YaoLingLu

Chapter 4: Cause

The group hurried to the location where the screams were heard, only to find a guard lying on the grass in a twisted position, a shocking sight.

The young lady gasped and covered her mouth in fear, while the Taoist pondered to himself: this method seemed to be the work of ghosts or demons.

The captain of the guards suggested, "Shouldn't we... go down the mountain?"

The Taoist immediately objected, "We can't go down the mountain! This is no ordinary event. Going down the mountain might lead to encountering more ghosts or demons.

It's safer to stay in the City of God's temple. As long as we hold out until dawn, we'll be fine." Following the Taoist's advice, the group decided to return to the temple.

The Taoist instructed, "Seal off the doors and windows, and have three people take turns standing guard tonight. If there's any trouble, wake the others immediately."

The guards sprang into action, some nailing wooden boards over the doors, pasting protective talismans, and sprinkling black dog's blood around the temple.

The boy in the cage watched everything unfold, as the Taoist slowly approached the cage and asked the boy, "What kind of ghost is causing mischief in your fields?"

The boy replied, "I'll tell you, but only if you release me and my sister!"

The young lady scolded loudly, "What a joke! I don't even know if you're human or a ghost. Why should we let you out!"

The boy chuckled and shook his head, "Then there's no way."

The Taoist and the young lady exchanged a glance, and the Taoist said, "I can release you and your sister, but not the other children."

The boy agreed, "Deal."

The Taoist instructed his guards, "Go, open the cage."

The guard raised his knife and with a clang, the chains around the cage fell to the ground.

However, the other children inside the cage remained sound asleep, showing no reaction.

The young lady exclaimed in surprise, "These children..." Before she could finish, the boy interrupted, "These children have been drugged and won't wake up for a short time."

After the cage was opened, the boy walked out with his younger sister in his arms, and everyone sat around the bonfire in a circle.

The boy gently stroked his sister's hair as she slept on his lap, creating a sense of peace and warmth around them.

The Taoist glanced at the boy and said slowly, "Now, you can tell us."

The boy began to narrate the events leading up to their capture, his voice resonating softly, "It all started when the hunters in the village noticed something amiss. They said they couldn't find any game in the nearby mountains. There were many tiger footprints near the dead animals, and the elders in the village believed that it might be the work of mountain tigers. So, they organized the men from the surrounding villages to go up the mountain to hunt the tigers. And then, they saw that...”

The Taoist inquired, "Saw what? Could it be a bloating ghost?"

The boy replied,"Yes, it was a bloated ghost. One of the hunters who survived said that the ghost was several hangs tall, incredibly huge, with bone spurs covering its limbs and spine. It had a gaping mouth as large as a blood basin, and the remains of wild animals piled up around it like a small mountain, with flesh and blood scattered everywhere, staining the ground a deep crimson."

"No wonder it has been unusually quiet all the way. With such a huge appetite, it must be no ordinary ghost." The captain of the guard's face showed a hint of concern.

"The Gluttony Spirit! Legend has it that when someone starves to death and their body remains untouched by any living creature for seven days, a malevolent aura forms. Mountain spirits and wild monsters then consume the body, giving birth to a Gluttony Spirit from their bellies!" "This spirit consumes everything, feeding on the Yin energy left by the starving person, whether it be ghosts or living beings. Moreover, the more it eats, the larger it grows," the knowledgeable Taoist revealed the origin of this monstrous creature.

"But logically speaking, a Gluttony Spirit shouldn't have such a large physique, right?" The Taoist expressed a hint of doubt.

"Hang on."

"If the local authorities are not handling this matter, why don't you seek help from the larger cities nearby? There must be experts there who can deal with it. At the very least, you can ask the local Earth God to take care of it!" The girl suddenly asked.

"We've tried that. Villagers went to the big city seeking help, but none of them returned alive. As for the local Earth God, it resides in the temple beneath our feet. The shaman said the Earth God was driven away by the Mountain King," she explained.

The boy gently touched his sister's head, his eyes filled with loneliness.

After hearing these words, everyone fell into contemplation, silent. When the village's safety cannot be guaranteed, they can only resort to sacrificing the children for peace. The world is becoming increasingly chaotic.

"Let's all go rest. Standing around here won't help. Whether it's a blessing or a curse, some disasters are unavoidable. We can only resign ourselves to fate," the Taoist stood up, brushing off the dust from his body.

With that, the crowd dispersed, except for the three guards responsible for the night watch, who went to rest in their respective quarters.

An hour later...

Thud thud ~ thud thud ~

The Gluttony Spirit walked to the entrance of the Earth Temple and suddenly noticed the twisted body of the guard in the corner. Its hands, covered in bone spikes, grabbed the body directly, swallowed it whole, and began to chew.

To its surprise, it felt like it was biting into a piece of refined iron, and its sharp teeth made a creaking sound. Unable to break it down, the Gluttony Spirit swallowed it whole, letting it slide into its belly.

Thud thud ~

Upon hearing the noise, the night guards immediately realized that something was happening outside and quickly prepared to wake everyone up. The boy also sensed the danger, so he gently woke his sister up, covering her mouth to signal that the situation outside was not right and they should not make any noise.

Seeing the opportunity, the boy pushed his sister onto the platform behind the Earth God statue, preparing to hide in the narrow space between the statue and the wall. The platform was about half a person's height, and it was quite a struggle for the two of them to climb up.

At the same time, the guards stood ready, drawing their precious swords from their waists with a sharp clang. The Taoist helped the young girl up, hiding her next to a pillar. Each person's heart was pounding, unsure of what kind of monster they would soon face.

Boom...

The guards were all stunned at the sight of the massive body, unable to move. From the doorway, they could only see the Gluttony Spirit's green belly, unable to fathom how large its body truly was.

The Gluttony Spirit contorted itself in a comical posture, with one hand supporting its weight on the ground and the other reaching into the temple as if trying to fit into a too-small box, constantly fumbling inside.

Inside the temple, everyone dared not even breathe, their hearts pounding. The young girl behind the pillar trembled uncontrollably, her slender legs on the verge of giving out. The Taoist beside her quickly supported her, barely steadying her.

Just as the giant hand was groping around, a brave guard mustered his courage and swung his sword with all his might towards the massive arm.

Clang...

A sharp metallic sound rang out as the sword struck the arm, as if hitting a piece of solid gold. There was not a trace of a mark on the arm, but the sword was sent flying, and the guard's hand was split open, blood oozing out.

The Gluttony Spirit only felt a slight irritation, as if being bitten by a mosquito, and continued to fumble around in the temple.

The guard felt his heart sink as his full-force strike didn't even scratch the surface, losing his balance and falling down.

Just as the guard captain was about to run over to pull him up...

The giant hand grabbed the guard, holding him firmly like a massive pair of iron pliers, unmoved by his struggles.

Crunch...

Like chewing on beans, the guard was devoured by this bloodthirsty mouth, with copious amounts of blood flowing from its sharp teeth, a horrifying sight.