Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 134: Useless Variable

“The book? You mean your ‘Guishan Divine Words’ book?” Fang Xiu put on an expression of great interest.

The follower in the back was a lean, dark-skinned man in his forties. He was briefly thrown off by the question and only responded a few seconds later. “…The book is just the book.”

As they spoke, the group had reached the edge of the village.

Not far away, the dark mass of mountains loomed like the corpses of giants. The silence was so heavy it felt like it could bury someone. The aura of the “great evil spirit” drifted in and out. No one dared get too close, so they stopped here.

The two followers gathered some sticks and stones, using various magic weapons to set up a formation. Fang Xiu crossed his arms, staring into the brightly lit village.

The surroundings were completely empty. No strange shadows, no restless characters. The silence was suspicious, and the air smelled damp and metallic, exactly like how Fang Xiu remembered Weishan Village.

Suddenly, a sharp ringing pierced his ears. The moment Fang Xiu raised his hand to his ear, he was enveloped by Bai Shuangying’s sleeve. Bai Shuangying glared at the thin follower from before, his pale eyes full of caution.

Fang Xiu followed his gaze but saw nothing strange. The man’s expression was normal. However, the ringing in his ears continued, and although no meaningful words came through, his ears had “seen” vague characters.

How could someone read with their ears? It made no sense. But he had indeed seen them—letters veiled behind a layer of cloudy fluid, only faintly visible.

[This was Wu Caiwei’s first time near Weishan. His family had always been poor. If not for the great kindness of the Guishan Sect, he’d still be stuck in the mountains raising sheep and farming.]

[The thought alone made him angry. Aid workers only taught him to raise sheep and farm but never gave him an easy job that paid well. The world was unfair. He wanted to smoke, drink, and be with pretty women. Why should he suffer like this?]

[Only the Guishan Sect was truly compassionate. They took him out of the village, provided cigarettes, alcohol, and women, and even gave him free meals. Wu Caiwei firmly believed that the Sect’s understanding of the people’s hardships was why the authorities deliberately tried to suppress them.]

[So Wu Caiwei became the most devout of believers. He worked hard, rising through the ranks within the sect. He knew he had chosen the right path, unlike those ignorant villagers. Once he fulfilled his spiritual merit, he would have a fancy car, a mansion, and a beautiful wife.]

[Seeing the sacred Xushan where the founder achieved enlightenment, Wu Caiwei was filled with excitement. The ritual wasn’t as difficult as he imagined. Surely it was Hierarch Zhuang Guiqu’s protection. As the most devout follower, he had to show his sincerity.]

The formation was nearly complete. His companion could finish the rest alone. There were no evil spirits nearby, and the guy in the red T-shirt wasn’t doing anything. Wu Caiwei was bored.

He cheerfully turned away and walked toward the mountain, stepping out of the village boundary. He found a patch of smooth earth and took out a thick incense stick from his robe. Bowing repeatedly toward the mountain, he muttered prayers under his breath.

After finishing his prayers, he firmly planted the incense into the ground and lit his lighter.

Boom.

In the pitch-dark night, the small lighter burst into a sudden flame. Wu Caiwei screamed and instinctively rolled on the ground, trying to extinguish the fire with mud. But somehow, the fire only grew stronger.

Before long, the air was filled with the smell of roasting meat.

What a wonderful smell. I like it very much.

This was no ordinary fire.

The other follower, who was finishing the ritual, was horrified. He rushed over and began sticking dispelling talismans all over Wu Caiwei. But they burned up instantly, turning to ash as easily as regular paper.

Wu Caiwei’s screams grew louder, then weaker, until they faded into the dreadful stillness. His body still struggled on instinct, but the fire slowly consumed him, roasting him thoroughly.

A few minutes later, the heavy scent of charred flesh mixed with the earthy smell of rain, shattering the previously calm atmosphere.

Only the thick incense stood upright, completely untouched by flame.

That was the end of Wu Caiwei’s life.

The remaining follower stood frozen, no longer interested in finishing the formation. He looked around in panic, mumbling the sect’s chant “Return, return” over and over.

Fang Xiu stood still, putting on a dazed and frightened expression while secretly gripping Bai Shuangying’s sleeve.

“No trace of a spell,” Bai Shuangying answered knowingly, probably guessing what Fang Xiu was trying to ask.

If it wasn’t a spell, then it was a taboo.

But to Fang Xiu, this didn’t feel like a typical death taboo. So far, none of the three victims had clearly violated any taboos. They all died in the same way as the Weishan ritual. But if it wasn’t a death taboo, the rules of the Immortal Encounter E were far too strange.

How did it choose its sacrifices?

Better not to think too deeply about it. I don’t want him thinking too hard either. Let’s say this: Wu Caiwei was the closest to the edge of the village among all the sacrificial offerings, so naturally, he was the one trying to escape.

Didn’t that logic make perfect sense?

Fang Xiu felt like something was wrong with his thoughts but couldn’t tell what. That was, until Bai Shuangying reached out and used his true form to cover Fang Xiu’s eyes and ears.

The strange thoughts disappeared instantly. Fang Xiu shook his head vigorously. Thinking of those characters, a ridiculous idea popped into his mind.

The blurry text he had seen with his ears had a very modern writing style, casual and informal. It didn’t feel like a serious record or prophecy.

If anything, it felt more like… a storybook.

A storybook based on the first ritual. A reality twisted by distorted cause and effect. If this were true, then weren’t they the “main characters” of this story?

Maybe, right now, some text was recording his every thought and action, writing out his tale. But how it would end, no one knew.

“Still feeling off?” Bai Shuangying still had his hands over Fang Xiu’s eyes and ears. His voice flowed directly from his true form.

Fang Xiu gently shook his head and pushed Bai Shuangying’s hands away. He looked toward the other follower, who was clutching the corpse in helpless shock.

This whole thing was too unnatural, and the information far too valuable. In any case, loose ends had to be tied up.

He snapped his fingers. Mei Lan’s scarf flew out of his pocket and wrapped tightly around the follower’s neck. The scarf moved at a speed comparable to a bullet. The man had no time to react.

But he didn’t die immediately.

He let out a scream. A faint blue glow appeared from the cloth over his chest. The tightening scarf was forcefully pulled back, as if by invisible hands. The follower bared his teeth, his red eyes were filled with ferocity.

“I knew you… had bad intentions…”

Fang Xiu didn’t bother replying. He closed his fingers, tightening the scarf. It trembled violently around the man’s neck, emitting dangerous ripping sounds.

Bai Shuangying looked from one side to the other. He reached out alongside Fang Xiu and made a subtle gesture. A crisp crack followed. The blue jade pendant on the man’s chest exploded, covering him in blood.

The follower faltered for a second. That was all Fang Xiu’s scarf needed to seize the opening and wrap even tighter around his neck.

“Thanks.” Unable to use his hand, Fang Xiu rubbed his head against Bai Shuangying’s shoulder.

“Mm.” Bai Shuangying returned to his place, wrapping Fang Xiu again with his sleeves.

Life and death happened in an instant.

This follower was younger than Wu Caiwei, with a slightly plump and friendly-looking face. As he realized he was dying, fear and overwhelming hatred filled his eyes.

“I’ll return… to Xushan… Your merit will vanish… We’ll have our revenge…”

As he choked, a pair of cold hands touched his shoulders from behind. He tried to shake them off but remembered his enemy was in front of him.

Then who was behind him?

Right. This was Xushan. It must be the manifestation of the Hierarch. The Hierarch would protect him.

[Your wish.]

This thought stabbed straight into his heart. There was no voice or language, only a strange “meaning”.

Help me. Save me. The follower desperately wished it in his mind.

[You wish to return to Xushan.]

No, not now. That’s only our final goal.

[You wish to return your soul to Xushan.]

I want to live, even just a few more minutes. I need to report that man. The follower’s vision darkened from lack of oxygen, his forehead soaked in cold sweat.

[You wish to return to Xushan.]

…But that thing wasn’t listening.

The follower lost control of his body and collapsed, twitching in the mud. Rain poured into his half-open eyes. No miracle occurred. His spirit floated from his corpse and joined Wu Caiwei’s, drifting into Bai Shuangying’s hands.

No miracle happened, but his wish was fulfilled, which was a call for celebration.

His story ended there.

Fang Xiu held his breath and stopped moving. He no longer commanded the scarf. He simply stared blankly at what had been revealed under the fallen body.

A figure in black raised a stiff hand and pointed at Fang Xiu.

He stood against the dark mass of Xushan, nearly blending into the night. Only his featureless face and one pale hand were visible.

The next moment, he vanished into the night, leaving behind two gruesome corpses and an unfinished scouting array.

It all happened so fast that Fang Xiu wasn’t even sure it had been real.

The only thing he knew for certain was that all he could see now were the endless Xushan mountain ranges.

Two people died keeping watch. Two more died, one roasted, the other killed by his own hands.

Fang Xiu had made the theoretically optimal move. So far, the ritual mirrored the one from Weishan Village almost exactly. If nothing unexpected happened, it would be difficult for him and Bai Shuangying to escape this thing’s influence.

Fang Xiu couldn’t help but mutter to himself.

Bai Shuangying: “?”

“It’s annoying.” Fang Xiu wiped the rain from his face. “I just want to follow my own plan.”

To seize the initiative, he needed more variables. More “roles” who could introduce differences. And he did have one in mind.

“Boss A’Shou—” Fang Xiu cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, “I know you’re watching—come here for a second—”

His voice rang out in the silence, loud enough to be irritating. With the power of a ghost immortal like A’Shou, she would surely hear it.

That was fine.

A’Shou couldn’t change much. Their story was already written.

It would continue as usual.

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>