Time moves incredibly slowly, and the upward digging is even more difficult. It took more than a dozen bamboo rats to become damaged bamboo baskets, barely able to penetrate the surface rock of the cave wall.
After that, it became much easier to dig. A vertical passage soon appeared in sight, leading upwards.
I climbed out of the passage with Tenomi, and we were on a slope just above Kato Temple.
The forest was thick and dense, with the shrubbery providing even better concealment.
At this time, it was dark.
This is definitely not the night of our first night up the mountain, at least two days have passed.
I think this is already quite fast, it could even be three days…
The direction pointed out by Old Gong was slightly inclined, so we did not end up above the mausoleum passage, but directly above the main hall.
"Shh..." Tenomi made a gesture of silence and looked down with caution.
With a single glance, I could already tell something was amiss.
Kato Temple itself seems to occupy a circular area, with one corner extending out to form an abrupt block, which is where the tomb passage is located.
There were about twenty monks surrounding that place, it seems like they were waiting for something.
I think... they might be waiting for me and Tenomi.
Since the twin monks are from Kato Temple, their goal is something within the High Heaven Daoist Monastery. This means the entire Kato Temple has a goal!
Old Zhu digs a pit for himself, and the Ghost Yang Ji also gets into trouble through no fault of his own.
Old Gong's previous divination was incredibly accurate.
This is indeed nine to one survival, as for that auspicious sign...
I can't say for sure if it counts as auspicious...
The Four Rules Bright Mirror was destroyed.
Even if I bring out the copper staff, how does its effectiveness compare to the Four Rules Bright Mirror?
What's important is that the Four Rules Bright Mirror is a treasure of the Four Rules Mountain, while I have learned the True Law of the Four Rules. As my Daoist practice deepens, I will always be able to use it.
The copper staff is just a piece of sharp weaponry; its subsequent effects can't compare to those of the Four Rules Bright Mirror...
That's roughly even, and maybe I even took a loss.
However, I learned a lot about my parents, and there's even a possibility that I discovered the secret that Old Qin has been searching for all these years...
This is a win.
There's another thing, did the Ghost Yang bring out many books?
He clearly told us that books couldn't be brought out...
My mind was extra agile, and suddenly I thought of a possibility!
The layer with books was where many officials died. I think it's very likely that those people did not die because they brought books illegally.
It might be my parents, and Ghost Yang Jin's intention!
After they died, there might have been some changes. Ghost Yang Jin revisited the place and retrieved their souls, simultaneously taking the books!
Before, Ghost Yang Jin had said something that resembled a last will!
Just right to prove it!
"Master... Don't daze yourself, it's time to go…" Old Gong called me with great care.
I pulled myself together and walked with Tenomi to a more concealed direction.
We didn't dare to descend from the village direction, so we detoured for a long way and completely left the range of Harimura Village before descending down a small path.
At this moment, me and Tenomi were indeed a bit pitiful.
After leaving the tomb passage within Kato Temple's grounds, we didn't dare to relax our vigilance. Now that we've relaxed, both of our faces are extremely pale.
It's mainly the pain, the pain from the damaged parts of my palm.
The backlash brought by the Four Rules Bright Mirror is too strong. Even Tenomi, who's not a Daoist, used it once.
Besides that, the rest of my body is fine, with no injuries at all.
Seeing Tenomi in such a state, I felt genuinely heartbroken.
But this situation was unavoidable.
It's too close to Harimura Village, so we dare not enter places with villages or towns. Fortunately, Old Gong knows the way and led us to a national highway.
Half an hour later, we managed to stop a car. The driver was a kind-hearted middle-aged uncle who was quite startled by our pitiful appearance.
I explained first, saying we were hikers who encountered an accident on the mountain, nearly falling off a cliff. We managed to grab some vines, but our hands were injured.
As for the copper staff, I didn't explain anything; I just held it tightly in my hand.
Tenomi pursed her lips, looking pitiful.
The driver's eyebrows were furrowed continuously, telling us to get in the car and drive straight to the city center, saying he would take us to the hospital. After that, he advised us with great care that we young people liked excitement, and there was nothing fun in the wild.
Fortunately, we were just lucky to escape with minor injuries to our hands. What if we hadn't grabbed the vines? We would have been thrown into the wilderness.
I nodded repeatedly.
Tenomi seemed tired, leaning on my shoulder and falling asleep heavily...
When we arrived at the hospital, the kind-hearted driver wanted to help us hang out in the emergency room. I repeatedly thanked him and refused, Tenomi wanted to give him money, but he waved his hand and refused. He said that when traveling, everyone wants to encounter someone who can extend a helping hand when needed, and money is absolutely not to be taken.
Old Gong kept staring at the driver, but he pursed his lips and shook his head continuously.
This made me feel slightly uncomfortable.
"Old Gong, what's wrong?" I asked.
"Ah?" The driver looked at me in surprise.
Tenomi seemed a bit embarrassed, and quickly took my arm again, whispering an explanation, "That's how we usually refer to him."
"Uh..." The driver gently rubbed his head, smiled again, and reminded us not to act so impulsively in the future before getting ready to board the car.
During this period, Old Gong whispered to me.
I lifted my head directly and stared at the driver's back, saying, "Brother, if there's no problem, you can go home now. If you have any friends, make sure to block their doors."
"There are people at your house."
The driver immediately turned around and looked at me with an extremely surprised expression.
"Little brother, what are you saying?"
"I'm not saying anything, just telling you to go home and check. You're a good person, even if good people don't get good rewards, you shouldn't be kept in the dark." I exhaled a mouthful of stale air.
"……” The driver was completely baffled.
Old Gong's head shot up, landing next to the driver's shoulder.
He shouted in a high-pitched voice, "Your wife is cheating on you, brother! You're being cheated on!"
Of course, the driver still didn't react; he couldn't hear what Old Gong said.
"Come, Tenomi," I took Tenomi's hand, turned around, and walked into the hospital.
"These days' kids... Their speech is so strange, what's with being kept in the dark?"
I glanced at the driver who got into the car and drove away.
"He... should go home, right?" Tenomi looked a bit unwilling.
Actually, Tenomi had also heard everything Old Gong had said earlier.
At this time, her face looked complex and melancholic.
I felt uncomfortable in my heart as well.
Old Gong, on the other hand, was mumbling, implying that he had said what he needed to say. It was up to the driver. He had just been in the right place at the right time to encounter us and considered himself lucky. Otherwise, he would be working hard to earn money for his wife while others spent it.
I and Tenomi were silent.
After they bandaged their hands, the sky gradually brightened, and Old Gong disappeared.
After leaving the hospital, we found a nearby hotel to rest.
To ensure safety, the two of us stayed in a double room.
I took out the damaged Four Rules Bright Mirror and placed it on the table near the window, feeling a mix of complexity and regret. This artifact had been with me for so long that I had developed some feelings for it.
However, the extent of the mirror's damage was too great, making it unlikely to be repaired.
Just then, my phone rang.
I didn't think much of it at first, but seeing that the caller was Old Zhu's number, it made my heart suddenly tighten, and my face changed slightly.
"Tenomi, call your dad, quickly!" Without answering the phone, I immediately looked at Tenomi and warned her in a low voice!
