Bizarre Honkai, a Wife-Chasing Crematorium

"...Since Brother Mingyue insists, I won't stop you. To prevent the same thing from happening again, I'll keep watch tonight."

At these words, the black-clad guards stirred. How could their master keep watch?

One instinctively opened his mouth to protest, but Changle silenced him with a sharp glare.

"I'm the most suitable person. Ordinary demons and evil spirits won't target me. You all should rest and conserve your energy for the climb tomorrow. I can rest after we reach the summit."

Hearing this, the obedient guards returned to their respective trees, but they didn't sleep, keeping a constant watch on Changle.

The two remaining martial artists exchanged glances.

"Young Master Changle, I will remember this kindness."

"As will I. If we return home safely, we will surely visit your home to express our gratitude."

The martial artists then returned to their trees. After spending so much time together, they understood Changle's character.

Kind, benevolent, leading from the front, approachable.

As for the mysterious Li Mo, now blind, he posed no threat.

With Changle keeping watch, the two could completely relax and sleep, ensuring they were in top condition for tomorrow's climb to the summit.

They would meet the supreme Immortal, the protector of Shenzhou, the undisputed number one martial artist for centuries, the immortal being they, as ordinary mortals, could only look up to.

By then, a casual act of kindness from the Immortal would be enough to transform their lives, elevating them to unimaginable heights.

Kings and emperors who met the Immortal would enjoy longevity, and their dynasties would flourish.

Those who failed to meet the Immortal would either die prematurely or lose their kingdoms, never meeting a peaceful end.

Those seeking medicine would return with their wishes fulfilled, perhaps even obtaining a divine medical text, saving countless lives and earning endless honors and accolades.

Changle scratched the back of his head awkwardly, twitching his lips, and thought for a moment before replying, "There's no need for a formal visit. The paths of the martial world are vast. We will meet again if fate wills it."

The black-clad guards remained silent, but the corners of their mouths curled upwards beneath their helmets.

A formal visit? No need for that.

Li Mo, however, had noticed something crucial. Changle had said that ordinary demons and evil spirits wouldn't target him. Did he possess some kind of Bizzare item?

If such an item truly existed, Li Mo would have to consider how to trade for it fairly.

After all, for an ordinary person who didn't actively court danger, a Bizzare item wasn't very useful. It would be better off in his hands.

The bustling night quieted down, everything returning to tranquility, as if the Bizzare incident they had just experienced had never occurred.

The ground was littered with dead black cats, emitting a pungent odor.

Changle sat quietly in the tree, occasionally glancing at the bright moon overhead. It seemed particularly radiant tonight.

Though the moonlight couldn't reach their resting place.

"Following Mingyue should be the right choice," Changle murmured softly, glancing back at Li Mo, who was resting with his eyes closed, and fell into a long silence.

He was still holding back, choosing to outsmart the demons rather than confront them directly.

Changle and his group had relied on sacrificing lives to get this far. When they encountered a demon, they would send someone to stall it while the others quickly escaped.

The martial artists would test the waters first. If they couldn't defeat the demon, they would use lives to buy time.

The first choice was always the ordinary people. They were the easiest to control and manipulate, powerless to resist. They had desires and, therefore, also things to lose.

The martial artists bringing ordinary people along had a price, something agreed upon before the ascent.

Most of those who faced the demons didn't survive. At least, Changle hadn't encountered any who did.

The appearance of a demon meant the loss of team members.

Tonight's situation…was it good luck?

Changle couldn't help but recall the events, feeling fortunate.

That demon hadn't been bloodthirsty, only targeting Mingyue after making eye contact.

It had left after Mingyue gouged out his own eyes.

It hadn't even considered the others as targets. It was very strange.

And only that one demon had appeared all night. Changle usually encountered four or five in a single night on previous expeditions, each encounter extremely dangerous, costing seven or eight lives.

"Was it really just luck?" Changle wondered.

So far, Mingyue's understanding of demons seemed deeper than theirs. Otherwise, he would have drawn his firearm and killed the Granny Cat-Face the moment they saw her.

In fact, they had been prepared to do just that. It was only because they saw Mingyue holding back that Changle had signaled the others to observe.

Otherwise, they might have lost a few more people tonight.

If the dangers they faced during the ascent were only like this, then reaching the summit of Taixu Mountain seemed almost certain.

As long as they reached the top, they could meet the Immortal and fulfill their desires.

It didn't seem difficult when he thought about it this way, but was it truly that easy?

Changle recalled Li Mo's words: The real danger is on the mountain.

But wasn't the Jingwei the Immortal, the strongest in the world, residing in the temple on the mountain? How could there be problems there?

Could it be that even the Jingwei the Immortal couldn't deal with the demons? Or was it…

"Easy to ascend, difficult to descend… but I have no way back before seeing the Immortal."

The next day, everyone woke up early, full of energy, except for Changle, who looked exhausted.

But she didn't need to lead; she just needed to follow the group.

Li Mo's eyes had also returned to normal, much to everyone's surprise, but every martial artist had their secrets. Healing eye injuries wasn't impossible.

Along the way, Li Mo led the group in a swift ascent, using the thermometer to avoid areas with Bizzare rules.

Without danger, they progressed very quickly.

The journey that was initially planned to take three days would now only take until tomorrow afternoon.

At night, everyone rested in the trees again. Changle arranged for her attendants to keep watch while she fell asleep.

Everything seemed normal.

The following afternoon, they reached the top of the Taixu Heavenly Path, arriving at the summit of Taixu Mountain.

Lush green trees and colorful flowers dotted the mountain range, like a vibrant painting. Winding streams, their waters crystal clear, encircled the mountains. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, creating shimmering spots on the water's surface.

Emerald green mountains surrounded them, with verdant pines and cypresses nestled within. Below lay a rolling valley, shrouded in mist, like a scene from a fairy tale. A gentle breeze caressed their faces, bringing a refreshing scent. Birds sang merrily, adding to the vitality of the valley…

A breathtakingly beautiful natural landscape…

A pink deer, limping, walked up to Li Mo. One of its antlers was cut in half, revealing the gruesome flesh beneath.

"An injured deer? How beautiful," Changle remarked curiously. She had only seen deer in books before.

She had never seen one in person. It was so beautiful, captivating her gaze.

"The scenery at the summit of Taixu Mountain is truly stunning. It's far more naturally beautiful than the palaces…the palaces in the mortal world."

Changle coughed lightly, looking around, sniffing the air, a soft expression on her face, filled with genuine admiration.

Confined within the city walls for so long, this was the first time she had experienced the beauty of the outside world.

A deer?

Li Mo's pupils constricted, staring at the battered Elysia, falling into a long silence.

Stunning scenery?

Li Mo looked around, rubbing his eyes, making sure he wasn't hallucinating.

Naturally beautiful?

Streams flowed with black blood, carrying white bones and severed limbs.

The fresh air everyone spoke of smelled to Li Mo like the stench of rotting sewage, acrid and nauseating.

Stomach acid rose in his throat, and Li Mo forced it back down with great effort.

Eyeballs grew among the colorful flowers. The lush forest was filled with twisted corpses.

A gray, desolate sky, polluted rivers, dilapidated houses, decaying trees, and a gloomy atmosphere…

It was hard to imagine this was the mountain where an Immortal resided.

Li Mo didn't think normal humans could survive long in such an environment. This meant… something was seriously wrong with the Jingwei the Immortal of this world.

Just as Li Mo was lost in his chaotic thoughts, an ethereal, light female voice pulled him back to reality.

That deer, no, that was a mutilated Elysia, covered in blood, her face incredibly haggard.

She reached out a trembling hand towards Li Mo, struggling to speak in an extremely weak voice:

"Mo… don't… look… up…"

"Leave… temple… don't… Hua's… gaze…"

"Fake… everyone… dead…"

"Run…"

The first few words were barely audible. The further she spoke, the more her voice faded, becoming increasingly abstract, incomprehensible to Li Mo.

Like the soft bleating of a deer, its meaning was lost on a human like him.

The last word, however, Li Mo heard clearly: Run.

"This deer seems to like you a lot, Mingyue. It keeps looking at you. Do you know it?" Changle asked.

"You jest. How could we newcomers possibly know this… livestock?"

A clear voice accompanied the sharp clang of a sword. A razor-sharp blade pierced the deer's chest. As if to prevent it from escaping again, Su Mei severed its limbs.

"Woo…Save… me…"

Elysia cried out, struggling.

But she was grabbed by the hair and dragged roughly across the ground.

Witnessing this, Li Mo couldn't help but clench his fists, cold sweat beading on his palms.

The sudden constriction of Li Mo's pupils caught the attention of the Seven Swords of Taixu.

A chilling voice whispered in his ear, "Does this young master have any dissatisfaction with our handling of this matter? Or perhaps…"

"Did you see something?"

The second sentence wasn't a question but a statement, a declaration of fact, forcing Li Mo to reveal any unnatural reactions.

Li Mo turned to look. The previously calm and gentle faces of the Seven Swords of Taixu had become grotesquely distorted. A withered, hairy arm emerged from one of their mouths. Two eyes weren't evenly spaced on either side of the nose but crowded together on one side.

Seeing this, the Seven Swords of Taixu surrounded Li Mo. He felt a chill run down his spine. His Bizzare Bud left hand trembled incessantly, as if reflecting his emotions.

"We are deeply honored that Elder Taixu has personally welcomed us."

"Elder Taixu is too kind. Brother Mingyue is the most perceptive among us, meticulous and cautious. If it weren't for him, we might not have been able to reach the summit and arrive at such a wonderful fairyland."

One of the martial artists stepped forward to explain, trying to leave a good impression on the Seven Swords of Taixu, even if it was just getting their faces recognized.

"Oh?"

The Seven Swords of Taixu looked at Li Mo with even stranger gazes. The arm emerging from the throat extended further, grabbing Li Mo's face, leaving five bloody handprints.

Li Mo didn't move a muscle.

From Changle and the others' perspective, the Seven Swords of Taixu valued Li Mo's talent and potential, hence their attentive observation.

They had heard that the Immortal would sometimes take exceptionally talented individuals as disciples, passing down supreme martial arts.

The Jingwei the Immortal had seven disciples, known as the Seven Swords of Taixu, six women and one man, each wielding a Xuanyuan Sword.

All seven swords were exceptionally gifted, having inherited Taixu Sword Qi. Whenever they entered the mortal world, they caused great waves in the martial arts community, leaving behind countless legends and anecdotes.

"Wonderful! Brother Mingyue might be chosen by the Immortal, becoming the eighth sword of Taixu! What kind of waves will that create in the martial world?"

The other martial artist's eyes were filled with envy.

"Don't… forget…"

The little deer let out a final cry, its bloodshot eyes fixed on Li Mo, its blood-soaked lips moving.

The next second, one of the Seven Swords of Taixu ended its life with a single sword strike.

"Apologies, everyone. Our livestock was being disobedient. Please settle down and rest for a while. We'll bring you a hearty meal later to compensate for your recent hardships," Su Mei said with a smile.

She then turned her head stiffly, scanning the group, her gaze finally locking onto Li Mo.

The arm from her throat tore at Li Mo's face.

"Do you all mind the sight of blood?"

"Of course not. We've slain demons and monsters along the way. We're not afraid of blood," the martial artist said respectfully.

"Good."

With that, Su Mei sliced open the deer's belly, its organs spilling out. "Come, follow me to your quarters. We'll prepare a welcoming feast for you."

Hearing this, the group followed the Seven Swords of Taixu with smiles.

But Li Mo also heard another sentence—

"It will be your turn soon…"

The grotesque face on the back of Su Mei's head spoke to someone unseen.

Li Mo kept his head down, staring at the floor with dead eyes, letting the black hand tear at his flesh.

This situation was similar to Yae Kasumi's illusory world. The Seven Swords of Taixu were definitely not human, yet they retained human behavior and consciousness.

This was extremely dangerous for Li Mo. Deceiving ghosts was easy, but deceiving humans required careful planning and every step taken with caution…

Fortunately, they were still bound by the Bizzare Entity's influence.

This Elysia was likely the Elysia of this world, not the Elysia he was familiar with.

She was being kept captive on Taixu Mountain. Why?

A terrifying thought crossed Li Mo's mind. If Elysia could be imprisoned, then what about the other MANTISes, other Flame-Chasers…

Thinking of this, Li Mo raised his head slightly and saw the second face on the back of Su Mei's head, its mouth split in a hungry, crazed grin.

She wanted to devour him.

Li Mo didn't dare to meet her gaze, keeping his head down as he moved forward.