HCB Chapter 36: Game 1 Draw Peek
Chapter 36: Game 1 Draw Peek
After the attendant finished speaking, Abe Haruaki asked his boy to take out the talisman from the bag and stick it on the wall on the left.
The boy took the twenty talismans he had drawn himself and walked into the dark palace gate. As soon as the talismans came into the palace, they emitted a red light and the black air around them disappeared.
The boy trusted his master very much and was not afraid at all when holding the talisman. He quickly pasted the ones on the left in order.
Ashiya Doman was not willing to be outdone. He didn't like bringing a boy with him. He was used to being free and easy, and he did everything by himself, even now.
When he came back after posting, he started to mock Abe Haruaki again, as if he would feel uncomfortable if he didn't scold him.
"Graceful and elegant, untainted by the mundane world, what a noble young man."
"……" Abe Haruaki glanced at him coldly and ignored him.
The boy calmly reported to Abe Haruaki: "Sir, the talisman has been affixed according to your instructions. It can be activated by just reciting the spell."
Abe Haruaki nodded slightly to show his satisfaction, and then his deep blue-black eyes slowly moved towards Ashiya Doman and said calmly, "Let's get started."
"cut."
Ashiya Doman turned around and chanted the spell together with Abe Haruaki.
The two people's voices were low and mysterious, as if containing some kind of mysterious power, and an inexplicable rhythm was played out through hand gestures.
When they completed the last gesture, the entire ghost hall suddenly burst into a dazzling red light, and shrill howls echoed all around, lasting for half a minute.
The sharp and piercing sound makes people feel creepy, as if they are in hell.
Jiang Chuan Shang stared at the scene in front of him intently, and saw that the originally thick black "smoke" above the roof began to flee everywhere.
In the black fog, one can vaguely see terrifying ghost faces, as if they are struggling painfully to escape from their restraints.
These ghosts were obviously the culprits of the evil and chaos in the palace, and those who were forced out were relatively powerful beings. They could think of finding a way out from the roof, while those ghosts with low strength would be directly driven away and disappear.
Everyone also witnessed with their own eyes that the black air in the ghost palace had been significantly reduced, and the moonlight poured into the palace like water, bringing a hint of cool air.
"Is this okay?"
"You are indeed two great Onmyojis. We worship you."
"With these two great Yin-Yang masters in our country, they will definitely protect our people and ensure their well-being!"
"But in this case, we still don't know who won between the two Yin-Yang Masters?"
"Oh, that's right. We mortals can't tell the difference with our naked eyes. What should we do?"
The attendant looked at the guests' constant discussions and smiled with satisfaction, "Everyone, don't worry, the results will be known soon. We only need a Yin-Yang spell to see if there are still ghosts on either side."
"What spell?"
"Of course it's an ordinary protective talisman. As you all know, a protective talisman will heat up and ignite when it encounters ghosts. The more and more powerful the ghosts are, the faster the talisman paper will burn, right?"
The adults who had experienced this nodded and said, "Yes, the amulet is indeed like this. If it hadn't been for the amulet's warning, I would have died on the spot."
"Right, so it's the simplest protective charm."
After the attendant finished speaking, he immediately waved his hand to call a servant over and ordered, "Go and get two amulets!"
The servant obeyed the order and ran away in a hurry.
Not long after, he came back with two triangular amulets in his hands. They looked very delicate and small, very suitable for wearing around the neck or other places.
When everything was ready, the attendant turned to face everyone and politely invited, "Please everyone go to the ghost palace together to witness the famous scene that will happen next."
Jiang Chuan Shang was naturally among those invited, and the maid beside him followed closely behind him as always.
"Ji Jun, you must be very careful! Your body is weak to begin with. If you feel uncomfortable in a place filled with filthy air, remember to shout out loudly, and Lord Qingming will come to help!"
The maid reminded worriedly.
Jiang Chuan Shang nodded slightly to show that he understood, and then took slow steps and followed the main force.
As time went by, he gradually fell behind the others and walked to the back of the team.
As he walked forward, he looked around, and suddenly, a strong feeling of discomfort came over him.
A burning, wet and cold gaze was coming from behind, as if someone was secretly watching him.
So he immediately turned his head and looked back, but he only saw a fleeting shadow that disappeared without a trace in an instant.
At this moment, the servants in front have divided into two teams and stood apart. Holding amulets in their hands, they began to detect whether there was any ghost energy around them.
Everyone came forward with great interest, staring intently at the servants' every move, afraid of missing any exciting details.
The maid noticed Ji Jun's unusual behavior and asked with concern: "Your Highness, what's wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell?"
"Did you see that black shadow on the wall just now?" Jiang Chuan Shang pointed at the top of the wall and asked in confusion.
The maid stood on tiptoe and looked in that direction, but found nothing.
She shook her head honestly: "No, Your Highness, I didn't see anything. Did you see anything strange? Are you okay?"
Jiang Chuan Shang was silent for a moment, as if he was lost in thought, and did not respond to the maid's question.
After a while, he slowly said, "It's okay, I'm fine. Let's keep going."
After saying that, he took the lead and walked forward.
Two servants, holding amulets, led the way carefully in front, with torches shining behind them, printing the dust in the air raised by people walking.
They walked left and right, always vigilant, holding amulets high, afraid of missing any moment when ghosts might appear.
However, they walked from outside the palace courtyard all the way inside the palace to the end and did not find anything unusual.
The talisman remained intact in the servant's hand, neither heating up nor burning spontaneously.
Upon seeing this, the guests all sighed.
Some people began to whisper to each other, wondering what was going on; some seemed a little disappointed, as they had expected to witness something magical happen, but in the end, nothing happened.
I was feeling nervous and expectant, but suddenly I became irritated again.
The whole scene suddenly became noisy and bustling.
"What's going on? Why aren't the spells on either side responding?"
"How can we compare which adult is more powerful?"
The attendant smiled and tried to smooth things over. "My Lords, please be patient. There is absolutely no problem with the amulet. If you don't believe me, just look at the wall. It is still intact. What does this mean?"
"What does it mean?"
"Of course it means that there are no more ghosts in this ghost palace. They have all been wiped out by the two great Yin-Yang masters. Otherwise, this amulet would have burned up."
"So, this game is a draw?" someone said cautiously.
The attendant nodded, and said in a flattering but dignified manner that he was another favorite in the eyes of His Majesty the Emperor, so naturally he had a say among this group of officials and represented a certain authority.
"Yes, this game is indeed a draw. Both sides are equally strong and it's hard to tell who will win."
"I see. It is because the two Onmyojis are so powerful and evenly matched that this competition is so exciting. It is truly admirable!"
As warm applause broke out, everyone present looked at Abe Haruaki and Ashiya Michiman with admiration.
However, the two parties involved were not affected by the praise from the outside world. They just looked at each other silently, their eyes revealing strong hostility and desire to fight.
The followers on the side were worried that the two would suddenly attack at this moment, so they stood up hurriedly, walked quickly between the two, and used their bodies to block their sight.
Under tremendous pressure, the attendant announced loudly: "My Lords, please be patient. The first game has come to an end for now. It is getting late as night falls. You can rest in the palace for one night. The rooms have been prepared and are waiting for you to move in."
"At dawn tomorrow morning, the second match will be held as scheduled. Someone will notify you of the specific time."
"That's great. Let's go back to our room and rest. I'm a little tired after working all day."
"Yes, let's go, sir. Rest early so that you can conserve your energy for tomorrow's battle."
The guests came one after another, and they began to return under the guidance of their attendants.
Jiangchuankami watched them leave and wanted to turn around and leave, but he didn't expect Abe Haruaki to chase him.
"Ji Jun, please stay."
Jiang Chuan Shang turned his head, looked at him quietly, and said softly, "Master Qingming."
"Is Ji-kun okay?" Abe Haruaki asked. His blue-black eyes were always gentle and full of pity when he looked at Jiangchuankami, as if he was looking at some delicate greenhouse flower, afraid that "she" would wither in the next second.
Jiang Chuan Shang was a little cold. He glanced at him and then lowered his eyes, staring at the hem of his clothes. A few strands of black hair fell on his cheeks, beautiful and delicate, and even the snow-white neck was lingering and charming. Every part of her was perfect.
"I'm fine, sir, you should go back and rest early."
After he finished speaking, he grabbed the hem of her slightly long skirt with his skinny wrist and turned away.
Abe Haruaki watched "her" leave, and always felt that "her" back was extremely lonely, with her slender figure swaying in the darkness.
The maid next to him was about to catch up with Kawakami-hime, and Abe Haruaki suddenly thought of stopping her and preparing to ask her in detail about her.
"Is your Ji-jun in a bad mood? I think she is a little unhappy."
The maid curled her lips. Although she had a filter for Abe Haruaki, Kawakami-hime was her master after all, and she would not reveal her master's affairs to outsiders.
"Master Qingming, Ji-kun is fine. She is just a little tired and needs to go back to her room to rest."
After saying this, the maid immediately trotted out in a hurry, obviously to chase after her husband Ji Jun.
Abe Haruaki looked at the maid's back again as she left, frowning.
Since he expressed his concern for Kawakami Hime-kun, she had not even glanced at him, but had been extremely distant. However, before the banquet, "her" eyes had always stayed on him, with expectations and gratitude in them.
That look is as if someone has found a life-saving straw in the vast crowd, and "she", who is as weak as duckweed, always has an unconscious dependence.
But now, Ji Jun, who had been distant and resisting him, fell into depression again, with a faint sadness between his brows.
What kind of external stimulation did "she" receive?
Abe Haruaki really couldn't understand it completely, and could only guess secretly based on these few behaviors and changes in eyes.
Although he was extremely smart and resourceful, he had never experienced love between men and women, so he couldn't figure out the reason for a while.
Ashiya Michiman walked past Abe Haruaki with his arms folded, looking so leisurely, and it felt like a spring breeze blowing on his face.
"I thought Ji-jun had different feelings towards you, but I didn't expect that they were all the same—"
After saying that, Ashiya Doman swung his feet and was led by his attendants to where he lived. The golden mask on his waist swayed slightly in accordance with his rhythm.
Jiang Chuan Shang had not walked far when he was caught up by the maid. The maid was holding a small palace lantern in her hand and was much faster than Jiang Chuan Shang who was walking alone in the dark.
The maid followed Jiang Chuan Shang with a steady breath, carefully using a lantern to light the way for him.
She explained in a low voice why she was slow just now, "Ji Jun, Master Qingming stopped me just now to ask something, and I didn't say anything."
"..."
"Ji Jun...are you still in a bad mood?" Seeing her own Ji Jun silent, the maid felt that her mistress had suppressed her worries deep in her heart again, so she couldn't help but care about "her" again.
"Ji Jun, if you are in a bad mood, don't keep it in your heart, otherwise you will feel heartache again. But did those two adults offend you?"
"I see the two of them are circling around you like flies, they are definitely disturbing you. Next time I will keep them three meters away from you, Master Ji. I promise."
Jiang Chuan Shang finally couldn't stand it anymore and said coldly, "Shut up, I hate people who talk too much, and you are talking too much right now."
"Also, I'm not in a bad mood. I'm in a very good mood. One of those two Yin-Yang masters will be able to cure my illness. I'm so happy that I can't wait to be unhappy."
Jiang Chuan Shang explained, the smile on the corner of his mouth grew bigger and bigger, and finally turned into a steady laugh.
He laughed loudly, and his eyes, which were unclear in the darkness, gradually became moist.
When he was exhausted from laughing, Jiang Chuan Shang covered his chest, gasped for breath, and wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes.
"Ji Jun!" When the maid saw this familiar action, she wanted to come over to help "her", but was gently pushed away by Jiang Chuan Shang.
"Nothing, I'm just too happy. I sacrificed my life to survive the disaster at the age of nineteen. I'm extremely happy."
"Do you remember when was my birthday?"
The maid watched "her" laugh and felt an inexplicable pain in her heart. When she heard Ji Jun's question, she replied without hesitation:
"On the twenty-fourth of November."
"What day is it now?"
"August 6th."
"Yeah." Jiang Chuan Shang nodded and stopped talking. He continued walking towards the palace. Only a glimmer of dark light flashed across his blocked eyes.
The feeling of being watched from behind became stronger and stronger.
"It" did not leave and kept watching.