System: Infinite Evolution into Qilin Bloodline

As you push open the door, a musty, slightly musty smell hits you.

The temple was deserted except for an elderly lama sitting in a dimly lit corner, holding prayer beads and chanting sutras with his eyes closed.

Upon seeing the guests arrive, the lama slowly opened his eyes, surveyed them with his seemingly insightful gaze, then smiled slightly and nodded, indicating that they could stay.

The lama led the group to a simple guest room. Apart from a worn-out wooden bed and a few prayer cushions, the most striking thing in the room was a painting hanging on the wall. The painting was colorful, but its content was chilling.

A hideous demon rode on the back of a woman whose body was twisted and inhuman, as if it wanted to devour her soul.

The fat man was immediately drawn to the painting as soon as he entered. He froze, then screamed in terror:

"Ghost!"

The sound echoed in the empty temple, sounding particularly jarring.

Upon seeing this, the lama quickly lit a candle nearby, and in the flickering candlelight, the appearance of the painting gradually became clear.

He explained softly:

“These are not real ghosts, but guardian deities in our faith, used to ward off evil and protect believers from evil spirits.”

After hearing the lama's explanation, the fat man breathed a sigh of relief, but a hint of lingering fear remained on his face.

Others also gathered around to examine the painting closely.

Statues of gods are generally kind or majestic, while statues of evil spirits like this are usually evil gods.

Everyone knew that this temple was not simple, and that lama was not as he appeared on the surface.

Zhang Hao and his group exchanged glances, tacitly agreeing not to alert the enemy.

There are so many of them, each with their own special skills. There's only one old lama in the temple, so how could we be afraid of him?

At worst, we'll deal with whatever comes our way.

After Zhang Hao and his group settled down in the temple, fatigue and hunger quickly overwhelmed them.

The long trek and the sudden change in environment left everyone looking somewhat disheveled.

However, in such remote mountainous areas, finding food is undoubtedly a daunting task.

Just as everyone was looking at each other in bewilderment, the old lama appeared like a timely rain.

He was carrying a large piece of dried meat, and with a smile, he handed it to Uncle Wu.

"This is the meat I just grilled. You must be tired from your journey, so please eat it while it's hot."

Uncle Wu was a shrewd middle-aged man. When he took the meat, he glanced at the dried meat inadvertently.

That one glance, however, made him suspicious.

The meat was dark in color, with an abnormal red surface, and emitted a faint sour smell.

A thought struck him, and he immediately understood the nature of the meat—it was very likely human flesh!

He closed the door silently, placed the meat on the table, and said to everyone in a low, serious voice:

There's something wrong with this meat; don't try it.

Upon hearing this, the fat man's face turned deathly pale. He recalled the image of the evil spirit in the temple earlier and couldn't help but shudder.

"Third Uncle, you can't be mistaken, can you? This... how could this be human flesh?"

Uncle Wu did not answer immediately.

Others gathered around, their faces filled with worry and confusion.

"I've smelled this scent far too many times."

Uncle Wu's tone revealed an undeniable firmness.

"On the battlefield, the corpses of the enemy often emit a similar smell."

This smell is a sign of death and decay.

Upon hearing this, a cold glint flashed in Zhang Hao's eyes:

"So, we might have encountered something truly sinister."

This temple probably holds some unknown secret.

Wu Tianzhen couldn't help but shudder:

"What should we do then? Should we leave here tonight?"

Uncle Wu shook his head:

"No, we cannot act rashly now."

Although this temple is remote, it may be our only safe haven tonight.

We need to proceed with caution and investigate the situation thoroughly before making any decisions.

Even so, his worries grew even stronger.

He understood that what they had encountered this time was likely not just a simple travel mishap, but involved some deeper and more dangerous unknown force.

As night fell, the atmosphere in the temple became increasingly eerie and unpredictable.

The group sat together, wary of their surroundings.

No one mentioned eating meat again. Everyone's stomachs were growling with hunger, but they could only endure their hunger and wait cautiously for dawn to arrive.

At this moment, they were both exhausted and alert, their hearts filled with fear of the unknown and a longing for safety.

This ancient temple seemed to be a barrier between them and the unknown world, hiding deep secrets waiting for them to uncover.