Swords emerge from the human world

Chapter 64: The Ghostly Pursuers, a Bone-Clinging Ailment
The raindrops came quickly and grew heavier and heavier, soon turning the world into a white expanse.

This is the fifth day since we set off.

In the morning, the carriage left Maoxian County and entered Baixian County, but unexpectedly it started raining.

Overall, Shi Qifeng's carriage speed wasn't particularly fast. There was no way around it; horses are made of flesh and blood, not some superb steed capable of traveling day and night.

Chen Jin didn't care about this. He set off early and had plenty of time. There was no need to rush. He could take the opportunity to see the local customs and culture along the way.

At the same time, they remained on guard in secret, not daring to let their guard down.

Based on Chen Shounian's warning, if Magistrate Zhao were to send people to take action, he would choose to do so after leaving Maoxian County.

And the distance won't be too far.

Each county and region has its own jurisdiction and sphere of influence. If they extend their reach too far or overstep their boundaries, it can easily lead to disputes.

Therefore, when doing things, you should do them well and cleanly, so that others can't find any fault with them.

This can be considered a tacit rule in official circles.

However, Chen Jin did not believe in these unspoken rules; he trusted himself more.

Although this path is fraught with thorns and dangers, once the choice is made, one must go forward without hesitation.

Venturing out doesn't mean being reckless.

His swordsmanship was at a minor level, and when he joined forces with Shi Qifeng, they were more than capable of handling normal ambushes; if evil spirits or ghosts appeared, the Treasure Lamp was in hand.

Xiao Ci also serves as a scout, responsible for patrolling and keeping watch over a wide area, enabling her to detect dangers in advance.

In addition, Chen Jin's route planning is characterized by a free and easy approach, with frequent detours and changes of course.

In this way, no matter how fierce the pursuers are, they will be exhausted and overwhelmed.

……

"Damn it! Who is this guy? How can he run so fast?"

Under a large tree, Mr. Gu, who was almost soaked to the bone, wiped the rain off his face, feeling extremely resentful.

His face was sallow, his eyes were deep, and he was tall and thin, looking like an old corpse: "If I catch up with you, I will definitely dig out your heart and boil it into soup."

He took out a piece of reddish paper.

This paper, made of some unknown material, is remarkably resistant to getting wet from rain.

There was a portrait drawn on the paper, and the facial features looked strikingly similar to Chen Jin.

Staring at the portrait for a while, Mr. Gu seemed to sense something and grinned maliciously: "Found you..."

The fleeting figure gradually disappeared into the rain, like a drop of water falling into a river.

……

"Sir, the rain is too heavy, we need to find a place to take shelter."

Shi Qifeng said loudly.

The carriage had a special flat bench on the shaft and a canopy on top, so he could sit there without getting wet. But if the wind was strong, the rain would sweep in from both sides, which was uncomfortable, and he would often have to wear a raincoat.

Chen Jin replied from inside the carriage, "Do you see any inns or rest stops along the roadside?"

By this time, Xiao Ci had flown back. Being a crow, it had thick feathers and wasn't afraid of the rain. However, in bad weather, its visibility was obstructed, so it couldn't do much.

Shi Qifeng then widened his eyes and searched.

However, this area is quite desolate, with no towns or villages in sight, and even post stations are hard to find.

The policies and regulations of short pavilions and long pavilions vary from place to place, and it is impossible for them to be fully implemented and perfected in all places.

As the rain spread, the roads gradually became muddy and difficult to traverse.

What's even more unbearable is that as dusk falls, it gets dark quickly when it rains. If there's really no other way, you'll have to spend the night in the carriage.

These are unavoidable unexpected encounters when traveling far from home. In fact, rainy days are considered good; thunderstorms, rain, and snow can be even more troublesome.

"Look, there are lights ahead, and it looks like there's a shed, a teahouse."

Ignoring the rain, Xiao Ci flew to the top of the carriage to observe; it had sharp eyes and could see far.

Upon hearing this, Shi Qifeng perked up and quickly spurred his horse over.

After walking for about fifteen minutes, the rain ahead was misty, and the lights flickered erratically, appearing to be visible but unattainable.

Shi Qifeng couldn't help but ask, "Xiao Ci, how far is the teahouse?"

Xiao Ci asked in confusion, "That's strange. It looks like it's not far ahead, so why can't we get there yet?"

Inside the carriage, Chen Jin's heart skipped a beat. He took out the Kui Xing Kicking the Dipper Lamp, lit it, and carried it to the carriage shaft. When he looked up at it, he felt a sharp pain between his eyebrows and a surge of palpitations. He couldn't help but shout sternly, "Old Shi, turn around!"

Without hesitation, Shi Qifeng immediately reined in his horse. He sensed the urgency in Chen Jin's tone, jumped off the ground, grabbed the reins, turned the carriage around, and then whipped the horse, galloping away.

At the same time, Xiao Ci, who was on the roof of the car, seemed to see something terrifying. She quickly jumped down and hid towards the Kui Xing kicking the Dipper lamp, repeatedly asking, "What is that? How could this be?"

With the help of the lamplight, Shi Qifeng realized that something was wrong; he had clearly been misled and taken a wrong turn.

Fortunately, Chen Jin reacted quickly and took out the ancient lamp, which allowed them to get back on the right track.

Xiao Ci composed herself, lowered her head, and said, "Sir, it was my fault. I was misled."

Shi Qifeng hurriedly said, "Actually, I also saw that light just now, and I was involuntarily drawn to it. That light seemed to have a power to captivate people's hearts; it was very terrifying. Sir, what exactly is that place?"

Chen Jin's expression was solemn as he pondered, "It could be a ghostly place, or something else. Once someone gets trapped inside, they can't escape."

But in his heart he was thinking that Kui Xing kicking the Dipper lamp was not powerful enough at the moment, and since the situation was still unclear, he should avoid it if possible.

The main reason was that the feeling of unease was so strong, an instinctive feedback from visualization, which was enough to show how terrifying the other party was.

The world is not so safe, especially in the wild, where many unknown dangers exist.

Xiao Ci said softly, "When I woke up, I saw a terrible sight: a forest of corpses and mountains of skeletons. It was terrifying."

Chen Jin said in a deep voice, "Don't think about it anymore, lest you attract something unclean."

Xiao Ci's body was trembling: "But I can't help it."

Chen Jin noticed that something was wrong with it, so he put it close to the ancient lamp, which helped it recover gradually.

The methods of visualization and sensory perception are everywhere; once you experience a strong sensory impact, it will leave an impression on your mind.

Impressions can be beautiful, or they can be ugly and terrifying.

When it lingers and becomes entangled with thoughts and ideas, it settles down like a stubborn ailment, difficult to eradicate.

Over time, this can develop into a mental illness.

Even worse, some people become possessed by demons, appearing in their dreams and devouring their souls.

Although Xiao Ci is not in human form, she has developed spiritual intelligence, and the principle is the same.

Fortunately, there was the Kui Xing Kicking the Dipper Lamp, whose warm and gentle light helped to calm its mind and dispel the darkness and fear in its heart.

At the same time, the ancient lamp illuminated the road ahead and also steadied the horses.

As if he had escaped death, Shi Qifeng felt his palms were covered in sweat, which might also be from the rain.

After running for a while, firelight appeared ahead again, little by little, just like a bustling market.

His face was pale, and his voice trembled slightly: "Sir, it's happening again..."

　Nan Chao asked tremblingly, "Another update! Do you still have tickets?"

　　
　
(End of this chapter)