As soon as Menstrual Bro caught that creepy sound drifting through the woods, his face totally changed. His eyes went wide, and he scooted closer to Cold Bro, his voice shaky as he whispered, "That noise... it's gotta be a Black Gold Cicada."
Cold Bro, cool as ever, shut his eyes and zeroed in on the sound. After a beat, he nodded, all calm but serious, "Yup, it's a Black Gold Cicada. Someone must've left it here recently."
Their talk about the cicada got me curious, so I jumped in, "What's a Black Gold Cicada anyway?"
Menstrual Bro, seeing I was clueless and knowing Cold Bro wouldn't bother explaining, took over. "It's some dark Miaojiang witchcraft. They take a dead fetus, stick a Black Gold Cicada in it, and soak it in special wine for 81 days. The two merge, and some can even talk like humans."
Hearing that, I felt a chill. The idea of something made from human remains was seriously creepy.
Then Menstrual Bro added, "Jinchan, remember our deal—you handle the spooky stuff. These freaky corpses and creatures are your thing."
Jinchan? So Cold Bro's real name was Jinchan. It reminded me of Tang Seng from "Journey to the West," whose original name was Jin Chan Zi.
Cold Bro nodded, his usual lazy vibe back as he kept walking. "Let's keep moving. Unless it's one of Miaojiang's top three witchcrafts, a Black Gold Cicada ain't a big deal."
His words made me feel better. Despite his cold front, it was clear Cold Bro was no pushover. From his tone, even the toughest witchcrafts were just bumps in the road.
Seeing Cold Bro's confidence, Menstrual Bro relaxed. We kept going, but soon Cold Bro stopped and warned, "We're close to the Palace of the Moon. Get out the Red Dragon. Otherwise, we might hit a ghost wall. We're in unknown territory, and getting lost could be deadly."
"Got it!" Menstrual Bro nodded and started digging through his bag.
Curiosity got me, and I had to ask, "What's the Red Dragon?"
Menstrual Bro, with a sly grin, tossed me a white thing wrapped in plastic. "You'll see," he said, smirking.
I caught it and unwrapped it, only to be confused and amused. "Why'd you give me a sanitary pad?" I asked, half-laughing.
"That's the Red Dragon. Stick it on your forehead. Evil stuff won't come near you," Menstrual Bro explained.
I opened it, and the sight almost made me gag. No Red Dragon—just a bloody pad.
"The Red Dragon's menstrual blood. It's super yin and evil, and it scares off spirits," Cold Bro cut in, casually sticking the bloody pad on his chest.
"But isn't it supposed to go on the forehead?" I asked, puzzled.
Cold Bro shot me a cold look and walked off without a word. Menstrual Bro burst out laughing, and I realized I'd been pranked.
Not wanting to be outdone, I played along and stuck the bloody pad on my chest.
As we walked, my curiosity grew. When Menstrual Bro got the Red Dragon, I noticed his bag was full of them. "Where'd you get so many Red Dragons?" I asked.
Menstrual Bro grinned, "I collected 'em from the ladies' room. Spent most of the day waiting outside, making sure no one was in there before I went in to grab 'em."
As we chatted, Cold Bro suddenly grabbed something and stood still, holding it. "What is it?" Menstrual Bro asked.
"Black Gold Cicada," Cold Bro replied, opening his hand to show a blackish thing.
I leaned in for a closer look. The Black Gold Cicada looked like a regular cicada but way bigger, almost the size of Cold Bro's palm. Its back had patterns like human faces, which twisted and contorted as it squirmed, making the faces look even more real, like they were screaming in pain.
I couldn't see any wounds on the cicada, but it was stuck in Cold Bro's hand, unable to escape. I was amazed at his skill, realizing there was a lot more to this world than I'd ever imagined.
However, Menstrual Bro's face went pale as he muttered, "That's one huge Black Gold Cicada..."
[
Here's the lowdown on Chapter Three, Volume Two, in the order stuff pops up:
Black Gold Cicada
- Secret Sauce:
- Pick a conjoined twin that kicked the bucket during the half-moon at Hai hour, gotta sync those cosmic vibes.
- Stick a male and female cicada in the fetus's fontanelle and dantian, balancing yin and yang like a pro.
- Soak 'em in five-poison wine for 49 days to make a killer combo.
- Lethal Moves:
- Wing flaps cause brain swelling, instant paralysis.
- Mouth goo is a neurotoxin that makes you trip balls and go nuts.
Red Dragon Seal
- How It Works:
- When period blood hits 45mg/dL iron, boom, "Blood Demon Field" blocks bad spirits.
- Pad fibers make a mini "Yin Locking Array," trapping negative vibes.
- Pro Tips:
- Slap it on the Zhongfu point to stop Yin energy from rising, keeping you safe.
- Change it at 7 p.m. sharp, or the trapped spirits might bite back.
Golden Cicada Hand
- The cool brother's trick to handle evil bugs:
- Palm's got the "卍" symbol to zap evil spirits, calling in divine backup.
- Knuckles are coated in corpse wax to block bug venom, keeping the user safe.
- Training Hacks:
- Practice on a cold jade bed at -20℃, toughening up against the freeze.
- Soak hands in mercury daily for three months, making 'em toxin-proof.
Ghost-Face Cicada Pattern
- The Black Gold Cicada's backstory:
- The human face is the host's death grimace, capturing their last agony.
- Each wrinkle is a deadly poison, making it a lethal weapon.
- Danger Levels:
- Three-pattern cicada: wipes out a village in hours.
- Six-pattern cicada: destroys a city overnight.
- Nine-pattern cicada: needs 10,000 blood sacrifices, unleashing chaos.
Yin Moon Lock
- Yin Moon Palace's defense:
- Door rings are interlocking clasps, need to be hit just right.
- Steps hide a magnetic array of 28 Lunar Mansions, creating a mind-bending maze.
- Mess Up and:
- Floor tiles spray acid, melting intruders.
- Beams and columns drop Dragon-Breaking Stone, crushing everything.
The Cicada Shed Array
- Miao frontier's power move:
- 900 cicada sheds make a Nine Palace Soul-Confusing Array, messing with intruders.
- Each shed has a dead person's soul, boosting the array's power.
- How to Beat It:
- Find the one "living shed" among 900, takes serious focus.
- Touch its compound eye with tongue-tip blood, breaking the array.
Three Deadly Trials in the Yin Palace
- Taiyin Palace's ultimate test:
- Midnight: "Hundred Demons Carrying a Coffin" tests your guts.
- 1 a.m.: "Blood Pool Fountain" challenges your resolve.
- 3 a.m.: "Corpse-Disintegrating Immortal" pushes you to the limit.
- Survival Tips:
- Don't stare at the wall paintings, they'll drive you mad.
- Don't touch the bronze lamps, they're spirit conduits.
Nine Ranks of the Witch Doctor
- Miaojiang's hierarchy:
- Lower Three Ranks: handle bug infestations.
- Middle Three Ranks: deal with complex spiritual issues.
- Upper Three Ranks: manage the most dangerous entities.
- ID Marks:
- Collar silver ornaments: three/six/nine, showing rank.
- Waist belt patterns: snake/toad/scorpion, showing expertise.
These notes show how Miaojiang witchcraft and Tibetan Buddhism are intertwined, creating a wild world where "insects and Buddhas" balance each other. Each concept dives into the brutal cycle of life and death, setting the stage for the epic showdown in the Taiyin Palace. Mixing modern science with ancient witchcraft, it's a trip.
]