Tempting Snake's Call

"Even through Miss's talisman, you could sense someone spying and even have them retaliate?"

The sudden turn of events startled everyone around, especially the old shopkeeper. He sat up in surprise and looked at the shattered fragments around Hu Ma, sighing, "Old Yin Mountain truly has many strange tricks..."

The person in the sedan chair also let out a low sigh, "Don't underestimate Old Yin Mountain!"

"Eight hundred miles of Old Yin Mountain, with Taisui growing year after year, breeding Evil Spirits. After hundreds of years, what kind of things aren't there?"

"..."

"..."

As they were lost in their thoughts, re-examining the forest, Second Master grew noticeably more tense. He strode over and checked Hu Ma's palm, anxiously asking, "Little Hu Ma, did you just see Old Woman? Where is she?"

"She... she was..."

Hu Ma tried hard to recall the scene he saw, "She was next to a big tree..."

"That tree was huge, it would take about three or four people to hug it. On the tree... it looked like many bells were hanging from the branches."

"Nearby, that's right, there were offerings nearby too!"

"..."

"A tree that three or four people can hug, with bells hanging from its branches..."

Second Master frowned, as if deep in thought. Suddenly, his eyes flickered, "I know where Old Woman is."

"Old Woman is fighting that big tree."

Hu Ma said urgently, recounting everything he saw, "She told me not to go over?"

"Ah?"

Second Master couldn't help but be startled, "Then are we going?"

Hu Ma's mind raced, and he said decisively, "Yes."

Normally, he would have hesitated. He knew his current body's condition and his own abilities. Facing this vast and bizarre world, he was insignificant.

Since Old Woman warned him not to go, it meant the place must be very dangerous.

But now, he had Second Master by his side. Moreover, besides Second Master, there was that Reincarnator!

Fellow countrymen meeting each other, how could he not take advantage of it?

Old Woman was too important to him. If she died like this, how could he survive in this world?

Second Master, with his simple mind, immediately started walking as soon as Hu Ma said they were going.

He didn't even spare a thought for the noble guests from the city, as he was initially worried about Old Woman, but now he knew she was in trouble.

Hu Ma quickly followed. The old shopkeeper, however, immediately looked displeased.

But before he could speak, the person in the sedan chair said faintly, "Follow."

"Huh?"

The old shopkeeper froze for a moment, then looked back at the sedan chair before suddenly understanding:

The thing Miss was looking for was the most sinister in this forest. Neither the Five Ghosts technique nor the Clairvoyance technique could find any clues; she had to enter the forest herself to find it. But since it was such a sinister thing, the events happening around them would not be ordinary.

The young man from the village, his Old Woman encountered a major event, perhaps there would be clues to Miss's item as well.

Understanding this, he waved to the sedan bearers, "Let's go, let's go see too."

Second Master strode about twenty to twenty-five yards before suddenly realizing that these noble guests from the city were still waiting for him to lead the way. Now that he had suddenly left them, he might offend them. To his surprise, when he looked back, they were actually following.

He couldn't help but rejoice, "Good deeds are rewarded. The nobles from the city are so willing to help..."

He led the way, traversing the forest, winding and turning. In his haste, steam rose from his body. Hu Ma followed closely behind Second Master. He saw things lurking in the depths of the forest, seemingly driven into hiding by Second Master's suppression.

Normally, around the village, Second Master's reputation kept Evil Spirits at bay.

Now, in the deep mountains, these Ghostly Puppets didn't recognize Second Master. They peeked out curiously but were scared away by his fiery aura.

Logically speaking, his own cultivation was not bad, but it was more restrained compared to Second Master's overt display.

Of course, this was also due to their fundamental differences.

If Second Master used the True Yang Arrow, he could only use it three times in a short period, but Hu Ma could use it infinitely.

However, even if Second Master used it multiple times, he could recover after a short rest.

If Hu Ma used it, it was a direct consumption, and he would need to eat Blood Ganoderma to recover.

After what felt like a long time traveling through the forest, the surroundings gradually grew dim. An ominous aura chilled them to the bone. Hu Ma wasn't sure if they were close to Old Woman's location, but he clearly saw that Xiao Hong Tang, who was following behind him, seemed to be getting restless.

He also felt anxious and quickened his pace. Suddenly, he heard a giggling sound by his ear:

"Little Hu Ma, come and see me..."

"..."

The voice was charming and melodious, reaching Hu Ma's ears with extreme clarity, as if whispered right next to his cheek.

Hu Ma's heart suddenly skipped a beat. He felt an urge to respond to the call, but he suppressed it.

"Second Master..."

He just looked up and called out to Second Master, saying in a low voice, "Someone's calling me..."

"What?"

Second Master turned back hurriedly, but after looking around confusedly, he said, "I didn't hear anything?"

This was not normal.

Hu Ma could hear it clearly now, the voice was charming and melodious, ringing clearly in his ears, stirring his heart.

It felt as if it had a charm that made one unable to refuse, unable to resist following.

"Huh?"

Just as Hu Ma felt a sense of unease, he heard a few scattered replies suddenly ring out from behind him.

He quickly turned back and saw it was the sedan bearers who had been carrying the sedan chair. He and Second Master hadn't been traveling slowly, but they had actually caught up, and not a drop of sweat was visible on their foreheads.

However, at this moment, their footsteps also slowed down. They stared blankly into the woods, some looking to the left, some to the right. Their gazes were different, but their expressions were all the same, dazed and vacant.

"Be careful!"

But at this moment, the old shopkeeper, who had been traveling beside them, also sensed something, and his expression darkened.

He suddenly strode forward and reached the sedan bearer at the very front, who was clearly more entranced and had his mouth agape as if about to reply. The old shopkeeper raised his hand and delivered a loud slap, which not only snapped the man back to reality but also startled the others.

Then, he swept his cold gaze around the surrounding dense woods and said in a low voice, "No matter what you hear, do not reply."

"From this moment on, even if you hear me calling you, look up at me first, confirm it's me, and then reply."

"..."

After giving his instructions, he said coldly, "That is a Beauty Fiend, skilled at luring people, hiding in the dark and calling out people's names."

"If you answer, you will see her, and she will bewitch you, luring you closer."

"If you cannot control yourself and walk up to her, then turn back and you will find your body still in place, while if you don't turn back, you will truly follow her in a daze all the way."

"Entering the Yellow Springs and descending to the underworld, you won't even know you're already dead..."

"..."

The sedan bearers nodded fearfully upon hearing this, gritted their teeth, and lowered their heads to continue on their way.

Even Hu Ma, having been warned, vaguely recalled the Beauty Snake among the three Evil Spirits he had seen when he first escaped the village. He diligently guarded his mind and continued to follow Second Master.

But even though he didn't answer, the voice calling out became clearer. No matter how far they walked, the voice always echoed in his ears, as if the Beauty was hiding beside them, behind the tree next to them.

And the voice calling out became even more moaning and melodious, full of infatuation and soul-stirring.

Anyone who didn't know would think there was someone having sex nearby.

Hu Ma knew this was an Evil Spirit trying to confuse people's minds, but he forced himself to endure it, remaining unmoved. The shopkeeper also just frowned.

But just as the voice grew louder and the surrounding trees and paths became eerily distorted...

Suddenly, a displeased voice rang out from within the sedan chair: "Deep in the mountains and old forest, who are you trying to seduce?"

Following this light reprimand, the sedan curtain moved slightly, and a gray shadow suddenly darted out.

It was about the size of a pug, moving extremely fast, its appearance unclear. With a "whoosh," it darted behind a tree, followed by bursts of snarling and screaming. The trees rustled, a cold wind blew, and fallen leaves swirled.

Not long after, the gray shadow darted back, faintly dripping with blood, and it seemed to be holding something in its mouth.

And the voice that had been confusing people's minds was gone.

"Alas..."

Second Master and Hu Ma were somewhat surprised and looked gratefully at the sedan chair.

The old shopkeeper, however, just watched quietly from the side, not saying a word or offering any help.

As outsiders entering the woods and facing these Evil Spirits, it was best to coexist peacefully. If they could avoid provoking them, they should.

But he couldn't control what happened inside the sedan chair.

It was just bad luck for the Ghostly Puppet. A young lady from a good family couldn't stand such seductive sounds and shameful noises.

Although there was a slight delay, without the eerie bewitchment, their journey became faster, and they finally gradually approached a place where the trees were sparse.

Walking further, they discovered that the reason for the sparse trees was that there grew a large locust tree, much thicker and larger than the surrounding trees, with a canopy like an umbrella. Many offerings were placed nearby, and bells hung from its branches.

Second Master stopped abruptly upon reaching this spot, looking at Hu Ma nervously, "Is this the place?"

Hu Ma nodded, confirming it was the place he had seen in the mirror. He looked around but couldn't see the Old Woman.