Chapter 124: Ghost Blocking the Wall
On both sides of the mountain path, white paper lanterns that had no high branches to hang from floated in midair, swaying in the wind. They had already turned into bright red lanterns, with blood rolling like boiling water. Splashes of blood droplets continuously struck the lanterns, producing a creepy crackling sound.
The bride ghost continued to sob and weep to herself, never willing to lower her hands, completely disregarding the Yinshen.
The Yinshen's mind stirred slightly, and he used a secret mind-to-mind technique to inform Lin Shouyi, telling the young man to take the opportunity to use the Barrier-Breaking Talisman, which belonged to the Mountain Qi Talisman category. He would do his best to entangle the female ghost. Once the "Yellow Spring Road" was broken open, he was to take Chen Ping'an and just rush out of the mountain without worrying about him. He was also to remember not to walk on this mountain path anymore, and to have Chen Ping'an use that Xiangfu blade to open a new path.
After Lin Shouyi agreed, he tentatively asked if the Yinshen needed the famous blade Xiangfu to be left behind. The Yinshen shook his head, saying he couldn't even lift it. The sword aura was too heavy, best used for opening the path. When grass and trees came into contact with the righteous and glorious sword aura, it innately suppressed yin things and was not conducive for the opponent to continue using ghost tricks.
The bride ghost wiped her hands outward, revealing a ghastly pale face without a trace of blood, and sneered, "First, you come uninvited, then you leave without saying goodbye. That is not the behavior of a gentleman."
The Yinshen's features blurred, rapidly melting like a candle, finally turning into a thick black smoke that surged toward the bride ghost.
She raised her hand and swung her sleeve, spreading the large sleeve wide like a bird's wing to protect herself.
The female ghost was instantly knocked back seven or eight zhang. The bright red lanterns along her retreat path exploded one by one with a bang. The blood inside the lanterns did not scatter or splatter in the mountains but flew toward the female ghost who had been knocked back by the Yinshen, like swallows returning to their nest. The scene was similar to the blind Taoist's soul-summoning banner, absorbing the essence of the residual souls of yin beings.
Lin Shouyi said in a low voice, "Prepare to follow behind me. First, let's get off this mountain path. Chen Ping'an, next we need to hack out a new path out of the mountain between the trees. Senior Yinshen said you should use the Xiangfu blade to open the way."
Chen Ping'an nodded and said, "I'll carry the old Taoist on my back. We can't just leave him to die."
The blind Taoist was lying a dozen paces away, barely breathing.
Chen Ping'an ran over, hoisted the pitiful old Taoist onto his back, and turned around.
Lin Shouyi stood still, pinching a yellow paper talisman between two fingers, reciting an incantation under his breath.
It was the Barrier-Breaking Talisman, one of the Mountain-Water Talismans. According to the Yinshen's explanation, there were thousands of types of Mountain-Water Talismans, dazzling in variety. They were one of the essential talismans for qi cultivators when traveling far and entering mountains or crossing waters, to prevent what commoners called "ghost blocking the wall." In reality, it was to avoid falling into protective formations secretly set up by fellow practitioners, or to guard against deep-cultivating mountain spirits and monsters playing tricks. Especially when entering ancient battlefield sites, mass graves, and similar places. An ordinary cultivator without a few Barrier-Breaking Talismans, Yang Qi Lantern Talismans, or Three Purities Calming Mind Talismans would be walking right into a trap.
Lin Shouyi suddenly opened his eyes, a glint of golden light flashing in the depths of the young man's gaze, and said in a low voice, "We follow the talisman."
The Barrier-Breaking Talisman between his fingers floated away, hovered at the height of a man, and then began to sway unsteadily, like a drunkard trying to find his way.
The talisman stopped at the side of the path near the mountain wall, hovering still. Li Huai asked, "Are we supposed to just charge into it?"
Lin Shouyi took the first step forward, and his figure suddenly disappeared.
Li Baoping and Li Huai walked in one after another. Finally, Chen Ping'an, carrying the old Taoist and leading the donkey, vanished from the mountain path.
The yellow paper talisman was about to follow them in, but it seemed to be tugged by someone, its spiritual energy drained, and it fell to the ground in defeat.
The group appeared in the depths of a dense forest, looking at each other in confusion. Even Lin Shouyi, who had personally used the Barrier-Breaking Talisman, was somewhat bewildered.
Chen Ping'an first asked Lin Shouyi to help carry the old Taoist, then he began to climb a large tree. At the highest point, he looked around. It seemed they were in a mountain hollow surrounded by mountains on three sides. Even with Chen Ping'an's keen eyesight, he couldn't see clearly, only a vague general view.
Before leaving the mountain path, in the distance, the Yinshen and the bride ghost were engaged in a fierce battle, the sound of lanterns exploding continuous and unceasing.
After stepping out of the mountain path with the Barrier-Breaking Talisman, there was utter silence all around, a deathly stillness devoid of any sound. The huge contrast did not make Li Huai feel at ease; instead, it made him even more terrified.
Chen Ping'an took a deep breath, holding the Xiangfu narrow blade, and said, "No matter what, head south. That's the only direction without high mountains blocking the way."
---
In a mountain hollow with towering ancient trees, buildings stood in close succession, magnificent and grand, surpassing the mansions of generals and ministers in the mortal world. Only a princely estate could rival it.
This estate hung a gold plaque inscribed with the words "Xiu Shui Gao Feng" (Refined Waters and Lofty Wind), the brushwork vigorous and powerful, as if written by an immortal's hand. On either side of the gate stood a pair of huge stone lions, each twice the height of a man. One lion extended its claw to press down on a stone-carved child of human size, its posture imposing.
An old man in a green robe emerged from the air, carrying a large red lantern, the space rippling around him.
He was none other than the Director of the Rites Ministry's Department of Sacrificial Worship of Great Li.
The old man sighed, his brow furrowed with worry, evidently feeling that this visit would be very troublesome. He inserted his lantern under the foot of one stone lion, and almost instantly, the originally gloomy and lightless estate blazed with radiance. Nearly a thousand lanterns, high and low, near and far within the estate, lit up simultaneously.
Countless doors were pushed open, and figures emerged: delicate women, elderly stewards, grooms, cooks, maidservants, house guards—at least a hundred people, as if they had all received the master's orders to begin work.
But these people almost all had pale faces and vacant eyes.
In a garden within, a lame boy and a round-faced girl huddled together, leaning against the base of a wall.
The lame boy was bleeding from all seven apertures, severely wounded. Even if he were allowed to leave, he probably wouldn't be able to walk far. Earlier, to deal with the extraordinarily powerful bride ghost, the boy had guided the banner to let the four silver talisman characters "Subdue Demons and Catch Ghosts" enter the apertures of his own face—a deeply harmful technique that severely damaged his spirit and soul.
The girl had cut her skin several times, losing a great deal of blood. Even now, having also been contaminated by the female ghost's yin and foul aura, she still felt dizzy, nauseous, and wanting to vomit.
When the lanterns lit up, the lame boy's face turned even uglier, and he quickly reached out to cover the girl's eyes.
In the boy's field of vision, rotting skeletons emerged, only half-buried in the ground, densely packed like vegetables planted in a garden, no fewer than forty or fifty.
The lame boy felt a hint of despair.
Among them, one skeleton had bones centered on its spine that showed a faint golden color, while its limb bones were as white as fine jade, already displaying the "golden branches and jade leaves" aura of a fifth-realm qi cultivator. According to what the blind Taoist had said, only high-level qi cultivators among the middle five realms could have such a flourishing appearance. As for a wild cultivator like the Taoist himself, who barely touched the threshold of the middle five realms, he hadn't even cultivated golden branches, let alone jade leaves.
No wonder they had lost so utterly.
The gap in strength was too vast.
At the entrance of the estate, the central gate was wide open, as if preparing to receive one of the three most powerful Directors of the Ministry of Rites in Great Li with grand ceremony.
But the old man did not cross the threshold. Instead, he sat down on the threshold, gazing at the wide street outside the estate, and said softly, "Madam Chu, would you listen to my advice? Do not make trouble for those young boys and girls."
The large red lantern placed horizontally under the stone lion's foot shook violently.
On the lantern, someone had written the four characters "Hun Qu Lai Xi" (Soul Depart and Come) in vermilion ink. As the lantern swayed wildly, strands of bright red flowing light rippled out.
The old man's tone grew heavier as he warned, "Madam Chu! If those children come to harm in your territory, then not only will this estate of yours suffer, but our Great Li will also be dragged into disaster."
But there was no response.
The old man became angry. "Madam Chu!"
An old man dressed as a steward stood inside the gate, wearing a felt hat, hands clasped behind his back. He coughed, stooped over, and said with a light laugh, "Great Li has incorporated these mountains and waters into our young lady's territory for countless years. She and Great Li have always coexisted peacefully. Even in the long years before I took up the position of steward, I heard that our young lady once had a favor to bestow upon a certain founding emperor of Great Li. To this day, that golden document and iron contract inscribed with 'Mountains and Waters Ever Peaceful' still sits in our mansion. After that unfortunate incident, from your late emperor to the current one, they have all tacitly allowed our young lady's venting of anger. So why is it not allowed today?"
The old man in the green robe stood up, turned to face the felt-hat steward, and said slowly, "Not only is it not allowed today, but the matter of murdering passing scholars must cease from now on! I will explain the reason to Madam Chu in person. But if Madam Chu refuses to stop and also refuses to see me, then don't blame Great Li for forgetting old ties!"
The old steward patted his chest to stop his cough and laughed, "Great Li's mountains are now in turmoil. Unless that Ruan Shi personally makes a move, our young lady isn't truly afraid of anyone. Even if she can't defeat some of Great Li's secret offerings, if she really wants to hide, do you actually have the resolve to uproot these hundreds of miles of mountain veins all at once and cut off the Embroidery River? Are you not afraid that doing so will implicate Chess Dun Mountain and the fallen Lizhu Cave Heaven?"
The old man in the green robe's face turned gloomy. "Our lord is not like those offerings of Great Li who are too arrogant to listen to reason. He has always despised people who push their luck."
The gate slowly closed. The old steward stood inside the threshold, squinting as he smiled, "Our young lady has spoken: let Great Li try if they dare."
"Then we shall try!"
The Director of the Rites Ministry of Great Li shook his head. He was also a decisive man. Without further argument, he walked down the steps, retrieved the large red lantern, and threw it into the sky.
His figure vanished.
That lantern rose into the air like a red moon.
---
On the street outside the estate, Chen Ping'an's group stood in place, their hearts heavy.
None of them had expected to suddenly emerge from the wild forest and end up in front of this grand mansion.
All along the way, Chen Ping'an had been clearing thorns and brambles with the Xiangfu blade, and now he was somewhat out of breath. It wasn't so much that the physical exertion was great, but more because of the burden on his mind.
The blind old Taoist, who Lin Shouyi was carrying on his back, suddenly stopped playing dead. He slapped himself in the face, tears streaming as he wailed, "I never expected that female ghost's cultivation to be so terrifying! I actually took the initiative to provoke her, thinking I could exorcise the demon! It's no wonder I've been blind! These dog eyes of mine have indeed been blinded..."
Lin Shouyi was startled and quickly put the old Taoist down from his back.
Li Huai hid behind Li Baoping. Li Baoping's face was slightly pale. She tugged at Chen Ping'an's sleeve and whispered, "Little Uncle, are you afraid?"
Chen Ping'an raised the back of his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead and nodded. "Of course I'm afraid, but that's all right. Lin Shouyi and I are here."
Lin Shouyi smiled bitterly. "Earlier, I thought we could give it a try. Now I think my little bit of skill is barely enough for the other side to flick away with a pinky."
Chen Ping'an put the Xiangfu blade back into its sheath and handed it to Li Baoping. Seeing that both she and Lin Shouyi were puzzled, Chen Ping'an explained, "Let me try for a moment."
Li Huai asked innocently, "That female ghost isn't afraid of the Xiangfu blade, nor of Lin Shouyi's talismans, but she's afraid of fists?"
Chen Ping'an didn't say anything. He began to concentrate, holding his breath and calming his mind.