Chapter 53 Part 2

The Innkeeper seemed to find some sense in those words. He withdrew his hand and corrected himself. “Indeed. You two better not go see any Altar of the Abandoned. This Dark Snow Heaven, though no match for its past, still has many beautiful sights. Anywhere is better than the Altar of the Abandoned.”

The man’s features seemed somewhat familiar. His eyebrows were very flat, though it was unclear if he was born that way or had groomed them so later. His brow and eyes carried a hint of ferocity, his gaze as cold as the female Cultivator’s from last night. Looking closer, their facial features did share some resemblance, and even their statures were similar.

Yinyu strongly suspected that this was the brother of the female Cultivator that the Innkeeper had mentioned.

The man descended the stairs and sat at the table tucked away from the light under the staircase. Coldly, he said, “Innkeeper, a pot of tea.”

“Right away!” The Innkeeper answered, hurriedly walking into the kitchen. He first brought out some tea snacks.

It seemed that in this entire inn, there was only one Waiter he could order around. Now that the Waiter was busy, he had to serve the customers himself.

After sitting down, the man cast a glance at Yinyu’s table. Indifferently, he said, “I assume you’ve already heard. This Dark Snow Heaven is teeming with Ghostly Evils, and there is an Altar of the Abandoned as well. The area near that Altar has even more Ghostly Evils, and the fire there burns year-round. You certainly don’t know why the fire there never goes out.”

“Why?” Yinyu rested her long chopsticks against the rim of her bowl, listening with great interest.

The man sat ramrod straight. After the Innkeeper brought the tea, he poured himself a cup and blew away the floating dregs. “It’s because there are Jiangshi near the Altar of the Abandoned. Therefore, every seventh day, the fire is replenished, specifically to burn the Jiangshi and Ghostly Evils. Although the fire makes that area stiflingly hot, ordinary people still wouldn’t dare approach.”

Fire was indeed something that could deal with Jiangshi. After all, that creature, the Jiangshi, was like the Living Dead. Once its body was burned, it naturally couldn’t hop around anymore.

But…

Yinyu frowned. “Replenishing the fire every seventh day—could it be that the Jiangshi near the Altar of the Abandoned are an endless, inexhaustible supply?”

“Precisely.” The man only drank his tea, refilling his cup as soon as it was empty. He didn’t touch the tea snacks on the plate at all.

Just how many people had to die, and how much Yin Energy was needed to nourish them, to create an inexhaustible supply of Jiangshi? Even the Living Dead on Overgrown Mountain before couldn’t be described as inexhaustible.

Yinyu’s heart trembled with shock. The wooden Puppet in her arms was also nearly bursting with words. Its pair of wood-carved eyeballs looked like they were about to spin sparks from friction.

“How peculiar,” Lian Sheng said without even raising her eyes.

Yinyu collected herself and picked up her chopsticks again. She lifted her bowl and ate a few mouthfuls of rice. Her eyes strained hard to glance sideways at Lian Sheng. Her gaze, like ripples spreading across water, shimmered and shifted, moist and supple.

Lian Sheng met her gaze for only a moment before unhurriedly looking away. “Weren’t we going to the Altar of the Abandoned today? A few casual words from a stranger can persuade you?”

“When can ordinary people sway me?” Yinyu said slowly. “As long as Boss Yu doesn’t stop me.”

Lian Sheng gave a soft, scoffing laugh. Her eyes closed gently, concealing the fluctuations within.

The man sitting beneath the staircase finished his pot of tea. He turned his head toward the counter and asked, “Innkeeper, do you have any roasted sweet potatoes?”

The Innkeeper quickly said, “Yes, but you’ll need to wait a moment. Let me go check on the fire.” Saying this, he walked into the kitchen.

Once the Innkeeper had gone, the man took out Copper Coins and placed them on the table. He coldly looked toward the kitchen curtain and lowered his voice. “The Altar of the Abandoned was set up twenty-three years ago. Among those who laid the foundations and carved the stones back then, there was no one named Ke Guangyuan.”

Yinyu had been about to ask who “Ke Guangyuan” was, but noticing the man’s line of sight, she immediately understood. It was likely the Innkeeper.

After speaking, the man stood up and went upstairs, not allowing any further questions.

Yinyu propped up her chin. “Why did the Innkeeper lie?”

“Who knows,” Lian Sheng said, having no intention of judging.

A short while later, Ke Guangyuan came out holding the fragrant, roasted sweet potatoes. But the guest was nowhere to be seen. He counted the Copper Coins on the table—the amount clearly included payment for the sweet potato. He quickly said, “I’ll deliver it to his room.”

He turned to see Yinyu and Lian Sheng seemingly about to go out. Noticing their thin clothing, he almost lent them his own fur-lined cloak. Just as he was taking it off, Lian Sheng stopped him.

“There’s no need.” Lian Sheng raised an arm to block him.

Ke Guangyuan was left staring dumbfoundedly as the two ladies recklessly charged out into the snow. He wondered to himself, how could these two not be afraid of the cold?

Lian Sheng held an umbrella to block the snow. She freed one hand and grasped Yinyu’s palm, lest this person freeze until her whole body ached again—if that happened, she’d end up having to carry her.

Yinyu seemed quite accustomed to being tended to. She stretched out her palm and let the other hold it. That warmth spread along her meridians, warming her entire body so comfortably it almost made her drowsy.

Even in the daytime, few people ventured out in Dark Snow Heaven. Especially here inside the city—they didn’t even see any refugees wandering outside.

Those refugees were probably afraid of the Kang Family and didn’t dare approach the city at all, for fear of being captured and taken to the Altar of the Abandoned as offerings.

That the Kang Family could hold such a position in today’s Dark Snow Heaven was inextricably linked to the people who set up the Altar of the Abandoned back then. The all sorts of Talismans and spells in their hands were probably given to them by Wuxian.

Leaning against Lian Sheng, Yinyu trudged slowly through the snow. Surprisingly, it wasn’t Lian Sheng leading the way, but she herself.

Lian Sheng was half a step behind her. She didn’t ask why they were heading in this direction. The hand holding the umbrella seemed tireless.

After winding through rows of closely packed houses, the path grew more and more open. The sky, full of snow, couldn’t conceal the smell of fire and smoke from the distance.

At this point, as long as one gazed beyond the distant white walls, they could see the black smoke rising.

The Altar of the Abandoned was near.

Yinyu narrowed her eyes. As she saw the curling gray smoke, her craving stirred in her heart again. She wondered where her Smoking Pipe had ended up after she vanished from Overgrown Mountain.

She stopped and pinched the umbrella handle. “Following the Ghostly Qi was indeed the right way. Once that Altar of the Abandoned was built, even ghosts and entities from a hundred miles away probably rushed over. The place where the Ghostly Qi gathers is where the Altar of the Abandoned lies.”

Not far away, the crackling and popping of sparks could be heard. In this freezing cold land, the fire at the Altar of the Abandoned burned undiminished. The thick black smoke nearly rivaled the dark clouds in the sky.

“Nothing stumps you,” Lian Sheng said.

Yinyu drawled, “Just a little cleverness, that’s all. Only, I don’t understand. Why did Wuxian destroy my place like this?”

Lian Sheng didn’t answer.

Rounding the mottled white wall, only then could one see just how large the Altar of the Abandoned truly was. It was more than three times wider than the stone platform in Overgrown Mountain, sprawling like a public square.

The difference was that on the Ritual Platform, a great fire raged fiercely. The thick black smoke from the flames shot into the sky, its blazing light stinging the eyes, making it impossible to see clearly what was inside.

Just staring intently at those fierce flames for a few moments longer, and it felt like a bright afterimage was burned onto their vision.

Yinyu quickly averted her eyes. Suddenly, she heard several “chirp-chirp” sounds. Something seemed to be crying out.

According to legend, when a Jiangshi is burned by a great fire, it emits a “chirp-chirp” sound. This sound was utterly mismatched with its ruined, decayed body. Hearing it suddenly, it was almost pleasant, like a bird singing.

In this place where the sky was frigid and the ground split from cold, humans found it difficult to survive, let alone birds. If it wasn’t a bird, then it could only be a Jiangshi!

But looking around, the fierce fire blazed, and there wasn’t a single person in sight near the Altar of the Abandoned. Everyone said this place had an endless supply of Jiangshi. Thinking about it, perhaps those Jiangshi had a hidden place to conceal themselves.

Yinyu was about to step closer for a careful look when her shoulder was firmly pressed down. An umbrella was also pushed into her hand.

Lian Sheng had given her the umbrella. She stared unblinkingly at the great fire on the Ritual Platform. “Stand right here,” she said.

“There are Jiangshi.” Yinyu grasped the umbrella handle, seeking them amidst the firelight. “But I can’t see them.”

“I know. I see them.” Saying this, Lian Sheng pointed a finger into the fire.

Yinyu squinted in that direction. She didn’t see any human figures at all. She muttered, “Boss Yu, with your fiery golden eyes, I can’t compare.”

As if unable to hear the sarcasm lacing the other’s words, Lian Sheng stood in the snow and raised an arm.

Instantly, the great fire in the distance looked like a collapsing wall or a falling building. The flames tilted sideways, forcibly parting to create a path.

Before Yinyu could even offer praise, she saw the “Jiangshi” Lian Sheng had mentioned just moments ago.

That figure darted incredibly fast. It moved with complete freedom, nothing at all like the Living Dead. Not to mention, the figure was wearing a pink outfit, its body free of any filth. What kind of Jiangshi could be so pristine and tidy?

But ultimately, she only managed to catch a single glance. Just as she was about to look more carefully, the figure vanished.

How strange. Within the great fire, not only was there a human silhouette moving freely, but there was also a tree that wouldn’t burn.

The tree was short and squat, its branches long and thin. Its leaves weren’t particularly lush. It seemed to be a Peach Tree.

The Ritual Platform was indeed scalding hot from the great fire. But it couldn’t possibly be March or April. To see this Peach Tree growing so lush, green, and tender—it was truly bizarre.

Yinyu was still pondering that Peach Tree. When she shifted her gaze, she saw Lian Sheng already standing ten feet away. Her posture clearly indicated she intended to charge into the fire alone.

Yinyu was stunned. She quickly rushed to catch up, panting. “Does Boss Yu intend to go in? Why not take me along? We could look after each other.”

Who would be looking after whom was still uncertain.

Lian Sheng looked at her wordlessly. She simply snatched back the umbrella and gestured toward the fire with her chin. Her meaning was clear.

The Ear Whisperer God finally had something to say. Its wooden eyeballs spinning, it said, “If you two want to look, look. Just don’t burn me to a crisp.”

“I’m protecting you. You won’t burn.” Yinyu held the wooden Puppet in her arms securely. Only when she neared the Ritual Platform did she feel the scorching heat hitting her face. She said slowly, “That figure just now wasn’t a Jiangshi. Boss Yu must have seen wrong.”

“At first glance, I thought it was.” Lian Sheng wasn’t embarrassed. She didn’t even bother to tuck up the hem of her garment, simply walking grandly and openly into the fire.

Yinyu picked up her skirt hem, afraid of both getting it dirty and catching it on fire. She walked very cautiously, taking small, careful steps.

“Why is this fire so blazing hot? The wood all over my body is about to ignite.” The Ear Whisperer God murmured in its childish voice.

Some Resentful Souls burst out from the fire with a wail. They swept past Yinyu’s side playfully, bringing a gust of cold air with them.

This alternating blast of cold and heat was truly unbearable.

Yinyu’s brow furrowed. She waved her hand twice, dispersing the Yin Energy that was hitting her face.

It was said to be a Ritual Platform for Living Sacrifice Rituals, yet not a single withered bone could be seen on the platform itself. Perhaps they had all been thoroughly burned away, turned into the pervasive dust.

A path flanked by walls of fire led to the center. Only then could they clearly see that Peach Tree.

The Peach Tree grew lush and verdant, but it had neither flowers nor fruit. Its branches and leaves were still very tender, as if it had been newly planted not long ago.

Yinyu looked all around, but she couldn’t see that figure from before again. That single fleeting glance hadn’t even allowed her to make out the other’s shape.

Characters were carved onto the Ritual Platform. They were nothing more than some Curse Techniques for praying for blessings, entirely different from the ones used on Overgrown Mountain to raise Plague Ghosts.

Amidst the roaring, crackling sounds of the fire, a few chirps could faintly be heard again. A stench of decay, different from the smell of burning, also drifted from somewhere.

“Could it be…” Crouching down, holding her skirt aside, Yinyu extended only an index finger and traced a curved line in the dust and ash. “There’s something hidden beneath this?”

The fire was no ordinary fire, because she discovered that this dust and ash truly were the remains of incinerated bones.

“Chirp.”

Another cry.

This time, Yinyu heard it clearly. The sound came from directly beneath her feet.