Chapter 133: Terrifying Official Members, Clues About the Mountain God (

After the meeting, the members of the Bureau immediately sprang into action.

"You say the online rumors are so mysterious; could there really be nothing to them?"

The speaker was a girl with a neat, short haircut, looking energetic and capable, but her baby face added a touch of cuteness.

Women are few in the Bureau; those who get in have real skill. Yao Ruotong looks young, but she does have some ability.

Xu Tiancheng smiled and shrugged it off: "We've handled so many special incidents before; which one was real? Those ghost stories are just hearsay, scaring ourselves."

Others nodded in agreement, saying, "That's quite right."

The village chief was somewhat startled, never expecting that recent events would even alarm the state, which dispatched such a special department.

"Almost done; wait a few more days, enlighten these little beasts, then go out to roam the mountains."

Xu Tiancheng sharply sensed something off around them: "Do you feel the temperature suddenly rising?"

Going out to roam is just like going on a trip; after a while, one still has to return home to rest and seclude oneself.

"We're lost."

It seems as if some unseen force is controlling everything!

Looking at the sudden appearance of a small path ahead, Wang Xuehao and the others felt dazed, as if under an illusion.

But if the Mountain God gets angry, it certainly won't be just this minor external injury; they'd be as dead as the previous criminals.

Xu Tiancheng's arm was accidentally struck, and a scorched smell drifted in the air.

Just leaving like that definitely won't do, since the mission isn't done, but recklessly charging into the mountain also won't work; we should plan carefully.

They chatted a bit about it, but because time was pressing, they didn't say much more.

They had handled many things, but never anything like what the village chief described, full of miraculous color.

Upon learning they wanted to go up the mountain, the village chief's expression turned odd: "All the visitors who went before had accidents; if you go, you'll likely encounter danger."

But he couldn't just leave, for this place is his root, the future ancestral ground of the demon ancestor, and it's not like he won't come back later.

Looking around, aside from those excessively tall plants, there was temporarily no other new discovery; as they went deeper, the surroundings seemed unchanged.

Xu Tiancheng panted heavily: "Everything was fine—how did we suddenly get struck by thunder? Could it be that the local geology is special, with a magnetic field that draws lightning?"

"Captain, hearing advice to eat a full meal..."

For a moment, everyone lacked a clear sense of certainty.

Wang Xuehao nodded: "We've also heard about this; we'll later investigate the relevant personnel."

The next morning, Wang Xuehao and the others bade farewell to the village chief.

These past days have worn him out, but most of it was mental strain; treating physical injuries was a first for him.

Having previously been struck by lightning, now they were burned; even copper skin and iron bones couldn't withstand it, and the Bureau members were covered in wounds big and small—utterly miserable.

To say something unpleasant, this is just feudal superstition.

After a moment of silence, Wang Xuehao shook his head and said, "It probably doesn't exist, but there definitely is some special energy; this is rather troublesome..."

Before they'd handled similar things, but none were like this village, where everyone up and down shared the same belief, as if they'd been fed a bewitching soup.

The Bureau members felt like they were facing a formidable foe; even if they were skilled, the lightning was too dense.

"It's a thermite bomb! Everyone be careful!"

The rest is up to those animals' own fate.

A villager was making sarcastic remarks on the side; after the village chief glared at him twice, he shook his head and left, leaving the Bureau members helpless.

Thunder crashed, deafening.

After walking further, a mountain breeze gradually blew in, but instead of coolness it brought a kind of dry heat; the air temperature kept rising, and soon beads of fine sweat appeared on their foreheads.

They had no intention of acting rashly; according to the latest information, they soon arrived at Longyuan Village and went straight to the village chief's home.

The Bureau members were relatively calm, since handling such special matters wasn't their first time; they'd dealt with similar tasks before, so they were experienced.

Although they were in a remote place with spotty news, the village chief had traveled far and wide in his youth and gained considerable experience, yet he had never heard of such a department.

The visitors who had gone up the mountain before hadn't experienced this either; could there have been some major change in the mountains?

Or perhaps the Mountain God, angered by continual disturbances, finally flew into a rage?

"However, it seems someone else has come again—this time perhaps people from the human state?"

Wang Xuehao directly stated his purpose and presented his credentials.

Moreover, that white bone is still here, so Ye Qin doesn't want anyone to come disturb Longyuan Mountain recklessly after he leaves, hence this arrangement.

What's wrong with these people? Did they get bitten by dogs upon entering the mountain?

Wu Yuan felt curious and hurriedly welcomed the people inside.

The Bureau members weren't impressed; those were just ordinary people, incomparable to them, and even the toughest situations they could handle.

Everyone followed Wang Xuehao's gaze; the mountains stretched endlessly, as if hiding endless mysteries, and they all simultaneously recalled their daytime experiences.

"Take a look—these days Old Wu has made a fortune, as most people coming out of the mountain seek his treatment."

Passing villagers whispered, shaking their heads and sighing, thinking these people were fools, idly wondering why they'd want to go into this mountain—what good could it bring?

Yao Ruotong shook her head: "I don't mean that; I just feel we can't fully believe nor fully disbelieve—maybe there are some clues in here."

"We are a special department specially established by the state, dedicated to handling certain special incidents; we normally don't appear in the public eye."

Wu Yuan was drying herbs in the courtyard when he saw the group arrive; he was instantly astonished, thinking silently that they'd come to deliver money again.

Evil-doers must be slain; the unintentional shall be punished.

"Besides, we've seen our share of great winds and waves."

"These are warnings from the Mountain God; the Mountain God distinguishes right from wrong and won't strike at good people, but if you insist on disturbing him, it definitely won't be this simple."

Other teammates also noticed the difference; Yao Ruotong frowned and said, "In the mountains, high altitude should mean low temperature—why is it rising instead of falling?"

"Tsk tsk, too horrible to look at—this bunch of idiots just won't listen to advice."

Xu Tiancheng opened his mouth as if to argue, but recalling their strange encounters in the forest, he fell silent again.

Everyone was somewhat surprised; they were experienced, had plenty of outdoor experience, and even in such deep mountains and old forests, they handled things with ease.

……

"That's right."

Some things cannot be too absolute; the world is vast, and perhaps some mysterious power truly exists.

"Village chief, do you have any medical supplies here?"

"Don't worry, we specialize in handling these matters; we have experience and will definitely not cause any problems."

Not only him, the other members of the 749 Bureau are the same.

The helicopter stopped in an open area; this place is remote, sparsely populated, and not likely to draw public attention.

Continuing to train in these deep mountains and old forests is unnecessary; it provides no benefit to one's cultivation level.

"Retreat immediately."

The village chief hesitated a moment, then decided to ask: "Leader, what did you encounter in the mountains?"

The grand formation has now been perfected; for the animals here, an additional layer of solid protection has been added invisibly.

Therefore, after the formation's upgrade, it cannot be spoken of in the same breath as before; compared to the earlier illusion and mist, which only had the effects of trapping and bewildering people, the formation now contains lethal means, with extraordinary power.

It seems that as long as one leaves the mountains and forests, those strange things won't happen; after finally arriving at the village, there is actually a feeling of being reborn.

However, they are ultimately not scientists and cannot analyze anything; they plan to return and report it, leaving it to professionals to answer.

Wang Xuehao was explaining the upcoming action plan.

Not far from Longyuan Mountain came a tremendous rumbling sound.

……

The other teammates hurriedly asked: "Tiancheng, are you alright?"

"Actually, something similar happened before; earlier they wanted to develop a project here, but it fell through after offending the Mountain God, and the incident caused quite a stir."

"Continue forward."

Seeing that the sky was gradually getting dark, the 749 Bureau personnel planned to rest in the village for the night before making further plans.

"The trees here seem to grow taller than anywhere else."

"How did you get here?"

The village chief and Wu Yuan, among others, kept guessing, but they had no definite answer in mind.

"Captain, we can't find you; we're worried something might happen to you."

He slowly entered the village, and happened to see the village chief and the 749 Bureau people by the roadside, so he went over to chat.

To leave now without having found anything would be wasting all previous effort; Wang Xuehao fell into contemplation.

White mist mixed with many golden threads, plus numerous sparks and purple lightning, seeped into the land, quickly merging with the formation.

Beside her, Yao Ruotong felt the same: "But don't you think what he says is reasonable and well‑grounded, with strong logic? It shouldn't be just random nonsense."

Just like today, their originally firm notions in their minds have begun to waver; that force in the mountains and forests is fundamentally not an ordinary natural phenomenon.

After hearing his account, the 749 Bureau personnel looked at each other, feeling as if they were listening to an absurd story.

The 749 Bureau people only felt something strange; the odd terrain, even the temperature was somewhat abnormal, and soon sweat soaked their clothes.

The members of the 749 Bureau were whispering to each other; from their attitude, they did not believe what the village chief said.

Xu Tiancheng couldn't help lowering his voice: "The more I listen, the more mysterious it feels; it's like hearing a story. This village chief looks educated—how could he say such things?"

Everyone watched the sunset sink completely behind the green mountains; nightfall spread, and no one spoke again.

Since the on‑site investigation up the mountain is not feasible, they plan to approach from another angle, investigating everyone who previously had ties to this great mountain; they will surely find different clues.

"They might not be lying, but subjective factors could be influencing them, causing some exaggeration."

"Captain, is it really as exaggerated as they say? We've handled so many things, yet we've never encountered a situation like this."

Just a moment ago, he upgraded the formation again.

According to the data held by the Bureau, the villagers live at the mountain foot and know the situation of Longyuan Mountain best; moreover, the legend of the Mountain God originally spread from them.

A purple arc of electricity sliced through the air; before one could say "slow," it struck close to the crowd, instantly startling them.

According to their usual character, if the first exploration wasn't successful, they would definitely go again; however, the village chief's words make sense.

The 749 Bureau personnel have handled so many cases, which also involved many mountain spirits and monsters, but in the end all were proven nonexistent.

If it had been at the beginning, the 749 Bureau people would surely have scoffed at this claim, but now their views have subtly changed.

"We have indeed encountered some strange things in the mountains; could you two help analyze whether this has happened before?"

This strange attire naturally also caught their attention early on.

That night, the 749 Bureau people were destined to toss and turn.

Xu Tiancheng felt somewhat helpless: "Captain, these villagers are too superstitious; we also went to look at that shrine and found nothing abnormal."

Just as they were advancing, the originally dim light suddenly became somewhat glaring, and a wave of heat came from above.

Moreover, they had only just stepped in, still on the outer perimeter; how could they possibly lose their direction so quickly?

In the depths of the mist, Ye Qin slowly opened his eyes; his beast pupils were filled with supreme majesty.

As long as they stay in the mountains and forests to cultivate, without running out to cause trouble, hardly anyone can disturb them.

Looking at their IDs, the village chief was somewhat taken aback: "National Secrets Bureau 749? Does such a department exist? You guys wouldn't be frauds, would you?"

The 749 Bureau personnel swiftly descended from the helicopter.

Regardless of whether this place is special or there is another reason, we cannot act so rashly.

Upon just entering the deep mountains, a chill blew over us, the surrounding light grew dim, as if we had entered another world.

But now we can't worry about that; we immediately issued the order.

No one expected that such an ordinary operation would involve so many extraordinary matters; however, all this is merely the beginning.

The 749 Bureau personnel hurriedly retreated toward the northwest; after running half a day, the thunder and lightning gradually subsided.

I don't even know if they will ever get to become demons.

What era is this? How could there still be a Mountain God?

The thunder grew closer and closer, seeming to come from between the mountains.

This so-called leaving the mountain is no longer just wandering around Wu Du, this novice village; instead, they plan to go farther, to travel around the whole country for some tempering.

When they gathered, a helicopter was already parked on the open grassland, and Wang Xuehao had been waiting for a while.

The place with the highest terrain is precisely the center of the formation.

The village head was somewhat surprised, even thinking they had given up, and instantly felt a bit delighted: "You guys aren't planning to continue the investigation, are you?"

"Understood."

Everyone continued onward, unknowingly a layer of hazy mist rose around them, further affecting their vision.

Many people were injured.

¤￠o

Actually, this road has always been near them, but their eyes seem to be blocked by some mysterious power, causing them to lose direction and unable to see the road clearly!

With his shout, everyone reacted quickly and ran to the side.

After all, with his current Cultivation Level, facing humans, as long as he is careful and avoids key military sites, he already has enough ability to protect himself.

Xu Tiancheng nodded, "Ruo Tong makes a lot of sense; we shouldn't look at things from only one angle."

"I remember when we first entered the mountain, the weather was still quite clear; how did it suddenly change?"

Whether or not it's as miraculous as the village head and online rumors say, they'll know as soon as they go—after all, seeing is believing, hearing is false.

Otherwise, if they harbor even a little malice, it won't be that simple—the power of the formation will automatically increase as well.

This is precisely an old Daoist from the Supreme Clarity Temple, who earlier heard Li Minghai and others say there was a Daoist temple in the mountains exactly like the Supreme Clarity Temple, and so came out of admiration.

Wang Xuehao and his group were also unlucky; they just happened to run into Ye Qin upgrading his formation, which led to this encounter—being swept over by lethal tactics, but fortunately there was no danger to life, just a minor punishment serving as a warning, which could be considered a fortunate misfortune.

Ye Qin did this because he recently planned to officially leave the mountain.

Although there were plants blocking the view in the mountains, plus the mist swirling around, they could still barely see the sunny weather outside, with no clouds at all.

"Ordinary greenery simply couldn't grow to this height."

The village head nodded, sizing up the Daoist, and asked, "Daoist, what brings you here?"

The trees that blotted out the sky made one feel as if in an ancient forest, and the members of the 749 Bureau keenly sensed that something was off.

Xu Tiancheng couldn't help but say, "Could it be that this mountain actually has a Mountain God?"

Wang Xuehao directly stated his purpose: "We came this time specifically to deal with Longyuan Mountain."

After arriving at this mountain range, it seemed even the five senses were affected, becoming somewhat dull.

Here, mist filled the air, with a faint golden light swirling within; it had become a forbidden zone for the entire forest, so much so that even the animals dared not approach.

The world is vast and full of wonders; although Earth has only one cultivator, there are still many fortunes.

The 749 Bureau staff felt a bit embarrassed; their earlier confident words were still ringing in their ears, but they never imagined the rebuttal would come so fast.

The formation Ye Qin had set up earlier displayed tremendous power, frightening the visiting explorers and netizens badly; now there is finally a moment of peace.

On the path leading into the mountains, gazing at the green hills not far away, the 749 Bureau personnel were full of curiosity.

"Captain, should we continue forward?"

This was just the beginning; more and more fire rained down from the sky like rain, some people's clothes caught fire, and they could only roll on the spot to extinguish the flames.

After listening to his detailed explanation and seeing that these people indeed bore an upright demeanor, the village chief cautiously called the police station, thereby confirming their identities.

However, just as the 749 Bureau team was preparing to leave, a figure of an old man in a Daoist robe appeared on the country lane at the village entrance.

Unlike the ordinary people's delayed reaction, Wang Xuehao immediately sensed something was off.

Although the village chief spoke tactfully, Wang Xuehao and the others understood the implication behind his words.

Afterward, the village chief took Wang Xuehao and the others to see the rural doctor Wu Yuan.

Thus, the best entry point is from the villagers' side.

"I have heard that in Longyuan Mountain there is a Daoist temple sharing the same name as mine, also called Shangqing Temple, where a 'White Bone Daoist' resides; I have come here to have a look and exchange ideas with fellow Daoists."

The village chief sized up the group before him; their builds appeared very sturdy, they wore specially made attire, and their spines were ramrod straight, making them look nothing like ordinary people.

"Yes, yes, we also have a doctor here; his medical skills are not bad, and whenever villagers suffer from various aches and pains, they go to him."

Really, stirring up trouble where it shouldn't be.

His teammate beside him showed a look of surprise, saying, "No way, Ruotong, do you actually believe what the villagers said?"

Xu Tiancheng's face turned slightly pale; he gritted his teeth and said, "I'm fine, this lightning's power isn't that great!"

Wu Yuan found it strange, asking, "How did you manage this?"

For a moment, his expression became flustered, but he quickly regained composure, asking, "Is there anything I can do to help you?"

If it struck one's body, it would certainly not be a laughing matter.

"In that case, it should be foolproof."

The experiences in the mountains indeed cannot be explained by science.

They also cannot rely solely on the village chief's one-sided account.

The village chief curiously asked, "Who are you?"

Due to the 749 Bureau's independence, it had long obtained permission for aerial flight; as the helicopter rose slowly, the scenery below grew smaller and smaller.

While the village chief was sizing them up, the person in charge of this operation, Wang Xuehao, was also observing him.

When they arrive in an unfamiliar place, they have a habit of carefully observing their surroundings.

However, entering the mountains is easy, but leaving them is difficult.

Wang Xuehao lifted his head, his pupils suddenly contracting as if he had seen something extraordinarily unbelievable; he saw a mass of fire descending from the sky, hurtling toward their position.

Ye Qin quickly caught that movement, his gaze turning to the southeast, his beastly pupils gradually becoming unfathomably deep.

At that moment, everyone felt nothing but a creepy sensation.

Wang Xuehao's situation was no better—half his hair was burnt, his arms were scalded, with many fire blisters, looking extremely terrifying.

They dared not stay any longer, the group hurried out of the mountains, and fortunately the journey was uneventful.

Wang Xuehao looked at everyone's miserable state, his expression turning grave; he suspected hostile forces were taking advantage to attack, but this was within Great Xia—how could thermite bombs be deployed? Moreover, the power of a thermite bomb could melt steel plates and instantly cook a human body.

Wang Xuehao had Xu Tiancheng and Yao Ruotong go to the village to investigate, questioning several villagers in succession, all of whom said much the same as the village chief.

Even the first foray into the mountains had turned out like this; no one knew what would happen the second time—we shouldn't fight a battle we're not sure of, nor make pointless sacrifices.

The mist that had been drifting about slowly cleared, and a faint path appeared—exactly the way they had come.

The village chief looked at Wang Xuehao and the others; compared to their spirited arrival, they were now grimy and bruised, each bearing various wounds, their once clean combat uniforms torn and ragged, as if they had fled from disaster.

"Heavenly Venerable of Boundless Blessings, excuse me, is this Longyuan Mountain?"

Wang Xuehao looked at everyone's condition; although they had some injuries, fortunately none were serious, after simple treatment and bandaging, they continued onward.

Yao Ruotong looked around and shouted, "The northwest has less lightning—we'll break through here!"

Very clever!

Soon after, the village chief listened to his account and couldn't help sighing, "I knew it—if this continues, something will surely happen; lately so many people have gone up the mountain, the Mountain God will certainly be angry."

"Hello, we're here to investigate incidents related to Longyuan Mountain."

Wang Xuehao examined the traces on the ground, his brow slightly furrowed; everyone followed his gaze and indeed found a circle of footprints, showing they had passed this way.

It's hard to imagine how many different wounds these people have, and we don't know what they went through.

He thought the Daoist was just another sightseer drawn by reputation, but his attire was different.

It seemed Heaven itself pitied their wretched state and finally took pity.

Layers of mountains filled with endless mystery, the ridges winding like a green serpent lying dormant here, the forest flora growing luxuriantly, everywhere brimming with vitality.

The village chief looked helpless, knowing they didn't believe him, but this was the fact.

"According to the information I received, there is a village chief near Longyuan Mountain; we can go there first to learn the details."

They had completely lost their way and couldn't find the path they came by!

To get out of the mountains, the 749 Bureau personnel could be said to have suffered greatly—after enduring lightning strikes and fires, hail the size of fists fell in the deep mountains; they truly faced one disaster after another.

Wu Yuan added on the side, "Aren't you supposed to be experienced and trouble‑free? Look at this mess—how careless can you be!"

Giving up halfway has never been the 749 Bureau's style; they are determined to unveil the mystery of this great mountain.

"Get lost, I know!"

The sudden loss of direction, followed by thunder and fire rain from the sky, looks nothing like normal weather; even if the local environment and geology are special and could cause these phenomena, the explanation is still a bit forced.

Originally intending to explore this mountain, they never expected such an outcome; despite the 749 Bureau having carried out many missions, they had never been in such a sorry state.

The earlier parts were still okay, barely logical, but later on it became increasingly absurd.

For a while everyone ended up grimy and disheveled, their clothes burned through in several places, some even scorched, looking utterly miserable.

Wang Xuehao made a snap decision: "We must break out of the encirclement at once."

The 749 Bureau members' faces turned pale, yet they held back their cries—even the young women in the unit.

Wang Xuehao and the others were at once amused and exasperated, though they could understand the villagers' suspicion.

But this fire now looks more like fireworks—yet its appearance is too uncanny!

Others avoid speaking of this mountain, and they firmly believe in the legend of the Mountain God.

Ignoring the village chief's dissuasion, Wang Xuehao led the party insistently into the mountains; seeing this, the village chief could say nothing, merely thinking to himself, "Like a pair of fools."

After all, these people represent the government, so the village chief dared not conceal anything, giving a full, start‑to‑finish account of recent events, sparing no detail; it could be said to be extremely thorough, except for omitting the villagers' physical changes.

Ye Qin had already reached Golden Core cultivation, so his understanding of formations naturally deepened considerably.

The old man walked at a steady pace, unhurried, even enjoying the scenery along the way, bearing the air of a transcendent who has come down from the mountains to wander the mundane world.

The actual conditions of this great mountain still need to be examined on the ground—whether it's due to human factors or special natural geology.

Traveling abroad greatly benefits one's state of mind and can help seek fortunes—such as special heavenly and earthly qi, fragments of time, and so on.

The afterglow of the setting sun fell upon the vast mountains, a faint golden light drifting above the peaks, as if a golden dragon soared through the heavens; the evening tinted the green mountains in layers of color, beautiful as a painted scroll.

"Bang!"

The fire fell to the ground, instantly spraying countless sparks, and the scorched marks began to spread rapidly.

"Where did this thermite bomb come from? But it's different—this fire's burning power isn't strong."

"Crack!"

A lightning snake kept wandering around, as if drawn by something, instantly kicking up dust and turning the ground scorched black.

Wang Xuehao couldn't help but stare, his sharp ears catching footsteps behind him; turning around, he saw Xu Tiancheng and Yao Ruotong with a few others.

Wang Xuehao shook his head helplessly: "Of course not—things aren't over yet; we must find a definite answer before we can report back."

Other villagers were also half‑believing, half‑doubting: "We're not well educated, don't try to fool us."

In the distance came a rumbling thunder; because the mountains were so quiet, it seemed to sync with the heartbeat, as if even the ground were trembling.

Although these wounds look frightening, they are not fatal—at most they cause superficial pain; Wu Yuan treated them to prevent infection, then gave a simple bandage.

Upon hearing the old Daoist's words, the village chief showed surprise, shaking his head repeatedly in denial: "Impossible, impossible—we've always lived at the mountain's base, we've been up this mountain many times before; there can be no Daoist temple in the mountains, let alone a White Bone Daoist."

"If by 'temple' you mean the one we built ourselves, the enshrined figure is certainly not White Bone."