Confucian and Taoist scholar

Chapter 419 Ghost State Chu People
The moonlight was pale at night, and a cold wind blew through the mountains and fields, accompanied by the incessant howling of ghosts and wolves.

On a green mountain, a dark shadow is hidden in the dim forest.

There were about a dozen people gathered together, including men, women, and children.

These people were dressed in rough clothes, and their faces were pale; they looked like ordinary people fleeing from disaster.

The group stared at the dark night, holding their breath, feeling the chilly wind blowing, their faces tense.

Beyond the dense forest, ghostly figures drifted and roamed.

Upon seeing the ghosts wandering around, everyone even covered their mouths and noses, afraid that the living aura they emitted would attract these ghosts.

They huddled together, trembling with fear, their hearts pounding with anxiety, not daring to make a sound or rest.

After a while, there were no more ghostly figures around, and the forest was completely silent.

A young man breathed a slight sigh of relief and said in a low voice, "Everyone, just stay here and don't make a fuss, then everything will be fine..."

An old man couldn't help but raise his trembling hand to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead, and said in a low voice, "Yuan Er, there are so many ghosts here, what should we do..."

The old man wondered if they could really survive the night. The mountains were filled with wandering ghosts and spirits, far more terrifying than they had imagined.

Upon hearing this, the man called Yuan Er whispered, "They're just little ghosts. Once we get through tonight, we can travel faster tomorrow and reach our destination... These ghosts don't show themselves during the day."

That's what they said, but no one could calm down.

However, since they had chosen to let Yuan Er lead them to Guizhou, there was no turning back; they could only go all the way down this path.

Just then, a ghostly figure drifted into the forest and wandered among the trees.

Seeing this, everyone immediately covered their mouths and remained silent.

However, the ghost seemed to sense something and headed straight for the crowd.

Soon, the ghost floated up to the group.

The ethereal, misty ghost was not human-shaped, with two faint red dots flickering at its head, staring intently at the group of people.

Yuan Er sensed the malevolent aura emanating from the ghost and was slightly startled; it was actually a malevolent spirit.

He quickly whispered, "Don't be afraid, everyone! Stay together! We have strong yang energy, it won't dare to come near us."

The ghost looked at Yuan Er who was speaking, and feeling the aura he was exhaling, it couldn't help but move forward a short distance.

Seeing the ghost rushing towards him, Yuan Er's expression hardened, and he raised his hand to throw a punch.

It felt like punching cotton.

The ghost sensed an unusual aura that made it uncomfortable, so it quickly floated away.

Upon seeing this, Yuan Er's face lit up with joy, and he clenched his right fist in front of him.

In his right hand he held a stone imbued with ghostly energy, the aura emanating from which could intimidate ordinary ghosts.

He had gone to great lengths to obtain this, and unexpectedly, it actually proved to be quite effective.

However, the ghost did not choose to leave, but lingered around, its blood-red eyes flashing, looking extremely eerie.

Suddenly, the ghost shook and let out a howl like a wild beast.

The sound was shrill and echoed through the forest, quickly spreading to farther and farther places.

Some wandering ghosts and spirits in the mountains heard the sound and couldn't help but move closer to its source.

Before long, many ghostly creatures drifted into the dense forest where the group was.

Ghostly figures could be seen drifting about, and a cold wind rose from all sides.

The others had never seen anything like this before, and they found it difficult to remain calm, their breathing becoming rapid.

Some children were so frightened that they turned pale, covered their mouths and shed tears, but dared not cry out loud.

Yuan Er's expression was solemn as he said, "Don't panic, these ghosts can't kill us. Stay together..."

Although he said that, Yuan Er himself was not confident that he could protect so many people.

They are ultimately just ordinary people. If they are attacked by so many ghosts, the ghostly energy will erode their bodies and souls. Even if nothing happens for the time being, all sorts of problems will arise later.

It can either shorten one's lifespan or weaken the body, making one susceptible to external pathogens and leading to serious and difficult-to-treat illnesses.

Some ghosts were attracted by the life force of the people and floated directly towards them.

Yuan Er reacted quickly and threw another punch.

The ghost was intimidated by the aura of the stone and did not get too close.

But other ghosts surrounded them from all directions.

Not far away, several eerie lights flickered, the gazes of wild beasts from the mountains.

These nocturnal beasts were clearly drawn by the ghostly cries and came to investigate.

Wild beasts possess a degree of intelligence, knowing how to avoid danger and seek good fortune. They understand that ghosts and spirits are not to be trifled with, but they can deal with ordinary people.

However, this was not the time for them to act, so they stood waiting not far away.

After the ghosts have absorbed the yang energy of these people, they can then get a share of the spoils.

Yuan Er's gaze sharpened. If it were just wandering ghosts, that would be fine, but some wild beasts had also been attracted here. Tonight, he would probably have to fight desperately.

Without hesitation, he drew a broadsword from his waist and shouted in a deep voice, "All you real men, stand outside! Pick up your weapons, don't be afraid, show your spirit! The more afraid you are, the easier it is for these ghosts to drain your yang energy..."

Faced with this scene, the other men inevitably felt uneasy, but they all had no choice but to grit their teeth and stand outside to protect their families.

A gust of cold wind swept through, and numerous ghostly creatures bared their fangs and claws, lunging at the group with terrifying cries. However, before these ghostly creatures could even get close to the group...

Thin streaks of flame shot out from outside the forest.

These slender flames struck the ghost and immediately burst into flames.

The ghosts didn't even have time to scream before they were instantly burned to ashes by the flames.

The surrounding yin energy was burned to nothing.

Sensing the change, the wild beasts all caught a whiff of danger and quickly turned tail and fled into the dark night.

In the blink of an eye, all the ghosts and spirits in the forest were cleared away and disappeared.

The crowd was still in a daze, unaware of what had happened.

"This……"

Someone blinked and couldn't help but say, "Is it an illusion? Are we dreaming?"

Ghosts can enter dreams and cause all sorts of nightmares.

Some people couldn't help but wonder if what they had just experienced was a dream.

Yuan Er thought to himself, if this is a dream, doesn't it mean they're in even greater danger...?

If a ghost can trap them in a dream, then ordinary people like them certainly have no chance of survival.

A soft light appeared outside the forest.

Two figures appeared in everyone's sight, a man and a woman, both with beautiful appearances and extraordinary temperaments, clearly not ordinary people.

Qingwan blinked her beautiful eyes, looking curiously at the crowd huddled together. "Huh, why are there so many ordinary people here? What are you all doing here?"

Lu Zheng and Qing Wan came here after hearing some noise.

It is quite rare to encounter a group of ordinary people in this desolate place.

After all, this is Ghost Continent, a place that cultivators don't usually come to, let alone ordinary people.

When the pretty young woman asked him a question, everyone was stunned and didn't know how to answer.

Seeing the tense expressions on everyone's faces, Lu Zheng smiled warmly and said, "We are cultivators traveling around, passing through Ghost Continent. We heard a commotion and came to investigate, but we didn't expect to find you all here..."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Er's mind raced, and he was already seven or eight parts convinced, but he still remained wary.

After all, he had heard many stories of demons and ghosts transforming into humans to bewitch people, so he had to be more careful when traveling.

Yuan Er's mind raced, and he quickly cupped his hands in gratitude, saying, "So it's you two immortal masters. Thank you so much for your help earlier. We, a humble commoner, are deeply grateful..."

Lu Zheng smiled slightly and said, "I am not some kind of immortal master, just a scholar who has read some books."

As he spoke, Lu Zheng raised his hand and slightly moved a finger, writing the character "fire" out of thin air.

The handwriting quickly transformed into a flame, its soft light illuminating the entire dense forest, dispelling the chill and bringing warmth to those in the woods.

The ability to master the art of writing single characters is an effect that ordinary Confucian and Taoist scholars cannot achieve.

These ordinary people didn't have that kind of insight, but they still thought Lu Zheng was extremely capable.

The warmth brought by the flames calmed everyone's hearts, thanks to the positive energy contained within them.

Having witnessed Lu Zheng's methods, Yuan Er realized that the other party might indeed be a Confucian scholar.

Yuan Er clasped his hands in greeting and said, "So you're a scholar with official rank. My apologies, my apologies..."

Qingwan looked at everyone and said, "So why are you all here?"

The crowd looked at each other, but no one answered.

Qingwan couldn't help but feel curious, "Judging from the way you're carrying luggage and having your families with you, are you perhaps hiding from some enemies?"

"Tell us if you have any difficulties, and we might be able to help!" Qingwan said seriously.

Yuan Er couldn't help but say, "We are just ordinary people, how dare we trouble you two esteemed guests..."

Upon hearing this, Lu Zheng smiled and said, "Since you have something difficult to say, it's fine not to. There are many ghosts here, and this forest is quite nice. Let's keep each other company and look out for each other for the night."

After saying that, Lu Zheng found a spot on a blue stone and sat down.

Qingwan sat down beside her, her eyes sparkling as she looked around.

As the flames in the air dissipated, the forest became dark again.

However, Qingwan quickly took out a bright pearl, which restored the light.

Although with two experts, Lu Zheng and others, by their side, and free from the disturbances of ghosts and wild beasts, these ordinary people still couldn't sleep peacefully for a while.

The fright they had just experienced kept them awake at night.

Many people kept glancing at Lu Zheng and his companion, filled with curiosity.

Yuan Er looked at Lu Zheng and said respectfully, "I am Yuan Er, and I do not know your names or where you live. If I have the opportunity in the future, I will definitely visit you to express my gratitude."

Lu Zheng smiled and said, "No need for formalities, my surname is Lu. We come from Anguo."

"Anguo?" Yuan Er looked surprised upon hearing this. "That's a hundred and eight thousand miles away from here. Are you two from Anguo?"

He had assumed the two men were scholars from nearby prefectures or counties, but they turned out to be from Anguo.

Lu Zheng smiled and nodded, saying, "We have already traveled to many places and heard that the Ghost State of Chu is special, so we came to take a look."

(End of this chapter)