I'm modifying myself into the ultimate demon.

Chapter 14 The Red Candle Leads the Way
Meanwhile, Qiulan bought dried beef, roast chicken, and a jar of wine, and hurriedly returned to the entrance of the Li family's residence.

She looked around but didn't see Chen Mo. Instead, she saw Ma Tie pacing anxiously back and forth at the gate, carrying a knife and calling out the young master's name.

"Ma Tie, where is the young master?"

Ma Tie looked anxious. "I don't know either. I just turned around and the young master was gone."

pat.

The mulberry paper containing the food in Qiulan's hand suddenly fell to the ground, and the roast chicken and beef inside rolled out, covered in dust.

Qiulan didn't care about any of that. She was only thinking about how she would explain to the master if something happened to the young master.

"Go find him quickly! If anything happens to the young master, the master will not let us off the hook."

Ma Tie's face turned bright red. "I...I've searched the whole neighborhood. My voice is hoarse from shouting, but I haven't seen the young master."

Although Qiulan was a woman, she was decisive in crucial moments. "Did you go in to find Young Master Xie Dong?"

"Never."

"You stay here. I'll go in and ask Young Master Xie for help." Qiu Lan left those words behind, then knocked loudly on the door, calling anxiously, "Young Master Xie, come out quickly! My young master is missing."

A short while later, with a creak, the gate of the old house opened.

Xie Dong came out from inside. Following behind him was an elderly woman of about sixty years old, wearing a long black coat, with disheveled hair, deep wrinkles on her face, and deeply sunken eye sockets. She walked with a trembling gait.

Upon hearing Qiu Lan's account, Xie Dong was greatly surprised. "Ma Tie, you're saying... Chen Mo disappeared in the blink of an eye?"

Ma Tiedao: "Yes. I didn't hear the young master's footsteps as he left."

Xie Dong was completely bewildered and turned to ask the old woman, "Grandma Li, do you know the reason?"

The old woman, called Granny Li, looked listless and did not answer.

Xie Dong hurriedly said, "Grandma Li, Chen Mo is my brother. He's Chen Yinfu's son, and he's come here sincerely to buy Qi and Blood Pills. You can't just ignore him. Otherwise, who would dare to do business with the Li family in the future? Don't you think that makes sense?"

Granny Li glared at Xie Dong before speaking, "He's probably possessed by an evil spirit."

Possessed by an evil spirit!

The three of them gasped. Qiu Lan, in particular, turned pale with fright, and the image of Chen Mo's previous madness involuntarily flashed through her mind, making her even more terrified.

Ma Tiedao asked, "Why didn't I encounter any evil spirits?"

Granny Li said, "Our Li family has a lot of yin energy, and people with weak qi and blood are often prone to encountering evil spirits. You are a martial artist at the Skin Refining Realm, and your qi and blood are slightly stronger. Naturally, you won't easily encounter evil spirits."

Qiulan's eyes reddened. "Grandma Li, please help my young master."

Granny Li asked, "I wonder how many Qi and Blood Pills your young master plans to buy?"

Qiulan was speechless. What kind of time is this... to still be talking about money?

But Qiulan clearly understood people's hearts, so she said, "Young Master is determined to practice martial arts, what he lacks is Qi and Blood Pills. Naturally, the more the better. It will definitely satisfy Granny Li."

Granny Li then revealed a satisfied smile. "Since that's the case, then I'll lend you a hand. Xie Dong, go quickly to Manager Zhou at the black market and tell him I want to light red candles."

Others might not know what a red candle was, but Xie Dong clearly did: "So you need to light a red candle?"

Granny Li said, "The Li residence is filled with yin energy and evil spirits. Young Master Chen has been possessed by an evil spirit and entered a haunted place. Only the red candles bestowed by the Goddess of the Red Lantern can ward off evil and provide light, illuminating the way out for Young Master Chen. However, lighting red candles on the black market requires informing the person in charge."

"Thank you, Granny Li," Xie Dong said, then hurried away.

Not long after, Xie Dong returned, covered in sweat. "Manager Zhou has agreed."

Grandma Li nodded slightly, then returned to the Li residence. When she came out again, she was holding a red candle. Instead of lighting it, she placed it on a stone by the ancient well, muttering something to herself. Xie Dong urged, "Grandma Li, hurry and light the candle! The longer Chen Mo stays inside, the more dangerous it becomes."

"This isn't an ordinary candle, what's your rush? If the young master Chen is smart enough, he won't die. But if he's reckless, then it's hard to say." Granny Li scolded unhappily, then knelt down in front of the candle and kowtowed.

"The Li family of Honghe County respectfully begs the Goddess to bestow her grace. Today, we use our blood to light red candles for the young master of the Chen family, to illuminate his path ahead."

After saying this, Granny Li bit her finger and dripped a drop of blood onto the candle wick. With a "pop," the candle wick actually lit up, bursting into a scarlet flame.

Then, Granny Li stood up, holding the red candle in both hands, and prayed very devoutly: "Young Master Chen, don't lose your soul, don't knock off the red candle, don't be afraid. If you see the light of the red candle, follow the light out..."

Xie Dong, Ma Tie, and Qiu Lan stared intently at the flickering red candle in the hands of Granny Li.

Before long, the red candle produced a red mist that filled the surroundings, obscuring the view. The next moment, a figure slowly emerged from the red mist—it was Chen Mo.

"Master!"

Qiulan rushed forward, her eyes brimming with tears, and exclaimed, "You've finally come out! You scared Qiulan to death just now!"

Ma Tie breathed a sigh of relief and stepped forward to apologize: "It's good that the young master is unharmed. It was all my carelessness that put the young master in danger."

Xie Dong stepped forward and gave Chen Mo a big hug, punching him hard in the chest twice. "Brother Chen, you've finally come out. If something had happened to you, it would have been so boring for me to go to Chunfeng Tower alone."

Chen Mo stared blankly at everything before him, feeling as if it were all unreal. For a moment, he even forgot to reply.

No one knows what he just went through.

I almost got killed by that female ghost.

Fortunately, Chen Mo discovered the function of the red candle. Holding the red candle in his hand… sure enough, he didn't encounter any more ghostly illusions and actually found his way out. At the most crucial moment, Chen Mo also saw a red light guiding his way and heard an old woman say—"Young Master Chen, don't lose your soul, don't pry off the red candle, don't be afraid. If you see the light of the red candle, follow it out…"

Then, following the sound and the red light, Chen Mo finally came out and returned to the entrance of the Li family's old house.

I really had a brush with death.

This also made Chen Mo realize the terror of this world for the first time.

It's horrible!
Chen Mo glanced around and realized it was already dark, so he was definitely away from ghosts. He breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm fine. What just happened?"

Ma Tie recounted the entire incident in detail, and only then did Chen Mo understand the reason.

He was possessed by an evil spirit... and even dragged himself into a ghostly place.

But as long as you light the red candle of the Red Lantern Goddess, you can break through the ghostly place and light the way out.

It seems this Red Lantern Lady is truly extraordinary.

No wonder so many people in Honghe County worship her.

It made Chen Mo even consider worshipping the Red Lantern Goddess...

Coming to his senses, Chen Mo looked at the old woman at the back of the crowd, especially at the red candle in her hand.

Chen Mo bowed to Granny Li, saying, "Thank you for your help, Granny Li."

Granny Li blew out the red candle and snorted, "Your maid just said you'd buy lots of Qi and Blood Pills until I'm satisfied. Don't be stingy, or I'll have wasted my time lighting this red candle for you."

Chen Mo said, "That's for sure."

Is a problem that can be solved with money still a problem?
Grandma Li carefully put away the red candles. "Come inside with me and let's talk."

Seeing that Chen Mo was safe and sound, everyone happily followed Granny Li inside. Only Chen Mo, walking at the very back, couldn't help but glance at the ancient well not far away as he entered.

(End of this chapter)