Celestial Master： I Have an Otherworld

"It can still do that?"

Monkey’s eyes lit up:

"Students studying geology would definitely find this place interesting."

"Don’t say that."

Gu Qian shrank back slightly, noticing the mist around them growing thicker, almost to the point where she couldn’t see her hand in front of her face. The distant sounds were inaudible, causing her to mutter softly:

"I’m a bit scared."

"Scared of what?" Liu Wei opened his eyes and said loudly:

"With me here, Qianqian, you don’t need to be afraid of anything. It’s broad daylight; how could a ghost possibly jump out?"

"What are you saying?" His words only made Gu Qian more frightened. She couldn’t help but move her cart closer to him:

"Stop talking nonsense."

Regarding providing a sense of security, Liu Wei’s muscular build clearly made him more reassuring.

"There’s no such thing as ghosts in this world," Monkey shook his head.

"Stop talking!"

Gu Qian stomped her foot.

"Okay, okay, I won’t say anything." Monkey glanced around and said:

"This fog is coming up fast; it hasn’t been long, and it’s already this thick. I feel like we’re not going uphill."

"Does it feel like we’re going downhill?"

"It really does." Liu Wei looked down and kicked the ground with his foot:

"Strange?"

The place where the three stopped was reasonably level, yet they could discern the slope, and now, even though they hadn’t changed direction, it felt like the slope had shifted.

He muttered:

"Could we have run into a ghost wall?"

"Stop saying that," Gu Qian said, her voice tinged with tears:

"I’m scared."

"Don’t be afraid," Liu Wei took the opportunity to get closer, holding her hand:

"I’m here with you."

"The compass is malfunctioning too." Monkey checked the compass attached to his mountain bike, and his eyes gradually lit up:

"The magnetic field is indeed affected; this place is interesting."

"Now’s not the time to study," Gu Qian shook her head:

"Let’s hurry up and get out of here first."

"Don’t worry," Liu Wei’s voice softened:

"I’ve heard that the fog here comes quickly and dissipates just as fast. Even if we stay here without moving, it won’t be long before it clears up."

"Hmm..."

"Maybe we should just stay put for now."

"Okay!" Gu Qian nodded repeatedly, just about to say something when she suddenly let out a scream:

"Ah!"

"What happened?"

"Qianqian, are you okay?"

Monkey and Liu Wei hurried over.

"Sorry, sorry."

A figure who had appeared among them at some unknown point waved his hands:

"I saw people here, so I came over to take a look. I didn’t expect to scare the young lady. That was my mistake."

"Uncle!" Gu Qian’s face turned pale as she lightly patted her chest:

"Did you walk silently?"

"Yes." The newcomer wore a uniform typical of warehouse staff, appearing to be around forty years old—a middle-aged man with a somewhat honest appearance.

"I apologize."

The middle-aged man nodded, showing an apologetic look:

"Is the young lady alright?"

"I’m okay now." Gu Qian shook her head, having only been momentarily startled and now regaining her composure:

"I was just too sensitive. Don’t mind, Uncle; you suddenly appearing did give me quite a fright."

"No, it was my fault." The middle-aged man scratched the back of his head with a silly smile and asked:

"Are you all university students?"

"Yes," Liu Wei nodded:

"Uncle, are you going up or down the mountain? Why did you choose to walk?"

This was mid-mountain; whether going up or down, there was quite a distance to cover, making walking an impractical choice.

"My car broke down, so I’m heading down the mountain to find someone to look at it." The middle-aged man sighed and then asked:

"Young man, are you a student from Sea University?"

"My daughter is a freshman at Sea University this year!"

As he spoke, he took a step closer to Liu Wei, his wrist moving slightly. For some reason, his arm suddenly retracted, taking a step back to increase the distance, as if apprehensive.

The look in his eyes carried regret and struggle, but it vanished quickly, unnoticed by the three.

"Uh..." Liu Wei glanced at the label on his sleeve, smiling and shaking his head:

"I’m from Technology University. The school emblems look a bit similar. Uncle’s daughter being able to get into Sea University must have excellent grades."

Sea University and Technology University were not far apart, even their emblems looked similar, but there was a significant difference; Sea University’s score requirements were much higher than Technology University’s.

"Young lady..." The middle-aged man shifted his focus to Gu Qian and asked:

"Are you also from Technology University?"

"Yes."

Gu Qian nodded, pointing to Monkey:

"The three of us; only he got into Sea University."

"Oh!"

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man’s eyes brightened, shifting his gaze from Gu Qian to Monkey, a gleam of joy flashing in his eyes as he stepped closer:

"What a coincidence!"

"Yes." Monkey scratched his head, feeling uncomfortable with the enthusiasm a shy boy often experiences in social situations, managing a dry laugh:

"Uncle, which department is your daughter in? I might know her."

"This..." The middle-aged man’s expression froze, his eyes complex:

"I don’t know."

"I only know that my daughter can definitely get into Sea University."

"You don’t know?" Monkey exclaimed:

"You don’t even know what department your daughter is in..."

"Yes." The middle-aged man scratched his head:

"I don’t even know where she was assigned. I really dropped the ball. I’m heading down to see how she’s doing."

"What’s your name, young man?"

He said this while extending his hand.

"I’m Hou Qiyu." Monkey smiled:

"Everyone calls me Monkey."

He extended his hand to meet the other.

Just then,

a song floated up from below.

"Yin and Yang take separate paths, humans and ghosts are forever apart!"

The song was desolate and sorrowful, winding through a multitude of stories that lingered in the mind, momentarily making one forget everything else.

"People know the horror of ghosts, ghosts know the malice in human hearts; humans fear ghosts by three-tenths, ghosts dread humans fatally; the deep sea has its end, but the human heart can’t be fathomed..."

As the voice came closer, the mist quietly dispersed. A Daoist strolled up to them, bowing in greeting:

"Fang Zheng of the Celestial Master Dao, greetings to you."

"Celestial Master Dao?"

"A Daoist?"

"..."

Monkey and the others exchanged glances, unsure how to respond.

It was the middle-aged man whose face darkened upon Fang Zheng’s arrival, eyes filled with struggle, yet his body, for some reason, remained motionless.

Perhaps...

he wanted to move but couldn’t.

"Are you a Daoist?"

Gu Qian’s eyes roved up and down as she scrutinized the newcomer.

It’s undeniable,

though his looks weren’t exceptionally striking, his demeanor was extraordinary, exuding an ethereal and otherworldly aura that could definitely merit top marks.

Gazing at him stirred the heart to race uncontrollably.

"Yes."

Fang Zheng smiled softly, surveying his surroundings:

"I didn’t expect to encounter such a natural formation here, the convergence of the Earth’s Yin energies briefly forming a ghost wall."

"What’s a ghost wall?" Liu Wei snorted coldly:

"This is just magnetic field anomalies, all mystical and hocus-pocus, pretending to be spooky!"

"Magnetic anomalies?" Fang Zheng nodded:

"That can also be a way to understand it; Confucius doesn’t discuss the supernatural. Such things need not concern us, as it’s rare for spirits to harm people."

As he said this, he gently waved his sleeve.

The stiff middle-aged man suddenly shuddered, regaining his mobility.