CHAPTER 347: CHAPTER 344: AUNT STARTS SETTING UP THE ALTAR (FIRST UPDATE)

"Did I teach that?"

Aunt Zhang’s head was in a whirl, but seeing the smile on Hu Ma’s face, she suddenly realized. Did I really teach him that? But back then, I only taught him the most basic dharma method as an emergency measure. The reason he could set up the altar and invite spirits was that the Red Lantern Lady in our guild was kind and generous. How could this little shopkeeper take it so seriously?

Hu Ma didn’t explain. He had already taken various items from Little Hongtang’s hands and swiftly arranged them around him—a fire basin, straw effigies, and rice scattered haphazardly.

When she saw him insert three incense sticks into the ground and place an oil lamp before him, truly about to start setting up the altar, Aunt Zhang couldn’t hold back. "Where did you find these sinister suppression objects? This altar... this altar doesn’t feel right!"

"You’re a Shousui man. Setting up an altar that carries malevolent energy, and then using such malevolent suppression objects—aren’t you... aren’t you just asking for big trouble?"

"..."

Hu Ma paused, then smiled. The woman before him was his Master in the ghost path. If his Master said his altar wasn’t right, then of course, it wasn’t right.

He chuckled and said, "I indeed haven’t mastered it yet. How about you set up this altar personally, Aunt?"

Aunt Zhang was momentarily stunned.

"Yes," Hu Ma said. "That Evil Ghost offended you, Aunt. It’s most fitting for you to set up the altar and capture it. Besides, don’t worry about not being able to handle him. Seventh Aunt is watching us right now, isn’t she?"

Hearing herself mentioned, Seventh Aunt immediately beamed, nodding at Aunt Zhang to show she was indeed watching.

Aunt Zhang was incredibly excited. She had initially resolved to capture the Evil Ghost even if it meant dying, but she had failed. Who would have thought things would take such a turn, and this opportunity would now be waiting for her?

With my own Mana, and even with the suppression objects and Imperial Decrees left by Zhensui Mansion, I couldn’t capture that Evil Ghost. How could I possibly capture it by simply setting up an altar?

Yet, this mysterious old lady was watching her. Remembering how she had berated the Five Evil Ghosts earlier, Aunt Zhang felt a glimmer of hope ignite in her heart. Maybe it’s really possible? This mysterious old lady, capable of scolding the Five Evil Ghosts, clearly has an extraordinary background. Her level of cultivation is so profound that even I can’t see through it... In my eyes, she surprisingly doesn’t seem to have much cultivation at all. This can only mean my own Mana is too shallow to perceive her true depth.

Looking around, the area was thick with a rolling baleful aura. The sounds of battle thundered in the distance, experts were dueling within the village, and the wails of countless ghosts filled the air. It was an extremely perilous place, more treacherous than where the two-headed snake had appeared, certainly not an ideal spot for setting up an altar.

But Aunt Zhang possessed a fierce disposition. The more critical the situation, the less she hesitated. Nodding firmly, she declared, "Then let me set up this altar and capture that Evil Ghost! I..."

"Even if it means perishing with it, I am willing!"

"..."

As she spoke, she quickly utilized the items Hu Ma had brought out, arranging them in the most orthodox manner. She originally had her own set of tools but hadn’t brought them, knowing they would be ineffective against the Five Evil Ghosts.

Using Hu Ma’s preparations worked just as well, though the arrangement was different. The altar Aunt Zhang set up was meticulously orderly and exuded a stern solemnity. As she lit the oil lamp, her expression became intensely focused, and she began to murmur:

"Heavenly spirits, earthly spirits, human spirit, divine incarnations."

"I pay homage, inviting the Five Evil Ghosts. I respectfully ask the Five Evil Ghosts to descend upon this Magic Altar. With profound gratitude and generous offerings, I thank you for gracing us with your presence!"

"..."

After finishing the incantation, she suddenly raised one hand, while with the other, she plucked the copper hairpin from her hair and slashed it across her palm. Clenching her fist, fresh blood dripped before the altar.

The little shopkeeper, after all, isn’t a true Ghost Walker; he’s inexperienced. The suppression objects he prepared are incomplete, lacking an offering. But Aunt Zhang had no inclination to search for one, so she directly cut her palm to offer her blood.

As for the incantation to invite the Five Evil Ghosts, it was uttered with utmost deference, adhering to the rules of the Ghost Walker Path: regardless of the purpose of the summoning, the entity must be shown complete respect.

WHOOSH...

The Magic Altar was established, and a chilling wind swept past. Aunt Zhang felt a flicker of astonishment. She had initially thought that setting up an altar in such a perilous place would instantly drain half her life. Yet, as the altar came together, it felt surprisingly effortless.

She glanced at Seventh Aunt beside her, suspecting she might be helping. Seeing the old woman smiling calmly, not a hint of worry on her face, Aunt Zhang’s heart immediately settled.

"With the Emperor’s Mandate present, no matter how ominous or baleful this place appears, it’s actually excellent feng shui," Hu Ma observed from the side, having quietly retreated a few steps. "Aunt, by setting up the altar this time, your cultivation should greatly advance!"

Simultaneously, he murmured to himself, "Heaven as my witness, Earth as my proof. Mortals, do not open your eyes; spirits and gods, do not linger."

"Warriors from the Eight Directions, heed my decree! Soldiers upon the altar, obey my command! Swiftly apprehend the Five Evil to face me! For razing mountains and felling temples, they shall receive their punishment!"

"My word is edict! My edict is law!"

"Go!"

"..."

"..."

In that instant, fierce winds swirled around the altar, and a stern, solemn aura permeated the space. Even Aunt Zhang was startled by the commotion, her gaze fixed on the altar.

The two straw effigies Hu Ma had made suddenly stirred.

Vaguely, they transformed into two imposing, soap-clad Warriors, who turned and bowed to Hu Ma. Then, they strode forward, out of the Mansion Gate, and headed directly towards Yellow Dog Village.

Wherever they passed, an imposing pressure shook the hearts of all. Not only did the evil spirits, forcibly gathered by the Five Evil Ghosts for the ’joyous feast’, feel an overwhelming majesty and fall to their knees, not daring to lift their heads, but even the ancestral tablets enshrined by the villagers turned to face the walls.

「...」

「...」

"How dared he?"

At that moment, the Five Evil God could not see what Hu Ma did after leaving the battlefield, but he sensed the changes in the slaughter field. This change alone was enough to send him into a rage.

Yet, if one listened closely, this anger seemed more like a facade, concealing his fear.

That ill-fated boy can’t bear such a heavy destiny! For him to meddle in such affairs is, for a Guest like me, a suicidal act. The slaughter field, in some inexplicable way, will kill that tiny negative spirit person who got involved. But even though I can’t see what Hu Ma is doing, I can sense the shifts in fate. For Hu Ma, it was merely catching an arrow and gifting a saber. But for me, it felt as if he suddenly evaded the fatal calamity brought by the surging baleful qi. Not only that, his fortune immediately began to rise, already suppressing the portion of baleful qi I had unleashed. I can even sense that after overcoming this trial, his momentum has soared. There are faint signs of him being blessed by the Five Fortunes, already suppressing the baleful qi I brought forth.

"I’ve told you, you lack the vision..."

The mountain lord, standing beside him, seemed to be enjoying the Five Evil God’s predicament. Since the Five Evil God had appeared, the mountain lord hadn’t truly engaged him in a fight, nor had he broken any rules. But not fighting didn’t stop him from speaking his mind.

"In your eyes, that’s an Emperor’s Mandate. But to the Ten Surnames, it’s merely an artifact. Once created, it can break your Five Evil Formation. You’ve schemed and plotted for so long to probe their foundations. Looking at it now, how has that worked out for you?"

"..."

The Five Evil God, who had been so fierce and terrifying before, seemed to lose all that ferocity at this moment. His previous menacing demeanor now appeared to have been just an act.

In the eyes of those on the Path, the Emperor is not an emperor but an artifact. I used Biebao for Evil Creation, stirring up this chaotic situation, thinking it was a naturally perfect place for cultivation. Yet, the other side also created an artifact, and it countered everything I did.

Since it was the truth, he didn’t snarl or roar. Instead, his eyes turned sinister as he looked at the mountain lord. "This doesn’t seem like something their family would do..."

"That’s why I said you left too early," the mountain lord retorted coolly, glancing at him. His tone softened slightly as he continued, "You truly don’t know what kind of person the Hu Family’s descendant is."

"I can also tell you, that kid..."

He paused for a moment before adding quietly, "Sometimes, when he gets ruthless, even I feel a little intimidated..."

"So what?"

The Five Evil God sounded as if a raw nerve had been struck, his voice suddenly turning savage and vehement. "Even if you’ve figured it out now, it’s too late! The Hu Family is already in decline. No matter what he does now, he’s doomed to die. Do you think the Ten Surnames will tolerate him?"

"When the Hu surname is eradicated, even you will be implicated!"

"..."

"Indeed," the mountain lord said, looking at him coldly, his voice low. "You only see that the Ten Surnames cannot tolerate him. But have you ever considered whether the Ten Surnames can do without him?"

"You..."

The Five Evil God seemed to have his deepest fears and furies ignited, and his baleful qi surged violently.

But no one could have anticipated it. Amidst the furious roaring, Son-in-law Wei, standing within the green canopy, suddenly collapsed. From his seven orifices, a stream of black baleful qi erupted.

The long-sealed dry well in Yellow Dog Village suddenly exploded. A cloud of black smoke rushed into it, and filthy water began to gush out continuously.

The Five Evil God, however, was nowhere to be seen; he had vanished completely.

Given the Five Evil God’s immense cultivation, his brief descent was more than Son-in-law Wei’s body could withstand. As the God departed, Son-in-law Wei instantly turned into a desiccated skeleton, drained of all blood and flesh, and collapsed lifelessly to the ground.

He had descended here, borrowing Son-in-law Wei’s body to rage and curse. But in reality, he had never truly clashed with the mountain lord, let alone the Hu Family descendant outside the village who had yet to show himself. His Mana remained entirely unscathed.

His Five Evil Formation had been broken by the Emperor’s Mandate. He conceded the duel of Magic and, without the slightest hesitation, decided to leave immediately.

Naturally, having departed now, he could not return unless summoned by an altar envoy.

It was equivalent to a devastating defeat, yet, in truth, he hadn’t suffered any substantial loss.

The Guest intended to leave and used the well as his escape route. At this point, even the azure canopy that had cordoned off the entire village could not stop him, and the mountain lord had no intention of trying.

The mountain lord merely tilted his head towards the night sky, sighing softly. "I told you, you’re not smart enough..."

"You want to flee the moment things look bad? Did you really think you came here just for a duel—to show off if you win, and simply admit defeat and leave if you lose?"

"From the very beginning, they intended to kill you to make an example..."