I still can't remember what happened in the past, but now I know—my memories have been altered.
"Xiao Yuan, the ghostly part of you has already been taken by something. That's why you can't use your Deathbane Aura. Now you're just an ordinary person, and Daoist techniques can't harm you."
I responded with an 'oh' and nodded.
"So what should I do, Taoist Elder?"
"It depends on whether he's willing to give it back to you, Xiao Yuan. As for what you plan to do next, I—the Taoist Elder—can't locate the Blue Wraith's ghost domain. That's a real headache..."
"I want to enter that book—Horror Stories."
I stood up and spoke with determination. The Taoist Elder shook his head, sighed, and handed me a golden talisman.
"Since you've made up your mind, Xiao Yuan, I won't stop you. But once you go in, you'll become a character in the story and forget everything. I just tried my Eight Trigram Seal on the book, but it was like a stone sinking into the sea—no effect at all."
I asked for more details.
"Sigh, Xiao Yuan, tonight I'll try to go in with you. If I can get inside, things will be much easier. Even though this Blue Wraith is very powerful, as long as he's not a Ghost Sovereign, I—the Taoist Elder—still have some tricks up my sleeve."
I nodded, feeling quite happy. I spent the whole day taking notes, while Master Zachary Wu explained all sorts of things to me.
At 11:50 PM, Master Zachary Wu and I stood at a crossroads, quietly waiting for the time to come. The minutes ticked by.
At exactly midnight, with a soft 'thud,' I looked over and saw a thick book lying at the intersection.
I walked over and picked up Horror Stories. Master Zachary Wu traced a symbol in the air—a golden 'Kui' character appeared on the cover, but vanished in a flash. Then he reached out, and together we held Horror Stories.
"Go ahead and open it, Xiao Yuan."
I nodded. Earlier today, I'd already explained everything to Hugh Thompson and the others. They'll repeat my story every day, writing it down in a notebook—just like Ken Wang used to do.
I slowly opened the book. My mind buzzed, my consciousness gradually fading away. Before I lost awareness, I saw Master Zachary Wu radiating golden light, his eyes shining like flashlights.
My name is Zhang Qingyuan. I lost my parents when I was young, but Heaven took pity on me—a veteran driver adopted me. When I turned fourteen and could work, he passed away too.
Fortunately, I had two close friends: Nathan Li and Lily Wu. They stuck with me during the hardest times, helping me get through it all.
Now, the three of us are gathered in a milk tea shop.
Lily Wu grew more beautiful as she got older. She's my girlfriend now—oval face, long hair, willow-leaf eyebrows, and a tall, slender figure. Today, she wore only a white cropped vest and light blue jeans—very refreshing.
Nathan Li is taller and better-looking than me, and his family is rich—a classic privileged guy. I met him through Lily Wu.
"Qingyuan, how about it? The three of us might be going our separate ways soon. How about one last trip together?"
Nathan Li said excitedly, and Lily Wu looked interested.
But I felt a bit helpless—I have to work over the summer to earn some of my college living expenses.
Seeing my troubled face, Lily Wu grew a little unhappy, and Nathan Li quickly tried to comfort her.
"Hey, Lily, you know Qingyuan's situation. How about this—Qingyuan, I'll lend you some money, and we can go out for a few days. Working can wait a little longer, right?"
In the end, I nodded. But there wasn't really anywhere to go. Over the years, the three of us often went out together, but high school was stressful, so it's been a long time since our last trip.
If we're going to travel, it has to be exciting. I always come up with good ideas.
"How about Riverbend Village?"
As soon as I said it, their expressions changed. I grinned at them.
"What? Scared to go?"
Riverbend Village is nearly a hundred kilometers from our city, Xiayang. It's been deserted for ten years, and people say it's haunted—those who go there never come back.
"Let's go then—what's there to be afraid of, haha." Nathan Li said, and Lily Wu agreed.
"Alright... fine."
They agreed. Lily Wu and I went straight back to my place, while Nathan Li said he'd pick us up in the morning—he just got his driver's license this year.
Back at my house, Lily Wu and I spent a passionate night together.
"How was it, Lily?"
"Mm..." Lily Wu just murmured. Lately, I've noticed something strange in her eyes. Since we're going to different colleges, she's probably reluctant to part from me—and honestly, I feel the same way.
I gently pulled her into my arms and stroked her forehead.
"Don't worry. Whenever there's a break, I'll come see you."
Early the next morning, Lily Wu and I packed some clothes and grabbed our tent. As soon as we left the apartment building, we saw a silver-gray Land Rover parked quietly on the street. Nathan Li was yawning, waiting for us.
After getting in the car, we went shopping for essentials. The three of us enjoy outdoor adventures and have some experience, so we finished shopping quickly.
The car headed out of the city. Lily Wu looked tired, so I sat with her in the back seat and put my arm around her. She gently rested her head on my shoulder.
"What, getting all lovey-dovey in broad daylight?"
I just smiled and ignored Nathan Li. Last night, I was unusually energetic and went at it a few times, but now I couldn't help feeling sleepy. Soon, Lily Wu and I both dozed off.
I don't know how long we slept, but the bumpy road woke Lily Wu and me. When I opened my eyes, I saw lush, green scenery everywhere. I rolled down the window—the air was incredibly fresh.
"No matter how much energy you have, this is a bit much, isn't it? Didn't you know we were leaving today? You two slept for three hours."
Nathan Li grinned mischievously at us.
"What's so funny? I just have a lot of energy. But you—why don't you find someone? Aren't you always dragging me to watch those movies?"
Nathan Li fell silent, and the car screeched to a stop.
Looks like we've arrived. The road ahead was gone, replaced by a weed-choked path surrounded by dense forest. Off in the distance, I saw a towering tree reaching into the clouds. I'd seen pictures before—this was Old Oak Village.
We got out of the car, planning to check things out first.
Caw, caw, caw.
The sound of crows echoed around us. Flocks of them flew out from the woods, perching atop the tree, as if they didn't welcome outsiders like us.
A sign that read "No entry for strangers—enter at your own risk" lay crooked on the ground.
"Let's not go in," Lily Wu said, clutching my arm.
I picked up the sign. The letters were painted in red, but the color was unusually bright—almost like fresh blood. It must've been someone's prank, written not long ago.
"Someone's there!" Nathan Li suddenly shouted, eyes wide as he stared into the woods. We followed his gaze, but saw no sign of anyone.
"Maybe you're just tired from driving. Take a break."
After a brief rest, we grabbed our machetes and headed down the narrow path.
I led the way, hacking at overgrown branches and tall weeds with my blade. The light was dim, making it impossible to see clearly. Suddenly, something appeared ahead—a small, rundown earth temple.
I glanced inside and nearly jumped. Amid the ruins stood a vicious-looking stone statue—snarling mouth, pointed teeth, eyes full of malice, all carved with lifelike detail.
The three of us crouched down for a closer look. Just then, the statue's cruel eyes moved, staring straight at us.
Lily Wu screamed, and Nathan Li's face turned pale.
A violent gust of wind howled through, forcing our eyes shut. I clung to Lily Wu, shielding her with my hands.
When the wind died down, I stared in terror at the statue before us, sweat soaking my forehead.
"Did you... did you see that just now?"
Lily Wu and Nathan Li stood up, faces grim.
"Let's go..."
Nathan Li spoke in a low voice. Lily Wu followed him, and together they walked into the village.
"Hey, what's wrong? Didn't you see it? The statue's eyes moved. Get the camera—I want a picture."
But neither of them paid me any attention. They just kept walking ahead.
I hurried after them. Suddenly, I stumbled and fell to the ground. When I looked up, I was stunned—Lily Wu and Nathan Li had vanished.
I looked around in panic.
"Hey, quit messing around! Where are you?" I shouted. Only then did I realize—how could there be wind in such a dense forest?
My feet felt rooted to the spot, fear creeping into my heart. I had no idea what was happening. Was there really a ghost?
But then I thought, ghosts? No way—it must be the two of them playing a trick on me. I pushed through the undergrowth and ran ahead, but the path seemed endless, stretching on forever.
Suddenly, I stopped, mouth agape, staring blankly at the mountain temple ahead. Somehow, I’d ended up back here again.
Step by step, I moved closer.
The ground began to shake violently. A trickle of red liquid seeped from the statue’s right eye. I collapsed onto the ground.
"The gates of hell have opened..."
The statue spoke. I screamed, my whole body jolting as if electricity surged through me—every hair stood on end. But in that instant, I wasn’t afraid. I don’t know why. At first, there was a flicker of terror, but it felt like I’d lived through countless ghostly encounters before.