Chapter 377: The Shaman God's Decree
Chapter 377: The Shaman God's Decree
The girl named Wu Ya knelt beside Ma Ye, who was begging for death. She patted his head, smoothed his mane, and placed a bowl of clear water beside him, only to receive a cold, indifferent glance in return.
Hearing Wu Gong Clan Leader's call, she sprang up and hopped to the hall, noticing Hu Ma sitting nearby. She tilted her head and smiled, "Be careful?"
Hu Ma nodded at her and smiled, "Hello."
"Come here quickly."
The little girl's greeting to Hu Ma caught the attention of Wu Clan Leader, but he ignored it and said, "Wu Ya, come and save a life."
The girl saw the vomited black blood and the worms in it, and she seemed to guess what was happening. She blinked and obediently sat down beside the table, extending her arm.
Her arm was fair and white, showing no signs of regular tree-climbing. However, there were several bright red dots on it, resembling rouge.
"Let her help me with the poison puppet?"
Zhuang Mine Owner had been suffering from the poison puppet's effects for days and had been hoping that Wu Gong Clan Leader would come to his rescue. Just as hope blossomed within him, he was surprised to see Wu Gong Clan Leader summon the girl named Wu Ya.
Due to the rules of the Blood Feast Mine, women were not usually welcomed there. Although they had occasional interactions with Wu Gong Clan Leader, they were not close enough to know much about Wu Ya. Zhuang Mine Owner glanced at her with concern.
"No," Wu Gong Clan Leader shook his head and whispered, "Wu Song's poison puppet is extremely powerful. No one in our clan can guarantee to remove it."
Zhuang Mine Owner was stunned, "Then..."
Wu Gong Clan Leader shook his head again and pulled out a strange black thread from his sleeve. It looked like a woven silk thread, smooth and shiny, almost like hair. The ends of the thread were connected to two gray bone needles with intricate patterns.
He inserted one needle into Zhuang Mine Owner's arm and, surprisingly, the other into Wu Ya's arm.
After this, Wu Gong Clan Leader took out a small drum from his basket and held it close to Zhuang Mine Owner's ear, gently tapping it. The tapping became faster and louder.
Gradually, the black thread began to tremble incessantly.
Both Wu Ya and Zhuang Mine Owner were clearly not exerting any force, yet the thread remained slack as if pulled by an invisible force, trembling uncontrollably.
As this process continued, Wu Ya's face grew increasingly pale, while Zhuang Mine Owner's face showed surprise and relief. He took a deep breath, sensing his condition improving rapidly.
"Hiss!"
After tapping for a while, Wu Clan Leader swiftly pulled out the gray bone needle from Zhuang Mine Owner's arm. His pale-faced disciple had already brought over a fire basin with burning coals.
Wu Clan Leader threw the thread and both bone needles into the fire basin, where they sizzled and burned.
Zhuang Mine Owner stood up, pressing his hand against his chest, his face filled with astonishment and joy. He turned to Wu Clan Leader and bowed deeply, "Thank you for saving my life."
The clan leader politely replied, "It's my duty. We are good friends."
Amidst their politeness, Hu Ma frowned and looked at Wu Ya, adorned with silver ornaments. Her once crystal-clear, fair skin had turned gray and black, especially her left arm, which was now swollen and dark where the bone needle had been inserted.
One could vaguely see the traces of worms crawling beneath her skin. She opened her mouth to speak but coughed up a mouthful of black blood instead.
'This is not saving a life; it's clearly a life exchange...'
Hu Ma had been observing quietly, given the unclear situation and the fact that he was dealing with sorcerers with different customs from Han people. He remained silent, not wanting to say or do anything inappropriate.
But seeing the girl's pained endurance, he was surprised. He could tell what the sorcerer clan leader meant by "curing the poison puppet," but it was hard to comprehend.
The Blood Xiu Guardian's physique was so robust; how could he think of using a little girl to bear such a powerful poison puppet?
Just then, Zhuang Mine Owner's two disciples also noticed the girl's withered and pained expression. They hesitated, wondering if they should help her up. But Wu Clan Leader quickly turned around and said in a deep voice, "Leave her be, don't touch her."
"She's not like your Blood Xiu Guardian, who can suppress it with her cultivation. Now, the poison puppet has spread throughout her body."
"Whoever touches her will be infected by the poison bug..."
The two disciples quickly withdrew their hands and even stepped back further, leaving the girl sitting on the ground, clutching her clothes tightly.
Hu Ma frowned slightly and asked, "If that's the case, why let her take on this poison puppet?"
If the Blood Xiu Guardian's strong body couldn't suppress the poison bug, how could a little girl?
Wu Clan Leader looked at Hu Ma and said in a low voice, "There's no other way. I can't remove Wu Song's poison puppet. I can only transfer part of it to someone else's body."
"..."
Beside him, Chief Zhuang attempted to move his arms and legs, feeling the lightness in his body. Suddenly hearing these words, he turned his head, his voice hoarse:
"You mean, the poison puppet... hasn't been completely removed from my body?"
"..."
"Not yet, it's just to alleviate your injuries and make you feel better..."
The Wu Clan Leader slowly shook his head and said in a low voice, "Even if we transfer the poison puppet inside you to someone else, not everyone can bear it."
"Ordinary people would die instantly. It's like using one life after another to reduce the poison puppet in your body. Only Wu Ya can survive after taking on the poison puppet transferred from you."
"After all, she's Wu Song's sister."
"Wu Song's poison puppet crafting has driven him mad, and he's heartless. Even I would likely be killed by him without hesitation."
"Only this sister matters to him."
"The poison puppet he crafted is a heart poison puppet, sharing his intentions. Since Wu Song doesn't want to harm his sister, his poison puppet won't either. Once Wu Qing realizes that his sister is the one being consumed by the poison puppet, he'll naturally stop."
"..."
"Is there another way?"
Looking at the cold and stern-faced Clan Leader, who seemed reluctant yet determined to save the girl, and then at Wu Ya, whose face was covered in black mist as she clenched her mouth to stifle her painful moans, everyone around felt a sense of unease.
Hu Ma furrowed his brows, sensing an eerie atmosphere surrounding this family. He had already heard the truth from Monkey Wine earlier, but now, looking at the Clan Leader, it seemed... he might be telling the truth?
For a moment, he couldn't decide, and instead of speaking, he remained silent, merely observing.
"Then what...?"
Chief Zhuang's heart sank as he listened, "Then there's no end to this, is there?"
"Now, Miss Wu Ya has taken on this portion of the poison puppet for me, but I can only last a few days before it gets worse, right?"
"Brother Wu, he's your son. Isn't there anything you can do to mediate between us?"
"..."
Hearing Chief Zhuang's words, the Wu Clan Leader's face darkened. After a long pause, he said, "Mediation is impossible. Wu Song has always been stubborn and never listens to anyone."
"But Chief Zhuang, don't panic. I came here today to discuss this with you. Ultimately, Wu Song is still a member of our camp. It's fine if he stays in Black Bone Forest, but now that he's causing trouble for the Blood Meat Mine..."
He shook his head and whispered, "This is bringing disaster to our camp..."
"After our clan migrated south, we have always venerated the Shaman God. We once received the Shaman God's decree that anyone who violates the three taboos and ten forbidden practices must be eliminated, regardless of who they are."
"And his trouble with the Blood Meat Mine is even more serious..."
He paused, sighed, and said, "His audacity grows, and he respects no one. But how can we Shamans not understand that among the Han people, there are many hidden paths and powerful individuals that we cannot afford to offend?"
"If we don't deal with him now, do we have to wait for the Lady Red Lantern of Mingzhou to send an Incense Burner to deal with us?"
"..."
Hearing his words, everyone present was stunned, feeling a strange sense of relief. Initially, they only felt that the Shamans' blockade and omnipresent poison puppets were unsettling.
Only now did they realize that the Shamans were actually afraid of them.
"So, what does the Wu Clan Leader mean...?"
"..."
"I came here this time to fight Wu Song again!"
The Wu Clan Leader spoke with determination, "Once I kill him, I'll not only relieve your predicament but also eliminate a disaster for our camp!"
"What?"
No one expected him to say this. He looked extremely resolute, as if facing a mortal enemy rather than his own son.
Hu Ma observed his demeanor, and his mind raced, unsure of the truth.
Chief Zhuang was equally surprised and said in a trembling voice, "But you... brother, you just said you couldn't beat him..."
"Yes!"
The Wu Clan Leader nodded heavily and whispered, "I've crafted all kinds of poison puppets, but none can match his."
"It's not just me. Among our clan's seven camps and twelve towers, no one's poison puppet can rival Wu Song's."
"If he weren't so mad and heartless, he'd be the smartest and most formidable poison puppet master in our clan. He should be the one protecting us, but now, I have no other choice. While I can still craft poison puppets, I must eliminate him."
"For a sure victory, this time, I plan to craft our clan's most ancient Ghost Moth Poison Puppet. Once it's completed, it will surely kill Wu Song!"
(End of Chapter)
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