The mountain path was rough and rugged, with dense forests on both sides. Sunlight could barely penetrate the thick leaves, casting a gloomy atmosphere. Before Lin Chen had walked far, he heard a strange sound behind him, as if someone was following him. He turned around, but there was nothing there.
"I must be too nervous," Lin Chen muttered to himself and quickened his pace.
As he walked on, he suddenly found his way blocked by a fallen tree. The tree looked like it had just fallen recently; its trunk was so thick that he couldn't walk around it. Lin Chen frowned—did he have to turn back?
At that moment, the soil at his feet suddenly loosened, revealing a wooden board. Lin Chen knelt down, brushed away the dirt, and found a hidden path underneath. A surge of joy rose in his heart—his good luck was at work again.
After walking along the path for about half an hour, the outline of a village finally appeared in front of him. The village was nestled in a valley, surrounded by mountains, looking dilapidated. The stone stele at the village entrance was engraved with "Suolong Village"—exactly the same as in the photo, but now covered in moss, looking even older.
Lin Chen took a deep breath and walked toward the village. As soon as he stepped into the village, a cold, gloomy aura hit him, making him shiver involuntarily. Most of the houses in the village were made of adobe; many tiles had fallen off the roofs, and the walls were covered in cracks—they looked uninhabited for years.
The streets were deathly quiet, with no sound except for the rustle of wind through the leaves. As Lin Chen walked along the empty street, he felt a chill run down his spine. He took out his father's diary, hoping to find some clues, but discovered that the last few pages were gone—only a few blank sheets remained.
"How could this happen?" Lin Chen wondered. He clearly remembered seeing those pages just the day before. Had he accidentally lost them on the way?
While he was puzzling over this, a strange cry suddenly came from a distance—it sounded like a woman's sobbing, yet also like a beast's howl. Lin Chen looked up quickly and saw a dark figure flash past in a house at the end of the village.
After a moment's hesitation, he walked toward that house. It was a relatively well-preserved courtyard house, with its front door slightly ajar. The inside was pitch-black, and nothing was visible. Lin Chen pushed the door open and stepped in.
The courtyard was overgrown with weeds. In the middle stood a well, covered with a wooden board thick with dust. Lin Chen walked up to the well and was about to lift the board to take a look when he suddenly heard a creaking sound behind him—as if a door was opening.
He spun around sharply and saw the main house door slowly open. A woman dressed in white walked out. Her long hair hung down, covering her face, so he couldn't see her features. Her steps were light, as if she was floating in the air.
Lin Chen trembled all over with fear. He quickly took out the talisman the old Taoist had given him and shouted: "Who are you? Stay away!"
The woman said nothing; she just kept walking slowly toward Lin Chen. Just as she was about to reach him, the jade pendant on Lin Chen's body suddenly emitted a faint glow. The woman seemed to be hit by something—she stepped back a few steps, let out a shrill scream, then turned and ran back into the main house, disappearing from sight.
Lin Chen let out a long breath and collapsed onto the ground, his clothes soaked with cold sweat. He looked at the jade pendant in his hand, grateful that he had listened to the old Taoist's advice.
After a while, Lin Chen stood up and cautiously walked into the main house. The room was empty, with only a tattered table and a few chairs. Spider webs covered the corners of the walls. As he searched the room, he suddenly found a hidden compartment in the corner.
When he opened it, he found another bronze key—exactly the same as the one in his hand—and a note. The handwriting on the note was the same as that in his father's diary: "The dragon bone is in the cave behind the village. The key can open the cave door, but remember—never touch the dragon bone, or it will bring you death."
Lin Chen held the note, even more confused. Why had his father left two identical bronze keys? What exactly was the dragon bone? And why couldn't he touch it?
At that moment, he suddenly heard the sound of footsteps outside, getting closer and closer. Lin Chen quickly hid the key and note, then ducked under the table.
The door was pushed open, and several men in black clothes walked in. They held flashlights and shone them around the room. One of them said: "I thought I heard a sound here—where is everyone?"
Another man replied: "Maybe you misheard. Let's hurry up and find the dragon bone. The boss is waiting."
"Alright, let's go check the cave behind the village."
After saying that, the men turned around and left. Lin Chen crawled out from under the table, his heart racing. Were these people also looking for the dragon bone? Who was their boss? And was he related to his parents' death?
He decided to follow them and see what they were up to. Quietly trailing behind the men, he walked toward the cave behind the village.
The cave was hidden in a forest; its entrance was covered with vines. If you didn't look carefully, you would never notice it. The men pushed aside the vines, took out a bronze key identical to Lin Chen's, and opened the cave door.
Lin Chen hid in the forest and watched them walk into the cave. He hesitated for a moment—should he follow them in? Just then, the bronze key in his pocket suddenly grew warm, as if guiding him forward.
"Enough hesitation. For the truth, I have to go in," Lin Chen clenched his teeth and walked toward the cave.