Chapter 232: A Mountain Suspended, A River Submerged (46)
Ever since he had nearly lost his life in Nanming Mountain twenty years ago, Taoist Wang had understood just how dangerous the place truly was.
Though he had never been able to let go of his failure to save the people of the Nan Village back then, there was little he could do. The magnetic fields surrounding Nanming Mountain were chaotic. Over the past two decades, he had tried to re-enter the mountain several times, but each attempt left him lost in its outer perimeter, forgetting even his own intentions for coming.
It wasn’t until the variety show production crew entered Longevity Village to film that Taoist Wang learned the village lay downstream of Nanming Mountain. Because of this, he was finally able to enter the mountain again—this time, with the support of a special department.
Yet now, standing inside Longevity Village, Taoist Wang genuinely believed he would die here.
Rotting corpses filled the mountains and fields. The villagers were abnormally full of life—so much so that it was unnatural—and all around them, they were surrounded by inescapable chrysanthemum patterns…
After slashing through a chrysanthemum root that had tried to ambush a rescue team member from behind, even Taoist Wang was beginning to feel drained. He leaned heavily on his peach wood sword, panting desperately to recover his strength, before finally turning back to face the corpses outside the wooden cottage.
Though the rescue team and the Taoists from Haiyun Temple had fought their way through the village, carving a bloody path based on the directions given in the earlier livestream, they had finally reached the cottage where the production crew was trapped, and managed to regroup with them.
But the moment they met, Taoist Wang was stunned by the dire situation the crew was in.
Rotting corpses crawled endlessly from the river behind the cottage. Even the darkness beneath the raised foundation of the lodge glowed with pairs of red eyes—ghastly in the dark and a chilling sign of lurking danger.
At the front of the cottage stood a familiar figure, keeping guard.
When Taoist Wang looked closely, he was shocked to discover it was Lu Xingxing!
But Lu Xingxing now looked nothing like the lazy, playful youth he remembered. Instead, his face was sharp, his aura intense.
Though Lu Xingxing held nothing more than a long staff, the way he pointed it at the encircling corpses made it seem as though he wielded a legendary sword—unmatched and indomitable.
He alone held the line, and no corpse could break through.
Even Taoist Wang stood frozen in awe, momentarily mistaking the figure before him for Yan Shixun.
Blood and flesh were piled at Lu Xingxing’s feet, and the stench of blood covered his face and clothes. Clearly, he had fought alone for quite some time before the Taoists from Haiyun Temple had arrived.
Taoist Wang was overcome with a mix of guilt and pride.
He felt guilty for not arriving sooner, forcing a still-inexperienced junior like Lu Xingxing to hold out alone for so long. But he was also proud—this same boy who once refused to memorize scriptures and constantly got chased around the mountains by his master… had truly grown up.
But before Taoist Wang could reflect for even a few seconds, Lu Xingxing suddenly noticed the newcomers amid the corpses. His eyes lit up with joy.
Standing at the cottage’s entrance, he broke into a broad smile and waved frantically at them, his face full of delight: “Master Uncle! Master Uncle! I’m here! Hahaha!”
He looked just like a happy husky wagging its tail wildly after seeing someone open the door and come home.
The once-majestic wolf suddenly dropped its intimidating act and revealed its true identity—a silly husky.
If Lu Xingxing had a tail, it would’ve been spinning like a helicopter blade by now, lifting him off the ground.
Taoist Ma and Taoist Wang, who both witnessed the scene: “…………”
Taoist Wang’s face instantly went blank and cold: Oh. He hasn’t grown up after all. Still the same old Xingxing.
Taoist Ma chuckled and shook his head: “Xingxing, Xingxing… Why is it that your maturity never lasts more than three seconds?”
Unaware that the mature image he had just built in the elders’ eyes had collapsed in less than three seconds, Lu Xingxing continued grinning like a fool.
Still, with the arrival of the rescue team and the Taoists, much of the pressure on Lu Xingxing was relieved.
Inside the cottage, many from the production crew were crying with joy, believing they were finally saved.
But they had let their guard down too soon.
The moment the Taoists actually engaged the corpses, they realized something was very wrong.
—They couldn’t be killed at all!
No matter what they did, these rotting corpses merely burst apart like overfilled water balloons, leaving piles of flesh and blood—along with a light, fluttering sheet of human skin.
But this skin would soon reinflate and stand upright again.
The continuous battles quickly wore down the Taoists’ strength. Meanwhile, chrysanthemum roots floated through the air like golden threads—thin and easy to miss. A moment’s carelessness was enough for them to burrow into flesh and begin draining life.
One Taoist, unable to free himself from being surrounded by the corpses, could only watch helplessly as the threads landed on him. Like seeds finding soil, they rapidly took root in his body, feeding on his flesh and blood.
A white bud bloomed swiftly on his body.
At the same moment the white chrysanthemum opened, the Taoist closed his eyes and collapsed, deathly pale.
And as if it wasn’t already bad enough, disaster struck yet again.
While everyone was focused on fending off the corpses and trying to inch closer to the wooden cottage, the official in charge suddenly leapt into the river without warning. His fate was unknown.
Taoist Wang was frantic with worry but completely unable to break away from the overwhelming sea of corpses.
And now, even Taoist Wang himself was nearly at his limit.
He was gasping violently, his face the color of gold paper. Even through the wide Taoist robe, his trembling was impossible to hide. His muscles had reached their limit—every fiber of them was protesting in agony.
Taoist Wang held onto the sword hilt purely through sheer willpower, desperately reminding himself not to let go. If he did, his exhausted arms wouldn’t even be able to hold the sword anymore.
Taoist Ma noticed Taoist Wang’s condition and spoke to him with concern, “Fellow Taoist Wang, fall back. Leave the front line to us. You should go and tend to the wounded in the rear.”
But Taoist Wang shook his head, his expression grave. “Longevity Village is looking more and more like Nan Village from twenty years ago.”
“From the way these rotting corpses revive even after being killed, and how those elderly villagers are unusually healthy and long-lived, I can only come to one conclusion.”
“—They’re neither truly alive, nor completely dead.”
Under Taoist Ma’s stunned gaze, Taoist Wang continued in a low, steady voice, “Perhaps they’re trapped in the gap between life and death—survivors who once slipped through during the Ghost Year, when the King of Hell patrolled the human world.”
Upon hearing that, Taoist Ma’s heart skipped a beat. “The Ghost Year… Are you saying that the horrors from back then might be repeating in Longevity Village?”
Taoist Wang shook his head. “I don’t know. Any further truths are beyond what I can perceive. That’s heaven’s secret—it’s no longer something a mere cultivator like me is qualified to divine.”
“But.”
Taoist Wang’s voice grew resolute. “No matter what secrets Nanming Mountain may be hiding, our mission remains unchanged—and that is… to absolutely prevent the disasters of Nanming Mountain from spreading any further.”
All the Taoists were soaked in thick layers of blood and filth. The rescue team members were also completely exhausted. Everyone’s strength and stamina were gradually declining. A strange sensation crept through them all—like their life force was slowly being drained away.
Taoist Ma noticed the chrysanthemum carvings on every building around them. Recalling the Taoist who had been parasitized by a chrysanthemum earlier, he was struck by a sudden realization: perhaps these carvings were doing the same—not only stealing their life force but also subtly disrupting their memories and perception.
At that moment, Taoist Wang finally reached his limit. Not even his willpower could control his body anymore.
The peach wood sword slipped from his grasp and clattered to the ground. His face turned ghostly pale, completely drained of blood, and his body crumpled like a limp noodle.
All he could do was watch helplessly as the decaying corpses surged toward him—he didn’t even have the strength to dodge.
Fortunately, Taoist Ma had been keeping an eye on him the whole time, concerned about his condition. Even amidst the battle, he had not let down his guard. So the moment he saw something was wrong, he reacted instantly.
With sharp reflexes, he pushed aside the charging corpse, rushed to Taoist Wang’s side, formed a hand seal with one hand aimed at the corpse, and with the other, grabbed Taoist Wang’s collar, using his own strength to keep him upright.
Clenching his teeth as he struggled to hold on, Taoist Ma even had the presence of mind to joke, “Fellow Taoist Wang, you really need to lose some weight. I can barely lift you.”
Before Taoist Wang could even respond, Taoist Ma suddenly exerted all his strength and hurled him toward the direction of the small wooden building.
Taoist Wang’s body sailed over the rotting corpses, drawing a smooth arc in midair, and flew straight toward Lu Xingxing.
Lu Xingxing stared blankly upward, watching the dark figure grow closer and closer. Then—
“Thud!”
Taoist Wang landed squarely on top of him.
Pinned beneath Taoist Wang, Lu Xingxing felt like his internal organs were about to burst from the impact. His face turned green.
He sucked in two sharp breaths and, with great difficulty, looked up and said, “Master Uncle, I think Master Uncle Ma was right. You really are a bit on the heavy side. Have you considered losing some weight?”
“That way, next time you crush me, I might suffer a little less.”
In front of his elder, Lu Xingxing was humble, weak, and utterly pitiful.
Meanwhile, the sudden impact jolted Taoist Wang’s muddled mind back to clarity. His eyes, which had been about to close, snapped open again.
The first thing he heard upon waking was Lu Xingxing’s comment.
Taoist Wang: “…………”
…Am I really that heavy?
As he sank into a spiral of self-doubt, Taoist Wang hurriedly climbed off to avoid crushing the poor junior any further.
During a brief lull in the fight, Taoist Ma glanced their way. Seeing Lu Xingxing’s antics, he couldn’t help but shake his head and chuckle.
This Xingxing—he really didn’t have much experience and was far too young. Wouldn’t it have been enough to just toss someone over, catch them, and roll a few times to dissipate the force? But no, he was so stubbornly earnest that he willingly acted as a human cushion for Taoist Wang.
Still, Taoist Ma knew how much strength he had used. He was well aware that if Lu Xingxing had wanted to dodge, he could have done so easily.
The boy hadn’t dodged because he had been worried about Taoist Wang. Afraid that his master uncle, already exhausted, might get hurt again, he had taken the full brunt of the impact himself.
Ah, Xingxing…
Taoist Ma shook his head and sighed inwardly. A disciple raised by Fellow Taoist Song—what a good kid.
“Xingxing, come here and give your spot to Fellow Taoist Wang. You switch over and help me instead.”
Taoist Ma raised his voice to call out to Lu Xingxing. Even though the battle was tense and difficult, he couldn’t suppress the smile on his face.
Lu Xingxing immediately responded. He quickly got up, saluted Taoist Wang, then parted the swarm of corpse monsters and ran toward Taoist Ma.
He understood Taoist Ma’s meaning perfectly—so long as the front line held, the people at the rear would have an easier time.
Now that Taoist Wang’s strength was failing, it made complete sense for someone young and strong like him to step in.
Lu Xingxing felt neither fear nor hesitation. In fact, he was even secretly proud and delighted.
Look, he was a grown-up now too—he could be trusted by his master uncle and fight shoulder to shoulder with him.
Besides, he had the strength his “master aunt” had lent him. There was no way he would mess up.
That trust made Lu Xingxing swell with pride. He even felt like he loved Ye Li a little more than before.
His master aunt was the best in the world! From now on, he would be her personal rainbow-flattery machine, singing his praises nonstop! He would fully support him and his master uncle being together forever!
—Of course, if Ye Li had known what Lu Xingxing was thinking, he might’ve been a little happy… but also subtly annoyed. He probably would’ve taken the first chance he got, when Yan Shixun wasn’t looking, to beat Lu Xingxing up.
And just as Lu Xingxing reached Taoist Ma’s side, the Taoist was taken aback.
“You—your body…”
Taoist Ma had already turned his gaze away, but now it swung back in confusion. He stared at Lu Xingxing from head to toe, scanning him carefully—and the more he looked, the more alarmed he became.
Earlier, because of the distance and the chaotic mixture of the corpse monsters and villagers’ auras, he hadn’t been able to sense anything unusual from Lu Xingxing. So he hadn’t noticed what was wrong in time.
But now, at this close range, Taoist Ma suddenly felt a powerful and eerie aura coming from him—one that was strangely familiar.
It was just like… the solemn and awe-inspiring feeling he got whenever he stood in the main hall of Haiyun Temple, gazing up at the divine statues.
A divine presence that commanded reverence without needing to show anger—one that made you feel like you didn’t even deserve to think of offending it.
Or like the feeling that came over him when he chanted a prayer to invoke a god and, in the rare case that it worked, managed to borrow a sliver of divine power.
But even those experiences paled in comparison to what he felt now.
It was like those moments had been magnified a thousand, ten thousand times.
Taoist Ma looked at Lu Xingxing, both shocked and suspicious, and asked, “Did you learn the divine invocation chant? Which deity did you call upon? How is the power on you so strong?”
Lu Xingxing blinked, then finally realized what Taoist Ma was asking.
He immediately puffed out his chest with pride. “Master Aunt lent it to me! Isn’t it amazing?”
A huge question mark practically popped up over Taoist Ma’s head. “?”
“Who? What Master aunt?”
He was utterly baffled. “Don’t you only have a Master Uncle? I’ve never heard of anyone at the temple getting married. And besides, how could a regular mortal lend you such powerful strength? They’re not even a god…”
Halfway through the sentence, Taoist Ma suddenly froze.
A figure flashed in his mind, and he realized who Lu Xingxing was referring to when he said “Master Aunt.”
Just then, Lu Xingxing cheerfully explained, “It’s Master Uncle Yan! Master Aunt is always with him, isn’t he? Uncle Yan said he had to go investigate the source of the corruption—otherwise no matter how many corpse monsters we killed, it wouldn’t end. So he left everyone in Master Aunt’s care.”
“But Master Aunt was worried about him, afraid he’d get hurt, so he went to chase after him too. Before that, he lent me his strength and told me to keep an eye on things here.”
Lu Xingxing chuckled happily, tail practically wagging in pride. “It feels so good to have Master Uncle and Master Aunt watching over me!”
Taoist Ma opened his mouth but ended up saying nothing at all. He could only look at Lu Xingxing with a complicated expression. No matter how many times he looked, he couldn’t stop being shaken by the power radiating from the boy.
He was certain—this wasn’t a power any ordinary human could possess. If anything, it felt more like the power of a god… But there hadn’t been gods in the human world for a long, long time. Even the divine invocation chant only borrowed a tiny shred of divine power. It couldn’t summon the true form of any deity.
According to the old Taoist, the Great Dao had weakened, the gods had fallen, and divinity had perished.
Under the Great Dao, there were no gods left.
But then… what was going on with Lu Xingxing’s power?
Taoist Ma had met Ye Li before. Since Ye Li was always closely following Yan Shixun, he had seen him many times.
But strangely, he couldn’t clearly recall Ye Li’s face—couldn’t remember his presence at all.
It was as if the gods didn’t want mortals to remember their presence here, so they wiped away all memories of them. But it also felt more like an act of protection toward the living.
After all, heavenly secrets were not to be revealed. Anyone who tried to glimpse them would be punished.
Just like the old Taoist, who caught a brief glimpse of divine truth—and swiftly deteriorated, his life force nearly extinguished.
If, in this era where the great Dao had faded, there still existed gods… then that god, by nature, was no different from the heavenly secrets themselves.
Those who dared to perceive his existence would likewise be warned and punished by the laws of the universe—it could even cost them their lives.
At the very moment he figured all this out, Taoist Ma’s eyes widened as he stared at Lu Xingxing, who kept gasping and hissing sharply through his teeth.
He also remembered how Taoist Wang had once scolded him, saying he didn’t care enough about Yan Shixun and forbidding him from falling in love.
Back then, he had been confused—why couldn’t he remember there being such a person by Junior Brother Yan’s side, no matter how hard he tried?
Now, Taoist Ma practically wanted to rush over to Taoist Wang, shake him violently by the collar, and roar, “How the hell am I supposed to care?! Huh?! Don’t even talk about whether that person is a god or not—even if he’s just someone who can communicate with gods, that’s still way out of my league! How the hell am I supposed to care?! How?!”
Lu Xingxing couldn’t tell that Taoist Ma was on the verge of mental collapse. He simply looked at Ma’s face turning red, then green, then pale, and asked in confusion, “Master Uncle Ma, do you have a stomachache? Do you really need to poop but you’re holding it in?”
He thought about it, then added, assuming he was being considerate, “It’s okay, I get it. When nature calls, there’s no holding back. Even if we’re in the middle of a battle, your bowels don’t know that—they’re not gonna wait just ’cause you’re busy.”
“How about you hold on just a bit longer? I’ll handle things here for now. Once it’s settled a bit, you can go handle your business.”
Taoist Ma: “……”
He immediately put on a deadpan expression and stared at Lu Xingxing: Yep, still the same old Xingxing. All that “grown-up” talk and summoning spells? Just a façade.
Lu Xingxing tilted his head. “Hm?”
But before he could say anything more, a thick black fog suddenly rolled in from the mountains, quickly engulfing everything in the village—people, buildings, everything was swallowed by the darkness.
Lu Xingxing hadn’t even reacted when loud explosions echoed all around him.
Whether it was the Taoists, the rescue team, the zombie corpses, or the elderly of Longevity Village, they had all collapsed onto the ground.
Lu Xingxing was stunned at first. Then, a lightbulb practically lit up in his mind.
Ohhh! Wasn’t this his master aunt sending him an opportunity for glory?
Everyone had fainted—leaving only him standing. Didn’t that mean he could do whatever he wanted now?
What a stroke of luck!
Lu Xingxing was instantly thrilled. He excitedly rubbed his hands together, picked up a blade, and while all the corpses lay defenseless, he charged from one end of the village to the other, slicing through them all—and then turned around and did it again.
Later, he even stationed himself at the riverbank, swinging his knife at the floating corpses, chopping off heads like he was slicing melons.
The cleaver that had been used by the elders of Longevity Village for decades—sharp enough to cut through hundreds of human bones—was actually dulled in Lu Xingxing’s hands that night.
He was covered head to toe in blood and bits of flesh, looking for all the world like a man made of blood. He was a terrifying sight.
By the time the Taoists regained consciousness, the black mist over the village had begun to fade. The corpses on the ground were all gone. The elderly of the village had all perished, and even the once-blooming fields of chrysanthemums had been scorched into ash.
Everything had already come to a close while they were unconscious.
Only the blood-soaked earth and scattered remains continued to testify that this hadn’t all been just a nightmare.
Taoist Ma blinked, and in his dazed state, a thought suddenly crossed his mind: Was this what those netizens call a “lying-down win”?
Just lie there, and when you wake up—you’ve already won.
He got up from the ground, full of confusion, only to find that everyone else was still collapsed exactly where he last remembered them.
Everyone except Lu Xingxing.
His pupils contracted sharply, and a wave of terrible possibilities flooded his mind. In a panic, he shouted, “Xingxing!”
As soon as the words left his mouth, a blood-soaked figure appeared behind the cottage.
That person held a cleaver still dripping with blood. He was completely covered in gore from head to toe, his appearance totally unrecognizable.
The stench of blood drifted through the air as he moved, but the man acted as if he didn’t feel a thing. Instead, he grinned.
His bright white teeth contrasted sharply against the blood all over him.
Especially in such a dangerous and eerie situation.
Taoist Ma instantly grew alert. He quickly formed a hand seal and pointed at the figure, shouting, “With the power of wisdom, I subdue all demons!”
The blood-soaked figure froze in shock, then let out a shrill wail: “Master Uncle Ma, what are you doing! It’s me, Xingxing—it’s Xingxing! Ahhh it hurts!”
Taoist Ma squinted and looked closer. Slowly, he began to recognize a few familiar features. That really did seem like Lu Xingxing.
He hurriedly withdrew his talisman spell, scratched his nose in embarrassment, and cleared his throat. “Oh… it’s you, Xingxing. What’s with your look? I completely mistook you.”
Tears streamed down Lu Xingxing’s face, carving two glaring white streaks through the blood on his cheeks.
“Master Uncle, weren’t you the one who called me over?”
He was utterly aggrieved. “Was this a setup? Were you baiting me on purpose?”
Taoist Ma turned his head away, silent.
“…Honestly, Xingxing, your look is just way too terrifying.”
Soon after, the others also began to wake up—only to be startled out of their wits by Lu Xingxing’s blood-drenched, zombie-like appearance.
Lu Xingxing burst into even louder sobs.
He looked just like a husky howling at the moon.
Everyone else awkwardly turned their heads, pretending they hadn’t just mistaken him for a monster.
Taoist Wang silently tore a piece off his own robe and handed it to Lu Xingxing.
“Wipe your face.”
He said sincerely, “The way you look now, you could stop babies from crying at night—or scare away evil spirits. If anyone saw you, we’d probably have a new door god design next year.”
—The Taoist lineage led by the old master had many good qualities, but subtlety wasn’t one of them.
Even Taoist Wang, who was close to Taoist Song, was just as blunt—he never sugarcoated anything.
Lu Xingxing was so emotionally crushed, he looked like a heap of scribbled lines.
When the crew from the variety show woke up, they found the crisis outside the cottage had already been resolved. The Taoists were sweeping the village to check for any remaining corpses.
The rescue team quickly entered the cottage to check on everyone’s condition.
Fortunately, the power Ye Li had lent to Lu Xingxing was truly strong. Even though Lu Xingxing was a bit of a fool and couldn’t fully harness its effects due to a mismatch between his physique and ghostly energy, it was still enough to protect the production crew from the deadly situation where they had been surrounded on all sides.
More importantly, Yan Shixun and Ye Li had cut off the crisis at its source in time, preventing a greater disaster from unfolding downstream and stopping the plot by Nanming Mountain to seize the Great Dao before irreversible harm could be done.
The rescue team checked everyone one by one and found that, apart from a few staff members who had gone mad, the others only suffered minor injuries or had been badly frightened.
Taoist Wang came over to examine those few staff members. After hearing Zhang Wubing’s explanation beside him, he said seriously, “If they became like this after drinking the river water, then it must be that evil spirits entered their bodies. As long as the source of that evil is destroyed, they should recover.”
“Once we return, have them come by Haiyun Temple when they can. Let them burn a talisman, mix it with water, and drink it — that should take care of the problem.”
Taoist Wang reassured them, “It’s alright, no need to worry. Looks like Junior Brother Yan handled things upstream quite well and in a timely manner. These staff members are only temporarily possessed by evil. At most, it might affect their fortune for a while, but it won’t leave any lasting consequences in their daily lives.”
However, Taoist Wang glanced at Zhang Wubing and, remembering his peculiar constitution, added, “Still, they should avoid haunted places. Given how low their current luck is, they’re more likely than others to encounter ghosts.”
Zhang Wubing nodded sincerely and replied, “It’s alright, Taoist. You don’t have to worry. With me around, the ghost will come to me — it won’t bother anyone else.”
Taoist Wang: “…………”
What kind of response was that? What am I supposed to say to that? Why does it sound so tragic?
But Zhang Wubing was clearly used to it. He waved his hand casually and said, “I’m like the person who attracts all the mosquitoes. As long as I’m nearby, they’ll bite me, and everyone else will be safe.”
Taoist Wang looked at Zhang Wubing, speechless.
He had already realized how unusual this director’s ghost-attracting physique was after that last incident on the Yin path, but now it seemed he still hadn’t grasped the full extent of it. There was definitely more to learn.
Normally, people with such a physique would be beside themselves, crying over their misfortune or even having extreme thoughts.
But this director seemed incredibly open-minded and self-aware.
Taoist Wang looked at Zhang Wubing and thought to himself in silence — wasn’t this also a form of cultivation? If this director were willing to become a Taoist cultivator, with his mindset alone, he might progress faster than most and grasp the Dao in no time.
However, after finishing their inspection, the rescue team quickly realized two people were missing.
“Where’s Zhao Zhen? And Song Ci — why aren’t either of them here?”
Hearing the flurry of people searching inside the cottage, Lu Xingxing quickly shouted, “Under the bed! They’re both under the bed in the downstairs room!”
The rescue team rushed into the room and dropped to the floor to look — sure enough, the two of them were there!
But one of them was wrapped up in so many quilts and coats that he looked like a silkworm cocoon, making it hard for the rescuers to even tell it was Song Ci.
It was only thanks to Zhao Zhen lying beside him that they were able to identify the two.
Zhao Zhen woke up with a jolt and immediately turned his head to check on the person next to him, not even noticing that he’d hit his head on the underside of the bed in the process.
He quickly reached over to the bundle of quilts beside him, putting his hand under Song Ci’s nose to check for breathing, holding his breath as he concentrated, terrified that something might have happened while he’d inexplicably passed out.
Guilt flooded Zhao Zhen’s heart. He had no idea what had really happened — he could only assume he had dozed off from exhaustion.
Knowing that the person beside him had no ability to protect himself and needed his help, Zhao Zhen still selfishly fell asleep, ignoring the young master’s safety.
If anything had truly happened to the young master, he felt he’d never forgive himself for the rest of his life.
Just as Zhao Zhen was nervously checking for breath and a pulse, frantically rummaging through the silkworm cocoon of bedding, he suddenly heard a weak voice from inside.
“Zhao Zhen, are you crazy? Get your hand off me.”
Song Ci’s voice was extremely hoarse, like someone recovering from a serious illness — soft, without any strength, barely squeezed out of his throat.
If Zhao Zhen hadn’t been so close and paying full attention to him, he might not have heard it at all.
Still, Song Ci’s tone was as bratty as ever, complaining, “Your hands aren’t even washed, and they’re so cold. How dare you touch me?”
Even though he was being scolded, Zhao Zhen’s face lit up with emotion. He relaxed all at once and lay flat on the floor.
“Thank goodness you’re still alive. That’s all that matters.”
Zhao Zhen blinked and only then realized his eyes were already wet, his voice catching in his throat.
Song Ci: “…………”
Great. I wake up and my teammate’s gone stupid.
Song Ci tried to sit up, but the thick layers of coats and quilts wrapped tightly around him held him down.
When he first woke up, his vision had been blurry. Now, he could finally see clearly — and above his head was a wooden board that looked suspiciously like the bottom of a bed.
Song Ci was full of question marks. When he turned to look at Zhao Zhen beside him, his eyes were filled with wary suspicion.
Don’t tell me Zhao Zhen lost his mind and shoved me under the bed while I was asleep?
Song Ci was thoroughly disgusted. Who knew how long it had been since the underside of this bed was cleaned? It smelled damp and musty, and probably had dust too — now all of it was rubbing off on him.
Just thinking about it made him feel so uncomfortable that he wanted to rush and take a shower.
But as soon as he moved, Song Ci froze.
He felt weaker than ever before.
It was as if he had just woken up after being bedridden for years. His limbs felt limp, with no strength to lift them, and he even had the illusion that his body had been drained of life, leaving only a human skin behind.
Song Ci slowly recalled the events that had happened before he lost consciousness and realized that the production team must have encountered some kind of evil spirit again.
He was instantly filled with disappointment. “Ah… why did I have to be asleep and miss it?”
The young master had a keen interest in everything related to ghosts and spirits, and the more dangerous the situation, the more he felt an intense excitement alongside his fear.
Thinking about how Zhao Zhen had witnessed all the thrilling events while he had missed them, the young master gazed at Zhao Zhen with a mix of envy and jealousy. “So lucky.”
Zhao Zhen was both amused and helpless.
However, Song Ci’s behavior confirmed that his physical and mental state hadn’t been affected too badly.
After the rescue team arrived, Zhao Zhen dragged the silkworm larvae out from beneath the bed and handed it over to the team for a checkup.
Upon hearing Zhao Zhen mention the threads and chrysanthemums that had rooted into Song Ci’s body, the team members grew serious and nodded. “Don’t worry, the medical staff is in the living room. They’ll perform a full body check and provide emergency treatment. Once we get news from the official in charge, we’ll figure out how to get Mr. Song Ci out of the mountains.”
Song Ci pouted, displeased. “So slow. Are you planning to climb down the mountain?”
The rescue team member: Here it comes, the legendary bad-tempered young master’s challenges!
He missed the official in charge even more, wishing fervently for their return. It was only after the official in charge was absent that he truly realized how impressive their skills in handling various people and coordinating everything were.
Rescue team member: official in charge, please come back soon~ I can’t handle it alone~ sob sob.
But to his surprise, the team member had braced himself for a scolding from Song Ci, even mentally preparing for the storm with a polite smile. Yet Song Ci only asked for a device that could communicate with the outside world.
Then he called his older brother.
As soon as the call connected, Song Ci shouted irritably into the phone, “Do you want to freeze your little brother to death and swallow the family fortune all by yourself? If you don’t send the helicopter to pick us up, don’t even think about seeing me again! I’m planning to go to Zhang Wubing’s house to be his little brother!”
Song Ci’s older brother: !!!
Nearby, Zhang Wubing, who overheard the conversation: “???”
“Wait, why are you coming to my house?”
Zhang Wubing was confused. “Don’t you hate me?”
Having been in the same circle for many years, Zhang Wubing was very familiar with the complicated temperament of the young master. He was the only one who was both a friend and an enemy, someone who liked being friends with him but also hated him.
This made it so that Zhang Wubing still hadn’t figured out how to deal with Song Ci after all these years.
However, when Song Ci heard Zhang Wubing’s words, he simply rolled his eyes. “Hmph, you might not be capable, but your parents are amazing. I wish I had been born to your mother. Then I’d be able to meet ghosts too.”
Zhao Zhen and the rescue team members exchanged complex looks, unsure whether to say something or not.
Zhang Wubing, however, was used to it. Here it comes again, the ghost talk, sigh.
“I’d rather not have this luck, you can have it all,”
Zhang Wubing said sincerely. “Earlier, Taoist Song said I had a ghost city in my destiny.”
Song Ci’s eyes instantly lit up. “Oh, oh, oh!”
Zhao Zhen, helpless, stepped in between them to stop the two from bickering like children.
“Alright, young master, let’s talk about it later when you feel better. Your voice is already hoarse, and you still want to argue.”
Zhao Zhen said helplessly. “Even if your brother arranges for the helicopter, it will take time. You should go for treatment first.”
Song Ci pursed his lips but didn’t say anything else.
The rescue team, however, was getting anxious.
Because the situation was too unique and confidential, the special department had always operated independently, with the official in charge coordinating all external matters and planning everything.
Once the official in charge was absent, it was like losing the communication link with the outside world, disrupting all work and making it impossible to connect smoothly.
Now that the crisis had been resolved, the remaining task was for various departments to collaborate, including the public opinion team, emergency rescue team, and coordination with the southern regional authorities, all of which required the official in charge.
But at such a critical moment, the official in charge’s whereabouts were unknown, and his fate uncertain.
Just as the rescue team members were growing increasingly anxious, a tall figure appeared in front of the cottage.
Ye Li was holding the official in charge. His cold expression showed no signs of emotion, and unlike when Yan Shixun was injured and Ye Li had carried him, he wasn’t holding the official in charge gently.
For everyone except Yan Shixun, Ye Li showed no tenderness.
All his warmth and affection were reserved for Yan Shixun, and no one else got any.
This left the official in charge limp on the ground.
The rescue team members inside the cottage were both relieved and terrified, fearing that the official in charge might have been dragged over and hurt again. They rushed out to take the official in charge from Ye Li’s hands.
Although Ye Li had a good sense of the situation, he knew that he had arrived by shrinking space and didn’t drag the team members along the way as they might have imagined. After stabilizing the life signs of the official in charge, he had only fallen into a deep sleep and didn’t suffer further injuries.
While the official in charge still required more precise medical care, the most dangerous moment had already passed.
From a distance, Lu Xingxing immediately spotted Ye Li, and her eyes lit up. He quickly ran over, cheerfully shouting,
“Master Aunt!”
Ye Li’s gaze immediately turned cold when he saw Lu Xingxing, his expression turning to one of distaste as he said, “Stay away from me.”
Lu Xingxing came to a screeching halt, his hair that had been sticking up in surprise now drooping limply, like a husky with its ears drooping in sadness.
However, Ye Li didn’t immediately enter the cottage but instead stood quietly outside, as if waiting for something.
Curious, Lu Xingxing sneaked a glance.
Ye Li didn’t have to wait long, and soon a figure appeared not far away.
It was Yan Shixun.
Ye Li’s face, which had been emotionless, immediately softened into a gentle smile as he walked toward Yan Shixun. “Shixun…”
But just as he spoke, he realized that Yan Shixun wasn’t alone.
Yan Shixun looked like a young wife returning to her parents’ home. In his left hand, he was carrying an older sister, and in his right hand, a younger sister, with Jing Xiaobao perched on his back.
Jing Xiaobao was lying on Yan Shixun’s broad and firm shoulder, propping up his soft chubby cheeks with one hand while his other arm wrapped around Yan Shixun’s neck. He was giggling and chatting about his experiences with Yan Shixun.
It looked like an ordinary child sharing the fun of an amusement park with their parents.
When Jing Xiaobao noticed Ye Li’s gaze, he provocatively tilted his head, a smug look on his face, as if to say, I get to be carried by Yan Yan. What about you?
Ye Li’s face darkened in an instant.
Meanwhile, Lu Xingxing, with tears streaming down his face, dashed over, calling out in excitement, “Brother~~Yan!!”
His body was covered in blood and mud, with only his face barely cleaned enough to recognize his features.
He looked like a dog that had been playing in a muddy pit outside, happily running toward his owner with mud all over his body the moment he spotted him.
As soon as Yan Shixun saw Lu Xingxing’s state, he immediately frowned and ordered, “Stay there. Don’t come any closer, or I’ll beat you.”
Lu Xingxing, on the verge of tears, felt deeply hurt. He had already been scorned by both Master Aunt and Master Uncle, and it felt like the emotional blow was turning him into a wreck.
But Yan Shixun remained unfazed.
—Given his understanding of Lu Xingxing’s thick skin, he knew this wasn’t a big deal.
Moreover, he was far less willing to have him smudge him with blood and dirt—it was disgusting.
Turning to the sisters, Yan Shixun’s expression shifted from one of disdain to one of comforting warmth as he gently set them down.
“We’ll leave Nanming Mountain together. You’ll come with us.”
He smiled reassuringly. “There will be people to help you adjust to your new life. Don’t worry.”
The younger sister immediately ran into her older sister’s arms, crying, while the older sister nodded, tears in her eyes, and whispered, “Thank you.”
The two sisters held each other tightly, crying.
Meanwhile, Ye Li walked over. When no one was looking, he casually wrapped his arm around Yan Shixun’s waist.
—And, pretending to be indifferent, he tossed Jing Xiaobao aside.
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