Chapter Sixty-Eight: Three Quarters Past Midnight

“Master of the Azure Robe Temple, you must not kill!” I immediately stopped her.

The master, surprised by my intervention, asked, “Why not?”

Without delay, I explained the truth to her. Moreover, Granny Wang had said she’d already ensured that the executioner would be unable to sleep, and thus unable to execute my grandfather and Daoist Li in his dreams.

The master considered this, then replied, “That is indeed a method. However, if the underworld realizes we are using such means to control the executioner, they will surely find a way to break the spell. Besides, this kind of low-level magic isn’t sophisticated Taoist art—it’s easily undone. Therefore, we can’t guarantee it will save your grandfather and Daoist Li.”

Since this plan was unreliable, I asked the master if she had any other ideas.

She said, “The underworld’s intent to execute a mountain god and a meritorious Taoist is against the mandate of heaven. Their actions can only be carried out in secret. They dare not make it public, nor would they execute openly. Thus, even if we stormed the execution ground, so be it. To avoid unnecessary trouble, they will not conduct the execution in the underworld, but instead choose a place in the mortal realm, somewhere hidden from the eyes of fate. If we discover that place, we still have time to save them.”

I asked Granny Wang if she might obtain any information from the City God’s Lady. She had already tried, but for such a confidential matter, the City God’s Lady dared not speak for fear of responsibility.

Just then, the master seemed to recall something. She said, “In Xiashi Village, there is a temple called Cloudmist Temple. Behind it, on the mountain, lies an ancient sacrificial altar. It’s said that countless living people and wandering souls were slaughtered there, and the resulting resentment shrouds the place from the heavens. The Daoists built Cloudmist Temple specifically to guard that altar. If I’m right, the underworld will bribe the Daoists of Cloudmist Temple and conduct the execution behind the mountain, for miles around, there is no other place so well suited!”

I’d heard Daoist Li mention Cloudmist Temple before; it was indeed not far from Dongwa Village.

After the master finished, Granny Wang nodded in agreement. “Yes, that must be the place!”

“No time to lose. Let’s go now!” said Old Ox, his voice urgent. There was just over an hour left till the third watch after midnight—we had to hurry.

We dared not pause for a moment, and soon arrived at the foot of Cloudmist Mountain in Xiashi Village.

Normally, the temple would be closed at night, but when we arrived, it was not only open—there were Daoists guarding the gate. We waited at a distance while the master approached to inquire. The Daoist replied that an important matter was being attended to inside, and outsiders were not permitted.

The master revealed her identity, saying she had urgent business with the temple’s abbot. But the guard told her the abbot was in seclusion and would not receive visitors till tomorrow.

Seeing this, the master ignored him and strode straight in.

The Daoist chased after her, trying to block her path. But they were no match for the master. With a flick of her horsetail whisk, a gust of wind sent several Daoists sprawling. She continued straight toward the inner hall.

The other guards, alarmed, rushed after her, fearing trouble.

With the gate left unguarded, we hurried up the mountain.

A few minutes later, we reached the summit behind the temple and concealed ourselves within the woods, from where we could see the ancient sacrificial altar ahead.

Atop the altar stood an enormous statue of green stone. It was bizarre—only a body, no head. A massive python coiled around it, jaws agape, roaring at the sky.

For now, the altar was empty. That made me anxious—what if the underworld anticipated our attempt to rescue them here and chose another place for the execution? If so, wouldn’t we be wasting our effort?

After several tense minutes, my worry eased. Hoofbeats echoed from nearby.

The sound was ethereal, drifting through the misty mountains. Looking toward it, we saw a dozen ghostly soldiers in bronze armor, chained together, escorting two prisoners toward the altar.

Clouds masked the moon, and the thick fog made it impossible to see clearly at such a distance. Still, judging by their figures, it had to be my grandfather and Li Nanhua. The soldiers forced them to kneel on the altar.

Crows cawed ominously in the woodland, making my nerves jump.

“Granny Wang, should we go down now and rescue my grandfather and Daoist Li?” With just a dozen guards, surely Granny Wang and Old Ox could handle them.

Granny Wang waved her hand. “Child, consider this: the underworld went to great lengths to capture your grandfather and Li Nanhua. Now, with their execution set for midnight, they send only a handful of soldiers? Don’t you find that odd?”

She had a point. Old Ox said, “There must be an ambush here. We should wait a bit longer. Your incense still burns—so long as the incense lasts, they cannot be executed!”

I nodded, keeping my eyes on the stick of incense I’d been guarding all along.

I could only pray it would not go out.

If it did, it would mean Er Pang would soon appear to execute my grandfather and Li Nanhua. That was what I dreaded most—I couldn’t imagine how I’d face him afterward.

As I worried, a cold wind suddenly swept through, making the leaves shudder. I instinctively shielded the incense, but the wind was so strong it nearly knocked me off my feet. To my horror, the incense snapped clean in two. Granny Wang exclaimed, “It’s broken!”

With the incense broken, the spell was undone. The moment Er Pang fell asleep, he would come to carry out the execution. My heart was pounding. Old Ox said, “We can’t wait any longer. You two stay hidden—I’ll go out and draw the ambush, then you attack from behind!”

Without hesitation, Old Ox charged down the slope.

“Grandpa Ox!” I tried to stop him, but it was too late.

Meanwhile, from another mountain path, a dark figure was approaching the altar, carrying a gleaming broadaxe.

Mist swirled on the mountain road; I couldn’t see his face, but judging by his burly frame, it could only be Er Pang.

Old Ox had already rushed down. As soon as he appeared, dozens of ghost soldiers emerged from the fog and surrounded him.

He ignored them, calling out toward the path, “Er Pang, wake up! That’s your great-uncle and Daoist Li—you mustn’t harm them!”

The soldiers, enraged by his disregard, swung a bronze chain at him. Old Ox raised his thunderstruck wood ruler to block—there was a loud crack, sparks flew, and a shockwave sent one of the mounted soldiers tumbling. Such was the power of the sacred wood!

But as he tried to break through the soldiers to reach Er Pang, he suddenly clutched his chest in agony and fell to his knees, shivering with pain.

“What’s wrong with Grandpa Ox?” I asked anxiously.

Granny Wang said nothing. Then I saw, at the center of the ghostly ranks, a shadowy figure in a dark blue robe holding a command token. He stood there and declared, “This is Old Ox, steward of the Old Boundary Ridge Mountain God—a wanted man of the underworld. Seize him for execution!”

Immediately, the soldiers pinned Old Ox to the ground, bound his collarbones with bronze chains, and dragged him to the altar.

Seeing Old Ox captured, my heart clenched. I wanted to rush to his aid, but Granny Wang stopped me. “Child, this altar is a trap!”

“Who is that man in the dark robe?” I asked. I didn’t know what magic he had used to fell Old Ox so swiftly.

“That is the underworld’s execution overseer, Qin Li—son of the local underworld magistrate. Before he came, he must have checked the Register of Life and Death for the living’s birthdates. With those, he can seize a soul by its birth sign. Remember, when rescuing them, do not meet his ghostly gaze!” The master of the Azure Robe Temple had arrived, and it was she who answered.

By now, Er Pang, the man with the axe, had reached the altar.

He saluted Qin Li, then walked over to my grandfather and Daoist Li.

Er Pang still wore the same black cloak as the day before, giving him a sinister look.

As he took his place, though it was not yet time, Qin Li suddenly shouted, throwing his command token to the ground.

“Third watch after midnight has come—carry out the execution!”

Without hesitation, Er Pang raised his axe and brought it down. The appointed hour had not yet arrived—there was still at least half an hour left—why would they execute ahead of time?