Chapter 230 Marriage
Why is there such a thick fog around us?
The bus slowly came to a stop. It couldn't go any further because the fog was so thick that visibility was less than a meter.
(I encountered this once; it was less than a meter away, and I couldn't see anything at all, not even the traffic lights. It scared me to death...)
Malfoy had already huddled his whole body in Pansy's arms, but he still stubbornly insisted that he wasn't scared, he was just a little cold. Pansy had no choice but to hug him even tighter, feeling both annoyed and amused.
Yellowed old red paper drifted down from the sky, its corners stained with dried black ash, while an old, hoarse voice drifted in from all directions:
"Visitors from afar, our village's Yin Opera invites you to join us."
In the old house of Yamanaka, operas are performed at midnight, haunted by wandering spirits and evil spirits. Each challenge is governed by the life-and-death rules set by the ancestors.
Passing through the seven gates of the underworld can avert calamities in this life; if one escapes halfway, one will be forced to take the place of the deceased and be trapped here forever, performing for the actors.
The mountain gates were immediately opened wide; those who dare to come are welcome to come in and have a chat.
"ah!!!"
A scream rang out from young master Malfoy —what he feared had come true! He had just been muttering, "Please don't encounter a ghost, please don't encounter a ghost," and now he actually had one…
"Don't be afraid…don't be afraid…I'm here for you…" Pansy had no choice but to keep comforting Malfoy, who was trembling in her arms. Goyle and Crabbe stopped eating and stood next to Malfoy to protect him.
Kurama excitedly opened the car window and craned his neck to look outside. A cold wind blew in through the window, making Malfoy shiver.
Su Yu Su Yu! Can I give him a Tailed Beast Ball?!
Kurama shouted excitedly and turned around to wait for Su Yu's reply.
"You're crazy! If you fire a Tailed Beast Ball and it hits, great, but what if it misses and hits someone instead..."
Su Yu grabbed Kurama by the collar and pulled her back, closing the window as she did so. Didn't you see Malfoy was about to wet his pants, yet he was still strutting around like that?
"Alright, what should we do now? Let's all share our thoughts."
Su Yu, carrying Kurama, sat back down in her seat, watching Cassandra and Hermione observing the situation outside.
Zhang Qinwan felt that everyone should just wait for rescue. After all, Hogwarts School didn't specialize in exorcism, so sending these kids down to explore was a bit risky.
However, the rescue team arrived very quickly. Before everyone could finish discussing, a six-person team arrived at the bus.
"We are monks from the Cultivation Department branch in Lake Province. Is anyone in the vehicle? Please get out immediately for inspection!"
A young monk knocked on the bus door. The windows of the bus were all tinted with sun film, making it difficult to see inside from the outside. With the thick fog, visibility was even worse.
Ma Jin is a talisman master from Chenzhou, belonging to the Divine Adjustment Sect of the Outer Eight Sects. He specializes in drawing talismans to suppress souls and transporting corpses to deliver souls. According to the calculation method of the Ministry of Magic in Great Britain, he is equivalent to an Aurror.
At this moment, Ma Jin's compass was spinning rapidly, proving that there was a very terrifying creature inside the bus.
"It should be right, the evil spirit is hiding in the bus."
Ma Jin spoke to the team members beside him, and then they took out their respective magical artifacts, preparing to forcibly break open the bus to see what kind of monster was hidden inside.
"I have a feeling they're about to attack us?"
Kurama blinked, looking at Su Yu with a puzzled expression. "Why are they attacking us for no reason? Haven't they cleansed the ghosts in the mountains?"
"Is it possible that they came to cleanse you? They mistook you for the biggest evil spirit in the mountains?"
"You're the evil spirit!" Kurama protested, squirming and nuzzling against Su Yu.
Zhang Qinwan quickly opened the car door, revealed his identity, and went to explain the situation to the people from the Cultivation Department below.
"Fellow Daoist Su, I am extremely sorry. I mistook your spirit beast for an evil spirit. It was my oversight that I spoke and acted inappropriately. I hope you will forgive me."
After understanding the situation, Ma Jin bowed slightly to Su Yu with his hands clasped in front of him.
"It's nothing, Brother Ma, you're too kind."
Su Yu waved her hand, indicating that she didn't care. They were all very polite and apologized as soon as they realized their mistake. She couldn't just kill them all because of that.
"Friends who have come from afar, please wait here for a moment. We still need to go ahead and investigate the situation. Logistics personnel will arrive shortly to take you away."
Ma Jin and his group bowed to Su Yu and the others again before heading deeper into the mist.
"I can sense that the thing inside is extremely troublesome. They may not gain anything from this trip and will probably suffer heavy losses."
Kurama looked at the six members of Ma Jin who had already walked away and spoke to Su Yu.
"Let's go and see. Anyway, no one's stopping us from going. Let's just treat it as watching a show."
Su Yu looked down at Kurama in her arms and called for everyone to follow.
(Don't say my writing is toxic. Why didn't you say you wanted to go with them from the beginning, and now you want to go with them? Rules can be broken, but you have to take responsibility for them. If Su Yu tells them she wants to go with them, their first reaction will definitely be disagreement. How can an outsider go with them? Who will be responsible if something happens? Shouldn't they bear all the responsibility? So don't say that. Wait until they leave, and then you can go with them. Even if something happens, at most they will be held responsible for negligence, and there won't be any big responsibility or arguments. Don't be so thoughtless...)
The stone path leading into the village is covered with slippery black moss, and ancient trees with gnarled branches intertwine on both sides. At the entrance of the village stands a weathered stone tablet with blurred inscriptions, except for the two characters "封绝" (sealed off) which remain glaringly obvious.
"Sealed...out...village?" Cho Chang looked at the eerie and sinister scene and hid behind Su Yu in fear. Su Yu patted her back to show that it was okay, and then looked into the village.
The village was filled with old stilted wooden houses, most of the doors and windows were tightly closed, and the few open doorways had bottomless openings, like empty mouths staring at visitors.
There was no sound of insects chirping or birds singing all around; it was as if all life had been extinguished here. The wind whistled through the cracks in the wooden building, making a mournful sound that was hard to distinguish from the whispers of people. The air was filled with a bone-chilling cold, mixed with rotten wood, soil, and a faint, fishy smell.
"Let's go in."
Su Yu took the first step and entered Fengjue Village.
The moment my toes crossed the edge of the stone tablet, the surrounding scenery suddenly changed.
The once desolate village, silent and deserted, was no more. The gray sky had not yet cleared, but the entire village was suddenly filled with people. Dark red wedding ribbons were wrapped around the wooden beams of the stilted houses, strings of lanterns hung under the eaves, and long tables were set up in the alleys, indicating that a wedding ceremony was being prepared in the village.
People bustled about, busy setting up the banquet, creating a seemingly grand and lively atmosphere.
The entire village was silent; everyone moved in repetitive, stiff, and expressionless ways, their faces devoid of any joy that should accompany a wedding.
In the distance, the suona continued to play, its melody monotonous and repetitive, the dull music blending into the hazy air.
The endless stream of people resembled marionettes, with no one paying any attention to Su Yu, the outsider.
Su Yu suddenly turned around and looked.
The stone-paved mountain path that had led into the Village had completely vanished without a trace. Thick gray fog blocked the view behind us, leaving only a vast expanse where we could not find any trace of the way we had come.
Chapter 231 The Brat
"Wow? What's this?" Callis exclaimed as he entered, looking around curiously. "Chief, is this what you always call a banquet? Which table do I sit at?"
As they spoke, the others came in as well. Only Malfoy was carried in by Pansy because he was too scared to open his eyes. Pansy had no choice but to turn on the Kurama Cloak. Malfoy, who usually didn't eat much, was so heavy. Pansy had no choice but to spoil the man she chose. What else could she do but throw him away?
Blaise had already dragged Callis off to reserve a spot, completely ignoring the eerie atmosphere around them, treating it purely as a trip to have fun and experience the local culture.
Neville had a video call with Parvati to show him the ropes, but the signal wasn't very good and there were occasional stutters.
Goyle and Crabbe were extremely anxious. On one side was their boss, who was about to pee his pants in fear, and on the other side was the banquet that was about to begin. Their CPUs were about to overheat, and they had no idea which side to go to.
Apart from young Master Malfoy, everyone else looked completely at ease, as if they were genuinely attending a wedding.
"Hey, aren't those the same six people from before? Why are they sitting at the banquet, looking like they don't dare to move?"
Cho Chang was the first to spot Ma Jin and the other six. They were all sitting obediently in their chairs, their faces showing expressions of terror, as if they had seen some great horror, and they dared not move.
"Just ask them and you'll find out."
Kurama was the first to jump down from Ginny's arms, then hopped onto the dining table in front of them, her ten tails wagging, looking exceptionally alluring.
"Hey, isn't this Master Ma Jin? It's only been a short while, how come you've gotten so bad?"
Well, she's quite vengeful.
Ma Jin finally dared to look up, and upon seeing Su Yu and her group, she immediately became anxious. "Why are you here! Didn't we tell you to stay put and wait for rescue? What are we going to do now? The strangeness here is too strong. We only discovered it after we came in, but we've already lost contact with the outside world..."
Suddenly, Ma Jin's mouth seemed to be stuck in his throat. What did he see? He couldn't send out his distress signal, but not far away, that young man was still video chatting?
"What's wrong? Why are you all looking at me?" Neville looked up from his diary and at the people staring at him, puzzled. Why were they all looking at him?
"It's okay, I just think you're handsome."
Su Yu casually picked up one of the strange creatures and threw it into a large trash can not far away before sitting down next to the six people.
" Master Ma Jin, could you please explain in detail what exactly happened?"
Ma Jin's jaw nearly dropped to the ground. Had she forgotten to check the almanac before going out today? How could these things be so absurd, like playing with firecrackers? Oh well, Ma Jin shook her head to bring herself back to reality. Business was more important.
"Today is the big day for the Tree Demon Grandma in the mountains to marry her sixty-eighth husband. They originally planned to set a trap for us, but who would have thought that you would all be involved? The fault lies with us, and we apologize for the disturbance."
"It's alright. We are all cultivators, and we should help each other. How can it be a sin?" Su Yu then looked at the largest and most popular stilted building. " Master Ma Jin, according to you, the Tree Demon Grandma is right there, isn't he?"
"Fellow Daoist Su, do not be reckless. That Tree Demon Grandma has been cultivating for over a thousand years, and her cultivation level is unfathomable. Please do not provoke her. We should wait for rescue."
Ma Jin seemed to have seen through Su Yu's plan and quickly spoke up to stop Su Yu and the others. Where did this group of ancestors come from? How could they be so fearless? That was a King-level monster! How dare they?
(No need to remember the levels. I didn't say demigods, I meant below demigods. They won't appear too often, so remembering them is useless, hahaha.)
Before Ma Jin could finish speaking, Callis started complaining about why the meal wasn't served yet. He said the host wasn't going to be stingy and hadn't even served peanuts or wedding candy. Was this some kind of insult?
The strange creatures around them were so startled that they scrambled out, wondering to themselves, "How can people be so brave sometimes? Is this a place where people are clamoring for food?"
A chilling aura began to spread from the largest stilted house, with blood constantly seeping from the cracks, a testament to the fury of its inhabitant.
"Heh, a few humans, or rather, a few foreigners, dare to cause trouble at my wife's wedding banquet? Who gave you the guts?"
A groom, dressed in a faded dark red wedding gown that covered his thin frame and whose clothes were torn in many places and stained with dark brown dried spots, walked out of the house in a strange manner.
His official hat was askew on his head, the red silk hanging from the brim had long lost its luster and was drooping gray.
The groom walked forward eerily, his movements slow and stiff, unlike the steps of a living person. His face was as pale as paper, the rouge on his lips was glaringly red, and his skin had the bluish-gray hue characteristic of the dead. His eye sockets were deeply sunken, and his pupils were cloudy and grayish-white, devoid of any spirit. He stared straight at Blaise and the others.
He should have looked like a groom welcoming his bride, but now he looked completely devoid of joy. A faint, damp, and cold aura surrounded him, and a layer of cold mist quietly seeped out from the ground where he stepped.
Young Master Malfoy finally opened his eyes and saw the scene before him. Upon seeing it, he immediately fainted, muttering that he wanted to go home to find his mother…
"Mommy's here, sweetie, go to sleep, go to sleep..." Pansy gently rocked Malfoy in her arms to make him more comfortable.
"不是, Pansy ,你确定你这样等Malfoy醒了你不会挨揍吗?" Ginny看着母爱泛滥的Pansy ,一脸无语.
"What time is it? Are you guys still messing around? Good heavens!" Seeing that the situation was starting to develop in the worst direction, Ma Jin quickly called the five people around him to stand up and face the groom in a strange way.
"Ms. Zhang, quickly take these children and leave. We'll do our best to hold off these monsters and stop them from showing off their skills. Let's get as many as we can!"
As they spoke, the six exchanged glances and took out their respective magical artifacts. In an instant, talismans, peach wood swords, soul-capturing bells, Bagua bronze mirrors, and five-emperor coins and red threads shone brightly. Ma Jin even took out several coffins from his own storage space, slapped open the coffin lids, and directed several corpses to jump out and stand in a row to stop the strange creatures that had already rushed over.
"Respectfully inviting the Five Witches of the Five Paths!"
Green madness in the East, Red madness in the South
White tyrants in the west, black tyrants in the north, and yellow tyrants in the center!
They came from over the mountains, drawn by the sound, and went to the altar.
Chase away evil spirits and vanquish all heresy!
"I have been commanded by Zhang Wulang of Meishan to descend at once!"
One of them blew the ox horn, stepped into the Five Directions Steps, and brandished the Master's Knife. The Five Wraiths were mountain ghost soldiers, skilled at tearing apart illusions and capturing mountain spirits and ghosts. However, they had no hope of winning against the powerful Tree Demon Grandma. They could only hope to stall for time and let these children escape as much as possible. What a bunch of naughty kids! While thinking this, their bodies rushed forward involuntarily.
Chapter 232 Only Kill, No Salvation
"Hehe, we've been waiting for you bunch of old Taoist priests. Now that you're here, none of you are going to escape today!"
From inside the stilted house, another terrifying voice emanated, "Dare to disrupt Grandma's wedding today? Then leave them all here! Even your Taoist patriarch can't save you!"
Immediately afterwards, a gaunt figure wearing a tattered and faded bright red wedding dress rushed out of the stilted building and charged straight at Ma Jin and the others. Her wide robes hung loosely, making her figure appear as withered as a dried-out branch.
The dry, wrinkled skin clung tightly to the bones, the cheeks were sunken, and the skin was a dull grayish-brown, covered with wrinkles of varying depths, like tree bark that had been exposed to the sun for many years. The rouge that had been applied was now mottled and clumpy, starkly imprinted on the withered face.
"It's so ugly..."
Callis looked at the Tree Demon Grandma with disdain, having absolutely no desire to fight it. " Blase, it's up to you! Go for it!"
As she spoke, the silk thread in her hand quickly wrapped around Blaise's body, and she even thoughtfully massaged Kurama Cloak for him. "Hey, hey, no, you don't mind if you don't like me?"
There was no other way; the manipulated Blaise had already punched in front of Tree Demon Grandma, and the terrifying shockwave spread outwards. Ma Jin and the others stared wide-eyed at this scene. Dude, are Westerners really that physically strong? They dare to go head-to-head with a King-level monster?
Goyle and Crabbe also transformed and rushed into the eerie world, but their magic damage was obviously not enough to do much damage to the eerie world.
Theodore glanced at the group on the battlefield, thought for a moment, then took out his wand and unleashed Patronus Charm: " Expecto Patronum!"
A dazzling silver-white albatross bursts forth from the tip of the staff, its gentle yet powerful waves of light sweeping in all directions.
Unfortunately, these strange entities mostly survive by relying on resentment, yin energy, and the evil energy of the earth's veins, rather than feeding on "human happiness." Therefore, Patronus Charm can cause very little harm.
"Hehe, really?" Callis waved his hand, and two more puppets landed on the ground. He smiled at Blaise, "Darling, let them see our latest achievement!"
"No problem. Also, I like the way you are called, baby." Blaise bowed gracefully, then lit three incense sticks on her head, took three steps, and pulled a mask from her pocket, putting it on.
In an instant, Blaise's clothes seemed to surge and transform around her like flowing water. Her original clothes melted away layer by layer, and in their place was a plain white short robe with silver trim, embroidered with outstretched cranes and clouds, the patterns flowing with her body.
His long, black hair was tied up, with three sticks of incense burning with wisps of smoke firmly inserted in the center of his bun. The smoke slowly swirled upwards and did not dissipate. His clothes were neatly tailored and fell to his knees. A wide, vermilion belt was tightly tied around his waist, and the cuffs were trimmed with a scarlet border. The black, white, and red colors clashed, and beneath his handsome appearance lay a sense of ruthlessness.
Beside him were two puppets. On the left was General Zeng, wearing a dark blue battle robe with thick armor plates and dark cloud patterns on the bottom of the robe. His eyebrows and eyes were solemn, and the magic weapon in his palm hung quietly. On the right was General Sun, wearing a crimson battle skirt with ferocious patterns on the hem and a murderous aura surrounding him.
Both had neatly styled hair and wore orthodox military robes, one in blue and one in red, standing silently on either side of White Crane Boy.
Blaise, in his White Crane Boy form, slowly raised his eyes. His originally peaceful pupils suddenly narrowed, turning into two long, vertical pupils, and a chill emanated from the depths of his eyes.
His gaze was fixed on Tree Demon Grandma.
The moment that gaze fell upon him, Tree Demon Grandma's demonic power froze, his movements abruptly halting. A chilling aura, originating from the patrolling deity, surged within him, causing even his branches to tremble uncontrollably.
"This is... the head of the military?"
Ma Jin stared blankly at Blaise in front of him. How did this foreigner start using Taoist magic? The way he was making things was outrageous, and the way he was stepping to the music in three steps was actually quite convincing. It was getting his blood pumping.
"Wait... where did this music come from???"
Everyone turned around and saw Kurama fiddling with a large speaker. When she saw that everyone was looking at her, she smiled apologetically and quickly turned it off.
"Um, you guys continue... continue... don't worry about me..."
"Hehe, this feels great."
Blaise felt an explosive power coursing through his body, and even found Tree Demon Grandma somewhat adorable.
"Hehe, the community is here to bring warmth! Don't run away!" Callis raised her arm and slowly drew an arc, lightly touching the ground with her toes and moving sideways. Her body followed with a gentle rotation, her long sleeves spreading out in the air. With the turning motion, they gently brushed past her side. She bent her knees and lowered her body, then straightened her back and raised her sleeves. Light and shadow played on her swaying clothes, her figure undulating gracefully.
Don't underestimate this dancer. If Tree Demon Grandma really thinks Callis is an easy target, then if she hits her, who knows what will possess her next.
"Now you're scared? Heh, if I can't kill you in three incense sticks' time, I'm a complete idiot!"
Blaise Blaise snatched the trident from General Zeng's hand and flicked his wrist upwards.
The heavy iron fork tumbled several times in mid-air, and he smoothly gripped the handle with one hand to lift it steadily, his arm taut with clean lines. In the next instant, he exerted force and hurled it forward. The iron fork flashed with electricity, whistling through the air, and shot straight toward Tree Demon Grandma.
"no…"
Tree Demon Grandma didn't even have time to turn around, hastily spinning to try and avoid it, but her movements were ultimately a beat too slow.
The iron fork hurtled through her body with a whooshing sound, the immense impact sending her crashing backward and pinning her firmly to the stone wall. Her branch-like body struggled in vain, but could no longer break free.
Witnessing this scene, the ghost groom trembled, his legs went weak, and he knelt heavily on the ground, not daring to make the slightest move.
"I'm so sorry, everyone... Grandma was just drunk... We were wrong..."
Damn it! Why didn't you say so earlier if you had the means? It's just a banquet, if you had told me sooner I would have served you food on my knees... Did it have to turn into this mess?
The ghost groom lay prostrate on the ground, his body trembling uncontrollably, his head pressed tightly against the ground, his voice trembling as he pleaded desperately.
His eyes darted in terror toward Blaise, dressed as the White Crane Boy, standing in front of him. He kowtowed repeatedly, begging for mercy and asking to be spared.
"Ha, now you know to beg for mercy? Too late! I only kill those who don't cross over!"
Blaise was suddenly enveloped in a blinding golden light, the light waves flowing and surging along the folds of his clothes. The smoke from three sticks of incense intertwined with the golden light and rose up. A vast radiance shot into the sky from his body, transforming into a dazzling blade of light that slashed down from the sky.
A golden light swept across, and Tree Demon Grandma, who was pinned to the stone wall by an iron fork, along with the kneeling, trembling ghost groom, had no way to dodge.
The mournful cries vanished in an instant, and their bodies crumbled inch by inch in the dazzling divine light, completely turning into scattered black smoke that disappeared without a trace.
" Ma Jin, was his technique a little off when he threw the fork? Was he just learning?"
A Taoist priest standing next to Ma Jin stared in disbelief at the scene before him. After thinking for a long time, he finally managed to utter this sentence.
"No, my special effects are already super bright, why would I care how powerful it is?"
Blaise was immediately displeased upon hearing this. "I relied on special effects, okay? Just tell me if you're handsome or not!"
Chapter 233 Differences Between East and West (New book recommendation tomorrow)
As the last breath of Tree Demon Grandma completely vanished, the entire ghostly realm that shrouded the mountains and fields began to silently disintegrate and dissipate.
That eerie atmosphere of isolation from reality, coldness and deathly silence, faded away inch by inch, like mist blown away by the wind.
The oppressive weight and chill that had hung over the world vanished, and the distorted space and altered scenery returned to normal.
The once gray and sunless void slowly brightened, the eerie white fog that had obscured the view completely dissipated, and the long-lost natural light returned to this land.
All the illusory surroundings collapsed and disappeared completely.
The desolate forest, twisted roads, and eerie remnants that had been corrupted by the ghost realm were all restored, and the dilapidated village nestled in the mountains was finally restored to its former glory.
The walls of the houses are mottled and cracked, many roofs are broken and collapsed, the old locust tree at the entrance of the village has half a broken branch, the ground is covered with cracks and potholes, and there are traces of the destruction after the fight everywhere. Only a mess remains, standing quietly in the mountains and fields.
"That's it? How boring! I haven't even unleashed my ultimate move yet!"
Callis pouted, still somewhat dissatisfied that these monsters were too weak. She hadn't even exerted her full strength yet, and watching Blaise unleash her full power on Kamui was worse than killing her.
"Never mind, Callis," Olivia came over and pulled her aside, saying comforting words.
"Why don't you take a look over there, Master Ma Jin? Don't you still have a few zombies and monsters with him?"
Su Yu started acting like a monster again, scaring Master Ma Jin and the others into quickly hiding their treasures. Could these people be evil cultivators? They weren't done killing yet, so they started targeting their teammates who were just fighting side by side?
Zhang Qinwan sighed and tapped Su Yu's head, apologizing to Ma Jin and the others. "This kid is good in every way, except he has a big mouth."
"Stepmom, I can be very sweet-talking too." Su Yu retorted, who said he couldn't talk back? This made Zhang Qinwan, who was still complaining, blush instantly, and he stopped saying anything bad about Su Yu.
Easy peasy, hehe.
Outside, the mountain road the bus had been traveling on had returned to normal. The group said goodbye to Master Ma Jin and his companions and returned to the bus. Ma Jin and his group were waiting for the logistics staff from the Cultivation Department to arrive. Now that the fog had cleared, they estimated that the staff would be there soon.
On the bus, young master Malfoy was still unconscious, and Pansy was pinching his philtrum, just like Su Yu had taught her.
"Will this work, Chief?"
"I don't know either. I just saw this when people fainted in the movies."
"I think it would be better to slap him twice; that would probably wake him up faster."
Kurama truly lives up to her reputation as someone who can work with Su Yu. Tenten and Malfoy got along well, and the two of them were full of crazy ideas. In the end, it was Cho Chang who came over and pinched Malfoy's philtrum to wake him up.
"Pinching the philtrum is actually a painful stimulation. The philtrum is rich in nerves. Stimulating it forcefully can briefly awaken consciousness and prevent a person from remaining in a deep coma. It does not mean you should touch his philtrum."
Cho Chang explained to Pansy, while Su Yu and Kurama stood to the side, tilting their eyes and blowing air as if it wasn't their fault.
Neville finally hung up the call because Parvati was going to have lunch. She hadn't eaten breakfast and had been chatting with Neville all this time, even watching a big show. Now her stomach was growling with hunger, and before hanging up, she reminded Neville to remember to eat dinner too.
Parvati's comment made everyone in the car feel a bit hungry. They hadn't paid attention to the time while in the mountains, and only when they looked at their watches did they realize it was almost 7 p.m.
"Forget it, let's not rush today. Let's find a slightly larger town nearby, rest for the night, and then set off again."
Zhang Qinwan offered his suggestion, and Su Yu didn't object. Driving late at night was indeed unsafe in this day and age. However, it wasn't far from Xinhua County, so after discussing it, they decided to rest here for the night.
Xinhua belongs to the ancient Meishan region, where the local cuisine is spicy and people prefer mountain pepper oil (Litsea cubeba oil). The preserved meats, steamed dishes, and soups are very distinctive. As a result, this group of foreigners were all in tears from the spiciness.
"I swear, I definitely told the chef not to put in any chili or to put in less chili..."
Cho Chang raised his hands to indicate that he had told the chef several times, but even though it was only slightly spicy, it still made the group of little wizards, who had never eaten spicy food before, sweat profusely.
"Can't you guys eat something non-spicy...?"
Su Yu thought it was alright, but Goyle and Crabbe were practically breathing fire from their mouths. Those two idiots, you can't just stop eating because it's spicy, right? But these two are different. They never waste food, they have to finish it even if it's spicy. Right now, they're gulping down Xinhua rice wine while stuffing their stomachs with bastard soup.
Kurama was happily munching on a salted duck when Neville started cuddling with Parvati again, while Hermione was nearby, asking about what had been happening at the college lately.
What else could it be?
Harry and Ron are worried about their OWL exams in fifth grade. Without Hermione's notes to help them, they think they're going to fail this year.
Because Harry was worried about his exams, he even dared to make a mess of Professor Snape's class, resulting in a terrible mess of the remedy, and he was severely humiliated by Professor Snape.
" Potter, tell me, can you read?"
This made Malfoy, who was listening to their conversation, burst into laughter and almost spat out the snowflake dumpling in her mouth.
Okay, Harry, even though you two are this far apart, you still couldn't escape Malfoy's mockery...
Parvati was still complaining about Umbridge's classes. She was very strict, and every student had to ask permission before speaking and couldn't speak without permission, which was the most unbearable thing for them.
Furthermore, she insisted that they learn the basic principles of magic, while what they wanted was to practice magic!
In fact, Su Yu thinks this is the difference between East and West. The reason why there are far fewer practitioners in the East than wizards in the West is because the threshold is different.
In the West, you just need to follow along with the incantation. You know how to wave the wand, what the incantation is, and once you remember it, you can use it. They don't care about the underlying reasons why they can use it. Their education is the same; as long as you can use it, that's enough. Of course, theoretical courses like those at Umbridge seem boring and tedious.
In contrast, the East is quite the opposite. Eastern teachers don't teach you how to use this magic; they just throw you a manual containing instructions on how many meridians you need to open, how to open them, and how to channel your internal energy to use techniques. This is a typical example of how you need to know what Qi is, what the principles are, and why things work this way. Only after you understand these things can you cultivate yourself and use all sorts of techniques.
This is why there are fewer practitioners in the East; the threshold is too high, and the path of cultivation is tedious and boring, which discourages many people.
So Su Yu thinks Umbridge just didn't choose the right place. If she came to the University of Tokyo, she would definitely be an excellent teacher, hahaha. What's the difference between her and those elders in cultivation novels? None. They just throw a manual at you and you have to read it yourself. Have you learned it? If you have, then use it.
(It's so strange, when I update one picture a day, five or six hundred people see it, when I update two pictures a day, three or four hundred people see it... I'm speechless.)
Chapter 234 Young Master Malfoy Fainted Again (Thanks to the invincible Ayunga for the loving contribution)
Parvati was still chatting with Hermione and Neville, complaining about how Harry was becoming increasingly ill-mannered.
Because Hagrid The professor's disappearance, and Harry's recent visits to Magical Creatures Protection Class to talk about Grappling... The professor had a very strong opinion, even though the entire student body felt that Graprang Professor is better than Hagrid The professor's classes were much more interesting, but Harry and Ron were still not convinced.
And so, Harry even talked to Grampus. The professor wouldn't even call her by name before speaking; he treated her like dirt. In class, he'd always start by asking, " Where's Hagrid?"
This isn't the first time; it's obvious they haven't taken advantage of Grampus. The professor treated him like a human being, so the other person didn't bother with him and replied firmly, "It's none of your business."
And in Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration Class, those two idiots should have sat at the same table as Goyle and Crabbe. They couldn't cast the Vanishing Charm in two classes, while Hermione, who was chatting with Parvati, tried it on her own and succeeded, which made Malfoy burst into laughter again.
They mocked Harry Potter for being just like his father, saying that if he had any social skills, he wouldn't be in such a bad situation at school, isolated by the whole school. Didn't he ever consider that it was his own fault?
Su Yu felt that Harry was too resilient. He was put in solitary confinement by Umbridge and punished by having to write "I cannot lie" in his own blood. If it were anyone else, they would have bled to death after writing it so many times. But if it were Su Yu, Umbridge would definitely be the one writing it now, and she would not be allowed to stop for even a second before the blood had dried up.
Hermione felt sorry for her eldest son, but Su Yu did not pity this stubborn kid.
The hotels in the small town weren't very luxurious; even the toilets were communal. There was even a mortuary next door. Young Master Malfoy asked Su Yu what it was for, but Su Yu, not wanting Malfoy to be afraid to go to the toilet alone at night, didn't tell him what it was for. She just vaguely said that it was for people to put their things away.
So, around three or four in the morning, a deafening scream shattered the night sky of the small town. All the dogs in the village were startled and began barking wildly. The roosters were too frightened to crow and retreated to their burrows to engage in a philosophical discussion about chicken life with the hens.
Su Yu had only been asleep for a short while. He slept with Isolde tonight. It's not Su Yu's fault; Isolde was just too restless. Fleur in the next room had been eavesdropping for most of the night, and the blush on his face hadn't faded yet. He was really playing around, and there were also a lot of things about his father. Ugh!
So when young Master Malfoy screamed, the first person to rush out was his beloved mother, Pansy. Malfoy was lying on the ground, foaming at the mouth and pale-faced. Feng Qipo, who was leading a group of zombies, was also so frightened that he clutched his chest and gasped for breath.
Pansy's first thought was that Malfoy had been attacked. Without saying a word, she pulled out her wand and cast Stupefy on Feng Qipo. Although he was panting heavily, he still waved his hand and used his client as a shield when he saw Pansy's attack.
"Young lady, I think there might be some misunderstanding here!"
While fending off Pansy's relentless attacks, Feng Qipo tried to find an opportunity to explain. After all, he had scared people at night more than once or twice, so he was quite experienced. However, this was the first time he had been frightened by someone else. This foreigner was shouting too loudly, catching him off guard.
"What misunderstanding? Malfoy is already on the ground. Right and wrong are irrelevant now. Today, I'm going to make you pay with your life!"
Pansy spoke in broken Dongda dialect, and Ancient Magic prepared to make a move. These zombies were too tough; many magic spells had no effect on them.
Like Expelliarmus, are you going to pull out a zombie's fingernails or replace its teeth? Stupefy is even more useless; its mental resistance is maxed out, it's basically a dead person, laughable, it never even woke up. And Avada Kedavra, she's not going to die for you either.
In the nick of time, it was Zhang Qinwan who stepped in and stopped the two who were still fighting, thus preventing Pansy from unleashing her lightning strike spell. Otherwise, Feng Qipo would have lost a lot of customers.
" Malfoy just fainted from fright, he's fine..."
Malfoy is really unlucky; he fainted twice in one day. He'll probably be traumatized by it.
"I was desperate too, okay? Who would have thought that I went to the bathroom in the middle of the night and came out to see a whole bunch of zombies jumping around? Do you know how much damage it did to me when they all turned around and looked at me at the same time??"
When Malfoy woke up, he cried his heart out in Pansy's arms, his nose almost running. Su Yu thought that if Harry could see Malfoy like this, he could die in peace.
Callis and Blaise, dressed in their pajamas, were laughing, one hugging Olivia and the other hugging Theodore, shaking with tears in their eyes. Kurama, along with Goyle and Crabbe, were secretly eating the leftover smoked duck from last night. The whole group was in a chaotic mess, like they were having a meeting.
Zhang Qinwan was still apologizing to Feng Qipo, but Feng Qipo didn't care. After all, his line of work was all about offending people. Anyone who saw them in the middle of the night would curse and say something unlucky, so he didn't take it to heart at all. Then there was the meat that Cho Chang brought over, and he was extremely grateful.
At this moment, Su Yu, who had finally come to his senses, also walked over with a yawn. Young Master Malfoy looked at Su Yu resentfully. Su Yu shrugged. How could he be blamed? If he had told Malfoy earlier, Malfoy would have been so scared that he couldn't sleep all night.
Cassandra, who came down with Su Yu, looked at the sky that was beginning to lighten, yawned, and decided that since they couldn't sleep anyway, they might as well pack up and continue on their way. It was almost dawn, and they could sleep in the car.
So the group packed their things, said goodbye to Feng Qipo, and continued on their journey.
The Yinling Sect is collectively known in the spiritual community as the Xiangxi Corpse-Driving Sect.
They often use a yin gong and a bronze soul-summoning bell, and it is said that when their bells ring, the god of joy will follow.
Su Yu was standing at the foot of the mountain. There was no main road ahead, so the bus couldn't go any further. They had to walk. The location of the Yinling Sect was in the valley on the other side of the mountain, after crossing the mountain.
"Another mountain climb..."
Callis complained that the mountains at Tokyo University are difficult to climb, especially in these deep forests where there are countless poisonous insects and the mountain paths are very steep, making it quite troublesome.
"That's still considered good. If we went to the Hengduan Mountains in Yunnan Province, to the Miao villages on the Ailao Mountains, it would be even more difficult."
Zhang Qinwan somehow broke off a tree branch, made a walking stick, and casually mentioned it to Callis.
"Huh? Chief! Chief! Can we not go?... I'm going to be exhausted..."
"Don't tell me, I can't help it either. Why don't you have your Blaise carry you? Look at Ginny, I have to carry her."
Ginny, standing behind Su Yu, poked her little head out and stuck out her tongue at Callis, looking adorable.
" Blaise? Forget it, that greyhound, I'd probably exhaust him to death..."
"What nonsense are you talking about! Come on! Get on my back, I don't believe you can kill me with this? What a joke!"
Su Yu rolled her eyes at Blaise. "You're really something. Callis scolded you like a second son in just a few words."
" Su Yu ~ We're tired too..."
Not far away, Su Yu looked at the girls in front of her with a headache. "Fine, fine, they're all starting to compete for attention, aren't they... And Fleur, why are you joining in?"
Chapter 235 Tragic
On the mountain path of Yinling Sect, Su Yu cast another Wooden Dragon spell, with everyone riding on top. Hermione and Cassandra used a Muggle banishment spell to prevent any villagers going up the mountain from accidentally seeing them. Malfoy and the others used a restoration spell behind them to restore the road and forest damaged by the Wooden Dragon to their original state.
"This is too much trouble."
Malfoy was speechless. So what if she went hiking? Girls are such a hassle. She had to use the device to recover completely countless times along the way.
"Then go down and carry Pansy."
Blaise, panting, said that he just wouldn't believe it and carried Callis for a while. This silly girl was so heavy that he almost died of exhaustion.
Malfoy glanced at Blaise's miserable state, pursed his lips, and thought, "Well, it's better this way. Pansy's not exactly light either..."
" Draco! What kind of look is that! I've taken care of you the whole way, and you still dare to complain about me?"
Malfoy behaved himself now; he deserved to be taught a lesson.
Kurama jumped around on the head of the Wooden Dragon, shaking the longevity lock around her neck, which jingled happily.
However, the further they went, the more terrifying the atmosphere became. Wooden coffins were placed on both sides of the road, and some were even hanging on the cliffs, intertwined with countless red threads. Many copper bells were tied to the red threads. The earthquake caused by the Wooden Dragon made all the copper bells ring incessantly. Malfoy shrank his neck and automatically leaned into Pansy's arms.
With no other option, Su Yu had to retreat to the Wooden Dragon. The road ahead was getting narrower and narrower, and with so many coffins, Su Yu was afraid that before even entering the mountain gate, he would crush all of their ancestors.
Su Yu looked up and saw no birds or insects chirping in the mountain valley. It was deathly silent all around, and a heavy, cold mist clung to the rocks, spreading all the way to the gate of Yinling Sect.
Two imposing, heavy iron gates stood at the edge of the cliff. The gates were covered with rust and etched with twisted and tangled soul-guiding patterns, with a layer of dark brown old marks between the gaps in the patterns.
Above the lintel hangs a row of bronze bells of varying sizes, covered in dark blue patina, with their openings facing the mountain path.
Even though there was no wind at all, the copper bells would occasionally vibrate gently on their own.
Ding... Dong...
A faint, chilling bell rang out intermittently, as if it were piercing to the bone.
On either side of the mountain gate stood two faceless stone statues, their eyes hollowed out in deep pits. Their bodies were covered with withered, blackened vines, and no grass could grow in the cracks of the stone slabs on the ground, only scattered pieces of withered yellow paper money.
The giant gate was not completely closed in the center, leaving a narrow, dark slit from which a chilling aura emanated, and looking inside revealed a bottomless darkness.
As the crowd stood beneath the mountain gate, besides the ringing of the bell, they could almost hear the faint, muffled howls of countless departed souls emanating from the depths of the crack in the gate.
"Oh no! Something's happened to the Yinling Sect?"
Zhang Qinwan looked at the silent, deserted mountain gate and the half-open giant gate, wanting to rush over to see what had happened, but Su Yu stopped her. Tenseigan opened her eyes and scanned the surroundings.
"There are no living people inside..."
"What?"
Goyle and Crabbe stepped forward and pushed open the two heavy, black iron gates. The scene that greeted everyone completely stunned them.
Fleur was the first to lose control, quickly retreating and leaning against the stone statue by the door to vomit. Then Ginny, Neville, Cho Chang, and the others all started feeling nauseous and rushed out to vomit just like Fleur.
The moment Su Yu stepped through the mountain gate, a strong stench of blood hit her, making it hard to breathe.
There was no sign of life in the courtyard. Corpses lay scattered everywhere, and blood soaked through the bluestone tiles, flowing down the grooves of the stone slabs and forming dark red pools of blood.
Broken weapons and torn clothing were scattered everywhere. Large patches of blackened bloodstains were splattered on the beams and walls, and some places still bore the charred and damaged marks left by magical attacks.
Passing through the chaotic front yard, the main hall's gate was broken and crooked. Inside the hall, the corpse of Yinling Sect Master Wu knelt heavily beneath the high platform of the hall, his body falling forward. A hideous and horrifying wound pierced through his back, and his once-wearing Taoist robe was soaked in blood, with large patches of dark red congealed on the fabric.
He still clutched the broken claw tightly in his hand, his fingers stiff from the excessive force, his head tilted slightly to one side, his eyes wide open, his eyes still filled with the resentment and grief before his death.
The offering table on the high platform shattered and overturned, the memorial tablets were smashed, and blood flowed down the steps, mingling with the bloodstains in the courtyard.
The houses where the Yinling Sect disciples used to live were wide open, tables and chairs were overturned and broken, window frames were broken, and fallen disciples could be seen everywhere on the ground.
Many of the corpses were in contorted positions, showing that they had fought back fiercely before they died. The incense burner in the courtyard was overturned, and the incense ash mixed with blood was tangled up in a mess.
A chilling wind swept through the corridor, swirling up tattered pieces of cloth on the ground. Silence reigned, broken only by the low, whistling sound of the wind whistling through the broken beams. The air was thick with the lingering stench of blood, mixed with the smoke of gunpowder and the faint smell of decaying corpses. The entire mountain gate was a scene of devastation, a gruesome aftermath of battle.
The group stood frozen in place, staring at the horrifying scene before them at the entrance to the dilapidated palace.
The strong stench of blood filled my nostrils, and the sight of corpses and blood everywhere assaulted my eyes, making my heart feel as if a huge rock was pressing down on it.
The words he wanted to say were stuck in his throat; he opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
No one spoke; even their breathing was unconsciously slowed down, leaving only heavy, suppressed panting and a bone-chilling coldness enveloping everyone's hearts.
"Chief...Chief? This..."
Malfoy smacked his lips, thought for a long time, but couldn't think of anything to say.
"Quickly notify the training branch here. This is not something we can handle; it's too big of a deal."
Su Yu tugged at Zhang Qinwan, who was still standing there in a daze, and whispered something.
Yes...yes...
Zhang Qinwan also came to his senses, took out the communicator from the storage bag at his waist, and walked to the side to start contacting the outside world. Such a thing had never happened since the founding of the country. You have to know that Yinling Sect is not a small sect. It has countless disciples who walk the corpse. As the only corpse-driving sect in Dongda, it has been passed down for a hundred years. Although it cannot compare with famous sects, it is not something that can be wiped out at will.
The cultivation world at Tokyo University is about to change...
Who's there?
Kurama's sense of malice suddenly detected a powerful malice flash by, and he immediately crawled on all fours, baring his teeth at the spot where the malice had just passed.
" Isolde, Cassandra, Malfoy, and Pansy, you guys come with me to see what's going on. The rest of you stay here to protect Aunt Zhang and wait for the Cultivation Department to handle it."
"yes!"
Chapter 236 Ancient Town
At the foot of Yinling Sect Mountain, there is a great river called Yuanjiang. When Su Yu led his men to this place, it was almost noon.
"That's it!"
Kurama shouted and stepped forward to stop the monster, but Su Yu picked him up first.
"Wait a minute, don't be so hasty, let's see where it runs first."
The black figure resembled a half-grown child, covered in rotting water plants. Its black claws dripped foul-smelling mud, and its crimson eyes stared intently at the river. A series of hissing sounds, like the cries of an infant, escaped its throat, stirring up cold ripples on the surface of the pool.
"What is this? Water Ghoul?"
"What is Water Ghoul?" Cassandra interrupted Su Yu, who was talking to herself.
"It is a water demon that has cultivated for many years in the deep pools of rivers and lakes. It is incredibly strong and fast underwater. It specializes in pulling people who have fallen into the water and dragging them to the bottom to take their place. It can also imitate the crying of babies and the cries of women for help to lure passersby on the shore to the water. Those with high cultivation can even release water mist to bewitch people's minds, causing them to hallucinate and become confused, thus making them willingly walk into the water."
"That sounds really mysterious..." Young Master Malfoy took a few steps back, feeling somewhat like crying. He and this kind of guy from Dongda University were really incompatible; they were afraid of everything he saw, and they were his nemesis.
The group remained hidden in the shadows, watching the Water Ghoul jump into the river. With Su Yu's Tenseggan there, the Water Ghoul had no chance of escaping.
"This really surprised me."
Su Yu watched as the Water Ghoul swam deeper and deeper into the river and then disappeared. He turned back to Cassandra to discuss a plan. It turned out that Su Yu had discovered a teleportation device at the bottom of the river, and the Water Ghoul had escaped through this device.
"But the one thing we're not good at is naval warfare..."
What Cassandra said is true. Whether in the West or the East, underwater warfare has always been a challenge. Compared to these creatures, humans have a natural advantage in underwater combat.
Su Yu could only send a few water clones to check the situation first, and then make a plan after seeing what was on the other side of the portal.
After waiting for a while, until the water clone dissipated and returned to Su Yu's body, Su Yu opened her eyes. The other side of the portal was a town hidden under a large lake!
The town lies at the bottom of a deep lake, where an ancient barrier, almost transparent in color, stretches out, effectively isolating the surging lake waters from the outside.
Beyond the barrier lies a turbulent, dark lake. Fish and aquatic plants drift slowly outside the barrier, and the waves crash against the invisible screen, creating only tiny ripples, with not a single drop of water seeping in.
Within the barrier, there was a world filled with air.
After the water clone entered the portal, an ancient town submerged at the bottom of the lake quietly unfolded before their eyes, filled with the simple and rustic brick and wood buildings of old Jiangnan.
The bluestone streets were covered with dark water stains, and black algae filaments crawled in the gaps, making a sticky squeaking sound when stepped on.
On both sides are old-style wooden buildings in the Jiangnan style, with dilapidated and crooked eaves and corners. Many beams and pillars have rotted and turned black, and most of the carved wooden windows are broken. The dark windows are like empty eye sockets, coldly staring at the empty streets and alleys.
The doors of the taverns and shops along the street were crooked and askew, some half-open, and some had already collapsed to the ground.
The high-hanging banner had long since rotted into shreds, and the tattered strips of cloth hung from the eaves. Even without wind, they would inexplicably tremble slightly, emitting a faint and eerie rustling sound.
In the middle of the long street stands a mottled stone archway, its stone carvings blurred by the passage of time. Thick dust has accumulated beneath the archway, and scattered around are pottery jars and broken porcelain shards abandoned countless years ago.
Inside the house, the tables and chairs remained the same, and the bowls and chopsticks were casually placed on the table. The stove had long since cooled down, and the old well at the street corner was wide open, its bottom dark and unfathomable.
In the distance, the temple doors were ajar, and the paint on the statues inside was peeling off, their features blurred and distorted, looking particularly strange in the dim light.
Although there was no lake, the air was filled with a lingering damp and putrid smell. The empty streets stretched endlessly into the darkness, as if something might peek out from the broken windows at any moment.
After confirming that there was no danger on the other side of the portal, Su Yu used Chakra to create an air bubble, enveloping the group, and jumped into the river, arriving at the ancient town through the portal.
The streets were deserted, not a soul in sight. The entire town was deathly silent. Although everything was intact, the eeriness of the streets and alleys sent chills down one's spine.
"Do you think this might be their underworld?"
Malfoy, nestled in Pansy's arms, poked its head out, its voice trembling slightly.
"I think you should practice more and desensitize yourself."
Theodore patted Malfoy on the shoulder, looked around, and thought to himself how great it would be if this place could be turned into a library, then no one would bother him while he read.
At this moment of utter silence.
jingle--
A clear, crisp bell rang out suddenly, without warning.
Young Master Malfoy was the first to react, immediately wrapping his arms around Pansy's neck in a princess carry and being lifted up by her. "You brat Malfoy, how am I supposed to use my magic like this!"
"It seems like a fight is taking place over there in the distance?"
Cassandra Apparition reached a high point and looked at the large group of Water Ghouls that appeared in the distance, talking to Su Yu beside him.
"Indeed, I also saw four living people inside Water Ghoul."
"Should we make a move, boss?"
"Let's see how things go first. Don't be afraid, Malfoy, we're about to set off."
...
Meng You is a disciple of the sage Meng family. Today, he accompanied three companions to Dongting Lake to carry out an inspection mission for the Cultivation Department. However, the mission was going well, but Yueli, who was with him, was suddenly grabbed by a large hand that reached out from the lake and pulled into the depths of Dongting Lake.
Seeing this, Meng You didn't think much of it and followed the other two into the water to rescue their companion. The four of them ended up in this ancient town by accident, which can be described as extremely unlucky.
But that wasn't the end of it. After Meng You and his two companions reunited with Yueli, they were surrounded by a group of Water Ghouls. These Water Ghouls had extremely high defense and could coordinate with each other, which put the four of them in a tough fight.
"The frosty tip opens up the distant pass, the brushstroke breaks through the layers of shadow!"
Meng You's body condensed into a long sword of spiritual energy, which he thrust straight at the Water Ghoul in front of him. However, he saw a large group of Water Ghouls appear behind him, so he quickly turned around and shouted.
"A long wind blows, unfurling the scrolls; its vast expanse fills the flat forest!"
Countless phantom scrolls fluttered and swept across the area, constantly impacting the monsters that were about to rush up from behind. A massive offensive swept outwards, suppressing these Water Ghouls.
Sure enough, Su Yu sighed, "Confucian cultivators are truly impressive. Even their attacks are pleasing to the eye, exuding a refined elegance. If I and Kurama were to go up there, we could only manage to shout 'Awesome!' at most..."
The other burly man was clearly a well-built individual, with a muscular physique that accentuated his tall and imposing figure. He had bronze skin, and his coarse cloth short jacket was stretched taut by his bulging muscles.
With broad shoulders, a thick back, bulging muscles in his arms, a firm chest and abdomen, and strong, powerful legs, he showed no signs of spiritual energy, yet with each punch, a Water Ghoul would turn into a bloody mist.
The Taoist priest beside him wore a dark blue robe with embroidered Bagua patterns on the cuffs. His hair was tied up in a wooden hairpin, and he held a copper coin sword tightly in his hand. Ancient copper coins were strung together with red rope, their copper color mottled and dark.
With a cloth bag slung across his back containing yellow talismans and peach wood nails, and a copper bell hanging from his waist, he had a cold and stern look in his eyes and a steady gait. He wielded a copper coin sword, slashing at the Water Ghouls that the body cultivators had overlooked. Occasionally, he would take out a talisman and stick it on their heads, rendering them unable to move.
" Yueli! Aren't you ready yet? We can't hold on much longer!"
Meng You was panting heavily, his body was starting to feel the strain from constantly using magic. He turned to look at Yueli, who was still sitting cross-legged on the ground, and shouted loudly.
"Don't rush me! I'm still trying to communicate with Grandmother Changxian, but she's reluctant to come out. What can I do?"
"Wow, this one even has a shaman!" Su Yu looked at Yueli curiously. Suddenly, the girl opened her eyes, shouted "Okay!", and then made complicated hand gestures.
"I have heard of your profound cultivation over the years, your hidden traces amidst towering peaks. The incense smoke reaches the celestial abode from afar; I wish to borrow your divine power to connect with this body and manifest myself in the mortal world!"
"Respectfully inviting Grandmother Changxian!"
A soft, cool aura slowly rose from the soles of her feet, sending tingling sensations through her limbs, and the surrounding air seemed to tremble slightly like ripples on water.
Yueli's shoulders trembled slightly, her gaze suddenly shifting. A hoarse, effeminate voice, unlike her own, rose from the depths of her throat:
"Oh dear, you've gotten yourself into trouble again. Well, since I've already asked you, I'll lend a hand this time."
Chapter 237 Recognizing Relatives
Su Yu is interested in shamanic spirits, not Yueli. After all, he still longs for his beloved snake Nagini. If Nagini were to learn these snake spirits' cultivation methods, would she be able to return to her original form?
Turning our gaze back to the battlefield, where the lingering scent of incense had not yet dissipated, the girl's figure suddenly trembled.
Her usual radiance faded from her eyes, and a chilling aura emanated from her body, making the surrounding air seem to drop several degrees in temperature.
Her fingernails grew rapidly, gleaming with a cold, grayish-white luster, sharp and long, with slightly curved tips like the claws of a python.
Her eyes had turned a murky, dark green, no longer resembling their original appearance. Grandmother Changxian had already manifested in this body.
Several Water Ghouls roared as they leaped out of the shadows, foul-smelling muddy water dripping from their bodies.
The girl moved with light, gliding steps, her body possessing the eerie suppleness unique to snakes, and she met the attack with only her two sharp claws.
With a sharp, long claw, it slashed down fiercely, tearing Water Ghoul's body, which was covered in mud and weeds, apart with a crisp, tearing sound. Black, foul-smelling blood splattered everywhere.
She moved swiftly and unpredictably, her hands clawing and scratching, each strike tearing flesh and blood. Water Ghoul's black mist body was ripped open by her claws, and her yin energy dissipated in patches.
A Water Ghoul lunged at her from the side. She dodged to the side, then swung her claws back and dug them into the other's shoulder. With a powerful tug, she tore the grotesque body apart, leaving it in a distorted, gritty shape.
A chilling aura swirled around her fingertips, and wherever Water Ghoul was scratched by her nails, frost would appear at the wound, the demonic power would dissipate rapidly, and a series of shrill screams would echo continuously in the ancient city at the bottom of the lake.
"Hehehehe, it's been a long time since I've gone on such a killing spree! But you monsters are really ugly, don't run away, come and play!"
Another Water Ghoul, carrying foul-smelling black water, lunged at her, its mouth full of sharp teeth aimed straight for her neck. The girl neither dodged nor evaded; instead, she twisted her waist strangely, avoiding the attack, while her five sharp claws swept downwards fiercely, tearing half of the Water Ghoul's body apart, sending fragments of black mist flying everywhere.
"Fellow Daoists, have you seen enough? If so, please show yourselves and let's have a chat. Hiding and hiding is not the way of upright people."
The girl turned her head and looked at the place where Su Yu and the others were hiding, then laughed as if to greet them.
"We're not exactly respectable people either, so do we not need to go out? Besides, I haven't seen enough yet."
Young Master Malfoy didn't quite understand the implied meaning in the words spoken by the students from Dongda University. He thought they meant that only the righteous should come forward, while the villains should be left out.
"What's going on? Are there other people here?"
Meng You hurriedly retreated, nervously looking in the direction the girl was looking, his hands flashing with incantations, assuming a posture ready to attack at any moment.
"Confucian boy, relax. The energy on the other side is so powerful that even I'm scared. Even if you crush the magic in your hand, you might not be able to cause any damage. Hopefully, they're not some kind of evil or crooked sect. Otherwise, even I might not survive today."
The girl giggled, showing no sign of nervousness, and even teased Meng You a little. This made Meng You even more nervous, and he stared intently in the direction of Su Yu.
"No, brother, there's a battle going on! It's one thing if you don't help, but why are you chatting? We can't hold on much longer..."
The Taoist priest flung out the last few talismans from his body, turned around and shouted angrily. In that moment of distraction, Water Ghoul slashed his arm, causing him to wince in pain.
"Let me do it, Flame..."
Malfoy hadn't even finished shouting " Fiendfyre Curse" when Theodore pulled him back.
"Idiot, this is all wooden buildings from the University of Tokyo. You 're trying to kill us all here with a Fiendfyre Curse?"
"Heh, I just didn't expect that. Besides, why are you yelling so loudly!"
If it weren't for the fact that lightning couldn't be drawn from the bottom of the lake, Theodore would have loved to strike him dead with a bolt of lightning. Malfoy hadn't learned a single good thing from Pansy.
Pansy blushed and apologized to Theodore. After all, Malfoy was quick-witted and knew how to apply what he learned. He was really great.
Su Yu didn't waste any words. What's the most abundant thing at the bottom of the lake? It must be sand. A large amount of river sand gradually seeped out from the cracks in the bluestone slabs, quickly covering all the Water Ghouls. In the blink of an eye, the town was filled with sandbags about half the size of a person.
"Sandstorm sends us to our graves!"
Blood-red sand exploded everywhere, filling the entire town with a stench. Blood rain fell on Meng You and his two companions, who were still in shock. The girl had already activated her barrier, keeping the sand mixed with the stench of blood outside.
Then a strong wind blew by, carrying away the foul stench.
The four watched as a handsome young man with dark hair from the East emerged from a room, leading several blond-haired, blue-eyed foreigners. Their hearts, which had just settled, jumped again. The words of thanks they were about to say stuck in their throats, and they stood there dumbfounded for a moment.
"Oh? I didn't expect you to be a bunch of foreigners. Tell me, what brings you here? If you can't answer me, I'll risk my life to kill a few of these foreign devils for you to see."
The girl had already extended her ten sharp claws, the smile on her face had disappeared, leaving only a solemn expression, her legs were tense, and she was ready to launch an attack at any moment.
"I am Su Yu from the Su Family of Shanghai. Senior, we mean no harm."
Su Yu cupped his hands in greeting and bowed to his senior. He was not Harry, that stupid idiot who had no mother to raise him and was a good-for-nothing who didn't know any manners.
" The Su Family of Shanghai? What proof do you have?"
Grandmother Changxian was unlikely to easily believe Su Yu's words. The Su Family of Shanghai was one of the four most prestigious families in the city. Did she really think that what she said made sense?
Su Yu then threw out a jade pendant, which was proof of his identity and had been given to him by his father earlier.
"Oh dear, child, you should have said so sooner! You made Grandma worry for so long. I used to hold your father in my arms back then. Come here, let Grandma see you. Look at you, in the blink of an eye, your skinny dad already has a child. He's so handsome and adorable."
Grandmother Changxian took the jade pendant, glanced at it, and then her attitude completely changed, almost making Su Yu flinch. What was all this about? How did it come to the point that her father looked like a skinny monkey?
Grandmother Changxian pulled Su Yu close, looking her up and down, growing more fond of her with each glance. "You silly child," she said, "I heard you went to England, right? What's so great about that place? It's full of uncivilized barbarians. What if they corrupt you? You're the only heir of the Su family! You must have suffered a lot there, poor child. Look how thin you've become! Your unreliable father is really something. Is there anyone at home who can't take care of you? Why did he have to leave you in a foreign land? Remember, you must come to Grandma's house when you come back this time. Grandma will make sure you get some nourishment. How will you ever get married if you're this thin? By the way, speaking of getting married, is there any girl you like? Let me tell you, there are plenty of girls in the family. Don't follow your unreliable father's example. Grandma can introduce you to a hundred or two hundred girls. Surely you'll find one you like, right? You can always marry a few more. Your Su family is just too small..."
Grandmother Changxian wouldn't stop talking to Su Yu, who didn't know how to interject. Meng, You, and the other two stared at Grandmother Changxian in disbelief. They had never seen this aunt so enthusiastic before. Grandmother, you've never even cared for your own children like this...
"She spoke too fast, I didn't hear her clearly, but did she just curse at us...?"
Malfoy leaned close to Pansy's ear and whispered something.
"Possibly, but I didn't hear clearly..."
Chapter 238 Demon Tower (Thank you Baichai for the love and support!)
Grandmother Changxian's excessive enthusiasm left Su Yu, who had never interacted with her elders before, somewhat at a loss. She stood there, constantly scratching the back of her head, which made Isolde and Cassandra, who were watching from the side, both amused and exasperated.
"By the way, Grandma Changxian, what exactly is going on here?"
Su Yu finally asked the question she wanted to ask.
"Grandma doesn't know either, you'll have to ask these little ones."
Grandmother Changxian raised an eyebrow and looked at Meng You and the other two.
Is this discrimination? Your distinction is too obvious. You treat Su Yu like a precious grandson, but treat us like little brats?
But what could Meng You do? Their seniority was ridiculously high, and their cultivation was unfathomable. It was perfectly normal for them to look down on a few oddballs.
After Meng You's explanation, Su Yu understood that this was the bottom of Dongting Lake. They came down to investigate because they sensed that the blood energy here had suddenly become thicker. They didn't expect to encounter so many Water Ghouls and almost lost their lives here.
The bloodlust is thickening? Is it related to the Yinling Sect? Interesting.
Su Yu pondered to herself, resting her chin on her hand.
"Forget it, let's give up thinking about it," Su Yu turned around. Grandmother Changxian had already left Yueli's body and transformed into a small snake wrapped around her wrist. He was sternly scolding her for not paying attention to her training and so on. Sure enough, there's always the nagging of elders everywhere…
Yueli's head bobbed up and down like a chick nodding off rice, constantly promising to intensify her training when she got back.
"I plan to explore further inside. What are your plans, fellow cultivators?"
Su Yu couldn't figure it out, so she decided to keep going in and see if she could find any useful clues.
"Can we go together? We promise we won't hold you back."
Meng You cupped his hands in greeting, indicating that he and his companions were also willing to travel together. After all, they had come here to investigate the reason for the thickening of the blood demon, and they would not be willing to go back like this.
Su Yu didn't mind; they could go together. So, the group headed deeper into the town together.
Kurama jumped on Yueli's shoulder and chatted with Grandmother Changxian. Grandmother Changxian was overjoyed, calling her "Grandma" repeatedly. This was a fairy fox with Nine-tailed Celestial Fox blood. If we're talking about bloodline, even Grandma Hu would have to kowtow to her first.
Cassandra and the others listened as Meng You introduced the architectural style of the town, and then tried to deduce which dynasty it belonged to and how many years it had existed.
The deeper they went, the stronger the bloodlust became, and the air was filled with the stench of blood, making them feel nauseous. Strangely, however, not a single Water Ghoul appeared along the way, and the quiet surroundings were somewhat unsettling.
Su Yu stopped in her tracks. They were now almost at the center of the town. Blood was flowing out of the stone slabs under their feet, and with each step, they could feel the stickiness beneath their feet.
Kurama didn't want to get off and walk another step. It was disgusting. She didn't want these things sticking to her feet, even if she was wrapped in Chakra. She stepped on the heads of several people and landed on Su Yu's shoulder.
"Wow, it's huge..." Kurama looked up at the tower in front of him. From a distance, it only seemed a little big, but when he got closer, he realized that the tower was frighteningly tall.
Blood dripped continuously down the tower, and the tower emitted a red glow as if it were breathing, making the entire demon tower look exceptionally eerie.
"Should we go in?" Malfoy swallowed hard, his brain seemingly protesting vehemently, "Chief, can't we just destroy it already?"
"What are you saying... Aren't you afraid it's full of bombs? Where would we escape to then?"
"But there really is a bomb inside. Wouldn't we just die even faster if we went in?"
Malfoy's thought process was indeed quick, leaving Pansy, who was refuting him, at a loss for words.
"We're here to investigate... not to cause destruction... what's the point of investigating if everything's already blown up?"
Su Yu looked at the two of them with a helpless expression, then went inside first.
The entire tower was devoid of any light source, except for the dark red glow rising from the depths of the enormous blood pool that greeted visitors upon entering, which stained everything in the tower with a rotting, bloody hue.
The dark beams crisscrossed, and countless corpses hung from them.
The corpses were in various shapes and sizes, including men, women, and children. Their clothes were rotten and blackened by years of dripping blood, and the tattered pieces of cloth hung limply, revealing the pale, swollen, and even slightly eroded flesh underneath.
Thick, dark, blood-soaked bronze chains pierced through the shoulder bones, collarbones, or jaws of each corpse, digging deep into the muscles and suspending them vertically in mid-air.
Countless corpses lay piled up, some heads drooping limply, long hair clinging wetly to pale cheeks; others had stiff, limp limbs, thick drops of blood dripping from their fingertips; still others had long since withered and shriveled, flesh clinging to bone, their grim skeletal outlines reflected in the faint glow of blood.
The wind whistled through the gaps in the tower, moving silently. Patches of hanging corpses swayed gently with the airflow, slowly colliding and emitting extremely faint, chilling friction sounds, the rustling of rotting clothes, the soft crackling of bones colliding, and the slightly hoarse sound of sticky scabs peeling off flesh, all swirling and enveloping the entire tower.
Thick, dark red blood spread heavily throughout the blood pool, its surface viscous and heavy, resembling semi-solidified rotten flesh rather than flowing water.
The blood was dark and inky, but deep inside, tiny bubbles kept churning and bubbling.
The dull, heavy bubbling sound echoed endlessly in the deathly silent tower, slow and rhythmic, like the heartbeat of some giant monster in its slumber, eerily suffocating.
Bubbles struggled to rise from the darkness deep within the blood pool, expanding larger and larger as they approached the surface, finally bursting with a soft "pop".
Each explosion would splatter tiny droplets of blood, carrying with it a strong, pungent, nauseating, and rotten stench that made one's stomach churn and almost vomit.
Occasionally, a larger bubble bursts open with a roar, bringing with it a wisp of blood mist that drifts leisurely in the dim red light, landing on the stone edge of the ground, condensing into viscous blood beads, slowly sliding down, and rolling back into the blood pool, in an endless cycle.
vomit--
As soon as young master Malfoy came in, he took Pansy out again and went outside to vomit.
"What's wrong? Is it really that disgusting?"
Theodore, unaware of Malfoy's predicament, took Olivia's hand and went inside. The four of them then squatted in the corner outside and vomited together.
"I think Lord Voldemort is a really kind person, really."
Malfoy spoke while vomiting.
"Indeed... I feel like Lord Voldemort looks handsome to me now..."
Theodore helped Olivia up and took out a tissue from his storage ring to wipe her mouth.
"Those people from the Ministry of Magic should see who's really cruel! Draco... I won't be able to eat a meal for at least a week!"
Pansy almost vomited up all the stomach acid in her stomach.
Only Meng You and a few others seemed relatively normal. What a joke! We've seen plenty of heretical practitioners at Dongda University, this is nothing compared to what's to come…