Passerby: Secret Image of Ancient Scrolls

As dawn broke, the cool morning light in Mohe shone on the frozen river, reflecting a faint glow.

Shen Xun was the first to wake up. After a good night's rest, his tense nerves relaxed a little, and his spiritual power was initially restored. Last night's contemplation did not make him tired, but rather made him more clear-headed. However, after several days of running around and fighting, his spiritual power was consumed far more than he showed.

He slowly opened his eyes and looked out the window at the gradually brightening sky.

The pale dawn was gradually tinged with a light gold, and the outline of the distant forest became clearer in the morning light. The campsite remained quiet; the night watchmen had changed shifts and were leaning against the off-road vehicles, talking in hushed tones.

The White Impermanence floated out from Shen Xun's sleeve, sat on his shoulder, yawned, and asked in a soft, sleepy voice, "Shen Xun, is it dawn? Are we going into the mountains today?"

Shen Xun nodded gently, his fingertips lightly brushing against the White Impermanence on his shoulder, his tone gentle: "Yes, once everyone is ready and the car windows are replaced, we'll set off." His gaze turned toward the direction of Xishan'ao, a trace of solemnity flashing in his eyes.

The eerie aura from last night lingered in his mind. Su Jin's whereabouts and the location of the stone tablet were like a fog, waiting for them to uncover the truth.

Just then, the roar of an engine broke the tranquility of the camp.

The sound grew clearer and clearer as it approached from afar, and soon it came up to everyone as it drove down the slope.

It was Lu Ye who arranged for the team members; the car was filled with supplies.

"Team Leader Lu, supplies are ready!" The lead team member pushed open the car door, trudged through the snow towards Lu Ye's rooftop tent, his face showing a hint of competence, and shouted into the sky from a distance.

Upon hearing the sound, Lu Ye immediately jumped down from the rooftop tent and hurried over: "Thank you for your hard work, is everyone here?"

"Everything's ready. As you instructed, in addition to ready-to-eat food and drinks, we also brought a first-aid kit and warm clothing." The team member said as he unloaded the supplies from the vehicle and neatly stacked them on the open ground next to the canopy. "There's also a whole box of hawthorn preserves."

At this time, the others also woke up one after another. After a good night's rest, everyone had slept very well, the fatigue in their eyes had mostly disappeared, and they felt much more refreshed.

Everyone got out of the car feeling refreshed, having had a good rest and shaken off yesterday's fatigue.

Lu Ye nodded, signaling his men to open the supply crates. He then instructed, "Everyone, have something to eat first to replenish your energy. At the same time, hurry up and pack your equipment. The vehicle repair shop has already opened, so we can start as soon as we arrive. Replacing the glass won't take long either."

The most eye-catching item on the ground was a box of dried hawthorn fruit in red packaging. Besides that, the team members brought five sets of cold-weather gear, all in snow camouflage, including hats, shoes, and gloves. There were also two riot shields, thick and sturdy; and five tubes of carbon fiber arrows. Ye Zhuo's eyes lit up when he saw them, and he quickly went over to examine them, a satisfied look on his face.

Shen Xun's gaze fell on the box of hawthorn preserves. He had always preferred sweet and sour foods since childhood, especially hawthorn preserves. He had already finished the bag that Lu Ye had brought last night, and now that his soul was empty and he desperately needed to replenish his golden blood, he felt a sense of urgency.

Shen Xun took one out and put it in his mouth. The sweet and sour fruity aroma instantly dispelled the dryness in his mouth, and his spiritual energy also flowed more smoothly. His face lost some of its solemnity and became more relaxed.

After everyone finished eating, they began packing their equipment. In the morning light, the forest remained tranquil, and the eerie atmosphere of Xishan Valley seemed to be deliberately concealed by something, almost imperceptible unless one paid close attention.

"Brother Shen, what are you looking at?" Lu Ye walked over, following his gaze, his tone serious. "Have you noticed something's wrong?"

Shen Xun nodded slightly, his fingertips tracing the snake head sculpture on the peach wood staff. His tone was solemn: "The evil aura in the direction of Xishan'ao is still there, even more concealed than last night. Go and prepare, we'll set off immediately."

"I understand," Lu Ye nodded.

Everyone performed their duties, making final preparations before departure. Ye Zhu cleared the snow from the solar panels on the roof of the vehicle; Bai Wuchang stared blankly out the window; Ao Luya first inspected the tunic and found several severely damaged holes, so she borrowed some clay and iron glue from Ye Zhu and carefully applied it to repair them, not daring to use it on a large area. After repairing them, she folded the tunic tightly, tied it up, and hung it on the back of the white deer, which bleated softly; then Ao Luya mounted the white deer, her posture upright, ready to depart; Shen Xun held his peach wood staff, and at this moment, the rising sun shone on the hillside, casting Shen Xun into the shadow of the slope. His gaze was fixed on the depths of the forest, his brows slightly furrowed, the whereabouts of Su Jin and the stone tablet still lingering in his mind.

Lin Jian was about to get on the bus with his backpack when he turned around and caught a glimpse of this scene.

The morning light shines on the campsite, where the busy crowd, the dazed Bai Wuchang, the fully equipped Ao Luya and Bai Lu, and the pensive Shen Xun in the shadows intertwine with the frozen river and the distant forest, creating a tranquil and moving scene.

Her eyes lit up, and she raised her Polaroid camera, calling out, "Wait a minute!"

Everyone stopped what they were doing, and Lu Ye straightened up, asking in confusion, "What's wrong? Did you miss something?"

"It's not something we forgot," Lin Jian said excitedly, shaking the Polaroid camera. "This scene is perfect! Everyone's positioning is just right. Let's take a group photo to remember this moment. We might not have this opportunity again after we go into the mountains!"

Ao Luya gently patted the white deer and gently lay down on its back; Ye Zhuo sat on the roof of the car with his legs dangling down; Lu Ye put one foot on the tire and posed for a photo; Lin Jian called out to Shen Xun in the shadows of the slope: "Shen Xun, get ready!" Shen Xun nodded, his gaze softening; Lin Jian then nodded to the white impermanence in the car, who stuck out his tongue.

Old Gu stood beside the pickup truck, his smile fading, his tone tinged with sadness: "I won't take any more pictures, you guys take them, I'll wait here." With that, he gazed at the frozen river, a complex sense of melancholy flashing in his eyes, as he thought of Xiulian.

Everyone fell silent. Lin Jian nodded, "Okay, I won't force you." She quickly found the right angle, raised the Polaroid camera, and said, "Everyone, be natural!" Everyone adjusted their poses, "Three, two, one!" The shutter clicked softly, and the photo popped out. Lin Jian shook it, and after it developed, she smiled with delight, "Great! The expressions and movements are very natural, and the lighting is just right. Let's use this one as a souvenir!" She handed the photo to everyone to look at. Ao Luya gently stroked the white deer in the photo, Ye Zhuo's lips curled up, Lu Ye nodded in approval, and Shen Xun's fingertips brushed over the photo, his gaze unconsciously drifting to the shadow of the slope from earlier, lost in thought.

Lin Jian quickly took photos with his phone to save them, then turned around and walked to the riverbank, taking another selfie with low-rise houses in the suburbs and tall buildings in the distance behind him.

Lin Jian originally wanted to send the photo to Demon King Dong, but since they hadn't met in person yet, and she didn't want to reveal her appearance too early, she planned to use a mobile phone app to cover her face first.

Lin Jian spread out the enlarged photo with two fingers, his gaze suddenly halting, his smile freezing instantly. In the far distance of the photo, beyond the low-rise buildings, the outline of a tall building could be vaguely seen. A window on the top floor emitted a faint golden light, more intense than the reflection of morning light, yet still faint; it was almost imperceptible without repeated magnification. This golden light seemed somewhat strange, unlike the sunlight reflected from the other windows.

That wasn't sunlight shining through the window at all; it was light emanating from inside the room.

Lin Jian's heart sank. He quickly put away his phone and ran towards Shen Xun, urgently calling out, "Shen Xun! Take a look! There's something wrong with the photos I took!"

Shen Xun snapped out of his daze, stepped forward, and asked in a deep voice, "What happened?"

Lin Jian zoomed in on the photo, pointing to the top floor of a distant high-rise building: "Look here, the golden light in the top-floor window is a bit strange, take a look and see what it is!"

Shen Xun took the phone, his eyes fixed on the golden light on the screen. He tapped the screen lightly, his spiritual energy fluctuating slightly, and his expression instantly became serious.

He zoomed in repeatedly, carefully sensing the aura. After a moment, he slowly removed his sunglasses, looked up in the direction of the tall buildings in the photo, and stared intently. His other hand unconsciously touched the gourd-shaped jade pendant at his waist, his fingertips gently tracing the patterns on the pendant, quietly sensing the hidden aura. After a moment of silence, he spoke slowly, his tone firm and profound: "This golden light... is from the same source as your Polaroid camera."

This question made Lin Jian's heart tighten, and he quickly asked, "From the same source as Polaroid cameras?"

Shen Xun withdrew his gaze, put his sunglasses back on, and rubbed the gourd-shaped jade pendant at his waist with his fingertips. He stared intently at the golden light on his phone screen, his spiritual energy flowing slightly around him, as if he was trying to further sense the hidden aura.

After a moment, he slowly raised his eyes and looked at Lin Jian, who had a puzzled look on his face. His tone was firm and gentle, with an unquestionable composure: "This golden light is not accidental. Its aura and the power hidden in the Polaroid camera are from the same source. More importantly, the direction of that tall building has an inexplicable cause and effect with you."

He paused, slowing the movement of his fingers, and added, his tone more knowing: "Moreover, in that aura that has a connection to you, there is your relative. Considering what you mentioned about your grandfather before, it is very likely him."

Shen Xun's words struck Lin Jian like a thunderbolt. Her fingers tightened around the phone, knuckles turning white, her pupils constricted, and the confusion on her face was instantly replaced by excitement and disbelief. Her voice trembled uncontrollably, but it was no longer an unfounded impulse; it was supported by Shen Xun's intuition: "It's...it's Grandpa? He's really still alive?"

She stared intently at the direction of the tall buildings on her phone, tears welling in her eyes, yet her determination remained: "I'm going to find him, Shen Xun. Are you sure it's him?"

Shen Xun's tone was calm: "I sensed it with my spiritual power and the jade pendant, there's no mistake, that bloodline aura is very clear, it's most likely your grandfather." Lin Jian could no longer suppress the urgency in his heart, but he didn't act rashly. He just looked at everyone, his tone pleading and firm, but also revealing a consideration for the overall situation: "I know everyone is going into the mountains to Xishan Pass, I don't want to delay everyone, but Grandpa is there, I have to go. Once I find him, I'll rush to meet everyone, I won't hold you back."

Just then, the white deer beside them suddenly became agitated. It pawed at the snow with its front hooves, its nostrils twitched rapidly, it made low, muffled growls in its throat, and it stared intently into the distance, its tassels on its back swaying.

Ao Luya gently stroked the white deer's neck to soothe it, and the deer's agitation gradually subsided. She looked up at everyone and said in a crisp and urgent tone, "I have something extremely urgent to attend to and must leave first. After you have investigated Grandpa's whereabouts, meet me at Mangui Yikesama Forest Farm."

Shen Xun quickly removed his sunglasses again, his golden pupils fixed on Ao Luya, then put them back on after a moment: "The evil aura in Xishan'ao is very faint, there's no danger for the time being, but I don't know why it's accumulating in large quantities along the way. Could it be the forest farm you mentioned?"

Ao Luya's expression changed drastically, then she nodded and said no more. She was about to urge the reins on when the white deer began to pant more rapidly.

"Although the evil aura in the forest is strong, I am temporarily unable to go. Be careful when you go. We both have phone numbers. We will meet up with you as soon as we have investigated." Ao Luya said resolutely, and suddenly slapped the white deer's neck. The white deer pushed off the ground with its front hooves, letting out a clear low cry. Its body arched and its limbs tensed, ready to gallop away.

Her gaze was fixed on the depths of the forest, her eagerness almost overflowing, even the surrounding wind and snow seemed to tense up.