Chapter 695

Chapter 695 – The Sinister Mask

Walking along a forest path shrouded in night, the young lady gazed at the dim lights coming from the shrine in the distance, still able to hear faint sobs.

If it were her former self, she would have probably fled out of fear. She thought to herself, then continued forward.

Grateful for her unique talent, which allowed her to perceive certain truths without being misled by strange appearances.

Reaching the side entrance of the shrine, she paused to look inside. It was a woman kneeling in the main hall, weeping, with a covered body beside her.

Seeing this scene, the young lady had some guesses; perhaps this woman’s loved one had passed away, which was why she was so heartbroken.

The shrine maiden, an elderly woman, also came over and looked down at the young lady below the steps.

“Awake? Is there something you need?” Her voice was gentle.

“Yes, I’m hungry,” the young lady replied, somewhat embarrassed.

“Hehe, such a simple child.” Granny Ge Luo asked the young lady to wait a moment, then went to another courtyard behind and returned with a cloth bag containing rice, two unripe fruits, and a taro.

“For tonight, we’ll make do. Tomorrow, you can go to the market in the valley,” Granny Ge Luo handed the bag to the young lady and then returned.

Soon after, a slight sound echoed from within the shrine, as if several copper coins had collided, bringing a touch of liveliness and tranquility to the night, soothing the sorrowful cries.

After taking the items, Lolan Hill returned to prepare dinner. First, she washed the rice and placed it in a pot to steam, then added the cut taro.

Then she stepped outside, sat in the courtyard for a while, as steaming the rice took some time.

The valley at night was very quiet, with few crops. Only near the shrine, due to its higher elevation, could it catch some sunlight, thus preserving a patch of forest and grassland.

The young lady looked up at the sky squeezed between the mountain walls, where faint stars flickered.

Though barren here, compared to where she had been before, the starry sky was much clearer.

Resting her head on the back of Dai Ju, who was somewhat plump, Lolan Hill sat on the cold stone mill in the courtyard, looking up at the stars with a faint sense of nostalgia, as if returning to long ago.

She closed her eyes, feeling the gentle breeze slowly blowing past, bringing the freshness of the night.

—

The next morning, after a simple meal, Lolan Hill came to the shrine.

The woman from last night had already left, and the main hall was once again quiet. Granny Ge Luo was sweeping the ground in front of the shrine, gathering the fallen leaves into the nearby grass.

“Up already, Jialan,” the elder greeted softly.

Lolan Hill nodded, then picked up a broom to sweep the remaining leaves.

After finishing this small task, they both walked to the rear of the shrine, where under the bright canopy of trees, there were simple tree stumps serving as tables and chairs.

“Let’s sit for a bit, then I’ll tell you about the usual situation here,” the elder and the young lady sat on a small wooden stump next to a large tree stump.

“Firstly, the reason I invited your sect’s assistance is because I’ve felt increasingly overwhelmed lately.”

“I’m sure you’ve noticed the sparse population and the barren land on your journey here.”

Lolan Hill nodded, agreeing with the elder’s words.

“You might wonder why all the villages and settlements are concentrated in mountain valleys and narrow, remote areas.”

“That’s because during the middle of the month, the dragon veins become particularly active, and at that time, the forces of the nine abysses spread across the land and wilderness. Various demons and monsters come out to roam. Open spaces are hard to defend against, and the more the sky is developed, the easier it is to be attacked by wandering spirits.”

“The earth and rocks are much better. Although some ghosts can pass through, ancient methods can still inscribe useful incantations to prevent easy passage by these spirits.”

“During those days in the middle of the month, life here becomes difficult. Everyone gathers together to resist external attacks until the forces of the nine abysses dissipate, allowing them to venture out again.”

The shrine maiden briefly introduced the local living arrangements and their significance.

At this point, Lolan Hill slowly understood why the open wilderness outside was desolate, even the roads were scarce.

Anything could be destroyed by various wandering specters during the full moon, so it was better not to build at all.

—

“The reason I asked you to come over is also to hope that you can help the people here defend against various attacks by specters.”

After explaining, the elder finally told the young lady what she needed to accomplish.

“Alright, I understand.” Lolan Hill nodded. If it was just about eliminating those monsters, it wasn’t too difficult.

Seeing the young lady nod, the elder’s expression seemed to ease somewhat, as if he had been under great pressure every day.

“That’s settled then. Later, I’ll take you to the market below the valley to buy some daily necessities. Although this place is barren, some everyday items can still be supplied.”

—

Above, the sun hung in the sky, casting a few rays of sunlight into the valley, bringing warmth to the earth.

Lolan Hill followed Granny Gro behind her, walking through the simple market.

It was no more than two or three hundred meters long, mostly locals setting up stalls to buy and sell goods.

Compared to the outside world, the clothing here was extremely monotonous, basically all black linen clothes. The unchanging black linen cloth filled the field of vision, forming clothes, bundles, windproof partitions, and so on.

Most people wrapped their bodies in such black linen clothes, wearing them quite tightly.

The Chi Clan had pale skin and were intolerant of sunlight; prolonged exposure would damage their skin, so they favored such attire, with all-black clothing and black hoods on their heads.

The only thing worth celebrating was that their faces were eventually exposed, not completely hidden, adding a bit of vitality to the market rather than making it feel like the underworld.

“How much for this piece of cloth?” The elder stopped at a stall, looking at the rolled-up black linen on the wooden rack in front of him, feeling slightly rough and dry.

“Twenty silver rings, Lady Witch.”

The stall owner stood up when he saw Granny Gro, respectfully responding.

“Alright.” Granny Gro did not haggle, directly taking out a handful of silver rings from her pocket and placing them in the owner’s tray.

“This, you’ve given me five extra silver rings.”

The owner glanced roughly and felt it was excessive.

“It’s fine, take it. Spinning cloth is not easy, and the children need to eat well too.” Granny Gro looked at the two thin children behind the owner with a kind gaze.

“Thank you, Granny Gro. Thank you, Lady Witch.”

The woman bowed in gratitude, then gave a small spool of thread.

Seeing the witch want to pick up the roll of black cloth, the young lady beside her quickly stepped forward and picked it up first.

Although Granny Gro was not that weak, it was uncomfortable for a young lady to carry something in front of an elder, so she took the initiative to hold the cloth.

“You’ve worked hard. When we get back, I’ll make you a few more outfits,” Granny Gro said.

“No need, I have several already. I don’t lack for them temporarily,” the young lady shook her head.

“I know, but those are your own clothes. This place is remote, and if they get damaged, there won’t be anything to change into on a regular basis,” Granny Gro explained.

Afterwards, the two continued to the other side of the market, buying rabbit meat for tonight’s snack.

In this barren land, only a few wild rabbits could survive; other livestock like cattle and sheep couldn’t even feed the people, let alone them.

Back at the shrine, Granny Gro brought the young lady to the backyard to draw several buckets of water, then started preparing today’s lunch. During this time, the young lady offered to help, so later it became Granny Gro picking vegetables, seasoning, and adding condiments, while the young lady chopped vegetables and lit the fire.

Finally, after everything was done, the two sat around the small stove in the house, watching the boiling soup in the small earthen pot in the middle. The light red rabbit meat, the fresh green leaves, and the pale yellow potato slices kept swirling, emitting a pleasant aroma and steam.

Two birds stood on a wooden rack nearby, each with a stone dish in front of them containing some food. They occasionally pecked at it, then turned their heads curiously to look at the pot and the two people beside it.

“It’s been a while since I ate like this.”

Granny Gro seemed to sigh. Today she wore the same black linen clothes as the local residents, not the witch’s ceremonial robes she wore yesterday.

“What do you usually eat?” The young lady was also curious.

“Usually, eating alone is simpler. Sometimes, I don’t dare to make too much, fearing it might go bad if not finished.”

“Have you always eaten alone?”

“Not for a long time. There were several children helping at the shrine back then.

It was rather lively. A trace of nostalgia could be seen in the old man’s eyes.

“Unfortunately, later on, some got married, and some passed away, so now only I remain.” Although he said this, there wasn’t much sorrow in his voice, as if he had long come to terms with it.

“I wonder if this shrine can continue to be passed down in the future; this is the only thing that still troubles me a little.”

The two of them used chopsticks to pick up dishes, mixing them with rice, eating slowly while talking about the situation at the shrine.

The dragon veins beneath this land were different from those outside, being quite complex and chaotic, with most of them polluted. The shrine’s witches couldn’t dominate the direction of the dragon veins in this region like those in other areas outside.

“That’s why the only thing I can do is maintain a few small branches among them, keeping them from being polluted, nourishing those lands, thus allowing the people who depend on these lands to survive,” the old man spoke slowly.

“The dynasty didn’t consider a permanent solution? It’s said that the once-existing Red Phoenix is still around,” the young lady asked curiously. According to past records, that Red Phoenix, the witch of the primordial dragon veins, should be able to intervene and repair them.

“The Great Lady of the Five Virtues, the Red Phoenix, indeed came here hundreds of years ago, accompanied by several Celestial Beings.”

“Unfortunately, the problem here isn’t just with the dragon veins, but also with the Cavern-Heaven,” the old man shook his head.

“In the past, the Yama Palace’s Cavern-Heaven was within this mountain, but during that great battle, the Cavern-Heaven collapsed and shattered, with various temporal rifts twisting inside, forming a tangled mess.”

“Even if the Great Lady of the Five Virtues herself came, she could only resolve part of the pollution and distortion of the dragon veins, unable to achieve complete success.”

“If only another one of the Five Virtues, the Great Lady of the Yellow Bird, was still around, it’s said that she is the one capable of changing and influencing the Cavern-Heaven.”

“Unfortunately, the Great Lady of the Red Phoenix returned west, precisely because of the Yellow Bird’s passing.”

“Only one of the Five Virtues Phoenix remains, it’s truly regrettable.”

Listening to the old man’s narration, Lo Lan Hill suddenly recalled a scene that was both familiar and strange. It was a scene of five girls playing under a tall parasol tree. The girl in green clothes was agile and light, the girl in white clothes was quiet and gentle, the girl in black clothes was proper yet reserved, the girl in red clothes was cheerful and strong-willed, and the girl in yellow clothes, who was good at all kinds of ingenious ideas.

This scene flashed quickly in her mind, and when the young lady tried to recall it in detail, it dispersed like mist, leaving no trace behind.

Are the Five Virtues Phoenixes all witches? Otherwise, why would I suddenly see these scenes from my memories? The young lady thought to herself.

She seemed to have to hurry up and practice the Necromancer Sequence, to recover the obscure and missing memories in her soul. The things she could remember right now were still limited to the early stages of the war between Clancia and Frost.

However, an important piece of information made her understand her true origin. It was the ‘Primordial Heart’ faction’s plan for the Throne of Gods during the Age of Twilight, the cornerstone known as the Purely Transformative Wind.

From this deduction, it was very likely that Keti was the Crimson Fiery Flame, Keloatia.

But she didn’t know where the other two were now. If she had to say who her kin were, these four souls who were also cornerstones of the Thrones would be the closest.

After all, they had spent hundreds or even thousands of years together. That kind of soul-level fusion and intimacy was something outsiders could hardly imagine.

After recalling her thoughts, the young lady continued eating. At this point, the food in the pot was gradually finishing.

“Two people eating indeed makes the appetite better.” Grandma Gro put down her bowl and chopsticks, her words filled with satisfaction.

Then, after some simple cleaning, in the afternoon, Grandma Gro roughly cut a black cloth coat for the young lady.

“Wear this over your clothes, so you don’t dirty your inner garments. Later, I’ll make you a few more for in-between wear,” Grandma Gro helped the young lady arrange her clothes, tying the waist and collar.

“You’ll need to go to a village north of here tomorrow. It’s said that recently, there has been a vicious monster causing many casualties among the villagers. Additionally, if you encounter any wandering spirits along the way, please deal with them,” Grandma Gro instructed her latest task.

“If you encounter problems you can’t solve, don’t force it, after all, staying alive is the most important thing.”

“Fleeing is not shameful; those who persist in living and achieving their goals are worthy of respect,” Grandma Gro gave her final warning, seemingly having had some unique experiences in her youth.

“Lastly, put this on.”

Before leaving, Grandma Gro placed a wooden mask into the young lady’s hands. The mask looked fierce, like a demon.

“At times, you need to be more ferocious than the demons; only then will ignorant people revere and respect you.”

(The chapter ends)