If You Don’t Need the Phone, Donate It to Someone Who Does
The counterfeit head shattered into powdery wood chips under the force of Yun Jianyue's attack.
"Heh."
A low chuckle echoed unnaturally loud in the silent night.
"Who's there?" Yun Jianyue whipped around, her fingers instinctively tightening on the chainsaw's grip.
Mo Chen stood watching her from about ten yards away, a faintly amused expression still playing on his lips – the entire showdown had clearly been his evening entertainment.
"Zhou Benxin's condition?" Yun Jianyue demanded, knowing he'd seen everything and sensing his ancient power. "Can I move him? How do I fix this?"
Mo Chen merely shrugged, his gaze lingering meaningfully on his own, now short-cropped hair – her handiwork. "What makes you think I'd tell you?"
Yun Jianyue gritted her teeth. The wave of regret was almost physical. She hated that she'd chosen his hair. She should have aimed lower.
Clearly, divine intervention wasn't forthcoming. She opted to head back and wake Fang Lin'an, figuring the human practitioner stood a better chance.
Rounding a corner halfway there, she literally bumped into Fang Lin'an himself. He was frantically pacing, phone pressed to his ear, muttering curses under his breath.
"Where the HELL did you two go?! I woke up covered in mosquito bites to find myself ALONE! Do you have any idea the psychological damage you've inflicted on my delicate psyche?!" he bellowed as soon as he spotted her, momentarily forgetting the phone.
He shoved the phone towards her face accusingly. "No one's answering! Either of you! Are these useless bricks?! If you don't need the damn phones, donate them to someone who does!"
Yep, definitely the real Fang Lin'an this time, Yun Jianyue decided. The sheer vehemence, plus the fact he was hopping on one foot because he'd lost a slipper, screamed authentic incompetence.
"Phone's on silent. Nevermind that. Come with me," Yun Jianyue commanded, grabbing his arm (the one not clutching the phone) and pulling him towards the storage chamber. She rapidly filled him in on Zhou Benxin's sleepwalking and the effigy position.
Seeing Zhou Benxin standing rigidly in the designated space, Fang Lin'an's face paled. "His situation is critical. The effigy is poised to fully supplant him."
He quickly explained: the trapped spirit likely sought to finally seize Zhou Benxin's life, forcing him into the role of the silent wooden sacrifice in compensation for its stolen years.
"Earlier, I encountered an effigy pretending to be you," Yun Jianyue interjected. "I obliterated its wooden body. Will that affect things?"
Fang Lin'an shook his head. "Unlikely. Destroying a temporary vessel won't kill it. It can craft more. Those are disposable." He bit his own thumb sharply, whispering complex incantations under his breath.
Finally, he pressed his bloody thumb against Zhou Benxin's forehead and shouted, "Awaken!"
Zhou Benxin's eyes flew open. He gasped as if surfacing from a suffocating nightmare, his face ashen, gulping down air like a drowning man.
Blinking in confusion, he took in his surroundings – the dusty room, the watching wooden children. His gaze dropped to the empty space beneath his feet where his name was etched. A strangled shriek tore from his throat, and he scrambled backwards as if scalded. "WHAT AM I DOING HERE?!"
His panicked shout, reminiscent of a startled hen, amplified the room's inherent dread.
Yun Jianyue swiftly recapped the night's events. Zhou Benxin's face drained of its last trace of color with each passing detail.
"Am... am I going to die?" The reality of his mortality, sudden and brutal, hit him hard. The most terrifying aspect wasn't the inevitable end, but the paralyzing powerlessness of knowing it approached while being utterly defenseless.
Fang Lin'an rubbed his temples. "Let's get back to the room first. Lingering here is dangerous for him."
They returned to the dormitory. Zhou Benxin lay staring wide-eyed at the ceiling, sleep impossible. Yun Jianyue and Fang Lin'an promptly fell asleep, leaving Lu Changxue as the spectral night watchman to alert them if needed. The rest of the night passed without incident.
Shortly after dawn, Elder Master Chu arrived. Dark smudges underlined his eyes; clearly, he had searched tirelessly all night.
"Disciple Fang," Chu greeted, his voice thick with fatigue. "Any progress?"
Fang Lin'an shook his head grimly. "It's hiding expertly, Senior Master. Compasses won't detect it. And time... time is running critically short. He's nearing the point of full assimilation." He quickly recounted the previous night's encounter with the fake.
Elder Master Chu's expression turned grim. With deliberate care, he unfastened an ancient, worn wooden plaque from a cord around his neck and pressed it into Zhou Benxin's hands. The plaque was intricately carved with esoteric symbols resembling Taoist talismans.
"This happened within the boundaries of our Chongguang Temple, under our watch," the Master stated, his voice weighted with responsibility. "I cannot stand idly by. This talisman will shield you once from a significant calamity. Today, you must not be alone. Remain here. Do not leave this spot. We will resume our search."
With another heavy look at Zhou Benxin, Elder Master Chu hurried away, gathering his disciples once more. The effigy had to be hiding somewhere on the mountain, waiting for its moment to strike while its target was so vulnerable.
Zhou Benxin examined the talisman for a long moment before carefully looping the cord around his neck, letting the plaque rest against his chest.
Yun Jianyue and Fang Lin'an devised a rotation: one would stay guarding Zhou Benxin while the other scoured the mountain for the effigy, swapping duties hourly. Every extra pair of eyes increased their dwindling chances.
Late afternoon, around 5:30 PM, Yun Jianyue trudged back to the guesthouse after another fruitless search. Fang Lin'an was due to take over guarding duty.
She pushed open the door to their room. Only Fang Lin'an sat inside, hunched over an unfamiliar, ancient-looking book.
"Where is he?" Yun Jianyue's voice was clipped with sudden tension.
Fang Lin'an didn't look up, gesturing vaguely towards the small courtyard beyond the open door. "Taking a leak. Probably ducked behind a tree when he heard you coming."
"There's no one in the courtyard!" Yun Jianyue snapped, already scanning the small, empty space visible through the doorway. "It's empty!"
Fang Lin'an froze. His book clattered onto the floor. He rushed to the doorway, his eyes darting frantically across the small, sun-drenched yard. "But… I literally just saw him! He was right there by that maple tree! Not thirty seconds ago!"
Panic surged through him. How could a grown man vanish in the blink of an eye?
"We have to find him!" Yun Jianyue was already turning to bolt into the corridors.
They burst out of the room's entrance, scanning the path outside the small walled courtyard. Suddenly, Zhou Benxin appeared around a bend in the path leading back into the yard. He was shaking water droplets from his hands.
"Hey! Where'd you run off to?" Fang Lin'an nearly sagged with relief, though annoyance laced his voice. "Don't disappear like that, you scared us half to death!"
Zhou Benxin gave an awkward chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. "Eh, sorry! Had to go… the other way. Took a hike down to the main washrooms by the disciples' quarters. Didn't want to mess up the courtyard trees you guys are so fond of."
Yun Jianyue's gaze immediately dropped to Zhou Benxin's feet.
Had a shadow.