Although he didn't understand Liao Zhiyuan's explanation, Li Mao understood the most crucial point: that meant he and his group were doomed!
He immediately started sighing and whining, wanting to go home.
To avoid unnecessary panic, Zhao Youliang quickly pulled him aside.
"Xiao Li, what are you trying to do?"
Upon hearing this, Li Mao replied with a mournful face, "What else can I do but go home and wait to die with my wife and kids!"
“I know that you and Xiao Liao are really capable. If you two say that we are doomed, then we are truly beyond saving.”
"If I don't go home to die with my wife and children, am I supposed to stay here with these people?!"
Zhao Youliang was truly surprised by Li Mao's high level of "enlightenment" and shook his head helplessly upon hearing this.
"Little Li, stop fooling around. It's not time to die yet."
"Of course, if you're really in a hurry, you can go back and light a gas cylinder."
Li Mao: "......"
Just as the two were chatting, the monks each took out three incense sticks, lit them, and then began to walk around the altar, holding them between their palms.
This time, the recitation is of the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Sutra: "Thus have I heard. At one time, the Buddha was in the Rigera Heaven, preaching the Dharma to his mother..."
As the scriptures were chanted, incense smoke rose and gathered, enveloping the entire altar.
Under the streetlights, it seemed as if Buddha's light was faintly visible.
Let alone ordinary people, even Zhao Youliang felt a sense of spiritual elevation under the influence of chanting and incense.
Upon seeing this, Li Mao's previously dejected mood instantly regained hope.
He nudged Zhao Youliang's arm and asked cautiously, "Quantum, these monks are pretty powerful. Are we... are we saved?"
Zhao Youliang, having only recently begun his cultivation, dared not offer any rash judgment, and thus only gave a vague reply: "I hope so."
Just then, a sudden gust of cold wind arose, seemingly blowing from all directions.
The wind whipped up sand and stones, making everyone squint; it made the banners surrounding the altar flutter loudly; it made the incense in the monks' hands burn rapidly.
When the eerie wind subsided, everyone was astonished to find that all the incense sticks, which were in groups of three, had been blown into two groups of equal length, while the third stick was only half the length of the other two.
Upon seeing this, Zhao Youliang and the other cultivators exclaimed in unison, "Death-bringing incense?!"
"Death-Calling Incense" is the seventh type of incense recorded in "Observing Incense and Seeking Truth".
If a building is burned to this extent, it means that someone will die within the month, or that a major misfortune will befall the family within six months.
"Is it really that bizarre that even the Water and Land Ritual couldn't suppress it?!"
With a sigh, Zhao Youliang and Liao Zhiyuan exchanged a glance, then pulled Li Mao back to the barbecue stall.
Meanwhile, at the Water and Land Dharma Assembly, the monks' chanting was even louder, accompanied by the simultaneous ringing of bells and drums.
Not only the monks, but even the Taoist priests who had been watching immediately sat cross-legged according to the Bagua directions, chanting the "Three Officials and Northern Dipper Scripture" while shaking their whisks.
Seeing Zhao Youliang and the other two hurrying back, the clever Sister Yingchun immediately realized that something was wrong.
"Quantum, did the masters' rituals over there not work? Did they fail to suppress the evil spirits?"
Zhao Youliang nodded deeply upon hearing this: "Sister, starting today, we must close up shop before eleven o'clock."
"Also, you must always carry that token I gave you with you, even... even when you're taking a shower!"
Hearing Zhao Youliang speak so seriously, Yingchun nodded repeatedly, even though she was a little shy.
"Don't worry, Quantum. Even if you didn't tell me, I always bring it with me when I shower..."
The beautiful widow spoke softer and softer until finally, unable to contain her shyness, she made an excuse to get busy.
Fortunately, nothing strange happened during the rest of the time until the barbecue restaurant closed.
At least Zhao Youliang didn't see anything dirty around.
After everyone parted ways, Zhao Youliang returned to the paper-making shop and immediately offered incense to the two figurines.
He felt uneasy without the gold lighter to light incense.
Taking advantage of the opportunity to offer incense, Zhao Youliang tried to speak.
"Two...two elder brothers and sisters, I know the saying 'Don't advise others to do good without experiencing their suffering,' but I still can't help but ask for a favor."
"The grievance should be brought to justice. Can you please only retaliate against the bad guys and not take your anger out on the good guys?"
"I swear to God: those you spared will build a temple to worship you both, and your descendants will have incense burning continuously for at least three generations!"
After Zhao Youliang finished speaking, he bowed deeply to the two puppets and remained standing for a long time.
Unfortunately, the dolls did not grant his request—a cold wind rose in the paper shop, and the two dolls trembled incessantly in the wind.
If it weren't for that small wooden sword suppressing him, it probably would have immediately floated down and taken Zhao Youliang away.
Even so, the eerie Peking Opera singing style rose up, echoing throughout the town through the paper-making shop, even drowning out the chanting from the Water and Land Dharma Assembly.
"Ghosts are always said to be indistinct, yet they do possess spirits. A wisp of fragrant soul lingers, finding refuge in the vast expanse of clouds and waters."
"Oh, my sorrow! How can I bear this fate that has been decided before my very life..."
After listening to the female puppet's lyrics, how could Zhao Youliang not understand what she meant?
He hurriedly bowed repeatedly to admit his mistake and ran quickly to the back courtyard of the paper-making shop.
"Brother Huang, things are really messed up in town!"
"Today, first there was the 'Four Abnormalities,' followed by nine 'Heaven and Earth's Killing Intent Unleashed' divinations, then the 'Seventh Decree's Deadly Incense,' and we..."
Before Zhao Youliang could finish speaking, they suddenly heard the barking of a big yellow dog coming from the front yard of the paper shop.
The barking of dogs was mixed with the sound of knocking on the door.
Zhao Youliang immediately realized that someone had arrived, and that it was not a local.
Because any local knows the rules of the paper-making shop and would never come looking for thrills in the middle of the night.
When he moved from beside the paper figure to behind the door, he looked out through the crack in the door and saw two Taoist priests, one old and one young, standing outside.
"Master Dao, what brings you here in the middle of the night?"
The Taoist priest outside was clearly angry that someone answered but wouldn't open the door for him.
"Hehe, may the Heavenly Venerable grant you boundless blessings."
"Hey you inside, if you don't want to die, open the door now! My master and I are here to save you!"
"Save my life?" Zhao Youliang was taken aback, and secretly mocked himself: "I'm already past my prime, how can you save me..."
He thought this in his heart, but Zhao Youliang, who had extremely high emotional intelligence, would never say it out loud.
He never offends anyone through arguments—it's all just idle talk and really unnecessary.
After calming himself down, Zhao Youliang spoke again.
"Two Taoist masters, my shop is haunted and has unusual rules, so it cannot open at this time."
"If you really have something to say, can you talk through the back door?"
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