Ning Wei's curiosity about the mountain god's true form intensified as Li Ye spoke so seriously.
Hiding behind, they could only see the back of the statue, and it was completely obscured by a black cloth.
The black cloth was also unusual. Ning Wei had only ever seen red cloth used, and this black cloth was a first for her.
She wondered if her experience was limited, or if this mountain god temple was truly uncanny.
The two emerged from the drainage ditch and then brazenly walked to the front of the mountain god temple.
After the man left, the temple plunged back into darkness, with only the cold moonlight seeping through the windows onto the floor.
The air still carried the scent of incense and candles, and another fishy smell.
Ning Wei sniffed hard, recalling that the offerings included chicken and duck, and concluded the fishy smell must have come from them.
Under the bright moonlight, Ning Wei took a step forward, tilting her head slightly. She finally saw the mountain god's true form.
Generally, mountain gods appeared in male form, but the one before her was vastly different.
It could even be said that it wasn't human in appearance at all.
Carved from a single piece of stone, it sat firmly in the temple.
Looking up from below, a coiled snake tail, wrapped around several times, formed the base, and above it was a massive snake head with its tongue flicking. The scales of its entire body were clearly visible, and the occasional glint of moonlight on them only accentuated its icy aura.
Statues appearing as snakes were not unheard of; Ning Wei had visited a Nuwa temple before, where the statue was half-human, half-snake.
However, one like this, entirely devoid of any human features, was truly unexpected for Ning Wei.
Because of the moonlight, the shadow of the python statue was cast on the wall behind it. As a breeze blew, Ning Wei thought she saw the shadow on the wall move.
Appearing as a snake, it seemed this mountain god must have a unique story.
Li Ye had already lit the candles in the temple, and the dim, yellow candlelight filled the entire space.
Even under the warm glow, the statue exuded a chilling presence.
The offerings left by the man remained untouched on the altar. Ning Wei approached and sniffed, detecting only the aroma of braised meat.
Since the fishy smell hadn't come from the offerings, it must be from somewhere else!
Ning Wei, not overlooking any detail, began to search the temple.
The mountain god temple's facilities were extremely simple. Apart from the python statue, there was only an altar. There wasn't even a rat hole to be seen.
If it wasn't for the impeccable maintenance by the townspeople, then it must be...
Ning Wei stared at the statue's vertical pupils. Though the statue hadn't moved, she felt a chill down her spine, goosebumps rising on her arms.
It was a powerful mental oppression. At that moment, Ning Wei felt like a lamb awaiting slaughter, about to be swallowed whole by a giant python at any moment.
In a daze, she saw the statue move. The snake's tongue hissed towards her, and its long tail unfurled. She was immobilized, unable to move, and could only watch as the snake's tail began to coil around her, starting from her feet.
A feeling of suffocation followed. Ning Wei gasped for air, her mouth opening wide.
The pressure on her chest cut off her oxygen completely. Blood vessels appeared in her pupils, and her lips began to turn pale.
Even in this dire situation, Ning Wei did not lose her reason.
She kept telling herself that this was all an illusion.
If the statue had truly turned into a giant snake, Li Ye wouldn't have stood by idly.
The giant snake's icy gaze fell upon her. Ning Wei simply closed her eyes and stopped looking at it.
She silently recited a Buddhist scripture and found that her fingers could still move. With sheer determination, she pricked her fingertip, letting blood drip onto the ground.
Because her eyes were closed, she had no idea that the blood, as it dripped down the statue's body, was emitting wisps of white smoke.
As long as the feeling of suffocation didn't disappear, she intended to keep her eyes closed.
As her fingertip bled, the tight sensation on her body slowly receded.
At this moment, another scent of blood reached her nostrils. This smell was neither fishy nor cloyingly sweet; it was like the scent of grass carried by a gentle breeze across a lake.
Ning Wei's eyes snapped open. Li Ye stood beside her, a bloodstain on his wrist, crimson liquid pouring onto the ground, mixing with her own blood.
Before Ning Wei could speak, Li Ye grabbed her and pulled her out.
Only when they reached a small grove of trees did Ning Wei stop to catch her breath.
Li Ye seemed unfazed by the pain. His blood was still flowing, and because he had used his injured hand to pull Ning Wei along, her palm was covered in his blood.
"You have blood too," Ning Wei said, a hint of surprise in her voice.
Li Ye wasn't human to begin with; how could he have blood?
Li Ye didn't answer her question. He took Ning Wei's injured hand, his cold fingers brushing lightly over it, and the wound healed automatically.
"And you yourself," Ning Wei said, feeling a pang of pain for him just looking at the bloodstain.
Li Ye pulled down his sleeve to cover the wound and said softly, "I'm fine."
"You were affected too, weren't you?" Ning Wei asked immediately.
Li Ye shook his head. "I noticed your expression was off. No matter how I called you, you wouldn't respond, so I guessed it was the mountain god's doing."
"Then you used your blood..." Ning Wei didn't finish her sentence. She couldn't believe Li Ye would use his blood to save her.
Or rather, Li Ye's current abilities had regressed to the point where he needed blood to break free from restraints.
Li Ye gave a wry smile. Although he now understood why the beads and rings had lost their luminescence, he felt powerless.
"I didn't expect the mountain god to suppress my abilities. Ning Wei, this time, you might have to rely on yourself. I can't help you anymore."
This was the second time Li Ye had said this. His face was filled with helplessness and a trace of unnoticeable worry.
This mountain god was so powerful; he wondered if Ning Wei could escape safely.
"It's alright, I can protect myself," Ning Wei murmured.
"Perhaps, we can pretend not to hear anything and just wait for the bus to pick us up," Li Ye said, unable to face it himself.
No matter the situation before, he had always protected Ning Wei by her side, and together they were invincible. But this time, he had to admit he had been defeated by this mysterious town.
He didn't want Ning Wei to take risks. If he, who couldn't solve it, couldn't do it, he didn't believe Ning Wei's abilities were stronger than his.
The reason Ning Wei could move between stations unscathed was primarily due to her innate exorcising blood.
But she was only one person, and her blood was limited. If she lost too much, the consequences would be unthinkable.
Ning Wei remained silent. Li Ye continued, "This place is too bizarre. To confront it head-on would be like a moth flying into a flame."
While his reasoning was sound, Ning Wei, in her entire life, had never bowed her head to anyone, let alone to a being that could hardly be called human.