TRYMBPIETM 43: Mirror, Night, Snow Peak (6)

Chi Qingzhou smiled. His gaze swept over Chi Qingning, who was chatting with Xue Jinshi, and he regretfully lowered the corners of his lips.

The variety show was still live-streaming, so he couldn’t just abandon work and run off to make friends.

Besides, Luo Huaiyu was a walking corpse and hadn’t yet reached the point where he could move freely under sunlight. Even if he went now, he probably wouldn’t be able to see him.

Xing Shuangzhan stroked his back indulgently, smiling as he asked, “Unhappy?”

Chi Qingzhou: “Not really.”

It wasn’t a big deal.

It wasn’t the right time to meet Luo Huaiyu now, but at night, it should be fine.

However…

He hesitated, rubbing his cheek against Xing Shuangzhan’s shoulder. “Lu Yao said his name is Luo Huaiyu. A few days ago, Sister Zhong mentioned that the family in Shaoqiu City that got into trouble—the father and daughter were both surnamed Luo, and they had a son working in another city.”

Xing Shuangzhan’s expression remained indifferent, unmoved by the tragic case Zhong Lingshu had described.

He had existed long enough to witness countless tragedies, and very little could shake him.

Seeing the inquiry in Chi Qingzhou’s eyes, he merely curled his lips. “There are plenty of coincidences in the world, but not to this extent.”

Chi Qingzhou lowered his eyes.

It seemed that the “lucky” son of the Luo family hadn’t been so fortunate after all.

Perhaps, even before his parents and sister died, he was already gone.

A member from the Xuanxu Sect…

He stood up.

Xing Shuangzhan let go of the half-embrace around him. “Going to inform the production team?”

Chi Qingzhou hummed in acknowledgment. “They should at least be prepared.”

Xing Shuangzhan had no objections. He slipped into Chi Qingzhou’s shadow, helping him and the director avoid the camera’s gaze.

The director had been quite entertained watching the guests push themselves to their limits, but the moment Chi Qingzhou spoke to him, his joy vanished.

“Tea- Teacher—Chi, is something about to happen again? Don’t scare me. I’m not good with this stuff—just hearing you say that already makes my legs go weak!”

Chi Qingzhou kindly reassured him, “Don’t worry. Perhaps this is your fated opportunity?”

The director fell silent.

After nearly two minutes, he weakly waved his hand. “This kind of ‘opportunity’… I’d rather not have it. I just want to film a simple, peaceful variety show.”

Like the previous season—wasn’t it nice when everyone just ate, drank, and traveled?

Thinking about how peaceful the last season had been, Director Hu’s eyes grew misty.

That was the real way to do a travel variety show!

Chi Qingzhou thought for a moment. “But our last episode already surpassed the highest-rated episode of Season One…”

Director Hu’s hand froze mid-wave.

A few seconds later, he turned and called for his assistant. “Where’s my fast-acting heart medicine? Bring me a bottle!”

With ratings and popularity like this, he could keep pushing through, even with heart meds!

Chi Qingzhou couldn’t help but laugh.

…

The guests rested at the temporary site for over an hour before the Bihui Bay shuttle bus finally arrived.

Everyone hurriedly grabbed their luggage, urging each other to board as quickly as possible—no one wanted to miss this free ride and end up having to hike up the mountain.

The bus rumbled along for about forty-five minutes before finally stopping at the parking lot in front of the resort entrance.

As the guests stepped off the bus, they were greeted by an elegant, antique-style building nestled among lush green trees. Its upturned eaves layered beautifully, and its roof ornaments were intricately crafted, exuding a distinctly Eastern charm.

The main gate stood open, revealing a stunning yingbi screen wall carved with elaborate patterns. Yet, there were hardly any visitors in sight.

The entire resort was eerily quiet.

No conversations could be heard—only the occasional birdsong, making the silence even more pronounced.

The group looked around.

The parking lot had very few cars, as if there really weren’t many guests.

Tang Qichen was surprised. “This place is really well-designed. Why aren’t there any visitors?”

Lu Man chuckled. “Because the resort is undergoing maintenance these days, so they aren’t taking in guests. Most of the staff are on leave. We scheduled our filming during this gap to avoid disrupting regular business.”

And to save on venue costs.

The guests: “…You guys are so stingy.”

A resort staff member, maintaining a professional smile, approached them. She tactfully ignored the playful complaints exchanged between the guests and production team and politely invited them inside.

As they walked, they admired the scenery.

The production crew followed behind, while the exquisite traditional decor of the resort drew everyone’s attention, eliciting frequent gasps of amazement.

The resort staff member straightened her posture at their admiration, maintaining a composed smile as she temporarily took on the role of a tour guide.

Meanwhile, viewers in the live chat were just as captivated.

【Holy crap, this resort must be high-end. That carving is handmade? Incredible.】
【The level of detail here is insane. Every decoration is so intricate.】
【Am I seeing things? Those two statues in the distance—aren’t they jade carvings?】
【I SEE A HOT SPRING! Whoa, a huge outdoor onsen with rose petals! I want in!】
【That flower field is stunning! I could take a hundred photos there!】

It was early summer. The resort, nestled in the mountains, had a pleasant temperature, and countless flowers were in full bloom.

Verdant trees stretched endlessly, creating a refreshing, scenic view.

The resort itself embraced a refined aesthetic, with luxurious touches subtly woven into its elegance—far more appealing to Longguo’s people than gaudy displays of wealth.

By the time the guests finished admiring the scenery and reached their assigned accommodations, it was already around 5:30 PM.

To make housekeeping more convenient, the production team had chosen a small villa on the northernmost side of the resort, near the outer wall.

The three-story villa spanned over 400 square meters, mostly composed of twin-bed standard rooms, with two luxury suites on the top floor.

With a few additional triple rooms quickly prepared by the resort, the entire production team could easily fit.

The environment was great, and the guests were initially quite satisfied.

However—

Just as they were about to start praising the accommodations, Director Hu, clutching his heart medication, stubbornly pressed forward with his plan despite the guests’ mixed expressions of shock and reluctant admiration—

Although the accommodations were pre-arranged, which group got which room and what kind of dinner they had depended on how much money they earned.

With a grand gesture, he had Lu Man put up a price list.

The guests gathered around, only to see:

Basic twin room—30 yuan per night.
Simple meal (two vegetables, one meat)—15 yuan per person.

Then they glanced at the earning activities list—

10 burpees per set. Each member must complete two sets.
Total reward: 20 yuan.

The guests: “…”

Alright, forget about the luxury rooms and gourmet meals—they can’t afford them anyway.

Everyone turned to glare at the director in condemnation.

The director grinned fearlessly, completely unfazed by the guests’ piercing stares. He had the air of someone who had already given up and was now emboldened by desperation.

He even dared to put Chi Qingzhou and Chi Qingning in the same group!

The guests: “……”

Chi Qingning felt like he was suffocating: “……”

Has the director lost his mind today?

He also wanted a bottle of heart relief pills, okay?!

Chi Qingzhou, on the other hand, seemed quite pleased. He turned to glance at Chi Qingning.

Such intense yet pitiful emotions—Xing Shuangzhan should come out and collect them.

Xing Shuangzhan chuckled, “No rush. Once the game starts, his emotions will be even stronger.”

Chi Qingzhou’s eyes curved into a smile.

Chi Qingning turned his head, caught sight of Chi Qingzhou’s expression, and instinctively returned a bright, cheerful smile—one full of delight and surprise.

Chi Qingzhou nodded in satisfaction. “Little brother, you look so energetic. It’s already 5:30—are you hungry?”

Chi Qingning’s smile faltered, turning slightly weak. “A little, yeah. What about you, Second Brother?”

Chi Qingzhou hummed. “Then let’s go earn money for dinner?”

Chi Qingning: “Alright. Which task do you want to do, Second Brother?”

Chi Qingzhou examined the options carefully. “None of them seem too difficult. How about starting with burpees?”

Chi Qingning: “……”

He needed an oxygen tank.

When Chi Qingzhou didn’t hear a response for a while, he looked over curiously.

Chi Qingning’s smile grew even more fragile. “Second Brother, I only just started working out. My stamina isn’t great yet.”

Chi Qingzhou understood. “Then let’s pick a few simpler ones.”

Chi Qingning let out a huge sigh of relief, flashing a genuine smile of gratitude at Chi Qingzhou.

He had thought this Second Brother wouldn’t care about his opinion, but as long as he didn’t provoke him, he was surprisingly easy to talk to.

Chi Qingning quickly picked out a few tasks he could handle, even more enthusiastically than Chi Qingzhou.

Chi Qingzhou couldn’t hold back his laughter.

This little brother of his was truly amusing.

The livestream viewers also burst into laughter, all agreeing that Chi Qingning looked genuinely terrified of the tougher tasks.

Meanwhile, the Sweet Plums were heartbroken.

[Brother, if you’re being held hostage, blink twice!!]

…

After working hard, Chi Qingzhou and Chi Qingning were the first to exchange their earnings for a simple meal and a standard room. After dinner, they went off-camera and returned to their room to freshen up.

Chi Qingning was exceedingly polite, insisting that his brother take the shower first. Chi Qingzhou didn’t refuse, grabbing his towel and heading into the bathroom.

As he washed his face, a surge of overwhelming death energy suddenly erupted several kilometers away. The force was both familiar and powerful, making him pause mid-action.

Chi Qingzhou lifted his head. Droplets of water slid down his cheeks, seeping into his collar and dampening a small patch of his shirt.

He ignored the discomfort of his wet collar and looked out through the small bathroom window. Under the fiery hues of the sunset, an invisible wave of death energy was spreading outward.

Chi Qingzhou’s expression turned serious. “Su-ge, is this the death energy leaking from the Great Tomb of Jingming Mountain? It feels similar to yours.”

Xing Shuangzhan stepped out of the shadows, immediately noticing Chi Qingzhou’s damp collar.

His fingers brushed over the fabric, placing a layer of ghostly energy beneath it to keep Chi Qingzhou from feeling uncomfortable. Only then did he turn to look outside.

After a careful examination, Xing Shuangzhan raised an eyebrow. “It does have the same source as mine. Someone is fighting at the border of Yuexi Ridge and Jingming Mountain. The ghostly energy and death energy from the tomb are both leaking out.”

“Ghostly energy?” Chi Qingzhou murmured. “Then why can’t I sense it?”

Xing Shuangzhan remained calm. “One of the fighters is a walking corpse. His death energy is interfering with the external flow of the tomb’s ghostly and death energies. The death energy has become more active, but the ghostly energy hasn’t fully spread.”

However, that only meant it was being contained within a small area—the tomb’s ghostly energy was still continuously leaking.

A walking corpse?

Chi Qingzhou tilted his head in thought. Could it be his new friend, Luo Huaiyu?

Xing Shuangzhan pinched his damp collar. “You haven’t even met him yet, and you already call him a friend?”

Chi Qingzhou let out a soft laugh. “It’s only a matter of time. But if the tomb’s energy keeps leaking…”

His beautiful, peach blossom-shaped eyes narrowed slightly, dark pupils as deep as a cold lake.

“This isn’t good.”

The Great Tomb of Jingming Mountain was, in essence, Xing Shuangzhan’s burial site. Even though Xing Shuangzhan was now outside, the ghostly and death energies within the tomb were still part of him.

Chi Qingzhou had long forgotten the exact plans they made three years ago, but he had never wavered in his goal—

He wanted to heal Xing Shuangzhan’s injuries and help him fully reclaim every bit of his power.

“This all belongs to you. You can’t lose it.”

Chi Qingzhou’s gaze flickered. He haphazardly wiped his face, tossed his towel aside, and pulled open the bathroom door.

Chi Qingning, who had been playing on his phone, heard the sound and looked up in confusion. Just as he was about to ask if Chi Qingzhou had forgotten something, he saw him putting on his jacket—and his expression changed instantly.

He tossed his phone aside and stood up, his voice carrying an unconscious hint of panic.

“Second Brother, it’s already this late—are you going out?”

Chi Qingzhou placed a hand on the doorknob and turned back with a hazy smile.

“I have something important to do. After you finish freshening up, remember to inform the director for me.”

The expression on Chi Qingning’s face instantly made his eyes widen in shock. He involuntarily shuddered, and the blood drained from his face in an instant.

He didn’t dare ask any questions and just nodded forcefully to show that he understood.

Chi Qingzhou’s smile deepened slightly. “Good boy.”

Before stepping out of the room, he casually added in a calm tone, “The director’s choice of this small villa as tonight’s lodging is quite suitable. Before I return, just stay inside and don’t wander around.”

Chi Qingning trembled violently, his face filled with horror as he nodded vigorously. “Got it! I won’t go anywhere!”

Since his Second Brother had said this, there must be an important reason behind it.

As soon as he finished freshening up, he would go find Director Hu and tell him that it’d be best if the entire production team stayed put as well!

Chi Qingzhou smiled at him once more. “That would be best.”

Retracting his gaze, he shut the door behind him and left without looking back.

….

Dusk—- the witching hour.

The sun sank low, and its last rays set the fiery clouds ablaze with dazzling colors.

Chi Qingzhou vaulted over the tall outer wall of the villa and dashed toward the source of the ominous death energy.

To save time, he avoided the man-made roads and instead took a shortcut, diving straight into the untouched forest of Yuexi Ridge.

The vegetation here was lush, with towering trees reaching high into the sky. A thick layer of fallen leaves blanketed the ground, soft underfoot, almost giving the illusion of sinking into them.

Relying on his exceptional core strength, Chi Qingzhou moved swiftly—staying on the ground when possible, but the moment the terrain became difficult, he would leap effortlessly onto the sturdy branches, using them to propel himself forward.

Thanks to this method, it took him less than ten minutes to reach the Yuexi Ridge and Jingming Mountain border.

By now, the sun had nearly set, and the light had dimmed considerably.

The dense canopy overhead intertwined, casting eerie, shifting shadows in the wind—like gnarled claws reaching out from the darkness.

Unlike Yuexi Ridge, which housed several mountain resorts, Jingming Mountain was completely undeveloped. Its deep interior was even rumored to be a “forbidden zone.”

Rather than a single peak, Jingming Mountain was an entire mountain range, though people commonly referred to it by its main peak’s name.

Back in his third year of university, when Chi Qingzhou had joined an archaeology team to explore the Jingming Mountain Great Tomb, they had only ventured into its outer regions, not the main peak itself.

Even then, the expedition team had hired three guides to ensure safety, yet they had still encountered several dangerous situations.

Now that the sun had set, navigating Jingming Mountain’s forest had become even more treacherous.

Besides the natural hazards lurking in the wilderness, the violent death energy and miasma pervading the area threatened to erode the sanity of both travelers and wildlife.

Unwilling to waste time or risk unnecessary trouble before reaching his destination, Chi Qingzhou decided to traverse the treetops the entire way.

As he did so, the overwhelming death energy in the area triggered his live stream to activate silently.

Some curious viewers clicked in, only to be met with the dim lighting and the chaotic movement of colors, making them dizzy.

【What’s going on?】

【Is that Teacher up there in the trees?】

【Which Teacher Chi? CQZ?】

【Whoa! He just climbed even higher! His strength is insane—he just curled up and landed right on the branch!】

【Is this some kind of parkour challenge?】

The audience was utterly confused, but the director knew exactly what was happening.

Clutching his chest and trembling, he shakily motioned for the technical team to update the live stream title under the Paranormal Control Bureau’s instructions.

The viewers watched as the title changed from [Chi Qingzhou’s Personal Live Stream] to [Special Segment in Progress—Dangerous Stunts, Do Not Imitate], leaving them speechless.

【Who would even try to imitate this?! The production team is overestimating us.】

【Yeah, thanks, but not everyone has Teacher Chi’s athletic ability.】

【Wait, is the camera operator also climbing trees?】

【Doesn’t seem like it. If it were a handheld camera, the footage would be shaking. This looks too steady—it’s probably a drone.】

【The camera’s going higher! Hey, I think I see someone in the distance!】

【This place looks like a dense, untouched forest. Why would anyone be here?】

【I zoomed in on the screenshot… Their clothing looks kinda strange. Are they actors hired by the production team?】

No one answered.

But whatever they could see, Chi Qingzhou, with his heightened senses, could see even more clearly.

He halted his movement and peered through the dim light at the two figures at the base of the mountain.

One of them, with his back turned to him, wore a black inner robe beneath a dark blue short tunic. He held a ritual bell in his left hand and a peachwood sword in his right, dodging frantically to evade the relentless attacks of the other figure.

It was Luo Ting—his friend.

The one attacking Luo Ting was dressed in ordinary attire—a casual shirt and slacks. Under the moonlight, his eyes were pitch black, with no whites at all.

His movements were stiff and sluggish, but every time Luo Ting’s peachwood sword struck his arms, shoulders, or back, a thin white mist of corrosive energy would rise from the wound.

The pain made him growl angrily, his bloodthirsty instincts taking over.

His attacks became more ferocious—reckless, even—his poisonous claws extending as he aimed straight for Luo Ting’s vitals.

This desperate, all-or-nothing fighting style forced Luo Ting onto the defensive, neither side able to gain the upper hand.

The struggle agitated the tomb’s leaking energy, making it even more volatile.

Chi Qingzhou quickly confirmed the attacker’s identity. “A walking corpse and his resentment is strong.”

Could this be Luo Huaiyu?

Why was he fighting Luo Ting?

Xing Shuangzhan stepped out from the shadows, instinctively shielding Chi Qingzhou as he glanced at the fierce battle ahead, utterly indifferent.

But Chi Qingzhou cared.

“The tomb’s energy is leaking too much. I can’t let them keep fighting.”

Without hesitation, he leapt from the treetop—plunging from dozens of meters above!

The night wind howled past his ears.

His shadow expanded beneath him, tendrils stretching outward, reaching toward the battlefield.

A grayish-green mold began spreading across the damp forest soil, tree trunks, and moss, as if countless unseen eyes were turning to stare at Luo Ting and the Jiangshi.

In a flash, he plummeted toward the ground.

Just before impact, his shadow surged upward, forming a massive net that caught him, absorbing the force of his fall.

Using the momentum, he rolled and sprang forward—straight toward the two combatants!

“Stop fighting, stop fighting! We’re all friends here—why not be a little friendlier?”

As he spoke, his shadow surged up, lashing between them!

Danger!

Recognizing the familiar ghostly energy, Luo Ting instinctively dove sideways into a pile of fallen leaves.

Meanwhile, the Jiangshi, overwhelmed by the suppression, dropped to his knees, panic flashing across his dark eyes.

In desperation, he formed a familiar hand seal from his past life and forcibly threw himself backward, slamming into a tree to halt his movement!

Both men lay stunned for a moment before scrambling to their feet.

When they finally saw who had arrived, they were dumbfounded.

Luo Ting: “Zhouzhou?”

Luo Huaiyu: “Chi Qingzhou?”

Chi Qingzhou, standing there with an innocent expression, glanced around and greeted them cheerfully.

“Ah… good evening, everyone?”