Chapter 123: A Fateful Encounter

The blind old Taoist stood firm, his hand gripping the peachwood sword, its tip pointing directly at the crimson-clad ghost bride. "Are you a demon or a ghost?!"

The ghost bride, draped in a blood-red wedding gown, lightly twisted the handle of her umbrella, standing alone at the far end of the mountain path. Her presence evoked a feeling of solitude, as if she were the last living being in the world. Her gown, stained and muddied from her journey, seemed untouched by the grime of the world, its sheen an indication that it was made of real satin, perhaps crafted by a seamstress from the village below.

She had earlier peeled away her entire face, and now her hand slowly lifted, replacing it with a pale, almost translucent visage. She looked like one of those young, unmarried beauties from the village below—youthful, elegant, and only marred by a sickly pallor. Had it not been for her unnatural complexion, she would have resembled an ordinary maiden, no different from any other woman in the world.

Even standing so close, the blind Taoist could sense no demonic aura from her. Such a well-cultivated demon, walking among mortals, was no threat as long as she refrained from approaching the City God Temple or the two main shrines. Of course, this was only true if the demon kept her true nature restrained and her malicious intentions suppressed, preventing her from wreaking havoc upon the world.

The ghost bride's lips curled into a smile, though her voice came without moving them.

"Master Taoist, you have spent your life ridding the world of demons, accumulating immeasurable merit. This is why I have come. As for your so-called Five Thunder Method, I shall await it with great anticipation."

The Taoist was struck with growing shock. Inside his sleeve, the inverted disk—a powerful talisman—spun wildly. The four layers of the disk corresponded to different supernatural beings: demons, seductresses, ghosts, and mountain gods. Three of the four layers were in turmoil, indicating that the entity before him had a complex origin. It was highly likely that she had once been a powerful demon in life, later becoming a vengeful spirit, but with enough potential to ascend to become a mountain deity before her fall into corruption.

The Taoist suppressed his anxiety and tried to remain calm, knowing that facing such a being was far more dangerous than any of the other demons he had encountered in the past. He slowly withdrew his peachwood sword, holding it by the hilt in a gesture of goodwill, and let out a hearty laugh.

"Although this lady is steeped in demonic energy and wields an aura that could dominate an entire realm, I can see with my inner eye that your murderous intent is faint, your sins are few. The lingering resentment you carry is from many years ago and is hardly worth mentioning. As a humble hermit, I consider you half a fellow practitioner, and if my presence has disturbed your cultivation, I beg your pardon."

The ghost bride's gaze shifted from the Taoist to the blind Taoist's companions, before locking onto him.

"Lady?" she scoffed, her voice rising. "Have you not seen my attire? Call me Madam!"

The last two words were almost a roar. In that instant, torrential rain began to pour, and the mountain winds howled. With a sharp clap, the ghost bride closed her umbrella and, holding it in one hand, gently wiped away the raindrops from the canopy. But as her eyes shifted toward the Taoist and his disciples, her face contorted with increasing fury.

"Indeed, a blind fool. Old blind man! So you claim to see with your inner eye, do you? Let me take you back with me, so you may experience the pain of a broken heart for yourself."

The Taoist tried to ease the tension, letting out a sigh.

"Madam, why must you be so aggressive? There is always room for reconciliation, is there not?"

The ghost bride began to move slowly forward, each step causing her muddy gown to drag through the wet earth. One hand held the umbrella, while the other lifted the hem of her gown, revealing a pair of muddied embroidered shoes. She smiled, her voice soft yet filled with venom.

"Your methods are weak. You dare to harbor ill intent? It is a mercy you died. Now you won't waste my husband's time. He should not be delayed in his studies... his pursuit of fame..."

Her words trailed off as her gaze softened. The whispers of her last words were drowned in the fierce storm, barely audible even in the close proximity of the Taoist.

The Taoist let out a cold laugh. "Madam, do you truly wish to destroy us both?"

Seeing the situation escalate into a deadly standoff, the Taoist—having traveled far and wide for decades—was no stranger to danger. He steeled himself, his face hardening as he muttered under his breath.

"Little cripple, if you help me defeat this enemy, I promise you that I will spare your little wine girl from paying the yearly tribute to the symbol of the waters."

The crippled boy nodded, taking hold of the soul-catching flag, his voice steady.

"That will do."

The Taoist planted his foot into the ground with force, and swiftly formed a sword stance with his fingers, chanting a string of incantations. He concluded with the words, "Hasten, as the law commands!"

The flag planted in the earth began to unfurl violently. The eight words on it shifted and rearranged themselves, glowing faintly like ghostly soldiers on the march. The words "Exorcising demons, capturing ghosts" streamed down the flagpole, and with the force of an unseen wind, they entered the boy's ears and nose, merging with his being.

In an instant, the boy's eyes turned pure white, and as he breathed, black smoke swirled from his orifices. His fists clenched tight as a fierce, unnatural aura radiated from him, and the raindrops above him vaporized instantly. The boy now resembled a creature of the underworld, a shadowy, soul-consuming monster.

The ghost bride, observing the boy's transformation, finally turned her gaze back to the Taoist with a look of bitter disappointment.

"You are a disgrace," she murmured. "Not even worthy of a proper underhanded technique. A fool, pretending to walk the righteous path. Death is too easy for you... you deserve a fate worse than death."

The boy was upon her in an instant, leaping high into the air, his leg aimed at her head. The ghost bride made no attempt to evade, nor did she block, holding her gown delicately with her fingers as she glided forward with a graceful, unwavering stride.

With a resounding thud, her head was severed and flew away, but the ghost bride continued forward, undeterred.

The boy, now on the ground, spun around to strike her at the waist, but the ghost bride's hand, held out to shield herself, deflected the strike effortlessly. Her hand remained unmoved by the force of the boy's attack, and with a flick of her wrist, she sent him flying backward. He crashed into the mud and slid a distance before coming to a halt.

Without a hint of worry, the ghost bride raised her umbrella once more, the white lightning cracking down upon it with a deafening sound. The two flying swords in the boy's grasp shattered beneath her control, scattering like broken mercury upon the ground.

With a swift motion, her head reappeared, growing back seamlessly onto her neck, as if nothing had happened. She tossed aside the blades of grass from her hair.

"Come again!"

The blind Taoist, feeling the stakes rising, took a deep breath and prepared himself for the final confrontation. A light yellow aura enveloped him as he began his incantations with grave intensity.

But the ghost bride, with a flick of her foot, casually sent the crippled boy flying off the mountain. His form vanished into the air.

The young girl, mad with rage, began to slash at herself, her blood dripping onto her face. She charged at the ghost bride, but the torrential rain washed away her blood before it could even reach the ghost's form.

With a casual slap, the ghost bride sent the girl flying. The girl's small body soared through the air, disappearing just as quickly as the crippled boy.

As the ghost bride continued her relentless march, each step called down a thunderous bolt of white lightning, smashing into her umbrella. From afar, the lightning seemed to snake down from the heavens, striking the earth with explosive force.

What had begun as a gentle drizzle had quickly turned into a torrential downpour, leaving everyone struggling to move forward.

Chen Ping'an looked to the others, suggesting they seek shelter, but Lin Shouyi, steadying his hat, whispered gravely, "Something's wrong."

Li Huai tugged at Li Baoqing's sleeve. "I'm scared."

Li Baoqing scolded, "The Yin God is a ghost, isn't he? What's there to fear?"

Li Huai's face lit up. "Right!"

He turned around to warn the donkey, "Little white donkey, don't you dare stray!"

The Yin God appeared beside Chen Ping'an, his voice low and raspy. "There is a female ghost commanding the surrounding mountains and waters. She is currently engaged in battle with the Taoist. If things go as expected, she will surely win. Her origins are unclear, and her cultivation is not trivial. If it were anywhere else, I could capture her, but here... the situation is precarious."

He looked around carefully, his voice full of

concern. "We need to leave here as soon as possible!"

Before Chen Ping'an could respond, the sound of wings flapping filled the air.

Two figures swooped down, barely visible in the stormy weather.