White Bone Demon Trail

Chapter 17 Ghost Temple

Another day the sun rose from the east, and I saw distant mountains stretching far, clouds swirling around them, and the morning mountains turning green.

Wisps of smoke rose from the village, and after half a month, the mornings in Black Stone Village were finally filled with the warmth of cooking fires again.

Grandma Liu, carrying a basket, walked past the wooden houses in the village, stepped out of the village, stood in front of the temple with its doors tightly closed, knelt down and kowtowed from afar, and then passed through a sparse bamboo forest to reach the foot of the mountain.

She tilted her head back and wiped the sweat from her face with the coarse cloth she wore on her forehead. Although it was morning, it was already summer, and after walking more than ten miles, she was so tired that her vision blurred. She had no choice but to find a rock to sit down and rest.

Today is the seventh day after her son's death. Three years ago, Sanmaozi's father died in a fight with Wulongzhai over the forest farm. Although Sanmaozi was married, he had not yet had any children. Fortunately, his second son died on the battlefield, leaving behind a son, which at least continued the Liu family line.

After resting, Granny Liu continued on her way, and after walking a few miles, she saw the mountain.

Barren mountains, isolated ridges with hardly any wild grass.

The sun was already high in the sky, but a few wisps of thin mist still lingered on the mountain. Granny Liu arrived at the foot of the mountain, where there was a row of earthen graves, each containing a once vibrant person buried in the pointed little mound.

She arrived at Sanmaozi's grave, sat there blankly for a long time, staring at the mound of earth, before finally snapping out of her reverie and laughing, "Look at my memory, I forgot to burn some money for you."

As he spoke, he took out a tinderbox from the basket, gently blew out sparks, and lit the paper money. The smoke rose slowly, as if conveying the living's memories of the dead.

She carefully took out a stack of well-cooked chunks of fatty meat, stuck a pair of chopsticks in it, and smiled through the wrinkles on her face. "Eat up, third brother. This is wild boar meat that the chief caught. You always talked about wanting to eat it when you were alive."

And this wine, the third leader gave it to me, it's your favorite."

She took out a wine pot, filled three cups, and poured the wine onto the joss paper, making the flames burn even brighter.

Grandma Liu watched quietly as the firelight waned and grew smaller before continuing, "Don't worry about me, I'll raise your second brother's child and watch him get married. Everyone in the village is helping me, so I have nothing to worry about."

Grandma knows you haven't enjoyed much happiness in this life, so you'd better reincarnate soon. In your next life, find a good family, enjoy life, and never have to worry about food or clothing.

Aren't you sad?

A clear voice suddenly rang out from beside her. Granny Liu looked up and saw a tall, handsome young man dressed in a luxurious plain robe, looking at the mound of earth in front of her.

Grandma Liu paused for a moment, then sighed, "Being heartbroken won't bring my child back. The dead are gone, but the living must continue to live."

"You seem to have a good outlook on things." Bai Wuxiang nodded.

"Thirteen years ago, my eldest daughter died in childbirth at her husband's house. There wasn't a single man in the family there. I went to take her body home and buried her myself."

She gave birth to three children but never had a son. She died in childbirth after giving birth to her last son. I cried for three days and three nights straight. Later, I thought it was better that she died; she wouldn't have to suffer anymore at the hands of her husband's family.

Later, all three men in the family joined the army and went with some prince sent by the imperial court to quell the rebellion.

Not long after, a troop of soldiers brought my second son's belongings, and his wife ran away with someone else. During the famine years down the mountain, we couldn't even afford to eat, so we had no choice but to follow my second son's comrades to this mountain to build a village.

Although the first few years were tough, and people often went hungry, it was still much better than living down the mountain. At least it was a decent life, without the constant worry of bandits or refugees robbing people, and without landlords or government officials pressing for payment.

But a few years later, there wasn't much food left in the village. The old man followed the village leaders to find food and died in a fight at Wulong Village.

Now that my third son is gone, I've arranged for his wife to remarry; I couldn't let her live a life of widowhood. I still have the strength to raise my second son's child, so at least I can have some peace of mind.”

Bai Wuxiang listened quietly as she rambled on for a long time, knowing that the old woman wasn't immune to sadness and tears, but rather that she had already shed all her tears during those unfortunate years.

With a kind and gentle tone, he asked, "It's so hard, don't you hate it?"

“Hate? What is there to hate? There are too many people in this world who hate, so there is nothing to hate.” Granny Liu shook her head and laughed. “I just wish that if there is a next life, I don’t want to be born as a human again.”

Bai Wuxiang seemed to be deep in thought, and asked, "Is this place still considered the human world?"

"Why doesn't it count?" Granny Liu put away the meat and wine from the grave and replied to him:

"The human world is down below the mountain, but those who are alive there are no longer considered human."

"Isn't anyone in charge of this mess?"

"Manage? Adults have their own pursuits of fame and fortune, lords have their own pursuits of wealth, and we common folk also have our own struggles to earn a living. Nobody can control us."

Even gods and immortals probably can't manage affairs on Earth. Otherwise, why do you think all the gods go to heaven and dare not stay on Earth?

Grandma Liu finished speaking with a mocking smile, then shook her head to herself.

"Don't you believe in gods?" Bai Wuxiang asked with great curiosity.

“I believe, why wouldn’t I believe?” Granny Liu stood up, clasped her hands together in prayer towards the direction of the temple, and then said, “The one who can protect us and keep us alive is God.”

"But aren't you afraid that what you're worshipping isn't a god, but a demon, a ghost, or a monster?"

"I don't know about that," Granny Liu shook her head and smiled. "But to me, the Wuxiang Master in our village is our god."

Bai Wuxiang smiled knowingly, "Old man, you are very wise."

"No, no," Granny Liu waved her hand and said, "I can't even read many words. I have to go back and cook for the children, so I won't keep you company any longer."

"Hehe, wisdom isn't something that scholars necessarily possess." Bai Wuxiang waved his hand at her. "I hope to see you again next year, old lady."

Granny Liu chuckled and said, "If I could live, this old woman would definitely come."

Watching Granny Liu walk away, Bai Wuxiang fell into deep thought. A black crow landed on his shoulder and cawed.
Bai Wuxiang turned his head and asked with a smile, "Tell me, are we gods or demons?"

Granny Liu, carrying her basket, returned to the village. The villagers greeted her, and she smiled and returned their greetings. Only when she stood at the door of her own house did she carefully recall the person. She knew that she had most likely encountered someone who wasn't human, but since the person hadn't harmed her, there was nothing to be afraid of, and no need to tell anyone.

Bai Wuxiang returned to the cave. He was now not only afraid of the day because of his demonic power and death energy, but he also felt a certain resistance to the day.

So, during the day, he would stay in the cave, grind a bone into a needle, and then weave bone skin, wanting to make himself another piece of skin.

The villagers of Black Stone Village were quite surprised to find a new temple guardian in the shrine, but no one dared to ask anything. However, the shrine was closed during the day and only opened at night, which puzzled everyone.

As the setting sun cast its golden glow, Ah Liu, just like in the previous days, slowly pushed open the temple's doors inside the black-walled temple.

Several devout villagers came to offer incense, knelt before the statue of the deity, said a few words, and then left.

Ah Liu gradually got used to this kind of life. Watching the villagers smile and talk to him before leaving, he thought to himself, "Perhaps this is the kind of life that people should live."
He leaned against the locust tree in the courtyard, looking at the wide-open temple gate where no one was, and felt a bit drowsy.

"squeak~"

The door panel moved slightly, disturbing Ah Liu's sleepiness.

He looked up at the person who had come, who was a refined middle-aged man.

"Second Master, what brings you here?"

He valued the three leaders of the village highly. After all, he relied on the village's support to survive.

You Junzi looked at the person before him; he seemed ordinary, nothing special, except for the mark on his forehead. What purpose did Wuxiang have in choosing such a person to guard the temple?
He thought to himself, but replied aloud, "I have come to request an audience with Lord Wuxiang to discuss something."

"May I ask, Second Master, is there something important?" Ah Liu recalled Lord Wuxiang's instructions not to disturb him unless it was something important, so he asked the other party.

"It's nothing major. Lord Wuxiang borrowed something from me before. This item is very important to me, and I've come to ask if Lord Wuxiang might return it," You Junzi explained.

"I see." Ah Liu was taken aback. So they came to ask the master for something. He immediately abandoned his idea of ​​contacting the master to send a message, and only smiled and said, "Then why don't you, Second Master, go to the statue to offer incense and see if Master Wuxiang will respond?"

You Junzi nodded, then went to the statue, offered incense, and said, "Lord Wuxiang, You Junzi has come to request an audience!"

Bai Wuxiang, who was in the White Bone Cave, sensed You Junzi's presence as soon as he entered the temple. Upon hearing that the other party had come to ask for something, he naturally did not show himself to respond.

This Jade Void Golden Bell is definitely a treasure for subduing demons. Now that it's in my hands, I can forget about getting it back. After all, he expended a lot of resentment to save the people of Black Stone Village, so this thing is my reward for his efforts.

Bai Wuxiang simply pretended to be dead and ignored the other party completely.

You Junzi waited in front of the statue for a long time, but there was no response. She knew that the other party did not want to see her.

His expression was rather unpleasant; Wuxiang had actually cheated him out of his treasure!
Ah Liu, standing to the side, found it somewhat amusing, but dared not show it. He simply touched his nose and comforted him, "Perhaps Lord Wuxiang is still busy. Why don't you ask him again later, Second Master?"

You Junzi opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing. After all, Wu Xiang was the benefactor who saved the village, and he couldn't just ask for it without considering the consequences.

So he could only leave, unwilling and resigned.

After seeing the second-in-command off, Ah Liu sat on the steps, pondering. Was this the only purpose for Lord Wuxiang to appoint him as the temple keeper? Or was there some other intention?
Although the summer nights were hot, they were much cooler in the mountains. A cicada flew in from somewhere on the locust tree and chirped tirelessly. Ah Liu, who was guarding the temple, unknowingly fell asleep leaning against the steps in the middle of the night.

In his hazy state of consciousness, he suddenly sensed a chill that penetrated to his very bones, a chill that felt somewhat familiar to Ah Liu.

He jolted awake and looked in front of him.

But in the empty temple under the moonlight, a woman in red with long, flowing hair stood in the center of the temple gate. The woman had her head down, and her long, thick black hair trailed to the ground, obscuring her face. This sight made Ah Liu's body go limp, and he instinctively turned to run to the statue.

He ran to the temple entrance, looked back, and the figure of the woman in red suddenly appeared in front of him in a few flashes. Ah Liu screamed in fright, "This is a temple! There are gods here, how dare you come here?"

"God?" A faint female voice rang out, "This humble woman has come to worship God."

Ah Liu was stunned for a moment, his mind a little blank. Can ghosts worship gods?

He suddenly remembered what Master Wuxiang had told him: no matter whether the visitor is human or ghost, they must not be driven away.

Ah Liu never expected that ghosts would actually come to worship at the temple!
He suppressed his fear, remembering that he had divine protection and support behind him, and was no longer a mere mortal. This gave him a little courage, and he mustered his courage to ask, "You...you really came to worship the gods?"

"Yes!"

The woman in red's soft voice rang out again.

Seeing that she didn't kill him, Ah Liu took a deep breath, enduring the biting cold emanating from her, and said, "Then... then come in with me."

As he spoke, he walked ahead, leading a ghost into the hall.

The woman in red entered the hall without lifting her feet, as if floating. On either side of the standing statue, the candles that had been extinguished suddenly lit up with dim flames, illuminating the face of the statue, which had no facial features.

Standing beside the statue, Ah Liu felt a sense of security and became much bolder. He said to the woman in red, "If you are going to worship Wuxiang, you must be sincere. Otherwise, Lord Wuxiang will not show his power."

The woman in red did not respond to him, but slowly knelt down before the statue, and a ghostly voice echoed: "This humble woman, Yun Fu, requests an audience with the God of No Form!"

"Whoo~"

A gust of cold wind lifted the long banner in the hall, and human features appeared on the faceless statue. A pair of deep blue eyes lit up, and a divine voice echoed in the hall.

What do you need from me?

The woman in red was stunned when she saw the statue of the deity appear before she said, "I beg the deity to have mercy and grant my wish."

Bai Wuxiang looked at the woman in red kneeling below. This ghost was the same one that Xuanya had encountered in the village that day. He replied, "Wuxiang is not a merciful god. One must have something to offer when praying to a god."

The woman in red replied, "What does the deity require? This humble woman is willing to do her best to offer it!"

Bai Wuxiang stared at her and slowly said, "I need your resentment as a sacrifice to help you achieve your wish. Are you willing?"

“I am willing!” she replied immediately.

"You should know that the reason you do not dissipate after death is because of the resentment in your heart. If you lose this resentment, you will soon vanish into the world," Bai Wuxiang reminded her.

The woman in red said bitterly, "As long as you, God of No Form, can help me fulfill my wish, I will be willing to have my soul scattered!"

(End of this chapter)