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墨書 Inktalez
The entire village was filled with monkeys dressed in coarse, tattered cloth. They appeared to be numerous, yet there was not a sound to be heard. The whole Village was astonishingly quiet, and these strange beings did not communicate with one another, as if each had their own duty, standing blankly at their posts.
It was nighttime, and the clouds in the sky obscured the stars and the moon. The earth was dim and lifeless, but within the Village, lights shone brightly. With a sharp, eerie cry from the center of the Village, all the Mountain Spirits gathered towards the center.
Bai Yujing watched as the Mountain Spirits that had been lingering outside the Village suddenly vanished. He immediately stood up and said, "What’s going on? Where have these creatures gone?"
Zhong Qiang quickly replied, "Who cares what they are doing? Let's take this opportunity to go in; this is a great chance!"
The three of them quickly got up and cautiously made their way into the village. Inside, all the houses were made of wood, with thatched roofs, giving off a primitive tribal vibe. These strange beings mimicked human behavior by living in houses, but no matter how one looked at it, there was no sense of humanity; instead, it evoked an eerie and terrifying feeling.
At this moment, a large number of Mountain Spirits had gathered in the center of the Village. All the Mountain Spirits were prostrating themselves on the ground, worshipping a Suspended Tower in the center as if paying homage to some deity. The other buildings were uniform wooden Thatched Cottages, but this Suspended Tower was built in an ancient style and was very exquisite.
The Suspended Tower is a traditional dwelling of various ethnic groups such as the Miao, Zhuang, Bouyei, Dong, Water Tribe, and Tujia. These stilted buildings are particularly common in southeastern Chongqing and northern Guangxi, as well as in Xiangxi, western Hubei, and southeastern Guizhou. It is difficult to trace back to which era they originated from; these ethnic groups living in the mountains began to flourish this type of architecture in ancient times when records were scarce.
This Suspended Tower had three levels, with ancient-style railings and black-tiled roofs adorned with carved windows. At this moment, lanterns hung all over the Suspended Tower, illuminating it brightly. The towering structure was supported by dozens of massive pillars, with a wooden staircase extending down from above.
In the square beneath the Stairs, at least a thousand Mountain Spirits knelt there as if welcoming some sacred presence. At that moment, the moon peeked out from behind the clouds, making the entire scene appear highly ritualistic and extremely mysterious.
Bai Yujing and his companions crouched behind a fence in a small courtyard, watching this spectacle with an inexplicable sense of unease. Bai Yujing made a gesture for Li Hao and Zhong Qiang to stay put while he climbed onto the roof of a house. Lying on top with binoculars in hand, he focused on the direction of the Suspended Tower at the center of the Village.
At first, Bai Yujing only observed the direction of the Suspended Tower while these Mountain Spirits continued to bow down with the appearance of the moon. However, there was still no sign of whatever presence resided within the Suspended Tower. Bai Yujing then shifted his gaze around and immediately made a new discovery.
Bai Yujing spotted several Mountain Spirits emerging from a Stone Building built against the mountainside near the side of the Suspended Tower. They brought out a person—yes, a human being. Although they appeared dirty and it was hard to see clearly in the dim light of night, just from their clothing and silhouette, it was evident that it was indeed a person.
Bai Yujing immediately felt a tightness in his chest. It seemed that Lin Ruoqiao and the others had indeed fallen into the hands of these Mountain Spirits. Bai Yujing quickly looked towards the Stone Building, which appeared to be the prison constructed by the Mountain Spirits. He hoped that Lin Ruoqiao was still alive.
Bai Yujing then turned his gaze to the man being brought out by the Mountain Spirits. He was crying and wailing as he was dragged onto the square. At this moment, thousands of strange eyes belonging to the Mountain Spirits were fixed on him. No matter how much he cried, shouted, or cursed, there was not a single sound in the entire area.
All the Mountain Spirits looked at this man with their eerie gazes, as if they were staring at a piece of meat on a chopping board, about to be thrown into a pot, cooked, seasoned, and finally chewed to bits before being swallowed.
Eventually, the man lost even the courage to curse. Looking at the dense mass of eyes staring at him, he felt his legs weaken and tremble. Just then, a figure wearing a Mask and leaning on a cane emerged from the Suspended Tower.
This person wore an ancient paper Mask and had a frail figure that was completely different from the tall and strong Mountain Spirits. Aside from a slight hunch in his back, he looked no different from an ordinary old man.
As this person stepped out, five more individuals followed from within the Suspended Tower—some tall, some short, some old, some young—all wearing Masks. After these six people emerged, they knelt on the ground in two rows.
Finally, someone walked out from the large door of the Suspended Tower. As the slow footsteps echoed from within the dark door, all the Mountain Spirits became increasingly respectful. Bai Yujing raised his binoculars to observe closely, fully focused; it was clear that the final boss of the Mountain Spirits was about to make an appearance.
Sure enough, as the lantern's dim light illuminated the scene, a shadow dressed in a Crimson Robe stepped out from inside. Instantly, Bai Yujing felt a moment of daze. Two tall Mountain Spirits led the way while two smaller figures resembling juvenile Mountain Spirits gently held onto the hem of the long red robe.
The newcomer was tall and slender with bare feet adorned with silver rings that jingled with each step. The vibrant red fabric could not conceal their elegance; their graceful figure and exposed snow-white skin were enough to captivate anyone.
Their face was partially covered by a black Mask adorned with gold and silver embellishments. The soft and alluring lines made even half of their face—those seductive red lips and gently curved chin—ignite a sense of heat throughout one’s body.
“If someone dwells in the mountains’ edge, they are led by Vine Fern’s Dryad!”
“It is said that the Mountain Spirit who has lived for over a thousand years possesses beauty capable of enchanting all beings.”
Bai Yujing heard that phrase echoing in his mind again, and he suddenly looked at the woman on stage with a shocked expression. Her breathtaking beauty gave off a chilling feeling; she was a true Mountain Spirit, an existence that had lived for a thousand years.
The man, who was bound up like a zongzi, stared wide-eyed as the woman walked out. He had never seen such a woman before. Even the celebrities and models he had seen on television and online, heavily edited and polished, could not compare to her in the slightest. Especially her extraordinary aura, which captivated both his senses and soul, leaving him completely entranced.
“Bring him up!”
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