Chapter 36: Ghost Mountain Villa 36 Part 1
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Although the old Taoist had watched the live broadcast and recordings of this show with other Taoists from the Haiyun Temple before coming to Gui Mountain, and had seen Yan Shixun’s face.
At that time, he had only felt that Yan Shixun looked familiar and somehow comforting, as if he had seen him somewhere before, but it was a blurry memory.
It wasn’t until now, with no camera obstructing the view, that the old Taoist saw Yan Shixun’s facial features with his own eyes. It was the same as the Ghostly Facial Features that only one person he had seen in his entire life possessed. That’s when he recognized Yan Shixun’s identity.
As for the other crew members, their guard had lessened upon seeing the old Taoist’s righteous and dignified appearance. They hadn’t expected that after this relaxation, the old Taoist would casually address Yan Shixun with such an intimate and familiar tone, as if he were an old friend of Yan Shixun’s master, showing no sense of strangeness at all.
It was mainly because of the use of the name “Gou Dan.”…..
Note: Gou Dan means ‘dog egg’ literally.
So many of them found themselves in a rather awkward position, not knowing how to react. Their faces turned bright red.
Zhang Wubing, in particular, turned to look at Yan Shixun in shock and asked in a tone of mixed surprise and bewilderment, “Brother Yan…. Your teacher’s nickname is quite unique, huh? I think your teacher and my parents would get along really well.”
Yan Shixun’s originally cold expression almost cracked.
—He wanted to throw this speechless fool out.
However, before the old Taoist could say anything, a clamor of voices and shouts came from the forest behind him, where they had just arrived.
“Taoist Li, what’s the situation on the mountain? Is it an earthquake? Should we quickly contact the people below and have the villagers in this area evacuate urgently?”
The urgent cries preceded the arrival of the people.
Several individuals clad in bright rescue uniforms, with a worried and anxious expression, pushed through the dense foliage and emerged from the forest.
It was the rescue team members who had just found the old Taoist to regroup with after the mountain tremors.
When they looked up and saw the production team members standing across from them, their initially anxious expressions momentarily blanked, then transformed into ecstatic excitement.
“It’s those program participants who were trapped, just as the public reported! Quick, contact the rescue team from below to come up, we’ve found them!”
“They’re alive, they’re alive!”
Upon seeing the rescue team, the members of the production team were stunned for a few seconds before realizing that it was likely the worried viewers who had alerted the authorities and organized the rescue team after their live broadcast signal had gone offline.
They still couldn’t believe that they had walked out of that eerie mansion. Even though they were now bathed in the warm, bright sunlight, they still felt as if it were unreal.
They still seemed to carry the lingering coldness from the cellar, with the sticky blood left on their bodies by the humanoid monsters that had dragged them into the pile of creatures. This residue tainted their clothes, making them look extremely disheveled.
It wasn’t until the crew members saw the old Taoist and the rescue team members running towards them with undisguised joy that they finally began to fully realize.
They were out; they had finally made it out!
Yan Shixun, the amateur whom no one had initially paid much attention to, had indeed led all of them out of that dangerous mansion filled with ghosts and monsters. Yan Shixun hadn’t lied! He said that as long as they believed in him and believed in themselves that they could leave. It was true!
Bai Shuang couldn’t hold back her excitement and burst into tears.
An Nanyuan, like many others, couldn’t help but look at Yan Shixun, displaying a look of trust and admiration.
“Brother Yan, it’s really great to know you. Meeting Brother Yan on this variety show is the biggest reward for me. If it weren’t for you, maybe all of us would have been trapped here.”
An Nanyuan sniffled and, with a quivering voice filled with suppressed emotion, expressed his gratitude, saying, “Thank you, Brother Yan, thank you so much. If you ever need anything in the future, please don’t hesitate to ask me.”
Among all of them, only Yan Shixun’s emotions remained the most stable.
After years of exorcising and suppressing evil, he had already encountered all sorts of people and reactions, and whether it was gratitude or anything else, he was unfazed by it.
Seeing An Nanyuan so excited, standing beside him and continuously expressing gratitude, even attempting to add his social media accounts, Yan Shixuan only glanced at An Nanyuan and said, “Who’s that ‘Great Sage who Saves the Suffering and Helps the Needy’ you keep mentioning? Don’t tell me you’re describing me with that; that would be disgusting.”
Yan Shixun chuckled and refused An Nanyuan’s gratitude, saying, “I saved you and the others because Zhang Dabing paid for it. Otherwise, do you think I would work for free?”
He wouldn’t casually form karmic relationships with others, as it would only bring him trouble. As for gratitude and the like, he preferred to settle it with money.
Everyone should be realistic – clear debts with money.
However, Yan Shixuan’s straightforward and unflattering attitude made him appear even more like a high-minded individual who cared little for fame and fortune in the eyes of the others.
For a moment, their gazes toward Yan Shixun became more fervent.
As guests who were already accustomed to navigating the entertainment industry and dealing with people, when they saw An Nanyuan’s actions, they followed suit, coming over one by one to ask for Yan Shixun’s social media accounts.
—Didn’t Mr. Yan himself say that it was because he knew Director Zhang that he took action? If it weren’t for him, not to mention this variety show, even Director Zhang himself might have been in a difficult spot.
This fully reflects the importance of knowing a master with real skills; in critical moments, they can save lives!
Yan Shixun, who had not previously been in contact with people from the entertainment industry, frowned as he watched the increasingly excited guests. He couldn’t help but think that if these people were on Zhang Wubing’s show, they were probably just as “Youbing” (crazy) as him.
He had clearly stated that he only saved them because he took the job for the money. Why were they still so excited? Didn’t they understand the concept of “money over life”?
Yan Shixun was tightly surrounded by the enthusiastic guests. Even his cold face, full of sarcastic remarks, couldn’t deter their eagerness.
They held out their phones towards Yan Shixun. One said they wanted to follow Mr. Yan on social media, another asked for Brother Yan’s phone number.
There was even someone who asked on the spot if Mr. Yan could be booked for ghost exorcism. After barely escaping death in the mansion, he feared he wouldn’t dare to sleep at home and wanted Mr. Yan to check if there were any ghosts at his place. He would only feel at ease and sleep soundly then.
An Nanyuan even enthusiastically suggested that, being in the same city in the future, they could have a meal with Yan Shixun. If Yan Shixun needed an assistant for ghost-catching or exorcism, he could be his sidekick for free and even offer to pay him.
When he watched Hollywood adventure films, he was both scared and eager to try it. He would absolutely do whatever Yan Shixun said, without causing any trouble or lagging behind.
……
The guests were passionately chatting with each other, eagerly waiting for Yan Shixun to give them a phone number or social media account.
The situation was starting to look like Yan Shixun was a mega superstar, while these well-known figures in the entertainment industry were becoming his dedicated fans, enthusiastically gathering around him as if they were seeking autographs.
Yan Shixun: “…Are you guys crazy?”
However, considering that many of them had encountered evil spirits to varying degrees during their trip to the Ghost Mountain Villa, their luck and vitality were affected due to their encounters with these malevolent entities, making them more susceptible to negative influences, Yan Shixun decided to give them Zhang Wubing’s personal contact information. He told them they could contact him through Zhang Wubing if they found themselves in danger.
A few male guests wisely chose not to push their luck too far, as they didn’t want to risk annoying Yan Shixun. They added Zhang Wubing and thanked Yan Shixun, planning to gradually build a better relationship with him in the future.
However, An Nanyuan wore a dejected expression, looking pitifully at Yan Shixun, showing no signs of giving up.
The rest of the group, relieved that they were finally safe, let go of the tension they had been holding onto for so long.
During moments of high tension, the body automatically adjusts hormone levels to decrease pain perception, granting increased strength and endurance to fend off external threats.
It’s only after the crisis has passed and they return to normal perception that they become aware of any injuries or pain.
The situation in the wine cellar had been extremely dangerou. If it weren’t for Yan Shixun’s timely intervention from the source of the Ghost Mountain, both Yan Shixun and the rest of the group would have faced a fierce battle.
Despite the circumstances, many members of the production team sustained injuries during their confrontation with those monsters.
Several staff members only noticed their pain and injuries once they had relaxed a bit. They found themselves suffering from severe bruises, cuts, and deep wounds inflicted by the creatures’ bone claws, some of which were nearly down to the bone. Even those with milder injuries had a fair share of bruises and scrapes.
Many of them were so exhausted that they plopped down on the ground. Even Bai Shuang, who usually cared about her appearance, lay flat on the ground without any concern, too tired to even lift a finger.
The rescue team members rushed over to check their conditions, relieved to find that none of them were in life-threatening danger.
During the intense shaking, which felt like an earthquake, the entire Ghost Mountain had experienced tree falls and ground ruptures. In their haste to avoid danger, the rescue team had also abandoned much of their equipment, including medical supplies. They had lost track of where even the first-aid kits had gone.
As soon as they followed the footsteps of the old Taoist and arrived, the rescue team members immediately used the satellite phone, which had just regained signal, to relay information to the part of the rescue team stationed at the foot of the mountain. They urgently requested the transportation of medical supplies up the mountain.
The rescue team members who had brought up the supplies quickly arrived.
They carried medical kits and rushed over to examine the wounds, providing emergency treatment.
“I remember seeing two severely injured individuals in the livestream,” one of the medical team members wondered aloud. “Why aren’t they here? We need to help that woman with her lacerations and possible infections as soon as possible, or it could become very dangerous.”
The words of the medical team member left everyone in sudden shock.
They looked around and realized that only those who had escaped from the wine cellar were present – there was no sign of Liu Yiyi, the male singer who had been scared out of his wits, or the male guest who had fallen into a blood-drinking frenzy and lost consciousness in the wine cellar. All of them were not there!
Could it be that they did not come out with them?
Zhang Wubing felt a chill down his spine and quickly turned to look at Yan Shixun. “Brother Yan…..”
“What’s the rush? Just wait for a call,” Yan Shixun replied calmly, lounging on a large rock nearby with his eyes closed.
Yan Shixun’s calm response reassured the others, and they no longer worried. Instead, they relaxed, lying down and too tired to move.
The rescue team members, who had not experienced the thrilling escape from the Ghost Mountain Villa, couldn’t help but think that the members of the production crew had been frightened out of their wits. They found the young man they called Brother Yan, rather unreliable.
Their gazes toward Yan Shixun were filled with disapproval.
The rescue team leader turned to the old Taoist and asked, “Taoist Li, what do you think we should do now? Based on the live broadcast, the severely injured woman can’t be delayed any longer.”
The old Taoist withdrew his gaze from Yan Shixun, and upon hearing the rescue team leader’s question, he pinched his fingers, calculated for a moment, and then sat down, starting to meditate and practice breathing exercises.
“Wait. Just bandage the wounds of the injured in front of you for now. The rest of you, wait for someone to call you.”
The rescue team leader: “?”
One of the rescue team members was dissatisfied and said, “No, Taoist Li, these are human lives. We can’t be so hasty…”
“Then go to the underworld yourself.”
The old Taoist retorted. “You were just on Ghost Mountain yourselves. Didn’t you see those locust trees and ghosts? Gui Mountain has just separated from Ghost Mountain, and those who are still inexperienced and weak in Yang energy naturally take longer to return. Are you not willing to wait? Would you like to go to the underworld and bring them back?”
Listening to the old Taoist’s words, it seemed like what Yan Shixun did was correct. The missing people were still on Ghost Mountain, not yet returned…
The rescue team leader shivered, despite the bright sun shining on him, he felt a chill down his spine.
The team member who had questioned the decision fell silent, recalling the scenes that had shattered his worldview just moments ago. He wisely kept his mouth shut and began tending to the injured in front of him.
After a while, just as the rescue team leader was anxiously waiting and hesitating to ask further, a call suddenly came through on his phone.
“Is, is this the rescue team?” a middle-aged man’s voice on the other end sounded on the verge of tears. “I’m the one who owns a vacation villa on Gui Mountain, the one you came to inquire about the situation earlier. I need to call the police, I need to call the police, wuu wuu…”
“？”
The rescue team leader unconsciously glanced at Yan Shixun, who was still meditating with his eyes closed, thinking that it couldn’t be just a coincidence. He patiently asked, “Yes, I remember you. Is there something you need help with?”
“There are ghosts! There are ghosts!!”
The middle-aged man was terrified, “Several bloody ghosts suddenly appeared in my villa hotel! They just appeared instantly, ‘snap!’ and dropped right here. Hurry, come quickly!!!”
Without waiting for the rescue team leader to respond to the distressed man’s plea, Yan Shixun, who had been sitting on the large rock with his eyes closed, had already opened his slightly narrow, ink-black eyes. He calmly stood up, brushed the dust off his pants.
“Let’s go to the real Gui Mountain Villa.”
Yan Shixun cast a somewhat cryptic glance at Zhang Wubing beside him and added, “Let’s see what the villa you originally booked looks like.”
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