Forbidden Read!
Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Ancient Temple Locked in the Mountain, Hanging Corpse Forest

***

The two of them rushed back to Ming Guang Temple. However, the main hall was now completely empty. The only thing still in place of the bride before was the messy red veil.

Upon seeing that, Xie Lian thought in her heart, "This is bad, very bad. They're gonna die, really die!"

He started picking up the veils on the floor quickly. As he finished, he heard a wave of alarming screams from outside the temple. Nan Feng and Xie Lian looked out the window, only to see a group of women wearing red bridal clothes surrounding the villagers. Right now, the brides were slowly approaching the villagers.

Each of the women's faces was deathly pale and adorned with smiles. Their hands were stretched out in front of them, perpendicular to their bodies[1]. It was the bodies of the bride and groom in the temple!

[1] Most likely this refers to jiangshi, which is the Chinese equivalent of the love between western vampires and zombies. They are undead 'jumping' with their arms outstretched in front of them, and because their bodies are stiff, they cannot bend their limbs.

None of the villagers were able to remain calm as they helplessly watched the brides approach her. No one had the time to deal with the bandaged teenager and immediately ran. Little Ying immediately helped the teenager when Xie Lian said desperately, "Don't run!"

Who knows how many times he's said those words tonight. Every time something happened, Xie Lian had to say it at least thirty to forty times. However, there will always be people who turn a deaf ear to his warnings. He felt completely helpless.

Xie Lian waved her hand and Ruoye's silk cloth started flying into the sky. After he casually made a mark with his hand, Ruoye's silk cloth began to swirl in the air by itself. Like she was a heavenly woman dancing randomly, a very interesting sight.

And when the group of brides saw that something alive was spinning cheerfully, something whose tail would whip them from time to time, many of the brides were captivated by Ruoye's silk cloth.

However, there were seven more brides who were attracted to the strong scent of blood in the depths of the forest. They were slowly jumping there. Xie Lian immediately said, "Nan Feng, follow them. Don't let them down from the mountain!"

There was no need to say it twice, because Nan Feng had already started chasing them. On the other hand, the two brides started attacking Xie Lian. Their ten fingers were flushed red and their nails were extremely sharp as they tried to grab it.

In response, Xie Lian took out the two veils she had just taken from the floor in the temple before she suddenly threw them. The veils flew out as they circled in the air before covering the two brides' heads neatly. Soon, their movements became more sluggish.

Sure enough, when they were covered in veils, their noses and eyes were blocked by a thick layer of cloth. The bride can no longer see the shadows of people or smell the scent of life. And since their bodies were stiff corpses, it was impossible for them to bend their arms and remove the veil itself. They could only reach out their hands and claw randomly in all directions, as if they were playing hide and seek.

This scene is really scary but at the same time funny. Xie Lian stood in front of the two brides and waved her hands in front of their covered faces, intending to investigate. When he saw they were completely unaware of his presence and instead began to extend their hands in the opposite direction, Xie Lian began to think. After a while, he finally couldn't help himself and said, "I'm sorry for doing this."

Xie Lian grabbed one hand from each bride before placing it on each of their necks. The two brides were very surprised when they suddenly touched something. And, since they could not see anything, they began to strangle each other violently. Xie Lian quickly ran away before she raised her hand to make another mark. Ruoye's silk cloth immediately followed her in a faint flash of rainbow light before falling to the ground, making a large white circle. Xie Lian shouted at the villagers who were still running in all directions, "Everyone, get inside the circle!"

The group of people looked hesitant as they still ran in any direction, but Little Ying quickly helped the bandaged teenager and went into the circle. After thinking for a moment, Little Ying dashed out again and dragged in the youngster who had fainted and was lying on the ground.

At that moment, the other bride had jumped to the edge of the white circle. He stretched out his hand to claw them, but it seemed like he had been separated from the inside by an invisible wall. Little Ying realized that the brides could not jump into any circle they did and hurriedly shouted, "Everything, hurry in! They can't get into the white circle!"

Upon seeing that, all the villagers began to immediately rush around like a swarm of bees. Luckily Xie Lian made Ruoye's silk cloth several times longer than its original length so that the circle she made became quite large. Otherwise, he would have to worry about whether anyone would not get a place.

The bride cannot jump into a circle and know that they will not be able to touch anything inside. They simultaneously turned around, smiled viciously at Xie Lian and began to rush over to her.

However, Xie Lian had been waiting for them for a long time. Taking out many veils from within his sleeves, four or five pieces of red cloth started to twist in his palms. His feet moved nonstop and his hands did not rest. The moment a bride attacks her, she will accurately cover it with a veil. Once the bride's head is covered, she will begin to grope blindly and sluggishly. The veil swirling in the sky completely dazzled everyone's eyes. Xie Lian threw the red cloth skillfully and easily, making the red veil fly through the air like a red shadow.

The people in the white circle really could not help but cheer loudly and clap at the sight.

"Great!"

"It's amazing, it's amazing, it's really amazing!"

"That skill has been practiced before, right?!"

When Xie Lian heard him, she said habitually, "Not bad, not bad. Those who have money, please give me a tip, those who do not, please pay attention and support me with your enthusiasm..... ah???"

Only after he said those words did he realize something was wrong. The words he used to say to his audience after the show completely accidentally came out of his mouth. So, Xie Lian's words quickly came to a halt.

While she was talking, some of the brides started jumping. Each of their jumps was at least seven chi[2] high and carried them as far as three zhangs[3]. In an instant, they arrived in front of Xie Lian with a puff of foul smell.

[2] one chi \= about one-third of a meter.

[3] one zhang \= ten chi, about 3.3 meters.

Xie Lian thickened her legs and pushed herself into the sky. In the air, he quickly uttered the password to break into the spiritual communication array three times before saying, "Ling Wen, Ling Wen, who knows everything! I have a question. Do you know if the martial god from the North, General Ming Guang, has a close female friend?"

Ling Wen's voice echoed beside his ears. "Your Majesty, why are you asking this?"

Xie Lian replied, "Right now my situation is rather critical. To be honest, there are currently about ten corpses chasing me."

Ling Wen: "Any? That terrible???"

Xie Lian: "Not that bad. Clearly, does he have one? I know this question is quite personal and difficult to answer, so I do not ask it in the general spiritual communication array. But, that information was indispensable to my mission, and I definitely won't divulge it to anyone."

Ling Wen replied, "Your Majesty, you misunderstood. Not that this question is hard to answer. No, but because Old Pei[4] has too many women of trust. When you asked that question so suddenly, for a moment I didn't know which one you were asking."

[4] General Ming Guang is a title for General Pei.

Ling Wen said, "When you say it like that, I really think of someone."

Xie Lian once again threw the two red veils, attracting another wave of cheers. Turning around, he cupped his hands in salute before he said, "Please explain!"

Ling Wen replied, "Before Old Pei ascended, he was a general. On the battlefield, he meets a female general from an enemy country. She was extremely beautiful and alluring, and her temperament was heroic and ferocious. His name is Xuan Ji."

Xie Lian repeated, "Ah, Xuan Ji?"

Ling Wen continued, "General Pei, this person.every time he met a beautiful woman, even if the woman pointed a knife to her throat, he would still accompany the woman. Xuan Ji, this woman led an army and fought a sword with him, but in the end, she was defeated."

Xuan Ji became a prisoner and was sent to the enemy camp. Taking the opportunity while his bodyguard was off guard, he planned to kill himself on the spot. However, his suicide attempt was unsuccessful. A general had cut his two long swords into two halves with a single slash using his own sword, saving him. And that elegant and graceful enemy, was General Pei, who then ascended and became General Ming Guang.

This General Pei, first, was someone who always had a gentle feeling and wanted to protect against the opposite sex. And second, the outcome of the war was already determined. Even if the two kingdoms continued to fight with each other, it was impossible for the enemy kingdom to counterattack. Thus, he also let go of Xuan Ji. And well, over a period of time, certain situations arise gradually. What happened after that is easy to imagine.

At that moment, a bride caught Xie Lian's right foot. His five fingers tightened until they almost tore his skin. Xie Lian was just about to kick him when she suddenly realized that at this angle, she had no other choice but to kick him in the face. In his heart, Xie Lian thought that it was not good to hit a girl's face. So, she changed her position and kicked her shoulder before throwing another veil. Then he replied, "Sounds like a beautiful and wonderful story."

Ling Wen said, "Initially it was a beautiful story. However, his mistake was that Xuan Ji insisted on being General Pei's only lover for the rest of their lives."

With two steps, Xie Lian jumped up and climbed onto the roof. When he looked down at the five or six brides who kept approaching him, he wiped off the sweat and said, "From the beginning, right from the start, it's not wrong for a woman to hope her lover will only love her for the rest of their lives."

Ling Wen replied, "Indeed not wrong. However, both kingdoms at that time were in a state of war. On the battlefield, everyone was cruel. Originally, Xuan Ji and General Pei had made a deal to only have a short-term relationship. They are truly willing to have only a present without tomorrow morning, where they will talk romantically and not talk about war. Besides, for Old Pei, if I speak frankly.if he doesn't wish you with another woman, it can already be considered not too bad."

"..."

"However, Xuan Ji was a noblewoman from the general's family. His personality is very violent. For something he wanted, he wouldn't let go even if he had to kill him."

"Wait a minute, wait a minute!" Xie Lian quickly cut off Ling Wen. "Tell me first, is Xuan Ji disabled or not? Where's the flaw?"

"That's..." When Ling Wen said those words, his voice suddenly came to a halt.

Really too annoying. Every time Xie Lian was about to hear the important points, the little bit of spiritual power she borrowed was completely exhausted. Next time, it seemed like he would have to ask his informant to say the main point first.

Amidst his leap, Xie Lian quickly recast the memories she had in her mind once again. If the bandaged teen is not the ghost of the groom, and if every villager has already made sure to each other that the ghost of the groom does not mix in their group, then, then the only place left that could be his hiding place was within the bridal group!

When he himself hid inside the bridal group, the ghost of the groom also did not realize something was wrong from the bridal group before. Instead, when the ghost of the groom has now mixed with the bodies of the bride, he does not immediately realize that there is an additional body in the group of the bride's corpses.

If he carefully thought about it, after Ruoye's silk cloth injured the ghost of the groom, he only saw a wisp of black fog billowing out towards the forest. There was no guarantee that someone had been hiding within that wisp of black fog. In fact, Xie Lian was afraid that when she rushed out towards the forest, the ghost of the groom remained inside the fog and passed through it before returning to the temple. Hiding among the leaves of the forest, he sneaked into the group of corpses.

In this case, the 'ghost of the groom' is not the groom but instead she is the 'bride'—actually, she is a woman wearing a wedding dress!

Since she was a woman, many mysteries could be explained. For example, why the territory of Mount Yu Jun did not have any other Ming Guang Temple. Not because people don't want to build it. No, it's because they can't build it. Little Ying said, "Every time they decide to build the Ming Guang Temple, the temple will always burn for no reason before the construction is complete."

It sounded like it wasn't a coincidence, so the only explanation was that someone had deliberately set the temples on fire. And why would someone burn an unfinished temple? Under normal circumstances, it was out of hatred.

However, inside Mount Yu Jun, there was the Ming Guang Temple that was locked away from the outside world by a puzzling array. No one could enter it, but the workmanship of the Divine statue inside the temple was incredible. In addition, the care of the statue is also very good. Why that?

The ghost of the groom himself was also wearing a wedding dress. But he could not bear to see the smiling brides in the territory of Mount Yu Jun. Again, why is that?

After connecting all those clues, other than the desire to monopolize someone and extreme jealousy, Xie Lian could not think of any other answer.

And for a strange sound that sounded like something heavy being dragged on the floor with a wooden stick wrapped in a thick cloth, if it was really the sound of footsteps... Xie Lian could only think of one possibility!

She had already covered all the brides chasing after her with a veil. So, Xie Lian was finally able to plop herself back to the ground as she exhaled softly. Then, focusing his attention, Xie Lian got up to count the bride.

One, two, three, four.

The seven brides had jumped into the forest, with Nan Feng chasing after them. The ten brides had re-worn the veil she had fitted, and they were all here. Well then, there's still one more bride who hasn't shown up yet.

Right at that moment, from behind him, Xie Lian heard back a strange and familiar knocking sound.

Turning slowly, Xie Lian saw a very short and small figure appear before her.

He took a slow breath and thought in his heart, "Of course, it should be like this."

The short and small woman in front of him was dressed all in red. There was no happy atmosphere around him, and instead he just looked sad.

However, the reason her body was short and small was not because she had petite body features. No, it was because he was kneeling on the ground.

Both of his legs were broken, but his lower leg was not. Instead, he had been walking the entire time using his knees.

In fact, the strange knocking sound that Xie Lian heard was the sound caused by the broken leg of this bride as she jumped and moved.

Seriate...