Chapter 1 Nightmare Assault

The fat man's face changed instantly when he heard the word "nightmare," but Jiang Cheng nodded. "To be killed by a nightmare in your sleep… that's rare."

"What, little brother, have you also had people die like this?" the porter-like man asked.

"I've heard of it, but I've never seen it myself," Jiang Cheng replied.

Listening to their back-and-forth, the fat man also noticed the strangeness. These people seemed to be speaking in riddles, and he was also very strange that these people didn't seem to have much affection for the dead man on the ground. At least, he didn't see much sadness on their faces.

These people… are they not companions?

The monks covered the body with white cloth, then set up incense and candle stands. There were no prayer mats, so they just sat cross-legged on the cold ground and began to chant scriptures for the soul's salvation.

For some reason, the fat man got a headache as soon as he heard them chanting. Jiang Cheng gave the people a few perfunctory words of comfort, then took the fat man away.

Once out of the courtyard gate, the fat man couldn't wait to ask, "Doctor, what riddles were you playing with those people?"

Jiang Cheng sighed and slowly looked at him. "Do you remember the people we met while running away last night?"

The fat man nodded repeatedly. "Of course I remember. There seemed to be six or seven of them. You even said they were the same group as just now. Guan Yu later went to chase after them too."

"That's them, and they found us too," Jiang Cheng said. "They were testing us just now. That old man suddenly mentioning nightmares, your reaction showed that they guessed right."

Recalling the scene just now, the fat man knew he was right, but then he realized something even more terrifying. The Guan Yu in his dream last night went to chase that group, and then that… that young man also died last night!

Jiang Cheng nodded to the fat man. "You guessed right. I don't think that was an ordinary dream, and that young man was killed in the dream too, by Guan Yu."

This guess sounded okay, but it couldn't stand scrutiny. The fat man immediately questioned, "That's not right, Doctor. If people killed by Guan Yu in dreams die in reality, how do you explain Monk Huiming, and all the other monks killed by Guan Yu? They're all alive and well!"

To be honest, Jiang Cheng had also thought of this question, but he couldn't figure it out. However, he guessed it must be related to the so-called merit cultivation.

"Right, did you notice that there's one person missing from their room? Counting the one who died on the ground, there are only seven people," the fat man said quickly, as if he had suddenly thought of something.

Jiang Cheng continued walking outside. "The missing person is the middle-aged man who opened the door for us before. He should also be the most skilled one in this group."

The fat man hadn't observed as carefully as Jiang Cheng, but he remembered that the doctor had said before that this person was hiding one hand behind his back, obviously concealing a weapon, and also guarding against the two of them.

"Where did that person go?" the fat man asked, following beside Jiang Cheng.

"The place we just went," Jiang Cheng replied casually.

Hearing this, the fat man's eyes widened. "You mean the Gongde Hall?" (Hall of Merit)

Soon, the fat man seemed to have suddenly understood, nodding as he said, "I get it. They had the same dream as us last night. In the dream, they also saw the monks' absurd behavior. After waking up, they couldn't tell the difference between reality and dreams, especially since one of them really died. So, after discussing it, they sent the most skilled one to the place in the dream, which is that Gongde Hall, to investigate."

"We're going to find Monk Huicong," Jiang Cheng said, heading towards the dining hall.

……

"All gone? Not a trace left?"

In the dim wing room, the woman's voice was filled with disbelief. The monks who had come to chant scriptures had already left. In front of her was a middle-aged man with a resolute face.

The man picked up a bowl of water and drank it all in one gulp, his chest heaving, a trace of unease between his brows. "Miss, that's right, and… and there are martial monks guarding the outside of that building. I originally planned to find a secluded place to climb over the wall and investigate, but unexpectedly, a group of monks suddenly appeared behind me."

"But I was clearly… clearly very careful. I didn't feel anyone approaching at all." The middle-aged man nervously swallowed. He was not only a general on the battlefield, but also skilled in infiltration and assassination, otherwise he wouldn't have been chosen to go. But the group of monks appeared silently, which still made him feel afraid even now.

The steady-looking old man couldn't help but frown. "Continue, what else did you find?"

"The leader of the monks called himself Master Huide. He asked me what I was doing here. I originally thought of making up a reason to get rid of them, but unexpectedly, Master Huide actually mentioned those two people, the two we… the two we saved, saying that they were like this just now, and even said that if I didn't believe it, they could take me in to have a look."

"I felt something was wrong, so I thought of quickly refusing and coming back to report, but Master Huide and the others seemed very unhappy, their faces darkening, saying that the reputation of the Abstinence Temple would never allow to be desecrated, and this matter must be resolved. So, I had no choice but to… to go in with them."

Speaking of this, the middle-aged man's tone became agitated. "I saw that building, the one in the nightmare. The monks call it the Gongde Hall, a place to study Buddhist teachings and cultivate merit. The doors and windows of the Gongde Hall were not damaged, and the layout inside was also slightly different from what I saw in the nightmare last night."

"You all know that I love alcohol like my life, and I'm very sensitive to the smell of alcohol, but there wasn't a trace of alcohol in that Gongde Hall. I can be sure of it!"

Hearing this, the faces of everyone present became strange. The nightmare of last night was still vivid in their minds. The monks not only drank alcohol and ate meat, but also punched and kicked a monk, forcing him to commit this forbidden act as well. Then, a demon who transformed into the righteous Guan Yu kicked down the door and began slaughtering the monks present.

Then… then they suddenly discovered them hiding outside. No, that's not right, they discovered those two people first, and then discovered them.

In short, the demon ultimately chased after them, and the attendant Aqima unfortunately fell during the frantic escape, and was then brutally beheaded by the pursuing demon with a single blow. Blood splattered everywhere, and the scene was extremely bloody.

But upon waking up, everything had changed except that Aqima had truly died inexplicably. The monks were safe and sound, and the building that had been completely destroyed had been restored to its original state.

The girl who looked like a maid was so frightened that her face turned pale. "This… this wouldn't be a ghost temple, would it?"

"Silence!" the woman scolded, then said after a moment of silence, "This nightmare will never be without a reason. Find that crazy monk who was beaten. He may have clues."