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Chapter 551: The Noble's Intentions
Chapter 551: The Noble's Intentions
The resounding shouts and galloping hooves rumbled like rolling thunder, tearing through the silent and oppressive night, creating streaks of dazzling light in the darkness.
The hoofbeats grew louder and closer, and the shouts echoed like thunder in their ears.
They had to shout; it wasn't a time for shyness or hesitation. With the chaos and panic, and so many people, if they didn't shout loudly enough, who would know they were rushing to the rescue?
But strangely, although they were shouting to escort Red Lantern Lady, they didn't stop at Red Gate Town but instead rode straight past without hesitation. Each group of soldiers rushed towards the front of the town, confronting the Truth Sect's forces from a distance.
As the shouts continued, even the Red Lantern Lady inside Red Gate Town, who had been burning incense all night, and the Left Guardian Shen Hongzi, who hadn't taken a single step outside the town, were momentarily stirred with excitement, their eyes stinging with emotion.
"How is this possible?"
"The locals who were worshipping and offering incense here must have fled when they sensed something amiss. But now, the people from the surrounding villages have all rushed over?"
"The Lady's prestige is actually... this high?"
"And Xu Clan Chief, he... he was clearly the fastest runner. I even scolded him for being too cunning..."
"But I never expected that he didn't run away. Instead, he went to gather reinforcements for the Lady!"
"..."
At this moment of excitement, almost to the point of dizziness, the sweet potato burn by their side suddenly turned pale, as if struck by a realization. He let out a shout and hurriedly ran off, seemingly with something in mind.
"The Grain Protection Army is here so quickly?"
As the various groups of soldiers gathered in front of Red Gate Town, the Truth Altar's forces, which had not yet stabilized their formation, were visibly disorganized. Many people were visibly shaken by the spectacle, their eyes filled with fear, and their mounts restless.
Those who had been secretly gathering information were left dumbfounded. Originally, this was supposed to be a conflict within the Secret Art, at most involving the Altar Deity. But who would have thought that in the blink of an eye, it would escalate into a struggle over Destiny, with armies facing off against each other...
It was ridiculous for them to shout about escorting the Lady. Which Altar Deity would have thousands of soldiers coming to their rescue?
The discerning people from Mingzhou Prefecture could see the difference. They understood that something terrible was happening, something that was only vaguely hinted at.
They were all sharp-eyed individuals. When the soldiers first gathered from a distance, their formation was impressive, but now, upon closer inspection, they noticed that the Truth Sect's soldiers were scattered, their eyes filled with anxiety, and their leaders' faces bore signs of fatigue.
In contrast, the Grain Protection Army, despite their tattered clothing, exuded high morale and fierce determination. They rushed forward with excitement on their faces.
A realization dawned on them, but it was so unbelievable that they couldn't accept it: "The Truth Sect's soldiers had been blocking the mountain pass, but now they suddenly appeared here..."
"Could it be that they broke through with such ease?"
"Where did those mountain dwellers get such formidable skills?"
"..."
"..."
"This situation is even more intriguing than I imagined..."
Hu Ma didn't need to turn around to know who had arrived and the expressions on their faces.
He found the situation amusing. Xu Clan Chief's actions were indeed impressive...
But the Truth Sect wasn't playing around either. There were many experts among their ranks, and Hu Ma had initially thought that Yang Gong would need until tomorrow, or even the day after, to push towards Red Gate Town. However, Xu Clan Chief had gathered too many helpers, and they arrived in the middle of the night.
"Xu Clan Chief is about to soar high..."
Amidst this tense situation, Hu Ma couldn't help but let his thoughts wander:
On the side of the Grain Protection Army, Xu Clan Chief had recruited many powerful helpers, mostly from the New Year Guardian faction, perfectly complementing the army's shortcomings. His contribution was immense.
As for the Red Lantern Society, Xu Clan Chief had brought the Grain Protection Army and summoned numerous shopkeepers to escort the Lady, ensuring her reputation and face. How should they reward him?
If they were to reward him based on his merits, Xu Clan Chief's status might even surpass that of Brother Second Pot.
...
...
As Hu Ma's thoughts wandered, the lady in the black robe from the Hu family, standing behind the Truth Altar, grew even paler.
Earlier, whether it was seeing Seventh Granny or the Soul Hunter, she had been resentful, but now, seeing the Grain Protection Army here, her dissatisfaction intensified.
"So... so..."
Her eyes seemed to waver as she spoke: "The... the ones from the mountain... are they also... his people?"
"They are the ones he chose to compete for Destiny..."
"..."
The Soul Hunter and the Grain Protection General stood together, and some things didn't need to be said explicitly.
However, she couldn't believe it. Earlier, she had suspected that the Grain Protection General from the mountain might be the one chosen by her cousin, which was why they were stopped when they entered the village to capture someone. But now that this was confirmed, she found it hard to believe.
The Four Great Officials were one thing, but how could they have chosen even the Imperial Seed? And why choose someone like him?
Seeing her expression, Hu Ma knew what she was about to say and frowned.
The struggle for Destiny must not be revealed to others. In this world, each Noble had their chosen Imperial Seed, but it was not something to be discussed openly.
Thus, a slight frown creased his brow, and he said, "How he chooses is his business. As a ghost blade, I merely carry out the killing."
"What?"
This was just a passing remark during their conversation, but it left the group momentarily stunned. "What do you mean by 'ghost blade'? That masked fellow..."
"What the hell... Isn't that my brother, Hu Ma?"
"Does he think that by wearing a broken mask, we won't recognize him?"
"..."
"Where is he?"
The elder sister from the Hu family, instead of listening to Hu Ma, became increasingly anxious as the situation unfolded differently from what she had imagined. She stared straight at Hu Ma and exclaimed, "I want to see him. I want to speak to him directly..."
"..."
"With my status, isn't it enough to just see him once?"
"..."
As she watched her anxiety, Hu Ma merely shook his head indifferently and said, "Before I came, he also mentioned that even relatives who haven't visited for decades have become distant. It's better to maintain some etiquette."
"You..."
The elder sister from the Hu family was so furious at the words "distant" and "etiquette" that she was about to retort, but Hu Ma interrupted her, "Don't waste your breath with unnecessary words."
"The ghost blade handles inquiries; the Truth Altar decides."
"If you have something to say, go to the Reasoning Hall. As a ghost blade, even responding to you once is a waste of time."
"..."
These words were indeed fitting for a ghost blade to say, but the underlying coldness made the elder sister from the Hu family tremble with anger. She managed to suppress her rising fury and said, "Things have turned out differently from what we expected..."
"I came to Mingzhou with the utmost sincerity just to see him and speak some family words."
"But I never imagined that with just one word, 'drag,' he would push us into this situation."
"But I still want to ask you to convey a message for me. We... we're not his enemies. Blood is thicker than water; we are the ones with the most goodwill towards him in this world."
"This involves the Ghost Summoning Path, the state's destiny, and the two realms of yin and yang. Countless eyes are watching the Hu family. To put it bluntly, there's only one Hu family. Does he really think he can single-handedly support the Pacifying Evil Office?"
"..."
A heavy silence fell upon the group, as if a giant boulder had been placed on everyone's hearts, making them feel weighed down and even causing a chill to run down their necks.
The Ghost Summoning Path's ancestral master, the Hu family, one of the ten surnames of the Pacifying Evil Office, was a name that could scare wandering spirits and demons into retreating three shelters just by being mentioned at a critical moment. Could their family secrets be so casually revealed in public?
You speak of this lightly, but if we hear it, can we guarantee our silence?
"Alone?"
But just as the elder sister from the Hu family finished speaking, Hu Ma gave a faint smile. There was something he could take advantage of this opportunity to say, so he bowed slightly and stepped aside.
In the midst of the two armies gathering with killing intent, under the gloomy night sky, a distant clamor of locks and chains suddenly echoed.
The next moment, eerie shadows appeared, and the soldiers of the Grain Protection Army hastily made way.
In the darkness, a small palanquin appeared, carried by robust yellow-skinned men. Seated inside was an old lady with a smoking pipe, her small eyes curiously surveying the crowd.
"Grandma, Grandma..."
The moment the old lady appeared, two voices called out from the Grain Protection Army.
From behind Zhou Datong, whose armor was askew, a golden and silver doll emerged from a bundle.
The dolls ran to the palanquin and pointed at Zhou Datong, complaining that he had bullied them.
Then, a gust of yin wind blew around the army formation, and little ghosts appeared, surrounding Zhang Agu.
After releasing the ghosts of Mingzhou from their suffering, she was brought here, still carrying the ritual altar's aura. Behind her stood two golden-armored divine generals, faintly visible, their gazes slowly turning towards Hu Ma.
The red lanterns of Red Gate Town lit up on their own, illuminating the night sky.
Finally, Hu Ma, holding his sword, slowly raised his head, facing the distant cousin of the Hu family and the Truth Sect's army. This gesture was directed at Mingzhou City, the three uncles residing there, the Meng family, and the most powerful figures in Mingzhou.
In a soft voice, he said, "He said that the Pacifying Evil Office doesn't belong to him alone."
"It belongs to the world."
"Regardless of spirits, background, inside or outside the path, depth of cultivation, those who are willing to follow the rules and protect the mortal world can join the Pacifying Evil Office as officials."
"..."
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried on the wind from Old Yin Mountain, reaching the entire Mingzhou City, stirring countless hearts.
"As for you..."
Hu Ma turned to the elder sister from the Hu family and said softly, "He doesn't consider you an enemy."
"You're just outsiders."
(End of Chapter)
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