Chapter 65: Rainstorm Wild Temple 27
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“Mr. Yan said that the crisis has been resolved. He will be coming to find us soon.”
Even after hanging up the phone, the assistant director still had a dumbfounded expression, as if he hadn’t fully processed the sudden surprise.
Meanwhile, the staff members who had also overheard the brief explanation of the recent events by Yan Shixun through the speaker system were all wearing similarly dazed expressions, as if they had been shocked by what they heard.
“Oh my goodness, so many things happened on the guest’s side.”
One of the staff members, who had previously been frightened due to the giant rat attack on their vehicle and had been complaining about their bad luck, suddenly felt a sense of genuine relief after hearing about what had happened to the guest’s vehicle. They thought themselves lucky to have escaped a disaster.
“T-The statue in the Mountain God Temple attacked people,” shivered a female staff member beside her. Although she hadn’t experienced it firsthand, just hearing Yan Shixun’s emotionless account of the events was enough to send shivers down her spine. Even the mere thought of the scene he described was scarier than anything she could imagine.
“But I have to say, Mr. Yan defeating those monsters and talking about it so casually, he’s really amazing. If it were me, I’d probably have been scared out of my wits on the spot.”
“Mr. Yan seems to be a high-achieving student from the Economics Department at Binhai University, and he might even be classmates with the director.”
The assistant director, whose working relationship with Zhang Wubing was relatively harmonious, and who was more informed than the rest of the crew, said, “Don’t be fooled by Mr. Yan’s appearance as an amateur in the show. His actual profession is not related to this. He joined the show at the director’s request. Mr. Yan seems to be a professional in exorcism and ghost hunting, the kind of expert people turn to when they encounter something unclean. He’s quite impressive.”
Some of the staff who had been with the show since the previous season couldn’t help but enlighten the newly joined crew members about the events of the previous season, their expressions filled with pride. “Master Yan is very capable. In the last season, we encountered many ghosts at Gui Mountain. When everyone thought we were doomed, it was Master Yan who led us out.”
“Indeed, I used to be a non-believer when it came to ghosts. I always thought those people talking about ghosts were charlatans trying to scam me, just like those scammers on the streets who say, ‘I see that your forehead is dark, and you will have a catastrophe within three days. Pay me for my talisman to ward off disaster.’ But after seeing Master Yan, I realized that all of it is real. Master Yan has real skills! He’s nothing like those charlatans.”
“That’s right! After the last season, I persuaded Brother Yan for his private contact information and even begged him to write a protective talisman for me to use at home. You won’t believe it, but my mom told me that since we got that protective talisman, her insomnia problems, which used to keep her up all night, have disappeared. Brother Yan is truly amazing; I’m convinced.”
The newly joined staff for this season’s show listened in astonishment as their colleagues shared their experiences and praise for Yan Shixun.
“Yan Shi… Mr. Yan is this amazing? I had no idea before.”
The veteran staff member beside him patted his shoulder. “Wait until you’ve worked a few more episodes, and you’ll understand. Master Yan is genuinely powerful. Don’t be fooled by his aloof demeanor and indifference to others; that’s the mark of a true master. Only those with real skills can afford to act this way. Scammers who want to con you out of your money would have put on a friendly smile long ago.”
“But, will Mr. Yan be in the next episode? Our show has an elimination system, if Mr. Yan’s popularity drops, what will happen? We won’t be able to buy Mr. Yan’s talismans anymore.”
“Well, that’s a good question. But I think instead of worrying about whether Master Yan will be in the next episode, you should be more concerned about whether the show itself will continue. Two incidents in a row, the director’s luck is something else. I’ve been in this industry for over a decade, and I’ve never seen a variety show with such bad luck.”
“Hah! With Mr. Yan around, what is there to fear? No matter what kind of monsters and ghosts show up, in front of Mr. Yan, they’re all harmless little kittens, not worth worrying about. Mr. Yan is our show’s savior. With Mr. Yan, there are no troubles.”
“You really trust Mr. Yan a lot, haha. But I also think that after so many years working in various entertainment shows, having seen thousands of celebrities, I can instantly tell who’s going to be popular and who isn’t. Mr. Yan’s character is impeccable, even though he seems to ignore people, but if you sincerely ask him for a favor, he won’t refuse, even if he looks annoyed. He’s very meticulous and thinks of everything, unlike me, who’s used to taking care of logistics and worrying about things.”
“Unless everyone’s taste changes overnight, from appreciating beauty to appreciating ugliness, I don’t think Mr. Yan’s appearance will get him eliminated. In all my years as a makeup artist, I’ve never seen someone this handsome. It’s not just regular good looks; Mr. Yan has his own unique features and style that leave a lasting impression. The first time I saw him, I was stunned and couldn’t snap out of it. Later, I even posted on my social media, lamenting how I felt like I was a botched creation compared to him. Mr. Yan was made by the hands of the goddess Nuwa herself.”
“By the way, since you believe in me, remember to ask Brother Yan for a home protection talisman and inquire if he sells any amulets for personal protection. Keep them with you; it should work.”
The new staff member nodded in a daze and said, “Okay, I will.”
The staff members who had been chased by the giant rat and rescued by the old woman the previous night had enjoyed a hearty meal in the evening. Afterward, they all huddled in the corner of the old woman’s house, wrapped in blankets and clothes, to sleep. Although it wasn’t as comfortable as a bed, it was still a decent rest, without the disturbance of wind, rain, or cold.
They were awakened by Yan Shixun’s call just before daybreak. Still not fully awake, the staff members felt a sense of unreality about everything that had happened, whether it was the danger they faced or their subsequent rescue.
They confirmed the authenticity of the news with astonishment and joy, cheered, and began to pack up their things, preparing to leave.
However, they were stopped by the old woman.
“The person you mentioned, Yan Shixun…” The old woman, hunched with a frail body, emerged from the shadows where she had been silently listening to their conversation. Her face, wrinkled and aged, displayed a mix of astonishment and shock that had not yet faded.
“Did he have something to do with the Mountain God Temple?”
The staff members were puzzled, exchanged glances with each other, and nodded.
The old woman fell into silence. Her expression was complex, a blend of resignation and resentment, momentarily grotesque.
But soon, she sighed and said, “It’s enough, it’s been enough. The Mountain God has held on for so many years… it’s time for Her to go. This is liberation.”
Facing the staff members’ surprised and puzzled looks, the old woman’s tired and drooping eyes gradually softened. She no longer appeared as emotional and fearsome as before.
“I’d like to meet this Yan Shixun.”
The assistant director hesitated and said, “Grandma, are you…..?”
“Don’t worry, I won’t do anything else. I just want to see who exactly…”
Had freed the Mountain God, who had been imprisoned for over a decade.
The old woman had been unable to finish the second half of her sentence, her face marked by a heavy heartache.
When she was young, she was just a refugee fleeing famine, moving from place to place with no stable meals. After losing her parents, she wandered around wearing tattered clothes, so emaciated that her bones showed through.
One day, she became so hungry that she collapsed at the foot of Wild Wolf Peak.
She thought she would starve to death, but when she opened her eyes, a group of wolves with submissive expressions were crouching nearby. There were wild fruits and vegetables in front of her.
It was the Mountain God who saved her.
Since then, she settled down at Wild Wolf Peak. With the Mountain God’s help and her own hard work, she built a thatched hut and experienced a life resembling that of a human being for the first time.
The Mountain God taught her human writing and the language to communicate with divine animals. In return for the Mountain God’s favor, she had been actively doing things for Wild Wolf Peak. She treated injured animals in the mountains, warmly welcomed people who had also wandered there, allowing them to settle down, and spread the word about the Mountain God in the gradually growing village. She told the villagers, who could finally eat, that it was the Mountain God who brought them bountiful harvests and made the land fertile with good weather.
Gradually, more and more people gathered in the village. She became the village’s shaman because of her ability to communicate with the Mountain God. She used the medical knowledge taught by the Mountain God to heal the villagers and used the power of the Mountain God to ward off evil.
She watched as the Mountain God and the villagers lived in harmony. The strength of their faith made the mountain god increasingly powerful, and the land it could protect grew larger. New villages sprang up nearby, and the villagers, grateful for the protection and assistance of the Mountain God, spontaneously built a temple for the Mountain God. Every year, they celebrated the Mountain God’s birthday with joyous festivities, offering grains as sacrifices to ensure a bountiful harvest, and the Mountain God, in turn, used its power to protect the villagers and guarantee their harvests.
This positive cycle filled her heart with unspoken joy.
However, when people can have their fill, they tend to forget who provided them with that abundance, forgetting the gratitude they felt when they were hungry.
As the villagers from those years grew old and the younger generation, who had never experienced hunger and did not appreciate the simple pleasure of having enough to eat in a time of widespread famine, began to desire more than just sustenance.
The disasters of Wild Wolf Peak began from this point.
She tried to stop them, scolded them, and yelled herself hoarse warning the young people of the dangers this would bring.
But the young people, seduced by the evil god and blinded by the allure of wealth, paid no heed to her words. They called her a “meddlesome old woman,” saying, “What era are we in? There’s no such thing as Mountain God,” and pushed her aside. They forcefully cut down Wild Wolf Peak, harmed the creatures of the mountain, and exploited the resources of the peak.
She cried and pleaded with the Mountain God, hoping for punishment to befall those people. However, the Mountain God sighed but didn’t inflict any punishment on them. Instead, the Mountain God silently bore the pain of its weakening power. Even when those people got lost in the mountains, just like they did when they were children, the Mountain God still gently allowed the animals in the mountains to guide them back to the path.
But the Mountain God’s kindness came at a cost—long-lasting suffering.
The weakened Mountain God was overtaken by the invading evil entity and was on the brink of dissipation. However, it couldn’t bear to see the villagers suffer from the influence of the malevolent forces. It continued to do its best to protect the villagers.
She watched the Mountain God’s suffering but couldn’t persuade the people or wake them up. She could only watch in agony as the Mountain God grew weaker day by day, trapped on Wild Wolf Peak, unable to escape.
As she was the messenger of the Mountain God, the shaman of Wild Wolf Peak, she enjoyed the most profound protection from the Mountain God. Therefore, the malevolent entity couldn’t harm her. However, due to the severe drain on the Mountain God’s power, she rapidly aged and became grotesque, but this had no direct impact on her by the malevolent entity.
The shaman, who had given up on saving the villagers, watched with cold eyes as those who didn’t heed her warnings allowed the malevolent energy to possess them, one by one jumping into the fire and turning into charred corpses. In her heart, there was nothing left but a sense of desolation and bitter irony.
Those people from the past who used to brighten up at the sight of the harvest, who would cheerfully express their gratitude to the Mountain God with pure joy… were no longer there.
Now, how many of the elderly who remembered the gratitude from those years were still left in the village? Did the children listen to the warnings of the elderly? They did not, and it was futile.
Those people only wanted wealth, and they proudly returned to the village driving their supposedly expensive cars, thinking they were proving the elderly wrong.
However, they had no awareness that danger had long been approaching them.
After rescuing a young Taoist chased by the charred corpses from the pile of burnt bodies, the shaman, weary of it all, drove him away, telling him that besides herself, there were no living people left on Wild Wolf Peak.
Here… there hasn’t been a need for salvation for a long time.
The shaman lived alone in the empty village, watching from her small house as one group of Taoists after another tried to come and banish the evil spirits of Wild Wolf Peak. She also watched the deceased villagers suffer and regret, but they could only be driven by that evil entity, with no way to turn back.
Until this stormy night when a convoy of vehicles entered Wild Wolf Peak.
Out of a moment of goodwill, she saved an outsider being chased by the faithful of that evil entity.
And among the convoy, a man named Yan Shixun allowed the Mountain God to finally find release.
The Mountain God was dead.
But the Mountain God would also experience a rebirth.
“Grandma? Grandma?” The assistant director, looking at the old woman lost in thought, couldn’t help but wave his hand in front of her.
The old woman snapped out of her reverie and grumbled, “I’m not so old that I’ve gone senile. You don’t need to treat me like this. I’m still strong, I have a few more decades in me.”
“Weren’t you saying you wanted to offer incense to the Mountain God?” The old woman raised her chin at the assistant director, showing a spirited and enthusiastic demeanor that was completely different from her gloomy and sinister look from the previous day. “Wait a few decades, and before I die, I’ll make sure you offer incense to the newly reborn Mountain God. When that time comes, you’d better show up!”
The Mountain God won’t be reborn unless she dies!
She wanted to stand guard over this mountain and this water in place of the Mountain God, until the Mountain God was gathered once again in this land.
Assistant director: “Uh…”
It’s not that I doubt whether you can live for decades, after all, you seem physically robust and full of vigor when scolding people. But I have doubts about whether I can live for more decades myself… with the frequency of encountering danger in this show, I always feel like even if I don’t die from the danger, I might get scared to death first.
However, the assistant director politely kept his sarcastic remarks to himself and nodded in agreement with the old woman.
“Alright, grandma, when the time comes, you call me. If I haven’t died, I’ll definitely come.”
“If you want to see Mr. Yan,” the assistant director scratched his head, given his current level of respect for Yan Shixun, he didn’t dare to just call Yan Shixun on the phone as he would with his subordinates or juniors; that would be too disrespectful.
After thinking for a while, he came up with a solution. “How about this, grandma? After we return and meet up with Mr. Yan, we’ll come back here to thank you, and you can also meet Mr. Yan. Is that okay?”
The old woman nodded in agreement. “Alright, you guys go now. Don’t keep coming to Wild Wolf Peak for no reason. You’ve crammed yourselves into my small house, it’s almost going to collapse because of you.”
Although she said this, there was a strong gleam in the old woman’s eyes, as if she couldn’t wait to see Yan Shixun.
Even though she had completely lost hope for Wild Wolf Peak and had prepared herself to die along with Wild Wolf Peak and the Mountain God, she never expected that this hopeless dead end would be resolved by an outsider named Yan Shixun!
She wanted to see, just who was Yan Shixun.
She wanted to…
To express her gratitude face to face.
The staff didn’t pay much attention to the old woman’s harsh tone.
After listening to Yan Shixun’s account of their experience at the Mountain God Temple, they realized just how dangerous it had been when they were chased by the giant rat yesterday. Naturally, they felt even more grateful to the old woman who had saved them. Even though her tone was bad, and she seemed to dislike them in various ways, she had still protected them last night, allowing them to sleep peacefully in a safe place without wind or rain.
People should know how to be grateful.
After leaving some food and medicine from the car in the old woman’s small house, the staff started the car again, waved goodbye to the old woman, and prepared to go and meet Yan Shixun and the others on the main road.
The rain had stopped, and the daylight was bright.
All the dangers had receded into the darkness.
……
Yan Shixun didn’t return to the guest rooms where the participants were staying; instead, he confirmed their safety over the phone.
He walked briskly towards the main hall, his momentum sharp, and his expression solemn and stern.
Human belief is the most solid source of power for gods, and when the offerings and faith are lost, the power of the gods significantly diminishes.
Back then, the Mountain God’s power waned because of this loss of faith and offerings, which allowed the evil entity to find an opportunity. Now that all the manipulated villagers’ souls have departed, the entire Wild Wolf Peak worships the evil entity, with only the actress Rourou and Anthony, who were previously seduced, remaining. This is when the evil entity is at its weakest.
Just as the evil entity once treated the Mountain God, now it is its turn to be treated the same way.
Under the cycle of cause and effect, everything repeats itself, with no escape.
A cold smile played on the lips of Yan Shixun as he casually picked up a wooden stick from the side. His robe fluttered dramatically, and his aura was astonishing.
With such a great opportunity, of course, he had to strike while the iron was hot—take advantage of its weakness, and go for its life!
To cut down the grass, one must remove the roots!
Although the evil entity disappeared without a trace after taking the opportunity to escape, Yan Shixun could still guess roughly where it might be hiding.
What Zhang Wubing said about being in a nearly collapsed temple reminded Yan Shixun of something.
This place was not a temple of the Mountain God; it was the “temple” the evil entity had taken after usurping the Mountain God’s position.
With a crooked presence and inherent impurity, coupled with the vile worship, the evil entity was so terrified that it constantly stayed above the temple’s main god statue. Anyone unaware who prayed before the seemingly legitimate god would unwittingly pay homage to the evil entity. This not only satisfied the creature’s vanity, making it self-satisfied but also allowed it to gain strength from the deceitful belief.
This clearly showed how much the evil entity feared exposure.
Moreover, Yan Shixun recalled the middle-aged Taoist he had first encountered.
However, that was no Taoist. The aged, ugly face, more resembling a rat than a human, with features less human than rodent-like, and hair that was not the hair of a Taoist at all—all of these indicated that this was not a person, but rather the evil entity itself, masquerading as a human to enhance the trust of outsiders and lower their guard.
The middle-aged Taoist lived right next to the main hall, suggesting that he was guarding the creature’s lair nearby.
If that was the case, the main hall, as the central point of the entire temple and the ultimate gathering place of power, was where the evil entity would be found.
Therefore, without hesitation, Yan Shixun headed directly for the main hall.
His intimidating demeanor, ready for a fierce battle, had the viewers at home trembling with fear and unable to speak.
But the hidden evil entity was far more terrified than anyone else.
Yan Shixun’s guess was correct. After fleeing from the main hall, the evil entity had escaped to another location, concealing its tracks from those on the ground.
It wasn’t somewhere else; it was another small temple hidden beneath the main hall.
In the dim and narrow underground temple, the occasional sound of water dripping onto the ground could be heard, the walls covered in moss, emanating a cold, musty odor.
And around the temple, there were sculptures of various animals, each depicted in different postures.
Upon closer inspection, the outlines of these animal statues, dimly lit from bottom to top by a faint light, were grotesque and horrifying, with bulging and twisted muscles, adorned with gold and silver, their faces grotesque and ugly.
Although they were meant to imitate the postures and gestures of deities, there was an unsettling and sinister atmosphere about them, making them appear disgustingly hideous.
However, the eyes of these animal statues were carved to be lifelike, revealing a fierce glare, as if they would come to life the next moment, rising from the dusty and moss-covered stone pedestals.
And the evil entity, which had previously appeared in the mural with bright colors, was now pacing anxiously in the underground temple. It constantly squealed and roared, showing fear and urgency.
Anthony, who had been missing from sight, stood at the edge of the temple with a fanatical and adoring look in his eyes. His once handsome face was now twisted, terrifying the viewers who saw his deranged state, and they couldn’t help but comment that Anthony had gone mad.
“Oh, Mountain God, when will you show your true power to Yan Shixun? Let him know that you are not to be trifled with. As your faithful follower, I am ready!”
Anthony shouted fervently, “You are all-powerful; you can grant my wish to become the top star in the entertainment industry, crushing everyone underfoot. Please fulfill my wish now. I can’t wait to see Yan Shixun and the others begging and crying!”
The evil entity, already agitated due to its weakened state, heard Anthony’s voice. It raised its crimson eyes and looked at Anthony with a sinister gaze in the darkness.
Yet, Anthony remained utterly oblivious to the “deity’s” murderous intentions. He was also unaware of his own sunken eye sockets and the black and blue pallor that had overtaken his complexion.
Due to the loss of power, the malevolent entity was desperate to replenish its strength. It took away Anthony’s life force, causing his vitality as a mortal to rapidly decline. His breath grew weak, resembling that of a dying person. However, his fervent obsession with the fantasy of seeing Yan Shixun and An Nanyuan begging for mercy beneath his feet prevented him from noticing his own weakness.
Staring at Anthony, the malevolent entity’s crimson eyes revealed a murderous intent.
Since there was no excess life force left, why not just kill him? Human flesh would be a hearty meal.
With this thought in mind, the entity immediately lunged at Anthony from the temple. Its outstretched claws were as sharp as daggers, gleaming with an ominous sheen.
Getting closer… even closer…
The entity watched with greedy delight as Anthony remained oblivious to the impending danger.
But—
“Boom——！”
A deafening sound echoed through the underground temple.
Bricks, tiles, and stone sculptures lined along the walls shattered and collapsed under this tremendous noise. Fragments and dust sprayed and scattered throughout the underground temple. A massive stone, seemingly guided by an unseen force, soared through the air and struck the malevolent entity directly. Caught off guard in mid-air, the entity was crushed by the weight of the colossal stone before it could even react.
Meanwhile, Anthony was struck by another stone, sending him flying into the wall before sliding down.
A tall figure, exuding immense strength, descended through the gaping hole in the underground shrine. The figure landed gracefully on the ground, its Martin boots displaying tremendous power as it stepped onto the massive stone. The malevolent entity, already trapped and rendered motionless by the stone, was unable to struggle.
“Well, it seems like you were quite content hiding in the shadows,” Yan Shixun said disdainfully, looking down at the malevolent entity trapped beneath his foot, his disgust unmasked.
“Indeed, you’re nothing more than a rat that hides in corners, utterly repugnant.”
The evil creature emitted a hissing sound from its throat, and its crimson eyes looked up with malice, struggling to produce human language.
“You, what are you?”
“You’re asking me?”
Yan Shixun raised an eyebrow proudly and sneered, “I am your ancestor, the one who came to kill you, you thieving rat that steals food and houses, a wicked troublemaker.”
“Is that clear enough? Do you understand human language or not, hmm?”
The evil creature was instantly intimidated by the fierce aura emanating from Yan Shixun.
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