Chapter 419: The One Coin Sect Leader
Chapter 419: The One Coin Sect Leader
Hu Ma and Old Abacus quickened their pace, but it was only as the sun began to set that they caught sight of a sizable town nestled among the mountains. It bustled with activity, with mule caravans coming and going and buildings towering above.
As they approached the town, they saw a stone horse standing on a stone slab, surrounded by a circle of pebbles. The horse looked incredibly lifelike, and there were signs of incense burning on both sides, as if people were worshipping it as a deity.
"This is Stone Horse Town," Old Abacus said.
After traveling for most of the day, Old Abacus was already exhausted, but as they reached the town, he perked up and said to Hu Ma, "This used to be a big city, and it has quite a history!"
"It's said that there was a plague here before, and many of the locals died. A general from the previous dynasty resigned and returned to his hometown. He saw that a plague spirit was causing trouble and harming the village, so he rode his horse and fought the spirit. He defeated the plague spirit, but the old general also died."
"The locals were grateful for the general's deeds and buried him on the outskirts of the village. His horse, still loyal to its master, lingered and eventually turned into a stone horse."
"Over time, even the general's tomb was lost, but the stone horse remained."
"..."
Hu Ma found the story intriguing, but it was hard to discern truth from fiction. These kinds of rumors were everywhere, and even in a world filled with mysterious powers, misinformation spread like wildfire.
He listened while glancing at the town, and sighed softly, "This town is quite lively, despite being in the mountains."
"Hehe..."
Old Abacus took a look around and whispered, "It used to be an ancient city, but now it's become a den of thieves. The One Coin Sect has caused quite a stir, driving out the officials from the nearby prefectures and emptying the granaries."
"But they're also cautious, fearing that the officials might send troops. They don't stay outside for long, and they usually operate within these mountains, setting up altars and building temples to attract followers. The town's liveliness also attracts merchants and locals from the surrounding areas to do business."
"There are no taxes here, and no laws. It's much livelier than the outside world!"
"..."
"Wow, they're really planning a rebellion?" Hu Ma thought to himself. In this world, the officials were already low-key.
They usually turned a blind eye to most things, only concerned with collecting taxes. If people refused to pay, they wouldn't make a big fuss about it. Yet, the One Coin Sect had driven out the officials, almost as if they were claiming the title of rebels first, regardless of their other intentions.
Hu Ma understood the survival tactics of the Red Lantern Sisterhood, but he didn't quite grasp the One Coin Sect's methods.
This was a good opportunity to find out more.
"Let's go. I'm starving, and Elder Mr. Sun should have the banquet ready by now," Old Abacus urged.
As they entered the town, he continued, "In a place this big, there are bound to be many sages, especially since it's already a lawless area, attracting all sorts of characters."
"Not only are there members of the One Coin Sect, but also fierce bandits and shady businessmen from the outside who can't find a place elsewhere. You have impressive skills, but be very careful."
"I understand," Hu Ma replied.
He dismounted from his donkey and led it into the town. Unlike in the city, there were no checkpoints or inspections here.
Old Abacus simply informed him and didn't ask further questions.
He had already noticed that Hu Ma had many secrets, and his Year-End Guardian skills were far beyond what one would expect from a small manager of the Red Lantern Society. However, while Old Abacus was curious, he refrained from asking prying questions.
Of course, Hu Ma also respected his privacy and didn't pry into Old Abacus's affairs.
They walked down the street, surprised by the town's bustling atmosphere. Despite the approaching night, shops remained open, illuminated by lanterns, making it even livelier than the prefectural city.
When they reached the Four Directions Inn, where Elder Sun had arranged a banquet, they were greeted by the sight of brightly lit lanterns, alluring women, and pimps wearing green hats. Old Abacus was amazed.
He sighed deeply, "This place is lawless, but it's a great place to be. It's even better than the city."
Hu Ma glanced at him and asked, "How so?"
Old Abacus took a deep breath and said, "The skirts of the young ladies here are shorter than those in the city, and their legs are fairer."
"The makeup they use smells better than what you find in the city!"
"..."
"You can tell a lot from these small details."
Hu Ma praised, then led his horse to the inn and asked the pimp at the entrance, "Is Elder Sun of Liu Xian County hosting a banquet here?"
The pimp hurriedly approached, first shouting for someone to take care of Hu Ma's donkey, then leading them inside after bowing and scraping.
As they walked, they saw that the inn was spacious, with several large buildings brightly lit. In the distance, they could see people dining and drinking, most of them appearing to be merchants, but there were also many with a fierce aura, typical of the rough and tumble of the jianghu.
"Lord Hu, you've finally arrived. We've been waiting for you to start the banquet."
Before they had walked halfway, Elder Sun came out to greet them with a smile, "I heard your footsteps from afar, so I came out to welcome you."
After exchanging greetings with Hu Ma and Old Abacus, he lowered his voice and said to Hu Ma, "I've delivered the message, and I only invited you here after getting Senior Sister's approval."
"Tonight, I can introduce you to her, but you must not be underestimated at this banquet!"
"..."
"You could hear my footsteps from afar?"
Hu Ma smiled and agreed, following Elder Sun inside. In his heart, he was also marveling at the old man's ability.
The last time they drank at the mine, Elder Sun had mentioned this skill of his, a unique ability called "Earth Listening Technique," which he developed after refining his seven apertures.
In this bustling and lively place, with countless people walking around, he accurately identified Hu Ma's footsteps. This was just a simple demonstration of his skill. His true ability was to listen to sounds on the ground, a skill passed down in military camps, allowing him to hear movements from dozens of miles away. He could even discern the number of people on horseback, on foot, and the amount of baggage they carried. Of course, Hu Ma had only heard Elder Sun talk about it and had not witnessed it himself.
"So..."
Hu Ma had already guessed something after Elder Sun's messenger delivered the message, and now he nodded and whispered, "You mean that Senior Sister who doesn't eat beef is also related to the One Coin Sect?"
"You guessed it?"
Elder Sun smiled and said, "It's not just a simple connection. The Senior Sister I'm talking about is actually the leader of the One Coin Sect, the Supreme Virtue True Mystic Immortal."
"Otherwise, why would an old man like me join the One Coin Sect?"
"To be frank, we don't believe in them, but in the high-level cultivator who doesn't eat beef. That senior brother guided me back then, and now that I know the One Coin Sect is backed by the non-beef eaters, how can I not help out?"
"Of course, the One Coin Sect has a strong presence and a good reputation. The revered figures in the sect may not compare to your Lady Red Lantern, but they are also known for granting wishes."
"..."
"Wow..."
Although Hu Ma had his suspicions, he still found it surprising. A non-beef eater had become the leader of the One Coin Sect? Or perhaps, the One Coin Sect was established by the non-beef eaters themselves?
If that was the case, the leader of the One Coin Sect was even more likely to be a reincarnator.
As he pondered silently, he followed Elder Sun inside, smiling and saying, "But I had a disagreement with the Dharmaraja of the One Coin Sect over the mine incident..."
"Nonsense."
Elder Sun said, "I've smoothed things over. I sent her a few pounds of blood food as a gift, saying it was from you. Why would she hold a grudge?"
"Now, she's just afraid that if this matter gets out, it will ruin her and the reputation of the Lotus Saintess. As long as we don't bring it up, why would she go around spreading it? If it becomes common knowledge, the guests at the banquet won't let her off easily!"
"..."
Hu Ma was touched by Elder Sun's words, "You've taken care of everything so thoroughly..."
But in his heart, he continued to ponder. Why did the old man warn him not to be underestimated at this banquet? Could there be a test at this gathering?
As they spoke, Elder Sun led them to a three-story building, which was located on a bustling street. The building was filled with people on all three floors.
On the first floor sat what seemed to be servants and subordinates, while the second floor was occupied by various leaders. Old Abacus waved his hand and took a seat there, letting Hu Ma follow them upstairs.
Upon reaching the upper floor, they saw a table by the window, already occupied by a group of people. They all stood up from afar, smiling and greeting them.
"Come, come, let me introduce you all to my younger brother, Hu."
Elder Sun brought Hu Ma over and said to the group, "He's in charge of the Red Lantern Society's affairs and manages a blood food mine at a young age. What I admire most is his expertise in the New Year Guardian Dao. His skills are no less than mine."
He then introduced Hu Ma to the others, "This is the Elder Master of Great Treasure, the head of the Mule and Horse Trading Company, the second-in-command of the Bamboo Gang, and this is the son-in-law of Black Grandma..."
"Wow, this guy is the most formidable. He controls the coffin business in Stone Horse Town!"
"..."
Listening to the introductions, Hu Ma realized that people from all walks of life were present, including some with unbelievable backgrounds. Especially the son-in-law of Black Grandma, who seemed to have an unfulfilled life force but appeared emaciated and pale.
(End of Chapter)
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