Chapter 61: Rainstorm Wild Temple 23
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Yan Shixun’s solemn and serious voice echoed as the smile on the Mountain God’s lips grew gentler.
The semi-transparent figure in the air became increasingly faint, while the rice paper neatly stacked by Yan Shixun’s side was rapidly blurred by water stains that appeared out of thin air. The ink characters dissolved and the smudges expanded, and it seemed like this scroll of the Mountain God’s temple records would be completely destroyed in a moment.
And from that moment on, no one would know that there was once a Mountain God here, willing to do everything to protect her people.
The Mountain God’s power grew weaker, to the point where it couldn’t sustain her visible form, and she was on the verge of dissipating.
However, because she had entrusted the thing she cared about most to Yan Shixun, she faced imminent death without fear. Instead, a hint of contentment and peace appeared on her face.
“Wild Wolf Peak… I entrust it to you, the exorcist of the mortal realm.”
The Mountain God smiled and lowered her gaze, looking at Yan Shixun.
Her form slowly disintegrated into countless points of light in the air, like a myriad of fireflies. The light was fragmented but never gave up illuminating a corner of space, shining beautifully.
“I lend you my remaining power, and I pass on the final name of the Wild Wolf Peak’s Mountain God to you. I believe you will make good use of these powers.”
The Mountain God smiled and gave a final nod of respect to the man standing behind Yan Shixun, bowing slightly as if paying her respects.
But the man’s expression remained cold, overly sharp, and icy. Aside from when he looked at Yan Shixun, there was no trace of emotion on his face.
Then, the Mountain God closed her eyes.
Her form finally dissipated.
At the same time, all the characters on the neatly arranged sheets of rice paper on the table disappeared completely, disintegrating into dust and scattering all over the table and floor. A breeze blew, and they were gone.
As if that memory and time had vanished completely.
On the other side, the wooden god statue that had been guarding the main hall, covered in dust, made a faint “crack” sound. Cracks spread, and the already fragile statue finally split in half from the middle. The liveliness that had once graced the statue dimmed, leaving it in a dull, gray state.
Meanwhile, the old woman who had been chatting with the crew members suddenly stood up from her wicker chair, staring in astonishment and confusion in the direction of the Mountain God Temple.
“Mountain God…”
Under the pouring rain, the entire Wild Wolf Peak emitted a mournful “wooo… wooo…” sound, echoing in the silent and deserted valley, reaching far and wide.
It was as if the entire land and all the surviving creatures were lamenting the Mountain God’s imminent demise.
Subconsciously, Yan Shixun took a few steps forward, reaching out to the spot where the Mountain God had just stood, but only grasped a fading light spot with his hand.
However, at the same time, he suddenly felt as if, in that moment, he had merged with the vast expanse of the heavens and the earth. It was as if he stood atop the mountain peaks with his arms outstretched, facing the wind. Then he submerged into the rivers, swimming alongside fish. He could sense the swaying of every flower and the sprouting of every blade of grass in the mountains.
As vast as the heavens and the earth, he was omnipresent.
And in his ears, there were countless curses and laments from people. All the whispers and low voices intertwined and mingled, the last attachment and persistence of souls to the mortal world.
The Mountain God had actually lent her power, along with the Mountain God position of Wild Wolf Peak, to him.
“Mountain God… is dead?” Yan Shixun’s expression was somewhat dazed.
The man who had witnessed everything approached Yan Shixun, taking a few long strides to reach his side. He extended his cold and strong hand to grip Yan Shixun’s shoulder, preventing him from feeling dizzy due to seeing too much and hearing too much, serving as a support point for him.
“As long as grass and trees grow again on this land, animals return to the mountains, people settle here. Farm and raise chickens and ducks, and seek the protection of the Mountain God, praying for everlasting harvests in the coming years. Then, the faith here will gather once again, and a new Mountain God will emerge.”
The man’s voice was flat as he stated the facts, devoid of any emotion. “After the Mountain God dies, it will merge once again with the mountains and rivers, nurturing this land to regain vitality… That’s how it has always been with the Mountain God.”
“But you don’t need to worry.” When the man looked at Yan Shixun, a smile appeared in his originally cold eyes. “Even if you serve as a temporary ‘Mountain God,’ you won’t have a chance to experience death. You will live for a very long time, not until your age, will Fengdu claim you.”
The man initially thought that Yan Shixun would be afraid that he would end up like the Mountain God. So, he wanted to reassure and comfort him.
However, to his surprise, Yan Shixun looked at him with a skeptical gaze. “I’ve felt that something was amiss since our encounter in the main hall, no, even earlier. You don’t seem like someone who came to apply for an assistant director position. Who are you?”
“You understood the feelings that I never even mentioned, the feeling when I don’t know anything about the affairs of spirits and gods. You know far more about Yin and Yang than any living person I’ve ever seen. Even the efficacy of talismans can rival the level of certain martial sect founders… You’re not an assistant director.”
Yan Shixun’s tone gradually shifted from doubt to determination. He turned to stand in front of the man, facing him seriously. He said, “If you think about it carefully, apart from me, you haven’t spoken to anyone from the production team, and they haven’t been aware of your presence. Even including me, and especially Zhang Wubing, who should have had more interactions with you due to work, no one from the production team has ever asked for your name or called you by your name.”
“Who are you? What’s your name?”
In the dilapidated and dimly lit room, the atmosphere that had just relaxed suddenly tensed up again.
As for the audience, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, watching the assistant director fully appear on camera for the first time and hearing Yan Shixun’s questioning tone, their hearts, which had just settled down, started to tremble once more.
[Huh? What’s going on? Why is Brother Yan asking like this? Could it be… this guy is, is a ghost?]
[After all, even Brother Yan suspects him now. Maybe it’s true? I don’t care! Brother Yan looks so handsome! Did you all see that scene just now? It was like I was reaching out to hold Brother Yan’s hand. I’m so excited that I’m rolling around in bed like a worm.]
[What? That can’t be. After all, such a handsome man, how could a ghost be this handsome? (bewildered.jpg) I saw this guy on the frame around Brother Yan’s split screen earlier. He was so handsome that I screamed like crazy. But for some reason, when I tried to look at him again, the camera seemed conscious and just skipped over him. Unless Brother Yan was next to him, I couldn’t catch a glimpse of him. But now! Brother Yan has directly focused the split-screen camera on this person. My goodness, even though I still can’t see his face, with that body and presence, it’s incredible. Is this show toxic? Why are all the amateurs so good-looking, first Brother Yan, and now this guy? It looks like Brother Yan’s saying he’s the assistant director? Wow, is this incredibly handsome assistant director a real thing?]
[I also accidentally caught a glimpse of him earlier, but at that time, I didn’t have time to think he was handsome. It’s not that he isn’t handsome; it’s just that he’s really scary. I was already trembling with fear because of those moving murals, thinking that the cartoon characters on my wallpaper at home were all moving. Then, when the camera focused on him, I was completely frozen. My brain went “buzz” and felt like it disappeared. I even felt cold wrapped up in my blanket, even though it’s summer. My mom thought I caught a cold just because I felt cold, and she asked me about it for a long time.]
[Ah, you guys are all lucky. Can you understand the pain of living alone in a house with a graveyard view? I’m alone at home, and outside the window is a graveyard. I used to always hear strange sounds like “ge leng ge leng” from outside. Things in my house would also be moved around, making me suspect that the neighbor from the graveyard next door was visiting my house. But then, just now, when the camera focused on this person, my house suddenly became silent. Completely silent! No sound at all, it was so quiet that it felt like I was in a graveyard! My goodness, I was so scared, what’s going on? It’s even scarier than hearing noises!]
[No, did you all just easily accept the existence of these things? Didn’t you see that just now, a woman appeared right in front of Brother Yan? After saying a bunch of weird stuff, she suddenly disappeared again! My goodness, I saw a living ghost for the first time, it was so thrilling!!! I almost passed out from fright.]
[I don’t think the young lady who appeared just now is a ghost. This is the Mountain God’s temple, right? Brother Yan was just flipping through papers recording the Mountain God’s deeds, and she must be the Mountain God, right? And for some reason, when I saw that young lady just now, I suddenly remembered the things I used to play in the village back in my hometown when I was a child. Our village also believed in the Mountain God, and there was a particularly large and thick sacred tree at the village entrance. It was always adorned with various colorful ribbons and the favorite wristbands and flower wreaths of little girls. They would always clamor to go to the market to buy silk threads and make beautiful wristbands for Grandma Mountain God. I used to love sleeping under the tree so much; I would always sleep very soundly as if I had had a beautiful dream, but I would forget it when I woke up. Those memories were really beautiful. When I saw that young lady just now, I thought about it and started crying. Now I’m crying with a face full of snot and tears, looking really miserable. I miss home, and I miss Grandma Mountain God.]
[What about that sheet of paper? Did no one notice that sheet of paper? My goodness, it turned into powder in just a few seconds. How is that possible?]
[It’s not just the sheet of paper, there were also fireflies. I double-checked several times to make sure I wasn’t seeing things at night, and those dots were indeed fireflies!]
[Sigh… My grandfather used to be the caretaker of the Mountain God Temple when he was alive, a respected elder with a high reputation in the village. He used to help sweep the ashes of incense in the Mountain God’s temple and such. So, I really feel a strong connection to the Mountain God. When that figure suddenly appeared just now, I truly felt like I had returned to my childhood, basking in the sun while eating candy by the big pillar of the Mountain God Temple, feeling warm and happy. I think this might really be the Mountain God. But, Brother Yan just said that the Mountain God is dead…]
[Heavens, no, right? This young lady looks very gentle and easygoing; how could she be dead? Please, no, wuwuwu.]
[Sigh, there’s no way. Times change, and many places don’t need gods anymore…]
Although Yan Shixun borrowed a phone from An Nanyuan, he still wasn’t in the habit of checking his phone constantly. The phone in his coat pocket lit up a few times and then went dark, but he didn’t notice it.
Master Ma from Haiyun Temple: [Junior Brohter Yan! The auspicious and boundless Heaven Sovereign, I’ve finally managed to get through to your phone. It wasn’t easy at all! I just called Miss Bai Shuang, and she said that your phone was lost, and you’re currently using Mr. An Nanyuan’s phone. Since he added my private contact last time, I quickly messaged you.]
Master Ma from Haiyun Temple: [Junior Brother Yan, the Wild Wolf Peak is extremely dangerous on rainy days! It’s no longer a place where we can intervene. Although Master Uncle Li said you could go, for safety’s sake, find an opportunity to leave with everyone. We’ll be waiting for you outside Wild Wolf Peak. As soon as you enter the territory of Wild Wolf Peak, all magical methods and spells will become ineffective; it’s very perilous! Don’t be reckless, Junior Brother Yan.]
Master Ma from Haiyun Temple: [??? Junior Brother Yan, I’m watching your split-screen live broadcast. Please take a look at your phone!!! I’m in a hurry; why are you so fixated on that guy? Why are you constantly looking at him? Everyone says that young people like to use their phones; even the official in charge next to me said so. Why aren’t you looking?]
Master Ma from Haiyun Temple: [Junior Brother Yan, if you like looking at guys, look at me! I’m a guy too!]
……
The man who was being closely observed by Yan Shixun lowered his eyelashes and looked at the faint light coming from Yan Shixun’s pocket. The phone, without any message notifications, futilely tried to gain the owner’s attention but remained unnoticed.
Someone is trying to contact you, won’t you check?
The man was just about to ask Yan Shixun this question when he suddenly realized that the person trying to contact Yan Shixun was also a man and was urging Yan Shixun not to look at him but to pay attention to his message.
The man’s face immediately darkened slightly, and the words he had intended to say got stuck in his throat. He inexplicably didn’t want Yan Shixun to shift his gaze away from him, which was fixed on him at that moment, to look at the message from the other man. His attention was focused on the other person.
There was only one person among the exorcists who acted like this.
He had spent nearly a millennium searching for him and had finally found him. Since then, every day was joyful because of the resonance between him and the exorcist known as Yan Shixun.
He didn’t want to lose that.
He wanted to keep watching the miracles brought by the exorcist known as Yan Shixun.
The man moved his lips slightly as if he wanted to say something.
His long hair cast a shadow on his pale face, which had not seen sunlight for years, making it difficult for Yan Shixun to discern his expression.
“Shixun…”
Just as the man instinctively took a half step forward and was about to say something…
Yan Shixun’s phone suddenly rang, and he instinctively looked in the direction of the sound, diverting his attention elsewhere as he picked up the phone.
Interrupting what the man had intended to say.
“Junior Brother Yan!” As soon as the call was connected, an urgent voice came from the other end.
Yan Shixun furrowed his brow, recalling the familiar voice. It seemed to be Taoist Ma from Haiyun Temple.
Taoist Ma sounded extremely excited: “Heaven Sovereign of Boundless Blessings! I finally managed to reach you, Junior Brother Yan. It wasn’t easy for me all night.”
“Just a moment ago, I messaged you, but you didn’t check it. Let me get straight to the point. Junior Brother Yan, for some reason, the signal suddenly improved, and the barrier that was preventing us from entering Wild Wolf Peak weakened. You should take this opportunity to leave Wild Wolf Peak with everyone. It’s too dangerous there, and it’s not something you can handle…”
In the background of the call, the angry shouts of the old Taoist suddenly sounded, interrupting Taoist Ma’s words: “Who said that? Gou Dan’s disciple is absolutely superior, and even more talented! He’ll definitely make it!”
Next, Taoist Ma let out a wry smile as he covered the receiver. “Master Uncle, please don’t say such things now. Many people failed miserably in that place over a decade ago…”
Beside him, the official in charge took advantage of the confusion and leaned in to interject, “Mr. Yan Shixun, I’m the official responsible for these kinds of incidents from our side. We met the last time. How is the situation over there? Are there any injured individuals? Do you need immediate medical assistance or anything else? We are ready to…”
Yan Shixun listened quietly, discerning the situation from the three distinct voices on the other end.
He smiled faintly, his voice magnetic and steady. “Don’t worry, I will lead everyone out of here—after we’ve completely resolved the matter at Wild Wolf Peak.”
“It’s been nineteen years, and karma demands closure. Those who have departed should return.”
The voice on the other end of the call fell silent abruptly.
After a long pause, Taoist Ma murmured with mixed emotions, “Junior Brother Yan… Truly worthy of being the direct disciple of Master Chengyun.”
Upon hearing Yan Shixun’s affirmative response, the official who had been listening to the speakerphone by the phone breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly contacted his superiors and arranged for a blockade around Wild Wolf Peak to prevent innocent bystanders from getting involved.
Initially, he was quite concerned about the situation at Wild Wolf Peak. However, after hearing the old Taoist spoke highly of Yan Shixun and now hearing Yan Shixun himself make a commitment, he couldn’t help but subconsciously feel that if it was Yan Shixun, he could indeed accomplish it!
Amidst the joy, there was one man standing not far from Yan Shixun, his expression turning dark.
His aura instantly became oppressive, and the temperature dropped to freezing point.
Seeing Yan Shixun smiling as he spoke to someone on the phone, completely focused on the call and not sparing him a glance, the man suddenly felt miserable.
It was as if the attention that should have been his had been stolen.
Through the camera, the man’s expression and aura were transmitted to the viewers watching the split-screen broadcast from different angles. Whether they were silently watching alongside the viewers, hanging upside down from the bunk or cabinet to peer at the screen, emerging from under the bed to eagerly watch, or peering into the room from outside, all the spirits were frightened and stiffened upon seeing the man’s expression. They felt like they might be killed, and some ghosts were nearly scared in half.
Many viewers, as they watched the man on the screen, felt as if their blood had frozen when he looked into the camera.
Some viewers rubbed their arms and wondered, [Why did it suddenly become so cold?]
[I know, I didn’t even turn on the air conditioning, and I’m shivering.]
[Same here! There was just a loud thud under my bed!]
[My window just cracked!]
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