Chapter 142
Chapter 142
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 142
>Chapter Title: Great God
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>The other man's words caught them completely off guard. His own wife was in that state, yet he had no intention of curing her?
Bai Lingmiao, clutching the drum, thought for a moment before advising him hesitantly, “Esteemed elder, if she’s truly possessed, she still needs to be treated. Being possessed feels awful, and it’s a matter of life and death. How about this—I won’t charge any fee at all.”
At those words, Zhao Qin’s brows furrowed sharply. He slammed the tea saucer he was holding onto the nearby table with just enough force. “Chengxing, see them out.”
Wang Chengxing, who had been waiting on the side, stepped forward in a single stride, positioning himself between his master and the two women. With a smile on his face, he said, “It’s not safe for young ladies to walk at night. Allow me to escort you both home personally. Where do you live?”
Seeing how thoroughly the man had shut down the conversation, Chun Xiaoman let out a light sigh and stopped pressing the issue. She took Bai Lingmiao’s hand and headed toward the door.
“Aaah~~!” A woman’s agonized scream made everyone in the room jump. Zhao Qin’s face darkened even further.
Hearing the pain in that voice, Bai Lingmiao couldn’t bear it. She turned back to Zhao Qin, who was still seated there.
“Master Zhao, let me give it a try. I promise, even if I can’t cure her, I won’t harm her in the slightest. The immortals aren’t unreasonable like that.”
Chun Xiaoman nodded from the side and chimed in. “Since all other methods have been tried, what’s the harm in trying ours? What if it works?”
At that, she seemed to recall something, and her expression suddenly turned sorrowful. “Or is it that you don’t even consider her—”
Before she could finish, “Bang!” The lacquered table shattered into pieces under Zhao Qin’s fist.
His eyes bulged as he rose like an enraged lion, his powerful presence crashing over them.
“This old man never strikes womenfolk, but if you keep speaking out of turn, don’t blame me for being discourteous!”
“Hee hee.” A light giggle drifted in from the pitch-black outside, instantly shattering the tension in the room.
“Who’s there! Form up!” With Zhao Qin’s low shout, figures appeared from the side doors on both ends.
Dozens of men dressed in short jackets, wielding various weapons, rushed in and surrounded them.
Shields to the front, spears behind—perfectly coordinated.
Under everyone’s watchful eyes, a blood-red embroidered shoe emerged from the darkness and stepped into the candlelight.
Following it was a bride veiled in a bright red headscarf.
This eerie sight made everyone’s faces change. It was obvious something was wrong.
Escort masters who traveled long distances year-round inevitably encountered supernatural troubles, but they had their own ways of dealing with them.
“Unroll the ink line! Bring the black dogs!”
With a ripping sound, cotton threads soaked in black ink swiftly formed a large net, blocking the path ahead.
Several whining black dogs were dragged into the crowd, ready and waiting.
“Wait, wait—you’ve got it all wrong.” The anxious Bai Lingmiao slipped through the ink net and pulled the second spirit toward the room.
As Bai Lingmiao approached, the escort bureau men all retreated in unison, weapons raised.
“She’s... she’s my little sister. She means no harm.” Bai Lingmiao tried her best to explain. But it didn’t help much.
Just then, an escort master with a mustache sidled up to Zhao Qin’s ear and whispered something.
“Master... jumping the great god...”
Hearing his disciple’s words, Zhao Qin’s expression began to shift.
Sensing the tense standoff all around, Bai Lingmiao sighed helplessly. “Sister Xiaoman, maybe we should just go.”
She truly feared that good intentions might lead to disaster and a fight. Bai Lingmiao wasn’t worried about getting hurt herself—she was afraid Li Shixiong might get dragged in later, which would spell big trouble.
Li Shixiong already had enough problems; she didn’t want to cause him more because of her.
In this situation, Chun Xiaoman had no time for her own petty concerns. She stepped out from the ink net, ready to lead Bai Lingmiao away from the bureau.
“Ladies! Please wait!” Zhao Qin seemed like a completely different person now, approaching them with utmost sincerity.
“I beg you two to help with my wife’s condition. Whatever it takes to make her better—name your terms!”
“This...” The two exchanged glances, utterly baffled by his sudden change.
“Well, in that case—” Bai Lingmiao had just opened her mouth when Chun Xiaoman stepped forward. “We need to go back and discuss it with our other fellow disciples.”
The man’s differing reactions made Chun Xiaoman think it was safer to lock it down properly.
Two incense sticks later, when the two returned escorted by all their fellow disciples, the treatment was markedly different.
The entire bureau was lit up brightly, with every escort master and apprentice standing ramrod straight to welcome them.
Zhao Qin led them along the corridor into the room. As he guided them, he turned sideways and said, “Young lady, you were right. Some things are worth trying—who knows if they’ll work until you do?”
The somewhat nervous Bai Lingmiao smiled and nodded.
Part of her tension came from the bureau men’s overreaction; the other part was because exorcisms were something she’d never done before.
And with their attitude now, if she failed to cure her, it would be awfully embarrassing.
The bureau wasn’t large. In a separate little room to the left of the training ground was where Zhao Qin’s wife was confined.
“Screech...” The door opened, and low sobbing sounds came from the pitch-black interior.
A nearby escort master thrust his lantern inside, illuminating the scene for everyone.
The room was small, with thick layers of dry straw on the floor and walls. It looked clean enough—clearly swept often.
An ragged, filthy old woman with white hair shuffled about the room, dragging rusty iron chains on her ankles. She cried softly, ignoring everyone staring at her.
“My unworthy wife has been like this for thirty years. I’m truly at my wits’ end.” As Zhao Qin spoke, pain flickered across his face.
“Master Zhao, rest assured—I’ll do my utmost.”
The nervous Bai Lingmiao glanced at the woman behind her with the red veil, took a deep breath, and walked to her side.
She gently lifted the red veil with her hand.
The men curious about what lay beneath were disappointed to see another red veil embroidered with mandarin ducks underneath.
Bai Lingmiao pursed her lips, took a deep breath, placed the red veil over her own head, and handed the drum to the other woman.
Chun Xiaoman on the side used her sword to push the surrounding people back a bit. “Everyone, stand back.”
Sensing the shift in atmosphere, everyone in the bureau held their breath, not daring to make a sound.
A black-nailed finger tapped lightly on the drum surface. A sharp, almost grating female voice emerged from beneath the red veil. “Inviting... the... god~~”
(End of Chapter)