After Cultivating To Immortality, I Became the Demon Venerable's White Moonlight - Chapter 6

At the foot of Mount Muyin lay a small, modest village known to all as Muyin Village.

The villagers of Muyin relied entirely on the mountain for their livelihood, surviving as hunters from one generation to the next. This was how life had always been since the days of their ancestors.

If one were to look down from above, Mount Muyin was shaped like a weaver’s shuttle. Its outer edge was a ring of vibrant green, while its center was noticeably darker and deeper, creating a stark boundary with the surrounding terrain.

The outer ring consisted of ordinary woodland, a place where regular families gathered firewood, hunted game, and foraged for wild fruits to fill their stomachs. The deep heart of the mountain, however, hid true treasures, rumored to have been guarded by the Mountain God for thousands of years.

Legend had it that only the bravest hunters dared to venture deep into that forest, which had long been deemed a “forbidden land.” Only the most experienced woodsmen, relying on their wealth of knowledge and survival skills, could successfully make it out alive from that domain where none usually survived, bringing back treasures to ensure a life free from financial worry forever.

However, the villagers of Muyin had always been a tight-knit and harmonious community, deeply valuing their lives. They also held a unique tradition, at nightfall, the entire village would light their lamps so that any hunters who hadn’t yet returned could find their way home.

Therefore, even if someone was bold enough to want to venture into the deep mountains to test their luck, they would be dissuaded by everyone else.

After all, one’s life was not something to be trifled with.

“Are you saying… that for the past half-month, the village hunters have been going up the mountain one after another, and without exception, every single one of them has vanished?”

“Exactly,” the village chief sighed, slapping his thigh in frustration, his brow furrowed with deep worry. “I just don’t understand it. Why did they all suddenly lose their minds out of nowhere? Why are they practically begging for death just to seek out some legendary treasure? It’s truly vexing!”

“If that treasure were really so easy to find, would our village have needed to toil away in the woods for generations just to scrape by? We would have struck it rich long ago!”

“They’ve truly been possessed by some ghost!”

Yi Qinglan walked out of the house into the courtyard, with Lin Wanying following closely behind her.

“Senior Sister, don’t you find this strange?”

“Yes,” Yi Qinglan nodded. “The village chief mentioned that the hunters here have always viewed the deep mountain as a forbidden land. Why would they all suddenly change their nature? Could it be…”

Yi Qinglan and Lin Wanying exchanged a glance, both silently arriving at the same conclusion.

It was highly likely the work of a demon.

Yi Qinglan continued, “Some demons excel at bewitching human minds. But if that’s the case…”

“Where are you going with so much stuff? Why don’t you take me along!” “Get lost!”

A sudden commotion erupted outside the gate.

What was going on?

The two women pushed open the door and stepped outside. They saw a slight, small statured youth who had tumbled to the ground, burdened by several bundled packs. Possessions were scattered all over the dirt. Behind the youth stood several young men, who jeered and mocked the pitiful sight.

The leader of the group was a tall man. He teased with an exaggerated, mocking expression, “What’s the matter? Are you not used to your sister-in-law’s cooking? Is that why you’re running away from home?”

The men behind him burst into raucous laughter.

“Eat your father’s cooking! Since her food suits your taste so well, why don’t you go eat it yourself? Eat until you burst!” The youth was furious and humiliated, swiftly gathering the items while cursing under their breath. Hastily scooping up the bundled packs, the youth scrambled up unsteadily and crashed directly into Yi Qinglan, letting out a sharp “Ouch!”

Seeing the youth covered in dirt, Yi Qinglan found it somewhat amusing and quickly reached out a hand to steady them. To her surprise, though this person wore the short, practical garb of a young boy, when they lifted their head, it revealed a fair and clean round face. The cheeks were slightly puffed with anger, and the corners of the mouth were turned down in displeasure. As it turned out, this was actually a young girl of about thirteen or fourteen.

The girl stabilized herself. Upon seeing two beautiful women standing before her whom she didn’t recognize, she deduced they must be from out of town. She abruptly wrenched her hand free from Yi Qinglan’s grasp, her face mask like with cold fury. Without uttering a single word, she clutched her bundles tightly and prepared to leave.

Hearing the noise, the village chief hurried out of the house. He called out to the young girl, “Zhong Ying, heading to your aunt’s house again?”

The girl ignored him completely, merely keeping her head down and marching forward.

The village chief shook his head, muttering to himself, “This child… she must have had another fight with her stepmother.”

Yi Qinglan inquired, “Stepmother?”

“She is not my stepmother! She’s a fox spirit, a fox spirit!” The girl suddenly whirled around out of nowhere, shouting furiously at the three of them. In her rage, she also took out her anger on Yi Qinglan and Lin Wanying, who were merely standing by, giving them a harsh, venomous glare.

The village chief looked thoroughly plagued by a headache, unable to comprehend how such a young girl could harbor so much fiery anger. Catching sight of a corner peeking out from the girl’s bundle, he frowned and scolded, “A young girl shouldn’t always be tinkering with things meant for men. Have you forgotten that your father forbade you from hunting?”

“Why can’t you learn some embroidery from your step… your aunt? That would be much better!”

The girl glanced down at her bundle, quickly concealing the small bow that had accidentally been exposed. Snorting in defiance, she turned on her heel and stormed off.

Watching the girl’s departing figure, the village chief sighed helplessly. “I apologize for letting the two Immortals see such a shameful display. But this child is quite pitiful, too. Her mother passed away just half a month ago, and her father immediately remarried a new stepmother right after. She and the stepmother can’t stand the sight of each other, so they have a massive fight every few days, and she runs away. Now she only has her biological father left, but who knows what madness possessed him, half a month ago, he actually ventured into the deep mountain alone in the dead of night to look for some treasure! To this day, no one knows where he’s wandering in those mountains.”

“She used to be such a well-behaved child. It’s a shame she turned out like this. It seems marrying a wife who is too young and beautiful isn’t always a good thing. A beautiful face really brings nothing but ruin…”

Shaking his head, the village chief ambled back inside the house.

Yi Qinglan and Lin Wanying thought to themselves: Could the father of this young girl be one of the village hunters who was bewitched by the demon?

Afterward, the two returned to their temporary lodgings in the village. This was an empty house specifically prepared by the village chief after he learned they were from an Immortal Sect.

“You’re back!” Fang Shuyue came forward to greet them. “Did you find out any useful information from your visits to the villagers’ homes?”

“Indeed,” Yi Qinglan nodded. “As we anticipated, there is definitely a demon afoot in this place. It has been causing trouble since half a month ago. Using some unknown method, it has driven over a dozen hunters from the village into the deep mountains, and not a single one has returned.”

Fang Shuyue remarked, “Out of more than ten people, not even one has made it back? This demon is truly insidious.”

Lin Wanying pondered deeply. “I wonder what the demon’s ultimate goal is. Why go through such immense trouble to orchestrate all this?”

“Whatever the case, we must deal with the matter at hand first,” Yi Qinglan said. “The village chief mentioned that the hunters always slip into the mountains silently under the cover of night. We must stay sharp and keep watch over the next few days. If anyone else falls under the demon’s sway and tries to ascend the mountain at night, we can follow them and investigate the truth.”

At night, the wind howled sharply through the forest, sounding like the roars of a giant beast crouching in the darkness.

Yi Qinglan lay in wait along the only path leading from the village up into the mountain, remaining alert to even the slightest movement.

The first half of the night passed uneventfully. By the time the hour of the Ox (approx. 1:00 AM – 3:00 AM) was nearly over, there was still no activity. Yi Qinglan, whose nerves had been tightly strung, began to relax slightly.

Nothing unusual had occurred tonight. Perhaps it would be a peaceful night after all.

Suddenly, a slight, unusual shadow appeared in the distant field of vision, continuously moving forward.

Yi Qinglan instantly snapped back to full alertness. Two glowing spots, like fireflies, drifted out from her sleeve, flying back toward the village in accordance with her will to signal the others.

Concealing her form within the shadows of the tall grass, she stealthily trailed behind the figure.

The shadow belonged to a person. A large, strange mass bulged from their back, in the shroud of night, it looked as though a deformed monster was gripping onto them tightly.

Yi Qinglan accidentally made a faint sound beneath her feet, but the person ahead seemed entirely oblivious, walking forward without a single pause.

She conjured several spheres of firelight in her hand. Guided by her intent, the flames floated forward to surround the target, illuminating the person’s form. It was a tall man, none other than the leader of the group who had mocked the young girl during the day. He carried a large wicker basket filled to the brim with hunting gear on his back.

The canopy of the trees was relentlessly buffeted to one side by the wind, producing a colossal rustling din. The pitch-black mountain forest looked unfathomably deep, resembling a massive, man-eating maw.

“Stop right there!” Seeing that the man was about to step into the mountain, Yi Qinglan couldn’t help but call out.

“What’s happening?” The two junior sisters who had been stationed elsewhere in the village received the spiritual transmission and quickly caught up.

Seeing the situation, Fang Shuyue immediately surged forward, leaping directly in front of the man. Forming a hand seal, she chanted the Immobilization Spell and pointed her finger squarely at his forehead.

The man’s figure instantly froze in place, halting his advance.

All three of them breathed a heavy sigh of relief, letting their guards down.

Suddenly, the ethereal sound of a flute echoed from deep within the dense forest.

The music was soft, distant, and low. It was impossible to discern which direction it originated from, it felt as though it had been carried lightly from a vast distance by the wind. Yet despite the howling gales, this faint flute melody reached everyone’s ears with absolute clarity, completely unmuted by the roaring wind.

Could someone truly be playing the flute in the forest in the middle of the night?

“This flute music is highly unusual.” Lin Wanying listened intently for a moment. Then, looking at the man, she gasped in surprise, “Quick, look at him!”

Fang Shuyue and Yi Qinglan turned around, only to discover that the man who had just been immobilized was suddenly moving again!

Under the dim, eerie night light, the man’s face twisted with intense fury, looking exceptionally sinister and repulsive. He turned to the three of them and snapped impatiently:

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Whether it was just Yi Qinglan’s imagination or reality, the man’s temper seemed significantly worse than it had been during the day, it was incredibly bizarre.

“I knew it. Nothing good ever comes from you three outsider women showing up here.” Having spat out those words, the man turned back toward the mountain and resumed walking. His pace was relentless, as if someone was urgently driving him forward.

This was going to be troublesome.