Три призрака города

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"..."

"No? That's good. We'll go back in a few days and visit you then."

"..."

"It's nothing, it's just that Xiao Mo was worried about you and asked me to ask."

"..."

"Okay, goodbye Aunt Gao."

After hanging up the phone, Gu Ming looked at me and said, "It's alright for now, but I don't know what will happen in the future. If this has nothing to do with Fu Yi, then who set up such a formation at Er Gou Manor, and who can control so many ghosts to cause trouble at Moonlight? The person behind that female ghost is not simple."

"How about Kafu Yibi?"

"If the shadowy figure that day was the one behind it all, then he's not as powerful as Fu Yi. I'm afraid... there's someone else behind him..."

My heart sank. It turned out that things hadn't been peaceful at all. Judging from Gu Ming's expression, although Fu Yi was powerful, his actions were all under Gu Ming's control, with Jia Yanji and Xia Canyue secretly assisting him, as well as people from other sects helping him. But this time, we were completely clueless.

Thinking of this, I naturally lost my interest in sightseeing. The beautiful garden in front of me now looked like Er Gou Manor. I still vaguely remember the blood flowers on the walls of the manor, as well as countless golden lights and powerful screeching sounds.

Before returning to the hotel that evening, they hurriedly ate something, left the souvenirs they had bought aside, and after taking a shower, Gu Ming came over and sat down. He said, "Let's not go back yet, let's go to Bailu Mountain as planned."

"Why? Aunt Gao's side isn't..."

“Yes, Aunt Gao’s side might be in danger, but if we go back like this, it might not help at all. It would be better to go to Bailu and ask Xiao Bi and the others to find out if this matter is really unrelated to Fu Yi. Although Xiao Bi’s body was possessed by Fu Yi, her soul was also in her body at that time, so she should know something about what happened. Besides, Daoist Cang Yi might be able to help. I’m afraid that if Aunt Gao’s side is really a big problem, having one more person is always an extra bargaining chip.” Gu Ming explained patiently, his eyes firm and bright. He looked very handsome when he was serious, but his brows were slightly furrowed. I reached out and slowly smoothed them out as if I were bewitched.

Gu Ming was taken aback for a moment, then smiled warmly. That smile reassured me a lot...

The weather was changeable on April 16, 2005.

In the morning, Gu Ming sent all the random things we bought back by express delivery. Then he rented a car and drove to Bailu Mountain. He said that Bailu Mountain is not accessible by car. Usually, cars only go as far as the suburbs where Bailu Mountain is located, and it takes another three hours to walk there after getting off the bus. It would be much closer if we drove ourselves.

After the car started moving, the weather outside the window was great, the sun was shining brightly, and "Craigie Hill" was playing in my ears. For a moment, I forgot the purpose of this trip and what was going on with Aunt Gao.

More than an hour later, the sun became stronger and it was slightly hot. Gu Ming smiled and said, "It's so hot that I want to sleep."

As soon as I finished speaking, the sky suddenly darkened, the golden sunlight was blocked, and everything was gloomy. It seemed that fog had risen in front of the road, making it difficult to see the distance. I was about to speak when I saw Gu Ming looking helpless. Then the car stopped by the roadside, and he looked ahead and muttered to himself, "You're really bold. You dare to come out with such strong demonic energy. What if someone captures you?"

I looked at him, wondering if he was talking to me. Could it be that a monster was lurking around? But Gu Ming's tone didn't seem hostile at all. Just as I was about to ask him, I was startled by a white shadow jumping in through the car window. Looking closer, I saw that Gu Ming had a snow-white puppy in his arms, squinting and rubbing against Gu Ming's hand. It turned out that the white shadow was this little guy.

"Where did this puppy come from? I want to hold it." I said, looking into the little guy's round eyes.

"A dog?" Gu Ming's lips twitched. The little guy in his arms also raised his head and glared at me with a disdainful look. I was stunned. When I looked over again, the little dog continued to rub against Gu Ming. I couldn't help but laugh at myself for seeing things. How could a dog have such an expression?

"Come here and let me hug you, you're so cute and so fair-skinned."

"Xiao Mo, look closely, this is a white fox." Gu Ming smiled and held the little guy up in front of me. I stared blankly at its snow-white fur and pointed little nose. It really did look like a fox. Just as I was about to touch the little guy's pointed ears, I noticed that the eyes under its ears were looking at me with great anger and contempt. I was sure I wasn't mistaken this time; it was indeed a look of contempt.

"Gu...Gu Ming, it...it despises me." He withdrew his hand in surprise.

"Disdain?" Gu Ming turned the little fox around to face him. "Maybe it thinks you're too stupid."

"You...you...you, where did this fox come from? It doesn't need to be sent to the zoo." I find Gu Ming really annoying.

"It followed us from the mountains. I didn't notice it when we left. This little guy must have been using magic to hide its demonic aura and secretly followed us. Today the sun was too strong, and it was exhausted, so it broke the spell and released its demonic aura. If it hadn't meant us any harm, I would have been able to detect it even if it was hiding its demonic aura." Gu Ming said, gently tapping the little fox's paw. "Naughty little white fox, how did you sneak out?"

The little fox snuggled into Gu Ming's arms with a smile, rubbing against him affectionately. I paused for a moment, thinking to myself, "Little White? Little White? I feel like I've heard that name somewhere recently?"

My thoughts suddenly turned to the conversation between the two voices by my bedside on our last night in the mountains. They said, "...Although Xiaobai is clumsy, she is still a white fox...When it gets light, let's turn Xiaobai into human form and seduce Gu Ming back."

Look at this little fox that looks like a dog, could this be the legendary Little White?

"Gu Ming, is this a vixen?"

"Yes, a white fox, very rare."

Will it transform into human form?

"Yes, but Little White doesn't seem to have eaten. It's hungry and tired, and its magic power is too low. It can only transform after it recovers its energy."

Isn't it beautiful?

"Vixen are all quite beautiful."

"..."

"What's wrong?"

"Are you going to take it to White Deer Mountain?"

"Well, there's no other way. Going back to deliver it would take too much time. Let's wait until we get to Bailu Mountain."

"..."

"What's wrong?"

"I want to hold it, you focus on driving," I said helplessly. Recalling the conversation between the two foxes, I felt that life was truly... so troublesome...

More than three hours later, the car finally stopped at the foot of Bailu Mountain. Of course, the little fox wouldn't let me carry it obediently the whole way. My injured little finger, its blood-stained teeth, and the way it snuggled in Gu Ming's arms and acted coquettishly fully demonstrated its fox spirit nature.

After getting off the bus, I looked at the green mountains in front of me and felt a fresh and peaceful atmosphere. The trees were lush and green, and I could faintly hear the sound of water coming from the mountains. The air was filled with the damp smell of soil and the simple fragrance of plants. It was truly a wonderful place.

"On behalf of my master, Cang Yu welcomes you both." A clear voice came from beside us, and a young man appeared at some point, smiling as he spoke to us. I felt that this person looked very familiar, and upon recalling it, I realized that he was the disciple of Daoist Cang Yi, whom I had met by West Lake that night. I felt an immediate sense of goodwill towards him.

"Hello, Master Cangyi, you're amazing! You actually figured out who we were," I said with a smile.

Cang Yu and Gu Ming were both stunned for a moment, and then Gu Ming whispered in my ear, "I called them beforehand."

I think I'm so stupid...

Climbing mountains, something I used to hate the most, completely changed my impression after this trip to Bailu Mountain. Before, most mountains I climbed were artificially constructed, or just barren dirt hills with hardly a tree stump. After spending ages and getting exhausted, the only thing waiting for me at the summit was a dilapidated pavilion. So I utterly despised that activity. But today, faced with such beautiful scenery, and with Cang Yu's magic that instantly transformed the rugged path into flat ground, I completely forgot the pain in my little finger and the little fox's hostile gaze. I excitedly looked left and right, smelled the roadside flowers, teased the little fish in the stream, and, while Gu Ming wasn't looking, accidentally plucked a few of Xiao Bai's fox fur. Ignoring Xiao Bai's glare, I thought it was just an accident, well, an accident…

My anticipation of seeing Xiao Bi and the pleasant scenery made me walk faster and faster until I suddenly realized that it was getting dark. I turned back to ask Gu Ming if Xiao Bai had revealed his demonic aura again.

But… the flat path behind me turned into a rugged mountain trail. Gu Ming, Cang Yu, the little fox—all gone. I panicked, unsure whether to go forward or retreat. Fear and anxiety swirled within me when suddenly I heard a low, eerie cry in the distance. The wind instantly turned cold, the sky darkened, and not a single ray of light remained. The cry grew closer, and I felt my fingers begin to tremble. Where was Gu Ming? Where was this place…?

April 17, 2005 (cold)

I fainted. Yesterday, while hiking up the mountain, the sudden gloomy sky, strange noises, and abrupt changes in the scenery left me bewildered. Suddenly, I felt something pat my back, and then my body and head began to go numb. I immediately lost consciousness. When I woke up, I was lying in a clean cave. The air was filled with a strange smell. I was surrounded by stones, and not far away was a neat stone table and benches. Further back was a stone bed with three Simmons mattresses piled high on it, along with countless other mattresses. The slight depression at the top indicated that someone was lying there.

As I was quietly observing the situation, the person on the bed moved, the mattress and blankets trembled, then calmed down. Then a sound came from the air. I listened carefully and realized it was the strange cry from yesterday, ringing out rhythmically one after another.

I moved my body and found nothing unusual. I quietly got up, looked in the direction of the cave entrance, and then in the direction of the stone bed. Driven by curiosity, I slowly moved deeper into the cave until I saw the situation on the big bed. I was dumbfounded.

On the silk rug lay a boy, strikingly beautiful beyond compare, appearing to be fifteen or sixteen years old. His closed eyes cast shadows beneath his thick eyelashes, and a slight upturn at the corners of his mouth suggested he was dreaming of something sweet. The boy wore a bright green dress, but his hair was fiery red, soft and glossy, tempting one to touch it. The strange snoring sound emanated from his nose, rising and falling with each breath. I thought with a touch of exasperation: Such snoring exists in this world!

I quietly walked back to the cave entrance. Although the child seemed harmless, the strange situation yesterday and his fiery red hair made me unable to believe that he was just an ordinary person. What if he was some kind of ghost? It was better to escape.

Outside the cave entrance was a grove of trees, all banyan trees of varying heights, each one covered in pink blossoms. I'd always imagined banyan flowers as pink fans used in dancing; when the wind blew, countless tiny fans would flutter and dance, filling the air with a sweet fragrance. So this was the scent of banyan flowers inside the cave…

"You're awake?" A clear, gentle voice came from behind me. I was startled and turned around to see the boy who had been sleeping in the cave standing under the tree, smiling slightly. His eyes were clear and bright, seemingly overflowing with tears. I felt a little less wary, but I didn't know how to answer his question, so I blurted out, "You're awake too?"

The child paused for a moment, then grinned. His fiery red hair and the banyan blossoms falling from the tree created a striking contrast, making me momentarily wonder if I had stumbled into a fairyland.

"Who are you? And where is this place?" I asked.

"Hmm?" The child tilted his head, thought for a moment, and said, "How should I put it? This is where I live, so you're still on White Deer Mountain. It's just that you accidentally stepped on the mechanism at the entrance when you were climbing the mountain. This place is like another dimension. It's really strange. The entrance is clearly very hidden, and people who don't know the incantation can't get in. It's been so many years, and no one has ever been able to get in, except..."

The child's voice grew softer and softer until it was barely audible. As I repeated his words, I suddenly realized that this place seemed to be the same kind of place as the mountain forest that Gu Ming had taken me to. Both had hidden entrances and were in another space. What a coincidence!

How did I get here?

"Well... I'm not really sure either. I was sleeping when you suddenly fell. Seeing that you were alright, I went back to sleep."

I forced a smile, recalling the sudden darkness and the chilly wind yesterday, and the feeling of something patting me on the back. I asked him about it, and the boy paused, thinking for a moment before saying, "This sounds like you've encountered a demon with weak magic. Turn around so I can see your back... Huh? It's a white fox. How could that be? White foxes are all cultivators; they're not inherently evil and wouldn't harm anyone..."

"A white fox?" I watched as the boy grabbed a white hair from behind me, and a surge of anger welled up inside me. "Little White, Little White, it must be that damned fox spirit Little White, who actually ambushed me and made me fall here by accident."

The boy looked at me, then at the white fur in his hand, smiled with narrowed eyes, nodded and said, "We are destined to meet. When the time is right, we will meet again."

I looked at the boy and thought that what he was saying didn't match his age at all. Then I thought of this strange place and his strange hair, and I immediately realized that this boy was definitely not an ordinary person. I habitually touched the small stone on my neck and cursed the damned charlatan for not keeping an eye on that dead fox, which had actually brought me to this place.

"You..." The boy suddenly leaned closer, as if he had discovered something, and asked, "Can I see what you're wearing around your neck?"

I touched the small stone and looked at him. This was a family heirloom of Gu Ming's family. How could he just hand it over to a stranger, especially since this person was not an ordinary stranger?

The boy seemed to sense my concern and smiled, saying, "It's alright. This jade statue was a gift I gave to a friend many years ago. I just wanted to confirm if I was mistaken."

Looking into his clear eyes, I picked up the small stone and handed it to him. The boy smiled, took it, looked me up and down, and asked, "What's your relationship with the Gu family?"

I was taken aback. "You know someone from the Gu family?"

"Yes, this jade is a gift I gave to a friend of the Gu family."

I frowned. Gu Ming had told me that this jade was a family heirloom, and Xia Canyue said the same thing, but now this child was saying that he gave it to her. How could that be? I became wary again.

"If I'm not mistaken, you are the wife of the current heir of the Gu family. Back then, I told him that if he found the one he loved, he could give her this jade. That fool must have told his son the same thing..."

The boy continued talking to himself, and I was completely confused. Just as I was about to ask for the little stone back, the boy suddenly looked up and said, "You look about twenty years old? What's the name of the current heir of the Gu family? Do you have any children...?"

My lips twitched, and I stared blankly at him as I said, "I'm twenty. The current heir of the Gu family is Gu Ming. I still have a few months before graduating from university. I'm not married, and I don't have any children..."

“Oh, Gu Ming… it’s already the character ‘Ming’ in his name, so many generations ago.” The boy began to mutter to himself again, “He was still unmarried at twenty, I remember Gu Yicheng’s wife gave birth at sixteen…”

"Could you... could you please return the jade to me first?" I looked at his strange behavior and thought I should get it back and leave as soon as possible.

The boy paused, then looked at me knowingly as I handed him the jade. Just as my hand touched it, he suddenly withdrew it. I was startled. He smiled and said, "May I put it on for you myself?"

Looking into those clear eyes, I couldn't see any malice in him. They seemed so pure, reflecting the entire world. As if bewitched, I lowered my head slightly. The boy reached out and gently hung the small stone around my neck, but instead of withdrawing his hand, he placed it on my head. I looked at him in confusion. He smiled and said, "A thousand years ago, I met Gu Yicheng and gave him this jade. Now I've met another destined person. In the name of heaven and earth, I wish the Gu family even greater peace..."

I was stunned, realizing I had heard something from a thousand years ago, and that Gu Yicheng was very likely Gu Ming's ancestor. Could this jade really have been a gift from him, and could this child have lived for a thousand years...?

While I was still in surprise, I suddenly felt a warm current enter my body from the top of my head, and the small stone in my chest also became warm. The two heats complemented each other, and the feeling was exactly the same, which made me feel very comfortable and warm. I knew that this child really had a connection with the Gu family. I looked up and was about to ask him in detail when I saw him staring at me with a surprised expression.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"You...you actually...you actually have their spirits..."

The two of them? Could it be referring to the two eminent monks who defeated Fu Yi a thousand years ago? Well, even Cang Yu and the others could see the spiritual energy on my forehead. If this person has truly lived for a thousand years, how could they not see it?

“It’s fate…” the boy sighed, then smiled again, “Child, I’ll see you out.”

It felt really awkward to be called a kid by someone who looked about fifteen or sixteen. Suddenly, I remembered he hadn't told me who he was. I wanted to ask, but then I saw him wave his emerald green sleeves. A gust of wind blew by, and the scenery before my eyes began to blur. It felt just like when I left the mountains with Gu Ming. In my dizziness, I vaguely heard him say, "No matter what you encounter, remember that if your heart doesn't die, everything can be reborn..."