The Dharma Sea of ​​the Green Snake

Chapter 339

As soon as the old man opened his mouth to explain the ins and outs of the whole matter, a fact broke out that made Pei Wende unbelievable.

He is not from the Tang Dynasty, but an old man from the pre-Qin period.

And this "remaining old" is not just a literal meaning, the old man is an old antique and living fossil that has lived from the pre-Qin period to the present.

Or to be more precise, except for the new generation like Zhu's son, everyone living in this foggy village, the youngest is the elder who lived a hundred years ago.

As for why all this started?

That has to start with a rumor that has been circulating since ancient times.

Since the birth of the Three Emperors and the end of the Five Emperors, myths have gradually become legends, and legends have gradually become history.

But no matter how myths, legends, or history evolve, there are always some clues that will leave traces in the records of civilization.

The legendary "phantom" is one of them.

No one knows what his origin is, just like no one knows when his legend became popular.

The only thing everyone knows is that on this land of the Central Plains, there have been legends and records about "phantoms" that have never stopped.

According to the old man, the mirage is inherently sacred, the essence of the water, and the genus of the dragon.

If someone who is destined can form a relationship with him, he will be able to realize his long-cherished wish in his life, even if he can live forever, it is not impossible.

Therefore, in all dynasties, there have been mortals who yearn to form a relationship with the mirage, hoping that the other party can help them realize their wishes.

Here, the old man can clearly tell Pei Wende that mirage does have the ability to satisfy the wishes of all living beings.

The law of money and property rights, and even the way of longevity...

Every mortal who is bound to a mirage can realize his lifelong wishes, no matter how exaggerated or ridiculous these wishes are.

Fulfilling these aspirations does not come without cost, however.

Mirage is willing to grant wishes for the mortals it meets, but those mortals must also let Mirage paint them a picture.

"The mirage realizes the obsession in our hearts, and we must let this obsession be imprinted in the 'painting' of the mirage."

In a sense, the deal with Mirage is a very good deal.

After mortals realize their lifelong wishes and end their obsessions for the rest of their lives, they will use their life and their obsessions as brushes to draw a "painting of obsessions" that only belongs to them.

These "paintings" were stored in this fog by Mirage, and will be stored forever.

"Wait...you mean, you guys are 'people in the painting'?"

Eyes widened in shock, Pei Wende was keenly aware of the subtext hidden in the old man's words.

The body is destroyed and the soul is reincarnated, but a trace of obsession is collected by Mirage in the form of a painting, and it is forever stored in this fog.

"For our Ontology, this is undoubtedly a very good deal."

Ignoring Pei Wende's shock, the old man just continued talking with his normal expression.

"Because the main body has no loss, it will even become more open-minded because of the loss of our obsessions."

"But we are different. We will live forever in the form of 'paintings' until one day we are completely swallowed and assimilated by those invisible monsters."

This is the inevitable fate of all "people in the painting", and it is also the real price paid by those mortals who have realized their wishes.

They will never know that at the moment they fulfill their wish, a "obsession" with all their memories, thoughts, and emotions will be preserved forever.

As for those invisible monsters in the mist?
In the old man's description, they are actually a collection of "people in the painting" who have completely given up their ego and thinking.

All villagers who intend to escape from the mist will without exception disappear shortly after leaving the mist, and then completely become part of the mist.

The number of Mirage's "paintings" has been increasing...

The number of villagers in the mist has also been increasing...

Even those invisible monsters have been increasing...

The delicate balance maintained between the three constitutes the situation that Pei Wende sees now.

"What about Zhu Nu's son? He doesn't seem to know your real situation, does he?"

Pei Wende suddenly remembered what the old man said before, besides those "people in the painting", living in this fog, there is also a new generation bred by the combination of people in the painting and the people in the painting.

And judging from the boy's words and deeds, he seems to think that he is a real human being.

"If you really want to count them, are they also considered as 'people in the painting'?"

Hearing Pei Wende's sharp question, the old man couldn't help but sighed silently.

"Sigh, Zhao Mu's situation is even more special..."

Sighing silently, the old man continued to speak in a low voice with no expression on his face.

"Because they don't know the truth of this world, they only know that there are invisible monsters hidden in the fog, and outside the fog is a world more terrifying than monsters."

......................................................................................................

At the same time, on the edge of the gradually calming fog.

After running with the black hound for a while, the boy named "Zhao Mu" discovered that he was really lost.

Although Zhao Mu has been trying to find his hunting dog, or find the house hidden in the mist, it was the first time he was so far away from home and he was still lost in the mist.

For Zhao Mu, who had never set foot in the misty area since he was a child, this mist was a completely unfamiliar and terrifying place to him.

The only good news is that those invisible monsters in the mist seem to have stopped their commotion, and are no longer ready to devour all living things as before.

Besides, I don't know if it's Zhao Mu's illusion, he always feels that this fog is not as scary as he imagined.

"It must be an illusion."

Shaking his head vigorously, Zhao Mu turned his head and glanced in the direction of the village.

It's just that even he himself doesn't know whether the direction he is looking at is the direction he came from.

"What should I do now? Go back to the village?"

Out of instinctive trust in his mother, Zhao Mu resolutely rejected his idea of ​​retreating.

Regardless of the reason for the fog to calm down, Zhao Mu felt that his most urgent task was to find a way to leave this fog and go to the outside world.

Just when Zhao Mu was about to change direction and move on, a terrifying howl suddenly came from the mist beside him.

"Roar!"

Like a hunting beast, a three-meter-high bone giant with a bone crown appeared with a terrifying howl.

And under its hands, Zhao Mu's hound was dragged out of the mist bit by bit.

—Recommendation ticket—/—Monthly ticket—

(End of this chapter)