Chapter 640

Chapter 640: Dark Night in the Mountains

The mountain ghost was not a wild ghost or spirit in the mountains, but referred to an ancient female mountain deity. Due to her graceful appearance and ethereal beauty, she was known among people.

However, as time passed, this belief gradually faded from the general public’s knowledge. Only in remote areas deep in the mountains did some still retain the old customs and continue to refer to her in that way.

The newlywed couple curiously looked at this young lady. Although they had never seen the legendary mountain deity before, this young lady’s demeanor indeed bore a resemblance to the stories, about seven-tenths similar.

Fortunately, after Yu Baichou explained for a while, they gradually abandoned their previous speculations.

“From this, it seems that this Miss might have been sleeping in the Peach Blossom Land for a long time. It was only recently that the changes in heaven and earth broke the silence, allowing her to gradually awaken,” one of the bridesmaids proposed her own guess.

“We, too, were born and raised here in these mountains. In the past ten years, we haven’t seen any noble children come here for sightseeing. I’m afraid we can’t provide much useful information,” the groom said with a slight shake of his head.

Although they had just gotten married, they had known each other since childhood and were quite familiar. There were only a few families in the nearby villages and strongholds. After decades of living together, everyone knew each other well. If there were any unfamiliar guests, they would know about them.

“Thank you for your explanation. Actually, there’s no need to worry too much about me.” The young lady shook her head slightly. After waking up, over the past two days, she had begun to recall parts of her past, although it was only a fraction of her memories. She was no longer as panicked as before.

With time, complete recovery shouldn’t be a problem, though she occasionally felt anxious and nostalgic.

The newlywed couple watched the young lady under the candlelight. Her beautiful face exuded tranquility and peace, unlike someone who would be easily frightened. They silently approved of her.

“There’s no need to rush asking questions. If you’re not in a hurry, you can stay here for a few days. When merchants pass through, you can go out with them. That will be much safer. Otherwise, traveling alone can be dangerous, with snakes, insects, poisonous swamps, and monster attacks making it always uneasy.”

The young lady and Yu Baichou briefly exchanged words, nodding in agreement.

“I apologize for the trouble,” she stood up, placing her hands in front of her, and bowed slightly.

When traveling, being homeless and friendless, it was truly fortunate to be kindly received and accommodated by others.

“Not at all. Let me check if there are any clean rooms available. Recently, I’ve specially cleared out several guest rooms for the wedding,” the hostess said, then pushed open the door and went out.

Unlike marriages arranged by matchmakers and parents outside the mountains, the Ye family in the mountains still followed their own customs.

Retaining the simple tradition of free love, the two naturally fell in love before gradually informing their parents. The woman had also visited the man’s home several times before their marriage, so she wasn’t unfamiliar with it. And now that the wedding was complete, she was gradually becoming the new mistress.

After dark, most of the guests who came to celebrate returned home, while a few particularly close cousins would stay behind, temporarily staying over to accompany them for the night.

After waiting for a while, the new mistress re-entered the house and beckoned to the young lady.

“The room has been prepared next to the Qiong Tower. Follow me,” she said.

The Qiong Tower was a locally built structure made of stacked stones, shaped like a square high tower, with small windows around each floor, offering views outside.

The new mistress led the way with an orange lamp, then ascended the wooden stairs.

“I haven’t asked your name yet? My name is Bai Zao,” she suddenly remembered something and turned her head, her red and white headdress still beautiful under the candlelight.

“My name seems to be Lan Xi Er. I’m a bit fuzzy on my memory,” the young lady replied. In fact, she already recalled her full name, Lolan Hill, but since the Lo clan was a royal surname, she didn’t want to mention it directly.

“What a beautiful name, with a unique rhythm,” the bride smiled slightly. Although she wasn’t a peerless beauty, her appearance was quite rare in the nearby mountain villages.

“Our people from Ye Yu don’t interact much with the outside world and have fewer formalities. So if you need anything during your stay here, just call for Bai Zao,” she said.

“Okay, thank you, Sister Bai,” the young lady nodded obediently.

Unlike the world filled with lights in her memories, in this ancient and mysterious world, without lighting, the entire world became especially dark at night.

In the wild mountains and dense forests, there was no moonlight, making it pitch black, completely unable to see anything. Facing such endless darkness, the residents of the mountains rarely went out at night. Even when they had to go into the mountains, they usually went in groups, holding torches to boost each other’s courage.

Bai Zao’s lantern swayed in the darkness, dividing the stairs and shadows into stark black and light sections. As the position of the lantern changed, some areas plunged into pitch darkness, while others were illuminated, revealing parts previously unseen.

Sometimes, someone right in front of you could be within arm’s reach, but once the light shifted away from their face, all you could see was a pair of faint black eyes, with the rest of the face obscured.

Such scenes often frightened children, making them afraid of the unknown and eerie in the darkness.

However, what slightly surprised Bai Zao was that even in such darkness,

In the dim environment, the young lady still maintained a serene expression, her steps light and unhurried, as if she were walking on a flat road.

Perhaps, she truly might be the reincarnation of a mountain deity, with a remarkable origin. Such thoughts crossed her mind as she continued walking ahead.

This world has had various immortals and strange beasts since ancient times, with humans and gods living together. If she really encounters one, it wouldn’t be an unusual event.

After turning another corner of the stairs, Bai Zao stopped with the lantern in hand, removed the hanging lock, pushed open the door, and led Lolan Hill into this room.

After entering the room, she first lit the oil lamps and candle stands inside, allowing the soft light to fill the space before turning to introduce it.

“This is in the northwest corner of the fourth floor, quite quiet. You can sleep here tonight.”

The young lady briefly surveyed the room. On one side of the wall was a wooden bed, covered with blue-green bedding, adorned with local indigo prints, giving it a rustic beauty.

Next to the wooden bed stood a red-lacquered dressing table with a copper mirror on it.

“The floor above is for storing miscellaneous items, and below is my younger sister’s room. She probably won’t sleep until late tonight because she will be guarding with her sisters tonight.”

“If there’s anything, you can come down to the courtyard to find me. There will be people in the courtyard all night,” Bai Zao explained, then left a lantern and waved goodbye as she went downstairs.

After Bai Zao left, Lolan Hill sat on the edge of the bed, carefully observing the ceiling and everything around her.

Local buildings generally did not have people living on the ground floor; they were used for tying livestock or storing hay and firewood. The second and third floors were for living quarters, while the top floor was usually for storing less frequently used items. The entire building was constructed with stone, appearing like a tower from the outside, very simple and plain. However, the interior was much more refined, and essential daily items were not lacking.

After pacing around the room a few steps, the young lady approached the window and gazed out at the pitch-black outside.

Everything in sight was almost completely dark, and only the faint outlines of distant hills and the world could be seen in the starlight above. The mountainside world was shrouded in darkness, making one feel an inexplicable sense of fear.

The mountains at night are still so terrifying. The young lady whispered, recalling the scenes that flashed through her mind. It seemed that when she was little, she also stood by the window looking at the dark mountains, sometimes even having nightmares out of fear.

Finally, she recalled something. In her previous life, she had experienced living deep in the mountains as a child.

If calculated, this would be her third life. After closing the window and sitting back on the bed, she looked at the warm, flickering candle flame, reflecting on the fleeting and ever-changing nature of time.

(The End of Chapter)