Chapter 509: Heaven's Will General
Chapter 509: Heaven's Will General
"This..."
Upon hearing Hu Ma's words, even the Mountain Lord was slightly taken aback.
He had initially felt the complexity of the matter for Hu Ma, as they shared the same ancestry and were from a wealthy family. He was concerned that Hu Ma might struggle with this situation, but he never expected Hu Ma to respond so decisively.
The Mountain Lord was skilled in discerning people's hearts and intentions, and seeing Hu Ma's cold demeanor, it didn't seem like an act. Instead, he truly regarded those people as strangers.
As he pondered, Hu Ma slightly lifted his head and said, "Senior, you need not worry. I don't hold them in high regard, but I am interested in the Heaven's Will General of the Truth Sect you mentioned."
"This guy disregards the Scarlet Lantern Society and openly challenges them, measuring the land. Just how powerful is his destiny that he dares to assume such an arrogant title?"
"..."
"People like this are bound to appear."
The Mountain Lord also sighed softly, saying, "The selection of the emperor has begun, and the various noble families are getting restless. They are placing their bets, and with their involvement, these Heaven's Will Generals will only increase in number. You also chose one, didn't you?"
"Now he's in these mountains, training soldiers and storing food, gaining some confidence. But compared to the people who came with us, he's not even on the same level."
"I advised you earlier that his destiny is insufficient, and his foundation is too shallow. He can be useful, but you shouldn't have chosen him."
"..."
Hu Ma knew he was talking about Yang Gong. From the Mountain Lord's words, it seemed that he had initially looked down on Yang Gong, but had secretly paid attention to him. Unfortunately, Yang Gong didn't show any signs of potential, and in the Mountain Lord's eyes, it was already too late.
Hu Ma smiled and said, "Speaking of my brother Yang Gong, his skills are not only inferior to the Heaven's Will Generals of the Truth Sect but also far behind the One Penny Sect. However, those who start off wildly may not necessarily be the final winners."
"Since I chose him, I won't just replace him without a good reason."
"Now that the Truth Sect has set their sights on our territory, it might be a good opportunity to see if he's up to the task."
"..."
Hu Ma spoke naturally, as if he had already planned everything in his mind. Even the Mountain Lord was slightly surprised, thinking, 'Before he went to the Blood Food Mine, he was cautious and thoughtful, considering every move. But now, he seems like a completely different person.'
"Additionally..."
As Hu Ma spoke, he paused slightly, then slowly said, "Compared to that, I have other matters to discuss with you, Senior. The actions of the Shadow Bridge Meng Family are becoming more frequent, and some doubts need to be clarified. So, I..."
He paused for a moment, then looked directly at the Mountain Lord and said, "I plan to retrieve the Hu Clan's heirloom."
Hearing these words, the Mountain Lord couldn't help but tremble slightly. "Are you prepared?"
In response to his question, Hu Ma nodded slightly without saying much, but his tightly pressed lips indicated his determination.
"It's indeed time to retrieve it..."
The Mountain Lord looked deeply into Hu Ma's eyes and sighed softly, "The Truth Sect has arrived in Mingzhou, and many things can't be delayed. I can afford to miss opportunities, but you must act."
"Moreover, such a precious item of your Hu Clan is in my possession, and I've never felt at ease about it. It's best if you take it back as soon as possible."
Hu Ma was surprised, thinking, 'Why does he seem happier than me about retrieving the Hu Clan's heirloom?'
The Mountain Lord was skilled in understanding people's hearts, and he seemed to sense Hu Ma's curiosity. However, he just smiled and sighed, "I've seen your Hu Clan's grandeur, so sometimes I find it odd to see you being so cautious. But upon reflection, you're alone and have no other choice. Since you've endured this long, it's only right to retrieve the heirloom and reopen the Demon Suppressing Bureau."
"By then, there won't be so many evil spirits disturbing your peace. You'll understand what the Hu Clan needs to do, and you won't have to constantly ask me about this and that."
"Just remember my words: among all disasters, war is the most harmful, and among all calamities, battle is the most ferocious. Old Yin Mountain is my domain, and when you take over the Demon Suppressing Bureau, if you have a choice, please spare this place. I don't want to see rivers of blood and mountains of corpses here..."
"..."
Hu Ma stood up and said solemnly, "Please rest assured, Senior."
In his heart, he felt a moment of sentiment. Since coming to this world, he had encountered many ghosts and spirits, but they were all eerie and sinister. Only the Mountain Lord matched his imagination from his previous life...
As the two of them conversed, the family's full moon celebration was coming to an end. The villagers who had come to drink were leaving, and the hosts began to dismantle the incense table dedicated to the Mountain Lord.
They didn't know that their simple incense table had actually invited the Mountain Lord, who was still reluctant to leave. The offerings of fruits, plain wine, and even red-dyed eggs were taken away right in front of him...
Seeing the Mountain Lord's embarrassment, Hu Ma could only pretend not to notice. He walked back with the Mountain Lord, making small talk, "Senior, do you have any other instructions?"
"Since you've made up your mind, I have nothing more to say..."
The Mountain Lord also thought for a moment, then suddenly said, "That's right, after retrieving the Hu Family's relic, you can return to the Great Sheep Camp and directly perform the Mountain Worship."
"Hmm?"
This statement genuinely surprised Hu Ma.
Ever since he had made a name for himself and become a minor manager in the Red Lantern Society, the Great Sheep Camp had started worshipping the forest and paying respects to his foster mother. However, the impact of this was too significant, and they had never dared to speak openly about it, let alone publicly use the name of Mountain Worship. Now, why was the Mountain Lord bringing it up proactively?
The Mountain Lord spoke with great solemnity, giving him a series of instructions, and sighed, "After all, it's been many years since someone has properly worshipped me..."
"This..."
Hu Ma was a bit stunned, "So, the esteemed Mountain Lord loves a good fuss, going wherever there's action, and now he's even attending a baby's full moon celebration..."
"The reason is that it's been many years since anyone has worshipped me?"
"..."
"..."
As the Mountain Lord waved his wide sleeves, he sent Hu Ma back. With a jolt, Hu Ma stood up and found himself still in Old Yin Mountain, at the very spot where he had just entered to burn incense. The entire experience felt like a dream. He shook his head with a bitter smile and got up.
Taking a deep breath, he had already made up his mind. Things were different now. The letter from the Great Red Robe had instilled a sense of urgency in the reincarnators, and many matters needed clarification. However, while seeking understanding, preparations had to be made.
Slaying the Black Celestial, vying for Heaven's Will...
In the past, such matters were considered troublesome, and reincarnators would try to avoid them as much as possible. But now, with the knowledge of the situation's urgency, how could they hide? Instead, they had to actively get closer to these matters.
Now that the Truth Sect and the Qingyuan Hu Clan had arrived and dared to play such ghostly tricks, affecting his own territory, how could he not respond?
With this in mind, he descended the mountain and, seeing that it was already past noon, headed east for twenty li before reaching the village.
As he arrived, he saw Li Wazi leading a few of the original members who had stayed behind in the village, along with several new faces—young men from the surrounding villages. They were practicing martial arts, but their skills with swords, guns, sticks, and rods were...
...back then, the three-section axe techniques taught by Second Master were considered genuine.
"Who's here?"
As soon as Hu Ma entered, the new faces immediately glared at him and exclaimed, "Daring to enter the village!"
They glared and rushed forward, ready to fight, but they startled an elderly member nearby. It was Da Long, one of the first to enter the village and had followed Xu Jishao to make a living. Now, he was a senior member, and he quickly stepped in, slapping each of them once as he said, "This is our Hu Manager!"
"Do you want to lose your lives by fighting him?"
"..."
The men were so scared that they covered their heads and laughed nervously on the side, "We saw the sword and thought they were from the Truth Sect. Our Manager is very generous..."
Hu Ma didn't mind and simply waved his hand, "Where's Li Wazi?"
Da Long replied, "The manager is inside burning incense..."
Hu Ma nodded and entered the inner courtyard. Although he had gone to the mine, this inner courtyard was still empty. Li Wazi, who had suffered from his lack of understanding in the past, had now become the most sensible one.
He was the oldest in the village, but he refused to move into the courtyard. He only used the private space in the inner courtyard when he needed to burn incense or consult with Seventh Aunt on important matters.
As soon as Hu Ma entered, he saw Li Wazi frowning and putting away the incense burner in front of him. When he glanced over and saw Hu Ma, he became extremely excited and hurriedly said, "Brother Hu, you're finally back! Those people from the Truth Sect are too arrogant..."
"First, let's eat something!"
Hu Ma had been hungry for a whole day. That morning, he had accompanied the Mountain Lord to a baby's full moon celebration in someone else's mountain, but the Mountain Lord, being a deity, was satisfied with the offerings and didn't need to eat. Hu Ma, on the other hand, was a living human, and after spending most of the day accompanying him, he was starving.
Upon hearing this, Li Wazi immediately went to the kitchen and started cooking. Soon, he served Hu Ma a large bowl of hand-pulled noodles with an egg.
As Hu Ma ate, he asked Li Wazi, "How are they being arrogant?"
"This..."
Li Wazi opened his mouth to speak, but paused at the edge of his lips. He thought that although the Truth Sect was powerful and oppressive, they were also quite rule-abiding and hadn't done anything substantial to harm their village. They had argued a few times but never resorted to violence.
So, he paused and said softly, "They... they've been carrying banners and patrolling around. Whenever they see our Red Lantern Lady's lanterns, they never bow, and they even demand that we make way for them..."
"How audacious!"
Li Wazi felt guilty as he spoke, but he didn't expect Hu Ma to become furious upon hearing this. He slammed the table and shouted, "Such arrogance and disrespect! The Truth Sect has already sealed its fate..."
(End of Chapter)
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