Chapter 223: A Mountain Suspended, A River Submerged (37)
Entering the deep mountains during the night, where the magnetic field was chaotic, was certainly not a wise choice.
Especially with the rising water in the mountains—the river’s water level was rising repeatedly, almost as if in the blink of an eye, creating waves that rapidly engulfed the land along the riverbank.
When the leading members of the rescue team crossed the river, the water was still below their knees. But by the time the last few members prepared to cross, the water had already risen to their thighs.
The speed of the rise was so unnerving it made everyone’s hearts tremble.
“If it were during the summer flood season, this rate of rising water would be understandable. But now it’s winter. Even considering the southern climate, this rate is far too fast.”
The rescue team leader, quick-witted and swift, grabbed a team member who had nearly been swept away by the strong current, pulling them back to safety. Standing at the riverbank, he anxiously watched the rising water.
Under the bright beam of the flashlight, the river water was crystal clear, without a trace of impurities, almost like transparent crystal.
Even though several people had just crossed the river, the water hadn’t become muddy in the slightest.
But this clarity hid the depth of the river, leading to a misjudgment by the team and creating potential danger.
If not for the rescue team leader’s concern for his team, and his decision to stay behind and watch over their safety after crossing the river, the team members at the rear would likely have fallen into the river. Not only would their equipment have been soaked, but they could have also gotten hurt.
However, what concerned the leader even more was the unnatural clarity of the water.
According to his field experience, when water levels rise, there’s usually a lot of mud and silt from upstream that gets washed down, causing the river to become murky.
But this…
The leader suddenly noticed a few chrysanthemum petals drifting along with the current.
“Let’s go, what are you doing? Falling behind here is not something to take lightly.”
The people in front of him turned back in confusion and asked, “Didn’t you see the official in charge heading towards Longevity Village? The terrain here is dangerous; the longer we stay, the greater the risk.”
Taoist Wang, who was nearby, overheard their conversation and instinctively glanced at the river. After a moment of contemplation, he murmured, “It seems like there’s an underground river that has burst. The upstream water must have merged with the underground river, causing this rapid rise.”
Taoist Wang’s expression grew serious as he raised his voice and warned the others, “We should go around the river! Even if it takes more time, it’s better than stepping into the water.”
Taoist Ma, startled, asked, “What’s wrong with the river?”
Taoist Wang’s expression grew even graver. “This isn’t my first time in Nanming Mountain. Among all of us, I probably know the terrain here the best.”
“Nanming Mountain’s terrain is complex. It lies at the intersection of tectonic plates, which means there are many underground rivers and passages. If we’re not careful, we could end up in a pitfall. If an underground river bursts, we can’t be sure whether other underground rivers will join the flow, and the water level could rise very quickly.”
“If we don’t take precautions now, it’ll be too late once the water truly rises.”
As he spoke, Taoist Wang hurried ahead to try and explain the situation to the official in charge at the front leading the way.
Decades ago, when the disaster occurred in Nanming Mountain, many of the masters who came to assess the situation didn’t die from supernatural forces.
They died because of the dangerous and complex terrain of Nanming Mountain.
At that time, many people didn’t understand why their brains couldn’t make accurate judgments about the dangers. They might have seen a cliff just a second ago, but the next moment, they would forget it and continue walking, leading to them tumbling down the slope.
Some others died because they didn’t know how to avoid flash floods and were swept away by the river.
Although Taoist Wang was still a young novice at that time, the horrific scenes of the corpses that were brought out still haunted him.
The rescue team leader’s words suddenly triggered a memory in Taoist Wang’s mind.
The current situation was almost like a re-enactment of the disaster in Nanming Mountain from decades ago… But this time, absolutely, absolutely no one could die!
Taoist Wang’s heart raced, and he felt as though the shadowy trees surrounding them, illuminated by the bright flashlight beams, hid countless ghostly figures.
Yet, the official in charge seemed to be oblivious to the surroundings. Even in such a mysterious and dangerous mountain, he moved quickly, never once looking back.
“Official in charge” Taoist Wang couldn’t help but call out.
But the official in charge didn’t even glance back, his pace only quickening as he walked faster and faster…
Taoist Wang suddenly rushed forward, grabbing the official in charge’s arm.
The sharp pain from his arm jolted the official in charge out of his dazed state, as if his mind, once submerged in warm water, suddenly snapped back to clarity.
The official in charge stared at him in confusion, and saw Taoist Wang’s eyes wide open, his breathing rapid and uneven.
Here is a complete and natural English translation of the passage you provided, with no omissions and in past tense, preserving the tone and meaning of the original text:
“What are you doing, official in charge?!”
Taoist Wang looked nervously at the rapid river current in front of the official in charge and growled in a low, angry voice, “The water level is rising. It’ll probably reach your waist. Are you walking into it just to get hurt? Can’t you see what’s under your feet?!”
The official in charge blinked slowly and instinctively followed Taoist Wang’s gaze.
And what he saw made cold sweat break out all over his body.
Even though Taoist Wang had just pulled him back, the communication device in his coat pocket had been flung out by inertia and fallen into the river.
But instead of sinking straight to the bottom—as its weight should have caused—it was swiftly swept downstream by the turbulent current.
And worse yet, just in the short time he had been looking at the river, the water level had already risen enough to submerge the massive rocks along the riverbank.
It was just as Taoist Wang had said—trying to wade across the river now would be unwise.
If he hadn’t been pulled back just now…
The official squeezed his eyes shut, then reopened them, but his head still felt like a foggy mess, thick and heavy, completely incapable of clear or independent thought.
His vision even seemed to blur with illusions.
He saw, beneath the water’s surface, bloated, pale faces of corpses—swollen and white from soaking in the river.
Their lifeless eyes stared up at him through the water, wide open in death, filled with a voiceless envy and hatred, calling him silently.
The official felt a sudden impulse—an overwhelming thirst. Only by diving into the river and drinking freely could he satisfy this unbearable craving.
His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. He couldn’t help but feel that the corpses were beckoning him to jump in.
—Had Taoist Wang not been gripping him tightly all this time, he might really have jumped.
And it was only when the official stuck out his tongue to lick his lips that he noticed how dry his mouth had become—so dry, in fact, that his lips were cracked and bleeding, covered in peeling skin.
But what he didn’t realize was that, in the moment he locked eyes with those corpses, a flash of greedy red light also appeared in his own pupils.
“What are you looking at?”
Taoist Wang noticed the official had gone silent for a long time and kept staring at the river. Puzzled, he looked in the same direction.
But all Taoist Wang saw on the river’s surface were a few petals of yellow-and-white chrysanthemums drifting by.
The official slowly raised his eyes, dazed. He wanted to ask Taoist Wang—didn’t he see the rotting corpses beneath the water? Didn’t he hear them calling him to join them?
But just as his eyes moved away from the river, he suddenly forgot what he had meant to say.
First, he lost the words he had already formed in his mind. Then the memory itself vanished. And finally, even the last shred of caution in his heart disappeared completely.
He didn’t even remember that he had forgotten something important.
The official paused, then smiled again and shook his head at Taoist Wang. “Sorry, sorry, I got distracted.”
He collected himself and nodded. “Let’s speed up. We should cross before the water rises completely. Avoiding a detour will help us reach Longevity Village faster.”
Taoist Wang looked at the official with a hint of doubt.
Something… felt off about him.
But when he looked closer, the man’s appearance and demeanor seemed entirely normal. Nothing seemed unusual.
In fact, maybe because they were so close to reaching Longevity Village, the official even appeared more energetic… or more driven?
Taoist Wang let go of his hand and watched as the official briefed the rescue team, coordinating plans as usual. He looked as competent and composed as ever, showing no signs of abnormality.
So… had he just imagined it?
A sliver of doubt crept into Taoist Wang’s heart.
Then, he gave a self-deprecating laugh and shook his head.
Apparently, the shadow left by Nanming Mountain had affected him more deeply than he thought. He was jumping at shadows now.
Under the official’s direction, everyone picked up their pace, trying to get across the mountain road before the water rose too high.
The crew from the variety show was still trapped in Longevity Village. The sooner they arrived, the better their chances of saving them.
But none of them noticed—
In the raging river beside them, more and more chrysanthemum petals were floating downstream, gradually covering the entire surface.
And beneath the water, countless eyes slowly opened.
Bloated, decaying corpses had been carried down by the current, settling on the riverbed.
Their blood-red pupils stared unwaveringly at the people on the shore through the rippling water.
On their pale, rotten faces was unmasked hatred and jealousy.
Why… why are you still out there, while I’m forever trapped in this rotting body, unable to take even one step outside of Nanming Mountain?
Come down. Come down and join us…
Some of the rescue team members faintly felt as if someone—or something—was watching them.
Humans always had a basic instinct for self-preservation. Even when one was unaware of it, the moment someone’s gaze landed on them from a place out of sight, they would subconsciously turn to look in that direction.
One of the rescue team members inexplicably turned his head and looked toward the river.
Then, he suddenly saw it—through the scattered chrysanthemum petals floating on the surface, a pale-blue, ghostly face appeared in the gaps!
The team member wasn’t prepared at all and let out a loud scream, startled.
Instantly, everyone nearby turned to look at him, asking with concern what had happened.
But when the team member, still shaken, looked back at the river, there was nothing there—only the clear, pristine water, clean enough to see the bottom.
And when he tried to describe what he had just seen, the memory of that moment vanished, like a snowball under a blazing sun—melting instantly, leaving no trace of its original shape.
He opened his mouth in confusion but could only produce a few meaningless syllables, forgetting what he had meant to say.
Facing the gazes of those around him, he could only offer an apologetic shake of the head. “I was just worried about the river… the water, the water might keep rising.”
Once he got the first sentence out, his words began to flow more smoothly. He felt relieved, as if he’d finally recalled what he meant to say earlier.
“We should still hurry. I’m worried something might happen to the crew.”
The official in charge noticed the commotion and turned around to reassure them, “Longevity Village is just ahead. Once we go around this bend, we’ll be there.”
The others simply thought the official was offering empty comfort to ease the team’s anxiety. No one questioned why he seemed so familiar with the local terrain—so familiar that he could describe the route with such precision.
But Taoist Wang gave the official a strange look.
Even he, who had been inside Nanming Mountain before, couldn’t calculate the exact path to Longevity Village due to the chaos between light and dark, yin and yang.
So how could the official possibly know the way?
However, before Taoist Wang could figure anything out, the doubt vanished entirely from his mind.
If someone had been able to witness the scene around the rescue team at that moment, they would have been scared out of their wits.
It was an eerie and disturbing sight.
Beneath the river, corpses in various states of decay drifted between the petals, their forms faintly visible. Some even slowly rose from the bottom, their rotting heads emerging from the water, blood-red eyes fixed intently on the people walking along the shore.
And yet, those on the riverbank remained completely unaware, continuing forward without a care.
Even if someone happened to notice something strange in the river, they would, in the next second, completely forget what they’d seen and carry on walking as if nothing had happened.
Even the Taoists were not exempt.
They looked at the river, merely puzzled at how full of vitality it seemed—like one of those legendary paradises spoken of in folklore.
None of them remembered the pairs of red eyes that had risen from the surface of the water.
On one side, rotting corpses.
On the other, living people.
It was as if the lines between yin and yang had twisted and intertwined in this place…
Once everyone followed the official around the mountain bend, they finally saw it from afar, illuminated by the beams of their flashlights—a cluster of small wooden cottages hidden deep within the trees.
Longevity Village was right before their eyes.
The official had actually found the right place!
Taoist Wang was stunned.
The previously tense rescue team members finally relaxed, smiles blooming on their faces.
Thank goodness! The crew would be safe now.
But more eager than even the rescue team was the official himself.
His eyes glowed unnaturally in the shifting light, his face unable to hide the greed and desire etched into his expression.
Had someone been standing right next to him and looked closely, they would have noticed that the skin on his neck and down his body had dried out terribly, resembling parched, cracked earth. Fine blood droplets seeped out from the fissures in his skin.
He strode ahead toward Longevity Village in huge steps, completely ignoring the voices calling out behind him.
At the village entrance, an old man stood smiling, as if he had been waiting for them all along.
“So impatient, our guests, coming here in the dead of night.”
When he saw the official, he stepped aside, gesturing toward the path that led into the village. “But it’s all right. Fortunately, we still have rooms available to host you.”
The old man slowly raised his head, his eyes looking upward from beneath his brows, the corners of his mouth twisting into a strange, eerie smile.
“The last group of guests… will soon be vacating their rooms for you.”
“I promise.”
The official in charge seemed to fall under a spell, paying no mind to the eerie presence of the old man. Instead, he lifted his foot and began to follow the elderly figure toward the village.
From behind, Taoist Wang, who had already found things suspicious, immediately rushed forward. He grabbed the official and yanked him back, casting a vigilant glance at the old man.
Taoism was widely associated with longevity and wellness. The term “immortality” was often linked with Taoist practice, and many senior Taoist masters in Haiyun Temple were over a century old. Several of them looked much younger than their actual age.
Take for example the senior-most Taoist Li of Haiyun Temple—he had been born in the previous century and had personally witnessed several different eras.
Yet even so, Taoist Li’s physical state was still not as vigorous as that of the old man now standing before them.
However, precisely because Taoist Wang had seen the true signs of long life in someone like Taoist Li, he could clearly tell—there was something off about this old man’s youthful vigor and health.
It was like a flower that, no matter how meticulously cared for, would always have slight imperfections.
Only a fake flower could appear truly flawless.
The old man noticed the wariness in Taoist Wang’s eyes, but he only smiled cheerfully and didn’t seem to mind. Instead, he raised a hand and pointed toward the village, signaling for Taoist Wang to look.
Taoist Wang looked in that direction, skeptical—until his pupils abruptly shrank in horror.
—On the village path inside Longevity Village, dense rows of decaying corpses were standing.
They swayed unsteadily as they walked forward, yet an invisible barrier seemed to separate them from the old man—they could not come any closer to him, no matter how they tried.
Their bloated, pale-blue faces twisted with rage as they glared at the old man. From their rotten, reeking mouths came deep, hoarse growls that sent chills down the spine of anyone who heard them.
But the moment the old man gave them a casual glance, those corpses that had just looked furious enough to tear him apart froze, then staggered back a step as if frightened. Their unsteady bodies still dripped with foul-smelling, blood-tinged fluid.
The rescue team and the Taoists, witnessing this, were utterly stunned.
They had known something was wrong in Longevity Village and had seen images of these corpses on earlier livestreams.
But now that they saw them with their own eyes, they realized the actual situation was far worse—and far more terrifying—than anything the camera had shown.
The rustling, scratching sounds from the corpses echoed through the surrounding mountains, yet the village, with warm lights shining from every home, was eerily silent and still.
Despite all the commotion, apart from the old man who had seemingly come out to greet them as if expecting them, not a single villager stepped out to investigate.
Yet the Taoists could clearly make out shadowy silhouettes behind the windows.
It was as if the villagers were all silently standing behind the glass, a sea of eyes silently staring at the newcomers.
Taoist Wang’s alertness shot to its peak. The devastating events from decades ago on Nanming Mountain flashed through his mind, making him incredibly cautious of Longevity Village. He didn’t step in.
But just then, a familiar voice suddenly reached his ears.
“Get the hell out! You damned things better not take a single step inside as long as I’m here!”
The furious shouting echoed from a distance, accompanied by screams and gasps, making it hard to make out the exact words.
But Taoist Wang instantly recognized it—
It was unmistakably Lu Xingxing’s voice!
“Xingxing?” Taoist Master Ma beside him lifted his head in shock, squinting into the heavy darkness to try and see what was going on.
The Taoists exchanged glances, silently communicating.
Lu Xingxing was with the variety show team. It seemed the crew had run into trouble. Their cottage must have been invaded by the corpses, which was likely why Lu Xingxing was shouting like that.
Just then, a member of the rescue team monitoring the livestream rushed over, panicked: “Sir! Mr. Yan’s livestream lost signal—it’s pitch black now. But the main feed from the crew’s side just came back online. We can see a horde of corpses surrounding their cottage.”
Taoist Wang’s expression turned grim.
It looked like… they had no choice but to enter Longevity Village.
With a sharp whoosh, he drew the peachwood sword from his side and strode forward, leading the way into the village.
Though the sword was made of wood, it buzzed with a strange hum as it sliced through the air, sending chills down the spines of those who heard it.
But the old man showed not a hint of fear. Instead, he grinned, slowly and calmly stepping backward.
And with that single step, his figure vanished at the village entrance.
With the old man gone, the corpses—until now held back by his presence—were suddenly unleashed. Catching the scent of the living, they lunged at the group from all directions with feral snarls.
In the pitch-black night, chaos erupted as noise and stench mingled into a horrifying storm.
Yet amidst the frenzy of corpses breaking their formation, no one noticed the official, who had been separated from the group. His eyes had lost all focus as he staggered, one step at a time, toward the river at the village’s edge.
It was as if something was calling to him—beckoning him toward a place of pain-free, blissful peace.
The official in charge slowly revealed a crimson glow in his eyes.
Then, he stepped into the river.
“Splash!”
A loud noise echoed as water splashed in all directions.
Taoist Wang turned around at the sound, only to catch a glimpse of the official’s fleeting back—and the rotting arm of a corpse reaching out of the river to grab him.
Taoist Wang’s eyes widened with fury as he shouted, “Official—!”
…
When Yan Shixun slowly regained consciousness, the first thing he felt was swaying.
It was like riding an old green train, rocking along with the movement of its wheels.
Still in a dazed state, his foggy mind wondered—was he really on a train, on his way to meet a client and perform an exorcism?
Had he slept so long that his thoughts were all muddled?
But very quickly, the arm draped across his waist, and the solid presence beside him made Yan Shixun realize this was definitely not a train.
—After all, with his habits, he would never allow anyone to sleep beside him.
Not to mention, train bunks couldn’t even fit two people. In the past, even sleeping alone had been a tight squeeze.
Yan Shixun blinked a few times. His fingers reflexively curled against the surface beneath them before he reached out to feel around, trying to figure out where he was.
His vision was completely dark—he couldn’t see a thing.
That was also why he couldn’t immediately tell whether he was dreaming or awake.
Very soon, the sensations beneath his hand made it clear to him—
A coffin.
Wooden planks beneath him, around him, enclosing him on all sides—top, bottom, left, right.
Judging by the space his hand could measure, there was no mistaking it—it was definitely a coffin.
But one side of it seemed… different.
When Yan Shixun reached out, his hand touched a cool, firm body. As he continued to explore in confusion, not yet realizing what it was, a low chuckle sounded by his ear.
“Shixun, that tickles.”
Ye Li spoke helplessly, but sincerely, “Can we wait until we’re out of here first?”
In that moment, Yan Shixun was oddly grateful for the pitch darkness—no one could see the sudden flush of heat rise to his face.
He gave a forced cough and tried to sound composed as he retracted his hand. “Then get your arm off me. It’s heavy.”
Ye Li replied innocently, “I didn’t do it on purpose. The coffin’s too small—there’s no room to put it anywhere else.”
He added, with honest grievance, “I couldn’t even stretch my legs out.”
As he spoke, Ye Li shifted his long legs slightly, letting Yan Shixun feel just how cramped and uncomfortable he was, folded into a too-small coffin.
“I don’t mind sleeping in a coffin—narrow’s fine. But could we at least get a longer one?”
His breath brushed directly against Yan Shixun’s ear as he spoke.
Yan Shixun couldn’t help but tilt his head away, feeling ticklish by his ear.
But the coffin was so small they had no choice but to lie pressed up together. Ye Li had yielded most of the space to Yan Shixun, while his own tall, lanky frame had to curl up in an awkward, uncomfortable position.
So when he shifted his leg again, it happened to land right on Yan Shixun’s body.
Yan Shixun’s expression darkened. In a low voice, he told Ye Li to move his leg.
Ye Li sighed helplessly. “Blame me. If I were a bit shorter and skinnier, this wouldn’t be happening.”
Yan Shixun tried to hold back, but in the end, he couldn’t help asking, “So why exactly do I have to share a coffin with you?”
“Hmm…”
Ye Li blinked, the hint of a smile in his voice even in the darkness. “To share a coffin in death?”
Yan Shixun: “…Get lost!”
Ye Li knew not to push too far. After testing the limits of Yan Shixun’s patience, he calmly backed off toward the edge of the coffin and spoke seriously, “Shixun, do you remember what happened before you entered the dream?”
Yan Shixun thought back. “I remember seeing Nan Tian thrown into a coffin… Wait, so I was probably in one too.”
Before Ye Li could confirm, Yan Shixun frowned. “But I didn’t see you before—where did you come from? Even if I was in a coffin, it should’ve been just me.”
Ye Li smiled. “I suppose it’s because… we came out of the dream together.”
“I woke up a bit earlier. Someone was carrying the coffin.”
Yan Shixun sounded annoyed. “Then if you were already awake, why are we still in the coffin?”
Ye Li thought to himself: Because the moment I opened my eyes, I saw you sleeping in my arms. If I left the coffin, I’d never get a chance like that again. Of course I had to treasure it.
But knowing Yan Shixun, he didn’t dare say it aloud—it would definitely piss him off.
So Ye Li blinked and gave a gentler excuse: “I was waiting for you to wake up.”
While the two were speaking, the audience watching Yan Shixun’s split screen had practically burst into tears of relief. Their nerves, wound tight for so long, could finally settle.
Some, after breathing a sigh of relief, only then realized how frightened they’d been.
[I nearly died of fear—Brother Yan’s screen just went black all of a sudden. We had no idea what was going on.]
[The worst part was that the main screen didn’t have any footage either. Even though the platform said the signal was fine, they blamed it on a power outage. But not being able to see what was happening—it nearly drove me crazy.]
[Wait, hold on. From what Brother Yan just said… was that blackout not a glitch? Was it because he was literally sleeping in a coffin??]
[!!Outrageous! That’s the scariest reason I’ve ever heard.]
[People staying in the dorms were trembling with fear, quickly twisting on their night lights. Just before lights out, I even joked with my friend, saying I sleep like I’m in a coffin every night… Aaaahhhh!!]
[I’d already broken out in a cold sweat earlier from fright, and now my hair was standing on end—I felt like my soul was about to leave my body.]
[Shivering, I crawled out of bed and stretched myself out as long as I could to reach the lamp switch. Sob sob sob, this is terrifying! Mom, can I sleep in your bed tonight?]
[Clutching my cat tightly, I kept hypnotizing myself: it’s just that I forgot to turn on the light… It’s not that I’m really sleeping in a coffin—aaaahhh, Mom!!]
[Wait, someone else is with Brother Yan? Who? Don’t tell me he’s talking to a ghost…]
Inside the coffin, there wasn’t a sliver of light, making it impossible for even the night-vision-enabled split-screen camera to capture anything useful.
The pure, suffocating darkness left viewers—who hadn’t seen Yan Shixun’s dream earlier—completely in the dark and even more anxious.
Yet, despite the cold mountain wind seeping through the cracks of the coffin, Yan Shixun didn’t feel cold at all.
In fact, he felt a bit hot. Fine beads of sweat had even formed on his forehead.
Though Ye Li’s body temperature was unusually low—cold enough to make people wonder if he’d just stepped out of a freezer—when he held Yan Shixun in the coffin, the steady stream of ghostly energy flowing into Yan Shixun’s meridians instead filled him with power. The energy that had been completely drained before was now returning.
Yan Shixun frowned in discomfort and nudged Ye Li with his elbow. “Move over, I’m lifting the lid.”
As soon as he spoke, he reached up and pushed against the coffin lid with firm strength.
Ye Li, in perfect sync, leaned backward and placed his palm against the back of the coffin board.
Almost simultaneously, the two exerted force.
With a loud BANG!, the coffin—which had been tightly sealed with long nails and even welded shut with molten iron—suddenly burst apart into fragments.
The shattered boards flew outward in all directions, wood splinters scattering like snowflakes.
At that moment, Yan Shixun quickly adjusted his lying posture, swung down his long legs just as the wood split, and landed steadily on the ground. He bent his knees slightly to absorb the impact.
But as he straightened up and looked ahead, he was abruptly met with a stiff, pale-blue face.
His pupils shrank—he hadn’t expected this.
Standing directly in front of him was one of the lantern-holding villagers he had seen earlier in Longevity Village.
The villager still held a pale lantern in his hand, his expression blank and vacant like a walking corpse—without a shred of independent thought.
Even though the coffin that had been resting on his shoulder had shattered, he still maintained the same position: one hand holding the lantern, the other holding the coffin—continuing forward without pause, as if on autopilot.
The narrow path wound up along the mountainside, barely a foot wide—only enough for one person to pass at a time.
There was nowhere for Yan Shixun to dodge. The villager was drawing closer and closer, almost face-to-face. The stench of rot and dampness coming off him was pungent and unmistakable.
Since he didn’t know what exactly these villagers were, or whether their souls could still be saved, Yan Shixun had no choice but to yield rather than kick the man off the path.
He had just burst out of the coffin, and his mind was still caught up in earlier thoughts. The next moment, he was forced to make a decision, and maneuvering on such a narrow, dangerous path made even dodging a challenge.
He even saw coffin splinters tumble off the edge of the cliff at his feet.
Quickly raising his hand, he leaped upward and grabbed hold of a protruding rock above. His lean body swung into the air over a dizzying cliff, like an eagle spreading its wings, ready to soar.
Viewers watching the split-screen feed witnessed everything alongside him, and the sensation of flight sent many screaming.
[AAAAHHHH MOM I’M FLYING!!!]
[What the hell is this—some kind of ultimate spinning death ride?? The kind that could break a world record for height??]
[Holy shit! Holy shiiittt!!]
Amid the feeling of weightlessness, Yan Shixun quickly calmed his mind and adjusted his posture mid-air. Then, just as a villager passed by beneath him, he dropped back down onto the small mountain path.
The immediate danger was averted.
However, the scene he had just witnessed from up high made his heart clench tightly.
—The entire winding path that stretched toward the end of the mountain was filled with villagers just like that one.
They carried lanterns, bore coffins on their shoulders, and marched forward in a daze without the slightest trace of awareness.
If he didn’t completely avoid these villagers, he would be forced to repeat that same evasive maneuver every few seconds.
That would be an utterly irrational drain on his physical strength.
Before Yan Shixun could think of a better solution, he suddenly felt a strong arm wrap around his waist from behind.
Then, someone scooped him up and fell with him toward the cliff beside the mountain path.
Yan Shixun felt himself crashing backward into an embrace. The solid chest and faintly cool body temperature told him it was Ye Li behind him.
A cold mountain wind howled up from the abyss below the cliff, blasting past Yan Shixun’s ears and forcing his eyes shut. He could only squint painfully through tears brought on by the wind, struggling to look upward.
Under the pale glow of numerous lanterns, Yan Shixun saw the mountain wall and the small road growing farther and farther away. The villagers carrying coffins receded as well.
His field of vision was shifting downward.
Ye Li… had actually jumped off the cliff with him in his arms.
The sensation of freefall made Yan Shixun’s heart race uncontrollably, his eyes widening slightly.
But because it was Ye Li, he didn’t struggle or panic at all. He simply waited in silence.
Yan Shixun didn’t know what Ye Li’s intentions were, but he knew for certain that Ye Li was someone he could trust.
The two of them plummeted rapidly.
Ye Li extended his arm—one holding Yan Shixun tightly, fully bearing the weight of an adult man—while the other hand reached sharply toward the mountain wall, using it to slow their fall and quickly adjust their angle.
In the next moment, Yan Shixun felt his feet land on something solid.
Just as they landed, Yan Shixun instinctively reached out to grab the mountain wall beside him. Even though he knew Ye Li’s true identity, he still acted on instinct to help lessen the burden on him.
…No, this wasn’t solid ground.
It was swaying.
Yan Shixun had just caught his breath when he quickly looked down.
Then he saw what he and Ye Li had landed on was not ground at all—
It was a coffin.
The coffin lay horizontally against the mountain wall, supported by a few thick wooden beams that had been deeply embedded into the rock.
The faded wood was badly weathered, clearly aged with many years.
After taking the combined weight of both Yan Shixun and Ye Li, the coffin and its supporting beams swayed up and down, creaking under the strain.
“This—!” Yan Shixun exclaimed in shock.
“Nan Heye has also used special means. The moment he senses my power, he’ll likely flee again. So for now, I have to suppress my energy until we locate exactly where he is.”
Ye Li explained calmly. “It just so happened there were hanging coffins below the path, so we used them to land.”
“Hanging coffins?”
Yan Shixun immediately seized on the key term.
Ye Li raised his hand and pointed into the distance.
Yan Shixun followed his gesture.
Then, the instant he saw clearly what was there, his pupils contracted, and his face displayed open, unfiltered horror.
Amid the pitch-black mountain range, pale white lanterns gathered to form a winding ribbon of light spiraling up Nanming Mountain.
And under that eerie glow, Yan Shixun could finally see—
On the opposite mountain wall, there were countless hanging coffins packed tightly together, one after another.
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