Chapter 315: Nightfall at Lanruo Temple

Nightfall, boundless darkness.

May 15th on the new calendar marks the third lunar month in the Long Kingdom. At 2 AM, the sky was pitch black with no trace of the moon.

Under the glow of the lights, Blood Lake turned a deep, unnerving red.

Lanruo Temple lies to the southwest of Blood Lake. By the time the first wave of tourists circled around to its main gate, it was already 2:30 AM.

“Huh?”

Upon seeing the setup before the temple’s entrance, the tourists suddenly felt a chill down their spines, hesitating to approach as their earlier swagger vanished.

At the gate stood a ticket-checking turnstile. Instead of ordinary Mingsha City staff, four Daoist children from Biyou Palace—each bearing a Peach-wood Sword—guarded it. Leading them was Wu Yun, the senior disciple of You Gong Daoist.

Their attire immediately set them apart from the typical ghost house setups found in other Long Kingdom attractions.

Ancient paper lanterns hung on the gate, swaying in the gentle breeze as if to forewarn something.

On both sides of the gate, dozens of chairs were neatly arranged.

In front of these chairs, several square tables were pushed together; atop one table sat a black porcelain basin with a stack of porcelain bowls beside it.

Peering through the temple gate, only impenetrable darkness greeted the eye, leaving everything shrouded in mystery.

“Can we just enter after checking our tickets?”

Back to reality.

A burly man, standing 1.85 meters tall, mustered up his courage and stepped up to the turnstile.

Just three days ago, Mingsha City had instituted an online reservation system. Moreover, visitors to Lanruo Temple must sign an agreement accepting responsibility and disclosing any heart conditions.

As for the cost?

Mingsha City wasn’t charging any fees.

Nothing more to add.

Mingsha City’s entire entertainment project was conceived as a retort to Haishi’s Dino Park.

Dino Park’s regular ticket price is 370 yuan, rising to 499 yuan on peak days, with discounts for children, the elderly, and the disabled.

Visitors can only enter on the day they select when purchasing a ticket. One ticket grants all-day access to every ride and show, provided no outside food is brought in.

After discussion, Xu Hao, Zhu Qiang, and several others reached a decision.

Before Mingsha City’s full entertainment project is completed, all individual attractions will operate on a reservation basis and be free to enjoy!

Once completed, an all-inclusive ticket system will be implemented—150 yuan grants access to every attraction, with no peak or off-season rates.

Additionally, children, the elderly, the disabled, military personnel, and their family members will all receive free entry.

Of course.

Furthermore, Mingsha City will not restrict visitors from bringing their own food, as long as they don’t litter or disrupt public cleanliness.

“Of course!”

Wu Yun nodded in affirmation.

“Then I’ll go in.”

Han Zi swiped his ID at the turnstile, triggering the gate to open automatically. Straightening his posture, he walked toward Lanruo Temple’s entrance.

One led to another.

After Han Zi entered, more tourists began queuing at the turnstile.

Beep!

Beep!

Before long, ten tourists had passed through.

Ah! Just as the eleventh tourist swiped his ID and prepared to enter, a piercing scream echoed from within Lanruo Temple—and then silence.

“What’s happening?”

The waiting tourists exchanged uneasy glances, the eerie atmosphere intensifying until none dared step forward.

At the turnstile, as if anticipating this, Wu Yun nodded slightly to the two Daoist children behind him. They understood and turned to enter the temple.

About a minute later…

A woman was carried out—the very one who had earlier complained that the scene needed more excitement and wasn’t thrilling enough.

Her face was ghostly pale and her eyes tightly shut—she was unconscious! The two Daoist children placed her on a chair, and one skillfully scooped some soup from the basin using a black bowl to feed her.

After completing their task, the pair returned to the main gate.

“Don’t worry, she’s just fainted. She’ll be fine in a minute!”

Wu Yun looked at the assembled tourists and said casually, signaling that they could proceed.

“Don’t be afraid.”

The lead tourist stole a quick glance at the woman.

After years of haunted house experiences, this scene was unlike anything he’d ever witnessed.

“Ah!”

Coincidentally, at that moment another piercing scream rang out from inside, mirroring the previous one.

“Sigh…”

With a touch of resignation, Wu Yun signaled the two Daoist children before addressing the crowds, “You can go inside now.”

“I think I’ll wait and see who goes in behind me!”

The lead tourist, startled, quickly stepped aside to clear the entrance.

“I… I’ll wait too.”

Seeing the commotion, the tourists behind also hesitantly stepped aside.

Ah! Just as a third tourist hesitated to fill the gap, yet another piercing scream sounded from Lanruo Temple.

“I—I’ll wait too!”

The tourist ready to step in immediately changed his expression and backed off.

With a scene like this, how could anyone enter? The way the Daoist children carried people was downright unsettling! “I’m not going in after all!”

“I’ll wait too!”

Whoosh! After the third tourist was carried out, there were no more in line. Most simply took out their phones, recorded the eerie scene in front of Lanruo Temple, and posted on social media with the caption: “First time I chickened out!”

Meanwhile, as the first batch of daring tourists were thoroughly spooked, over in Haishi…

Inside a movie theater, Cole and a Staff Member were using a hidden camera to snap several shots. The movie was nearing its end.

“Boss, the tree demon granny and this state priest in the movie are both formidable. Which one should we ‘capture’?”

Cole began packing up the camera,

while the Staff Member whispered.

It turned out that Haofang Culture’s production of A Chinese Odyssey wasn’t Earth’s first rendition—it was actually a compilation of the first and second parts of the Human Dao,

even including the storyline of Nie Xiaoqian’s reincarnation.

The latter half was set in an abandoned villa, featuring characters like Left Qianhu, the Whimsical Daoist, and the main villain—the state priest transformed from a demon.

“We’ll capture that tree demon granny upfront. Her image suits the ghostly theme far better, and the villa setting is rather forgettable. I bet Mingsha City will focus on Lanruo Temple.”

After some thought, Cole remarked.

“Alright, I’ll post it later.”

The Staff Member nodded.

In Cole’s view, the tree demon granny had far more appeal than the state priest. Once she was captured, how could Mingsha City continue as usual? “Once posted, have their team start setting up—ensure the tree demon granny’s look matches her film portrayal exactly.”

“Understood!”

“Wait a minute!”

Just as the Staff Member prepared to leave, Cole suddenly added, “To heighten the mystery, after capturing her, paint the walls with elements from Long Kingdom folklore—like cinnabar and black dog’s blood—to make the scene even grimmer.”

“Got it!”

At that, the Staff Member nodded once more and quietly exited the theater.

Before long, it was 3:00 AM and the movie had completely ended.

Meanwhile, the online drama forum was once again ablaze with activity.

Although the ghost drama in Mingsha City wasn’t celebrated for its plot, people couldn’t help but praise the film itself. “Whew! Another classic from Haofang Culture!”

“Really, I can’t help but admire them!”

“You might not believe pigs can climb trees, but never doubt Haofang Culture.”

“Absolutely stunning. The red rouge, the white powder, flowing hair, swaying earrings, and eyes like stars that steal your soul before you realize it—this ghost is breathtaking!”

“I think the ending is the most touching part.”

As dawn broke, the clouds parted and sunlight seeped through the dilapidated paper windows. A ghost wandered near her urn: returning to it meant reincarnation, but also eternal separation—never again to see the scholar.

The scholar clumsily shut the window, using his body to block the sunlight. Tears in his eyes, he urged the ghost to hurry back into her urn…

After moments of hesitation, longing, and retrospection, they were doomed to never meet again.

It brought tears to their eyes!

It had been ages since anyone witnessed such a love story.

“Life’s journey is full of sweet yet elusive dreams. In a world of hardship, how many directions can one chase, lost in the illusions of love?”

“Yeah! Whether it’s that theme song or that ghost, the male lead is bound to be a hit.”

After some musings, one viewer even left a lengthy review.

Clearly, the film touched many.

Some even rated it 9.6—comparable to A Chinese Odyssey.

Within minutes, and then another few, reviews flooded in until the forum nearly crashed.

Yet, thirty minutes later, commentary began drifting off-topic again. “I couldn’t help but be drawn in—enchanted and moved. More than the scenery, this film is truly memorable.”

“Speaking of scenery, the film barely has more than a few characters and settings. Lanruo Temple is the standout!”

“About Lanruo Temple—didn’t Mingsha City announce it would open to visitors tonight? I wonder if those inside saw Nie Xiaoqian or the tree demon granny?”

“With Mingsha City’s style, the setup inside must be incredibly realistic.”

“I want to know too!”

“If I could see a Nie Xiaoqian as beautiful as in the movie, I’d pay any price for a ticket.”

“Same here—if I got to see Xiao Qian, I’d even accept a 10,000-yuan ticket.”

“Just ask in the Tourism and Culture Forum; you’ll find out.”

One viewer commented exactly that.

But as the discussion grew livelier, a tourist posted an update on the situation.

“Don’t ask—what’s happening inside Lanruo Temple remains a mystery!”

“Why?”

One viewer couldn’t help but ask.

“What else? Ten tourists entered, yet in the end, eleven were carried out.”