Chapter 16 Leading the Way?

"You're guiding me through the door?"

From Old Suanpan's words, one could indeed hear how precious the so-called "High Priest" status was.

But hearing it now, Hu Ma merely sneered inwardly, "How will you guide me?"

"It's simple, simple."

Old Suanpan saw the calmness on Hu Ma's face and was inwardly furious, fearing he would become a punching bag.

While secretly cursing the unreliable founding master for not keeping his grand-disciple in check, he forced a smile onto his face and said, "Anyway, I don't know anything complicated, and I don't know what you big shots are thinking every day, and of course, I don't have the guts to get involved."

"The so-called guidance is actually just helping to pass on a message!"

"Didn't you just go down there?"

Anxious to change the subject, he stretched his neck and peered into the ancestral hall, his voice becoming a little nervous, "The legendary Twelve Ghost Altars, are they really..."

Hu Ma nodded. Thinking of what he had just seen, he nodded and said, "They should be there, but I was a little busy just now and didn't take a close look. If you're interested, why don't we go take a look together?"

"How could I go..."

Hearing this, Old Suanpan's expression changed, and he hurriedly took two steps back, waving his hands and saying, "How could someone as insignificant as me dare to approach that thing?"

"I was able to enter this village only because of our friendship over the past few years."

Speaking, he lowered his voice, as if afraid of being overheard, "Don't take it lightly. What kind of existence are the Twelve Ghost Altars? Now, fewer people know about it, but don't forget that the original altar was destroyed by those evil spirits..."

"Those people destroyed it, and the world was in chaos. It was these Twelve Ghost Altars that replaced the original altar, suppressing the world's fortune for a full 150 years!"

"That's 150 years of being worshipped by the people of the world, 150 years of receiving incense from the world."

"How can we imagine the significance within?"

"... "

While speaking, he looked at the ancestral hall, sighed, and took another step back cautiously, saying, "Perhaps only the High Priest of the world can borrow power from these things?"

"Alas, our great calamity began with sacrifice and will surely end with sacrifice. To be honest, at least for now, I can't see how to end these things, but since the master chose you to be the High Priest and gave you the Twelve Ghost Altars, there must be his reasons!"

"Heh..."

Hu Ma glanced at the ancestral hall, sneering inwardly, "I still don't know if what you said is true, but this generous gift is quite willing to give away!"

He could tell that Old Suanpan really didn't know much. Even his coming to "guide" him was because the National Preceptor knew he wouldn't just believe him, so he found someone more familiar to pass on the message.

Hu Ma didn't say much, just casually asked Old Suanpan a few more questions, then perked up and entered the ancestral hall again.

This time, he was more vigilant and inquisitive, and he was more serious than before. However, after looking around, he didn't find anything unusual in the twelve altars.

They were just like ordinary altars, except they had some simple and ancient patterns. He tried to touch them and confirmed that each altar weighed more than ten thousand *jin* (a Chinese unit of weight, approximately 500 grams). With his current Shou Sui abilities (New Year's Eve Vigil ability), he couldn't shake the altars even a little.

He tapped them lightly and felt that they were like gold and iron, impenetrable. And because his heart wasn't in it, he came out first.

His coming in and out fell into Old Suanpan's eyes, making him even more terrified, "I just saw my master come out of it, holding the candle left by the founding master, right?"

"But this little shopkeeper is going in and out as if he were going back to his own house?"

Because of this, he became even more respectful to Hu Ma, and even seriously considered whether to repay the blood food he owed Hu Ma.

However, Hu Ma, who had re-examined the Twelve Ghost Altars, now had only one thought in his mind: to quickly figure out what was going on.

Although he was anxious, he was also mindful not to fall into other people's tricks unknowingly. Therefore, he wouldn't casually ask for some strange things or practice any new skills. He was just cautiously investigating Old Suanpan.

Coming back out, he picked up Mr. Hu Shan's remains and returned to the Dayang village with Old Suanpan.

On the way, the thoughts in his mind began to surge, and he secretly made a decision, "It's time to go to Shangjing."

The Ten Clans only wanted to become immortals, and the National Preceptor said that becoming immortals was just a smokescreen, and everything seemed uncertain.

But Hu Ma understood that there was someone who could give him a definite answer.

Grandma!

She was a witness to these events back then, and she was the only person he remembered who was truly reliable.

Only she could solve his doubts.

Besides, even if he put these things aside, he had already eliminated the Meng family and avenged his revenge, and it was time to worship Grandma.

The reason he didn't go before was that once he arrived at the ancestral hall, the Meng family would definitely notice, and the other Ten Clans would also notice, causing unnecessary trouble. But now, for both emotional and rational reasons, it was time to offer this incense.

Thinking like this, his mind became firm, and he had already decided to leave immediately, and his steps became much lighter.

When he came, it seemed that he had arrived at Fox Coffin Village after only a few steps. But now, when he went back, even though he used the power of the Measuring Heaven Boots, it actually took a full hour before he returned to the Dayang village.

Old Suanpan was a bit of a surprise to Hu Ma. He held his small flag tightly and followed behind him, barely keeping up, but he was so tired that his tongue was sticking out.

What was curious was that Zhao Sanyi and Chen Abao were still waiting at the entrance of the village. When they saw Hu Ma, they hurriedly greeted him with surprised expressions.

Their abilities were already outstanding, but they hadn't noticed anything when Hu Ma spoke with the National Preceptor and left.

At this moment, they had also realized that something was wrong, and there was a questioning look in their eyes.

However, they didn't think of anything else, only that Hu Ma had something to do and used a technique to leave quietly.

"I went out temporarily to take care of something."

Hu Ma was in a heavy mood at this time and had no time to explain. Zhao Sanyi was very polite and didn't ask, just cupped his fist and said, "This trip to the mountain was indeed a bit against the rules."

"Fortunately, you are generous and not only did you not blame us, but you also gave us a favor in the matter of that Meng family's aunt. We in the martial world will follow the rules of the martial world, and we will fulfill what we promised to your young master."

"Now that we have had the wine and met the elders in the village, we must leave."

"... "

Although Hu Ma didn't intend to keep them, he was a little surprised, "You're leaving overnight?"

"The elders at home sent an urgent letter through the little ghost messenger."

Zhao Sanyi thought for a moment and felt that there was no need to hide it from Hu Ma. He lowered his voice and said, "Something big has happened in the Netherworld. Evil spirits have crossed the bridge, and the impact is probably not just a matter of this one prefecture."

"Besides, the Hu and Meng families are making such a big commotion that the elders in our family can't sit still..."

"However, this has alarmed a big shot, the Great Luo Dharma Sect, have you heard of it, brother?"

Hu Ma frowned and nodded.

"The leader of the Great Luo Dharma Sect, Grand Tutor Duyi, has appeared and will hold a Dharma assembly in Shangjing."

"I think he might fight those evil spirits."

"We have to rush there overnight to meet with our elders. I think your young master will show up soon."

"Maybe we will meet again at the Shangjing Dharma assembly soon. At that time, I will personally return the thousand *jin* (a Chinese unit of weight, approximately 500 grams) of purple Tai Sui to your young master!"

"... "

'On the one hand, he found me in the mountains, and on the other hand, he wants to join forces with the other Ten Clans to hold some Dharma assembly?'

Hu Ma thought of the elusive National Preceptor, feeling unspeakable disgust in his heart, and slowly nodded.

After seeing them off, he entered the village. Second Master hadn't rested either and was waiting for Hu Ma. Miss Zhou Si, holding a large coarse porcelain bowl and drinking tea, was next to him, which surprised Hu Ma. He didn't expect that Zhao and Chen had both left, but she was still staying here.

But he had no mood to ask her, just carried the bones, came to the front of the house, Second Master had already greeted him, seeing this was slightly stunned, "This is?"

"My father."

Hu Ma breathed a sigh of relief and said calmly, "He did die to block the disaster. I found his remains and want to bury him."

"Ah?"

Hearing this, Second Master was stunned on the spot, and after a long while, he hurriedly greeted him.

...

...

At the same time that Hu Ma returned to the village, the entire Old Yin Mountain, which had just been sacrificed to the mountain, was filled with the fragrance of incense. The previously gloomy and eerie old forest seemed to have been reborn.

But there were still a few places that were deep and quiet, making it difficult to see clearly. Not far from the Dayang village, on a low mountain, under a large locust tree, someone was quietly looking in one direction.

It was the National Preceptor who was leaving the Old Yin Mountain. He squinted his eyes, lightly flicked his sleeves, and walked very slowly, as if waiting for something.

Under this large locust tree, a woman in green clothes with a cold face, and the two shadows behind her, were also quietly looking at the other party's back.

In the wind of the Old Yin Mountain filled with the fragrance of incense, there seemed to be some disharmony.

But in the end, both sides seemed to have maintained restraint and did not fight. Grand Tutor Dongxuan slowly left the Old Yin Mountain, his figure disappearing, and the shadow under the locust tree slowly shifted its gaze from outside the mountain to the Dayang village in the Old Yin Mountain.

He said faintly, "Those guys have finally embarked on the right path. The Great Luo Dharma Sect couldn't hold back and has finally begun to take action..."

The shadow beside him swayed slightly and hesitated, "Then we..."

"Then we should also take back Lao Jun Mei's fate."

The woman in green clothes said lightly, "Twenty years ago, we failed to stop his appearance, then twenty years later, we will inevitably waste more effort."

"The things of the Reincarnated One should naturally not be left in the hands of outsiders."

(End of this chapter)