Chapter 59: Survivors of Monta
“Beautiful women are so strange,” Chen Shi muttered. “She’s sweating and shivering but refuses to come up the hill. Instead, she insists on staying down there.”
Li Tianqing nodded in agreement. “That’s why, even at twelve years old, I still don’t understand women.”
Chen Shi sighed. “I’m eleven, and I don’t get them either.”
The two boys sighed deeply, feeling they were venturing into a completely foreign realm of understanding.
“Two little brats, you haven’t even held a woman’s hand. What nonsense are you thinking?” Jin Hongying’s voice floated up from the base of the hill.
Li Tianqing lowered his voice. “I’ve held my mother’s hand before. It’s rough from washing clothes for the Li family.”
Chen Shi added, “I’ve touched Yuzhu’s hand before. It’s not as strong as mine.”
Reaching the crooked old tree, Chen Shi lit incense before the spirit tablet of his Godmother. Bowing low, he prayed, “Godmother, please bless us to survive this Demonic Transformation safely. Watch over the villagers and keep them safe.”
The stone tablet shimmered faintly with azure light, like a cloud of mist, but showed no other unusual signs.
Meanwhile, Li Tianqing examined the crooked old willow tree beside them. “Xiao Shi, how come this tree hasn’t turned into porcelain like the others outside the village?” Chen Shi froze, turning his gaze to the tree. Familiarity had dulled his attention to its oddity, but now that he observed it closely, he saw the willow was not only untouched by porcelainization—it appeared even greener and lusher than before.
Puzzled, he remarked, “Maybe it absorbed the incense offerings, using some extraordinary power to solidify its form. But why haven’t I seen its spirit form in these past two years?”
With so many spiritual phenomena resisting porcelainization in the wilderness, he brushed off the mystery and proceeded to offer incense to Zhu Xiucai, the scholar spirit. This time, he burned nine sticks instead of the usual one, knowing he might not return to Huangpo Village for a while.
“Xiao Shi, are you leaving Huangpo Village?” Zhu Xiucai asked, sniffing the incense with relish.
Chen Shi nodded. “We have to. The Evil Bodhisattva is searching for survivors. If we stay, we might all get wiped out. Leaving is the only way to survive.”
After a brief hesitation, he added, “Xiucai, do you want to go to the underworld? I can cut the noose for you so you’re no longer bound here.”
Removing the noose would free Zhu Xiucai’s spirit, but the scholar merely sneered, his head tilted at a strange angle from where the rope held him. “Do you think I hung myself to go to the underworld? I hung myself to witness this rotten world decay! To see this damned Ming dynasty crumble under those scoundrels’ hands! To watch those bastards die miserable deaths!”
His tirade spiraled into mutterings filled with archaic terms, and Chen Shi, familiar with his misanthropy, didn’t press further. He and Li Tianqing descended the hill.
After observing the ritual, Jin Hongying’s demeanor toward Chen Shi shifted. She now seemed both wary and respectful. “Your Godmother is up there?” she asked hesitantly.
Chen Shi nodded. “Yes.”
Jin Hongying forced a dry laugh. “Xiao Shi is so filial! Ha... ha... Could you introduce me to your Godmother?”
Confused by her sudden deference, Chen Shi replied, “My Godmother is up there. If you want to meet her, just go up.”
But Jin Hongying didn’t dare. Her unease toward the hill was palpable, and even taking a step onto it seemed impossible. “Your Godmother is truly remarkable. Ha... ha... ha...” Her laughter sounded hollow.
Chen Shi didn’t understand her reaction but ignored it. Moments later, Jin Hongying gave up on her curiosity and limped away toward Qianyang Mountain, barking, “Hurry up! Let’s leave this place and get into the mountains!”
Before she could finish her sentence, she suddenly spun around and tackled Chen Shi and Li Tianqing to the ground, whispering urgently, “Don’t move. The Evil Bodhisattva is here!”
Pinned beneath her, the two boys caught a whiff of a faint, uniquely feminine scent. Their hearts pounded violently, their faces flushing as they realized they were pressed against something soft.
The ground began to tremble faintly. Black Pot had already hidden itself, staying silent. The vibrations grew stronger, passing through Huangpo Village before fading into the distance.
Jin Hongying released the boys and stood cautiously. Peering out, she saw the Evil Bodhisattva’s massive head turning slightly, its fiery eyes sweeping over their hiding spot. She quickly ducked, holding her breath. The Bodhisattva scanned the area briefly but found nothing unusual, and its heavy footsteps eventually receded.
When it was safe, they emerged to find Huangpo Village transformed. Every man, woman, and child had turned to porcelain, with no survivors.
If Jin Hongying hadn’t insisted they leave, Chen Shi, Li Tianqing, and Black Pot would have shared the same fate.
“Chen Shi, let’s go!” Jin Hongying called out. “We need to find Xiao Wangsun. Only the artifact he has can defeat the Evil Bodhisattva. That thief stole it from my Divine Mechanism Battalion! He deserves death!”
Chen Shi hesitated at the village entrance. “Wait a moment, Jin Jie. Black Pot, come here—I need a bit of your blood.”
Setting down his book box, Chen Shi collected half a bowl of black dog blood. Mixing it with cinnabar, he painted talismans at the village gate: Peachwood Talismans, Warding Talismans, and Five Peaks Protective Talismans. He spent half an hour using up all the cinnabar, producing dozens of talismans.
The talismans were affixed to the gate, each household’s door, and even the Godmother Tree. Working with Li Tianqing, they ensured the entire village was protected.
“Even if we’re gone for a while, no malevolent spirits will dare disturb the porcelain villagers,” Chen Shi said with a sigh of relief. He feared spirits would enter and shatter the villagers, leaving them beyond saving.
Jin Hongying chuckled. “You’re so sentimental. Let’s move.”
As they traveled into the mountains, Jin Hongying explained her experience with a similar Demonic Transformation during her youth: the Monta Tower event. Twenty-three years ago, a tower emerged after an earthquake in Monta City. It was a Demon-Suppressing Tower, but treasure-seekers damaged it, triggering a catastrophic transformation. Nearly everyone in Monta City died, and only one survivor was recorded.
Hearing this, Li Tianqing connected the dots. “The Monta survivor… was you, Jin Jie?”
Jin Hongying smiled faintly. “Exactly. I survived Monta Tower, and I’ll survive this too. Luck has always been on my side!”
Chen Shi grinned. “With you around, we’ll all benefit from your good fortune.”
They trekked onward, seeking refuge and a way to challenge the Evil Bodhisattva. The journey would soon bring them closer to the secrets of the Western King Seal, the treasures of the True King’s Tomb, and the terrible power hidden within.