I calculated the timing, observing the surrounding situation.
This was the only chance to blend in.
Any slip-up or mistake could put everyone in danger.
Not to mention that I, bearing a death curse, wouldn't live for more than two days anyway.
However, I couldn't implicate my Uncle-Master, Old Mo, Aunt Yunxia, or Xia Qiu Xi, my elders, friends, and kin, because of myself.
It wasn't just for me, but for everyone's lives.
This was why I was so cautious.
In the blink of an eye, about twelve minutes had passed.
Another patrol of zombies would appear in three minutes.
Therefore, it was time for us to move.
"Uncle-Master, Aunt Yunxia, it's time..."
Everyone was already poised for action.
Hearing me speak, they all nodded:
"Alright, I'll lead the way. Little Qin, you jump in the middle, Little Mo, you bring up the rear.
Everyone hold your breath, absolutely no breathing.
Don't even move your eyeballs.
Yunxia and Qiu Xi, you follow behind!"
"Okay, Uncle-Master."
"Alright, Master."
"Brother Tang, let's go!"
"..."
Several people chimed in with agreement.
Then, Uncle-Master, without hesitation, checked if his spiritual artifacts and talismans hidden in his clothes were securely fastened.
The rest were led by Aunt Yunxia and Xia Qiu Xi.
Taking a deep breath, Uncle-Master, like a zombie, leaped directly out of the bushes.
Old Mo and I quickly followed, also leaping out.
After seeing us leave, Aunt Yunxia and Xia Qiu Xi slightly bent their waists and also moved out of the bushes.
They were disguised as old women.
Both were slightly hunched, with pockmarked faces, looking quite unappetizing.
Thus, Uncle-Master jumped ahead, and Old Mo and I followed behind.
Aunt Yunxia and Xia Qiu Xi followed closely.
"Thump, thump, thump..."
The distance grew shorter.
Twenty meters, ten meters...
At this moment, the eight skinless monsters patrolling the entrance spotted us.
"Woo woo woo," they cried, crawling towards us.
Looking at those eight skinless, blood-red monsters with long, forked tongues, swaying like large frogs,
I felt a strong sense of revulsion but knew they were not to be trifled with.
I couldn't reveal any flaws.
In a flash, those four-legged, skinless monsters surrounded us.
Aunt Yunxia, standing behind, like the demon priests before, shook her bell symbolically.
"Jingle, jingle."
Hearing this sound, we firmly planted our feet, remaining motionless.
We dared not even focus our pupils.
Those eight monsters, like dogs, sniffed all over us incessantly.
And the frequency of their sniffing was significantly higher than when they sniffed the real zombies before.
Fortunately, we were well-prepared. We had three Breath-Holding Talismans to suppress our vital energy and life force.
We had also held our breath long ago.
We were also wearing zombie skins, and holding the Yin Gathering Pearls, constantly releasing chilling Yin energy.
Therefore, despite those eight monsters sniffing us very carefully,
They hadn't discovered our abnormality so far.
Not far away, the two guardian demon priests looked towards us.
One of them, yawning, asked:
"Waist token; password."
Hearing this, Aunt Yunxia and Xia Qiu Xi, standing behind, skillfully took out their waist tokens.
In unison, suppressing their true voices, they spoke hoarsely:
"Under the eternal night, the moon shines upon the mountains and rivers!"
We thought that after Aunt Yunxia and Xia Qiu Xi answered, we would be let in.
But who knew, one of the demon priests suddenly added:
"Counter-password!"
This time, these two asked twice in a row.
Uncle-Master and the other two of us did not move rashly.
Aunt Yunxia and Xia Qiu Xi were also quite tense.
But they still raised their hands and replied:
"Supreme Black Demon, looking down on all beings."
A very chuunibyo, silly-sounding password.
After hearing it, those two demon priests nodded slightly and were about to wave their flags, preparing to let us in.
All of us were a little excited.
Were we going to blend in like this?
But damn it, something happened right at this crucial moment.
Outside the demonic palace, a piercing scream suddenly rang out.
"Ah..."
It was the scream of a female ghost, unusually shrill, echoing through the mountain forest.
Faintly, a surge of malevolent Yin energy also rose from within the mountain forest...
Hearing this sound, the eight skinless monsters surrounding us grumbled, "Ao ao,"
All lowering their heads, revealing fierce expressions.
They looked as if they were ready to attack us at any moment.
Seeing this, our hearts tightened.
We all became nervous. What happened?
Were we discovered?
Those two demon priests also ran forward a couple of steps.
"This alarm means something's wrong."
One of the demon priests said.
He looked towards the outside of the mountain forest.
"Who knows?"
"We heard before that the White Sect's sects had already entered the Misty Forest and were heading this way.
Could it be that these guys are attacking?"
"Who knows! But after the alarm, shouldn't we activate the formation to seal the gate?"
"..."
The two demon priests muttered, looking towards the direction of the female ghost's scream.
Listening to their discussion, we became even more flustered.
Especially when they mentioned activating the formation to seal the gate.
If the gate was sealed, how could we get in?
And it was likely that only a few of us had come here.
But now, there was a female ghost screaming.
And judging by the direction of the sound, it was from the direction we came from earlier.
I vaguely guessed that perhaps the bodies of the demon priests and zombies we killed had been discovered by patrolling female ghosts?
And if they didn't let us pass soon,
If we continued to linger here, and the gate was truly sealed.
Then the next zombie patrol would return.
When we ran into them, our identities would likely be exposed, and we wouldn't be able to enter the demonic palace.
I was worried.
Uncle-Master and Old Mo were also perplexed.
But disguised as zombies, we could do nothing but stand still at this moment.
But just then.
Aunt Yunxia, standing behind us, suddenly spoke hoarsely:
"We've been standing here for a long time.
Why aren't you letting us through yet?
Do you really think this old woman is air?"
Aunt Yunxia's voice was low and hoarse.
Moreover, her voice carried emotion, as if she were very angry.
Hearing this, my heart leaped.
Damn, Aunt Yunxia is so bold?
At this critical juncture, not only was she not hesitant, but she dared to take the initiative and question the guards.
Those two guards looked over upon hearing this.
They looked at Aunt Yunxia and Xia Qiu Xi.
Aunt Yunxia lowered her head slightly, looking very angry, her gaze seemingly murderous.
Seeing this, those two demon priests were also intimidated.
One of them said:
"Brother Mao, the alarm has sounded. Should we let them in?"
The demon priest called Brother Mao swallowed and said:
"I heard that the female cultivators recruited by the demonic palace this time are all fierce.
They all kill without blinking.
And they specialize in seducing men outside.
We are newcomers, and their positions in the sect are definitely higher than ours!
We can't afford to offend them. I think we should let them in, to avoid future trouble or being made to wear small shoes."
The two of them whispered a few words.
Aunt Yunxia heard them clearly, sneered, and pretended to be even angrier:
"What are you whispering about? Hurry up and let us in, so this old woman doesn't have to stand outside in the wind?"
As she spoke, she subtly released ripples of Dao energy, appearing ready to attack.
The four-legged monsters beside them became more agitated.
They lowered their heads further, growling "woo woo," ready to attack at any moment.
But those two demon priests were fooled by Aunt Yunxia's acting.
One of them waved his flag repeatedly:
"A bunch of evil creatures, what are you doing?
Hurry up and scatter, scatter!"
After saying this, he even walked over.
Hearing "scatter" and seeing the waving flag, the eight monsters quickly retreated.
As a result, one of them was even kicked by a demon priest.
It whimpered "woo woo" aggrievedly...
"Two Taoist nuns, my apologies. Please proceed quickly, the gate will be sealed soon."
After saying this, he made an inviting gesture.
Aunt Yunxia's acting was truly superb.
Perhaps she had experienced too much and seen too many storms.
In such a critical situation, she remained calm and could adapt on the spot.
At this moment, our hearts were in our throats.
But Aunt Yunxia did not reveal any flaws. Instead, she casually shook her bell.
"Jingle, jingle..."
Then, she glared at the two demon priests disdainfully:
"Hmph, this old woman remembers you two! Next time you come, be more prompt."
After saying this, she led Xia Qiu Xi forward with disdain.
We also jumped forward with our hands raised, like zombies.
And those demon priests were completely intimidated by Aunt Yunxia's aura.
They nodded and bowed, repeatedly answering, "Yes, yes, yes."
Not only did they not doubt her, but they became even more convinced that Aunt Yunxia
was one of those fierce, ugly, high-ranking female demon cultivators in the demonic palace, who specialized in seducing men outside...
ps: I apologize, brothers, I've been sick. I only managed to write this much today. Bowing, sorry, sorry.