Journey to the End of the Night Chapter 1529 - 948: Nothing Special

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Previously on Journey to the End of the Night...
The old Taoist and his apprentice, along with five women, were swept down a waterfall during a river excursion. While his companions were seemingly enchanted and dragged down by ghostly arms, the old Taoist, protected by a wolf fang pendant, managed to surface. He found himself facing not only the treacherous red-clad ghost but also Shu Ci, who revealed her plan to sacrifice him to the river spirits. The old Taoist accused Shu Ci of the village women's deaths, but she callously admitted to killing many more. The red-clad ghost, seemingly intimidated by Shu Ci, began to sink, but was then struck by a red line from the Demon Lord's Winged Flame.

The evening air was mild, with a hint of coolness touching the sky.

Old Taoist Huang gasped for air, spitting out a large amount of dark, foul-smelling water weeds. Tears streamed down his face as he lay on the ground, coughing uncontrollably, his muddled mind slowly clearing.

It was only then that he realized he was sprawled on the soft, muddy banks of the river. The cool breeze drifting from the riverside forest swept over his sodden body, chilling him to the very bone.

He shivered violently, the intense cold completely dispelling the last vestiges of confusion from his eyes.

Propping himself up, he tried to piece together the events of the previous night, which felt like a hazy dream.

Observing the scattered remnants of fruit and the debris of broken bamboo rafts, he inferred that everything that had transpired, as nightmarish as it was, had indeed occurred!

Old Taoist Huang vigorously shook his head. He distinctly recalled the terrifying female ghost in the red clothing, who had seemed wary of that malevolent spirit before he lost consciousness.

Yet, somehow, she had gone berserk in the end, turning the entire river surface crimson and recklessly charging to confront the calamity. Even someone like him, without any cultivation and merely a fake Taoist, could plainly sense the drastic, unnatural shift in the female ghost's aura before and after. She was fearless, locked in a fierce struggle with the unknown disaster!

Unfortunately, Old Taoist Huang had been knocked unconscious by the turbulent waves at that point and had not witnessed the battle between the female ghost and the malevolent entity, nor did he know its outcome.

"Bah! Bah! How utterly unlucky! I only wanted to try something new, and how did I stumble into such a wretched event?"

The old Taoist cursed, brushing the mud off himself as he rose to his feet. He mused that this village might no longer be a safe haven for him.

Although the malevolent force was that vile woman, the five innocent women had been drawn into the river to feed the ghost because of his foolish plan. Their families would undoubtedly learn of such a tragedy. Even flaying her alive might not quell their rage. It was truly a colossal misfortune!

He had stayed in this village for many days, earning not a single coin, but instead losing a capable young apprentice. What vexed him even more was that all the provisions he had prepared in the village were lost to the river last night.

Now, he was truly left destitute, at his wit's end. At this moment, he had no choice but to depart in disgrace, like a beaten dog, to avoid unwanted attention.

Just as Old Taoist Huang was drowning in endless worry, the distant calls of villagers searching for him echoed through the air.

Judging by their voices, they were approaching in a circular formation and would soon reach his vicinity. Could they have discovered the bodies of those women so quickly? Old Taoist Huang grew anxious, like an ant on a hot pan. He clutched the hem of his robe, hunched his head, and desperately sought a place to conceal himself.

"Huh?" Old Taoist Huang exclaimed, rubbing his eyes. He spotted a blood-covered figure lying unconscious in the forest.

He hurried over, peering closely to get a clear view. His aged, clouded eyes immediately flashed with a look of hatred and malice. "Vile woman, you have finally fallen into this old Taoist's grasp!"

Observing her covered in blood and barely clinging to life, with all the fierce demeanor from the previous night completely gone, it appeared she had suffered greatly at the hands of the female ghost. The old Taoist's brows rose, his eyes darting around crazily. He was beginning to suspect that this woman was perhaps a manifestation of some evil spirit. Otherwise, what ordinary woman could possess such allure to make him repeatedly lose his rational mind?

He thought to himself that if he could shift all the blame for last night's disaster onto her, whether by burning her with fire or chopping her with an axe, she would certainly reveal her true form. He would then let the villagers witness it, which would surely drastically alter his current predicament and establish a profound immortal image in everyone's minds. Reverence and generous offerings – what a delightful prospect of profit!

"Taoist! Taoist Huang!"

The villagers soon found their way to his location, each one filled with anxiety. They were finally relieved to see that Old Taoist Huang was safe. "Taoist Huang! Immortal Huang! It's wonderful that we finally found you! We searched for you all night, thinking something had happened to you!"

"Indeed, Immortal Huang, the rain last night was truly peculiar. It began pouring just as you crossed the river, and no matter how loudly we called, you seemed unable to hear us. Soon after, a thick fog enveloped the river, making it impossible to see any trace of you. We were truly worried!"

"Fortunately, Heaven has blessed us. We found everyone one by one on the riverbank. Those women had swallowed a considerable amount of water, and it took considerable effort. But luckily, they are not in immediate danger. Truly a blessing; Heaven has indeed opened its eyes."

Those women weren't devoured by the Evil Ghost? Upon hearing this, Old Taoist Huang let out a profound sigh of relief.Contemplating that the prior night's mutual biting had resulted in mutual destruction, with the female ghost suffering the greater misfortune, it seemed she hadn't even the opportunity to devour anyone. "Heavens! My dearest Potato Sister! How did you sustain such grievous wounds!" Madam Wu had been consumed by worry throughout the night, dreading the prospect of confronting the young master from the Baili family. Upon observing the situation now, amongst the six, her Potato Sister was undeniably the most severely injured. This truly felt like the reaping of sown karma! With a bedridden young man already in the household, the sole provider for the family was now bloodied and battered. Was this not a sign of impending doom for this young couple?! Old Taoist Huang sternly intercepted Madam Wu, preventing her from approaching, and gravely declared, "Madam, exercise caution, lest you draw near this calamitous misfortune!"