Simultaneous traversal: All Abyss difficulty.

Chapter 606 A Chinese Ghost Story
On the desolate path shrouded in mountain mist, Fang Yu walked at the head of the group, humming a tune that was out of tune.

The withered branches snapped crisply beneath his feet, startling several crows into fluttering flight into the leaden sky.

Life's journey is long, like a beautiful dream; the road is filled with wind and frost, the wind and frost drying our faces.

Suddenly, Seppi jumped out from the back of the line and shouted, "Yo, check the mic, the beat drops like a bomb in the night!"

"Shut up!" Fang Yu flicked out a bolt of lightning, scaring Sepi into shrinking into the group of newcomers. "Stop spouting nonsense. You haven't learned enough from Old Black, have you?"

Just as Seppi was about to explain, hurried footsteps suddenly came from the thin mist.

The scholar in blue robes, carrying a bamboo-woven book box, stumbled out of the mist and stopped abruptly when he saw the large crowd of people.

His bangs were stuck together by cold sweat, and his handsome face turned deathly pale.

"Fellow heroes!" Ning Caichen clutched his book box tightly. "I only have my travel permit and some provisions for the imperial examination."

Fang Yu instantly blocked their retreat, bowing politely and saying, "Brother, you misunderstand. We are also students traveling to the capital for the imperial examinations."

Ning Caichen glanced at everyone suspiciously.
Lin Xiaoyu, carrying the Gatling gun-wielding android; Zhan Lan, looking at people like food; and Zhao Yingkong, clutching a dagger, all twitched at Ning Caichen's lips: "Young master, are you joking? That young lady's fingernails could be used as hidden weapons."

"That's called 'hanging one's head from the rafters and pricking one's thigh with an awl'," Fang Yu said nonchalantly, then suddenly turned and roared, "Sepi! Give him a piece of Lotus Flower Ballad!"

Reluctantly stepping forward, the rapper Seppi suddenly yelled at the top of his lungs, "And Seppi, you're so weak, everyone knows that! Yoyo!"

The raspy voice startled even more crows into flight, making it seem like a ghost story in the middle of the night.

Ning Caichen paused, then suddenly brushed off his grass-covered trousers and stood up: "So he really is a failed scholar. Of course, what bandit would sing this beggar's ballad?"

He scratched his head sheepishly, "I encountered some highway robbers the other day, and everyone looked like one."

"I understand, I understand." Fang Yu put his arm around the scholar's shoulder, secretly giving his teammates a wink.

Ning Caichen suddenly pointed to a distant mountain hollow and exclaimed, "What's that?"

The setting sun, like blood, enveloped the dilapidated buildings halfway up the mountain.

On the crooked archway, the three faded characters "Lanruo Temple" are being slowly eroded by vines.

A cold wind swept the paper money past everyone's feet, and the faint sound of a woman's mournful weeping could be heard.

"Brilliant!" Fang Yu clapped his hands suddenly. "I was just worried about not being able to find a place to stay for the night."

Ning Caichen grabbed his sleeve in terror: "Young master, you mustn't! During the day, a murderer with a big beard said that if I dared to go in here, he would kill me and dump my body! Do you really want to go in? Not to mention, I've heard that it's haunted inside!"

"It's just mice!" Fang Yu said, pulling the scholar forward without further ado. "We scholars aren't afraid of these things at all. Confucius said, 'Do not speak of strange phenomena, physical prowess, disorder, or spirits,' right?"

A cold wind swept withered leaves across the mottled stone steps of Lanruo Temple, and moonlight cast spiderweb-like shadows on the dilapidated eaves.

Fang Yu kicked open the half-rotten temple door, startling a few rats in the corner.

"This is it!" He turned around and grinned at everyone, clearly eager to get started.

Zhao Yingkong, holding a dagger, was the second to cross the threshold, followed closely by Li Yingqi, whose fingertips were burning with talismanic flames.

Just as Zheng Zha was about to take a step, he suddenly realized that there was no movement behind him. The newcomers were frozen in place as if they had been frozen in place.

Zhang Ming's Adam's apple bobbed, and cold sweat slid down his temples to his chin. "The Black Mountain Demon is someone who can control ghostly soldiers to pass through, much stronger than Imhotep from 'The Mummy,' who can only summon insects. Can Fang Yu handle this? Why don't we find Yan Chixia first? Why not find helpers when we have them? Why wait here in Lanruo Temple for Grandma to appear?"

Zhan Lanqing's pale white fingers suddenly gripped the back of Zhang Ming's neck, the icy touch sending a shiver down his spine. "Either go in!" Zhan Lanqing's zombie fangs gleamed in the moonlight, "or leave now and go die. Which do you choose?"

Zhang Ming's calves cramped, and in a daze, he saw a few wisps of eerie blue will-o'-the-wisps floating out of the stone lanterns on both sides of the temple gate.

He swallowed hard and forced himself to step over the threshold.

Lin Xiaoyu stared at Zhang Ming's hunched back, her nails digging deep into her palms. Moonlight streamed through the dilapidated windowpanes, casting dappled shadows on her face, and the murderous intent surging in her almond-shaped eyes sent a chill down the spine of Liu Yan, the newcomer beside her.

"What are you looking at?" She suddenly turned her head, startling Liu Yan so much that he almost screamed.

Zhan Lanqing's white fingers touched Lin Xiaoyu's shoulder, the icy touch making the latter stiffen.

"Don't get your hands dirty." The zombie-like Zhan Lan's lips curled up slightly, and Ren Tingting's beautiful face shone with a porcelain-like luster in the moonlight. "This kind of trash... won't live past midnight."

"Squeak-"

The decaying wooden door closed automatically behind them, shaking off a flurry of dust.

Ning Caichen tightened his clothes, his scholar's voice trembling as he said, "Gentlemen, there's something strange about this temple!"

Fang Yu kicked open the broken door to the inner room, "Stop talking nonsense! Just go to sleep!"

Inside the second-floor prayer hall, a dilapidated Buddha statue looked down at the crowd with lowered eyes.

Zhan Lan's wristwatch suddenly glowed red, projecting the updated mission:

Perform a ritual to help Nie Xiaoqian escape the control of the Tree Demon Granny and ensure her soul is successfully reincarnated.
Completion Rewards: 5000 reward points for all members, 1 B-rank side quest.
Destroy Lanruo Temple: Completely purify the lair of the Tree Demon Granny.
Completion Rewards: 3000 Reward Points, 1 B-Rank Side Quest
Black Mountain Demon Slayer: Killing the Black Mountain Demon Who Attempted to Force Nie Xiaoqian to Marry
Bonus Rewards: 8000 Reward Points, 1 Rank A Side Quest
Yan Chixia's approval: Receive instruction from Yan Chixia in the Diamond Sutra or sword control techniques, etc.
Pudu Cihang: Slay the centipede demon Pudu Cihang, who is wreaking havoc on the court, and its minions.

Completion Reward: 5000 reward points, A-level side quest.

[Special Restrictions]

Underworld Prohibition: If a team member dies, their soul will be imprisoned by the Black Mountain Demon and must be retrieved within 24 hours; otherwise, they will be considered permanently dead. All of the team member's abilities will be doubled during their lifetime.

The conflict between Buddhism and Taoism: One must not assist both Zen Master Baiyun and Yan Chixia at the same time; Zhi Qiu Yi Ye is considered to be on Yan Chixia's side.

After reading the mission, everyone felt a chill run down their spines!

Don't be fooled by the generous rewards! The information hidden behind them is terrifying!

Zhou Mingxuan shivered. "It's supposed to be A Chinese Ghost Story 1, but how come all the bosses from 1, 2, and 3 are here? Even Pudu Cihang is here! That deadly chanting was my childhood nightmare! I don't care about Wang Zuxian anymore, it's terrifying!"

Zheng Zha continued, "Hmm! This is a bit troublesome! Grandma and the Black Mountain Demon are already quite a handful, but we didn't expect there would also be Captain Pudu Cihang. What do we do?"

Fang Yu stretched his muscles and slowly stood up.

"Then let's go all out!"

Zheng Zha's eyes lit up, but Zhao Yingkong suddenly hesitated for a moment.

Li Yingqi glanced at Zhao Yingkong's expression and said bluntly, "Fang Yu, aren't you afraid that the God of War will give you extra points to frame you?"

Fang Yu took a deep breath and scratched his back.

As he scratched his prickly back, everyone saw the phantom of Laozi again!
The entire Zhongzhou team gasped, but Fang Yu, oblivious to the situation, said, "I don't know why, but my confidence is off the charts right now. I have this feeling that the God of War can't control me anymore, I don't know why."

(End of this chapter)