Chapter 1

When Xue Ming was in school, she went through an overly dramatic long phase, always saying: Life is precious, love is more valuable, but for freedom, both can be sacrificed. Until the moment she was hit by a drunk driver and thrown into the air, she thought, “Damn it, God, give me another 500 years.”

So, life is indeed the most precious thing. Without life, everything else becomes meaningless. What freedom? You don’t even have a bicycle.

Xue Ming was still fuming when she heard someone speaking beside her.
“Brother Chixia, Brother Chixia…”

Xue Ming suddenly opened her eyes and was startled by the person in front of her shouting out loud. The person in front of her was also shocked and quickly took two steps back, panicking, “Brother Chixia, what’s wrong? Could it be a nightmare?”

She hurriedly felt her body. In her memory, just a second ago, she had been hit by a speeding sports car and thrown several meters away, and her whole body felt like it was shattered, causing excruciating pain. But in the next second, she was completely unharmed, with no missing limbs and no pain at all.

Xue Ming quickly got up from the ground and saw that she was wearing a long green robe with faint spell patterns on the sleeves—a very strange outfit. She was a corporate slave who, after graduating from university, dived into a company, working from early morning to late night, earning a meager salary. She would hesitate for half a day before eating a good meal, so she definitely didn’t have the expensive hobby of cosplay. She looked around and saw tall, lush trees everywhere. The leaves blocked the light, and the scattered light made it less dark.

Xue Ming felt a bit panicked in the unfamiliar environment. When she looked at the person in front of her, she saw a handsome young man dressed in simple yet elegant clothes, but his robe looked quite expensive. Behind him were two young boys who seemed to be his servants. She instinctively asked, “Who are you?”

The young man was stunned momentarily, then smiled helplessly and said, “I am Ning Caichen. Brother Chixia, did you forget me after a nap?”

The alarm bells in Xue Ming’s head rang loudly, and she exclaimed, “Ning Caichen?”

This was a bad name. Usually, when Ning Caichen appeared, it was accompanied by Nie Xiaoqian, Lanruo Temple, and the Black Mountain Demon, all dangerous things.

Thinking of how this person had just called her Brother Chixia, Xue Ming had a strong sense of foreboding and cautiously asked, “I wouldn’t happen to have the surname Yan, would I?”

Ning Caichen was surprised and said, “Brother Chixia, what’s wrong with you? How could you forget your own surname? Are you teasing me because you find me boring?”

At this moment, one of the young servants behind him said, “Young Master Yan must still be groggy from sleep. Why not wash your face with some water first?”

Ning Caichen took it as a joke, laughed a few times, then patted Xue Ming on the shoulder and said, “It’s getting late. If Brother Chixia has rested enough, let’s set off quickly. We should be able to leave this forest before nightfall.”

Xue Ming’s face turned pale, her lips moved as if she wanted to say something but didn’t, and she fell into a long silence.

In the story “Nie Xiaoqian” from Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, Yan Chixia is a mysterious and reliable hero. As a child, his appearance always brought a sense of security when watching movies. Of course, this was based on the premise that Yan Chixia was indeed a very powerful person, not someone like her, a corporate slave from the 21st century who only knew how to type and make documents.

The good news was that Xue Ming, who had been thrown several meters by the car, had survived and was unharmed. The bad news was that she had entered the world of “Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio” and become Yan Chixia, the demon-slaying hero.

So, now, Xue Ming is in a very awkward situation.

Ning Caichen treated her with great respect, and his two young servants were very attentive, frequently bringing her water and dry food.

On the way, Xue Ming casually chatted with Ning Caichen and quickly realized that the background she had traveled to was not from a film. Ning Caichen’s attire and demeanor were extraordinary, and the two young servants following him respectfully called him “young master,” which was completely different from the Ning Caichen in the movies. He was going to Jinhua for business, passing through this area, and got lost in the forest. While wandering around, he met Yan Chixia, resting under a tree, who claimed to be able to lead them out of the forest. So, Ning Caichen decided to accompany Yan Chixia.

Xue Ming didn’t know how she had taken over this body, but she could confirm that the original Yan Chixia must have died. Otherwise, there would be two souls in one body fighting for control. As a soul, Xue Ming naturally couldn’t change the body’s gender, so Yan Chixia must have been a woman disguised as a man before she got this body. However, the original story of “Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio” didn’t mention Yan Chixia being a woman disguised as a man, so Xue Ming couldn’t figure out which bizarre world she had traveled into.

Xue Ming only asked Ning Caichen a few questions, fearing that too many flaws would arouse suspicion. She remained silent for a long time.
The road in the forest seemed endless. Ning Caichen and the two young servants relied on Xue Ming to lead the way, so she had to grit her teeth and move forward. She originally planned to find a place with fewer trees to observe the Big Dipper in the sky after dark, but before nightfall, they were blocked by a temple.

This temple was highly luxurious, with colorful walls visible from afar, towering several stories high, even taller than the soaring trees. The area around the temple was cleared of trees, creating a vast open space, allowing them to see the sky after emerging from the dense foliage. The closer they got, the more they realized the temple’s grandeur. There was no plaque under the eaves, making it an unnamed temple. It was already dusk, and the clouds in the western sky were tinged with orange-red, with golden light falling on the temple, making it look as magnificent as a celestial palace.

Ning Caichen and the two young servants praised Xue Ming for her ability to lead them out of the forest’s maze. Xue Ming felt incredibly guilty, as she had been feeling uneasy since seeing the temple. Although this temple looked very different from the one she knew, encountering a “temple” in such an environment was indeed ominous.

Xue Ming wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and said, “This temple doesn’t look very auspicious. How about we keep walking?”

Seeing her hesitation, Ning Caichen tried to persuade her, “Brother Chixia, this forest is larger than we imagined, and it’s getting dark. If we keep walking, we might face the same situation as last night.”

“Last night?” Xue Ming asked nervously, “What happened last night?”

Ning Caichen and the two young servants’ faces turned grim as if recalling unpleasant memories. Ning Caichen said, “Nothing major. Just sleeping outside meant dealing with many mosquitoes, unlike indoors. This temple looks splendid and new, so there must be people living here. We can stay for the night and ask for directions to leave the forest.”

Seeing Ning Caichen’s determination to enter the temple, Xue Ming decided not to hide the truth any longer and thoughtfully said, “I’ll be honest. This temple is haunted. If you go in, you’re bound to die.”

Ning Caichen didn’t die in the original story, thanks to Yan Chixia’s rescue. However, the current “Yan Chixia” (Xue Ming) had no intention of entering the temple. She would rather sit outside all night than go in. Without Yan Chixia, Ning Caichen would surely meet his end in the temple.

Ning Caichen laughed it off and said, “Brother Chixia, you’re joking. This is a Buddhist temple, a place of heavy spiritual presence. No ghost would dare enter.”

Seeing that Ning Caichen wouldn’t listen, Xue Ming bid him farewell outside the temple. Ning Caichen expressed his regret and entered the temple with the two servants.

Xue Ming didn’t linger either and continued walking, carrying her small box and bundle.

Strangely, although the temple looked enormous and expansive from the front, after walking around the side for a short while, Xue Ming looked back and saw that the temple was already far behind her. Suppressing the unease in her heart, she clutched her small box tightly and continued forward, re-entering the forest. The dense leaves blocked the twilight, making it increasingly dark. After walking a few more miles, the sky was completely dark. She rummaged through her bundle, took out a small copper lantern, and lit it with a fire striker. The lantern illuminated only a small area before her, leaving the path ahead shrouded in darkness.

Xue Ming walked alone in the silent forest, naturally scared, as she had never experienced such a situation before. She felt as if cold winds were blowing around her, and something hidden in the darkness was watching her every move. She estimated that it was around seven or eight o’clock. Usually, at this time, she would be sitting in the office, full of resentment, working overtime, and cursing her boss’s bald head. Unexpectedly, walking in the forest now made her miss those days of overtime. Even her detestable boss seemed kind and amiable. Her desire to work hard and voluntarily work overtime reached its peak at this moment. If she could go back, she would definitely become the most loyal lackey of her boss.

The light from the lantern stretched Xue Ming’s shadow long. Occasionally, the wind would blow, rustling the fallen leaves on the ground. While muttering, she suddenly saw the moonlight shining on the ground ahead, casting a bright white glow. It seemed like the end of the forest.

Xue Ming was overjoyed and quickly ran forward, eager to leave this dreadful place. However, as soon as she stepped into the moonlight, she saw a magnificent temple in the open area ahead. Unlike the golden glow at dusk, the temple under the moonlight was filled with a sinister and eerie atmosphere. The originally splendid colors now appeared bizarre.

Xue Ming’s legs went weak, and she fell to the ground, too scared to move. After walking for nearly three hours, she had only gone in a circle and returned to where she had parted ways with Ning Caichen. Xue Ming didn’t know if she had encountered a ghost wall or if the strange forest was determined to keep her. Either way, she didn’t dare to stand up and walk again. She crawled to a tree, took some dry food from her bundle, and decided to fill her stomach first.

The dry food was tough, making Xue Ming roll her eyes in discomfort. She barely managed to eat a little before she couldn’t swallow anymore. She knocked it against the tree, producing a loud sound. Frustrated, she threw it on the ground and sat there, hugging her bundle, waiting for dawn. As she sat there, she felt as if she had been drugged. Her eyelids grew heavy, and her consciousness began to blur.

Xue Ming slapped herself twice, the pain waking her up for a moment, but soon she was drowsy again. Eventually, she couldn’t resist the drowsiness and fell asleep, leaning against the tree. She didn’t know how long she had slept when a cold wind blew, chilling her to the bone and making her hair stand on end. She woke up with a start. She saw that the moonlight had dimmed a bit, and the temple, which had been in the center of the open area, seemed to have grown larger as if it had moved closer to her while she was asleep.

Xue Ming quickly got up and looked back, realizing that it wasn’t the temple that had moved, but she had unconsciously walked forward while asleep and was now in the open area. Her small box and bundle, which she had been carrying, were still by the tree.

Xue Ming knew that in the original story, Yan Chixia relied on the treasures in the box to slay demons. Therefore, she must keep the box and bundle close all day, even hugging them tightly while sleeping, and now, finding them left behind without her noticing sent a chill down her spine, filling her with panic. Without thinking, she ran back, determined to retrieve the box. But after just two steps, she felt the ground give way, and she fell into a warm pool of water. The water felt strange, immediately blocking all her senses, and the sensation of drowning almost suffocated her.

In her panic, Xue Ming struggled with all her might, her feet touching the ground. She stood up, finally able to breathe again. She then realized that it wasn’t a pool of water but a pool of blood! The crimson color filled her vision, soaking her robes. The blood was warm and sticky, clinging to her skin like it had just been drawn from a person’s body.

Xue Ming screamed and splashed in the pool of blood. Looking up, she saw a dense crowd of figures standing on the distant shore, seemingly facing her.

Terrified, Xue Ming screamed again, her body jolting as she woke up from the dream. She looked down and saw that her bundle and box were still safely in her arms. However, she was no longer under the tree but leaning against a stone pillar under the temple’s eaves. Behind her was the temple’s main door, slightly ajar as if inviting her in. When she stood up and looked around, she could no longer see the surrounding forest, only the faint rippling waves of a pool in the distance, reflecting the moonlight.
All her previous experiences were a dream, but not entirely a dream.

Now thoroughly frightened, Xue Ming obediently carried her bundle and box into the temple, pleading, “I’ll go in, I’ll go in, okay?”

T/N: Yan Chixia is a character from the Chinese classic novel “Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio” by Pu Songling. He is also prominently featured in the film series “A Chinese Ghost Story.” Yan Chixia is depicted as a heroic and skilled swordsman who specializes in exorcising demons and ghosts. He is known for his bravery, strong sense of justice, and somewhat eccentric personality. In the films, he often aids the protagonist, Ning Caichen, in battling supernatural forces and protecting the innocent.