Chapter 316: Mysteries at Lanruo Temple

Going in ten, coming out eleven? What does that mean? Has another supernatural incident struck Mingsha City?

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It instantly perked up many netizens.

Ever since the Cultural Expo, one inexplicable event followed another in Mingsha City—it’s been over a month without a break, and people are getting used to the strange routine.

“No way! Rumor has it that the extra person turned out to be a staff member from Lanruo Temple.”

An informed netizen commented once more.

“Stop messing around. Even the NPCs inside are supposedly scared stiff? That can’t be right!”

“Really! According to tourists on site, the staff inside were also entering for the first time today.”

“So, who is this staff member supposed to portray in there?”

“I heard it’s a minor henchman from a movie. In any case, no one really knows what’s going on inside Lanruo Temple, or whether anyone is even impersonating Nie Xiaoqian or the Tree Demon Grandma.”

“Uh, wouldn’t someone ask the staff at the door?”

At that moment, another netizen couldn’t help but add.

“They did ask! The gatekeepers—those few young Taoist acolytes—said they had no idea what was happening inside. Tourists need to figure it out for themselves.”

“And what about those tourists who were knocked out from fear? Have they woken up yet?”

After a short pause, another netizen inquired.

One must admit, Lanruo Temple has definitely piqued their curiosity.

“They’re awake! But once they regained consciousness, without a word, they bolted toward the Demon-Locking Tower, claiming they needed to pay their respects. After praying there, they even planned to visit the Langya Mountain Altar to burn incense for the Nine Cauldrons.”

“Haha! That scared them that bad?”

“Yeah!”

“That’s interesting! Were there any other tourists who dared to go in later?”

“With all that commotion, who would dare to enter?”

“They’re just a bunch of cowards. It’s only a ‘haunted house’ with a brand name—do we really need to make such a fuss? In a couple of days, I’ll go check it out. I bet I’ll get the real scoop.”

As the conversation continued,

some netizens vowed confidently in their comments.

“Don’t be too cocky. The announcement from Mingsha City clearly states that Lanruo Temple is only open from 11 PM to 5 AM; it’s closed at all other times! Even if you’ve seen the movie and know what Lanruo Temple holds, don’t forget the mischief capacity of those Channel Directors in Mingsha City. Characters from the film might just appear in ways you’d never expect.”

“Otherwise, how do you explain that even the staff were hauled out?”

“Hehe, you wait and see! In a few days I’ll post a video from inside Lanruo Temple.”

The post about the spooky incident—where ten tourists and one staff member were frightened—quickly soared to the top, riding on the coattails of the film ‘A Chinese Ghost Story’.

In an instant,

challenging Lanruo Temple in Mingsha City turned into a hot topic, creating a buzz for both the temple and the movie.

Before long, on the next morning,

in Mingsha City, Zhu Qiang and Luo Peng appeared at the southern side of the Mingsha Tourism office area and residential zone.

Thanks to the constant production of sand bricks, a large expanse of flat land has popped up here, a designated relocation area for hundreds of villagers from Hongsha Gang Village.

“President Luo, this looks good—last night’s effects seemed pretty impressive!”

Glancing at the project blueprint in his hand, Zhu Qiang remarked offhandedly.

They were here to determine the area for the new housing. Once finalized, construction would begin immediately to relocate all the villagers from Hongsha Gang Village.

“Seriously? Even with these concerns, some are really on edge about something bad happening.”

Luo Peng raised an eyebrow.

“Indeed! Earlier this morning, we received a call asking about the situation at Lanruo Temple. Why, in a perfectly fine Mingsha City, build a place like that? Some say it’s an omen.”

Zhu Qiang nodded.

“What did you tell them?”

Luo Peng took the blueprints.

“I said there are many similar plans in the pipeline—as long as the tourists have fun, that’s all that matters.”

Zhu Qiang glanced at Luo Peng, paused, then added,

“President Luo, I’m curious too. Is there really something inside Lanruo Temple? Otherwise, how could ten people end up getting scared to death?”

“I don’t know the details. It’s all arranged by Daoist Yougong. Frankly, in all of Mingsha City, I’d wager that only Brother Hao and Daoist Master Yougong dare to go inside at night. It’s not just about courage anymore.”

Luo Peng shook his head with a sigh.

All he did with Lanruo Temple was provide some ideas and the intended effects—the actual happenings inside remain a mystery.

“What? Brother Hao dares as well?”

Zhu Qiang was taken aback, clearly not expecting Luo Peng to say so.

“Of course! As the old saying goes, the work of ten craftsmen is never simple, but Brother Hao is top-notch when it comes to ancient constructions. If there’s something eerie inside Lanruo Temple, he wouldn’t be scared! Besides, he’s also in charge of rebuilding Wuzhuang Temple—only a master could handle that.

He’d easily handle whatever’s inside Lanruo Temple.”

Almost reflexively, Luo Peng glanced in the direction of Wudi City.

While science never lies, from Mingsha City’s oddities, it seems the relics left by our ancestors often hold some truth—they’re not all the superstitious rubbish some experts claim.

“That’s true.”

Zhu Qiang mused.

“So, whether it’s day or night, let’s avoid Lanruo Temple. We can leave it to Daoist Yougong’s apprentice, Wu Yun.”

“Agreed!”

Meanwhile,

while Zhu Qiang and Luo Peng chatted idly, in Biyou Palace, Xu Hao appeared in the main hall.

“Daoist, I saw quite a commotion at Lanruo Temple last night. There shouldn’t be any issues, especially with the tourists, right?”

“City Master, rest assured! Nothing will go wrong. Besides, Lanruo Temple isn’t far from the Demon-Locking Tower and Wuzhuang Temple. Even if a dozen more incidents occur, it’ll be manageable. I also had Wu Yun prepare a ‘tonic’—no matter how frightened the tourists get, one sip and they’re fine.”

Upon hearing this,

Daoist Yougong firmly shook his head.

“That’s good enough!”

Xu Hao let out a slight sigh of relief.

It wasn’t that he was worried about the uproar in public opinion over Lanruo Temple; his main concern was the safety of the tourists. No matter what happens, the tourists must remain unharmed.

“City Master, if you’re not reassured, you can go see for yourself. With your skills, you could even assign them a task directly.”

After a pause, Daoist Yougong, looking at Xu Hao as if he were a peculiar creature, leaned in and whispered.

“I’m really surprised by your knack for this. Ever since you came back from Yan City, every night you visit Biyou Palace to learn new tricks from me. The speed at which you’re grasping these things is simply astonishing. In about a year or so, you might even surpass me—though I’ve been at this for decades. You’ve hardly been involved for long.”

“I’m just asking to ensure safety!”

Xu Hao waved his hand dismissively.

It wasn’t that he was unwilling or scared to go—he simply didn’t have the time. With only four months left until the Long Kingdom Technology Expo on May 15, there was no time to waste; both the expo venue and the amusement park had to be ready.

“Alright, Little Luo, tone it down a bit. His ideas are wild—you can’t let everything run by his imagination. If we follow his every whim, Mingsha City might just fall into chaos.”

“City Master, I’ve got it. By the way, President Luo mentioned building this behind Mingsha Fudi. What do you think?”

After a brief pause, Daoist Yougong leaned closer to Xu Hao, lowering his voice to whisper.

“We can fully support that plan; otherwise, someone might try to mess with Mingsha Fudi.”

Listening to him,

Xu Hao contemplated briefly before replying.

In recent days, Daoist Yougong had secretly used prize money from the International Magic Competition to purchase several items for Mingsha Fudi.

Sure enough, in the future, Mingsha Fudi would have an even more ethereal vibe—installing some extra attractions nearby to balance the atmosphere.

“City Master, got it!”

“Yes!”

Inside Mingsha City, insiders were discussing internal affairs, while tourists buzzed about the latest Haofang Culture film and Lanruo Temple.

“Are you going tonight?” one tourist asked while snacking on a street food delicacy.

“Yeah!”

The companion nodded with certainty.

“Aren’t you scared? I heard that after dawn this morning, the Mingsha City staff blocked the road from Blood Lake to Lanruo Temple. That means no one can gather any information during the day.”

“If you can’t get the info, you can’t get it. It’s all part of Mingsha City’s psychological game! Last night, only cowards went in. I don’t believe it’s as terrifying as they say!”

“Bro, think it through before you decide. All those tourists who went last night have already gone home today, refusing to speak a word about Lanruo Temple. I feel something’s off—maybe there really are ghosts in there!”

“Ghosts, really?”

The tourist glared and immediately shook his head.

“No way. There are no ghosts in this world—you have to trust science. All these so-called paranormal events are just people scaring each other. I even suspect that the staff member in Mingsha City who was knocked out last night was faking it.

Besides, didn’t Haofang Agency release an announcement today stating that the leads of ‘A Chinese Ghost Story’ will soon start new projects and keep everyone excited? It all points to gimmicks and hype!”

“Anyway, I think it’s better to be cautious. Mingsha City never plays by the rules—they’re the real deal. As the old saying goes, the work of ten craftsmen is never simple. Only masters can pull off top-tier ancient renovations.”

He added, “And wasn’t there news recently that when vehicles passed by a cemetery, the radar detected pedestrians all around?”

“Pedestrians? Didn’t the manufacturer explain that?”

“But don’t you think the explanation was a bit far-fetched?”

“Don’t try to scare everyone—I’m definitely going to Lanruo Temple tonight.”

“Sigh…”

Chats like these were not isolated incidents. Many tourists were eager to test their courage, and even at the city gate, a massive crowd of newly arrived visitors began pouring in. Their goal was simple—tonight, they’d challenge Lanruo Temple and finally uncover its secrets.

In turn, Lanruo Temple had become the most mysterious and thrilling photo-op spot for tourists.

Time flew as the sun set.

In Haishi,

it was rush hour, with vehicles and people bustling about.

“What a gimmick! A total stunt to attract tourists. Claiming ten tourists were knocked out—maybe they were just hired actors!”

At Dino Park’s CEO Office, Cole glared intently at his computer screen, his mood sour beyond measure.

With this wave of events, Mingsha City was set to gain massive attention and a surge of visitors, adding yet another must-see destination. How could he not be pleased?

“Boss, didn’t you say that Mingsha City would showcase Long Kingdom’s traditional Taoist arts? Is there any possibility—”

Before the staff member at the desk could finish,

the office door was forcefully flung open by a manager, panting and panicked, exclaiming, “Boss, it’s bad—over at the Magic Academy!”