Chapter 106: Entering the Gate

Soon, we arrived beside the Grand Elder.

Li Yue crouched down, carefully pressing her fingers against the Grand Elder’s neck, her expression unusually cautious.

“Is he alive?”

“It should be an old ailment. He’s very old, and with his existing health issues, walking down the mountain triggered his old condition, causing him to collapse.”

Biting her lip, Li Yue said, “Xie Yuan, do you think we’re overthinking this? Maybe he’s just an ordinary, sickly old man who only wants Yalong Mountain to improve after all these years, without any schemes?”

I furrowed my brows and shook my head. “No, we can’t give him the thing. Tonight, we’ll ascend the mountain and enter the core through that gate. If we encounter the ancestor they’ve been worshipping all these years, we’ll find out what he truly is.”

“If we can solve this problem, Yalong Mountain won’t need sacrifices anymore.”

I didn’t want to stir up trouble, but the cause-and-effect connection left us no choice. We couldn’t ignore this; otherwise, there would be repercussions later. Moreover, the path through Headless Cliff to Changyuan Village was treacherous—underwater and disadvantageous to us. If anything happened inside that cave, in such an environment, we would barely stand a chance to resist.

Though the gate might be dangerous, the ancestor inside could be an ancient ghost—or possibly a man who had lived for an unfathomable number of years.

The method of stealing life was likely flowing from him.

Every month, a living person is required; most probably to prolong his life.

This human skin was special, probably deeply tied to borrowed life techniques. Otherwise, losing it wouldn’t have caused such repercussions.

And this ancestor, whether human or ghost, must be very weak.

Otherwise, upon our arrival, he would have come to find us.

If he truly possessed immense power, he wouldn’t be unaware of our presence.

As I spoke, several possibilities flashed through my mind.

Li Yue nodded softly. “Alright, then we’ll go in and see whether this ancestor who demands a life every month is a ghost or an immortal.”

I hoisted the Grand Elder onto my back and quickly headed down the mountain.

Before long, we saw two men carrying bamboo poles, swaying as they descended.

Li Yue shouted at the top of her lungs, calling them back.

Before she could say more, their faces changed drastically as they ran toward us.

They carefully placed the Grand Elder back onto the bamboo poles and hurried down the mountain with anxious expressions.

Li Yue and I followed closely, steadying the Grand Elder in the hanging chair, afraid he might fall.

Back in the village, more people came over, including an elderly woman dressed in colorful garments, carrying a medicine box.

She took out a small bottle and poured its contents into the Grand Elder’s mouth.

His complexion gradually improved, and after coughing twice, he slowly opened his eyes.

Li Yue visibly relaxed.

At that moment, the Grand Elder climbed down from the chair and approached us. He bowed deeply, his voice hoarse.

“Thank you, honored guests. Were it not for your help, this old bone of mine might have stayed on the mountain.”

Li Yue looked unsure.

My pupils contracted sharply. I quickly reached out to stop the Grand Elder, telling him his words were too heavy—that we had only seen him faint.

Yet after his words, the villagers’ gazes toward us softened considerably.

Suddenly, a clear voice spoke.

“It was these brother and sister who saved Xiaoyu and her mother. If not for them, Liu Changxi’s gang would have drowned them in the river. Because of that, the ancestor took Liu Changxi away today.”

I immediately recognized Ga Qing from earlier that day. His expression was serious as he looked at Li Yue and me, even smiling slightly.

Instantly, the villagers’ eyes were filled with gratitude.

The Grand Elder smiled. “Tonight, at Gulong Village, we shall slaughter cattle and sheep to welcome and honor our distinguished guests.”

Cheers erupted throughout the village.

Not only the children rejoiced but even more so the women.

Yet I felt uneasy, suspecting the Grand Elder was deliberately setting this mood.

At this moment, amid the village’s laughter and joy, was he trying to soften our hearts?

In Li Yue’s eyes, I clearly saw hesitation and unease, as if she was burdened with guilt.

Human hearts are made of flesh. Seeing the villagers’ simple, honest faces, I understood their previous hostility stemmed from outsiders harming them.

Now, however, they bore the legacy Liu Baishi left behind—a hidden danger that demanded a man’s life each month.

Every family lived in fear.

The villagers began preparing the evening banquet. Under the Grand Elder’s arrangement, Li Yue and I stayed in an empty stilted wooden house.

The place was spotless.

Bamboo walls, wooden floors, and beds covered with vividly patterned, ethnic-style quilts.

“We have to ascend the mountain tonight. Rest while you can.”

Li Yue, being a woman, obviously lacked my stamina.

Though I didn’t feel particularly tired, maintaining strong spirit and energy was essential for any trouble ahead.

Suddenly, Li Yue’s face flushed deeply.

“I need to find the Grand Elder.”

She bit her lip; her neck turned red.

I was momentarily stunned. “What do you mean?”

Gritting her teeth, she pointed at the bed. “The Grand Elder must have misunderstood our relationship. There’s only this one bed in the stilted house.”

I immediately realized her meaning.

Frowning slightly, I took a deep breath. “You sleep on the bed; I’ll sleep on the floor. We’re just resting briefly. If we separate, any problem would be troublesome.”

Li Yue lowered her head, silent, then softly said, “Then I’ll sleep inside; you sleep outside. Just don’t get close to me.”

I was momentarily taken aback but said nothing.

Li Yue lay on the bed, curling inward, leaving half the space free.

I sighed quietly and lay down on the floor without getting on the bed.

Scenes from Qianshui Town still lingered in my mind.

Between Li Yue and me, things almost took a wrong turn.

If not for the sudden anger and obstruction from the companion ghost, I wouldn’t have known how to face Chanshu afterward.

Though I hadn’t made a final decision, I knew there could be nothing between Li Yue and me.

Closing my eyes, I reached out and wiped away the talisman on the back of my hand.

Previously in Qianshui Town, Wang Gongming had taught me a talisman that made the companion ghost unable to see or hear anything.

I had kept it sealed during our journey.

Here on Yalong Mountain, vigilance was paramount.

Only then could I rest assured enough to sleep.

I don’t know how long I slept, but when I awoke, the outside was already bustling.

Opening my eyes, I found a blanket draped over me.

Li Yue was no longer on the bed.

I rose and went outside.

Within the village, bonfires blazed, and under the night sky, villagers sang and danced.

Li Yue was among them, laughing joyfully and frolicking.

I quietly watched from the stilted house.

Until the Grand Elder summoned me to join the feast.

This welcoming banquet was, without exaggeration, the best meal I had ever eaten in my life.

Wild boar, pheasant, rabbit, and a variety of mushrooms and wild vegetables from the mountains.

It wiped away all my hunger and thirst accumulated from the long journey.

It wasn’t until midnight that the villagers finally dispersed.

The Grand Elder, having drunk several cups, was already drunk and was led away.

Once everyone had left, the village fell silent.

Li Yue and I quietly slipped out of Gulong Village.

Heading up the mountain.

“Xie Yuan, if we can eliminate their ancestor, we will. If not, then... we should return the thing to them.”

On the way, Li Yue bit her lip and spoke softly.

I sighed quietly and told her not to overthink.

Even I felt some hesitation.

The trouble was left by Liu Baishi long ago; these people were truly innocent.

But if I gave this human skin to the Grand Elder, and he wasn’t a good man, it would be like pushing the people of Yalong Mountain into the fire.

That would also be against Li Cangshui’s instructions.

This time, we traveled swiftly, and within about half an hour, we reached the mountain.

The gate looked chillingly cold under the moonlight.

A slit in the gate was open.

The white incense stick was still faintly burning.

But after a whole day, it hadn’t burned down even an inch.

As we approached the red gate, a chilling shadow crept over me.

That darkness seemed as if it could devour a person.

I clenched the talisman brush in my hand.

Li Yue raised her hand, and the Qingying Mirror appeared.

I pushed open the red gate.

Darkness swallowed all light.

Li Yue aimed the Qingying Mirror inside.

My expression changed drastically.

Inside was a relatively wide passage.

Just a few meters ahead, a person knelt.

Their head bowed, a bowl placed before them.

A bowl filled with rice.

“Corpse?”

Li Yue murmured.

My face darkened as I stepped inside.

Li Yue followed.

Suddenly, behind us came a muffled bang.

I whipped around.

The red gate had closed.

Sealed tight, without the slightest gap.