Пьяные облака, слегка спящая луна

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"No way, it broke down at this time? xxx!" The car stopped for no apparent reason. Ling Bing cursed as she tried to start it several times, but it still wouldn't start.

"Seriously, Ling Bing, what's wrong with you? Didn't you say you'd already been checked and everything was OK?" Yu Xue pouted, frowned, and yelled at Ling Bing with a dissatisfied expression.

"My dear aunt, please stop stirring things up. How was I supposed to know this would happen?" Ling Bing said, feeling a little aggrieved.

"Forget it, Yu Xue, now is not the time to blame anyone. Let's wait until Ling Bing and the others get the car fixed first!" Meng'er was also a little anxious, but she still put her arm around Yu Xue's shoulder to comfort her.

"Meng'er, you know, this place is in the middle of nowhere, where can't we go anywhere else to cause trouble? But this wretched place is the best!"

As she spoke, Yu Xue looked around in panic. It was no wonder she complained that Ling Bing had only given the car a cursory check before setting off. They were traveling on a muddy farm road, with tall weeds on one side and eerie graves on the other. Several damaged graves, exposed after the rain, revealed gray bones. Yu Xue was so frightened she didn't dare lift her head.

"Hehe, my dear Miss Yu, you've got really high standards! Even if the car breaks down, you have to find a good place! How about we break it down in the city square? Then you can get out and strike a nice pose?" Ye Feng, who was helping with the car, teased with a laugh. This made everyone burst into laughter.

After Ye Feng said that, Yu Xue was too embarrassed to blame Ling Bing anymore, so she blushed and remained silent!

As darkness fell, Meng'er grew anxious and quietly asked Ye Feng how the car repairs were going. Ye Feng frowned and said, "Looks like we'll have to spend the night here!"

Meng'er looked up at the sky. The moon was already hanging on the horizon, and several stars were also mischievously watching Meng'er and her friends.

Meng'er and Ye Feng discussed, "I think we should do it tomorrow and just spend the night in the car!"

Ye Feng nodded noncommittally, and after a while muttered to himself, "This is really... a ghost!"

Meng'er listened from the side and felt a sense of foreboding rise in her heart, but she couldn't quite put her finger on where this feeling came from. Was it because of the increasingly gloomy and terrifying scenery around her, or was it a vague feeling that something strange would happen tonight? She was a little lost and at a loss, and now she was starting to regret the idea she had given!

Guhua Town is a small town located five kilometers outside Yinan City. Nestled among mountains and surrounded by water, the town has a simple and rustic atmosphere. It was originally one of the more underdeveloped towns in Yinan City. However, in recent years, a legend has originated in this town. As the legend has become more and more mysterious, Guhua Town has gradually become famous.

In Guhua Town, there stands a grand mansion. No one knows exactly when or by which nobleman it was built. Once, a feng shui master passed by and, after examining the mansion, declared, "This mansion is extremely yin. No one should approach within fifty meters of its perimeter. Violation of this rule will bring immense disaster!" A curious person asked what kind of disaster awaited him. The feng shui master shook his head and said, "Heavenly secrets cannot be revealed," before disappearing without a trace.

From then on, the people of the town passed down this rule from generation to generation. No one dared to approach the house. Even when they were playing, they would always stop at least fifty meters away. Once, a few naughty children tried to get close, but a gust of cold wind suddenly blew up, and the children were so frightened that they cried loudly. So the people of Guhua Town said that an extremely fierce spirit was suppressing the house. The story spread from one to ten, and from ten to a hundred. With the embellishment of busybodies, the story in Guhua Town became more and more mysterious.

Later, in an effort to promote spiritual civilization and eradicate feudal superstition, the city sent several investigation teams to the town to investigate the large house. The teams moved into the house that very night. However, a week later, without explanation, they all left. The city made no comment on the investigation's findings. Later, someone revealed that the results were highly confidential and had been sealed and archived.

Regardless of the city leaders' decision, Guhua Town began to bustle with activity from then on. The feng shui master's classic words spread more and more widely, becoming increasingly mysterious. As a result, people from within the city, outside the city, and even from other provinces and cities, who had heard of this legend, all wanted to come and see for themselves. Although some were too timid to approach within fifty meters, just feeling the mysterious aura around this house was not bad. After all, they could go back and tell their tales, making themselves feel like heroes.

Meng'er heard this story from a few friends, so she urged Ye Feng to invite Yu Xue and a few others to come and see the mansion. Ye Feng was an atheist and didn't believe in or care about such things, but his girlfriend Meng'er was so curious and insisted on coming. So, he gathered a few close friends: Li Fan, Zheng Qi, Ling Bing, and Ling Bing's girlfriend Yu Xue. The six of them agreed to come to Guhua Town to take a look. They had planned to arrive in Guhua Town before dark, stay overnight, and return to the city the next day. Now, it was dark, but their car had broken down on the way. They were stranded in this desolate mountain forest, and everyone felt uneasy. A cold mountain wind blew, and it was pitch black all around, with a few faint flickering lights.

Ye Feng and his six companions huddled in the van. Fortunately, Meng'er and the others had brought plenty of food, so they managed to eat a meal. Afterward, no one spoke, except for the distant roars of wild animals.

"Meng'er, you and Yu Xue go to sleep first! The four of us will take turns sleeping and keeping an eye on things!" Ye Feng said.

“We should be fine in the car, what’s there to be afraid of? Everyone, go to sleep!” Yu Xue said quickly.

Ye Feng and Zheng Qi exchanged a glance, and Zheng Qi said in a low voice, "You two go to sleep, I'll take a look first!"

When Zheng Qi spoke, everyone fell silent. Zheng Qi was the youngest of the six, but his character and conduct were the most respected among the four of them. Now, seeing Zheng Qi's solemn expression and low voice, they knew that something unsettling was about to happen tonight, so they all stared at him without moving.

Seeing that everyone was looking at him, Zheng Qi smiled sheepishly and said:

"What's wrong? I'm afraid of wolves, or tigers, that might swallow all six of us and the car whole!" He then burst into laughter.

Inspired by him, Yu Xue was the first to laugh and say, "Zheng Qi, when did you start learning Ye Feng's glib tongue?"

"Oh my, Miss Yu, when have I ever been glib? Even if I were, I wouldn't dare to talk to you like that!"

"Meng'er, look at your husband! You need to discipline him! Be careful he doesn't take advantage of you later!"

"Hey, I'm telling you, Ling Bing, your wife is a real down-on-her-luck woman, not much worse than that Sister Feng!" Seeing Li Fan and Zheng Qimeng grinning beside him, Ling Bing scratched his head and said embarrassedly, "I can't help it, I'm just afraid of this little miss!"

Everyone burst into laughter. They all knew that Ling Bing was the most kind-hearted person and always listened to Xue's every word.

Meng'er laughed along with everyone, but for some reason, she always felt uncomfortable. It was as if a kind of unease was stirring in her heart, and this unease grew heavier and heavier as the night grew darker and the wind picked up.

"Alright, Ye Feng, stop fooling around. It's getting late, everyone should get some rest. We need to get the car repaired and get going tomorrow morning!"

Ye Feng nodded and said, "You guys go to sleep first. Ling Bing, you and Li Fan go to sleep too. Zheng Qi and I will check again and then sleep later." Ling Bing and the others nodded and lay down on the back seat.

Meng'er didn't sleep; she snuggled up to Ye Feng. Ye Feng patted Meng'er's head and said, "Sleep, silly girl. Don't overthink it. It's okay."

"Ye Feng, I always feel a little scared, I don't know why, I always feel uneasy!"

"It's nothing. Zheng Qi just told me that you can hear the sounds of wild animals. He's afraid that wild animals will attack our car in the middle of the night."

"Okay, then. You and Zheng Qi be careful. Come back and rest early after the checkup!"

"Okay, go to sleep!" Ye Feng kissed Meng'er's cute little face.

Zheng Qi and Ye Feng stood outside the car door. Although it was early summer, the mountain winds blowing from all directions still made Ye Feng and Zheng Qi feel a biting cold.

"Ye Feng, I have a feeling that there's some kind of disaster waiting for us in Guhua Town this time!"

"Well, to be honest, although I don't believe in gods or ghosts, for some reason, I just feel a little strange this time!"

"Ye Feng, we've been buddies for over a decade. You know me best!" Zheng Qi said, glancing at the distant lights before speaking softly.

Ye Feng remained silent; he knew what Zheng Qi was referring to!

Zheng Qi was an orphan from a young age, growing up in a temple in the mountains. His master, who could also be considered his adoptive father and mother, was a disciple of the Maoshan Taoist sect. So, after finishing his studies, Zheng Qi would learn some magic from his master. Although his master knew that young people these days didn't believe in such things, he constantly reminded Zheng Qi to practice diligently, saying that learning was always beneficial and that one day he would need it. As a child, Zheng Qi didn't understand why his master made him learn these things. Later, after entering university, he felt even more that learning these things was useless, but his master, like a strict father and loving mother, never allowed him to slack off. Until one day, his master told Zheng Qi:

"Qi'er, your master is about to travel the world. Before I leave, I have some things to tell you!"

The master's face was solemn. Zheng Qi's heart sank, and a chill slowly rose from his spine.

"Do you still remember the spells for summoning troops and generals in the Maoshan Taoist arts that I taught you?"

"Master, Qi'er remembers!"

"That's good, Qi'er. Everything is predestined. I've foreseen that you will face a tribulation in this life. All I can do is impart my magic to you. Whether you can overcome this tribulation depends entirely on your own fate." After saying this, the master looked at Zheng Qi and continued:

"I know that I am usually very strict with you, and you have some grievances in your heart. The reason I didn't say it was because I was afraid that you were too young to bear this tribulation. Now that you have grown up, and I have to go on a journey and can't be by your side, you will have to rely on yourself for everything from now on!"

At this point, Zheng Qi felt a pang of sadness. Thinking back, whenever his master made him practice martial arts and techniques, he always resented his master for being harsh and cruel to him. He realized that he had not understood his master's good intentions!

With a thud, Zheng Qi knelt before his master and cried out, "Qi'er thanks you, Master, for your nurturing and cultivation over the years!" He then kowtowed three times.

The master quickly helped Zheng Qi up and said, "I'm so ashamed of you. I saw you in trouble, but I was powerless to help you!"

"Master, what exactly is this tribulation?" Zheng Qiman asked with a puzzled look.

"Qi'er, you must resolve this calamity on your own. I can only offer guidance until the very end. Remember, be careful in everything you do!"

Thinking of this, Ye Feng knew that Zheng Qi must have his reasons for being uneasy. Besides, even he, an outsider, was starting to feel something was wrong, let alone cultivators.

"Then do you have any ideas?"

Zheng Qi remained silent, pondering his master's words. Was this trip to Guhua Town his destined tribulation?

The sky grew darker, the wind grew stronger, and the moon had long since disappeared from view. Even the stars hid behind thick clouds and refused to emerge.

Zheng Qi patted Ye Feng on the shoulder and said, "Don't overthink it, let nature take its course! There's always a solution. Maybe we're just worrying too much and being overly anxious!"

Ye Feng smiled, but Zheng Qi could tell it was a forced smile, tinged with bitterness. He didn't say anything, turned around, opened the car door, and got in. Ye Feng looked at the dark mountain range, sighed, and also got into the car.

A cold smile lingered on her lips, her eyes bloodshot. Slowly, blood began to flow, instantly staining her white clothes crimson. The night breathed softly, all was silent.

In a dark pine forest, two men dressed in black were talking to each other.

"Master, everything is proceeding according to plan. Our people will keep us informed of their every move."

"Good, Fengxing, you did a great job this time! Our Lord will soon have his day!"

"Yes, Master, everything we do is for the revival and rebirth of our Lord!"

"By the way, where has Yun Piao gone? I haven't heard from her for days!"

"Reporting to Master, Yun Piao injured her old wound when you sent her to investigate the whereabouts of the Spirit Pearl last time, and she is currently recuperating in Panyun Cave."

"Huh? Who hurt her? How come I didn't know?"

"Reporting to Master, Yun Piao said it was an old man, but we don't know his background."

"Even Lian Yunpiao doesn't know? It seems that person is not to be underestimated!"

"Yes, Master. I'll go ask Yun Piao about the situation later and look for clues about that old man!"

"Hmm, what's the whereabouts of the Spirit Pearl?"

"Reporting to Master, when the World Lord met his demise, the Spirit Pearl fell into the Alliance Mountain. Later, I heard from Yun Piao that it has now fallen into the hands of an unknown young man."

"Young man? Who is he?"

"Yun Piao only knows that the young man seems to be one of the old man's disciples. Yun Piao has not yet found out the specifics!"

"Understood. You can handle the matter of the Spirit Pearl for now. We'll discuss it further once Yun Piao has recovered."

"Yes, Master!"

Is the lightning strike still proceeding as planned?

"Yes, Master, Lightning is waiting for us there, at your command."

"Alright, then we'll have Lei Ming join us. Everything is ready; we're just waiting for the World Lord to be reborn!"

Haha... The man in black laughed!

Birds scattered in fright. The sky grew darker; a storm was brewing!

As dawn approached, a sudden downpour began. Meng'er heard the raindrops pattering against the car window. She sat up and saw that everyone was still fast asleep, except for Zheng Qi, who was staring blankly out the window at the gray, misty rain.

"Zheng Qi, what's wrong? Didn't you sleep all night?"

Zheng Qi turned to Meng'er and smiled, saying, "You can't sleep, maybe you're not used to sleeping in the car!"

Meng'er was very clever; she knew that Zheng Qi had something on his mind but didn't want them to worry. So she pretended not to know the details, so as not to add to Zheng Qi's burden, and said:

"I didn't sleep well either. I always feel uncomfortable sleeping in the car! Haha, unlike Yu Xue, who can sleep like a little pig no matter where she goes! She's so lucky!"

“Yes, sometimes being able to sleep is a blessing!” Zheng Qi said, seemingly with deep feeling.

Meng'er looked at Yu Xue with affection without saying a word.

Zheng Qi glanced at Meng'er, then at Ye Feng and the others who were fast asleep, and thought to himself, "I wonder if I'll still have such peaceful days of sleeping after we get to Guhua Town!"

When the rain stopped, Ye Feng and the others had all woken up.

As soon as Yu Xue woke up, she complained of back pain and asked Ling Bing to massage it for her. While massaging her back, Ling Bing said with dissatisfaction:

"You were practically leaning on me last night, taking up almost two seats. Aren't you comfortable?"

"Who told you to get so chubby? I only have two seats left, and you still have the nerve to say that?"

Ling Bing blushed and fell silent. Li Fan, who was standing to the side, grinned.

"Ling Bing, I told you to lose weight a long time ago, but you wouldn't listen. Look, now you've made our Miss Yu angry, haven't you?"

"Hey Lingbing, our car won't start either, so why don't you just pull it along? You've got plenty of strength!"