Chapter 010: The Grove

Hearing her say that the ghost fetus cannot harm me eased my anxiety somewhat. Moreover, she will definitely do her utmost to protect her own nest, which allowed me to relax a little more.

I took out my phone to check the time; it was already 9:30, half an hour earlier than planned. The girl said that since it was already past the hour of the pig, there was no need to wait any longer and urged me to go in. I immediately swallowed hard, took a few deep breaths, and although I hadn't felt much fear on the way here, when faced with the pitch-black, eerie forest, I began to feel a sense of retreat.

The girl mocked me as a coward for a moment, then asked me to take out the lunchbox and soak the glutinous rice in white liquor. The liquor was 68 degrees of old white liquor, and as I poured it into the lunchbox, a fragrant aroma filled the air. She then taught me how to tie the red string, similar to how one would tie a fishing net, weaving back and forth. Men are indeed not as skillful as women in this regard; after several attempts and being scolded harshly by the girl, I finally managed to tie it decently. However, to my surprise, she asked me to untie the net and retie it once we entered the small grove.

Upon hearing the girl speak of this, my scalp instantly tingled, and I quickly interrupted her, saying: "What do you mean? Do you want me to fight against a ghostly fetus?"

Bastard, why are you so disgusting

I can't believe this, you little brat are messing with me again, causing a huge bump on my forehead. I grit my teeth and ask: "I haven't offended you, so why are you playing tricks on me?"

I nervously walked into the forest, feeling a sudden chill enveloping me, as if the inside and outside of the forest were two different worlds. The towering trees in the darkness resembled ghostly figures standing there, and I felt goosebumps rising layer upon layer on my skin

The deceased girl instructed me to position the corners of this net facing the exact directions of southeast, southwest, northeast, and northwest, and then to place a candle at each corner. In the center of the net, I was to insert three incense sticks. After completing these tasks, I was to evenly sprinkle the glutinous rice soaked in wine from the lunch box onto the patch of soil covered by the red string net.

I said she won't come out, and she absolutely won't. Can you not argue with me? Ugh, she's angry again. "Don't move forward, take five steps to the left, and then seven steps forward... Okay, stop right here, let's tie the red string.

She taught me Daoist hand seals and the Five Ghosts Steps for half an hour. As it approached 9 o'clock, noisy footsteps echoed in the corridor as everyone was gradually returning to their dormitories. That little girl insisted that I cover my lunch box, while she took other items downstairs.

"Do not be afraid, Feng Lan has been restless all night; she will not come out until after midnight tonight." The dead girl encouraged me.

Come on, are you messing with me? In a little while, my buddy will definitely forget all the steps.

This small grove was originally a secret rendezvous for students, but it is said that in recent years, including Fenglan, several people have died in the grove, and there are frequent rumors of hauntings. At night, no one dares to approach this place. However, there are also those who are bold; from time to time, fresh toilet paper and used condoms can be found in the woods

However, one should not be too shameless. Since a decision has been made, we must persevere, especially when it is to preserve the lives of all of us.

I nervously secured the door, fearing that the wind and storm might follow in. In truth, I knew very well that if the wind and storm really came, this door would be no sturdier than a piece of tofu.

Who said there isn't? I just posted one a moment ago

In the forest, apart from the pervasive aura of terror and death, nothing unusual was discovered; it seems that the deceased girl was right, Feng Lan would not appear at this moment. I crouched down and, following her instructions, took out the red string to begin tying knots. However, I felt uneasy, constantly sensing a pair of eyes watching me from behind, and I couldn't help but turn around to look from time to time.

She then took out a small mirror, secured it with the remaining piece of red string, and hung it in front of my chest. She said this was a protective mirror, and it needed to be smeared with my yang blood to be effective. Damn, I have to bleed too? I endured the pain and used a nail clipper to make a small cut on my left thumb, and I couldn't just smear it randomly; I wrote the character "敕" on it.

I blinked for a long time before managing a bitter smile. Does this count as changing my fortune? If my fortune really has changed, then why am I still facing this situation? To be honest, my unfortunate life has never truly transformed. It's just that I no longer encounter trivial misfortunes like before; instead, I have become a major unfortunate soul entangled with ghosts!

Alright, alright, don't be angry anymore; this is not the time for fooling around. Keep a close watch on that spot; the corpse of Fenglan and the ghost fetus in its belly are buried right beneath us, and we must not be careless.

I deliberately avoided the crowd, making my way into the darkness, and soon arrived outside the small grove at the southwest corner of the school

I let out an "oh"; I understand this matter. Isn't this how it is portrayed in movies? During rituals, one burns incense and offers prayers, performing three bows and nine kowtows, which must be done with sincerity. I knelt facing the east, vigorously striking my forehead against the ground to produce a "thud" sound, nearly knocking myself unconscious.

Upon hearing these words, I was instantly filled with dread, my whole body shivering with a chill. You wretched girl, why didn't you say so earlier? Had I known that the ghostly fetus was right beneath us, I wouldn't have had the heart to joke with you. I immediately turned around, nervously fixating on the faintly visible red string in the darkness, not daring to breathe a word, let alone pass gas

The young girl sighed and said: "This is an unavoidable method. If I do not bind myself in a cocoon, I do not regard this ghostly fetus as a threat. However, I cannot come out, and I can only rely on you. But you need not be afraid; you possess a pure Yang fate. Once you learn a few more hand seals and the Five Ghost Steps, you will become the nemesis of the ghostly fetus, and it cannot harm you. Furthermore, soaking the ground of the coffin with glutinous rice and wine will wash away the ghostly fetus's malevolence, just like a venomous snake that has had its fangs removed; there is nothing to fear."

This wretched girl is driving me to the point of a headache. I merely made a joke, and she actually made me feel like my forehead is swelling, how ruthless is that? I was just about to retaliate with a couple of words, and she immediately cut me off.

Hmph, who told you to mess with me just now by using flatulence?

It is only a little past 7 o'clock. Although night has fallen, many supermarkets are still open. The deceased girl asked me to buy a large number of items including glutinous rice, red string, incense candles, a mirror, white liquor, and a shovel, but I have no idea what they are for, and she won't tell me when I ask. Upon returning to the dormitory, Liu Bin has not yet come back, and neither are Kong Mingfei and Lei Chen. This is because a student named Li Dezhi has died, and suddenly all the students on this floor have become very proactive, all going to attend evening self-study.

The entire floor was shrouded in darkness, with not a single light in sight. I was quite unnerved, especially when passing by Li Dezhi's dormitory, my legs felt a bit weak.

It is extremely quiet here, with not a sound to be heard, as if this is a place completely isolated from the school. Gazing into the dark space of the forest, an eerie and sinister atmosphere permeates everywhere, making one feel quite tense, with a chill running down the back.

Hehe... Haha... This is me playing a trick on you; this kind of ritual does not require worshipping deities

"I am trapped in this cocoon, which means I have completely sealed myself off. It is very difficult for me to help you, as you can receive at most one-tenth of the spiritual energy I transmit. Therefore, you should not always think of relying on me; you must make an effort on your own. I can only assist you at critical moments; otherwise, if I exhaust my energy, we will both be in danger of losing our lives!" said the girl seriously.

What if she comes out? I thought to myself, you are not a deity, it is impossible for you to predict everything so accurately

You face the east, bow nine times, and before performing the ritual, you must pay homage to the deities; otherwise, the gods will not manifest their presence, and all arrangements will be in vain. Remember, you must be sincere, and the bows must produce sound.

However, her subsequent remarks made my heart sink again

"What are you looking at? There's nothing behind you. Focus on tying the red string!" The girl scolded me irritably.

I will now begin to teach you the Taoist hand seals and the Five Ghost Steps. You must learn this with dedication, as you do not understand how to draw talismans, nor do you possess any magical tools such as a peach wood sword. You can only rely on the hand seals and the Five Ghost Steps to combat the ghostly fetus

Hehe, just kidding! I finally played a trick on her, and I feel very happy. My fear has lessened a bit, and the knots in my hands have become more manageable, quickly forming a fishing net about a foot square.