C67 Strange Markings

I suddenly sat up from the bed, drenched in sweat, and realized I was still in the old man's room. Deaf Zhang was fast asleep beside me.

Looking out at the morning sun, I wiped a bead of sweat from my forehead, wondering if everything had been a dream.

But the dream felt too real. I turned to the old man, who was busy cooking, and asked softly, "Grandfather, what time did you get up?"

"Before dawn," he replied with a chuckle. "I'm old and don't sleep much, not like Ergou, who's been asleep for ten hours and still isn't awake."

"Did you notice if I went out last night?" I inquired.

He took a drag on his pipe and shook his head, "No, you and Ergou just slept the whole time."

Perplexed, I questioned whether it had indeed been a dream.

Doubtful, I hurried off the bed, slipped on my shoes, and headed outside, intending to check the Mountain God Temple.

But after a few steps, I noticed my shoes were caked with wet mud. Puzzled, since the old man had said I hadn't gone out, I bent down to examine them. To my astonishment, I found several strands of grayish-white hair on my arm—hair that looked like it came from the Mountain God Master.

Startled, I turned to the old man and asked, "Grandfather, have you ever seen the Mountain God Master? I mean his actual form, not the statue in the temple?"

He shook his head firmly. "Despite living in these mountains all my life, I've never been blessed to see the Mountain God Master's true form."

"Do you know of a cave in the mountain with a stone door inside?" I pressed on.

This time, the old man paused, puffing on his pipe as if deep in thought. After a moment, he said, "This cave and stone door you're talking about, they do seem familiar. Tell me more about them."

I hastily recounted the scene I had witnessed the previous night to the elder, but as he listened, he furrowed his brow and rubbed his head, saying, "It seems I've been to that cave before, yet it also feels like a vivid dream I had in my youth. It was so clear, it was as if it truly happened, which is why I still remember it after several decades."

Gradually, I began to piece things together. The Mountain God Master had mentioned that he'd allowed thousands to try and push open that stone door, all to no avail. It seemed likely that the elder was one of those individuals.

And perhaps, so was I. Just like the elder, my memories had been wiped by the Mountain God Master, leading me to confuse an actual event with a dream.

With a heavy sigh, I wondered if I, too, had failed to open the stone door in the end.

Yet, something didn't quite add up. Why did I distinctly recall a sliver of the door opening in the final moment of my memory?

Examining my hands, I was startled to find a black mark on the palm of my right hand!

The scar's shape was peculiar, and the more I looked, the more it resembled the runes on the ghost gate's wall...

"Changsheng, what's wrong?" the elder inquired.

"Nothing... It's nothing..." I replied, lifting my head. But when I looked again, the black mark had vanished from my hand!

I flipped my hand over and over, yet the black rune never reappeared. What was happening? Surely, I wasn't just seeing things...

Come noon, the three of us shared a farewell meal. Deaf Zhang relished his food, while I ate my bowl of rice with a mind full of concerns.

When it was time to depart, I tried to leave 3000 yuan for the elder, but he steadfastly declined, explaining that money had little use to him living in the mountains.

I conceded, promising that on my next visit, I would bring more fine wine and some household items instead.

The elder walked us halfway down the mountain with a lingering reluctance. After our goodbyes, he turned back. Watching his solitary figure retreat, a twinge of sadness washed over me.

Afterward, Deaf Zhang and I made our way toward the base of the mountain. It was then that I suddenly noticed a pair of eyes peering at me from the woods nearby.

I quickly turned to look and was startled to see a massive wolf. It was the Mountain God Master!

I was about to approach when he let out a low growl. I then saw that the Mountain God Master was riddled with wounds. His once profound eyes had dimmed, and he appeared utterly exhausted, as though he had just emerged from a harrowing fight...

What had happened to the Mountain God Master?

Driven by curiosity, I moved closer, but the Mountain God Master turned and bolted. His speed through the forest was incredible, and in an instant, his grey-white silhouette had vanished...

"Changsheng, what's the matter?" Deaf Zhang clapped me on the shoulder. I turned and gave him a bitter smile, saying, "It seems we'll definitely need to make another trip to Hundred Ghost Slope in the future..."