Indeed, the gatekeepers of the underworld were rather bad tempered.
They were ghosts themselves, hence they command an aura of death.
Even necromancers run away at the sight of them. First of all, they fear that their Yang aura may be affected. Secondly, they fear that the Reapers may turn feral.
Feral Reapers were a lot more terrifying than the common feral ghouls. Nobody who had ever met the eyes of one had ever survived.
According to legends, Reapers were not to be interrupted when they are transporting souls back into the underworld.
However, this was the only time frame where one could summon the Reapers.
So, the summoner had to act at the precise timing.
Otherwise, when the Reaper finds itself summoned to another place out of nowhere while escorting souls into the underworld, they will be left with only one thought.
That is to eliminate you!
If the King of Hell wanted someone dead by midnight, that person would never see the next sunrise. It was the same theory.
That was why necromancers had to have the ability to summon and send the Reapers away.
Yellow Talismans are a necessity for every exorcist.
When blood is applied onto the talisman, a spell can be used to turn the talisman into the form of a wraith. This was a way to deceive Reapers.
But if anything goes wrong in this process, the Reapers would turn feral immediately. It is obvious what would happen to the summoner after that.
Hearing Elder Xu Wu and Zongzheng Yu Er's comments, the young man became increasingly worried. He looked at Helian Wei Wei and said, "Third Princess Consort, let me go instead."
Even though his skills were subpar at best, he was still an exorcist of the War Dragon Kingdom. It was his basic duty to protect his rulers!
Helian Wei Wei looked at him again. The kid was still so young. She rubbed his head and said, "Don't worry, I can handle this."
Hearing this, Zongzheng Yu Er spoke again in a seemingly gentle manner, "Third Princess Consort, you must think that summoning Reapers is a piece of cake. Bing Xuan, if anything happens to the Third Princess Consort, you have to save her, understood?"
But now that these words were said, it was as if she was sure that Helian Wei Wei would lose.
The exorcist Bing Xuan heaved a long sigh. "Princess, you are as kind as always, but not everyone appreciates it!"
As he said these words, Bing Xuan glanced at Helian Wei Wei.
Helian Wei Wei raised her brows once more. These two kept finishing each other's sentences, as if they had already won. How interesting.
"Are the people of the Xuanyuan Dynasty all so…" Helian Wei Wei looked like she was thinking of a better way to describe them, but she just could not find a more polite expression.
As she contemplated, Baili Jia Jue interrupted her with eight words, which he drawled lazily...
Chapter 664 - His Highness’s Venomous Tongue Lashes Out
"Prone to wishful thinking, and are frequently deluded."
His tone was not the least heavy, but the damage of his words was savage.
Most importantly, he delivered that bit of sarcasm with utmost grace and elegance.
Zongzheng Yu Er and Xuan Bing's faces turned green from that declaration.
It was obvious that His Highness' double-edged remark had done its job.
Besides telling Xuan Bing off, he was reminding Zongzheng Yu Er of her shameless insistence to marry him.
In conclusion, there was only one way to describe them: "Low"!
As public realized the meaning behind his remarks, they glanced at one another.
They realized that Baili Jia Jue could win any battle without using brute force, as all he needed were his words.
And… There was no way to rebut him!
Xuan Bing clenched his fists as he looked at Zongzheng Yu Er, who was close to tears. His c.h.e.s.t heaved with heavy breaths as he clenched her teeth, speechless.
Helian Wei Wei decided that she had to bring the Third Prince out with her in the future. She would never be bullied again, as any enemy would be defeated by his sharp tongue before they can throw any fists.
"We shall see in a moment whether it is wishful thinking or otherwise." Zongzheng Wen Ren laughed coolly. "Xuan Bing, since the Third Princess Consort does not need you to hold back on her account, feel free to show her what a true exorcist is like then."
"Sure." Xuanbing turned back to face her, emitting a surge of potent spiritual energy. He focused on Helian Wei Wei and stood with pure confidence of his victory.
Baili Jia Jue held his teacup elegantly with his perfectly slender fingers and well-manicured nails. The black ring on his finger shone with his every movement, reflecting light that resembled snow. The ring itself seemed to be made of jade.
The ministers were still worried. All of them cast their glances at Helian Wei Wei, whispering, "Do you think the Third Princess Consort can actually make it?"
"I don't know." Indeed they did not. Who would dare to summon a Reaper?
Only the young man turned slightly pale. "The princess consort is not even standing in the proper stance."
"What does that mean?" The ministers were lost again.
The youngster grasped his hands tightly. "I have seen the elder summon a Reaper. He would hold a talisman in his left hand and a sword in his right, all while chanting the spell. That's how he summoned the Reaper, but the princess consort…"
Helian Wei Wei did not even have a yellow talisman!
She just stood there with her empty long-sleeved cloak billowing in the wind.
Xuan Bing laughed at the sight of her. "So, the Third Princess Consort has no experience in summoning Reapers. You do not even look like you know the steps. Do you need me to tutor you?"
Xuan Bing's words made the other exorcists laugh.
Helian Wei Wei swept her gaze lightly across them as she said, "You are guests from afar afterall, we have to give our guests a head start. That's why I'm not using a yellow talisman."
These words made Xuan Bing sneer. "You sure know how to tell pretty lies, Third Princess Consort. I have never heard of anyone who is able to summon Reapers without yellow talismans."
"Pretty lies? She is boasting way out of her level." The exorcist from Huangzi Kingdom looked down at Helian Wei Wei in contempt. "She actually thinks she is something special just because she can chant the Nine Word Mantra."
The young man started to panic as he heard their exchanges. "Why is the Princess Consort not using any yellow talismans!?"
"Is it really necessary?" Most of the ministers knew nothing about exorcism, but they could make out how important it is through their conversation.
The young man's tone became increasingly high-pitched as he panicked. "She has to use it! Besides summoning the Reaper, it is also the only way to send them off. Without it, the Reaper would be hard to control!"
Elder Xu Wu laughed from the sidelines and commented sarcastically, "My, my... Isn't the Third Princess Consort brave."
Hearing this, Wu Jing stood up suddenly. "Your Highness, why don't we send in a substitute for the princess consort? If we have to sacrifice someone, it should be us men. How could we allow a woman to defend us like that?"
As he said this, Wu Jing's gaze swept across those geezers who only knew how to make irresponsible remarks. He clenched his fists angrily.
But what they did not expect was Baili Jia Jue's calm reply. "She has not left the palace for some time, so her claws have been itching for a fight. Since our opponents delivered themselves, let her have a go at it."
Elder Xu Wu and Zongzheng Wen Ren were stunned. What? Have a go?! They are people, not stray cats or dogs!!! And they are most definitely not punching bags for training!!!
Wu Jing did not expect his prince to say such a thing either, which made him look back in shock.
As expected, not only those from Xuanyuan Kingdom, the other ambassadors from the other two neighboring Kingdoms were red
-faced too. They were all thoroughly infuriated.
All of them stood up and shouted to the exorcists of their respective kingdoms, who were getting ready for the summoning. "Go forth and win this!" They were keen to see who would end up being humiliated!
The exorcists took their places, not knowing what had happened.
With one look at His Highness' smug face, Helian Wei Wei was bright enough to know that he must have said something to infuriate everyone.
Sigh…
She must have some fighting chops of her own to be with a husband with such a venomous tongue.
Forget it, why did she agree to become the dominant president in the relationship?
Physical fighting was her job anyway.
Someone as pretty as His Highness should just dazzle people with his charm.
She would be the brawn and he would be the beauty.
Yep, they each had their own part to play. It was almost perfect.
These thoughts filled Helian Wei Wei with motivation.
After all, it was one of the skills required of a dominant president to allow one's partner to live comfortably!
How could she not be excited?
Good thing Heize was not here. If he could hear Helian Wei Wei's thoughts, he would definitely vomit blood!
She was just so frustrating!
Since when has there been a ruling couple where the woman fights on the frontline, while the man plays the beauty. Huh?!!!!
Too bad, Helian Wei Wei would never hear Heize's thoughts.
"Now, we shall follow the order of right to left, you shall begin the summoning one by one. The same rules applies here, the one with the best time wins." Elder Xu Wu announced the contest rules. His tone was still full of mockery. "A fair reminder to all, if anything goes wrong in this match, it will not be settled that easily. If some of you are not capable of handling it, it is better not to force yourselves now."
Everybody knew who Elder Xu Wu's words were meant for. They all turned their heads and looked at Helian Wei Wei. Some held concern in their eyes while some were filled with mockery…
Chapter 665 - He Brought This Upon Himself
Zongzheng Yu Er sneered. Xuan Bing will end you for being so haughty!
Zongzheng Yu Er believed that Xuan Bing would have his own plan to handle her as he would never allow anyone to humiliate him like this.
Just like what Zongzheng Yu Er expected, Xuan Bing gently shut his eyes before he parted his lips as if he was reciting an inaudible spell.
Whitey, who was in the Fantasy Space, overheard the commotion. Its chilling voice rang by Helian Wei Wei's ears, "Wei Wei, can you hear what the exorcist is saying? Is he chanting a spell?"
"I think so." Helian Wei Wei used her consciousness stream to communicate with her guardian beast. Her eyes flashed before she said, "I would've missed it if you didn't mention it. The spell he's chanting sounds rather strange."
Whitey replied with a muffled tone, "He chanted the spell before the competition even started. This is definitely not as simple as it seems. You have to be careful."
"I know." Helian Wei Wei narrowed her eyes.
The first exorcist in line was an unremarkable young man from Huangzi Nation. He began his ritual by making a few streaks on the floor with his wooden sword. Then, he took out a yellow rune before he started to recite a spell under his breath.
The moment he lifted the yellow rune, they immediately sensed a change of air within the Great Hall, overwhelmed by gusts of cold wind coming from all directions of the hall. Everyone present in the hall could immediately feel the chill down their spin. The feeling was indescribable. It was as if somebody was standing behind them and watching them, but when they turned around, they found no one.
As though the Great Hall had lost its liveliness, they heard a faint noise amidst the quietness. Sometimes, the noise resembled the breeze, but other times, it sounded as if someone was panting.
As the sound gradually got louder, the young man's forehead was beaded with sweat. However, he could not identify the reason behind his profuse perspiration as he continued to pace in circles. "How did this happen?"
"What happened?" An exorcist from a neighboring country, who stood nearest to him, leaned forward to take a peek. Immediately, he grimaced. "There... there are…"
The young man's face turned pale as he trembled. "Two reapers."
"Don't panic. You… you should take it slow." Although he was trying to convince the young man, the exorcist subconsciously took a step back.
It's already difficult to handle one reaper. Now that two reapers are present, even if he can successfully send one of the reapers off, what can he do with the second reaper?
He was frightened by the thought of it.
Initially, everybody was clueless. Only when the venue had turned significantly colder and darker, the audience finally noticed the two silhouettes.
Coupled by the clanking of the metal chains, they were walking toward the young man with no expression on their pallor faces. They scanned their surroundings with their dead lifeless eyes, appearing far scarier than the female ghost from before.
But, why would two reapers appear at the same time?
The young man's hand, that was holding the yellow rune, began to quiver. The two reapers had reached his sides as one of them stood on his left, while the other one on his right. They appeared as if they were sniffing.
Helian Wei Wei screwed up her eyes before she said, "Throw the yellow rune in your hand into the fire."
Ghosts were afraid of fire and that yellow rune was used to attract the reapers. The reapers would follow the yellow rune, and once they saw fire, they would instantly take to their heels.
This was merely a simple reasoning.
Yet, the young man refused to believe Helian Wei Wei. Are you kidding me? You want me to discard the yellow rune? This is the only thing I have to protect myself!
At this moment, Xuan Bing finally spoke with a confident tone, "You must not listen to her, Brother Mu Bai. You will lose the competition if you discard the yellow rune. You should remain persistent as the reapers can't stay in the human world for too long. Once their time is up, they will leave. As long as you have the yellow rune in your hand, you'll never be hurt."
The young man nodded after he heard Xuan Bing's words before he applied a little of his spiritual aura.
Seeing that he had no intention to follow her advice, Helian Wei Wei turned to look at the little one who was squatting next to her. "Little Seven, stay as far away as possible. Within half a minute, the two reapers will realize that they're not smelling a spirit but a yellow rune." Do they take the reapers as idiots? Can they not tell that the reapers are different from humans?
"What will happen if the reapers find out that it's a yellow rune?" Wu Jing was still puzzled.
Liu Yu reproached him for his foolishness and explained, "Reapers. They are reapers. They come to the human world to harvest human's souls. If they find out that they are not collecting a soul but a yellow rune, they will immediately take away the soul of the enchanter."
The young man broke out in sweat as he listened to the chaos.
Xuan Bing gave a scornful chuckle before he turned to look at Helian Wei Wei. "Third Princess Consort shouldn't act like an alarmist. I have summoned the reapers multiple times before. As long as I have a yellow rune in my hand and can successfully drag out the confrontation, no accidents will happen."
"You only summoned one reaper. Now, there are two of them. How is one yellow rune enough to scare away two reapers?" Helian Wei Wei explained in a slow yet straightforward manner.
For a moment, Xuan Bing was dumbstruck. However, before long, he coldly retorted, "It's useless to talk to someone who knows nothing about exorcism." He was confident that as long as he could stand firm for a certain amount of time, the reapers would leave on their own.
The young exorcist shared similar opinion and added with a muffled tone, "Brother Xuan Bing, don't waste your time to exp
lain it to her. How long more do I have to hold out?"
"They're so stupid!" The little one chewed on his meat bun while he looked at them with his eyes full of disdain, "Third Aunt, since he has chosen someone else's opinion over yours, you should just leave him to die. We, the War Dragon Empire, have fulfilled our responsibility as the host. He's too conceited and he will pay for it with his life."
Whoosh!
As the small child finished, a chilling breeze swept the entire place.
Initially, the reaper, who was standing on the exorcist' right, was still sniffing around. All of a sudden, the reaper lifted his gaze to look at the yellow paper before he took it over and tore it into pieces.
Then, his lips curled into a malignant smile, revealing his canines. Meanwhile, a machete mysteriously appeared in his hand.
Realizing that Helian Wei Wei was right, his saucer eyes were filled with fear as he stared at Helian Wei Wei, asking for help.
Helian Wei Wei had no intention to help him. She agreed with Little Seven that they had fulfilled their duties as the host.
Moreover, the c.o.c.ky man had been mocking them since the beginning.
Ha, he brought this upon himself.
"Help, help…"
If one hindered the reapers as they harvested the humans' souls, by rule, one should pay back with his or her head.
The whomp resonated across the entire Great Hall as the machete hit his head.
Some of the ministers had collapsed upon witnessing that scene. Meanwhile, the other exorcists felt chills down their spines.
Helian Wei Wei stood at the center of the tumult, unperturbed by the scene.
Everything happened in a flash.
Before Xuan Bing could react, two reapers had disappeared into the dark smog, holding onto Mu Bai's head in their hands.
Owing to the departure of the reapers, the Great Hall was peaceful once again.
The Anarchic Consort c1-1376 Page 286
