https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-594-The-Greatest-Freedom-in-the-World/12919108/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-596-Snake-Deity-Temple-Second-Update-/12919112/
Chapter 595: The Witch and the Venom (Part One)
Chapter 595: The Witch and the Venom (Part One)
Hu Ma had heard a lot about destiny, and he felt that Old Lao Suandan seemed to speak some truth, but he couldn't be sure of its authenticity.
Previously, this old man had talked about various aspects of destiny, including the consequences of a light or heavy fate, but it all seemed like hindsight rather than accurate predictions.
As for the immortal Purple Heavenly Age, if they still needed to consider destiny, the reincarnators were hidden in various places, each with a different identity. How could their destiny be calculated? And why would the Purple Heavenly Age specifically affect the Life Spirit Temple of the reincarnators?
This trip to the Xue Shi Mine was because Hu Ma knew that Old Lao Suandan had extensive knowledge, and he wanted to seek answers. However, after consulting him, Hu Ma was still confused, and the only thing he could confirm was that there was indeed no description or record of the Purple Heavenly Age in the Pacifying Evil Office. He had discussed this with Erguotou earlier and even rechecked to ensure he hadn't missed anything.
But there was nothing.
On the desk in the Pacifying Evil Office, several scrolls of files were placed, including the Hundred Demons Register, the Golden Armor Collection, and the Spirit Communication Book, each with its unique purpose, waiting to be studied.
However, there was not a single mention of the Heavenly Age, as if it didn't belong on the same branch.
"This seems to indicate that the Purple Heavenly Age is indeed only related to the Ancient Wandering Ghost lineage, and the Pacifying Evil Office is independent."
Hu Ma silently thought, and a shadow of his grandmother flashed through his mind. "Back in the village, Grandma seemed to know a way to find the Blood Heavenly Sovereign. That's why she brought me fresh Blood Heavenly Sovereign to eat every day. If the Blood Heavenly Sovereign can be found, could the Purple Heavenly Age also be found? Grandma is from the Ancient Wandering Ghost lineage; she should know these things..."
After much contemplation, he still felt perplexed and couldn't even decide on a course of action.
Fortunately, Erguotou had mentioned that the next time they entered, they would need to wait until the next Ghost Festival in July. Not sealing the place for now seemed like a good idea...
The reincarnators faced numerous problems, and Hu Ma could only focus on handling the matters at hand.
After making up his mind, Hu Ma, along with Old Lao Suandan, Wu Ya, and Zhou Datong, a group of four, headed towards Gua Prefecture. Along the way, they encountered various sects and professions, a chaotic mix of dragons and snakes, with many spies around. However, it seemed that the best disguise in the Wulin was to make oneself inconspicuous. Hu Ma, wearing a black cloth robe and carrying the distinctive Punishment Official's Great Saber, remained unremarkable due to the fragrant pouch he wore.
These Wulin people even lifted the covers of the night fragrance transport carts to take a look, but none of them paid extra attention to Hu Ma.
Hu Ma observed their behavior with curiosity: "Do these guys think that the Wandering Ghost Great Saber Guild would hide in a dung bucket to pass through?... We're Year Guardians, not play actors!"
After three days of travel, they arrived at the front of Gua Prefecture City, which appeared to be a grand city from a distance.
The city walls were even taller and more majestic than those of Mingzhou Prefecture City. Following the official road, they approached the city, which was bustling with merchants, mule caravans, and Wulin practitioners riding in palanquins or on large mules, all carrying swords. Even a line of soldiers wearing black robes with black iron breastplates could be seen in front of the city.
This was the formidable Iron Threshold Army, renowned throughout the southeast.
Unlike the Grain Protection Army in Mingzhou, which rose to prominence within a month but quickly declined, the Iron Threshold Army's emergence was a natural response to the times. They started in Gua Prefecture, recruiting ten thousand troops, then proceeded to eliminate bandits and defeat spirits. They also engaged in a battle for supremacy with a powerful group of boat bandits on the southern lake of Gua Prefecture. With the aid of spirits, they subdued the boat bandits.
At the height of their power, the leader of the Iron Threshold Army proclaimed himself the Iron Threshold King in Gua Prefecture, earning the unanimous support of the local nobles and commoners.
Currently, the Iron Threshold Army and the Grain Protection Army were separated by Old Yin Mountain, watching each other from a distance. Both forces had recently gained momentum and had not yet expanded outward; otherwise, they would have clashed long ago to vie for the auspicious energy of Old Yin Mountain.
However, unlike the Grain Protection Army, the Iron Threshold King had been crowned early on when their power rose.
Whether this was good or bad was hard to say, but with the royal title came royal energy, and the spirits and demons in Gua Prefecture dared not offend.
From the outside, the city already exuded such an atmosphere, and upon entering, it was even more bustling. The wide street that ran through the city was packed with people, shoulder to shoulder, and all around. Even the Wulin figures who usually dominated their territories and lived lavishly had gathered in groups of three or five. This attracted the local citizens of Gua Prefecture to do business, creating a festival-like atmosphere.
The presence of these Wulin figures had a significant impact, especially on the businesses of restaurants, inns, and even brothels, which suddenly boomed.
Even Old Lao Suandan was astonished: "The scale of this is even greater than I imagined, Little Shopkeeper..."
He glanced at Hu Ma: "What do you see?"
Hu Ma's face showed a sense of satisfaction, as if to say that his predictions were accurate, and the noble's 200 jin of Blood Food was not spent in vain.
But when Hu Ma looked at the city, he smiled and said, "I see malevolent spirits everywhere!"
Seeing the crowded street, his heart was actually...
...excited! Who knew how many reincarnators were hidden among the various sects and professions on the street?
Long ago, the news of all the reincarnators gathering in Gua Prefecture to discuss matters had spread far and wide, thanks to the word of mouth of Red Wine Miss and others. Although the appointed day was still a few days away, many reincarnators from various places had likely already arrived. At this moment, these individuals were hidden among the bustling crowd of Gua Prefecture's residents. Hu Ma understood this, and they all wanted to find a place to rest and call out to each other.
Usually, calling out to reincarnators outside of familiar places or designated spots was a matter of luck.
But the situation was different now; Hu Ma was certain that if they entered the Life Spirit Temple and shouted, countless responses would echo back.
Hu Ma even began to suspect that everyone around them was a reincarnator. They noticed a wealthy young master on the street, dressed in a silver silk robe and wearing a pair of embroidered leather boots. Who else but a reincarnator would be so fashionable?
Then, they saw a girl next to him, completely hidden within a large black robe, revealing only her small head...
...Who else but a reincarnator would be so gloomy?
They looked at the storyteller in the teahouse, eloquently narrating his tale, and an old man on the street, setting up a chess game. There was also a woman in the brothel, waving her handkerchief...
...That woman might not be a reincarnator, as they typically wouldn't enter such a profession unless they had a particular interest.
"Malevolent spirit?"
As Hu Ma was marveling at this, Lao Suandan suddenly paused and sighed, "You Wogui folks sure have a big mouth!"
"Just because we're helping the Yan family, you call us malevolent spirits?"
"..."
Hu Ma didn't bother explaining and merely smiled, saying, "Let's find a place to rest first."
"This Gua Prefecture City is so lively that the inns are probably full. It's not fitting for us, the Great Swordswoman of Wogui, to sleep on the streets!"
"..."
"I'll go!"
Seeing the need to find accommodation, Zhou Datong immediately volunteered. His eyes scanned the street, and he spotted a woman with a widow's demeanor, leading children and returning with wine from a certain mansion. Zhou Datong approached her with a deep bow and a smile, saying, "Madam, we are traveling merchants passing through. Is this your mansion? May we stay here for the night?"
"Don't worry, we'll pay you in silver!"
"..."
Upon hearing Zhou Datong's words, the woman's expression froze momentarily.
Before she could respond, half a dozen heads suddenly poked out from behind the mansion's door. They were shirtless, carrying weapons like knives and guns, and they shouted, "What are you up to?"
Zhou Datong, seeing these martial artists, was stunned. He foolishly replied, "To... to stay the night."
Those inside the door scoffed, "We know what you're up to. This place is full. Go find somewhere else!"
Zhou Datong immediately deflated and returned with an embarrassed expression, saying to Hu Ma, "It's too crowded..."
Hu Ma couldn't help but feel helpless. What were these people's preferences?
Just then, they heard Wu Ya, who had been following alongside, always eager to listen to others but rarely speaking up. She smiled and said, "Teacher, Shopkeeper Brother, and Datong Brother, why don't you follow me? I'll find a place."
"..."
As she spoke, Wu Ya lifted her arm, slightly pulling up her sleeve to reveal her snow-white arm. She whistled softly, and a small green snake emerged from her sleeve, poking its head out. This snake was noticeably smaller than the one she had kept before, seemingly newly hatched. After exploring the air for a moment, it nodded in a certain direction, and Wu Ya headed that way.
The others followed behind, walking through several alleys and deeper into the city. They arrived at a pond surrounded by large willow trees and a large mansion.
Wu Ya looked down at the little snake, made a few hissing sounds as if confirming something with it, and then said to Hu Ma, "Shopkeeper Brother, we'll stay here tonight!"
She then proceeded to knock on the mansion's door.
Hu Ma didn't interfere but curiously observed the situation. After Wu Ya left, she turned to Lao Suandan and asked, "What's with her?"
"Hehe, it's their witch's habit..."
Lao Suandan chuckled and explained, "Because their dress and speech are different from ours, it's not convenient for them to travel around. So, the witches who can control venom have a rule: when they arrive at a place, they first sense the venomous aura. If they notice a family that hasn't been doing well recently and has some sort of bug problem, they'll offer to stay there. This way, they can help others and accumulate merit, and it's also more convenient for themselves."
Hu Ma was surprised, "Is there someone in this family who's been affected by venom?"
"It's not venom. It's only called venom when someone is intentionally affected. This family probably has some sort of bug that has caused a severe and strange disease, and her snake sensed it."
Lao Suandan added, "There are many strange people and bugs in this world. Witches lurk in various places, and they also travel the martial world by helping people with their illnesses."
(End of Chapter)
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