"..."
Hu Ma chanted twice in succession, then focused intently on the rice circle before him.
The water in the bowl seed to be touched by so mysterious power, quivering gently and rippling slightly.
Although it was just a bowl of water, it carried the aura of the evil spirit from the river. Now, within this aura, sothing seed to be awakened, quietly emanating and drifting over from the direction of the great river.
The sun was rising, painting the world bright and vibrant, yet an eerie wind seed to blow intermittently, the flas in the brazier before him crackling wildly. Hu Ma felt as if he were in a grand hall, barely aware of the spacious tiles around him.
Just as he was feeling strange, he heard the rustling sound of the wind, feeling a chilling gust swept from the river, piercing to the bones, making even his Divine Soul tremble, leaving him breathless.
Hu Ma, possessing the skills and cultivation of a Shousui man, forced himself to endure, staring intently ahead.
In front of him, sothing vaguely seed to drift into the rice circle, swirling as if confused.
Forcing down his instinctive fear, he shouted deeply, "Who goes there? State your na quickly!"
He wondered if he had been too harsh, but he knew he couldn’t show the slightest fear; otherwise, this Skill would fail.
The entity seed startled by Hu Ma’s voice, spinning aimlessly within the rice circle, seemingly searching for a way to escape. Yet Hu Ma had scattered the rice in a circle with only one exit; it could retreat but couldn’t find a way out.
As it spun more frantically, even the rice grains sprinkled on the ground trembled slightly.
Hu Ma also felt his nerves stretched to the limit, keeping a careful eye on the three incense burning in front of him.
His heart filled with dread at the thought of the incense forming two short and one long sticks.
Hu Ma dared to attempt this because the Age Suppressing Book recorded an "Observing Incense Technique" in detail.
By observing how the incense burned, he could judge the effectiveness of his Magic.
In other words, if things went awry, he might have a chance to escape.
The incense burning had three appearances: neutral, ominous, and auspicious. According to the Age Suppressing Book, if it showed an ominous sign, no further Magic should be perford. However, Hu Ma thought that if it weren’t at least an auspicious sign, he would flee.
He had no choice, given his limited skills, and hoped Yang Gong could forgive him.
Fortunately, as the entity spun in the rice character circle, the incense burned faster than usual. However, all three incense were about the sa length, with only the one on the left burning slightly faster than the middle and right ones. This still suggested an "auspicious" sign, aning he could continue.
Gathering his courage, Hu Ma once again fixed his gaze on the presence within the rice circle, his expression mysterious and uncertain as he stood across from the brazier.
"Since you’ve been summoned," he spoke with authority, "why don’t you speak?"
"..."
His voice was stern, causing the entity within the rice character circle to beco even more frantic, its voiceless cries resonating as if it sought to rush toward Hu Ma.
A surge of yin qi pressed forward, nearly extinguishing the flas in the brazier before him.
Is this thing watching ? Hu Ma thought.
He knew the brazier before him was his protection. If the flas weakened, the entity would see him clearly, which would certainly spell trouble.
Feeling a jolt of panic, he steeled his resolve and began chanting a spell.
Relying on the ticulously morized spell from the Age Suppressing Book, Hu Ma recited it rapidly and accurately without stopping. He had morized it without mistake.
Yet, he himself did not know the aning of what he recited. Previously, he had tried chanting it over a little ghost at a grave. However, the ghost showed no reaction, rely popping its head out to ask what Hu Ma wanted.
Now, as each word left his lips, it seed to invoke so mysterious power, the surrounding winds swirling ominously, accompanied by a stern and mighty sound.
In a trance, Hu Ma saw the scarecrows on either side take on the form of figures clad in soap clothes, so wielding knives, others staffs, or chains, all closing in on the shadow in the circle.
The most startling thing was that as he chanted, the speed at which the three incense burned noticeably increased.
He feared the entity inside wouldn’t be cowed before the incense burned out, which would spell trouble. He continued chanting, his heart lodged in his throat with anxiety.
Luckily, as he recited the spell, the presence within the rice character circle appeared terrified. It was desperate to flee but unable to find an escape route. Gradually, fear overtook it, and it huddled into a ball, faintly revealing the form of a broad-shouldered man.
It bowed toward Hu Ma, its voice raspy like an old man’s, carrying a chilling undertone.
"rcy, lord, I am but an old turtle from the river, long residing here. By consuming many drowned bodies, I absorbed yin qi, gained spiritual cultivation, and ca to envy human affairs. I learned from others to demand livestock offerings, but after suffering a loss once, I have since changed my ways."
"Now I live harmoniously with the local villagers and don’t require them to sacrifice livestock to . When they wish to fish in the river, they rely need to burn One Incense, and I allow them passage..."
"..."
"Have you confessed?"
Hu Ma’s heart stirred with a flicker of pleasant surprise. Had it confessed?
This was often the most difficult part, sothing that had stumped countless Mages. And he had managed to get it out with just one sentence?
Especially upon hearing it ntion suffering that loss, he knew. He had found the right one.
Though his mind raced, his imposing aura didn’t falter. He kept his gaze fixed on the entity. At such close range, even with the rice character circle and brazier as barriers, he could feel the icy yin qi assaulting his face like a razor. It was a good thing he had the abilities of a Shousui man; otherwise, he might not have been able to withstand this.
"I am not here to ask about your past; I summoned you because I have a task for you."
"Shortly, I need to escort soone. I’ll need to borrow your Water Mansion. Within the ti it takes for One Incense to burn, when you see a boat with red paper, you are to steer clear!"
"..."
The shadow trembled, not daring to show any reluctance.
Saying so, Hu Ma felt a slight relief. Though maintaining his authority, he spoke with a softer tone, "No rules an disorder."
"It won’t be for free. What offering do you want?"
"..."
The shadow quivered, then spoke, "Only three bowls..."
Hu Ma furrowed his brow, "Huh?"
The shadow’s voice suddenly shifted, "...Three bowls of offerings will suffice: a bowl of rice, a bowl of fish, and a bowl of at, nothing more!"
Hu Ma sighed in relief, "Agreed."
He had feared a demand for livestock. That would have been excessive, as those are pri offerings, even among proper rituals—far too valuable for an evil spirit.
Upon his agreent, the shadow seed greatly relieved and quietly retreated.
Monts before, it had been frantically circling within the rice character circle. Now, retreating quietly without making a sound, it transford into a shadow and hastily returned to the river...
It seed as if it couldn’t escape on its own and was only able to leave because Hu Ma permitted it.
Once it retreated, the surroundings beca abruptly clear: no chilling winds, no grand buildings, no fierce flas, nor ard figures in soap clothes—only the brazier, the rice circle, and a few scarecrows adorned with red cloth.
Hu Ma glanced around blankly. After a long mont, he finally exhaled deeply, thinking, This Age Suppressing Book is truly domineering!
The entity from the river was clearly in a different league than him, given his current abilities.
Yet, by using this thod, had he actually managed to force an agreent with it?
Lifting his gaze, he saw the surroundings had returned to normal. The dry branches in the brazier had long since burned out. The three incense were also nearly burned to their ends, with two slightly longer and one almost completely gone.
This was the final appearance of the incense, signaling the Spell’s completion.
With a sense of relief, he turned to see Little Hongtang staring at him, her body trembling.
Hu Ma asked, puzzled, "What’s wrong with you?"
"I...I was afraid he’d attack you..."
Little Hongtang shivered as she spoke, "Just now, that Old Master was so powerful, but he seed afraid of Brother Hu Ma."
"He could have jumped over to attack you, but he didn’t..."
"..."
Wondering at the strangeness of her words, Hu Ma asked Little Hongtang, "Didn’t Granny handle it this way before?"
Logically, the knowledge in the Age Suppressing Book ca from the Hu Family’s skills.
What he was doing now should be in line with Granny’s thods, part of a Ghost Walker’s skillset.
Yet, even he felt sothing was amiss.
Indeed, Little Hongtang, after hearing Hu Ma’s words, simply shook her head, "Granny never did anything like this..."
"Granny was kind to everyone, never bullied anyone..."
"..."
As expected...
Hu Ma, hearing this, grew curious. But he had clearly inherited the Age Suppressing Book from Granny.
Yet the skills he was using now seed completely different from Granny’s thods?
"..."
Deep down, he felt a vague unease.
The things recorded in the Age Suppressing Book were completely different from the Shousui man’s path. Just now, it seed he had summoned so formidable power to forcefully intimidate that thing in the river.
It was like negotiating with a knife to soone’s throat!
But he knew his own situation best. The power he had just summoned was extrely domineering and fierce, but he was the one bearing all the risk.
Just like when he was chanting the Execution Spell, the incense burned extrely quickly. If the evil spirit hadn’t submitted before the incense burned out, he would have been in a precarious position.
If only Granny could have guided him in learning this dharma thod...
Hu Ma ntally cautioned himself, yet he could only feel a deep sense of helplessness.
Quickly, he returned to the fishern and bought a bowl each of rice, at, and fish from the villagers. These were common items and easy to find. Finally, he went to the riverside and, when no one was looking, poured the three bowls of offerings into the river.
Next, he found a boat, attached red paper to its bow, then lit One Incense, holding it in his hand. Only then did he quietly push the boat into the river.
At this mont, he saw that the green clothes gang also had a boat, which was slowly entering the river. A faint figure was visible aboard it.
The gang mbers who had previously been guarding the Water God Temple in the river had all moved to the bank.
From afar, seeing a boat suddenly departing toward the Water God Temple, they were all startled and shouted urgently:
"Get back! They’re making offerings to the River God! Stay out of the water..."
"..."
But Hu Ma paid them no heed. Clutching One Incense, he rowed directly to the waterside of the Water God Temple and called out loudly:
"Brother Yang Gong, jump down and board my boat! I will ferry you across the river."
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