Such a misfit who did not blend into any style and yet had such an exalted status in the land of not eating beef.
I should have realized it earlier...
Just monts ago, while imrsed in the truth of my destiny, a shocking question lingered in my heart: why would soone as powerful as Lao Juni, a Heavenly Descender, bet on ? Why was he willing to leave his legacy behind for ?
Unexpectedly, upon my return, a sliver of the answer was revealed.
Hu Ma was unsure how much this connection of bloodlines played into the true reason, but he thought the proportion must be significant.
He turned to Fourth Miss Zhou, who was joyfully making faces, circling around, and whispering to Immortal Miaoshan, probing for fresh gossip. He thought with a slight sneer again.
At first glance, she seed unbearably pure, not soone capable of taking on significant responsibilities; my assessnt was low. Now, it suddenly beca clear; perhaps her current deanor is precisely what Lao Juni wished to see?
Why bother taking on any ghostly responsibilities? Living happily, carefree, with deep blessings, and foolishly smiling throughout life is enough.
He let out a soft sigh, subtly nudging the small wings beside Little Douguan's hat, signaling that he understood.
I would also help keep this answer hidden; it's the most basic kindness.
Little Douguan sighed in relief, gave Hu Ma a formal bow, and then scurried off to help Immortal Miaoshan tidy up the plaques. anwhile, Hu Ma also took so incense and approached his biological father's coffin, bowing respectfully and earnestly a few tis.
This is my biological father...
No, he is truly my father, the only one.
I had so few mories of him, but the connection of our bloodlines beca apparent with the clarity of destiny.
He had shielded from a disaster before I knew anything.
Then again, using the remaining traces of Karma Soul, he blocked the chance of soone altering my fate a decade later.
But what exactly transpired between the Hu Family and Lao Juni?
Why did both my father and Lao Juni independently choose , using the remnants from the Karma Soul to block the Daluo Dharma Sect's ans of altering fate?
What intricate and clever cooperation did the Hu Family and the previous generation of the Reincarnators achieve through , despite supposedly holding a deep blood feud? Hu Ma's gaze beca profound as he resealed his father's coffin, pondering these specific questions.
After offering incense several tis, his biological father's arm, which hung out of the coffin, slowly withdrew.
Hu Ma resealed the coffin and looked back, seeing that the battlefield had fallen into a silent peace.
He made a gesture to command, and the overwhelming ghost soldiers that had spread across the battlefield returned into the body of the Yin General. Earlier, while facing the Official Zhou's Hungry Ghost Army, the Yin General had already gained nearly 100,000 ghost soldiers. This ti, the number had clearly increased.
Seeing the Underworld Army automatically leap back into the iron coffin, sinking with it into the ground, Hu Ma squinted slightly.
"Let's go, let's go."
Over there, Little Douguan finished helping Immortal Miaoshan gather her belongings and called for the helpers and coachn.
"The stench of blood is too strong here; we'll rest beyond this place."
"It's still early; we can sleep for half the night. Once we wake, hurrying a bit, we should reach Shangjing..."
...
The carriages were prepared anew and began to move slowly.
As they traversed the littered battlefield, they saw so bewildered, hunched figures slowly erging within, so from inside the city, others from outside.
These were people raised by the Grain Searching Army, existing as food, shocked and dreamlike for a while before realizing their salvation. Madly, they rushed into the granaries, stables, and camps.
It seed almost a joke; the Pan Mountain Army Barracks, using humans as military provisions, still had food supplies.
There were black beans, wheat bran, millet, and even eggs.
Yet these were for feeding mules and horses, while humans ate each other.
Hu Ma left neither his na here nor collected these people. With leftover provisions and mules, they should manage for a while, but it was only early spring, with the harsh sumr lying in between before the autumn harvest...
These issues, even I can't find an answer to, only a shapeless urgency.
"You, did you break free?"
When the carriage began to move slowly, Old Calculation knocked on his donkey's head and hurried alongside Hu Ma's carriage.
Hu Ma's gaze pierced through the curtain to look at him, saying, "Why don't you try calculating it?"
"I did..."
Old Calculation wore a pained expression, "But I didn't understand. You must have done sothing just now, right?"
"I've seen so things more clearly."
Hu Ma replied slowly, "There indeed is an opportunity for to sever ties with the Daluo Dharma Sect and break free from this cage."
Old Calculation was taken aback, "Then you..."
Hu Ma said, "I didn't break free; I chose to take a step further."
"If the order you've received was to lead to the Yang Pass and take on the role of your Daluo Dharma Sect Leader, I am now even closer to that goal and have vaguely perceived the opportunity you ntioned to seize life and transcend in the mortal realm."
"I must admit, old friend, you've helped a great deal. The guidance on the dharma thod is a trendous favor, and I have noted this karmic debt deeply."
...
"Not at all, I was just following orders to spread the word..."
Hu Ma's seriousness made Old Calculation nervous, instinctively wanting to back down, but halfway through, he stopped.
Having grown wise with age, he savored the flavor, realizing the little shopkeeper preferred to rember his kindness rather than that of the Daluo Dharma Sect.
In that case, there's no need to refuse.
After all, the Daluo Dharma Sect doesn't pay wages, unlike most sects that emphasize loyalty...
But upon further thought, he couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you afraid..."
"People fear when they are ignorant of their destiny. Now that I know my fate, what is there to fear?"
Hu Ma actually smiled, saying, "I no longer need to hide from the Daluo Dharma Sect; I'm not even opposed to the position of the Main Sacrificial Officer you ntioned."
"I should say, when I took that step forward, I officially entered the ga."
"Only, I wasn't pushed by others, but rather, I voluntarily joined this ga."
"Thinking closely, the two sides have been arguing in this ga for so many years. It's ti for a third entrant."
...
Old Calculation beca quietly silent, pressing the donkey's head and letting himself fall behind the line.
Above, a bright moon erged from the clouds, draping the surroundings in silence. Only faintly, the mischievous laughter of Immortal Miaoshan and the shyly reproachful voice of Fourth Miss Zhou, accompanied by a little ghost's helpless sigh, were heard from the rear carriage.
Hu Ma sat quietly in the carriage, closed his eyes, and silently sank into the long-lost Lifebound Spirit Temple.
The nails of the Great Mighty Sky General Seal had been removed, the Lifebound Spirit Temple reopened.
In the dead silence of the temple, Hu Ma stared at the line of nine life incense sticks on the incense table before him, pondering for a long ti. He finally picked one, inserting it into the incense burner. Then he stepped back.
Watching the dark red mist hover and surge around him, he slightly held his breath. In this Lifebound Spirit Temple, there was an eerie silence, with no voices to be heard.
He slowly moved forward, placing his hand on the Lifebound Spirit Temple and speaking lowly, "Brother Er Guotou..."
"No rush in responding to ; we both know we have questions, but I thank you for trusting ."
"And them too."
"I have reached the final step, and soon, I will discover the answers."
"I believe you will too."
"I want to invite you to do sothing fun. Behind the battlefield lies a village where I've left sothing."
"Once you obtain it, you will understand my intentions."
"After I reach Shangjing, I will have sorted out these affairs, and we can et to clarify everything."
"But before that, I hope you will help deliver a ssage to Miss White Wine and Miss Sweet Potato."
"To Miss White Wine, offer my thanks."
"As for Miss Sweet Potato, ask her this question: Would she like to see the entire Shangjing City engulfed in a storm of paper money?"
...
At this point, even he couldn't help but purse his lips slightly. Then, he gently removed the incense stick.
Er Guotou would hear his words, for he hadn't gone far.
Awakening from his imrsion, Hu Ma raised his gaze in the direction of Shangjing, his eyes cold and resolute.
...
...
"State Preceptor, just now you..."
At the sa ti, in Shangjing City, everyone heard the soft sigh of Mr. Hu Shan, long since deceased, and witnessed the State Preceptor's Peach Wood Sword break.
The next mont, the five oil lamps before the State Preceptor flickered simultaneously, the flas growing vigorously. Not only that, but even the four oil lamps deliberately placed behind him unexpectedly ignited.
Two rows of oil lamps brightened the area, making the State Preceptor appear sandwiched between them.
"As expected, none are ordinary folks, unpredictable..."
And with the broken sword in hand, the State Preceptor's expression, illuminated by the oil lamp's light, shifted unpredictably from dark to light.
Eventually, he actually chuckled, tossing aside the broken sword, and softly said, "It's becoming interesting."
"The descendants of the Hu Family indeed have an extraordinary ruthlessness."
Then he moved aside from the incense table, quietly observing the complexly speculative expressions before him, smiling gently, "Ladies and gentlen, the Hu Family is not so easily swayed, but he is willing to give us an opportunity to see what our intentions are..."
"So, now it's ti to welco the Lord of Zhensui Hu Family into the Capital."
"As one of the illustrious Ten Surnas, second on the Immortal Ascension List, Daluo Dharma Sect Leader..."
"It should be us, who've shirked our duties, who must make ands for the Hu Family's deserved rites and respect."
...
The people listened, exchanging glances, and after a long ti, soone suddenly laughed, saying, "The State Preceptor is right..."
"As one of the Ten Surnas, it's ti to welco the Lord of Zhensui Hu Family into the Capital..."
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