Zhongshan Shenzhu Chi

It was noon, and the sun was high in the sky.

Zhong Yan and Wen Shuyan reached a fork in the road, turned away from the bluestone path, and disappeared into the dense forest.

The temples dedicated to the mountain god existed long before the Black Serpent God received his imperial decree from the Great Zhou Dynasty. It can be said that there are as many temples as there are villages in Zhongshan, some large, some small, some new, some old.

But now, almost only the villagers of Xincun, led by Zhong Yan, go up the mountain every year to worship the mountain god.

In the other villages, young people couldn't stand the impoverished life in the mountains and flocked to Xia'an City, gradually causing the area to lose its vitality.

"Mr. Zhong, why did your village build the mountain god temple so deep in the ground?" Wen Shuyan followed closely behind, leaning on the old tree, but his steps were already very small.

"When the temple was being built, the older generation said that the deeper the temple was built, the more it would demonstrate our sincerity."

Zhong Yan, wielding a machete, cut through the brambles ahead. Though his body was thin, he seemed to possess inexhaustible strength, showing no signs of being an elderly man in his sixties.

"So we chose a place far from the road, which means that every year when we go up the mountain to worship the mountain god, we don't dare to choose anything too heavy."

"You... are still worshipping the mountain god?" Wen Shuyan could no longer walk and plopped down on a pile of rotten leaves. "The Crimson Immortal Sect said that anyone who worships the snake god will be executed immediately."

"Can they control the city, and can they control us?" Zhong Yan turned around, walked to Wen Shuyan's side, took off the gourd that was filled with water and handed it to him, "It was given to us by the Mountain God, not by their Crimson Immortal Sect."

"Since I returned to the village to serve as the village chief, I have never stopped worshipping the mountain god for thirty years." Zhong Yan said this with great pride.

"No wonder the Snake God said he wanted you to take me up the mountain." Wen Shuyan wiped the water from the corner of his mouth and looked up at the sky.

The old tree stretched out its branches and leaves in a ferocious manner, layer upon layer, allowing only a very small amount of light and debris to fall through.

"After all, I'm not one of those monks. In this lifetime, aside from birth, growing up, eating, drinking, and excretion, the only time I can truly do anything is thirty years."

Zhong Yan leaned against the moss-covered old tree trunk, suddenly stopped, and suddenly understood something in his mind. His tone was inexplicably desolate.

"Misfortune may be a blessing in disguise, and a blessing may be a misfortune in disguise."

"I can't see through it, I really, really can't see through it."

"So, do you think we're in a good or bad situation right now?" the clerk asked casually.

"Misfortune? Fortune?" Zhong Yan couldn't think of an answer for a moment.

The old man remained silent, then turned around and chopped a wooden stick with his machete.

"Since the Serpent God has chosen us..." Zhong Yan quickly whittled down the wooden stick and handed it to Wen Shuyan. "Then, regardless of whether it's a blessing or a curse, let's finish what He entrusted to us first."

"Take a break, take another break..." Wen Shuyan took the wooden stick, propped himself up, and leaned against the old tree, panting heavily.

The fat merchant's fine clothes were now covered in stains, and the lining was soaked with sweat.

Suddenly a cold wind blew in, and the chill ran from my back to the tip of my nose.

Wen Shuyan shuddered and shuddered violently.

Looking around, the brighter the midday sun, the darker the forest.

In that boundless darkness, it seemed as if a pair of eyes were staring intently at me.

"Chief Zhong... Chief Zhong!" Wenshu Yan shakily raised his short, thick index finger, pointing ahead, "There... there seems to be something... watching... watching us!"

"So you city folks are making a fuss over nothing." Zhong Yan looked in the direction he was pointing, and all he saw was a forest.

Suddenly, a strange fragrance filled the air, making people's mouths water and their hearts drool.

He immediately became alert, took the wooden mallet from his back, and with a loud clang, shouted:

"People from the new village at the foot of the mountain go up the mountain to worship the mountain god!"

The old man's voice was hoarse, but because he had sung mountain chants for many years, his hoarse voice had a unique charm.

The sound spread, and the inexplicably alluring aroma followed.

"Let's go, let's go, no more rest." Zhong Yan looked around warily and urged Wen Shuyan.

"I'm leaving, I'm leaving!"

The fat businessman scrambled over the grass and trees, closely following Zhong Yan's footsteps.

Just behind them, a pure white fox emerged from the dense forest.

An ancient book floated above its head, and a blood-red lotus seed, the size of an infant's fist, was curled around the fox's tail.

That inexplicably alluring and rich fragrance was emanating from this lotus seed.

Zhong Yan only caught a whiff of it, and his mouth involuntarily watered.

As a demonic beast, the fox reacted far better than him. Having followed him all the way, its gums were already dry, and hot air was rising from its throat.

After confirming the two humans' intentions, the white fox quickly left, heading straight for the valley where the candle was.

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"That's roughly it... I couldn't find an angle to see the note they were holding clearly."

"But judging from their conversation, it's clearly the Serpent God..."

At the entrance to the Snake God Valley, in front of the red snake, the white fox spoke softly, then put down the blood-red lotus seed that was curled up in its tail.

Its tail, having been taut for so long, had lost its flexibility. Even now, when it was relaxed, it was still somewhat curved, curled up in a circle, like the spirals on a snail's shell.

"Okay, I understand." The giant snake opened the scales on its neck, letting the ancient book fly inside.

The claim that they wanted to cultivate lotus seeds was just an excuse.

Huai Nian had already witnessed the white fox's mother die of old age, and she was unwilling and did not want to see a fox she had watched grow up follow the same fate.

But this white fox was just as stubborn as its mother.

It took two days to walk from the mountains and caves, and then half a day to follow humans from dawn until now, when the bright moon hangs high in the sky, and only then did it arrive in front of me.

Even though the lotus seed was almost at the end, and its fragrance was so rich it was almost intoxicating, it gritted its teeth, swallowed hard, and suppressed its craving, refusing to swallow the lotus seed.

The lotus seeds that could incite bloody battles among the monsters of Zhongshan lost their allure on it.

It's not that I've lost the allure.

The white fox mother taught it from a young age that its own commands were above all else.

The white fox faithfully carried out the order to bring the lotus seeds and ancient books back to the valley without any deviation.

The big snake roared.

Like wild geese flying away, there is nowhere to send a letter home, a feeling of sorrow.

The white fox was drinking water voraciously at the edge of the valley.

With its innate ability to sense the emotions of living beings, it felt the heavy sorrow in the red snake's heart and immediately turned away without even wiping the water stains on its body.

"Was I wrong, candle...?"

"I'll go and see what's written on that piece of paper right now."

"You did a good job." Red Serpent shook his head. "Go back and get a good night's sleep. Once you've fully recovered, go down the mountain to see Zhong Yan and see what he's up to."

"Yes." The white fox nodded, obeying the great snake's command, and immediately returned.

After the white fox disappeared, the little black crow flew down from the sky.

"Candle Venerable".

"Did the medium eat it?" Huai Nian asked.

"I ate it, but it felt like I didn't eat anything."

"Hmm?" Huai Nian asked, puzzled.

"I just feel a little sleepy..." Seeing that the giant snake showed no signs of sleeping, the little black crow flew to a cave on the cliff face of the valley.

A cunning rabbit has three burrows; this is its fourth resting place.

"You should get some sleep too. I'll arrange what you need to do after you wake up," Huai Nian said softly.

"Achoo—" The little black crow fell into a deep sleep.

The giant snake looked around and entered the valley.

We went deeper into the valley.

"Mother, I think we need to talk."