After a sudden bout of dizziness, Yaohua felt someone tugging at her hair.
Looking back, she saw it was Xie Ling with his heterochromatic eyes.
She instinctively took two steps back, but found her body seemed to be controlled by something and couldn't move no matter what. Instead, she heard herself speaking.
"I heard your parents are going to the Peak of the Supreme God to offer incense. Why are you still here?"
Yaohua was slightly taken aback. In an instant, she retrieved from her limited knowledge what was going on.
She had heard before that some perceptive celestial officials could use the method of possession to find out what the victim had experienced. Presumably, Xie Ling was using this method too.
After realizing this, Yaohua immediately calmed down.
The only thing that puzzled her was that her master had been swept in with her. She wondered where he was now.
"Aren't I just missing you?" Xie Ling pouted, looking dissatisfied. "Song Xiuxiu! Why do you look at me like that?"
So the girl she had inhabited was named Song Xiuxiu. It was a nice name.
After knowing that she was not in any immediate danger, Yaohua guessed Xie Ling's intention.
He didn't accept what her master had said, so he wanted to use this way to convince her master.
"Do your parents know you've come to my place?"
"Of course they do. I'm here to see you, not out to do something sneaky. My parents are quite happy about it."
Song Xiuxiu let out a chuckle. "Really?"
Through Song Xiuxiu's eyes, Yaohua saw the red marks on his face, as if he had been pinched.
She never thought Xie Ling could be so sunny and naughty at this time, nothing like the person she had seen later.
She wondered what on earth he had been through that he had become so paranoid and crazy.
"Could I be lying?" Xie Ling lifted his head proudly, completely unaware that the red marks on his face had caught Song Xiuxiu's eye.
"Okay." Song Xiuxiu let out a soft sigh. "I happen to have something to do on the Peak of the Supreme God. You can go with me."
After saying that, she looked up at the sky.
Yaohua could hear what she was thinking. At this moment, Song Xiuxiu was thinking: The sun rises in the east, the white mist is hazy, and the rosy dawn scatters. Maybe it will be a fine day today. She hoped the Supreme God would bless her father and brother to be safe on the front line.
"Ah?" Xie Ling's expression visibly fell. "I managed to sneak out, and you're just taking me to the Peak of the Supreme God?"
"Today is the day for offering incense." Song Xiuxiu motioned for him to look at her small basket, which was filled with incense, candles, and paper ingots.
Xie Ling suddenly realized. "Oh right, you're going to pray for Uncle Song and Big Brother Song." He quickly adjusted his expression and showed a smile. "Then I'll go with you. It's not that I want to go myself."
Song Xiuxiu was already used to his way of acting. She gave a calm smile and let him follow.
"Xiuxiu, should I ask them to hitch up a carriage?" Seeing that she was about to walk there, Xie Ling couldn't help but speak up to stop her.
"If I take a carriage, how can the Supreme God see my sincerity?" Song Xiuxiu shook her head. She stopped, propping her hands on her knees, gasping for breath. The sweat on her temples dripped to the ground.
Since Yaohua was inhabiting her body, she clearly felt her legs were as sore and heavy as iron. Only then did she realize that although the method Xie Ling used was somewhat similar to possession, there was a big difference.
At least the method of possession wouldn't let the possessor retain the five senses.
This meant that she could experience everything that happened to Song Xiuxiu.
Yaohua composed herself and continued to observe.
"As long as one is sincere, it will work. How could the God of Chongming care about such details?" Xie Ling disagreed.
Song Xiuxiu shook her head. "If I don't even have this bit of sincerity, how could I have the nerve to pray to the Supreme God? A Ling, if you're tired, you can go back."
Hearing this, Xie Ling immediately flared up like an angry cat. "I'm not leaving! If you can walk, why can't I?"
From sunrise to noon, the two walked for two whole hours before they finally reached the foot of the Peak of the Supreme God.
Song Xiuxiu looked up. Yaohua only saw a hexagonal pagoda towering into the clouds. The thin wisp of incense slowly rose into the sky along with the ancient bell tolls. The surrounding trees were lush, and auspicious clouds were swirling.
So this was what her master's temple in the mortal world looked like.
"There are still thousands of steps. Xiuxiu, let me carry you up?"
Xie Ling walked over. The young boy's cheeks were flushed, and sweat was streaming down, but his eyes were as bright as the stars in the night sky.
Song Xiuxiu declined politely and continued walking with the basket in her hand.
The steps were more energy - consuming than walking on flat ground. By the time they reached the peak, several more hours had passed.
"No wonder my parents said we'd stay on the Peak of the Supreme God tonight." Xie Ling muttered. "Xiuxiu, how about I go find my mother? You don't have to go back tonight either."
Maybe it was just windy on the peak. The strong wind almost lifted Song Xiuxiu's fluttering outer robe, and even her long hair was flying in front of her eyes uncontrollably.
She tried to tuck it in several times but couldn't make it lie flat. Hearing Xie Ling's words, she looked up. "Then I'll have to trouble you, A Ling."
"You're just being polite to me for no reason." Xie Ling was not very happy. "Why is the wind so strong at this time?"
"It's always like this on the peak." Xiuxiu walked towards the temple. "A Ling, do you want to offer a stick of incense too?"
Xie Ling quickly followed. "Sure, Xiuxiu, wait for me. I'm going to pray for our marriage. Let's go together."
As soon as he finished speaking, there came a sneer not far away.
"This rascal. I said why he refused to come out with us. So he's pestering Xiuxiu again." A gentle voice with a hint of teasing came into Xiuxiu's ears.
Yaohua felt her ears getting hot. Without a doubt, they must be red. But since she had already entered the temple of the Supreme God, she didn't turn back to greet them.
Instead, Xie Ling's loud voice rang out from behind. "Dad, Mom, why aren't you going to offer incense and make wishes? What are you standing here for?"
"Rascal, can't we take a rest?"
Their voices gradually faded away. The continuous sound of the wooden fish and the thick smell of sandalwood almost isolated Xiuxiu from the world.
She looked up, allowing Yaohua to see clearly the clay and wooden statue of her master in front of her.
It was imposing but lacked beauty. It bore no resemblance to her dear master at all.
Yaohua lost interest and listened to Xiuxiu praying silently in her heart.
"I, as a devout believer, am willing to be a vegetarian for the rest of my life. I only pray that the God of Chongming will bless my father and brother to be safe on the front line..."
Before she finished speaking, a dazzling red light suddenly cut through the sky.
"Xiuxiu, there's a shooting star!"
Xiuxiu ignored it. After finishing her prayer and donating the incense money, she walked out.
The Xie couple happened to enter the temple and they ran into each other.
"Xiuxiu, it's cold outside. Put this on." Mrs. Xie smilingly took off her fluffy shawl and wrapped it tightly around Xiuxiu's shoulders. It still retained Mrs. Xie's body heat.
"Thank you, Auntie. I'm not cold. You'd better keep it."
"Just put it on." Mrs. Xie's smile made Song Xiuxiu think of her late mother. She paused for a moment and finally accepted the kindness. "Thank you, Auntie."
Outside the temple door, a meteor shower started. Just as she walked to Xie Ling's side, she felt something was wrong. "Why are these shooting stars getting closer and closer to us?"