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Human Sacrifice
During the Yuan Dynasty and early Ming Dynasty, Chang Yuchun and Li Shanchang secretly led Three Thousand Young Boys and Girls into Futu Ridge. The movements were certainly discreet, yet there is no record of this in history, nor does the county annals mention it. Were the villagers of Futu Ridge also victims of a massacre at that time?
After all, Chang Yuchun was known for his ruthlessness towards the common people, as if it were an everyday occurrence.
If that were the case, it would be terrifying.
I followed Chen Jixian as we ascended the stairs layer by layer. At each level, we encountered solemn Buddhist statues, each adorned with inscriptions of Sanskrit mantras that I could not comprehend.
When we reached the twenty-seventh level of the Futu Stupa, we found that the ladder to the twenty-eighth level was broken.
"It seems that the Futu Stupa has a total of twenty-eight levels, but the ladder to this upper level is broken, and the entrance has been sealed," Chen Jixian remarked.
I looked towards the entrance of the twenty-eighth level, which had clearly been blocked by a mud wall constructed later on. A talisman was affixed to this wall.
The talisman was large and made of unusual material that resembled gold leaf. The text on it startled me because it was written in Yinwen.
Coincidentally, I recognized these Yinwen characters; they were identical to those inscribed on the Big Red Coffin pushed down from the cave below Winding Mountain Road: Underworld Entrance, do not open the coffin.
Here there was no coffin, only a mud wall. Perhaps it was a translation issue by Guo the Blind regarding the meaning of Yinwen; here it should mean Underworld Entrance, do not open.
What puzzled me was why a Taoist would seal such a mark in a Buddhist pagoda.
Seeing me standing still, Chen Jixian asked curiously, "Do you recognize what is written above?"
I shook my head and replied, "I do not."
"Chen Jixian said, 'I've heard that there are extraordinary individuals in Buddhism and Taoism who can seal spiritual objects in certain places. The highest level of the Futu Stupa usually contains the relics of a Living Buddha. If we could open it, we might obtain whatever is inside, even uncover the secrets of the Forbidden Area of Futu Ridge.'
Hearing Chen Jixian's words, I reached out to grasp the Gold Leaf Talisman on the mud wall. However, I saw my reflection on the smooth surface of the gold foil, and behind me, Chen Jixian's face showed a hint of excitement, his lips slightly curling upwards.
I released my hold on the Gold Leaf Talisman, feeling deceived.
'What's wrong?' Chen Jixian asked with a furrowed brow.
I replied, 'I remember what was written on this Gold Leaf Talisman. I think I've seen it before; it warns not to open it, or else it will attract ghosts from the Underworld.'
Chen Jixian said, 'That must be a cover-up to hide the fact that spiritual objects are concealed here.'
'I think we should just leave it alone. From the windows around the Pagoda, we can see below. The living corpses are gone now, and Mr. Chang and Wang Cong are still waiting down there. Let's head down,' I suggested as I prepared to descend.
'Wait,' Chen Jixian said. 'I think we should open this strange Talisman. I don't want to witness any more deaths among our companions.'
I countered, 'How can you be so sure that what’s sealed inside is a spiritual object and not something evil?'
Chen Jixian's expression suddenly darkened. He replied, 'If it's something evil, I'll naturally get rid of it.'
'Oh!' I raised an eyebrow at Chen Jixian. 'Then why don’t you just tear it off yourself?'
'If I tell you to open it, then you open it!' Chen Jixian suddenly shouted, pulling out a gun and pointing it at my head.
I raised my hands in surrender, my mind racing with confusion. What did Chen Jixian mean by this? Why was he pointing a gun at me over a disagreement? Had he truly changed like Mr. Chang and Wang Cong?
Just moments ago, when I was about to tear off the Gold Leaf Talisman, I had seen his face reflecting excitement that he could hardly control. What was going on? It felt as if I was about to release something within him."
As I touched the Gold Leaf Talisman, nothing unexpected happened. Yet, he was unwilling to personally tear off the Talisman. Could it be that he simply couldn't touch it?
"Captain Chen, I've always looked up to you as a role model and an older brother. Isn't this a bit too much?" I swallowed hard.
"I told you to tear it off, so do it! Don't argue with my orders!" Chen Jixian pressed the gun against my temple and disengaged the safety.
My heart raced. Ever since entering the forbidden area, Chen Jixian had been leading us astray, seemingly stalling for time to let the undead approach. That's why I had countered him. He claimed it was to save our companions, but the appearance of the horde had forced us directly into the Futu Stupa. Was his real intention to get me to enter the tower and tear off the talisman?
Impossible. I had always believed that the greatest conspirators in Futu Ridge were Guo the Blind and his son Guo Huaiyi. What was this sudden appearance of Chen Jixian all about?
I knew that something was hidden inside me by my estranged father. Because of that thing, I could remain unafraid of Zhou Manman's ghost nearby, immune to Yin Qi's intrusion, and could tap into the hidden powers of the Zhou Compass.
I could also reach the Gold Leaf Talisman set by the Old Scholar without obstruction.
So, Chen Jixian had devised a trap to ensnare me into tearing off the talisman?
But how did he know that I could tear off the Gold Leaf Talisman without any hindrance?
Just then, I faintly heard Mr. Chang's voice from below: "Old Chen, Yang Hao, come down quickly! Something's happened!"
I glanced at Chen Jixian's unfriendly expression and pointed downward. "Mr. Chang and Wang Cong are in danger; we need to hurry."
With that, I dashed down the stairs. I could feel Chen Jixian behind me, still aiming his gun at me, but he didn't pull the trigger.
It was clear that Chen Jixian was weighing his options; perhaps besides me, no one else could tear off the Gold Leaf Talisman.
When Mr. Chang saw us coming down, he looked up and asked, "Old Chen, why were you up there for so long? Did you find anything?"
Chen Jixian shook his head and said, "There's nothing up there. We observed the surroundings for a while, and those zombies have retreated. What do you need us for?"
Mr. Chang replied, "Wang Cong and I just discovered a cave, a very large cave."
Wang Cong nodded and pointed to the back of the Futu Stupa stairs. "It's over here; come take a look."
We followed Wang Cong to the back of the Futu Stupa stairs and indeed found a corner of a cave covered by a stone slab. I stepped forward to lift the slab, using Wang Cong's flashlight to peer down, my heart racing with fear.
Inside was pitch black, but I could vaguely see a series of stone steps leading downward, possibly into the mountain itself.
"Could this lead to the Earthly Tomb Dragon Vein?" Wang Cong asked curiously.
Chen Jixian's face darkened, and Mr. Chang pointed at the edge of the cave entrance. "What are those white hairs doing there?!"
Mr. Chang walked toward the cave entrance and bent down to pick up one of the white hairs from the ground.
"What was that sound?" Wang Cong suddenly exclaimed, shining his flashlight around in a panic, fearing that bats or something else might be lurking inside the Futu Stupa.
I could hear a hissing noise in my ears, reminiscent of breaths coming from hell itself, sending chills down my spine.
However, that terrifying sound abruptly stopped.
Mr. Chang took the flashlight from Wang Cong's hands, looking puzzled as he shone it into the cave. "I think I just saw a white shadow."
"Mr. Chang, step back," I warned with concern.
Mr. Chang directed his flashlight toward a particular stone step inside the cave, where a white tail flickered and vanished in an instant.
In the next moment, a massive white python, as thick as a water barrel, burst out of the cave and swallowed Mr. Chang in one gulp.
The giant python was covered in a layer of long white fur. After devouring Mr. Chang, it immediately retreated back into the cave, where the sounds of rocks crumbling and hissing echoed. I was so frightened that I collapsed to the ground, unable to look.
Wang Cong picked up a flashlight from the ground and crawled toward the edge of the cave, while Chen Jixian walked over in shock.
They saw a white giant python, measuring around twenty to thirty meters long, disappearing into the rocky cave with Mr. Chang in its mouth.
"Head, we should get out of here. I've never heard of such a large snake. According to scientific records, the longest python in the world is less than twenty meters long. This must be the White Snake that Chang Yuchun and Li Shanchang mentioned. No snake has fur! If we don't leave now, we're done for!" Wang Cong said, his legs trembling with fear.
Chen Jixian nodded and said, "Then let's go right now."
Wang Cong supported me, whose legs were weak and mind blank, as we prepared to escape from Futu Stupa.
But at that moment, a terrified shout from Mr. Chang suddenly came from the cave.
"Help me."
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