Chapter 162: Human-Induced Disaster Transformation

An hour had almost passed, but the group still hadn't reached the foot of Yanxia Peak. They were still traversing Cloud Mountain, moving significantly slower than Qi Wen had on his way here.

Qi Wen was long accustomed to Cloud Mountain, but for Huang Xingye, the mountain paths were rough. They were also quite unfriendly to his four servants, especially when they were carrying goods. Only Li Mian seemed to handle it well.

Li Mian was, after all, a martial artist. While not a top-tier expert in the jianghu, he was quite formidable in Dongle County. Among the county yamen's personnel, only the county lieutenant was stronger than Li Mian; other constables and bailiffs couldn't match him in a one-on-one fight unless they were truly desperate.

Watching Qi Wen stride briskly ahead, and then glancing at the basket on his back, Li Mian couldn't help but sigh in admiration.

"Is this young Daoist truly not skilled in martial arts? To have such a physique just from being accustomed to mountain paths seems a bit exaggerated!"

Huang Xingye looked at the burdens carried by his servants. Four men carried two sets of poles, and the baskets under the poles were not large, containing cloth, brocade, wine, and pastries. In terms of weight, their contents should not have surpassed Qi Wen's basket, which was packed with heavy items like cured meat, eggs, and pumpkins and taro gifted by farmers.

"Phew... phew... It's not strange, not strange at all... phew... The more this happens... phew... the more it proves we came to the right place at Cloud Mountain Temple... phew..."

Huang Xingye was getting on in years. Although he hadn't put on much weight, his stamina was poorer. After climbing for so long, he was now gasping for breath.

Qi Wen, however, still felt quite at ease. In truth, he would have been exhausted carrying heavy loads for so long in the past, but recently, he had noticed a significant improvement in his physical strength, even walking with light steps when fetching water downhill.

Reaching the top of a gentle slope, they finally arrived at the foot of Yanxia Peak. Qi Wen, slightly excited, turned around and called out to the group, who were still several dozens of feet behind.

"Everyone, put in some more effort! We've reached Yanxia Peak, and we can start climbing the mountain now!"

What? Start climbing the mountain?

What were we just doing, then?

Huang Xingye and the others were dumbfounded. They had thought they were almost at Cloud Mountain Temple, but instead, they heard this remark. Looking up at the towering Yanxia Peak, they instinctively swallowed.

Disregarding the height of this particular slope or any altitude calculations, from Qi Wen's current position, Yanxia Peak was approximately 150 zhang tall in total, and Cloud Mountain Temple was situated at about 100 zhang.

Although it wasn't considered very high in reality, the slope was much steeper. Throughout the ascent, they had to stop and rest repeatedly. By the time they reached a spot not far from Cloud Mountain Temple, Huang Xingye and his servants were utterly exhausted. Even Li Mian, who had been supporting Huang Xingye the entire time, was drenched in sweat.

Qi Wen wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve and excitedly shouted towards the temple.

"Master, Mister Ji has visitors!"

After a few shouts, Daoist Qingsong and Ji Yuan, who had already heard the commotion, came out together.

"Hehehe... Esteemed benefactors, you've come a long way! Please forgive our not coming out to greet you earlier!"

"Please, please, come quickly inside Cloud Mountain Temple to rest!"

Daoist Qingsong exchanged pleasantries, then he and Ji Yuan stepped forward, each taking a burden from the servants and helping carry them into the temple. This was not a place where one would decline gifts out of politeness.

Inside the temple, Ji Yuan and the two Daoists brought out several stools and chairs from the kitchen and two rooms, inviting the guests to sit and rest by the kitchen.

Besides the temple's tea, some of the pastries Huang Xingye and his group brought were also immediately served for everyone to share.

Given their immense physical exertion, the guests were too tired to stand on ceremony, even with their own gifts.

After the visitors had rested for a while, and Huang Xingye had especially recovered his breath, Daoist Qingsong inquired about their purpose.

"May I ask, benefactors, what brings you to Cloud Mountain Temple? Qi Wen mentioned it was to express gratitude? These gifts seem quite substantial for that."

Huang Xingye collected his thoughts. This time, his explanation differed from what he had told Qi Wen; he immediately pleaded for help.

"Daoist Qingsong, you must save me! I'm in great trouble!"

As Huang Xingye pleaded, he stood up, bowed, and repeatedly cupped his hands in a gesture of respect.

"Mr. Huang, what... what has happened?"

Daoist Qingsong, who quickly rose to steady Huang Xingye, looked bewildered. Even Ji Yuan, seated near the kitchen entrance, frowned.

"Daoist, first, I must thank you. That day, when you interpreted my divination slip, you saved my life..."

Huang Xingye recounted, in full detail, everything he had told Qi Wen on the way, but this time he was much more thorough, even mentioning his suspicion that the Earth God had saved him.

"Since Mr. Huang has reported it to the authorities and the county yamen is investigating thoroughly, even if the main culprit has temporarily escaped, they shouldn't be able to threaten you."

Daoist Qingsong sounded puzzled.

"Alas, Daoist, if only that were true! But a while ago, feeling indebted to the Earth God for his aid, I went to the town temple to give thanks! Although our town's Earth God Temple hasn't been fully repaired, the statue of the Earth God has been erected, so I offered a large feast of fish and meat..."

This should have been a good thing, and those around who were unaware listened in confusion. Huang Xingye paused, then continued.

"After I made my offerings, I used the jiaobei blocks to ask the Earth God if the danger had passed... But the blocks fell three times, and not once did I get a 'sacred block' (positive reading). In my panic, I threw them six more times, and after nine attempts, there was still no positive reading. On the tenth try, one of the jiaobei blocks even broke..."

"Hiss..."

Hearing this, Daoist Qingsong sharply inhaled. He was well-versed in divination and understood the ominous nature of this omen far better than Huang Xingye. If Ji Yuan hadn't been sitting beside him, he might have lost his composure right then.

Jiaobei blocks, like divination stick cylinders, are common divination tools in temples. They are usually made from the roots of golden bamboo, split in half, though sometimes two shells of a small clam are used instead. They are typically about one finger long and two fingers wide.

They are used in conjunction with divination stick cylinders for fortune-telling or to simply ask about good or bad fortune. They serve as a simple means of communication between worshippers and deities, with varying degrees of accuracy depending on the deity and the worshipper's devotion.

Worshippers drop the jiaobei blocks from a height of several feet. One block landing face-up and the other face-down signifies the harmonious balance of yin and yang, known as a "sacred block" or "auspicious" reading. Any other outcome, whether both blocks land face-up or both land face-down, is considered "inauspicious."

In Huang Xingye's situation, it clearly wasn't that the Earth God simply wasn't responding.

"So, because the Earth God indicated continued danger, Mr. Huang, you came to me, hoping I could perform a detailed divination for you?"

Daoist Qingsong analyzed the situation but saw Huang Xingye shake his head uneasily.

"It's more than that, much more than that... The Earth God..."

At this point, Huang Xingye seemed to be reliving a trauma, speaking with even greater tension in his voice.

"The next day, feeling unsettled, I went back to the Earth God Temple to burn incense. I found many townspeople gathered in front of the temple, and upon asking, learned that the Earth God's statue had been damaged last night. When I entered the temple, I saw that the Earth God's left hand had been torn off..."

As Huang Xingye spoke, his face had become extremely pale. He suddenly understood then that the Earth God's statue had certainly not been damaged by bandits, as the villagers speculated; it was most likely destroyed by something terrifying.

As everyone present listened to Huang Xingye's words, they felt a chill rise from their feet to the tops of their heads. Even those like Li Mian, who knew a bit about the situation, were affected similarly.

Daoist Qingsong's face turned somewhat pale. Even with his usual recklessness, he knew this matter was definitely beyond his capabilities.

"Mr. Huang, this... Cloud Mountain Temple is just a humble, remote place, and I am merely a poor Daoist who tells fortunes. How could I possibly handle something like this for you?"

Huang Xingye's face was more distraught than if he were crying, and he continued to bow and plead.

"Daoist Qingsong, I know I was blind to your wisdom before. That day in front of the temple, you actually wanted to help. It was my fault for being ungrateful and having a bad attitude, walking away several times despite your advice. I beg you, please give me another chance. I, Huang, will never forget your kindness!"

Daoist Qingsong also panicked. Such a strange affair, he even forgot that the powerful Ji Yuan was right there beside him.

"Mr. Huang, you've misunderstood, I..."

However, before he could finish, Ji Yuan, with a serious expression, spoke up, taking the lead for the first time.

"Dare I ask, Mr. Huang, have you sought help from the City God of Dongle County's City God Temple?"

Ji Yuan's voice was clear and resonant, imbued with a calming power that settled everyone present.

This entire situation was strange in every aspect. If something had the power to harm an Earth God, why was Huang Xingye, a mere mortal, still alive and well?