FIMA Ch64: Ascending the Mountain

After this whole ordeal, it was already 5 a.m.

It was summer, and the sky was already showing light.

The four of them didn’t plan to rest anymore. They walked to the KFC fast food restaurant outside the train station and ordered a few breakfast sets to make do.

It was too early, and Xie Xuanxing didn’t have much of an appetite. He only drank half a bowl of porridge before leaning back in his chair to rest with his eyes closed.

A moment later, when he opened his eyes and was about to go to the restroom to wash his face, he found that the sausage and egg panini he had left were in Gu Siyuan’s hand.

Xie Xuanxing was stunned.

Gu Siyuan, naturally sensitive, immediately turned his eyes to the person beside him.

Seeing him staring at the food in his hand, he frowned and said coldly, “Hungry?”

Xie Xuanxing coughed lightly and, for some reason, felt a bit embarrassed. “The one in your hand… seems to be what I just left.”

“…” Gu Siyuan was silent for a moment. After swallowing the last bite of the panini, he said expressionlessly, “Next time, buy less if you can’t finish. Don’t deliberately push things towards me, childish.”

“…” Xie Xuanxing’s eyes widened.

Heaven knows, he absolutely did not push it.

Gu Siyuan met his round and innocent eyes, paused, then raised his hand to turn Xie Xuanxing’s head in another direction, his voice slightly cool, “Don’t look at your boss like that.”

“Oh…” Xie Xuanxing responded pitifully, like a delicate puppet being casually manipulated.

Gu Siyuan, unfazed, picked up his phone and looked at the time. He would never admit that when he saw the leftover food from Xie Xuanxing, he instinctively took it and finished it off, as if it were some inherent instinct.

What kind of boss treats his follower like this? It was unexplicable.

Old man Xie, holding a cup of hot milk, looked at his obedient grandson and the brat Gu Siyuan across the table, feeling something was off…

How could this brat touch his grandson’s smart head so casually?

Just then, two familiar figures pushed open the glass door of the KFC and walked in.

Seeing Gu Siyuan and the others, their anger was almost palpable.

However, they didn’t rush over immediately. Instead, they went to the counter to order some chicken wings and fries before sitting down at a nearby table.

A burly man with a beard took a chicken wing in one hand and complained to Gu Siyuan while chewing, “Kid, you were an idiot a few years ago. When did you become so cunning? You even learned to sneak in like this?”

Gu Siyuan glanced coldly at him and got straight to the point, “Leader He, I want to go to Luojun Mountain with you.”

The bearded man’s name was He Pan, a team leader in the first division of the Special Management Bureau.

Hearing this, He Pan was stunned for a moment, then said with a half-smile, “You actually know about Luojun Mountain?”

Gu Siyuan said in a calm voice, “Isn’t this small cauldron something from Luojun Mountain? It’s said that a few years ago, when they were digging a track, a daring worker secretly took it out, causing strange events to happen at his home. It eventually ended up on the black market, where someone with knowledge noticed it, leading to the rumors about the ghost king of Luojun Mountain. That’s why there were so many ghosts eyeing it on the train?”

He Pan squinted his eyes, “You know quite a lot. You used to be scared of these things. Now…”

Gu Siyuan responded nonchalantly, “Now I’m interested. People change. I thought of a very interesting way to play.”

“Both brothers are crazy.” He Pan lightly stroked his beard and commented, then firmly refused, “But I still can’t let you go. You’re not one of us. You impersonated a government officer on the train last night, and I haven’t even dealt with you for that yet!”

Gu Siyuan raised an eyebrow at him, “How many people from the Special Management Bureau came this time?”

He Pan didn’t hide anything, casually saying, “Just the two of us. Recently, who knows what kind of chaos is happening. All sorts of messy things are cropping up everywhere. Those families skilled in metaphysics won’t lift a finger without benefits. The few resources the Special Management Bureau has are far from enough. The fact that both of us could come shows how important this is.”

Gu Siyuan sneered, “This time, with the ghost king appearing, there must be great benefits, right? Those families must be like mosquitoes that smell blood. You only sent two people, both half-baked. Are you planning to go on a public tour to watch the fun?”

Team Leader He Pan was not convinced, “We still have the vast special police force providing technical support.”

The curly-haired guy eating a hamburger next to him was also annoyed and looked up, saying, “Where did you come from, kid? Why do you talk like you need a beating?”

Xie Xuanxing looked up and gave him a cold glance.

Suddenly, the person who seemed as gentle as a breeze and bright as the moon exuded an indescribable, sharp killing aura.

Seeing this, He Pan quickly tried to mediate, advising the curly-haired guy earnestly, “Brother, you better not hit him. He’s your idol’s younger brother.”

The curly-haired guy was stunned.

The next moment, his expression changed immediately. He patted He Pan on the shoulder, “Ah, Team Leader, what are you still considering? We must take Mr. Gu along!”

“…” He Pan.

You spineless guy.

You’re new here, do you even know this guy’s reputation in the Special Management Bureau? Taking him along would just drag us down, right?

Gu Siyuan glanced at him, seemingly seeing through his thoughts instantly, and said calmly, “Team Leader He, the three people on my side, this one is experienced.”

“This one is a genius talisman maker.”

“This one is a local.”

As he spoke, he glanced at Xie Cang, Xie Xuanxing, and bodyguard Li Ge in turn.

He Pan laughed at this, “I say, Young Master Gu, why don’t you introduce yourself?”

Gu Siyuan sneered, “I’m their boss.”

“…” He Pan.

Alright, you have money, you’re the boss.

Old man Xie, sitting nearby, was not pleased. Gu Siyuan was not his boss. Also, when introducing him, just saying “experienced” felt like they were implying he only gained age and nothing else?

Just as Xie Cang was about to voice his objections, his grandson firmly stopped him.

“…” Xie Cang was frustrated.

His grandson used to be such a cold and detached person. Why did he completely change after meeting this brat?

They say daughters are outwardly inclined, but now it seems even sons are not safe?

Luojun Mountain is in the suburbs of L City. There’s a tour bus at the train station that goes through all the scenic spots in the city, with the third last stop being Luojun Mountain. The three of them bought tickets at 7 AM and got on the bus.

It takes about an hour and a half to get from the train station to Luojun Mountain in the suburbs. Since none of them had slept the previous night, they had no desire to chat after boarding and all closed their eyes to rest.

As the bus swayed, Gu Siyuan also closed his eyes.

A few minutes later, his shoulder suddenly felt heavier. He opened his eyes to see Xie Xuanxing had fallen asleep at some point. As the bus rolled over a bump, Xie Xuanxing’s thin body leaned over and fell onto his shoulder.

His fair cheeks slightly puffed up, his lips were rosy and full, giving off a childlike air. He no longer looked like the cold, smart follower or the top talisman maker of S City, but just an innocent youth.

Gu Siyuan stared at him coldly for a moment, then slightly adjusted his posture to let Xie Xuanxing rest more comfortably.

Being kind to a follower isn’t a problem, right?

However, Xie Xuanxing seemed to know how to take advantage of the situation. With another turn, he leaned his entire body over and even hugged Gu Siyuan’s right arm, as if he’d done it countless times before.

Gu Siyuan felt the unfamiliar yet comfortable warmth, remained silent for a while, and finally closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

After some time, he was suddenly jolted awake by a loud screeching brake sound.

Gu Siyuan opened his eyes.

The female ticket collector was shouting loudly, “Luojun Mountain Scenic Area! Passengers going to Luojun Mountain, get off the bus!”

Xie Xuanxing slowly opened his eyes, habitually nuzzling whatever he was holding. His lips brushed against smooth, cool skin. Huh? He couldn’t help but stick out his red tongue and lick it.

… Something didn’t feel right. He opened his eyes and met a pair of cold, deep black eyes.

Gu Siyuan tried to ignore the soft, warm sensation on his neck and said coldly, “It’s time to get off.”

“Oh…” Xie Xuanxing, still in a daze, responded slowly.

As he spoke, his slightly parted lips brushed against the cool neck again, the warm breath bringing an unusual tingle that reached deep into the heart.

Too much, this early in the morning.

Gu Siyuan grabbed his face and lifted the small head off his shoulder.

With a stern look, he said in a low voice, “Had enough of taking advantage? Next time…”

“…”

Xie Xuanxing watched the tall figure walk away, his ears slightly red, and hummed softly in his heart.

What’s the point of talking tough? If you have the guts, take advantage back!

The four who got off the bus first had no idea about the love-hate relationship between the two.

In the middle of summer, stepping from the air-conditioned bus into the direct sunlight felt like their entire bodies were emitting steam from the heat.

Seeing a small convenience store not far away, bodyguard Li Ge said, “Let’s stand over there and buy a few bottles of ice water. Damn this sun!”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Just as they got their drinks, a loud noise came from a valley not far away.

The group exchanged glances, and without even taking a sip of their water, they ran towards the noise.

Luojun Mountain is shrouded in mist and boasts beautiful valleys. The routes connecting the peaks, aside from the cable cars and winding stone steps, also include a small valley train.

The tunnel is half suspended on the mountainside and half runs through the valley, connecting the ground. Along the way, the scenery changes with the movement of the train, making it a popular tourist attraction in Luojun Mountain.

This morning, as the first train was about to exit the tunnel, several large rocks suddenly fell from the mountain wall above.

As a result, the current situation emerged: the train’s engine was knocked off the track and hung in mid-air, swaying gently in the breeze. The train’s body was luckily wedged against the tunnel’s wall.

The small train can carry fifty people, and the car was filled with terrified screams.

However, even more terrifying were a few passengers with twisted expressions who seemed completely unaware of their perilous situation, desperately crawling around inside the car and smashing the windows.

Xie Xuanxing looked at the precarious train engine overhead and said coldly, “It seems the train is trapped in a ghost domain. We must rescue the people quickly, or when the train body loses balance, the whole train will fall off the cliff.”

He Pan frowned, “The armed police and the scenic area’s firefighters are preparing, but if we don’t eliminate the ghost domain first, the police, lacking spiritual power, might also get trapped.”

“A ghost capable of creating a ghost domain hasn’t been seen in a long time. It should be the rumored ghost king of Luojun Mountain…”

Suddenly, a stranger’s voice was heard.

At some point, a middle-aged man in short sleeves and trousers approached them with a group of people.

The scenic area staff had already sealed off this part of the entrance, so those who could enter now were either from relevant departments or those skilled in metaphysics.

He Pan clearly recognized the newcomer and squinted his eyes, “Chen Daoyou, you arrived quickly.”

The leading middle-aged man maintained his smile, “Exorcising ghosts and eliminating evil is our duty as practitioners of the Dao.”

These people were indeed from one of the four great families.

The leading middle-aged man, named Chen Qi, was the younger brother of the current head of the Chen family, a prominent metaphysics family, and possessed profound cultivation.

Suddenly, a handsome young man in the group looked towards Gu Siyuan and the others, exclaiming, “Xie Xuanxing, what are you doing here?”

Xie Xuanxing’s expression remained unchanged, ignoring him.

Xie Yuchen stared at Xie Xuanxing’s still aloof and ethereal demeanor, squinting his eyes. Seeing him mixed with the people from the Special Management Bureau felt like something unexpected had happened.

He turned to look at Han Mingye beside him. Didn’t he say that he had dealt with this person yesterday?

Han Mingye remained silent.

But he realized that the task he had ordered had encountered a problem. Hmph, small places are indeed small places. So many evil practitioners couldn’t even handle a minor task!

Gu Siyuan glanced at the two of them.

These were the main characters in the original story, Han Mingye and Xie Yuchen, who certainly wouldn’t miss this commotion.

In the original storyline, they participated in the exorcism and obtained the greatest benefits left by the ghost king, significantly increasing their cultivation.

He met their gaze with a cold expression, “If you have time to catch up, why not think about how to save people?”

As soon as he finished speaking, the scenery at the tunnel entrance above suddenly changed.

Though it was the bright and sunny month of July, that area seemed to exist in another space, with a sudden rise of cold winds, flying sand and stones, and no sunlight.

The previously teetering train had completely disappeared.

Only then did the practitioners below realize the severity of the situation. They all fell silent, focused, and began to summon their magical artifacts, directing them towards the tunnel entrance. Xie Xuanxing also threw a handful of talismans over.

However, after a moment, everyone frowned, hurriedly retrieving their magical artifacts, as if a slight delay would cause them to be swallowed by the tunnel.

“This ghost domain is really formidable. The cold wind is too strange. As soon as my artifact got close, its spiritual sense was almost wiped out…”

“My flying sword went in too deep and is now mostly destroyed. Who knows when it will be fully repaired?”

“What should we do now?”

Everyone looked at each other in dismay, all with troubled expressions.

…

Gu Siyuan stood in front of the various special police equipment, surveying the scene. He took the hammer-shaped magical artifact from the curly-haired guy’s hand and used his sparse spiritual power to carefully feel it.

Indeed, there were some different energy fields and fluctuations.

After a moment, he walked to the supercomputer connected to the monitor, “Can I borrow this?”

The special police thought he was like those other highly skilled in spiritual power, and seeing Gu Siyuan interested in their equipment, they felt a sense of pride and eagerly lent it to him.

Gu Siyuan’s fingers quickly adjusted various data, occasionally changing the current on the coil and adjusting the magnetic field range.

The technical special police were stunned. This was professional work. Are the practitioners of metaphysics this impressive now?

After a while, Gu Siyuan borrowed a few blazing sun talismans from Xie Xuanxing, detonated one from a distance, and observed the instant reaction of the yin energy and the spiritual energy in the talisman.

Then he continued to sit down and adjust the detection range.

The special police watched as the originally blank screen gradually showed tiny particle tracks under Gu Siyuan’s various tests, growing from short to long, from thin to thick. When the curvature radius of the data reached a certain level, a distorted crack appeared around the hammer-shaped object on the adjacent screen, then slowly expanded into a blurred black magnetic field.

The special police officer’s mouth dropped open, “What…what is that?”

Xie Xuanxing’s eyes lit up slightly, his voice clear and firm, “Ghost domain yin energy.”

The special police officer’s eyes widened. Could ordinary people like them, without cultivation talent, really see such things?

On the other side, the group was arguing.

He Pan’s expression was grim as he said, “We can’t wait any longer. If even the magical artifacts can’t withstand that yin wind, the ordinary people on the train are in even greater danger. Each family should send one person up to take a look.”

The faces of the people from the families changed.

They talked about exorcising demons and eliminating evil spirits, but that was because they wanted the treasures left by the ghost king.

But now, this ghost king seemed so formidable. Treasures were not as important as their lives. Who dared to go in…

However, no one could say it outright. The special police were live-streaming with their cameras. The families had to maintain appearances since they relied on the offerings of their followers.

At this moment, Han Mingye squinted his eyes and said, “Each of our families only brought one or two people. It’s understandable to send just one to take a look. You from the Special Management Bureau have five cultivators, are you also only sending one? That’s not how it should be done, right?”

Hearing this, someone immediately chimed in, “That’s right. You are a national department. You shouldn’t be less capable than our small families, right?”

“The situation up there is critical. One more person means more strength.”

He Pan sneered.

These families usually talk big, but when it comes to action, they start calling themselves small families. With such good face-changing skills, why bother cultivating? They should go into acting instead.

He Pan was about to say, “These four are not from our Special Management Bureau,” to give these people a slap in the face.

Gu Siyuan had already stood up from the machine and coldly said, “I’ll go in.”

Xie Xuanxing immediately said, “I’ll go too.”

“…” He Pan turned to look at the two of them.

Do they think this is an elementary school field trip, raising hands to count numbers, being so eager?