Ning Dao Covered with Snow

Chapter 353 Hell
In her hazy state, Yan Ciwan seemed to hear a distant and lingering voice.

"In the nineteenth year of the Qianyuan era, the year of Guimao, in the first month of autumn, we respectfully offer sacrifices of three kinds of sacrificial animals, five kinds of grains, pure wine, seasonal fruits, incense, candles, silk, and jade to the Moon Goddess."

She opened her eyes and looked in the direction of the sound. Under the bright moonlight, a group of villagers were gathered by the Moon River. All the villagers were kneeling on the ground, except for the old village chief who was standing.

The old village chief held a copper bell and shook it gently.

The crisp sound of the bell reached Yan Ciwan's ears, instantly waking her up.

She looked around and saw nothing but ordinary rural scenery. Looking down at herself, her translucent body was faintly visible.

Clearly, her dissociative identity disorder has flared up again.

"Pray to the Moon Goddess: Control the waves and keep them calm, so that no one may drown. Send down clouds and rain to relieve the drought. Protect my people, so that their boats may sail smoothly. Protect my land and water, so that our land may be prosperous forever."

After a long, familiar blessing, the old village chief poured the wine from his cup into the river.

As the bamboo raft docked, two men in black unloaded bags of grain, including a black jar containing holy water.

The villagers lined up spontaneously and took turns receiving food and holy water.

The scene was all too familiar, reminding Yan Ciwan of the monthly prayer meeting in Xiao'an Village. Her gaze searched the villagers and soon found Aying.

Ah Ying stood at the very end of the line, her head bowed, looking preoccupied.

When it was her turn, the old village chief handed her a bowl of holy water and said kindly, "This is a blessing from the Moon Goddess."

Ah Ying reached out and took the bowl of water, then slowly drank it down.

Seeing this, the old village chief showed a satisfied expression. He smiled and said, "You are a good child. The Moon Goddess likes you very much. Are you willing to become the Moon Goddess's most loyal servant and serve her for the rest of your life?"

Ah Ying pursed her pale lips, hesitated for a moment, and finally mustered up the courage to ask.

"Can I say no?"

As soon as these words came out, the whole place fell silent.

The old village chief's smile vanished. He stared at Aying expressionlessly and said coldly, "It is a blessing from your past life that the Moon Goddess has taken a liking to you. How dare you refuse the Moon Goddess's kindness? Such arrogance and rudeness deserve a lesson. Guards, throw her into the river and let the water purify her soul."

Two men in black strode forward and grabbed Ah Ying from the left and right.

Ah Ying was so frightened that her face turned pale. She struggled desperately to resist, but the two men in black were too strong, and she could not break free no matter how hard she tried.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Ah Ying was thrown into the river. She struggled desperately and cried for help.

However, not a single villager spoke up for her; everyone watched the scene unfold in silence, trembling with fear.

It wasn't until Ah Ying was exhausted and about to faint that the old village chief had her dragged out of the river.

"Ah Ying, I'm giving you one last chance. Are you willing to become the Moon Goddess's attendant?"

Soaked to the bone, Ah Ying lay on the ground, head bowed, coughing violently, her body trembling uncontrollably.

Her eyes were filled with fear of death as she stammered, "I...I do."

The old village chief heard the answer he wanted to hear, and a smile returned to his face.

"You know you've made a mistake and can correct it. It seems there's still hope for you. Now come with me to see the Moon Goddess."

Ah Ying said with difficulty, "But my mother is still waiting for me at home. Can I go back to see her one last time?"

“I admire your filial piety, but the Moon Goddess is still waiting for you. We cannot keep her waiting for too long. As for your mother, don’t worry, I will have someone take good care of her.”

Two men in black dragged Aying onto the bamboo raft, followed by the old village chief. Yan Ciwan stood on the riverbank, watching the raft sail away.

It turns out that the divine servant chosen by the old village chief was Ah Ying, and in reality, it was because of her interference that Ah Ying's fate was changed.

As the bamboo raft disappeared into the night, the scenery around Yan Ciwan began to change.

As the moon disappeared and the night faded, Yan Ciwan found herself inside Hengqing Temple.

Inside the main hall, Ayou was teaching Aying and Que Niang etiquette. Aying and Que Niang had grown up in the countryside and had never seen such complicated etiquette before. They learned it with great difficulty and stumbles.

Ayou's attitude is extremely strict. She demands that every movement be done perfectly, and if there is even the slightest imperfection, it must be redone.

Aying and Que Niang repeated the movements many times, and they didn't even get to eat breakfast. Their stomachs were growling with hunger, their heads were spinning, and they accidentally made a mistake again.

Ayou's face darkened, and she pointed outside.

"You guys are all out of your minds. Go stand in the square outside and wake up!"

Aying and Que Niang walked out dejectedly.

Yan Ciwan couldn't follow them out; she could only watch as the two walked to the center of the square and stood there for two hours. Que Niang couldn't take it anymore and fainted. A Ying cried out in panic, "Quick, someone come! She's fainted!"

When Ayou arrived after hearing the noise, she immediately gave Aying a severe scolding.

"This is Hengqing Temple, the residence of the Moon Goddess. How dare you shout like that?!"

Ah Ying tried to argue: "But Que Niang fainted..."

Ayou interrupted her, her tone extremely cold: "So what? Even if she had fainted, or even if she had stopped breathing, you can't act so recklessly. What if you disturb the High Priest?!"

Ah Ying lowered her head and dared not utter another sound.

Ayou found two men in black who carried away the unconscious Sparrow Girl.

The illusion surrounding Yan Ciwan changed once again.

She found herself in a cave. Because there were no windows, the cave was dark, with only two torches stuck in the wall for illumination.

Inside the cave were more than a dozen iron cages, almost all of which contained a person. All of them were emaciated, with sallow complexions and dazed expressions.

Two men in black threw Sparrow Girl into an empty iron cage, then slammed the door shut and locked it.

Sparrow Girl opened her eyes and woke up from her coma.

When she realized where she was, she was so frightened that she scrambled to her feet and yelled at the two men in black who were about to leave.

"Where am I? I don't want to stay here, please let me out!"

The two men in black ignored her and left the cave.

Sparrow Girl was both anxious and frightened, and couldn't help but cry.

"Crying won't help, so we might as well save our energy and hold on for a few more days."

Sparrow Girl looked in the direction of the sound and found that it was the woman locked in the iron cage next door who was speaking. The woman was sitting on the ground with her back against the iron cage. She was so thin that she was just skin and bones. Her eyes were half open, and she looked weak and listless.

The sparrow maiden asked, her voice choked with sobs, "Where is this place? And who are you people?"

"This is hell on earth, and we are all dying people."