Chapter 264 Drinking hurts feelings, today we'll use Meng Po soup instead of alcohol.
On the eve of their wedding, the newlyweds should not share a room.
After sending Chen Yuepo back to her carefully prepared bedroom, Feng Jin went to rest in a side hall on the other side.
At midnight, a deep, resonant bell rang out from the depths of the underworld, one sound after another, echoing leisurely.
This was a custom that Shen Tu specially brought from the human world, euphemistically called "adding to the festive atmosphere."
Wrapped in a soft brocade quilt, Chen Yuepo drifted off to sleep to the sound of the bells.
In a half-dream, half-awake state, I suddenly felt the bed beside me sink slightly.
Immediately afterwards, a familiar embrace gently pulled her and the blanket around her.
Her eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly opened them.
Feng Jin's face was close at hand, his dark golden eyes gleaming with a gentle light in the dim light.
“Shen Yuepo,” he said softly, his breath brushing against her bangs, “Happy New Year.”
Shen Yuepo wasn't fully awake yet, and subconsciously rubbed against his warm chest like a cat that had found its nest, her slurred voice filled with sleepiness:
"Hmm... Feng Jin, Happy New Year."
January 1st, the beginning of the new year, is also the first time since the beginning of time that the underworld has been decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations and a grand banquet for all guests.
The wedding ceremony was a novel and unique creation devised by Shen Tu, combining elements of the divine realm with contemporary human trends.
It has the solemnity of ancient rituals, while adding a touch of modern vibrancy and liveliness.
The auspicious time has arrived.
The two imposing and heavy doors of the main hall of the imperial palace slowly closed.
The scene inside the plaza outside the gate was already quite different.
Feng Jin was dressed in a bright red wedding gown, embroidered with gold thread depicting the landscape of Fengdu's mountains and rivers, as well as a grand scene of the Netherworld Star River flowing through the night, with a faint, ethereal light emanating from it as he walked.
However, what was most striking at this moment was his face, which was enough to make even the netherworld pale in comparison.
The auspicious day softened the perpetual frost between his brows, yet it did not diminish his strikingly handsome and otherworldly appearance in the slightest.
His skin, bathed in the light of the interplay between the starlight and the crimson of his wedding attire, appeared as white as cold jade.
He held a bouquet of spider lilies, a flower unique to the underworld, in his hand and stood quietly in front of the temple gate.
Behind him stood the three Ghost Emperors.
Standing guard at the very front of the tightly closed palace gates was Lin Yanxin.
He was wearing a brand new Taoist robe today, and in high spirits, he stood at the front, hands on his hips, chin slightly raised, and shouted loudly at Feng Jin:
"Hey! If you want to take my little moon away, you'll have to get past me first!"
Beside him, Zhang Qingyuan also tried to straighten his back, his face a mixture of tension and excitement, and he was holding a few talismans in his hand that could enhance the power of the door-blocking magic.
Meng Guichen, dressed in a modified crimson cheongsam that accentuated her graceful curves, with her long hair tied up and adorned with a hairpin shaped like a spider lily, stood gracefully in her mother's camp, her eyes sparkling with a smile.
Jiang Yuan, who had officially become a ghost messenger, stood quietly to the side, a faint smile in her clear eyes.
Shen Tu looked at the opposing lineup, especially the smiling Meng Guichen, and his lips twitched. He couldn't help but raise his voice:
"Meng Po! Who was it that asked me to help them put on an act the other day? You're quick to kick me while I'm down!"
Upon hearing this, Meng Guichen gracefully brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, her smile as radiant as a flower, yet her voice carried clearly throughout the entire hall:
"I will repay the favor of the Ghost Emperor another day. Today, I am truly a member of your family."
She emphasized the words "family members," and as her eyes darted around, she glanced at Lin Yanxin, who stood tall and proud beside her.
After speaking, she lightly raised her hand, and a wave of magical power swept past.
In the open space in front of the palace gate, a row of long tables appeared out of nowhere, with five huge bowls neatly stacked on them.
The bowl is filled with liquids of various colors.
Emerald green like jade, milky white like solidified fat…
The only thing they had in common was the unique scent they emitted, a scent that belonged to the Bridge of Helplessness.
Meng Guichen clapped his hands, smiling as he announced the rules, his voice brimming with undisguised pleasure in ripping people off:
"The first hurdle: drinking alcohol hurts feelings, so today we'll use Meng Po soup instead of alcohol."
"Here are five bowls, all specially prepared by me, each with a unique flavor. Not much; drink half of them to pass. Who wants to try?"
Upon hearing this, the expressions of the Ghost Emperors outside the door became quite varied.
Ji Kang and Du Ziren took a step back almost simultaneously, their movements perfectly synchronized, as if they had rehearsed it.
Ji Kang coughed lightly and lowered his head.
Du Ziren looked up at the sky, as if he had suddenly become very interested in the arrangement of stars in Fengdu today.
The two spoke in unison, pushing their teammate forward without hesitation, "Shen Tu, you come."
Shen Tu: "..."
He looked at the row of bowls with strange colors and unpredictable smells, and his usually flamboyant handsome face instantly fell.
He looked at Feng Jin for help.
Feng Jin was in an exceptionally good mood today, and was unusually patient.
Far from being angry, a hint of a smile flashed in his eyes as he slightly stepped aside, clearing the way to the row of bowls.
The meaning is obvious: you come.
Shen Tu's face turned green, and he stepped forward with a mournful expression.
Looking at the bowl of Meng Po soup in front of him, which was as green as poison and was bubbling with eerie bubbles, he felt a churning in his stomach.
He suddenly regretted it; if he had known this would happen, he should have dragged those old guys from the Ten Kings of Hell along with him.
If you're going to die, you should at least take a few people down with you!
Meng Guichen's smile deepened, and he made a "please" gesture, which carried a deeper meaning:
"Your Majesty, please. This is a special celebratory soup prepared for today."
So, under the watchful eyes of everyone, especially with the encouraging gaze of his own emperor, Shen Tu tragically picked up the first bowl of emerald green soup and drank it down while holding his breath.
I felt an indescribable taste rush from my throat to the top of my head.
It smells like a mixture of aged vinegar that has been around for a thousand years, the silt at the bottom of the River of Oblivion, and some kind of indescribable herbal flavor.
He forced back the churning stomach acid, let out a loud burp, and a faint green mist floated out of his mouth.
"Is that enough?" Shen Tu gritted his teeth and looked at Meng Guichen.
Meng Guichen covered his mouth and chuckled, then shook his head. "This is only the first bowl, Lord Ghost Emperor. There are still four bowls to go."
Shen Tu's vision went black, and he almost lost his balance.
He turned to look at Feng Jin, who merely raised an eyebrow slightly, signaling him to continue.
Shen Tu then looked at Ji Kang and Du Ziren, one looking up at the sky and the other at the ground, pretending not to see them.
Left with no other choice, Shen Tu had to grit his teeth and pick up the second bowl of crimson Meng Po soup.
The moment he took a bite of that bowl, it felt like swallowing a ball of fire, burning from his throat all the way down to his stomach, so spicy that tears welled up in his eyes.
He gulped it down, panting, and asked with teary eyes, "What...what is this?"
Meng Guichen said with a smile, "Oh, that's because it has hellfire pepper added, it's refreshing."
Shen Tu: "..."
The third bowl was milky white and tasted like solidified grease; it was so greasy he almost threw up.
The fourth bowl was dark brown and tasted extremely bitter, comparable to the bitterest Coptis chinensis.
...
After finally finishing five bowls, Shen Tu felt like he was half dead. He leaned on the table, swaying unsteadily, and asked:
"Is it...is it okay now?"
Meng Guichen nodded in satisfaction: "You've passed the first test."
Shen Tu breathed a sigh of relief and was about to retreat when Lin Yanxin spoke again:
"Wait! We've passed the first level, but there's a second one!"
Shen Tu stumbled and almost fell.
He looked at Lin Yanxin with a mournful expression, "Abbot Lin, we have no past grievances or present enmity, why make things so difficult for us?"
Lin Yanxin chuckled, "That's not quite right. Today, I'm from your family, so naturally I'll make things difficult for you. As for the second challenge..."
He stroked his chin, his eyes lighting up. "I've got it! My Xujing Temple is renowned for its Taoist practices. This second test will be a test of your knowledge of Taoist techniques!"
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