On a year-end night, a light mist hangs over the hills.
This is the hill next to the city. Looking down from here, you can see the brightly lit city, immersed in a joyful atmosphere, which is in sharp contrast to the tranquility here, as if it is a world away.
Because it had rained a few days ago, the forest was filled with cool moisture, and the sky at night was particularly clear.
"Ah sneeze." Qiong hugged his shoulders and shuddered.
"It doesn't matter, Qiong." Ye You took off his black scarf and wrapped it around his sister's slender neck. This was Qiong's birthday gift given to Ye You on his birthday last year.
"Well, it doesn't matter, just keep walking."
Qiong was wearing a kimono that was not suitable for walking on forest trails. She was holding the scarf tied by her brother. She felt warm in her heart and shook her thin body to continue walking.
Ye You couldn't help but recall Qiong's high spirits before departure.
This child has been in poor health since he was a child and is extremely weak.
Usually, she rarely goes out except for commuting to and from school, because it is too harsh on her physical load.
Moreover, Qiong herself has a quiet personality, and she prefers to stay at home rather than do outdoor activities.
If her hobbies are games and animation, then she is a standard otaku like Neet Ji.
But today I had to take myself to a shrine on a hill outside the city.
Although he was a little worried about Qiong's health, Ye You didn't want to spoil his sister's interest.
"Qiong."
Ye You called Qiong, "Let me carry you."
"Huh? No, don't."
Qiong stopped and refused.
"Uh, why?"
Ye You was confused.
If it had been in the past, before he could even ask for it, Qiong would have made a fuss and said that he couldn't walk and had to carry it on his own.
Today was unusual.
"...because it won't work."
Qiong muttered softly, but now Ye You's five senses are twice as strong as ordinary people and he can still hear clearly.
"What's not working?"
"No, it's nothing. Yu is so verbose, he said you don't need to carry it anymore."
Qiong turned around first, then puffed up his face and said angrily.
Um... why are you angry...
"Okay, okay, I understand. Didn't you say you wanted to watch the fireworks at the top of the mountain? It's still very early before 12 o'clock. Let's go slowly."
Ye You said helplessly.
"Hmm..." Qiong nodded slightly and glanced at Ye You secretly.
The forest trails in winter are especially wet and cold after the rain, the trees and grass are swaying in the dark night, and the sides of the stone steps are covered with traces of moss. It was so quiet that it was like they were the only two people left in the world.
"Qiong, is there really a shrine here?"
Ye You took Qiong's tender little hand and walked up the stone steps, feeling a cold and smooth touch on her fingertips.
No wonder Ye You asked this, the shrine on New Year's Eve was the busiest day.
Lanterns are decorated, the lights are bright, and there is a lot of people.
And let alone being lively here, there is not even the slightest hint of human habitation.
"Well, it's right at the end of the stone steps." Qiong said with certainty, "Several classmates have been here. Megumi said that when he passed by here, he saw the torii gate from a distance."
In other words, Qiong himself is not sure yet.
In this case, wouldn't it be better to come during the day
But considering Qiong's mobility, Ye You could only smile.
"Can you still hold on? Why don't you take a rest?" Ye You asked.
"No, we should be there soon. They said it's only forty minutes to go up the mountain. We've been walking for an hour."
There is a huge difference between someone else's forty minutes and your forty minutes.
Ye You sighed inwardly.
He is not tired at all. His body has been trained for many years, and Yonglin's medicine cleanses the marrow and cuts the bones. It is no longer comparable to ordinary people.
Ye You was just worried about Qiong, fearing that she would harm her health because of her persistence.
"Is that shrine really efficacious?"
Qiong probably heard the rumor from girls, but Ye You felt it was something similar to an urban legend.
It was exaggerated and promoted by some people with a 'if only' mood.
Because if a shrine truly has a miracle, it will definitely be prosperous.
Ah, you can't say that. Ye You thought of the Hakurei Shrine in Gensokyo.
"Hey... we're here."
Turning the corner of the woods, the two finally saw a horizon wider than the stone steps and a torii gate that was not very tall.
"And there are lights?"
Walking into the torii gate, Ye You saw six stone lanterns emitting cyan light on the shrine less than 10 meters away.
"It's actually a cyan light? Does the shrine still have neon lights?" Ye You clicked his tongue in surprise.
In this small area, there is only a main hall about four meters high, facing the torii, and next to it are the dilapidated coin hall and worship hall.
But the lights inside all the buildings were dark, and it was obvious that no one was there.
Coupled with the eerie cyan lights, it looks like you have entered a supernatural zone.
But now that Ye You has activated his spiritual vision and built a magic circuit, he is not afraid of gloomy and dirty things.
At this moment, Qiong was so relaxed and content that he didn't think about it at all. And by staying by Ye You's side, she has the courage to face any difficulties.
Qiong let go of Ye You's hand and first went to the pool in front of the shrine to use a long-handled wooden spoon to clean his hands. Then he went to the shrine's worship hall on both sides of the roof and threw some change into the donation box with wooden lattice. Clap your hands a few times, put your hands together and pray.
Then she shook the thick hemp rope used to worship the temple, and the wind chimes swayed in the night sky, making a crisp sound.
Ye You had been watching beside her, and just when Ye You was about to ask her what she was praying for, Qiongtu exclaimed.
He rushed behind Ye You, grabbed his arm tightly, stretched out a hand from behind and pointed at the box,
"Then, there..."
Ye You looked around and found that there was a little green snake nesting there.
"Huh?"
What made Ye You make a sound of surprise was not why snakes appeared in winter, but that Ye You felt weak fluctuations in them.
Although this fluctuation is different from his own magic power, it is obviously not common sense.
The little snake is all light green, and the curves of its body are not as ferocious as other snakes, giving people a soft feeling. At the same time, there are two faint bony arches at the corners of its head. Not only does this not seem inconsistent, it makes this little snake even more delicate.
It leaned against the outside of the box and huddled up, with only its head facing the mouth of the box. It probably wanted to climb in, but failed.
The little snake seemed to notice someone, and slowly opened its closed eyes. The original golden pupils lost their original color and dimmed.
He looked dying and very pitiful.
"Yu, it seems to be dying." Qiong said unbearably.
"Aren't you most afraid of snakes and insects?"
"This... is very cute, so don't be afraid." After seeing the appearance clearly, Qiong came out from behind Ye You.
"Is there any way to save it?"
"Probably... yes."
Now that Qiongdu said so, Ye You took out a white pill from the chat room.
This is what Kaguya wanted to upload Eirin's medicine in exchange for dimensional value.
According to his introduction, this medicine is a simplified version of the secret marrow-cleansing and bone-cutting medicine that Ye You took before. It is more than enough to restore the body.
It's just that there are too many 'unknown effects' ingredients in it, so Ye You doesn't dare to use it at all.
But there were strange fluctuations in this little snake. Kaguya also said that the medicine Eirin refined was not meant for humans.
So, maybe it might be just right to use it.
Ye You stepped forward and pinched the little snake's jaw, curled his fingers and shot the white object into the little snake's mouth.
The next moment, the little snake suddenly bloomed with cyan light.
Ye You was startled and quickly protected Qiong behind him, condensing runes in his hands.
When Ye You looked over there again, the little snake was no longer there.