With a chilling sneer, Hu Ma sat in front of the stone weights, chanting the Dispel Curse through the night. Gradually, he refined it, making it his own. A faint feeling of thunderous roaring erged within his Divine Soul, a strange yet awe-inspiring sensation arising from nowhere.
But at this very mont, in the broad and imposing mansion of Little Gold City on Pingbei Road, the main hall was also lit with Beauty Wax. A group of luxuriously dressed people gathered in the hall for a council.
The hall was filled with quite a number of people. On the upper side, three Taishi Chairs were occupied, the first two by indistinct figures, their features blurred, their forms barely discernible. The third was occupied by an old man in a silk gown. Across from them, the first of three Taishi Chairs hosted the Lady of the ng family’s Tongyin branch.
On the lower side, the seats were occupied by the Tongyin ng family’s Eldest Young Master, ng Siliang, and the three great hall officers of the Negative Spirit Path: Reasoning, Inquiry, and Sword Catching. Among them, the Reasoning Hall Officer was present in person, while the other two arrived as Wandering Souls.
Now, the Old Master sitting at the topmost position spoke with a grim tone, "The death of Si Li is most peculiar. I was below and knew he bowed to the ancestors, thinking we’d soon see him to reprimand him face-to-face for his rudeness, bowing directly.
"Yet he bowed, but never ca down, a strange event indeed. Moreover, the ancestors are furious, scolding us for our incompetence. Now, their resentnt is hard to dispel; we must prepare even better offerings to prevent their anger from harming their health.
"...
"ng family mbers haven’t suffered mishaps outside for years. It is indeed the greatest sha the ng family has not known for eons."
Beside him, the Lady in charge of mortal affairs also frowned and said, "I sent people to investigate. We confird with the Zhou Family that he died at the hands of that rebellious group, the Beef-eating Demon People.
"Ordinarily, I wouldn’t believe others dared to harm a ng family young master, but if it’s the Beef-eating Demon People, they might indeed have the audacity to target a ng family mber.
"...
"The Beef-eating Demon People might dare kill a ng family mber, but do they really have the ability to escape the ancestors’ punishnt? I believe this matter is not so simple."
At this ti, another voice, sowhat angry, rang out. It was ng Siliang, the Eldest Young Master of the ng family. He said sternly, "At dawn, we will set off personally for Gunzhou to eliminate the One Coin Sect, and also to uncover the truth behind Second Brother’s death."
Being the Eldest Young Master and already of the age to participate in family affairs, when he spoke, even the Lady in charge did not intervene but rely looked at her son.
"Nonsense!"
Yet at this mont, a stern reprimand rang out; it was none other than the Old Master of the ng family. He scolded, "Do you think this is child’s play? To say ’go’ and then go?
"As the eldest son of the ng family, all your words and deeds are observed by the world. How dare you leave the mansion on your own accord? Moreover, Gunzhou is close to Mingzhou, both on West Ridge Road. Do you know what it signifies if you go there?"
...
The Eldest Young Master, after being reprimanded, turned his head, remaining silent. Yet, others noticed his eyes were slightly red.
They understood that, although not of the sa mother, he shared a deep brotherly bond with the late Si Li Young Master, and lanted for him.
The Lady anxiously spoke, "Old Master, don’t get angry; it wasn’t easy for you to co up. Siliang has always cherished his siblings, even if he’s a bit soft-hearted. You can teach him when you co up often. As for this incident..."
"This matter, you all..."
The Old Master’s indistinct figure glanced at his son but didn’t continue down that path. Instead, he pondered slowly, just about to speak.
Suddenly, a shout ca from outside, "Bad news! Quickly report to the Lady, the life lamp of the Fourth Branch Master has suddenly extinguished..."
"What?"
Everyone was taken aback. "Another one?"
In a flurry, they rose and went to the door, yet no one dared to go first. Servants grabbed the white banner and handed it to the Lady. She led the way, guiding the Old Master out the door, for fear he would lose his way in the mortal realm.
Everyone else followed, hurriedly heading towards the ancestral hall.
Everyone felt unsure, an uncomfortable feeling lurking. The ng family descendants hadn’t encountered trouble outside for years; why did it feel like one incident after another now?
Hastening near the ancestral hall, they saw, even before stepping in, that of the five lanterns hanging at the topmost position, one had already extinguished but suddenly flared alive, illuminating the entire place.
"Ah?"
The clan mbers guarding the lamp and the nearby maids were shocked, looking at each other, standing dumbfounded.
Upon entering, the Lady reprimanded, "Nonsense! Daring to curse your Fourth Old Master, do you wish to be skinned alive?"
The clan mber guarding the lamp hurriedly kneeled and said, "Just now, it was indeed growing dimr, almost like a bean-sized fla, but for so unknown reason, it brightened again..."
"Drag him out and beat him with the rod!"
The Lady commanded sternly. Waving the banner, she led the Old Master to the life lamp, and he examined it closely. She subtly turned her head, an inquisitive look in her eyes, evidently aware that the life lamp dimming before brightening ant sothing significant had happened.
"Fortunately, fortunately, Old Fourth isn’t that inept after all."
The Old Master observed for a while before he quietly breathed a sigh of relief, saying, "That family certainly can’t tolerate Old Fourth. Who knows what they might do. For him to have managed this far, it must have been very trying for him."
The Lady beside him, filled with curiosity, softly asked, "Old Master, what happened to Fourth Uncle? He disappeared suddenly three years ago. Where did he go?"
The Old Master beside her, rely a faint shadow, glared at her, his voice stern, "Do not pry.
"I ask you, have you followed the ancestors’ command to prepare for eting the descendant of that family in Mingzhou? How are the preparations?"
...
The Lady hurriedly said, "The branch descendants of the Hu Family guarding the blessing have been found and introduced to the Truth Sect. But unfortunately, Impermanence Li, Life Nourishing Zhou, and Black Magic Chen have not agreed to join us.
"If only our family goes to speak, wouldn’t it seem we lack justification and montum?"
...
"Those families are all very cunning!"
The Old Master showed visible displeasure upon hearing this, and the surrounding sinister winds seed heavier, causing the Fourth Old Master’s life lamp to flicker several tis.
At this ti, a servant who had been observing the two-hour period plucked up the courage to interrupt their conversation, saying, "In the ti it takes to have a cup of tea, the rooster will crow. The Old Master should prepare to return below."
The Old Master nodded coldly, then addressed the Lady and the Eldest Son of the ng Family, ng Siliang, saying, "The trip to Mingzhou cannot be delayed. The families of the Ten Surnas are eager for the Hu descendant to return, but they are cunning and unwilling to take the lead.
"But in this world, while so matters may not be urgent, there must always be soone to take the first initiative. We, following the ancestors’ decree, insist on being the first spearhead.
"You needn’t worry yourselves over Si Li’s matter. The trip to Mingzhou is paramount. If you go to Mingzhou and handle the affairs there well, you may then, if you wish, take a look around and find out the reasons."
...
Those present, being among the living, all knelt and kowtowed, promising to comply. The Old Master and several others who ca for the council waved their large sleeves and walked out. Little ghosts carried a sedan chair, taking them into the eerie night shadows.
"Mother..."
The Eldest Young Master, ng Siliang, after watching the Old Master leave, sighed softly, turning to the Lady.
The Lady held his hand, rubbing it gently, comforting, "Despite scolding you, your father is pleased seeing how much you care for your brother. What’s there to fear?
"Concerning the trip to Mingzhou, the Old Master isn’t one to take the lead lightly. Since he has agreed for us to take the lead, there must be a reason. We should just heed his words.
"Of course, there’s no rush for us. The Hu family mbers have been found, haven’t they?
"Dog bites dog, all fur in the mouth. It’s their Hu family’s ss anyway; let them call a soul first, then we’ll discuss!"
...
...
"Success..."
anwhile, as the ng family concluded their council and returned ho, Hu Ma at the Blood Food Mine chanted through the night before the stone weights, leaving himself drenched in cold dew, his face pale. But when he lifted his head, his eyes faintly glimred.
Leveraging the Dispel Curse of the Age Suppressing Book and the might of the Great Mighty Sky General Seal, aided by the technique of the human pillar, he had refined the "Fourth Old Master" embedded within his Divine Soul by the ng family. Instead of killing it, it was as if his Divine Soul had "consud it."
There was a soul beyond his own, a life beyond his own, and he had already reached four incense sticks.
Not only that, but in making it a part of himself, he had even unearthed so things from within its core.
And most crucially, not only had he broken through to three incense, but although this thod was an evil skill, it was evidently far more stable and safe than those used by others.
A human has only one life. Breaking through three incense is extrely difficult, often dependent on re chance, and even when accomplished, there’s usually a fatal flaw.
Take Monkey Wine, for example. The thod, as Hu Ma had heard, was the simplest, most effective, and most straightforward. Yet, if soone were to destroy the life-linked gu insect, it would instantly inflict severe, imasurable damage.
But now, using the human pillar technique, I’ve planted this incense deep underground, with the stone weights pressing down on it from above. Only soone holding the General Order can move these stone weights. Therefore, it would be almost impossible for anyone else to destroy this incense stick of mine.
PHEW...
He exhaled deeply. So many crucial tasks await , he thought, staggering to his feet. I even need to thoroughly examine and digest the things left in the Divine Soul of the ng family’s Fourth Old Master. Yet, as he stood up, dizziness overwheld him, and he nearly collapsed.
A sudden gust of sinister wind blew as Little Hongtang, after wandering until daylight, returned just in ti to catch him, then carried him inside.
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