Immortalis

White Dog Seven

Shen Qingshi had always been decisive and swift in action.

Having said he would find a solution, he vanished upon returning to White Lead Town.

Yang Wujian knew it was time for the Bi An Token to make its appearance again. He chuckled, "I think we should just wait patiently. Young Master Shen keeps his abilities hidden—who knows, he might even have a more impressive background than you, Young Master."

His words were clearly meant for Song Lan, but ever since their return from White Dog Village, Song Lan seemed distracted and didn't catch what he said.

"What's wrong, Elder Song Lan?"

Yang Wujian smiled, "Surely it's not because Young Master Shen left and you don't want to stay with the two of us?"

Song Lan snapped back to attention, "Miss Yang, you're joking again. I've just been thinking—is that ancestral hall we visited earlier really suitable for people to live in?"

"Didn't you say it yourself, Elder Song Lan? They worship a living creature."

"That may be true, but that ancestral hall doesn't even have a single window. Even ordinary people would feel suffocated living inside."

Lost in thought, Song Lan gazed at the ordinary houses lining the streets. Even those built with yellow mud had ventilation windows to let in air and sunlight.

In comparison, that cold, deep mansion built with green bricks looked more like a prison than anything else.

Song Lan murmured softly, "Young Master Zhou had the same question earlier—why would White Dog, originally a belief of the Northern Desert people, become the deity of White Dog Village? Back at Boundless Sword Manor, I mentioned I learned about the Stone Cicada from a book. After returning to Medicine King Mountain, I found that ancient text again. Thinking back now, that book actually mentioned White Dog as well."

"What did it say?"

Zhou Huai couldn't help his curiosity.

Song Lan explained, "The book stated that during the final years of Crimson Gold, strange celestial phenomena occurred with countless meteor stars falling. Soon after, a great drought plagued the land, insect disasters erupted everywhere, and divine fire burned across the eight directions. It was during this time that the Stone Cicada appeared in the world. The Northern Desert people believe that cicadas buried deep underground are originally divine messengers from the Underground Heaven. The appearance of these messengers signifies that divine punishment is imminent."

"But what does this have to do with White Dog?"

"White Dog is the other divine messenger from the Underground Heaven. White Dog lives above ground, while the Stone Cicada hides underground—they mirror each other between heaven and earth. Logically speaking, if White Dog Village truly worships the Northern Desert people's White Dog, they should never confine it to that small ancestral hall. This doesn't seem like reverence for a deity, but rather blasphemy."

Afterward, Song Lan said she wanted to look for medicinal herbs around town and left alone, leaving only Yang Wujian and Zhou Huai to return to the inn and wait for the others.

"I think Elder Song Lan makes a good point."

Zhou Huai counted the silver notes Zhou Jinglei had given him three months ago—there was still plenty left—so he naturally ordered another table of local specialties. Eating as he spoke, he said, "If not for their blasphemy, they wouldn't have died so tragically, right?"

"Young Master, what, do you actually believe in this stuff?"

Yang Wujian absentmindedly ate pastries, amused. "Haven't you visited plenty of such places since childhood? If bodhisattvas or deities could cure your illness, you wouldn't need to carry those little pills with you all the time, would you?"

Zhou Huai pouted, "Miss Yang, do you really not believe in any of this at all?"

He wished he could believe.

Yang Wujian remembered his childhood, when he had prayed to heaven countless times, begging just to have a full meal—even leftovers would have sufficed.

But no bodhisattva ever heard his pleas.Yang Wujian sighed and said, "When it comes to ghosts and deities, believers will hold unwavering faith. It's been six years since White Dog Village was massacred, yet people still regularly clean that house, meaning there are still those here who believe in White Dog. Young master, why don't you exercise your charismatic charm again and find a young girl to ask?"

"What's so difficult about that?"

The peacock couldn't resist praise and immediately called over the young maid who had served them earlier.

"Miss, we're new here and would like to ask about some matters. Are you familiar with White Lead Town?"

While Zhou Huai might not excel in other areas, his face was indeed quite handsome. The young girl looked him up and down, then said crisply, "Are you also here to ask about Gold Splitting Hand?"

"Gold Splitting Hand?"

"Yes, just looking at you carrying swords, you must be from the martial world. Our White Lead Town doesn't really have any martial sects. If we must say, there's only Gold Splitting Hand. There are rumors that he previously mined illegally in the old mining fields left behind in Northern Xiang and nearly got executed, later drifting into the martial world where he learned a palm technique that can split gold and silver, crushing ore without needing a mill."

"We're not asking about that."

The folk customs in White Lead Town were simple and honest, even a serving girl was quite talkative. Yang Wujian couldn't help but laugh, then asked, "Do you know about White Dog?"

The girl was startled: "Of course I know! He lives in that big cave in the outskirts. Every so often we go to pay respects to him. They say that back during Northern Xiang times, when people here went down into the mines, it was White Dog who protected us. He's very efficacious."

"Big cave?"

"Yes, about ten li from here, there's a very deep cave. Originally that place was forbidden to go to - they say if you go too deep, you'll get lost and never return. But these past few years, White Dog got angry with us and refused to keep living in the village, so we can only go there to see White Dog now."

After just these few sentences from the girl, Zhou Huai's eyes were wide with astonishment.

Exchanging a look with Yang Wujian, he asked curiously, "People here have all seen White Dog?"

The girl nodded repeatedly: "Yes, I saw him once when I was little. His hair was completely white, his face was pale white too, and his eyes were like glass. He lived not far from here."

Yang Wujian grew increasingly puzzled: "Then what happened later? What's this about him getting angry?"

The girl pouted: "He just got angry, that's why he had wild beasts eat everyone in the whole village. My father said the villagers asked too much from him, so White Dog got angry, shed his mortal flesh, and returned to that cave."

"Asked too much for what?"

"I don't know about that. I only know that it used to be very difficult to see White Dog once. That time I went to see him, I waited nearly half a year! My father said White Dog is a deity - you can't stare at him for too long, and you can't talk to him too much, otherwise it's disrespectful."

"Disrespectful..."

"So I guess those people later who got eaten by wild beasts must have talked to him too much, right? White Dog didn't want to talk with us anymore, so he went back to the big cave."

Not long after finishing their conversation with the young girl, Shen Qingshi also returned.

Since taking the Blood Cleansing Pill, sometimes her moods would show on her face. Because of this, Yang Wujian could tell at a glance that Shen Qingshi's trip probably hadn't gone well.

"Not smooth?""

Yang Wujian pushed toward her the cold tea he had prepared earlier, then placed several pieces of pastry in front of her.Shen Qingshi's expression finally eased slightly as she said coldly, "The county magistrate of Baiqian Town couldn't provide any useful information because he also believes the entire village was struck by divine punishment."

Having interrogated countless people in Zhaoming Prison before, Shen Qingshi could tell that County Magistrate Lu Hai wasn't lying.

For someone so spineless like him, with just three fingers pressed against her sword, he would confess to any crime - even implicating his own father - within less time than it takes for half an incense stick to burn.

Shen Qingshi had never liked such people, precisely because it was too easy. Every time she encountered them, she never got to use the methods Cao Zhao had taught her - piercing shoulder bones or flaying skin.

And now Shen Qingshi realized she still disliked such people. Someone who could wet their pants at the sight of a Bi An Token was truly displeasing.

Shen Qingshi took a sip of cold tea and noticed Yang Wujian had added sugar to it. She paused in surprise when she heard someone laugh and say, "I know you actually quite like Song Lan's tea."

Hearing this, Shen Qingshi didn't respond to the comment, only saying, "County Magistrate Lu Hai of Baiqian Town has worshipped the White Dog - to be precise, he has seen the White Dog."

"That person with white hair, white face, and glass-like eyes?" Zhou Huai asked eagerly. "The county magistrate described it the same way?"

Shen Qingshi realized they had also gathered some information: "Many people in Baiqian Town have seen the White Dog?"

Yang Wujian nodded: "Even the innkeeper has seen it. It seems it shouldn't be something terrifying."

Shen Qingshi said, "Lu Hai claimed the White Dog from White Dog Village closely resembles a young man, completely snow-white with white skin and white hair, even having transparent, colorless eyes that cannot tolerate daylight."

Zhou Huai was taken aback: "It's a person?"

Shen Qingshi said, "It resembles a person. The White Dog usually lives in the ancestral hall we visited today. Originally, it never met strangers. But twenty years ago, when the previous White Dog passed away, he instructed White Dog Village that the White Dog is no ordinary being - born without knowledge of good or evil, it must be allowed to interact closely with people to avoid calamity."

"Wait, there was a previous White Dog? The White Dog can die?" Zhou Huai's mind grew increasingly confused.

After all, the immortals described in books were all immortal - he had never heard of gods who could die of old age.

Besides, if even gods could die of old age, why would mortals still believe in them?

Shen Qingshi said, "Lu Hai claimed the White Dog is actually a divine possession. In other words, the White Dog of White Dog Village is just like you, Zhou Huai - possessed. After one White Dog dies, the deity possesses one of its descendants. The White Dog responsible for the village massacre six years ago was already the second White Dog of White Dog Village."

Hearing this, Yang Wujian finally couldn't help but laugh: "So this deity follows a hereditary system? Passing from generation to generation, great deities giving birth to little deities?"

Though his tone was sarcastic, Shen Qingshi remained completely serious.

"Ordinary possessions might be fabricated, but Lu Hai said the White Dog's possession can be recognized at a glance because those possessed by the White Dog are born completely snow-white with glass-like eyes. Their appearance cannot be faked."

"Provided this is truly a possession."

At that moment, an elegant voice suddenly interjected.

It turned out Song Lan had returned at some point. After listening for a while, he finally couldn't resist interrupting them and came to sit down.He took a sip of tea: "I just went to the street and asked a few villagers. They also know about the White Dog, and mentioned that in a few days it will be time again to worship the White Dog at the Meat Well. They all hope the White Dog will forgive them and be reborn again in White Dog Village."

Yang Wujian asked: "But Elder Song Lan seems to already know this isn't some kind of divine reincarnation?"

"Although the world is full of wonders, and gods might truly exist somewhere in this world," Song Lan said with another sigh, "in my view, the White Dog of White Dog Village is likely not a deity, but a sick person."