaped backward, eyes bulging, and opened its mouth to inhale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sssss…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Puff!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It spat out a thick green smoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the monkey leader’s position and wind direction were unfavorable, its strength was immense—the breath expelled carried only a fraction away by the breeze, and the grass-like smoke surged toward the Luo man, expanding with distance until its area grew vast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue’s gaze sharpened instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Good thing—it really can breathe out gas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, he felt the wind blowing toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue knew most spirits and demons exhaled yin energy, easily countered by yang energy and fire—so without hesitation, he opened his mouth too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Boom…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A burst of flame shot forward, striking the green smoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The green mist met the fire with a hiss—and vanished instantly, leaving only a foul stench.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The effect surpassed Lin Jue’s expectations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder this thing learned to breathe out gas—it’s terrified of fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s completely suppressed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Luo man had just dodged with his footwork; as he landed, he heard the roar of flame and the hiss of vapor—when he turned, both flame and green smoke had vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside him stood the surprised monkey leader, and Lin Jue, who had just exhaled and was catching his breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The heat had just washed over his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Luo man understood instantly—he shot Lin Jue a glance, but didn’t pause, spinning his steps with power, his long blade sweeping like a full moon cutting through a thousand soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kach!”—two monkeys fell; he surged forward, leaping upward with a rising slash—the monkey leader, even with its demonic mist, was still flesh and bone, no match for this forged steel blade forged in a hundred battles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was split cleanly from bottom to top.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scene turned so bloody Lin Jue couldn’t bear to look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The few remaining monkeys, freed from their leader’s control, revealed their beastly nature—only running, and as they fled, the warrior cut down two more with single strokes, until only one escaped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The warrior, calm and unhurried, took up his bow and nocked an arrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shhh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shhh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His archery was poor—two arrows, only two hits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The warrior snorted, calmly sheathed his bow, swung his long blade to shake off blood, then pulled out a dry cloth to wipe it clean.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he wiped, he glanced at Lin Jue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I thought you were just a frail scholar—how dare you walk this path alone, face these beasts alone? Turns out you’ve been hiding this trick.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A mere parlor trick, unworthy of mention—nothing compared to your prowess, great hero.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue wasn’t being modest—he suspected the old man who taught him the Fire-Repelling Art had felt the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right now, he knew clearly: his little trick could never stand against these beasts, let alone this warrior. Without him, Lin Jue could never have avenged the monkeys’ mockery. Compared to the boundless magic arts, what this man wielded was true, pure killing skill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My martial arts are meant for fighting men—cutting down beasts like these doesn’t let them shine,” the Luo man said gravely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So your martial arts are this powerful…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I heard these beasts used to live deep in this mountain—no one knows why they’ve emerged recently. This one must be ancient, or else it ate humans and is nearly becoming a spirit.” The Luo man continued wiping his blade, staring at the largest, oldest monkey leader on the ground, his tone tinged with sorrow, his brow furrowed with worry. “Lately, spirits and demons on the roads have only grown more numerous.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are these even spirits or demons?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not quite. They’re strange beasts of the mountains—some ancient texts mention them, but they’re vanishing fast.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then what do you mean by ‘spirits and demons on the roads are growing more numerous’?” Lin Jue asked, curious—he’d heard village elders say the same, and his own experiences seemed to confirm it—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In peaceful times, many people might go their whole lives without seeing a single spirit or demon; only when old, with failing blood and dim eyes, might they see one—but even then, they couldn’t tell if it was real or just a hallucination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in recent years, even strong young men often encountered ghosts on night roads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What else could it mean? Haven’t you heard what happened a few years back?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What happened?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A great mountain suddenly vanished from the southwest and appeared in the southeast, for no reason.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue’s eyes widened: “That’s possible?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You really didn’t hear?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve been studying in the village all my life, unaware of the outside world—I truly never heard.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue was stunned—this world was strange, but this strange?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No wonder. The event caused a sensation, but the court tried to suppress the news. It happened less than a thousand li from here—suddenly, a mountain appeared out of nowhere. Locals were shocked—until a wandering scholar, who loved traveling and viewing landscapes, passed through and recognized the mountain’s shape: it was one from the southwest. When people went to ask in the southwest, sure enough, one mountain was gone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps because they’d fought side by side, the man spoke freely, casually sharing this shocking tale as he voiced his dread:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ancient texts say: When mountains move silently, civil war erupts, the state falls.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Another text says: When mountains shift, the ruler neglects the Dao, worthy scholars are ignored, power leaves the court, rewards and punishments no longer come from the sovereign, private factions multiply—and if uncorrected, it foretells a new dynasty and a new name.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The world has been unstable for years—internal strife, foreign threats, and even on the road you fear bandits. If this continues, a great calamity is coming—something will change heaven and earth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue listened intently, thinking deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A mountain moving without cause was shocking enough—but this world had ancient texts that recorded such events, even detailing their omens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder this warrior knew of this shocking event—and his worry outweighed his surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps to people in this world, such things, though astonishing, weren’t impossible—after all, ancient books had already recorded them—so when they happened, their shock was less than Lin Jue’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was another revelation, another glimpse into this world and its people’s beliefs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he noticed something else—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This warrior, besides his martial prowess, clearly had literary knowledge too—and he cared about the nation, concerned with the fate of the realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“May I ask, great hero, who are you…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re no ordinary wandering knight, are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing worth mentioning. My ancestors were a military family—now fallen. Seeing this as a time of great change and opportunity, I left home for the capital, hoping to rejoin the army, use my martial skills to carve out a name, and through life and death, restore glory to the Luo clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Youthful ambition, soaring aspirations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue couldn’t help but feel profound respect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My apologies.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t speak of that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Luo man snorted, sheathed his long blade, then took Lin Jue’s hatchet: “These monkeys—you killed two, and your help was crucial. I’ll give you two more.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No!” Lin Jue said. “I already said—the reward for these monkeys is yours. I’ve settled my anger—I’m satisfied!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t speak of that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then what about you? Why are you out here? Are you heading to the Capital’s Ju Xian Fu to seek fame and fortune too?” The warrior asked, chopping off monkey heads with Lin Jue’s hatchet as he spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ju Xian Fu? What’s that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You don’t know?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then forget it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please, Brother Luo, enlighten me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue naturally changed his address.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...It’s a place in the capital—sort of a government office. It gathers all the strange talents, Daoist and Buddhist masters—enter, and you’re a guest minister, barely on the imperial payroll. The court supports you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see.” Lin Jue committed it to memory—it was useful information. “I only know a few parlor tricks—how could I enter such a place?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“True enough.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The warrior spoke bluntly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then where are you going?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He followed up with another question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I only want to first find a famous mountain temple or monastery, seek immortals and inquire into the Dao, and learn proper cultivation methods and spells.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Which famous mountain?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Have you heard of Qiyun Mountain?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course—I passed through it on my way here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What about Yishan?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What one mountain?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s said to be a fairy mountain as well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the midst of their chatter, the warrior had already severed the heads of all the strange monkeys, drained their blood, packed them into several cloth sacks, and slung them onto the horse’s back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s go to the county office.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All right!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue slung his book satchel over his shoulder and followed him toward the county office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ask again along the way how to get to Qiyun Mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the afternoon, the two entered the city, rode through it, and the blood-dripping cloth sacks on the horse’s back drew the attention of many—some recoiled in fear, others boldly approached to ask; once they learned the sacks contained the strange monkeys from the road, every traveling merchant or pilgrim with any need to journey applauded in delight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The process of claiming the reward was extremely smooth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The warrior truly was carefree—he tossed eight taels of silver to Lin Jue, said “Until we meet again,” then mounted his horse and rode off, saying he intended to see that mountain which moved in silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Lin Jue remained in the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With eight more taels of silver on him, bringing his total to nearly eighteen taels, Lin Jue felt increasingly secure and confident; compared to the poverty and confusion he had felt when leaving Shu Village, he now felt light-headed, as if the vast world held no place he could not go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s wonderful to have money!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Find an inn and take a hot bath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Return the broadsword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This experience also gave him many insights:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this world, besides spells, martial skill is also extremely useful—most demons fear blades. Even if he had no martial skill, he could buy a sword; these days, traveling with just a small knife was not enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The urgent priority was to repair his book satchel.\u003C\u002Fp>",1957,"2026-06-20T14:45:35.226Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","2358e14eef901920f1c73861de2505789ca68fa89197c656e0ffec9c401322f3","the-book-of-strange-tales-chapter-21","the-book-of-strange-tales-chapter-19",608,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-book-of-strange-tales-cover.jpg"]