Journey to the End of the Night Chapter 1525 - 946: A Night Journey on the River

"You mean we have to be invited to sail out on the river and perform a ritual to appease the River God?"

The moment Shu Ci had returned home, she found Baili An had already vanished. Before she could even set down the heavy iron pot she carried, a throng of villagers surged in from outside.

These were the village matrons and children, swarming the house from within and without, making escape impossible.

They claimed a defilement had recently disrupted their village.

This commotion had drawn the attention of the aged Immortal, Huang Daoist, with his Qingyun Mountain Immortal Body, who had arrived to dispel the malevolent spirits and restore tranquility.

Of late, peculiar incidents had plagued the village, always under the veil of the cool evening twilight.

If a young maiden dared to wash clothes alone by the creek, she was often spirited away without a trace, only for her family to realize her absence days later.

This happened because, on the very day of the young lady's disappearance, her likeness and voice frequently manifested within her own home at the stroke of midnight.

This spectral presence lulled her family into believing everything was as it should be.

Yet, upon later reflection, the young lady's form and voice seemed unusually spectral during those times.

When she truly tried to recall, an inexplicable dread would grip her.

It then struck her that she hadn't truly seen the young lady's face clearly within the home.

Only when half of her clothes were discovered buried near the creek's forested edge did the grim truth become apparent: she had been murdered days ago, yet her remains had vanished.

Such unsettling occurrences were a rarity in this remote mountain village, largely devoid of spiritual energy.

In their fear, the unsophisticated village women, ignorant of celestial patterns and the earth's contours, found themselves paralyzed.

They lived in nightly terror, dreading that these phantom events would soon haunt their own homes.

Now, encountering this venerable Immortal, their devotion in offering incense was, naturally, fervent.

Furthermore, Huang Daoist’s series of mesmerizing rituals at his magic altar, involving fire manipulation and talisman incineration, left them spellbound.

To these village women, these feats represented profound Divine Skills, deserving of unquestioning faith and worshipful kneeling.

In the intervening days, Huang Daoist had shrewdly capitalized on the situation, amassing considerable wealth in this impoverished, secluded mountain hamlet.

Various accoutrements, such as a Peach Wood Sword, Yellow Talisman Paper, Five Emperor Copper Coins, a bronze sword, and a cinnabar Daoist robe.

All these items were procured anew through the villagers’ contributions.

However, this was all under the guise of meticulous preparation for the night's River God appeasement ritual, which could tolerate no imperfections.

Previously, numerous demands had been issued concerning the ritual's conduct, stipulating that six women must jointly pilot the ceremonial boat to venerate the deity.

And Shu Ci, it transpired, was the designated sixth participant.

In essence, Huang Daoist’s intricate justifications muddled the minds of the rural women.

They understood only that this sixth individual was no ordinary person; caution and solemnity were paramount.

Since the venerable Immortal had specifically invoked a lady surnamed Shu, it could only be her, and no one else would suffice.

Observing the persistent crowd outside her dwelling, a flicker of lethal intent ignited within Shu Ci's eyes.

She harbored no interest in these mundane mortal affairs, nor the patience to endure such nonsensical rituals of divine appeasement.

Just as she was about to unleash her fury, Madam Wu emerged, reprimanding the crowd:

"What are you all doing, crowding around like this? Sister Shu is not from Qiaokou Village; what obligation does she have to be forced into such a perilous undertaking on the river?"

Shu Ci cast a fleeting glance at Madam Wu, surprised that, facing such an intimidating assembly, this woman, a mere civilian, possessed the fortitude to step forward and lend her voice in defense.

Although Shu Ci herself required no external protection.

Madam Wu, despite her lack of formal education, was not as gullible as the rest.

She had harbored a negative impression of Huang Daoist from the outset.

Yesterday, she had observed the old Daoist making unwelcome advances toward Sister Shu.

And today, she had learned from the blacksmith that Sister Shu had encountered some unpleasantness with the old Daoist earlier that morning at the blacksmith's shop.

The blacksmith, a man of integrity, had clearly witnessed the old Daoist making inappropriate advances toward the lady first.

Yet, the old Daoist now commanded immense respect in the village, and the blacksmith, unwilling to court trouble, had remained largely silent.

But Madam Wu could not stand by; she perceived this entire situation as retribution for rejected advances.

It was early spring, the air bitingly cold, and several days of continuous rain had rendered the creek's currents swift and treacherous.

Should an accident occur during the nocturnal ritual, plunging into the water, even if one escaped drowning, the peril of freezing to death remained ever-present.

Selfishness is inherent in human nature; in dire circumstances, who has the luxury for deep thought, especially given the varied experiences of joy and sorrow among people?

Dismissing Mrs. Wu's accusations, they confidently asserted:

"Now that she has settled in our village and become one of us, she consumes our village's resources.

Wasn't the daily medicine for her ailing husband and the warmth from the brazier also provided by our village?

Asking her to contribute now, when it's not a matter of survival, why can't she simply lend a hand? Why be evasive?"

However, there were those with reasonable minds in the village: "Aunt Li's words are not entirely accurate. Sister Shu's food and fuel were purchased with her own silver.

Not to mention the few Luminous Pearls, which are worth the equivalent of several years of the village's harvest; she does not owe anyone anything.

But Sister Shu, please do not blame us. These peculiar occurrences within our village...

Several young women have vanished, and worse, lives may have been lost.

We are also eager to resolve this matter swiftly, to avoid attracting any malevolent entities.

The elder Immortal specifically mentioned you, stating your destiny is powerful and noble, capable of manifesting the Immortal's spirit."