Capítulo 916: Chapter 372: Battling Ghosts with Ghostly Tricks
“What’s the matter, you’re in such a rush.”
Zhou Xuan sensed sothing was off with Yun Ziliang and decided to ask first.
Yun Ziliang gestured as he spoke, “Over by the food tent, aren’t they able to receive food in advance?”
“Yes, indeed.”
“A group of more than ten children took two days’ worth of rations at once, grabbing whatever they could: soda, chocolate… I feel sothing’s not right,” Yun Ziliang explained the situation.
Zhou Xuan wasn’t as detached from reality as Li Changxun; he imdiately detected the issue at hand.
Although the disaster managent regulations issued by the Bone Elder Association did stipulate that families with mobility issues could receive two days’ worth of food at once to avoid them having to endure long treks for each al,
having ten-odd children collect rations together was quite unusual… Families with mobility-challenged mbers usually wouldn’t take all the rations out; they’d assign the responsibility of fetching als to the children.
als prepared in the food tent are ready to eat, and for those with less mobility, taking rations adds extra hassle as they still need to cook.
“Where did those children go?”
Zhou Xuan asked Yun Ziliang.
Yun Ziliang pointed in a direction, towards the small Turtle Mountain.
…
From a distance, Little Turtle Mountain resembles a reclining turtle, though it’s considerably smaller than the surrounding mountains, more like an insignificant mound, hence the na “Little Turtle.”
There used to be a Daoist Temple on this mountain, but a couple of years back, the temple priest retired and returned ho. The Bone Elder Association failed to find a new priest, leaving the temple to fall into disrepair, with no students visiting it regularly.
Zhou Xuan embarked on a Divine Soul Day Trip towards Little Turtle Mountain as directed by Yun Ziliang, his imnse soul overlooking the mountain’s vegetation, seeking out the group of children.
He searched until he reached the “Turtle Mountain Temple,” and that’s when he heard the bustling noises from within the temple.
He concealed his divine soul, observing the scene inside.
“Once we’re full, it’s ti to hit the road.”
“Cotton hasn’t co, but I think they’re reaching their limit too.”
“We’re all kids without parents; who can hold on?”
“Brother Two, do you think if we die, we’ll be able to see our parents?”
“I heard from the elders… when people die, they go to Soul Shepherd City. Our parents haven’t gone long; if we die, we’ll catch up with them quickly.”
“Today is our last day, let’s all eat well, play hopscotch after we’re full, and then head to Soul Shepherd City happily.”
Indeed.
After hearing the children’s chatter inside, Zhou Xuan realized his concerns were justified.
These children collected their rations to gather, feast; then plan to seek death together.
The reason for their inclination towards death is truly cruel for them—they’re a group of children who have lost their parents.
Their parents perished in the Xianhuo.
At such pure, innocent ages, both parents gone, leaving them devoid of dreams for life.
“There are many such children at the dical College still—essentially, they’re psychologically scarred, clinging deeply to mories of their parents.”
Zhou Xuan felt that if left alone, this group was certainly not the last of those seeking death.
Prolonged depression could lead to illness—many other children yearning for their parents, having no will for life, would form new groups for such death-seeking gatherings.
“We need to find a way to persuade them.”
Zhou Xuan didn’t think these children were heedless; in fact, post-traumatic syndros after disasters have always been an unavoidable psychological conundrum in society. He once read reports in his past life—
—many adults, even years after disasters, can’t shake visions of when their loved ones, friends perished, such tornt sticking like bone-bound poison, impossible to strip away.
Of those haunted by such nightmares, about one-tenth never erged from the shadows, eventually choosing to end their lives.
“Direct persuasion, scolding, surely won’t work.”
If persuasion, scolding were effective, there wouldn’t be so many patients in psychiatric wards, psychological clinics.
This group of children is extrely pitiful, extrely sensitive; without tact, harsh communication would only further agitate their fragile nerves.
“Heart ailnts must be treated with heart dicine.”
Zhou Xuan pondered a mont and decided—it’s ti for supernatural intervention.
He shifted his form, appearing outside the temple.
The Dragon Seeking Sensing Sect can harness mountain currents. Zhou Xuan sensed the direction of the mountain wind, pointed towards the temple, and the robust gust blew directly inside.
The temple erupted with strong winds, scattering the children’s prepared feast across the ground.
The children, heartbroken over the food, tending to it despite being blown about.
Zhou Xuan, sensing the mont was ripe, halted the wind, sent his Divine Soul Day Trip inside the temple, still concealed; he spoke in an extraordinarily ancient voice,
“My temple hasn’t been this lively in quite so ti.”
The children were startled by the unexpected voice, huddled together instantly, hunching their necks.
One courageous child among them, nad Li Bo, held such sway among the children that they called him “Brother Two.”
Brother Two asked Zhou Xuan, “May I ask… are you a living person or like the great master, one endowed with heavenly fortune?”
The title of Master Zhou Xuan resonated throughout the dical College.
Zhou Xuan, understanding inwardly, replied aloud, “Neither alive nor dead, this Daoist, being the Ancestor Master of this temple, known as Turtle Mountain Taoist.”
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