Chapter Nine, The Ghost Matchmaker

Not long after, as they approached the City God Temple, Chu Youcai suddenly noticed a wisp of ominous energy lingering above the temple, unmoved by the wind, hovering within.

It seems that there are indeed ghosts hidden within this City God Temple, and I did not expect them to be so rampant. Chu Youcai focused his mind and became even more vigilant as he approached the vicinity of the City God Temple

Only a trace of curiosity flashed through his mind: who exactly is Hongyu, and how can her hair and blood have such an effect

At this moment, Chu Youcai was profoundly shaken; the power of this demon was far beyond his ability to resist. If it had not been for that brocade pouch just now, he would have likely fallen into a hypnotic state, unable to even unleash the Toad Dragon Mountain River Pearl. His so-called marksmanship, palm techniques, and healing medicines all became a joke. No wonder this world reveres demons and ghosts.

Upon hearing Chu Youcai finish speaking, Hong Gu pondered for a moment, and suddenly her voice became serious as she asked: "Do you know the identity of Hong Yu?"

Two days later, his father inadvertently discovered me and scolded Feng Xiangru, saying that his family was poor yet he did not study diligently. He accused me of not adhering to the rules of propriety, tarnishing both myself and others, and warned that if others found out, it would not only bring shame to their family. It was then that I realized I had delayed him. I had no family, no matchmaker, and no parental consent; how could I expect to grow old with him? Therefore, I found a beautiful woman nearby, who bore some resemblance to me. Since her bride price was high, she had not yet been promised to anyone. I used magic to acquire some silver and sent Feng Xiangru to propose.

"Who are you?" Chu Youcai felt a jolt in his heart, realizing that there was no one in the palace of his parents. Could it be that the other party is a demon?

Chu Youcai was moved upon hearing the other party call her Hong Gu: "What is Hong Yu to you?"

Hong Gu continued, "Because Feng Sheng has been touched by my aura, Hong Yu was born with unusual traits. While I was raising Hong Yu, I discovered that she could sense the presence of demons and converse with them. Moreover, her blood and skin can inflict harm on these demons. Such a body is called a ghost medium, serving as a conduit between ghosts and humans"

At this moment, Chu Youcai discerned the repression and pain in the voice of Hong Gu before him

Feng Sheng went to file a complaint, but no matter how many times he did so, he was still unable to seek justice. His wife was forcibly taken away by the other party, but she chose to die rather than submit, taking her own life. Upon hearing this news, Feng Sheng was consumed by grief day and night, and it was only for the sake of their child that he refrained from assassinating the other party

At that moment, a gentle female voice suddenly echoed in the hall, softly inquiring: "Who gave the young hero the brocade pouch he was holding just now?"

Chu Youcai had long been prepared; at this moment, he wielded his silver spear with all his might, executing the Toad Dragon Spear Technique. Instantly, the wind roared like a tiger, and the clouds swirled like a dragon. Chu Youcai's voice resonated with the sound of a dragon's roar, and the silver spear possessed a soul-stealing power, piercing directly towards the shadow of the snake

"Ghost matchmaker?" Chu Youcai asked in astonishment, as he had never heard of it before

As the seven or eight serpentine shadows drew closer to him, Chu Youcai felt a sense of despair. Suddenly, he sensed a warmth emanating from the pouch at his waist, which cleared his mind. He quickly took out the pouch, only to see it flash with a sudden brilliance.

Chu Youcai only heard the hissing sound and felt his head grow heavy. He recalled that the maid Juxue had probably heard this sound and nearly lost her soul. At this moment, he hurriedly tried to compose himself, but the feeling of dizziness grew stronger, to the point where he could not even lift his hand.

This must start with her background. Forty years ago, I had mastered the art of demon magic and had just transformed from a fox into human form. Then I met a straightforward and impoverished scholar named Feng Xiangru, who was very kind and inadvertently saved my life. Thus, I entered his room every night, claiming to be a girl from the neighboring house, and we spent many blissful days together. The voice of Hong Gu was filled with nostalgia

Chu Youcai looked towards the rear hall, where the door was wide open, revealing the stele of the ancestral hall behind it. Inscribed on it were the words "Calm and Unassuming in Intent," though the latter characters had been eroded by wind and sand. Yet, this ancestral hall gave Chu Youcai a warm and gentle feeling, in stark contrast to the eerie atmosphere of the entire City God Temple.

It is indeed her. Is she still alive?" Hong Gu's voice became tense

Just as Chu Youcai was about to walk towards the ancestral hall behind him, a sudden fierce wind arose. The main gate of the City God Temple behind him slammed shut with a loud bang. When Chu Youcai attempted to push it open, he discovered that the gate was locked by a powerful force, and even though he possessed extraordinary strength at that moment, he was completely unable to open it.

Hong Gu let out a sorrowful sigh and said: "I want to see her smile all the time, I want to hear her voice all the time, I almost want to be with her every day, but I just cannot do it..."

Chu Youcai immediately threw away the wooden stick in his hand, took the jade pendant from his chest and held it in his left hand, while holding a dagger in his right hand, ready to activate the Toad Dragon Mountain River Pearl at any moment

Chu Youcai walked through several streets and alleys, looking up into the distance. To the east, the Jinlei Pagoda of Yanzhou stood tall, leaning against Hansha Lake. That place was the prosperous land of Yanzhou, where the governor often went to pay his respects, even late at night, when the cold bell occasionally rang, evoking a sense of solemnity. However, to the north of Yanzhou, there was some desolation; the City God Temple, with its red walls and earthen tiles, had a main hall over three meters high, towering above the surrounding single-story houses, yet it had long been devoid of worshippers.

However, he did not enter directly. He held a silver gun in his right hand and a dagger in his left, crouching under the eaves of a nearby building, secretly observing the surrounding movements. After watching for more than half an hour, he found no other unusual occurrences, which slightly eased his mind. Estimating it to be around the hour of the rat, he then slowly made his way towards the City God Temple

However, as a result, no other children were willing to approach her, and she did not have a pure childhood that belonged to her. Her disposition became reclusive, and she rarely smiled in her daily life

Chu Youcai sensed that something was amiss and knew it was not good. Just as he was about to rush towards the parental hall, a mass of black mist suddenly descended from the eaves of the building. To his astonishment, seven or eight snake-like shadows, each about two meters long, emerged, opening their gaping mouths and extending their fangs towards Chu Youcai.

Upon hearing that the other party was actually Hongyu's adoptive mother, Chu Youcai finally set his mind at ease. He then recounted the events of how he went to the casino and rescued Hongyu.

Yet the hair from the brocade pouch shimmered forth, binding the current serpent shadow, while the blood from the pouch also surged out, scorching the serpent shadow before me. The serpent shadow seemed to be injured, retreating wildly.

A few days later, a bearded Taoist priest came, claiming to be named Yan Yunfei, and asked if he had thoughts of revenge. Feng Sheng immediately thought of asking the priest to help raise his child while he went to seek revenge. However, the priest said: "The matters you wish to entrust to others, you should do yourself; the things you want to accomplish, I will handle for you." Then the priest vanished without a trace, and not long after, someone with the surname Song died

With this strike, the shadow of the gun pierced the column ahead, penetrating half a foot deep, almost piercing through the column entirely. However, the shadow of the snake remained unaffected, emitting a strange hissing sound. Then, the snake coiled, and the handle of the silver spear instantly turned to mud, leaving Chu Youcai with only half a wooden stick in hand

Feng Sheng listened to my advice, concealed the matter of the silver I gifted, and deceived his father by saying that the other party did not want a betrothal gift. He took the silver to propose marriage. Since Feng Sheng's family was already quite prestigious, and he himself was handsome, along with the substantial betrothal gift, the other party agreed. Their marital relationship was very deep, and before long, they had a daughter.

Chu Youcai was taken aback and said, "Is this girl Hongyu?"

"Indeed. This pouch was given to me by her, and she is currently in my residence, quite safe." Upon hearing the tone of the other party, Chu Youcai sensed that there was no intention to harm him, and thus he inquired further, "Who exactly are you?"

The shadows of snakes linger before the hall of the parents, intertwining in several forms, with a rolling black mist that seems to envelop the entire hall of the parents.

Chu Youcai felt a sense of vigilance in his heart. After taking a few more steps, he suddenly heard a blood-curdling scream coming from near the city god temple. The sound pierced through the night sky, appearing extremely terrifying. Not far from Chu Youcai, a night watchman turned pale with fright, trembling as he glanced at the armored figure of Chu Youcai draped in a cloak, before hastily fleeing to the east.

Chu Youcai had long been curious about Hongyu, wondering why Lei Yinyang placed such importance on her, how she came to know Lei Yinyang's secrets, and why her blood and hair could repel demons. At that moment, he said earnestly: "I wish to hear the details."

At this moment, Chu Youcai finally understood the tragic background of Hongyu. No wonder she rarely spoke and was so guarded around outsiders; the complexities of her situation moved him deeply. He couldn't help but say, "If that's the case, would it be alright for me to take you to see her now"

The officials suspected Feng Sheng and arrested him, so I rescued him from prison. Upon hearing the news that Yan Yunfei was wanted by the authorities, Feng Sheng asked me to take good care of Hongyu while he turned himself in. He soon fell gravely ill in prison and passed away shortly thereafter

As the large door was pushed open, the sound of creaking echoed repeatedly, as if the entire hall was trembling. In the moonlight, Chu Youcai saw the inscriptions on both sides of the current pillars: "Fortune and misfortune are clearly divided, and it is difficult to find clues here; good and evil must be distinguished, for the way of heaven is impartial." The statue of the city god was sitting upright, but its head was missing, giving it a chilling appearance

This strike was a culmination of Chu Youcai's preparation and full force, to the extent that he felt it was much stronger than what he had displayed in the Toad Dragon Mountain and River Pearl world.

Hong Gu seemed to be lost in thought, and after a while, she gently said: "She is a ghost matchmaker"

He immediately pressed the Toad Dragon Mountain River Pearl tightly, ready to act at the slightest anomaly

Yes. Hong Gu sighed and said: "However, their good days did not last long. A man with the surname Song, who had once served as an imperial censor, was demoted for bribery but continued to wield power and indulge in debauchery. By chance, he saw Feng Sheng's wife and sent someone with a large sum of money to Feng Sheng's home to demand his wife. As a result, Feng Sheng and his father were furious and drove the envoy away. The man with the surname Song became angry and sent many people to severely injure Feng Sheng and his father. Feng Sheng's father did not survive for long and passed away shortly after."

Such a body is one in ten thousand and is extremely precious

Chu Youcai, upon hearing this, felt both admiration for Yan Yunfei and deep sorrow for Feng Xiangru

My name is Hong Gu, and I have been living secretly in this City God Temple for five years. That voice continued, "You cannot see me; I am a fox spirit, yet I lack the demonic power to maintain my true form.

Chu Youcai hurriedly rushed out of the back hall and into the parental hall behind. At that moment, the shadow of the snake was already howling towards him, but as it approached the parental hall, it seemed to be blocked by an invisible force.

I am her adoptive mother..." Hong Gu sighed gently and said: "How did the young master come to know Hong Yu?"