The old man's puppet sparkled in his subordinate's hand, rising slightly and finally ending, providing a visual delight. Although Lu Li didn't understand southern opera or the story being portrayed, he recognized its beauty as something universal.
"Truly astonishing beauty! It's no less than that of a goddess of the heavens! Truly a lifetime of craftsmanship!" Lu Li applauded and praised the old man's lifelong dedication to puppetry. To persist in something throughout one's life, regardless of the outcome, was honorable. Perhaps this lifelong pursuit and admiration for the craft were what made the puppet so enchanting.
"Thank you for your kind words, young master!" The old man modestly responded, but his eyes were filled with intense self-confidence in his craft. How could he not be proud after dedicating his life to this art? Yet, a bitter smile crept onto his face, and he shook his head without saying a word, sitting by the towering firewood, lost in his thoughts.
Observing the old man's lack of interest in conversation, Lu Li sighed and turned his attention back to the ruined temple. The puppet in the dream had mentioned that everything in this place had meaning, but Lu Li hadn't seen the ruined temple in the dream. This implied that the temple itself held significance, especially since the Headless Buddha had transformed into a terrifying monster.
After the death of the Headless Buddha, its reflection continued to exist in reality. In the dream, the puppet's body had cracks, but the one in the old man's hands showed no signs of damage, distinguishing it from the Headless Buddha.
If it wasn't an issue with the Headless Buddha, then it must be the ruined temple itself that had some problem. Additionally, the encirclement of the temple by the Corpse Demons further emphasized the temple's significance. Lu Li decided to thoroughly explore the temple to uncover its secrets.
The entire ruined temple was not large, and besides the Headless Buddha, there was nothing remarkable at first glance. Lu Li noticed the old man lost in thought and sighed, deciding to investigate further. He approached the shrine, examining the crack-covered body of the Headless Buddha. Pushing the statue gently, Lu Li discovered that despite the cracks, it remained structurally sound and didn't immediately collapse. He then changed the position of the Buddha's image, revealing some shattered remnants behind it, as if it had been struck with something, creating a pit.
Seeing the pit, Lu Li's curiosity was piqued. He stepped into the pit, exerting force, and pushed against the wall. Before him, the neck of the Buddha's image appeared, covered in chiseled bumps. Lu Li could even imagine a thief hiding behind the image, using a small hammer and chisel to meticulously destroy the neck, eventually detaching the Buddha's head.
Although he discovered evidence of the head theft, it was unrelated to his current goal. What he truly sought was the unique element of the ruined temple. Lu Li carefully surveyed the entire temple again, focusing on the shrine.
With a burst of strength, Lu Li pushed the crack-ridden Buddha's image. As it leaned to the side, only the foundation remained, and falling stones raised clouds of dust. Lu Li paid no attention to the dust and continued to clear the stones, luckily finding that the cracks in the images of Buddha were not contiguous. If they were, it would have been a much more challenging task.
Finally, Lu Li cleared the Buddha's image from the shrine, jumping down and dusting off the accumulated dirt. However, he didn't discover anything significant. He reached out and knocked on the empty space where the Buddha's image used to stand. Thump, thump— a smile appeared on Lu Li's face
as he realized it was a hollow space!
Repeatedly tapping, Lu Li determined the boundary of the hollow space. Near the boundary, he noticed a mud-like substance attached to the back of the shrine, blending in with its color. Lu Li opened the hollow space, revealing an indistinct material quality small box with a corresponding letter attached.
Removing the letter, Lu Li opened it, only to find illegible classical Chinese literature. Soon after, a new prompt appeared in the corner of his eye: "Acquired Side Mission Source of the Corpse Demons' essential item, translating..."
"To Those After Me: Whether you are a Buddhist priest or a thief, please heed my words. Inside this chest lies an evil root, an unclear entity. Destroy it, for fear that the wisdom of our predecessors may be lost, and corruption may take hold within the hearts of those who possess it. Therefore, I have enshrined the image of Buddha here to suppress it. If the next generation discovers it, please destroy it. Guard against evil intentions. The criminal remains nameless!"
"Acquired Side Mission Source of the Corpse Demons"
"Mission Description: Someone once obtained a treasure, fearing its danger and the corruption it may bring. They hid it beneath the image of Buddha. However, the Buddha was stolen, resulting in unexpected consequences. The situation has changed..."
"Mission Tasks: Find that treasure, as it is the cause of the Corpse Demons' formation!"
"Mission Tip: Do you really think the treasure is in the box? It lies within the fabrications!"
"Mission Reward: You will receive 500 game points upon obtaining the treasure, provided you can obtain it!"
Lu Li set the letter aside and opened the box. Inside, he found emptiness. The so-called treasure was not here but rather existed in the ruined temple in the dream. Remembering some actions performed by the puppet, along with the information revealed in the letter, Lu Li seemed to understand something. He looked back at the bewildered old man, wearing a smile.
"What did you... What did you discover, young master?" the old man asked cautiously.
"Well, it's not just an empty box!" Lu Li smiled. Suddenly, a cacophony arose from outside— the terrifying roars of the Corpse Demons. Lu Li raised the empty box, walked towards the entrance of the ruined temple, and opened a gap. He forcefully tossed the empty box far away and shouted, "It's not here! You can leave now!"
Outside, a commotion ensued, accompanied by angry roars. Lu Li turned his attention back to the towering firewood, retrieved a wooden staff, and stepped outside once more. The tumult gradually subsided, and Lu Li, along with the old man, waited for a while. When the silence returned, they cautiously opened the door and observed their surroundings. The Corpse Demons had completely vanished, although Lu Li could still sense something watching him in the darkness. The malevolent gazes lingered, but the overt threat had seemingly disappeared.
The old man relaxed, clutching the puppet tightly, and sat near the towering firewood, once again lost in his thoughts. Lu Li inspected the dwindling firewood supply and realized it might not be enough...