62: Chapter 62: The Festival of Sacrifice (Part 7)

"Boss?"

"What is going on here?"

Trench Coat Boss was silent for a moment. "It might be related to the place we went to earlier."

These villagers acted like they had gone mad, their faces stiff as they stared them down, absolutely refusing to let them take another step forward.

From far away, Qian Ye saw the commotion and noticed many people near the village entrance. Her eyes lit up.

"Well, finally found everyone. So this is where they all are."

Qian Ye held a miniature flower pot in her arms and carried the hong ling umbrella, walking toward them with light, brisk steps.

What she held, while called a flower pot, looked more like a small gray teacup with black patterns on it, appearing both small and delicate.

"Hee hee, what are you all doing?"

The tip of the hong ling umbrella rested on the ground, and Qian Ye spun it absentmindedly.

"Chen Xi, hurry up and talk to them, let us pass."

Xie Hong, looking righteous and confident, commanded Qian Ye.

Qian Ye curled her lips and gave her a wicked smile, but made no move to act.

Looking at these NPCs, sigh, it was quite annoying. They really weren't cute at all; she missed the little darlings who used to follow her back in the years she played the villain.

Qian Ye's arrival did not stop the villagers from blocking and driving them away.

Watching the villagers with their identical movements, Qian Ye's eyes darted around. She walked up to them, mimicked their actions, and muttered, "Retreat, retreat, retreat!"

As she chanted, she got closer and closer to the villager beside her.

"Hey, Ma'am, I want to ask you something~"

The woman glanced at Qian Ye, her expression softening slightly because of her actions. "My girl, they have offended the Mountain Spirit and have been possessed by evil energy."

"You must not get close to these people; it will bring misfortune."

Qian Ye nodded in agreement.

"But this way, they won't leave~"

The two groups got closer and closer to the village entrance, but looking from afar, the entrance was shrouded in fog, making it impossible to see anything clearly.

"You will know in a moment."

As soon as the woman finished speaking, the group retreated to the village entrance. Once they reached the entrance, the villagers returned to their calm state, glared at them, and left.

Qian Ye remembered the woman's words and kept her distance from them.

Soon, she understood why the villagers had left so readily.

Several more villagers emerged from the other side—a group of old men, all looking kind-hearted.

There appeared to be six old men, each holding a bowl in one hand and an unknown leaf in the other.

They approached, naturally forming a circle around them, and began muttering incantations.

As their voices rose and fell, they dipped the leaves into the water and sprinkled it onto the group. They did this for three full circles before stopping.

The leading old man pressed his palms together. "Welcome, honored Guests. Having traveled a long way, you have picked up some unclean things that will offend our Mountain Spirit. Now that we have performed a prayer, the evil energy has dissipated."

"Next, please follow us to our humble abode for a rest, and shortly we will proceed to the Fountain of Longevity for the next step of the prayer."

After the old man finished speaking, he made a gesture of invitation. Even though he wore a smile, his attitude was too firm to refuse.

Fountain of Longevity?

Qian Ye was not able to go with them; the old men forbade her from following.

Qian Ye wandered around the village entrance by herself.

Looking at the thick fog at the village entrance, Qian Ye carried the hong ling umbrella and approached it. The fog was magical; it did not cross the sign at the village entrance, and against the air inside the village, it felt like a barrier had formed.

Carrying the hong ling umbrella, Qian Ye poked at the fog casually, discovering that there was some resistance.

Meng Yu spotted Qian Ye's figure at a glance and saw her teasing the fog, causing her mouth to twitch.

After entering the game, she had been in Changsheng Village, but the announcement never appeared until last night when she met other players.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh? You... aren't crying today?"

This remark was so infuriating that Meng Yu almost exploded, but thinking of the aftereffects, she decided not to lash out.

"I'm in a good mood today." She didn't make a move.

However, Meng Yu didn't say the rest.

Qian Ye shrugged; she had no interest in prying into other people's secrets.

It's just unexpected...

A moment later, both of them were surrounding the fog, poking at it.

"I have to say, it's quite elastic." A fan appeared in Meng Yu's hand, and she poked at it vigorously; it was very bouncy.

"Is there any clue here?" Qian Ye shook her head.

"Hee hee, I just think it's fun."

"..."

"Yo, did you two find any clues?" A voice that sounded familiar to Qian Ye came from behind.

The person came up to the two of them and curiously poked at the fog as well.

"Huh, it's actually elastic."

"Why does this feel like a cover?"

"Oh, Meng Yu, you aren't crying today!"

Being made into a joke again, she ground her teeth in anger.

"Get lost!"

"Oh, little sister, I didn't expect to meet you so soon."

"I am Tai You, do you remember me~"

Qian Ye twitched her lips, her attitude hostile. "It's a good thing you kept your promise."

This made the smile on Tai You's face stiffen. Truth be told, he had almost missed the appointment.

Jiu Jiang didn't believe in a young girl's strength; she looked like a minor, so he had directly eliminated her in the second round back then.

If he hadn't been curious about this young girl, and luckily taken another look at the list, he would have really broken his promise.

Tai You didn't know why, but looking into Qian Ye's eyes, he always felt a bit guilty.

Ever since Tai You appeared, he had been chattering nonstop.

Qian Ye and Meng Yu moved to the two large trees at the village entrance.

It was clear during the day.

They were two huge locust trees, but not very tall, with branches covered densely in red ribbons.

For the first time, Qian Ye was a bit distressed about her height.

Looking at the trees, which weren't considered tall, they were still not low for her.

She lifted the hong ling umbrella in her hand and poked at the ribbons above.

"May one's life be smooth and favorable."

"Wishing the village favorable weather and an abundant harvest every year."

"Lord Mountain Spirit, the harvest is not good this year."

"So many people died again this year, why?"

"Many people want to leave this place, the village they grew up in, why?"

"Mountain Spirit, Mountain Spirit, reveal your spirit, and bless Changsheng Village with longevity."

Meng Yu had a height advantage; at over 1.7 meters tall, she could easily reach the lower branches.

The red ribbons above all had words and blessings on them, which Meng Yu read out one by one.

"It seems like some incident occurred in this village in the past."

Qian Ye squatted to the side, drawing circles on the ground.

Why was she suddenly depressed?

Sigh!

It was all because of her height!

Qian Ye stomped the ground in frustration.

The three of them walked aimlessly and, without realizing it, arrived at a crop field.

"The crops here look like they are growing quite well."

Tai You looked at the green crops and, as he spoke, prepared to step forward to get a closer look, when suddenly a figure darted out from the field.

"What... do you... want to do?"

Tai You smiled brightly and waved his hands. "We don't want to do anything, just wanted to take a look. These crops are growing really well."

"Heh heh heh..."

The person lowered their head and let out a strange laugh.