Chapter 31: So It Was You!
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Wu Chang asked, “What do you mean?”
Liu Shan’s gaze drifted into the distance as he recalled, “Two and a half years ago, a monk passed through the village. His skin was as black as coal, his nose flat like garlic, lips thick like sheep intestines, and his hair was naturally curled into a bun atop his head, resembling the ushnisha of a Buddha statue. He stayed in the village for three days, claiming he possessed a method to eradicate the evil spirits.”
Wu Chang raised an eyebrow, thinking, “Oh, this instance is like an international server—here comes a foreign monk.”
“So the foreign monk could chant sutras. Did you let him try?” Wu Chang asked.
“It’s said that extraordinary phenomena in life must be caused by extraordinary abilities. That black monk was full of strange signs and had remarkable skills. We thought he was no ordinary man, so we let him try.”
Liu Shan sighed regretfully, “Many had come before to subdue the evil spirits, but if they failed to exorcise them, no harm came. However, that black monk raised a cross-shaped wooden staff with a pinned voodoo doll and ventured alone into the mountains. That very night, the mountain trembled violently.”
“Not only did he fail to drive out the evil spirits, but he also attracted a rabid mountain ape. The beast chased the monk all the way here and, before the villagers’ eyes, broke the monk’s cross-shaped talisman and beat him to death.”
Wu Chang smirked, “Crossing the line always ends like this.”
The source of the instance’s corruption was clear: the black monk, in his zeal to complete his mission of eradicating the sealed BOSS evil spirit, acted too recklessly and stirred up other mountain monsters.
Not only did this loosen the BOSS’s seal, but his death also led to the contamination of Bailihuai Mountain by players. The instance spiraled out of control, gradually evolving into its current state.
Liu Shan continued, “Since then, the evil spirit has escaped control. Many extraordinary folk have come to exorcise it, but all ended in failure. Some were even influenced by the evil spirit, losing their minds and harming many villagers.”
“Until a year ago, when a scholar passed through and helped us improve the Year-End Exorcism Festival, restoring some control over the evil spirit.”
“The scholar said the ritual was most effective when performed at the end of the year, during the transition from old to new. But with monsters increasingly appearing in the mountains, even the improved festival struggles to maintain control. There’s still a month before the scholar’s prescribed date, yet the evil spirit has already frequently attacked villagers.”
Wu Chang found this quite natural. Over the past year, the instance’s corruption had deepened, and the difficulty naturally escalated toward B-rank.
Using a C-rank sealed talisman to imprison a B-rank BOSS—could that really work?
The reasoning was simple, but to get Liu Shan to understand, Wu Chang had to translate it into terms that a native of this realm could grasp.
“Right now, with spiritual energy reemerging and great changes in the world, the monsters nourished by this energy are growing stronger. Using old methods to restrain modern monsters naturally won’t hold.”
Liu Shan suddenly understood. “I see. I feared repeating the black monk’s mistake and dared not disobey the scholar’s instructions. But as the hero you saw just now, Liu Wei, insisted I start the festival early.”
“From what you say, advancing the festival is not impossible?”
Wu Chang said slowly, “Exorcising demons requires adaptability. I believe advancing the festival is feasible.”
Hearing this, Liu Shan’s heavy heart lifted immediately. “In that case, I’ll notify everyone tomorrow to discuss holding the Year-End Exorcism Festival earlier.”
Before Liu Shan left, Wu Chang suddenly remembered something and asked, “Many of the ghosts and monsters forming the day after tomorrow have causes. Do you know how the evil spirit in the mountain first came to be?”
Liu Shan frowned and shook his head. “I’ve never heard. Liu Wei is the strongest hunter in the village and knows the mountains best—perhaps he might know something.”
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After Liu Shan left, Wu Chang lay on the bed, contemplating his next move.
The Moonlight Sanatorium was the only instance he had ever experienced, and it left a strong impression, especially the hidden time limit for clearing it, which still haunted him.
His mission was only to participate in the Year-End Exorcism Festival; what happened afterward was beyond his concern.
No time to waste—delays bring changes.
If the villagers weren’t ready, the instance BOSS certainly wasn’t either.
Another crucial reason to support holding the festival early also came from the Moonlight Sanatorium: the First Law of Occultism.
The more people believe in its existence, the stronger its power becomes.
From Liu Shan’s description, it was clear that the evil spirit’s power was initially not strong. Before being sealed by the festival, it only caused illness among children and the elderly, primarily targeting those groups.
But now, even suppressed by the festival, the evil spirit can still make adult villagers lose their souls.
Such a vast difference is not merely due to the instance’s corruption.
The villagers’ long-standing fear of the evil spirit also strengthens its power.
In the month before the festival, as the seal loosens, the villagers’ fear peaks. Every day delayed adds to the evil spirit’s strength.
From any perspective, the festival should be held early.
Wu Chang exhaled deeply and closed his eyes.
Without energy, wielding the Spirit-cleansing Talisman had drained much of his strength; he needed to recover through sleep or by practicing the meditation technique taught by the Red Origin Sect.
Following their method, he closed his eyes, emptied his mind, and tried to detach his spirit from his body to sense the spiritual energy drifting in the air, using it to nourish his spirit and replenish his losses.
Blessed by heightened inspiration, his comprehension was rapid, and he soon entered a meditative state.
In a trance, his spirit left his body, rising higher and higher, resembling an out-of-body experience.
However, lacking the proper Daoist methods, he couldn’t fully control his astral form, remaining in a half-dream, half-awake state, letting his soul follow the guidance of spiritual energy.
His spirit drifted aimlessly and, passing over a thicket, overheard a fragment of conversation below.
“Big brother, this guy is different from those useless ones who came before. He’s genuinely skilled. Should we make a move?”
“Not yet. Let’s wait until after the Year-End Exorcism Festival.”
“I’m worried he might run away halfway…”
“You’re too impatient. He’s so confident in his sect and abilities that even if he fights the evil spirits to a standstill, he won’t run. You mustn’t be so rash—especially about today’s incident. This can’t happen again.”
“Understood.”
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Hmm? Someone seems to be targeting him.
The voices sounded somewhat familiar, but in his half-dream state, Wu Chang couldn’t hear clearly.
He tried to focus on the voices below, but concentrating too hard under the influence of his willpower caused him to snap out of the meditation.
When he tried to re-enter the astral state, the two conspirators had vanished, leaving no trace.
Who was the person speaking?
“Who was that?”
“Hero Wu, you said what? Is my family’s problem very serious?” a middle-aged female villager asked anxiously.
Wu Chang shook his head. “I was just thinking about something else; don’t worry. Your child’s soul is a bit unstable and caught a cold. I’ve stabilized his spirit. Just visit the healer for regular treatment.”
It was no wonder so many villagers agreed to hold the festival early. Many afflicted by the evil spirit had come seeking Wu Chang’s help.
In just the morning, he treated seven patients, some possessed for as long as two months.
None of them were as severely affected as Liu Ning, and none showed the red fleshy grudges again during treatment.
Yet what concerned him more now wasn’t whether the evil spirit had broken free but the voice he heard last night before sleep—who was it?
His half-conscious state made the words unclear, and the fragments blurred further with time.
Had he not kept recalling them, he might have forgotten those voices completely.
Well, he’d let those two off this time. Now that he was alert, there would be plenty of chances to catch them later.
No sooner had he sent off the villagers than Village Chief Liu Shan arrived.
“Hero Wu, are you available now? Liu Wei and others will be here soon. They want to discuss advancing the Year-End Exorcism Festival.”
“No problem.”
At that moment, Liu Wei arrived with several respected villagers and greeted him.
“Hero Wu, did you rest well yesterday?”
Hearing Liu Wei’s voice, Wu Chang slapped his hands excitedly.
“So it’s you!”