Chapter 1 The Deep Red

“That Deep Red is still alive, or rather, the one who died wasn't the Deep Red we thought it was!”

“Huh?” Fatty was dumbfounded and couldn't react for a long time.

“Have you ever considered the possibility that those four corpses aren't really Song Tianming and the others?” Jiang Cheng's expression grew more serious. “We were separated for too long.”

A few seconds later, cold sweat broke out on Fatty's forehead. “You… you mean Song Tianming and the others were replaced? The people who just died… were they ghosts?”

Looking at the bloody corpses not far away, corpses that felt so real to him, Fatty shook his head violently. He even thought his mind was playing tricks on him. “No, no way… If Song Tianming and the others are still alive, then where are they?”

Jiang Cheng stood up and patted Fatty on the shoulder. “I also think the possibility is very low, but we have to be careful. Let's go back, get Ye Qiutang, and sneak back to the West Wing.”

Fatty suddenly realized something. Last time, they hadn't even entered the courtyard gate of the West Wing before Zhao, the captain, jumped down from the tree and intercepted them, then led them here after many twists and turns.

Back in the room, after a brief explanation, they brought Ye Qiutang and prepared to head over. Before stepping out of the door, Fatty suddenly looked at Ye Qiutang and reminded her in a natural tone, “Miss Ye, you must keep that jade pendant safe.”

Ye Qiutang frowned. “Don't try to trick me. I'm serious. I already gave the jade pendant to him!”

Only then did Fatty's tense face relax slightly. After all, he hadn't seen Ye Qiutang for more than ten minutes. Once someone was out of his sight, he suspected everyone had been replaced.

Everyone was more careful on the way back. Everything went smoothly, and all the monks had disappeared. Afraid of being ambushed, Jiang Cheng and the others stopped far away from the West Wing and deliberately took remote paths. But even after they sneaked into the West Wing, they didn't see anyone.

Using the dim light, the hope that had just ignited in Ye Qiutang's heart was extinguished. This place was still the same as before she left. No one had returned.

Old Mr. Song, Zhao, Captain Murong, and the other two were really dead and would never return.

Ye Qiutang looked at the furnishings in the room and the items they had left behind, feeling a bit dazed.

“Hey, look at that.” Fatty's voice came. He was looking at a place far away outside the door.

Jiang Cheng and Ye Qiutang saw it too. The horizon in the distance was turning white. It was… it was about to dawn!

Sure enough, the suffocating cycle was broken. There was no longer a boundary between night and day, and they no longer needed to fall asleep.

“It's done! That Lingxiao Daoren was telling the truth!” After experiencing such a night, seeing dawn again, Fatty's mood was beyond words.

Closing the door, Jiang Cheng and the others took a short rest while they had the chance. After the sky had completely brightened, Jiang Cheng and the others ate something simple before pushing the door open and walking out.

But this time, walking in the courtyard, they suddenly had a strange feeling, as if something was wrong with their surroundings.

The road was still the same road, and the walls were still the same walls, but it just felt different, as if everything around them had become more ancient and heavy.

Before long, the three were shocked by the scene before them. They turned out of a small path, and directly in front of them was a building.

This building had blue bricks and gray tiles, with copper bells hanging under the eaves. The edges of the bluestone steps were covered with moss. Looking up, the black, ancient wooden door was open. A square incense burner with four legs, carved with the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) patterns, sat in the hall of the building. Incense was burning inside, emitting wisps of fragrant smoke.

“This is… Taoist stuff?” Fatty was completely shocked. After all, he had walked this road more than once. He clearly remembered that this was originally a side hall of the temple, where Bodhisattvas were enshrined.

The next moment, before they could react, a Taoist priest in a blue robe walked out of the building. The Taoist was originally moving a rattan chair, but after seeing Jiang Cheng and the others, he immediately put down the chair, walked over, cupped his hands, and performed a standard Taoist salute to the three of them. Then, he drew out his voice and chanted, “Fú shēng… wúliàng tiānzūn!” (May your life be blessed with immeasurable celestial honor!)

“Three pilgrims, do you wish to offer incense?” The Taoist looked up, looking at Jiang Cheng and the others with an exceptionally pious face.

But Fatty's face changed instantly, because he looked familiar to him. He was one of Huiming Monk's group, who had been chasing them not long ago.

Seemingly frightened by Fatty's strange gaze, the Taoist looked at Fatty and performed another Taoist salute, “This pilgrim, you…”

At this moment, Jiang Cheng also understood that Lingxiao Daoren had suppressed the evil spirit parasitizing Master Fuji, and now the illusion was broken. This Chijie Temple had reverted to its original appearance. This was Qingfeng Guan (Green Peak Temple).

Since it was a Taoist temple, the people inside were naturally Taoist priests.

Jiang Cheng imitated the Taoist's previous movements and returned a Taoist salute, “May I ask for the venerable Taoist's name?”

“I dare not, this poor Daoist is Xuan Cheng.” The Taoist became even more humble.

“So it's Daoist Xuan Cheng, my respects, may I ask where the Daoists of this Qingfeng Guan practice? We would like to take a look.” Jiang Cheng asked.

“Practice… naturally in the Quiet Room Hall. This poor Daoist and my brothers all practice here.” The Taoist answered very piously. “But the three pilgrims cannot enter there.”

“It doesn't matter, please trouble the Taoist to take us to have a look. We can just look from outside the door.”

After Jiang Cheng and Ye Qiutang pleaded repeatedly, the Daoist Xuan Cheng couldn't refuse and had to take the three of them. The further they walked, the stronger the strange feeling in Fatty's heart became. This was clearly the road leading to the Hall of Merit.

However, in the Chijie Temple, the Hall of Merit was also a place for the monks to cultivate merit. The two had the same function.

Standing outside the so-called Quiet Room Hall and looking inside, Jiang Cheng and the others felt like they had traveled through time. The building was still there, but the style had changed. The Buddhist grandeur had been replaced by the ancient and heavy Taoist style, and the sound of chanting scriptures was constantly coming from inside. Even more mysterious was that the two Taoist priests now guarding the courtyard gate were the two monks who had previously guarded the Hall of Merit, except they had changed their clothes, grown their hair back, and tied up a Taoist mixed-element bun on top of their heads.

“Three pilgrims, this is where the disciples of our temple practice, so it is not convenient for you to visit.” One of the Taoist priests, who had refused Jiang Cheng before, walked out, his face full of seriousness.

“It doesn't matter, may I ask for the venerable Taoist's name?” Jiang Cheng smiled very amiably while performing a Taoist salute.

The Taoist did not dare to neglect and immediately returned the salute. “I dare not, this poor Daoist is Xuan Yi.”

“So it's Daoist Xuan Yi, ha ha, may I ask where Daoist Xuan Cong… is?” Jiang Cheng asked, cupping his hands.