Chapter 8.1: The Ghost Holds a Wedding, The Crown Prince Climbs Onto the Marriage Sedan

However, the moment Xie Lian turned around, he froze in his place as his pupils shrunk.

A group of women wearing crimson wedding dresses and covered with veils stood stiffly in front of him.

In addition, that faint, rotting odor was drifting over from the bodies of these women.

Xie Lian quickly calmed down before counting those women. One, two, three, four...he counted all the way to seventeen.

They were really the seventeen brides who had gone missing in the Mount Yu Jun region!

The red colour on some of those brides' wedding dresses looked a bit faded, and the clothes themselves looked ragged and old. These brides ought to have been the ones who had gone missing first. On the other hand, some of the brides' wedding dresses looked brand new. The style of the dresses was also currently popular as well. In addition, the smell of a rotting corpse that came from these brides was also quite light. These brides ought to have been the ones who had gone missing recently. Xie Lian thought for a moment before uncovering the veils of one of the brides.

The face revealed under the scarlet veil was extremely pale. The skin tone was so white, it actually looked a bit green. Lit by the dim moonlight, she looked terribly frightening. The scariest thing about her, however, was that although this woman's muscles had twisted after death, on that twisted face, she still wore a rigid smile.

Xie Lian took off the veil of the girl beside her. Once again, this girl's mouth was curved up in the same smile.

In fact, all of the dead people in this room wore wedding garments while smiling even in death.

Beside his ear, Xie Lian seemingly began hearing that child's voice as they sang that strange song. "New bride, new bride, new bride on the red marriage sedan...Eyes brimming with tears, passing the mountain's mound, under the veil do not hold a rising smile..."

Suddenly, he heard a strange noise that seemed to originate from outside the temple.

It was truly a strange sound. It was so strange, it was hard to describe what it sounded like. In fact, it sounded kind of like two sticks drumming the floor while rolled up in thick fabric. It also sounded like there was something heavy attached to the moving thing, so they were dragging it across the floor with difficulty. This noise started off from far away but moved extremely quickly. In a flash, it sounded like it was outside the temple's front door. With a long creeeak, the door of the temple was pushed open.

Regardless whether it was a person who came or some other kind of thing, it was most likely the ghost bridegroom. And right now, it had already returned home!

The was no exit at the end of the main hall, and there was also nowhere for him to hide. Xie Lian only thought for a moment before he saw the brides standing beside him. Immediately, he covered his head with his wedding veil again before standing within the group of brides, becoming silent and motionless.

If there were only three to six bodies here, then of course it would be easy for others to notice something wrong with a single glance. However, right now there were seventeen corpses here. Unless someone counted them one by one like Xie Lian did, it would be very hard for them to immediately realize that someone was hiding there.

He had just placed himself in the crowd of brides when he heard something clop their way into the room.

As Xie Lian stood there motionlessly, he began pondering over what this sound was. In the end, what was this? With the pauses between each noise, it kind of sounds like a person's footsteps. However, what kind of thing would have this kind of footstep? This definitely wasn't the teenager who had brought me here. That guy walked in a very unhurried and pleasant manner, and the jingling sound of bells accompanied his steps.

Suddenly, Xie Lian thought of something. His heart immediately tightened. This was bad! The height was wrong!

After all, all of these corpses were bodies of women. But he was a genuine man! He was naturally much taller than these corpses. Although nobody could tell there was an additional person in this crowd at first glance, it would be easy for them to notice that there was someone who looked particularly tall.

But after thinking things over a bit more, Xie Lian immediately calmed down. He was indeed quite tall. However, that young lady Little Ying only combed his hair into a simple hairstyle. She didn't do much with it.

On the other hand, these brides were all dressed up. Their hair was combed up so high those strands were practically soaring to the sky. In addition, thanks to the phoenix crowns they wore, the top of their heads became a huge chunk taller. If they added everything together, some of these brides probably wouldn't be shorter than him. Even if he was tall, it wouldn't be too eye-catching.

Just as he was thinking that, Xie Lian once again heard the clopping noise from before. This time, it sounded like it was only two zhang

1 away.

After a moment, he heard the clopping noise again. It sounded like it was even closer to him now.

Xie Lian finally realized what this ghost bridegroom was doing.

It was lifting every bride's veil as it checked the faces of the corpses one by one!

"Bang!"

If he didn't make a move now, when would have been a better time? The silk cloth Ruoye flew out before slamming into the ghost bridegroom.

Then he heard a loud noise before a black fog began filling up the room. Xie Lian didn't know whether this fog was poisonous or not. Since he didn't have any spiritual energy protecting his body, he immediately stopped breathing as he covered his nose and mouth with his hand. At the same time, he urged the silk cloth Ruoye to dance and create wind, in an attempt to quickly disperse the fog.

Suddenly, he heard the clopping noises again. Xie Lian squinted before he saw a short and small shadow pass through the temple's front door. With the temple's door wide open, a lump of black fog began rolling out as it headed toward the forest.

Xie Lian made a prompt decision before he immediately chased after it. Unexpectedly, he hadn't taken many steps outside when, within the forest, a blaze of fire soared into the sky. Distantly, a group of yells filled with killer intent drifted over. "Let's go, ah!"

A youngster's voice sounded especially resonant. "Catch the ugly creature and help our people get rid of an evil! Catch the ugly creature and help our people get rid of an evil! As for the reward, we can divide it evenly amongst us!"

This was precisely that young leader. Xie Lian began complaining in his heart. This group of people had said before that they were going to search the mountain. Unexpectedly, they actually came! Originally, it would have been fine since there was that befuddling array covering everything up. However, that array had already been destroyed by that teenager! These blind cats actually encountered a dead mouse; thus, they actually found the ghost bride groom!

Xie Lian took another look. The direction those people had been in...seemed to coincidentally be the direction the ghost bride groom had been escaping to!

Xie Lian grabbed the silk cloth Ruoye and rushed over there. He began shouting, "stand there and don't move!"

Everyone there paused a bit from surprise. Xie Lian wanted to continue talking when the youngster began to fervently ask, "Young lady, you were captured by the ghost bride groom and forced onto Mount Yu Jun, right? What's your name? We came here to save you, you can be at ease now!"

Xie Lian was startled for a moment by those ridiculous words. Then, he finally remembered he was wearing a girl's wedding dress. There hadn't been a mirror in the Nan Yang temple, so he didn't know what his current appearance was. However, based on this reaction, that young lady Little Ying was pretty good at what she did. This was because, after these people were surprised, they started treating him as a real bride. Moreover, this youngster was probably hoping that he was the seventeenth bride, so it would be easier for him to take the reward.

No matter what, however, he couldn't allow these villagers to run all over the place under these circumstances. But he also couldn't guarantee that the ghost bridegroom wasn't still running away. Luckily, at this moment, two black-clothed teenagers finally managed to rush over. Seeing this, Xie Lian immediately yelled. "Nan Feng, Fu Yao, quickly come and help me!"

Unexpectedly, after these two small martial gods looked over by following the sound, they both began staring blankly at him. Then, they simultaneously backed away two steps. Xie Lian had to call them a few more times before they finally reacted.

Seeing this, Xie Lian asked, "You guys came over from there, right? Did you guys encounter something on the way here?"

Nan Feng replied, "We didn't!"

Hearing that, Xie Lian said, "That's good. Fu Yao, quickly go down this path and do a search. Look around in all directions and make sure that the ghost bride groom hasn't escaped."

After Fu Yao heard this, he immediately turned around and left. Xie Lian continued speaking, "Nan Feng, guard this place and make sure not a single person can leave. If Fu Yao can't find the ghost bride groom in the mountains, then the ghost bride groom must be hidden among this group of people!"

When they heard this, all of the burly men were stunned. That youngster already realized he wasn't a woman, and thus was the first that jumped up. "Nobody can leave? Why should we listen to you?! Are there no laws in this land! Everyone, don't listen to them..."

The youngster hadn't even properly stood up when Nan Feng thrust out his palm. Suddenly, a tall tree with a thick trunk snapped in half and fell to the ground. Everyone there immediately remembered that this teenager would strike things before completing a full sentence. If they were chopped in half like the pillar he had broken before, then even paying them money would lose any meaning. Thus, everyone shut up.

That youngster spoke up again. "You say the ghost bridegroom is within this group, so he has to be in this group? Everyone here has a first name and a last name! If you don't believe me, come over here and use the fire to light up our faces! Check us over one by one!"

Xie Lian said, "Nan Feng."

Nan Feng took the youngster's torch and began checking people one by one. Everyone's brows were beaded with sweat. Some people looked tense, some people looked at a loss. Some looked excited, some looked extremely lively. Xie Lian couldn't see the cause. Thus, he walked to the front of the group and said, "Everyone. Please excuse my previous offense. However, I wounded that ghost bride groom, and it escaped. But it definitely couldn't have gone far. These two young friends of mine didn't encounter him on the road when they came here, so I'm afraid it might have hidden itself in this group of people. I'll have to trouble everyone to take a close look at one another. Clearly check everyone's face, and make sure there isn't anyone you don't know here."

When they heard that the ghost bridegroom was probably within their group, everyone immediately felt their blood run cold. They didn't dare to be careless as they started staring at each other in dismay. Next, they began playing the 'You look at me, I'll look at you' game. After they stared at each other for quite a while, suddenly, someone yelled in a strange tone. "How come you're here?"

Xie Lian's heart skipped a beat as he rushed over and asked, "Who is it?"

The youngster snatched someone else's torch before lighting up a corner. He yelled, "This ugly girl!"

The person he was pointing at was actually...Little Ying. Under the light, Little Ying's face with her crooked nose and slanted eyes appeared a bit twisted. As if she couldn't stand being exposed so prominently, she raised a hand to block her face from everyone's view. Then, she began speaking, "I...I just couldn't feel at ease, so I decided to come up and take a look..."

Seeing how she was convulsing with fear, Xie Lian took away the torch in that youngster's hand before asking the crowd. "How was it?"

Everyone started shaking their heads. "There's no one we don't recognize."

"We've seen everyone here before."

Nan Feng asked, "Could it have attached itself to someone's body?"

Xie Lian thought for a moment before replying. "That would be unlikely. That thing had been solid."

Nan Feng reminded him. "However, that thing is already of the 'Wrath' rank. It's hard to say whether or not it could change its form."

While the two of them were hesitating over here, that youngster was the first to start shouting. "The ghost bridegroom isn't one of us! You saw it clearly as well, right?! If you saw clearly, then let us go!"

Scattered voices began echoing his words. Xie Lian swept his gaze over them before saying, "Everyone, please stay in front of the Ming Guang temple, do not leave."

Everyone wanted to complain, however, when they saw Nan Feng's grave and stern expression, nobody dared to. At this moment, Fu Yao returned and reported, "It's not in the vicinity."

Hearing that, Xie Lian stared at the dense crowd in front of the Ming Guang temple. Then, he began to slowly declare, "In that case, the ghost bride groom must be within this crowd."