Skinning

Just as Feng Nian thought that Cai Yulin would die under the falling beam, the Keeper actually struggled to support the beam. "Quick, take him away."

Although she was curious why the Keeper would save Cai Yulin, she did not hesitate and immediately pulled Cai Yulin out from under the beam supported by the Keeper.

Seeing that she had already taken Cai Yulin away, a gratified smile appeared on the Keeper's face. After so many years, he finally had the person he wanted to wait for. He no longer had any regrets. His body gradually turned transparent, a sign that his spirit body had begun to dissipate.

"Why did you—" In fact, she wanted to ask the Keeper why he did this. He was the one who lured Cai Yulin to this Mountain God Temple and caused his five senses to be sealed, but he saved him at the critical moment.

The Keeper no longer had the strength to answer. He quickly dissipated, turning into specks of light. Once the binding spirit's obsession dissipated, it would dissipate into the mortal world.

She brought Cai Yulin out of the Mountain God Temple that was about to collapse. The outside was also in chaos. The stone pillars had all fallen to the ground, and a few of them were broken at the waist. They were surrounded by blood from Black Spirit Snake and a few snake scales that had fallen off.

After setting up a formation around Cai Yulin to ensure his safety, she immediately got up and chased after Black Spirit Snake. She could not let Black Spirit Snake escape tonight. Otherwise, who knew how many people outside would be harmed by it.

When she reached the foot of the mountain, she finally saw Black Spirit Snake. However, what appeared in front of her was a spirit snake without its skin and scales.

She walked closer to take a look. Black Spirit Snake had already stopped breathing. Its yellowish-green snake eyes looked ahead in fear, as if it had just experienced something terrifying. The snake skin on its body had been neatly peeled off from head to toe. The snake blood was still warm, indicating that it had just stopped breathing.

She looked around. Other than the sound of insects, there was no sign of anyone else.

Who was it? Was it a human or an evil spirit? Why did they peel off Black Spirit Snake's skin and scales?

The dead Black Spirit Snake's flesh began to rot at a considerable speed. Soon, the snake bones could be seen. After the snake bones came into contact with the air, they gradually turned black and turned into black smoke before dissipating. Only the black powder left behind on the road indicated that Black Spirit Snake had really died here.

She held the snake bone in her hand. Because she had placed a curse on the snake bone, it did not disappear with Black Spirit Snake's death.

The moon was covered by clouds, and the surroundings darkened again, as if she could not see everything clearly. Before she could ask Black Spirit Snake about the scales being made into a wedding dress, it was skinned and died under her nose.

————

After bringing Cai Yulin back to the Cai family, the Cai family was overjoyed. However, when they saw that Cai Yulin did not react at all, worry and anxiety appeared on their faces.

To Feng Nian's surprise, Wei Cong was still waiting here late at night.

"Master, I'm willing to exchange my life for my son." Chen Chunni remembered what Feng Nian had said. As long as she could save her child, she was willing to pay any price.

"I'll say it first. If you exchange your lifespan, you can't get it back. Besides, I can't guarantee that I'll succeed." She told them all the possible consequences.

Chen Chunni held Cai Yulin's cold right hand and replied with a smile, "I won't regret it, Master. Please help me."

Feng Nian accepted the Cai family's request. She took out Chen Chunni's lifespan and made a talisman. Then, she used the bones left behind by the Black Spirit Snake to wake Cai Yulin up. With the bones, the chances of it working would increase greatly. She had to wake him up before dawn, or he would never wake up again.

————

The memories on the white bones appeared in front of Feng Nian like a tide. They were the memories of the Keeper.

On a cold winter month, when I was still a baby, I was abandoned in front of the Mountain God Temple. When I was discovered by the former temple keeper, I was already so cold that my entire body turned purple and I almost lost my breath. He held me in his arms for an entire night before I recovered.

Although I did not know the reason why I was abandoned, the former Keeper kept telling me that my biological parents must have left me for a reason. In that era, there were many children and it was common for them to not be able to eat their fill. He told me not to have any resentment. He named me Shou Jian and insisted on it. The first thing I learned to say was to call him "Grandpa." After he left, I almost forgot my name because no one else would call me by my name.

Seeing that there was a baby in the Mountain God Temple, the villagers at the foot of the mountain would come to the Mountain God Temple to pray. They would always bring some food and clothes for me. I could be considered to have grown up eating the food of hundreds of families. He asked me to remember the kindness of these people and let me guard the Mountain God Temple for them so that the Mountain Goddess could protect them.

Just like that, I grew up in the Mountain God Temple. Every day, I watched the villagers come to the temple to offer incense and pray. I watched him carefully sweep the dead leaves around the Mountain God Temple. I listened to the long Sanskrit chants and fell asleep while smelling the faint Buddhist fragrance. The days were quiet and peaceful. As I grew up, his back gradually bent.

This quiet day was broken early one morning. The villagers who had been praying for peace in the Mountain God Temple carried shovels and hammers and threatened to smash the Mountain God Temple.

The storm a few days ago caused the mountain to collapse and slide. The falling rocks crushed many villagers living on the east side. They believed that the Mountain Goddess had received their incense for many years, but she did not protect the villagers at all, causing countless casualties.

He did not hesitate to block the front. The shovel and hammer landed on him. Blood dripped from his body.

I cried and pushed away the villagers who had lost their minds. I cried and asked the Mountain Goddess to come out and protect him. Everything I did was useless. The only response was the angry roars of the villagers.

Later, it was Grandpa Village Chief who stood up in time to appease the angry villagers and take them away.

He stood up slowly and covered his wound. He smiled at me and said that it was fine. The villagers had lost their loved ones. Their grief overpowered their rationality. They just wanted to find an outlet to vent.

After that day, the Mountain God Temple seemed to have become a forgotten place in the village. The villagers no longer went to the Mountain God Temple to pray or set foot in the Mountain God Temple. They began to move to a more spacious and prosperous place. Only he and I were still guarding the Mountain God Temple. Every day, we swept up fallen leaves and rested at sunset. The incense ash in the cauldron was covered with a thick layer of dust, and his back was even more hunched.

The former Keeper died on a cold night, as cold as the night I was abandoned. I cried and begged Grandpa not to leave. He only smiled at me, his eyes gradually unfocusing.

I buried him behind the Mountain Temple. Three incense sticks every day, and his favorite wild fruit.

I had questioned the Mountain Goddess countless times why she wanted to take him away and take away the last trace of warmth that belonged to me, but I had never received any response.

Gradually, I reached his age. Although I worked hard to maintain the Mountain God Temple, the tiles were still missing and the paint had finally fallen off. I knew that I was about to see him.

In the cold night, I lay weakly, looking at the roof that was missing tiles. I prayed in my heart that the Mountain Goddess would bring me to him and let me accompany him, whether it was to continue guarding the Mountain God Temple or to reincarnate in hell. I only hoped to see him again. That beam of light in my life, that trace of warmth in my life.