The next day, Su Si was finally able to stand up using his snake tail. After adapting to sliding with his tail, he was actually faster than the others.
However, his footwork and qinggong weren’t yet fully developed. Su Si tightly held the butcher’s cleaver, sighing all morning. If it weren’t for Yan Qing’s stubbornness reaching an exasperating level, Su Si would have seriously considered discussing with him and retreating outside the formation to wait for the others.
“San Zi, why don’t you cast a divination?” After finishing the breakfast of bland bird, Su Si made one final attempt.
“Why?”
“Just to see whether today will be fortunate or unfortunate. After all, the guardian mountain demons aren’t like ordinary monsters. If we can determine it’s auspicious, we can walk more confidently.”
On the contrary, if they received an ominous omen, he would have a reason to pull Yan Qing back.
“I can’t predict with such precision, and whether it’s a blessing or a disaster, a disaster can’t be avoided.” Yan Qing shook his head. “Everyone’s inner demons haven’t shown any anomalies, so there’s no need…”
Shi Jingzhi enthusiastically approached. “It’s still good to cast a divination. The one we did at the Ghost Tomb last time was quite accurate, right? …Or is it that you’re worried divinations will shorten your lifespan?”
“It won’t shorten my lifespan.”
Since the sect master had spoken, Yan Qing took out a small packet of apricot pits from his chest. Six apricot pits were wrapped in green cloth, similar in size and shape, with one side coated in cinnabar and the other in black ink, emitting a shimmering light.
Yan Qing then pricked his finger, drew a circle on a stone slab with his blood, and without going through the usual shaking of the head, he straightforwardly threw the apricot pits into the circle.
The apricot pits rolled on the stone slab and soon came to a stop. The six apricot pits stood upright, with no distinction between red and black, with the black side of all facing Shi Jingzhi.
Shi Jingzhi: “…Yan Qing, are these apricot pits defective?”
Yan Qing tapped the stone slab, but the apricot pits seemed to have grown brains. They were using their pointed tips to maintain balance; none of them falling down.
“It’s the same as what was divined when entering the Ghost Tomb.”
The six apricot pits stood quietly, accompanied by the giant human headlamp not far away. There seemed to be a hint of the scent of decay from a tomb in the wind. The cold wind was blocked by the headlamp, with only a faint breeze passing through the eye sockets of the head, causing the cotton cloth wrapped around the apricot pits to flutter.
But the apricot pits remained still, not even rotating.
Shi Jingzhi: “…”
He felt a chill rise up his body, and it took a while to shake off the standing goosebumps. It was said that those who brought trouble upon themselves couldn’t live peacefully. Just by standing upright, who would have thought that even the apricot pits would show him an unfavorable expression?
Having seen the six black faces of the apricot pits, Shi Jingzhi lost interest. The journey had to continue since the divination was similar and the Ghost Tomb was safe enough. He handed the hemostatic ointment to Yan Qing and went to pester his disciples, avoiding reality.
Not coming across any definite ominous omens, Su Si abandoned the thought of persuading Yan Qing to retreat from the mountain. He listlessly picked up Lord Bai and prepared to follow the group further up the mountain.
Today was another sunny day, with a clear blue sky.
It seemed that the Jianchen Temple had well maintained Huilian Mountain. The roadside snow was untainted by dust, and the headless stone statues were becoming increasingly hidden. The ice spring flowed smoothly over the rocks, and the withered vines were arranged in an elegant manner. Just looking at the surroundings, there seemed to be a touch of zen in the scenery.
A little further away, the grayish-red “bare branches” swayed unsteadily. They didn’t seem to have a physical form and didn’t exhibit any aggressive behavior. Yan Qing’s eyeball shackles were hidden by his sleeve, and Su Si’s snake tail was unremarkable. Aside from the giant human headlamp behind them, everyone had basically adapted to the presence of their inner demons.
It seemed like there wasn’t much danger after all.
Su Si tensed his nerves for a while and then looked at the master and disciple of the Kushan Sect who were walking ahead.
‘How strange,’ he thought. Overnight, the impression Yin Ci gave him seemed to have changed.
Before, Su Si was more wary of this eldest disciple with an unclear background than the sect master of the Kushan Sect. Although Yin Ci was gentle and low-key, lacking the high-profile presence unlike the sect master, he gave Su Si an inexplicable sense of danger. Su Si had carefully pondered but found no flaws in Yin Ci. With just a vague intuition, he had no reason to persuade Yan Qing to leave.
And now, that feeling had become more pronounced.
Although Yin Ci was being led by Shi Jingzhi, it was as if a layer of veil had been peeled away, revealing a formidable presence. That aura enveloped Shi Jingzhi by his side, emanating a strong sense of “keep away from strangers”.
While the sect master’s actions seemed normal, Su Si couldn’t tell if he truly hadn’t noticed or if he had noticed but pretended not to.
…What kind of dangerous sect had his friend joined? Should they just find an excuse to stay at the Jianchen Temple and become monks?
Lost in his thoughts, Su Si almost bumped into Yan Qing in front. The snake tail on the steps was already unsteady, and if Yan Qing hadn’t caught him in time, he would have slipped and fallen.
Yan Qing didn’t stop randomly—there was a change in the appearance of the mountain road before everyone’s eyes.
The accumulated snow and weeds disappeared, and there was no dust or cracks on the stone steps. The wind suddenly stopped without warning, and the atmosphere became inexplicably heavy. A strong sense of being watched descended from the sky, prickling their backs. It felt as if they weren’t on a path to a temple but being observed from above by Buddha himself, as if this road led not to a Buddhist temple but to Sukhavati*.
*(西天) Also known as Western Paradise/Heaven, it’s an ancient Chinese Buddhist term used to refer to ancient India. In this case it’s referring to basically a paradise.
Sect Master Shi’s smile gradually disappeared as he looked at the suddenly transformed stone steps. He lingered at the stone platform for the time it took to finish a cup of tea until Lord Bai took the lead before he started moving again.
However, after walking for another two hours, the surroundings showed no signs of repetition, yet their position remained unchanged as they continued to wander on the mountainside.
No enemy attacked them; it was just the bitter cold and freezing ground. This endless feeling was maddening enough.
Shi Jingzhi shivered and said, “Do even the Buddhist monks conjure up ghostly illusions? A’Ci, have you sensed anything?”
Yin Ci shook his head. “No, we are indeed progressing and not going around in circles.”
In the past, when Yin Ci was extremely bored, he had wandered around Huilian Mountain several times. Perhaps due to the absence of greed, hatred, and ignorance, Yin Ci had never encountered the three demon lords.
Just from this, it was evident that their ability to conceal their presence was extremely advanced. The legend of the Mountain Guardians had been passed down for five to six hundred years, and whether or not there were generational changes, it wasn’t surprising that they possessed some strange abilities.
Not getting an answer, Shi Jingzhi had no choice but to forge ahead.
Finally, the group reached the end of the path. As soon as the four of them stepped onto the end stone platform, the path beneath their feet vanished.
They were led to a pond.
The pond wasn’t large and was surrounded by snow. The bottom of the pond was made of blue stone, and the water was clear and serene, as if nothing existed. Several colorful koi fish leisurely swam within it, creating a tranquil scene.
In the center of the pond, there lay a Buddha head as tall as a man lying at an angle.
The Buddha head had been weathered by wind and rain, so its features were blurred, but its serene expression was still apparent. Its neck was diagonally inserted into the pond, with the water barely touching one side of its cheek, turning the white stone into a bluish-gray hue. At first glance, it seemed as if it was peacefully resting on the water’s surface.
However, the most eye-catching aspect wasn’t the Buddha head itself, but rather what was on the Buddha head.
The eyes of the Buddha statue weren’t visible to the onlookers—countless butterflies gathered on top of the Buddha’s eyes, forming clusters. From a distance, it appeared as if those large eyes were filled with colorful bouquets.
As the four of them approached, the outer layer of the “bouquets” suddenly burst open, and brilliant butterfly wings fluttered in the sunlight, blocking out the sky.
Shi Jingzhi stood still.
He had never seen such beautiful butterflies before, and he didn’t know how to describe their colors. Under the radiant light, the colors of their wings kept changing, captivating his gaze. Sensing the presence of the group, they flew over lightly, creating a gentle breeze.
It was as if they were the very concept of “beauty” itself.
Time seemed to slow down abruptly, and Shi Jingzhi’s mind felt like it was immersed in cotton. His limbs gradually lost sensation, and he felt as if he was soaked in a pool of warm water. A deeply satisfying sense of drowsiness rose from his belly, accompanied by a heavy feeling of peace.
Perhaps he was dreaming, he thought. What did he just see?
And why had he come here?
Forget it. None of that mattered. All that remained in Shi Jingzhi’s vision were the ever-changing colors, enveloped by this colorful breeze. A strong premonition surged from the depths of his heart—a lifetime of desires was about to be fulfilled. This enchanting wind propelled him toward the ultimate paradise he had sought throughout his life.
The feeling of liberation was too marvelous, and he couldn’t think of anything else for the moment.
Filled with infinite longing, Shi Jingzhi stepped forward without hesitation. However, as soon as he took a few steps, he couldn’t continue. Something was weighing him down, keeping him rooted in place, causing extreme frustration.
An unnamed anger instantly surged, and Shi Jingzhi raised his hand and struck in that direction.
Although the palm strike had no inner force, the force behind it was just as strong. Yin Ci raised his hand and effortlessly caught it. Nevertheless, his fingers were slightly shaken by the impact.
Yin Ci couldn’t see the surrounding situation, but he could guess that things weren’t looking good.
He had no idea about Su Si and Yan Qing, but Shi Jingzhi was undoubtedly affected. Shi Jingzhi’s aura had changed significantly, and the airflow around his head was exceptionally strange. Yin Ci reached out his hands and felt Shi Jingzhi’s face, which felt thin and smooth in his hands.
It felt like butterfly wings.
Countless butterflies seemed to be wrapping around Shi Jingzhi’s face, encasing his head in multiple layers. Although it wasn’t airtight, it was enough to turn Shi Jingzhi into a blind man, unable to see.
Unfortunately, Shi Jingzhi offered no resistance, as if he didn’t notice the butterflies at all. His strike had failed, and he knelt softly on the ground. The number of butterflies enveloping his head grew, and Shi Jingzhi’s head became two to three times larger, making a rustling sound that was uncomfortable to hear.
“Brother Yin, Yan Qing and I… We’re fine…” Su Si’s voice was indistinct.
Yan Qing also managed to speak. “Sect Master Shi, I beg you… His condition is particularly severe…”
Shi Jingzhi paid no attention to their words. After swaying in place for a while, he stood up unsteadily and headed straight downhill. His steps carried a resolute momentum, almost causing Yin Ci to stumble.
There was no wind in the surroundings, and the sound of the fluttering butterflies was extremely faint, like falling flower petals. Yin Ci firmly held onto Shi Jingzhi’s waist while holding his breath, mentally visualizing the dance of the butterfly swarm.
As if intoxicated or enchanted, the butterflies danced in a peculiar manner. Although he couldn’t see their appearance, Yin Ci recognized them—
These butterfly demons had been recorded in ancient books but rarely encountered. Some called them “Daydreamers” others called them “Joyful Yellow Millet*.” They weren’t inherently malevolent but extremely rare and difficult to deal with. As soon as Yin Ci recognized them, his heart sank.
*In Chinese folklore, [huang liang] (黄粱) is a magical food that is made from yellow millet. It is said that if you eat it, you will have extraordinary dreams and illusions, as if living in a fantasy world, thus it’s often used metaphorically to refer to something as illusory, dreamlike, or unreal.
In Huilian Mountain, they were likely called “Greed Butterflies.”
These demons usually appeared in groups, and the patterns on their wings naturally formed intricate formations. To protect their nests, they would paralyze their enemies in groups, using their desires as bait to lure them away. Once they left, the confused enemies would have no recollection and would naturally not seek out their nests again.
The butterfly demons on Hualian Mountain had clearly been trained. The monks used human formations to lure those consumed by overwhelming desires right into their sight. Then, the butterflies would swarm out, kicking the enemies out of the mountain, seamlessly coordinating their attacks. This was a perfect match.
If they rashly attacked the butterfly demons, the demons were likely to use the confused individuals as human shields. Even if Yin Ci managed to bind all three of them and continue dragging them up the mountain, the butterfly demons wouldn’t easily disperse.
On the other hand, if they were deceived by the “Greed Butterflies” for too long, their consciousness may suffer damage, making it difficult to distinguish reality from illusion.
There was only one way to dispel the Greed Butterflies.
These creatures were drawn by human desires and could only be driven away by overcoming those desires. The deceived individuals must have their own awakening and completely suppress their desires.
Yan Qing and Su Si were still young and had fewer attachments. They still possess their sanity and could free themselves. But looking at the condition of Shi Jingzhi, conservatively estimating, most of the Greed Butterflies had come to revel in his desires. Yin Ci had also witnessed Shi Jingzhi’s almost insane obsession. Even on ordinary days, Shi Jingzhi was greedy and loved money. If they waited for him to have his own enlightenment, it would be harder than reaching the heavens.
If he himself didn’t succumb to greed, hatred, or ignorance, it would be better to send his master down the mountain and continue alone…
No, with the interference of the Buddha Heart Formation, he couldn’t proceed alone. Such crucial clues couldn’t be entrusted to Su Si and Yan Qing, two outsiders. Yin Ci sighed inwardly and closed his eyes.
Was the journey to Huilian Mountain destined to fail so easily?
The author has something to say:
Yin Ci: Patting his master’s head; feels a thick layer of live butterflies.
Yin Ci: ……………………For the first time, I realize the benefits of not being able to see things (×
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