"I didn't know what the other half that Master talked about was, but I trusted his words."
"After Master passed away, for twenty years, it fell upon to lead these disciples who do not eat beef. Waiting for soone to return and accomplish the remaining tasks was also when I began to learn to think for myself."
"In the past, I didn't need to think, because Master was there. He always had ideas, and when he didn't, I certainly wouldn't. Just following him was enough."
"But over these twenty years, I have figured out a lot of things. For instance, 'Not Eating Beef' has many senior uncles, and it was never ant for us to beco Emperors. Instead of one of us becoming Emperor, it's more important to prevent certain people from becoming Emperor."
"Sect Hierarch, I can see now that you still have confusion in your heart, but I really want to say one thing..."
"Your confusion is just like the Sect Hierarch's before being suppressed by the Twelve Ghost Altars..."
"..."
"..."
Hu Ma had already distanced himself from the Manor, but the words of Senior Brother No-eating Cattle still echoed in his ears.
The first and second phases of Lao Juni's life were actually not much different from the current Reincarnator.
Perhaps a bit more carefree, because the Reincarnators of that ti weren't as cautious as people are now, being tightly suppressed by the Ten Surnas.
So, what did he realize in the third phase of his life?
Was it because of the Twelve Ghost Altars that he figured those things out and realized the debt he carried?
He himself had seen the Twelve Ghost Altars in the Old Yin Mountain as well. Indeed, it was a force he couldn't shake. Perhaps, the only way to understand the Twelve Ghost Altars was through certain rituals and inquiry thods, which was what Calculation planned to teach him.
But after all, Calculation was under orders to guide him to beco the Main Sacrificial of the Daluo Dharma Sect.
And in this world, there were countless dharma thods, many of which could dramatically alter one's temperant upon contact. Therefore, he couldn't just stick to the thod of the Main Sacrificial to probe into the Twelve Ghost Altars so straightforwardly yet.
Mulling this over in his heart, he stuck his head out the window and waved into the distance.
Calculation, dressed in new clothes, was riding on a donkey with imnse pride. Seeing Hu Ma waving, he hurried over.
Speaking of which, Hu Ma was quite helpless.
He couldn't understand how Miao Shan had just followed along so naturally.
His intention at the 'Not Eating Beef' Manor was rely to see what these people were doing and to learn about Lao Juni's matters before death, not to borrow manpower from them.
But Immortal Miaoshan, quite naturally, had prepared everything by the second day he was set to depart. She hired workers, a cart driver, and servants, and arranged three or four spacious and comfortable carts.
Not only did this save him from the trouble of traveling on foot, but even Calculation got a donkey.
There were scouts ahead, and along the way, people bought food and ingredients. They even specially hired a cook.
Even his birth father was now shaded from the sun by a black umbrella, white flowers lining his coffin. She intended to hire several mourners, dressed in mourning, to follow the coffin crying all the way to Shangjing City. However, Hu Ma strongly felt it was inappropriate and sternly stopped her.
Helplessly turning to glance, he heard intermittent laughter from Immortal Miaoshan and Fourth Miss Zhou coming from a fine carriage at the back; he had no idea what the two were discussing.
When the carriage first arrived, both Immortal Miaoshan and Fourth Miss Zhou wanted to squeeze into his carriage.
But squeezing three people, plus two little ghosts, into one carriage was really too cramped.
So, Immortal Miaoshan's little ghost, the Bean Official, jumped out and shouted, "No need to squeeze, everyone gets their own vehicle, we can afford it!"
Thus, there was no more need to squeeze.
However, the journey was boring, so Immortal Miaoshan and Fourth Miss Zhou ended up in one vehicle together, leaving him alone in his, making it convenient to think.
Seeing Calculation approach, Hu Ma pondered and asked, "What exactly are the Twelve Ghost Altars?"
Caught off guard by the sudden question, Calculation was slightly taken aback and then whispered, "Didn't I tell you before? They enjoyed one hundred fifty years of incense!"
"I'm not asking that. I'm asking how the Twelve Ghost Altars were refined."
Hu Ma waved his hand, saying, "With the ancestral altar destroyed, the Twelve Ghost Altars replaced it, but can just anything be replaced?"
"Isn't it said that it was your Daluo Dharma Sect's second Main Sacrificial who refined it? Even with refinent, there must be sothing to refine."
"..."
Calculation's expression beca serious. He waved his hand, first taking out a bundle of incense from his sleeve and swaying it on the back of the donkey. Lighting it and giving it a gentle blow, the incense smoke scattered, isolating Hu Ma's cart driver and the others outside.
Only then did he whisper, "To ask this... it's really a secret of our Daluo Dharma Sect that I didn't even know before."
"Have you heard of Witchcraft?"
Hu Ma looked at him, squinting. How could you not know how your own disciple ca about?
Calculation chuckled awkwardly. "I told you there's a reason for it. Witchcraft was shallow as 'gu,' deep as Witch, and was once the oldest Skill in this world."
"But because it was old, it was gradually abandoned. Few in the Central Plains practice it now, though so remote places still have it. The incense-burning Zhu Family actually cos from the Southern Witch, and the world once also had a Northern Witch."
"Northern Witch?"
"Yes, the Duyi Ancestor was from the Northern Witch line."
"Initially, they used the Northern Witch line's Magic to Summon Tai Sui and strengthen their soldiers. The Twelve Ghost Altars were originally sacrifices used to summon Master Tai Sui. Later, when they entered the Central Plains, our Daluo Dharma Sect re-consecrated them, replacing the ancestral altar!"
"..."
"Sacrifices?"
Hu Ma was startled upon hearing this, initially considering the Twelve Ghost Altars as rely a replacent.
But now, its role was not to be underestimated. If all calamities began with Summoning Tai Sui, then the Twelve Ghost Altars...
Wouldn't they be considered the very root of all these initial calamities?
"Since it began with the Twelve Ghost Altars, it naturally should end with the Twelve Ghost Altars. Perhaps that's why Master wanted you to see this," Calculation said to Hu Ma, sighing. "To be honest, I don't quite like this Master either. He teaches us nothing, always elusive, and not as reliable as our ancestral master, who at least left a statue so we can ask for advice in tis of trouble..."
"...although sotis the advice isn't that reliable."
"..."
Hu Ma didn't pay attention to the trivial matters inside their sect and rely frowned, saying slowly, "Then what's inside the altar?"
"I don't know."
Calculation replied briskly, "Only the Main Sacrificial can know that. Outsiders would probably go insane just by glancing at it."
Hu Ma looked at him. "Do you an that if I follow your thod and beco the Main Sacrificial, I'll be able to see it?"
"No, don't jump to conclusions."
Calculation quickly waved his hand. "That has nothing to do with , not even for a penny!"
"I don't care if you want to be the Main Sacrificial or not. If I had a choice, I'd rather be overseeing the blood food mine back in Gunzhou."
"I'm following you now because it's a duty assigned to . If you want to ask, I'll share, and if you don't want to ask, I won't bother talking."
"..."
Hu Ma let out a sowhat helpless sigh.
He felt no goodwill towards the Daluo Dharma Sect, even felt a bit of anger towards it.
But to vent it on Calculation turned out to be impossible; he was just too slippery.
He only pondered, contemplating all he knew, and said slowly, "So, have you ever heard about having three lives?"
"No."
Upon hearing this, Calculation imdiately shook his head. "A person only has one life; how would there be three?"
"Even so evil spirits claim to have multiple lives, but that's not true. It's actually just different portions of lifespan, distinct from regular life."
"..."
This aligned with Hu Ma's thoughts. He paused and said, "Then, in your view, what is life?"
"Now that's a difficult question..."
Calculation shook his head. "There are various interpretations in different Paths. Sotis even they can't articulate it clearly, let alone soone like who's just amateurish."
"However, I do know that once soone from the Path goes Shangqiao, they have their own understanding of life's destiny."
"But you seem like..."
"..."
Hu Ma nodded slightly.
The road to Shangqiao didn't quite suit him or, rather, it wasn't the right ti yet.
Initially, he could have gone Shangqiao, but due to unknown worries and restlessness, he hadn't taken that step. After eting the State Preceptor, his vigilance heightened even further.
As the State Preceptor explained, once he went Shangqiao, he would see himself more clearly and regain what this body had lost over ti. But before understanding everything, Hu Ma wanted to maintain his current thoughts and awareness.
Would a person change into soone else if they suddenly regained their previous mories?
Such topics seed to have been discussed back in his previous life, and opinions varied. Hu Ma dared not wager himself on it.
"There was sothing, you know, if you didn't ask first, I definitely wouldn't ntion it..."
Seeing Hu Ma's doubts, Calculation started to speak with so hesitation. "What is called Shangqiao is actually to transcend. When one's skills have reached their peak, there always needs to be a breakthrough, right?"
"That breakthrough is Shangqiao."
"But nowadays, the top ten Paths all seek breakthroughs in the underworld, and Shangqiao mostly refers to this."
"However, in our Daluo Dharma Sect, there's actually a dharma thod that only the Main Sacrificial can follow."
"Instead of crossing the single-planked underworld bridge, one walks the 'yang pass' of the human world."
"In this human world, one can also go Shangqiao and likewise see oneself clearly, finding a path for oneself."
"..."
"Hmm?"
This was the first ti Hu Ma had heard of such a thod. He imdiately looked at Calculation. "How do you walk it?"
"cultivation!"
Calculation also looked at Hu Ma seriously, lowering his voice. "One Column of cultivation after another, built upwards."
"Shangqiao already ans to transcend. Cultivating beyond three Columns also ans to transcend, and the path lies within oneself, not sought from external aid."
"In this world, once soone reaches the level of Entering the Mansion, they've reached their peak. Those who Shangqiao are already Non-human and naturally possess more remarkable skills than anyone in this human world. Yet, if one diligently pursues the Righteous Skill, cultivating Column after Column of cultivation, it's equally walking a path, step by step."
"Not only does this make one fearless of those Guests on the Bridge, but the skills one nurtures could even surpass theirs!"
Reviews
All reviews (0)