The boy suddenly stopped in his tracks.
Yu Nian twitched her eyebrows and subconsciously tightened her grip on the talisman paper.
Cuicui had rushed into the illusion so recklessly. She was afraid that, just like before, it would attract the pursuit and killing of the people in the illusion.
Sure enough, the boy's back stiffened, and a thick killing intent emanated from his body. It seemed that he would fly into a rage the next second.
But Cuicui wasn't afraid. Instead, she walked forward slowly and grabbed his sleeve.
"Shitou, I remember everything. You're Shitou, right?"
The room was silent for a long time, so long that the leaves outside the window had fallen all over the ground. Then, a very gentle sigh came out.
The moment the boy turned his head, his facial features finally became clear.
It was exactly Shitou's face.
Cuicui's eyes instantly turned red, and her voice trembled.
"Who wants your lifespan and luck? Take them back..."
Shitou just smiled.
"On the day we made the agreement, I didn't fail to come. I was captured by the great wizard. I was in a coma for a whole day and night. By the time I escaped, it was all too late... I'm sorry, Cuicui. We were just one step away from leaving Wuxiang Village."
Cuicui's tears kept falling. Sourness filled her nose and throat, and she was too sad to speak.
Yu Nian finally reacted. The wandering soul in the soul - sealing formation was none other than Cuicui.
Shitou was different from the other illusions in this illusion. He was a soul body himself. After entering this illusion, he was directly dragged back two years ago and experienced the forgotten past all over again.
The bride - to - be Cuicui, who was a ba (a mythical being related to drought), and the outsider Shitou fell in love with each other and agreed to elope the day before she was to marry the drought demon. But Shitou was unexpectedly kidnapped and detained by the great wizard. By the time he escaped and came to look for Cuicui, Cuicui had already passed away. Her wandering soul was still waiting stupidly in the Wuxiang Temple.
After Shitou resurrected Cuicui using a forbidden technique, he died alone at the city gate. His body was discovered by the great wizard and others and was buried hastily beside the highway intersection.
Cuicui's resurrection made her an even more inauspicious person in the eyes of the villagers. Two years later, on the Ghost Festival, she was selected as the bride - to - be of the drought demon again. But unexpectedly, Cuicui was rescued by Village Head Tan and managed to escape successfully.
Shitou used evil magic. Although he didn't harm anyone, he disrupted the order of cause and effect and suffered all kinds of punishments in the underworld.
Finally, on the Zhongyuan Festival, when the Earthly Official pardoned the sinners, the names of the dead of souls like Shitou, who hadn't harmed anyone, were removed from the list of the dead and added to the list of the living.
Only then did Shitou end his punishment and return to the world.
Shitou raised his hand to wipe away the tears on Cuicui's face and smiled carelessly: "Why are you crying? You are me, a part of my life. The outside world is really wonderful. You must go and see it for me."
After saying that, he took a deep breath and forced himself not to look at Cuicui anymore.
The karmic entanglement between him and Cuicui was too deep. If he insisted on staying in the world, it would only have an impact on Cuicui.
Shitou looked at Yu Nian and smiled respectfully: "I'm sorry, master, for involving you all in this illusion. If possible, could you please send me on my way?"
Yu Nian nodded gently. She was usually a woman of few words, but at this moment, she showed full patience towards Shitou and Cuicui.
"It's okay."
Yu Nian swept all the original items on the offering table to the ground. Then she took out vertical incense and candles from her bag and placed them at the four corners of the offering table respectively. She took out a piece of yellow paper and deftly folded it. Before long, a palm - sized Kongming lantern was placed in the center of the table.
After lighting the three incense sticks, Yu Nian softly recited the incantation, and the atmosphere in the room suddenly became solemn.
After finishing the recitation, Yu Nian pinched a folded triangular talisman paper between her fingertips and shouted softly: "Go."
The talisman paper fluttered up and landed precisely inside the Kongming lantern.
Its physical form was still palm - sized, but the shadow reflected on the wall expanded at a visible speed.
Feng Chengyuan stood beside Yu Nian and truly felt the powerful aura emanating from her.
At the same time, a light blue light enveloped Shitou.
Shitou felt the light flowing and his heart was filled with peace.
Shitou turned his head and glanced at Cuicui. It seemed that he wanted to reach out and touch her cheek.
Finally, he retracted his hand and smiled gently: "Cuicui, be well."
After saying that, Shitou's figure fell into the Kongming lantern.
Yu Nian pushed open the temple door. A gentle breeze blew, and the Kongming lantern actually floated up with the wind.
It swayed out of the temple door and floated towards the sky.
The Kongming lantern got farther and farther away. Finally, it turned into a tiny light spot and merged into the starry sky.
Cuicui had always been very strong, but the moment the light spot disappeared, her back suddenly slumped.
She squatted on the ground and cried loudly with her face in her hands.
Yu Nian didn't urge her. She accompanied Cuicui for as long as she cried.
Until Cuicui raised her red and swollen eyes: "Sister Yu Nian, will I see Shitou again?"
Yu Nian smoothed her messy hair and took her hand. A small red mole appeared in the center of Cuicui's palm at some unknown time.
Yu Nian's voice was gentle.
"Yes. Believe me. Those who are destined will meet again."
Cuicui was in a daze for a long time. Then she slowly tightened her palm, and it seemed that the courage to live on was born in her heart again.
Her life was given by Shitou. She had to live for him.
The obsession had dissipated, and everyone returned to the temple again.
The thick yin energy permeated the air. A huge coffin was placed in the middle of the open space.
The great wizard stood sinisterly behind the coffin: "I underestimated you. You actually managed to come out of the illusion alive." He paused for a moment and then suddenly sneered: "But you still have to die. Who asked you to ruin my good deed?"
After saying that, the great wizard waved his big hand and tore off several talisman papers pasted on the coffin.
The coffin immediately began to shake, constantly making a terrifying creaking sound.
The next moment, the coffin lid was suddenly lifted from the inside by a powerful air current.
A monster about two meters tall leaped out of the coffin and stood in front of everyone.
Its skin was blue - purple, its face was distorted, and there were meat fragments and plasma on its long fangs. A strong resentment emanated from its body, and fresh blood kept dripping from its tattered clothes. It was like a ghost climbing out of the Abyssal Hells.
The great wizard seemed very satisfied with everyone's frightened expressions. He took out a bell stained with fresh blood from his bosom and shook it gently.
The eyes of the drought demon, which had been tightly closed, suddenly opened, and strange and resentful red light flashed in its eyes.
Ming Mingzhong just took one look at the drought demon and felt his whole body go stiff. It was as cold as if he had fallen into an ice hole.
Feng Chengyuan noticed that something was wrong with him and quickly pulled him.
Ming Mingzhong was suddenly startled and finally came to his senses.
He was extremely shocked. Just now, he had actually involuntarily wanted to walk towards that monster?
The great wizard sneered: "Have you seen the power of my drought demon?"