My sister is Luna

The Yunmeng Marsh, a great river basin, is beautiful, humid, and pleasant. Natural trees form its main body, and the great river flows through it, nourishing all things. It is a country where humans and demons coexist, a country of life.

It has no daytime, no sunlight, and is shrouded by a celestial barrier. With the great river as the boundary, to the east is a dark forest rooted in the earth, and to the west is a cloud city perched high in the treetops. The forest dwellers there say that this is a miracle and blessing from the Eastern God, and that the darkness allows people to grow.

Donghuang Taiyi and Guiguzi represent two extremes: the former presumptuously rules the sky, while the latter lives in seclusion on the earth.

Guiguzi, who deeply believed in the principles of the earth, discovered the Xuanweizi, which made the forest more lush and brought it light. The unchanging darkness was finally filled with "stars".

Meanwhile, the elfin-like Xuanweizi "danced" in the forests east of the great river, flickering and disappearing between the valleys.

Guiguzi's home was on Qingzhui Cliff in Xuanwei Forest, which was also the headquarters of the Witch God Zhu. It was built on a knot of a naturally formed tree branch, and the knot was as big as a mountain, hence the name "Qingzhui".

Its building covers a large area and preserves a large number of precious documents, such as ancient classics, Guiguzi's notes, and shamanic songs from various eras.

Many people belonging to the Wushenzhu tribe lived here, and they looked curiously at Gan Jiang, Mo Xie, and Cain behind Guiguzi.

Upon entering the main hall, you will see a prominent statue of Nuwa in the center, embracing a sapling like a mother. The tree roots at the base gently encircle Nuwa like a cradle, while statues of the shaman and the forest child stand around her.

Guiguzi's residence was built against the backdrop of a mountain peak formed by giant branches. The roof outline was created using giant fallen leaves from naturally grown trees, and the structure was supported by wood. Decorations such as cloud-shaped amber, feathers, and flowers hung under the eaves. The semi-open design blurred the boundaries between the interior and nature, and the overall style was simple and rustic.

The room was dark, but Guiguzi waved his staff, and Xuanweizi rushed in to bring light to it, and everything was revealed.

The interior has many textures and patterns of varying depths, and is filled with books, giving it a sense of tranquility, as if it were a naturally formed treehouse.

Finally, there was a simple table, chairs, coffee table, and a few hammocks. The air was filled with a faint scent of wood, creating a pleasant and idyllic scene of a study.

"I am a simple country bumpkin, and my humble abode is like this. I hope you will forgive me."

"This place is so elegant and refined, it's more like a place where a reclusive master lives," Cain remarked.

"This place is so comfortable, much more comfortable than the place I used to stay." At this moment, Crystal popped into my mind and nestled comfortably on Cain's shoulder.

"Oh, it seems you've trained this dragon quite well." Guiguzi was somewhat surprised to see the crystal.

"Now she and I are friends."

"We're not friends!" Crystal retorted sullenly.

“This is…” Cain noticed something else on the ground besides the tables and chairs.

Under the light of Xuanweizi, a pink-haired girl, clutching a magic staff, curled up on the ground and slept soundly.

“This is my apprentice, Yao,” Guiguzi introduced.

"Ayao, why are you sleeping on the ground again?" Guiguzi poked Yao's cheek with his staff.

"Hmm... Master, good morning. It's so comfortable lying on the ground."

Yao rubbed her sleepy eyes, stretched, and opened her clear eyes. Her pale purple eyes had a pure and innocent spirit, twinkling brightly.

Cain also saw the antlers and ears on her head, her feet were deer hooves, she was humanoid but also had some animal features, it was clear that she was still a fawn that was growing up.

"You should at least cover yourself with a blanket, or you'll catch a cold."

"Hehe, definitely next time," Yao said playfully, sticking out her tongue.

"A new guest? I've never seen this face before. You're so pretty! Where are you from? What's your name? Wow, that little animal on your shoulder is so cute!"

"You look hard and sharp all over, are you a stone man? You seem to be the same kind as me and the teacher. Why are you hugging this lady? What is your relationship with her?"

Yao's eyes lit up when she saw Cain and Gan Jiang Mo Xie, whom she had never seen before. She surrounded the two of them and kept asking questions.

Faced with such enthusiasm, Cain was a little overwhelmed, and a barrage of questions left him unsure which to answer first.

Crystal stared blankly at her, who was jumping around like a deer.

Gan Jiang and Mo Xie remained silent.

"Please excuse my unruly disciple," Guiguzi said with an apologetic smile, then added seriously:

"Yao, stop fooling around, help me tidy up."

"Okay." Yao stopped making a fuss.

"You must all be hungry. Let me show you my cooking skills." With that, Guiguzi pulled Yao outside the tree to cook.

During his free time, Cain could look around Qingzhi Cliff.

……

That night.

All things slumber, and the mysterious forest in the darkness is so silent.

The ancient tree stood still, even the lively and active Xuanweizi stopped flashing.

Yao returned to her adoptive parents' house, where only Guiguzi and the other two were sleeping in a hammock.

Cain opened his eyes because one of them was missing.

After glancing at the sleeping Guiguzi, Cain walked out.

"Gan Jiang and Mo Xie, what are you going to do?" Cain asked softly.

"revenge."

In the shadows, Gan Jiang, holding Mo Xie, uttered two words, his eyes flickering with ghostly fire.

Donghuang Taiyi deliberately used a scheme to entice him to his inner demons, causing him to lose his lover and fall into madness. All of this was caused by him. He was previously powerless to fight back and was banished to the wilderness, where he was left to fall into depravity.

But we learned from Guiguzi that Donghuang Taiyi is currently weak, so if we don't go now, when will we?

He must repay this hatred to Donghuang.

"Don't be impulsive. Donghuang Taiyi is asleep and there must be heavy guards. Going there rashly will only lead you into a trap. I'll go with you to investigate the situation tomorrow. Go back to sleep now," Cain said.

He also decided to go to Yunmeng City to find out if there was any way to get out.

"..." Gan Jiang and Mo Xie seemed to be pondering:

"Ok."

……

Yunmeng City and Xuanwei Forest are two extremes, and the great river clearly separates them, as is the difference in their beliefs.

The former is the abode of "gods," a manifestation of divine miracles that devour the heavens and the sun, a place of worship for devout believers, and the only metropolis and center of power in Yunmengze.

The city is a city built solely for the "god," where everyone obeys the Eastern God, idolizes his figure, and takes his words as gospel.

The latter, according to the shaman, is the natural world where the great river nourishes all things. Humans are born free, aware of the grace of their upbringing, and live in accordance with nature. They have desires but do not indulge in them, taking only what is rightfully theirs, and pursuing their own beliefs—happiness, joy, and beauty…

The conflict between these two groups stems from this belief system.

The current situation in Yunmengze is that Donghuang Taiyi's Yin-Yang School is very powerful, and Guiguzi's shamans need to join forces with Hongmen Bashang to fight against it.

Guiguzi led Cain and Gan Jiang and Mo Xie through the Hundred Scenery Forest to Yunmeng City.

That majestic city stands tall amidst the clouds, surrounded by countless clouds as if they were surrounding a god. In the hazy mist of the early morning, the straight white walls seem to suppress everything and weigh heavily on people's hearts, like a heavenly paradise.

After crossing the connecting long bridge, the three entered a village.

Despite wearing ordinary clothes, Cain's handsome appearance was still undeniable. The short Guiguzi, wearing a bamboo hat, looked like a little follower leading a rich young master.

The towering Gan Jiang and Mo Xie wore cloaks, their long robes covering their bony bodies, and their hoods concealing their faces, leaving only their eerie red eyes floating in the distance. After all, their monstrous appearance was simply too conspicuous and eye-catching.

The handsome Cain was like a young master, the short Guiguzi was like a pageboy, and the tall Ganjiang was like a bodyguard.

Unfortunately, this group still stood out. Their mysterious, foreign appearance drew a different kind of attention from the rough-clothed laborers and the inhabitants of Yunmeng City, as if they were eyeing prey.

The villagers watched Cain and his group walk past them with wide eyes, while silently continuing with their work.

When Cain passed a dilapidated temple that had been neglected for many years, he stopped. He saw five strange beasts inside, whose spirit could not be hidden even though they were covered in dust, and he felt that they seemed somewhat familiar.

"The Five Sacred Beasts." Cain remembered.

"The Five Sacred Beasts are a belief that predates even the shamanistic practices of the gods and sorcerers. They are spread across the continent, representing the five directions: east, south, west, north, and center. Born of heaven and earth, they possess great supernatural powers, guarding their respective regions and warding off worldly calamities. Perhaps they also exist in the Tang Dynasty?" Guiguzi said with a sigh.

"When auspicious beasts appear, all the troubles of the world disappear. Alas, it is a pity that the faith here has been lost."

"Sigh, I originally wanted to hide from this period of time, but now I have to go deep into the enemy camp to help Gan Jiang avenge himself. I should have known better than to tell you about Donghuang Taiyi's slumber."

"Woo-woo—!" Suddenly, a solemn horn sounded from Yunmeng City, reaching everyone's ears.

The three turned around and saw a fanatical glint in the eyes of all the forest dwellers behind them. They all dropped what they were doing, knelt down in the direction of Yunmeng City, and murmured prayers:

"Praise be to my God...I will pass the test and serve by your side with all my might..."

The three stood out from the crowd behind them. Turning around, they looked at the towering Yunmeng City. Gan Jiang's eyes shone brightly red, Guiguzi's azure eyes gleamed as if he were thinking about something, while Cain remained silent in thought.

……