Twelve: The Winding Mountain Path

After lunch, we boarded the bus once more, setting out for our next destination, Mount Huangshan. The vehicle sped along the narrow, winding mountain roads, and the driver’s skill and courage were truly exceptional; he never slowed, not even at sharp turns where cars converged. Shrill cries of alarm erupted throughout the bus. Lele was so tense she dared not look out the window, clutching my arm with both hands until I grimaced in pain.

I couldn't tell how long we had been driving, but at last the bus came to a halt before the gates of Mount Huangshan. The so-called gates were actually the mountain entrance. Huangshan is divided into two areas: the Front Mountain and the Back Mountain. According to our guide, the Front Mountain is steep and perilous, while the Back Mountain is serene and tranquil. Our route, like most tour groups, would ascend via the Front Mountain and descend by the Back Mountain.

The bus could go no further, so we followed the guide on foot, winding our way to the Huangshan Hotel. Ahead was the Ciguang Pavilion Cable Car station. Perhaps because we arrived late, a long queue had already formed at the entrance to the cableway. The guide distributed cable car tickets and instructed us to queue up ourselves, promising to regroup after reaching the mountain top. In front of us stood a chubby, adorable little girl; unable to resist, I crouched down and gave her plump cheeks a hearty pinch. Haozi, grinning mischievously, whispered something to Xiaofei, making her blush crimson and shower him with a flurry of playful punches.

After about half an hour of waiting, it was finally our turn to board the cable car. Aside from our group of four, there were two unfamiliar young women. Except for Haozi, everyone seemed to have a fear of heights. As the cable car crept upward, the girls’ shrieks echoed endlessly. Though I was also afraid, the view outside was too breathtaking to miss—a sensation of soaring through clouds and mist. Patches of snow, uneven in size, lingered on the surrounding peaks, painting a rare and exquisite ink-wash landscape.

Stepping off the cable car, we discovered snowflakes drifting from the sky. Lele’s wish had come true; she joyfully cast aside her gloves, extending her palm as the snowflakes melted into a wisp of steam that rose slowly from her hand.

Once the whole group had gathered, the guide led us toward Huangshan’s first scenic spot—Jade Screen Peak.

The famous "Jade Screen Reclining Buddha" is here, and further up lies Jade Screen Tower. Few may know the tower by name, but mention the Welcoming Pine and it is renowned far and wide. Before the guide could finish his introduction, we were already rushing toward the Welcoming Pine. Though there was still a considerable distance to the photo spot, the area was already a sea of heads, making it nearly impossible to get close.

The two excitable girls, upon seeing the Welcoming Pine, pulled Haozi and me with all their might, pushing through the crowd.

It’s just a tree—was all this really necessary?

After much effort, we finally reached the Welcoming Pine. Having just taken a picture of Lele, Haozi squeezed next to me, panting, and asked, "Bei Pig, do you want a photo?"

Trying to appear unique, I shook my head resolutely. "No!"

“Then help me and Xiaofei take a photo together!” Haozi grinned, handing over the camera.

Alas, I’d been tricked! It was too late to back out, so I accepted the camera with resignation. The couple’s demands were high: one horizontal, one vertical, and retakes if the photos weren’t satisfactory. After more than ten minutes of repeated attempts, the task was finally completed. Turning around, I spotted Lele waving to me nearby. I hurriedly squeezed out of the crowd and rushed over, only to discover another highlight—the Huangshan Heart Lock.

A staff member explained that after locking the Heart Lock, the key must be tossed into the deep valley below so it can never be found, ensuring the lock remains forever fastened and the hearts of two people eternally united. Looking around, I saw the iron chains densely covered with rusted locks of every shape and size. No one could say when the first lock appeared or how many pairs there were in total.

Following local custom, I was thoroughly fleeced, paying several dozen yuan for a pair of small copper locks engraved with our names. Returning to the chain, Lele and I solemnly fastened this ordinary lock—worth only a few yuan at most—tightly together.

Lele cradled the key in her palms, pressed her hands together in a gesture of devotion, murmured prayers for a long while, then hurled the key down the cliff with all her strength. It traced a beautiful arc through the air before vanishing from sight.

Continuing along the mountain path from Jade Screen to Tiantai, we passed the Farewell Pine, the Guest Pine, and the Meditation Pine. Haozi and Xiaofei, with remarkable stamina, soon left us behind, but strolling slowly through the snow felt even more pleasant. We bought tea eggs for two yuan apiece and ate them comfortably as we walked.

After the recent snowfall, Lotus Peak was now entirely blanketed in ice and snow, making its winding paths even more treacherous. For safety, each of us bought a pair of ice shoes at the foot of the mountain—simple shoe covers fitted with ice claws that grip the surface, preventing slips.

Oh God, have mercy on us poor souls!

For Lele and me, both afraid of heights, this stretch of road was pure torment. Sheer cliffs surrounded us, and the narrow path was crowded with climbers. The slippery snow forced us to crawl on all fours, keeping our heads down, afraid to glance sideways, inching forward behind the procession—a truly wretched sight.

I have no idea how we managed to scale this path, but I was impressed we actually reached the summit of Lotus Peak. The tiny platform at the top was packed with tourists, leaving no room to turn around. Beside us yawned a bottomless abyss. Nervously, I clung to the stone tablet inscribed with the peak’s altitude, unwilling to let go.

"Bei Pig, look!" Following Lele’s pointing finger, I gazed up and realized that across from us stood Heavenly Capital Peak. Today, as luck would have it, the peak was closed, so the famous Carp’s Back was out of reach.

The sky was impossibly blue, and surrounded by clouds and mist, it felt like a miracle. For a moment, we were both stunned by the sublime beauty. "It’s absolutely stunning!" I forgot the crowd, forgot my fear of heights; all I saw was the most beautiful Lele and the breathtaking mountain scenery, two wonders shining together, and words again proved themselves hopelessly inadequate. We leaned close, my arm naturally wrapped around Lele’s shoulder. Her gaze seemed to have waited a thousand years, only for this moment—to be weathered, to be eroded, to become eternal.

After climbing Lotus Peak, my legs trembled uncontrollably, and my body felt as if it no longer belonged to me. Lele fared no better; her lips, thin and delicate, were already blue, whether from cold or fright.

We reunited with Haozi and Xiaofei at a rest platform halfway down the mountain. After a short break, the guide stood on the platform, flag in hand, and pointed to the path ahead, saying, “There are two routes at Ao Fish Ridge: one is the Promotion and Wealth Path, winding and long but gentle; the other is the One-Line Sky, also called the Peach Blossom Path, steep and short but perilous. You can choose freely.”

After a brief rest, my legs felt stable again, so I persuaded Haozi to take the Peach Blossom Path with me. But Haozi and the two girls, perhaps weary of mountain roads, unanimously chose the Promotion and Wealth Path. The minority obeyed the majority, so I had no choice but to follow them.

We crossed Ao Fish Ridge, rested for another half hour, and finally set out for today’s final destination: Bright Summit.

Bright Summit, at an altitude of 1860 meters, is the second highest peak of Huangshan. At the summit stands a stone tablet inscribed with the words “Bright Summit.” Thanks to Jin Yong, anyone who’s read “The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber” knows the fame of Bright Summit. Gazing at the tablet, recollections of Zhang Wuji’s epic battle with the six martial sects here came flooding back—it was truly a glorious scene.