The stone steps up the mountain were built for a long time.
The mottled moss on the stone had a unique pattern. Though, the boss and the maid knew that these stone steps were not precious gems.
After passing through the vermilion shrine gateway and ascending about a hundred steps, he made it out of the long staircase.
The sun had not yet emerged from the mountains, but the sky was already bright. After finally ascending the mountainside where the shrine was, Luo Qiu glanced back. The village below had become tiny.
The appearance of the shrine was not too different from what Luo Qiu imagined. A box was placed in the forefront, where the worshippers would pay their tribute. As for the left side, there was a wooden fence with many wooden signs on it.
There were New Year’s wishes.
Unripe Rice Villagers came to worship every New Year, write down prayers for the coming year and hang them in this place. Luo Qiu seemed interested, so he walked directly to the wooden fence and appreciated them carefully.
It was gradually dawn.
In the early morning, it was the quietest time. Some birds living in the mountains and forests suddenly rushed into the sky from the distant mountains and forests.
“So many crows.” You Ye looked a little displeased when she saw them from far away.
Because the crow’s call was not as good as the oriole’s chirp after all. In the general perception of the public, crows were a bad omen. However, this did not apply to the club owner and maid. So, it could only be described as not pleasing to the eye.
Luo Qiu just smiled. After reading the prayers on the signs hanging on the wooden fence, he walked directly in front of the shrine and said amusedly, “People visit the gods for blessings. If we visited, would the “deities” bless us?”
Blessing? I’m afraid that they aren’t brave enough to show up.
You Ye shook her head slightly. Luo Qiu stopped on this topic. He then looked at the bell hanging in front of him. After the visitors inserted the tribute money into the box, they would sincerely shake the bell here. There were standards on how many times the bell should be rung. Everything had a strict and pious process.
“Who are you?”
The witch who was in charge of guarding the shrine came from the other side of the wooden fence where the wood signs were hung. There was also a path paved with stones on the opposite side, which seemed to lead to the shrine’s back.
The witch was not old. She was wearing a plain kimono and carrying a small wooden barrel in her hand. Her hair seemed long, almost reaching the heel. They were wet at this time.
Boss Luo had keen eyesight. It was the same for the maid. They could easily see the trace of water vapor on the witch.
She probably just finished bathing.
Luo Qiu looked at the witch and nodded. He then smiled and said, “Hello.”
A hint of confusion flashed across the witch’s face, but she nodded at the same time. She approached slowly while carrying the barrel. She was a little surprised because the clothes of the men and women were peculiar.
But the witch had encountered even more weird and incredible things. So, she was just curious, but not too surprised, “Are you from outside the village?”
As she approached, the witch was able to see the man and woman’s appearance with the help of the brighter light from the sky. She had grown up on this land since she was a child, so she had a remarkable memory of the people on this land.
“You can say that. We are passers-by,” Luo Qiu nodded.
This witch was young, even younger than when he was five years ago. Her figure was petite, like a girl who could not grow up.
But, her hair was long. The black hair appeared straight because of the previous bath. The tips of her hair were still dripping with water droplets. She was even more puzzled but still said politely, “Are you here for worshipping?”
“No.” Luo Qiu shook his head, “If I ask for blessings, the “gods” may not be able to give it to me.”
The witch was surprised and opened her mouth slightly. In front of the shrine and the witch guarding the shrine, it was disrespectful to say such things.
She should be angry, but she wasn’t.
She looked at the sky and realized that it was early, so she felt puzzled by the men and women who came up at this time. It took a long time to walk up the mountain. The pair have started their trip up the mountain before dawn… or even earlier.
“Since you aren’t here for worshipping, please suit yourself here.” In the end, the witch did not intend to put fault on the duo’s disrespect to the “gods,” but her attitude was colder.
Since her age was too young, her coldness did not look like an iceberg but rather an annoyance.
“Can I walk around?” Boss Luo thought for a while, “I won’t touch anything here. I promise.”
“Suit yourself.” The witch said calmly, then looked at Luo Qiu. She exclaimed, “However, you’d better leave this place as soon as possible.”
“Sure enough, is it because I don’t offer my tributes?” asked Luo Qiu apologetically.
The witch shook her head, “It is dangerous for a man to stay in this village, especially if you are still a foreigner.”
“Danger?”
“That’s all I can say.” The witch lifted the bucket again and walked through the front door into the shrine.
Luo Qiu sighed and looked at the door that was finally closed. If it is dangerous, probably the prayer signs hanging on the wooden fence next to me are more dangerous, right?
“I wonder if Eric is ready,” blurted Boss Luo abruptly.
You Ye whispered, “Eric only needs us to contain one of the people he selects. It is to preserve more true souls in this pseudo-world. Since the request is not much, he needs more preparations.”
Boss Luo smiled and looked at the position of the stone steps leading up, “The first one turns out to be him.”
…
A figure dashed on the steep stone steps.
Red robe and silver-white hair… It was the Windchaser who was a half demon beast in this world. But Windchaser was not alone. He was carrying a fainted woman on his back.
I always pick up someone injured and unconscious when I leave my house. Windchaser sighed with resignation. Last time, it was Zixing with the faint demon beast power on her. As a demon beast, Windchaser would not be a bystander.
As for this time, the fainted and injured woman did not seem to be an ordinary person.
“Is anyone here?”
Just as he reached the end of the stone steps, Windchaser hurriedly yelled. The reason why he came to this place was because of some memories left in his body.
“Is anyone here?” Windchaser stepped closer at this time and shouted again at the shrine’s door. At this time, his ears trembled slightly.
Because he heard the sound of footsteps. As expected, a young witch wearing a white kimono with wet hair opened the door not long after.
