My shout jolted the people around me to full alertness. The mass of white mist began to thin, spreading out to surround our campsite. I held the Meteor Iron sword in one hand, my eyes scanning the surroundings warily.
Soon, Dong Qingzi had fetched Zhao Feiyu and Kong Yi.
The two men took in the scene, their brows furrowing. "Xiao Lin, what's the situation?" they asked.
I shook my head, indicating I wasn't sure either. Rapidly, the thick fog enveloped us on all sides. The four of us huddled together, gripping each other's hands for a semblance of reassurance.
A faint, shimmering figure flashed before my eyes, followed by more and more of these spectral apparitions materializing around us. Dong Qingzi cried out in fear, clutching my arm tightly! The three of us, however, remained relatively composed.
"Can we kill them?" I asked, looking at the phantoms.
"If we strike first, I fear we might be at a disadvantage," Kong Yi cautioned carefully. "This might just be an illusion."
"What do you mean?" I frowned.
As the words left my mouth, a blood-curdling scream tore through the air from the distance! It acted like a battle cry; the ghostly figures surrounding us immediately began their attack!
"Bai Ji!" I summoned her instantly. Based on Dong Qingzi's earlier reaction, I could tell she was utterly unfit for this fight.
Bai Ji emerged swiftly from the mask. Her spiritual power far surpassed these common specters. Entrusting Dong Qingzi to her would lighten my burden.
I reversed my grip on the Meteor Iron sword and swept it horizontally through the nearest phantom. I cleanly severed its head, and it dissolved into a cloud of ash. I glanced at Zhao Feiyu and Kong Yi. Zhao Feiyu had already drawn his white horsetail whisk and was engaged with a group of phantoms. Kong Yi's prayer beads glowed with a golden light, repelling several specters.
"Xiao Lin, Kong Yi! Head for the main group!" Zhao Feiyu yelled as he fought his way clear of the cluster of ghosts.
I initially intended to follow them, but Bai Ji, staying close behind me, whispered, "Xiao Lin, something's wrong."
After decapitating another phantom, I frowned and asked, "What is it?"
"I can feel it... they are similar to me," Bai Ji said, confusing me.
The mist grew denser, visibility dropping drastically. During my brief exchange with Bai Ji, Zhao Feiyu and Kong Yi had disappeared into the fog. I was alone. The surrounding phantoms closed in. Unfazed, I held the Meteor Iron sword steady and gave them a contemptuous smirk.
"It seems... they also came from masks," Bai Ji added, her back to mine, remaining vigilant.
Hearing this, I began to understand. Mu Rongxing originally had five masks under his command; Bai Ji's was one of them. Each mask housed a powerful host spirit, like Bai Ji. These hosts could find followers through various means. Bai Ji meant that another mask had appeared.
It seemed Mu Rongxing was indeed here.
After dispatching a few more phantoms, I shouted into the surrounding fog, "These are just lackeys! If you have the guts, show yourself!"
Honestly, I didn't know if it would work. But after my challenge, the phantoms around me froze. I kept the Meteor Iron sword ready, grip tightening.
When a man in purple opera robes materialized before me, I recognized him. He was the host of the purple mask.
"In the past, I might have called you 'Young Master Mu.' But today, I'll address you directly. Mu Lin."
"A mere ghost dares to be so insolent?" I glared at him, rage evident on my face.
"My name is Zi Ming. I serve Mr. Mu. He knows you are here. He sent me to deliver a message: turn back now, and it's not too late. Otherwise, Mr. Mu gives you twenty-four hours. But for every hour that passes, he will kill one of your companions. In the end, it will be your turn." Zi Ming gave me a garish smile that made me want to slap him.
He then turned his grinning face to Bai Ji. "Mr. Mu also said that you left the dragon vein without his orders. You deserve death."
Without another word, I flung the Meteor Iron sword at Zi Ming! It pierced through his spectral form, and he let out a piercing shriek of agony!
Ignoring the other phantoms, I strode forward, yanked the sword from his form, and pressed it against his neck. "Go back and tell Mu Rongxing. The lives of the others mean nothing to me. I will find him."
Having said that, I turned, sheathed the sword, and walked into the mist with Bai Ji, not looking back.
Then, I heard Zi Ming's furious scream: "Kill them all! Kill every last one of them!"
I was about to turn and fight, but a chanting sutra suddenly filled the air. Gradually, a golden Buddha image appeared before me. I knew Kong Yi was using his power.
Bathed in the Buddha's light, the phantoms crumbled to dust, and the mist quickly dissipated. When visibility returned, I saw Zhao Feiyu and the others not far away.
Seeing I was unharmed, they breathed sighs of relief. I joined them and quickly took a headcount. Only twenty-four people remained.
The ground was littered with corpses. Some had been disemboweled, others had their heads twisted clean off. The stench of blood was overwhelming, organs scattered everywhere. I surveyed the scene with detached indifference, merely wrinkling my brow. Dong Qingzi, however, was pale with terror.
I truly didn't understand why she had been brought along.
"Pack up. We need to move. We only have one day." I knew there was no time for lengthy explanations. We had to move fast.
Kong Yi looked at the bodies on the ground, shook his head, chanted a Buddhist prayer, and said to me, "I wish to perform rites for them."
I frowned, hesitant. Zhao Feiyu chimed in, "They were comrades once. It will only take ten minutes or so. Let the others use that time to finish packing."
I nodded in agreement. I checked my wristwatch: 9:00 AM sharp.
Twenty minutes later, the twenty-four of us were ready to depart. I had no intention of telling them about Mu Rongxing's message. I found someone who had been here a long time and asked about the route from the camp to the area where the spectral soldiers appeared.
In short, it was about fifty kilometers to our destination. But it was all mountain paths, heavy with Yin energy, making it easy to be affected. Zhao Feiyu produced a stack of Yang Talismans, smiling reassuringly.
"Four people to a group, six groups total. Each group watches their own. Don't let anything happen," I instructed, though I knew one would die every hour.
Once the groups were formed, we set off. From the moment we entered the mountains, I could feel the oppressive Yin energy. Strangely, it didn't affect me much. Kong Yi seemed drained from performing the rites and having slept little last night. His fatigue was evident.
But time was relentlessly ticking down. I couldn't afford to slow the pace. I led the way along the mountain path. Zhao Feiyu seemed fine, but Dong Qingzi, Kong Yi, and the others were struggling more and more as we progressed.
I checked my watch again. It was almost 10:00 AM, just eight minutes away. But there was nothing obviously lethal in the surroundings. I waved my hand, turned, and announced, "Take a break."
I knew Mu Rongxing's capabilities. If he said it, he could do it. I found a clear spot to sit. Just then, Zhao Feiyu handed me a bottle of water.
"Drink some," he said with a smile.
I nodded, took the water, and sipped it. Nearby, Kong Yi was resting against a rock, Dong Qingzi beside him. I silently counted the people. Twenty-four. All present.
"你是不是有事瞒着我?"赵飞宇一边喝着酒,一边认真的问道.
我没理他,继续扫视周围.
"小林!"赵飞宇抓住我的手臂,神色凝重. "有什么问题就告诉我们,我们可以帮忙.你知道孔易用那秘术找到你,付出了多大的代价吗?这给他带来了多大的损失!"
我冷冷地甩开他的手. "我从来没有叫你来找过我."
赵飞宇脸色一沉.他一拳打在我身上,怒吼道:"慕琳你个混蛋!"
我毫不犹豫地回击了.就在那里,当着所有人的面,我们像孩子一样争吵.几个人冲过来想要制止,但我们都没有理睬他们.
最后,孔乙把我们拉开了. "你们两个多大了!?像小孩子一样打架!你们怎么了!"
"幕林你个混蛋!你他妈的不顾别人为你做事!要不是孔乙还把你当兄弟,谁还救你!去你的!"赵飞宇狠狠地骂我.我漫不经心地掸去衣服上的灰尘,看了看手表.上午 10:00.
我的眼睛疯狂地四处张望,却什么也没发现.我一怒之下,用拳头击打了附近的一棵树.我觉得自己很可怜,就像一只被慕容星不断玩弄的猴子.我始终逃不出他的手掌心...
"小林,你没事吧...?"孔乙走近,看到我的剧烈反应,试图让我平静下来.
我没有说话,独自走开.还没走出几步,就听到一声惊慌的叫喊:"小陈!小陈,怎么了!!"
我停下了脚步...
事情已经开始了...