Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
For the next two days, Bai Yujing explored the entire Slodonia Mountains. It must be said that Bai Yujing's previous imagination was somewhat simplistic; the area is much larger than the data suggests, revealing how vast this mountain range truly is, with many hidden secrets and a plethora of wildlife living here.
The Slodonia Mountains are near Cardigan Bay, and this area, due to its unique geographical features and environment, is home to various marine creatures as well as gray seals. As Bai Yujing walked along the cliffs, deep holes could be seen below. It is said that every year many marine animals come here to breed and lay their eggs.
However, the land near Cardigan Bay is very barren; at a glance, many rocks or mountain ridges are directly exposed on the surface, making it appear desolate. Walking among the mountains, only a few areas are covered with vegetation.
After some exploration, Bai Yujing realized that it was unlikely to find what he was looking for here, so he had to pursue leads toward the other end of the mountain range. However, the deeper he went into the mountains, the rarer human traces became, and it grew more dangerous; one could never know what might be hidden in this jungle.
Upon returning from his outing with a backpack, Bai Yujing found Emma cooking in the room. Seeing him return, she said, "Ian, you're back! Mr. Old Alje just came by looking for you and brought us two legs of lamb. I checked, and we have an old-fashioned oven and firewood in the back; we can make roasted lamb!"
Bai Yujing set down his pack. "Really? But that kind of old-fashioned oven isn't easy to use. Do you know how?"
"Don't underestimate me; I often do housework!" Emma immediately retorted.
"Ha ha ha, sister is bragging. At home, she just waits for mom to cook; if mom isn't around, she says she’ll go out to eat!" Bethany immediately exposed the truth from the side. Angered, Emma rushed out with a spatula, causing Bethany to scream and run into Bai Yujing's arms.
Bai Yujing then asked, "Did Mr. Old Alje say anything?"
Emma shook her head. "No, he just dropped off the lamb and left!"
"He also gave me candy!" Bethany exclaimed loudly.
Bai Yujing thought for a moment. "Mr. Old Alje might have something important to discuss with me. I'm going to check on him; Emma, wait for me to come back so we can make roasted lamb together!"
When he arrived at Old Alje's house, he was already waiting for him. Old Alje's house was fully modernized and did not retain the old charm like the cottage Bai Yujing rented; it lacked character but was more suitable for modern living.
"Sit! I knew you would come!" Old Alje wore a hat and had a pipe in his mouth, presenting himself as an English gentleman.
"Would you like sugar?" Old Alje asked while holding a silver pot.
"Just a little will do!"
"Or you can add it yourself!"
After a brief pause in their conversation, Old Alje spoke first: "Are you looking for the Holy Land?"
"Holy Land? What is that?" Bai Yujing did not quite understand what Old Alje meant.
Old Alje looked deeply at Bai Yujing and realized that Bai Yujing truly did not understand. He continued, "Then why did you ask me those two questions the day before yesterday? And you've been searching around the mountains these past few days. What are you looking for?"
Bai Yujing took out his phone, pulled up a drawing of the Healing Spring Gold Plate he had made, and placed it in front of Old Alje. "To be precise, I am looking for this!"
Old Alje glanced at it but didn't quite understand, so he returned the phone to Bai Yujing. "Then why did you ask me those two questions earlier?"
"The Sun Goddess and Stonehenge?" Bai Yujing immediately asked, seeing Old Alje nod. He sensed that he might gain some significant insights.
Bai Yujing explained, "We have been tracing the whereabouts of this gold plate. As far as I know, it is hidden in a Mountain Valley, next to a lake that resembles the moon. Beside the lake, there is a Stonehenge, and on top of one of the statues at Stonehenge rests this gold plate."
"Later I learned that the statue is called the Flying Cat or Dream Cat, which is said to be the pet of the Sun Goddess in ancient Welsh legends!"
Bai Yujing spoke rapidly, trying to impress Old Alje and gain more crucial clues from him. Old Alje nodded: "Indeed, it is the Holy Land. Dream Cat and the Sun Goddess—these are very ancient legends. Nowadays, hardly anyone knows about them. It’s surprising to hear them from someone like you, an Asian."
Bai Yujing looked at Old Alje and asked, "Can you tell me about this story?"
Old Alje nodded: "Sure, but I have one condition!"
"You say!" Bai Yujing immediately agreed.
"After finding this place, do not make it public; only tell one person. That place is my ancestors' burial ground, and I do not wish for too many people to disturb it. In exchange, I will allow you to take that gold plate!" Old Alje said to Bai Yujing.
Bai Yujing nodded: "Deal!"
Only then did Old Alje continue: "Actually, I learned this from my father. Deep within the Slodonia Mountains lies a Holy Land where the Sun Goddess bathed. In ancient times, it was a divine place where only the most noble individuals or priests were allowed to enter."
"My ancestors are said to have migrated here from the Aegean Sea region four thousand years ago. They were among the earliest civilizations and formed one of the first nations on Crete. They transitioned from primitive society into statehood, began smelting bronze, used bronze tools, built grand palaces, developed their own writing system, and achieved significant accomplishments in maritime trade and artistic creation."
"But later, due to the prosperous economy, the invasion of the Mycenaeans finally came. After my ancestors were defeated, they were forced to embark on a long migration, with the initial location being here—in Wales."
Old Alje spoke slowly, as if opening a heavy chapter of history. Bai Yujing had a rough understanding of the origins and history of European civilization, but he did not share the same deep empathy and detailed storytelling as this elder.
"When my ancestors, the Cretans, migrated here, they landed at Cardigan Bay. It was here that they encountered the legendary Sun Goddess. According to legend, the Sun Goddess descended into a Mountain Valley where there was originally a lake. However, because the Sun Goddess bathed there, the entire lake evaporated and became flat land. The Cretans then regarded this place as the Holy Land and began to settle and thrive here."
Bai Yujing immediately asked, "Did your ancestors record where this Holy Land is?"
Old Alje shook his head. "No, my father and I have been searching for this place, but we have never found it. However, we are certain it is deep within that forest!"
"That forest?"
"In the Slodonia Mountains, there is a vast Temperate Rainforest. This is a very rare type of natural ecosystem. To reach it, one must pass through a very difficult Gorge, and the terrain deep inside is also quite complex. My father and I have gone in many times and tried various methods, but we have never been able to find this place!" Old Alje sounded somewhat frustrated.
"Perhaps this is truly just a legend; perhaps because it has been so long, everything from that time has been worn away by the passage of time!"
Bai Yujing took notes on everything Old Alje said and stood up to shake his hand. "Thank you very much for providing me with this information!"
Old Alje shook his head. "Actually, it may not be of much use. I hope the goddess's light shines upon you!"
It seemed that Old Alje did not hold out much hope for Bai Yujing's journey. After all, their family had lived here for generations without truly finding the Holy Land; how could an outsider possibly find it in just a few days?
Comment 0 Comment Count