The sudden turn of events filled me with dread.
At this moment, something foul had grabbed my ankle, relentlessly dragging me out from the sacrificial altar.
Terrified, I struggled with all my might.
Hiding beneath the altar seemed safer.
But if I was dragged out, not to mention the female ghost lurking outside the temple.
Whether I could safely leave this City God temple was uncertain.
Though I wasn't entirely sure.
What the old man in the black cloth shoes meant by "buying longevity" or "cheating longevity."
It was clear, however, that I had angered him.
I kicked my feet fiercely, resisting continuously.
"Get away, get away..."
I shouted, struggling desperately.
But the other party's strength was immense, rendering my resistance weak and ineffective.
My body was still inch by inch, being pulled out from under the altar.
In a blink, my entire thigh was pulled out from beneath the altar.
Only half of my body remained within its shelter.
I could feel that besides the hand gripping my ankle.
There were other icy hands nearby, touching my leg...
My hands dug into the ground, leaving streaks.
I was utterly terrified.
Just as I was about to despair, I suddenly remembered.
When I came up the mountain tonight, the old fox lady had given me half of a fox's nail.
She said if I held that thing in my mouth.
Those things wouldn't touch me when I sold eggs.
Thinking back now, the "those things" the old fox lady mentioned were the ghosts in this temple.
I was very scared of the old fox lady then, and I was in a hurry.
Later, I was focused on selling rice and dealing with the foul things outside, and I had actually forgotten about it.
At this moment, remembering it was like seeing hope, grasping a lifesaver.
There was no time to think further.
With a quick movement, I took out the half fox's nail from my pocket.
On the spot, I put the half nail into my mouth.
At this moment, more than half of my body had been pulled out from under the altar.
Only my shoulder and head remained not yet pulled out.
Inside the temple, strange giggling sounds echoed.
Faintly, I could also hear foul things uttering the word "eat."
However, the moment I held the fox's nail in my mouth.
A strange thing happened.
The immensely strong, cold hand that gripped me like pincers.
It recoiled from my ankle as if electrocuted.
The hands touching my body also withdrew.
Feeling no one pulling me, I quickly crawled back under the altar.
I broke out in a cold sweat, my body trembling.
At this moment, with the fox's claw in my mouth.
I gasped for breath, looking utterly pathetic.
I didn't know the situation outside.
But now, I crouched under the altar, leaning against the base of the deity statue.
The overwhelming sense of oppression made me feel as if I was going mad.
However, a voice in my heart told me.
Persist, persist, live, you must live...
If I die, my grandmother will have no one to see her off.
This was perhaps my only motivation.
And at this moment, those feet gathered around the altar disappeared in large numbers after a few coughs and cold snorts.
The temple returned to its previous dead silence.
I knew clearly that those foul things hadn't left, they just stopped speaking.
If I spat out the fox's claw, those foul things would surely come back to grab my feet.
Therefore, I kept the half claw the old fox lady gave me in my mouth.
In my heart, I even felt gratitude towards the old fox lady.
Without this half claw, I might have truly perished.
For the remaining time, there wasn't a single sound in the temple.
Even the coughing had stopped, and no more feet were seen walking outside.
I endured, slowly ticking away the time, remaining vigilant of my surroundings.
Finally, I saw the hour hand point to six. The bloodshot eyes finally flickered with a trace of excitement and joy.
However, I didn't dare to rush out immediately.
Instead, I endured for another five minutes, and only after confirming once more that it was truly safe outside, did I crawl out from under the altar.
The temple was still as messy as when I arrived.
Besides the discarded daily trash, there was nothing else.
But I knew that this place had been filled with foul things.
I didn't want to linger for another moment. I picked up the black paper bowl from the ground and found dark, root-like objects arranged in segments.
No more, no less, exactly ten of them.
I swallowed, and hurried out of the temple.
As soon as I stepped out of the City God temple.
With a "clang."
The dilapidated wooden door behind me slammed shut.
The things inside clearly did not welcome me.
But I didn't want to stay for even a moment longer.
With all my might, I ran down the mountain.
I just wanted to leave Longgang Mountain as soon as possible and return to Wanfutang.
The sky outside was beginning to lighten, and the air was fresh.
It felt as if I had been reborn.
Having gone through the bizarre and terrifying scenes of last night, it was my misfortune, but also my fortune.
At least, I had made it through.
Now that I had obtained the old money and the old medicine, and passed Master Gu's introductory test.
As long as Master Gu personally helped me.
My life should be saved.
Arriving at the foot of the mountain, I started walking towards the urban area.
This place was so remote and wild, it was hard to find a car.
After walking for a good half hour, I luckily encountered a taxi by the roadside.
After telling the driver the address, I leaned back in the seat, feeling completely relieved.
As my body relaxed, I became extremely sleepy.
Leaning against the seat, I soon fell asleep.
When I opened my eyes again, I had arrived.
"Buddy, we're here! Seventy yuan."
The driver nudged me.
I groggily opened my eyes and found myself next to Wanfutang.
"Oh, okay!"
I responded reflexively.
Then I reached into my pocket for money. Coincidentally, I had a fifty yuan bill, plus twenty yuan in change from the van driver last night from another pocket.
I held them in my hand, glanced at them, and handed them over.
Opening the car door, I was about to get out.
But as I prepared to move my foot, the taxi driver grabbed my left hand.
I was completely bewildered. I had already given the money, why wasn't I allowed to get out?
Before I could speak, the driver glared at me fiercely.
He spoke angrily:
"Are you kidding me? Paying with ghost money?"