Chapter 64: Witch Mansion Ghost House (1)

Bamboo forest, secluded wind, white stone.

Black clothes, black hair, clear face.

A night with stars but no moon, the stars in the sky are clear and faint, flashing with the ancient and quiet brilliance under the vast night sky. The woman sitting cross-legged on the white stone has her sleeves spread out like clouds.

A slight sound of breaking wind, a man in black appeared beside the white stone: "Princess."

Zi Rao still closed her eyes slightly, but a faint smile bloomed on her lips: "I only noticed you when you were within ten steps, Mo Heng, your light work has improved again, is it because you have been dealing with that King Ji Cang recently?"

Mo Heng's lips twitched slightly, but he was always short of words, just bowed. Zi Rao smiled and looked at him. Water eyes flowing, starlight falling into the secluded pool, this dark night also seems to have turned into a deep lake in the sky, clear and enchanting with intoxicating waves.

Mo Heng lowered his eyes, and his hand couldn't help but touch the hilt of the sword. Zi Rao turned her eyes and asked with a smile: "Occasionally find you to discuss moves, why are you always so nervous?"

Mo Heng's lips twitched again. Compared with discussing martial arts with the Nine Princess, he would rather take the risk of monitoring the Xuan King, not to mention today, he might not be able to handle her sword moves. Zi Rao seemed to notice something, her eyes fell on his arm, her eyebrows slightly gathered, and her voice turned soft: "Why, are you injured?"

"Careless." Mo Heng's words were concise. No one knew how much danger was contained in these few short words. After a pause, he added: "That blood Linglong, the Xuan King does not always carry it with him."

"Be careful in everything." The seemingly casual advice, the concern in it flowed faintly. Mo Heng's face was a little unnatural, as if he wanted to change the subject, and his eyes drifted to the quiet hermitage not far away. Zi Rao said: "Don't worry, it's still suppressed, and there won't be any major problems in closing for a few days, but time is running out. Wanqi Boyan is desperate, exchanging the survival of the Rouran tribe for the ghost stone. The Yuehua stone is in our hands, the Xiangfei stone is close at hand, the purple crystal stone also appeared a few days ago, and although the blood Linglong is not easy to obtain, there is a clue. Now only the Golden Phoenix Stone and that ice blue crystal are unknown." She said softly while looking up at the sky, the starlight falling into her eyes and body, the thousands of miles of wind and moon, the human world, all flowing and fluttering in that clear and bottomless smile.

"Mo Heng, after accompanying him for these days, I realized that the poison is more terrible than I thought. Although he hides it well, I know that he is willing to listen to me and stay in the villa to recuperate, just because his body can no longer afford more fatigue; he often throws the secret reports from the Di Du to me to handle, because the handwriting will reveal his physical condition; he often stays up all night reading, because every inch of his meridians will hurt at night, so painful that he can't sleep at all; he is increasingly accustomed to leaning on the couch and talking to me, because he is too weak to fight against the poison every moment."

"At the beginning, I thought that finding Qi Shi would definitely solve the problem. Now I don't have any certainty at all. The King brother killed Yuexi without hesitation, and the prescription of medicine and poison can no longer be checked. Although Qi Shi promised to take the pulse, no one knows what the result will be. In case... then only one method may have hope. Nine stones appear and the world is one. Since the Nine-Turn Exquisite Stone is said to have the power to overturn the sky and the earth, can it really reverse the universe?"

Whispering softly, her heart will occasionally be revealed in front of this taciturn man, just like being trapped in the Xuan Tower for seven years, he sometimes managed to avoid the strict guards to come, and said a few words to her in a hurry outside, although it might not happen once a year, this little secret is imprinted in the silent heart.

When Zi Rao stared at the night sky with those charming eyes, Mo Heng quietly described the woman's graceful outline by the starlight, his lips showing a faint and astringent softness: "Princess, don't worry, nothing will happen." After a pause, "Master, he will always have a way."

Zi Rao looked back, smiled faintly, and sighed lightly.

Yes, he always has a way. Nothing can stump him. Following him for many years, watching impossible things become possible, watching him plan for the future, watching him calculate the world, this is perhaps the subconscious idea of everyone around him. Eastern Emperor, it is impossible to be helpless about anything forever. Just like this time back from Le Yao Palace, the poison finally broke out. She went out and he didn't sleep at all. The violent coughing of blood scared Li Si, and finally he used the poison of the golden snake to barely suppress it. His Nine Nether Mysterious Penetration has reached the eighth level, and the last level of life and death, he once said not to touch, but suddenly, he decided to close for ten days.

She didn't persuade him. Ten days and ten nights, she guarded outside for ten days and ten nights.

When Zi Hao stepped out of the hermitage, the dawn was cold and the sky was just bright.

Zi Rao stood by the green bamboo forest, her clear eyes like water, reflecting his fluttering clothes.

Thin fog and clouds, drifting and floating.

Zi Rao saw clearly that his eyes were darker and brighter than ten days ago. The bottomless place was not as unfathomable as usual, but had a kind of clear and clean condensation in it, the space that could be seen, the distance that could not be touched. His skin was already pale, and now it was even more colorless. That kind of almost transparent white made people feel that they could penetrate his body, dare not touch, and even dare not approach.

Nine Nether Mysterious Penetration life and death realm, refining poison into god, reborn. The medicine and poison that were originally entangled in his blood have been completely integrated with his essence, energy, spirit, and bones, helping him break through the ninth level, and his skill is almost perfect, but it will also destroy every bit of his flesh and blood at a faster speed, and there is nothing that can suppress it.

Taking water from the source, but there is no choice, just because the body on the verge of the limit can no longer allow him to make any choice.

The gentle smile drifted into her heart through the light in the forest, painful like drawing silk, cool like floating snow, but Zi Rao held the corner of his clothes, and said softly: "You... do you remember what day it is today?"

She looked at him lingeringly, her eyes pure, flowing light like jade, as if thousands of illusions were flying and spreading from the depths of the endless gaze, how much time, how much years, how much tenderness, how much concern...

Her hands are warm, her smile is warm, her eyes are warm. Zi Hao gently brushed her hair, gently stroked the little girl who warmed his cold body in the bamboo forest twenty years ago, gently stroked the young girl who used soft whispers to relieve his bone-deep pain in the dark night of the deep palace, gently stroked the charming woman who used her wanton smile to accompany his lonely figure under the country's smoke and mountains...

The little baby born in the royal city twenty years ago, the only bond in the world twenty years later, how could he forget this day?

Zi Rao smiled beautifully, her eyebrows like paintings: "You promised to accompany me to do one thing."

His eyes were gentle, and he said in a low voice: "Otherwise, why do you think I came out of the pass today?"

The black horse, the spacious carriage, drove out of the Chu capital and went west all the way. The sun passed the sky and gradually tilted west, and it drove for a day without stopping.

The carriage looked ordinary from the outside, but inside it was paved with large and comfortable fox fur cushions. On the side, there was a tea desk with faint clear tea, and incense burners at the four corners, burning clouds of incense. Further inside, ancient zithers and chessboards were placed on both sides, and it didn't feel crowded at all. The horse pulling the carriage was fast and steady, and there was not even a ripple in the tea cup.

The carriage was quiet and comfortable. Zi Hao was covered with a cloak, leaning lazily on the cushions to taste tea and recuperate, occasionally playing double-six games with Zi Rao to pass the time. If Zi Rao talked about the movements of various forces these days, or what important matters were in the Di Du, he would nod and listen. If she didn't say, he would ignore it, and wouldn't ask where they were going or when they would arrive, as if he would just accompany her like this, wherever it was, it didn't matter, a piece of heaven and earth, safe and content. Zi Rao was obviously a bit absent-minded, and the simple game along the way frequently lost, losing more and winning less. After she lost another game, Zi Hao finally raised his head, put down the dice in his hand and looked at her, saying faintly: "Zi Rao, you have something on your mind."

Zi Rao subconsciously asked: "Where?"

Zi Hao smiled slightly, and the long phoenix eyes flowed with insight into the human heart: "In the eyes."

Zi Rao couldn't help but glance out of the carriage curtain, and the carriage shook slightly at this moment and stopped.

The sunlight dimmed at some unknown moment. Outside the carriage, it was very quiet. What met the eyes was a stretch of desolate mountains and wild ridges, yet on a hillside stood an imposing, magnificent mansion. With continuous emerald eaves and scattered buildings, this huge residence occupied almost half of the small hill, not inferior to the mansions of the famous noble families in Chu Du. However, around it, spring was absent and all things perished. Only large, jagged pieces of broken stone stood hideously in the floating mist. The lonely, cold gray mixed with the dismal white filled the mountain ridges. At a glance, the wind was mournful and desolate, chilling and eerie, as if one had suddenly stepped from ten thousand miles of spring light into a dead domain of the underworld, making one's hair stand on end for no reason.

"This is the Witch Mansion Ghost House, Qi Shi's residence." Zi Rao lifted the carriage curtain slightly and turned her head.

"Hmm." Zi Hao lowered his eyes, the corners of his eyes curved in a long arc, deep as dye.

Zi Rao pursed her lips, staring at him: "You promised me that day, you haven't accompanied me for my birthday for seven years, you have to make up for it."

The dark eyes raised silently, as if clear water rippled into the deep night, a hint of smile was vague, Zi Hao still said "Hmm" faintly.

Zi Rao was familiar with every look in his eyes since she was a child, but at this time she felt strange, and couldn't distinguish his joy and anger. Before she could speak, she saw a strange floating light in Zi Hao's smiling eyes. He suddenly got up, supported his knees with one hand, and tapped her forehead with the other, staring at her charming pupils: "You tricked me again."

The sleeves fell, and the bitter breath on him brushed past her face, and his fingertips had cold tenderness. Zi Rao was stunned, and he raised his eyebrows slightly, pushing the door and getting off the carriage.

Zi Rao showed surprise and hurriedly followed. At this time, in front of the deep mansion, without any warning, the big door opened slowly.

Two lamp fires floated out, and two people walked out of the door, followed by two more, one pair by one pair, all dressed as servants, a total of eight people, followed by eight young girls, all ten years old, the same dress, the same pace, and even the same expression.

The delicate eyebrows of these boys and girls were like paintings, and the silk clothes on their bodies were as clean as new, with faint smiles on their faces, standing respectfully on the side of the door to welcome guests. Zi Rao whispered: "It's the blood Gu forbidden technique, Qi Shi is best at this kind of trick."

The blood Gu forbidden technique originated from the ancient Witch Clan, swallowing blood worms and poisonous Gu into the living body, making them feed on flesh and blood, and grow and multiply. The victim is gradually eroded by Gu worms in the skin and internal organs in a state of complete survival and sobriety. Within three months, the whole body is full of dense Gu worms. When the ten thousand Gu finally bite the heart

Under the control of the Blood Gu, the shell of the body remained as it was, but the spirit was completely lost, and the person was like a walking corpse. Once the Gu insect left, the person would immediately become blood and rotting flesh, which even a Great Luo Immortal could hardly save. Twenty years ago, Qi Shi violated the ban and privately studied this technique, resulting in severe punishment and torture. Afterward, not only did he not repent, but he became even more unscrupulous, creating a large number of Gu corpses to be driven.

"Please, honored guest—" The same tone was issued simultaneously from the mouths of the sixteen people in front of the door, as hollow as knocking on rotten wood. Yet in the eyes of the speakers, a point of dark, fierce blood color faintly appeared.

Zi Hao ordered in a calm voice, "You wait for me outside."

Zi Rao's hand, holding his, tightened. "I will go in with you."

Zi Hao turned his head, the darkness in his eyes deep and profound, but his voice was gentle and smiling. "I go in, you wait for me, or you go in, I go back. I give you a choice."

"But, Qi Shi..."

Zi Hao smiled. "Why, are you afraid I cannot handle him?"

"It is not that." Zi Rao frowned helplessly and urged, "Do not kill him. Even if he deserves to die, it is not now."

Zi Hao nodded, his smile remaining the same. "Fine, I will follow your wish." With a light word, he let go and left.

More than ten servant boys led the way, their bodies stiff as they passed through the gate. The lamp fire in their hands drifted into the gloomy mist, like flickering ghost fires, now bright, now dim. Zi Hao walked slowly among them, going deep inside, his expression cold and clear.

This residence occupied a huge area and seemed to have some age, but it was not completely finished inside. Looking from afar, there were still people on the pavilions painting colors, craftsmen building stone bridges by the pond, two people digging soil and planting seedlings in front of the flower garden, and even a little girl jumping and reaching out beside the rockery, as if chasing a fluttering butterfly.

The surroundings were full of busy scenes, but one could not hear the slightest sound. Whether it was the painters, the bridge builders, or the playing little girl, everyone was frozen in mid-air, as if they had suddenly solidified at some moment. Even their focused expressions, the sweat on their foreheads, and their innocent smiles had not changed, all vivid and lifelike. However, everyone had long since lost all breath.

Dark mist floated, covering the sky and sun.

Nearly a hundred people in the entire residence had been deprived of their lives at the same time on some day in the past. What remained were only bodies without vitality, maintaining the actions and expressions they had at the moment of death, turning into a bizarre world. In the deep mansion, the pavilions were lonely and silent, gloomy and endless. Only a corner of snow-white clothing fluttered gently beside the lantern that seemed about to go out at any time, finally going deep into the heart of the mansion.

The main building at the heart of the mansion was built in the center of an open, circular ground, surrounded by high walls. Just as Zi Hao stopped in front of the building, a sharp laugh suddenly rang out in the mansion.

(End of chapter)