Passerby: Secret Image of Ancient Scrolls

The white deer entered the ward, and everyone turned to look at it. Their anxiety instantly subsided, and everyone calmed down. Even the forestry worker's eyes lit up.

Shen Xun could clearly sense that the white deer's aura was different from before. Its eyes were different too.

It walked up to Xiao Yuan and looked at him with its blood-red eyes. This ancient flame could bring warmth to people and dispel the cold and evil spirits.

Xiao Yuan's complexion gradually returned to normal, and his breathing became steady.

Shen Xun didn't take off his sunglasses; he could already see through them faint chains of cause and effect binding Ye Zhuo and Xiao Yuan. The cause and effect surrounding Ye Zhuo extended beyond the door, reaching all the way to the end of the hospital building.

Shen Xun looked at Xiao Yuan and asked, "You're Xiao Yuan?"

"I'm Xiaoyuan. Are you Shen Xun? My sister often mentions you in the letters she writes to me." Xiaoyuan stood up, his Adam's apple bobbing.

A hint of worry flickered in Shen Xun's eyes behind his sunglasses, unseen by anyone: "The soul-controlling talisman within you is dangerous. Su Jin could turn you into a mindless puppet at any moment. I've already used the power of reincarnation to temporarily suppress the evil energy within you. But in the long run, we'll still have to find a solution."

"Bai Lu can also alleviate the symptoms. However, it can only alleviate them, not cure them completely. In the end, we still have to go to Su Jin." Ao Luya walked over and touched Bai Lu's neck.

Xiao Yuan didn't say anything, just smiled. He knew that breaking Su Jin's soul-controlling talisman would be extremely difficult. Many of the assassins with him had tried to escape, but none had been able to get rid of Su Jin. He was still swaying slightly.

"The doctor said that the uncle had to be transferred to a major hospital in the provincial capital today, and that he couldn't be left unattended on the way. I went with the ambulance to escort the uncle to the provincial capital."

The room fell silent the moment those words were spoken.

"If you believe me," Xiao Yuan said, looking at everyone.

Ye Zhuo suddenly looked up at him, her eyes filled with astonishment: "Xiao Yuan, you..."

"Sister, I know you're going to deal with Su Jin. It's going to be a tough battle. I have a Soul Control Talisman on me, and it might activate at any time. If I follow you, I'll only be a hindrance." Xiao Yuan's voice was steady, but it contained an unconcealable bitterness.

"The old man became like this because he was protecting this forest. I must get him safely to the provincial capital. After I've settled him in, I'll leave here and go somewhere no one can find me."

As he spoke, he raised his head and looked directly at Ye Zhuo, his eyes filled with the unwavering stubbornness that had never changed in a young man: "Sister, I haven't forgotten what you taught me, and I haven't forgotten the military uniform I wore. I will take responsibility for what I've done."

Ye Zhuo looked at him, her eyes instantly reddening. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end, she only raised her hand and patted his shoulder hard. A thousand words were condensed into just one sentence: "Be careful, let me know when you arrive safely."

Just then, Shen Xun took off his sunglasses and stared at Xiao Yuan, scrutinizing him closely.

His pale golden pupils gleamed faintly in the morning light. His gaze fell on Xiao Yuan, and he remained silent, simply watching. The air in the ward seemed to freeze; everyone held their breath. Even Bai Wuchang's twin ponytails seemed to freeze in mid-air as she clung to Shen Xun's shoulders, looking at Xiao Yuan with curiosity.

Shen Xun's gaze pierced through the boy before him, revealing a deeper causal connection that entangled his fate.

He saw Xiao Yuan entering the skyscraper, looking at her as she received her first paycheck.

He saw Xiao Yuan training with his comrades in the army.

He saw Xiao Yuan doing his homework at Ye Zhuo's house, wearing his school uniform. Ye Zhuo cooked for him.

He saw Xiao Yuan push Ye Zhuo's grandfather over, but it wasn't actually Xiao Yuan who pushed him. He just wanted to snatch the iron ring from his grandfather's hand. His grandfather had found it in the trash heap.

The grandfather had originally intended to let these boys play with it, but they grabbed it without saying a word. He lost his balance and fell to the ground, hitting his head on the ground.

The iron ring rolled a long way. He also ran a long way.

Now he's going far away. A place where no one can find him, not even Su Jin.

Live life to the fullest before the Soul Control Talisman completely takes your life.

After a moment, Shen Xun put his sunglasses back on, concealing the golden light in his eyes. He didn't offer any lengthy words of approval, but simply nodded slightly to Xiao Yuan.

That single nod speaks volumes. The guardians of reincarnation never mistake those they approve of.

Xiao Yuan's body trembled violently, and his eyes instantly reddened. He faced Shen Xun and gave a precise military salute, his arm ramrod straight, just as he had when he was still in the army. There wasn't a tremor.

After leaving the ward, everyone gathered in the open space downstairs at the hospital to discuss their next move. Old Gu leaned against the pickup truck door, an unlit cigarette between his fingers, his brow furrowed: "That bastard Su Jin, one dirty trick after another, we have to take the initiative. We can't just wait for him to come to us."

"Let's go to Xishan'ao."

Ao Luya spoke. She had just fed the white deer, which followed behind her. Its pure white fur shimmered softly in the morning light, its fiery red eyes quietly sweeping over the crowd, and it exuded an aura that brought peace of mind.

As soon as the white deer approached, everyone felt a jolt and a sense of refreshment. Shen Xun clearly sensed that the golden blood within his body was rapidly recovering.

"We're going to Xishan'ao to find the things my aunt buried, and Su Jin." Ao Luya's voice was steady, her gaze fixed on the depths of the Greater Khingan Mountains. "I heard my grandmother say that she left the Hundred Treasures Belt to Aunt Ao Lu, hoping she would inherit the position of High Priest. But she wanted to live in the city and chose to leave the tribe."

"The Hundred Treasures Belt..." Old Gu and Lin Jian muttered to themselves upon hearing Ao Luya's words.

"I think Aunt Oru must have buried the Treasure Belt under that big tree in the West Mountain Valley. It's a sacred object passed down in our tribe, capable of sensing anomalies at the Yin-Yang nodes. If Su Jin is really in the West Mountain Valley, he'll definitely be able to detect the Treasure Belt's aura. We must stop Su Jin."

Just then, Shen Xun suddenly approached Bai Lu, raised his hand, and gently touched Bai Lu's neck with his fingertips.

The white deer didn't dodge; it simply lowered its head and gently rubbed its antlers against his palm. Shen Xun's fingertips paused, and his brows furrowed slightly behind his sunglasses.

Within the aura of the white deer, he sensed a strange, primal, and profound power. This power contained a long and enduring protection and unwavering resolve, and it was incredibly strong. It blended perfectly with the original gentle and pure aura of the white deer, becoming one with it.

"There is another soul inside its body," Shen Xun said, looking at Ao Luya.

Ao Luya nodded, reached out and gently stroked the long fur on the side of the white deer's neck, parting the soft fur to reveal the fine, smooth scales underneath that gleamed with a cold light.

Lu Ye and Lin Jian were both stunned. Old Gu and Ye Zhuo had already seen it. Lu Ye subconsciously tightened his grip on the baton at his waist. Only Bai Lu stood quietly, blinking her fiery red eyes without making any move.

"The white deer and the guardian deity have merged." Ao Luya's voice was soft, with a hint of relief. "It is the beast in the forest that was invaded by evil energy. It is the guardian deity of this Greater Khingan Mountains. Like the white deer, it has been guarding this forest since before humans even learned to speak."

Lin Jian suddenly remembered something, and his eyes widened instantly: "Ao Luya, when we were camping by the river before, those two missing team members, and the dark shadow in the water that everyone saw by the river, wasn't that it?"

"Yes." Ao Luya nodded, a hint of emptiness in her eyes. "At that time, the primordial spirit at the bottom of the river had already been controlled by Su Jin. The primordial spirit came out of the river and harmed people. The guardian spirit found out and rushed to Mohe to try to break the tentacles controlling the primordial spirit. They fought for a long time."

Everyone stared at Ao Luya, awaiting the outcome. Even Shen Xun's golden eyes, hidden behind his sunglasses, narrowed slightly.

Ao Luya looked at everyone and continued, "In the end, the primordial spirit was driven back to the bottom of the river and never came out again. The guardian deity was also invaded by evil energy and has been tormented by pain ever since. A large area along the river was softened by the shock caused by this fierce battle. Those high-rise buildings sank and became unfinished. Many people saw this battle. The TV stations and newspapers reported on it at the time, but they were all deleted later."

Lin Jian and Lu Ye exchanged a glance and instantly understood. So that's how the high-rise building project became an unfinished project.

"Everyone saw something they'd never seen before emerge from the river and assumed it was an evil spirit bringing calamity to humanity. In reality, it was a guardian deity, resisting the tentacles of the primordial spirits."

She paused, her gaze drifting to the distant, rolling forest, her voice filled with endless melancholy: "More importantly, fewer and fewer people believe in it. The people who used to live in the town have all moved to the big city. No one hangs colorful ribbons for it anymore, no one prays by the campfire anymore, and no one remembers the guardian spirit of this forest. Without faith, its power weakens day by day, which is why evil spirits have taken advantage of it, tormenting it to the point of unbearable pain, and it's almost forgotten who it is."

Everyone fell silent. Only the sound of the wind rustling through the pine branches could be heard in the snow. The white deer lowered its head and gently nuzzled Ao Luya's arm, letting out a low growl as if to comfort her.

"But it's all right now." Ao Luya smiled, raising her hand to wipe the tears from the corner of her eyes. "It has merged with the white deer, the evil energy has dissipated, and it will never feel pain again. Even if no one remembers it anymore, even if no one prays for it anymore, it will still be the guardian of this forest. As long as this forest exists, it will continue to protect it."

All eyes were fixed on the white deer. Its fiery red eyes swept over the crowd, blinking gently, as if in response, or perhaps as a promise. A thousand years of protection, unchanged.

"Don't worry, we won't let it guard us for nothing." Lu Ye suddenly spoke up, shaking the walkie-talkie in his hand, his voice full of confidence.

"I made arrangements beforehand. Mr. Li is currently recovering in the hospital. Xiao Bu..."

Lu Ye suddenly remembered that Ao Luya Ye Zhuo Lao Gu didn't know President Li and Xiao Bu at all.

"My men, along with a few team members, followed at a distance in two heavily armored off-road vehicles. This guy brought all his equipment this time: a new industrial control computer, a brand-new large lighting and disaster relief drone, and more than fifty small drones. This is a tough battle, and drones will always come in handy."

As he spoke, he pointed towards the town entrance in the distance. Everyone looked in the direction he pointed and saw two black SUVs parked at the intersection. The windows were covered with dark explosion-proof film, and antennas and searchlights were mounted on the roofs. They waited quietly, like two beasts ready to pounce.

"Those assassins are most likely still nearby keeping watch. With Xiao Bu and the others following behind, they can provide early warnings and hold us off if we encounter any attacks," Lu Ye added. "I told Xiao Bu to maintain a two-kilometer distance between vehicles, keep in constant radio communication, and report any situation immediately."

Shen Xun nodded, offering no objection. He had witnessed Xiao Bu's composure in a crisis; that single-minded young man, when controlling the drone, possessed a strength that rivaled anyone else's.

"Let's not delay, let's set off now." Old Gu yanked open the pickup truck door. "Go to Xishan'ao, take the shortcut through the forest farm trail, it'll only take a few hours to get to the foot of the mountain. If we wait any longer, it'll get dark, and the mountain roads will be difficult to navigate."

Everyone responded and got into their respective cars.

Xiao Yuan didn't get on the car; he was going to follow the ambulance to escort the uncle to the forest farm.

Xiao Yuan ran over and hugged Ye Zhu tightly, then let go and returned to the ward without looking back.

Ye Zhuo watched his retreating figure: "Xiao Yuan, live well. Remember you were once a soldier. We'll find Su Jin with the Soul Control Talisman."

Xiao Yuan stopped, turned around, and smiled: "I understand, sister."

Old Gu suddenly turned to look at Shen Xun: "Shen Xun, that peach wood plaque you gave me got a bullet hole in it when we were by the river. There's still a bullet embedded in it. Can it help Xiao Yuan?"

Without hesitation, Shen Xun replied, "Yes, the peach wood tablet possesses the power of reincarnation. Although it's not much, it can alleviate the evil energy within him. This is one way."

Before Shen Xun could finish speaking, Old Gu jumped out of the car and ran towards Xiao Yuan. He took off the peach wood pendant from his neck and handed it to Xiao Yuan. His eyes narrowed into slits.

"This peach wood plaque was given to me by Shen Xun. It saved my life, and it can save yours too." After saying that, he patted Xiao Yuan on the shoulder and ran back to the car.

Xiao Yuan turned around and said thank you. His voice was very soft, and no one heard him, but he said it.

Shen Xun looked at the causal thread on Ye Zhuo's body that led deep into the hospital.

He already knew that Ye Zhuo was born here.

He didn't say anything.

I opened the car door and got in.

The evil energy of the forest farm has all flowed into the long evil energy belt from the Mohe River to the Xishan Valley.

The unusual activity in Xishan'ao intensified.

Suddenly, a gurgling sound reached everyone's ears.

Ao Luya, Ye Zhuo, and Lao Gu had all heard of it.

It was that ancient, primordial voice.

It's inside the white deer's body now.

"Su... Jin... west... Shan... Ao..."

Bai Lu spoke, and Lu Ye and Lin Jian stared wide-eyed, unable to believe their ears.

"Did you hear that? The white deer is talking!" Lu Ye shouted, looking at the white deer in the pickup truck bed.

"It now has two guardian deities. The guardian deity of the Greater Khingan Mountains," Ao Luya said to Lu Ye, sticking her head out of the pickup truck window.