https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-337-Direct-Provocation-Third-Watch-/12918624/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-339-The-Order-of-the-Exorcism-Bureau/12918629/
Chapter 338: The Evil Spirit's Bride
Chapter 338: The Evil Spirit's Bride
Hu Ma assured that he hadn't expected this to happen either, and in fact, even he was momentarily stunned. His expression of shock and awe was genuine.
As a stream of yellow broth was poured, the fire basin that had been burning vigorously just a moment ago suddenly dimmed.
The air around them froze instantly, and even Hu Ma stood there, dumbfounded, staring blankly at what was happening. Only the horse, having finished urinating, shook a little, then lifted its head slightly, as if anticipating something wonderful.
"You..."
Suddenly, an extremely angry voice rang out.
The kneeling figures around them scattered, all of them astonished and even terrified by the scene before them.
It was rare for a living being to receive such attention from the malevolent spirits of Mingzhou Prefecture.
They all looked at the horse, then suddenly realized what was happening and turned their attention to Hu Ma and Seventh Aunt sitting at the table. The horse didn't understand, but it must have been someone's doing...
Hu Ma was also surprised, sensing the multitude of eyes on him, and he quickly reacted, even more astonished, and turned to look at Seventh Aunt.
Seventh Aunt hadn't reacted yet, still holding her pipe and tapping it, when suddenly she was startled by the attention of so many people. She turned to ask Hu Ma, only to see him staring at her in surprise. She couldn't help but feel a little confused:
"Why are you looking at me?"
"... "
Hu Ma quickly turned away, looking terrified. The others, who had been staring at Seventh Aunt, also averted their gaze, their hearts pounding, afraid to even breathe.
Was this the authority of a minor magistrate?
The Wealth Malevolence Altar Master's eyes seemed to be dripping with blood, and he suddenly raised his hand, about to slap the horse dead for its audacity, to vent the anger of the Five Sins Lord.
This wasn't just a thought; he genuinely had the intention to do it.
But when he saw the horse's dark, fearless eyes, even showing a hint of expectation, he was startled and quickly calmed down, his peripheral vision noticing the Malevolent Fate Altar Keeper still tied up with grass ropes nearby.
"Good, very good..."
"Today's insults and provocations aren't the only ones; even the altar master was sent as a gift, wasn't he?"
"They're deliberately using this method to anger me, trying to find an excuse to kill me?"
"I can't fall for that. I still need to invite the Five Sins Lord..."
"... "
He hadn't expected the other party to use such a disgusting and provocative tactic, truly unexpected...
The most crucial thing was that he was enduring it here, but he hadn't anticipated that the Five Sins Lord would suffer such a humiliating disgrace. And yet, the fire basin remained silent.
"Huff..."
He sighed silently and suddenly made a decision, ignoring the horse. He turned back to the crimson-clothed altar, bowed deeply, and knocked his head.
He knocked so hard that it made a loud 'dong' sound, as if his brain would burst. By the second knock, his forehead was already red, and by the third, blood was flowing down, mixing with his tears and running down his cheeks.
At the same time, the torches on both sides of the wooden altar turned a sickly green, casting an even more eerie light on the surroundings.
"Squeak, squeak, squeak..."
The figures that had just knelt down stood up again and knelt once more, silently and frantically, bowing repeatedly towards the crimson-clothed altar.
The chickens and ducks in Yellow Dog Village suddenly became restless, gradually curling up into balls, and then quietly died.
The water in the water storage vat in the house became murky, even emitting a foul, bloody stench.
The villagers, who had already locked themselves in their homes due to the strange wedding banquet, suddenly felt weak, coughing up blood. Those who were already sick or elderly fell silent and died on their beds.
In the eerie atmosphere, several large flags, each several zhang tall, seemed to appear, fluttering in the air, surrounding the area. Soon after, a black throne seemed to emerge within the flags, and on it sat a majestic shadow.
A pair of eyes that seemed to see through one's soul swept the surroundings with a chilling gaze.
The area fell silent, almost no one daring to meet its gaze, only the invisible yin wind causing the lanterns on both sides to sway gently.
The horse seemed to sense hope and raised its head high, facing the wooden altar.
But still, no one paid it any attention.
Instead, the Wei family's servants and guards reacted, quickly kneeling down. The old servant's heart jumped to his throat, and he opened his mouth to call out, pleading for the master they had invited to save their son-in-law.
They had agreed that when the seven-day period was up, this master would come and save their son-in-law. Now that he had arrived, he should keep his promise, shouldn't he?
Unexpectedly, before they could finish their third knock, the sound of trumpets filled the air, a haunting melody that chilled their hearts.
The sound was peculiar, as if it came out of nowhere, startling everyone around, whether seated or standing, human or otherwise.
When they looked again, the surroundings had become eerily strange.
A quick glance revealed that the village was already filled with small ghosts, their faces rigid and pale, each holding a trumpet, cheeks puffed, blowing out eerie and sinister tunes.
But upon a second look, the surroundings were empty, yet the sound of trumpets and playing continued, accompanied by a group of shrill childlike voices shouting:
"Sweep the kitchen, clean the ashes, apply lipstick and rouge..."
"The lucky day has arrived, the Zhang family's daughter is getting married..."
Amidst the night, the sound of galloping hooves echoed, accompanied by gloomy and eerie music, and a large group of shadows approached from a distance.
"..."
"..."
"It's time."
At that moment, not far from Yellow Dog Village, in a mountain gorge, the oil lamp on the table illuminated half of the phantom's face, Zhang Aogu.
For the past few days, she had been plagued by nightmares. Hearing the trumpet's sound early in the morning, she knew the time had come.
In Mingzhou, disasters and banditry were rampant, and several familiar phantoms were busy in various places, not at home. Moreover, she knew the nature of her encounter, so she hadn't mentioned it to anyone in her household.
Instead, she occasionally mentioned it to outsiders.
As a result, on this particular day, she remained alone at home. She woke up early, fed the chickens, cleaned the courtyard, and tidied the room.
As nightfall approached, she lit incense for her deceased mother without complaint or further words. After a simple meal, she busied herself inside the house, preparing various items.
There were coins, cracked black bones, newly made flags, and most importantly, a vessel, polished to a shine.
She worked until late at night, holding the vessel, sitting quietly on the bed in the silent room. Phantoms were accustomed to living alone outside the village, and her home, being far from the village, was very secluded. On this night, even the sound of insects was absent.
At midnight, she suddenly heard the distant sound of a parade band approaching through the darkness.
She took a deep breath, hugged the vessel, and blew out the oil lamp.
The room instantly became pitch-black, but the wind outside grew louder, blowing down dry leaves from the trees. Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew open the door with force.
In the darkness, strange things scurried in, laughing mischievously as they crowded around Zhang Aogu, reaching for her.
They seemed like wedding attendants, applying powder to her face, dressing her in a bright red gown, and covering her with a bridal veil.
Some even tried to pull her away to take the vessel she held.
But Zhang Aogu allowed them to do as they pleased, except for her hand that held the vessel, which remained unmoved. They eventually gave up.
Soon, after dressing her, they surrounded Zhang Aogu and led her out of the door. In front of the farmhouse courtyard, a paper palanquin with paper musicians stood densely packed. The chickens, ducks, and livestock in the courtyard and nearby village began to die in droves.
The phantom wedding attendants pushed Zhang Aogu into the palanquin, and with another round of music, they drifted away.
In Yellow Dog Village, silence prevailed, or rather, only the living were silent.
Shadows flickered, and an unknown number of things jumped and danced, creating a joyous atmosphere that sent chills down one's spine.
The Wei family's old servant had endured these past few days, reaching his limit. Although he was a servant in the Wei household, he had lived a privileged life. Who would have thought that accompanying the son-in-law back to the ancestral home would involve dealing with such sinister things?
Especially since he had done everything as instructed by the Five Sins Lord, and now, with the Five Sins Demon's arrival, why wasn't the son-in-law being saved?
Just then, a gust of cold wind blew in from a distance, carrying the sound of music and drums. The crowd, already disoriented, saw a red paper palanquin floating in the air, slowly descending towards the banquet.
Under the crimson wooden altar, countless malevolent spirits, filled with joy, greeted it, singing merrily: "Crimson paper, scattered wedding money, the bride arrives with a smile..."
"Step over the fire basin, lift the palanquin curtain, the groom calls out in delight at night..."
"..."
The eerie scene chilled the hearts of those present, but the most shocked was Hu Ma.
He had patiently followed Seventh Aunt, waiting all evening for a significant event. To his dismay, when the Five Sins Demon finally appeared, he was about to...
...marry?
Could this be the revered Five Sins Deity, yet he was a bridegroom?
(End of Chapter)
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