Ring Pendant City was right next to Tea Town … Lu Sheng felt an inexplicable tug at his heartstrings.
"This news was sent out more than a month ago, which means that this incident happened more than a month ago, or even earlier. And I was busy plotting against Scarlet District Mistress then … 'Lu Sheng tapped the table lightly. He smelled an unusual scent.
It was rare to see a Division Leader go missing like this. Even if demons ran amok in this world and ghosts frequently appeared, an expert at the level of a Division Leader could not be killed even if a ghost wanted to launch a sneak attack on him. Even if he could not win, he could still escape.
Even if they could not escape, they could still send out a flare alarm. The more dangerous Strange Lands were all marked. They would not just barge in without warning …
Lu Sheng quickly flipped through the pages and found a letter from Zhao Jiaojiao's urgent reports.
"Rumor has it that a mysterious mansion has appeared deep in the mountains. There are woodcutters and herb gatherers. Those who went in never came out. I suspect it's a new ghost. I'm going to test it out. "
Lu Sheng closed his eyes. His intuition told him that there might be some connection between the two.
…
Tea Town, Tea Sect.
Sect Master Dong Qi sat restlessly in the main hall. She held a cup of green tea in her hand, but did not take a sip.
The urgent news that the Vice Sect Leader had just reported made her worried.
"Large tracts of tea trees in the tea mountain have withered recently. Their growth is deteriorating. I can't find the reason, but I'm afraid this year's harvest will be affected."
But she had gone to take a look for herself. She really did not know the reason.
Dong Qi stood up and placed the teacup on the table. Depressed, she walked out of the main hall to the courtyard outside for a breather.
"Sect Master, there's someone outside who claims that he can help us solve the problem of the wilting of the tea trees!" A sect guard came forward and whispered.
Dong Qi was stunned.
She had not even had the time to spread the news of the wilting of the tea trees. How did the other party find out and come looking for her?
Could there be a traitor in the sect?
She hesitated with her hands behind her back, then nodded.
"Invite him to the guest hall. I'll be there shortly."
"Yes." The guard left.
Dong Qi calmed herself down and took a few sips of tea before heading to the guest hall.
As soon as she entered, she was immediately attracted by the figure standing in the middle of the hall.
It was a young scholar with a slender figure and a handsome face. This person was full of confidence and calmness. He held a black umbrella in his hand and stood in the middle of the hall, admiring a painting of a sunset over the sea hanging on the wall.
"I'm Duan Xichen. Greetings, Sect Leader Dong." The scholar cupped his hands and smiled at her. "I've heard that the tea mountain has withered. Xichen has always been confident, so I've recommended myself to you. I hope Gang Leader Dong doesn't mind."
"Not at all!" Dong Qi smiled. "Mister's eyes are like a torch. If you really have the ability, our humble gang will surely reward you handsomely."
"You're too kind," Duan Xi said with a deep smile. Suddenly, he asked casually. "Speaking of which, this Tea Sect's headquarters seems a little sinister. I heard that it was haunted a while ago?"
Dong Qi was taken aback for a moment before she shook her head.
"How is it haunted? It's nothing more than some dirty affairs happening within the gang …"
"Is that so?" Duan Xichen looked slightly curious. "Can you tell me about it? Don't worry, just leave the tea mountain to me. "
Dong Qi could not bear to take her eyes off him. Listening to him speak warmed her heart and made her feel very comfortable. It made her want to fulfill his request.
"It's all in the past. But since Mister wants to hear about it, I'll tell you about it."
…
Deep in the mountains.
Thunder rumbled and rain poured. The dark forest swayed under the weight of the wind and rain.
"Ouch … ouch …!"
At the bottom of a pitch-black slope in the mountains, Zhang the Fifth lay moaning in a ravine. Rainwater mixed with muddy water soaked his lower body.
His legs were already covered in bloody gashes when he rolled down the slope. Now that they were soaked in muddy water, they were even more painful and swollen.
He reached out to touch them. The skin on his legs was slightly numb.
"Oh no, I have to get up quickly. If I continue to lie here, I'm afraid I won't even be able to keep my life!" He got up with great difficulty. He had fainted from hitting the back of his head and had accidentally missed the best opportunity to go back.
The rain was heavy and thunder rumbled. The forest was pitch-black and the path was almost impossible to see. There were bushes and thick tree trunks everywhere.
It would be difficult for him to find his way back.
"I can't stay here. I've lost so much blood. It's inevitable that wild beasts will be attracted …" Zhang the Fifth was experienced in this area as he had been gathering herbs and hunting in the mountains all year round.
He slowly got up and limped out of the ravine. He looked left and right, trying to see his way back with the occasional flash of lightning.
But he had fallen down the slope and was no longer on the usual path. In addition to the wind, rain, thunder, and lightning, it was pitch-black in the middle of the night. Under such harsh conditions, it was harder than ascending to heaven to find his way back.
But he knew that if he did not persevere, he would not survive the night in the deep mountains. He would freeze to death the next day.
The temperature in the Northern lands was not high to begin with. Now that it was autumn and winter, the temperature was even lower. Zhang the Fifth had just woken up, but he was already shivering from the cold. Some parts of his body could even cramp and stiffen if he stopped to move.
"Is anyone there?" He tried to shout.
But the wind and rain were intertwined. The strange whooshing sounds were mixed with the rumbling of thunder. His voice could not travel far.
Zhang the Fifth was helpless. He could only drag his tired body and try his best to find a shady place to hide. But even though he avoided the rain, the cold wind blew on his wet body and he was still freezing.
As he walked in the forest, he suddenly lifted his head and saw an inexplicable white light in front of him.
"Light? There's someone there?? "Zhang the Fifth was overjoyed. He immediately quickened his pace and rushed towards the source of the light.
"Crack."
Lightning flashed, dyeing the sky and earth a deathly white for a moment.
Zhang the Fifth dragged his tired body with great difficulty out of the sheltered forest and came to the front of the light.
What appeared in front of him was a dilapidated small mountain village. Stone houses were scattered all over the place, sitting on the black ground that looked like old tree bark.
At a glance, the white light came from a large stone house at the entrance of the mountain village.
The stone house was in a higher position, much higher than the other stone houses. The main door was connected to a stone staircase that led to the left.
Zhang the Fifth swallowed his saliva. In his ecstasy, he quickened his pace and walked towards the light.
To be able to find signs of human habitation deep in the mountains was a great stroke of luck.
"Is anyone there!!? Sorry to disturb you!! "He shouted loudly and quickly reached the stone steps of the stone house.
All the stone houses in the village were pitch black. Only this house had a light on, and it happened to be near the entrance of the village. So he simply headed straight for it.
"Sorry to disturb you! Is anyone there?? "Zhang the Fifth shouted again when he did not hear a reply.
He climbed up the stone steps with great difficulty until he finally reached the wooden door of the stone house.
"Knock, knock, knock."
He knocked on the door with all his might.
With a creak, the wooden door was not closed. He knocked it open.
Zhang the Fifth's heart thumped. It was not normal to leave the door open in the middle of the night in such a dangerous mountain!
There were many ferocious beasts in the mountains. If the door was not closed at night, it would be a matter of life and death if wolves or tigers were attracted.
But with the thunderstorm and the cold and hunger, he could not afford to think too much.
Gritting his teeth, Zhang the Fifth pushed the door open and walked in.
Behind the door was a spacious courtyard. Further in, facing the door, was a main hall lit with white light. Through the paper window, he could see that someone was sitting there.
Zhang the Fifth was suddenly hopeful.
"Maybe the owner was careless and forgot to close the door. And my previous shout might have been too loud in the thunderstorm, so I didn't hear it. "
He closed the door behind him and limped towards the main hall.
"Help!! Is anyone there!? "He felt his body hurting more and more, and hurriedly shouted.
But the rolling thunder just happened to resound at this moment, completely drowning out his cries.
Zhang the Fifth had no choice but to walk quickly towards the main hall.
He walked to the eaves in one breath. Most of the wind and rain were blocked by the stone house. Only then did he heave a sigh of relief.
"My name is Zhang the Fifth. I slipped and fell deep in the mountains last night and have been unconscious ever since. I hope the owner will let me stay for a night. I will repay you in the future!" He shouted into the main hall.
Through the white paper window, he could clearly see a person sitting inside.
Right in the middle of the main hall, the person's shadow was reflected in the window. He sat motionless, as if asleep.
"Is anyone there? Help! "
"Help!!"
"Owner, help!"
Zhang the Fifth shouted again and again, banging on the door.
But there was no sound from inside.
He suddenly felt a little afraid.
"Could it be, could it be that I've met a ghost!?" Zhang the Fifth's face slowly paled, and he became uneasy.
Just then.
"Creak …"
The door opened.
Zhang the Fifth was overjoyed. He hurried over and stepped through the door.
The main hall was brightly lit and warm as spring. The house was also unusually exquisite, completely different from the rough stone house outside.
There were carved patterns on the wooden furniture, tables and chairs. Some unknown and strange ornaments hung on the walls, and in the middle of the main hall sat a middle-aged man.
A chubby, expressionless middle-aged man.
"Tell me a joke," the man suddenly said.
Zhang the Fifth was stunned, unable to react as he stood at the door.
"What …?" He looked at the man, unsure if he had heard wrongly. "My name is Zhang the Fifth. I'm a herb gatherer from a nearby house. Because I accidentally fell down a slope, I've been unconscious ever since. I can't go home, so I have no choice but to come here for help. I hope … "
"Tell me a joke."
The middle-aged man said again.
This time, Zhang the Fifth heard it clearly. He felt that something was wrong. He looked around. There was no one else in the main hall other than this man.
It was the middle of the night, and this man was sitting alone in the main hall, motionless and expressionless. It was strange no matter how he looked at it.
"I … I … don't know how to tell jokes … I'm sorry …" Zhang the Fifth felt a chill in his heart, and his legs began to tremble.
"Tell me a joke."
For the third time, the man's strange but calm voice rang out.
Zhang the Fifth was on the verge of breaking down. He retreated, trying to back out of the door.
"I … I …" Sweat beaded down his face, and his breathing became erratic.
"Bam!!"
All of a sudden, the door closed with a loud bang.
The lights in the main hall were extinguished, and everything was plunged into darkness.
After an unknown period of time.
The pitch-black main hall lit up with white light once more, and everything returned to normal.
A figure sat on the main seat, motionless as the light shone on the paper window.
There was no one else in the house besides him.
"Help … Help!!" Suddenly, footsteps came from outside the stone house.
A refugee covered in mud stumbled into the courtyard. Seeing the light in the main hall, he was overjoyed and rushed over.
"Creak …"
The wooden door opened and closed.
"Tell me a joke," the voice rang out of the window again.
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