Chapter 736

Chapter 736: Falling Star and Wind

In the afternoon, on the hillside, the bright sunlight fell upon the grasslands. A silver-haired young lady stood amidst them.

The wind stirred her hair, causing unknown little flowers to sway with the blades of grass. Occasionally, one or two petals would detach, carried by the wind towards the distant azure sky.

Looking at this lush and beautiful world before her, Lolan Hill loosened her grip slightly, feeling the joy as the wind passed through her fingers.

“What a beautiful place,” a familiar and warm voice came from behind, slowly approaching.

“Senior Jin Hua,” Lolan Hill turned around, using the back of her hand to shield her eyes from the sun, and looked happily at the woman.

“How have you been recently? Are you recovering well?” After getting closer, Jin Hua stroked the young lady’s head, then they both sat down on the hillside.

The wind occasionally lifted their skirts, and the sunlight on their backs brought a warm feeling.

“I’m recovering well. I wasn’t injured, just a bit tired,” Lolan Hill replied softly.

That night, she not only used her innate power but also invoked the abilities of the Bountiful Witch, which made her even more exhausted. Soon after, she was so tired that she had to return to the shrine for rest.

Fortunately, not long after, Jin Hua arrived with reinforcements from the Xiangyu Sect, bringing everything under control.

“So, go back to the sect and rest properly. The Heavenly Grotto within the Xiangyu Sect is very suitable for recuperation,” Jin Hua said.

“Thank you, Senior.” Lolan Hill agreed, then thought for a moment and cautiously asked.

“Do you not want to ask me about what happened or the reasons behind it?” She was a bit worried about the trouble exposure might bring.

“Are you talking about your identity as a Witch?” Jin Hua brushed aside some hair behind her ear and asked softly.

“Yes.”

“In that case, actually, for the Xiangyu Sect, a Witch isn’t anything shocking,” Jin Hua said with a faint smile on her face.

“Because the founder often interacted with the Red Phoenix and Yellow Bird, two of the Five Virtues Phoenixes. Later, in the West, she also encountered many Witches, so there are quite a few related records left in the sect, making it not unfamiliar.”

“Later on, because our sect has had many interactions with the West, witches often visit here, and we’ve seen many witches. Unlike other sects, we are not as fearful or unable to adapt to witches.”

“Just like the red-dress Witch you met in the sect’s market, we’re quite used to it.”

Now I understand, Lolan Hill thought, her originally worried heart now temporarily eased.

“But, it’s quite rare for a new-generation Witch like you to not stay home and sleep but instead run around everywhere,” Jin Hua teased.

“Mmm…” Lolan Hill buried her face in her arms.

“So, is there anything I need to do next?” Lolan Hill was afraid her identity might cause other troubles for the sect.

“Hmm, let me think… For now, there doesn’t seem to be anything urgent.”

Afterwards, Jin Hua looked at Lolan Hill again. “If you’re still uneasy, you can stay here for a while.”

“Now that the demons in the Sunset Mountains have been cleared and the fragmented Heavenly Grotto underground has disappeared, things are relatively stable. Moreover, if you leave too soon, you might not feel settled in your heart.”

“As for safety concerns, don’t worry too much with the Nine-Phoenix Ghost Car here. It’s a rare Eighth Rank existence; it’s unlikely anyone will surpass it for a long time,” Jin Hua said, looking at the young lady beside her, her fingers gently brushing through her hair.

Silk.

“Mmm.” Lolan Hill immediately agreed, feeling somewhat drowsy again.

“It’s about time. You could go take a look at the Zhaoye Palace. It’s not far from here, just to the west of the Ximu mountain range. Currently, Uncle Chiwu is also socializing there. Come to think of it, it was she who introduced you to the door.”

“Mmm.” Lolan Hill’s eyes opened and closed, feeling that the warm sunlight behind her had a hypnotic effect.

“Alright, you should get some good rest first.” Jin Hua placed this frail young lady on her knees, allowing her to rest properly.

Looking at the slightly immature face in her arms, Jin Hua’s fingers gently brushed across her cheek.

“She’s still so young.”

The sky was clear for thousands of miles, and the wind swept across the fields, causing ripples.

—

Several weeks later, Lolan Hill slowly woke up from her dream.

Opening her eyes, the familiar gauze canopy was still above her head, and it was still the intense afternoon sun outside.

The chirping of cicadas echoed from afar, their voices unrestrained and high-pitched, joyfully singing on the branches.

“How long have I been asleep?” The young lady propped herself up from the bed, her silk-like hair sliding down from her shoulders.

“Hmm, my hair seems to have grown quite a bit.” Looking at the silver hair reaching her waist, Lolan Hill stood up with a rustling sound and put on her shoes.

She first looked in the mirror, then rummaged through her storage space for a set of clothes to change into, combed her hair, and tied it up with a light blue ribbon given by Laifelika.

“Alright, I should be ready now.” The young lady looked at herself in the mirror, wearing a simple pure white dress, with two strands of hair hanging in front and the rest falling behind.

Stepping out of the room, the courtyard was still quiet, but a bird perched on a grinding stone caught her attention.

This chubby Dai Ju seemed to be taking a nap, its eyes closed and body curled up, basking in the warm sunlight, looking very content.

Lolan Hill walked over lightly, poking the little creature’s belly with her finger. Seeing it smack its lips but still not waking up, she laughed and shook her head, no longer disturbing the little one’s nap.

Arriving at the forest path behind the shrine, joyful cicada songs echoed from the branches, full of the song of midsummer.

Today’s shrine seemed relatively quiet, unlike the period when there were many learning priestesses conducting rituals.

Lolan Hill lifted her skirt and stepped lightly, quietly entering. The main hall was quite empty, with a few dangling wind chimes swaying in the breeze, making soft sounds. Looking towards the entrance of the main hall, the open ground ahead was filled with dazzling sunlight.

A little girl was currently napping in a corner of the main hall. She was sitting on a stool, with a small bamboo basket beside her, containing a few green and red plums that hadn’t been finished yet.

This child is called Cai Wei, Lolan Hill recalled the scene from when she encountered her earlier in the fields outside the valley.

She did not immediately wake the girl and instead turned around to inspect the shrine.

Just like Western temples, shrines and temples in the Eastern region were also places where many people prayed and sought spiritual solace.

Apart from the Five Virtues Phoenix worshipped during major festivals, ordinary priests would typically venerate local ancestors, which might include notable figures with remarkable achievements or saints with great virtues.

After Lolan Hill arrived at this shrine, she had also asked Grandma Ge Luo. She did not immediately answer who was being worshipped in the shrine; instead, she recounted the original history of the shrine.

Long ago, this was a place of clear mountains and clean water, with dense forests everywhere. In the mountains, there was a tall sacred tree known as the Xunmu.

And on this tree lived a jade dragon.

The Jade Dragon, whose length was unknown in kilometers, had scales like jade, very beautiful. Occasionally, when it wandered through the trees, scales would fall off and be picked up by the residents below.

Afterwards, people who worshiped the sacred tree and the Jade Dragon built a shrine under the tree, naming it Shallow Green, meaning jade-like green tiles.

And the locals particularly liked glass and jade, often using them as pendants hanging from their foreheads, necks, and waists.

But one day, the Jade Dragon flew away, and the sacred tree gradually withered. The locals felt deeply saddened but had no choice but to accept this reality and slowly leave the mountains.

Because these people had long lived under the shade of trees, their skin was pale, quite different from outsiders. Some people who did not understand called them ghosts, which later evolved into “chī.”

Over time, they simply adopted this name, calling themselves Chī. They established a kingdom here and gradually expanded outward. Due to fertile land and harmonious weather, they gradually grew stronger, becoming a famous great nation on the western side of the continent.

Thus, the Chī clan thrived, and this shrine gradually fell into oblivion.

It wasn’t until much later that the Chī kingdom fell, its capital destroyed by war. The remaining residents scattered, eventually gathering around this shrine, gradually stabilizing.

“Who exactly is being worshipped in that shrine?” Lolan Hill asked Granny Glo at that time.

“No one, there’s no one,” Granny Glo shook her head.

“In the early days, everyone pinned their hopes on the sacred tree and the Jade Dragon. But after the dragon flew away and the tree withered, people began to worship the nine hells and ghosts, seeking protection.”

“But after the Chī kingdom fell, the nine hells’ worship was banned. Afterwards, people didn’t know how to worship anymore, and people increasingly stopped believing in so-called gods and spirits. Everyone gradually became numb, thinking this was the fate of the Chī clan.”

“So the altars in the shrine were left empty. Apart from here, no other shrines could be seen in the Ximu mountain range.”

Time flowed silently, and at some point, the shrine was tidied up and repaired, now with offerings placed inside.

Behind the walls were round windows opening to both sides, with star pendants hanging from the windows. On the wooden table lay a bundle of white ghostly flowers, serving as offerings. Simple and clear, it had a sense of returning to simplicity.

When the wind blew through the main hall, the star pendants would collide, making a crisp sound, adding a touch of melody to the silent shrine.

Lolan Hill looked at the hanging stars, recalling the scene she saw that day, feeling a bit shy in her mind. She hadn’t expected Qingling and those priestesses to use stars and wind as objects of worship.

She wanted to have a serious talk with Qingling, but Qingling said:

“What matters is not the object of worship, but that such things remind people of beautiful things, and their inner anxieties and unease are eased, gradually settling down.”

With this, Lolan Hill couldn’t change anything and finally had to agree. Only, she added some conditions: do not mention her name, nor her image, just simple and plain faith, never fanaticism.

Seeing this, Qingling smiled and agreed one by one at that time.

I wonder how the Chī clan is doing now, whether they have settled into a stable life. At this moment, Lolan Hill’s thoughts drifted.

A joyful voice rang out in the main hall.

“The Wind Blessing Princess has woken up.” Cai Wei’s footsteps echoed lightly on the shrine floor.

I’ll continue after I eat something.