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Chapter 51: Panic at Shing Wong Temple
After sending off Xuanyuan Ying, Gu Yunlan took Xuanyuan Meng, the Bai Family siblings, and Yan Zhikuan to hurriedly rush over to the Shing Wong Temple. Xuanyuan Ying had originally planned on bringing her to the Shing Wong Temple for look yesterday, but due to some disturbances in the military barracks, they ended up not going. She could only go without him today.
In the lead, Xiao Ying is a very clever child. She acted neither arrogant nor humble in front of Gu Yunlan.
Having lived in Gu City for more than ten years, her activities had stayed within the center of the city. This was her first time going to the Shing Wong Temple. During the times of the chaotic war, there would be even less gatherings in the temple. The Shing Wong Temple was almost abandoned, for very few people would enter.
According to what Xiao Ying said, the first ones to find out something was wrong with the temple was a hunter half a year ago. When he went down the mountain at sunset, he passed by here and found the sound of a crying woman. He wanted to go over to take a look, but discovered that he’d bumped into that eerie wall. He immediately started shaking in fear, and after running home, fell gravely ill.
In the following half year, more people have claimed to run into that same situation. Soon everyone in the city knew about this; that the western district’s Shing Wong Temple is haunted!
The group left the city on foot. In the western district, they stopped five hundred meters from the Shing Wong Temple.
The Shing Wong temple was built facing the western side.The entrance was covered in bamboo, their colors a healthy jade green despite being autumn season. Between the bamboo was a small, secluded pathway that led to the entrance to the temple. They didn’t even get close before they felt a sudden drop in temperature.
“Back to the east, front to the west, Yin, bamboo… this place is flourishing with Yin energy!” Bai Yiran’s brows creased as he observed their surroundings Who knew the Shing Wong Temple would have so much Yin .
“Mister is well versed in these kinds of things?” Xiao Ying asked curiously. “I’ve heard about it in a book! This is a kind of place that has an entrance to the underworld and was once the home of many powerful demons. Only later was it cleansed by an esteemed monk!”
“It’ll be more dangerous further in. Xiao Ying, bring Miss Bai and the Second Young Master Yan back. Walking any further is probably too much for them!” Gu Yunlan instructed Xiao Ying.
“Wait no! Big Bro! We want to take a look too!” Bai Nightspring grasped Bai Yiran’s arm, and whined, “Come one, normal people can’t bear that Yin energy, plus…”
“If you’re not afraid of the demon boss, you may join us! Let’s go!” Xuanyuan Meng stuck her head out from behind Gu Yunlan, smiling a bit oddly.
“But…I don’t know him well…” Bai Nightspring wiggled her finger at Yan Zhikuan.
Yan Zhikuan smiled a charmingly with his delicate face. He bowed slightly, “Little Miss! We’ll be more familiar with each other once we talk a bit more. We’re both quite attractive!”
“Humph! My big brother and Mister Xuanyuan aren’t so bad either!” Bai Nightspring flipped her hair, and refused to look at his smackable face. She put her hand on Xiao Ying’s shoulders and turned around slowly, “Xiao Ying! We’ll be going back!”
After that, with their back facing the group, they waved goodbye before leaving with Xiao Ying. Yan Zhikuan shrugged before catching up to them. Oh well, he doesn’t have enough charm!
Seeing the three of them leave, Gu Yunlan said, “Let’s go now! While the afternoon Yang energy is still strong, we’ll go during the afternoon. Any further, then those ghouls may just come out at night!”
Xuanyuan Meng and Bai Yiran nodded their heads, the three people walked one behind the other towards the Shing Wong Temple. After walking for a short duration, two people peeked their heads forwards before shrinking back again.
Gu Yunlan creased her brow, then turned her head to look. The place was completely barren of living things. She shook her head before continuing to catch up with the two’s footsteps.
“What’s wrong?” Bai Yiran asked, surprised.
“Nothing!” Gu Yunlan shook her head.
The three haven’t arrived, yet it felt as if there was something amiss with the bamboo trees ahead of them. A gust of cold air swept past, making them all feel cold. The bamboos looked more emerald in color close up, the leaves were so emerald that they could see the veins in the leaves. Tattered red lanterns hung from the bamboo stalks, almost as if they could still see the image of the temple’s flourishing past.
Xuanyuan Meng was very excited; she liked these kinds of places the most, it’s very suitable for her to cultivate her dreamland.
Gu Yunlan was fine here too To her, this place is just right, a comfortable place for her.
Bai Yiran creased his brows and clenched his hands into a bizarre hand sign. Then, a warm light started enveloping his entire body.
As they slowly approached the bamboos, the eeriness got stronger and stronger. Every step the three of them took, it felt as if the bamboo forest was moving too.
When rays of light gradually faded, an eerie gust blew past, causing the bamboos to shake right and left. Their group’s shadow swayed all around.
“If possible, this bamboo forest should be cut down! Walking like this is too uncomfortable!” Even Xuanyuan Meng couldn’t stand it.
“Wooooo….” The sound of a scream sounded above them. Xuanyuan Meng instantly ran to the closest person’s arm.
“Mengmeng!” Bai Yiran was startled, he said slowly, “You ran to the wrong person, and that was only an owl’s screech!”
“I didn’t run to the wrong person! I taught Yunlan, so she’s probably not as strong as me, so I ran over to you!” Xuanyuan Meng clung on even more tightly. Even if she were to cling onto Yunlan, she’d end up feeling even colder. How could it be compared to Bi Yiran, who’s warm and cozy.
Gu Yunlan glanced at her grumpily, and said lightly, “If I remember correctly, your brother left me to protect you, not you to protect me…”
Suddenly, Bai Yiran signaled for them to be quiet. The two people instantly shut their mouths, even the sound of footsteps faded off.
“Wuwuwu…I want to go home…wuwuwu…” A crying voice slowly appeared by their ears, those cries were definitely not of an owl.
The three of them hurriedly hastened their footsteps. The sounds came closer and closer, becoming louder and louder. Eventually, they came out from the bamboo forest.
The three people stopped about a hundred meters from the Shing Wong temple. They slowly reached out their hands. The so-called wall wasn’t there, they could even clearly see inside of the temple. The place was decorated quite beautifully, it stood three stories tall, and was closed, disallowing anyone from visiting. It looked as if the temple hadn’t been abandoned at all, as if thousands of people still come to worship this temple.
“Wuwuwu…” The crying once again sounded from all around them. The three of them were startled, then they slowly walked towards the sound. Suddenly, the cold energy in Gu Yunlan’s mind dispersed, leaving her mind clear and unhazed.
She glanced all around, her face color instantly changed. She gasped out loud, when the two heard her gasp, their consciousness snapped back to normal. Only then did they realize that the three of them had somehow actually been pulled apart, each in their separate direction.
The three of them were frightened. At a time when neither of them lowered their guards, they had all actually fallen for a trap. If Gu Yunlan hadn’t woken up first, then the consequences would have probably been too terrible to even think about.
“What do we do now?” Bai Yiran hurriedly drew closer to the two of them. Dammit, they were too careless.
“Humph! To dare scheme against this lady!” Anger flashed on Xuanuan Meng’s face. She looked at the Shing Wong temple a hundred meters away, her pupils were burning with rage.
Gu Yunlan and Bai Yiran immediately backed away. They suddenly felt a fiery blaze from Mengmeng’s body, just to see her roar towards the skies, “Hahhh!!”
The sound was earsplitting, almost as if it would make their eardrums burst. The two bystanders immediately covered their ears. They heard something shatter near them, as if something had been broken.
The two immediately loosened their hands and looked towards the temple in front of them. Completely broken up and tattered, it was unlike its previous luxurious and graceful appearance.
Gu Yunlan looked the scene before her in shock. The scene her was similar to what she faced back in the little forest. She couldn’t help but ask out loud, “Could this be another one of dreamland things?”
“Cough cough!” Xuanyuan coughed lightly a few times before saying, “It’s a bit worse!”
“That’s not right! We shattered the barrier, yet the crying hasn’t stop! We must not get seperated!” Bai Yiran’s brows wrinkled. He took out a rope from who-knows-where, and tied it around Gu Yunlan’s waist before turning around to tie it on Xuanyuan Meng, then finally, tying it around his own waist.
Gu Yunlan nodded her head. Only when he finished tying the three of them together, did they slowly started heading towards the crying sounds. Xuanyuan Meng was in the very front, Gu Yunlan in the middle, while Bai Yiran was in the back.
The crying sounds moved around swiftly; sometimes to their right and other times to their left, as if wanting to split up the three of them again.
Xuanyuan Meng creased her brows, seeming a bit agitated. She closed her eyes struck before her with her hands. The crying sounds muted, only then did she turn towards the temple in satisfaction, and walk towards the entrance gate.
The entrance gate was quite shabby, yet still big and tall.
“Aiya!” The three people combined efforts to push open the giant wood door, a blast of dusty air assaulted their senses. Gu Yunlan immediately held her breathe.
After the dust settled, she and Bai Yiran glanced at each other before the three of them lifted their feet to enter. After only walking two steps, aiya! The door abruptly closed shut, and the crying once again sounded in their ears. They couldn’t even tell where the sound is coming from!
Their eyesight suddenly went dark. Gu Yunlan wrinkled her brow. The crying sounds were still going on and seemed to be getting closer and closer too, almost as if it was right by their ears. When it seemed close enough to slap away, they slapped at air, hitting something.
“We can’t go on like this!” Gu Yunlan breathed softly, “Fight!”
At first, the two people didn’t even react to what she said, only when Gu Yunlan raised her right hand, and slap with all her might did a blood-curdling scream come through, causing them to snap back into action.
Compared to Gu Yunlan’s hits, the two others were even more fierce. Bai Yiran moved with a stick in hand, striking it as soon as the wailing sounded next to his ears, peng! He hit it right on, a few drops of some liquid splashed on his face. There wasn’t even any time to scream before something like a body dropped onto the floor.
Meanwhile, a thin green light lit up on Xuanyuan Meng’s body, making the wailing next to her mute instantly, also dropping to the ground.
Xuanyuan Meng dusted off her hands with satisfaction, and by the green light on her body, slowly squatted down. She took Bai Yiran’s stick, and prodded the thing with all her might to see just what kind of thing this is.
“Aiya!” The entrance door abruptly swung open, letting in the eye-piercing rays of light. The three of them felt pain in their eyes, and instantly closed their eyes. A black shadow flew outside.
“How did the door open?” Gu Yunlan was startled. She rubbed her eyes, which were aching from the sudden exposure to light.
“No idea!” Xuanyuan Meng and Bai Yiran shook their heads, then turned their heads to the object on the ground. Their mouths gaped open wide in surprise.
Grey-ish mush laid on the ground. The things that were prodded open by Xuanyuan Meng, was actually a nightcat…
The three of them stared blankly. It made sense, since aren’t the wailing of nightcats just like this? So this was the source of the wailing at night?
Gu Yunlan creased her brow as she turned to look at the entrance door behind them, how was the door swung open like that just now? How come she felt as if a human figure had dashed out?
Suddenly, Bai Yiran roughly stood up and ran outside, yelling gloomily, “Not good!”
“What is it?” The two of them immediately turned around to follow him out.
From a distance, they heard two voices screaming, “Ah! Save me!”
A human figure flashed past. By the time Gu Yunlan’s group arrived, they only saw a flit of someone’s back as they carried a person, then swiftly disappeared before their eyes.
Who was kidnapped?” Xuanyuan Meng caught up breathlessly.
It was too fast!” Gu Yunlan didn’t use her spirit power in time. When it passed by just now, she could feel that someone was following them from behind.
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