The chaotic memories were overwhelming, and while in the dungeon, Nan Deng showed little emotion.
Now, having left Xie Yun’s cell, he gradually detached from those past events and said sadly, “He killed the previous Mountain God.”
Serving and following the Mountain God was the duty of all Celestial Masters. Xie Yun, a high-ranking elder, had hidden his true nature so well that even Tai Xu was deceived by him.
Xie Yun was cautious and suspicious, never revealing his plans to anyone. Occasionally, when he encountered the Guardian Spirit or Earth Spirits around Tai Xu, he was always respectful.
At that time, the Guardian Spirit was entirely different from the current rabbit head. It had only shrunk in size and slightly altered its appearance, looking like an ugly, fierce little dog.
It often went out to play on its own, returning occasionally to see what Tai Xu was doing.
Each Mountain God had different personalities and preferences, and their relationships with the Guardian Spirit varied accordingly.
After understanding the whole situation, Weng Ping Ran angrily smashed a crack into the wooden table, his voice trembling with rage, “This person is truly heinous…”
The Mountain God was immortal and indestructible, and the transition period was their only weakness. If Xie Yun had succeeded, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
It was just a little too late when the Guardian Spirit found the newly born Nan Deng. Trying to rush back to save Tai Xu was already impossible.
The Guardian Spirit was also severely injured by Xie Yun and could only hide in Yezhang Tower. Xie Yun never considered that it would hide in the tower.
It must have been after entering the tower that Nan Deng hatched. He was still an inexperienced soul, too weak to possess even a trace of divine power and unable to help the Guardian Spirit recover faster.
As a result, the Mountain God disappeared for nearly twenty years. The Guardian Spirit slowly healed, finally gathering enough strength to escape the tower with Nan Deng.
Nan Deng sat across from the wooden table, staring blankly at the cup in his hand.
After leaving the dungeon, he and Weng Ping Ran came to a secluded room in the inner court for a meeting.
These past events could not be known by too many people. There were only four individuals in the room.
Lin Jiu’s face was grave. “Once he dies, he’ll turn into a nearly indestructible resentful spirit?”
Nan Deng nodded. “He’s consumed many living souls.”
Xie Yun created the fog-shrouded specter using half of his soul but continued to act with extreme caution, fearing the fog-shrouded specter might be recognized as different from other resentful spirits, especially by the Celestial Masters.
Compared to humans, resentful spirits kept secrets better. Their minds were solely focused on feeding, uninterested in anything else.
So he developed a new talisman, the black paper Nan Deng had seen, to control resentful spirits and steal their food.
This method, even if detected, left no traceable evidence. Resentful spirits would rather be destroyed than seek help from Celestial Masters, seeing the fog-shrouded specter as one of their own.
He created the plague with the same goal in mind. The plague weakened people, giving resentful spirits more opportunities. The victims who died became his new slaves.
The fog-shrouded specter appeared shortly after Xie Yun was seriously injured, over a decade ago.
In these ten-plus years, who knows how many living souls it has devoured? It’s likely reached the level of a Ghost King.
No wonder Xie Yun didn’t resist when he was first captured by the inner court. He didn’t need to.
Now, Xie Yun is half-human, half-ghost. The fog-shrouded specter’s malice doesn’t match resentful spirits of the same level. If he dies, his remaining soul will merge with the fog-shrouded specter, fully becoming a resentful spirit, significantly increasing its malice and power.
“What should we do? The fog-shrouded specter must be hiding,” Lin Jiu glanced at Lian Yi, worry evident on his face. “We can’t keep him locked up forever.”
Xie Yun’s situation made him think of Lian Yi. If Lian Yi dies, he too would become a nearly indestructible resentful spirit. His issue remains unresolved, and now there’s Xie Yun.
One wants to be the strongest ghost; the other is destined to be the strongest ghost.
Weng Ping Ran pondered, “Can we weaken his living soul now?”
The bottle of medicine meant for Lian Yi was still available, but Xie Yun’s body was now weaker than an ordinary person’s.
Nan Deng hesitated. “Let’s try.”
Unfortunately, he didn’t see the fog-shrouded specter’s location in the memories. Even Xie Yun seemed unaware, as he contacted the fog-shrouded specter using a specially crafted disk that was now lost.
Weng Ping Ran immediately issued orders to intensify the search for the fog-shrouded specter. No clues could be overlooked.
The inner court had several Celestial Masters skilled in creating formations and medicines. They might find a way, as the fog-shrouded specter was fundamentally part of Xie Yun’s soul, closely linked to him. Perhaps they could summon it.
This matter was critical. Weng Ping Ran, unwilling to leave it to others, decided to handle it personally.
In the secluded room, only Lin Jiu and Lian Yi remained with Nan Deng. If there were any missing information, Lin Jiu would be responsible for conveying it.
Nan Deng, however, was pondering why Xie Yun, despite many opportunities, didn’t end his own life before being captured.
What was he waiting for? Had the fog-shrouded specter not consumed enough living souls?
Nan Deng voiced this doubt. Lin Jiu, frowning in thought, suddenly paled. “In half a month, it’s the Ghost Festival.”
On the Ghost Festival, malice automatically condenses, making it extremely easy for advanced resentful spirits to be born.
Xie Yun is likely to use the malice’s empowerment on the Ghost Festival to fully transform into a resentful spirit.
He has schemed for so many years; he must have planned everything meticulously.
As this suspicion arose, Lin Jiu hurriedly contacted Weng Ping Ran.
He planned to make preparations in the dungeon to prevent Xie Yun from finding a way to end his own life.
After Lin Jiu left, only Nan Deng and Lian Yi remained.
The rabbit head emerged from Nan Deng’s pocket, its pupils still tinged with red.
Nan Deng hugged it and murmured softly, “Xiao Tu, you must be feeling sad too.”
Having protected his master for three hundred years, only to lose him in the end.
Whether the rabbit head understood or not, its eyes gradually returned to their normal pitch-black, nuzzling against Nan Deng’s chest.
Nan Deng stroked its fluffy head, unsure how to comfort it.
Originally, he should have had a “teacher” to guide and teach him how to become a Mountain God.
According to Tai Xu’s arrangements, after the new Mountain God was born, he would follow the earth spirits to find Nan Deng, wait for him to break through, explain everything, and quietly leave.
However, he couldn’t meet Nan Deng, nor fulfill his final duty. It took so long for Nan Deng to see him in other people’s memories.
Tai Xu probably never imagined that the Celestial Master who revered him so much would be the one to harm him.
He was deceived by Xie Yun, perhaps for another reason. When he encountered Xie Yun, Tai Xu might have already been planning to step down. He was busy preparing for his departure, burying the items from the jade bracelet everywhere, without noticing Xie Yun’s abnormalities.
Nan Deng held the rabbit head while buried in Lian Yi’s embrace.
Lian Yi remained quiet throughout, hardly speaking at all. He was lost in his own thoughts.
He gently stroked Nan Deng’s back, waiting for Nan Deng to adjust his mood before they returned to their residence together.
In the afternoon, Weng Ping Ran sent medicine to the dungeon to reduce Xie Yun’s life essence.
Xie Yun was forcibly fed a lot of tonic, and the arrangement of the cell was upgraded as if they feared he might die inside.
He guessed that the Inner Court had learned something and had been frowning ever since.
Naturally, he refused to drink the medicine to reduce his life essence, so Weng Ping Ran personally entered the cell to force-feed him.
“Cough…,” Xie Yun wiped his mouth with his sleeve, “What is this medicine? Elder Weng has to do it personally.”
Soon, he felt his life essence diminishing visibly, his complexion worsening.
After a moment of silence, he smiled instead, “Looks like you really found out.”
Since the day he was caught, Xie Yun hadn’t thought of hiding anything. His previous reluctance to confess was simply indifference.
“Don’t waste your efforts,” he leaned back against the stone wall, closing his eyes, “There’s hardly any life essence left in me anyway.”
Weng Ping Ran checked; the medicine was indeed taking effect, but that was all it could do.
Since they couldn’t weaken him with this method, they had to ensure his survival until they found the fog-shrouded specter.
Xie Yun was bound up, his mouth stuffed to prevent him from biting his tongue.
Every day, someone came specifically to feed him, administer medicine, and clean his body.
He now received treatment several times better than before. But he had completely lost his ability to act.
—
Previously in the ancient texts that recorded the Mountain God, Nan Deng found new papers and supplemented the information about Tai Xu.
He also added a few sheets at the end, intended for himself.
Nan Deng had never thought about how long he would be the Mountain God. He had only recently obtained the artifact and, in human terms, was only about nineteen years old. As long as he wanted, he could live forever and maintain his youthful appearance.
Immortality might be something many people envied, but many Mountain Gods eventually chose to relinquish their identities. In the memories Nan Deng saw, Tai Xu had once told Xie Yun that he believed Mountain Gods were not deities but a race similar to humans and earth spirits. However, their way of continuing was peculiar and lonely. They were like humans but not entirely. Fortunately, they still have the right to choose.
Nan Deng thought to himself that once this matter was resolved, in a few years, he might also consider stepping down. By then, even Lian Yi might no longer be a celestial master and they could live as ordinary people.
Putting down the book, Nan Deng turned and hugged Lian Yi beside him. “Get better soon,” he said again.
He had asked Weng Ping Ran once more, and this time he said the antidote was almost ready.
Fortunately, there had been no signs of any relapse in Lian Yi during this time; he seemed to be doing well.
Nan Deng kissed his cheek. “I’ll always be with you.”
Lian Yi didn’t say anything; he just touched Nan Deng’s hair.
—
The search for the fog-shrouded specter had made no progress, so Nan Deng went to the dungeon again.
Xie Yun was tied to a pillar padded with soft cloth, his hands, feet, and head secured, leaving only his eyelids and fingers movable.
Upon seeing Nan Deng appear, he raised his eyes. “It’s you…”
A small ball was stuffed into his mouth, preventing his teeth from closing, making his speech muffled.
“So it’s your… artifact, that umbrella,” Xie Yun slowly articulated. “I wasn’t wrong, right?”
Otherwise, how would the Inner Court know about the origin of the fog-shrouded specter as soon as Nan Deng appeared, and use such methods to prevent him from seeking death?
Nan Deng didn’t answer. He opened the bamboo umbrella again, wanting to see if Xie Yun had contacted the fog-shrouded specter in these days.
A few seconds later, the bamboo umbrella was retracted, and Nan Deng seemed somewhat disappointed.
If Xie Yun had guessed that his artifact could read the past, he would surely be more vigilant.
With no results, Nan Deng turned to leave. Xie Yun spoke again, “If Tai Xu saw you… he would probably be very pleased.”
Nan Deng stopped in his tracks and looked at Xie Yun.
Xie Yun scrutinized him carefully, his eyes showing some probing and inexplicable jealousy. “Your growth rate far exceeds my expectations.”
After Tai Xu retired, the divine power in his body would gradually be passed to Nan Deng. But it was taken away by Xie Yun.
Blessed with divine power, even though he failed to capture the severely injured Hui Shou and the newly born Nan Deng, he forced them to hide in Yezhang Tower for nearly twenty years.
In the tower, devoid of light and surrounded by resentful spirits, Nan Deng had no opportunity to grow.
Afterward, when Hui Shou broke out of the tower and revealed a trace, he was busy spreading the plague and didn’t take it seriously.
Moreover, the plague was supposed to cause more casualties. But unexpectedly, Nan Deng completely eradicated it, leaving no residue.
Except for the time spent in the tower, he had been born less than a year ago, with no assistance or guidance from anyone.
If Nan Deng hadn’t grown so rapidly… he had hidden for so long, his plan was incredibly smooth, and there was a chance of success.
Could it be just because he was the Mountain God?
Xie Yun felt bitter in his heart, his gaze gradually filled with resentment.
He looked again at Lian Yi beside Nan Deng, squinting slightly.
Nan Deng moved his lips, wanting to say something, but felt that any further conversation with this person would be futile.
His reasons for doing all this were now more apparent than ever.
Several attendants arrived to feed Xie Yun on time, and Nan Deng did not linger, leaving the dungeon.
—
In the following days, Nan Deng left the Inner Court.
Weng Ping Ran tried hard to persuade him to stay, fearing Xie Yun might still have schemes and worried for Nan Deng’s safety, thinking he would be better protected within the Inner Court.
Nan Deng declined, saying, “I don’t need protection”. Besides, with Lian Yi and the rabbit head by his side, and now possessing the artifact, he was no longer the same as before.
Plus, since the fog-shrouded specter hadn’t been found yet, Nan Deng also wanted to help.
He had seen several locations in Xie Yun’s memories and planned to visit them.
With the bamboo umbrella, he could capture resentful spirits and then use the umbrella to check if there was anything related to the fog-shrouded specter.
Unable to refute this, Weng Ping Ran let Lin Jiu accompany them. Nan Deng did not refuse this arrangement.
So the three of them left the Inner Court together. Before leaving, the rabbit head went to the dungeon and gave Xie Yun a beating.
It knew its limits and didn’t go too hard, just spat a bit of saliva on Xie Yun’s face.
Xie Yun’s face was dark and gloomy. Since being bound up, he had been living worse than an animal.
He cursed a few times, but the rabbit head just drooped its ears and ignored him.
Finally, Nan Deng closed the door to the cell and left with the rabbit head in his arms.
—
With less than half a month left until the Ghost Festival, Nan Deng had limited time to find the fog-shrouded specter.
He came up with a plan: to have the rabbit head release its aura, attracting a large number of resentful spirits. Lian Yi and Lin Jiu would then eliminate them all. Finally, they would read their memories.
Nan Deng became more proficient in using the bamboo umbrella, learning to exclude unnecessary parts from memories.
However, despite their efforts, while they dealt with many resentful spirits along the way and had a few leads on the fog-shrouded specter, there was no significant progress.
This semi-ghost seemed to vanish from the mortal world. He could suppress his appetite more than ordinary resentful spirits and also knew some techniques taught by Xie Yun.
As the days drew nearer, Nan Deng grew anxious.
Lin Jiu tried to comfort him, saying, “Perhaps he didn’t choose the Ghost Festival day, or maybe the fog-shrouded specter is too far from him or something unexpected happened.”
During this time, Lin Jiu was highly tense, not only assisting Nan Deng but also constantly watching for any abnormalities in Lian Yi.
Fortunately, they continued to get along peacefully, and the relationship between Lian Yi and Nan Deng grew increasingly intimate and stable.
“I hope so…” Nan Deng murmured softly.
Even Weng Ping Ran didn’t put too much pressure on him; after all, a mountain god was not omnipotent.
Another day passed without any results. Nan Deng recalled the bamboo umbrella and fed all the captured resentful spirits to the rabbit head.
Meanwhile, he opened his phone to check the calendar.
The Ghost Festival… was just three days away.
