“Lingering Issues?”

Seeing the National Preceptor’s face, which seemed to anticipate a look of struggle and tension on his own, Hu Ma was slightly taken aback.

In theory, he should indeed be feeling immense pressure right now.

The world was already burdened enough, and now the sudden emergence of the Underworld Hall added to the weight. Anyone would feel a heavy heart, even to the point of wanting to ignore this place entirely.

After all, Old Junmei, Mr. Longjing, and the others had acted skillfully back then, defeating this powerful enemy without resorting to open warfare. With their deaths, there was no need to deliberately seek trouble again during this tribulation on earth.

However, upon hearing him mention the Underworld Hall, Hu Ma had already figured things out in his mind.

Without much change in his expression, he simply sneered, "What's there to dare or not dare?"

"What Underworld Hall Ten Emperors? They're just a bunch of evil ghosts who once tried to sell out the world and steal incense offerings. Don't even mention asking a few questions, they should have been dealt with long ago."

Miss Red Wine's arrival at Fierce Tiger Pass this time, besides stirring up this tribulation and defeating the Impermanence Li family, her most important task was to bring a piece of advice from Tie Guanyin:

Do not think about changing this world casually, do not compromise, and do not settle.

If you want to solve it, solve all the problems completely.

Be even prepared for the remaining noble families to destroy this world if they see no chance of winning.

Those people possessed the means to bring the Grand Duke of Jupiter into the world ahead of time, which was most terrifying. Compared to that, what did the ghosts in the so-called Underworld Hall amount to?

"You…"

Because Hu Ma's answer was too straightforward, even the National Preceptor was momentarily stunned.

Not only did he not see fear on Hu Ma's face, but this boldness gave him a strange feeling in his heart. After a long while, he replied in a low voice, "You really have no reverence for this world…"

"No wonder you dare to bring this tribulation into the world…"

Looking at his appearance, Hu Ma suddenly felt that this person was not as unattainable as he seemed.

The National Preceptor in the capital was still a scholar of heaven and earth, as beautiful as an immortal. His actions were disagreeable, but one had to be convinced by his abilities and acknowledge his ambition in building the White Jade Capital.

He should have been the person who understood the reincarnators the most before himself, but now it seemed that his understanding was far from enough.

He simply didn't know how vast the spirit of reincarnators could be once they became serious.

Old Junmei and the others had only discovered the truth late, so they were decisive when they needed to be, and used cleverness when they needed to. They completed their responsibilities without hesitation and then confidently handed over the remaining affairs to the next generation of reincarnators.

In these twenty years, the Ten Families had thought they had suppressed the reincarnators and didn't even take them seriously.

But who would have known that the reincarnators themselves needed these twenty years?

With these twenty years, the reincarnators had an indelible bond with this world. After recognizing their origins, they also had the determination to make a major change.

This was an unimaginable power, and it was also the reason why Hu Ma felt at ease handing over the matter of fighting for destiny to them.

It was clear that the National Preceptor had raised this question to embarrass Hu Ma, but he didn't expect Hu Ma's answer to break his composure, and he became much more silent after asking this question.

He simply led Hu Ma up a few steps, and they came to a stone cave piled with chaotic rocks. Here, there was a pond with ash-covered fire, which was extremely abrupt.

Most importantly, Hu Ma seemed to see some strange traces on the pond.

It was as if it had been shot by an invisible arrow.

This immediately aroused Hu Ma's curiosity, "Could it be that this was also one of Mr. Longjing's targets back then?"

Mr. Longjing had shot seven arrows from the City of Wrongful Deaths to the human world. Hu Ma knew some of the landing points, but some had remained unknown.

He was greatly interested to see the traces of one of the arrows here.

"Wait here for me, I'll go in and get something."

The National Preceptor gave a faint instruction and then bowed and entered the stone cave, quickly disappearing from sight.

Hu Ma didn't know what he was going to get, so he had to wait here. He turned his head and glanced at Old Abacus, and saw that he was also looking around, his face full of curiosity. He didn't expect much from him, so he didn't rely on him.

He simply took Little Red Peony's hand and sat on the stone bench next to him, thinking to himself, what exactly was the black house or Underworld Hall that Little Red Peony spoke of?

Why did it still evoke an instinctive resistance and fear in Little Red Peony after so many years?

"Hello, very well…"

While he was thinking, he heard footsteps nearby. Hu Ma knew who it was, so he didn't bother to look. However, the other party spoke with a gnashing hatred.

Old Abacus was surprised and turned his head to see three to five men, all dressed in silk, but dirty, with messy hair. They were now staring at Hu Ma, gnashing their teeth, "So you're also a descendant of the Ten Families, the Lord of the Walking Dead!"

"You destroyed my White Jade Capital, cut off the foundation and reputation of my Undying Wang family, and now you're openly colluding with evil, destroying the world's fortune and stirring up such a great tribulation."

"Now the heavens and earth are weeping together, and murderous intent fills the sky. This is all, all your doing!"

Hu Ma had known that these were members of the Wang family even before they approached.

They had lost the battle in the capital, and the Wang family's leader, young master, and two court officials had fled with the National Preceptor.

They had originally been people of luxury, but now on Mount Great Sorrow, there was nowhere to spend their money, and nowhere to use their skills. In a few months, they had been exposed to the elements, and had become like beggars. How could they not be angry when they saw Hu Ma?

As for this great tribulation, their vision and realm were still there, so they couldn't possibly not see it.

The fear in their hearts was also real.

"Evil?"

Hu Ma was too lazy to argue with these prodigal sons, but he frowned because of the words they used.

He said lightly, "Were any of your wives and children left in the capital ground to death in a millstone?"

"Were any of them killed and their heads hung above the city gates?"

These two sentences immediately stunned these angry people. The foundation of the Undying Wang family had naturally been completely seized by the reincarnators taking the capital.

Now the person in charge of the Siming Dao had become Miss White Wine, but the members of the Undying Wang family, except for those who deserved to die but forcibly lived in the world, had not been deliberately killed.

They were simply released in the capital to fend for themselves, at most with their cultivation crippled to prevent them from causing trouble.

Compared to what the Ten Families had done to the reincarnators in the past, this was simply repaying evil with kindness.

Of course, this was not because the reincarnators lacked bloodthirst, but because they were truly doing things with a greater spirit, far surpassing that hatred.

But in any case, judging by the means they used, the people of the Wang family really couldn't bring themselves to say the word "evil."

"Then what about this tribulation?"

The Wang family leader said grimly, "The fortune of the heavens and earth was already decaying, and now that the tribulation has begun, how many noble families will be swept into the bloody storm?"

Hu Ma frowned as he listened, and looking at their disheveled appearances and gnashing expressions, he didn't even bother to talk to them.

The versions were too different. The Ten Families should have been the most knowledgeable among the common people of the world, but now that the reincarnators had truly begun to participate, they couldn't even be considered shortsighted.

Perhaps, only like the Impermanence Li family, by honestly losing a battle and completely recognizing themselves, would that cleverness return to them.

"Brother Hu, why be so arrogant?"

Seeing that Hu Ma didn't even want to glance at them, the Wang family leader and even the deputy court official next to him were simply stifled.

Wang Zisheng, the young and mature direct descendant of the Wang family, already felt somewhat indignant and said loudly, "Don't think that our Wang family willingly left the capital and is helpless. If we had really started that great sacrifice back then, the outcome of this battle would still be unknown…"

Hearing this, Hu Ma's face turned slightly cold, "What great sacrifice?"

The Wang family young master met his gaze, but felt some pressure. However, the Wang family leader next to him suddenly sighed softly and said, "Mr. Hu, your Zhensuifu acts ruthlessly and domineeringly, but you should still have some reverence for this world."

"In the Underworld Hall, all the past emperors of the Duyi Dynasty were once people whose lives suppressed an era and were solely favored by the Grand Duke of Jupiter. In life, they were protected by fierce generals and blessed by the country's fortune. In death, they were followed by thousands of funerary objects and accompanied by ghosts and gods."

"In these twenty years, the Ten Families have suppressed the chaos of the common people in the human world and have blocked the Duyi ghosts from peeping into the human world in the Underworld Hall. Even if they have no merit, they have worked hard. Now, looking at each of them, they are haggard and miserable…"

"If we were really too angry back then and started this sacrifice…"

"…"

Listening to their words, Hu Ma frowned and interrupted their hesitations, "Then why didn't you do it?"

"We…"

This sentence made all the members of the Wang family look embarrassed.

After following the National Preceptor out of the capital, they had come to Mount Great Sorrow. They had also thought about many possibilities of what other plans the National Preceptor would propose, and that he would lead the Wang family back to kill.

Some people even thought of the Underworld Hall in desperation.

But as a result, the National Preceptor had not done anything for a long time after coming to Mount Great Sorrow. He just sat there all day, dazed, burning incense, and kowtowing. The person who was originally like an immortal had become like a walking corpse.

It wasn't that they hadn't thought about using the Underworld Hall to their advantage, but they ultimately felt it was inappropriate, and the National Preceptor didn't respond, so they had to give up.

Now, the Wang family was both unwilling and faced with Hu Ma's questioning, feeling a suffocating feeling that they couldn't express, and feeling extremely uncomfortable in their hearts.

Hu Ma just watched coldly, and suddenly said to the Wang family leader, "That's right, if you didn't come, I wouldn't have remembered."

"But back in the capital, I saw that your family has a pill formula that can bring the dead of twenty years ago back to life, which is quite interesting. Hand it over!"

"?"

These words stunned everyone in the Wang family.

The Wang family's young master, Wang Zisheng, was amused and said loudly, "There should be a way to ask for the formula."

"Our Wang family is not stingy. If the Hu family wants to ask for advice, it's not impossible to have a discussion and exchange, but you want our Wang family to hand over the formula without even saying a nice word?"

Hu Ma glanced at him and suddenly smiled, "If you don't hand it over, then I'll kill you!"

"Is that nice to hear?"

The smile reflected in the eyes of the Wang family only seemed cruel and sinister. The invisible pressure suppressed them, and they all took a step back, unable to speak.

Especially Wang Zisheng, the Wang family's young master, whose face turned white at this moment. He had never thought in his life that someone would be so impolite to him…

It could be seen that their eyes subconsciously glanced towards the stone cave. Hu Ma knew what they meant, so he raised his hand and looked at his fingertips, saying lightly, "Don't expect the National Preceptor to protect you."

"I may not be as capable as him, but if I want to kill someone in front of him, he can't stop me…"

This naked threat made the Wang family members feel extremely depressed.

At this moment, the National Preceptor flashed out of the stone cave, holding a box wrapped in a bundle.

Seeing that everyone's eyes were looking at him, he shook his head slightly and said slowly, "There's no need to look at me like that. If he wants to kill someone, I really can't stop him."

"…"

The Wang family members were suddenly stunned, their expressions distorted, their bodies trembling slightly, extremely angry, but also with a great sense of frustration.

One of the dignified Ten Families, the Undying Wang family, was actually threatened to their faces by a descendant of the Hu family…

"Serving Boy, let them explain everything clearly, not leaving out a single word."

Hu Ma was already too lazy to talk to them and gave a cold instruction, "Don't play tricks. I have countless capable people around me, and even experts in the Siming Dao. After getting the formula, I'll first ask her to take a look. If there's a mistake in one word, I'll kill one of you."

Old Abacus was stunned for a moment before realizing that he was being called, so he had to step forward and negotiate with the Wang family with a bitter face.

To think that at the age of seventy-three, he was actually acting as a boy…

In theory, going from a Jianghu disciple to a boy by the side of the main priest was a promotion, but this title…

…Oh well!

Seeing Hu Ma's toughness, the Wang family members all turned ashen. The Wang family's young master even flushed red, as if wanting to say something loudly, but the Wang family leader suddenly shouted coldly, "Give it to him."

The people next to him were dumbfounded.

The Wang family leader had been extremely angry when facing Hu Ma, not hiding his dissatisfaction, but now he said coldly, "My Wang family is not afraid of death, but we are afraid of our formula being lost. Since the Hu family wants it, then give it to him."

"Whether he wants to kill people after getting the formula is up to him!"

"…"

The Wang family's young master was still somewhat confused, but after hearing these words, he felt tragic.

The two major court officials next to him, the Zhaodao and Wenshi, suddenly understood the Wang family leader's intentions and felt a little relieved, thinking that their lives had been saved.

"Is everything ready?"

Hu Ma ignored them and just looked at the National Preceptor, his gaze falling on the box in his hand, "What is this?"

"This is the bone relic of the main priests of the Daluo Dharma Sect."

The National Preceptor slowly raised his head and looked directly at Hu Ma, "You came to me this time to ask about the matter of returning home. Did you think of it yourself, or did someone else teach you?"

Hu Ma frowned slightly and looked at him, "What's the difference?"

The National Preceptor actually nodded slowly, speaking in a low voice, "Whether it's you or them, it makes a big difference to me."

Hu Ma didn't comment, just looked at the National Preceptor, and after a long while, slowly said, "Just now, the Wang family mentioned that when you left the capital, you also had the opportunity to give us a severe lesson?"

"Yes."

Listening to his words, the National Preceptor sighed slowly, admitting, "Back in the capital, I knew about your Hu family's cooperation with Old Junmei and the others, and I was caught off guard. At that time, I was expelled from the Daluo Dharma Sect and became a laughingstock in the eyes of the world."

"In my heart, I actually had some resentment, and I even thought about whether to invite out those things in the Underworld Hall that were essentially being imprisoned, to let you…"

He paused slightly before saying grimly, "...also taste the feeling of frustration."

Hu Ma didn't find it strange at all, just saying lightly, "It's normal to want to flip the table after losing."

"But since you thought about it, why didn't you do it?"

"…"

"It's just…"

The National Preceptor actually hesitated.

After a long while, he just smiled bitterly and said, "I can't think of the meaning of doing that."

Saying that, he had an unexpected honesty, smiling bitterly, "Losing is losing. Although I'm unwilling, I have to accept it."

"If I were to lose and then disregard everything, pulling out the Underworld Hall just to vent my anger, I would be like a village fool."

"Even if I lose, I have to lose with dignity."

"So, I was ashamed of this thought in the end, and just wanted to see what you would do, and see if you could handle it."

"…"

His appearance made Hu Ma find it somewhat interesting. It seemed that after losing a battle, he was becoming more and more like a human.

"It's just that I can't do such a thing."

At this point, the National Preceptor slowly spoke again, his eyes seeming extremely deep, "But it doesn't mean that others won't."

Hearing this, Hu Ma's eyes suddenly narrowed and he looked at the Wang family members.

"It's not them."

The National Preceptor slowly shook his head and said in a low voice, "The Wang family doesn't have the qualifications. Back in the Duyi Dynasty, the Wang family only belonged to the imperial physician lineage and didn't have the status to be taken seriously by the existence in the Underworld Hall."

"But I'm also very sure that even among the current Ten Families, someone has been secretly trying to reopen the Underworld Hall and bring out the things in the hall. Perhaps it has reached a very critical stage."

"In that Underworld Hall, there are all kinds of ordinary beings that are difficult to shake."

"So after Old Junmei and the others cut off their foundations, no one bothered to manage them, and they even tried their best not to think about them on a regular basis."

"After all, they are too terrifying. Even just thinking about them when nothing is wrong can allow them to slowly infiltrate the human world. This is also why the Underworld Hall is rarely known."

"For certain existences, just knowing them will cause unimaginable consequences."

"But just when I had the thought of whether to open the Underworld Hall and let you taste the consequences, I felt that someone in the Underworld Hall wanted to talk to me, and even made me, who has no dreams, start dreaming frequently, dreaming of the ten Emperor Ghosts…"

"I'm very sure that this is because someone has been trying to open up a channel with the Underworld Hall. The door that has been closed for twenty-four years is starting to loosen again."

"Once those Emperor Ghosts of the Duyi Dynasty really escape from the Underworld Hall, no matter whether you are fighting for destiny or what human tribulation, it will all become a dream, and this world will only return to the time when the Duyi Dynasty sat on the imperial throne twenty-four years ago."

"…"

Hearing this, Hu Ma's expression became somewhat solemn.

Among the Ten Families, someone actually wanted to reopen the Underworld Hall and let the things inside come out?

The Duyi Emperor was the one who signed the contract with the Grand Duke of Jupiter, and he was the source of all this chaos. If they really escaped, who knew what the world would become?

But who exactly was it?

Even the National Preceptor and the Wang family, who were forced to leave the capital, didn't really have the idea of targeting the Underworld Hall in anger, but those who were still sitting in high positions had already moved this idea?

Even from the time point of view, their idea of targeting the Underworld Hall was before this human tribulation.

Could it be that on the surface, the destruction of the Duyi Emperor had a share of the Ten Families, but in fact, among the current Ten Families, there were still undercover agents loyal to the Duyi Emperor?

It was time to act decisively.

In the face of this tribulation, there would naturally be heads rolling, but not everyone had to be killed. Just like the Impermanence Li family, as long as they handed over everything in their hands as agreed and reduced the name of the Ten Families, then this tribulation could spare them, and even absorb them.

But those who colluded with the Underworld Hall and wanted to stop this tribulation must be beheaded, leaving no one behind.

"Who is it?"

After a long silence, Hu Ma suddenly asked.

"Zhou, Zhu, Sun, Zhao, Chen, all are possible."

The National Preceptor said in a low voice, "After you stirred up this great tribulation, the answer is no longer important."

"I know why this great tribulation came, and I can even understand it, but the Ten Families are not the same. They will only think that this is a catastrophe, a hatred of seizing destiny."

"If that family is secretly colluding with the Underworld Hall, it's just a backup plan, then after facing this great tribulation, they may suddenly jump out and openly cooperate with the Underworld Hall. I wouldn't be surprised…"

"The Duyi Underworld Hall is the foundation of the heavens and earth. Only the lives of past emperors can enter. Once they enter, they will sit in charge of a dynasty, with a heavy destiny, leading for decades. Once they are born, they will override the destiny of heaven. The world will inevitably undergo great changes. No matter whether it is a tribulation or a destiny, it will all become a joke. How will you resist?"

"…"

It could be seen that the National Preceptor was questioning, and even including some kind of test.

Hu Ma had come to ask questions, but he was heavily pressed by the crisis and disaster thrown by the National Preceptor, as if he had a sense of helplessness.

And when the National Preceptor's eyes fell on his face, Hu Ma seemed to have thought for a long time, and as if he was facing a question, he lightly and casually smiled:

"What's so difficult about this?"

"Before the Underworld Hall opens, wouldn't it be better to send me in first?"