Chapter 23 (3/4): Saint Image

The heavy iron door was pushed forward, blocking all the shouting sacred words from spilling outside.

The sound of scratching came through the door, yet the door felt unusually reassuring, standing firm and silent as it fulfilled its duty.

Between gasps, Qu Fengyin collapsed weakly against the door, sliding down as splattered blood and torn flesh fragments fell to the ground alongside him.

“****

So terrifying.” Qu Fengyin didn’t want to face his own face for even a moment longer, hastily switching back to his original appearance.

The brutal, desperate tearing and biting was far too horrifying—Qu Fengyin felt certain he would never forget it for the rest of his life.

Yan You’s voice was faint: “There’s something even more terrifying coming up.”

The Lecture Hall was constructed entirely of blue bricks and stone, with no windows left intact.

Sunlight rarely reached inside, and the whole stone building was filled with damp, stale air.

Yan You pulled up his collar to cover his mouth and nose, warning Qu Fengyin, “After so long without sunlight, the air gets suffocating. Be careful not to get poisoned.”

What surprised Yan You was that Qu Fengyin, upon hearing this, made a strange expression and murmured, “I smell something like incense burning.”

A cough.

Yan You widened his eyes and slowly turned his head.

Qu Fengyin suddenly coughed loudly, complaining,

“****

Cough, cough, cough— the smell is too strong, it chokes me, really stings my throat, cough cough cough.”

Yan You: “…Use your collar to cover your mouth.”

Qu Fengyin pulled his collar up, muffling his coughs continuously, his disheveled hair shaking with every movement, looking pitiful and aggrieved like a wronged dog.

The Lecture Hall’s main door was usually locked tight with five big locks, so they had come in through a side door, which led straight into the side chamber.

Because of how the windows were designed, it took over a dozen strong men an entire day to open them.

Thus, the side chamber was pitch black.

Yan You, relying on experience from previous adventures, pulled out a fire striker from his sleeve and carefully lit the wall lamp.

The flame flickered to life, illuminating Yan You’s cold profile.

Qu Fengyin grasped Yan You’s legs while Yan You sat on his shoulders, easily reaching the wall lamp.

Qu Fengyin blinked uncomfortably.

Before his eyes were stacks and stacks of obscure regular script documents, and if he leaned close, he could even smell the faint scent of ink.

Yan You tugged on Qu Fengyin’s hair and pointed in a direction.

The closer they approached the main hall, the more silent it became.

Qu Fengyin was a little afraid that Yan You might be scared.

Unable to hold it in, he asked, “…Why don’t you use that trick you used earlier at the county office?”

“That was prepared in advance. Do you think I didn’t want to use it now?”

Qu Fengyin gave a sheepish smile. “Isn’t that your fairy technique?”

Yan You was smug. “This one is a magic trick I came up with myself, my secret weapon! Anyone seeing it for the first time would never guess its secret, not even the Jinyiwei.”

Qu Fengyin felt embarrassed, his eyes wandering with nowhere to settle, so he started examining the large blocks of text on the walls.

Yan You did indeed study this when he was bored.

“This is all the history of Dongshan County, basically the county’s local records.”

“Several decades ago, the Southern Dynasty and Northern Dynasty fought fierce battles.

War fires spread everywhere, and the land was filled with soldiers and bandits.

A group of refugees suffered in hunger and disease.

One day, they discovered the land of Dongshan County, isolated from the world.

To escape the war, they settled there and established the first villages.”

“The war between the Southern and Northern Dynasties lasted over a decade.

During that time, they accepted many others who were also fleeing the chaos.

Thus, this settlement gradually grew bigger and bigger.”

The flames flickered, illuminating Yan You’s indifferent profile.

“But good times didn’t last.

Friction between the newcomers and the original settlers intensified over food, water, and land.

Things escalated from verbal disputes to violent clashes.

This village, originally founded to avoid war, turned into a battlefield driven by greed.”

Qu Fengyin listened, captivated.

Yan You paused. “Blood soaked the land, children and the weak wailed and moaned, until one person appeared.”

“That first Shusheng, his name and origin unrecorded.

He, a frail scholar, walked a razor’s edge.

He gave up so much, just so that Dongshan County could become the ideal Paradise of Peach Blossoms again.”

“No fighting, no death, no suffering.

Everything peaceful and harmonious.

The scholar’s vision gathered a large following.

They ended the war, ended the hunger, and built the Great Harmony society they dreamed of.”

“As the scholar’s ideal was realized, a pure breath of heaven and earth entered his body.

He transcended the mortal realm, ascending in broad daylight.

To commemorate this first Shusheng, Dongshan County built the Saint’s Statue, continuing his vision and carrying on the Great Harmony society.”

Yan You finished speaking and tilted his head, tugging at Qu Fengyin’s hair. “Put me down, we can already see the main hall.”

“The Saint’s Statue is inside the main hall.”

Qu Fengyin suddenly snapped back to reality and let Yan You down.

He followed the child step by step, offering his own thoughts.

Though a rough country bumpkin without education, his feelings were genuine and full.

“***, it started out so well, now it’s such a mess. What happened to them?”

Fengyin clicked his tongue, murmuring to himself, “This kind of thing really needs our State Preceptor.

Only the State Preceptor truly cares about the people……”

The main hall and side chamber were connected, equally silent.

An inexplicable wind blew past, rustling their clothes with a distinct chill.

Qu Fengyin’s voice involuntarily lowered until it vanished entirely.

The lighting structure of the main hall was naturally different from that of the side chamber.

To prevent the Saint’s Statue from being lost in darkness, a window was opened in the ceiling.

A soft beam of light fell on the stone statue.

Wood carvings rot easily, but stubborn stone endures.

The Saint’s Statue stood about ten meters tall.

Though made of stone, the finely polished statue appeared nearly jade-like under the light.

Its texture was two degrees colder than human skin but three degrees warmer than cold stone, strangely emanating an otherworldly, immortal aura.

The statue wore a wide-sleeved robe and held a scroll in its hand.

Its flowing hair appeared faintly transparent in the light.

The Saint’s downcast eyes and the faint smile on his lips portrayed a compassion for all living things so vivid it captivated the gaze.

Yan You silently stared at the statue.

He had seen it countless times but had never been able to see the face clearly.

This time was no exception.

Yan You sighed.

“Is it that face?”

“Is it?”

“Qu Fengyin?”

Qu Fengyin’s face was equally blurry.

“The Great Way in practice………..” he murmured.

Qu Fengyin’s voice always had a unique charm, steady but with a hint of lively playfulness.

He always tried to appear calm and reliable, but his words never concealed his pure and innocent nature.

Yan You stepped forward and grasped Qu Fengyin’s drooping hand.

He leaned closer, his expectant gaze fixed on Qu Fengyin’s face—but to no avail.

The Changou slipped from Qu Fengyin’s sleeve and clattered sharply on the floor.

Yan You’s pupils contracted.

The light from the skylight spread like a tide, creeping slowly across the hall.

It climbed bit by bit, pooling shadows and light over Qu Fengyin’s face.

That simple, honest face seemed to churn like mud, the pale pink and crimson flesh appearing alive and dancing on his face.

Qu Fengyin’s mouth remained oblivious, still mumbling softly.

The terrifying silence made those low murmurs even more chilling.

The smile on the Saint’s Statue grew more vivid.

“…………” Yan You’s breathing in the hall grew heavier and heavier.

He knew he couldn’t let Qu Fengyin go on like this any longer.

…I really owe you big time!

Yan You gritted his teeth.

He picked up the Changou and sharply struck Qu Fengyin’s hind leg.

As Qu Fengyin’s body wobbled, Yan You jumped up and grabbed the Changou tightly.