There was silence in the wedding hall.
After a long while, He Wanbai murmured, "No, it's impossible... How could he, who is so powerful, die?" She spoke faster and faster, staring at Chu Banyang, "Who are you? How do you know all this? Are you trying to deceive us?!"
More and more tears and blood flowed out of her eyes, making her face look even paler.
This ghost has a very unpredictable temper and can become extremely happy or angry in an instant.
Seeing that she was talking quietly one second and was about to pounce on Chu Banyang the next, Lu Yingjiu threw out the talisman paper!
The talisman paper was lightly placed on the ghost girl's forehead again, freezing her movements.
He Wanbai could only stare at Chu Banyang fiercely, but could not move. She said, "I hate liars like you the most! You all break your promises! You all tell lies! Where's the evidence? I want to see the evidence!"
Chu Banyang remained unmoved.
He patted his shoulder slowly, brushed off the grass foam that had been stuck on him while climbing the mountain, and made sure his image was perfect. He then said, "There is no evidence. Even if there is, I have no obligation to show it to the ghosts. Believe it or not, it's up to you, but I attended his funeral in person."
He paused, then added: "That was 14 years ago."
He Wanbai was stunned for a moment.
Her mouth opened and closed silently several times, but no sound came out.
Chu Banyang said to her: "So your obsession is impractical and will never come true. Either you dissipate it yourself, or I can't help you."
He didn't know if it was Lu Yingjiu's illusion, but he felt that Chu Banyang was in a very bad mood.
The female ghost still couldn't speak.
She stared at Chu Banyang blankly.
For some reason, her agitated emotions suddenly calmed down, and she returned to the slightly gentle expression she had when she was talking to Lu Yingjiu.
After a long while, she suddenly said, "You look a bit like him... like Chu Qianju."
Chu Banyang: “…”
Chu Banyang said: "We are all from the Chu family, so of course we have similarities. You don't have to find comfort in this kind of place."
He Wanbai's eyes were dim.
She said: "Where was Chu Qianju buried in the end?"
"Somewhere far away." Chu Banyang said, "According to his last wishes, half of his ashes were scattered in the deep forest and half in the sea. You can't be too far away from the object of your obsession, so you definitely can't see it."
"… Yeah." He Wanbai nodded, "I know, I know. Do you have any photos of him, or anything else? Let me take another look at him."
Chu Banyang then took out his wallet and pulled out a photo from inside.
Lu Yingjiu raised an eyebrow—
He didn't expect that Chu Banyang would put Chu Qianju's photo in his wallet and carry it with him. It seems that the connection between them is probably closer than he imagined.
He had accidentally opened Jingxian's wallet before.
There's a lot of money in there.
What he had more than money was his photos. He wanted to fill his wallet with them. If someone found them on the street, they would definitely think Jing Xian was a pervert.
Chu Banyang turned the photo around and showed it to He Wanbai.
Old photo slightly faded.
Above, two people stood shoulder to shoulder under an old banyan tree.
The man had a handsome face, with a blank expression and a faint indifference on his brows, as if he didn't care about anything.
His hand was draped over the shoulders of a small child.
Judging from the child's features, it is Chu Banyang when he was a child, and he looks like he was in junior high school.
Chu Banyang has always had a cool and aloof style in photos since he was young. Combined with Chu Qianju's indifference, the effect of this photo is not too good. It fails to capture the joy and harmony between the two. Instead, it looks more like an ID photo.
He Wanbai stared at the photo and looked at the time.
She said, "... I understand." She paused, "I have one last question, how did Chu Qianju die?"
"No comment." Chu Banyang said.
He Wanbai was speechless.
Her wish was like a balloon that was punctured by a needle. She suddenly became depressed, as if she had lost all her strength.
She said, "Then... Then I know the situation. Let me go see the place where I died, and then I will tell you where my obsession is." She smiled sadly, "I said, Xiao Chu shouldn't be the kind of person who doesn't keep his oath. But now, I would rather he just broke his promise."
Chu Banyang took back the photo and said calmly, "Everyone has their own destiny. Sometimes, the people you think are important are just passing by."
After saying that, he glanced at Lu Yingjiu.
That look was like sunlight shining through water and glass, shining but tortuous...really tortuous.
…
Half an hour later.
They looked like ghosts and stood next to a pile of debris in the corner of the village.
The villagers who were attacked in the wedding hall had been taken away by ambulance. After that incident, the villagers fled or hid, and there was no one on the large road, which made it easier for them to move.
There was something underneath the sundries, emitting a negative energy, but it was completely covered by the steel, wooden boxes, furniture and other things above.
It seems like the people here are concerned about this place and want to close it up forever.
After they moved all the debris away, a small mound of earth appeared underneath, about half a meter high and half a meter wide.
The female ghost flew lightly over the mound and said, "This used to be a well... the well next to Yan Hao's house."
"Yan Hao".
It was the man who bought her and imprisoned her for three whole years.
When this word was mentioned, the anger in He Wanbai's eyes was still burning.
It was in this well that she committed suicide.
He Wanbai flew around the mound a few more times and said, "The object of my obsession is underneath here. Once you find it, you can send me away."
Lu Yingjiu asked, "Do you have any other wishes?"
"No." He Wanbai answered readily, "But now that you asked, I remember some things."
She rummaged mysteriously in the pocket of her torn clothes, pulled out a stack of papers, and distributed them to everyone.
Lu Yingjiu took it and took a look.
It was a painting of Chu Qianju and the Peacock God kissing each other sweetly.
As expected of He Wanbai, who had worked in a tattoo parlor before, her painting skills were excellent and lifelike, similar to the murals in the temple.
Lu Yingjiu: “…?”
He turned his head to look at the paintings on other screens. The protagonists were Chu Qianju and Peacock God, and the two were cuddled together... Most of them were quite warm, but there were a few that were quite large and exciting.
Chu Banyang: "...Did you draw all these?"
The one he had was the most revealing one, with both of them almost naked, and the look in their eyes when they looked at each other was like burning fire.
"Of course!" He Wanbai said confidently, "Chu Qianju told me some stories about peacocks. I was so shocked and inspired that I drew three pictures overnight! Even if I go to the ghost world, I can't throw this thing away. You have to keep it well for me!"
Lu Yingjiu said: "Your way of repaying kindness is really special."
"Xiao Chu also likes it," He Wanbai said, "I showed it to him and he said my painting is good. How about I draw one for you too?"
Jing Xian's eyes lit up and just as he was about to speak, Lu Yingjiu elbowed him back.
Lu Yingjiu: “…No, thank you.”
Yao Gou narrowed his eyes, studied the picture for a long time, and suddenly said in shock: "Ah! I always thought you liked Chu Qianju! How come you suddenly like him and someone else's couple!"
"You're talking nonsense!" He Wanbai scolded him, "I've always known that he has an official girlfriend, so why would I shyly approach him to steal his girlfriend? He told me that it was just a favor."
Yao Gou scratched his head vigorously: "Oh oh oh, so that's how it is."
He Wanbai circled on the mound again and said, "Okay, I've given you the painting. I really don't have any other wishes this time."
So, Lu Yingjiu summoned Mao Tuanzi.
The furry ball jumped around him happily, rubbing his ankles desperately, and then Lu Yingjiu grabbed the scruff of the neck and lifted him up, putting him on the pile of dirt: "Dig it."
The furry ball received the order and dug the ground desperately with its short little paws.
It looked round and round, but it was actually very efficient, probably because it had developed its speed while digging holes and burying bones underground. Its short legs kept throwing out dirt, and after a few minutes, it had dug a big hole like a whirlwind.
It kept going deeper and deeper, and finally found something at the depth of the water level of the well.
It picked up the thing, nimbly stepped on the pile of dirt and climbed back to the mountain, put it at Lu Yingjiu's feet, and kept wagging its tail.
Lu Yingjiu touched its head as a reward, and it immediately cried out with joy.
The thing on the ground was almost rotten and gave off a sinister aura. One could barely make out that it was a pair of embroidered shoes.
Wedding is a part of the wedding, it should carry joy and hope, but now it has become like this.
The bright colors faded, the fine stitching cracked, and behind the gorgeous exterior was an ugly truth—Yan Hao bought a wife, and the family was naturally overjoyed, but the joy could not cover up the stench of decay that rotted to the bones and soul.
He Wanbai looked at it and said, "In the past, I also hoped that I could marry a good man and live a peaceful life."
"Of course," she continued, "I still believe in love. Chu Qianju has proved it for me."
"Now that things have come to this, I have nothing to complain about. I can only wish myself a happy life."
"Well," Lu Yingjiu said, "I wish you a happy life."
Then, the talisman paper was attached to the embroidered shoes, and a tiny flame was ignited.
The shoes slowly disappeared in the crimson, and He Wanbai's body gradually became transparent.
The negative energy dissipated.
She disappeared.
…
This commission was just as Lu Yingjiu had expected, and it was actually quite simple.
Chu Banyang walked around the village and returned.
He said, "I found the place where Chu Qianju used to live."
So everyone followed him to the south of the village.
The south side is right next to the back mountain. According to the villagers, Chu Qianju often went to the back mountain and would stay there for two or three days.
Now that I think about it, Chu Qianju must have been staying in the temple.
Lu Yingjiu thought again of the small temple behind the wedding hall. The mural depicting an exorcist in white was exactly himself.
Until the end, Chu Qianju was unable to meet him as he wished.
On the way, he asked Chu Banyang: "Do you know Chu Qianju?"
Chu Banyang nodded slightly: "Yes, we have been together for a while."
"What is the curse he was under?" Lu Yingjiu said, "The so-called reincarnation."
Chu Banyang was stunned for a moment.
The Chu family had always kept the secret of Chu Qianju. He didn't expect that Lu Yingjiu even knew about the curse.
But he did not ask further questions, and answered frankly: "You should know that he has no reincarnation, and his life span in each reincarnation is only 20 to 30 years."
Lu Yingjiu asked again: "Does everyone in the Chu family know about this?"
“Yes.” Chu Banyang nodded. “Everyone knows. They also know every reincarnation of Chu Qianju, but they just keep it secret from the outside world.”
He smiled, but there was no genuine smile in his eyes: "Your next question must be why it has to be kept secret. I'll tell you directly: the Chu family needs Chu Qianju because he can calm down the out-of-control Peacock God."
"The Peacock God is not always asleep... or in other words, the sleeping Peacock God is beneficial to the exorcist."
"At this point, Chu Qianju is the best choice."
Chu Banyang closed his eyes and thought about the first time he met Chu Qianju.
It was an afternoon with dim sunlight, and the leaves in front of the Chu family’s door were rustling in the wind.
The man with an indifferent face leaned against the wall.
His father held his hand and said, "This is Chu Qianju, Banyang, you should learn how to exorcise ghosts from him, especially how to summon spirits."
The young Chu Banyang looked up and met Chu Qianju's gaze.
There was no emotion in those eyes.
Like an abyss that swallowed up all light.
He had heard many rumors about this, and he also knew the curse that Chu Qianju carried.
Chu Qianju has no memory every time he reincarnates. Theoretically speaking, his mental age is no different from that of ordinary people.
He was more than ten years older than Chu Banyang, not even thirty. But that sense of indifference, the indifference of having seen so many things, seemed to be imprinted in his soul, taking root and tying up everything about him.
Chu Banyang followed him to study for a while, but he never saw him smile. He was as cold as a fake every day, and he was also highly self-disciplined.
Only when he was praying to the gods did Chu Banyang see his emotional fluctuations.
The Peacock God is still sleeping, and cannot wake up even when called by his old love.
But when he descended on Chu Qianju, the shadow of a peacock appeared in the air, spreading its wings gracefully.
The blue-green tail feathers surged like a river, and every golden eye spot was spinning, confusing the mind and losing the mind.
It overlooks everything in the world.
For thousands of years, the Peacock God has been elegant, unrestrained and proud.
There has always been someone who can make him fold his wings and stay gently.
Summoning the gods brought backlash, and Chu Qianju's pupils quickly turned into a golden-green color, like gemstones.
However, Chu Banyang saw a bright smile in those eyes.
When they returned to the present, they were walking shoulder to shoulder on the way to Chu Qianju's home.
Chu Banyang continued to talk to Lu Yingjiu: "But, I didn't tell her just now that Chu Qianju was killed by the Peacock God."
Lu Yingjiu was stunned.
Chu Banyang said: "Like Chu Qianju, the Peacock God also has a curse. Every time he wakes up from a deep sleep, he will soon fall into an extremely terrible state of loss of control, posing a great threat to the Chu family and even the entire world."
"The reason why Kong Que hasn't really lost control and gotten hurt until today is because Chu Qianju has subdued him every time."
"Their curse is almost step-by-step: every time Chu Qianju reincarnates, Peacock will wake up after ten or twenty years. Then Chu Qianju will go to see him, stop him, and make him fall into a deep sleep again - but the price he pays is his life."
He closed his eyes and said, "I don't know what Chu Qianju thinks about this matter... He should know that he is being used as a gun by the Chu family, but he doesn't care."
Logically speaking, as the founder of "inviting gods", Chu Qianju should have the supreme status.
However, repeated reincarnations and suppression of the Peacock God gradually eroded this point.
When other people looked at Chu Qianju, they all thought of "this is a death sentence".
They regarded suppressing the peacock as their duty and threw it to Chu Qianju.
They also knew that eternal reincarnation meant that Chu Qianju would not really die, which made them indifferent to his sacrifice.
—The curse is on you two, so it is only natural for you to stop him.
You will be resurrected anyway, so death doesn't matter.
Anyway, you seem to have no emotions, and there is always a next life...
Perhaps, Chu Banyang himself would have the same idea.
But he always remembered the smile in Chu Qianju's eyes when he was praying to the gods.
No matter what, our hearts are soft. How is it possible to be completely free of emotions
It's just that some people hide it so tightly that it is impervious to any scrutiny.
Chu Qianju was like a cold stone.
Chu Banyang was fortunate enough to see the cracks in the stone, from which light seeped out.
Chu Banyang said: "When a peacock's feathers are enraged, they will become as sharp and hard as a blade, no different from a dagger."
"Chu Qianju's body was covered with penetrating wounds. At first, we thought it was from his fight with Kong Que, but later we realized that this was not the case."
"These scars are because he hugged the peacock at the end."
- Chu Qianju is also a child of destiny, and he knows peacocks to the utmost, so he has the ability to fight against ghosts and gods.
At the end of the battle with the Peacock God, the gorgeous blue-green feathers were flying, and the peacock was covered in blood, which flowed down his body - he turned into a human, but maintained all his own characteristics, including the golden-green pupils, the temples, and the layers of feathers around his body.
The bright red flows over the delicate collarbone and hangs down to the slender fingers, blending wildness and gorgeousness on the beautiful body, which can capture the heart at a glance.
At the last moment, both the mad Peacock God and the scarred man were gasping for breath.
Chu Qianju turned the blade in his hand and rushed forward to face the thousands of sharp feathers that were stabbing at him.
The silver blade light flashed across the air, cutting through the emerald green and finally splashing a curtain of scarlet.
It pierced through the peacock's heart, twisted it fiercely, and then pulled out decisively.
Ghosts and spirits could not be truly killed in the mortal realm, but this was enough to injure Peacock enough to send him back into a deep sleep.
This decisive and fierce sword strike made it impossible for Chu Qianju to avoid another round of sword feathers.
In fact, he had no intention of avoiding it. He knew clearly that he had no strength left and only death was waiting for him.
He casually threw the dagger aside, the blade vibrated with a clang, and all the blood on the blade fell off.
Then, facing the overwhelming feathers with cold tips, he took half a step forward and hugged the Peacock God tightly.
Let the opponent's wings pierce his body.
Everything returned to silence, the ground was in a mess, feathers and blood mixed together, and the ground was covered with hideous scratches.
They love each other, but are trapped by a curse and can fight to death.
Reason returned to Peacock's pupils.
In the last few seconds of his life, Chu Qianju stroked his face, from his eyes to his temples, from his chin to his neck, and finally lowered his head and kissed his lips deeply.
This was a kiss that smelled of blood and fire, yet was extremely gentle.
Just like many years ago, when he picked up the injured peacock in the wilderness, trotting through the misty drizzle, his arms were so gentle.
"…Good night," Chu Qianju said in his ear after the kiss.
"Little Peacock, we'll see you in our lifetime."