Chapter 1354: Chapter 680: There’s Something Wrong with This Pot! (Part 2)

Fortunately, this tourist spot is not far from his home, and he arrived near the Cloud Heaven Cloud Temple without much effort. The clear mountains and waters here were very similar to the scene at the Celestial Spirit Temple, making him feel a bit dazed.

However, as he looked around, he still couldn’t find the entrance to the Cloud Heaven Cloud Temple. He could only wander around the surrounding area, trying to find the hidden path leading to the temple.

"Last time, it was because I was too tired and stumbled upon the Cloud Heaven Cloud Temple by chance." He recalled his previous experience and decided to try again.

Lin Beichen wandered nearby for a long time, trying again and again, and finally, as the heavens reward the diligent, he found the entrance to the Cloud Heaven Cloud Temple. The feeling of relief made him take a deep breath.

Upon entering the Cloud Heaven Cloud Temple, his gaze was immediately drawn to a copper cauldron in the center of a small square.

That copper cauldron was almost identical to the one he saw in his dream. However, the one before him now had been bathed in the years, appearing more ancient and historical. The one in his dream was new, lacking the sense of vicissitudes.

Lin Beichen was almost certain that these two copper cauldrons were the same. Excitedly, he jumped up and couldn’t wait to head to the meditation room to seek out the abbot and inquire about the origins of this copper cauldron.

"Is the abbot here?" he shouted loudly at the entrance of the meditation room.

Soon, an elder dressed in a robe of yellow and red emerged from the back room of the meditation room. His expression was calm, and his eyes revealed a profound wisdom.

"Benefactor, I am the abbot of this Celestial Cloud Temple. How may I assist you?" The Elder spoke slowly, his voice deep and powerful.

Seeing this, Lin Beichen immediately stepped forward and said excitedly, "Master Abbot, I have come to the Celestial Cloud Temple to inquire about something."

The Elder nodded slightly, signaling him to continue.

"I want to ask about the origins of the copper cauldron in the small square of the Celestial Cloud Temple?" Lin Beichen pointed to the copper cauldron in the distance.

As soon as he finished speaking, he watched the abbot’s face closely, trying to catch any hints from his expression.

However, to his disappointment, the abbot remained silent for a long time, his face becoming slightly unnatural.

"Benefactor, I do not know the origins of that copper cauldron either," the abbot finally spoke, but his voice was a bit stiff.

Lin Beichen noticed the abbot’s unnatural demeanor but did not expose it. He knew that there must be a secret behind this copper cauldron, something the abbot was not willing to easily reveal.

Seeing the abbot’s tense face, Lin Beichen knew that continuing to inquire wouldn’t yield any results. So, he decided to leave temporarily, but inwardly he made up his mind to find out the origins of this copper cauldron.

"Thank you for your time, Abbot." He said politely, then turned and left.

However, Lin Beichen did not really leave. He knew he wouldn’t get any results from asking, so he decided to feign departure and instead hid behind the exit of the Cloud Heaven Cloud Temple, secretly observing the abbot’s actions.

Sure enough, not long after he left, the calm expression on the abbot’s face disappeared, replaced by a sense of panic and unease. He quickly returned to the meditation room, and seeing this, Lin Beichen cautiously followed.

Inside the meditation room, the abbot looked very alarmed; he didn’t notice anyone following him. He walked to the table and gently turned the table leg. As the table leg rotated, the vase at the back slowly moved aside, revealing a secret door.

Upon seeing this, Lin Beichen was taken aback. He hadn’t expected there to be such a secret passage within the Cloud Heaven Cloud Temple. He suppressed his inner excitement and continued observing the abbot’s movements.

The abbot walked out of the secret door, which promptly closed. Lin Beichen didn’t hurriedly follow in; he knew it wasn’t the right time. If he rushed in now, it would alert the enemy.

He decided to stay within the Cloud Heaven Cloud Temple and carefully search every corner to see if he could find any clues. The meditation rooms in the Cloud Heaven Cloud Temple weren’t many, and the place was sparsely populated, so searching wasn’t difficult.

Lin Beichen, unwilling to give up, observed each room, not missing a single detail. He meticulously examined every arrangement, every corner, trying to find something unusual.

Finally, in the left wing room of the Cloud Heaven Cloud Temple, he found something strange. There was a pot there, and inside it simmered a pot of unusual broth.

Lin Beichen circumnavigated the pot of broth, trying not to think about what kind of meat it contained, but instead focused on observing the layout of the room.

The room’s furnishings were similar to those in the adjacent rooms, with nothing particularly out of the ordinary. Except for the pot placed in the center, everything else seemed normal.

However, the pot emitted a disconcerting sizzling sound, making Lin Beichen feel very uneasy.

He couldn’t help but look into the pot, only to see white foam, blood-red meat, and bones rising and falling in the broth. The milky white broth bubbled and boiled. The sight made Lin Beichen feel a wave of nausea, and he immediately looked away.

Yet, when he looked at the pot again, he couldn’t help but frown. He distinctly remembered that he hadn’t smelled any aroma just now; instead, there was an inexplicable stench.

But now, when he covered his mouth and nose, the foul smell disappeared, replaced by a tempting meat aroma.

Lin Beichen widened his eyes, unable to believe his nose. He tried multiple times, and the result was always the same.

This pot definitely has something wrong!

A suspicion immediately formed in his mind.

Just as he was about to take further action, he suddenly felt the room grow cold. He clearly sensed his hair standing on end, as if something was approaching him.

Lin Beichen looked around warily; the surroundings were silent with only him alone. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.

However, the cold feeling intensified, as if something was pressing against him, that feeling of being pursued alarmingly clear.

He dared not act rashly and quickly took out a Spirit Communication Talisman from his chest, activating the Yin Yang Eye. When he first activated the Yin Yang Eye, he felt a bit uncomfortable; after that discomfort faded, he slowly opened his eyes.

With the support of the Spirit Communication Talisman, Lin Beichen’s perception of his surroundings became more acute. As soon as he looked down, he saw a child standing in front of him, meeting his gaze.

He broke out in a cold sweat, instinctively wanting to push the child away. However, when he reached out, he found nothing but air. The child obediently "slid" off him and stood quietly in place.

Not only that, but in the corner, more and more ghosts began to emerge. They were all quite young, appearing to be only a few years old.

Lin Beichen steadied his mind and looked again; the ghosts were already standing in a row, staring back at him.

"Are you all..." Lin Beichen couldn’t even finish his sentence before he froze. To his surprise, among the ghosts was a familiar figure, one he had seen in photos before, one of the missing children!

This discovery sent a shiver through Lin Beichen. He realized the ghosts here were very likely to be those missing children.

Ghosts can’t stray far from their bodies, meaning the children’s bodies were likely nearby!

A chilling thought arose in his mind, even though he didn’t want to acknowledge it. Still, trembling, he pointed toward the pot of boiling broth. A little boy nodded, confirming his suspicion.

Lin Beichen let out a weak gasp, his breathing became rapid and heavy. He clutched his stomach with one hand and painfully crouched down. The other hand held tightly onto a nearby stool as if it were his only support at the moment. Finally, he couldn’t hold it back any longer, and the contents of his stomach surged out, splattering everywhere.

His gaze fell on the pot, and an indescribable loathing surged in his heart.