Chapter 125: Fall! Fall! Fall!

Before long.

A colossal figure stood towering within the main hall, its head almost grazing the rafters, clad in a bridal gown as crimson as fresh blood.

The vast expanse of fabric looked as though several wide curtains had been stitched together haphazardly to fashion a garment...

Her stature was easily three zhang tall, comparable to the lanky ghost sharing the same table, yet her obese frame far surpassed the slender, bamboo-pole-like length of that ghost.

From afar, she resembled a moving, miniature mountain of corpses.

A pungent wave of rot billowed forth, and with every step she took, the layers of greasy flesh upon her body seemed to churn and roll like rising sea waves.

Her eyes were squeezed so tightly shut that only thin slits remained; one had to look very closely amidst the writhing, undulating waves of flesh to barely discern the positions of her pupils.

Song Rupu, standing beside Lady Yue, looked like a drenched, molting chick—one moment of carelessness and he could easily be crushed to death under a single footprint.

The very moment she manifested her true form, the clamor of the gathered ghosts fell into a brief silence.

Even the large-headed ghost, acting as the master of ceremonies, shivered all over. When he tremblingly picked up the document to continue the subsequent rituals,

before he could even utter a couple of sentences, he was impatiently waved aside and interrupted by Lady Yue.

"Spare me that useless drivel! Just because you were told to mimic a human, do you really fancy yourself a person now? Quickly read out the tribute list for this lady right this instant!"

Lady Yue’s voice sounded like a great bronze bell:

"Today, in order to invite you wandering, orphaned ghosts to fill your bellies, although I first served a 'literary feast,' the manor has bled profusely!

If the congratulatory gifts later are stingy and petty, none of you shall leave. Every last one of you will stay behind to serve as dry pastries for my wine!"

Upon hearing this, the complexions of the ghosts changed instantly, plunging into utter chaos!

"Lady Yue... that was not what you said when you invited us!"

In the main hall, after hesitating for a moment, a robust, red-browed fierce ghost slammed his lacquered tray down onto the floor in fury. Wiping his mouth, he said coldly:

"Lady Yue, out of respect for you as the offspring of Lord Shanhu and Granny Feihua, I have repeatedly tolerated your behavior on ordinary days. But today, you have gone too far!"

"How have I gone too far?"

Lady Yue remained unconcerned.

"When you came to invite everyone, you said the doors would be wide open, allowing free entry and all-you-can-eat indulgence! You never mentioned any damn congratulatory gifts! That is why everyone was willing to grace you with their presence!"

The red-browed fierce ghost wore an ominous expression:

"Are you now trying to force a sale upon us?"

"Hehe! Are you even qualified to meddle in the affairs of a celestial maiden from heaven? I am forcing a sale—what are you going to do about it?!"

Lady Yue let out a harsh laugh. As her rounded belly heaved and contracted, she spat out a plume of foul, fishy black smoke that surged forward violently like a sharp, flying arrow!

Puff!

With a flash of dark light, the smoke spanned a distance of nearly ten zhang in the blink of an eye, piercing straight toward the head of the red-browed fierce ghost. In an instant, it was far too late to evade.

Struck by terror, the red-browed fierce ghost hurriedly forced his surrounding aura outward, forming hand seals with all ten fingers to cast a ghost technique that conjured small, eerie shields of skulls to block his face.

Bang!!!

A succession of consecutive explosions rang out endlessly.

Although the black smoke shot from Lady Yue's mouth was sharp enough to pierce through three skull shields consecutively, it ultimately lacked sustained momentum and failed before the fourth shield.

After a shudder, it gradually dissipated like light mist, dissolving completely into nothingness.

Only then did the red-browed fierce ghost set his mind at ease.

His expression turned exceedingly bizarre. After standing stunned for a moment, he suddenly burst into loud laughter, rocking back and forth.

"Damn you, you damned ghost wench! Grandfather here was almost bluffed by you! Are you trying to make your fortune just like your old man, Lord Shanhu—luring guests in first and then closing the doors to slowly deal with them?

Pity that with your meager cultivation, you are still far inferior to your father. Stop coming out here to make a fool of yourself!"

He spoke with utter disdain:

"Grandfather was frightened out of his wits by Lord Shanhu, which is why I elevated you by three degrees as well. With just this little bit of skill, you dare fancy yourself worthy of consuming blood offerings?!"

Seeing how fierce and valorous the red-browed fierce ghost was,

the morale of the gathered ghosts was instantly boosted, and they began to shout and clamor in response.

Even the phthisic ghost and the lanky ghost at the same table were dancing and jumping about, overwhelmed with joy.

This group of specters was inherently impoverished, and the only reason they had gathered here en masse was due to the vague promises of a free meal previously made by Lady Yue.

Now, going back on her word so brazenly was undoubtedly threatening their lives.

Seeing that the ghosts were all shouting to cheer him on, the red-browed fierce ghost grew even more smug and began to rub his palms together eagerly.

This gloomy, wailing, and screeching scene also left Ziying momentarily stunned, her complexion turning extremely unsightly.

"My lady, wouldn't it be better to just let it go? After all, two fists are no match for four hands..."

While cursing Lady Yue's insatiable greed and sudden whims inwardly,

she could only force a gentle expression and offer a tactful dissuasion:

"Or has Lord Shanhu himself already sent household generals? But why haven't I received any word?"

"I am naturally unloved by my father and uncared for by my mother; how could any household general come to congratulate me?"

Lady Yue let out a sinister laugh, her plump cheeks sagging and trembling like tofu:

"To deal with these fence-sitting, filthy wretches, what need is there for two fists? One hand to beat the ringleader into submission, and the rest will naturally fall in line and obey!"

Seeing that Ziying still intended to speak, she impatiently waved her hand and shouted coldly:

"My appetite has grown again in recent years, so my cultivation must have improved once more. The blood offerings remaining in the human pen must all be kept for breeding and multiplying; they cannot be squandered carelessly!

If I do not find a way to increase revenue and reduce expenditure, how are the nearly one hundred mouths of various sizes in this manor supposed to be fed? Will you cut off your own flesh to feed them? Enough of this idle talk!"

Lady Yue's voice was as cold as ice. Turning her gaze away, she sucked in and puffed out her belly once more, spitting out several more streams of black smoke that pierced through the air toward the smugly triumphant red-browed fierce ghost.

By this time, the red-browed fierce ghost was already on guard and felt no fear.

Plucking out one of his own eyeballs, he held it, dripping with blood, in the palm of his hand, silently recited a few incantations, and then tossed it forth to release a crimson firebird.

The firebird moved with lightning speed; with a few flickers, it steadily intercepted all the incoming black smoke. With a gentle peck from its beak, the black smoke instantly dissipated, losing all offensive utility.

Seeing this, Lady Yue's expression darkened slightly. With a loud roar, she opened her mouth and breathed out fiercely.

In an instant, a gale seemed to sweep across the flat ground, blowing the ghosts this way and that while sending cups and platters flying into the air.

Simultaneously, a massive suction force erupted from her mouth, attempting to swallow the crimson firebird—transformed from the ghost's eyeball—into her belly.

Unexpectedly, the firebird moved with astonishing swiftness. With a single flap of its wings, it soared high into the sky, narrowly escaping the calamity.

The red-browed fierce ghost chuckled at the sight, dusted himself off, climbed up from the ground, and said:

"Lady Yue, out of tricks, are you? But I still have another eyeball!"

He smiled triumphantly:

"You couldn't even take me down immediately on your own. With just this meager skill, you dare try to imitate Lord Shanhu and force a sale?!"

Bang!

At that very moment!

Abruptly!

Lady Yue raised both hands upward!

The red-browed fierce ghost had only caught a glimpse of this motion out of the corner of his eye when a purplish-black radiance slashed across.

First, an excruciating agony racked his entire body, and then all sensation vanished, plunging his vision into complete darkness.

The surrounding ghosts were instantly struck with terror.

Following the trail of that purplish-black radiance, they saw a nine-chi-long precious rope effortlessly shatter the red-browed fierce ghost's physical form before slowly rising into the air and falling back into Lady Yue's grasp.

"Could that be a hundred-refined Yin-capturing rope? How utterly ferocious!"

The phthisic ghost at the same table shrank his head back in panic, hurriedly cutting off his foul language and muttering under his breath.

Following the death of the red-browed fierce ghost, just as the specters were gripped by panic,

another burly ghost with red brows suddenly overturned his table, weeping bitterly as he lunged forward, determined to fight Lady Yue to the death.

Yet he could not last three rounds before he too was shattered by the Yin-capturing rope and met a miserable end.

"That's the second of the Three Red-Browed Demons. Well, with just the eldest one left, the family of three will finally be complete..."

The phthisic ghost added in a low voice upon witnessing the scene.

No sooner had his voice trailed off than the eldest of the Three Red-Browed Demons lunged forward as well.

Only this time, he did not charge forward to fight to the death.

Instead, he fled in panic, knocking over several ghosts along the way who failed to dodge in time, presenting a thoroughly wretched spectacle.

Lady Yue did not bother to give chase on foot; she merely let out a chuckle and flicked the Yin-capturing rope, which soared through the air in the blink of an eye.

With a gentle touch, she blasted the sole remaining eldest of the Three Red-Browed Demons into smithereens. He died instantly without even managing to let out a scream.

Thus,

in the span of just a few breaths, the Three Red-Browed Demons—who had held quite a reputation in the surrounding territories—were all sent to their doom.

A wave of panic swept through the hearts of the ghosts. When Lady Yue's gaze swept over them, they all shrank back in terror, tumbling into a chaotic huddle, with quite a few falling to the ground and getting trampled ruthlessly.

"Are you convinced? You pack of beggars, if you submit, hand over your worldly possessions obediently!"

Lady Yue grasped the Yin-capturing rope and sneered repeatedly:

"You have consumed plenty of this lady's reserves. If you cannot produce wealth, then obediently stay here and perform hard labor. Only when your debt is fully paid off will you be allowed to leave!"

"Of course, if you do not wish to perform hard labor..."

She extended her long tongue to lick the corner of her mouth, revealing a seductive smile:

"If any of you handsome gentlemen happen to be blessed with a fine appearance, you are welcome to come and discuss the arts of the bedchamber with this lady. As long as you satisfy me and leave me thoroughly pleased, this vast estate just might end up taking your surname!"

A chorus of sorrowful wails rose among the ghosts, lingering for a long time. It was only out of dread for that Yin-capturing rope that they refrained from taking more drastic actions on the spot.

Even so, during the process of forcibly extorting their possessions, Lady Yue still unleashed her might to slaughter a few ghosts who showed outward compliance while plotting otherwise. Right before the eyes of the crowd, she chewed them up bit by bit to thoroughly subdue any remaining dissent.

Amidst the joyful and spirited chanting of the ceremonial tallies by a few stewards holding paper and brushes,

the contrasting backdrop was the utterly gloomy complexions of the ghosts, their hearts pierced and drained of all hope.

Chen Heng watched the scene coldly, rubbing the "Floating Jade Mirage Pearl" hidden within his sleeve, and thought to himself:

"The wedding banquet has reached this juncture, yet no Lord Shanhu has come to offer congratulations. It seems that this Lady Yue is indeed out of favor...

In that case, with the variable of Lord Shanhu removed, I can make my move with composure."

Judging from the exchange of magic between Lady Yue and the so-called Three Red-Browed Demons just now, her level was at most that of the foundational tier of orthodox immortal Dao, not yet reaching the Purple Manor realm.

The only thing worth guarding against was the Yin-capturing rope in her hand, which was truly formidable—to graze it was to be wounded, and to touch it was to die.

However, possessing the fifth-layer Profound Realm cultivation of the Taisu Jade Body, he had no need for excessive worry.

When Gao Lu of Rong State was only at the third layer of the Profound Realm, the hardness of his physical body already surpassed gold and iron, causing even the founding ancestral master of the Rong family—who was nearing the end of his lifespan—to hesitate and fail to muster the resolve to eliminate him.

A Taisu Jade Body at the sixth layer of the Profound Realm allowed one to reign supreme and invincible among ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators!

A Taisu Jade Body at the ninth layer of the Profound Realm made it difficult to find a single match even within the entire Purple Manor realm!

As for the Taisu Jade Body at the third layer of the Primordial Realm, the same held true within the Profound Mystery realm...

Although his current Taisu Jade Body was still only at the fifth layer of the Profound Realm,

because he practiced the "Taishi Primordial True Art," his internal fetal breathing was comparable to the true Qi of an ordinary second-layer Foundation Establishment cultivator.

The combination of the Taisu Jade Body and Qi-cultivation mastery meant he maintained a firm advantage in victory even when facing ghost entities like Lady Yue.

And with the assistance of the talismanic artifact "Floating Jade Mirage Pearl," there was a seventy to eighty percent probability he could slaughter every single Yin ghost and evil spirit in this entire manor.

Seventy to eighty percent—that was already enough for him to take a calculated risk...

A slight gleam flickered in Chen Heng's eyes as he smiled inwardly.

Right from the moment he took his seat, he had already secretly activated the "Floating Jade Mirage Pearl"—acquired from Yan Jiazhi—generating a layer of damp, misty water vapor that dissolved into the atmosphere.

Though a few ghost entities, such as the phthisic ghost, vaguely sensed something amiss, they failed to pay it much heed.

And when Lady Yue suddenly turned hostile and ruthlessly slaughtered the Three Red-Browed Demons, the ghosts were struck with terror in their minds, making them even less inclined to pay attention to such a trifling bit of moisture.

By this time, the mirage vapor had already quietly settled inside the bodies of all the ghosts.

With merely a single thought from Chen Heng, they could be dragged into an endless illusion, plunging their consciousness into complete perdition.

While he was calculating in his heart, the few stewards responsible for chanting the gift tallies happily trotted over to the table neighboring Chen Heng's, beginning to savagely demand ransom money from the ghosts sitting there.

The phthisic ghost, the lanky ghost, and the others were all flustered and at a loss for what to do.

Their gazes flickered uncertainly. After a moment of hesitation, they suddenly let out a low hiss and cast their gazes directly upon Chen Heng in unison.

"This younger brother is a practitioner of Jing-cultivation, correct?"

The phthisic ghost gave a chilling laugh, leaning his head forward.

"A Jing-cultivator who does not consume blood offerings?"

The lanky ghost rumbled in a muffled voice.

"Indeed," Chen Heng smiled.

"Jing-cultivators differ from us Zha-cultivators; they lack any turbid, fishy stench, making them prime dry pastries! Though incomparable to human flesh and blood, they are just right for accompanying wine!"

The phthisic ghost licked the corner of his mouth:

"Old brother here is so impoverished he's about to sell his backside, so I naturally have no wealth on me. Why doesn't younger brother spare two of your legs for me, so I can present them to Lady Yue?"

"I want younger brother's two arms, plus some tender flesh from his waist and abdomen."

The lanky ghost rushed to speak out, adding:

"Younger brother must not blame me; if you want to blame someone, blame Lady Yue. Your elder brother doesn't want to butcher you either, but circumstances leave me no choice!"

The dialogue between the two ghosts was not concealed at all.

Suddenly, countless ghost entities cast their sinister gazes over, their malice self-evident!

"Why stop there? This junior possesses quite a bit of family wealth."

Under the gaze of countless pale-white pupils, Chen Heng clapped his hands and said calmly:

"Then allow me to offer the tribute gifts on behalf of both of you."

Not only were the phthisic ghost, the lanky ghost, and the surrounding specters struck with astonishment,

even Lady Yue cast a sidelong glance. The moment she caught sight of his demeanor, her expression froze, and a fiery heat instantly welled up in the depths of her eyes.

"Is younger brother speaking the truth?"

The phthisic ghost hopped and jumped about, his joy overflowing.

"Naturally, it is not false..."

Chen Heng spoke softly:

"Since both the creditor and the debtor are dead, won't this bad debt naturally be cleared in full?"

Before the phthisic ghost and the lanky ghost could fully process the meaning,

he leisurely flicked his sleeves and rose to his feet. His garments were as white as snow, resembling a white crane about to take flight amidst a lotus marsh, gently sending ripples across a full pool of shattered water patterns, carrying an inexpressible elegance and composure.

Amidst the encirclement of the ghosts, he smiled with half-closed eyes, slowly raised both hands, and gently clapped three times.

"Fall! Fall! Fall!"

Chen Heng uttered.

"What do you mean—"

The phthisic ghost failed to grasp the implication.

The very next instant, his eyes rolled back, and he pitched headfirst off the table, crashing straight down.

Thud!

Thud!!

All the ghosts collapsed into unconsciousness in unison, failing to emit any further sound as they fell side by side like harvested crops in an autumn field!

"You..."

Lady Yue's expression changed drastically: "You are a practitioner of the orthodox immortal Dao?!"

Her voice tinged with stern severity, she gripped the Yin-capturing rope tightly.

Yet simultaneously, her footing seemed to grow unsteady, and her vision blurred slightly.