"Even through the young lady's talisman curse, it could tell someone was watching—and even strike back?"
The sudden turn of events startled everyone around them. The Old Shopkeeper, especially, straightened in surprise. Looking at the fragments that had burst apart beside Hu Ma, he remarked, "There really are all sorts of strange tricks in Old Yin Mountain..."
The person in the sedan sighed softly. "Never underestimate Old Yin Mountain!"
"Across eight hundred li of Old Yin Mountain, ganoderma grows year after year, breeding evil spirits. After hundreds of years, what hasn't appeared here?"
"..."
"..."
While they were musing over what had happened, as if seeing the Woods in a new light, Second Master was clearly more anxious. He strode over and examined Hu Ma's palm, then asked urgently, "Little Hu Ma, did you just see Old Woman? Where is she?"
"She was... she was..."
Hu Ma struggled to recall what he had seen. "She was beside a big tree..."
"The tree was huge, big enough that it would take three or four people to wrap their arms around it. On the tree... I think there were lots of bells hanging from the branches."
"And beside it—right, there were offerings, too!"
"..."
"A tree big enough for three or four people to encircle, with bells hanging from the branches..."
Second Master furrowed his brow, apparently searching his memory. Then his eyes shifted. "I know where Old Woman is."
"Old Woman is fighting for her life against that tree."
Hu Ma hurriedly explained everything he had seen. "She said not to let me go over there?"
"Huh?"
Second Master was taken aback. "So, are we going or not?"
Hu Ma's thoughts raced. He answered without hesitation, "We're going."
On an ordinary day, he would have hesitated. He knew the state his body was in and how much he could do. Against this vast, eerie world, he was hardly anything.
If Old Woman had warned him not to go, that meant the place had to be dangerous.
But Second Master was right here with him. And besides Second Master, there was also that Reincarnator!
When a fellow countryman met a fellow countryman, how could he pass up the chance to give him a good shake-down?
Old Woman was far too important to him. If she died just like this, how was he supposed to survive in this world?
Second Master, for his part, was straightforward. The moment Hu Ma said they were going, he set off at once.
He didn't even bother with the Noble Lords from the city anymore. Before, he'd only been worried about Old Woman; now he knew she was in trouble.
Hu Ma hurried after him, but the Old Shopkeeper immediately looked displeased.
Before he could say anything, though, the person in the sedan spoke coolly. "Follow them."
"Eh?"
The Old Shopkeeper paused and glanced back at the sedan. Then he suddenly understood.
The thing his young lady wanted to find was the most sinister object in these Woods. Neither the Five Ghosts Method nor the Round Light Technique had found so much as a clue. They had no choice but to come into the Woods themselves to search. And if the thing was that sinister, then the happenings around it wouldn't be ordinary, either.
The village boy's Old Woman had run into something serious. Perhaps it might lead them to a clue about the thing his young lady was seeking.
Once he understood, he waved at the sedan bearers. "Come on. Let's go take a look, too."
Second Master had already strode seven or eight zhang away before he suddenly remembered that the Noble Lords from the city were waiting for him to lead the way. He had abruptly left them behind; surely that would offend them. But when he turned around, he saw they were following.
He was delighted. "Good deeds really do bring good fortune. The city's Noble Lords are so willing to help..."
He led the way through the Woods, winding this way and that. In their haste, steam rose from his body. Hu Ma followed beside him and saw things rustling deep in the Woods before scurrying away, presumably cowed by Second Master.
Back near the village, Second Master was well known, so the evil spirits kept their distance.
Here in the mountains, though, those Ghostly Puppets didn't know who Second Master was. They crept over to take a look, only to be frightened by his fiery aura.
In principle, Hu Ma's cultivation was no worse, but his power was more restrained and didn't make such a show.
Of course, that was the difference between them at their core.
Second Master could only use the True Yang Arrow three times in a short span, while Hu Ma could use it without limit.
But however many times Second Master used it, he could catch his breath and recover.
When Hu Ma used it, though, it was a direct drain. He had to eat Blood Ganoderma to replenish himself.
They had no idea how long they had been hurrying through the Woods. The surroundings gradually grew dim, and some ominous presence sent a chill through their hearts. Hu Ma didn't know if they were close to where Old Woman was, but he could clearly see that Xiao Hong Tang, following behind him, was growing restless, too.
He was getting anxious himself and sped up. Then, out of nowhere, a giggle sounded beside his ear.
"Little Hu Ma, come and see me..."
"..."
The voice was soft and coy, crystal clear in Hu Ma's ear, as if someone were leaning close to his cheek and laughing.
His heart suddenly skipped. An impulse to answer the call rose within him, but he held it back.
"Second Master..."
He only called out to Second Master, then said quietly, "Someone's calling me..."
"What?"
Second Master hurriedly turned around and looked all about in confusion. "How come I can't hear anything?"
Something was wrong.
Hu Ma could hear the voice perfectly. It was soft and coy, ringing clear in his ear, tugging at his heartstrings.
It had a bewitching charm, as if he had no choice but to answer, no choice but to follow it.
"Huh?"
Just as Hu Ma sensed trouble, several scattered replies suddenly sounded behind him.
He hurriedly turned around. The sedan bearers had followed them despite how quickly he and Second Master had been moving, and not one of them even had sweat on his brow.
But now they had slowed their steps, staring blankly into the Woods. Some looked to the left, others to the right, each turning in a different direction, yet all wearing the same dazed expression.
"Stay alert!"
At that moment, the Old Shopkeeper, who was keeping pace beside them, sensed something, too. His face darkened.
He suddenly stepped ahead and reached the first bearer, whose expression was especially besotted. The man stood with his mouth agape, as if about to answer something. The Old Shopkeeper raised his hand and slapped him soundly across the face. The man snapped back to his senses, and the others were startled, too.
Only then did he sweep his gaze across the surrounding woods and say in a low voice, "Whatever you hear, don't answer."
"From this moment on, even if you hear me calling your name, look up and make sure it's really me before you answer."
"..."
After warning them, he said coldly, "That's a Beauty Fiend. It's good at luring people in, hiding in the dark and calling their names."
"If you answer, you'll see her. She'll bewitch you and draw you closer."
"If you can't resist and walk over to her, then when you look back, you'll find your body is still where you left it. And if you don't look back, you'll follow her along in a daze."
"You'll go down to the underworld and enter the netherworld without even knowing you're dead..."
"..."
The sedan bearers listened and nodded in alarm, gritting their teeth as they lowered their heads and pressed on.
Hu Ma took the warning to heart, too. He vaguely recalled the Beauty Snake among the three evil spirits he had seen when he first fled the village. He quickly steadied his mind and continued following Second Master.
But the more he refused to answer, the clearer the voice became. No matter how far they walked, it still sounded right beside his ear, as if the Beauty Fiend were hiding close by, just behind the tree beside him.
The voice grew more breathy and tender, full of lovesick longing, enough to melt his bones and steal his soul.
Anyone who didn't know better would have thought someone nearby was getting frisky in the woods.
Hu Ma knew the evil spirit was trying to confuse his mind. He forced himself to endure it and stayed unmoved. The Shopkeeper only frowned.
But as the voice grew louder and the trees and overgrown paths around them twisted into grotesque shapes,
a displeased voice suddenly came from inside the sedan. "Deep in the mountains, and you're putting on that kind of show?"
At the sharp rebuke, the sedan curtain stirred and a gray shadow suddenly darted out.
It was about the size of a pug, and incredibly fast. They couldn't make out its appearance before it shot behind a tree. A moment later, shrill cries and snarls rang out. The trees trembled, a cold wind howled, and leaves swirled down.
Before long, the gray shadow darted back, leaving a string of blood droplets behind. It seemed to have something dangling from its mouth.
The bewitching voice had vanished.
"Phew..."
Second Master and Hu Ma were both surprised. They looked gratefully toward the sedan.
The Old Shopkeeper simply watched in silence, not saying a word and not lifting a hand to help.
They were outsiders in these Woods. As long as they could coexist peacefully with the evil spirits, that was all that mattered. Better not to provoke them if they could help it.
But what the person in the sedan chose to do was none of his concern.
That Ghostly Puppet had brought its bad luck upon itself. A sheltered young lady like her couldn't stand its coquettish, shameless voice and indecent racket.
Though they had lost a little time, without the strange bewitchment they made better progress. At last, they drew near a place where the trees grew sparse.
As they went farther, they saw that the trees were sparse because a huge locust tree stood there, much thicker and larger than the surrounding trees, with branches spreading like a canopy. Many offerings had been set beside it, and bells hung from its branches.
When Second Master reached the spot, he stopped in a hurry and looked anxiously at Hu Ma. "This is the place, right?"
Hu Ma nodded. He was sure this was the place he had seen in the mirror, but when he looked around, Old Woman was nowhere to be seen.
Before you continue