Chapter 121

All sorts of methods had been used to try and pry open the mouth of the Meng family's Old Master, but all had failed. Now, thanks to his son, he was willing to say anything he knew.

Hu Ma seized this opportunity, of course, and questioned him as much as possible, both about past events and the Meng family's techniques, asking carefully and recording everything diligently. He even had Xiao Hongtang prepare brush and ink.

He wasn't worried about falsehoods; he could adjust things later using his Benming Lingmiao (Lifebound Spirit Temple). As he listened, he occasionally asked questions at crucial points, actually hearing many secrets of the Tongyin (Spirit-Channeling) Meng family, which enlightened him greatly.

Especially unexpectedly, he even gained some inspiration for the Zhen Sui Shu (Town Guardian Book) through association.

The Town Guardian Book that Granny had given him had a first volume about setting up altars and summoning ghosts, with mystical techniques and strategies; the middle volume contained the Four Great Incantations; and the final volume was somewhat complex, largely overlapping with the existence of the Town Demon Bureau, while the parts that didn't overlap were too mysterious, seemingly just recorded.

But now, some of the content at the end of the Town Guardian Book gradually began to make sense as the Meng family's Old Master spoke.

When Hu Ma led Xiao Hongtang out of the house, carrying the jar, he saw that the sky was already bright, and the Dayaang (Big Sheep) village was full of people, paper offerings, sacrificial items, and wine jars.

The strong young men of the village had also tied red cloth around their waists and were eating breakfast, making preparations. Mountain worship wasn't like worshipping ghosts; ghost worship had to be done in the early morning or late evening, when yin energy was heavy, but mountain worship had to be done at noon, when yang energy was at its peak.

Although he had made arrangements, his identity—both the Hu family bloodline and the involvement with the Town Demon Bureau—made it unsuitable for him to be among them. He simply prepared to burn incense at the appropriate time. The mountain worship would be led by Second Master.

Honestly, if Second Master hadn't taken over the fire altar, it shouldn't have been him, but the old clan leader.

Now, the village was full of unfamiliar faces. Hu Ma, without red silk around his waist and wearing only simple, practical blue cloth clothes, wasn't conspicuous. He strolled out of the village, intending to go to the Meng family's Old Madam's place, when he suddenly heard a strange voice behind him: "Brother, your eyebrows are on fire, and you're still strolling around here as if it's New Year's?"

Hu Ma recognized the familiar voice and turned around, somewhat surprised.

He saw a group of three people, led by one dressed in brocade robes, with a red crown on his head, looking utterly depressed. Behind him was a girl wrapped in black robes, munching on a deep-fried dough twist from the village.

It was Zhao Sanyi and Chen Abao, whom he had met in the Yin realm.

As for the one behind them, Hu Ma was shocked at first glance: "That person is..."

"So it's you, you evil spirit!"

Before Hu Ma could recognize her, the woman at the rear was greatly surprised.

Her eyes turned red, her body tensed, and both hands clenched into fists, as if she would punch him without saying a word.

This shout allowed Hu Ma to recognize her. It was none other than the Zhou family's Fourth Miss, whom he had fought in the City of Wrongful Deaths.

"Aiya, aiya..."

Seeing the Zhou family's Fourth Miss get angry, attracting so much attention, Zhao Sanyi hurriedly stopped her. The little hands of Chen Abao, greasy, also grabbed the Zhou family's Fourth Miss's sleeve, saying, "What did we say on the way? Don't make a fuss when you see him."

"How can I not make a fuss?"

The Zhou family's Fourth Miss was already filled with anger, mixed with some fear: "This is an evil spirit..."

"You..."

"..."

"The Shou Sui (Year Watch) sect really doesn't have very good brains."

As Hu Ma reacted, he said nothing, but coldly looked at the Zhou family's Fourth Miss, saying, "I haven't even settled the score with you for disrupting our ghost walking in the City of Wrongful Deaths, and now you dare to slander me in my village?"

"What, do you think that because you're from the Life-Nurturing Zhou family, I wouldn't dare to give you a beating?"

"..."

Evil spirits were supposed to die in the light, covering their faces and fleeing when they saw him.

But now, this evil spirit was out in broad daylight, sneering at him with an indignant expression, which stunned the Zhou family's Fourth Miss.

Of course, she was startled, and having been beaten in the City of Wrongful Deaths, she still had lingering fears.

Otherwise, Zhao Sanyi and Chen Abao might not have been able to restrain her.

Zhao Sanyi also took advantage of her daze and hurriedly said, "Aiyo, I told you not to be too impulsive. This isn't an evil spirit!"

"I was the one who sent him into the City of Wrongful Deaths in the first place. Besides, you've heard about what happened in the City of Wrongful Deaths later. If he were really an evil spirit, how would he dare to swagger around by Young Master Hu's side?"

"..."

Chen Abao also released her sleeve, picked up the dough twist from the ground, and continued to eat, saying, "Even if he is, it just means this evil spirit is a house pet!"

"You, what are you saying..."

The Zhou family's Fourth Miss felt her mind was not working well and said blankly, "He... I clearly remember him protecting the imprisoned evil spirit in the City of Wrongful Deaths, and when I went to capture him, he beat... he stopped me..."

"I remember his appearance, and I remember his eyes. Don't try to persuade me. I remember it clearly. I can't forget him no matter how he dresses up."

"What good is remembering clearly?"

Zhao Sanyi said, "That's a matter between the Hu and Meng families. What business is it of yours, Zhou family?"

Chen Abao finished the dough twist and licked her fingers, saying, "That's right, you're not looking for a son-in-law. What's the point of remembering so accurately?"

They were both so confident, which made the Zhou family's Fourth Miss feel guilty and blink her big eyes.

Hu Ma, on the other hand, looked impatient and said, "You two did help with the matters in the City of Wrongful Deaths. The Hu family remembers it, and our young master plans to thank you properly, but you left so quickly that we didn't catch you."

"But even if you've realized it and want to ask for a reward, you should go to our young master. Why are you coming to my door, the Great Blade-Handler?"

"Martial world matters should be settled in the martial world. Coming to my home isn't in accordance with the rules, is it?"

"..."

"Please don't misunderstand..."

Zhao Sanyi became nervous upon hearing this and hurriedly closed the distance, saying, "We only came here because we really have no other choice..."

"Where is your Hu family's young master now? Quickly... please bring him out so we can meet him?"

"..."

Hu Ma stopped and looked at him intently, saying, "Why?"

"Don't you know?"

Zhao Sanyi looked terrified: "The Hu and Meng families are about to fight to the death, aren't they?"

"If we don't come to mediate, I'm afraid this world will be turned upside down!"

"Most importantly, this whole thing started with my involvement. I was the one who dug the holes. If things get out of control, my elders might push me out to take the blame. Skinning me would be the least of it..."

"..."

"It wasn't me who asked you to help in the first place..."

Hu Ma instantly understood what they were thinking, turned to look at him, and said, "Besides, it's the Meng family who wants to gamble their lives with the Hu family. Why are you looking for something here? If you really want to be peacemakers, shouldn't you go find that young master of the Meng family?"

"Someone has already gone!"

Zhao Sanyi said anxiously, "That's really a madman. The elders won't let him do that!"

"Everything now is for the Stone Pavilion Alliance. We've been searching everywhere for that young master of the Hu family, and that's why we had to come to your door."

"Others can't do anything, but you definitely can. We just want to persuade him not to act impulsively at this critical moment. That young master of the Meng family is too crazy. As long as you release that Old Master of the Meng family first, everything can be salvaged!"

"..."

Was it because the Meng family was gambling their lives with the Hu family that the other eight families were starting to worry?

But they didn't want the Hu and Meng families to gamble their lives, so they came to persuade the Hu family to release the person first. These seven families were interesting. Was it because they saw that the Meng family's actions were really too terrifying?

Perhaps, as long as the Meng family only invited one or two calamities, they would be happy to watch the fire from the other side, but things got too big, so they started to get nervous.

A sneer curled up at the corner of his mouth as he said, "If you're here to be lobbyists, then you've come to the wrong person. Honestly, I can't even find the young master myself."

Zhao Sanyi was shocked: "What?"

Hu Ma said frankly, "Really, we separated in the City of Wrongful Deaths and haven't found him since."

Having travelled the martial world, Zhao Sanyi could naturally tell that Hu Ma's expression was open and honest, and he wasn't lying. He really panicked.

Hu Ma frowned and said, "The Meng family is eager to act. Can't your elders persuade the Meng family?"

"Who can persuade the Meng family to willingly invite calamity?"

Zhao Sanyi's lips trembled: "If we forcefully stop them, wouldn't we offend those things in the caves first? The only way now is for one of the two families to take a step back to avoid both sides being hurt..."

"I don't know what the young master is thinking..."

As Hu Ma spoke, he led them out of the village, and the surroundings began to become quiet. He asked curiously, "However, you might as well tell me first, what's the current situation of the Meng family, and how did your family elders persuade that young master of the Meng family?"

Zhao Sanyi had pinned his hopes on him and hurriedly told him everything he knew.

...

...

"Ah, so I really misunderstood?"

On the other side, as the Zhou family's Fourth Miss listened to Chen Abao speaking, she kept looking at Hu Ma, her expression becoming more and more bewildered: "...I really wasn't deceived by the Meng family. I just heard that he was an evil spirit, so of course, I had to take action."

"I, I really didn't know that the Hu family was the mastermind behind this, and that so many things were involved... So, this Great Blade-Handler isn't really an evil spirit?"

"..."

Chen Abao grabbed a handful of fried flour balls from the nearby table, saying, "Are you really a bit slow?"

"Do you want me to open up your head and take a look? It's stitched shut."

"..."

"I'm not, I'm not."

The Zhou family's Fourth Miss said, "It's just that after I mastered my skills, I didn't like using my brain very much, but I used to be very smart."

"Then let's say you're smart!"

Chen Abao said, "Can you tell me now why you had to come with us to find the young master of the Hu family?"

The Zhou family's Fourth Miss suddenly didn't know how to speak.

...

Up ahead, Hu Ma, after hearing Zhao Sanyi explain the Meng family's situation clearly, was also slightly surprised: "Three conditions? That young master of the Meng family really dares to ask for them!"