The next second, a soft sound ca from behind, and this sudden noise frightened Yang Xiao so much that his knees went weak, and he fell to the ground, spilling the cup of water he held, which rolled away far after falling.
Startled, Yang Xiao turned around and, using the light from the night lamp, realized it was just the coat hanging on the clothes rack behind the door that had fallen to the ground.
He dared not move rashly. It took him a full minute to confirm that nothing unusual was happening around him, and this was indeed just an accident.
Sighing in relief, he attempted to stand up but failed several tis. His legs were too weak, and no amount of pounding could help.
Finally, driven by sheer willpower, Yang Xiao crawled back onto the tatami mat, buried himself under the blankets, and was enveloped by the warm, thick bedding. This finally allowed him to exhale deeply and feel a long-lost sense of security.
The threat from the "good sister" was temporarily lifted, and in Yang Xiao’s mind flashed the faces of Jiushan Cangxuan and Jiu Shan Sha Yue.
Now, a question lay before him. He knew Jiu Shan Sha Yue’s secret; should he report this to the Patrol General Bureau?
The question fleetingly passed by, and Yang Xiao quickly decided not to report it. The reason was simple: as a Ghost-level Apostle, he didn’t have a reasonable explanation for breaking the mory lock Jiushan Cangxuan imposed on him, given that Jiushan is recognized as the foremost expert in Spiritual Magical Artifacts in Japan.
Once he reports it, regardless of whether the Bureau believes him or not, the fact that sothing is amiss with him would inevitably be exposed, causing endless trouble.
Right now, he’s not strong enough. Keeping a low profile and secretly growing is the best choice. Once he has the confidence to protect himself in the future, he can go anywhere he likes.
There’s another thing: Jiushan Cangxuan invited him to attend lessons, promising to personally teach him so skills in using Spiritual Magical Artifacts. He agreed at first, but now he’s worried the other might take the chance to do sothing to him. If that person realizes he’s broken the mory lock, the consequences would be dire.
But if he doesn’t go, it would seem insincere and even suspicious.
After contemplating, Yang Xiao decided to go. He trusts the abilities of the "good sister," and at this mont, they are still tied together. If sothing happens to him, she will also be affected.
A monk may escape, but the temple cannot.
Early the next morning, shortly after having breakfast and chatting with Mu Yunshu, a samurai from the Ju Mountain Family ca to invite Yang Xiao to et Jiushan Cangxuan.
"Since the Jiusan Family Master has invited you, don’t hesitate. Rember to give Jiushan Cangxuan my regards," Mu Yunshu said with a smile.
Before long, passing through several courtyard gates, Yang Xiao arrived at a quiet and unfamiliar courtyard, where a building almost entirely made of wood stood. It was approximately seven or eight ters tall, not very large, and resembled a small Land Temple with a square spire.
Jiushan Cangxuan had changed into a very traditional Japanese-style training outfit, wearing wooden clogs, standing in front of the small temple’s open door with a smile, waiting for Yang Xiao.
The leading samurai didn’t step into the courtyard at all. After ensuring Yang Xiao walked in, he closed the courtyard door from the outside and stood guard like a sentry.
Upon seeing Jiushan Cangxuan, Yang Xiao imdiately ran up to him. He dared not keep this elder waiting long; more importantly, he dared not expose any flaws before him and needed to act as he had before.
Yang Xiao’s acting skills had always been excellent, honed during performances with ghosts in the Nightmare World, where he fooled the ghosts several tis.
After so brief verbal pleasantries, Jiushan Cangxuan led him into the small temple. As soon as he stepped in, Yang Xiao felt a cold wind hit his face, the kind of eerie chill reminiscent of familiar and deeply unpleasant mories in his heart.
This had the aura of a supernatural event; there was... a ghost here!
Noticing Yang Xiao’s tension, Jiushan Cangxuan reassured him, "Don’t be nervous. This is one of Ju Mountain Family’s Martial Training Fields. The ghosts here are relatively safe and even help repair this Guardian House."
Since Jiushan Cangxuan said so, Yang Xiao relaxed a bit. After all, he was a special envoy from the Patrol General Bureau, and the Ju Mountain Family would not allow anything to happen to him on their turf.
As Jiushan Cangxuan closed the temple door, Yang Xiao realized the uniqueness of this place. From the outside, the temple appeared small, probably thirty to forty square ters, but once the door was closed, the space inside seed much larger, perhaps exceeding a thousand square ters. The decorations inside were quite old, but the floors and walls were dust-free; it was old but clean.
Yang Xiao instinctively lifted his head to look upward, only to see that the ceiling was shrouded in darkness—a kind of chaotic darkness, like looking through a layer of gray mist that made him dizzy if looked at for too long.
"Don’t look up; the ghost hides there," Jiushan Cangxuan warned. "If you stare too long, it will cause dizziness, and when your awareness becos hazy, that’s when the ghost strikes. After killing, it suspends the corpse from the beams, drying it into a mummified state."
At these words, Yang Xiao seed to catch a glimpse of several blue-purple shriveled bare feet exposed from the chaotic mist, quickly averting his gaze in fright.
If he were with acquaintances, Yang Xiao might inquire about this ghost’s background. But here, in Japan, before the Jiusan Family Master Jiushan Cangxuan, such questions would clearly be disrespectful.
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