Those Classmates who Suddenly Disappeared
Chapter 332: Unfathomable

Chapter 332: Chapter 332: Unfathomable

"What in the world does that mean? Why can’t people just explain things clearly instead of making everything so complicated? Is it to show off their superior knowledge?" complained Lu Yi, giving voice to everyone else’s thoughts.

Gu Fan stroked his chin in thought. There was no visible path up the mountain, just these cryptic lines of text to go by. He speculated, "Maybe there’s no specific route up the mountain at all, folks. Possibly we just keep going upwards and eventually reach a sea of clouds at the end of the mountain."

"Is that how it is?" Ning Qi looked around, noticing several peaks shrouded in clouds and voiced her confusion, "In that case, which peak should we choose?"

Gu Fan pondered, "Let’s head for the nearest peak. Once we get there, we can figure out our next move."

Xu Haowen immediately piped in, "Gu Fan, it’s not that I don’t trust you, but if you choose the wrong peak, the time and energy we waste is unlikely to be compensable."

Everyone agreed with Xu Haowen’s perspective. It was reckless to climb a mountain without clear direction.

Gu Fan understood the risk in his suggestion but proposed an alternative explanation, "We may not necessarily need a path. Perhaps there’s a hidden palace within Yuxueyun Mountain. The palace entrances could be dispersed among the various peaks."

His theory made some sense, but the group had their reservations. Skepticism arose about finding the palace entrance once they reached the top, and confusion around Gu Fan’s last line - does the phrase ’even higher mountain’ hint at the highest peak?

Old man Tian was at a loss. The highest peaks of Yuxueyun Mountain were perpetually shrouded in clouds, making it impossible to discern which held the topmost position.

While the group disagreed with Gu Fan, only Ning Qi was bold enough to stand by him, arguing that waiting around aimlessly was just as wasteful as trying and potentially failing.

The atmosphere turned awkward. Gu Fan was grateful for Ning Qi’s support, though the group now cast suspicious glances at both. It seemed as if Ning Qi was not supporting Gu Fan but flirting with him.

Unfazed, Ning Qi maintained her confidence, "Rest assured Gu Fan. I trust you. I’ve heard from Lu Yi how you helped the group find Qianye Country before. I believe you can lead us to the treasure left by the Eternal Life Clan."

Gu Fan gave a wry smile, "Thank you for your trust. But frankly, our past accomplishments were mainly due to Professor Luo’s guidance and Ouyang Jin’s leadership. I merely aided a bit; the credit isn’t mine alone. As for the Eternal Life Clan’s legacy, it may not necessarily be something good."

At this, Lin Xi offered a cold smile, "Well said. Last time Professor Luo and Ouyang Jin were mainly responsible for leading the team. This time, we should entrust this decision-making authority to our most trustworthy guide, old man Tian. I’m sure none of you have any objections."

As all eyes turned to old man Tian, the atmosphere grew tense. Should he falter, it wouldn’t be long before Lin Xi and Ning Qi were at each other’s throats.

"You young people really put me in a bind." Old man Tian didn’t want to meddle with these affairs. However, he reluctantly accepted the responsibility everyone had bestowed upon him. He scrutinized the map, squinting against the sunlight for hidden clues but found none.

Gu Fan keenly studied the nearest peak, standing stark against the clouds, as sturdy as ever. A question struck him, "Old man Tian, there’s something I’ve not been able to comprehend on our journey here. Have the clouds encircling Yuxueyun Mountain ever changed?"

Off guard, old man Tian’s eyes widened in surprise before looking at Gu Fan with admiration, "Young man, you have quite the eye for detail. This issue has been vexing me for some time."

"What’s the problem?" The rest of the group curiously pricked their ears to listen in.

Old man Tian continued, "In my younger days, I didn’t pay much attention to the mountains of Yuxueyun while standing afar in the village. But later, something strange caught my eye. It wasn’t that Yuxueyun Mountain was always shrouded in clouds, it was that the shape of the clouds never changed."

"What?" Everyone looked up at the clouds above the mountain. They indeed appeared immobile.

This was peculiar. The clouds seemed to have a steady hold, like something had latched on to them.

Lu Yi couldn’t hold back, "Could there be something unusual about Yuxueyun Mountain? Does the mountain contain something capable of holding the clouds in place, without changing their shape?"

"Not inside the mountain. I think it’s atop the peak," Gu Fan conjectured after a round of observations. His eyes narrowing, he continued, "Any peak reaching the clouds is likely abnormal. Climbing any one of them may lead us to the answer."

This time, the group was more inclined to believe Gu Fan. Su Hui was the first to voice her support, "Unless anyone has a better idea, I suggest we try Gu Fan’s plan."

With Su Hui at the helm, the others chimed in their agreement, Lu Yi showing indifference. "Fine, at worst we will have made a pointless journey. It’s not like we have anything to lose."

Ouyang Jin smirked slyly, "What do you mean, no loss? The longer it takes, the more I charge."

Jie quickly reminded him, "Your fees should be charged to him. He can easily afford ten million yuan; don’t be concerned with petty change."

Lin Xi looked at old man Tian. Since everyone had agreed to leave the decision making to him, whether they went along with Gu Fan’s plan or not depended on old man Tian’s approval.

Old man Tian looked at Gu Fan who, seemingly unconcerned, continued to study his surroundings and deduce the path ahead.

"Alright, we’ll proceed as per Gu Fan’s advice," declared old man Tian. With that, all concerns were dismissed.

So it was settled, everyone dispersed to prepare. Du Jun watched the proceedings in quiet admiration. "Gu Fan is still the same, always gaining everyone’s trust and support. But..." Du Jun felt a bit anxious. He spared a glance toward Lin Xi.

Meanwhile, Ning Qi saw something special in Gu Fan, standing out amongst a crowd and demonstrating fearless leadership. In her heart, Gu Fan emerged as an ideal companion.

Lost in her thoughts, she was startled by Lin Xi’s icy words resonating in her mind,"I advise you not to dream. This man doesn’t suit you."

The shock of it was profound. She hardly dared to look back. Ning Qi wondered who this woman truly was, dispatching these peculiar tactics so intuitively. Could she even be human?