Chapter 153: Station 24: Chill

Chapter 153: Station 24: Chill

Those huddled in the car could not maintain absolute composure; their fear of the unknown rendered them nearly incapable of rational thought.

The deaths of Little Li Qinghe and Sanwa Haruka only fueled this dread further.

Ikeko Touzuki's stance wavered swiftly:

"I think perhaps Haruka wasn't wrong at first. Tomorrow, we should stay in the hot spring house and see..."

"Maybe the snowy plain, the lights, and these clothes are all meant to mislead us... Time is running out, and we only have one chance. We can't afford to be mistaken."

Ming Yiyang was already aware of what they were thinking; he said nonchalantly, "Tomorrow, Yan Qiling and I will go out alone to continue our exploration. If you want to stay, you can remain here."

The other three looked at him in disbelief, then turned to Yan Qiling beside him.

The black-haired man didn't speak, merely silently fiddling with the flame inside the car, seemingly acknowledging the plan.

"However... This is far too risky. We've already lost two people today. If anything were to happen to you two, wouldn't we be even more helpless?"

Guan Zhiyi strongly disapproved of the plan:

"I... think it would be best for all of us to stay at the hot spring inn tomorrow."

"Instead of worrying about what we'll do tomorrow, shouldn't we prioritize tonight's 'activity,' gentlemen?"

Yan Qiling finally spoke up, but his words had nothing to do with everyone's concerns.

His heterochromatic eyes lifted slightly, allowing the snowlight from outside the window to reflect in his peach blossom irises, casting an emotionless chill.

He seemed indifferent to the loss of two lives:

"There's no need to wait until tomorrow. We need to pay the so-called 'price' for our travels tonight. Perhaps this matter tonight deserves more attention than tomorrow."

Tojo Shuang's thoughts quickly aligned with Yan's, as it was clearly something that worried him deeply as well:

"Mr. Yan has a point. I did some inquiries earlier; the 'activity' will begin after dinner. Our dinner should end no later than eight o'clock. Does anyone have any ideas?"

Ming Yiyang glanced at him quite logically.

"If this so-called 'price' is to cover our travel expenses, then the mastermind behind this event should be the inn's owner."

"Only the owner can offer a free bill. Perhaps this activity requires us to do something to please them? Unseen Masters usually enjoy such tasks."

Tojo Shuang also pondered.

"What could the hot spring inn's owner possibly need?"

Everyone exchanged their thoughts, yet Yan Qiling remained rather quiet throughout the discussion.

Ming Yiyang held his hand against his chest to warm it up, ignoring the somewhat peculiar glances from those around them. He idly engaged in conversation with everyone as if he had nothing better to do.

As time neared five o'clock in the afternoon, their discussion became convoluted, and no concrete conclusions emerged.

Initially, when they were outdoors in extreme weather, people eagerly sought refuge in the hot spring inn. Now, however, the uncertainty of the impending "activity" stirred hesitation about entering.

Only Ming Yiyang, holding the man's hand in his warm pocket, led him off the bus.

Remaining outside wouldn't entirely shield them from the calamity, especially after the "ominous precedent" set by that monster. The remaining trio began to harbor profound skepticism about the safety of the snowy forest.

Entering the hot spring house with a heavy atmosphere, they encountered the two adorable attendants again.

The pink-clad attendant expressed a moderate surprise at their reduced number:

"Why are two guests missing? Should we still keep their rooms?"

Tojo Shuang asked nervously,

"Will keeping the rooms increase our 'cost'?"

The attendant looked at him in mild surprise,

"Of course, you pay for the rooms and accommodations you reserve."

"In that case, we'll cancel them."

Ikeko Touzuki had fully recovered from her previous empathy and promptly canceled the two rooms without hesitation.

Aside from Little Li's room in Qinghe, there was also Guan Zhiyi's quarters. She allowed Guan Zhiyi to stay in their shared space to "conserve" their costs.

They agreed to tidy up individually before reconvening at the Xitulanaya Restaurant.

In various rooms, uncoordinated groans of discomfort echoed.

However, the room occupied by Ming Yiyang and Yan Qiling remained unusually tranquil.

Knowing the impending consequences, the two of them methodically removed their down jackets.

As the Master of the Unseen Realm, Yan Qiling, when assuming a physical form in the mortal world, he experiences pain just like any ordinary person. However, in the realm of the Unseen, his true form doesn't succumb to the agony of such burns.

However, Ming Yiyang was an exception.

This time, Yan Qiling, as before, coalesced a semi-solid, blood-red paste at his fingertips, gently applying it to the young man's seared skin.

As the scars were smoothed over like wallpaper, the silent youth turned his head slightly and asked,

"What on earth is this?"

The man chuckled softly.

"This is Divine Blood Dew. It's a unique spirit potion of the Yan family. Practically every spirit nurturer from the Yan family knows how to make it."

Ming Yiyang raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Sounds easy to prepare?"

"It is easy, but the ingredients are hard to come by," Yan Qiling replied without withholding any secrets.

"First, you need to capture a Heaven Rank Boundless Master and drain its blood," he explained.

Ming Yiyang: ?

Yan Qiling seemed to have missed the question in Ming Yiyang's expression as he continued at a leisurely pace, "Then, use a purple-gold gourd to filter out the malevolent energy and toxins from the blood. Purify it through the method of refining the Nine Nines Golden Pill. After that, mix it with snow toad blood and a type of wine called Yellow Springs Feeble Stream. Let it age for fifty years, and the Divine Blood Dew will be ready."

Ming Yiyang couldn't help but comment:

"…I suppose many have already been eliminated just at the first step, right?"

The man chuckled softly,

"Yes, but it's not too difficult for me."

Ming Yiyang immediately recalled the scars on the man's back.

"Why not use it on me instead? The Divine Blood Dew... doesn't it work on you?"

"It's ineffective."

Yan Qiling explained as usual,

"As long as the Nineteenth Layer Lotus Pond remains inaccessible, any healing would only be temporary before it worsens. Besides, the Divine Blood Dew can only heal those whose lifespan isn't up yet. It's of no use to me, but it suits you well."

The man's finger, dipped in the icy liquid, traced the young man's scalded back. The burn healed visibly at an astonishing pace, forming new and unblemished skin – a marvel of modern medicine.

Ming Yiyang felt the fingers trailing across his spine.

His mood, which had been hovering in a hellish limbo for the past few months, subtly lifted, transforming into an indescribable sweetness, like delicate bubbles.

The remaining three finally arrived, their demeanor suggesting they were enduring some kind of discomfort.

Yan Qiling and Ming Yiyang, on the other hand, had been seated early at the Situlanaya Restaurant, already enjoying their meal.

However, both seemed disinterested in the curiosity and probing from those around them, appearing arrogant and impatient.

Though they had different approaches, both gave off an aura of detachment, capable of intimidating anyone irrelevant to them.

Guan Zhiyi sensed that Yan Qiling and the others' attitude had become more guarded...

Or perhaps, they had started to care less about the world around them.

He found it difficult to articulate this shift. If before leaving, Yan Qiling had treated him as a person, now he seemed to regard Guan Zhiyi as if he were invisible.

Guan Zhiyi could sense the silent arrogance emanating from the other, but was unsure of its source.

He had a vague sense that something utterly terrifying might unfold in the upcoming events – a terror that might not be directly linked to death.

It was an elusive premonition.

The meal was hurried.

Despite finishing their food earlier, Yan Qiling and Ming Yiyang didn't leave ahead of time. Instead, they waited for the others to finish before entering the corridor together.

The warm glow from the Situlanaya restaurant starkly contrasted with the darkness of the corridor.

A pink-clad server knelt at the corner, a small lamp with a pale blue flame burning beside her knees. The cold firelight danced across her fair face, accentuating her inhuman appearance.

She remained still, silently urging them forward with her gaze.

None dared to step forward, but Yan Qiling took Ming Yiyang by the hand and moved ahead.

The three spectators at the entrance couldn't linger long either, as the Situlanaya restaurant's lights were also switched off.

They could only draw closer to the sole source of light.

Though that light was unsettling, it was still more comforting than being engulfed in darkness.

Upon seeing them approach, the attendant rose and pulled open the white door beside them.

As the door swung open, flickering blue flames illuminated each person's eyes.

It was a vast room, filled with rows upon rows of candles, perhaps five or six in total, arranged in a dizzying pattern under the dim glow.

Opposite the candles stood a bright full-length mirror.

The pink-clad attendant, with a hint of a smile in his deep voice, began the introduction:

"Dear guests, our Summer Cooling Event has already commenced."

"This small chamber is known as the House of Lies, a place where all truths are revealed. I'm sure you can guess what's about to happen now. That's right, this Summer Cooling Event is none other than Hyakumonogatari."

Hyakumonogatari was a widespread ghost-story ritual in foreign lands.

Legend has it that one must light a hundred candles, extinguishing one with each eerie tale told, until all candles are snuffed out – at which point the monster is said to appear.

However, there's an opposing belief stating that once the ritual commences, it cannot be interrupted.

Should the game be disrupted, the monster would emerge; the purpose of narrating a hundred tales is to prevent its manifestation.

The maid in pink rose gently from the door, and in the glow, her attire seemed to lean towards blue, her expression veiling a perilous enigma:

"Please, follow me."

She led them through a hallway of moderate length into a room illuminated by a single white candle.

"This is the House of Tales, where your storytelling will take place. Please, enter."

The pink-clad attendant still carried the blue lantern, kneeling at the entrance once more, awaiting their entry into the story house.

With hesitation, they all entered one after another.

As they all stepped into the House of Tales, the maid in pink had somehow risen and began to speak with a haunting melody:

"This event won't last too long; our manager simply enjoys listening to tales. Once one hundred stories have been told to fulfill the manager's wish, all of you will be freed from this loop. Now, allow me to explain the rules."

"You may choose to start with any person and in any direction for the storytelling rotation."

"Upon finishing your story, you must go to the House of Lies, extinguish a candle, and face the mirror for three seconds. Then, return to the Storytelling House, and the next person can commence their tale."

"I wish you all good fortune."

She bowed her head, extinguishing the lantern, and instantly, the room was plunged into darkness.