Chapter 8, Auspicious Days and Good Times

This fellow is actually Zhu Bingyi, who is said to have taken seven or eight wives

I find myself on the brink of death, my mind in utter disarray, lost in a haze of confusion for an indeterminate amount of time. I then hear the old Zhu next door softly sigh: "Auspicious day and hour, a time of darkness, the six evils converge, yin and yang intersect, the heavenly and earthly forces gather here, could it be that something significant is about to happen?"

He expressed strong regret regarding my selection as the battlefield for the eighteen guiding worms. When I asked why, he said that although the physical potential of the others would be completely absorbed by those guiding worms, they might still have a chance to survive. However, if I were to be used as the container for those eighteen guiding worms, then my heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and all internal organs would likely be severely damaged, leaving no possibility of survival.

The brush is coated with something that I cannot tell if it is vermilion or something else; it feels sticky and gives me a sensation akin to an electric shock, leaving a tingling numbness.

When the 100-watt light bulb lit up in the cellar, I truly saw the full view of our surroundings, as well as the appearances of Zhu Bingyi and Xia Xi

She is the ruler here, muttering incessantly, her hands constantly shaking as if she were a shaman performing a ritual on television

Old Zhu said no, but he understands some scriptures for guiding the souls of the deceased. When I pass away, he will recite some scriptures by my side to help my soul attain rebirth, which can be considered a way to repay the kindness of "a meal's grace" over these past few days

Every person here, to varying degrees, resembles my neighbor Xiao Liu, with pockmarked faces and insects crawling about. Meanwhile, those women in bellybands glide around us, occasionally sticking out their tender tongues to lightly lick the ears of us onlookers

The voice of the midsummer evening grew increasingly high-pitched, and when the tone reached its peak, she sharply commanded, "Come forth, spirit of the eighteenth generation..."

After six women danced for a while, they dispersed in all directions, their bodies twisting as long snakes slithered from the ground, the ceiling, and the wooden fence, wrapping around them. The snake heads swayed in time with the sound of the flute, and at that moment, Xia Xi appeared in the center.

I know that the day I have been worried about has finally arrived

You should know that I am not yet married. Over the years, my mother has been urging me, not only because she wants to have a grandchild, but also for another reason. My brother went abroad to work several years ago and has not been heard from since. She fears that he may have died far from home. My mother wants our family, the Lu family, to have a legacy.

And I found myself unconsciously walking to the center of the cellar

Just as I was gritting my teeth and enduring, Zhu Bingyi and Xia Xi outside the fence began to discuss.

The two individuals gazed at each other for a while, and I felt as if ants were crawling on my face, an itchy sensation overwhelming me. I could only grit my teeth and endure, fearing that the other party might drag me out for practice at any moment

Xia Xi is the nine-tenths beauty I encountered on the long-distance bus before, but this time she is not wearing heavy makeup; she simply wears a T-shirt made of ethnic batik, looking poised and graceful. As for Zhu Bingyi, I had imagined him to be a dashing gentleman, after all, he has deceived so many beautiful women, and it would not do for him to be unattractive as depicted in the pictures.

Since they are able to adopt such a posture, even going so far as to imprison their own accomplices, it sufficiently reflects the determination and ruthlessness of Zhu Bingyi and others. Therefore, at this moment, kneeling down to plead with the other party is not a wise choice. After contemplating for a while, I decided to huddle in the grass pile and remain silent

At that moment, I caught a glimpse from the corner of my eye of a small mouse, about the size of a thumb, crawling out of the mouth of a man whose face was covered in holes

After making a round, the two individuals arrived in front of me, scrutinizing me through the fence

Thinking of this, I am filled with regret. Had I known it would turn out this way, I would have listened to my mother and sought refuge with my cousin Lu Zuo. I have heard that he has become quite successful in the past two years, far surpassing any county magistrate or county party secretary.

However, what I never expected was that this fellow looked so honest and unassuming, resembling a simpleton who couldn't even produce a fart with three sticks.

I did not dare to look at them, merely huddling inside the haystack pretending to be unconscious

I have a feeling that my worldview has been overturned

The two individuals discussed for quite a while, and after reaching a basic agreement, they chatted with Old Zhu for a few moments. It was evident that Zhu Bingyi still held some nostalgia for Old Zhu; however, he did not dare to express too much in front of Xia Xi

After saying this, Old Zhu sighed beside him and said, "I have gotten along quite well with you these past few days, but I didn't expect you to be the unluckiest one. However, it doesn't matter..."

After the blood-collecting Gu is refined, he will slowly nourish it with fresh blood

I also think that the eighteen methods of emergence and manipulation are battling within my body; what benefits could they possibly bring me

Listening to Lao Zhu's words, I realized that I was beyond saving. Thinking of this, I felt a wave of sadness.

At first, I was not paying close attention, but after a while, it seemed that I heard them discussing the final container for refining the Blood Gathering Gu. From what Xia Xi implied, among these eighteen individuals, I appeared to possess the best qualities, as I was surprisingly able to maintain my current state despite the torment of the Gu. I should be able to endure the pain of the Blood Gathering Gu taking shape.

This mouse powder | tender powder | tender, as if just born, looked around for a moment, and unexpectedly leaped into the air, directly jumping into my mouth, and at the same time, ... I saw spiders, slender red snakes, flesh butterflies, snake aunts, and other strange bugs all rushing into my mouth...

A person who stays in dark and cold places for a long time will undoubtedly experience significant changes in their mindset, especially someone like me, who has been brought here for no reason, suffering from hunger and cold, with countless thoughts passing through my mind each day

In order to give me an intuitive impression, the rough and unrefined old Zhu dropped a book bag: "Prosperity brings suffering to the people; decline also brings suffering to the people"

These women writhe their bodies wantonly, as if they were flesh serpents emerging from the water

When Zhu Bingyi and the nine-point girl Xia Xi appeared, I learned for the first time that there was actually electric light in the cellar

Since it is a Gu, there will inevitably be a process of mutual slaughter and competition for supremacy. The final formation of the Blood Gu is achieved through the gathering of eighteen guiding Gus, which amalgamate the bloodlines of eighteen different Gu seedlings into one.

It is a pity that I ultimately met my demise in this remote and desolate place where not even a bird would defecate.

I estimate that my stomach is already completely rotten

This is not the recitation of a single person, but rather the overlapping voices of more than ten individuals, resonating back and forth, rising and falling, somewhat reminiscent of the Dong people's grand songs, evoking an inexplicable sense of reverence and mystery.

The nine-point beauty is as lovely as a flower, yet her expression remained unchanged throughout, utterly cold. It is not just me; even Zhu Bingyi seems to be quite fearful of her

This type of poison is not only extremely difficult to concoct, but it also severely depletes one's energy. Zhu Bingyi, fearing to use his own body as a vessel, must prepare a cauldron.

There are also another seventeen people with me

After this pair of lovers left, the lights went out once again. After a while, a sigh from Old Zhu was heard nearby

According to their meaning, I am the vessel that ultimately leads to the decisive battle of the eighteen channels of the Gu.

Ah ... ...

Among these seventeen individuals, I did not find Old Zhu

However, I did not have anything; apart from the initial impulse, my entire being was enveloped in a wave of coldness

I could not understand what he was saying, and at that moment, suddenly the entire cellar was illuminated, becoming bright all around

At first, I found it quite amusing, but as time went on, I felt as if I was starting to float, with double vision appearing in my eyes and a sensation of the world spinning around me

Her voice seemed to possess a captivating magic, causing everyone around me to involuntarily raise their hands

I opened my mouth with great effort, producing a beastly sound from my throat. Although I knew deep down that this was truly terrifying, I was powerless to control myself. At that moment, Xia Xi reached out, grabbed a short brush, and tapped it on my forehead.

They all look very young and beautiful, and almost all of them are bare-skinned. As spring emerges, especially their delicate and enchanting dance moves, it stirs one's blood and ignites a burning desire.

As soon as I heard it, I was filled with hope and asked, is there still a chance for a turnaround

A myriad of alpacas gallop through my mind

The intense light struck me, causing a moment of dizziness. When I regained my senses, I heard a faint sound of a flute coming from somewhere, followed by a resonant echo. Then, someone began softly reciting some scriptures, somewhat resembling the chanting of monks in a temple, though the pronunciation was quite peculiar

After a few seconds, I realized that the wooden fence, which had locked me in for an unknown number of days, had actually opened

The scene was extravagant and bizarre in an inexplicable manner

Zhu Bingyi and Xia Xi resembled a king and queen surveying their territory, standing next to the cells, carefully inspecting one meat ticket after another, occasionally emitting a "tut-tut" sound, making me feel as if I were a small chicken or duck awaiting slaughter in a market

Although I do not know what he does, in any case, it will not deprive me of a bowl of rice to eat, right

However, at this point, whether one speaks of regret or hatred, there is no room for any redemption

At this moment, Xiaxi is completely different from before. She is dressed in a tightly fitted robe made of blue coarse cloth, adorned with many bright feathers, and her face is smeared with a greenish plant juice

I blinked my eyes and suddenly saw six young women dressed in simple red aprons on the flat ground ahead.

We wildly wave our hands and then open our mouths as wide as possible