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墨書 Inktalez
The mountain path was rugged and treacherous; if a stranger wandered in without a guide, they might never find their way out. Although Wei Ning was accustomed to roaming the mountains, he found himself lost in the vastness of the terrain. After wandering for quite some time, he grew increasingly disoriented. Just then, he heard a faint sound coming from nearby and quickly followed it.
Not far away was a riverbank where a group of women stood, all completely naked with disheveled hair. The moonlight poured down like water, illuminating each woman. In front of them was an altar adorned with offerings of pigs, cows, and sheep. The women varied in age; some were elderly while others were young and beautiful, their bodies curvaceous. They stood in a line, chanting rhythmically under the guidance of an older woman who led them in singing some obscure Miao songs.
"Ah!" the leading Miao Woman called out, her bare feet striking a peculiar rhythm on the ground that resembled a traditional Miao dance. The other women mimicked her movements, swaying their heads as their long hair flew about like the wind. Their bodies undulated, creating a scene that was both alluring and eerie.
"Bow!" commanded the leading Miao Woman, and all the Miao Women followed suit, bowing towards the direction of the Full Moon. They chanted incantations that Wei Ning could not comprehend but felt instinctively that these women were not ordinary people. Had he stumbled upon the "Gu Woman Worships the Moon" ritual by accident?
After three bows, the Gu Masters rose to their feet. The leading Miao Woman spoke in Miao language: "Today marks our Cave Women’s triennial gathering. We invite our new member to join us in completing the altar ceremony."
A tall woman stepped forward, wearing half a silver mask. Wei Ning's heart raced—wasn't this Qiqi?
Qiqi produced a Gu altar from somewhere and raised it high above her head. She performed an elaborate bow, and the other Gu Masters followed her lead. Opening the altar, she began chanting spells. Soon after, snakes, scorpions, spiders, centipedes, and toads emerged one after another. Qiqi danced lightly in a unique Miao style, and it seemed as if the five poisons had come to life as they joined her in dance while the other Gu Masters continued their fervent worship.
After a while, Qiqi finally set down the Gu altar as the five poisons crawled inside it. The leading Gu Master recited incantations before sealing the altar and handing it back to Qiqi with a smile. "Take good care of this; you know it is tied to our lives. As long as the altar exists, we exist; if it is lost, so are we."
Qiqi nodded tightly clutching the altar.
Wei Ning watched intently when suddenly he felt something cold on his hand—it was a Five-Step Snake that had slithered onto him without his notice. He quickly shook it off only to realize that countless Five-Step Snakes had surrounded him nearby, their eyes fixed on him menacingly.
"Damn it," Wei Ning cursed himself for being so careless. The Gu Masters had just summoned all nearby poisonous creatures with their incantations while he had been lost in thought and failed to notice his surroundings changing. The Five-Step Snake was a notorious species from Miao Region—extremely venomous and known for its lethal bite; once bitten, death would surely follow within five steps.
Conflicted emotions surged within Wei Ning; making any noise would undoubtedly alert the Gu Masters who were most wary of being recognized by outsiders. It would be no surprise if they decided to silence him permanently.
However, at this moment, the sight of so many Five-Step Snakes made Wei Ning's scalp tingle. Just one of them could mean death for him. With no choice left between being bitten by a snake and alerting the Gu Masters, Wei Ning gritted his teeth, raised the Red Umbrella to shield himself, and the poisonous creatures scattered in all directions, hissing loudly and creating a tremendous noise.
Sure enough, the commotion had already attracted the attention of Baiyue's Gu Master, and the gazes of the women turned toward Wei Ning.
Realizing that his cover was blown, Wei Ning knew there was no point in hiding anymore. He steeled himself and stood up. The Gu Masters, disregarding their own vulnerability, screamed and began chanting spells to summon Curse Poison, intent on killing Wei Ning on the spot.
Qiqi recognized Wei Ning and turned pale. The Gu Masters gathered from various villages could each unleash just a bit of their poison to bring about Wei Ning's demise. Looking around desperately, Wei Ning spotted a pile of clothes belonging to the Gu Masters not far from the riverbank. In a moment of inspiration, he rushed over, grabbed the clothes, and pulled out a talisman from his pocket, declaring loudly, "Don't move! Or I'll burn them all!"
The Gu Masters were taken aback when they saw Wei Ning holding their clothes. They realized that losing their garments was secondary; if their identities as Gu Masters were exposed, they would be killed on the spot. Under the leadership of one bold Gu Master, they lined up and knelt before Wei Ning, pleading for mercy and begging him not to reveal who they were.
Wei Ning scanned their faces carefully, memorizing their features so he could remain cautious if he encountered them again in the future; otherwise, he might not know how he would meet his end. Only Qiqi did not kneel; she stood among them with one hand clutching a Gu altar in front of her chest while using her other hand to cover herself. However, with just one hand and a Gu altar, it was impossible for Qiqi to conceal her alluring figure completely. For a moment, Wei Ning feasted his eyes on her stunning beauty.
A sense of pride welled up within Wei Ning as he thought to himself, "In the past, it was always you looking at me; now I finally get something back."
Holding onto the clothes with one hand while slowly backing away, Wei Ning said, "I swear I won't reveal your identities, but you must promise not to harm me. I will leave slowly and place your clothes fifty meters away from here. You cannot follow me."
The Gu Masters nodded eagerly in agreement.
Wei Ning retreated to a distance of fifty meters and saw that the Gu Masters did not pursue him. He then tossed the clothes onto the ground and ran off in one direction, feeling relieved that he had escaped a disaster. His mind wandered back to Qiqi's perfect figure, stirring his emotions.
"Really..." Before Wei Ning could finish his thought, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest and spat out a mouthful of blood. He quickly lifted his shirt and discovered that his abdomen was starting to swell. Oh no! He realized he had fallen into a trap after all.
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