In the afternoon, bamboo leaves rustled through the forest, thorny weeds carpeted the ground, and only a narrow path worn by passing footprints remained. Now, even it was overgrown with wild grass, clearly seldom visited in ordinary times.
It was only over the past two or three days, before many people had even noticed, that the vegetation in the wilderness had suddenly begun growing like crazy, as though pumped full of stimulants.
Vines, cogon grass, thorny bushes, and leaves crisscrossed everywhere. Even after pushing aside the lush branches and foliage, one could see newly sprouted shoots beneath them, their leaves covered with dense clusters of insect eggs, like bamboo shoots after the rain.
The main roads paved with concrete were another matter. Though they had been shaken open with cracks, they could still hold out for a while. But a mountain trail like this would likely be "swallowed" before long.
A sigh.
A figure strolled silently up the mountain. Wherever Li Yun passed, the dusty grass and drifting plant fluff naturally parted around him, as though an invisible current of air flowed about his body.
Not even a footprint was left in the soil beneath his feet.
Only the broad swaths of grass along his path faintly brightened, then burned soundlessly, turning to ash in the blink of an eye.
Even the ground itself seemed to have compacted slightly, while the grass roots and insects within were all reduced to powder.
Thus, a small path was cleared.
After walking all the way to the mountainside, Li Yun finally stopped with clear purpose before a Throne of dirt on this not particularly tall mountain.
Amid the battered enamel bowl atop the grave, aside from the old traces of incense, candles, and burned paper offerings, three sticks of incense still stood there,