Chapter 39: Are You Willing to Enter the Ten Thousand Souls Banner?

The bright moon sinks westward; dawn is not far off.

A bloated black shadow sped through the night, treading on eaves, skimming treetops, and vanishing from the city in the blink of an eye.

This was Chen Ye, carrying two young girls on his back as he sprinted.

Princess Hongyu had just chosen to trust Chen Ye, yet who would have thought this young Daoist Priest would mutter "Forgive me," then flip the quilt, wrapping both himself and Lan Shi inside it.

Before either could react, they were hoisted onto Chen Ye's back, and he dashed out of the magnificent Princess's residence like a flying arrow.

Only when the cold wind struck their faces did Princess Hongyu realize she had been kidnapped.

Hadn't they agreed he would lift the evil curse for them? Then why did he look like a flower-snatching thief?

"Please forgive us, Misses. Lifting the evil curse cannot be done within the Princess's residence. Time is tight; it would save time if I took you both with me."

Chen Ye's words drifted on the wind into their ears, and neither Princess Hongyu nor Lan Shi dared struggle.

Princess Hongyu felt her heart pounding. Though she had learned Wu Gong, she had never flown over eaves and walked on walls like this before. Trapped since childhood within the palace, life and death were not her own. She had thought of escaping, but the palace gates were the gates of hell; if she dared cross them, she would surely be caught, and the many punishments would make her wish for death.

Only when she grew older and the soul-snatching evil curse was planted upon her did Princess Hongyu find she could come and go freely.

Yet at this moment, she had lost all desire to flee.

With heaven and earth so vast, she had nowhere to go. As long as that old demon lived, she would forever be a lamb awaiting slaughter; it made no difference where she went.

But tonight seemed somewhat different.

Princess Hongyu could not help but whisper, "Little Stone, do you usually fly over eaves and walk on walls like this?"

Lan Shi answered softly, "More or less, but his lightness skill is far superior to mine. He can carry two people and still run this fast."

"Foolish girl, this is not Wu Gong; it must be some kind of spell," Princess Hongyu sighed. "Cultivators are truly formidable; mortals can never compare."

Lan Shi could not help but ask again, "Princess, can we cultivate too? I think this young man is quite easy to talk to; if we could become his disciples..."

Princess Hongyu rolled her eyes at Lan Shi. This foolish girl; at such close range, no matter how softly she spoke, he could hear her.

Yet she could not help feeling a bit of anticipation in her heart.

If this Daoist Priest were truly a good person, and if he could truly lift that soul-snatching evil curse, then perhaps...

However, before Princess Hongyu could fantasize about the future, Chen Ye had already stopped.

Chen Ye set the two young girls down and casually pointed in a direction.

"We've arrived just ahead."

Only then did Princess Hongyu and Lan Shi realize they were already outside the city. The city gate was not far behind them; they had merely just left the city gate and reached a dense forest beside the official road.

The two, puzzled, could only follow Chen Ye onward. Not far in, they heard the howling of cold winds, and both felt the surroundings grow much colder.

Lan Shi said in surprise, "Princess, I have heard this sound before."

After walking another dozen steps, ghostly phosphorescent flames appeared ahead, with countless resentful souls dancing in the forest, carrying severed corpses in their hands. The scent of blood was so thick it made one gag.

Princess Hongyu and Lan Shi, terrified, stopped in their tracks. What was this situation of a hundred ghosts marching at night?

Could it be that, after all, they had been misled, and this young Daoist Priest was no different from other demons?!

Seeing the two young girls too frightened to move, Chen Ye felt somewhat embarrassed.

This scene was indeed a bit frightening.

After leaving the Hengdao Inn, Chen Ye had not immediately begun tracking Lan Shi; instead, he came here first, setting down the corpses and the Ten Thousand Souls Banner from his storage bag.

Then, guided by Hearing Mo Ci, he ordered the other resentful souls to arrange formations here, processing the corpses of the martial artists so they could be refined anew into suitable bodies.

The Ten Thousand Souls Banner was indeed a magical treasure essential for demonic cultivators; it was truly the most practical and convenient treasure. One could toss the treasure down and attend to other matters, completely without hindering the main task.

However, only Chen Ye had the courage to allow the resentful souls within the Ten Thousand Souls Banner to act freely. Ordinary demons refine only vicious, ruthless fierce ghosts, which possess no reason at all; if one dared let them act freely, the first to suffer would be oneself.

This move was something ordinary demonic cultivators truly could not learn.

Seeing Chen Ye return, the white banner possessed by Hearing Mo Ci floated over and asked in confusion, "Why did you bring these two little girls? The flesh and blood are already sufficient; there is no need to add more. Besides, these two little girls have barely any flesh on their bones and are hardly useful for great purposes."

In this small forest drifting with ghostly flames and reeking of blood and terror, the white banner with a ghostly face opened its mouth to speak, instantly making Lan Shi scream, "No, don't eat me! I, I..."

Princess Hongyu quickly shielded her behind her and said to Chen Ye, "Daoist Priest, is this the method of saving people you spoke of?"

Chen Ye could hear the subtext in Princess Hongyu's words: You still claim you are not a demon?!

The scene was indeed inappropriate; Chen Ye found it hard to explain and could only say helplessly, "Master, stop frightening the young girls. These two are guests I have invited."

Hearing Mo Ci sneered, "Hmph. I told you to wear a mask, but you wouldn't listen, thus inviting so many romantic debts. If that Miss Su sees this, I wonder how you will explain."

Chen Ye laughed in anger and could not help saying, "Master, can you stop making wild guesses? Never mind; I am too lazy to explain. You attend to your business; I will handle things here myself."

Hearing this, Hearing Mo Ci floated back into the midst of the hundred ghosts marching at night and continued his work of dismembering bodies and refining them.

Chen Ye looked at the two trembling figures and could only explain, "This scene is indeed easy to misunderstand. If the two of you are unwilling to believe me, I will not force you to stay; you may leave on your own. But if you are willing to trust me, then follow me, and let me attempt to lift the evil curse upon you."

Seeing Chen Ye's expression as if he did not even wish to detain them, Lan Shi spoke first: "I am willing to trust the Daoist Priest. If you truly have evil intentions, there would be no need for such trouble. Princess, do you not agree?"

Princess Hongyu had intended to say that Lan Shi was too naive; the methods of demons were endless, and how could one distinguish them so easily?

With dawn approaching, returning now would expose their tracks, quickly drawing the attention of Najiang Shiyue. Once it was revealed that they had met Chen Ye, there would likely be immediate danger to their lives.

With matters come to this, they had no other choice.

"In that case, we trouble the Daoist Priest."

Chen Ye led the two young girls away from that bloody and cruel formation to another clearing, then produced the Sutra of the Earth Store Bodhisattva's Fundamental Vows. Last time, relying on the secret techniques recorded in this sutra, he had successfully extracted the soul of Monk Ku'e and smoothly prevented his soul-snatching.

But today was different; he could not simply have the two young girls wait here until that old man Wu died.

What Chen Ye intended to do was prepare a substitute for the two, transferring the soul-snatching evil curse upon them onto the substitutes.

This might allow him to lift the evil curse for the two without alerting that old demon.

However, there was one difficulty.

The key to the Evil Curse Spirit Child lies in bloodline. Princess Hongyu and Lan Shi were clearly bloodline descendants produced by that old demon's methods. To transfer the Evil Curse Spirit Child's curse, one likewise needed a bloodline descendant of that old demon; otherwise, the evil curse could not take effect.

Chen Ye briefly explained the principle to the two young girls and then said, "I will take your fresh blood and ask Master to help fashion two substitutes; perhaps this will transfer the evil curse.

"However, since the fashioned substitutes will inevitably have an impure bloodline, I cannot guarantee a hundred percent success; there is also a chance the old demon will discover it immediately. The two of you may consider this for a few more days. For now, let me modify the evil curse upon you, and once the substitutes are ready, I will transfer the evil curse. Princess, please go first."

Just as Chen Ye was about to act, Princess Hongyu suddenly said to Lan Shi, "Little Stone, go keep watch to prevent anyone from disturbing us."

Lan Shi didn't understand, but still obeyed the order, darting into the woods in a few steps as if truly standing guard.

As Chen Ye's face was full of confusion, Princess Hong Yu whispered, "According to what the Daoist just said, if we are truly blood-related sisters, does that mean the chance of success is greater?"

Chen Ye nodded, but then shook his head: "Princess, please do not overthink it. Even if you truly have a blood brother or sister, I could not risk another person's life. Killing one to save another is an evil act."

Princess Hong Yu said, "No, what I want to ask is, can the evil curse on Little Stone be transferred onto me? Would that be more certain?"

"Ah?" Chen Ye never expected Princess Hong Yu to make such a request.

Thinking carefully, it seemed not impossible. Although planting the evil curse of the Evil Spell Spirit Child twice on the same person is truly a waste, based on Chen Ye's understanding of this vicious spell, it seems merely a waste and would not conflict.

At least, the success rate would be far greater than transferring it to a flesh substitute, making it worth the risk.

"It is not impossible, but doing so would mean, Princess, you would..."

Princess Hong Yu said firmly, "It matters not. Under the control of that old demon, I have committed many evil acts and no longer wish to live on. But Little Stone has done no wrong; please, Daoist, do not let her know."

Chen Ye locked eyes with this princess, seeing the determination in her gaze; she truly did not wish to live.

Chen Ye had intended to persuade her further, but suddenly thought of another method and said to Princess Hong Yu, "If the Princess truly wishes to sacrifice herself, then I do have another method."

Princess Hong Yu hurriedly said, "Daoist, please speak. As long as Little Stone can be saved, I am willing."

Chen Ye pointed his finger toward the Night March of a Hundred Ghosts in the distance and said, "That is my treasure. If the Princess is willing to enter my Ten Thousand Souls Banner, perhaps there is still a sliver of hope for life."