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墨書 Inktalez
Fang Lin Kong stepped off the long-distance bus, carrying his backpack, and gazed at the breathtakingly primitive mountains and forests before him. A surge of excitement coursed through him as he considered his choice. This remote wilderness was precisely the kind of place where legends said one could easily find the ruins of the Ancient Immortal.
Moreover, Fang Lin Kong had detailed information at his disposal. His future self had left behind a comprehensive map in his mind, along with a catalog of all the treasures he could potentially uncover.
Fang Lin Kong was a typical urban youth. Although he had been fortunate enough to learn some insider spells from the Demon Hunting Team, he had not integrated these spells into his daily life like a true Demon Hunter would. Aside from a canvas backpack, he carried nothing else. Once, he had been particularly interested in traveling and had planned to walk the Great Wall alone, starting from Shanhaiguan and making his way to Xi'an in Shaanxi. He had also dreamed of visiting Tibet to see the Potala Palace and catch a glimpse of the majestic Yarlung Tsangpo River. However, all these plans were thwarted by his parents' strong objections.
His destination was a place called Fengshan Village. Though this small village was somewhat remote, it had seen decent economic development; it reportedly had electricity, telephone service, and a rough road leading out of the mountains, though it was not accessible by car.
The long-distance bus only reached this small county town, and from there, Fang Lin Kong would have to rely on his own two legs to reach Fengshan Village. This realization filled him with regret. If it weren't for the lush green mountains visible in the distance after disembarking, he might have turned back long ago.
There was little to say about it; in China, any tourist destination with even a hint of fame was often marred by vulgar construction. Uniform star-rated hotels and artificial gardens obliterated the original natural scenery. It was said that many ancient trees that had stood for thousands of years were replaced with plastic plants, and sections of the Great Wall were dismantled to create tourist "attractions," which made one lose their appetite for visiting.
As Fang Lin Kong walked, he mused, "What if I write a travelogue about my adventures? At my age, I could still catch the tail end of being called a young author. If I publish a novel before graduating high school, it might sell really well."
Although the mountain path wasn't particularly rugged, the saying about how close one gets to danger when near the mountains held true. After nearly two hours of walking, Fang Lin Kong still found himself quite far from his destination. In this desolate area devoid of human presence, he encountered many plants and animals that were usually absent elsewhere, which made him feel that this journey was worthwhile. In places deemed scenic spots by humans, there were often crowds overwhelming enough to spoil any sense of tranquility.
Compared to decades ago when everyone carried yellow military backpacks, Fang Lin Kong's canvas bag was much more fashionable. While it still served its purpose as a backpack, its contents had entirely transformed into outdoor gear.
As dusk approached, Fang Lin Kong weighed his options and finally pulled out a small flashlight for illumination. Though powered by tiny AA batteries, its quality provided surprisingly strong light—brighter than one would expect from something only slightly thicker than a pen.
Adjusting the straps of his canvas backpack tightly on his shoulders and calculating that he had covered more than two-thirds of his journey, Fang Lin Kong remained confident that he would not have to spend the night in the wilderness.
Perhaps it was the well-preserved environment here, with trees growing lushly. As Fang Lin Kong turned a corner, he was pleasantly surprised to see bright lights not far away, and judging by their brightness, they were at least two hundred watts. He couldn't help but quicken his pace.
Ever since his encounter with the two assassins from the True Flame Sect, Fang Lin Kong felt a strong need to enhance his power. The memories from the future also concealed something extraordinary, which was the fundamental reason for his arrival here.
In less than ten minutes, Fang Lin Kong came across a rare sight in the city—a Taoist temple.
The temple appeared quite new; its outer walls had likely been freshly painted, giving it a striking appearance. In the city, aside from older historical relics, no one typically constructed such things.
In a city where every inch of land was precious, the land in the urban area was incredibly expensive. Only commercial buildings had the qualification to be located in the city center.
Although Fang Lin Kong did not harbor any aversion to such constructions, he wasn't particularly interested either. However, he was immensely grateful to whoever funded the renovation of this temple. As long as it wasn't a haunted house, he was willing to accept any kind of building.
The temple's main door was wide open, and the interior was brightly lit, saving Fang Lin Kong the trouble of knocking. He called out several times but received no response. So he boldly stepped inside.
This Taoist temple was indeed very new; even Fang Lin Kong's cultural background allowed him to discern that it was not an ancient relic. Aside from a main hall, there were no side rooms or signs of habitation. Besides an altar and a statue of an indistinguishable deity, there was nothing unsightly. However, Fang Lin Kong noticed that the temple was quite clean; there wasn't a speck of trash in sight, indicating that it was regularly maintained.
"Damn it, why is this memory so chaotic and unclear?"
He complained about his future self for being so disorganized. In weighing his options between continuing on his journey or spending the night alone, Fang Lin Kong quickly chose the latter. Pulling out his phone to check the time, he saw that it was already past ten o'clock. In the mountains, there wasn't a single signal on his phone; aside from functioning as a clock, all other features were useless.
In the empty temple with nothing around him, Fang Lin Kong had no choice but to sit on the floor. After rummaging through his backpack for a while, he felt disheartened to discover that he hadn't brought any drinks—only a pack of biscuits remained. Now he could only nibble on them dryly to satisfy his hunger for dinner.
Through the open door, Fang Lin Kong could see the starry sky outside exceptionally clearly. The unpolluted air posed no obstruction; countless stars twinkled like fireworks in the New Year’s sky, making the night lively and vibrant.
Fang Lin Kong was far from the age of contemplating the depths of life, yet he found himself gazing at the magnificent sky for barely three minutes. The fatigue from a day of travel quickly overwhelmed him. With a half-eaten biscuit in hand, he leaned against the wall and fell into a deep sleep.
As soon as Fang Lin Kong lost consciousness, the once bright and dazzling lights began to dim in a mysterious manner. Before long, a thick fog that should not have appeared in this season enveloped the area. After a gentle breeze swept through, the place where the temple stood became utterly empty. The moonlight shone brightly, and the stars twinkled, leaving behind only a vast expanse of flat ground. Nothing remained.
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