Chapter 341: Five Phases Ritual
“Paper doll?” One of the coffin hauliers, Peng Shan growled and attacked the paper doll with his saber. But the second the blade made contact with it, Peng Shan abruptly froze in his tracks, and his face contorted as if he was struggling with something.
Willow branches began growing out of his skin and sprouting green leaves that swayed gently in the night. They looked beautiful.
Their growth was fueled by Peng Shan’s vitality, however. He was sucked dry before anyone could do anything. His skin shriveled, and his flesh withered. All that was the lush willow still swaying in the wind.
“PENG SHAN! YOU BASTARD!” Peng Hu roared. Blinded by fury, he too charged toward the paper doll and swung his saber.
Thang!
There was a soft clash of metal and a flash of crimson, and Peng Hu’s saber was sent flying. His weapon arm shook uncontrollably as he staggered backward.
“Calm down.” Ye Qing glanced at Peng Hu. “You can’t defeat this paper doll.”
“Do you know what it is, Joyless?” Chu Nianjiu stared at the paper doll severely.
“I’m not sure.” Ye Qing shook his head. “All I can tell you is that it’s not a Stranger.”
“I think it’s the Five Phases Ritual,” Qi Xuanyun blurted suddenly. “Yes, I’m certain this is the Five Phases Ritual.”
“Do you know what this is, Xuanyun?” Everyone looked at the young Taoist immediately.
Instead of replying, Qi Xuanyun waved his sleeve and sent the kowtowing body flying with a gust of force. As if on cue, the muddy water pouring out of Peng Chuan’s body ceased immediately after the body was swept away. Read latest chapters at nov(e)lbin.com Only
Before they could let out a sigh of relief, the paper doll slowly turned its head and looked at them. Its simple, ink drawn eyes were calm, and the corners of its lips were curled up slightly into an eerie smile.
Everyone including Ye Qing broke out in cold sweat when they saw this.
Qi Xuanyun wasn’t, however. The next moment, he produced a small cup containing some sort of black liquid and threw it over the paper doll.
It was so foul-smelling that everyone—even the coffin hauliers who were used to foul smells—backed a few steps away from the coffin. The paper doll sizzled and gave off puffs of green smoke like it was burned before dissolving into dust.
“Phew! Thank goodness. We’re safe for now.” Qi Xuanyun let out an audible sigh of relief after he confirmed that the paper doll was gone.
“Do you recognize this, Xuanyun?” Ye Qing asked curiously. The anomalous power imbued within the paper doll was such that even he felt incredibly threatened. That was why it surprised him to see the young Taoist taking it out almost effortlessly.
Qi Xuanyun answered, “Yes. It’s the Five Phases Ritual.”
“You mentioned that before. Is that the paper doll’s name?” Chu Nianjiu asked.
Qi Xuanyun shook his head. “No, the Five Phases Ritual is a kind of curse. The paper doll is just a medium for the ritual.”
“A curse?” Lin Yuhuai sounded surprised.
“Yes, a curse.”
“Oh right. Where did you find your clan elder’s body, Brother Peng? Did you notice anything strange at the time?” Qi Xuanyun asked suddenly.
Peng Hu didn’t understand why Qi Xuanyun was asking this, but he answered honestly, “We discovered his body at the peak of a lone mountain. He was in a kneeling position with his eyelids were removed, his ears blocked by mud, his nose flattened by a file, his mouth sewn together by threads, and his legs crossed behind his back. He was barefooted, and his feet were covered in wounds. His head was touching the ground as if he was kowtowing to someone.”
“Do you remember which direction he was facing?” The young Taoist asked in a hurry.
“I think it was the west. What’s the matter, young Reverend?” Peng Hu looked confused.
Qi Xuanyun clapped his hands triumphantly. “I got it! That has to be it!”
“What did you figure out? Tell us!” Chu Nianjiu urged.
The young Taoist scratched his head and explained, “According to the ‘Cloud Profound Dragon Riding Sutra’, the Buddha once traveled to the south of Fengdu and saw a city where everyone’s eyelids were removed, their ears were stuffed with soil, their noses, were flattened, their mouths were sewn, and their arms were crossed behind their backs. They were all climbing a mountain barefooted. The Buddha considered it a strange sight.”
“A deity explained that these people were vile creatures atoning for the sins they have committed for ten lifetimes. So vile and long were their list of crimes that their eyelids were cut out so they cannot sleep, their ears were stuffed with mud so they cannot hear, the noses were flattened so they cannot smell, their mouths were sewn so they cannot feed, and their arms crossed behind their backs so they cannot use them. Everyday, they must climb a tall mountain barefooted, face toward the west, and touch their heads against the ground to atone for ten lifetimes of sins. Hence, this scene became known as the Punishment of Ten Commandments.”
Ye Qing coughed. “Can you like er, be more direct, Xuanyun? What does this have to do with our current situation? Don’t you see that everyone’s confused?”
Lin Yuhuai: “...”
Chu Nianjiu: “...”
Excuse me? Who are you calling confused? Just admit that you’re the one who don’t understand what he’s saying!
“O-Oh, got it.” Qi Xuanyun scratched his head and simplified things, “To put it simply, this method of punishment is only meant for people who have committed grave sins. Your clan elder had probably done something that the caster of the curse considered so heinous that it could only be atoned for with the Punishment of Ten Commandments.”
“As for you guys, you weren’t the caster’s target until you moved the body and interrupted the punishment.”
Qi Xuanyun looked at Peng Hu and said, “Did you know how the Five Punishments Ritual got its name, and why the body kowtows to the paper doll when the curse is activated? It looks like someone is kowtowing for forgiveness, doesn’t it?”
“That is why the Five Punishments Ritual also carries the meaning of punishment and apology. Since you moved the corpse without permission, the caster cursed you with the Five Punishments Ritual to punish you.”
“Are you sure about this, young Reverend?” Peng Hu looked utterly shocked.
“I think so!” Qi Xuanyun hesitated all of a sudden. “It’s just a guess.”
“Xuanyun’s words make a lot of sense. At the very least, it is the most reasonable and sound theory we have at the moment, don’t you agree?” Ye Qing looked at Peng Hu.
“Do you know who killed my clan elder, young Reverend? And who’s the one who cursed us with the Five Punishments Ritual?” Peng Hu’s eyes turned steely.
“I’m sorry, but I do not know. The Five Punishments Ritual is powerful, mysterious, and rarely seen in the jianghu.”
Qi Xuanyun shook his head when he recalled something. “Oh right, I also heard master saying that there is a mysterious faction in the wulin called Heaven's Judgment. They love enacting cruel punishments upon others, and they believe that they are enacting the heavens’ will. I believe that the Five Punishments Ritual is one of their exclusive arts.”
“Heaven’s Judgment?” Everyone exchanged glances with each other. No one here had heard of it.
Peng Hu grunted, “Hmph! It doesn’t matter who they are. Anyone who kills a member of the Peng Clan must pay the price in blood!”
1. You read this right, people. ?