Chapter 160: Husband, It Hurts So Much

Bai Chuchu’s laughter made Lu Bai’s skin crawl.

At that moment, he couldn’t care less about vanquishing evil or collecting Soul Light.

He just wanted to get away from this Ghost Bride as quickly as possible.

If he could defeat her, he would. If not, he’d have to back down.

There was no shame in backing down when faced with an uncanny, terrifying creature like this.

It was better than losing his life.

"Miss, since you’re laughing so happily, you must think I have a point."

Lu Bai forced a smile. "So, since we’re even and neither of us owes the other anything, I... I’ll just get out of your hair and be on my way."

Bai Chuchu looked aggrieved and reluctant, a hint of sorrow in her eyes. She sighed mournfully, "We just completed our wedding vows, but we haven’t even entered the bridal chamber. Is my husband going to leave me already?"

Lu Bai jumped in fright.

Just exchanging a few words with this Ghost Bride was terrifying.

If he actually went through with the consummation, he’d probably be scared to death. Both of his heads would completely shut down.

Lu Bai could only brace himself and say, "I’m not feeling my best today. Next time. Definitely next time."

"Really?"

Bai Chuchu’s face lit up, her cheeks flushing. She looked both shy and expectant.

"Mhm."

Lu Bai nodded repeatedly.

Just a moment ago, Bai Chuchu had been overjoyed, but her expression soured in an instant. She looked at Lu Bai mournfully. "But even as you’re about to leave, husband, you still won’t call me—Chuchu—your wife."

Hearing that Bai Chuchu was relenting and might let him leave, Lu Bai gritted his teeth, steeled himself, and called out softly, "Wife."

"Yes!"

Bai Chuchu beamed and answered at once.

"Then it’s a deal. No taking it back. I’m really leaving now, alright?"

Lu Bai cleared his throat. Not daring to turn his back on her, he kept facing Bai Chuchu and began inching away, watching her reaction.

Bai Chuchu showed no sign of stopping him, merely watching with a beaming smile.

Out of the corner of his eye, Lu Bai glanced at the coffin nearby and asked tentatively, "I’m taking a friend with me. You don’t mind, do you?"

Bai Chuchu shook her head gently, looking very docile.

For a moment, Lu Bai felt a sense of surrealism.

It was as if he wasn’t facing a terrifying Ghost Bride, but the simple, innocent girl Bai Chuchu had once been, returned from the dead.

But he quickly snapped out of it.

’Don’t be a fool.’

Lu Bai took a deep breath, hopped into the coffin, and lifted He Liangzhi out.

The movement caused He Liangzhi to groan, showing signs of waking.

Lu Bai quickly clamped a hand over He Liangzhi’s mouth.

’Can’t have any more complications right now.’

As Lu Bai was about to leave with He Liangzhi, he couldn’t help but glance back at Bai Chuchu, his heart aching at the loss.

Fifty-six Five Emperors Coins lay scattered on the ground, and the Cyan Cloud Sword was still embedded in Bai Chuchu’s chest.

’This was a huge loss.’

Lu Bai wanted to retrieve them but feared Bai Chuchu might suddenly change her mind.

The Ghost Bride was utterly unpredictable. Her mood could shift from joy to sorrow to rage in the span of a single thought.

"Husband, you left your sword behind."

Just as Lu Bai was about to leave, Bai Chuchu suddenly called out to him.

’Does she mean I can get the Cyan Cloud Sword back?’

’Could it really be my lucky day?’

Lu Bai was secretly overjoyed.

He set He Liangzhi aside and put on the most amiable smile he could muster. "Miss, you’re truly..."

Before Lu Bai could finish his praise, Bai Chuchu’s expression changed. She said mournfully, "Husband, you used the wrong name."

"W...ife!"

Lu Bai swallowed the rest of his flattering words. He had no choice but to back down and say it.

What was a little humiliation compared to getting his Cyan Cloud Sword back?

Lu Bai walked over to Bai Chuchu and feigned surprise at the sight of the Five Emperors Coins on the ground. "Oh my, look at all these coins! It’d be a waste not to pick them up."

Lu Bai snuck a glance at Bai Chuchu. Seeing that she didn’t seem to mind, he breathed a quiet sigh of relief and knelt to pick up the Five Emperors Coins one by one.

’These things are effective, but collecting them is a real pain.’

’I need to gather a hundred and eight Five Emperors Coins as soon as possible and fashion them into the Five Emperors Gold Coin Sword. That’ll make things much more convenient.’

After pocketing all the Five Emperors Coins, Lu Bai stood up and looked at the Cyan Cloud Sword protruding from Bai Chuchu’s chest.

"Wife, forgive me."

Lu Bai said, then grasped the hilt of the Cyan Cloud Sword and pulled lightly.

"Husband, that hurts."

Bai Chuchu’s delicate brows furrowed in pain.

Lu Bai’s heart skipped a beat. His hand trembled, and he didn’t dare pull any further.

’Who knew if the pain would make this Ghost Bride swat him into oblivion.’

After a moment, Bai Chuchu’s brow smoothed, and she nodded at Lu Bai.

"I’ll be gentler?"

"Mhm."

Only after Bai Chuchu agreed did Lu Bai dare to grip the hilt of the Cyan Cloud Sword again and slowly draw it out.

There wasn’t a single trace of blood on the blade.

However, a sword wound was now visible on Bai Chuchu’s chest, piercing her Red Robe and revealing a patch of crimson beneath.

"There."

Lu Bai let out a long sigh of relief.

That simple act of drawing the sword had left him drenched in a cold sweat, more exhausted than he had been after his battle with the Corpse Refining Sect Cultivator.

"Well, I’ll be going now."

Lu Bai cupped his fist and began backing away.

When he saw that Bai Chuchu wasn’t going to stop him, he scooped up He Liangzhi, called to the Black Dog, and sprinted down the mountain.

The Black Dog, who had been sitting there, glanced once at Bai Chuchu before turning to follow Lu Bai.

Lu Bai kept looking back as he ran.

On the summit, Bai Chuchu stood alone in her phoenix crown and wedding veil, gazing in his direction from afar, but she didn’t give chase.

Only after he had fled for several miles and could no longer see a trace of her figure did Lu Bai’s racing heart begin to settle.

Lu Bai slowed his pace. Recalling what had just happened, he was overcome with a sense of unreality.

’That Ghost Bride just let him go so easily?’

’Was it really because of a bit of smooth-talking?’

’A man’s words are a ghost’s deceit. Fight fire with fire... fight a ghost with sweet lies?’

After being jostled about during the frantic escape, He Liangzhi slowly began to stir in Lu Bai’s arms.

Even knowing that the He Liangzhi in his arms was the real one, Lu Bai still chose to carry the grown man rather than put him on his back.

’The last time he’d carried someone on his back had left him with some serious trauma.’

He Liangzhi opened his eyes and gave Lu Bai a strange look.

"Brother He, are you all right?"

Lu Bai asked.

He was still running, his gaze fixed forward as he carried He Liangzhi, so he didn’t see his companion’s odd expression.

He Liangzhi took stock of his condition and shook his head. "I’m fine, just weak. I’ve troubled you, Brother Lu."

"We really cheated death this time. Barely made it out alive."

Lu Bai said with a sigh.

Hearing this, He Liangzhi opened his mouth as if to say something, but then stopped.

Lu Bai glanced back at the Black Dog and Ah Ming trailing behind him.

Ah Ming, who had been hiding its head under its wing, had finally lifted it again.

"Useless."

Lu Bai couldn’t help but grouse, "I’ve heard of cowardly turtles that hide in their shells, but never a cowardly rooster. You should learn from Ah Mo over there. He’s always calm and composed in a crisis."

"BWAK!"

Ah Ming clucked in discontent, cocking its head to look at Lu Bai with an expression of utter disdain.

It was as if the rooster was mocking him, suggesting Lu Bai hadn’t been so brave himself a moment ago.

After running for a while longer, the sound of tearing fabric suddenly cut through the air from behind them. Something was approaching at an incredible speed!

Lu Bai’s heart leaped in alarm.

’Did the Ghost Bride change her mind and come after us?’