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Chapter 580: Borrowing a Reputation
Chapter 580: Borrowing a Reputation
"What?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, everyone present was shocked, their faces turning pale in an instant. The Hu family elder sister, however, slowly closed her eyes, as if she had anticipated this scene.
"It's not that I want to take this step, but I have no other choice..."
Hu Ma looked at them and patiently explained, "I have just established the rules in the name of the Zhen Chong Manor. Everyone is watching, and you led the starving ghosts into Mingzhou, using the citizens of an entire city as a sacrifice to summon the Governor God."
"From any angle, these are all grave offenses. If I don't kill you now, how will the people of the world view me? How can I earn their trust and make them willingly believe in the Zhen Chong Manor?"
"To put it simply..."
He smiled and glanced at their faces, saying, "I intend to borrow the heads of these relatives of the Qingyuan Hu family to gain the trust of the people. From the perspective of the Zhen Chong Manor, this is quite appropriate, isn't it?"
"No, how dare you..."
He had explained it so clearly, but these uncles of the Hu family jumped up in anger, shouting, "How dare you?"
"After all, we are your elders. If you kill us, do you know what this will do to your reputation...?"
"..."
But before they could finish, Hu Ma's face turned stern, and he shouted, "All of this is for the long-term, and you're not even willing to make this small sacrifice. You've truly disappointed me."
"Come, the evil ones have confessed and are ready to be executed. Take them out and behead them to serve as a warning!"
"..."
"Boom!"
With his shout, a strong wind suddenly blew outside the banner, causing the surrounding banners to flutter noisily. The tents set up around the Meng family tent seemed to be uprooted, and within, the sounds of struggling and attacking ghosts and spirits echoed.
Even the Meng family elder son's face changed, and he said in a low voice, "Brother, we are of the same clan and lineage. Why be so ruthless?"
Swish!
At that moment, amidst the chaos outside the banner, the Hu family members inside also jumped up, and in their haste, one of them rushed towards Hu Ma.
They were desperate to fight back even in their final moments.
"Sometimes, the dead are more useful than the living."
Facing the angry and panicked face, Hu Ma simply raised his hand and grabbed the man's neck, twisting his wrist and throwing him out of the banner. He coldly smiled at the Meng family elder son and said, "Brother, haven't you heard?"
The Meng family elder son, seeing his ruthless methods, turned pale with fear. Before he could speak, he saw two golden hands reach into the banner and tear it to shreds.
Under the banner, Meng's maids and servants, along with the skinny, tall ghost shadows, would not dare to let them in without the elder son's command. They tried to block them, but to no avail. With a collective effort, the banner was torn to pieces, and the scorching sun above shone down. The skinny, tall ghost shadows shrieked pitifully.
Struggling and trembling, they were scorched by the sun's rays, turning into a pool of blood.
With the Zhen Chong Manor nearby, the rules for the living and the dead had been established. Ghost shadows feared the sunlight, and without the banner's protection, they faced certain death.
Immediately, several golden armor warriors grabbed the Second and Fourth Uncles of the Hu family, the Hu family elder sister Hu Xi, and the Third Uncle, whose neck had been twisted by Hu Ma, and brought them before the Zhen Chong Manor.
"This shouldn't be, this shouldn't be..."
The three uncles of the Hu family were filled with resentment, shouting and protesting. However, the Hu family elder sister looked at them and asked, "What shouldn't be? Haven't you been hoping for a qualified master of the Zhen Chong Manor? Now that you see his ruthlessness, who is more suitable than him?"
The Zhen Chong Manor does not execute the living, but ghost walkers are an exception.
Right in front of the Zhen Chong Manor, the four great hall officials watched as the Grain Protection Army and the Beef Avoidance Ascetics, along with the nobles who had gathered on the city walls of Mingzhou, observed by the Meng family elder son. They took the most remote guillotine, placed it there, and with a swift motion, the blade fell.
Even though the Qingyuan Hu family was no longer affiliated with the Zhen Chong Manor, they were still among the highest-ranking nobles outside the Ten Surnames. Yet, they met their end under the guillotine, and even the sun seemed to be stained with blood.
The Zhen Chong Manor had reopened, and the first living person they executed was a member of the Hu family.
In the mystic realm, there were consequences. The vast heavens and earth seemed to suppress even the blood energy of the Grain Protection Army, who had just experienced a fierce battle. In an instant, the malevolent aura intensified several times over, making it feel like midnight in broad daylight.
"You... you..."
As the heads rolled on the ground, the surging malevolent aura rose, silencing everyone, even the Meng family elder son who had been watching from the sidelines. He was startled and took a step back.
He saw his family tent torn apart, and even his own guardian deities were scorched by the sun. He understood that the Hu family member was not only ruthless but had deliberately sought revenge.
However, due to his methods, the deaths of the guardian deities were no longer significant. He looked at Hu Ma, wanting to speak several times, but in the end, he bowed deeply and said, "The Hu family is indeed ruthless.
"Brother Meng, I must admit that I underestimated you earlier, and so did my Meng family elders. We all knew that your Zhenchong lineage was ruthless, but only now do I realize that you are the most ruthless of them all."
"However, your method is too shallow. Blood is thicker than water, and reputation is more important than the heavens. Do you truly believe that by killing your relatives, you can gain a reputation that will attract help?"
"..."
"There's no need for Brother Meng to worry about that."
Looking at the Meng family's elder son, Hu Ma smiled and said, "Brother Meng, you've come a long way to remind me of this. I'm truly grateful."
"It's just that your Meng family is so concerned about our Hu family's affairs, but I've heard that someone from your own family also died not far from Stone Horse Town, and you haven't even bothered to inquire about it?"
"..."
Upon hearing this, the Meng family's elder son's face changed, and he became anxious. He had been deeply concerned about this matter, but due to other pressing matters, he had to come to Mingzhou. Now, hearing Hu Ma mention it, he felt a sense of urgency and said in a low voice, "Do you know about Si Li's matter?"
"Brother Meng is so kind-hearted that he abandoned his own brother's affairs and instead meddled in our Hu family's business. How could I not reciprocate?"
Hu Ma smiled warmly and said to Meng Si Liang, "So, when Brother Meng came to Mingzhou to help our family, I also sent someone to Stone Horse Town to investigate the cause of your second brother's death."
At this moment, the Meng family's elder son could no longer hold back. His face turned grim, and he said sternly, "Who killed him? Please tell me, and our Meng family will definitely repay you..."
Hu Ma looked at him, and the smile on his face gradually faded. Then he said, "It was me."
The Meng family's elder son's face changed dramatically, "What?"
Hu Ma said indifferently, "He came under my nose and did such treacherous things, so I had him killed."
"You..."
The Meng family's elder son had already guessed some of it, but without any evidence and not expecting Hu Ma to reveal it in such a situation, he was filled with anger, his eyes burning with rage.
Hu Ma smiled again, politely and warmly, "Ah, not only did I find out who killed him, but I also brought his head with me, just in case you couldn't find the person. I've brought it for you..."
"This gift must be significant. But I wonder how Brother Meng plans to thank me?"
"..."
As he spoke, he lifted his hand slightly, and Little Red Tang walked over with a wooden box in her hands, handing it directly to the Meng family's elder son, "Here, take it!"
"You..."
Even when his tent was destroyed by Hu Ma, the Meng family's elder son had maintained a detached demeanor. The reason he couldn't keep his composure now was solely due to Hu Ma's methods, which exceeded his expectations.
But at this moment, his expression truly betrayed his emotions. He stared intently at the box handed over by the red-clothed little ghost.
His heart was filled with boundless anger, and he wanted to smash and trample the box. However, seeing Hu Ma standing in the altar with the Pacifying Malevolent Spirits Golden Mace in front of him, he even sensed the chilling killing intent emanating from Hu Ma.
He finally forced himself to calm down, slowly reaching out to take the box from the red-clothed little ghost. After opening it and seeing its contents, tears streamed down his face. He wiped them away with his sleeve after a while and took a deep breath.
Looking at Hu Ma, he said, "Brother Hu, thank you for this gift to my Meng family. I... I'm truly grateful, and I assure you that the Meng family will remember this favor."
"It won't be long before the Ghost Festival in July, when the gates of the Netherworld open. By then, the ten surnames will gather at the Stone Pavilion, and the favor you've granted will also resolve the twenty years of grudges between our Hu and Meng families."
"..."
Hu Ma furrowed his brows, "Stone Pavilion?"
"Indeed."
The Meng family's elder son smiled faintly, a hint of sinister in his eyes, "Brother Meng has obtained the Pacifying Malevolent Spirits Golden Mace and established the rules of the world. You are even more ruthless and decisive, cutting off your own relatives. You truly have impressive skills, and I admire you."
"But what does that matter?"
"Don't you know that no matter what, since the Zhenchong Hu family has reappeared in the world and the Pacifying Evil Office has reopened, the ten surnames will gather at the Stone Pavilion?"
"This was an agreement made back then. If Brother Meng doesn't show up, not only will the other nine surnames be dissatisfied, but even the White Family's grandmother in the ancestral temple might not be at ease..."
"..."
"Hmm?"
Upon hearing this, Hu Ma's expression changed, and he gave the man a cold look. He could sense a veiled threat against the Elder Matriarch in his words, and anger stirred within him.
No one had mentioned this to him before, but now that he had obtained the Hu family's token, he realized that reopening the Pacifying Evil Office meant preparing to face the ten surnames and understanding the affairs of the previous generation's reincarnated individuals.
He nodded slowly, his mind made up, "There's no need for your concern. I will go."
"But I also hope that your Meng family is prepared. Our Pacifying Evil Office can capture and execute ghosts, but..."
"Can you... execute your Immortal Maiden?"
(End of Chapter)
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