Chapter 122: Entering the mountain, we encounter strange events; mysteriously see a Daoist temple (first update)

After Li Minghai and his group left, Sun Zhenbang looked disapprovingly at the village chief, "You're being too reckless; if a conflict really breaks out, you'll be the ones to suffer."

After all, Li Minghai's group had all the paperwork and superior documents, following regulations, but the villagers were obstructing them for no reason; if the situation worsened, they could even be detained.

After hearing Sun Zhenbang's words, the villagers stared dumbfounded and stammered:

"Is it really that serious? We just don't want these people going up the mountain."

The villagers were simple-hearted, wanting to protect Longyuan Mountain; they hadn't thought much about it, but even knowing the consequences, they would not regret it.

Sun Zhenbang nodded solemnly, "Very serious! But it's good you didn't act just now; otherwise, if they caught you red-handed, they'd definitely not let it go easily."

The village chief sighed, looking at the distant green mountains, filled with worry.

While Li Minghai and the others were talking, they didn't notice many faint beast eyes watching them from the shadows, which then dissipated into the forest.

"Yeah, could a Daoist temple in such a place even have incense? What were the people who built it thinking?"

Li Minghai surveyed the surroundings, "This place is not bad—there are mountains and water, plus a cemetery that can be developed; later we could turn it into a tourist spot, add some artificial scenery, and the popularity would surely be considerable."

Li Minghai waved his hand indifferently, "Forget it; it's not worth getting angry with these clueless villagers—we should focus on the real work."

With visibility dropping, their activity range shrank considerably; nobody dared wander off, sticking close to the main group to avoid falling behind.

This mountain covers a fairly large area; even a rough survey would require considerable effort.

Ye Qin activated his innate qi, countless hazy gases spreading from his body, causing resonance around him; a faint metallic ringing echoed in the air.

But he did have some connections; he quickly contacted the city authorities to explain the situation, see if there was any room for maneuver, or get them to shift their development target.

Li Minghai thought it over and found it reasonable; maybe later they could build a summer retreat nearby.

"This looks like a Daoist temple?"

"Mountain God, if you're truly spiritually aware, you must not let these people succeed."

"Besides, don't you find this fog a bit strange?"

"It turns out that group came to develop the area; judging by that, there should also be a related tourist spot set up near Zuo Ci's Tomb."

Watching Sun Zhenbang busily running around for this matter, both of them were utterly puzzled.

"Alright, I'll go talk to my superiors about this; wait for my word. If those people come again, definitely don't act rashly, but I can't guarantee the final outcome."

Suddenly, everyone felt a strange sense of dissonance—how could such a building exist deep in the old mountains? It simply defies common sense.

"Manager Li, this mountain really can't be developed or turned into a tourist zone; with all your money, you could easily pick another place."

"Officer Sun, you're reasonable; can you help us? We truly have no other ideas."

"Judging by the current situation, these people seem to have ill intentions."

The group tried to walk back, but no matter which way they went, the surroundings seemed unchanged, as if they were endlessly circling the same spot.

"Maybe the altitude is a bit high, causing a big temperature difference; cooler is nice, and summer makes it a great retreat."

"All we can do is our best and leave the rest to fate."

"By rights, developing a tourist area should be a good thing; why is Officer Sun opposing it?"

"……"

"There seems to be a house ahead; is anyone inside?"

Thin mist rose from eight different directions, pulling together to faintly form a Taiji Bagua diagram, with Ye Qin standing at the center of the formation.

Li Minghai and the others turned around, yet after a full circle they unknowingly ended up back where they started.

"It's settled; I've already told several leaders, and they all said it won't change. This is a major project the city approved recently, with a big corporation specially recruited to break ground—everything's ready, and it's not up to us."

"The regional planning for this part is basically done; the group continued deeper into the mountains, and without noticing, a light mist rose around them."

Sensing more information coming from the squirrel's mind, Ye Qin's gaze instantly turned ice‑cold; a chill rose, even affecting the surrounding air pressure.

"They actually still want to develop this place into a tourist spot?"

"The result was about what he expected; the city had already finalized this, the documents are out—how could it be changed by a few casual remarks?"

"We can't exactly tell the government that the mountain has a mountain god and can't be turned into a tourist spot, or else the god will get angry and cause unpredictable consequences, right?"

"Besides, this place is remote, deep in the mountains; even if such a building existed, few would know about it."

"Even if he didn't pay attention, the beasts all over the hills are like his extra eyes; any change in the forest is under his control."

"Many police also came to help, all unwilling to see Longyuan Mountain turned into a tourist spot, causing quite a stir; even the Zhou team and Bai Yanfei sent to investigate in Wu Du had heard about it."

"Earlier there were insect sounds, but now not a single noise can be heard—it's almost too quiet."

"Even the ground still bears survey marks, so they can be sure they were just here."

"After shouting several times, there was no movement inside, just as he hesitated whether to push the door open."

"Huh?"

"For such a big project, losing a day wastes a lot of money; added to the earlier quarrel, it's no wonder Li Minghai feels ill‑disposed toward these villagers."

Li Minghai furrowed his brow, scanning the surroundings; he indeed felt a sense of familiarity, "I hope we haven't gotten lost."

"These days they've been investigating here, and they've learned something about the area—the economy is indeed underdeveloped, so a big project like this would bring great benefits to the locality."

Sun Zhenbang gave a wry smile, "You don't understand; in short, other places can be developed, but this mountain must not be touched."

"As the fog thickened, insect chirps and bird calls gradually faded, leaving the surroundings utterly silent."

Seeing this, Li Minghai spoke up, "What's happening?"

"Looking at the vermilion plaque with several black characters, Li Minghai slowly read: 'Upper Purity Temple?'"

"Developing a scenic area could bring income to the locality, but the feng shui near Zuo Ci's Tomb is special; keeping it as is would naturally be best, yet once development breaks ground, destruction is inevitable—whether that's good or bad for nearby towns is hard to say."

"He had never heard of a Daoist temple on the mountain before, but the building before him was clearly there; perhaps it had been erected suddenly, so the local county government hadn't received any notice."

"The others exchanged bewildered glances, 'How strange—how could there be a Daoist temple here?'"

"The person at the front suddenly stopped."

"Hearing the reply from the other end of the phone, Sun Zhenbang's heart gradually sank to the depths."

"All that could be seen was the mist surging here, filled with profound and mysterious Daoist resonance, to the point that the interior scene was completely obscured, as if it had been assimilated into another dimension."

Now this mountain-protection grand formation is different from before; not only can it make people lose their way within it, but Ye Qin has also added something else to it.

The companions nearby couldn't help finding it a bit funny upon hearing it: 'Those villagers are just talking casually, trying to scare us—you wouldn't really believe them, would you?'

'I was just saying it casually; I only thought it was a bit of a coincidence.'

Saying it's difficult isn't really difficult, but saying it's simple isn't an easy matter either.

Li Minghai didn't take it to heart, and tried asking aloud: 'Is anyone inside?'

'How come it feels like we've walked this road before?'

'Aren't there such episodes in Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio? It says strange buildings appear in deep mountains and old forests, which are just mountain sprites transforming to confuse passersby.'

Because this place is in a remote area with difficult mountain roads, transporting those building materials and other items up here takes time.

'We started by going up this road, so how could we suddenly lose the way? Did we take a wrong turn?'

The vermilion big door was opened, and a deep, muffled sound startled everyone.

Looking at that gap, everyone was unsure what lay behind the door, and for a moment their nerves were stretched to the limit.

Having just looked at Li Minghai's documents and materials, the approvals from the county and city governments are all there, the seals have been stamped, it's a settled matter—not something easily changed.

'I can't just stand by and watch them barge into the Mountain God's territory; if the Mountain God finds out, he will surely fly into a rage—what if disaster strikes then, what should we do?'

'Manager Li, look at this area—we can retain most of its original appearance and environment, we could build a few alchemy rooms nearby for visitors to rest, while also commemorating Zuoci's life, and also demarcate this area.'

This news instantly buoyed the weary crowd: 'What are we waiting for? Let's hurry over and take a look—maybe we can even ask for directions.'

Only the sound of their steps on fallen leaves and their breathing could be heard, inexplicably making people feel a little anxious, as if isolated in another world.

If it were really developed into a tourist scenic area, Longyuan Mountain would certainly lose its present tranquility; the consequences would be unimaginable, and the villagers dare not even think of them.

Many native things in the mountains can be preserved, but adding certain buildings would make it impossible to let tourists come just to see this mountain.

The villagers have truly done their utmost for this matter; they only hope that if the Mountain God really becomes angry, it will not implicate Longyuan Village.

The village chief was about to kneel to Sun Zhenbang as he spoke.

But for some unknown reason, Professor Zhang this time had a faint, indescribable feeling in his heart.

'How come I suddenly feel a bit cold?'

Originally bright emerald green, with lush branches and leaves, the big trees were enveloped in mist, leaving only a faint outline; from afar they looked like unknown creatures, extending slender, twisted limbs.

Li Minghai nodded and said, 'This plan is not bad; we can work out the details when we go back.'

After saying that, Li Minghai sighed, also rather helplessly saying: 'Village chief, this matter is truly a good thing for your village—don't stand in the way; later, when your village prospers, you might even have to thank me.'

Sun Zhenbang naturally lacked the qualifications to meet the city's high officials, but he could approach the police bureau's leadership; he also contacted many people to help himself, yet the final feedback was not very satisfactory.

Only after several dozen people stepped into the mountains did a cool sensation hit them; greenery surrounded them everywhere, vitality visible all around, a faint fragrance came from the air, which instead made people feel refreshed and delighted.

In this situation of getting lost and fog arising, if one were to separate from the group, it would become even more dangerous when night falls.

White Bone cast a shadow, sitting cross-legged, with the left eye bearing a moon, one hand holding up the Shangqing Temple; mist also gathered around, wrapping White Bone, which from afar looked like a mass of indeterminate substance.

Ye Qin's White Bone origin also took shape, condensing beside it.

On another side, Professor Zhang also learned of this matter on the road; his gaze fell outside the car window, watching the scenery continually recede.

Sun Zhenbang repeatedly urged the villagers, and upon returning to the police bureau he immediately went to pull strings, seeking any possible solution.

His brows were tightly knit—not because he was unwilling to help, but because he was also powerless.

Li Minghai pondered for a moment and said: 'Just waiting here isn't a solution; let's keep looking—maybe we'll find a way out, and also keep an eye on whether the phone has a signal.'

Sun Zhenbang's voice sounded heavy: 'Is there no other way?'

The villagers were at their wit's end, only able to pin their hopes on Sun Zhenbang, since they had no power or influence and didn't know anyone.

When the mountain wind blew, these mists also began to drift, like invisible tendrils, further assimilating the surrounding environment and soon starting to spread outward.

By rights the villagers should be pleased, yet they all opposed it, which goes against common sense.

'We haven't taken a wrong turn; the compass points this way.'

'No, that's not right—the name Shangqing Temple sounds a bit familiar; I feel like I've heard it somewhere before.'

'Impossible—we're all following the compass direction; logically we shouldn't get lost, and if we really can't, we can try turning back along the original route.'

Captain Zhou and Bai Yanfei also didn't think much about it; even if they had ideas, it wouldn't be appropriate to voice them, and they still had their own matters to attend to.

Sun Zhenbang hurriedly helped the person up, saying: 'Village chief, what are you doing?'

Earlier, the two had already noticed that Sun Zhenbang's attitude toward this mountain was quite unusual, even extremely subtle, and he had dissuaded them when they first wanted to go investigate the case in the mountain.

As the saying goes, 'discuss business when discussing business'; now, as an animal, one naturally must consider oneself, and moreover this place is Ye Qin's envisioned future 'monster clan ancestral court'—how could it be so easily destroyed?

Having attained the Dao here and embarked on the path of cultivation, if even this great mountain cannot be protected, how can this karmic debt be repaid?

If this tourism project is completed, the local government will subsequently consider the actual situation and might even rebuild a road, who knows.

The people whispered among themselves, all feeling something odd, when suddenly someone seemed to think of something.

Although not superstitious, in such a situation it's hard not to indulge in wild imaginings.

Although the formation is still in its initial stage, it already possesses a certain degree of the miraculous!

If Sun Zhenbang really said that, his position would likely be finished, and even the police bureau might be implicated.

'Do you still remember that bunch of mysterious villagers who said there's a Mountain God on the mountain, and that our rash entry would disturb it?'

By contrast, Li Minghai and the others were feeling elated.

A bad premonition rose in everyone's hearts.

After the blueprints were divided out, there was a rough regional building plan; then the construction crew would enter the site. Earlier, Li Minghai and others had estimated that the whole project would take about half a year or nearly a year to complete.

Li Minghai led many people up the mountain again; the villagers, having heard Sun Zhenbang's admonition, did not obstruct them, merely watching them silently from the side with somewhat heavy expressions.

'Mountain God, it's all our inadequacy—we can't protect Longyuan Mountain well; you are magnanimous, please do not get angry.'

Professor Zhang sighed, but this wasn't his concern; local affairs were not something he had the qualifications to intervene in, lest people gossip.

The crowd didn't take it to heart, changed direction, and continued onward.

Other villagers also followed behind the village chief, maintaining the same actions; their demeanor and conduct were utterly devout to the extreme, yet they wore worried, frown-filled faces.

Nobody knew how long they had walked, and just as they were exhausted, a faint outline of a building could be seen in the gray mist.

If they got lost in the mountains, it would be troublesome, and nobody could spare the effort to continue surveying; the urgent priority was to find the right direction.

The surveying engineering team beside him also nodded, saying, "I think the surrounding terrain is still quite complex; we need to divide the area for further surveying."

"If that's the case, then don't blame me for being impolite; this is a good chance to test the improved innate formation and see how effective it is."

A small squirrel came dashing from not far away, chattering something, bringing a bit of liveliness to this quiet place.

The village chief had a serious expression, not at all joking, "There's a mountain god in this mountain! If you rush in, you'll disturb him!"

"If it's a Daoist temple, it should be a more sacred place, so those mountain wild spirits shouldn't be able to cause trouble."

But no matter what, Sun Zhenbang must give it his all even if the road ahead is difficult.

"Creak—"

Other villagers also chimed in, "As long as we can protect the great mountain and stop them from developing that tourist attraction, we'll accept any cost."

Such things are not uncommon; many scenic spots use graves as a gimmick to attract tourists for sightseeing and check‑ins.

Compared to the bustling outskirts, countless small animals dart through the forest here, making it relatively quiet, with almost no trace of animal presence, as if they fear disturbing something.

"Officer Sun, please help us."

The squirrel didn't understand the meaning of those words, but he could comprehend,

Ye Qin's temper has always been fine, and after cultivating immortality he became even more tranquil, but that doesn't mean he has no temper. His snake‑like eyes narrowed into a dangerous vertical line, and a faint green light glowed like two wisps of ghostly fire.

"This mist is too thick, isn't it?"

Both emotionally and rationally, this must not be allowed to happen.

Someone spoke up, scratching his head in confusion, and the people nearby indeed shook their heads, because they weren't locals and therefore didn't understand.

The mist wasn't obvious; it merely lay thinly over the greenery, and from afar it looked like a gauzy veil.

"We must have taken a wrong turn."

At this moment they still didn't know what would happen next, and were still planning their future blueprint.

After all, this mountain god's shrine still has its own incense offerings.

Ye Qin's gaze drifted to the distance, slightly displeased, "How come people are showing up again?"

Li Minghai and the others quickened their pace, heading into the deep mist, and as they approached, the buildings not far ahead became clearer.

"I told you earlier you couldn't change it, wasting so much of my time; if you weren't blocking me here, I'd have finished these days' work drawings by now."

He had wanted to pull out his phone to contact those above and below, but the signal was spotty, "Now we're probably lost—there's no signal here, and we can't make a call."

They had originally planned to go into the mountain for surveying a few days earlier, to draw a rough map and define the scope, but this delay meant they only just entered the mountain now.

The mist around them grew thicker, the light grew dimmer, the bright spots on the ground kept shrinking, and as the mist expanded its domain, even the last glimmer of light was swallowed.

The village chief's look at Li Minghai lost its former hostility and was filled with pleading.

"Old Brother Sun, it's not that I don't want to help you, but this can't be changed; the city also values that plot, the leaders have already held meetings about it, and if we suddenly change it, it probably won't work." Personnel from other departments in the system called, their tone helpless.

The eaves were antiquated, the wooden columns vermilion, a building full of Chinese style, extremely elegant and refined, and the tiles looked new, as if it had just been built.

A gust of wind suddenly blew, making the surrounding leaves rustle with a sound like sobbing, as if weeping and lamenting.

In the deep center, the surrounding flora grew so lush it blocked the sky, making one feel as if placed in some ancient ocean.

"What a nervous lot—what era is this, still playing with such nonsense?"

Li Minghai frowned slightly, "The more you talk, the more absurd it gets—there's no such thing as mountain spirits or monsters; you're just scaring yourselves."

Sun Zhenbang was still running around for the development of Longyuan Mountain; he had been a police officer for many years, diligent and law‑abiding, never taking bribes.

Li Minghai and his companions are all atheists, utterly disbelieving in the so‑called mountain god legend, "Don't try to scare us with mountain god talk."

Some of the companions asked, puzzled, "Professor, what's the pity?"

"What a pity."

"Mountain‑Protecting Grand Formation, activate!"

It felt as if they had arrived at the time when chaos first split open and heaven and earth had not yet been divided.

The mountain light was dim, all around were large plants; at first glance there seemed no difference, and in their eyes the trees looked much alike, so taking a wrong path wouldn't be surprising.

Li Minghai dismissed it, "If force doesn't work, try the soft approach—are you trying to play the emotion card? I tell you, it won't work on me; no matter how you describe the heavenly flower's demise, this project will go on."

Sun Zhenbang understood the village chief's worries; after experiencing so much, though he didn't say it outright, he deep down already believed somewhat in the mountain god's existence.

Those nearby also chimed in, "It's not like that—clearly what we're doing is a good thing, yet we make it seem like we're harming them; these people really don't know gratitude, must be that poor places are superstitious."

Ye Qin has recently been immersed in studying formations here, and hasn't paid much attention to outside affairs.

Watching Li Minghai's group walk away, the village chief and others let out a soft sigh, as if atoning, and respectfully bowed toward the nearby green hills.

That also made some sense; after a brief rest they continued on, but to add insult to injury, they couldn't find the road and the mist only grew larger.

Some things cannot be changed by human effort; no matter how Sun Zhenbang or the villagers protest upward, the outcome cannot be altered.

An engineer beside them was explaining things to Li Minghai, while the others carried out their work in an orderly manner.

Now they still have quite a few people; even if there were medium‑sized carnivores around, they wouldn't dare act rashly, but if someone were alone, it's uncertain.

He paused, Sun Zhenbang took a deep breath, "If we move, something will definitely happen!"

Besides this issue, the main problem is implementing the construction plan on the mountain.

The great mountain is nature's work; arbitrarily altering its ecology by humans might benefit people, but for the animals living in the mountain, it brings no benefit at all.

A few engineers surveyed the surroundings, feeling an inexplicable sense of familiarity, and couldn't help scratching their heads, "We just walked through here a moment ago, didn't we?"

Although the wind wasn't strong, Li Minghai felt a piercing chill, raising goosebumps on his arms, and he couldn't help rubbing them.

"All right, thank you."

Li Minghai glanced back, saw the villagers' act of worshiping the mountain, and couldn't help chuckling.

"We went southwest before; this time let's set out from the southeast."

The next moment, a slender figure stepped out from within, head lowered, possibly because a hairpin wasn't fastened properly, letting her hair hang down and making her face even harder to see.

But although wearing a Daoist robe, the figure is thin, as if a gust of wind could blow them over.

It turns out to be a female Daoist?