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It makes The Liyuen Times’ front page when Shenhe free-solo climbs Mt. Aocang. She had gotten wind of the publication through her nephew Chongyun and his close friend, a university scholar who belonged to the Feiyun Commerce Guild. While Xingqui is rowdy and indirect with his words, Shenhe accepted his presence to please Chongyun.
The widespread article detailed her climb. It gave background about free solo climbing; how it was common for other climbers to fall to their death due to the risky nature of the sport. How some climbers visualize their path to mentally train. How Shenhe’s runs are beyond most other professional climbers and have a track record for being remarkably hard. How Shenhe was just as elusive as her mentor, Cloud Retainer, and had declined to comment on the article.
There wasn’t anything to say. Shenhe had challenged Mt. Aocang and climbed it well. She had been planning the climb for about three months, scaling portions of it as practice and to get used to the faces. Cloud Retainer had helped Shenhe draw up a path of low resistance. On the day of her climb, the sky had been clouded over and the air crisp. Despite the wind near the peak of Mt. Aocang, Shenhe could not have asked for better conditions.
Unlike today. Although her climb on the back of Wuwang Hill isn’t a free climb and she can rely on her belays and ropes, this is the crux—the hardest part of the run.
She stares at the upcoming formation. The rock juts out harshly to the left with barely any footholds. Even with chalk, it’ll be hard to tackle.
“Work with the stone,” Cloud Retainer says from above her. Known as The Flying One when she was active in the climbing scene, Cloud Retainer can scale boulders in record time. Shenhe barely followed how she cleared the above section. She made it look easy. “It is your friend.” Old advice, yet it is good to remember. Climbing is about appreciating the environment, not trying to conquer it. She despises climbers who see the cliffs as enemies. Shenhe was taught to disturb her surroundings as little as possible and thank the earth each time she steps foot on a mountain.
Shenhe knows a few ways to clear this part of the wall. However, if she repeats a path she has already taken, there is no point in reaching the top. There would be no new challenge. She must improvise.
Perhaps that new block sequence Cloud Retainer explained last week will work. If she uses the dihedral tactic she’s been perfecting…perhaps.
Shenhe mentally plays out a route back to where she is currently if that sequence fails. Climbing is about taking precautions so that she can try again if needed just as much as it is about getting to the top.
Then she breathes and reaches upwards.
Her biceps support her shifting weight. She reaches for the small enclave above the formation. Her fingertips latch onto it.
“Good. I’m sure the cliff feels like the two of you are best friends.” Cloud Retainer, already having cleared the formation, waits for Shenhe to find purchase with her feet. Shenhe moves her focus. There is a new challenge in front of her. After getting a better grasp with her left hand, she hoists herself up—somewhat throwing her weight forwards—and is now level with Cloud Retainer.
Despite Cloud Retainer having introduced herself properly to Shenhe when they first met and with a name that was “easier on the tongue”, Shenhe still calls her Cloud Retainer. That is the literal translation of their Chinese name, and much more true to her nature, in Shenhe’s eyes.
“How are you feeling?” Despite the fact that Shenhe is on par with Cloud Retainer as a professional climber, she is still often treated as a mentee. Shenhe believes it is out of habit.
“Good.” There is no need to stop.
“Very well. Would you like to go first?”
“How are you doing?” It is evident Cloud Retainer is doing perfectly fine. She was the one who first scaled Mt. Aocang seven years ago, and who supported Shenhe’s training, even encouraging her to make it more intensive.
“Horribly.” Cloud Retainer smiles. “I hate the mountains.”
Shenhe shakes her head. Although sarcasm took her years to grasp, Cloud Retainer obviously loves the forest. Whenever the two of them haven’t climbed for a few days, Cloud Retainer gets antsy. Shenhe understands. Nothing measures up to the tranquility of the cliffs.
Cloud Retainer gestures upwards. “Skedaddle.”
Shenhe does. She scales the next few meters without issues. The only reason she stops is to put another carabiner into the cliff and manhandle her support system. Although it’s for her safety, Shenhe laments the carabiner system. It’s restricting.
That is why she got into free-solo-climbing. Simply climbing with nothing on her except her red strings—gifts from Cloud Retainer to tame her mind—and her own limbs.
Her nephew, Chongyun, recently gifted her a black wristband for good luck and to keep her safe. He and Xingqui made it together during a spirit day at their university. It sits under her red strings. The weight has become familiar. Shenhe briefly wonders if she is supposed to offer a gift to the boys in return. However, she fears that would lead to invitations to family dinners again. As much as she doesn’t mind Chongyun, relative gatherings always seem to end in disarray when she attends.
“You just—” She had gotten Xingqiu to explain why. He had been there during the Yuletide incident. “Say things how they are. You need…to be more tactful.”
Shenhe didn’t desire to skirt around the truth. If there was blatant homophobia at the dinner table, she was not going to stand for it. Not with her nephew and his (likely, although not confirmed) boyfriend there. She was also not going to half-address it and half-joke about it, as she knew Chongyun’s mother did when she decided to say anything. Skirting around the root cause did nothing.
However, Shenhe knew most Liyuens didn’t agree with her direct confrontation. Especially not the diplomatic Feiyun Guild mixed with the famous exorcism clan. This led her to opt out of family events. She acknowledges them at Moonchase and sends birthday gifts when Cloud Retainer reminds her, but that is the extent of her interaction with them. Chongyun mentioned wanting to train with her this summer. He is her favourite relative. She hopes their sparring and joint-exorcism jobs will go well.
“May I free-solo?” They’re about a hundred meters from the top of Wuwang, situated on a ledge. Shenhe has already analyzed the rest of the wall. There is no need for her gear anymore. Her training and abilities are more than capable.
“If you fall” Cloud Retainer glances down. It’s at least a few hundred meters to the forest floor.
“I will not.”
Cloud Retainer sighs. “Don’t make me regret anything.”
Shenhe nods. Although she’s grateful Cloud Retainer agreed to her request, Shenhe must remain calm. Free-solo climbing is only more dangerous if she is not completely focused on the ascent.
She dismantles her belays and clips. Attaches them together and tucks them into her shorts. Slips off her tough belt and loops it around her arm. It’s bothersome like this, but less so than before.
Shenhe exhales. Looks toward her teacher out of habit.
“Go ahead.” Cloud Retainer nods. “Become friends.”
Without having to worry about the carabiners and her support system, Shenhe can climb without any restraints. She doesn’t understand how others view climbing as fighting gravity and the natural formations. It’s nothing but understanding the terrain and following it.
This is what she likes about climbing. The secure peace of mind that comes with scaling nature and its greatest landforms. How giant faces can stare down at her, but she may climb parallel to their great existence, and eventually stand on top of them as equals.
The focus flocks towards her. She has to be in tune with her surroundings. She must be aware of how the rock takes to her hand-holds. What options she has for her next step, or what block sequence she will need to cross the fissure. How to reach a safe ledge, how much she can risk today, and how Cloud Retainer is doing.
Naturally, her senses tune into the wind. The state of the clouds and the type of sun. If it’s humid or dry. What ramifications that carries for her climbing. Does she need to use chalk? Shenhe prefers to keep her hands clean. Even though the white dust falls away after the next rainfall, Shenhe tries not to leave anything behind in the environment. She’s just a visitor.
But all that hides in her subconsciousness. She’s at the point of skill where she can simply let her muscles and reflexes take over. Most of the work is pre-programmed into her mind. The steady undercurrent of her thoughts checks the technical boxes.
All Shenhe has to do is breathe, and go towards the sky.