Chapter 272: Deception Technique
Chapter 272: Deception Technique
"The little girl is quite capable..."
Upon hearing the sudden words from the Fragrant Girl, both Hu Ma and Han Womzi were taken aback.
Hu Ma had previously discussed with Burn Blade for half a day, seeking a logical approach that could be implemented in reality, adhering to the rules of this world, so that Red Wine Miss would have a reasonable reason to help him.
The reason why this matter required Red Wine Miss to personally negotiate with him, according to Burn Blade, was because she couldn't bear it any longer. She disliked repeating the same conversation after discussing it once.
In simpler terms, she didn't like rehearsals.
Therefore, after Burn Blade and he had discussed the plan, he, as a member of the jianghu, would approach her openly and ask for her help.
Naturally, it was also because of this that when he presented the prepared reason and opportunity, Han Womzi suddenly played an unexpected card and added an extra request, leaving him momentarily at a loss.
Should he agree to her condition or not?
Unexpectedly, the Fragrant Girl truly knew how to look out for others. She was worried that he might be taken advantage of in his attempt to save someone, so she took the initiative to step forward. Her introduction of herself had an unexpected effect, immediately changing the nature of the situation from what it had been before.
Even Red Wine Miss, or Han Womzi, had a slight change in attitude, nodding and saying, "So you're the young miss of the Cave Li Clan. Your family rarely associates with people from the Anzhou underworld, but since we're both in Anzhou, we're practically neighbors. Now that you've come to my door, I should call you 'young miss'."
"But if you're from the Li Clan, how did you end up in this situation? This place isn't far from Ling Shou Prefecture. Who would dare to provoke your family in the borders of Anzhou?"
"..."
"I..."
The Fragrant Girl seemed a little aggrieved, pausing for a moment before speaking in a low voice, "I was harmed by a scoundrel and almost couldn't return home."
"It's all thanks to the young master's righteousness that I'm back."
"But now that I'm at my doorstep, those people still won't give up and are blocking me from going home."
"..."
She seemed a bit hesitant, even though she knew the steward had deceived her. She didn't want to speak ill of him, but in this context, she couldn't avoid it.
After speaking a few sentences, she seemed to be touched, her eyes turning slightly red. She said to Han Womzi, "Miss, they're bullying me. My father has to guard the Ghost Cavern and can't come out easily. They're blocking me from going home. I'd like to ask for your help."
The first few sentences were still in the style of jianghu formalities, but the latter part was more like a little girl.
However, since she had revealed her identity, Han Womzi's attitude towards her changed from before.
She gently stepped aside and said, "There's no need to say more. Even if I didn't have a favor to ask of the Cave Li Clan in the past, seeing a young miss of the Li Clan in distress, I'd still help out of respect for our shared jianghu path. You two, come inside and let's talk!"
Hu Ma and the Fragrant Girl followed her into the main hall of the farmhouse, which was simply and plainly decorated.
At first glance, it looked like an ordinary farmhouse, but the lamps, tables, chairs, and beds all had a touch of intricate oddity.
They sat down at the table, and before long, a gust of cold wind blew in from outside.
Looking up, they saw a person with various weapons like swords and spears piercing his body, an arrow embedded in his forehead, looking extremely pitiful. He wore armor like a general on the battlefield, but he held a tray with two porcelain cups, which he placed on the table before floating away.
Han Womzi glanced at Hu Ma and the Fragrant Girl, who had strange expressions, and said indifferently, "There are many strange things here. It's hard to find someone who can withstand it, so I can only have ghosts help with chores. Please bear with it."
"Can ghosts do housework?"
Hu Ma couldn't help but think, "Another skill for Little Red Peach to develop."
Han Womzi didn't drink tea but said, "Now, tell me about the trouble you've encountered."
"Yes, it's something from the cave..."
The Fragrant Girl put down her teacup and said, "I've seen them before, but I haven't had any contact with them. They came looking for me, and I don't know how to guard against them. Moreover, if I want to go home..."
"That's not clear enough."
Han Womzi frowned and looked at Hu Ma beside her.
"It's a ghost with a tall hat and iron chains, not a wandering evil spirit, but it doesn't look like a regular evil spirit either."
Hu Ma explained in detail, "Wherever it passes, oil lamps change color, the cold pierces the bones, and living people become silent."
"A summoned ghost?"
Han Womzi's expression changed, "Which day is it?"
Hu Ma had been asked this question before and hurriedly replied, "It's the seventh day."
"Goodness..."
Han Womzi stood up and said, "I can't tell if you two have great luck or bad luck. If it's bad luck, you've been targeted by this thing. If it's good luck, you've found me on this seventh day."
"However..."
She glanced at the Fragrant Girl and smiled, "Since you're the young miss of the Cave Li Clan, why would they invite this thing to find you? Have they gone mad?"
The young girl, Fragrant Girl, had a troubled expression, finding it difficult to speak. After a long pause, she finally said in a low voice, "I haven't officially entered the Ghost Cavern yet, and those things don't recognize me..."
Hu Ma was taken aback and quickly asked, "Senior, what exactly is this thing?"
"It's something that doesn't belong to the world of the living."
Han Womzi glanced at Hu Ma and said, "It's not a wandering evil spirit, nor an evil spirit, and it's not one of those vengeful souls that receive incense offerings in the hall. I've encountered them a few times in Anzhou, and they seem to have been refined, but I can't quite understand it."
"All I know is that once this thing sets its sights on you, you will surely die within seven days, without exception."
"..."
Hu Ma immediately became worried, "Then..."
Han Womzi waved her hand and said, "That's why they say you have great fortune."
"It's only right for the young miss of the Li Clan from the Ghost Cavern to seek help from fellow martial artists. But you were fortunate to find me. If you had sought help from others, even if they wanted to help, they might not have been able to."
"Only I have the ability to protect you on this seventh day and prevent that ghost thing from finding you."
"..."
"Ah?"
Hu Ma and Fragrant Girl's faces lit up with joy.
One of them had known this all along and was putting on an act, while the other seemed genuinely relieved.
"You two seem so tense, and now I'm feeling anxious too. But it doesn't seem like a big deal after hearing your story."
Han Womzi waved her hand and said, "Tonight, I'll protect you. Tomorrow morning, I'll send a message to the Li Clan."
"But..."
Hu Ma hesitated and said, "Senior, I've already sent a message to the Li Clan before."
"And no one came to pick you up, but instead, you got into trouble?"
Han Womzi looked at Hu Ma with a smile that wasn't quite a smile and said, "You're a kind-hearted young man, but your experience in the martial world is still lacking."
"A young lady from such a prominent family wouldn't easily get lost. If she did, it wouldn't be as simple as this."
"But don't worry. Sending a message through you is different from sending it through me. Your message would first be seen by the gatekeeper, but when I send a message, they wouldn't dare to hide it and would definitely deliver it to the Ghost Cavern."
"..."
"I feel like this sense of slight satisfaction is familiar..."
Hu Ma thought to himself, but his expression was one of great relief, feeling that the matter was now resolved.
"Yes, thank you, Senior..."
Fragrant Girl also spoke up, but with some hesitation, "But... but those who don't want me to go home..."
Seeing her struggle, Hu Ma spoke on her behalf, "Those who blocked our way haven't stopped setting up traps along the way. Now that we're so close to home, they probably won't give up easily."
"I wouldn't have dared to promise to help you if I wasn't confident."
After listening, Han Womzi lightly nodded and said, "You two, follow me!"
The two quickly followed her to a room next door, which turned out to be a thatched hut with wooden walls and a mud roof, not very sturdy and with gaps letting in the wind.
Inside were some strange items: a dark box, a pouch, metal gloves, and linked iron rings, among other things.
Many of these items seemed more suited for magicians performing tricks.
"Tonight, little girl, you'll stay in this room."
As Han Womzi spoke, she took out a spirit scroll and wrote a name on it, along with the girl's birthdate, which she calculated by pinching her fingers. She then stuck the scroll on the girl's forehead.
Next to a small bed inside the room, Han Womzi placed a pair of shoes, one facing inward and the other outward.
Finally, she went to a wooden cabinet by the wall and spent some time writing and drawing on it.
After that, she instructed Fragrant Girl, "Tonight, you'll wear this birthdate scroll on your forehead and sit on the bed. Place a bowl of clear water in front of you, with a pair of chopsticks on top, pointing southwest. If anything changes, and the direction of the chopsticks changes, you must put them back."
"When it's midnight, if the water freezes over with thin ice, trapping the chopsticks, you should cover the bowl with a blanket and straighten the shoes. Then hide in the cabinet."
"Once you're inside the cabinet, remember to keep your eyes tightly shut, no matter what sounds you hear or what happens around you. Don't open your eyes or make any noise."
"If you open your eyes, the spell will be broken, and that thing will find you. But as long as you keep your eyes closed, I can guarantee your safety."
"..."
After hearing her instructions, Hu Ma and Fragrant Girl were on high alert, carefully noting everything. But in the end, they still felt something was amiss. "Is that all?"
"..."
"Of course."
Han Womzi said, "If there's any more trouble, I'll handle it personally."
"Heh, let me teach you two youngsters a lesson. Even the most powerful cultivator can't escape the ghostly chains, but only we from the Deception Sect can break them. Our sect is divided into three branches: 'Deception', 'Trickery', and 'Fraud'."
"Among them, those who specialize in the Deception Technique are skilled in deceiving heaven, earth, and ghosts. With deep enough cultivation, they can even deceive the heavens and the earth, let alone a mere summoned ghost?"
"..."
Hu Ma and Fragrant Girl seemed to have gained some newfound knowledge. Hu Ma asked curiously, "So, Senior, are you skilled in the Deception Technique?"
"No, I specialize in the Trickery Technique."
Han Womzi gave him a faint look and said, "But I'm proficient in all three branches."
(End of Chapter)
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