Chapter 103: The Shadow

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Earlier, when we were on the river, I had observed the feng shui dragon veins here and concluded that this Yalong Mountain served as the foundational seal suppressing the tail end of the Yin dragon vein. The old boatman said there were no graves on the mountain, which matched my assessment. However, as a sealing stone, it should completely block the water flow, allowing no passage whatsoever. Only then could it effectively suppress the Yin dragon; otherwise, it would be useless. If the dragon’s tail were still active, the Yin dragon could simply escape.

Changyuan Village lies within a deep cave beneath the Broken-Head Cliff. Once you enter the mountain, a person’s shadow disappears. These two anomalies made Li Yue and me certain that something was amiss with Yalong Mountain.

Biting her lip, Li Yue said, “Ancient texts record that the living belong to yang energy, and their shadows belong to yin energy; yin and yang cannot be separated unless a person dies. After death, yin occupies the entire body, and no shadow remains. This applies not only to ghosts but also to corpses, regardless of whether they have a physical form.”

“There are some special places where no shadow appears. If the yin energy is overwhelming—ten times stronger than the person’s yang energy—then the shadow is assimilated by the yin energy. It’s not that the shadow disappears, but that it becomes invisible.”

“Places like mass graves or chaotic burial grounds, where thousands lie, can assimilate shadows; such places are all Yin lands. But Yalong Mountain’s yang energy is so strong, and there are no ghosts or graves here; we are definitely alive, so how can there be no shadow?”

I took a deep breath; Li Yue’s reasoning was sound. Yalong Mountain fits the grand feng shui dragon vein formation. Even that cave beneath the cliff might be where I mistakenly identified the dragon’s head as the tail. Still, the absence of shadows was inexplicable.

“Entering the mountain may be risky.”

“But if we don’t go in, we won’t learn more about Changyuan Village. We need to prepare before entering that cave.”

Having only the final heavenly soul left of my three souls bound to life, ever since the incident at Qianshui Town, my soul had changed completely. I could now inscribe all four runes—Shock, Fusion, Combat, and Death—and stood fearless before both ghosts and spirits.

This was why my personality had become increasingly steady.

However, after studying the feng shui principles in the White Paper, I understood that some special feng shui sites breed things far more terrifying than ghosts or humans.

The old man had also mentioned their ancestors—the first to establish the mountain village on Yalong Mountain and who had never died.

If it were before, I would have dismissed it as legend. But now, I held in my chest that stolen lifespan human skin, whose contents remained vividly clear in my mind.

“When life nears its end, one takes another’s lifespan to use one’s own—this is borrowing life.”

“Avoiding yin judicial records, not entering the book of life and death, using another’s fate as one’s own. Life for life, lifespan for lifespan.”

“Take three-year-old rice, one qian of the borrower’s blood, three qian of the life-giver’s blood, and mix into the rice.”

“Take three-year-old rice, three qian of the borrower’s blood, one qian of the life-giver’s blood, and mix into the rice.”

“The latter, once swallowed by the life-giver, allows the yang lifespan to be freely taken. The former, when used to light three incense sticks to claim life, can exchange life and survive.”

“Warning: borrowing life requires using common dishes shared by borrower and life-giver, never borrowing from relatives or infants, and never taking from two people consecutively. Violations bring unpredictable consequences.”

He does not die for a reason.

At that moment, suddenly, a figure came trotting from the official road.

It was a slender boy, dark-skinned, with bright eyes.

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“You’re the ones who just saved Aunt Liu and Little Yu, right?”

“The Elder told me to invite you into the mountain.”

The boy’s voice was clear, and he held two pitch-black stone tablets in his hand.

“You have to take these, or you’ll be driven out if you enter the mountain.”

He raised his hand, and I noticed fine hemp cords attached to the stones.

What made my pupils constrict was that the boy had a shadow.

Before I could reach out, Li Yue took the stones first and hung them around her neck.

Strangely, a shadow appeared beneath Li Yue’s feet.

“My name is Ga Qing. These pendants are for the elders only. People from outside Yalong Mountain aren’t allowed in by our ancestors. But as long as you wear these turtle shell tokens given by the elders around your neck, you can enter, and the ancestors won’t be angry.”

A faint smile appeared on Li Yue’s face.

I hung the other pendant around my neck as well.

Sure enough, a shadow slowly formed beneath my feet.

This was too strange—there was no record of this in the feng shui knowledge I had studied.

Ga Qing grinned and said, “The Elder is waiting for two distinguished guests. Follow me.”

He turned and walked inward.

Li Yue whispered, “Turtle shells represent yin energy. Maybe our feng shui knowledge isn’t enough to uncover Yalong Mountain’s secrets? There are over two hundred villages here, and so many people are fine. Now that someone has invited us in, we can’t just turn back. Although you’ve grown stronger and might even defeat the Ghost Witch, you can’t return to Wangjiaya. What lies beneath Baihu Village is far scarier than corpse-eating ghosts.”

Li Yue’s words were absolutely right. Now, I was no longer afraid of the Ghost Witch and could seek help from those who understood Taoist magic to remove the death-soul nails from Chan Shu’s body.

My mother’s three corpse spirits, once disturbed by the Ghost Witch’s soul, could also be released.

But the yin monkey behind my ear remained a major threat.

Unless I never returned, I had to get it removed.

Li Cangshui had said only Zhang Chang could do it, and finding anyone with more authority than Li Cangshui was nearly impossible.

I couldn’t wait that long.

With those thoughts, the two of us followed Ga Qing deeper inside.

From afar, Yalong Mountain looked green and deserted, covered in dense forest.

But upon entering, we saw countless mountain villages.

Stilt houses stood densely packed.

“There are seven or eight villages at the foot of the mountain. We’re all strong. We go out to do business, earn money, and come back to build the villages. The ones on the mountain are different—they have bad tempers and dislike outsiders. Many who snuck in before to steal herbs or abduct women were caught and tied to bamboo rafts, sent away as sacrificial offerings.”

“Only those wearing the turtle shell tokens from the elders can pass unchallenged.”

Ga Qing, curious, studied Li Yue and me as he spoke quickly.

I nodded; the old man had said they were exclusive.

Soon, we stopped in front of a stilt house.

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Inside, many people were around, all dark-skinned and watching us warily.

Ga Qing was the first to climb the bamboo ladder beside the house.

The stilt houses had livestock on the first floor; the second floor and above were living quarters.

Inside the stilt house, the floorboards felt thin underfoot, making me uneasy, but Li Yue was curious, glancing around constantly.

On the second floor was an elderly man with graying hair but eyes filled with a resolute strength beyond his years.

“The Elder, I have brought the distinguished guests.”

Ga Qing’s tone became respectful.

Li Yue bowed politely and said, “Hello.”

I greeted him with a calm face and a slight smile.

The old man’s gaze fell on us.

Ga Qing left the room and went downstairs.

“Two honored guests have traveled far and saved a mother and daughter. I thank you on behalf of everyone,” the Elder bowed.

I was caught off guard, trying to avoid his gaze, but it was too late.

The Elder looked up, his voice hoarse as he said, “I have been waiting for you both for a long time.”

His eyes changed, growing more complex and world-weary.

My expression shifted slightly.

Li Yue awkwardly said, “Elder, what do you mean? This is our first time at Yalong Mountain.”

The Elder smiled and said, “Indeed, this is your first time here, but there is something on you both that has been gone from here for over thirty years. You have traveled thousands of miles to return it, haven’t you?”

My pupils constricted sharply. Was the Elder referring to the stolen lifespan human skin?

But Li Cangshui had said it must be given to Zhang Chang.

No matter how they found out, I could never let it fall into their hands.

Surprise flashed in Li Yue’s eyes as she opened her mouth to speak, but I grabbed her hand and smiled, saying, “Elder, I’m afraid I don’t quite understand what you mean.”

“We came to Yalong Mountain for a reason, but we knew nothing of this place before. How could we be carrying something from here?”