Chapter 12 Hide It?

The Iron Rail King couldn't believe his subordinate's words, finding them utterly absurd.

This wasn't a steamed bun. This was the massive Yan family. Who had the ability to hide them?

But at this moment, he couldn't bring himself to lash out with his whip. He spurred his horse forward, circling the streets, a look of confusion washing over his face. Shouldn't the Yan family be here? Why couldn't he find them?

Could he have remembered wrong? Was the Yan family not on this street?

…

…

"That's, that's…"

While the Iron Rail King was stunned, inside the Yan family mansion, the Yan family patriarch was even more bewildered. He watched as the Yan family gates were blasted open and countless people surged in.

To his surprise, although he'd heard the Iron Rail King's army approaching and smelled the iron on their armor, it wasn't the Iron Rail troops who stormed into his residence.

Instead, it was a mob of Guazhou citizens, their faces contorted with rage, wielding pitchforks and clubs, along with a smattering of Jianghu (martial arts world) figures.

Furious, they charged at the Yan family, whom they usually wouldn't even dare to glance at directly. They smashed the Yan family gate to splinters, trampled the iron threshold bestowed by the Emperor, leaving it covered in footprints and filth, an eyesore.

"It's him, it's him…"

As they poured in, someone spotted the Yan family patriarch and roared, charging forward.

"It's the Yan family who released the toad gu in the city, harming my child…"

"…"

The citizens showed no respect for the Yan family patriarch, a man who had served in the government for seven generations. They immediately started beating him, raining blows down upon him. Neither the Yan family patriarch nor the martial arts experts he had invited to make things difficult for the ghost catcher were spared.

Even the Iron Rail King's Dharma Protector General, who had been disemboweled by Hu Ma at the beginning and was just now recovering, clutching his intestines as he crawled off the ground,

was engulfed by the mob. Stones, clubs, dog's blood, and excrement fell like rain.

"Stealing the sky and switching the sun, hiding this massive Yan family…"

Nearby, a person wearing a goat mask flattered Miss Red Wine, saying, "Big Sister, you truly are an expert in trickery. With this skill alone, you could be the Head Official of the Tricks Hall if it weren't for your identity."

Miss Red Wine feigned indifference, but her eyes sparkled with amusement. "Is that all?"

"…I wonder if Little White will be convinced when he sees this?"

"…"

"…"

"Miss Red Wine's doing?"

Inside the Yan family mansion, Hu Ma had already killed most of the Yan family retainers. The remaining half, no matter how loyal, didn't dare stand in the way of a fiend like him.

As he cut his way through, Hu Ma noticed that the Yan family mansion was hiding many experts, some of whom he wouldn't have an easy time defeating in a one-on-one fight. But the junior officers had taken care of them all with ease.

It felt like an overwhelming victory, with the four nails (定子 - dingzi, referring to strategically placed objects used to secure a location's feng shui or spiritual energy) being removed without any suspense.

After removing the fourth nail, Hu Ma looked up, feeling that the massive Yan family mansion was now just an empty shell. The luck was still there, but it was only supported by the iron threshold bestowed by the Emperor.

The iron threshold was the Yan family's true root.

As it was an imperial gift, the Town Suppressing Bureau might not fear it, but that didn't mean others didn't. It didn't mean it was useless.

As long as the iron threshold was there, the Yan family would remain, and this massive Yan mansion wouldn't fall.

At the same time, they heard the approaching sounds of soldiers and the shouts of the common people, causing them to pause slightly.

They wondered if they would have to confront the Iron Rail King's troops at this point, but suddenly, they felt the murderous aura of the Iron Rail King's soldiers, clearly close by, but they couldn't enter the mansion. Instead, they kept circling around.

On the other hand, a wave of shouts and cries for vengeance surged into the Yan mansion, instantly washing away every last bit of the Yan family's luck.

Even Hu Ma felt a sense of surprise, along with a peculiar feeling of satisfaction.

The Yan family's iron threshold had been trampled.

One could say that even the Town Suppressing Bureau would have to use the Town Suppressing Golden Mace to smash this iron threshold. As a ghost catcher, he wouldn't be able to do it.

But the people of Guazhou City could. Just as Yang bows could kill emperors, the people of Guazhou City could make this iron threshold worthless.

…

…

"Kacha, kacha…"

With the four nails removed and the iron threshold trampled, the Yan family mansion finally lost its last support.

In the long run, the Yan family would be affected in almost every aspect. Even if Hu Ma led his men away immediately, the Yan family would inevitably face a rapid decline.

But at this moment, as the iron threshold was trampled, some kind of crisscrossing energy within the Yan family mansion quietly dissipated. A gust of Yin (陰 - yin, negative/shadowy) wind blew, revealing countless wronged souls rushing out of the Yan mansion as if trying to escape.

Deep within the Yan mansion, there was a sound of countless iron chains being broken, and heavy breathing echoed throughout the residence.

"It's over, it's over…"

Whether it was the Yan family members or the not-quite-dead retainers and trained martial artists, they all turned ashen-faced upon hearing this sound. Some even felt their legs give way, collapsing to the ground like noodles, awaiting death in despair.

"Old Master…"

"Old Master is really coming out this time…"

"The imperial decree hasn't been fulfilled, the dragon transformation failed, he's being forced to come out. This time, this time, none of us will survive…"

"…"

"Hm?"

As this great commotion arose, Hu Ma focused his mind and suddenly slashed behind him with his punitive official saber. Instantly, a brick wall collapsed, revealing a small, seemingly desolate courtyard.

Inside the courtyard, Yin winds raged, as if the thunder and lightning in the sky had been torn down and placed in this courtyard. The spectacle was so great that people couldn't even open their eyes.

Found it…

Ever since he had determined that there was something like this in the Yan family mansion, he had been paying attention.

But before destroying the four nails and the iron threshold, he could sense its presence but couldn't find it.

The thing already seemed extremely angry, but it only roared, not coming out.

Only now did they see this small courtyard, and in the middle of the courtyard, there was a well. Dense chains extended from the edge of the well in all directions, tied to various parts of the Yan family mansion.

The sturdiest and most important chains went directly into the ground, extending in four directions, roughly connected to the four nails that Hu Ma had just destroyed.

Now, the iron chains on the well were breaking one after another, scattered to the side. Something was slowly emerging from the well.

At this moment, Hu Ma couldn't help but feel stimulated, vaguely feeling a change in his body. His Great Might Heavenly Duke General Seal, which had been stagnant for some time, actually felt something. The third palace gate also showed signs of loosening.

"Dragon Transformation Well?" (化龙井 - Hualong Jing)

Just as Hu Ma was feeling surprised, a low voice suddenly spoke from behind him: "This really is a boss fight."

"Everyone, if your skills aren't good enough or you're not confident in fighting someone from the bridge (realm beyond mortality), get out of here!"

"It'll be too late when this thing comes out."

"…"

Hearing his words, the group of ghost catcher junior officers were startled, but no one left. Instead, they curiously stood on tiptoe, craning their necks to look inside.

Hu Ma hesitated for a moment, then hugged his punitive official saber tighter, deciding not to leave just yet.

…

…

"Is that thing coming out?"

It wasn't just the ghost catchers inside the Yan family mansion who were frightened by the commotion. The Iron Rail troops who were searching for the Yan family's whereabouts outside the mansion were also startled by the noise, staring blankly upwards.

The Iron Rail King was stunned for a moment, then his expression changed drastically, and he shouted at his subordinates in a panic: "Quick, quick, damn it, we're going to lose our lives…"

"Use any means necessary to find the Yan family quickly…"

"Knock down all these houses, kill everyone! The Yan family is here. I don't believe we can't find them!"

"…"

"…"

"Sigh…"

At the same time, a deep sigh echoed in the Guazhou Prefecture God Temple due to the Yan family's commotion.

Dark clouds had gathered over Guazhou Prefecture City, covering the stars and plunging the city into darkness and oppressive silence. Even the Guazhou Prefecture City God couldn't restrain himself any longer.

In the Prefecture City Temple built in the south of the city, a sigh was heard, and then the specially closed temple door was finally opened.

A team of incense burners walked out of the temple. The person in front held three incense sticks, stopping every three steps with strange steps. On both sides were musicians, playing golden instruments and flutes. In the dark night, the sound was not festive, but rather eerie and terrifying.

At the very back were two rows of bare-backed palanquin bearers, carrying the statue of the Guazhou Prefecture God out slowly.

Strange, mysterious, and accompanied by the deep night, it was as if they were walking in the underworld.

As they passed, countless wandering ghosts were frightened, kneeling on the ground, kowtowing without making a sound.

"A dignified Prefecture God, yet he has become the Yan family's servant. How can this world not be in chaos?"

"Especially in front of the Town Suppressing Bureau, he has lost all face…"

"…"

But even in this eerie and gloomy atmosphere, two figures slowly appeared on either side of the alley, blocking the path of the Guazhou Prefecture God's incense burners.

One was wearing a silver robe and a red crown, while the other was wrapped in a black robe, revealing only a small face.

Facing the procession of the Prefecture God, they had a condescending expression on their faces, looking forward with a cold smile: "Godly Hand Zhao family Zhao Sanyi, Poison Master Chen family Chen Abao, we're here to welcome you!"

"Come down, are you still going to sit on the palanquin and act like a big shot at this time?"