Free Web NovelSeeing the ghastly red ship appear in her line of sight, Mengmeng's singing came to an abrupt halt, and according to the original plan, she quietly disappeared.
Xing Yuan sat alone on the edge of the stage, her single eye watching the approaching large ship, her heart growing increasingly anxious.
In the end, Bai Kai still hadn't come.
Thinking of this, her mood gradually turned resentful and angry again. She narrowed her eyes slightly, as if hiding blades in the slits, seemingly wanting to vent her anger on the large ship in front of her.
As the River God's red ship docked, a chilling wind instantly rose on both sides of the riverbank, and the sound of bells, seemingly from a distant era, drifted through the cold mist.
Accompanied by the bells, a crimson staircase, like a giant beast extending its tongue, lowered from the ship, followed by four strange figures walking down.
The four strange figures wore long black robes, concealing their entire bodies. Each held a beast-headed brass censer, chained and lit, scattering sparks and emitting swirling incense smoke with a strange fragrance as they walked.
After the four strange figures in black robes descended to the riverbank, they were closely followed by eight ferocious, muscular men with red hair and green skin, bare-chested, their waists wrapped in red silk, each beating a cowhide drum hanging on their chest with all their might.
When these strange figures and strong men disembarked, it initially felt like a deity's procession with attendants welcoming guests, but the atmosphere quickly became increasingly wrong, and the welcoming instantly turned into a funeral procession.
Several people dressed in bright red and green, with painted faces, disembarked after the strong men, scattering paper money around as they went. The ghastly white paper money fluttered in the wind like snowflakes, covering the sky. frёeweɓηovel.coɱ
They wailed in a sorrowful tone, heartbroken, until their faces were stained with tears, slowly approaching the direction of the stage, as if seeing someone off.
Four pale-faced girls in red clothes carried a blood-red sedan chair, adorned with fine blue silk and painted with beast heads, floating lightly down from the ship. Against the backdrop of the paper money flying everywhere, it momentarily felt as though they were carrying not a sedan chair, but a coffin.
Lu Yibei, who was ambushed in the dark, secretly approaching the ghastly red ship, couldn't help but complain, "It's a joyous occasion, couldn't they do something more... earthly and festive?"
In the short ten-odd seconds while she was speaking, she used the cover of night to circle the ghastly red ship and reached its side.
There was no need to worry about the situation at the front of the large ship. Lu Yibei had already confirmed with Xing Yuan that even if Shui Ge didn't appear, Xing Yuan was capable of handling it alone.
As the Superintendent of the Night Watch in the Southwest region, Xing Yuan was not only an A-level Spirit Ability User but also possessed some special abilities that ordinary Psychic did not have, making her quite formidable.
What's more, while Mengmeng was setting up the stage, she had already confirmed the surrounding environment with the nearby Little Freaks and had formulated at least three excellent escape routes by following the flow of earth veins.
So she only needed to focus on rescuing Du Sixian; if the situation went south, she could leave immediately with Du Sixian via the fastest and safest route.
Using the flow of earth veins to determine escape routes was likely a unique ability among the many Kings of Weird Tales.
The wind whistled in her ears as Lu Yibei moved over the water, swiftly skimming the surface like a hunting osprey.
Thanks to the booming drumbeats of the strong men and the exquisite movement technique taught by Qingji, she attracted almost no attention.
Under the cover of night, she quickly reached the bottom of the large ship, pressing against the hull, quietly listening to the booming drumbeats produced by the strong men.
At the moment the drumming was strongest, her gaze narrowed slightly, she kicked off the water surface, leaping over ten meters, and grabbed the railing on the outer edge of the deck.
Using the strength of her arms, she hung outside the ship's hull, silently extending her spiritual sense to investigate the situation on board. Only then did she exert force with her arms, leaping up like a nimble bird, circling briefly in mid-air, and landing steadily on the ship's walkway.
At this moment, a strong Spiritual Energy fluctuation swept over, carrying a rich dampness and fishy smell, and a sense of suffocation similar to falling into turbid river water quietly arose and then dissipated.
Immediately after, Lu Yibei sensed the presence of the attendant's Spirit Mark on Du Sixian.
Good, it seems she is still alive, inside this ship.
As long as she continued to perfectly infiltrate just like before, she would be able to...
Just as Lu Yibei was thinking, a sinister low shout suddenly came from behind her, disrupting her thoughts.
"Who's there? What are you doing here?!"
Lu Yibei's body stiffened slightly. She turned her head to look, and a woman in a bright red robe with a stiff face had appeared behind her at some point. Her eyes, with dilated pupils, stared straight at her, like a pool of stagnant water.
Lu Yibei, "..."
Tsk—!
She secretly cursed in her heart, then calmly let her Coat slide into her hand through her wide sleeves.
A poker face is really annoying, it makes it impossible to figure out their true state, so I guess I'll just have to get rid of her? Lu Yibei thought.
----
On the distant mountain, Bai Kai watched the situation around the stage from afar, his face gradually sinking.
"Damn it! This woman, no, these two women, are actually working together to trick me?"
Xiao Bei has had increasingly tricky ideas ever since she became... became like that. It's as if she's awakened something strange.
Bai Kai grumbled inwardly, then glanced towards the open space again, helplessly rubbing his forehead.
"What kind of wedding is this? This is clearly a marriage scam! Scamming the River God of all people, you two are really something! Aren't you afraid of getting yourselves caught!"
He had been in Hua City for so many years. Although he had never seen the River God with his own eyes, he had heard legends about Him. From the various descriptions and the widespread distribution of His legends around Hua City, He was definitely a genuine Great urban legend.
Even those strong men beating drums, judging from their characteristics, possessed some of the Power of water yakshas, and their Spiritual Energy fluctuation level had already reached B Level.
However, due to their extremely low frequency of appearance and rare instances of causing urban legend attacks, the name of the River God as a urban legend was rarely seen by the Night Watch.
Seeing the two most important women in his life—uh, Lu Yibei is tentatively considered a woman for now...
Seeing them secretly pull off such a big thing, Bai Kai was burning with anxiety and also a little angry.
Later, I need to figure out a way to show that I'm very angry, but also highlight my importance! Bai Kai thought.
"Dong—!"
Just as he was contemplating, the dense drumbeats that had resounded on the riverbank for a long time suddenly gave a heavy beat and then stopped abruptly. Immediately after, he heard someone shout loudly, "The auspicious time has arrived!"
Accompanied by the shout, the fog on the riverbank grew thicker, and a man slowly walked out, disembarking from the ship.
The man's long, deep blue hair was tied up in a bun, adorned with a golden fish tail hairpin. He wore a red robe and a snow-white sheepskin Coat, standing tall and graceful, with a face like polished jade, and an aura of demonic charm between his brows.
He rode the mist, came to Xing Yuan's side, took her hand, and said softly, "Come, woman, tell me your wish, and then come aboard with me."
Seeing this scene, Bai Kai's eyes gradually darkened, and his arm shook, revealing a flash of cold light. A silver-white long sword instantly appeared in his hand.
Damn it! Having a ship makes you great, huh!?
What era's method of flirting is this?
Material things can't buy true feelings, that's a truth I understood in my first year of debut.
He clicked his teeth, suddenly wanting to cut something, like a urban legend, or maybe a large ship.
No, not just wanting to, I'm going to cut both a urban legend and a large ship today!
Bai Kai thought, suddenly gripping the long sword in his hand tightly, and murmured, "Cold wind stirs the earth, the aura is vast..."
As soon as his voice fell, his figure instantly disappeared from his original spot, leaving behind trails of afterimages.
----
On the stage.
Hearing the River God's words, Xing Yuan smiled enchantingly, displaying her charm, "Hehe, alright! As for my wish... there was once a sincere love placed before me, and I couldn't cherish it due to some unavoidable reasons. Now I want to find it back, can you help me?"
Unavoidable reasons... Bai Kai heard Xing Yuan's words from afar, slightly stunned, then quickened his pace, his figure flashing several times, closing in on the edge of the stage.
"..."
The River God held Xing Yuan's hand, his eyes filled with tender waves, just about to say the long-Brewinged phrase, "I can't do that, but I can protect you well in his place!" when suddenly, a man's voice, full of sarcasm, came from behind him.
"Tch, what's the use of praying to gods and Buddha for such a thing? If you thought it was precious, shouldn't you have cherished it properly from the beginning?"
Xing Yuan looked in the direction of the voice and saw Bai Kai, alone with his sword, walking with large strides. Her eyes trembled slightly, as if she saw the young man in white she met when she was nineteen.
She vaguely seemed to hear the young man's voice in her ears, promising to go to the desert to see the lone smoke and setting sun, to step on the fine sand of the ends of the earth, or in autumn, to sit together under the sycamore tree outside the old building, leaning against each other to count how many leaves had fallen that autumn.
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"What if... I mean, what if leaving him was for his own good, the best choice?"
"If you have difficulties, then speak them out! What right do you have to make such a cruel decision for him?" Bai Kai said, his hands, tense and covered in sweat, gripping the long sword as he spoke.
"What if these difficulties cannot be spoken?" Xing Yuan pressed urgently, her gaze like water, yet with a flame rising deep within.
"Then..." Bai Kai turned his face away, avoiding her gaze, and pouted, "At least there should be an apology, right?"
"I'm sorry..."
"..."
Bai Kai's body trembled almost imperceptibly. He turned to look at Xing Yuan as if he wanted to speak but stopped himself. Soon after, he turned his head away again, his chin slightly raised, and let out a nasal sound, stuttering.
"Hmph... Hmph~!"
River God stood to the side, looking at Bai Kai on the left and Xing Yuan on the right, feeling that the situation seemed a bit off, as if he had been excluded from what was happening.
Something's not right, these two are very strange!
You seem to be clarifying doubts and answering questions, but in reality, you are arguing. When I thought you were arguing, I somehow felt as if you were showing affection.
Who is getting married today? Are you two just beating drums and gongs to invite me here just to watch a show? Can you give me some basic respect?!
"I say, you two, time is almost up, let's stop here? If we delay any further, the auspicious time will..."
"Shut up! When we're talking, there's no place for you to interrupt!" Bai Kai and Xing Yuan shouted in unison.
Sorry, you cannot!
In an instant, the sound of wind emerged. A dark axe and a silver-white long sword were placed on River God's neck, one on the left and one on the right, almost simultaneously.
River God, "..."
After pondering for a long time, a vein suddenly popped on his forehead, and his eyes turned sinister, saying, "I see now, you two came here to cause trouble today, right?"
"No!"
Xing Yuan glanced at River God with a look of disdain, silently took out the golden baogang cang owl badge, pinned it on her chest, and then looked at Bai Kai with a gentle gaze.
The level of double standards was enough to outrage both humans and gods, it was appalling!
He didn't know if others could tolerate it, but River God definitely couldn't. He clenched his fists tightly, and in an instant, Spiritual Energy fluctuations surged. A pure white Coat moved without wind, and thick fog, carrying a strong damp scent, spread in all directions.
The accompanying urban legend also shed their crude disguises at the same time, revealing their hideous faces. Then, under River God's mental command, they scattered, surrounding the two of them completely.
Seeing this, a wicked, arrogant smile appeared at the corner of Bai Kai's mouth. He pulled open his jacket, revealing the silver baogang cang owl badge close to his body, and turned his head to look at River God, "Sorry, Night Watch is handling a case!"
As soon as the words fell, the Spirit Marks on their backs suddenly shone brightly.
【Hybrid Spirit Mark · Heroic Spirit Poem】 Liberation!
【Mythical Spirit Mark · Qiongqi Offspring】 Liberation!
In an instant, the Spiritual Energy fluctuations surged. The sound of clear reading and the low roar of ancient fierce beasts sounded simultaneously.
The two waves of Spiritual Energy fluctuations, like a mighty torrent, burst forth, instantly forcing River God's Spiritual Energy fluctuations back behind him.
The next moment, the three waves of Spiritual Energy collided, a roar erupted, and the spreading turbulence instantly parted, splitting into two streams that vented to the sides, plowing two deep ravines in the riverbank.
----
"Boom——!"
A deafening sound echoed outside the window.
It sounded like someone was continuously attacking, and the ship was shaking violently.
Did they start fighting? Lu Yibei paused her steps slightly. Looking out the window, she only saw a hazy white fog, unsure of the battle situation.
Seemingly noticing that she hadn't kept up, the strange woman ahead paused slightly, turned around stiffly, and stared straight at Lu Yibei, saying, "Xiao Bei, hurry and follow, there are still many things to do over there. If you delay the master's important matters, be careful of punishment!" freeweɓnovēl.coɱ
Lu Yibei ultimately did not get into a conflict with the woman who suddenly appeared when she boarded the ship stealthily.
For some reason, the woman not only didn't treat Lu Yibei as an intruder but instead treated her as a member of River God's harem beauties.
After discovering this, she /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ took the opportunity to make her Coat change into an outfit similar to the woman's, and went up to chat with the woman.
After some conversation, she learned that this strange ship was actually home to all the "wives" kidnapped by River God, numbering several hundred.
These poor women, under the influence of River God's Spiritual Ability, had not died after thousands of years, but had turned into this half-human, half-ghost appearance.
Perhaps it was because they all had the face of a dead person that the woman mistook Lu Yibei for one of them.
And these kidnapped women had been on the ship for so long that they were no longer human, yet they hadn't completely turned into urban legend.
This was also why Lu Yibei hadn't been able to detect the woman's presence with her spiritual sense before boarding the ship.
It was only after realizing this point that she thought there was an opportunity. Perhaps she could blend in with these poor women, then find Du Sixian without causing conflict, and leave according to the planned optimal escape route.
After taking Du Sixian to a safe place, she would then assess the situation and return to provide Xing Yuan with appropriate support.
Just as Xing Yuan had said before the operation began, in a rescue mission, saving people should come first.
"Coming!"
Hearing the woman's call from ahead, Lu Yibei withdrew her gaze from the window, responded, and quickly stepped forward to follow.
She approached the woman, her face expressionless, and said in a melancholic tone, "Gui Hua Laolao, if the master insists on taking a new concubine, will he no longer favor us?"
"嘤嘤嘤, then what should we do!?"
"..."
The woman was silent for a while. Accompanied by the crisp sounds of stiff joints turning, she turned her face to look at Lu Yibei and sighed, "Since ancient times, the new replaces the old. You may have come late and haven't experienced similar things much. If you stay as long as I have, you'll naturally get used to it."
Lu Yibei didn't speak. While her fingertips kept stroking the railing she passed, she continued to walk with Gui Hua. After a long period of contemplation, she continued to ask, "Gui Hua Laolao, do you think this newly kidnapped... married Little Freak will be especially beautiful?"
"Why are you asking this? Are you perhaps having some impure thoughts about her?" Gui Hua frowned and said in a deep voice, "I advise you not to. None of the old women who tried to harm the new Misses in the past have ended well."
"No, no, Grandma, you've misunderstood." Lu Yibei quickly explained, lowering her head as she spoke and raising her sleeve to pretend to wipe away tears from the corner of her eyes, "I just want to see her from afar."
"I've been here for too long, I'm almost forgetting what I looked like before I got on the ship. At that time, I must have been a beautiful Miss, right? I'm sure Gui Hua Laolao was too."
"I just want to see that new Miss, maybe I can remember what I looked like before I got on the ship, just like looking in a mirror."
"..." Lu Yibei's words, which seemed to come from the heart, seemed to touch Gui Hua, one of the elders on the ship. A soft light actually flowed in her dim, lifeless eyes, followed by a sigh every three steps and a pause every five steps.
Finally, she stopped, moved her stiff body to look at Lu Yibei, and said solemnly, "Xiao Bei, I can take you to see, but you have to promise me that you can only watch from afar, you cannot get close, understand? If the master finds out, I won't be able to save you either!"
"Mhm mhm! Absolutely, absolutely, thank you in advance, Gui Hua Laolao!" Lu Yibei nodded repeatedly, and as she spoke, she curtsied to Gui Hua, mimicking the style from palace dramas.
"Come with me!" Gui Hua said, and then led Lu Yibei towards the place where Du Sixian was imprisoned.
----
Lu Yibei originally thought that after River God used some unknown method to get Du Sixian onto the ship, even if he didn't immediately pull a fast one by doing the deed first and getting the certificate later, he would at least lock Du Sixian up in a dark room with no sunlight.
However, when she saw Du Sixian from afar, she realized she was wrong.
She followed behind Gui Hua, descending the spiral staircase with gilded beast patterns, gently stroking the railing as she went. Before long, they reached the belly of the large ship.
After passing through a corridor lit by ever-burning lamps, a huge sleeping chamber, built as a hollow space within the three-story ship, came into her view. Countless red-glowing lanterns floated up and down within it, casting a bloody red hue over everything.
Beneath the circular dome made of multi-colored glazed tiles, beams were made of cloud-top sandalwood, lamps were made of crystal jade, curtains were made of pearls, and thick columns of agarwood were wrapped with red silk, embroidered with silver threads forming begonia patterns. As the wind blew, the silk moved, creating a dreamlike scene like a surging sea of blood.
In the center of the sleeping chamber, on a large bed cast in gold, large red quilts embroidered with phoenixes were piled up by the window. Through the red dragon and phoenix auspicious gauze curtain, Du Sixian was peacefully asleep in the center of the large bed...
