Chapter 1, Returning Home to Honor Ancestors, Wolves Worship the Moon

When your great-grandfather passed away, both your grandfather and I were very young. He passed away on the sixteenth day of this month in the lunar calendar, so your grandfather and I have designated that date as a memorial day for him. In fact, much of what I know about your great-grandfather comes from your great-grandmother. Before he passed, a Taoist priest did visit our home, and the villagers speculated, which gave rise to this story. After your great-grandfather left with the Taoist priest, he never returned. Your great-grandmother always told us that your great-grandfather had become a Taoist monk. The elderly man looked at Lin Junxuan and sighed, saying: "Poor great-grandmother, after your great-grandfather left, there were still two children at home. For such a young woman, it was incredibly difficult to support two children! At that time, the villagers all said that your great-grandfather had died outside, but your great-grandmother believed that he had merely gone out to become a Taoist and would eventually return. She sighed, saying: "Poor great-grandmother, after your great-grandfather left, there were still two children at home. For such a young woman, it was incredibly difficult to support two children! At that time, the villagers all said that your great-grandfather had died outside, but your great-grandmother believed that he had merely gone out to become a Taoist and would eventually return. Day after day, year after year, missing your great-grandfather too much, after a few years, your great-grandmother went mad.

Aow!

Stepping out of the car, he slowly surveyed his surroundings. It was eerily quiet here, and everything around Lin Junxuan evoked a strong sense of familiarity. "Squeak!" Down the road, at the bend, a streak of yellow dashed past him with a scream. "That should be a weasel?" Lin Junxuan found it strange. Although he had spent a long time in the city, he had previously lived here for a while and had never seen a weasel. Not only here, but even in the nearby villages, he had never heard of such an animal. He had only seen them in some books, and he wondered where they had suddenly come from. It was truly odd!

The old man was momentarily taken aback, seemingly not expecting Lin Junxuan to continue pressing this question. Turning around, the old man walked to the edge of the bed and sat down, looking at Lin Junxuan, murmuring: "It really is similar!"

"Great-aunt, this is your personal belonging; I cannot accept it!" Lin Junxuan, seeing the elderly woman's serious expression, understood that this star pendant was very important to her and declined.

The moonlight is like a wash, under the moonlight, the Wolf King stands tall, while all the wolves around are lying on the ground, in a posture of worship. However, this time, the object of their worship is not the Wolf King, but the skull in the air and the bright moon in the sky

After getting off the bus, Lin Junxuan casually found a hotel near the station to stay in. After resting for a while in the hotel, he took a van directly to Linggui Peak

"Jun Xuan, my dear." The elderly man looked kindly at Lin Jun Xuan and said, "Having lived in the city for so long, will you find it uncomfortable to sleep in the countryside?"

After the old man left, the room fell silent once more. The words spoken by the old man before he departed resurfaced in my mind: weasels, jackals... These creatures had vanished into thin air over fifty years ago, only to reappear out of nowhere after half a century. For some reason, ever since Lin Junxuan returned this time, the events surrounding him seem to carry an air of the uncanny.

Aow!

Hmm. Lin Junxuan responded, and just as the old man was about to step out of the door, Lin Junxuan called out: "Great-aunt!"

The vehicle slowly traverses the rugged mountain path, where a young man dressed in a white Hanfu holds a copy of "Notes from the Grass Hut". With a slight furrow in his brow, he is engrossed in reading a story about a temporary entry into the cycle of reincarnation

The pack of wolves emitted growls and, under Lin Junxuan's terrifying gaze, fell silent and disappeared. One by one, the wolves whined softly, turning their heads away, not daring to meet Lin Junxuan's eyes. Satisfied, Lin Junxuan straightened up and stepped forward again, causing the wolves to whimper and retreat in fear.

Lin Junxuan pressed further, and the old Taoist was also puzzled for quite some time. Seeing this, Lin Junxuan could only stop there, realizing that further inquiries would yield no results. He then turned to ask, "Is there any story behind Linggui Peak? Do you know why it is called Linggui Peak?"

On the way to Linggui Peak, there is a small path paved with pebbles in the woods, with some moss growing along the edges, clearly aged. As one proceeds further, the number of people gradually increases, mostly pilgrims fulfilling their vows. Continuing ahead, on both sides of a spacious stone path, there sits a row of fortune tellers, most of whom have long beards and appear to be of great age.

"Why?" Lin Junxuan asked in surprise

Such rural legends unexpectedly involve one's own great-grandfather! Lin Junxuan was filled with doubts. Generally, rural legends are vague about the characters mentioned, making it difficult to discern their truthfulness, and it is rare for them to name individuals directly.

Wow! In the thicket, Lin Junxuan suddenly stood up as if enchanted, standing there amidst the weeds, completely unconcerned about the gazes of the wolves.

The old man continued to hold a box, walking to the bedside. He handed over the rusty iron box, saying: "This item has been kept by your great-aunt for over sixty years, and it was also passed down from your great-grandfather. Junxuan, you are a learned person, so you should be able to understand it. Here, this is a gift from your great-aunt to you"

Call!

Lin Junxuan fell silent for a moment, thinking that what they might be digging up were burial mounds. People in the mountains are buried in the ground, unlike those in the city who are cremated. After burial, all that remains are these piles of mounds.

Your great-grandfather passed away early, and neither your grandfather nor I have a very deep impression of him. The elder sighed, as if reminiscing about the era they experienced, and then said: You must be tired from the journey, so take a rest for a while. I will tidy up your room first. After saying this, the elder went to get busy.

The night was as dark as ink, and the howling outside soon ceased. Just as Lin Junxuan was about to fall asleep again, a rustling sound suddenly came from outside the house. The sound seemed to be approaching directly towards him, and from the noise, there appeared to be three to five creatures racing in this direction. Lin Junxuan's heart stirred; he threw off the blanket, put on his clothes, and quickly walked to the window. Just as he reached the window, three creatures that were neither quite wolves nor quite dogs rushed past outside. When Lin Junxuan arrived at the window, he caught a glimpse of them, and in their eyes flashed a glimmer of cold green light.

"The Hundred Schools of Thought." Lin Junxuan replied, "It is an ancient text from the pre-Qin period"

Lunar eclipse! — As he gazed at the celestial phenomenon, Lin Junxuan instinctively recalled a term in his mind. This phenomenon occurs when the moon passes into the Earth's shadow, typically during a full moon.

After getting off the car, Lin Junxuan followed the driver's guidance and took several turns along a winding path, eventually arriving at Linggui Peak

"You are... you are Xin Yu's child?" the old man said somewhat uncertainly

The old man cradled the fallen star, his expression appearing very solemn, as if it were something extremely precious

It was found that the man, following the Taoist's instructions, entered the mountain's interior with a talisman. However, unexpectedly, the passage could only be entered and not exited. As soon as the talisman was hung up, the entire mountain began to tremble, collapsing the passage. The man was trapped beneath the mountain and never returned. People spoke of it in detail, mentioning that the young man, Li Longtu, was from the Li family village in the northern part of the city.

Lin Junxuan took the box, opened the rusty lid, and found a book with all its pages yellowed at the bottom of the box. The book was inscribed with the four characters "Qimen Dunjia"

"No, I won't." Lin Junxuan shook his head, "It is very quiet here, and I quite like it."

Although the room is somewhat dilapidated, it is very clean, and the items inside are neatly arranged. Upon entering, the elderly woman served tea and filled the cups to the brim. "Auntie, how did you recognize me at a glance?" After taking a sip of tea, Lin Junxuan asked, as just moments ago, Li Ruocheng had not yet mentioned it, yet the elderly woman seemed to recognize him immediately. Although they had met before, it had been a long time ago, and at that time, he was still a child.

Lin Junxuan had heard many such mythological stories before and was initially somewhat distracted. When the name "Li Longtu" reached his ears, Lin Junxuan's entire body trembled, and he suddenly sat up straight. "Boom!" A shockwave surged through Lin Junxuan's mind; Li Longtu was indeed the name of his grandfather's father, which meant it was the name of his great-grandfather, and the village where his grandfather lived was precisely Li Family Village.

"Jun Xuan, it is rare for you to come here. I am nearing the end of my days, so I would like to give you two items that belonged to your great-grandfather." The old man, with trembling hands, reached around his neck and took off an ancient chain. The chain appeared somewhat worn, with some patterns on its surface. In the center of the chain hung a star pendant, about the size of a fingernail. The surface of the star pendant bore some patterns resembling verdigris, along with other small, indistinct designs. This type of pendant chain could only be described as somewhat old; it could not be considered beautiful. In this era, where gold and jade are worn, and at the very least silver is used for decoration, such an item truly cannot be regarded as particularly favored.

Did the Taoist find the person born in the Year of the Rat, in the Month of the Rat, and at the Hour of the Rat? Lin Junxuan asked

The old Taoist could only smile wryly and said, "My skills are still limited, and I cannot predict your fate, young sir. However, I can only remind you to be cautious and not to be overly curious about the things around you recently"

The old Taoist stroked his beard and said: "It is said that this peak resembles a spiritual turtle resting on the surface of the river, hence it is named Linggui Peak. There are many tales surrounding it, but the older generation claims that beneath Linggui Peak lies an empty space connected to another world. Among the folk, there is a story about this Linggui Peak, which is said to have occurred during the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China, a time when revolutions were rampant outside. However, our remote location remained unaffected by the turmoil. One day, a thick fog enveloped the area within dozens of miles around Linggui Peak, making it impossible to see even half a meter ahead. Such an occurrence had never happened before, and the mountain folk were bewildered, merely saying that the spiritual turtle was exhaling its essence, fearing that a great calamity was imminent. Not long after the fog appeared, a Taoist arrived in the mountains, claiming that beneath Linggui Peak lies another world, and that the seal between the two worlds had loosened. He stated that a man born in the Year of the Rat, during the month of the Rat, at the hour of the Rat, was needed to hold a seal and enter beneath Linggui Peak to re-seal the opening.

That is good, that is good. The old man smiled and said, "Now I can rest assured, so you should sleep."

This is a wolf king! Lin Junxuan thought to himself as he gazed at the wolf king standing under the moonlit night. At that moment, the white fur on the wolf king's neck shook, and it raised its head to emit a loud howl once again. As soon as the howl ceased, the howls of other wolves echoed from deep within the mountains, seemingly responding to the call of this 'king'.

Under the moonlit night, Lin Junxuan clearly saw the densely packed jackals arranged in circles, their front legs bent and their hind legs straight, kneeling motionless on the sun-dried grain field in a devout posture. In the center of this group of jackals stood a robust jackal, resembling a wolf dog, with a ring of white fur around its neck, proudly surveying its surroundings under the moonlight, its eyes emitting a chilling glow, as if it were a king surveying its subjects.

Once again, a howl echoed through the air. Upon hearing the howl of the wolf king, a pack of wolves suddenly split into several teams, each consisting of dozens of wolves, charging out in an orderly fashion. They soon discovered that these dozens of wolves were directly rushing towards a protruding dark shadow at the edge of the forest. As the pack divided, they surrounded the protruding dark shadow from behind the trees, and simultaneously, with their sharp claws, they began to dig, sending large amounts of soil flying into the air

A long howl echoed from the depths of the night, piercing the darkness like a sharp arrow. Soon, howls arose one after another, as if calling out to each other, responding in kind. Lin Junxuan watched as the wolves under the moon raced away, howling as they vanished into the darkness, and a sudden impulse surged within him

Is that the wolf? Lin Junxuan thought to himself, yet the warning from his great-aunt echoed in his mind, and he inexplicably recalled the words of the Taoist priest. His curiosity was not particularly strong, but for some reason, he felt that tonight was somewhat strange. Tilting his head to look out the window, he saw the bright moonlight shining through, as the snow-like moonlight streamed in. Lin Junxuan then remembered that today was the fifteenth day of the lunar month, and tomorrow would be the day of the sacrificial rites.

Thank you, great-aunt. Lin Junxuan took the box, expressed his gratitude, but continued to gaze at the elderly woman

After dinner, Lin Junxuan returned to the room arranged by his great-aunt, organized his belongings, and then prepared to sleep. Before long, the elderly woman knocked on the door and walked in.

The wolves, lying in a circle on the ground, seemed to have heard some command. One by one, they stood up, shaking themselves, raising their necks in unison to emit a series of resounding howls. The howls came in waves, echoing in response to the call of the wolf king.

Half an hour later, the howls of the jackals no longer echoed in the night; it seemed that all the jackals in the vicinity had gathered. The jackal king shook its fur and raised its head to let out a long howl.

"Young man, come here, let the old master take a look for you. If I can't predict it accurately, there will be no charge!" As Lin Junxuan approached, a fortune teller dressed in a Daoist robe, with slightly graying temples, waved at him from a distance

Lin Junxuan shook his head, falling into deep thought. People's worldview is always changing with discoveries. Today, people have discovered that the world is scientific, but will there come a day when we find that there actually exist deities and demons in this world? Could it be that this world coexists with both mythology and science, or perhaps there are hidden secrets behind these myths and legends?

The Wolf King with emerald eyes fixed its gaze intently on the young boy before it, while Lin Junxuan did not yield in the slightest, staring back at the Wolf King with unwavering intensity. The noble aura cultivated through years of studying the sages came into play at this moment; his spirit was complete. As the Wolf King locked eyes with him, it saw no fear in the gaze of this human boy, only an unyielding will as solid as steel. This will was something it had never encountered in humans before; it was so powerful that the Wolf King felt its own spirit gradually dissipating in the face of this ironclad resolve. Lin Junxuan's noble aura, cultivated through years of studying the sages, was now in full effect, and the Wolf King, staring into his eyes, found no fear there, only an unyielding will as solid as steel. This will was something it had never felt from a human before; it was so immense that the Wolf King sensed its own spirit slowly unraveling before this formidable will, which was as vast and unassailable as the heavens and the earth.

Taking off the star-shaped necklace from his neck, Lin Junxuan examined it repeatedly but found nothing unusual about it. After putting it back on, he took out the "Qimen Dunjia" from the box and began to flip through it. The book did not contain any hidden secrets; it appeared to be just an ancient book commonly found at street stalls.

Seeing Lin Junxuan looking at him, the old man knew that he still wanted to know about his great-grandfather. Finally, he smiled and said, "You child... well, let me tell you about your great-grandfather."

After finishing this chapter, Lin Junxuan fell into deep thought. Modern science has long proven that almost all ghost stories are superstitions; however, there are still many things that science cannot explain. The most fundamental point is that science has yet to clarify whether the soul or consciousness of life truly exists. The legend of reincarnation exists in various cultures around the world, yet whether reincarnation actually occurs remains unclear and unexplainable. Texts such as "Shan Hai Jing," "Feng Shen Yan Yi," "Xi You Ji," and "Dong You Ji" contain numerous scattered legends. As the ancient saying goes, "There is no smoke without fire"; mythological tales are not necessarily all true, but it is also impossible for them to be entirely fabricated. Although human imagination is wondrous, it cannot possibly conjure up so many myths from nothing. What, then, are the materials that give rise to such extraordinary imagination behind these myths? Or perhaps—these myths are indeed true

"Hehe, good child." The old man happily walked forward, patted Lin Junxuan's head, gestured, and said with a smile, "You were this small when you came here before, and now you've grown so much."

The young man leaned his head against the chair, deciding to temporarily set aside these thoughts. This time, he was fulfilling the filial duty on behalf of his parents, who had been engaged in business away from home for many years, by returning home to pay respects to his great-grandfather. With a week remaining before the ancestral worship, he decided to first visit the legendary Linggui Peak in the county before going to his great-aunt's house. Linggui Peak had only been known to him by reputation; he had never seen it in person.

"Go take a look," Lin Junxuan thought to himself, as if something was drawing him in. He felt that something extraordinary was about to happen today. After getting dressed and just as he was about to leave, his gaze swept over the "Qimen Dunjia" beside the pillow, and a strange feeling surged in his heart. After a moment's thought, Lin Junxuan walked back, picked up the ancient book, tucked it into his bosom, then gently pushed open the door and stepped outside

Lin Junxuan leaned out, peering through the long grass. He saw agile black shadows rushing in from all directions. He was puzzled, not understanding what this pack of wolves was gathering here for in the middle of the night. Judging by their appearance, it seemed they were not here for food

The howls of the wolves echoed from all directions, growing closer and closer to the library. The three wolves that Lin Junxuan was following ran swiftly; at first, they were still within sight, but as they quickened their pace, they suddenly vanished from Lin Junxuan's view

This thought still lingered in his mind, but the events that unfolded in the next moment completely overturned Lin Junxuan's understanding.

The pack of wolves that had originally been lying low on the ground had now discovered the observer. One by one, the wolves bared their teeth, their eyes glinting coldly as they fixed their gaze on the human boy approaching not far away. Lin Junxuan maintained a calm demeanor, with no trace of fear in his heart. The moment he caught sight of the eerie skull in the air, a powerful urge to approach it surged within him: "Go over there, grab it!" Once this thought emerged, it spread uncontrollably like a wildfire—an inexplicable, intense intuition! Lin Junxuan trusted his instincts.

"Child, is there anything else?" The old man turned his head and looked at Lin Junxuan with a kind expression

The wind howled in the wilderness, and the once bright earth suddenly darkened. Lin Junxuan raised his head and saw the dark clouds in the sky suddenly swirling, covering the bright moon from all directions. A circle of darkness suddenly appeared at the edge of the radiant moon, and the moonlight quickly dimmed. That circle of darkness devoured the moon at an astonishing speed, and in a short while, the moon became completely black, leaving only a thin crescent hanging in the sky. A circle of darkness suddenly appeared at the edge of the radiant moon, and the moonlight quickly dimmed. That circle of darkness devoured the moon at an astonishing speed, and in a short while, the moon became completely black, leaving only a thin crescent hanging in the sky.

Come in and have a seat

The old Taoist priest had an ethereal and otherworldly demeanor. Lin Junxuan thought to himself that since it was still early, a round trip to the mountain peak would take less than half a day. He was curious to see what this Taoist had to say, so he extended his hand and eagerly engaged in conversation with the fortune teller. The fortune teller took his hand, examining it back and forth, looking at the palm and then the back, yet remained silent throughout. With a puzzled expression, the fortune teller finally said, "Young man, I will not accept your money." The fortune teller took his hand, examining it back and forth, looking at the palm and then the back, yet remained silent throughout. With a puzzled expression, the fortune teller finally said, "Young man, I will not accept your money."

In the dark of night, the sounds of the wolf pack echoed far and wide. In the mountains, households lit their lamps, yet no one ventured out of their homes. In the countryside, lighting lamps on such nights seems to be an age-old tradition.

"You resemble your grandfather very much." A look of reminiscence appeared on the old man's face: "It is indeed very similar." The old man and Lin Junxuan's grandfather were siblings, so he was naturally very familiar with him

Lin Junxuan found it strange and asked, "Why is that?"

The wilderness was eerily quiet, with only the sound of the wind rustling through the grass. By the edge of the forest, a pack of wolves stood motionless on the threshing ground, while Lin Junxuan remained still in the grass. That night, everything exuded an air of the uncanny

Aow!

Wow! Suddenly, the star-shaped pendant hanging around Lin Junxuan's neck floated up on its own, emitting a series of vibrating sounds. In the darkness, the star-shaped pendant radiated a faint white light, and an invisible energy flowed along the pendant into Lin Junxuan's body, traveling down his arm and merging into the emerald green skull.

In the dead of night, as Lin Junxuan was sleeping in a hazy state, he was suddenly awakened by a series of howls. Opening his eyes, Lin Junxuan lay in bed listening; the howls sounded like wolves yet were not quite like wolves. The source of the sound seemed to be not far from where his great-aunt lived.

After returning from Lingguifeng, he stayed in the county town for a day or two before setting off on the road back to his great-aunt's home, which is also in Lijia Village. Once the vehicle left the county town, the road became increasingly rugged, with dirt flying up behind the tires. After more than two hours, he got off the vehicle by the roadside, still some distance away from his great-aunt's house, and had to walk the rest of the way.

The law of survival in nature is one of the weak being preyed upon by the strong, which also applies to the pack of wolves. Lin Junxuan's gaze swept over the pack of wolves, and not a single wolf could withstand his penetrating stare or meet his eyes.

Howl

After exchanging some pleasantries, Lin Junxuan spoke up: "Great-aunt, there is something I would like to consult you about, concerning my grandfather."

With a mournful cry, the Wolf King finally lowered his head and retreated to the side. There were no longer any obstacles between Lin Junxuan and the skull. As Lin Junxuan stepped forward, the wolves all stared at him, their gazes following his movements, yet none of them dared to step forward to stop him

Boom! The skull trembled violently and suddenly shattered. At the moment the skull broke apart, a black vortex emerged in the void. A fierce wind surged around, and as soon as the black vortex took shape, it began to spin rapidly and expand. The center of the vortex emitted a strong pulling force, instantly drawing Lin Junxuan, who was just a short distance away, into it.

The white fur around the neck of the wolf king drooped softly as it let out a low, mournful sound. Lin Junxuan advanced step by step, while it retreated step by step. With each step Lin Junxuan took forward, it seemed to retreat two steps, as if an invisible giant blade were pressing against it in the air, forcing it back.

The night was quiet, with a full moon hanging high in the sky. Under the moonlight, towering mountains stood in the darkness, fierce and imposing. Lin Junxuan stepped out of the house and quickly pursued the direction in which the three wolves had disappeared. The moonlight was bright, and Lin Junxuan's gaze barely managed to keep up with the three dark figures racing beneath the moon.

As the moon in the sky was reduced to a thin crescent emitting its light, a circular beam of light was cast from around the moon, piercing straight through the dark void and landing on the flying skull. At the moment the moonbeam passed through, the skull suddenly radiated a translucent emerald glow, then eerily froze in mid-air, motionless. Ripples, like water, spread outwards from the emerald skull suspended in the air, radiating in all directions. The entire world fell silent in an instant, with the gaze of the wolf pack fixated on this skull.

Aow!

Indeed, she left not long after. At that time, because your grandfather was not by her side, she left these two items belonging to your great-grandfather with me. The old man sighed, perhaps recalling his own mother, with a hint of moisture in his eyes

The old man sighed as he stood up, speaking of his mother with great sadness: "Ah, let us not speak of these things anymore. It is quite late, Junxuan, you should go to sleep. Auntie has also gone to bed."

The elderly woman heard the sound of the bamboo door and walked out of the house, her gaze falling upon Lin Junxuan, her face revealing a look of confusion

The entire text of "Qimen Dunjia" is expressed in obscure language. Lin Junxuan read for a while, feeling as if he were in a fog, and soon fatigue overcame him, leading him into a deep sleep.

The old man, Tai Gong, trembled slightly and looked at Lin Junxuan with a peculiar gaze: "Have you heard something outside?"

Aow!

The book narrates the story of Mr. Sun Eshan, who was bedridden on a boat in Gaoyou. Suddenly, he felt as if he had wandered onto the shore, experiencing a refreshing and comfortable sensation. In a daze, someone guided him forward, and he found himself at a household. Upon entering, he saw a young woman in labor. He wanted to retreat, but was suddenly tapped on the back, and when he awoke, he discovered that his form had shrunk, having been reborn as an infant. When he attempted to speak, a chill surged in through the fontanel, rendering him unable to utter a word. On the third day, a maid was bathing him and accidentally dropped him on the floor, causing him to lose consciousness again. When he awoke once more, he found himself still lying on the boat, and others informed him that he had been dead for three days. His limbs were soft, and there was still warmth in his chest and abdomen, which is why he had not been buried. Mr. Sun Eshan quickly requested a piece of paper to document his experiences and sent someone along the route he had taken to the household where he had been reborn, slowly detailing the events. On that day, he recovered from his illness and personally went to the household where he had been reborn. The condition of the household's master was the same as in his dream, except that he had lost a child in old age. Mr. Sun Eshan expressed his sorrow and astonishment.

A red temple is hidden among the woods, while Linggui Temple stands majestically atop the mountain like a crane. The ancient cypress trees on the mountain peak are lush and verdant, shrouded by towering pines. Linggui Peak faces the river, with a steep cliff on one side and a vast forest on the other. On the river-facing side of Linggui Peak, the center of the mountain is relatively smooth, devoid of trees, resembling a natural giant boulder. On it, a pair of enormous couplets is inscribed in vermilion characters: the first line reads: "Wind on the peak, peak in the wind, the wind moves but the peak remains still," and the second line states: "Boat in the islet, islet beneath the boat, the boat moves but the islet does not." It appears imposing and magnificent, leaving Lin Junxuan in awe. From afar, a strong scent of incense wafts through the air. The curling incense rises in streams, reaching straight up to the sky. An endless stream of worshippers continuously weaves in and out of the mountain gate.

The old man looked at Lin Junxuan and asked, "After dinner today, I saw you reading a book that didn't seem to be a novel. What is the name of that book?"

In a short while, he arrived outside a dilapidated house at the foot of the slope. The two old bamboo doors at the entrance were wide open, and the room inside was somewhat dim. As he stepped through the bamboo door, a creaking sound from the door hinge echoed from within, and an elderly woman with white hair and a kind face emerged from the house. Her face was marked by the passage of time, yet her spirit was quite vigorous, and her gait exhibited a vitality not commonly seen in individuals of her age.

Is the legendary Taigong really true?" Lin Junxuan looked at the old man

Crazy! ! ! Lin Junxuan looked at the old man in shock

Under the moonlit night, a pack of wolves howled and leaped, their voices sounding somewhat excited, as if they were engaged in a grand celebration. Before long, a white, bony skull fell at the feet of the wolf king, its two eye sockets hollow, gazing up at the sky, with its jaw wide open, presenting a rather terrifying sight

The wolf king let out a long howl, and the surrounding wolves obediently lowered their heads. The wolf king surveyed the area like a monarch, then lowered his head, bared his fangs, and bit down on the skull at his feet. With a swift motion, he tossed the skull into the air, and the moonlight fell upon it, coating the skull in a layer of frost-like silver. Beneath the skull, the wolf king stomped with his front leg, suddenly rising to stand on his hind legs, his head directed towards the spinning skull in the air, emitting a mournful howl.

In the dark of night, howls rose and fell in succession, as the wolves from several nearby mountain peaks seemed to gather in one direction, drawn by the sound of the howling. Lin Junxuan moved swiftly through the night, parting the waist-high weeds as he followed the sound ahead. It was unclear how long he had been walking when the howls suddenly ceased, and the wolves seemed to vanish into thin air, leaving only the echoes drifting from the distant mountain tops. Lin Junxuan sensed something unusual ahead and slowed his pace. Lowering his body, he cautiously approached. After a few minutes, he parted the grass and found a cluster of lush trees standing in the darkness. Beside the forest was a threshing ground made of gravel, soil, and lime. After the villagers harvested their grain, they would spread it out on this ground to dry before storing it.

As he reached the door, the old man suddenly turned around and said: "Junxuan, don't wander around when you go to bed tonight. Remember, if you hear any noise, do not go outside"

On the first night, Lin Junxuan, possibly due to the fatigue from the long journey, slept quite soundly and did not hear the sounds of the wolves mentioned by his great-aunt. After staying here for two days,

A human boy approached, and the dense pack of wolves on the sunlit threshing ground turned their heads, baring their teeth, their eyes emitting waves of cold light. Any ordinary person would have retreated at the sight.

Thank you, great-aunt. " Lin Junxuan glanced at the elder, seemingly deep in thought, and took the star pendant that the elder had removed from around her neck with both hands

The old man shook his head: "I am already over eighty, almost ninety years old, at an age close to entering the earth. This star pendant was passed down from my mother, and of course, it should be passed down through my hands as well. It is just a pity that my children and grandchildren are not interested in these things; I only thought of giving it to you because I see your interest in it." As he spoke, a deep sense of helplessness appeared in the old man's eyes

Parting the grass, Lin Junxuan walked over step by step

Lin Junxuan felt a bit scared upon seeing this, yet he did not wish to return at that moment. He pondered what they were actually doing. He raised his head to look at the sky; although the moon was full and round, it was still not daytime. Despite the short distance, everything around appeared to be shrouded in darkness, all things merging into one, fading into the shadows. The intermittent sound of the wind could be faintly heard.

Lin Junxuan slowly bent down, while a chilling light emanated from his originally calm eyes, a light more terrifying than that in the eyes of the wolves. As soon as the wolves met Lin Junxuan's gaze, they were like creatures encountering a larger and more ferocious counterpart, each one frightenedly averting their eyes.

Bidding farewell to the old Taoist, Lin Junxuan headed towards the direction of Linggui Peak, but his mind was filled with the story of that Taoist.

Lin Junxuan quietly gazed at the skull floating in mid-air. The skull was within reach, and upon approaching it, he found it to be extraordinarily eerie. Without any hesitation, in the next moment, Lin Junxuan's arm shot out forcefully, grasping the skull in mid-air. Just as Lin Junxuan seized the skull, an unexpected change occurred.

In recent days, there have often been jackals howling outside at night—how strange it is that these jackals have disappeared for over fifty years, yet now they have reappeared! The old man, with a puzzled expression, murmured to himself and trembled as he walked outside

"Great-aunt, you have not yet answered my question during the day," Lin Junxuan said, looking into the elder's eyes.

After a howl, the pack of wolves suddenly parted, and the wolf king, adorned with a collar of white fur around its neck, approached with graceful steps. Lin Junxuan did not halt his pace; he gazed into the eyes of the silver-coated wolf king and walked forward along the path cleared by the wolves.

Yes, I am Junxuan, greetings to my great-aunt. Lin Junxuan's mother is Li Xinyu

Lin Junxuan did not expect that the ancient book left by his grandfather would be like this. Looking at the four characters "Qimen Dunjia" on the pages, Lin Junxuan began to understand why his great-aunt's children and grandchildren showed no interest in this book left by their grandfather. Such things are commonly found in the hands of fortune tellers, and they are not difficult to purchase in the streets and alleys, at roadside stalls. Alongside "Qimen Dunjia," there are also books like "Huangdi's House Classic," "Hanlong Classic," and others, but their notoriety is simply not as high as the latter. Although Lin Junxuan enjoys ancient books and has studied the "Zhouyi Cantong Qi," he does not have much faith in this one.

Aow!

Confronted by a pack of hostile wolves, Lin Junxuan displayed no signs of fear on his face. His expression was calm as he fixed his gaze on the wolves before him, slowly lowering his body. A fierce dog, when confronted by a human who bends down, often emits a startled sound and then quickly flees. According to the explanations of the mountain people, when a dog sees a human bending down, it tends to perceive the individual as one of its own kind. Dogs are often wary of larger counterparts. Similarly, wolves share the same instincts as dogs. According to the mountain people's explanations, when a dog sees a human bending down, it tends to perceive the individual as one of its own kind. Dogs are often wary of larger counterparts. Similarly, wolves share the same instincts as dogs.

"Great-aunt, who do I resemble? Didn't you say when you just entered that I look like grandpa?" Lin Junxuan asked

"Grandfather, you resemble your great-grandfather even more!" The old man displayed a look of reminiscence on his face: "When your grandfather and I were young, your great-grandfather left and never returned. In my vague memories, when your great-grandfather left, he looked quite similar to how you do now"

Lin Junxuan felt a sudden darkness before him, and he was drawn into a dark and narrow passage. His body spun with the powerful suction, and he felt himself rapidly shrinking. In the darkness, he could not discern anything; all he heard was a loud "boom". A flash of light swept across his vision, and then Lin Junxuan knew nothing more.

A few days ago, I went to Linggui Temple, where I heard a Taoist recount a story. He said that Linggui Peak is empty and connected to another world below. A Taoist sent someone to affix a talisman there, claiming it sealed that place. The person who entered never came out again, and the Taoist said that person was named Li Longtu. I have an impression that Taigong was also called Li Longtu.

The old man's eyes revealed a hint of appreciation: "Nowadays, young people who enjoy ancient books like you are quite rare."

Dozens of wolves dug together, and the grave mound was quickly flattened and hollowed out. After a few minutes, one wolf suddenly charged into the bottom of the grave mound, and with a bite and a toss, a dark object flew out from underground. As the dark object fell, another wolf leaped up, nudged it with its head, and tossed it again. One after another, they continuously threw the object unearthed from below into the air. Under the bright moonlight, the two watched clearly; it was a human skull. As the dark object fell, another wolf leaped up, nudged it with its head, and tossed it again. One after another, they continuously threw the object unearthed from below into the air. Under the bright moonlight, the two watched clearly; it was a human skull