Twilight's Threshold Chapter 583: Sweet Potato Burn at the Three-Gate Manor - Novel Cool

Chapter 583: Sweet Potato Burn at the Three-Gate Manor

Chapter 583: Sweet Potato Burn at the Three-Gate Manor

"So, you chose someone without a solid foundation, and when your relatives came over, you had them put on a show to select a clean-slate candidate for the emperor's seed?"

The Daoist Practitioner was startled, and as the Grain Protection Army entered the city, Hu Ma had already returned to the mountains, discussing with the Mountain Lord, who was filled with awe.

"Yes."

Now that he was back, Hu Ma no longer needed to pretend to be that high-ranking and temperamental noble of the Hu Family, and his demeanor became more relaxed.

Seeing the Mountain Lord's amazement, Hu Ma smiled and explained, "The Propaganda Hu Clan has been struggling alone for twenty years, so it's natural to be a bit petty and unwilling to let others take advantage. This is true for the authority of the Pacifying Malevolent Spirits Office, as well as for the emperor's seed they've chosen."

"Of course, it's only a matter of time before those noble lords get entangled with him, or even if he himself has noble lords under his command. No one can stop that."

"I can't guarantee they'll stay clean, and I'm powerless to change the ways of the world. I can only try to prolong their purity and strive to pull them towards the people's side for as long as possible."

"..."

The Mountain Lord seemed deep in thought, with a hint of admiration, and said, "Your way of thinking is astonishing, and there are many things that even I find impressive. Where did you learn these principles? Was it from your Elder Matriarch or the Pacifying Malevolent Spirits Office?"

'It's the Heavenly Book...'

Hu Ma thought to himself, but in the presence of the Mountain Lord, he couldn't speak freely. He sighed and said, "I'm just trying to understand others by putting myself in their shoes. When I first left the village with some silver and blood money, it was hard not to be a little greedy or get used to it."

"What about others?"

"I've always believed that people aren't all good or all bad; it's just a matter of being cautious."

"..."

The Mountain Lord nodded, seemingly very appreciative of Hu Ma's current state. He sighed lightly and said, "Now that you're the master of the Pacifying Malevolent Spirits Office, I need to be more careful when talking to you."

"To be frank, I admire what you've done, and I'm even a little astonished. But there are some methods that surpass my imagination, and I can't tell if they'll bring fortune or disaster. You've established rules and gained fame, but I must say that you've also hidden a potential disaster."

"In these difficult times, everyone needs to stick together for survival. Families, villages, and clans have all accepted this way of staying alive. Helping relatives is only natural, but you, as the master of the Pacifying Malevolent Spirits Office, started by severing ties with your relatives..."

"...This reputation is indeed loud, but it may also make outsiders feel that your office lacks a bit of human warmth."

"Compared to the Meng Family, the Hu Family is indeed weak. So, when you invited mystics from all over the world to join under the Pacifying Malevolent Spirits Office, I understood your intentions. But I'm not sure if an office without human warmth can attract enough mystics to follow you."

"...By next year's Ghost Festival, you can't possibly bring a pack of werewolves, a few village ghost walkers, and a timid and confused Red Lantern Lady to perform a grand play at Stone Horse Town, can you?"

"..."

Even his somewhat blurred face seemed to carry a hint of pressure as he sighed, "Hu Ma, since twenty years ago, you've chosen a difficult path..."

"It's not easy that you managed to succeed in taking the Golden Mace, but that's just the beginning. Not to mention the Meng Family, but the attitudes of the other eight families are still unclear..."

"You showed courage by taking on the sins of the Bright Province mystics, and I don't understand it myself. But theoretically, the Li Family of Impermanence should have sent someone to find you, and you're not worried about that?"

"..."

Listening to the Mountain Lord's words, Hu Ma was curious, "Does the Li Family of Impermanence specialize in collecting debts from the netherworld? Now that I've taken over the Pacifying Malevolent Spirits Office, do they have the ability to take the soul of the master of this office?"

"Each of the Ten Surnames has their own strengths, so don't underestimate them."

Hearing these words, the Mountain Lord became more serious, "Now that you've gained the Pacifying Malevolent Spirits Office, no mystic practitioner in the world will dare to look down on you. But you must not underestimate the strengths of the other nine surnames."

"The Yellow Springs has eight scenic spots: the Ghost Gate, the Bridge of Despair, the Robe-Stripping Pavilion, the Homesick Terrace, the Evil Dog Village, the Ruined Money Mountain, the Bloodstained Pool, and the Forgetfulness Shop. Each spot represents its own authority and responsibilities, and they possess abilities beyond the comprehension of spirits and gods. Offending their rules is something even the Meng Clan Ancestor can't handle."

"You must be extremely cautious. If you don't want to capsize in the gutter, it's best not to break their rules."

"Of course, now that you've taken on the sins, you've already broken the rules of the Li Family of Impermanence. But according to my understanding, they won't easily take on that responsibility."

"..."

"Yes, I've taken note."

Facing the Mountain Lord's warning, Hu Ma didn't seem overly pressured. He sighed and said, "I have to admit that the Meng Family's elder son does have sharp eyes and his cultivation of inner energy is quite impressive."

"This time, their conspiracy was indeed sinister and poisonous. Every move they made left me conflicted. Although I eventually took a gamble and made him suffer, it was because I didn't follow the rules and acted beyond his expectations."

"It seems that they've been taught to understand the world's situation since childhood, and they're naturally skilled in these schemes. This time, he chose to retreat temporarily because, on the one hand, he feared that I wouldn't follow the rules and would use the Golden Mace to smash his head. On the other hand, he has confidence."

"He truly believes that I can't attract the world's mystics, and it's even more impossible for me to surpass his Meng Clan's twenty years of planning within a mere half a year."

"..."

The Mountain Lord listened, slightly surprised, "If you know this, then..."

Hu Ma smiled, "But he's mistaken."

"The Meng Clan's planning, even if it were to continue for another twenty years, still wouldn't be enough to suppress the Pacifying Evil Office."

"There's some truth in what you said. I've taken up the Evil Suppression Golden Mace, and this grand play has only just begun. It hasn't even reached the climax yet..."

"The injustice in Official Province is also a grand gift I've prepared for the Meng Clan!"

"..."

"This..."

Seeing Hu Ma's unwavering confidence, the Mountain Lord's expression was filled with surprise. In his heart, he was extremely curious and wanted to ask him more, but Hu Ma's status had changed, and he could no longer be treated as a junior. It was not appropriate to ask too many questions.

He could only give Hu Ma a deep look and sighed, "Your confidence is admirable, but it's a pity that as your abilities grow and you develop your own opinions, I'll soon be unable to help you."

These words made Hu Ma pause slightly. Looking at the blurred face, he sighed in his heart: Even the all-powerful Mountain Lord has begun to feel helpless. This made him truly feel the difference in these past few years.

When did one grow up?

Perhaps it was when he saw that even those he once thought were omnipotent had moments of helplessness and exhaustion.

After chatting with the Mountain Lord and filling in the gaps in his understanding of the world, Hu Ma could clearly sense that the Mountain Lord seemed to be hiding something. When it came to this matter, he didn't reveal a single word...

It was as if the Old Yin Mountain was hiding something, making him feel like he was guarding a prison.

Of course, since the Mountain Lord wasn't willing to speak, Hu Ma couldn't force him to reveal the secrets of the Evil Suppression Golden Mace. After chatting for a while, he bid farewell and left the mountain.

Upon returning to his residence, Hu Ma didn't rush to do anything else. He sat quietly, recalling the scrolls and other items he had seen when he opened the Pacifying Evil Office. He carefully considered the Mountain Lord's warnings and planned his next steps.

Putting aside other matters for now, it was only after he had figured out his plan that he waited until midnight, silently practiced his cultivation, and entered a dream state. He then arrived at the Life Spirit Temple, placed his hand on the incense burner, and called out:

"Miss Sweet Potato Burn, can you hear my call?"

"..."

This time, it was slightly odd. In the past, Sweet Potato Burn would immediately respond with a loud cry, making her the only one among all the reincarnators in this world with such a quick reaction.

But this time, it took three calls before he heard her excited voice, "Ah, I was refining souls. I'm preparing to open a gate of the mansion, so my reaction was a bit slow..."

"..."

"What?"

Hu Ma was slightly startled. Was this fellow about to open a gate of the mansion too? Logically, this should be a good thing, but why did he feel a shiver down his spine?

"Hahaha, I should thank you for this!"

Sweet Potato Burn said, "These past few days have been so lively in Mingzhou. I also found an opportunity to capture a vengeful spirit full of sins. This is a rare opportunity. When alive, it was a human demon, and after death, it became an evil ghost. Once I refine it, I'll open the first gate of the mansion."

"If I borrow its power, along with the treasure in my hand, and capture a Ghost King or something, then I'll open the second gate of the mansion."

"After that, I can use it as bait, raise a nest of ghosts, and make them all filled with resentment. Then, I'll find an extremely secluded place to set up camp, and I'll be able to directly open the third gate of the mansion, hahaha..."

"..."

"Damn..."

Listening to Sweet Potato Burn, it seemed simple, but Hu Ma's heart instinctively felt a bit afraid. After a pause, he said, "Congratulations, but why do these methods sound so unorthodox?"

"Of course!"

Sweet Potato Burn replied, "Proper methods are too slow..."

"Mine is fast!"

"..."

'Damn, she's right...'

Hu Ma couldn't help but sigh in agreement, calming his emotions. He sighed, "Your Punishment Soul is also a major mystic practice, and I don't understand this ability. But after hearing your simple explanation, I realized that there might be some opportunities here that could help you..."

"Would you be willing to come and lend me a hand?"

"..."

"Ah..."

Sweet Potato Burn cried out, "Senior, I'm just about to open the first gate of the mansion, and you're already creating other opportunities for me?"

"What's your name and how many people are in your family? Just tell me that, and you don't need to worry about the rest..."

(End of Chapter)

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