"Despite the young lady’s talisman, someone still managed to peek, and even counterattacked?"
The sudden change frightened everyone around. The old shopkeeper was especially surprised, sitting upright and looking at the shattered fragments beside Hu Ma. He sighed, "This Old Yin Mountain truly has many strange Paths..."
The person inside the sedan quietly sighed as well, "Don’t underestimate this Old Yin Mountain!"
"Eight hundred miles of Old Yin Mountain, with Tai Sui growing annually, fostering evil spirits. After hundreds of years, what doesn’t it have?"
As they pondered over this, seemingly reassessing the forest, Second Master was visibly more tense. He stepped forward to check Hu Ma’s palm and anxiously asked, "Little Huma, did you see Granny just now? Where is she?"
Hu Ma tried hard to recall the scene he saw. "She’s beside a big tree..."
"That tree is huge, about three or four people can barely wrap their arms around it, and... there seemed to be many bells hanging from the branches."
"Next to it, yes, there were offerings!"
Second Master frowned, muttering to himself as he tried to piece things together, "A tree that takes three or four people to wrap around, with bells hanging from its branches..." His eyes suddenly lit up with realization. "I know where Granny is."
"Granny is struggling with that big tree."
Hu Ma urgently explained everything he saw. "She told me not to go over?"
"Ah?" Second Master was taken aback. "Should we still go?"
Hu Ma thought quickly and decided firmly, "We must go."
In ordinary times, he would have hesitated, aware of his current physical condition and abilities which were insignificant in this vast and eerie world. Granny’s warning indicated that it was definitely dangerous there. But now, with Second Master by his side, and not to mention the Reincarnator...! When fellow villagers meet, what sense does it make to just leave them in the lurch? Granny was extremely important to Hu Ma. If she died , how could he survive in this world?f r\eew,eb novel.c(o)(m)
Second Master was straightforward. Once Hu Ma said they should go, he immediately started running, not even paying attention to the city folks. After all, he had only been worried about Granny earlier, but now he knew she was in trouble.
Hu Ma quickly followed. The old shopkeeper, however, showed dissatisfaction.
But before he could speak, a voice from the sedan calmly said, "Follow them."
"Eh?" The old shopkeeper paused, glanced at the sedan, then suddenly understood.
The object the young lady sought was deeply hidden within the forest, so neither the Five Ghosts Technique nor the Circle Light Skill found any clues. They had to venture into the forest. Given the nature of the thing they sought, unusual happenings around were expected. The boy from the village, and the trouble his Granny encountered, might hold clues to the young lady’s quest.
Knowing this, he signaled to the sedan carriers. "Let’s go, let’s see what’s going on."
Second Master, after striding seven or eight Zhang, suddenly realized the city folks were waiting for his guidance. Leaving them could offend them, yet when he turned around, they had already followed.
His heart leaped with joy. Good people do get rewarded; the city folks are so willing to help...
He led the way through the forest, zigzagging swiftly. Driven by urgency, his body radiated steaming heat. Hu Ma followed closely, noticing things hiding in the shadowy depths of the forest, likely subdued by Second Master.
Usually, around the Manor, Second Master’s reputation was intimidating, causing evil spirits to hide.
But now, deep in the mountains, those creatures didn’t recognize Second Master. They dared to peek but were still frightened by his fire qi.
By rights, Hu Ma’s skill wasn’t bad, but it was more restrained compared to Second Master’s impressive display.
This showed the fundamental difference between the two.
If Second Master used the True Yang Arrow, he could only shoot three times in a short period, whereas Hu Ma could use it infinitely.
However, Second Master could recover with some breathing exercises.
Hu Ma, on the other hand, directly consumed his reserves and had to consume Blood Tai Sui to replenish himself after using it.
They hurried through the forest for what seemed like ages. The surroundings gradually became gloomy, an ominous aura chilling their hearts. Unsure if they were near Granny’s location, Hu Ma noted Little Hongtang, who was behind him, growing anxious.
Feeling his own anxiety, he hurried faster but suddenly heard a giggling voice beside his ear:
"Young Master Hu Ma, come have a look at me..."
This voice was seductive and resonant, clear as day in Hu Ma’s ear, as if someone was whispering teasingly right by his cheek.
Hu Ma shuddered. He felt an impulse to respond to the call but restrained himself.
"Second Master..." He looked up to call out to Second Master, whispering, "Someone’s calling me..."
"What?" Second Master hurriedly turned back, glancing around confused. "I didn’t hear anything?"
Hu Ma heard it clearly; the voice was bewitching, echoing distinctly beside his ear, stirring his emotions.
It seemed to have a kind of allure that was hard to resist.
"Hmm?" As Hu Ma felt something was wrong, he suddenly heard some disordered responses from behind.
He turned back quickly and saw the sedan carriers. Despite Hu Ma and Second Master’s fast pace, they had caught up without breaking a sweat.
However, now they slowed down, staring dazedly into the forest, each looking in different directions with identical mesmerized expressions.
"Stay alert!" At that moment, the old shopkeeper, who was also hurrying along, noticed something, and his face fell.
He suddenly stepped forward to the most entranced carrier, who seemed ready to respond, and slapped him hard. The slap not only awakened the man but also startled the others.
Then he swept his gaze coldly over the dense forest around them and whispered, "No matter what you hear, don’t respond."
"From this moment on, even if you hear my voice calling you, look up at me first. Confirm it’s me before you respond."
After instructing them, he coldly said, "That is a Beauty Spirit, known for seducing. It calls people’s names from the shadows."
"If you answer, you’ll see her, and she’ll enchant you, luring you in."
"If you lose control and walk to her side, then turn back, you’ll find your body is still where it was. If you don’t turn back, you’ll just blindly follow her."
"Into the Netherworld, into the underworld itself, without even realizing you’re dead..."
The sedan carriers listened in panic, nodding anxiously. They bit their lips and pressed on, heads down.
Even Hu Ma, reminded of the Beauty Snake among the three evil spirits he saw when escaping the village, guarded his heart and continued with Second Master.
But though he didn’t answer, the calling voice grew clearer. No matter how far they went, it persisted right in his ear, as if the beauty was hiding nearby, behind a tree.
And the seductive voice became more moaning and tangled, passionate and resonant, as if to consume one’s very soul.
One might think someone nearby was engaging in intimate activities in the wild.
Hu Ma knew it was an evil spirit trying to lure him. He forced himself to endure without reacting, as did the old shopkeeper, who merely frowned.
Yet, as the voice grew louder, and the surrounding trees and paths became eerily twisted, suddenly an annoyed voice came from the sedan, "What’s with the sultry act in the deep forest?"
With this scold, the sedan curtain shifted, and a gray shadow leaped out.
It seemed about the size of a pug, moving swiftly. It shot behind a tree with a WHOOSH, and then sounds of snapping and shrieking erupted. The forest trembled, winds howled, and leaves fell.
After a while, the gray shadow returned, trailing a line of bloodstains, seemingly carrying something in its mouth.
The alluring voice that had enchanted them was gone.
"Ah..." Second Master and Hu Ma were both surprised, gratefully glancing at the sedan.
The old shopkeeper simply watched quietly from the side, not intervening.
These outsiders had entered the forest. When encountering these evil spirits, it was best if everyone could coexist peacefully; if they didn’t have to provoke them, they wouldn’t. But he couldn’t control what the person in the sedan did. You could say those spirits were unlucky; the noble young lady inside couldn’t tolerate their sultry voices, their shameful noises.
Though slightly delayed, without the ominous lures, they moved faster, gradually approaching an area where trees grew sparsely.
As they moved forward, they discovered the sparse trees were due to a giant scholar tree growing here. It was much larger and broader than those surrounding it, with dense branches like a canopy. Offerings were placed nearby, and bells hung from the branches.
Second Master stopped there, nervously looking at Hu Ma. "Is this the place?"
Hu Ma nodded, confirming this was the place he had seen in the mirror. He looked around but saw no sign of Granny.