Listening to the mournful wail of the suona, and watching Yuanshi Tianzun carefully drape the bridal veil over the head of the "bride," the Ling Realm practitioners present felt an indescribable, unsettling sensation rising in their hearts.
On one hand, they couldn't tell whether his key tactic was the red bridal veil itself or the music playing from the device in his pocket.
On the other hand... a boy, a red bridal veil, and festive music — this combination was just too bizarre.
"Damn this crappy speaker, playing music at all the wrong moments and stealing my thunder..." Zhang Yuanqing grumbled inwardly, annoyed as he wore the red veil.
"Want to try what it feels like to be the groom?" A pair of wild amber vertical pupils gleamed with a strange, mocking sarcasm as they caught sight of the tragic red hue.
"So you want to be my bride, huh? Not happening. I'm not interested in men," Hengxing Wujie sneered.
Zhang Yuanqing ignored him, focusing inwardly to sense his surroundings, waiting silently for the Ghost Bride's arrival.
Seeing no response to his taunt, Hengxing Wujie's eyes flickered sharply. Suddenly, he stomped hard, cracking the floor tiles beneath him and launched an unscrupulous, brutal attack.
He didn't know what tricks the kid was using, but any risk had to be snuffed out early. Giving the enemy time meant putting himself in danger.
"Sssss..." Suddenly, amidst the shrill suona sound, an electric buzzing crackled, as if the signal was being jammed.
Here it comes...
Zhang Yuanqing sensed a surge of overwhelming Yin energy flooding from the void behind him, causing the hairs on his spine to stand on end — yet he dared not look back.
The feeling was all too familiar. Just like that day in Jinshui Amusement Park, when the Ghost Bride appeared, the atmosphere was the same — eerily identical.
The massive Yin energy enveloped the villa. The official practitioners present felt their souls tremble; what was he summoning?
From Hengxing Wujie's perspective, behind the official Night Roamer stood a thick, dark, creeping mist that brought chill, dread, and terror. Through the haze, a ghostly figure in a bright red bridal gown appeared.
Creak... Hengxing Wujie's feet scraped sharply against the floor as he slammed on the brakes, halting abruptly.
A wave of indescribable fear exploded in his heart.
Terrifying vengeful spirit, powerful vengeful spirit, unstoppable vengeful spirit... He sensed the crushing presence of a high-level Yin entity. Instinctively, Hengxing Wujie turned and fled without hesitation.
He was a witch doctor, not an illusionist, lacking the means to fight spiritual entities.
Especially such a high-level one.
He rushed toward the main door — but just as he took a step, the door vanished, replaced by thick, black mist.
Within the mist, the eerie figure in the red bridal dress flickered faintly.
This...
Hengxing Wujie's scalp tingled. He spun around and dashed toward the stairs.
But heavy mist surged there as well. From the swirling fog, a delicate foot wearing a red embroidered shoe descended step by step.
Despair filled Hengxing Wujie's eyes.
What was he doing? To the official practitioners, Hengxing Wujie looked possessed — sometimes rushing to the door, sometimes to the windows, sometimes to the stairs.
But each time, he recoiled in terror. His ugly, insect-like face twisted in fear; his amber pupils were filled with panic.
Tang Guoqiang shuddered violently, his limbs weak, struggling to crawl away from Zhang Yuanqing, fleeing desperately like his life depended on it.
Ghost walking in a maze? Zhang Yuanqing raised his head slightly, using his limited vision to observe the maddened Hengxing Wujie. Instantly, he deduced that the Ghost Bride was using an illusion.
He was about to strike again, to draw blood from Hengxing Wujie, when suddenly he realized he couldn't move.
"What's going on? The notes never said the red bridal veil would restrict movement..." Zhang Yuanqing's mind raced with confusion and alarm. Then he felt something pressed against his back.
Like a block of ice, yet oddly soft.
A massive surge of Yin energy rushed in, invading his body and merging with the Taiyin force within.
The sleeping little rascal inside awoke, curling up and trembling. The infant spirit didn't understand what was happening, but instantly felt engulfed by overwhelming danger.
Finally, Zhang Yuanqing found himself able to move. He took a step, then another — but none of it was under his control.
The Ghost Bride was manipulating his body.
Guan Ya, Qingteng, Bailong, Li Dongze... All their gazes shifted from Hengxing Wujie to the slow-walking Zhang Yuanqing.
For a moment, whether real or not, they thought they saw behind Yuanshi a ghostly figure in a red bridal gown clinging tightly.
Seeing that ghastly figure, all felt a primal, bone-deep terror.
Zhang Yuanqing approached Hengxing Wujie. Through the edge of the veil, he glimpsed a pair of pale, delicate hands reach out and grasp his own.
Piercing Yin energy gathered in his palm. He watched his skin turn bluish-black, muscles swelling, and pitch-black veins wrapping around his arms.
His fingers grew long, sharp, and black as nails.
Those pale delicate hands guided his own ghastly claw, which then grabbed Hengxing Wujie's neck.
...
Dark mist swirled in from all directions, filled with ghostly figures in red bridal gowns. Hengxing Wujie looked around frantically, desperate to flee, but every direction held a ghostly form.
His heart pounded violently, adrenaline surged, but it didn't give him courage — only pure terror.
His usual fierceness, ruthlessness, and decisiveness all vanished, leaving only fear and trembling.
Hengxing Wujie knew something was wrong — but despairingly, he couldn't change it.
At that moment, all the ghostly figures simultaneously stretched out their hands. Beneath the gorgeous red bridal gowns, the hands were strong, bluish-black, and veined.
With no way to retreat, Hengxing Wujie watched helplessly as the ghastly hands seized his throat. Cold Yin energy invaded his body, rapidly spreading and extinguishing his life force.
...
Zhang Yuanqing watched as the light in Hengxing Wujie's amber pupils dimmed and finally went out.
The tall, ugly figure's soul shattered and dissipated swiftly.
Whew, he's dead... Zhang Yuanqing breathed a sigh of relief. At this moment, he finally confirmed the battle was over — no more surprises.
No, wait, there was still a humanoid snake beast...
The thought flashed through his mind just as the Ghost Bride forced him to turn and walk toward the large snake.
The snake's fierce eyes flickered between dazed and ferocious; its soft body writhed weakly.
He was trapped in the illusion again.
Zhang Yuanqing followed the same method, grabbing the snake's neck to cut off its life.
But Zhang Yuanqing noticed his movements didn't stop. The Ghost Bride hadn't left; instead, she manipulated him to turn and face the official practitioners.
The official practitioners, just starting to feel relief, suddenly felt a chill down their spines.
Zhang Yuanqing felt the delicate pale hands holding his arms twitch uncertainly between Bailong, Qingteng, and Guan Ya.
Seconds later, a decision was made. She controlled Zhang Yuanqing, making him step closer toward Guan Ya.
"Y-Yuanshi?" Lao Siji's face turned deathly pale. She backed away in fear.
She thought the Ghost Bride was going to kill Guan Ya. No, stop... Zhang Yuanqing panicked, but his body was beyond his control.
The Ghost Bride's control must be temporary, but there was no clue in the tools about how long it would last. If the effect expired too late, Guan Ya would be doomed.
As he closed in on Guan Ya, Zhang Yuanqing's mind raced desperately. Suddenly, he thought of a way: he transferred the "control" to the little rascal inside.
The little spirit inside finally couldn't bear the pressure and burst into loud crying.
Zhang Yuanqing immediately regained brief control and quickly lifted the veil from his head.
The overwhelming Yin energy instantly retreated back into the void. The Ghost Bride was forced to return to the spirit realm.
At that moment, he was only five or six steps from Guan Ya.
Zhang Yuanqing collapsed onto the ground, gasping heavily, exhaustion flooding back.
Guan Ya's sweat soaked her white shirt, damp hair clinging to her face as her chest rose and fell.
Feeling the terrifying Yin energy dissipate, the official practitioners simultaneously exhaled in relief and joy, thinking, "No wonder Yuanshi passed two consecutive S-rank challenges — he's already extraordinary at the rookie stage."
A trembling Wood Spirit pulled a pill from his tactical backpack and said, "Take this antidote pill. It won't remove the toxin, but it will ease the symptoms."
"Can you bring it here?"
"I... I can't move..."
Captain Qingteng frowned tightly: "Who can move? First, clear the props upstairs. Right now it's just coughing and numbness, but who knows if we won't all drop dead later."
Big Muscle Badass staggered to his feet and tried to climb the stairs but collapsed from exhaustion and blood loss.
Seeing this, Zhang Yuanqing gathered his strength and said, "I'll go."
Bailong relaxed and weakly smiled, "You really are a reliable boy — no, a man."
If only you'd said that a few seconds earlier, the Ghost Bride wouldn't have tolerated it... Zhang Yuanqing muttered in his mind.
The commander behind the scenes, Li Dongze, gave a tip:
"It should be on the second floor near the main door, the second or third room. Hengxing Wujie fought there the whole time; he should be guarding the props."
Zhang Yuanqing nodded and shakily ascended the stairs.
...
Everyone watched him disappear around the stairwell corner.
Li Dongze glanced at his watch, his expression brightening.
"Thirty minutes are up; the barrier has dissipated. We can call for backup."
Among the official practitioners present, only he cared about etiquette enough to wear a watch.
Everyone else used their phones, which were switched to airplane mode during the capture operation.
At that moment, the living room door was violently kicked open. A dozen fully armed official practitioners filed in.
Behind them was Fu Qingyang, dressed in a white suit with a short ponytail, followed by the casually dressed Ling Jun.
Backup had arrived? Li Dongze and the others were both surprised and pleased.
Ling Jun glanced over the dead few Gu beasts scattered on the floor and smiled, "Looks like we're not needed anymore. Mr. Qian, your captains have impressive combat abilities."
Fu Qingyang glanced at the uninjured Guan Ya, then at the other captains, his cold face softening slightly.