Tailor Lin froze on the spot, stunned. He looked at Chi Huo up and down for a long time, then slowly shook his head and said, “How could that work? You are obviously a man…”
Although the young man in front of him was more beautiful than a girl, a man was a man, how could he get married instead of his granddaughter?
Chi Huo smiled, “It doesn’t matter if I am a man or a woman. As long as I put on the wedding dress, I will fulfill his wish and be the bride tonight.”
But Tailor Lin kept shaking his head, “You foreigners are not aware. As long as the ghost groom takes a liking to a girl, it will be useless even if they run away to the ends of the earth. Even if you put on a wedding dress and pretend to be my granddaughter, he will still recognize you. It is useless…”
The old tailor kept shaking his head as he spoke, while wiping away his tears.
Chi Huo explained patiently, “Don’t worry about this. My Shizun has traveled all over the world and is proficient in the art of transplanting auras. As long as you are willing to cooperate, we can not only ensure the safety of your little granddaughter, but we can even find the whereabouts of the missing girls in the town. If this matter is resolved successfully, your tailor shop can continue its business in the future, right?”
Tailor Lin and his wife looked at each other, the tears temporarily stopped, and the firelight illuminated the doubtful look on their faces. Finally, he asked cautiously, “Seriously?”
He didn’t even dare to take a breath, for fear that if he wasn’t careful, the promise given by the other party would disappear.
“Of course we take it seriously.” The person who answered for Chi Huo was Shi Wuzheng, who had already entered the courtyard.
He could see that his new disciple wanted to take the place of the Lin family’s little granddaughter and act as bait to lure the snake out of its hole.
Hearing this, Tailor Lin and his wife were stunned for a moment, and then immediately fell to the ground and kowtowed, “Thank you, you two benefactors. As long as we can save our little granddaughter, we will not hesitate to pay any price…”
Although Shi Wuzheng, as the leader of the cultivation world, was notoriously cold, he was kind to ordinary mortals. He immediately knelt down and helped the two aged people up, “You don’t have to be like this, elders. We will do our best.”
Cheng Miao also came over to help wipe the dust off the two’s bodies, and then helped them to the inner room.
The people watching the excitement outside the yard did not know what was happening at the moment. They saw that after a quiet discussion, there was no exciting movement, so they dispersed in displeasure. On the way, they lamented for the Lin family’s granddaughter’s fate.
“Wang’er, are you really willing to be the bait yourself and lure the snake out of its hole?” Shi Wuzheng asked Chi Huo with a frown.
Chi Huo nodded, “Rather than sitting around and waiting, let’s take advantage of this ‘marriage’ to take the initiative. This is an excellent opportunity to dig out the truth of the incident.”
“And amongst all of us, I have the lowest cultivation level, and my physical fitness is close to that of ordinary mortals. Therefore, I am the least likely to be noticed as a substitute. As long as Shizun uses the technique of aura transfer to transfer the Lin family’s little granddaughter’s aura to me, I don’t think it’ll be a big problem.” He added.
And Chi Huo was a little curious. Now that he had robbed himself of his role as the “bride”, what identity would his “self” appear in in this life?
Shi Wuzheng looked worried, “But with your cultivation level…isn’t this too risky?”
Chi Huo smiled calmly and said, “Shizun is here to protect me, so I don’t have to worry about this.”
As long as they could find out the whole story and find the culprit, it would not be difficult for Shi Wuzheng to use force to deal with the evil spirits causing chaos.
Moreover, Chi Huo believed that “he” had already taken action in this timeline. Maybe at this time he was hiding in the dark observing their every move, waiting for the right moment to meet Shi Wuzheng.
Shi Wuzheng was silent for a moment, then nodded, “Alright.”
Chi Huo thought for a moment and then said, “Shizun doesn’t have to rush to take action at that time. The sect asked us to go down the mountain to investigate the disappearances. The key to our task is to find out the whole story. It will be troublesome if we alert our enemy.”
“Shizun, please rest assured, I will act while protecting my own safety.” Chi Huo added.
Shi Wuzheng looked at him steadily for a moment, and then said, “Okay, then I’ll listen to your plan this time.”
“Wang’er, for safety’s sake, I’ll tie this up for you.”
Shi Wuzheng held a bellflower and wrapped it around Chi Huo’s index finger. Soon, his skin’s temperature entered the bellflower, and the flower gradually melted, penetrated, and embedded itself in Chi Huo’s index finger, forming a bellflower tattoo on his skin.
“If you encounter any danger that is too much for you, remember to shake this bellflower and your Shizun will come.”
Shi Wuzheng kept his word. He handed over the control of the flower to Chi Huo, and he would also fulfill his duties as a master to protect his safety.
This time when investigating the incident in HongShui Town, Shi Wuzheng took the three disciples with him down the mountain with the intention of training them, so he deliberately handed over the initiative of the investigation to his disciples.
On the surface, Shi Wuzheng said nothing, but silently observed and analysed the decisions and actions his disciples made.
After Tailor Lin and his wife finally stopped crying, their son, along with his wife, took their young granddaughter to live with distant relatives. Several relatives who lived in town came to help comfort them. Under Chi Huo’s guidance, they began to arrange the wedding hall and wedding chambers in full swing.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Shi Wuzheng asked Tailor Lin and his wife for the combs, old clothes and other things that their granddaughter had left in the house. He used cinnabar to draw the talisman of aura transferring, and then used the brazier where the wedding dresses had been burnt to burn the talisman and the objects.
Coafg Jtl Leb vgjcx j ijguf ybki bo kjafg jr j glaeji obg atf jegj agjcrofg, tlr rabwjmt yfujc ab ugbki. Vtl Qehtfcu kbcvfgfv, “Qtja’r ublcu bc? Obulmjiis rqfjxlcu, vglcxlcu kjafg kbeiv cba tjnf remt j gfjmalbc…”
Jtl Leb rmgjamtfv tlr tfjv lc fwyjggjrrwfca, “Vtlhec, P’w jmaejiis tecugs jigfjvs.” Llr ybvs lc atf Hl Efolclcu rajuf kjr cba lwwecf ab tecufg, jcv tlr obbv jcv rtfiafg gfdelgfwfcar kfgf atf rjwf jr atbrf bo bgvlcjgs qfbqif. Lf kbeiv ufa algfv jcv tecugs, jcv tf cffvfv ab riffq jcv fja.
Shi Wuzheng was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized, “I apologize, I was negligent.”
Chi Huo, “Shizun, I’m afraid you have never brought up a disciple like me before. You’re troubling yourself too much “
He didn’t mean it in a sarcastic way, but Shi Wuzheng may not think twice about it
Shi Wuzheng shook his head, “Wang’er, don’t underestimate yourself. In fact, you are very different from the rumors.”
Chi Huo smiled, “May I ask Shizun, what am I like in the rumors?”
Shi Wuzheng smiled and shook his head, “Don’t pay attention to them, they’re meaningless.
As long as your name is mentioned, everyone in Dongji Sect has a tendency to ridicule you as a dodder who can only survive by relying on stronger people.
Though through these days of spending time with you, I can see that your ability to observe and analyze is far superior to that of your fellow seniors. You have a unique view on things, and you can also figure out new, flexible ways to solve problems. This is not something a disciple who stays behind closed doors in the mountains all year long can do, so I don’t want to set too many restrictions on you. If you need any help, you can tell me.” Shi Wuzheng gave him a high evaluation.
Chi Huo, “Thank you, Shizun. I have ordinary bones, and neither my qualification nor cultivation are outstanding. The story behind my entrance and acceptance to Donjgji Sect is also very sensitive. It is indeed difficult for people to give a good evaluation. However, Shizun, don’t worry. I will personally clear up these misunderstandings.”
Shi Wuzheng looked at him with a subtle smile on his lips, “Shizun looks forward to it.”
Although this “marriage” was decided in a hurry, the Lin family was afraid of neglecting their benefactors. Everything that should be needed was prepared. Mrs. Lin even cooked a table of home-cooked dishes for the wedding banquet. By now, the food and wine were already on the table.
“Benefactors, please come and have a few bites of food. It is our custom here that the host’s family will entertain the guests on the wedding day. The bride cannot enter the sedan chair with an empty stomach, otherwise it will be a bad omen…” Mrs. Lin greeted the benefactors carefully, for fear that she would not be able to avoid offending the other party.
“Thank you for the hospitality. Although this marriage is fake, it will be more convincing if you put on a show and do it properly.” Chi Huo took the lead in sitting and sat on the chair prepared for the bride and picked up the hot bowl of rice. “I’m afraid it’s HongShui Town’s most active bride.”
In his last life, he was very particular about food. He ate all kinds of delicacies from all over the world, but rarely had such home-cooked meals with the taste of firewood. In addition, he had been hungry for an entire day, so he ate with relish.
When Mrs. Lin saw this, she felt a little more relieved.
*
After the meal, Shi Wuzheng double-checked Chi Huo, and felt relieved after confirming that the aura transferring array had worked.
“Remember, don’t take any risks in anything. If you encounter a situation that you cannot handle, contact Shizun immediately.” Shi Wuzheng warned again.
Chi Huo, “Shizun, don’t worry, I won’t take my life as a joke.”
After the discussion, Chi Huo entered the decorated bridal chamber. This was the boudoir of the Lin family’s little granddaughter. The paper betrothal gifts and red wedding dress were previously sent here.
After he put on the red wedding dress prepared by Tailor Lin, he applied red rouge in front of the mirror.
Qi Wang’s body was a porcelain beauty. At this time, he put on the feminine wedding attire. Not only did it not look out of place, but it gave the impression that “Hibiscus is not as pretty as a beauty in makeup”.
Chi Huo smeared the rouge on his lips and eyes in front of the bronze mirror.
Whether it was because the night was getting darker or something else, the air became humid, covering the mirror with a light layer of mist.
When he got closer to sniff it, the mist was filled with a vague fishy smell.
It seemed that a certain someone could no longer hold back and was ready to bite the “hook” Chi Huo had laid especially for him.
Chi Huo combed his hair and covered himself with a red veil. There was only one candle left in the room and the west side window was wide open.
Like a timid newlywed, he sat on the edge of the bed in silence, waiting for the groom to enter the room at the right time.
The red candle burned loudly, the humidity became thicker, the wind picked up, and white mist spread into the bedroom, completely covering the mirror reflecting the red candle, making the shadowy mirror look like a mirage.
The night in HongShui Town was so quiet that the cat’s meows under the window were particularly harsh and penetrating.
In the dead of the night, the cat meowed continuously, and its voice gradually became sad.
Chi Huo could tell that the cat’s cry had changed.
––This was not a cat meowing, but a baby crying.
The baby’s cry got closer and closer, and finally turned from a plaintive cry into a sharp laugh that made people feel numb.
Chi Huo, clad in his wedding attire, showed a great amount of patience. He sat and waited quietly, like the most virtuous and gentle bride.
The red veil swayed side to side in the wind. Chi Huo lowered his eyelids and glanced through the gap at his shadow cast on the ground by the candlelight with his peripheral vision.
At first, his shadow swayed like a candle, flickering in and out, then gradually became clearer, and continued to expand and enlarge…until it was completely deformed.
Chi Huo squinted his eyes and took a closer look. The shadows on the ground were divided into countless heads. The shapes of these heads were twisted at weird angles, like dead babies melted and molded together to transform into giants.
Under the illumination of the red candle, the shadow of the “new bride” Chi Huo was invaded by countless ghosts.
Interesting.
It seemed that what caused trouble in HongShui Town was not a ghost cultivator, but countless ancient and powerful “resentments”.
“Resentment” was different from ghost cultivation. It was silent, invisible, and unpredictable. It was the most difficult to classify and define.
For immortality, “resentment” was the most complex and thorny existence. It was difficult to identify, but easy to solve.
Suddenly, there was a “whoosh” sound, and the open window was blown into a crackling sound, like the wind passing through the hall before a heavy rain. The red candle on the high hall was extinguished, plunging the room in darkness, and the mutated shadows crawling on the ground also disappeared.
The next second, the wind stopped.
The thick fog turned into a substance that wrapped around the limb of the “new bride” like a white ribbon. Chi Huo remained still without any resistance, and obediently allowed the thick fog to tie him up head to toe. He suddenly felt weightless, and his whole body was tied up and carried out of the bridal chamber.
It seemed that all the missing girls in the town had experienced such strange nights.
Soon, the feeling of weightlessness disappeared, and Chi Huo was placed in a rickety sedan.
Now that he was in the sedan, he did not intend to continue pretending to be reserved, so he quietly untied the white ribbon that bound him, lifted up the red veil that was in his way, and looked out of the swinging sedan to see the scene in the thick fog. It caught his interest–
The sedan was a seriously decorated red sedan, but the carriers were a group of “babies” who could only crawl.
The skin of these babies had turned dark purple, with hideous black veins crawling over their skin, like dead vines extending outside an old house. These “carriers” were obviously not actual children.
Was the “resentment” a ghost baby…?
The mist had spread everywhere, and the ghost babies who carried the sedan seemed to be in a very cheerful mood. While carrying the newlywed, they sang with a clear voice––
“Newlyweds adorned in red rouge, born into an innocent family with a good background, her wedding clothes made of paper and her soul rewarded. Into the sedan she goes, carried to her new house, spends the night with the flicker of red candles, spending her time in chaos, happy to be a mother in the graveyard…”
The ghost baby sang this nursery rhyme over and over again, while Chi Huo listened carefully and pondered the lyrics.
The phrase “innocent family and a good background” had pointed out the common identity characteristics of the missing women: they were all young ladies in the town who had not yet been wedded.
So the phrase “mothers in the graveyard” referred to the fact that these missing girls would be abducted by ghost babies to become mothers? What use was their mother to them?
If he were to extrapolate from this ballad, there was no ghost bridegroom at all, and their own “selves” were to take the blame for these things.
Chi Huo even hummed along with the ghost babies. He deliberately pinched his throat and imitated a woman’s voice, and said to the ghost babies, “These lyrics are really interesting.”
The ghost babies crawling under the sedan had never seen such a bold newlywed mother, and suddenly became completely quiet. They stopped singing, stopped crawling, and just froze in place.
In the dead silence, only Chi Huo’s singing echoed, “Newlyweds adorned in red rouge, born into an innocent family with a good background, her wedding clothes made of paper and her soul rewarded. Into the sedan she goes, carried to her new house, spends the night with the flicker of red candles, spending her time in chaos, happy to be a mother in the graveyard…hey, why am I the only one singing? Aren’t you guys going to sing?”
The ghost babies had sullen faces, only their eyes with enlarged black pupils moving. They glanced back and forth at each other. The last round and fat ghost baby squirmed, sealed the curtain of the sedan with a bang, and did not forget to threaten the bride in the sedan, “The bride must not poke her head around! This is not etiquette!”
Chi Huo was dissatisfied. He clicked his tongue, “Looking at how young you are, I didn’t expect there to be so many rules. It’s so boring in the sedan. It looks like there is still a long way to go. How about we chat to kill time?”
The ghost baby, “…”
Chi Huo, “You guys, can anyone explain to me what the lyrics of this nursery rhyme mean?”
Although he had roughly guessed it, Chi Huo still wanted to confirm it with the other party.
The ghost baby seemed to be impatient, “Girls from good families are not allowed to ask questions when they get married.”
Chi Huo, “How do you know that I am a girl from a good family?”
The ghost baby, “Only girls from good families can get on our sedan.”
Chi Huo raised his eyebrows, “Are you sure you haven’t picked up the wrong person?”
The ghost baby, “Don’t talk nonsense, it’s a bad omen.”
Chi Huo smiled and asked again, “You stuffed me into the sedan because you wanted me to be your mother?”
The ghost baby repeated, “The bride is not allowed to ask questions.”
Chi Huo sneered, “Who told you such nonsense?”
The ghost baby was silent for a moment before uttering indifferently, “Madam.”
Madam? Chi Huo suddenly felt a rush of joy.
Back then, Po Meng was engaged in the profession of brothels, so of course he knew the meaning behind this word.
Chi Huo, “So your existence is related to the Fengyue business in HongShui Town back then?”
Chi Huo’s words seemed to have touched on some kind of a taboo topic. The ghost baby stopped talking and continued to crawl forward in silence. Although the sedan swayed three times with every step, they soon walked more than ten miles.
It was late autumn, and dead trees spread across the mountains and fields. The moonlight was just right that night, and the shine reflected the silhouettes of the dead tree branches on the sedan curtain. As the sedan swayed, the shadows of the slender and twisted dead branches danced, like ghost hands eager to reach out and drag travelers passing through this place into the depths of the dry forest.
In the deep mountains and dry forests, the ghost babies carried the sedan, and the sound of bizarre nursery rhymes echoed in the fields again.
This situation was particularly interesting, but the heavy wedding attire was bothering him. Chi Huo simply loosened the top button, revealing his Adam’s apple that had been strangled with red marks.
He waved his red veil to fan himself, thankful that it was late autumn. If it had been summer, he would have suffocated to death in the sedan chair.
A gust of wind blew, and Chi Huo’s movement of rubbing his Adam’s apple paused instantly. His eyes darkened slightly and he glanced towards the raised curtain.
Chi Huo smelled the ghost cultivator’s aura. Although the other party was well hidden, almost no ghost cultivator could avoid his keen sense of smell, especially his own aura, which he was very familiar with.
––The “him” in this timeline had appeared.
Chi Huo had always had a question. Since his soul was reborn in Qi Wang, could the other party recognize “himself” as himself in this timeline?
Suddenly, a harsh suona broke the dead silence in the mountains, and the ghost babies carrying the sedan were instantly frightened and froze in place.
Chi Huo in the sedan was also stunned for a moment, and then smiled.
This time, his “self” really appeared.
After all, no one but himself would create such a gaudy scene.
Entah kenapa aku teringat adegan XL dan HC di TGCf🫠🫠 mereka sama-sama sedang menyamar menjadi pengantin wanita, yang kemudian bertemu dengan kekasih abadinya!!
Tl-san, terimakasih atas kerja kerasnya menerjemahkan ini❤️🔥❤️🔥