Chapter 63: Rainstorm Wild Temple 25 Part 1
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Under extreme terror, Zhang Wubing lost control of his volume, and his screams were faithfully captured by the split-screen camera, transmitting the horrifying sounds to the ears of the viewers in front of their screens.
Similarly, Taoist Ma and the official in charge, who were watching the live broadcast, immediately tensed up again upon hearing the screams about charred corpses. Their expressions became serious and grave.
The official hesitated for a moment and asked, “These charred corpses that the director mentioned, are they the ones I’m thinking of?”
“Since it’s in Wild Wolf Peak, there’s no other possibility,” Taoist Ma’s face looked grim. “It’s the same as those charred corpses we found in every house in the nearby village when the incident happened at Wild Wolf Peak. Those villagers voluntarily jumped into the fire after falling under possession, turning into charred corpses.”
Hearing the least desired answer, the official began to sound impatient. “But how is that possible? Back then, we brought back all the bodies, conducted autopsies and even had forensic reports. I remember it clearly because the causes of death for those charred corpses were unusual, and almost everyone’s relatives died in that disaster. No one came to claim the bodies, so we had a mass burial. Taoist Li even painted the exorcism symbols on top! Logically, those charred corpses shouldn’t be here. They shouldn’t be able to move or chase after the director of this show.”
The old Taoist snorted, “Those charred corpses won’t tear through my exorcism symbols and escape, but saying that you’re so sure they shouldn’t be here… Don’t use the logic of the ordinary world to judge supernatural beings.”
“If the director truly encountered charred corpses, based on his conversation with Gou Dan’s disciple and what he saw in the ruined mountain temple and village, it’s completely different from where the others, including Gou Dan’s disciple, are located.”
The old Taoist rubbed his chin and gained some clarity in his mind. “It seems that this director, who got separated from the others, ventured into the most authentic remnants of that time. That’s why he could see the real mountain temple. As for the others, including Gou Dan’s disciple, they must have entered the ‘temple’ of that evil god. Those charred corpses are probably not the villagers we buried back then; they are the lingering spirits and obsessions of those villagers who continued to haunt the places of their former lives.”
“For so many years, Wild Wolf Peak has been feared and helpless because it’s isolated in another realm, the place where god died and roads disappeared, abandoned by heaven and earth. Anything can happen there.”
The old Taoist’s gaze fell on the figure of Yan Shixun on the screen, muttering to himself, somewhat puzzled, “This director can even encounter this? He’s really unlucky. What kind of lousy constitution does he have? I always said that Gou Dan’s disciple had the best ghost-restraining constitution. How did he encounter ghosts two or three times? It turns out it’s because of this director?”
Listening to the explanations of the Taoists around him, the official’s heart raced. Although he was separated from Wild Wolf Peak by the rain curtain and could do nothing to help the director being chased by the charred corpses, he couldn’t help but empathize with the director, feeling anxious and worried.
As someone who had personally experienced the Wild Wolf Peak incident many years ago, he was acutely aware of just how terrifying the charred corpses that filled the entire village and households had been. The subsequent efforts to deal with the aftermath had consumed more than a decade of his life, and it still hadn’t been fully resolved. They had to rely on the Mountain God’s compassion, as advised by the Shaman back then, to confine the danger within Wild Wolf Peak. Over the years, they had successfully prevented any innocent individuals from being affected by it.
However, the official distinctly remembered the words of another master who had shaken his head back then.
——‘Since even the divine position can be taken away, the Mountain God must have been weakened to the extreme, on the verge of death at any moment. You’re placing your hope in the Mountain God, but what if the Mountain God dies? The evil god is vengeful, the Mountain God has been suppressing it for a day, and once the Mountain God dies, it will surely seek revenge for thousands of days. By then, Wild Wolf Peak will truly become a dead land, and all the land and creatures in the vicinity will be affected.’
At that time, the Shaman smiled bitterly, ‘We can only take it one step at a time. With our abilities, we’ve already done everything we can. If, ten or twenty years later, the Mountain God truly dies, and the evil god retaliates… then we’ll have to pray for a miracle from the heavens.’
The reappearance of the charred corpses suddenly filled the official in charge with a heavy sense of crisis.
Just moments ago, when Yan Shixun said the Mountain God had died, could it be that this was now the evil god’s retaliation?
What would become of Wild Wolf Peak? Would it be completely resolved, or would it become a dead land filled with malevolence?
Could this Yan Shixun be the miracle spoken of by the Shaman at that time?
The official in charge’s work phone kept ringing, but he held his mobile tightly, staring at the screen with a taut heart.
……
Upon hearing Zhang Wubing mention the approaching charred corpses, Yan Shixun immediately realized what was happening.
Before, Zhang Wubing was not chased by those entities when he hid in the Mountain God Temple. This was because this foolish young man, despite always attracting spirits and being a bit silly, retained a soft-hearted kindness. Not only did he wipe away the dust from the god statue lying on the temple floor and place it back on the altar with reverence, but he also worshipped the god statue with awe.
This act allowed the mountain god, originally tender-hearted and willing to protect everyone but rendered powerless because of being ousted from the godly seat, to regain a faint glimmer of strength. With this newfound power, it shielded Zhang Wubing, preventing the evil spirits from approaching the Mountain God Temple where Zhang Wubing had sought refuge.
Zhang Wubing, due to his kindness, had inadvertently saved himself.
However, after the Mountain God had entrusted her remaining strength to Yan Shixun and completed her request, she had already passed away.
The protective power shielding Zhang Wubing dissipated, and the malevolent entities took the opportunity to approach the dilapidated Mountain God Temple.
Yan Shixun was not affected by Zhang Wubing’s terrified screams. His mind continued to work rapidly, and he quickly grasped the cause and effect.
“Zhang Wubing, be quiet,” Yan Shixun calmly commanded, helping Zhang Wubing, who had been terrified out of his senses, regain his composure.
“Turn on the speaker, max out the volume on your phone, and point it towards the direction of the charred corpse, immediately.”
Panicking, Zhang Wubing, still trembling, followed Yan Shixun’s instructions, clutching his phone and tremblingly opening the speaker.
At the same time, Yan Shixun slightly closed his eyes, using the power granted by the Mountain God to extend his senses deep into the earth. He was like a temporary Mountain God, temporarily becoming the overseer of this land, sensing everything happening on the earth and hearing every sound.
His sensory range rapidly spread outward, and he quickly discovered the ruined village and the Mountain God Temple nearby.
“B-Brother Yan, that thing is about to pounce on me, what should I do?” Zhang Wubing, who was at a loss and trembling, cowered in a corner against the wall, trying to move away from the charred corpse that was getting closer and closer. But behind him, there was already a wall. There was nowhere else to retreat.
Not only that, but through the window frame next to him, which was now just an empty frame, he saw several black figures swaying toward the Mountain God Temple in the pale morning light.
They were the charred corpses!
Zhang Wubing was like a piece of fat thrown into a pack of wolves at this moment, everyone wanted to pounce on him and swallow him whole.
“Brother Yan, wuwuwu, if you don’t act now, you’ll lose your Xiaobing! Brother Yan, save me!!”
At this moment, Yan Shixun suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze as sharp as the edge of a snow blade.
“…Gather inauspiciousness, ascend the mountain and dive into the marshes, support the Six Abdominal Regions on the left, guard the Six Innate Gates on the right… I, your lord, wield the power of destruction, first slay the malevolent spirits, then cut down the evil entities.”
The clear and articulated incantation resounded in the air, carrying a tremendous sense of deterrence. It was transmitted through the phone’s speaker to the location where Zhang Wubing was.
The charred corpses and scarecrows that had been swiftly approaching Zhang Wubing suddenly stopped in their tracks. They turned around as if they had seen a ferocious beast and sensed danger, then quickly fled.
Even though their appearances had changed drastically, their fear was still evident in the way they hastily retreated.
Zhang Wubing, trembling like jelly, stared at the charred corpses, which had just been aggressively lunging at him moments ago but were now fleeing in disarray, as if their lives depended on it. His face, wet with tears and snot, showed a hint of bewilderment.
Yan Shixun’s voice was steady and fierce, not trying to increase the volume like a shout, but it still carried a mighty force. It quickly spread through the air and the earth from where he stood, echoing throughout the entire mountainous region, aligning with the meridians of spiritual energy flowing within the mountains. His power swiftly reached all places touched by his voice.
He was using the power entrusted to him by the Mountain God, blending it with the spiritual energy of the mountains that the Mountain God was supposed to oversee. This allowed his power to flow through the entire Wild Wolf Peak along the mountain ranges.
Golden runes appeared in the air, scattering around Yan Shixun, and his slender fingers drew intricate patterns in the air, creating a gust of wind that caused those golden characters to follow his movements. Before him, they quickly formed a massive runic pattern.
He was drawing runes out of thin air!
Taoist Ma, who had been nervously watching Yan Shixun on the split-screen, took a sharp breath, his eyes filled with astonishment.
At the very moment the final stroke of the rune was completed, it immediately descended towards the earth. A dazzling golden light burst forth, and then the rune disappeared into the earth’s veins.
Yan Shixun shouted lowly, his aura sharp and irresistible.
“Unyielding gods and fearless spirits, heed my command!”
The rune activated instantly.
At that moment, within the rain-soaked Wild Wolf Peak, along the veins of the earth beneath the soil, tiny but brilliant golden lights emerged. They resembled lights illuminating in the dark night, waiting for those who had left home to return.
The golden dots of light attracted the attention of many living creatures. Even the once barren and unsightly Wild Wolf Peak, which had lost its trees and soil due to severe erosion over the years, began to look beautiful again. Insects and small animals that had been hiding in the undergrowth and bushes all peeked out curiously at the bright lights. The golden glow adorned the Wild Wolf Peak, transforming it into a picturesque landscape that had been missing for over a decade.
As for the malevolent entities on the land, whether running or hiding, they watched in terror as the lights approached and desperately fled in the opposite direction, trying to avoid the glowing spots.
They sensed the impending righteousness of heaven and earth, something entirely different from themselves, which would obliterate them upon contact.
It was instinctual.
However, under the convergence of tremendous power and the will of the deceased Mountain God, all evil spirits were ultimately suppressed.
To these malevolent entities, the warm and comforting lights were ominous entities.
At the very moment when all the earth veins under the Wild Wolf Peak lit up, every evil creature fleeing in fear upon the brightening ground was writhing in agony within the sudden illumination. They struggled but couldn’t escape, turning into ashes without even a chance to scream.
The charred corpses of the villagers, the scarecrows that had owed a debt to the evil god and could only repay it by guarding the fields to ensure harvests – all those who had perished over a decade ago finally found peace in the scorching light.
Amidst the swirling black fragments and ashes, the villagers, who had long been dead, broke free from their physical constraints and the control of the evil god. They regained their ability to think and their consciousness, looking at the world they once inhabited with a newfound sense of freedom.
The villagers gazed around, and when they saw the desolation of the village in the pouring rain, their faces were filled with sorrow.
‘What… have we done?’ one villager tremblingly asked. ‘We destroyed our own home…’
A young woman remained speechless but she wept openly.
At the same moment, in the temple of the evil god where Yan Shixun was located, the crimson-colored spirits that had been wandering aimlessly in the courtyard slowly regained their awareness as their deceased bodies were finally released. They looked around in confusion, and soon their stiff faces broke into expressions of joy.
‘We… we are free…’
‘We can leave this place now…’
Ghostly murmurs filled the air, humming softly.
Then, they resolutely turned away, no longer casting a glance at the main hall, and floated out of the Mountain God Temple, drifting into the world outside.
The mural figures on the main hall’s walls gradually faded, one by one, as the characters slowly vanished from the mural. This represented their liberation from the control of the evil god, as their souls, once divided into two as a symbol of boasting, reunited into one.
One particular creature, hiding beneath the temple floor, had narrowly escaped the power of the spell. It perceived that the souls it had once controlled were now breaking free from its grasp. Frustrated, it made an angry “squeak, squeak” sound and extended its grotesque hand in an attempt to reclaim those souls.
However, not a single soul paid it any attention, and they all left the Mountain God Temple, brimming with surprise and tears.
Without complete souls, they couldn’t proceed to the underworld.
After suffering for more than a decade, the souls of the villagers from the past finally awaited the moment of release. They carried their deeds, both good and evil, to the underworld, where Yama would pass judgment on their sins.
The heavy rain blurred the overly bright and dazzling light, making the tiny specks of light look like stars fallen to the mortal world, gentle and dreamlike.
Under the first light of daybreak, Wild Wolf Peak was bathed in a half-golden hue. Nourished by the rain, the flora had turned lush green, and the animals frolicked.
For the first time in over a decade, the sounds of birds singing and creatures rejoicing could be heard on Wild Wolf Peak.
It was a flourishing and thriving scene.
Many viewers who had seen this scene through the main screen, where the female actress had just scared them with the gathering of spirits, were struck by the grand and magnificent beauty of nature. They were left stunned, forgetting to breathe as they gazed at the scenery on their screens.
[Oh my goodness… Is this the power of life? I don’t know why, but I feel like crying.]
[The transition between these scenes was so fast, right? Just a moment ago, we were with Rourou attending the ghost meeting, and I was trembling like a motor. And now those ghosts just ran away, ran away? They literally turned around and left without a second thought, not at all like ghosts, and yet, following those ghosts, we get to see such a scene! Someone mentioned earlier in the barrage that Wild Wolf Peak used to be pristine and beautiful, and I didn’t believe it. But looking at this scene, I believe it now. It’s so beautiful, really, much more beautiful than any tourist spot I’ve been to. I don’t know how to describe it; I just feel that the beauty of Wild Wolf Peak is alive, it has vitality. It feels like it’s touching my soul.]
[It’s too overwhelming. Is this what they mean by ‘there’s beauty in nature’? I’m a city kid who never liked traveling, and this is the first time I’ve seen such a scene. It brings tears to my eyes.]
[Earlier, I made fun of the show and suggested they change the show’s description. It was billed as a travel variety show, but it clearly felt more like a horror adventure show. But now, looking at the scenery of Wild Wolf Peak, I understand. It really is a travel show. It’s got my heart racing. I want to go embrace nature. After I’m done with this busy period, I’m going to take a break and find a place with pristine mountains and waters to stay for a while. It’s so beautiful; I never knew nature could be this stunning.]
[It’s precisely because nature is so beautiful that we need to protect it. I heard in Brother Yan’s split-screen earlier that the villagers from Wild Wolf Peak cut down all the trees on the mountain, which led to the death of the Mountain God who protected this place. That’s when those sinister things found an opportunity. And did none of you notice that there isn’t a single tree on the Wild Wolf Peak on the main screen? What you’re seeing as greenery is just the weeds that have grown over the years. I don’t know why no trees have grown back, but don’t you think it looks ugly this way? So, for the sake of this beautiful nature, please don’t cut down trees.]
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