Spirit Realm Walker

Part 6The story of the mountain temple

Zhang Yuanqing suddenly felt an overwhelming desire to leave the main hall.

It was as if he found himself in a dire situation, surrounded by hopelessness, where neither heaven nor earth could answer his pleas for help.

This place was perilous beyond measure, and yet, there was no way to seek assistance from the outside world. He had no one to rely on but himself.

After much hesitation, he clenched his teeth and steeled his nerves, bending down to pull the skeleton wrapped in workwear from beneath the table.

Shrrrip—

During the pull, the workwear tore easily. After so many years, the fabric had long since decayed.

Dragging the corpse into the light of the candles, he suppressed his discomfort and began his examination.

Though the man was dead, the body still told a story. Understanding the cause of death could help him avoid potential dangers.

"Several ribs and the sternum are broken, and the right shoulder has fine cracks, but nothing too severe."

The deceased had clearly suffered significant trauma in life, but the exact cause of death was impossible to determine due to the passage of time.

Next, Zhang Yuanqing found a few brittle, yellowed sheets of paper in the worker's pocket, evidence of considerable age.

Tiny characters, written in neat script, covered the pages.

A flicker of excitement lit in his heart. These papers had clearly been found in the temple by the deceased worker, and they could provide valuable insight into the temple's mysteries.

By candlelight, he focused his attention and began to read.

"Last night, another junior brother disappeared—this is the third to vanish under mysterious circumstances. The senior brothers say that ghosts haunt the temple, or perhaps a demon of great power has come to snatch people away during the night. Yet, with so many disciples trained in the arts of cultivation, and our master being renowned within a hundred miles, what kind of foolish demon would dare come here to feast?"

"As for ghosts, my talismans for banishing spirits and summoning souls should be more than enough, no need to trouble the master. But I have a bad feeling about this... I should discuss it with Senior Brother."

"Today, another person has disappeared. That makes five in total. The master told us to keep it quiet from the worshippers, otherwise, it would ruin the temple's reputation. He must know something. Senior Brother and I have decided to patrol the temple at night."

"Three days have passed, and another three have disappeared. Yet, Senior Brother and I have found no trace of the culprit. The nights are eerily calm, but the ominous feeling in my heart grows stronger."

"Senior Brother seemed strange today, furious as though he had uncovered something important. I asked him what was wrong, but he wouldn't tell me. He wasn't in a good mood, so I'll ask him again tomorrow."

"Today, Senior Brother is the one who disappeared. I searched all of Three Path Mountain but found no trace of him. I can't take it anymore. I have to confront the master about this. The other brothers are terrified, and they support me because they, too, are scared."

The handwriting became more hurried, a sign that the writer was on the verge of collapse.

Zhang Yuanqing continued to read:

"After relentless questioning, the master finally agreed to tell me the truth. My instincts were right—he knows why the brothers have been disappearing. But he said there are too many ears during the day, and he would come to my room after sunset to reveal a secret that has shaken the foundations of power for millennia."