Taboo Mage - Chapter 85 - Burning Incense and Praying to Buddha

Bai Wei was pulled so hard that she bumped her head against the car window, instantly raising a large bruise on her forehead. I watched as tears welled up in the corners of the little girl’s eyes, yet she didn’t utter a word of pain.

The atmosphere inside the car turned strangely eerie, and I cleared my throat, turning my head to look at the scenery rushing past the window, feeling an inexplicable gloom in my heart.

That evening, when we arrived at the next service area, I decisively bought a tent. Jue Chi didn’t mind-he could sleep just as easily on a piece of cardboard. I wasn’t accustomed to sleeping like that and didn’t want to squeeze in with Bai Wei’s family, so I had to figure something out on my own.

In the middle of the night, I woke up with an urgent need to use the restroom. As I passed by the car, I suddenly noticed the interior light flicker on inside, only to go off again quickly.

Curious, I took a couple of steps toward the car, but then reconsidered, thinking perhaps one of the kids had been scared in their sleep.

I smacked my forehead, silently mocking myself for being overly sensitive lately. My bladder was so full it hurt, yet I still had the mind to worry about other things.

The next morning, Jue Chi was the first to wake up. He dragged me out of the tent and quickly packed up.

The family of three had already finished their breakfast and was standing next to the car, waiting for us.

The day passed in silence again. I am generally a talkative person, yet with this family, I couldn’t find any common topics of conversation.

We were all probably just thinking about getting to Shenyang, settling our financial matters, and then going our separate ways.

We arrived at the Shenyang station at four in the afternoon on the third day. I was half-asleep when I felt the car suddenly shake. Startled awake, I saw the Shenyang bus station sign in front of me.

I immediately snapped to attention and, pulling Jue Chi beside me, shouted excitedly, “Whoa! Shenyang! I finally made it!”

Jue Chi nodded with a smile. We both got off the bus with our backpacks. Although we still had no idea where to go next, we had at least taken the first historic step by arriving in Shenyang.

As I was deliberating our next move, the glasses-wearing man approached me, making small talk in a hesitant manner.

I realized he was there to collect the remaining half of the travel fare. Although I felt disdain for a man who would bring up money at such a moment, I still willingly took out my wallet and handed him the remaining amount.

With the money in hand, the glasses-wearing man kept smiling and repeatedly mentioned how he hadn’t taken care of us during the journey. I was in no mood to engage with him, so I pulled Jue Chi along and quickly walked away.

Jiangnan was already deep into autumn, but upon arriving in Shenyang, it felt like we abruptly entered winter. The clothes Jue Chi and I were wearing felt rather thin in comparison, and we shivered sitting on the steps at the station entrance.

“How about we first find a place to stay, and then make a proper plan?” I suggested.

I observed the crowd around us, everyone clad in thick winter gear, while Jue Chi and I stood out with our thin jackets.

Jue Chi agreed, so I quickly pulled out my phone and found a nearby hotel online, booking a room for the night.

We hurried over, enjoyed a hot shower with the heater on, and took a comfortable two-hour nap on the big bed before heading out.

Shenyang, a typical city in Northeast China, was new to me. We first found a small restaurant to satisfy our hunger.

Looking at the notes on my phone, it marked the date as the 15th of this month. I calculated the time; it was only the 3rd today, giving us twelve days to prepare.

“Have you been to Shenyang before?” I asked, putting my phone away while slurping my noodles.

Jue Chi seemed to appreciate the meal, responding with his head down, “No, but I have been to the Snow Mountain.”

“What good is visiting the Snow Mountain? We’re not here for an expedition,” I retorted, rolling my eyes.

After finishing our meal, Jue Chi mentioned wanting to visit a nearby temple to pay respects. I happened to overhear a conversation at the next table about a famous snack street beside that temple. As soon as Jue Chi suggested it, I immediately agreed.

The snack street was conveniently located behind the temple. Initially, I thought I might just let Jue Chi go in to pay his respects while I headed straight for the snack street. But then, considering our unplanned arrival in Shenyang, with its uncertain fortunes, I decided it might be comforting to go inside and offer my own respects.

Temples in city centers, especially in a tourist city like Shenyang, are typically bustling with people. By the time Jue Chi and I arrived, the temple was already crowded.

“This place… must have a lot of spirits,” I remarked to Jue Chi, eyeing the ancient architecture. Old buildings inherently attract spirits, and even more so a temple that receives so many offerings.

Thinking about that, I couldn’t help but reach out to one of the columns, silently chanting an incantation in my mind. Sure enough, a chill surged from my palm throughout my body. So, spirits did exist here after all.

“This temple was built during the Tang Dynasty and has long been revered by locals for its efficacy. The incense offerings have never ceased for hundreds of years, so of course, it’s full of spiritual energy,” Jue Chi explained.

He picked up three sticks of incense from the altar table, knelt reverently on a meditation cushion.

I nodded and joined in the prayer. As we rose from the cushions and were about to leave, a familiar figure suddenly flashed past us in the crowd.

“What’s wrong?” Jue Chi had walked quite a distance ahead, and when he saw I hadn’t caught up, he turned back to ask, puzzled.

I waved a hand, scanning the crowd for the familiar silhouette but couldn’t spot it again. “I’m not sure, I just saw someone who seemed familiar.”

“Chi Rui?” Jue Chi’s brow furrowed deeply, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

I looked at him curiously. Since meeting Jue Chi, he had always been a gentle person; neither evil spirits nor villains seemed to perturb him. Yet, at the mere mention of Chi Rui’s name, he appeared like a wound-up frog, ready to leap to the rooftop.

Was it possible he had another motive for coming to Shenyang with me…

“I figured if we were going to run into someone I know here in Shenyang, it would be Chi Rui,” Jue Chi cleared his throat, offering a somewhat forced explanation.

“Who says? Bai Wei’s family are also people we know, aren’t they?” I laughed, giving Jue Chi a pat on the shoulder to change the subject.

The figure I glimpsed earlier was none other than the glasses-wearing man we had parted with just that afternoon. However, it wasn’t surprising. The temple was a notable tourist spot in Shenyang, and since they were here on a family trip, it wasn’t unexpected to run into them again.