Chapter 30

Chapter 30

“I won’t kill you today.” Mo Chen rarely bothered to explain himself, but he suspected that if he didn’t, Yun Jianyue would resume hacking at him the moment he let go and wouldn’t stop until he was dead.

Yun Jianyue fell silent for a second, then replied brightly, “Really? I don’t believe you.”

Mo Chen lapsed into a grim silence. His gaze fell on the chainsaw still grinding noisily away. With the slightest release of Evil God’s Power, he destroyed it beyond repair.

Mo Chen casually tossed the chainsaw aside and released Yun Jianyue. “Believe whatever you want.”

Seeing her beloved little chainsaw ruined just like that made Yun Jianyue’s heart ache. She glared at Mo Chen and snarled, “Pay up!”

Zhou Benxin discreetly pulled out his phone, intending to call the police. This senior of his seemed dangerously close to landing herself behind bars. She had attacked someone with a chainsaw, and after he destroyed it, she was even demanding compensation from him.

Even a bandit wasn’t as terrifying as her.

Beside them, every hair on Fang Lin’an’s body stood on end. If he hadn’t mistaken the energy fluctuation he’d sensed from this man just now, that had been Evil God’s Power!

In all his years, this was Fang Lin’an’s first time seeing a living Evil God.

He had previously traveled far and wide with his master and encountered many weak Evil Gods. Perhaps because they had only recently come into existence, they had been just slightly stronger than malevolent ghosts and weren’t particularly formidable.

But the one before him had leaked only a trace of his power, and Fang Lin’an’s legs were already trembling. Every instinct in his body urged him to kneel and submit.

This man had to be a Great Evil God who had lived for at least a thousand years!

Fang Lin’an quietly took out his phone and sent a message to his dear Junior Martial Uncle, Si Wuming: Junior Martial Uncle, Chongguang Mountain Daoist Temple. Great Evil God. Save me, quick!

Mo Chen’s fathomless eyes remained fixed on Yun Jianyue’s pale palm, as though he were considering how to break her hand in the most artistic manner possible.

“Darling, forget it. A little fairy like you shouldn’t stoop to his level.” Lu Changxue had sensed that wisp of Evil God’s Power as well. Her ghostly instincts warned her not to provoke this man, so she hurriedly tried to dissuade Yun Jianyue.

Yun Jianyue resentfully withdrew her hand. “By the way, I still don’t know your name, hubby. Or would you rather I keep calling you hubby?”

“Mo Chen.”

The Evil God gave his name without hesitation, as though the word “hubby” were some extraordinary incantation that would scatter his soul if Yun Jianyue uttered it one more time.

Once she was certain Mo Chen wouldn’t attack her, Yun Jianyue ignored him outright. She turned and led Fang Lin’an and Zhou Benxin into the temple.

There were no tourists left in the Chongguang Mountain Daoist Temple. Most had descended the mountain that afternoon. Only two young Daoist acolytes remained, diligently sweeping the entrance with brooms taller than they were.

“Honored patrons, we are about to close. Please hurry down the mountain. It isn’t safe here after dark.” One of the acolytes, who looked only eleven or twelve, gave the three of them a solemn bow.

Fang Lin’an introduced himself. “I am Fang Lin’an, the eleventh disciple of Sect Master Lu of the Lingxi Sect. I have come on urgent business. Could I trouble you to inform Martial Uncle Chu?”

Those in the metaphysics community generally stood together and frequently helped one another, so they naturally knew their counterparts’ identities.

Upon hearing that Fang Lin’an belonged to the Lingxi Sect, the young acolyte saluted him as a peer, then turned and went to find Daoist Chu.

Daoist Chu had served at the Chongguang Mountain Daoist Temple for many years, so he naturally had the authority to let them stay the night.

“So you’re Old Man Lu’s disciple. Come in, Martial Nephew. Whatever it is, we can discuss it inside.” Daoist Chu was in his fifties, but he was hale and hearty, with a build as robust as a man in his thirties or forties.
Fang Lin’an explained why they had come, and Daoist Chu’s gaze settled on Zhou Benxin.

He counted on his fingers, then peered intently at Zhou Benxin. Sure enough, black qi coiled around him, and the space between his brows was dark. He bore all the signs of impending death.

“Our temple does still house several hundred Doppelgangers, but the newest ones were placed here thirteen years ago. Hardly anyone goes into that room anymore, and it’s in a rather secluded part of the temple. Come with me, young friends.”

Daoist Chu led the three of them deeper into the temple. When Yun Jianyue glanced back, she discovered Mo Chen following at an unhurried pace, neither too close nor too far away.

“What are you doing?” Yun Jianyue asked Mo Chen.

Everyone turned to look at her in confusion. Zhou Benxin asked blankly, “Senior, who are you talking to?”

“That man from earlier,” Yun Jianyue replied.

Zhou Benxin frowned. “Didn’t he leave at the entrance? Senior, don’t tell me you’ve run into a ghost.”

Only then did Yun Jianyue realize that no one else could see Mo Chen. The bastard must have used some kind of trick.

This was a Daoist temple, filled with people versed in the occult, yet this piece of shit still dared to follow them in. He certainly had guts.

“I suppose the skilled really are fearless,” Yun Jianyue muttered, glancing at Mo Chen again.

Mo Chen seemed to hear her. His lips curled into a smug smile.

After following Daoist Chu for over ten minutes, they arrived at a small room sealed beneath years of dust. It clearly hadn’t been cleaned in ages. The moment Daoist Chu pushed open the door, choking dust billowed everywhere. They hurriedly covered their mouths and noses, but still broke into fits of coughing.

Only after the dust settled did Daoist Chu lead them inside.

The stench of rotting wood hit them the moment they entered.

Nearly a thousand wooden figures stood crammed into the room, each as tall as a child. In the dim light, they looked at first glance like hundreds of pitch-black children standing inside.

A chill crawled down Zhou Benxin’s spine. He whispered to Yun Jianyue, “Why does it feel so cold in here?”

It was October, and the lingering autumn heat was sweltering, yet the room was at least ten degrees colder than outside.

Daoist Chu said, “I don’t know where this young friend’s Doppelganger was placed. Let us split up and search.”

Written along the base of the wall behind each Doppelganger were its name and birth details, each set corresponding to a specific wooden figure.

Everyone spread out and began searching for Zhou Benxin’s Doppelganger. Lu Changxue remained hidden inside the jade pendant the entire time, unwilling to frighten Daoist Chu.

A few minutes later, Fang Lin’an called out, “Over here, quickly!”

Everyone rushed over. Among the row of Doppelganger figures in front of Fang Lin’an, one spot stood eerily empty.

And on the wall behind that empty space were Zhou Benxin’s name and birth details!

Zhou Benxin’s Doppelganger was gone!

“This is bad.” Daoist Chu’s brow furrowed tightly as he hurriedly ushered everyone outside. “Leave this room first. Stay overnight at the temple. I’ll take my disciples and search the grounds to see if we can find Young Friend Zhou’s Doppelganger. Young Friend Zhou, remember this: stay with these two young friends tonight. Do not go anywhere alone.”

Zhou Benxin’s legs felt weak. Despite being a strapping man nearly six feet tall, his voice came out feeble. “What if you can’t find it?”

Fang Lin’an looked at Zhou Benxin gravely. “If they can’t find it, you’d better hurry up and prepare a coffin for yourself. At least then they’ll have an intact body to bury.”