Chapter 78

Because the wedding might turn into a funeral at any time, no one dared to cheer for the groom to drink wine at the wedding banquet on the off chance that the wine was singled out as the cause of death and the Du family came after them. For this reason, Jiang Xunyi was able to quickly get up to walk to the bridal chamber.

He walked through the corridor, but his steps were getting slower and slower. The little servant who led the way was initially shy, but at the sight of Jiang Xunyi’s appearance, he assumed that he must also be scared. Suddenly he knelt on the ground and threw the lantern aside. Grabbing the corner of Jiang Xunyi’s robes, he shouted, “Second Young Master, let’s not go forwards. Why-why don’t we go back… I’m so scared!”

Jiang Xunyi leaned down and picked the lantern up, his slender fingers coming up to brush away the dust on it. He said quietly, “You don’t need to come with. Since you are afraid, you just go back by yourself.”

The little servant stopped shouting and raised his head in a daze as if he couldn’t believe what Jiang Xunyi said was real.

Jiang Xunyi raised his eyebrows. “Still not leaving? If you don’t go, then get up and follow me.”

“No! No! I’m going! Second young master, take care.”

The servant immediately jumped up from the ground after he spoke, not even looking back as he sprinted out like crazy. Jiang Xunyi stood there and watched. Just as the boy was about to make a turn, he raised his voice. “Wrong, turn right!”

The little servant quickly changed direction, then he disappeared instantly.

When there were no others around, Jiang Xunyi patted the lantern. He seemed to hesitate, and after a short pause, he walked forward step by step along the path the little servant was leading him down.

He entered the bridal chamber peacefully, pushed the door open by himself, and saw the bride on the bed with a veil on, waiting for him.

Jiang Xunyi stood in place with his hand behind his back, observing her for a while. A charming smile spread over his face, and he said leisurely, “I have let the lady wait for a long time.”

Even after he finished saying this, he didn’t come forward, merely standing in place and waving his sleeve gently. The red veil was suddenly swept to the ground by the gust of wind he created, and the bride raised her head. Her face was powdered and lips colored vermilion, her mouth like a cherry and nose like fine jade. She was indeed a rare beauty, but she was not Rou Rou.

The moment she showed her face, the appearance of the room had also silently changed. Although the new room was still a bridal chamber, its furnishing was very different from that of the Du family, and it looked more a simple hall in a general countryside house. However, a large coffin for two was placed on the bed.

The corner of Jiang Xunyi’s lips were quirked in a cold sneer, but the woman walked over by herself, putting her hands around his neck and whispering quietly, “Husband, let’s rest.”

Her breath smelled of orchids, and she spit lightly on Jiang Xunyi’s face. Jiang Xunyi tilted his head calmly, lightly held the opponent’s wrist, and said softly, “Miss, did you marry the wrong person? This one indeed married a beauty, but not a dead person…”

At this time, the woman suddenly transformed, a beast-like howl emitting from her throat. However, Jiang Xunyi was a step faster. Before she could attack, he ruthlessly struck, a single arm lifting and thrusting forwards.

The beautiful face from earlier had now been distorted, the skin on the face falling off, and the eyes coming out of the socket. Meanwhile, her long hair just kept getting longer and longer, and like a murderous python, it rushed towards Jiang Xunyi.

Jiang Xunyi’s saber flew out of its sheath, cutting off the long hair that had been wrapped around his ankle. He followed by kicking the opponent’s chin, shouting, “Since you are dead, you should be peacefully enter the reincarnation cycle. You even make a vain attempt to kill and absorb essence. You must be seeking death!”

“Hahahaha…hehehehe…”

As he was scolding, a peal of laughter rang out. However, it didn’t sound like it came from only one person. Instead, it seemed like countless female voices were laughing at the same time, mocking Jiang Xunyi’s words. With one kick, he sent the head flying, and it rolled to the side. Countless ghosts poured out of the wound, creating a translucent enclosure with Jiang Xunyi in the middle. All of them looked like women, but they also looked miserable and cold.

At the sight of their state of death Jiang Xunyi initially felt slight surprise. Then, as if he had realized something, he sighed, and a trace of compassion flashed in his eyes, and threw the Extinguished Flower Sword out.

As soon as the long sword was released, the blade of the sword became a cloud of fluttering flowers, and the hilt floated in the sky, magically changing into the shape of a square. Wavering lights filled the air, blooming flowers appearing and disappearing. The attacks of the surrounding female demons gradually slowed down, but the spell was obviously also extremely exhausting. Sweat soon beaded on his forehead, but the laughter that was like a cry continued to pour out wave after wave. He formed a seal with his hands and whispered, “The Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, while practicing deeply the Prajna Paramita… It is the same as the old form, thinking, action, and consciousness. Śāriputra, the material form is the same as emptiness, and emptiness the same as the material form….” ①

With the recitation of the scriptures, several golden lights fell, and a few of the banshees disappeared without a trace under the shroud of light. However, the remaining few became more and more fierce, and Jiang Xunyi felt the pressure on his body getting heavier. Suddenly the cloud of flowers began to rain down, and the Extinguished Flower Sword fell from mid-air. Jiang Xunyi flew to catch it then swept the sword outwards. He took advantage of the momentum to jump out of the window.

He had taken a few steps back when suddenly his waist was held. Jiang Xunyi turned his head to the side. “Yun Xie?”

Yun Xie hugged Jiang Xunyi’s waist and did not let go, pulling out the sword Kun Wu with his other hand and pointing the tip at the banshees. “A’Xun, are you okay? Are you injured?”

Jiang Xunyi glanced at the hand holding the sword, gaze sharpening, before he said, “…No.”

Yun Xie looked as if he had let out a breath. In the blink of an eye, he saw that the other’s face was pale and his forehead was covered with cold sweat. The sight caused him to feel distressed again. He raised his sleeve and wiped Jiang Xunyi’s face. “You take a rest and leave the rest to me.”

Before he could move his hand back, he was suddenly grasped by Jiang Xunyi. Yun Xie raised his head in surprise. “A’Xun?”

Jiang Xunyi gritted his teeth. “Yun Xie, sorry!”

The banshees behind them screamed and rushed towards Jiang Xunyi. Without even turning his head back, he slapped them back. However, the Extinguished Flower Sword struck Yun Xie’s neck without hesitation.

Even though he already understood the situation, Jiang Xunyi couldn’t help turning his head away when the familiar face showed an expression of stunned pain.

Yun Xie’s figure transformed into white mist before dispersing in a blink of an eye. The wind from Jiang Xunyi’s sleeve temporarily stopped the banshees, but his body was knocked back and slammed into a courtyard wall.

With a “bang”, he smashed into the wall at full strength. It collapsed, the gravel and mud falling down. Jiang Xunyi used his arm to smash open a falling brick. Suddenly, his body was pulled to the side and he was enveloped in someone’s arms. They rolled together, the person blocking the next collision for him.

Jiang Xunyi really sighed this time. “Yun Xie, how is everything on your side?”

Yun Xie pulled him to his feet. He looked back at the female demon who was rushing over, a fire immediately igniting in his eyes. “Look at you, can you take care of yourself first when you do anything? There are so many banshees, and you still want to exorcise them? I’m afraid you will explode and die before you finish!”

The words he spoke were fierce, but his movements were very gentle. He reached out his hand to help Jiang Xunyi wipe the dust off his face before he patted Jiang Xunyi’s chest and arms again to reassure that he was not injured. At this time, the woman’s long hair had already quietly curled up on the back of his clothes. Yun Xie didn’t look back, instead coldly shouting, “Unsheath!”

Within just these few days, he had gotten accustomed to the new sword. There was a whistle and a flash like lightning, and most of the banshees that had been fighting were wiped out.

“Yun Xie!” Jiang Xunyi moved as if he wanted to block the Kunwu Sword, but after a pause, he still retracted his arm. “They… are female enchantresses…”

Yun Xie was a little surprised, but still did not stop. “So what? You can’t exorcise them, so do you want to be like Buddha and use your body to feed eagles and accompany them to the palace of the Underworld?”

Yun Xie’s thoughts had always deviated from classic teachings. Although he was born in an orthodox sect, he could not be said to be traditionally “chivalrous.” However, Jiang Xunyi knew that his words were reasonable, so he didn’t stop him and just sighed slightly. At the same time, the yard he had just broken out of silently disappeared, leaving only a field of snow-white powder, sparkling under the moonlight.

The room Yun Xie was in was the real bridal chamber. Yu Hong also ran out of the room, and when he saw the powder covering the ground, he exclaimed, “Martial Uncle, what is this? What had happened?”

Yun Xie smiled and said, “It’s snowing, can’t you see?”

Yu Hong was very surprised. “It’s snowing? This snow is too weird, why is it only present in such a small area?”

He stepped forward, took a handful of the powder from the ground, and brought it to his face.

“…Ahhh!”

Jiang Xunyi: “…”

Yu Hong ran to his side to complain. “Martial Uncle, t-that is ash!”

“Mn, don’t touch me with your hand.”

Yu Hong looked at his hand with a sorrowful face. “Martial Uncle Yun, why are you teasing me again…”

Jiang Xunyi didn’t even look at him and sneered. “Because you are stupid. You are really losing face for our Hidden Spirit Sect. Mo Lou actually sent you here by yourself. Pei, if you were the one marrying tonight, I am afraid that there will not even be bones left. Look. See what’s special about the ashes.”

Yun Xie echoed, “Yes, yes, Jiang Molou is really ignorant… Aiya, you’re beating me for another man.”

Jiang Xunyi had stomped on Yun Xie’s foot as he was walking into the room. Du Li and Rou Rou were both inside. Rou Rou’s stare was complicated as she glanced over at him, then at Yun Xie who was following behind. Obviously, she still hadn’t recovered from what happened last night.

“Second brother, are you okay?” Du Li asked. “Your complexion is not good.”

He seemed to be addicted to calling out “Second Brother.” Jiang Xunyi glanced at Du Li indifferently and nodded his head.

Du Li continued, “Shortly after you left the front hall, we saw that you sent the servant back. The boy was so scared, it caused me to worry, so I also came to the bridal chamber. However, I found that you were no longer there, and my sister-in-law had fainted under the bed again. According to the young man, you were also walking in the direction of the bridal chamber, so why is it that we were clearly going to the same destination and yet had arrived at different locations?”