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墨書 Inktalez
Gu Chen's words made us pause for a moment. "Performing for the ghosts," what did that mean?
At that moment, Gu Chen said nothing more. With his hands clasped behind his back, he stepped forward, and we had no choice but to follow him. After pouring Black Dog Blood at all seven locations of the Soul Nails, we finally returned to the entrance of the ancient tomb.
By this time, Zhou Zhen had already set up the altar for the ritual, placing incense and offerings neatly. The Paper Figure, made from willow branches and covered with a layer of white paper, was positioned at the front of the altar. The vermilion features drawn on it looked both enchanting and eerie.
Gu Chen and Zhou Zhen simultaneously gazed toward the west. Everything was ready; they were just waiting for the sunset to fade into darkness.
Suddenly, Gu Chen turned to Captain Xie and the others standing nearby and said calmly, "Everything here is prepared. You don't need to help anymore; you can all return to your accommodations."
Upon hearing this, Captain Xie and the others said nothing further. They nodded silently, fully aware that staying here might only distract Gu Chen and Zhou Zhen. Besides, they didn't want to remain because they were afraid.
Noticing their nods, Gu Chen's expression turned serious as he glanced at the entrance of the tomb before saying, "Remember, no matter what sounds you hear tonight or any disturbances, do not leave the work shed. Just cover your ears and sleep well."
Gu Chen's serious demeanor and grave tone weighed heavily on Captain Xie and the others. Unable to hold back, Captain Xie asked, "Master Gu, you won't run into any trouble, will you?"
Gu Chen glanced at him lightly and replied, "Don't worry; as long as I'm here, nothing will happen."
Captain Xie and the others nodded slightly but still felt uneasy. However, they chose not to say more and solemnly told us, "Take care of yourselves, Master Gu. We'll head back now."
Gu Chen nodded without saying anything further.
Once they left, only Gu Chen, Zhou Zhen, Anfu, and I remained. At that moment, Gu Chen turned to me and asked, "Are you afraid?"
I couldn't deny it; I nodded and said, "Yes."
"Mm."
Gu Chen responded lightly but didn't seem angry at my admission. Instead, he continued, "If you're afraid, then you should go back with them."
I turned to look at Captain Xie and the others as they walked away before shaking my head. "No need; I want to stay and face this with you."
"Are you sure?" Gu Chen asked again.
"I really don't need to," I said with unwavering determination.
"Then stay," I noticed a flicker of satisfaction on Gu Chen's face, but alongside that satisfaction, his response seemed to lack conviction.
To be honest, I was also struggling internally. My instinct urged me to leave with Captain Xie and the others, as it felt like departing from here would be safer.
Moreover, it was certain that if I stayed, I would inevitably face an incredibly terrifying scene soon.
But now that I was Gu Chen's disciple, I simply couldn't allow myself to do that. Even the thought had just emerged when I felt a wave of shame wash over me, compelling me to suppress it.
All our gazes were directed westward, waiting for the darkness to descend. The atmosphere was heavy, and no one spoke; for a moment, we fell into a brief silence.
Soon, the sky gradually darkened, and the temperature around us dropped sharply with the arrival of nightfall. A chilling wind suddenly rose around us, shrouding everything in a thin layer of white mist, obscuring the light.
I instinctively shrank my neck in fear and moved closer to Zhou Zhen.
At that moment, Gu Chen calmly commanded, "Anfu, bring me the Daoist robe."
Anfu nodded and quickly retrieved the robe he had prepared earlier, handing it to Gu Chen.
Taking the robe, Gu Chen flicked his sleeves dramatically and donned it before striding toward the altar that had already been set up.
Zhou Zhen, Anfu, and I stood silently to the side, our eyes fixed on Gu Chen. We watched as he took a deep breath and produced a talisman from his hand. Suddenly, he began to chant: "Qing Liu summons the spirits; draw the Paper Figure as bait; scatter ghost money generously; may the spirits show their grace."
As his voice fell, he snapped his fingers, igniting the talisman in an instant. The candles and incense on the altar flared to life.
The flickering candlelight cast eerie shadows as it swayed in the cold wind, illuminating the Paper Figure placed on the ground in front of the altar in an unsettling manner.
Suddenly, Gu Chen pulled out a large handful of circular Hell Money made from talisman paper and tossed it into the air. "Yu Ji, appear before me at once!" he shouted.
As his voice echoed through the air, I couldn't help but glance around nervously. After all, Gu Chen wasn't just doing anything else; he was summoning spirits. A sense of fear lingered within me.
But everything around remained unchanged, just as before, and the Paper Figure stood there, motionless.
Gu Chen continuously scattered Hell Money from his hands, repeatedly reciting the same phrase and the earlier incantation. However, after more than a dozen attempts, the Paper Figure showed no signs of change.
Beside me, Zhou Zhen couldn't help but let out a slight sigh.
I glanced at him and tentatively asked, "Did it fail?"
He nodded and replied, "Without an ancestral home or a birth date, relying solely on a name is likely to be very difficult."
Though he didn't directly declare failure, his meaning was clear enough.
I looked over at Gu Chen, and sure enough, he had stopped his actions. Even the prepared Hell Money had all been scattered, yet Yu Ji's ghost still hadn't been summoned.
Seeing him stop, I hurriedly approached and asked, "Master, what should we do now that we can't summon Yu Ji's ghost?"
He looked at me and then at the sky before saying, "It will take some time for the true master of the tomb to emerge. You and Zhou Zhen should put on some makeup first."
"Makeup? What kind of makeup, Master?" I frowned slightly.
Gu Chen ignored my question and called out, "Anfu, give them both the clothes and things you prepared."
Anfu nodded in response and took out two garments from a large bag he had brought with him. He handed one to me and the other to Zhou Zhen.
I frowned slightly; the clothes resembled ancient theatrical robes. What left me speechless was that Anfu handed me a woman's outfit.
Looking at the garment in my hands, Zhou Zhen cautiously asked, "Senior Gu, are you asking us to have one play Xiang Yu and the other play Yu Ji?"
"That's right. Once the True Master of the Tomb emerges, you will be Xiang Yu, and you will be Yu Ji," Gu Chen said while pointing at me.
I would play Yu Ji.
I was instantly at a loss for words. Setting aside the fact that I was a man, I didn't even know how to portray this character.
At that moment, I finally understood what Gu Chen meant by having someone act for the ghost; it turned out this was what he meant. And surprisingly enough, I was one of those who would be acting.
Zhou Zhen didn't say much, just nodded and asked, "What should we do then?"
Gu Chen glanced at me, and I nodded in a somewhat speechless manner. Then he said, "It's simple. We just need to evoke his memories, using his longing for Yu Ji to awaken his softer side. Let's see if that can dispel the resentment and anger in his heart, thus alleviating his Killing Intent."
"How do we do that?" I asked, still a bit confused.
Gu Chen replied calmly, "We will reenact the scene of Yu Ji's suicide."
However, as soon as Gu Chen's voice fell, before he could explain how to perform it, I suddenly gasped in shock at the scene before me. My mouth dropped open in fear as I pointed behind him, trembling as I said, "Master, Master, there's something behind you!"
The sight before me left me speechless, filled only with deep fear and dread.
Hearing my words, Gu Chen frowned and turned around upon seeing my terrified expression.
The second chapter is delivered. Everyone should take a break after reading; I will also go to sleep. See you tomorrow.
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