Chapter 164

At this glance, he was instantly stunned.

He had never seen how beautiful the daughters of the Du and Li families were, but he could be certain that the Miss before him would absolutely not be inferior to them!

Until Jiang Sishui waved his palm in front of his eyes, the big man came to his senses, wearing a sheepish smile, embarrassed and rubbing his hands together.

Jiang Sishui did not hold it against him, saying, "Very well. These words come from your Zhikou and enter my ears; afterward, it will have nothing to do with Big Brother."

Hearing this, the big man smoothly turned the topic back, saying, "These two young ladies wish to marry into the Grand Tutor Hua's mountain estate, yet there is one place they must pass through—Red River Valley!"

"Hmm, Red River Valley, what's wrong with Red River Valley?"

"Red River Valley is plagued by demons!"

"Demons?" Jiang Sishui and the Flower Fairy, who was eavesdropping, were both stunned at the same time.

"Yes, demons! Mountain demons!"

"Have you seen them?"

"I haven't seen them, but everyone says so."

"What is the reason? It can't possibly be without cause, right?"

"Of course there is! For the past half year, brides have gone missing one after another in Red River Valley; anyone passing through there has met with no exception. Yet others remain unharmed. So everyone guesses it is the mountain demons marrying!"

Seeing Jiang Sishui's skeptical face, the big man immediately grew anxious: "Hey, you really shouldn't disbelieve it!"

"For the past half year, many people, just like you, refused to believe in evil omens, and as a result, without exception, the brides of those households all vanished."

"The Du and Li families certainly have a grand procession, with guards from the Grand Tutor's Shanzhuang escorting them, but once they truly reach Red River Valley..."

"Heh, it's hard to say."

Jiang Sishui still did not believe it, but he did not argue with the other party, asking again, "Why is Red River Valley a place that must be passed? Can't they go around it?"

"No! On both sides of Red River Valley are high mountains and dense forests; there is no path to follow. Forcing a way through only means staying overnight on the mountain. And when night falls, there are even numerous snakes, insects, rats, and ants; how can one pass?"

"I see."

Jiang Sishui nodded slightly and thanked the big man.

Before leaving, he also secretly stuffed some silver into his pocket.

After the flower sedan passed and gradually moved away, the crowd watching the spectacle also dispersed.

Seeing the flower sedan about to disappear from sight, Jiang Sishui said, "Let's go, let's follow and see what exactly is pretending to be a spirit in Red River Valley's 'Mountain Demon'."

The Flower Fairy made a "Tsk" sound and said disdainfully, "If you want to snatch the bride, just say so directly. 'Mountain Demon' indeed! Do you really think this Miss can't see through it?"

Jiang Sishui did not deny it, smiling and saying, "Yes, yes, yes, the one who knows her husband best is his wife!"

With that, not giving the Flower Fairy a chance to refuse, he pulled her and left.

"Eunuch Wei Wei Wei, let go of me! I can walk myself!"

The wedding procession walked for more than half a shichen before arriving at Red River Valley.

During that time, Jiang Sishui even returned to Mantuo Shanzhuang to bring lunch over.

"How is it? How is Rong'er's cooking? You've never eaten anything this delicious before, right?"

"It wasn't made by you, so why are you so proud?"

"Rong'er is my wife; since her cooking is good, of course I should be proud. If you follow me in the future, you can eat delicious food every day. Just think about it, isn't that a huge profit?"

"... Anyway, I can't resist you; whatever you say is right."

"Don't, you make me sound like a tyrant..."

"You are!"

"Alright, alright, let's discuss this issue later; we've arrived at Red River Valley."

While they were talking, the wedding procession had already reached the depths of Red River Valley.

At this moment, the martial artists who had been at the front and back of the procession had surrounded the two flower sedans in the center, each with weapons in hand, their expressions on guard.

Everyone stood ready, with true qi circulating and their auras leaking out; there were even Grandmaster experts present.

A Grandmaster is sufficient to command a second-rate Jianghu faction, yet now eight of them had appeared in a wedding procession!

It is clear that the Grand Tutor Hua's Shanzhuang attached great importance to this matter.

Suddenly, a gust of strong wind blew, causing leaves to fall one after another, flapping wildly, and the formation of the entire procession was blown askew.

"Everyone, do not panic! Protect the flower sedan! Do not run around!"

One Grandmaster gathered his qi and shouted loudly; his voice, wrapped in internal force, rolled like heavenly thunder, instantly giving the panicked crowd a backbone.

Just then, a thick cloud of smoke rose, and then, driven by the wild wind, it rushed straight toward them, completely enveloping the entire wedding procession.

"What evil spirit is this?! Pretending to be a spirit!"

A loud shout came from within the thick smoke, and at the same time, a sharp sword intent swept out.

"A Houqida Sect expert..."

Jiang Sishui narrowed his eyes slightly; he hadn't expected these people to have a hidden hand.

Moreover, observing the strength of that sword intent, it was clearly a Houqida Sect expert at the same level as Tang Bohu and Ding Chunqiu.

"Pity, it is still a futile effort."

Jiang Sishui shook his head, and before the smoke could clear, he and the Flower Fairy turned and left directly.

Because they knew the bride was no longer in the flower sedan.

The swordsman, though a Houqida Sect expert, was only at the early stage; he was blinded by the smoke, and his perception dropped greatly.

Jiang Sishui and the Flower Fairy were both late-stage Houqida Sect experts, with keen perception; listening with their ears and observing with their eyes, they immediately captured the figure walking in the mist.

As expected, it was indeed a human causing trouble.

It's just that the other party's Lightness Skill was extremely high, coming and going without a shadow, like a ghost; the things they did were too peculiar, so they were mistaken for unclean things causing chaos.

"Half of the face wearing a mask... high Lightness Skill... snatching brides... it really feels a bit familiar."

"I'm stronger than you, so I call the shots."

The half-faced masked man's Lightness Skill was formidable, yet Jiang Sishui and the Flower Fairy surpassed him even further.

The "Waves Subduing Steps" were deployed, darting east one moment, west the next.

The Flower Fairy's "Phantom Immortal Traces" was a unique art of the Immortal Water Palace, allowing short-range flash teleportation.

Add to that the complex surrounding terrain and dense forest, and the two of them outclassed him in cultivation.

That was why, having followed the whole way, the half-faced masked man remained completely unaware.

The half-faced masked man grabbed a bride's shoulder with each hand, a sweep of true qi easily bundling them along.

The onrushing air current pouring into their mouths and noses also kept them from making a sound.

Finally, after a quarter-hour of running, the half-faced masked man stopped in a remote stretch of wilderness.

Not far off stood a small wooden cabin that looked to have some years on it.

The half-faced masked man opened the locked cabin door, then shoved the two brides inside.

The moment Du Bingyan and Li Yuhu entered the cabin, they saw four more women inside, all dressed as brides.

The two women exchanged a glance, joined hands, and turned to face the half-faced masked man.

The half-faced masked man was sizing them up as well.

After staring at each other for a while, he said, "I sensed it long ago—you two are different from them."

Li Yuhu, utterly unintimidated, tilted her chin up slightly: "How are we different?"

The half-faced masked man looked at Li Yuhu, who seemed like a greenhorn, and said, "They're all afraid of me, but you two aren't."

"Why should we be afraid of you?" Li Yuhu countered.

Why should you be afraid of me?

The half-faced masked man was stumped by the question for a moment, then burst into laughter, his voice nearly tearing the roof off.

"Interesting! Truly interesting! I kidnapped you here, and you ask me why you should be afraid? Hahahaha!"

After laughing for a bit, the half-faced masked man's smile vanished, and he said coldly, "What an ignorant little girl. With your paltry cultivation, you dare talk back to me! Mind that I make you unable to live and unable to die!"

Li Yuhu, however, as if her brain couldn't quite make the turn, asked innocently again, "Then will you do that?"

The half-faced masked man: "..."

He suddenly felt a bit speechless; in his whole life he had never seen such a foolish, bizarre woman.

Leaping back and forth at the gates of Yama's Hall—was he really that lacking in intimidation? Was she really that unafraid of death?

The half-faced masked man turned around, his back to the two women, and said coolly, "If you wish, I can oblige you."

Li Yuhu was about to speak, but Du Bingyan held her back and shook her head at her.

Only then did Li Yuhu swallow her words back down.

Du Bingyan said softly, "May I ask how to address you, sir? What business do you have in bringing the two of us sisters here?"