The invincible female ghost is a bit love-struck.

Chapter 291 Those who come, leave your name; those who leave, leave your life.

The wind and snow intensified.

Footsteps echoed from all directions on the snow.

The footsteps of the lantern bearers did not tread on the snow, but rather on the shadows of everyone.

With each step they took, the shadows of the group stretched further back.

Lin Zhaoxuan flicked the ink line lightly on the ground, and the end of the line transmitted a subtle vibration.

Lu Yuan pointed forward.

Deep in the snowstorm, the outline of the old Taoist temple was beginning to emerge.

Half of the wall had collapsed, and the top of the wall was covered with black icicles.

The two old pine trees in front of the door have both withered and died, with red ribbons wrapped around their bark.

The red ribbon fluttered in the wind.

On each piece of cloth, a wish is written.

"It's a soul-sending cloth."

"In some areas within the pass, bereaved families tie white banners at crossroads."

"The wind is strong outside the pass, and the white banners cannot withstand the wind, so we used red cloth instead."

"Red cloth is only given for celebrations, not for funerals."

"The evil god has reversed the roles of joy and sorrow."

"When someone dies, a red cloth is hung; when someone is alive, a mourning rope is tied."

Lu Yuan drew his broken sword, the tip lightly touching the snow.

"Qinghe, you keep watch over the lamp."

"Zhao Xuan, seal the gate of the temple."

"Zhou Heng, check your escape route."

"Erxiao, Cheng'an, come with me into the pine forest."

The snow beneath my feet suddenly collapsed.

A patch of black ground emerged from beneath the snow, as if someone had hollowed out the roots of two trees and then covered them with a layer of glossy black cloth.

Three figures floated on the black cloth.

One was wearing an old military overcoat, one was carrying a medicine box, and one was holding a child.

They have no bodies, only shadows.

The shadow kept kowtowing to the crowd.

"Save us!"

"Give me a lamp."

"Give me a breath of warm air."

""

"With just one lamp, we can go into the temple with you."

Xu Erxiao's grip on the sword tightened slightly.

Lu Yuan raised his left hand and formed the "Stop Thoughts Mantra".

Press your thumb against the base of your little finger, extend your index and middle fingers horizontally, curl your ring finger inward, and place your palm down.

"Human shadows return to the ground, ghostly shadows return to the road."

"A shadow without a master does not lend itself to the living."

"Before the gate opened, all the shadows stopped in their tracks."

"end."

The three shadows were suppressed at the same time.

Suddenly, the shadow holding the child lifted the dark figure in its arms.

The dark shape transformed into the form of a child, crying shrilly.

"He's going to die."

"Aren't you the best at saving lives?"

The shadow crawled toward Lu Yuan, leaving a long black trail in the snow.

Lu Yuan drew a small circle on the ground with the tip of his knife.

"Children without names are not allowed to enter."

"A soul without a place of origin cannot recognize its relatives."

"Those who only talk about wanting to live are not children, but people with unfulfilled wishes."

He raised his knife, the tip piercing the shadowy figure's chest.

"break!"

The shadowy figure instantly shattered into countless pieces of paper.

The piece of paper was covered with a densely written confession: "I am willing to exchange my life for my son's life."

"I wish to use my family's ancestral name to protect future generations."

"I am willing to use the bones of the dead to protect the living."

Lu Yuan held the blade across the piece of paper.

"A wish may be made."

"But you can't use someone else's name to sign it for you."

"Fear should not be written as an ancestral precept."

He clasped his hands together and whispered, "The paper has words, and the words have an owner."

"If the Lord does not recognize it, then the words have no proof."

"Those who use the deceased as their signature, children as their seal, or the fear of the living as their ink."

"Today, it returns to ashes."

"Disperse!"

The black paper spontaneously combusted in mid-air.

The flames had no heat; instead, a layer of frost fell from them.

The three figures screamed simultaneously and retreated back under the tree roots.

The lantern bearers in the wind and snow suddenly stopped.

They all raised their lanterns and shone them on the old Taoist temple.

The character "清" (Qing) on ​​the gate was faintly glowing.

Immediately afterwards, a wooden fish sound came from inside the door.

thump.

It only made one sound.

But it made everyone's chest tremble at the same time.

The bronze lamp in Song Qinghe's hand veered towards the inside of the door.

Lu Yuan immediately grabbed her wrist.

"Don't let the light guard the door."

"There's something inside the door recognizing the light."

The flame of the bronze lamp struggled to leap outwards, as if being pulled by an invisible hand.

Song Qinghe raised her other hand and formed the "Fire Protection Technique".

Bring your index and middle fingers together, press your thumb down on your ring finger, and face your palm inward.

"Fire comes from my heart, not from evil paths."

"The lamp shines before me, but not on the gates of hell."

"

"Even if you only have a portion of fire, it won't dissipate if you borrow just one."

"Certainly!"

The lamp flame returned to an upright position.

Lin Zhaoxuan had already reached the gate of the temple.

Although the gate was dilapidated, two new yellow talismans were pasted on the door frame.

The words "Supreme Emperor's Edict" are written on the left.

The right side reads "Protect all living beings".

The cinnabar on the yellow talisman was not dry, indicating that it had been recently re-pasted.

Lin Zhaoxuan did not tear it up directly.

He pulled a thread from the inkwell, wrapped it around the door knocker, and held the end of the thread between his fingertips.

"Before you've mastered the art of talismans, you must first master the art of qi."

"There are people in the temple."

Lu Yuan approached and glanced at Huang Fu.

"It's not a Taoist talisman."

"The writing style is similar."

"The brushstrokes suggest a folk temple keeper, but the characters for 'imperial decree' are reversed."

Lu Yuan pointed to the talisman paper.

"The character '令' is deliberately elongated here to resemble a rope."

"This talisman is not meant to command evil spirits to retreat."

"It's to get the orders through the rope."

"Pass it on to everyone who comes in."

Lu Yuan took out a copper coin, held it between his index and middle fingers, and stuck it to the yellow talisman.

A layer of white frost quickly formed on the back of the copper coin.

"It wants to collect our footprints."

"After entering, give it a step with every step you take."

He used the tip of his knife to pry open a corner of the talisman on the left side.

Beneath the talisman paper, many tiny ink dots were visible.

The ink dots are arranged in rows to form names.

There were villagers from Xiaomantun, hunters who had gone missing a few days ago, and even Gu Chuan, Meng An, and the souls trapped in the supply truck.

At the very bottom, it clearly reads: "Lu Yuan".

Xu Erxiao's expression changed.

"Brother Lu, it has already written your name on it."

Lu Yuan didn't tear it.

He raised his hand and gently patted his chest, then formed a "refusal seal" with his right hand.

Press your thumb down on your middle finger, tuck your ring and little fingers inward, and straighten your index and middle fingers with your palm facing outward.

"A name is known for its person, not for its name on paper."

"His name is on the paper, but the person in question has not yet appeared."

"There is an order from the gate, but it has not been bestowed by Heaven."

"Anyone who uses another's name to open the door will not be allowed entry today."

"No!"

All the ink dots on the yellow talisman bulged outwards at the same time.

One by one, the black names broke free from the paper and pounced on the crowd like tiny insects.

Lu Yuan took a half step forward, the tip of his knife drawing an arc in front of the threshold.

"Return to the original owner."

"The dead return to the earth, the living return to their bodies."

"Those without a master's name shall not enter."

"6

The arc lit up with white light.

The black names, when exposed to the white light, revealed their true forms.

Some were wood chips, some were blood-stained cloth scraps, some were small pieces of hair, and some were just paper balls made of incense ash.

Zhou Heng saw his name on one of the crumpled papers and was about to reach for it when Lu Yuan hissed, "Don't touch it!"

The crumpled paper transformed into Zhou Heng's face in mid-air.

The face, bearing a Guannei accent, shouted, "Zhou Heng, have you forgotten your home in Guannei?"

Zhou Heng's expression froze.

Your sister is still waiting for you.

"Your mother is not dead."

"You'll see them as soon as you walk in."

These voices were not loud, yet each word struck the softest spot in people's hearts.

Lu Yuan did not try to suppress the reactions of the crowd.

He knew that the more he tried to suppress it, the easier it would be for the talisman to slip in through any cracks.

"Did you hear what it said?"

The crowd did not answer.

"It may not be all lies."

Lu Yuan looked at the two yellow talismans.

"But whether it is true or false does not determine the order."

"You can miss home, you can be afraid, you can regret it."

"But these thoughts cannot help you step through this door."

He raised his knife.

"Recognize the thought, then let it go."

Zhou Heng closed his eyes.

"I want to go back to the interior."

Lin Zhaoxuan said, "I'm afraid I won't be able to protect him."

Song Qinghe said in a low voice, "I'm afraid that once the lights go out, nothing can be saved."

After each person finished speaking, the crumpled paper in front of them dimmed a little.

Lu Yuan's broken sword fell.

The two yellow talismans split in the middle.

The black mist on the door frame, like a severed snake, twisted a few times before disappearing into the snow.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Lin Zhaoxuan laid the ink line across the threshold, forming the "locking door formula": "The door has four sides, and the doorway has four corners."

"Azure Dragon on the left, White Tiger on the right."

"The Vermilion Bird is above, and the Black Tortoise is below."

"Only the living are allowed to enter this door properly; no evil spirits are permitted to slip through."

"Lock!"

The ink line taut, and the gate emitted a dull thud.

The old Taoist temple gate slowly opened inward.

There is no courtyard inside the gate.

There is only one stone staircase covered in white snow, leading directly to the rear hall.

Twelve wooden stakes stand on either side of the stone steps.

Each wooden stake had a small bronze lamp hanging on it.

There were no memorial tablets under the lamp, only pairs of shoes hanging there.

There were cloth shoes, cotton shoes, straw sandals, and leather boots commonly seen inside the pass.

Each pair of shoes was covered in mud, but there were no footprints of the owner.

"This is a light array for collecting footprints."

Lu Yuandao.

"Whoever walks up the stone steps, leaves their footprints in their shoes."

Lu Yuan turned around and looked at the lantern bearer behind him.

They were already standing outside the gate, but they didn't come in.

At the feet of each faceless figure was a pair of white shoes.

The shoes moved forward on their own, leaving black footprints in the snow.

Lu Yuan understood.

These lantern bearers were not chasing them.

They came to wait for them to walk the road in.

"Burn the shoes?" Zhou Heng asked.

"No."

Lu Yuan picked up a handful of snow from the ground and scattered it on the stone steps.

The snow fell under the first lamp and immediately revealed a footprint.

The footprints were very small, like Xiaoman's feet.

However, its direction was not towards the rear hall, but towards the outside of the gate.

"There are already footprints in these shoes."

"Whose is it?"

Ah Sheng's face was pale.

"mine."

He pointed to the third stake.

A strip of black cloth was sewn onto those little cotton shoes.

The word "life" was written on the black cloth.

Xiaoman also looked at the shoes, her body trembling slightly.

"It wants you to wear it."

"What happens after you put it on?"

"Your path now belongs to it."

Lu Yuan walked to the third wooden stake.

There was a piece of red paper under the shoe, on which was written a folk "soul-guiding incantation": "Treading the road to the underworld, the soul returns to the gate of the mountain god."

Lu Yuan used the knife to lift the red paper without touching the shoes.

"The incantation for guiding the soul has been changed."

"Originally, it was to send the deceased to the underworld; the last line should be 'the soul returns to its ancestral home.'"

"It changed its original name to Mountain God Gate."

Song Qinghe said, "Sending the shoes back to the family home will sever the soul-summoning mechanism?"

"First, find the family."

Ah Sheng looked down at the shoes.

"I have no home."

Lu Yuandao: "You have a place to live."

"where?"

"Where it brought you from, return your footprints to."

Ah Sheng sensed it with his eyes closed.

After a while, he raised his hand and pointed to the back hall.

There's a room in the back.

"There is a heated brick bed in the house."

There was half a roasted potato on the kang (a heated brick bed).

Lu Yuan looked up into the depths of the old Taoist temple.

"That's a fake home it built for you."

Ah Sheng's voice trembled slightly.

"But I remember that place."

"Remembering doesn't mean it's true."

"I can smell potatoes."

"The most skilled evil god is the one who uses real things to create fake doors."

Lu Yuan took out a match, but didn't light it, holding it between his fingers.

"Walk."

The group stepped onto the stone steps.

The first step was taken, and the first light came on.

A pair of cloth shoes hung under the lamp, and a man's voice came from inside: "I've walked a hundred li."

As the second step was completed, the second light came on.

"I traveled a thousand miles."

As the third step was completed, the third lamp lit up.

"I've come this far, and there's no going back."

The sound came from inside the shoe, carrying accents from different places.

Lin Zhaoxuan handed the ink line to Zhou Heng, then walked to the center of the lamp array and looked down to observe the lamp shadows.

"Every lamp shines on the shoes."

"The shadows of shoes form a road."

Lu Yuandao: "Where does the road lead?"

Lin Zhaoxuan looked up, his expression changing.

"Every household in Tongxiaoman Village."

"Everyone's shoes belong to a specific brand."

"This is to provide the villagers with a way out through the Taoist temple."

Wang Chengan said, "No wonder the red ropes in the village moved as soon as the lights were turned on."

"People can't walk into the mountains, but the mountains can take away the paths."

Lu Yuan looked towards the rear hall.

"Keep going."

They walked past six lamps.

Each lamp tells the story of a person's journey.

When the seventh lamp was lit, the pair of shoes under it suddenly moved.

A black cloth shoe covered in mud fell off the wooden stake and hopped toward Lu Yuan's feet.

The shoe opening was wide open, revealing a dense array of teeth inside.

Xu Erxiao slashed down with his sword.

The shoe was split in two, but black water gushed out from the sole, splashing onto Xu Erxiao's face.

Lu Yuan blocked it with the back of his knife.

"Don't let the soles of your shoes stick to your body!"

"It enters from the soles of the feet."

Xu Erxiao immediately retreated.

Lu Yuan used his left hand to perform the "Foot Suppression Technique" while pressing a copper coin on the ground with his right hand.

"The feet are the gates of the earth, and the hands are the gates of humanity."

"Evil enters through the shoe, and filth goes through the sole."

"Copper coins suppress the earth, cinnabar seals the door."

"6

"close!"

A red circle appears below the copper coin.

The black water fell outside the red circle and quickly condensed into a curled-up foot.

That foot had seven toes, each tied with a red thread.

Lu Yuan used the tip of his knife to sever the red thread, and his foot turned into a cloud of black ash.

"This isn't a shoe that has come to life."

"It's the person whose footprints were taken away by it."

"The person is gone forever?"

"We'll be back."

Lu Yuan looked towards the end of the stone steps.

"But someone has to put the road back."

Zhou Heng asked, "How should we deliver it?"

"Find the owner of the shoes."

"There's no name on the shoes."

"We don't have shoes, but we have lamps."

Inside the seventh lamp, the flame suddenly shifted to one side.

Two words appeared on the lampshade: "Li Gui".

Lin Zhaoxuan extended the ink line, and the end of the line immediately pointed to the west side of the village.

"Li Gui is in the west."

"Is he alive?"

"It's gassy."

Lu Yuan took out a blank offering paper, wrote the two characters "Li Gui" on it, folded it into a thin strip, and stuffed it into the lamp wick.

"Don't turn off this lamp yet."

Xu Erxiao was puzzled.

"Why not destroy it?"

"It can reveal the people who have been taken away."

""

"Write down names first, then turn off the lights."

The group continued forward.

When we arrived at the entrance to the rear hall, a warm yellow light indeed shone through the crack in the door.

A delicious aroma of roasted potatoes wafted out.

Ah Sheng's feet stopped.

"This is it."

A woman's voice came from inside the door: "Ah Sheng, come back for dinner."

Ah Sheng was startled.

Lu Yuan looked at him.

Do you remember this voice?

"Remember."

"who is she?"

"I have no idea."

"Then don't go in yet."

The woman inside called out again, "Asheng, your mother saved the biggest potato for you."

Ah Sheng's eyes began to turn red.

Song Qinghe reached out and pressed down on his shoulder.

"Don't respond."

"I know."

"Would you still want to go in even if you knew?"

Ah Sheng didn't say anything.

Lu Yuan walked to the door and knocked three times with his fingers.

"The person inside, state your name."

The room quieted down.

"Where did you come from?"

no answer.

"What do you want?"

A low sobbing sound came from inside the door.

"I just want my child to come back."

He couldn't answer the three questions again.

Lu Yuan raised his hand and formed the "Knocking on the Door Incantation".

Bring your index and middle fingers together, press your thumb down on your ring finger, and point your fingertips towards the door.

"Every door has an owner, and every house has a resident."

"Those who are nameless will not respond, and those who have wishes will not be welcomed."

"Those who use the voice of the mother to guide the soul of a living being"

"Reveal your true form!"

He pointed it out.

The paper door to the rear hall suddenly shattered.

Inside the door was not a heated earthen bed, but a dark room filled with lamps.

There were more than a dozen small beds in the room.

There was a child lying on each bed.

The children were covered with white sheets, and each had an empty bowl placed on their chest.

Each empty bowl contains a grain of black rice engraved with the character "生" (sheng, meaning life).

A woman dressed in an old blue cloth dress stood by the bed.

She had her back to everyone, holding half a roasted potato in her hands.

"Ah Sheng."

She slowly turned around.

There are no facial features on its face.

There was only a piece of white paper sewn onto the skin.

The word "Mother" was written on the white paper.

Ah Sheng took a step back.

Lu Yuan stood in front of him.

"You are not his mother."

The woman whispered, "I fed him potatoes."

"I held him."

"I called his name by the well."

"So what's your name?"

'

The woman did not answer.

"Where did you come from?"

"From his wish."

"What do you want?"

"Please, he should come back to me."

Lu Yuan nodded.

"You are definitely not his mother."

"You are the wish he dares not admit."

The woman's body suddenly lengthened.

The children on the dozen or so small beds in the room sat up at the same time, revealing faces without features under the white sheets.

The black rice grains on their chests split open one by one, and black roots sprouted from them, rushing towards the crowd.

"Back off!"

Lu Yuan formed a "door-protecting seal" with both hands.

With the left hand forming the Zi-Wu Mudra, the right hand uses the sword finger to touch the door frame.

"The Heavenly Gate is above, and the Earthly Gate is below."

"There are boundaries within the gate, and people within those boundaries."

"Those whose names have not been obtained shall remain outside the gate."

"Anyone who borrows a character should return it to its original place."

"Protect!"

A beam of white light rose from both sides of the door frame, blocking out the black roots.

But Black Root stopped rushing out and instead entangled the children inside the house.

Each time a face is entangled, a human face appears on the child's chest.

"Help me!"

"Please save me!"

"If you don't save us, we'll die!"

Xu Erxiao said anxiously, "Brother Lu, the protective seal won't hold for long!"

"Qinghe, give me the bronze lamp."

Song Qinghe handed over the lamp.

Lu Yuan did not take the lamp, but instead placed his palm above the lamp.

"Lend me a bit of the light from the lamp."

"I only borrow fire, not wishes."

"It illuminates the path, but not the soul."

The flame of the bronze lamp transformed into a thin thread and landed on Lu Yuan's fingertips.

Lu Yuan flicked the wisp of fire into the room.

The fire didn't burn the black roots; instead, it wrapped around each child's chest.

A name appeared on each child's chest.

Big baby.

Chunni.

Small stone.

Iron pillar.

Xiaomei.

Some of these names are real names, and some are appellations.

Lu Yuan read very quickly.

"The second one, the third one from the left, is called Wang Xiaoshun."

"Cheng An, the second one from the right, is named Chen Gui."

"Zhaoxuan, the one furthest in the back row, is called Liu Xiaoman."

"The rest are empty shells!"

Xu Erxiao rushed into the room, his sword not striking the black root, but instead aiming at the black rice on the child's chest.

As the first grain of black rice split open, the black roots on the child's body immediately loosened.

Wang Chengan used the abacus frame as a shovel to pick out the second grain of black rice.

"Chen Gui, wake up!"

The child opened his eyes and burst into tears.

Lin Zhaoxuan then used ink line to wrap around the third child's ankle, using the line to pull him out of the black root.

"Are you sure you've got the name?"

"I've made up my mind!"

"Then shout it out!"

Lin Zhaoxuan tightened the ink line with both hands and recited: "Name comes from the body, life returns from the name."

"The thread does not bind the soul, but only leads it back to its place."

"Liu Xiaoman, return home!"

The third child rolled off the bed, and the black root on his chest broke off inch by inch.

The remaining black roots became even more frantic.

The faceless woman raised her hands, and ten red lines hung down between her fingers.

The red thread connects to the center of each child's forehead.

"Their lives are in my hands."

"For every one you save, I will take one in."

Lu Yuan looked at her.

"You don't have lives in your hands."

"Only wishes that others dare not refuse."

He raised his right hand and formed the "Thread-Breaking Technique".

"A thread binds the heart, but not fate."

"May there be a Lord, not a proxy."

"Today, I cut off my mother's shadow, severing ties with her."

"The living should return to life, and the dead should return to death."

"Break!"

The broken blade did not cut the red line.

Lu Yuan used the back of his knife to strike the threshold.

Three copper coins were already buried under the threshold, which were the boundary nails he had laid earlier.

The three copper coins flipped over at the same time.

The red lines, drawn by the boundary energy, all curled outwards towards the door.

The faceless woman was dragged forward and fell by the red thread.

The white paper on her face began to peel off.

Beneath the white paper, half a face remarkably similar to Ah Sheng's was revealed.

Ah Sheng exclaimed in surprise, "She's my mother!"

"No."

Lu Yuan pressed down on his hand.

"She was peeled from your memory."

What do you remember about her?

Ah Sheng looked bewildered.

"She called me Ah Sheng."

Did she hug you?

"I have no idea."

"Did she give you potatoes?"

"I only remember the taste."

Lu Yuan looked at the faceless woman.

"You can't prove you're his mother."

The woman opened her mouth and suddenly spat out a black potato.

The potato's surface is covered with eyes, and those eyes are filled with well water.

"He ate my food."

"So he belongs to me."

Lu Yuan plunged the knife into the ground and made the "Dividing Food Incantation" with his left hand.

"Food enters the stomach, but not the soul."

"One can accept a single meal, but not a lifetime."

"Nourishing the body is a kindness, but nurturing evil is unreliable."

"All contracts made with food are dissolved today."

The knife tip fell, and the black potato split in two.

There was no fruit pulp inside, only strands of hair tangled together.

Ah Sheng suddenly clutched his chest, bent over, and coughed violently.

A black mass was spat out of his throat, and after landing, it turned into a small bowl.

The character "生" (life/birth) is written on the bottom of the bowl.

Lu Yuan cleaved the bowl in two with a single stroke.

Ah Sheng was finally able to breathe smoothly.

The faceless woman screamed as her body was dragged out of the door by a red thread.

The lantern bearers outside the door simultaneously raised their lanterns.

The blue light shone on her, and her skin began to peel away layer by layer until only a piece of white paper with the word "wish" written on it remained.

Lu Yuan raised his hand and pressed down on the white paper.

"You come from Ah Sheng's wish."

"Now let's go back to the dream."

"I wish not to be a mother, for a mother should not be a sacrifice."

"receive!"

The white paper transformed into a wisp of black smoke, disappearing into the shadow beneath Ah Sheng's feet.

Ah Sheng trembled all over.

Lu Yuan immediately stuck a copper coin between his eyebrows.

"Don't be afraid."

"It's not that it came back."

"Your old feelings have returned."

"You need to see it clearly for yourself before letting it go."

Ah Sheng closed his eyes.

After a moment, he said in a low voice, "I do remember someone hugging me."

"But I can't remember her face."

That's enough.

Lu Yuandao.

"Remembering one thing doesn't mean you have to give up your whole life."

"Then who exactly is she?"

"It might be a keepsake left by your mother."

"It could also be an illusion created by an evil god based on your thoughts."

"We'll investigate after the power supply is cut off."

The surviving child in the house has been taken out by Song Qinghe and Zhou Heng.

Each child had a yellow piece of paper stuck to their chest with their name written on it.

Xiaoman stood at the door and suddenly pointed to the wall of the back hall.

"There's another one there."

Everyone looked over.

A black lamp without a lampshade hangs in the center of the rear hall.

The wick wasn't made of cotton thread, but rather a human finger.

A stone plaque hangs under the lamp.

The stone tablet is inscribed with the words: "Homecoming Lantern".

The flames reflected neither a village nor a mountain road.

Instead, it was a strange and bright city.

High-rise buildings, vehicles, neon lights, and streets that Lu Yuan had seen before.

That was the world he used to live in.

A voice came from the lamplight: "Lu Yuan, come here."

This time it's for real.

The door is open.

"6

"You just need to reach out."

""

Everyone looked at Lu Yuan.

He stood under the lamp, his expression unchanged.

Meng Changgeng, who was being held outside the door by Zhou Heng, suddenly let out a hoarse laugh.

"This is its root."

"It is not supported by the mountain people."

"It relies on that place in everyone's heart that they are unwilling to let go of."

"If you don't go in, it will keep calling you forever."

"

Lu Yuan brought his two fingers together and suddenly clamped the wick between them.

It is a piece of shadow that has been peeled off.

Countless people who never returned are hidden in the shadows.

They came from different places and different years, but the evil god nailed them into the lamp with the words "return home".

Lu Yuan formed a "photography mantra" with his left hand and pinched one end of the shadow with his right.

"There is a door where we come from, and a name where we return."

"Those who have not returned home will not be used as lamp wicks, and those who have lost their way will not be used as lamp oil."

"If you want to leave, first recognize where you came from."

Many sounds came from the shadows.

"Within the pass."

"Outside the mountains."

"Jiutun".

"Jiangnan".

Liaodong.

"Home is where—"

Each time a source was mentioned, a portion of the shadow would fall from the wick.

Finally, only one voice remained unanswered.

The voice was the same as Lu Yuan's own.

"I did not come from here."

The flames of the black light transformed into a city once more.

"You don't need to say it."

"I know."

"If you accept it, you can go back."

Lu Yuan looked at the city and suddenly turned the broken sword around.

The blade did not cut the lamp.

Instead, he slashed at his own shadow.

The blade struck the ground, severing precisely the thin wire extending from the black light.

A gash was cut into the shadow beneath Lu Yuan's feet.

"You cut off your own shadow?"

"A shadow is not a life."

"You will lose your way home."

"I'm not following your path now."

Lu Yuan formed the "Severing Gate Technique" with both hands.

Pinch your index finger with your left thumb and your middle finger with your right thumb, palms facing each other, and slowly rotate them.

"I recognize where I came from, not what is evil."

"6

"I have old beliefs, but I will not use them as offerings."

"The road may be long, but the door may be closed."

"My hometown is not in the lamplight."

"Break!"

The lights suddenly went out.

Countless shadows in the lamp wick spread out in all directions, passing through the gate and disappearing into the wind and snow.

As the city disappeared, Lu Yuan saw the figure on the street corner nod at him.

It's not a call.

It's a farewell.

The moment the lights went out, a loud bang came from deep within the old Taoist temple.

The floor of the rear hall cracked.

A thick, black root broke through the ground, its roots entwined with countless copper lamps and wooden plaques, resembling a black spine extending from the mountain's belly.

The root tip points directly to Lu Yuan.

It no longer transformed into a human face.

Instead, it revealed a mouth full of teeth.

"You destroyed the homecoming light."

"Then let your shadow be our root."

The root tip pierced towards Lu Yuan's feet.

Lu Yuan had been waiting for this moment.

He stepped on the previously severed shadow crack, inserted the broken sword into the ground, and formed the "Big Dipper Shadow Suppression Technique" with his right hand.

"Greedy Wolf shines on the head, Giant Gate locks the throat."

"The Lu Cun star presses down on the heart, while the Wen Qu star determines the hand."

"Lianzhen guards the feet, Wuqu seals the back."

"The Broken Army is severed from its roots, and the Seven Stars return to their positions."

He took the Seven Star Step.

With each step, a tiny glimmer of vermilion light appeared on the ground.

When the seventh step is completed, the seven stars form the handle of the Big Dipper, pressing down on the black base of the embryo.

Black Root let out a sharp hiss.

But it was not subdued.

One by one, the copper lamps on the roots were lit, and the faces of the people were reflected in the light.

Xu Erxiao's face.

Wang Chengan's face.

Lin Zhaoxuan's face.

Song Qinghe's face.

Zhou Heng's face.

Ah Sheng's face.

Xiaoman's face.

And every child who was just rescued from the house.

Black Root spoke through these faces simultaneously: "If you cut off their roots, they will lose their protection."

Lu Yuan looked at the crowd.

"Protect your reputation."

Xu Erxiao formed the Zi-Wu Mudra with both hands.

"Xu Erxiao is here."

Wang Chengan held the abacus frame horizontally in front of his chest.

"Wang Cheng'an is here."

Lin Zhaoxuan wrapped the ink line around his arm.

"Lin Zhaoxuan is here."

Song Qinghe protected the lamp wick with both hands.

"Song Qinghe is here."

Zhou Heng gripped the short knife tightly.

"Zhou Heng is here."

Ah Sheng raised his head.

"Ah Sheng is here."

Xiaoman imitated them, timidly saying, "Xiaoman is here."

Everyone's voice was soft.

But it made the face in the lamplight gradually thinner.

Lu Yuan gripped the knife with both hands.

"A name is a person's own door."

"You are not worthy to be called God because you borrow their face."

"Today, we will cut off the root of the problem, but not the person."

"cut!"

The blade fell.

The Seven Stars Shadow Array lit up simultaneously.

The black embryonic root split open in the middle, and what gushed out from inside was not blood, but countless tiny red lines.

The red line flies outwards, crosses the mountains, and extends to even more distant places.

Lu Yuan did not pursue and eliminate all the red lines.

He first used the broken knife to pry up the thickest one and looked along the red line.

At the end of the red line, a stone platform covered in snow stands faintly in the distance.

A large black flag was planted on the stone platform.

The flag has no words on it, but a closed eye is sewn into the center.

Lin Zhaoxuan's expression changed drastically.

That's not an altar.

"7

"What is it?"

"The barracks flag."

Zhou Heng also looked up.

"I've seen this kind of flag inside the Great Wall."

"It's not a military flag."

Lin Zhaoxuan said in a low voice, "It's a road flag erected by the refugee group."

"Some people would plant flags in the wasteland to tell those who came after them where there was water, food, and shelter."

"But the eyes on this flag—"

Lu Yuan sheathed his sword.

"The evil god lent us a way to escape."

"It doesn't just collect offerings in the villages."

"Any team that came from inside the Great Wall could leave its name on the road flag."

Song Qinghe asked, "Where is that flag?"

"Old Longgang".

Meng Changgeng suddenly spoke.

Everyone looked at him at the same time.

"Outside Laolonggang, there is an abandoned Guandi Temple."

"Refugees will rest there."

"There are no statues of gods in the temple, only a stone well."

"Whoever passes through there must write their name on the flag."

"Write your name to change the road, light the lamp to change the water."

Lu Yuan asked, "Have you been there?"

Meng Changgeng nodded.

"I've collected names for it three times."

How many people are still there?

"Now?"

Meng Changgeng closed his eyes.

"Seventy-seven."

"Living or dead?"

"Seventy-seven names."

Lu Yuan looked at the wind and snow outside the old Taoist temple.

On the ridge, the black flag had already been lit.

The closed eyes slowly opened.

A beam of red light pierced the sky and landed on the crumbling wall of the old Taoist temple.

The character "清" on the wall was illuminated by red light, and the outlines of two plaques covered by black paint next to it slowly emerged.

The character on the left is "太".

The character on the right is "观" (Guan).

The three characters were rearranged to form: "Taiqing Temple".

But below "Taiqing Temple," an even smaller line of blood-red characters appeared: "All passersby return."

Ah Sheng suddenly covered his ears.

"It's calling them."

"6

Lu Yuan asked, "Who?"

Ah Sheng looked out of the pavilion.

In the wind and snow, those faceless lantern-bearers had already reached the foot of the crumbling wall.

They no longer carry lanterns.

Everyone held a blank road sign in their hand.

"It is calling to everyone who has walked through Laolonggang."

Where are they going?

Ah Sheng looked towards the mountain ridge.

"Go under the flag."

Lu Yuan put the wick of the lamp into the yellow paper after it was turned off.

"Send the children back to the village first."

"Meng Changgeng is being held captive."

"Who wants to come with us to Laolonggang?"

Zhao Shun was the first to step out of the crowd.

"I'll go."

Li Guilan took his hand.

"I'll go too."

The old man, Zhao Xiaoman, knelt beside the old well and placed the broken nail into the soil.

"I'll go too."

He looked up at Lu Yuan.

"I've lived for twenty-seven years, I shouldn't let others pay for my debts."

The villagers of Xiaoman Village looked at each other.

No one immediately agreed.

Soon, a woman carrying a child came out.

"The lights in my house went out, but my child is still alive."

"I'll go with you to take a look."

Another man stepped forward.

I don't know if my father will be able to walk.

"But I don't want to wear that red string anymore."

More and more people are walking in front of the old Taoist temple.

They were afraid and hesitated, but they did not kneel down towards the well again.

Lu Yuan did not stop them.

"If you go to Laolonggang, you might see the people you used to worship."

"You might see what you most want to see."

"Some people may die."

"Anyone who doesn't want to go can go back to the village now."

No one went back.

Lu Yuan looked up at the snow curtain beyond.

The black flag in the distance waved again.

Seventy-seven red lights lit up along the mountain ridge, like seventy-seven eyes opening at the same time.

Lu Yuan sheathed the broken sword.

"It's almost dawn."

"Let's get to Laolonggang before dawn."

"It wants to use one path to send everyone into the altar."

"Then let's see this path through to the end."

"Go to its roots."

The crowd raised their torches and stepped out of Taiqing Temple.

In the wind and snow, seventy-seven faceless lantern bearers turned around and slowly walked towards Laolonggang.

Xiaoman held onto Song Qinghe's clothes.

Ah Sheng walked behind Lu Yuan.

Xu Erxiao and Wang Chengan stood guard on either side.

Lin Zhaoxuan and Zhou Heng protected the villagers.

Meng Changgeng, his hands bound with red cloth, walked silently at the back of the procession.

After walking about half a mile, Lu Yuan suddenly stopped.

He looked down at his feet.

A new line of words appeared in the snow: "The third lamp is now among you."

Xu Erxiao immediately drew his sword.

"Who has a lamp on them?"

The group looked at each other.

The bronze lamp in Song Qinghe's hand had already gone out.

The villagers did not have any offerings.

Meng Changgeng looked down at his chest.

A faint red light was now emanating from the spot where the yellow paper had been torn off.

Lu Yuan walked up to him in one step.

Meng Changgeng's face turned deathly pale.

"It wasn't me."

"I have already returned the name."

"The light isn't on you."

Lu Yuan reached out and pressed his hand against his chest.

The red light spread along the palm, eventually revealing a thin line of blood.

A line of blood extended from Meng Changgeng's chest, passed through the crowd, and landed on a child.

That child was Xiaoman.

A red string had appeared around Xiaoman's neck without her noticing.

A red lantern, no bigger than a fingernail, hung from the knot.

The lights were dim, yet they burned steadily in the wind and snow.

Xiaoman looked up at Lu Yuan.

It said, "I am the third lamp."

Lu Yuan reached out but did not immediately pick it.

"Do you want to make the lamp yourself?"

Xiaoman shook her head.

"I want to go home."

Where do you live?

Xiaoman refers to Xiaoman Village.

Lu Yuan nodded.

"Then let's not make lamps."

He picked up the red string and tied the "Unbinding Incantation": "The lamp has fire, and the fire has a wick."

"The wick does not belong to the lamp, and the lamp does not belong to God."

"When the child returns home, the red string is returned to ashes."

"Break!"

The red rope did not break.

The small lamp burned even brighter.

Xiaoman's shadow was elongated by the flames, casting its light towards Laolonggang.

Lu Yuan's gaze darkened.

"This is a lamp for the living."

"We cannot force a decision."

"What should we do then?" Song Qinghe asked.

"Let him blow it out himself."

Xiaoman looked at the lamp with fear.

"I won't."

Lu Yuan squatted down to look him in the eye.

"You don't need to blow on the fire."

"You only need to say one sentence."

"What did you say?"

"This lamp won't walk for me."

Xiaoman looked at the red light and slowly said, "This light won't help me walk."

The lights flickered slightly.

"It won't take me home."

The lights shrank.

"I'll walk by myself."

When Xiaoman uttered her last words, the red rope broke on its own.

The little lamp fell on the snow and turned into a grain of black rice.

Lu Yuan used the tip of his knife to push the black rice into the snow.

"The third light went out."

In the distance, towards Laolonggang, two of the seventy-seven red lights dimmed simultaneously.

But on the farthest ridge, the door of a black temple slowly opened.

A hoarse yet powerful voice came from behind the door: "Lu Yuan."

"Bring them here, and I will hold the door open for you."

"The road beyond the pass is long and the snow is deep, making it difficult for the living to travel."

"As long as you enter the temple, everyone can return to the place they want to go."

Lu Yuan looked up at the black door.

He gripped the hilt of his knife tightly and led the group forward.

"You have to walk your own way back."

I won't go through your door.

The wind and snow swallowed his voice.

But behind the black door, seven eyes opened simultaneously.

At the end of the mountain road in Laolonggang, a Guandi Temple covered in snow is gradually emerging from the darkness.

There are no couplets on either side of the temple gate.

Only two lines of newly carved blood-red characters:

Left side: "Leave your name if you come."

On the right: "Those who leave, stay."

A black flag hangs in the center of the temple gate.

The eyes on the flag, watching Lu Yuan and his group, slowly opened to their widest extent.