Chapter 565: The Altar in Mingzhou
Chapter 565: The Altar in Mingzhou
"The Sacred Altar has issued a decree, as urgent as an imperial edict!"
At that very moment, in a place far beyond Mingzhou, there was a fence made of willow branches, forming a barrier that seemed to separate the Official Province from Mingzhou. The fence spanned three li in both length and width, and despite its seemingly short length, it effectively blocked the path between the two regions.
Countless hungry ghosts, driven by their insatiable hunger for even a single grain of food, roamed aimlessly, yet not a single one dared to step into Mingzhou.
But now, the fence had been torn apart, leaving numerous openings.
In the air, a hazy white figure appeared, holding three incense sticks, flickering in and out of sight. It slowly walked forward, followed by a trail of hungry ghosts, who sniffed the scent of incense and stumbled along behind it.
Protected by the spirits, they covered a hundred li in an instant, and more and more hungry ghosts were drawn to follow, arriving before the Mingzhou Prefecture City.
However, at that moment, a faint and blurry voice suddenly echoed in the air. The white figures looked up, as if seeing burning talismans dancing in front of them, and a commanding voice seemed to penetrate their ears.
Listening to the voice within the talismans, they all knelt down with their incense sticks and received their orders. Then, they quickened their pace and adjusted their direction, rushing towards various locations in Mingzhou Prefecture.
...
...
"We've sent several waves of people to shout at them, but there's been no response from their camp. And no matter how much we curse at the hungry ghosts outside, they don't react at all, as if they can't hear us."
In Yang Gong's camp, a new report arrived, much to everyone's surprise.
They had expected the hungry ghosts to swarm like bees from a disturbed hive, but to their surprise, after suffering two losses, the ghosts had changed their strategy. They now huddled in front of Mingzhou City, refusing to come out.
Everyone's hearts were filled with anxiety. If the hungry ghosts attacked, it would be nerve-wracking, but their current inaction made them even more unpredictable.
"Our luck is terrible..."
The Iron Mouth Strategist couldn't help but sigh, saying, "On the battlefield, we hope to encounter those who are impatient and thoughtless. At first, I thought we had met such opponents..."
"Now it seems that although the hungry ghosts are mindless, their leader is not a fool."
"In that case, it won't be easy to take advantage of the situation. We'll have to disperse our forces. First, we'll persuade the nearby villages to gather their young men to protect the grain. We already have over fifteen thousand troops, but it's still not enough for Mingzhou."
"Second, we'll set up a grand formation and prepare for a head-on confrontation!"
"..."
His arrangements were well-organized, and in just a few days, the armor and seal-making had become more efficient than before. However, when it came to the prospect of a direct clash, his tone lacked confidence.
Despite this, they had no choice but to follow his plan, and they began to make the necessary preparations for the upcoming battle.
Just then, a new report arrived: "Bad news! Hungry ghosts have been spotted in the southern Xiao Liang County area, and they're raiding villages for food..."
"Already... several villages have been completely devoured..."
"..."
"What?"
The people in the tent were all shocked by the news. They were stationed in Red Gate Town, but Xiao Liang County was located south of Mingzhou, about a hundred or two hundred li away. How could hungry ghosts suddenly appear there?
As they were still in a state of confusion, more news arrived: "Hungry ghosts have been spotted in Marsh Water Village, devouring food everywhere..."
"Meng Village is under attack by a group of madmen who are eating people..."
"..."
As the news spread, everyone in the crowd felt a chill down their spines. The White Fan in the crowd froze, unable to close the fan in his hand, and muttered, "It's over, it's over. The scariest scene has arrived..."
Everyone looked at each other in dismay. Even the members of the Bu Shi Niu sect, who usually had something to say, were speechless. The hungry ghosts were fierce, but if they engaged in a frontal battle, there might still be a way to resist them.
However, with hungry ghosts appearing all over Mingzhou, the Grain Protection Army was surrounded. The critical issue was that the army was made up of young men gathered from various villages. Now that they had heard about the disaster in their villages...
... How could they fight this battle?
In the midst of the chaos, everyone instinctively looked towards the Iron Mouth Strategist and the Grain Protection General Yang Gong, seeking guidance. They saw that Yang Gong had clenched his teeth, while the Iron Mouth Strategist, on the other hand, had become calm.
"Why are you all panicking?"
Meeting everyone's gaze, he said calmly, "I was anxious before, but after hearing this news, there's no need to be nervous anymore."
He took a deep breath and said, "Didn't they say that there's a noble person in Mingzhou?"
"That noble person must still be alive."
"..."
Everyone was astonished, and some even had a thought in their minds: 'The Bu Shi Niu sect has always opposed the idea of a noble person, but now you're pinning your hopes on this person?'
As if reading their thoughts, the Iron Mouth Strategist took a deep breath, waved his hand, and said nothing more. But in his heart, he understood: 'No matter what kind of noble person it is, if the Bu Shi Niu sect has managed to get close to that foolish young master, there must be a plan!'
...
...
"Huff..."
Before the news reached Yang Gong's camp, a gust of evil wind blew through Red Gate Town, startling the Hu Ma back to their senses.
He gazed at the three incense sticks before him, which had once been of good quality, but now burned in an ominous shape. Especially the incense, which was usually the most exquisite offering for Red Lantern Lady, was now emitting wisps of black smoke, an extremely eerie sight.
He remained seated, allowing the black smoke to waft into his eyes, and in the hazy vision, he seemed to see strange shadows dressed in white, wearing tall hats, and holding three incense sticks, wandering between yin and yang in various places across Mingzhou.
Behind these shadows were hungry ghosts, dazed and confused, following them with ghostly mist. Wherever they passed, blessings were destroyed, and even the plants seemed to be covered in a layer of decay.
His expression was peculiar, and when the time he was waiting for arrived, there was no joy on his face.
Perhaps due to his status, even after living two lives, there were still moments when he witnessed things he couldn't believe were happening before his very eyes...
Perhaps there were always some people who, no matter how much imagination he exerted, could easily break through the lowest limits he could imagine for them?
His thoughts remained calm, and as he opened his eyes, he looked towards the direction of Mingzhou City. There, the city was filled with layers of incense smoke, rising like clouds, billowing and spreading towards the city's outskirts, as if it could cover the entire Mingzhou.
A rare flash of fury crossed his face. He suddenly raised his hand, and the Punishment Official Saber by his side flew into his grasp. He fiercely thrust it into the ground before him.
Taking a deep breath, he blew hard on the black bone handle of the saber.
A thunderous boom echoed, and in an instant, a gust of wind swept from Red Gate Town towards the entire Mingzhou, like a raging storm.
At that moment, no one knew that in various places across Mingzhou, in villages, on hills and slopes, by fields and wells, altars were being set up—some large, some small, some neatly arranged, and some merely a simple incense table.
Before these altars were the wandering ghosts who usually roamed the streets and alleys of the city and the countryside. Sensing the surge of ominous energy, the candles on the altars and tables instantly burned to a height of three or four feet.
As these scattered altars covered the entire state, in the mountains and valleys, by the streams and in the depths of ravines, under beds and at the foot of trees, and within grave windows and hillocks, there were also many sneaky and suspicious creatures that should not have appeared so easily. They were summoned by a mysterious voice.
In the midst of the wind, a grand mansion came into view, and from within, a figure slowly walked out, declaring in a deep voice:
"Demonic evils wreak havoc, stealing the blessings of our people, disrupting the balance of yin and yang, and causing the heavens and earth to be taken lightly. I cannot turn a blind eye to this."
"The Pacifying Evil Office, leading the wandering ghosts of the land, is tasked with suppressing evil, slaying demonic generals, repelling disasters, and calming the yin malevolence. It is our duty, ordained by heaven, to proclaim this to the world and issue this decree: "
"The hungry ghosts of Official Province have aided the demonic evils, daring to intrude upon Mingzhou and disrespect the spirits. Henceforth, all in Mingzhou, regardless of background, spirits, or level of cultivation, shall obey the decree of the Pacifying Evil Office!"
"Those who harm the living of Mingzhou, kill!"
"Those who deceive the ghosts of Mingzhou, kill!"
"Those who disturb the spirits of Mingzhou, kill!"
"Those who steal the grains of Mingzhou, kill!"
"Those who break the rules, disrupt yin and yang, and destroy the energy, kill! Kill! Kill!"
"This decree begins in Mingzhou and will last for a day and a night. No restrictions on techniques or prohibitions on methods shall be imposed. Yin and yang may be in disorder, and life and death shall be disconnected. However, those with sins in the netherworld who do not heed this decree shall be solely responsible..."
"...The head of the Pacifying Evil family will bear the consequences!"
"..."
"...
The voice, accompanied by the gust of yin wind, suddenly spread throughout the villages and towns of Mingzhou. The sky was filled with countless wandering spirits, blocking out the sun, moon, and stars.
For a moment, in the wild graves, behind the altars, in the villages and countryside, all the wandering ghosts and wild foxes on the hills, as well as the water spirits in the lakes, heard the proclamation and were filled with surprise and delight, their voices echoing through the late night.
Whether it was Zhang Agu, who had also found a place and set up an altar with great care, or Seventh Aunt, who was currently being carried in a sedan chair to visit relatives and friends, they all heard the commotion. One's face paled, her lips trembling slightly, while the other's pointed face broke into a smile.
As the gust of yin wind and ominous energy blew across the entire Mingzhou, even the methods of Old Yin Mountain were affected. The altars in various places were now interconnected, their destinies intertwined as if they had become one grand altar with the entire Mingzhou as its foundation.
The scale of this altar was beyond description, and even Mingzhou City, in comparison, seemed like a single grain of rice before a grinding stone.
In Red Gate Town, after Hu Ma finished speaking, he coldly laughed and strode towards the Pacifying Evil Office, wielding the Gold Mace: "Wandering Ghosts' Spell Battle is as simple as this, isn't it?"
"You raise an altar, and I'll raise an even bigger one!"
"You summon supernatural entities, and I'll summon even more powerful ones!"
"You've been urging me to reveal myself, so... I'll truly show myself and have a good talk with you!"
(End of Chapter)
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