Chapter 448: The Sect Leader's Stay Indoors
Chapter 448: The Sect Leader's Stay Indoors
Now that they knew the Meng family was outside, it was no surprise that the messenger spirit sent by the One Coin Sect was intercepted.
The One Coin Sect's initial response was reasonable; upon learning that the New Year Hall Official was outside, they dared not send living beings, not even animals, to deliver messages. Instead, they used a little ghost to travel through the Netherworld, as the Year-End Guardians were too powerful for them to handle.
However, the Meng family happened to be experts in this field, sealing the Netherworld path more tightly than the mortal realm.
Of course, the very idea of traveling through the Netherworld was intriguing, as there was no Ghost Gate in this world. According to folklore, the Ghost Gate had been closed, allowing ghosts, demons, and evil spirits to roam freely.
Yet, there were indeed mysterious places in the mortal realm. For instance, the young mistress of the Dongzi Li family could lead people to the Ghost Gate, and when she guided souls in her dreams, she did not follow the mortal paths. In the mortal realm, one could not find the "black gate" she spoke of.
Sometimes, the little ghost messengers would travel through the mortal realm, appearing to outsiders as a gust of cold wind passing by. But for longer and urgent journeys, they would take the Netherworld path, and some powerful ones could cover a thousand miles in half a day.
However, the skills Hu Ma had learned were unrelated to this, so he had only vaguely heard about it without fully understanding.
Nevertheless, the mere mention of these two sentences by Hu Ma was enough to startle both Miao Shan Fairy and White Fan, who was eavesdropping nearby.
The interception of the messenger spirit was already frightening, but now, hearing that the Meng family had sealed the road, it seemed all too reasonable. However, the key was how the Sect Leader's expression remained so calm when mentioning the Meng family.
The Meng family was the ancient ancestor of the Soul Carriers!
If they had known earlier that the Magistrate Tiejun was coming to seal the town, they would have been afraid and panicked, and would have sought help. But upon hearing about the Meng family, they almost fell into despair.
How could their small One Coin Sect withstand the intervention of the Ten Surnames?
Fortunately, this conversation was taking place in private. If it were public, just mentioning the Meng family's identity would have scared everyone witless.
Fortunately, Miao Shan Fairy was from the Non-Vegetarian Sect and was somewhat immune to the Ten Surnames. Additionally, the news came from Hu Ma, who remained calm, which slightly reassured them.
"Huff..."
Stepping out, Hu Ma did not look back at the Sect Leader of the One Coin Sect. Instead, he took a deep breath, gazing at the gloomy night sky. A faint hint of bloodlust lingered at his nostrils, and he heaved a low sigh, saying, "There's more trouble."
"Tonight, that demon corpse will likely attack the village again!"
"..."
"Huh?"
This reminder startled both Miao Shan Fairy and White Fan, who was listening nearby. They had been worried about this, but their attention had been diverted by Magistrate Tiejun's arrival. Hearing this, they felt their hearts sink.
"Then I..."
Miao Shan Fairy hurriedly said, "I'll go and invite Elder Sun and Pavilion Master Tang over. Supreme Master, how many of our Talisman Armored Army can still fight?"
It was embarrassing to admit, but the One Coin Sect had spent the day preparing to deal with the demon corpse. However, the town's sealing had caused panic, and the Talisman Armored Army sent out to search for the demon corpse had suffered heavy losses. It seemed as if they had done nothing all night.
Hearing that the demon corpse was coming, the only solution they could think of was to invite these elders to the immortal cave for help.
"No need," Hu Ma shook his head as he listened to their words. Suddenly, he said, "When the demon corpse arrives, I'll handle it alone. You don't need to get involved."
Miao Shan Fairy was taken aback, "This..."
"Just focus on your own tasks."
Hu Ma put his hands behind his back, thinking of the advice given by Houerjiu. He felt a mix of excitement, anticipation, and tension, causing a slight tremor in his voice as he asked, "Have you counted the items and people in the town?"
"Additionally, there are many ordinary people and experts in this town. Although they came for the One Coin Sect, we must be cautious and ensure they are all trustworthy."
"Don't let the people inside take advantage of the strong enemy outside and start fighting among themselves..."
"..."
"Ah..."
Listening to Hu Ma's reminder, Miao Shan Fairy seemed to suddenly remember, nodding repeatedly. White Fan, standing nearby, chimed in at the right moment, "Could it be that we're using this opportunity to expose those untrustworthy ones and capture them all in one go?"
"Capture them all?"
Hu Ma almost laughed, glancing at them with the superiority of a reincarnate, "And you want to do great things?"
"If you're at a disadvantage, no one can be trusted. Even those loyal to you might consider tying you up and handing you over to the enemy outside to save themselves."
"If you give them confidence, even the untrustworthy will help you fight against the outsiders."
"Don't you understand such a simple principle?"
"..."
He let out a cold laugh, "The Magistrate coming to cause trouble for us is indeed an unwarranted disaster. But who can say that this disaster isn't also an opportunity?"
"If the One Coin Sect is destroyed by him, it would be unfortunate. But if we can force this Grand Executioner to retreat, wouldn't it be a perfect opportunity for your One Coin Sect to make a name for itself and show everyone your capabilities?"
"By then, the Grand Executioner's influence will be shattered, and many who were originally unwilling to rebel will do so. Even those who didn't trust you will come over and join us, won't they?"
"..."
"My goodness..."
Miao Shan Fairy and White Fan exchanged glances, their hearts filled with excitement.
Could the situation really take this turn?
The logic was not complicated, and it was clear with just a few words, but to think in this direction, one truly needed a broad perspective. White Fan couldn't help but look at Miao Shan Fairy, wondering who this Blood Feeder Guild Junior Overseer was. What deal did he have with the Sect Leader, and why, in just one night, did the Sect Leader suddenly become so obedient and respectful towards him?
As for the Junior Overseer, it seemed like he had suddenly dropped his act, understanding the art of rebellion better than the members of the One Coin Sect who specialized in it.
The Sect Leader of the One Coin Sect, on the other hand, had brightened eyes and an excited body, thinking to himself, "It's him, it has to be him. I was worried that he, as the Sect Leader, wouldn't be recognized by the Senior Brothers..."
"But to be able to speak such words, isn't he naturally born to be our Sect Leader?"
"Could it be true, as the legends say, that after passing through the Three Gates and Twelve Stages, entering the Ghost Cave, and paying respects at the Divine Platform, he secretly received the Heavenly Texts from the Ancestor, and suddenly had an epiphany?"
"..."
"..."
"Why aren't you going already?"
Hu Ma had heavy matters on his mind, and he didn't have time to consider the nuances of gratitude. Instead, he preferred a straightforward approach. These two, however, seemed to prefer this style, and they hurriedly agreed, leaving immediately.
Soon, the town above was filled with commotion. The remaining sect members followed the orders, comforting the town's residents, merchants, and allies, gathering them inside the town as much as possible to avoid the Demon Corpses' attack and unnecessary loss of life.
On the outskirts of the town, sect members donned Talisman Armor, armed themselves with knives and bows, prepared various talismans, and retrieved buckets of filthy blood from large jars, hiding them in various places, ready for any eventuality.
Amidst their busy preparations, Hu Ma wasn't idle either. He strolled through the town, occasionally taking items from Xiao Hong Tang's basket and burying them in different parts of the town, always ready to set up an altar.
But this was just a precaution; he didn't plan to actually set up an altar or reveal his identity to the Meng Clan outside.
This night was a test, an opportunity for himself, but it had nothing to do with the Blood Feeder Guild Junior Overseer's chance to guard the New Year's Eve.
After completing these arrangements, he made his way to the eastern end of the town and gazed at the stone horse from a distance. He remembered what the Red Robe had told him—that there seemed to be something hidden inside the stone horse, but he had to deal with this trouble first before retrieving it.
Meanwhile, Miao Shan Fairy and White Fan, leading the Dharma Kings and sect members who had lost their cultivation, were busy with other preparations. Following Hu Ma's instructions, they set up the Chancellor's Chair and prepared a large fire basin.
Lanterns were lit nearby, casting a pale glow on the surroundings. As the night wind blew, shadows danced chaotically around them.
Hu Ma first inspected the fire basin, seeing it filled with kindling and doused in pitch oil. He was satisfied that the fire would burn brightly and tossed a torch to Xiao Hong Tang, instructing her to be ready to light the fire basin at any moment.
After making these arrangements, he sat in the Chancellor's Chair, gazing into the dark night sky. He glanced at Miao Shan Fairy, who stood loyally by his side with a look of lingering fear on her face. Suddenly, he remembered something and said, "Fairy, take off your clothes!"
"Huh?"
Miao Shan Fairy was startled and glanced at Xiao Hong Tang beside her. "There's a child here..."
"My clothes are torn."
Hu Ma lifted his sleeve, revealing the tattered cloth with handprint-shaped burn marks from his previous encounter with the Red Robe. He hadn't planned to stay long and hadn't brought extra clothes.
He looked at Miao Shan Fairy's Daoist robe and smiled. "Your clothes are quite spacious; they'll fit me perfectly!"
"Oh..."
Miao Shan Fairy finally understood and quickly turned her back, removing the Daoist robe and putting on the one Hu Ma had taken off. She then called for a little ghost to fetch ordinary clothes from her room.
Hu Ma, now wearing the Daoist robe, examined himself and let out a satisfied sigh. After coming to this world and encountering many strange things, it was his first time wearing a Daoist robe...
Instantly, he felt like there was nothing to fear from the demons and monsters of this world...
(End of Chapter)
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