CHAPTER 475: 469

"Wow, I initially feared you might flee, but it seems you have some courage."

Even Hu Ma, who was on horseback, was somewhat surprised. The blade in his hand was originally aimed at the maid nearby, but seeing the Second Young Master Meng approach, he simply exerted more force. The blade emitted a sinister, resonant sound as it chopped straight down towards the Second Young Master of the Meng family.

In an instant, the inherent malevolence of the blade caused the cutting wind to turn pitch-black, like a raging squall.

That Second Young Master Meng was almost immediately engulfed by the blade.

Nobody knew what skill he possessed, but rushing forward empty-handed to seize the blade was simply laughable.

Hu Ma could not imagine, at such close range, how anyone could use their bare hands to forcibly take his Entering the Mansion Shousui blade.

CRACK! CRACK!

But Hu Ma also hadn’t expected that when the Second Young Master Meng reached for his blade, he made no contact with its edge; he wasn’t even close.

Yet, amidst the howling ghostly winds, decayed, withered hands suddenly appeared out of the air around him, grasping at his blade. Some even reached for his arms and face.

It was as if he had suddenly fallen into a nest of ghosts, surrounded by a chilling, putrid aura. These hands weren’t just trying to seize his blade, his weapon; their extreme malevolence and filth could also contaminate his Magical Treasures and even directly rip out a person’s Divine Soul.

"Is this the ability of negative spirit people?"

This sudden change instantly sent a warning jolt through Hu Ma’s heart.

He had only recently Entered the Mansion, and the abilities he’d gained there were acquired through a major shortcut.

Much of his understanding was still at the level of an Ascension Shousui. Yet, he immediately recognized the terrifying nature of this Second Young Master Meng’s methods.

It was fair to say that if he hadn’t Entered the Mansion, if he were still as he was when he first arrived at the blood food mine, this Second Young Master Meng would have seized his weapon at their first encounter. He might even have had his Divine Soul torn out and dragged into the underworld.

One cannot underestimate the abilities of negative spirit people!

Shousui men are notoriously dangerous in close quarters, but that didn’t mean no one could engage them up close—the negative spirit people were an example.

A Shousui man’s skills are all part of his own being. For negative spirit people, however, their power isn’t even their own; they themselves can be considered weapons or Magical Treasures wielded by other entities in the human world.

But unlike Shousui men, not all negative spirits could fight. Only those within this Path who specialized in inviting ghosts to possess them, borrowing Mana through the Human Candle Technique, could engage in duels.

Previously, Hu Ma had dueled with the Negative Spirit child of a green-clothed evil ghost and witnessed its ferocious and bizarre nature. During combat, it became frenzied and reckless, even winking and grimacing at him after its head was chopped off.

Young Master Meng wouldn’t learn such despicable skills, but this attack of his was suffused with ghost qi, its mysterious and treacherous nature at least two or three leagues beyond that of the green-clothed child.

"Get lost!"

However unexpected this was, Hu Ma was prepared. He let out a sudden, sharp roar.

The malevolent energy on his blade surged, instantly shattering the arms and hands grasping at it. As for those clawing at his body, he paid them no mind; the Soul Power emanating from him was enough to protect himself.

Mastering the Great Mighty Sky General Seal Technique was indeed mystical. To put it simply, it greatly strengthened the Divine Soul, which then manifested a phantom projection around the body for protection.

It had many wondrous uses, the most practical being that many demonic techniques couldn’t even reach his body before being deflected.

This member of the demon people has some skill! When we Meng family members act, ghostly gods accompany us. We can even use little ghosts to tear apart a Dharma Form cultivated by an Entering the Mansion Shousui. Yet, this man isn’t afraid and simply dispersed it?

Witnessing this, Young Master Meng paused, his gaze fixed intently on Hu Ma.

Facing the terrifying, rolling wave of blade light, he remained unflustered. He twisted and stepped back, and a pitch-black ghostly hand emerged beside him, offering a weapon.

It was a long spear forged from hundred-refined steel, its head shaped like a ghost. The ghost’s mouth was open, its bright red tongue stretched out straight, forming the spear’s point. He held the spear with both hands, his stance imposing and disciplined. With a powerful thrust, the spear shot out like a dragon.

As a Shousui, Hu Ma’s reflexes were extremely fast, and his spatial awareness was keen. With a slight shift of his body, he dodged the spear.

But the bright red tongue suddenly twitched, whipping back to coil around his neck.

The evil ghost on the spear tip even cackled, thinking it had succeeded.

"So full of ghost qi. Do these Meng family people even attach evil ghosts to their weapons?"

But as a Shousui, armed with his Evil Blade, why would he fear such a thing? He backhanded, grabbing at the eerie tongue, his palm filled with ardent, yang energy, faintly revealing several runes.

He had already employed his trump card, the Big Stone Breaking Hand, which specialized in countering such ghastly things. He seized the demonic red tongue, and only upon closer inspection did he realize it was the spear tip.

TSSSS!

This scarlet spear tip, made of some unknown material, actually sizzled and smoked in his grip, and a sound like the wailing of a fierce ghost faintly emerged. Seizing this opportunity, Hu Ma struck with his blade again, slashing diagonally at Young Master Meng’s head.

"Huh?"

Young Master Meng was clearly surprised. His body moved as if boneless, retreating as he forcefully pulled back the spear.

Hu Ma was on horseback, while Meng was on the ground, clearly at a disadvantage. Yet, Meng didn’t retreat; instead, he charged forward again.

In an instant, sparks flew. The clash of spear and blade produced piercing, resonant clangor.

In terms of sheer martial skill, they exchanged several rounds, and Young Master Meng didn’t lose out. He even seemed to gain momentum, his fighting spirit growing fiercer as he shouted, "Bowing to ghosts, carving our bones to learn skills! Do you think we Meng family members acquired our abilities easily?"

"I, too, have diligently practiced martial arts since childhood, sparring with three Entering the Mansion Shousui men daily to learn techniques and strategy! You think a rural member of the demon people like you can best me in spear techniques?"

"..."

Amidst his fierce shouts, he delivered strike after strike, each aimed at Hu Ma’s vital points. The peculiar spear tip, with its red tongue like a coiling serpent, was especially dangerous, constantly trying to entangle its opponent, making it incredibly hard to defend against.

What puzzled Meng, however, was that the man on horseback, though his blade attacks were ferocious, had a horse beneath him that would occasionally thrust its large head towards his spear, as if loyally trying to shield its master.

Being on the ground, Meng was already at a disadvantage. There was a saying in battle, "to get the rider, first shoot the horse," but he didn’t dare try it. He feared that if his spear pierced the horse’s body and his spear play was disrupted, the rider would seize the opportunity to land a blow on him.

I’ve underestimated these Meng family disciples. Not all of them are pampered dandies; some actually possess real skills.

After these few exchanges, Hu Ma was also slightly surprised. He realized that although this young master’s skills seemed rather ghastly and unorthodox compared to a Shousui man’s, they were genuinely honed through hard work.

As for his own skills, taught by the reclusive expert Second Master Zhou of Old Yin Mountain and later by Shopkeeper Wu Hong of the Red Lantern Lady’s Club, they added up to...

...a standard Jianghu third-rate expert!

In terms of pure martial prowess, even the Shousui martial artists hired to train this Young Master Meng were probably better than him.

As for the trump cards he’d obtained from the Dongzi Li Family, those fell into the category of special abilities.

Thinking this, a strange thought crossed his mind: Damn it, compared to him, am I the one with the unorthodox training?

SWOOSH!

As he pondered, the Second Young Master Meng, Meng Sili, fought with increasing ferocity. The resentment from his two major losses against the people in the town earlier was now being vented in this duel. His surrounding ghost qi surged, and his face twisted into a ferocious, hideous expression.

With a WHOOSH, the Ghost Spear in his hand vibrated intensely, whirling into a circle. The sinister, evil energy around him instantly expanded forward, looking like a writhing black cloud as it bore down viciously on Hu Ma’s face.

Hu Ma’s eyes turned cold. He brought his Evil Blade across, executing a Banlan Hammer move with the blade. The body of the blade collided with the spear tip, instantly creating a fierce gust of wind and an unending series of clangs.

The Master Ma beneath him, which had stretched its head towards the spear, was suddenly jolted back several steps with a series of stumbles. Hu Ma’s blade also flew upward; he sank his body to help Master Ma regain its footing, then held the blade across his chest.

"Heh heh..."

Having gained the upper hand, Young Master Meng sneered coldly, "So, you’re just a common mortal whose cultivation has yet to break the Three Column Tao..."

"With such meager skills, you dare boast of killing me?"

"..."

With a fierce shout, he thrust his spear. It moved like a rolling black dragon as he charged forward. Brimming with confidence now, he saw this beef-abstaining member of the demon people as the perfect opponent to hone his skills against.

Is this the gap between me and the Meng family disciples?

Facing the opponent’s ferocious spear thrust, Hu Ma raised his blade to block, silently pondering.

In his years of roaming the jianghu, he had encountered many formidable enemies. Yet, with his Three Incense cultivation, which amounted to Sixty Years of Skill—a rarity in the jianghu—he had often been able to gain the upper hand.

But now, fighting this Young Master Meng, he had suffered a great disadvantage. The gap between Jianghu Grass and the disciples of aristocratic families was starkly evident at this moment.

When the mountain lord had asked before, he’d disdainfully retorted that those aristocratic disciples didn’t have an extra head. Looking at it now, damn, they really did seem to have an extra head...

However, fierce they may be, they’re also rather predictable...

But as he blocked with his blade, understanding gradually dawned on him. He also saw that he had bought enough time and attracted enough attention. On the distant hillside, Little Hongtang had quietly raised her red lantern, signaling "OK" back and forth.