At this mont, within Gunzhou, the Five Evil Gods unleashed their fierce power, nearly burning two figures in soap clothes to ashes. The iron chains were about to snap at any mont, as the Gods intended to abandon the incense in the hall and imdiately flee to a more hidden place.
Anyway, for myself, this is just a temple on the surface, the Five Evil Gods thought. There are many places that Worship in secret. As long as one morial tablet remains, I can rise up again.
Yet, unexpectedly, just at this mont, they suddenly sensed a familiar and terrifying aura descending upon the temple entrance. A giant hand, clad in golden armor, erged from a flash of golden light, reaching down and grasping the chains that were about to break free.
"CLANK!"
The mont the chains were caught by that giant golden hand, the fierce power and malevolent aura emanating from the Five Evil Gods lted like snow on hot iron. The flas on the two figures in soap clothes blazed intensely, now infused with strands of golden light. They brandished the iron chains again, casting them towards the heads of the Five Evil Gods.
"Zhensui Mansion?"
At this mont, the voice of the Five Evil Gods was filled with despair and disbelief, their spirits nearly scattering. They lacked even the strength to resist, only managing to suddenly open their mouths and shout, "I have partaken of the incense on the altar! You cannot take like this!"
But no one responded. The chains, brimming with an overwhelming Evil Spirit, flew straight into the temple. The Five Evil Gods retracted into their Divine Statue, and the chains unceremoniously wrapped around the statue’s head.
Outside the temple, the two figures in soap clothes gave a hard pull on the chains. With a deafening CRASH, the entire divine temple collapsed, as if struck by an earthquake, turning into a pile of rubble.
Amidst the ruins, the base of the Five Evil Gods’ Divine Statue cracked, and the entire thing was dragged out of the temple.
"I am a registered temple god, ordained to enjoy incense! You... you cannot destroy my temple, ruin my golden body!" The Five Evil Gods roared incessantly, struggling with all their might, their words alternating between fury and pleas. But the two figures in soap clothes, their bodies ablaze, paid them no heed. Remaining silent, they pulled the chains, dragging the statue across towns and counties, heading straight for Mingzhou.
「From Gunzhou to Mingzhou」
Countless people, whether they were practitioners of various Paths or common folk, experienced the sa dream. In a hazy dream, their ears caught desperate cries and pleas. It was as if they saw two figures in soap clothes, engulfed in flas and brimming with a malevolent aura, dragging a five-headed, pitch-black Evil Ghost past their doors. Humans and ghosts alike hastily kowtowed, listening as the cries and howls gradually faded into the distance. They felt dazed, an instinctive awe filling their hearts, their minds montarily blank.
"CRACKLE... CRACKLE..."
Within Gunzhou’s borders, several places, whether openly or in secret, Worshipped the Five Evil Master. So had done so for a long ti, long enough to have erected Divine Statues. Others had only recently acquired One Incense to Worship secretly in their halls, offering daily Blood Food in hopes of earning ill-gotten wealth. They knew the Five Evil Gods were fierce, but the Five Evil Master was also remarkably efficacious. It cost a hefty sum to invite even a single stick of incense for Worship.
Yet at this mont, a sense of panic gripped them all. They rushed out to look, only to see their Worshipped Divine Statues or newly erected morial tablets suddenly crack. A plu of black qi billowed out, snatching their own souls and spiriting them away from their hos. This boundless black qi, converging from all directions, traversed states and prefectures, attaching itself to the dragged Divine Statue as it headed straight for Mingzhou.
「Outside Mingzhou Prefecture」
"NEIGH... NEIGH..."
Outside Mingzhou Prefecture, a troop had been hastily assembled overnight by the bailiffs from the governnt office and nobles from Plum Blossom Lane. Ard with spears and blades, they had opened the city gates and were now hurrying towards Green Stone Town. They carried torches, with swords and blades at their waists, and clutched official decrees. Wherever they passed, even evil spirits fled, not daring to block their path.
But as they galloped frantically, their horses suddenly spooked, rearing high and crashing into one another. Riders were thrown off, landing in a tangled heap, bewildered and shouting in confusion, "What happened? What happened?"
"Is so evil spirit causing trouble? Why did the horses suddenly startle?"
Before these questions could be fully voiced, everyone abruptly fell silent. They sensed an indescribably sinister aura ahead. A chilling wind swept through, and it was as if their eyes deceived them, for the night sky before them seed to shatter and transform into another world. The official road beneath their feet had transford into so grim Great Path, flanked by swirling, frigid winds that kicked up countless clouds of sand and dust.
Crossing the road before them, two figures, wreathed in roaring golden flas, were slowly dragging an Evil Ghost enveloped in roiling black qi by iron chains.
"That..." soone stamred as the dragged Evil Ghost moved further away. He turned to look at Old Mr. i, intending to ask, but found his voice hoarse. Everyone felt deeply unsettled, as if their very souls had been snatched away.
"That... that’s a temple god from an altar..." Old Mr. i stared at the dragged Evil Ghost, his eyes wide with shock as recognition dawned. He was so astonished his heart nearly stopped. His aged face turned ashen pale as he murmured, "Even a temple god has been dragged down... and is going to be..."
「In Huainan」
Deep within a sprawling mansion lay the eerie ancestral hall of the Wei clan. It was densely packed with layers upon layers of morial tablets for their ancestors. In front of the morial tablets hung rows of yellow paper strips, inscribed with the birth characters and nas of Wei Family mbers. Sons who married into the family were included, but the strips for daughters who married out were removed. The night breeze rustled them, making them RUSTLE ceaselessly.
But just then, inexplicably, one particular strip hanging closer to the ancestral tablets suddenly burst into flas. Adjacent tablets began to RATTLE, and several toppled from their shelves with a CLATTER.
"Oh no, sothing terrible has happened!" In such prominent families, there were always dedicated hall guardians. Hearing the commotion, the guardian on duty felt his soul nearly leave his body. He hurriedly sounded the gong, sending tremors of unrest throughout the entire household.
The Wei Family Patriarch, hastily draping an outer robe, hurried over. One glance was enough to make his face turn livid with rage. "Which worthless fool," he roared, "went back to retrieve their family’s ancestral tablet and ended up offending soone so grievously?"
"Even the ancestors refuse to look upon him! This is a rebuke to our entire family for our lack of filial piety! Investigate! Find out what exactly he has done!"
Everyone in the Wei Residence was alard. The house servants quickly responded, promising to investigate. But then, the Wei Family Patriarch suddenly reacted, raising his hand urgently. "Wait!"
Everyone held their breath and looked at him. They saw him staring intently at a fallen morial tablet that was still trembling. A quick-witted hall guardian had already respectfully picked it up and placed it back on the shelf, preparing to burn incense and offer apologies. Unexpectedly, once placed, it toppled over again. Several other tablets also seed to tremble.
He seems to have understood sothing, the Patriarch thought, his heart jolting. He imdiately made a decision and lowered his voice. "Do not investigate this matter for now. Wait until this storm passes, and then we’ll see what news there is."
「On a secluded ancient path, unclear if ant for humans or ghosts」
As the figures in flaming soap clothes dragged the Five Evil Gods past, so individuals not in Mingzhou suddenly sensed it. They cautiously peeked, their expressions gradually changing. Good heavens, was it necessary to go to such lengths?
Zhensui Mansion... Zhensui Mansion has reopened? Has that family finally decided to stop hiding?
「In Shangjing」
So individuals who had remained in Shangjing for decades, never stepping outside, their sole duty to offer incense in their Ancestral Halls, also opened their eyes slightly. They slowly shook their heads, looking at the countless shadowy figures in the hall, and said with a wry smile, "Grandma Bai, you’ve raised a remarkable grandson."
He’s different from the previous Hu Family mbers. He kills when he says he will kill. He doesn’t care a whit for rules or decorum...
"Rules?"
Amidst the heavy, oppressive silence, only one voice, ancient yet tinged with joy, rang out. "My grandson simply doesn’t want to be wronged. After all, our family has endured more than enough injustice!"
「Before Green Stone Town」
The various jianghu groups gathered before Green Stone Town, led by the Red Lantern Society, had already endured far too much this night. They were still debating whether to retreat or advance towards the slaughter field to offer assistance when they were startled by the CLINKING of chains. A chilling aura, so cold it felt like it brushed their very eyelashes, swept over them. Snapping their eyes open, they saw figures dragging a hideous Evil Ghost past them.
Those who had been speaking instantly fell silent. Those who were trying to stir up the crowd also lost their voices. The chaotic atmosphere abruptly beca unnervingly quiet as everyone stared blankly ahead.
"That’s..." soone stamred, but the word seed to jolt everyone else. They hurriedly shut their mouths, scrambling to kneel on the ground. So even fell from their horses, then quickly covered their eyes.
The Right Protector of the Red Lantern Society reacted with extre speed. He snatched down the Red Lantern he carried, tore off his outer robe, and wrapped the lantern tightly within it. Even so, he could feel the lantern trembling violently inside the cloth. A sliver of red light peeked out from a gap in the fabric, as if the lantern itself were furtively watching.
It was as if so unseen force had swallowed all sound. The din of the ongoing battle, the voices of people, the neighing of horses—all vanished. In everyone’s eyes, there were only the two figures in flaming soap clothes, dragging the Evil Ghost as they walked steadily past.
The figures walked towards the deepest part of the night. Following their path with their eyes, the crowd saw a black mansion waiting there in the darkness. A dreadful, murderous aura emanated from it, pressing down on them and chilling their hearts.
「Elsewhere」
As countless people watched the Evil Ghost being dragged all the way to that sinister and mysterious mansion, Hu Ma was also deeply struck by the sheer dominance and enigma of Zhensui Mansion. How did they manage to bring the entire Divine Statue over? he wondered.
Previously, when I borrowed the mountain lord’s power to hold the green-clothed evil ghost, I only managed to retrieve its Spiritual Body. But now, using the Hu Family’s token to hold these Five Evil Gods, they’ve actually hauled the entire Divine Statue out of their temple? And they dragged it so openly, through states and counties, letting countless people see... What are they trying to do? Make a statent? A demonstration of power? This is... just too domineering, isn’t it?
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