Chapter 67: Rainstorm Wild Temple 29 Part 1
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After the rat had completely lost its breath, the rain on the Wild Wolf Peak finally ceased entirely.
Meanwhile, the audience from the Haiyun Temple, who had been waiting outside the Wild Wolf Peak and unable to enter, found that the barrier blocking their way had evaporated under the scorching sun.
Taoist Ma took the first step and walked onto the wet and soft ground that had been washed by the torrential rain. The moisture in the air carried the unique fragrance of plants and trees, and the cold and icy atmosphere from the previous night had disappeared.
After more than a decade, he once again walked into the village at the foot of Wild Wolf Peak, his heart filled with complex emotions and nostalgia.
The official in charge shared similar sentiments.
Work-related phone calls kept ringing incessantly. Members of the public relations team asked how to respond to questions from netizens and whether they should suppress the level of discussion about the show on various major platforms. Members of the medical team inquired about the need to treat any injured individuals, the early arrival of the rescue team waiting outside Wild Wolf Peak also inquired about their need to come, and personnel from the Department of Transportation called to ask if the road leading to Wild Wolf Peak should continue to be blocked…
After coordinating various matters, the official in charge took a moment when there were no incoming calls, sighed in relief, and looked at Taoist Ma with a smile. “Do you feel nostalgia?”
Taoist Ma smiled wryly, “I just can’t forget it.”
His master had always told him that his Taoist heart was unsteady, full of distractions, and unable to achieve deep meditation.
Because he always remembered the various scenes he witnessed when he was still young having entered the Wolf Peak Village. People eating people, the mountains consuming people, everyone fighting each other, and corpses walking everywhere… If it weren’t for the village’s shaman who helped him, he would have perished in Wild Wolf Peak himself.
The scene of everyone in Wolf Peak perishing all those years ago had been like a heavy stone pressing on his chest, yet he couldn’t find a solution, leading to sleepless nights filled with anxiety and contemplation.
Until now, when Yan Shixun, by himself, guided the confused souls of all the villagers out of Wild Wolf Peak and eliminated the malevolent entities that had plagued it for so long, bringing a glimmer of hope back to this land that had been dead for over a decade.
Taoist Ma felt as if the enormous stone on his chest had finally been lifted, and his breathing became easier.
“The authorities have never forgotten about Wild Wolf Peak. Those rows of charred corpses in the mortuary that had been unrecognizable left an indelible mark on my heart. I would wake up in the middle of the night because of it. We’ve been constantly seeking a solution to completely resolve the issue at Wild Wolf Peak. Earlier, we tried partially opening it up to tourists as one of the methods we attempted after discussing it with another abbot. We hoped to use external vitality to revive the natural spirit of Wild Wolf Peak.”
The official in charge shook his head. “Although it had some effect, it was too slow, too slow to catch up with the rate of Wild Wolf Peak’s decline. All the masters we consulted with have said that if the trend continues, Wild Wolf Peak will still face irreversible disaster.”
Taoist Ma sighed and added with a sense of foreboding, “Just now, Junior Brother Yan specifically asked me if I remembered when the anomalies at Wild Wolf Peak began. It was his reminder that made me realize that from tomorrow, it will have been exactly twenty years since Wild Wolf Peak started experiencing these anomalies.”
“The number ten represents completion. By that time, even if that evil entity successfully occupies the Mountain God’s divine position and transforms into a legitimate deity, it will be too late for us to deal with it. I’m afraid that by then, the entire Wild Wolf Peak, along with the surrounding land, will become uncontrollable territory, and we’ll have to pay a terrible price. Even most of the people from Haiyun Temple might be involved.”
Taoist Ma looked at the fake Mountain God Temple, which was getting closer and closer. He spoke with a worried expression, “If Junior Brother Yan hadn’t come here by a stroke of luck and resolved everything just before the twenty-year mark… the consequences would be unthinkable.”
However, it was just one day short, and the originally established deadlock was broken.
Beneath the great Dao, there always remains a glimmer of hope, never completely giving up on a place.
And in this situation, that glimmer of hope was Yan Shixun.
Taoist Ma looked up at the now messy fake Mountain God Temple, bathed in the bright morning sunlight, and squinted his eyes slightly, as if something had stirred within him.
Junior Brother Yan, Yan Shixun……
A person fated to be a ghost hunter with the darkest of destinies, yet paradoxically, he represented hope.
Yan Shixun didn’t pay much attention to what others were thinking.
Upon realizing that his split-screen livestream had been left on and forgotten, Yan Shixun promptly closed the split-screen. He stood in the underground temple where the chilling atmosphere was gradually dissipating, surveyed the surroundings, and let out a contemptuous laugh, his expression full of disdain.
“The Mountain God is a deity shared by all living beings, originating from them and returning to them. This rightful position is acknowledged by heaven and earth. Even if it is temporarily usurped, it will eventually be reclaimed, unless the world is turned upside down. There will always be someone or something to prevent evil entities from seizing power. As for the rat, even if it wears the clothes of a deity, it cannot conceal the stench that permeates its entire being. It will be condemned by all.”
Yan Shixun coldly glanced at the corpses of the evil entity, which had already begun to stiffen. There was not a hint of pity in his eyes. “The law of cause and effect always holds, without exception. When you turned those villagers into scarecrows, placing them in the fields to guard your food, did you ever consider that you would meet the same fate? You became conceited because you gained a bit of power, thinking you could escape the cycle of the five elements. But you are just a speck of dust beneath the great Dao. The things you want to seize were never meant to be yours, you were destined to fail.”
Heaven and earth may not show mercy, but they are the deepest wellspring of gentleness, never showing favoritism to any existence.
Beneath it all, every existence is subject to the rules that exist deep within, guiding them along their predetermined path.
Even if the moment is right at hand, what does it matter? There are still over ten hours until the birth of this evil entity, completing a twenty-year cycle. Its status as a legitimate deity will be recognized by heaven and earth, and no one will be able to question it unless another evil entity comes along and pulls this evil god from its divine seat.
Unfortunately, until the very last second, the world is always in flux, and there is always a glimmer of hope left.
Yan Shixun withdrew his gaze from the giant rat’s corpse.
With this, the Mountain God’s request was entirely completed. The divine name and power that the Mountain God had lent him had all been used to deal with the evil entities on the land of Wild Wolf Peak. All karmic ties had been resolved, forming a closed loop, and the yin and yang were perfectly reconciled.
This request was now concluded for him.
As for the reward… the tearful gratitude of the young woman before she left was payment enough, even for all the beings of Wild Wolf Peak.
A blessing spoken from a kind soul who had never done wrong is the most precious thing.
“Yan Shixun, are you not coming up?”
The underground temple suddenly darkened as the tall man crouched down beside the large hole in the wall, calling out to Yan Shixun. “I can pull you up.”
“No need,” Yan Shixun casually looked up at the opening, locking eyes with the man. “You just need to clear that area. I can jump up on my own. It’s only a few meters.”
However, as he turned around, Yan Shixun suddenly remembered that besides himself and the deceased rat, there was another person present.
It was Anthony, who had been knocked unconscious earlier.
Because earlier, Anthony had been like an incessantly blaring car radio, playing noisy but content-less commercials, causing people to subconsciously tune him out and consider him nothing more than noisy background noise.
It was only now that Yan Shixun realized that there had been a pleasant silence all along, as if that noisy and clamorous radio had been silenced by a single punch, prompting him to unconsciously overlook this fact.
Now he remembered it because Anthony had been unconscious on the side.
Anthony’s current appearance looked extremely pitiful. He had already appeared withered and haggard due to having his vitality drained by that evil entity. Now, he lay amidst the dust and debris, having been knocked down by the falling stones. There was nothing left of his previous pride and ambition; he looked disheveled and defeated.
Yan Shixun gave it a moment of thought, raised an eyebrow, and then turned directly towards the cave entrance, leaving Anthony lying there without paying any attention to him.
He wasn’t a saint who repaid ill-will with kindness; he was just a mortal with a bad temper.
Despite the numerous times this guy had insulted and slandered him, Yan Shixun might not care, but he certainly hadn’t forgotten. Did they expect him to carry this big lump of trouble upstairs? Hah, they must be dreaming.
In any case, he had quickly checked Anthony’s condition through makeshift divination, and it seemed that Anthony wasn’t in mortal danger. His breathing sounded stable, so he decided to leave it to the authorities who would arrive shortly.
Of course, Anthony’s condition was only stable in terms of life-threatening situations.
Having had most of his vitality drained by the evil entity, succumbed to manipulation, and stayed in close proximity to those evil entities, Anthony’s luck and physical condition had plummeted to rock bottom. After leaving this place, his luck would continue to be terrible. In his weakened state with low vitality, he would also be more susceptible to negative influences.
One could only hope that Anthony would be courageous enough not to be frightened by whatever might appear at night and wouldn’t lose sleep due to the sight of evil entities in his nightmares.
After all, judging by Anthony’s current condition, it would likely take several years for him to recover to the level of luck and vitality of an ordinary person if there were no knowledgeable individuals willing to help him.
Yan Shixun chuckled lightly and then casually tossed Anthony aside, as if dealing with disposable memories.
He reached out, grabbed the uneven and rough wall that had shattered, exerted force, and stepped on the protruding stones on the wall. With a few agile leaps, he swiftly reached the opening of the cave and landed steadily on the ground.
Golden sunlight bathed Yan Shixun’s entire body.
Emerging from the dimly lit area, he hadn’t yet adjusted to the strong light, causing his eyes to squint slightly.
However, a shadow soon shielded him from the harsh glare, making him more comfortable.
The tall and robust figure of the man blocked the sunlight, and he looked down at the corner of Yan Shixun’s eyes. He lifted his hand and, before Yan Shixun could react, gently touched his injured face, saying, “You’re hurt here.”
Yan Shixun instinctively flinched at the touch of the ice-cold palm, then raised his hand to his own cheek. He realized that when he had kicked the wall just now, the flying debris had also scratched his own face. Several bloodstains were partially hidden beneath his black hair near the temple. Only a small trickle of blood remained on his face, but Ye Li wiped it away with his chilly fingertips.
“Your eyesight is quite good?” Yan Shixun raised an eyebrow as he glanced at him, then took a step back to create some distance, not particularly concerned.
“It’s just…”
Yan Shixun looked around and muttered with some confusion, “I originally thought those rats chasing An Nanyuan would also come over. How come I haven’t seen a single one? Are these followers so disloyal? They just abandoned their companions and ran away?”
Ye Li remained composed and said, “It seems so.”
On the shattered green stone floor behind him, there were faint traces of scorch marks, along with dissipating smoke in the surroundings.
It looked like something had been struck by lightning and left these marks.
Not far away, the sound of steady footsteps could also be heard, indicating the presence of someone with martial training.
As soon as Taoist Ma entered the courtyard, he approached Yan Shixun with a delighted smile on his face. “Junior Brother Yan, this time you’ve helped us resolve a big problem. Master Uncle Li was right; you truly live up to your master, the hermit Li Chengyun.”
“I was initially worried that Junior Brother Yan might be overwhelmed, being so young, but it turns out you’ve accomplished far more than I expected. When I watched you on the livestream, I spent the whole night worrying that if something happened to you, Master Uncle Li would probably start a fight. My heart was racing all night. Fortunately, everything turned out well. Master Uncle Li should be delighted now.”
Taoist Ma noticed the dust and signs of a scuffle on Yan Shixun’s attire and asked with concern, “Are you injured, Junior Brother Yan? The official medical team will arrive soon. Do you want to have a check-up to ensure there are no hidden injuries that need prompt treatment?”
The mention of “the hermit Chengyun” briefly distracted Yan Shixun, but he shook his head and pointed directly to the chaotic main hall behind him.
“The evil entity you want to take a look at is down there. You can see it by following the entrance of the cave. There’s also a guest of the show inside. It’s all in your hands now.”
Yan Shixun said with a social smile, directed at the official in charge who had arrived shortly after: “After all, I’m just a recently rescued and vulnerable ordinary person. I can neither move nor have the energy to deal with what’s down there. That’s quite normal, isn’t it?”
The official in charge nodded solemnly. “Thank you, Mr. Yan, for your actions on the Wild Wolf Peak. Leave the rest to us. You should rest and recover for now.”
Soon, the fake Mountain God Temple and the villages near the Wild Wolf Peak were taken over by the authorities. The rescue teams also located the previously lost director’s car and logistics vehicle on the main road.
Although the personnel from the logistics vehicle appeared shaken, they generally seemed to be in good spirits, as if they had slept well after a night of anxiety, which surprised the rescue teams.
As for the people in the director’s car, everyone except the director was present. According to their account, after the director got out of the car to look for Yan Shixun, he never returned, and their phones couldn’t reach him.
They were worried that the director wouldn’t find them when he returned and didn’t know where to go during the heavy rain that night. So they nervously stayed on the side of the road all night until Yan Shixun called them and they learned about everything that had happened, which left them terrified.
After being found by the rescue team, the people in the director’s car looked somewhat exhausted, but everyone was safe and sound, except for the anxiety and sleeplessness they had experienced throughout the night, they had no problems.
As for the director himself…
After the rescue team entered the already abandoned village and followed Yan Shixun’s instructions, they went directly to the Mountain God Temple on the outskirts of the village. From the dilapidated and collapsed temple, they helped the disoriented Zhang Wubing to his feet.
“Is it… all over?”
Zhang Wubing tightly gripped his phone, which had been continuously dialed to contact Yan Shixun, clearly prepared to call for help at any sign of danger. When he saw the rescue personnel, he seemed somewhat unreal and asked in a trembling voice, seeking confirmation.
His face bore traces of tears shed earlier, mixed with the black soot he had accumulated during the escape, making him resemble a comical little kitten. His clothes were covered in torn spots and dirt from the encounter. Although he wasn’t physically injured, he looked quite wretched.
The rescue team members, who had initially thought this rescue mission would be straightforward when they found the two cars, were taken aback when they saw Zhang Wubing’s condition. They sympathetically nodded at him and gave him a reassuring answer, saying, “It’s all over. It seems Mr. Yan Shixun has resolved the issue. Please rest assured.”
Zhang Wubing was stunned for several seconds before he ecstatically opened his arms and hugged one of the rescue team members. Although he didn’t cry, the account of his harrowing experience from the previous night, choked up in his voice, sent shivers down the spines of the rescue team members.
Some of the rescue team members who had been involved in the previous Ghost Mountain rescue couldn’t help but express their sympathy. One of them asked, “Director Zhang, you’ve had such terrible luck. I remember that the last time we were at Gui Mountain, you seemed to have a tough time as well. This time…”
It seemed like among the occupants of the two cars, you had it the worst.
In the latter part of the sentence, the rescue team member kindly left unsaid, not wanting to upset Zhang Wubing.
But his expression had already conveyed everything.
Zhang Wubing’s cries grew even louder.
It wasn’t until Yan Shixun received the phone call confirming that Zhang Wubing had been found and was unharmed that he could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
The courtyard and main hall were now filled with official personnel. In addition to the Taoists from Haiyun Temple, the authorities had also invited several folk experts to examine and document the murals and statues in the main hall. This was done to facilitate research and find ways to handle such situations in the future.
Although there had been peace and prosperity in recent years, there had been no related reports in the news or newspapers.
But secretly, beyond the defenses built by government personnel, these sinister evil activities had never ceased. Events like the Wild Wolf Peak incident, which were temporarily set aside due to the current state of the arts and technological capabilities, were not uncommon. They were blocked or guarded by the authorities for various reasons, preventing innocent civilians from being harmed.
However, such measures were only addressing the symptoms and did not address the root causes. It also resulted in a loss of initiative, leaving them constantly reacting to these supernatural events. This placed a heavy burden on the department responsible for handling these non-scientific incidents.
The increasing frequency of supernatural occurrences in recent years, coupled with their growing boldness, had left the authorities baffled. They couldn’t identify the underlying reasons or how to eradicate them.
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