White Bone Demon Trail

Chapter 16 The Temple Keeper

Bai Wuxiang inside the cave waved his hand, and the feather in his hand, which had been tainted by demonic power, flew out of the cave and obliquely stuck on the forehead of the bone tiger lying in the center of the locust grove, connecting with the yin energy from all directions to form an array.

From now on, the White Bone Cave will be protected by this Yin formation. Even if I am not in the cave, demons that are not intelligent enough and mortals who do not have the means to subdue demons will not be able to enter the cave.

After processing what he had obtained, Bai Wuxiang took out the white bones he had retrieved from the well in the ancestral hall of Xiaoqu Village on the day he escaped.

This skeleton, consisting of only nine bones, is the remains of his half-brother, who was born under the same father but under different mothers.

Bai Wuxiang pondered for a moment, then sank the skeleton into the cold pool beneath him. The skeleton slowly sank to the bottom of the icy pool, stirring up dust and startling away several fish.

He placed the headless skeleton in the pool to be imbued with yin energy. Over time, it might even be transformed into a precious body, or perhaps refined into an artifact.

Bai Wuxiang sat cross-legged on the stone, and the thin Yin energy of the earth slowly came from all directions and gathered into his body.

Beneath the not-so-large Skull Mountain, increasing amounts of yin energy were gathering, and even the few remaining wild grasses and shrubs on this hundred-foot-tall mountain were turning a withered yellow. Many insects, snakes, rats, and foxes hiding among the rocks also sensed a vague sense of unease.

This was the tenth day since Bai Wuxiang settled in Yunze Mountain, and a sacrificial ceremony was held in Heishi Village.

In front of the temple, the villagers respectfully worshipped their gods. The captive from Wulong Village was tied to the newly built circular altar. He hung his head helplessly, watching the people singing and dancing around him, experiencing a different atmosphere for the first time.

In their Wulong Village, the villagers' relationship could not possibly be so friendly. If it weren't for the many rules set by Granny Wu that bound the villagers, it wouldn't be surprising if they turned against each other with swords.

On the altar, You Junzi prayed fervently in a loud voice: "Supreme, benevolent, and formless god, we, the people of Heishizhai, are willing to be your servants for generations. We pray that the formless god will protect us, the people of Heishizhai, so that we may live in peace and happiness, have good fortune in all seasons, and enjoy abundant harvests..."

"Now we offer sacrifices to you our enemies, offering their lives and souls to you, inviting the formless god to partake!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a mountain breeze stirred, and the copper bells hanging on the old willow tree rang one after another. The villagers were overjoyed and looked at the statue in the temple, hoping that the gods would appear.

But the copper bell on the willow only swayed for a few breaths before falling silent. You Junzi breathed a sigh of relief when he saw this, and stood up to say to everyone, "Lord Wuxiang already knows our intentions, but he doesn't like to move around during the day and will only appear at midnight."

Let's all go back. Everyone's exhausted from the past few days. We brought back quite a bit of game from the mountains this time, so let's have a big feast in our village!

"Alright! We'll all listen to the Second Master!"

"I haven't eaten meat for almost two months, and I've forgotten what meat tastes like."

"Finally, we can have a decent meal!"

The villagers were all overjoyed, discussing the good news. They were relieved that they had escaped death last time they went into the mountains, and excited that they would be able to eat meat.

Ah Liu on the altar opened his eyes and looked at the departing villagers, all of whom had smiles on their faces. He was surprised. They could eat meat every three to five days. Was eating meat something to be so happy about?
The sun was gradually setting over the mountains. The bound Ah Liu stuck out his tongue and licked his chapped lips. The days were getting hotter and hotter, but he was afraid he wouldn't see the sun tomorrow.

He listened to the laughter and merriment coming from afar, thinking how wonderful it would be if he were also a villager of Black Stone Village. Even if the food was more difficult, he would still feel more at ease living than in Wulong Village, without having to worry about being treated like a human sheep if he made a mistake.

In the village, everyone was toasting and drinking. Men, women, young and old alike gathered around the stone tables. Some sat directly on the ground, while others sat on stones. Everyone was wolfing down the meat on the table, including rabbit meat, snake meat, and other dishes such as millet and sweet potatoes.

You Junzi and Zhao Lengxiang sat at the table at the very front of the group, but the food on the table was no different from that at the other tables, and Li Yiguang, who could barely sit up, was also there.

Seeing everyone's joyful scene, Li Yiguang couldn't help but grin and say, stretching his still-healing arm, "Seeing everyone so happy, it was worth the risk we took!"

"Hehe, you shouldn't do such risky things next time, brother." You Junzi shook his head and laughed, "After all, we can't do without you as our leader."

“Exactly, I told you before we went that the hunting grounds were quite dangerous. But you were so reckless and insisted on rushing in. Even if your injuries heal, they’ll probably leave you with chronic health problems,” Zhao Lengxiang complained.

“There’s nothing we can do if we don’t go.” Li Yiguang shook his head with a smile: “Everyone was exhausted from building the temple a while ago. The food stored in the village is all gone. If we don’t catch some meat during the summer, I’m afraid we won’t even be able to survive the summer grain.”

But...it's so pitiful for Sanmaozi's family. We must remind the villagers to take good care of them from now on.”

"Don't worry, brother, I'll keep that in mind," You Junzi said with a smile. "However, I'm afraid you won't be able to participate in what I told you about the other day. You should stay in the village and focus on recovering."

"No, how can I not go? Besides me and Third Sister, how many other skilled fighters are there in the village?" Li Yiguang shook his head and said, "Thanks to your miraculous healing, I can walk and move around again. I won't fight, just watch how I hold things up for everyone!"

“Brother, you say you won’t fight, but I’m afraid you won’t care once you start,” Zhao Lengxiang said, trying to dissuade him. “You should stay in the village. Although my martial arts skills are not as fierce as yours, I’m still a first-rate expert in a real fight.”

"I was once a top martial arts master, and I have so many brothers in the village. Plus, we have Lord Wuxiang's protection. Brother, you can rest assured."

"Third sister is right. Just listen to her. Big brother, once you've recovered from your injury, we won't stop you from fighting again. It takes a hundred days to recover from a broken bone. You can't fight anyone without recovering for at least two months!"

"Very well, I'll do as you say." Li Yiguang sighed. "I heard it's a large merchant caravan this time?"

“That’s right, it’s a merchant caravan from the Wang family of Tingyu Pavilion in Yunzhou. They’ll be here in the next three to five days. When they arrive, Third Sister, be polite and ask for plenty of grain, rice, flour, and salt. Also, give them directions, and maybe we won’t have to lift a finger!”

Zhao Lengxiang replied with a smile, "I know the rules of the underworld, and I won't take anyone's life. It's just that Tingyu Pavilion is quite powerful, and I'm afraid they have a great master among them. What if we fail? After all, things aren't very peaceful down in the mountains right now, and they probably have experienced martial arts masters protecting them."

“That makes sense.” You Junzi nodded thoughtfully, and when he saw Li Yiguang open his mouth to speak, he interrupted him, “When the time comes, you should bring this token with you. With this token, even if the other side really has a master, they won’t make things difficult for us.”

After saying that, he handed a token wrapped in coarse cloth to Zhao Lengxiang. Li Yiguang's expression changed. "Second brother, what are you doing...aren't you afraid of exposing our identities?"

“We have been here for almost nine years. Prince Yi has lost power and his life. The court is in turmoil, factional disputes are constant, there are many corrupt officials, each state has its own troops and self-reliant, and disasters have occurred year after year. We, Nanzhao, no longer have the strength to move Yunze Mountain.”

You Junzi sighed and looked at the laughing crowd, saying slowly, "Now I only ask to take good care of these descendants entrusted to me by the generals back then, so that they can continue to live and take root in Yunze Mountain."

"Fine, you decide for yourself. We shouldn't interfere." Li Yiguang and Zhao Lengxiang exchanged a glance, and in the end, they stopped trying to dissuade them.

……

The sun sank into the towering mountains, and night fell.

Everyone in Black Stone Village was asleep. Before the pitch-black temple, a copper bell hanging from a willow tree suddenly began to ring without wind. The bell's vibrations jolted Ah Liu awake. He looked around in terror at the darkness. Even knowing his fate, he was still terrified in the face of death. He couldn't help but cry out, "Lord Wuxiang, spare me! Lord Wuxiang, spare me! I am willing to serve the gods for the rest of my life, I only beg to live!"

"Woo~"

In the darkness, tiny specks of pale blue light appeared, fluttering up and down like fireflies, illuminating the dark temple.

"crunch~"

The two tightly closed temple doors slowly opened, and a figure emerged from the dim light. Ah Liu's pupils constricted as he watched the shadowy figure approach. His body trembled involuntarily, and his pleas for mercy abruptly ceased. He dared not utter a sound.

Bai Wuxiang walked to the altar, stared at the bound man in front of him, and extended his right palm.

Ah Liu looked at the "person" in front of him. Even though the other party was a handsome young man, when his palm approached his head, the palm turned into a white bone claw without skin and flesh in his eyes.

In his extreme terror, he suddenly recalled his entire life. From the time he could remember, his parents had always worked from dawn till dusk. What he looked forward to most every day was when his parents would come home in the evening and bring him and his siblings some bamboo shoots and sweet potatoes.

Every three to five days, the village would hold a communal feast, which featured a variety of meat dishes and vegetables that tasted delicious. When he was twenty, the village elders led him in preparing a communal feast. He was shocked to see a "sheep" on the ground that looked exactly like himself, cut into hundreds of pieces. His elders, who were usually very kind to him, all had smiles on their faces as they turned the flesh into a series of dishes.

From then on, he knew what kind of meat he was eating. But living in such a large village, he had no choice but to survive. However, every time he ate at the communal feast, he felt a nauseous sensation as the meat he swallowed made his stomach churn.

"What's your name?"

A cold voice interrupted his reverie, and he stammered, "I...I'm called Ah Liu."

"Want to live?"

Ah Liu suddenly raised his head and saw the "person's" face clearly for the first time. The pair of deep blue pupils were as beautiful as legendary gemstones. He was stunned for a moment and replied, "I...I want to live!"

“Then stay in the temple from now on and take good care of it.” Bai Wuxiang said softly, “From now on, you will only be loyal to me, Wuxiang. Even if one day Wuxiang asks you to give your life, you must not hesitate.”

"Yes! Yes! This humble servant thanks Lord Wuxiang! Thank you for sparing my life! This humble servant will obey your orders for the rest of my life!"

The ropes binding Ah Liu suddenly came undone, and he collapsed weakly to the ground, his cheek pressed against the cold stone surface, prostrating himself at the feet of "Wu Xiang".

"Come with me."

The voice rang out again, and Ah Liu quickly got up, enduring the soreness and discomfort in his body, and respectfully followed the figure into the temple.

The temple was very spacious. Apart from a locust tree on each side of the temple courtyard, there was only the standing statue of a god in the main hall.

Bai Wuxiang walked through the deserted temple, the faint light gathering into lanterns that illuminated the main hall.

He said, “From now on, you will guard the temple every day. The temple doors will not be opened during the day, but will only be opened at sunset.”

Except for the ninth day of the eighth lunar month each year, when the temple must be fully opened to receive offerings from the villagers, the door must not be opened during the daytime for anyone to knock on.

"Yes! I will keep it in mind!" Ah Liu replied hurriedly.

"Furthermore, the two lamps in front of the statues in the temple should be lit during the day and blown out at sunset."

After sunset, you cannot drive away anyone who comes, whether they are human, ghost, spirit, monster, or beast.

If the visitor has a request, they can simply burn incense and worship the image.

Bai Wuxiang gently raised his hand, and a black raven flew down from the night sky and landed on his hand. He instructed, "Also, this black raven. Whenever it appears in the temple, don't worry about what it does. If anything happens, I will send it to inform you."

Once you enter this temple, you will become the guardian of this Wuxiang Temple. For the rest of your life, without my decree, you shall not step out of Black Stone Village, nor shall you marry or have romantic relationships.

Can you do it?"

"This humble one...this humble one is willing to serve the divine being! I could not ask for more!" Ah Liu said respectfully, bowing again, his heart filled with the joy of being able to live.

A slight smile appeared on Bai Wuxiang's lips. "Since you've said it, you must do it. Otherwise, you might as well die right now."

Ah Liu trembled with fear and said repeatedly, "This humble one is willing to serve Lord Wuxiang for the rest of his life!"

"Keep your head up."

A cold voice came from above. Ah Liu obediently raised his head and saw the god in front of him extend his right hand and gently touch his forehead. A bone-chilling coldness entered his body from his forehead.

The voice sounded again.

"I grant you the ability to communicate with the formless, but you must not disturb me unless it concerns the safety of the temple, the life or death of the village, or any major upheaval in the village."

I bestow upon you the art of shattering bones and taking lives; you may break the bones of any ordinary mortal or living being and take their life.

Upon hearing this, Ah Liu trembled with excitement and exclaimed, "Ah Liu thanks Lord Wu Xiang!"

Bai Wuxiang saw the tremor in his eyes, chuckled softly, turned and disappeared.

What good is it for a demon like him to fight with humans? Only humans can keep humans in check. Bai Wuxiang will not tolerate any disloyal people by his side.

Before long, the villagers of Black Stone Village will no longer only listen to the three leaders, but will also obey the orders issued from this temple.

(End of this chapter)