Chapter 51

Ge Zhu was a Daoist priest; when it came to dealing with the Red and White Twin Fiends, no one here was more professional than he was.

The deeper the night grew, the more nervous the staff became.

Before Zi Hour arrived, Lu You had all the ordinary staff return to rest. Before they left, Ge Zhu, with a serious expression, gave them a warning of 'three don'ts.'

'Don't turn on the lights, don't peek out if you hear sounds, don't open the door if someone knocks. Just close your eyes and sleep. No matter what happens, don't go outside.'

The staff memorized these words firmly, then each returned to their rooms.

The Hot Spring Manor grew quiet.

Apart from their chatting, there was no other sound in the main hall. The night deepened, heavy with dew, and time slowly crept toward Zi Hour.

They stopped talking too, silently waiting for the Red and White Pair of Fiends to appear.

After an unknowable length of time, a burst of joyous music suddenly drifted over from the distance—the high-pitched wail of a suona, the clang of gongs and drums, lively and festive, yet seeming to come from far away, as if muffled by a layer of fog.

Ge Zhu made an immediate decision. 'Go.'

The group hurried toward the source of the music. The closer they got, the clearer the music became. Within this lively clamor was mixed a faint, sorrowful ghostly wail, neither fully joyous nor fully mournful.

Ge Zhu followed the compass and led his companions quickly closer. When they could just barely make out the scene of the Red and White Pair of Fiends colliding, he slipped behind the trees, turned his head, and gave a soft 'shh.' 'Keep it down.'

At that moment, after a high, piercing suona note, the joyous music vanished and funeral music began. Jiang Luo crouched behind a thicket of weeds, watching the scene ahead through a gap.

Within the thick white mist, two processions faced each other in a standoff.

The procession from the south consisted entirely of female Ghosts with faces as pale as powdered flour. They wore red garments, their hands—white to the point of bluishness—were raised, scattering red paper. In their midst, they carried a bright red Wedding Palanquin, wrapped in red silk like blooming flowers.

The procession approaching from the north carried a black coffin. Before and behind the coffin stood a dozen or so water Ghosts, their faces equally deathly pale. These water Ghosts wore white mourning garments, long hemp ropes tied around their waists, dragging trails through the dead leaves on the ground.

White paper flew up, mingling with red and white spirit money in a chaotic dance.

The music grew increasingly shrill, yet the scene itself was eerily quiet. It was a bizarre and sinister sight. Lu You's scalp crawled, goosebumps rising all over his skin.

Jiang Luo kept his breathing light. Lu You, genuinely terrified, whispered to him, 'Jiang Luo, this is fucking terrifying.'

Jiang Luo nodded, his voice low. 'Ask Ge Zhu what we should do.'

Lu You passed the words to Ye Xun beside him, and Ye Xun passed them to Zhuo Zhongqiu. After waiting a moment, Jiang Luo saw Lu You turn back again and whisper, 'Ge Zhu said it's too dangerous when the Red and White Pair of Fiends collide. We can't get mixed up in it. First remember where they collided. Tomorrow in daylight, we'll draw an array on this road and make the wedding and funeral processions miss each other.'

Jiang Luo thought that sounded feasible. 'So we head back first?'

Lu You breathed a sigh of relief. 'Finally, we can go back.'

The group exchanged hand signals and began to retreat one by one. But Lu You accidentally stepped on a dry branch. It gave a crisp snap and broke cleanly under his foot.

Lu You froze. He gave Jiang Luo, who was closest to him, a weak smile that looked more like crying. 'I swear, there really wasn't this branch here just now.'

Jiang Luo: '…'

He turned back with a dark face. Every ghost among the Red and White Pair of Fiends turned their heads in unison, their black, lightless eyes fixed on Jiang Luo and Lu You.

Ge Zhu immediately knew this was bad. With no time to explain, he shouted, 'Run!'

Jiang Luo grabbed Lu You and bolted. But before they'd taken a full step, Lu You crashed violently to the ground, dragging Jiang Luo down with him. Lu You yelled, 'My feet are caught by a red rope!'

Jiang Luo grabbed him and, in the rush, looked down. A strip of red silk was wound around Lu You's feet, and its other end was in the midst of the female ghost in red. The silk was dragging them at high speed toward the Red and White Pair of Fiends. Jiang Luo cursed, and a golden dagger flashed into his hand. He shoved aside the dead branches and leaves and chopped hard at the red silk.

He managed to sever the red silk, and the two of them finally stopped. But when Jiang Luo looked up, he realized they had already been dragged into the middle of the Red and White Pair of Fiends.

The water Ghosts stared at them. The female Ghosts stared at them. Both sides were expressionless, radiating a sinister Ghostly aura.

Jiang Luo: '…' Being with Lu You brought misfortune.

Ge Zhu and the others were so stunned by the sudden change that they failed to pull them back in time. Watching their friends fall into the Red and White Pair of Fiends, Ge Zhu grimly pulled a peachwood sword from his bag. 'The Red and White Pair of Fiends charge down the road, not at people; if they charge at people, they stop caring about the road. Now that they've seen Lu You and Jiang Luo, they won't care about the road anymore. Quick, we have to get over there and bring them back!'

But just as he was about to charge forward, a voice as light as a breeze came from behind him. 'Ge Zhu, you're still as foolish as ever.'

Ge Zhu froze, then his face turned ashen.

He gripped the Paulownia Wood Sword tightly, veins bulging on the back of his hand. Ge Zhu was usually free-spirited, Daoist-immortal-like, often cheerful and laughing, never getting angry at anyone. No one had seen this expression on him before—complex beyond measure, seeming to carry a deep-seated hatred.

Ge Zhu gritted his teeth. The grinding sound was like thunderclaps in his ears.

Zhuo Zhongqiu asked with concern, 'Ge Zhu…'

Ge Zhu abruptly tightened his grip, turned, and shielded his companions, staring coldly into the dark woods. 'Ge Wuchen.'

A person slowly emerged from the woods.

This person's temples were sharply defined as if cut by a blade, his eyebrows dark like ink paintings. His white monk's robes were loose and untied, flowing like an exiled immortal. His features were exceptionally handsome; even as a bald monk, he seemed to emit a faint, transcendent glow under the moonlight.

Ge Zhu's hands trembled slightly. He stared fixedly at the man before him, his voice low and heavy. 'Ge Wuchen, you dare show your face before me again.'

Ge Wuchen gave a light laugh. His appearance was that of a celestial being, clear as the sun and moon, but his words carried heavy sarcasm. 'As my younger brother, Ge Zhu, have you fallen so low that you need Daoist arts to subdue Evil Presences?'

He seemed to find it amusing, twirling his Buddhist Prayer Beads bracelet as he laughed. 'All these years, you seem to have made no progress. Indecisive, still clinging to your so-called 'follow your heart in all things.' Ge Zhu, you're so useless. Are you going to watch your friends die bloody deaths before your eyes again?'

Ge Zhu's breathing hitched.

Ge Wuchen glanced at him, then turned and walked into the darkness.

Ge Zhu instinctively rushed after him. 'Ge Wuchen, you stop right there!'

Wenren Lian called, 'Ge Zhu, don't go!'

But Ge Zhu had already chased after Ge Wuchen and disappeared into the woods.

With friends in trouble on two fronts, Wenren Lian had a vague sense they'd fallen into some kind of trap. His face darkened. 'Zhongqiu, Ye Xun, you and Qi Ye go rescue Jiang Luo and Lu You. Kuang Zheng, you and Sailor come with me to find Ge Zhu.'

They split into two groups. Qi Ye had long since been anxious, and at that he rushed toward the Red and White Pair of Fiends first. But before he got there, the Red and White Pair of Fiends procession, together with Lu You and the other two in the middle, vanished into thin air.

*

Jiang Luo and Lu You were being stared at by these Ghosts. Just as Jiang Luo was about to summon the Runes of the Yin-Yang Ring, the Ghosts abruptly charged toward them, carrying the Wedding Palanquin and the coffin.

Jiang Luo raised his arms to shield himself. But the next instant, he lost his balance and pitched forward, tumbling into a confined space—enclosed on all sides, no light, pitch-black vision. He had ended up inside the coffin carried by the water Ghosts.

The coffin swayed. Outside, a suona blew, and the music started up again.

If he was in the coffin, then Lu You must be in the Wedding Palanquin.

Jiang Luo shifted and touched the cold corpse lying beneath him.

The space was cramped; he was almost entirely pressed against this body. Jiang Luo muttered softly, 'Sorry, buddy, really sorry. I'll get out right away.'

But the position made movement awkward. Jiang Luo turned over, murmured 'Forgive the intrusion,' and lay atop the corpse to knock on the coffin lid.

The knocking produced a dull, heavy sound, enough for Jiang Luo to know just how sturdy this coffin lid was.

It was probably as thick as two bricks laid side by side.

Jiang Luo touched the Yin-Yang Ring.

He was not worried that the Twelve Zodiac beasts would fail to force the coffin lid open. What mattered was how, once outside, he was supposed to save Lu You and escape from these dangerous Red and White Pair of Fiends.

Jiang Luo struggled to turn over again. He felt around on the corpse's body, searching for anything usable.

'A corpse escorted by water Ghosts… can't be ordinary,' he murmured to himself. 'Sorry, buddy, please don't move. There's so little space; if you start moving, neither of us will be able to budge.'

The corpse lay quietly, without the slightest reaction.

Jiang Luo slowly continued feeling his way over the corpse.

His hand landed around the corpse's waist, touching fabric of exceptional quality—smooth as water, without a single wrinkle.

Jiang Luo moved from the waist to the sides, finding the corpse's hands.

These hands had broad palms and long, slender fingers. Jiang Luo brushed over each finger one by one, finding nothing there either.

But his right eyelid began to twitch involuntarily.

His legs were pressed against the corpse's legs, yet he still hadn't touched the corpse's toes. The corpse must be a tall man. Jiang Luo propped himself up on his elbows, moving his hands from the corpse's waist to its neck.

He carefully felt the corpse's face.

Thin lips, a high nose bridge. As he felt, the corpse's lips slowly curved upward into a smile.

Jiang Luo jolted. The next instant, the world spun; he was violently pinned beneath the corpse.

Jiang Luo grunted. The Golden Light on the Yin-Yang Ring flashed once but was instantly suppressed. The corpse expertly restrained his hands, a low chuckle barely audible.

That momentary flash of Golden Light illuminated the corpse's face clearly.

Elegant, handsome, utterly at ease—who else could it be but Chi You.

Jiang Luo's brow twitched violently twice. He had a feeling it would be him.

Inside the narrow coffin, the two were stacked one on top of the other, posture intimate, most of their skin forced into contact.

The air gradually grew thin.

The coffin continued to sway. Each sway gave Jiang Luo the sensation of drifting on a boat. The music shifted between joy and sorrow; the wedding and funeral processions were now traveling together.

Chi You pinched his chin.

The evil Ghost lowered his head. Now it was his turn to let his hands roam over Jiang Luo's body.

'Let me search for where you've hidden my heart.'

Jiang Luo's limbs were pressed against Chi You's limbs. The evil Ghost blocked the black-haired youth's line of sight, his tone amused. 'Hmm, not on the neck.'

Cold fingertips slid downward to Jiang Luo's chest. Chi You's palm pressed against Jiang Luo's heart, feeling the pulse beneath. He said as if suddenly enlightened, 'Could it be here?'

The heart under his hand beat a little faster. Jiang Luo stared at him expressionlessly.

The fingers pinching his chin stroked lightly. Chi You said, 'It seems not.'

The evil Ghost's hand moved slowly to Jiang Luo's waist.

The line of his body tightened sharply at the waist, that firm, resilient area always a point of masculine appeal. The evil Ghost deliberately lingered there, his hand settling on Jiang Luo's hip.

He sighed as if disappointed. 'Ah, not here either.'

Moving lower, the sensitivity increased a hundredfold.

Jiang Luo lifted his knee, aiming for the evil Ghost's abdomen. Chi You easily suppressed the attack, pinning him firmly beneath. His long fingers moved to Jiang Luo's thigh as if playing an instrument.

'When dealing with you, I always have to be careful,' Chi You remarked, almost wistful. 'After all, Jiang-xuesheng is full of bad ideas.'

Jiang Luo stared toward Chi You's position in the dark, sneering. 'Why don't you just die.'

Chi You said, 'I'm already dead.'

The evil Ghost forcibly restrained all resistance from the black-haired youth, running his hands over every inch of him. From the strands of his hair to the tips of his toes. By the time he was done, Jiang Luo was sweating at his temples, his face flushed crimson with fury.

'Still couldn't find it,' the evil Ghost muttered to himself. He slowly leaned down, his cold breath spraying against Jiang Luo's ear like a venomous snake's. 'Jiang-xuesheng, tell your teacher. Where exactly have you hidden my heart?'

Jiang Luo's damp hair clung to his ear. His breathing was heavier than before. The air inside the coffin was dwindling, making his chest feel tight and feverish.

He steadied his breathing, speaking calmly. 'How would I know where your heart is.'

He scoffed. 'Teacher, be reasonable. You're already dead. What do you need a heart for?'

Chi You said, 'Sharp tongue.'

He looked down at the black-haired youth.

Unlike his lazy, casual appearance in the bath, Jiang Luo was now bundled up tightly, at most revealing a stretch of neck, a section of wrist and ankle.

His face was flushed a vivid red from lack of oxygen and rage, his lips a striking color. Even though his expression was blank, the sweat at his temples made him look as if he'd just emerged from a hot spring.

Or as if he'd just woken up.

But this beauty was poisonous. The slightest moment of carelessness toward him would result in a vicious bite.

The evil Ghost reached out idly, shifting to stroke Jiang Luo's lower lip.

He didn't like Jiang Luo's current unruffled demeanor.

He still remembered Jiang Luo's expression in the restaurant, when he'd been controlled by the Harmony Talisman and forced to lie on the glass table.

That look had pleased him far more than this one.

Let him think. What had he done that day?

'Dealing with Jiang-xuesheng, one always has to guard against being bitten back,' the evil Ghost said. 'Such sharp teeth. I'm curious what they look like. Oh, right. I've searched every part of Jiang-xuesheng's body, except your mouth. Is my heart hidden in there?'

He spoke unhurriedly, his finger forcing its way insistently into Jiang Luo's mouth.

Jiang Luo bit down hard, but it was like biting stone—soft on the surface, hard beneath. Chi You's finger remained unmoved, pushing in regardless.

*

Chi You felt every one of Jiang Luo's teeth.

'Still nothing,' the evil Ghost sighed, a hidden thread of laughter beneath the regret. 'Where exactly have you hidden my thing?'

He withdrew his hand. Jiang Luo was past the peak of his anger. His breath was hot, a thin mist rising. But his expression held ice as he looked coldly at Chi You. 'There's one place you haven't searched.'

Chi You raised a brow. 'Where?'

Jiang Luo said, 'You're too close to me.'

Chi You slowly pushed himself up a little.

Jiang Luo frowned in disgust. 'Further.'

It seemed he just wanted an excuse to drive the evil Ghost away.

Chi You chuckled and retreated a bit more.

Sure enough, the black-haired youth's expression relaxed slightly. But just as the malicious evil Ghost prepared to close in again, he suddenly paused and turned to look. 'Hmm?'

Two Yellow Talismans were stuck firmly to his back, having been on the coffin lid.

At the start, to keep the corpse in the coffin from rising, Jiang Luo had pasted two Ghost-Binding Talisman on the coffin lid as a precaution. A Ghost-Binding Talisman would not last long against Chi You, but it could at least buy them a few seconds.

That was enough.

Jiang Luo yanked his hands free from Chi You's grip. His first move wasn't to escape the coffin, but to deliver a fierce punch straight to the evil Ghost's handsome face.