CHAPTER 487: CHAPTER 481: GO BACK

Outside Shima Town, a billowing ghostly wind spread across the ground, while rows of eerie armored soldiers advanced in unison.

Layers of pressure descended. The earth trembled, and the mountains and fields fell silent, as if thousands of ghosts wailed. Every light within the town was affected by the fierce ghostly wind, inexplicably stretching long and adding an enigmatic, eerie significance.

With every step closer the ghost soldiers took, the lights flickered askew. Looking out of the town, one could see only the hazy night, but the heavy footsteps were already deafening, growing heavier and closer.

In response to this commotion, the expressions of many had visibly changed. This included members of the jianghu sects outside the town, the Beef Avoidance Sect Disciples, Iron Steed Grand Hall Officer, the four small hall officers following him, and even their stewards and runners.

Someone shivered and muttered, "Senior Brother Jin Chenzi, can’t you make this town disappear?"

"I..."

The opera troupe leader also looked pale, urgently saying, "My method was meant to trick that big-headed Hall Officer. I planned to make the town disappear the moment he won against me and entered it..."

"But tricking him is easy; how could I trick ghost soldiers?"

"..."

Iron Steed Grand Hall Officer heard this and gave the opera troupe leader a fierce glare. He himself was a mere half-step away from rushing into the town when he realized these demon people still had such a plan?

Just as he was about to rush into town, the entire town would disappear? How could such sinister power exist in this world?

...No, on second thought, they seem to really have such ability!

But now, it was useless. Once the ghost soldiers arrived, no amount of sinister tricks held by these Beef-eating Demon People would be of any use.

It was just a pity for the men under his command...

Both sides were momentarily sullen. Neither had the heart to engage or even to speak. They stood dumbfounded, hoping for some comfort, but all they saw were each other’s grim faces.

"Big Senior Brother..."

Inside the main altar mansion, Immortal Miaoshan was also full of terror, softly calling, "Big Senior Brother, aren’t your skills supposed to be great? Think of something..."

However, hearing no reply, she turned her head and saw Big Senior Brother still staring blankly at the large seal tied to the top of the old elm tree. The ghost soldiers were drawing closer, yet he seemed oblivious, steadfastly looking at the seal.

After a long while, he slowly reached his hand towards the elm’s branches. The seal was tied so high that he certainly couldn’t reach it, but it was as if a desire to hold it in his hand had arisen within him.

However, just as the thought formed, BOOM! An immense pressure suddenly fell upon Big Senior Brother, causing his bones to crackle and pop. A depression and web-like cracks appeared beneath his feet.

Even Big Senior Brother remained silent for a long moment before slowly retracting his outstretched palm, shaking his head lowly. "What Master left behind is indeed something none of us can move..."

Immortal Miaoshan suddenly fell silent.

She turned her gaze to the outside of the town. She could feel the massive black clouds already engulfing it, pushing her sense of helplessness to the extreme.

When the ghost soldiers passed through, not a blade of grass survived.

There were many in this town with great abilities, and with Big Senior Brother beside her, escaping would be no problem. But of the whole town of living people, perhaps not a single one would be left...

The ghost soldiers were devoid of mercy and absolutely wouldn’t hold back...

While their hearts trembled, the townspeople of Shima Town remained blissfully unaware.

Now, the Lantern Festival, already nearing its end, was growing quieter. When it was lively, the noise had been overwhelming; afterward, the atmosphere became heavy. On the Divine Platform, the Four Corners Magic King set down a bowl and began to kowtow in worship.

The townspeople, following suit, also knelt down to kowtow.

The Lantern Festival was almost over. They had all received blessings: peace, joy, and relief from illness and plague. Why were they worshipping once more?

It was, naturally, for the Divine General who had slain the plague ghost.

They had no idea about the true nature of the so-called Divine General, nor did they understand why the wind outside the town had picked up again. They hadn’t noticed the town’s lights darkening, merely following habit in bowing towards the east side of the town, the direction of the stone horse.

...

...

In front of Second Young Master Meng, as Hu Ma chanted the killing curse, he felt an endless, chilling power, as if the slaughtering blade had already been raised, its icy, sharp edge set against his neck. Both his mind and body were seized with paralyzing fear.

Feeling that immense pressure, he suddenly shouted desperately, "Tell me, who on earth are you..."

Hu Ma’s chanting ceased. He slowly walked over, feeling an odd curiosity. This Second Young Master Meng was roaring and bellowing, but Hu Ma could hear a trace of pleading in his voice.

Apparently, the doubt in his heart was about to drive him mad.

And Hu Ma just calmly looked at him, listening to the tremor in his voice, a hint of mischievous amusement arising within him.

Wouldn’t it be intriguing if I didn’t tell him and just killed him outright?

But this thought only flashed through his mind, replaced by a gentle chuckle. Looking at the young master, pale-faced and void of the arrogance and composure he had displayed when they first met, Hu Ma said, "You came here to deal with me, yet you ask who I am?"

"I..."

Young Master Meng clearly flashed through a few guesses. One Coin Sect? Beef-eating Demon People?

But these guesses passed through his mind. He recalled the chilling malevolence on that blade, how this person had subdued the Yin General before and had then calmly accepted his bow of respect.

He even realized this person didn’t care at all about his Meng family background and had been determined from the start to claim his life...

A suddenly unthinkable answer arose in his mind...

"The Hu Family..."

His voice trembled fiercely, as if he couldn’t believe it himself. "You’re from the Hu Family..."

"Actually, not yet."

Hu Ma looked at him, smiling faintly, knowing he had already figured out the answer—or rather, that the thing within him already knew—and candidly said, "I haven’t learned the true skills of the Hu Family yet."

"But it’s enough to kill you."

"..."

"You... it really is you. You’re from the Hu Family..."

It was hard to tell if Young Master Meng was more terrified or furious now; he was completely unable to control his expression. He suddenly screamed sharply, as if having suffered an immense grievance and insult, roaring at Hu Ma,

"But you! Don’t you remember the Stone Pavilion Alliance? Don’t you care about the most basic agreements between the Ten Surnames?"

"..."

"Stone Pavilion Alliance?"

Hu Ma heard him mention this and couldn’t help but laugh, lowering his voice. "You were killed by the Beef-eating Demon People. What does that have to do with my Hu Family?"

"You..."

Suddenly, Second Young Master Meng realized why this person had appeared before him like Shousui from the very beginning. He understood why his opponent had confronted him head-on until this very space was isolated, only then setting up the altar.

A moment of indescribable shock and anger filled his heart.

But at the same time, Hu Ma’s smiling face suddenly turned cold. He had already trapped Second Young Master Meng and the entity within him using the killing curse, one of the Four Great Curses of the Hu Family. Now, he lunged forward.

SLASH!

Feeling the rising murderous intent within him, the Evil Blade, which had been on the ground as a suppression object, suddenly flew up, instantly entering his hand, its blade suffused with chilling malice.

"You’re from the Hu Family! Why use Shousui’s skills against me?"

The Evil Blade flew out, and the Magic Altar vanished. Second Young Master Meng suddenly leaped up. Not only him, but even the consciousness of the Meng Family’s Ancestor that still lingered within him, erupted, making his face ferocious like an Evil Ghost, eager to retaliate.

His final words, spoken with fury, carried an inexplicable amount of grievance.

Hu Ma was far quicker. He suddenly charged forward. Just as Second Young Master Meng leaped from the ground, Hu Ma stomped him down from mid-air, pinning him viciously to the earth. Hu Ma loomed over him, a sinister grin on his face.

And within Hu Ma’s left arm, the strange entity was also terrified, shouting repeatedly in Hu Ma’s mind, "How dare you?"

"How dare you face the Ancestor..."

"..."

"What Ancestor?"

Hu Ma fixed his gaze on Second Young Master Meng’s eyes—or rather, on the thing within those eyes—and fiercely rebuked, "You’re just an Evil Ghost..."

As he spoke, the Evil Blade in his hand began to hum. His voice, filled with vented, icy rage, proclaimed, "I use methods outside the Hu Family to kill you, precisely to let the world know..."

"The people of Tongyin Meng can be killed!"

"..."

As the final word left his lips, he suddenly condensed his Dharma Form. The meager remaining mana of his Three Column Tao, all that was left, converged onto the blade at that instant. Then, he slashed down fiercely.

The next instant, Second Young Master Meng screamed in despair as his head tumbled to the ground. The blood-tainted blade remained remarkably bright, its metallic ring like wild laughter.

Hu Ma let out a long breath, expelling his pent-up frustration. He held the blade horizontally, wiped it on the sole of his shoe to clear away the last traces of blood, then picked up the head from the ground. He strode forward, climbing all the way to the mountaintop.

From a distance, three thousand ghost soldiers crawled from the earth. They surged like an expansive tide, sweeping up, a billowing ghostly wind carrying flickering ghostfire and the glint of interwoven weapons, densely packed. Yellow talismans were pasted on the faces of the ghost soldiers, like banners claiming lives in the night.

And Hu Ma stood atop the mountain, facing the dense mass of three thousand ghost soldiers. He slowly raised Second Young Master Meng’s head and announced sternly, his voice devoid of emotion:

"Yin and Yang are divided, life and death are orderly! From whence you came, return whence you go!"

"Go!"

"..."

BOOM!

With just that short declaration, the three thousand ghost soldiers simultaneously halted. Even the billowing ghostly wind fell silent.

In the next moment, this dense horde, like a black tide that had pushed heavily and slowly to the town’s front, suddenly began to quietly retreat.