In the fog-shrouded cave in Shangjing West Mountain, Fan Xian had once told Xiao En, who was dying, that he was actually just a tourist walking in this world. He wanted to see more scenery, so he had a strong interest in the temple.
Unlike the Northern Qi Emperor who wanted to use the power of the Temple to unify the world, the former Wei Emperor who wanted to obtain the secret of immortality from the Temple, and the Qing Emperor who used the Temple as a fighter with unusual valiance, Fan Xian's interest in the Temple in the past was mainly in the unknowns.
Fan Xian's strong desire for the Temple's secrets inevitably had more practical considerations attached to it. He needed to enter the Temple and find traces of Uncle Wu Zhu to confirm his safety. He also needed to try to find a way to return to the world and defeat the Qing Emperor. These were actually only two sides of the same thing. As long as Uncle Wu Zhu was still alive, then everything would be easy to handle.
In Fan Xian's understanding, there was no one in this world who could harm Uncle Wu Zhu and leave him behind. The black-shrouded young Grandmaster possessed overly powerful and wondrous skills. Even if the Great Grandmasters who had once existed in the world worked together, Wu Zhu would probably have enough ways to escape. The problem was, this snowy mountain was the Temple, that illusory fairyland that had always stood above the clouds of human society's legends. For such a place that did not belong to the secular world, even Wu Zhu was probably not a match for it.
Reality seemed to prove this point. Uncle Wu Zhu had returned to the Temple to search for his roots. A few years had already passed, yet there had been no news. If he had not been imprisoned in the Temple, then he had probably already left this world.
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The morning sun did not have a glimmer of warmth. It shone coldly on the three people at the foot of the snowy mountain. Fan Xian narrowed his eyes and raised his head to look at the majestic snowy mountain in front of him that seemed to cover half the sky. He watched the ice and snow reflect a jade-like glow under the morning light. He was silent for a long time and didn't speak.
The three top young people in the world had set out from the camp when the sky was still dark. After walking for a few hours, they approached the snowy mountain with great difficulty. What shocked Haitang and Thirteenth Wang was that Fan Xian seemed to be very familiar with the path under the snowy mountain. He led the two of them easily through a narrow passageway under the snowy mountain and came directly to the other side.
This side of the Great Snowy Mountain was also a plain made of ice. There was nothing but snow and ice. The three of them had passed through the snowy mountain and arrived on the other side. Their camp was on the other side of the snowy mountain.
"Where is the temple?" Thirteenth Wang asked between breaths, carrying Sigu Jian's urn of ashes on his back. His face, which was wrapped in cloth clothing, was frozen red.
Fan Xian was supported by Haitang. He narrowed his eyes and looked up the mountain. "Back then, Xiao En and Master Ku He went up from this side of the mountain. Logically speaking, the Temple should be right in front of us."
However, there was nothing in front of them. There was only jade-like ice and snow covering the mountain range of an unknown color. At this moment, the wind was not strong. The sky had not sent down a snowstorm. Their field of view was vast and clear. In this clear field of view, it was impossible to find any signs of manmade carvings.
Haitang, who was supporting him, was silent for a moment. She then suddenly said, "In the old legends, the Temple only appears in front of common people for one or two days a year. If the Temple does not want to be seen by mortals, then no matter how hard mortals search, they will not be able to find it."
"Legends are, after all, just legends." Fan Xian covered his mouth and coughed. The clothes he wore were very thick and could barely withstand the cold of the outside world. Speaking of which, it was rather miraculous. Presently, the Temple was close at hand. Although he didn't know its location, the dense yuanqi between heaven and earth had begun to flow faster into his body, making his injuries and illness much better.
With great difficulty, the coughing stopped. Fan Xian blinked his eyes and looked tiredly at the messy snow and rocks on the snowy mountain. "The legends may not be true. Back then, your teacher and Sir Xiao En endured a few months under this snowy mountain just to wait one or two days for the Temple to appear. I don't know how much human flesh they ate. I don't want to wait."
Fan Xian had experienced two lives that other people could not have, so he absolutely believed that there was the will of heaven in the unseen world. However, the education he had received in his previous life made it impossible for him to shake off his atheism. Thus, this contradiction made him feel a faint reverence toward the Temple. On the other hand, he didn't really believe in the so-called legends.
"If the legends are not true, then there must be a trick to the Temple being hidden in this snowy mountain." Haitang Duoduo's entire face was covered by her fur collar. In a droning voice, she said, "If we want to search through this mountain, given our present state, it will probably take a lot of time."
"I also understand. Since it will take a lot of time, then let's quickly begin," Fan Xian said in a raspy voice. He then glanced at Thirteenth Wang. "Presumably, you have also noticed that the nights here are particularly short. After a few more days, there will probably be no nights. It will be more convenient for us to search."
After many months of arduous travel on the snowy plains, Fan Xian no longer purposely hid the knowledge he knew from his previous life in front of Haitang and Thirteenth Wang. Each of his predictions eventually became reality. However, Haitang and Thirteenth Wang did not know the basis of his predictions. In their hearts, Fan Xian appeared more and more mysterious and unfathomable.
During these months, Haitang and Thirteenth Wang did not have a sliver of doubt or hesitation toward any of Fan Xian's predictions or orders. However, at this moment, the three of them stood in front of the snowy mountain and were about to begin their search for the Temple. Thirteenth Wang did not head toward the snowy mountain. Instead, he glanced at Haitang.
Coincidentally, Haitang also glanced at Thirteenth Wang. Their gazes met. They both saw the worry and shock in each other's eyes.
Fan Xian noticed the strangeness of his two friends. Furrowing his brows slightly, he coughed and said, "What is it?"
Thirteenth Wang was silent for a moment. He then looked at him and said, "We are just curious. The Temple is right in front of us. Based on your predictions, no matter how long it takes, we will always be able to find the Temple before the night comes."
Fan Xian nodded. He didn't understand the meaning of his words. His brows furrowed even deeper. Beside him, Haitang sighed and said, "What we mean is that we are about to find the Temple. Regardless of whether it is to dig out the secret of the Temple or to rescue the blind Great Master from the Temple, you have to have a plan ahead of time and make some preparations. If you have any understanding, you have to let us know ahead of time. Given your present physical condition, there are many things that require us to do."
The Temple was like a fairyland. At least, it was so in the hearts of the people of this land. Fan Xian and the other two were exploring the Temple. This was a major event, yet Fan Xian appeared relaxed and careless. It was even a bit sloppy. It was as if he was truly just traveling. Who knew what kind of dangers were hidden on this snowy mountain and what kind of divine might was difficult for mortals to withstand?
Haitang and Thirteenth Wang were both top figures with the most determined wills and willpower in the world. Faced with this snowy mountain, they still found it difficult to suppress a sense of confusion and fear. They truly did not understand how Fan Xian could still be so relaxed and at ease.
"Back then, Ku He and Xiao En returned from the Temple alive. This place is not as terrifying as people imagine." Fan Xian smiled bitterly. "Back then, the two of them were already superior ninth-level aces. However, they were tortured for half a year and were about to die. Their strength is not as good as we are now. Since they can return alive, what are we afraid of?"
"Furthermore, Uncle Wu Zhu and the Emperor have both said that the Temple has already fallen into ruin and has no power." Fan Xian lowered his eyelids slightly. "I believe in the Emperor's judgment because he has basically never made any mistakes in this life."
Even though the Temple had fallen into ruin, it was still a Temple. Could mortals stop worshipping it?
"More importantly, I only know the way to the Temple and its outer appearance. As for what is inside, I don't know either," Fan Xian said with a helpless smile. "Since it is so, then it is useless to make any more preparations. Let's search. We'll talk about it after we find it."
This was a very irresponsible way of doing things. Fan Xian had spent his entire life immersed in the darkness of the Overwatch Council. He never fought a battle unprepared. Even when faced with the unfathomable Emperor, he still came up with clever plans and bravely thought of little ways to win. Looking at this snowy mountain, this snowy mountain that he knew nothing about, how could he have prepared?
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…
The snowy mountain remained silent, solemn, and cold. It was as if it had no idea that three mortals were nervously and quietly searching for its secrets. The Temple, which was rumored to be omnipotent and omniscient, was still like a girl waiting to be married, hidden in the wind and snow, unwilling to show its true face.
After climbing up the snowy mountain with great difficulty for a long time, the wind on the mountain gradually grew stronger. It swirled up the snow on the rocks, blinding the eyes. Fan Xian's eyes remained clear and steady. He did not let go of any details that could have been missed. In his calculations, the Temple only appeared for one or two days a year. The last time Xiao En and Ku He had seen the Temple was the day after the polar night ended. There had to be some pattern hidden here.
Only after the polar night did the sunlight fall on this snowy mountain. Did the people in the Temple want to sunbathe, so they appeared? Leaning against Haitang's warm back, Fan Xian turned his head in satisfaction and sniffed the girl's neck. He was incomparably happy. He knew that his deduction was certainly correct. In the direction of the snowy mountain facing the sky, there would certainly be some man-made traces of ice and snow being broken.
Haitang's brows furrowed slightly. She didn't understand where Fan Xian's confidence came from. She also didn't know why he was so happy.
Reality was as Fan Xian expected. It didn't take long before Thirteenth Wang, who was searching about 600 meters to the right, suddenly turned his head and made a hand gesture toward the two of them. In the wind and snow, it was difficult to hear clearly what Thirteenth Wang had found. Fan Xian and Haitang could easily sense the excitement of the Sword Hut disciple.
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…
In a snowy depression, Fan Xian crouched down and carefully examined the traces Thirteenth Wang had found. He pulled out a hole in the ice and snow and found what they had been looking for a long time, some man-made traces. It was something like a track. It was made of an unknown material. Even in such a harsh and cold environment, it was still incomparably smooth and did not deform at all.
Fan Xian stood with Haitang's support and followed the track into the depths of the ice and snow until it reached the top. The wind and snow were strong. The majestic mountain range of ice and snow seemed to have suddenly snapped in the middle and sunk in. That was probably the end of the track.
Thirteenth Wang found a few other tracks beside this one. They were all made of a very high quality material. No one knew what they were used for. The three of them immediately became nervous. There could only be one explanation for the sudden appearance of these magical tracks in this bitterly cold place that mortals would find difficult to reach.
"Climb up along it," Fan Xian said in a raspy voice. Fan Xian spoke in a raspy voice. His voice trembled slightly, but his eyes were a calm that he barely managed to maintain with a valiant will.
There were no paths on the snowy mountain. There was snow and wind everywhere. If one was the slightest bit careless, they would fall off the mountain and end up with their bones crushed. Fortunately, Fan Xian had brought Haitang and Thirteenth Wang, two powerful warriors, here. Otherwise, how could a sick person like him endure the power of heaven and earth?
The three of them suppressed their nervousness and faint fear and followed the smooth track. Going against the wind and snow, they climbed up the mountain range. After climbing for an indeterminable amount of time, when Thirteenth Wang and Haitang both felt that the zhenqi in their bodies was about to be completely used up by the icy and snowy tracks, they suddenly felt their vision darken.
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…
The mountain was barren and the snow had no path. The sky darkened and the earth opened up.
Fan Xian and the other two stared in a daze at the stone steps at the end of the track. They were speechless for a long time. This place was truly a work of nature. Such long stone steps were hidden on a platform deep in the mountain range. If someone could actually come to the snowy mountain, they would not be able to see these stone steps from the foot of the mountain.
The Temple appeared for one or two days every year. Did it mean that these stone steps would slide out along the track and bathe in the sunlight to welcome travelers who came with great difficulty to worship?
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…
These stone steps were made of green stone. No one knew how many thousands or tens of thousands of years they had experienced the baptism of ice and frost. There were many damaged areas. Amidst the ancientness, there was an ancient and frightening beauty. Different from the tracks, only when they saw these seemingly endless stone steps did the three of them truly feel like they were entering the Temple.
As they slowly walked up the stone steps, an indescribable atmosphere shrouded the three of them and shrouded the stone steps. The three of them maintained their silence at the same time. No matter who it was, in the moment before the mysterious veil of the Temple was lifted, they would probably find it difficult to hide their excitement and fear. This was a kind of excitement and fear toward the unknown. It was human instinct.
A long, light gray eave appeared above the stone steps and reflected itself in their eyes. Haitang and Thirteenth Wang's bodies froze slightly and paused. Fan Xian broke away from Haitang's support and stared at the gray eave calmly, almost crazily, as he walked toward the top of the stone steps.
Under the long, light gray eave was a black stone wall. Just like this, as the three of them walked, it slowly revealed its true appearance. A solemn feeling followed the Temple as it emerged from the world of ice and snow and enveloped the entire world.
The temple finally appeared in front of the three of them. It appeared so calmly and naturally that it made the three of them feel a trace of disbelief. They had searched for it for thousands of miles in the crowd, dreamed of it, suspected that they had entered a dream. The temple that tens of thousands of people had searched up and down for thousands of years had actually appeared just like that. They could not help but feel a strange emotion.
Standing at the top of the last stone step, Fan Xian's hands outside his leather jacket trembled slightly. He looked woodenly at the Temple in front of him and was unable to speak for a long time. Beside him, Haitang and Thirteenth Wang found it even harder to suppress the emotions in their hearts. With perplexed expressions, they looked at the magnificent building.
The Temple was very large. At least, it was impossible to build such a grand Temple with the construction skills of the human world. The tall black stone walls were like unmelting black ice that stretched in front of the three of them. The long, light gray eaves extended all the way to the end of the platform above the stone steps. No one knew how many secrets of history and heaven and earth surrounded it.
To be able to build such a grand Temple, the platform at the end of the stone steps, hidden deep in the snowy mountains, was extraordinarily large. It was many times larger than the square in front of the Qing Royal Palace, which could hold tens of thousands of people.
The thing that gave the three of them the most direct sense of pressure and grandeur was the front door of the Temple in front of them. This door was at least 27 feet tall and immeasurably deep. Its color was a simple and unadorned dark color.
The three of them stood on the stone steps. They were still dozens of feet away from the front door of the Temple. Because the front door was too tall and large, it made them feel as if it was right in front of their eyes. The pressure it gave off was very powerful. It wanted to make one fall to the ground and worship endlessly.
Standing on the platform in front of the Temple, Fan Xian, Haitang, and Thirteenth Wang were all the most extraordinary young people in the world. However, in this grand square in front of the temple, they were like three lost ants in the grass. Suddenly raising their heads and finding a large tree blocking the sun, they were shocked speechless.
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…
The only person who could maintain his calm was probably Fan Xian. After all, he had seen Jinmao and the Three Gorges Dam in his previous life. He knew that the Temple in front of him was certainly a miracle in the eyes of the people of this world. In his eyes, it was nothing more than a pretty building.
It was difficult for one to see the ocean as water. It was difficult for one to see Mount Wu as clouds. In the past, Fan Xian could not explain these words to Zhuang Mohan and Sir Han. Presently, in front of the Temple, Fan Xian found a new explanation. One's horizons and experience determined the height one stood at. Because he had experienced it, it was difficult to be intimidated.
Fan Xian was not more outstanding than Haitang and Thirteenth Wang. It was precisely because he had experienced a more developed civilization in his previous life that he appeared much calmer. Even so, with the Temple in front of him, it was still difficult for him to suppress his nervousness. He stared fixedly at the doors of the Temple in front of him and was silent for a long time.
In an instant, he lowered his head and looked at the green stone steps under his feet. He thought of decades ago, when Master Ku He, whose body was already extremely broken, had used his palms to slap the stone steps under his feet and cried bitterly. Now, the three of them could be considered much calmer.
After calming his emotions, Fan Xian suddenly raised his head. His pupils constricted slightly as he stared at the large signboard above the doors of the Temple.
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Just as Xiao En had said in the cave, because it had been too long, what was written on the signboard could no longer be seen clearly. There were only some incomplete symbols left. In Xiao En's narration, perhaps these symbols were the mysterious decree of heaven. In Fan Xian's eyes, these symbols that had finally appeared in front of him represented an even more shocking discovery.
Fan Xian stared in a daze at the only remaining "Wu" on the signboard, as well as the three symbols below it. One up, one down, one up, one down, two circular arcs put together. It was the entire content of the symbol.
He extended his finger into the cold air and unconsciously began to move along with the symbol. Ever since the fifth year of the Qing calendar, he didn't know how much effort he had put into this "Wu" and these three identical symbols. He had also asked Uncle Wu Zhu and Sigu Jian for guidance. After all, there was too little information, so he had come up with nothing.
Now, this "Wu" and these symbols had finally appeared in front of him. How could he not feel agitated?
Fan Xian noticed the position of the incomplete "Wu" on the signboard, as well as the position of the three symbols. A bright light flashed through his mind like lightning. It made him completely stunned. His legs seemed to be out of his control as he walked in a daze toward the doors of the Temple.
Haitang and Thirteenth Wang finally awoke from their shock at seeing the true appearance of the Temple. They immediately noticed Fan Xian's abnormality and nervously followed him toward the doors of the Temple.
Fan Xian's gaze was still locked tightly onto the large signboard as he muttered to himself. He spoke faster and faster. It was impossible to tell that he was a patient. An excited flush rose to his face.
"What heavenly seal? If this isn't the letter M, what else could it be? " Fan Xian's tired gaze had been completely replaced by a bright light of complicated emotions. He gritted his teeth and laughed foolishly. Looking at the large signboard, he finally understood what the Temple was.
He finally knew that the deduction he had never told anyone was correct. The tracks in the snowy mountain were not used to transport the stone steps to the sky beyond the mountain. Instead, they were used to transport the entire Temple to the sky.
The Temple also needed energy. It needed sunlight. That was why it had appeared in front of the people after the polar night. It was this point that allowed Fan Xian to confirm that the Temple was not a miracle. It was just a building whose exact use was still unknown.
More importantly, he was finally sure that the ground he was standing on was still that blue planet! It was the Earth he had once mentioned to Da Bao under the boundless starry sky.
Fan Xian's lips were pale. Trembling, he said to himself, "If this is the Earth, then what is this temple? Three M's, a thing … I didn't have such a large museum at the time. "
Endless emotions rushed into his mind, making him feel somewhat embarrassed. His cheeks were red, his lips were pale, and his eyes were somewhat lost. Yes, the Temple was just a very, very old museum. The word "Wu" that Xiao En remembered was not a sickle or an axe. The three M's were not heavenly seals, nor were they the marks of the Russian spaceships. They were just the most common letter in the English language.
Yes, the large signboard of the Temple clearly had the word "thing," but the three M's below were the missing parts of the word. The Temple … was a museum.
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Fan Xian stood woodenly in front of the gate of the Temple. Raising his head to look at the large signboard, he could not believe his eyes.
If the world he was in was the Earth, then when was this museum, which clearly had a history of tens of thousands of years, built? Where were the people who built these museums? Why did such an existence exist in the world? Why did this museum become the Temple that people spoke of?
Thinking of the vague legends in human history, the Tianmai Beings, the messengers of the Temple, and the martial formulas and chests that had been stolen from the Temple by his mother, Ye Qingmei, Fan Xian's body trembled uncontrollably. He felt as if he had found the greatest secret of this world, but he found that there were still too many questions that he could not explain clearly.
Fan Xian coughed violently. In front of the dark gate of the Temple, in front of the gate that looked like a book of history, he stooped down. An angry and helpless voice rang out from his chest. "What kind of f * cking museum is this?"
"This is a military museum."
An emotionless voice rang out from the gate of the Temple. It seemed to only want to answer Fan Xian's question, which was full of frustration and panic.
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…
Yes, the Temple is a museum, and a military museum at that. When Xiao Yezi transmigrated, she could not have brought that chest with her. That chest has always been in the Temple, but she stole it. I have always said that the cute Xiao Yezi is a thief.
Comrade Fan Han, in the chapters of the Temple of Eternal Night, once wrote a book review. He guessed that the Temple might be something, and that the symbols are the Soviet sickles and axes. Many other readers have made similar deductions, and they are all very powerful. However, from the beginning of this book, I set the Temple as this because of my personal preference.
I like interesting things, and that is why I am obsessed with the story. In this world, in this story, other than transmigrating, everything else needs a reason. Writing out the cause and effect is my love. Is the secret of the Temple revealed just like that? No, how do I explain the secret manuals that created the Great Grandmasters?
In the past, there was a mountain, and in the mountain, there was a temple. In the temple, there must be a person … The next chapter will slowly tell everyone about the origin and story of the Temple. There is much more, and I have to write slowly.
I have never tried to work during the New Year. This year is the first time. I found that it is indeed not something a human should do, so I applied for leave. Now is the most important end of the Qing Dynasty, so I will write slowly. I do not want to squeeze time to write to ensure that there are updates. That would be the worst.
In the next few days, I will still not update. I think everyone is used to my laziness, so I will not say too many apologies. I earnestly flattered everyone and did not disappoint them. I bowed deeply and left the stage.
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