Chapter 37: The Second Temple

Zhou You accepted it reflexively.

Then a System notification faintly sounded in his mind.

“You have obtained the green consumable item: Ghost Effigy.”

“When this item is used, you can temporarily create a Flesh Puppet that closely resembles yourself. Certain monsters may be misled by this puppet and mistake it for your real body. The puppet can exist for up to five minutes, and multiple puppets cannot exist simultaneously.”

“You witnessed the creation process of the Ghost Effigy. However, because you do not possess the relevant knowledge, you are unable to learn this crafting ability.”

Pinching the statue delicately between two fingers, Zhou You examined the face that looked exactly like his own before turning back and asking,

“Monk... no, wait. Is this really how your Buddhist techniques work? Why does this feel a little off to me?”

To his surprise, the monk’s expression became extremely strange.

He even asked in return,

“Benefactor, what are you talking about? If Buddhist techniques aren’t like this, then what should they be like?”

“Uh, normally shouldn’t Buddhist techniques be all upright and radiant and, well...”

Zhou You carefully searched his memory for the fantasy dramas he had watched in the past.

In the end, however, he merely sighed and gave up trying to explain.

“Forget it. Monk, how am I supposed to use this thing?”

“Simply cut a small wound on your finger and drip your blood onto it.”

“The ghost will naturally be drawn to it.”

“While its attention is occupied, you can place the face skin onto it.”

“Don’t waste too much time. The thing won’t last long, and it’s extremely fragile.”

Upon hearing that, Zhou You initially intended to cut his finger.

After thinking for a moment, however, he peeled back the ointment covering his previous wound, squeezed out a little blood, and smeared it onto the statue.

I’ve already gotten used to being injured, but pain is still pain. If I can avoid another cut, I might as well.

The dark red liquid gradually seeped into the statue.

The moment the final drop disappeared, the sculpture suddenly opened its eyes wide and flashed Zhou You a chilling smile.

Before he could react, it leapt from his hand and staggered toward the female ghost.

“Benefactor, please be aware. The ghost’s attention will be attracted by the Ghost Effigy. At first it will merely be suspicious, but it will soon discover the truth. You only need to take advantage of that opening...”

However, before the old monk could finish whispering, a shrill screech suddenly erupted ahead of them.

Both men looked up in astonishment.

To their shock, the female ghost seemed to have discovered something she hated beyond measure.

She immediately hurled the mangled corpse remains from her hands and charged recklessly toward the Flesh Puppet.

The old monk remained completely bewildered.

Zhou You was the first to understand.

Holy shit. It was just one kick, and I only used you as a weapon once. Do you really have to hold such a grudge?

There was no longer any time for conversation.

He immediately slashed his arm with the dagger.

As a fresh wound appeared, his body abruptly accelerated.

The pain stimulated his mind, making him even more alert.

Carefully calculating the distance between himself and the female ghost, he watched as that skinless, blood-covered face drew closer and closer.

The ghost finally seized the puppet.

Then she squeezed with all her strength.

A scream from Zhou You rang out.

Except the one screaming was not Zhou You himself.

The Ghost Effigy cried and struggled exactly like a living human.

It desperately attempted to escape from the ghost’s grasp.

But in the end, it was crushed into a mangled lump.

At that moment, the female ghost finally realized she had targeted the wrong victim.

She violently turned her head.

Then she suddenly felt a cool sensation touch her face.

The face skin had already attached itself completely.

In an instant, all movement ceased.

“My face... my face... I’ve finally found my face...”

The female ghost gently stroked the wrinkled skin that clearly did not belong to her.

No longer paying any attention to Zhou You standing right beside her, she limped back to the street corner and crouched down once more in the same knees-hugged posture as when they had first met.

“She’s a pitiful soul as well.”

The old monk approached with heavy footsteps.

“Unfortunately, this poor monk lacks the ability to deliver her spirit from suffering. All I can do is leave her trapped within this nightmare, endlessly repeating the same cycle every day.”

“Benefactor, time is limited. Let us hurry.”

“...Yeah. Let’s go.”

Zhou You nodded and followed behind the monk.

Before leaving, however, he thoughtfully glanced back toward the spot where the Ghost Effigy had been completely destroyed.

The temple along the left-hand road looked much the same as the one they had seen before.

The same desolation.

The same broken tiles and crumbling walls.

Frowning deeply, the old monk forcefully pushed aside the wild grass at the entrance, which had grown over three meters high (about ten feet), and said between breaths,

“Those monks in the city make fortunes every year, yet they won’t even repair these three temples that serve as the foundation of everything.”

“They wouldn’t allow anyone from Qingjing Temple to interfere either, claiming it would violate the rules.”

“And after all these years of wind and rain, the place has become this miserable state.”

“It looks ready to collapse at any moment!”

His words were already tinged with gritted-teeth resentment.

Zhou You wisely chose not to comment.

The moment he stepped into the temple, a System notification arrived.

“Player has arrived at the hidden location: Skanda Protector Temple of Sanhua Temple.”

“Scenario completion has greatly increased.”

“Player has obtained 50 Soulstones.”

“Current Soulstone total: 160.”

Upon entering and seeing the blood-stained statue, the sorrow in the old monk’s eyes deepened.

He found a relatively clean meditation cushion, knelt before it, and bowed respectfully toward the statue.

Then he rose and dragged his frail body forward until he stood directly before it.

Zhou You initially assumed the monk intended to perform some kind of purification technique.

But to his astonishment, the monk suddenly leaned forward and rammed himself directly into the bodhisattva statue.

“Watch out!”

Before the words could even leave Zhou You’s mouth, he witnessed something utterly unbelievable.

The bloodstains covering the statue abruptly stopped shifting.

Then, like fish detecting bait, they surged frantically into the old monk’s body.

Meanwhile, the monk’s withered frame began swelling like an inflating balloon.

The expansion rapidly intensified until it reached the very limits of what a human body should be capable of enduring.

Only four or five minutes later did the monk’s body gradually return to normal.

He slowly climbed down from the statue.

A crimson hue now seemed to cover his entire body.

Raising a head that had become even more grotesque than before, he smiled bitterly at Zhou You.

“My apologies for making a fool of myself before benefactor.”

“This poor monk cultivates the Hungry Ghost Path, one of the Three Evil Paths.”

“I normally make use of the practice of food offering.”

“That is why I am able to absorb the defilement from the statue into my own body.”

“But I cannot maintain this state for long.”

“Please help me finish traversing the remaining roads as quickly as possible.”

How much of what he’s saying is true, and how much is false?

Zhou You recalled the Ghost Effigy from earlier, which had looked more like dark sorcery than anything else.

Then he looked into the old monk’s eyes.

They still carried the same sense of upright calmness as before.

After several seconds of thought, he finally nodded.

“Then let’s pick up the pace.”