Chapter 31: Found the Evil Invasion

"People face many choices in life. The more complicated life is, the more choices there are. Options can be good or bad. People who are lucky often have good choices. But people like you who are unlucky in everything may end up in an irretrievable situation after making a series of bad choices." Nianci simply took out a piece of white paper and drew a mind map for Chang Xile on it.

"At this time, why not cut off your connection with the world? With fewer worldly ties, there will be fewer troubles." Nianci advised her to convert as a matter of course - here, at least Chang Xile would not have to worry about her life.

"In that case, how long do I need to stay?" Chang Xile tentatively asked this most important question.

"Until your fortune returns to normal." The answer was as expected.

"In other words," Chang Xile swallowed hard and concluded, "even if the situation doesn't improve by the time I'm forty, I'll have to stay here forever?"

Nianci nodded, indicating that she was right.

Chang Xile shook his head like a rattle: "Master—is there any other way?"

She doesn't want to stay in the mountains as a nun for twenty years!

"It's normal that you don't want to stay in the mountains. There's another way." As if she had anticipated Chang Xile's attitude, Nianci proposed another option, "Do you have any close friends or relatives who are willing to sacrifice themselves for you?"

This question is even more difficult for Chang Xile to answer.

Who would be willing to sacrifice themselves for them?

Although often, long before people realize it, they have already completed their self-sacrifice. It's like a parent instinctively protecting their child in danger, or a lover willingly committing suicide for their partner after the death of their spouse... In that moment, sacrifice is an instinct, not a choice.

However, when you ask in clear and black ink upfront, "Are you willing to give her everything you have?", the question becomes more difficult.

Chang Xile doesn't think anyone has an obligation to sacrifice themselves for her - regardless of whether the other party is willing or not.

She asked, “What if there isn’t one?”

Nianci didn't answer the question, but instead explained the reasoning behind it: "Luck is like a mountain, with peaks and valleys. Just like you might be unlucky today, you might be lucky tomorrow. Right now, it's like someone has dug out a large valley in the mountain. While you wait for your luck to return, perhaps you could borrow some luck from someone with great fortune. By balancing the two, you can overcome the current difficulties."

Nianci's words were a bit flowery. Chang Xile paused for a moment and then asked, "If I borrow someone else's luck, wouldn't I be just like that weasel who asked me for a title?"

"Don't think of asking for a title as a bad thing. To use the words of your generation, it's a manifestation of harmonious coexistence between man and nature." Nianci smiled as she poured Chang Xile some tea and added, "Of course, the person borrowing the fortune must be willing."

Chang Xile held up his face and said sadly, "I still don't think so."

Who wants to be constantly frustrated? An occasional bad thing might not be a big deal. But if you're constantly plagued by these annoyances day after day, year after year, how broad-minded would you have to be to endure it?

People cannot withstand scrutiny. They may be willing to make sacrifices at the beginning, but after the erosion of time, whether they will feel regret or resentment, I am afraid even they themselves cannot guarantee.

Nianci smiled and shook her head, "Don't jump to conclusions." She pulled a light yellow brocade pouch from a drawer beside the table and handed it to Chang Xile, advising, "If you ever meet someone willing to lend you your luck, explain the story to them and then give them this brocade pouch. That'll be all."

Chang Xile took the brocade bag and examined it for a while, then suddenly exclaimed, "Huh?" She made a gesture of taking something out of her pocket, then paused.

Nianci noticed that something was wrong with her and asked what was wrong.

Chang Xile smiled and shook his head: "It's okay... Master Nianci, I should go find the whereabouts of my friends."

"Renxin and the others have been out looking for you since early this morning. You don't have to worry too much. Although the roads on Changle Mountain are difficult to navigate, there are no wolves, tigers or leopards." Nianci gestured for her to be patient. "Once we find the person, let Renxin take you down the mountain."

"Okay..." Chang Xile was distracted for a moment when he felt the little creature at his feet getting restless again. It had been lying at Chang Xile's feet, but now it suddenly became active. It jumped up, snatched the light yellow sachet from Chang Xile's hand, and then ran out of the room.

"Sui Sui!" Chang Xile shouted and chased after him, "Don't take this carelessly, you will be in trouble!!"

My God, a cat is so fragile. If all cats were as unlucky as Chang Xile, it would be difficult for them to survive in this dangerous world.

Nianci was already talking until her mouth was dry. She picked up the teacup and drank it all, watching Chang Xile arrest the uninvited guest at the door.

"Animals, actually, can work too." She said meaningfully, "This is a spiritual cat. It wouldn't be a bad idea to borrow some luck from it."

What does this stupid cat know? Chang Xile is still struggling to snatch the lucky pouch from its mouth. Sui Sui must have been attracted by the bright color, but he has no idea what the lucky pouch represents. Isn't it unfair to exchange his luck like this? Chang Xile is a prestigious female college student. She shouldn't take advantage of the kitten's misfortune!

"Hahahaha..." Master Nianci, who was kind but always very serious, laughed so hard that he fell over as he looked at Chang Xile squatting at the doorstep and fighting with the lion cat.

She pointed at the cat and said seriously, "Don't be so skeptical. This cat actually knows everything and understands everything. It's just willing to help you. Maybe this will even lead to a good relationship."

"That's not allowed!" Chang Xile was a powerful adult woman after all, and she finally snatched the sachet back. The lion cat seemed to be furious, making a gurgling sound from its throat, and ran away with a flick of its tail.

"Hey!" Chang Xile couldn't stop it this time. She scratched her head and asked, "Why are you still angry?"

That was the truth. She hadn't known Sui Sui for very long, and she couldn't repay the debt she'd borrowed from him. In fact, even if it was someone close to her, she couldn't repay him.

Chang Xile turned dejectedly to Master Nianci, "Is there really no third solution?"

Nian Ci pondered for a moment, hesitating for a long time before saying, "I didn't intend to tell you about the third method. It's the most difficult and tiring way."

"You go ahead! Let me listen!" Chang Xile's eyes lit up when he heard it, and he hurried to Nianci's side and listened attentively.

"You're naturally blessed, partly because you were born with it. Partly because you've made many good friends since childhood, which has accumulated good fortune. Later, if you can help others more, perhaps you can make up for your bad luck." Nianci said mid-sentence, then changed the subject. "But this contradicts what I said before about avoiding worldly affairs. I can't be sure if you won't encounter something worse before this."

Chang Xile, however, was not at all discouraged. She stood up, as if incredibly inspired, and said, "That's great! Let's do it this way!"

Before Nianci could persuade them any further, they suddenly heard someone shouting at the door of Changleguan: "Found it! Found it!"

As for who was found, it goes without saying.

Chang Xile and Nianci looked at each other, she smiled, said goodbye, put the brocade bag in her pocket, and ran out.

At the entrance of Changleguan, Renxin was leading the group, followed by several others. Renxin was carrying an unconscious girl, and upon closer inspection, it was Yang Guisi.

Chang Xile ran over and saw clearly that Yang Guisi was in a dishevel, with mud on her sleeves and dirt in her hair.

"We found her on a slope. It was so foggy last night that we didn't dare go that way." Renxin explained a few words to her and then hurriedly carried her back to the room, calling out, "Where's Xuanji? Call Xuanji over! There's a patient here. Let her see him."

A group of people walked in again.

The master Xuanji, who was said to be very good at medicine, was a young girl. She treated Yang Guisi in the room and drove everyone else out.

The rest of the nuns went about their own business, leaving only Chang Xile, Renxin, and Shunian outside.

"Master Renxin, haven't you met another boy with white hair?" Chang Xile was worried about the unconscious and disbelieving Yang Guisi, and at the same time, he was worried about Anping who was still missing.

"No one. We've searched the entire mountain, and the only person we found is Miss Yang." Renxin shook his head. "I guess the person you mentioned has gone down the mountain. Didn't you say he had a very detailed map? He must be very familiar with the mountain roads, so there's almost no chance of him getting lost."

Chang Xile nodded slowly. She wanted to go down the mountain to see if Anping had returned to school, but everything had to wait until Yang Guisi woke up.

When Master Xuan Ji came out, Yang Guisi was still sleeping soundly on the bed.

Looking at Chang Xile's eager gaze, Master Xuanji explained Yang Guisi's condition before she could ask: "She's fine, she just got frightened and slipped on the slope. She'll be fine once she wakes up."

"That's good. Thank you!" Chang Xile breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this.

"She's fine physically." Xuan Ji changed the subject, "but there's an evil spirit invading her body. I don't know if she's been possessed by a ghost. We need to perform a ritual to see."

Chang Xile's heart, which had just been at ease, immediately became nervous again. She asked, "Didn't they say there's no such thing as..."

"There are no ferocious beasts, but that doesn't mean there are no wild ghosts." Renxin, who was leaning against the wall, immediately knew what she was going to ask.

But there was no rush to perform the ritual; the most urgent task was to wake Yang Guisi up. Xuan Ji turned around, handed Shunian a list, and told him to get the corresponding medicine. He then went to discuss the preparations with Renxin.

We definitely won't be able to get down the mountain today. Chang Xile took out his phone and called Fang Xinai, asking her to ask the teacher for leave on his behalf. However, it was already high in the sky, and Fang Xinai didn't answer the phone.

Maybe he hasn't woken up yet... Chang Xile thought, after all, it was the weekend. She simply left a message for Fang Xinai, then went into the room and sat at the head of Yang Guisi's bed.

Someone gave Yang Guisi a quick wash and changed her into clean clothes. Chang Xile put her hand, which had been outside the quilt, back inside. When he touched the back of her hand, it felt icy cold.

I don’t know how long she lay on the slope. There was heavy fog last night and the temperature on the mountain was low. Yang Guisi must have been frozen.

Just as she tucked the quilt in, Chang Xile noticed Yang Guisi moving out of the corner of her eye. She lowered her head and took a closer look, and saw that Yang Guisi's eyelashes were indeed trembling slightly. Her brows were furrowed, as if in pain.

After a long while, Yang Guisi finally opened his eyes with difficulty.

"You're awake!" Chang Xile stood up in surprise and prepared to call someone, but was grabbed by the corner of his clothes by Yang Guisi who had just woken up.

She opened her mouth to say something, but her voice was so low that Chang Xile had to bend down closer to her and ask, "What did you say?"

"You're so pretty... Hehehe..." Yang Guisi, as if triumphant, coughed out two strange laughs from her throat, then turned around and grabbed Chang Xile's throat. This time, her move was accurate and ruthless, and Chang Xile was completely defenseless, unable to even utter a cry for help.

Chang Xile had never felt so close to death.

She tried to pry Yang Guisi's hands apart, but she felt that her hands were as hard as iron, and her strength was beyond the reach of ordinary people. It reminded her of Fang Xinai a few days ago.

Due to insufficient oxygen, Chang Xile's strength gradually weakened, and white circles gradually appeared in front of his eyes. Just then, there was a knock on the door. It was Shu Nian again, and the child called out weakly, "Open the door quickly..."