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Chapter 599: Demonstrating Their Abilities
Chapter 599: Demonstrating Their Abilities
Hu Ma couldn't hold back any longer and quickly connected with Red Wine Miss, who was also connected to the wisp of fragrance that pierced through the layers of dark red mist. In that instant, all the sounds from outside suddenly disappeared.
With the naked eye, one could see that outside the dark red mist, wisps of fragrant energy slithered like spirits, seemingly wanting to enter. It appeared that numerous reincarnates were attempting to connect and communicate with him.
"The Life Spirit Temple has this use?"
Hu Ma didn't have much experience in this, and he found it novel, but he had more important matters to attend to. He turned to Red Wine Miss and said, "Have all the people from Anzhou arrived?"
"..."
"Most of them have arrived."
Red Wine Miss lazily replied, "A few went to more distant places to inform others and are on their way back."
"That should be enough then."
Hu Ma thought of the group of Anzhou reincarnates beside Red Wine Miss, many of whom he had met before. They were all capable and reliable people, so he hurriedly said, "I need someone to help me investigate something. Could you please find me a few trustworthy individuals?"
"Consider it a bounty then. For each person's blood food, two... twenty pounds!"
After careful consideration, he decided not to set the reward too high, as he would have to pay up.
"So generous?"
Even Red Wine Miss was surprised. Twenty pounds of blood food was indeed a substantial amount; it could make a hundred Blood Nourishing Pills.
She smiled and said, "Everyone is waiting for the meeting, and it's better to be busy. So, of course, there's no problem."
"What do you want to investigate?"
"..."
"Investigate the Iron Gate Yan Family in Guazhou Prefecture."
Hu Ma slowly explained, "First, there's a toad disease in the city of Guazhou, and I suspect it's related to the Serpent Deity Temple by Green Water Lake. I hope someone can help me get to the bottom of this."
"Second, the Iron Gate Yan Family has a close relationship with the Snake Ghosts, but I believe there must be some hidden secrets within. I hope to find a capable person to help uncover the truth and investigate the Yan Family."
"And then..."
"..."
After a brief pause, he continued, "On the night of the Royal Feast, find a few swift blades to accompany me on a killing spree."
Red Wine Miss was taken aback by his words, then she smiled and said, "Is that all?"
"In the end, it's still the family's generosity. Earning a hundred pounds of blood food is indeed a breeze..."
"..."
"..."
"What exactly is this young man up to?"
"His reputation as a Wandering Ghost Great Swordswoman might not hold up in Guazhou..."
"Not only are countless eyes waiting to find him, but he also wants to investigate these matters, blind to everything. How can he possibly succeed?"
The next day, the young master of the manor was showing signs of improvement, but he wasn't fully recovered yet. The lord of the manor was concerned about a relapse, so he eagerly invited Hu Ma and the others to stay for a few more days, treating them to fine wine and cuisine.
This arrangement relieved Hu Ma and his companions from worrying about their accommodations for the night. However, when Old Accountant thought about Hu Ma's attitude the previous day, he couldn't help but feel anxious for him.
He wanted to advise him, as the young man often asked him questions, but he rarely listened to his advice.
But if he didn't advise him...
...what if he didn't give them the two hundred pounds of blood food?
Despite Old Accountant's concerns, Hu Ma remained remarkably calm. That morning, he practiced his martial arts, instructed Zhou Datong, and then sat in the courtyard, drinking tea and chatting with the lord of the manor. The entire morning passed by in leisure.
After lunch, he took a short nap. Surely, he would go out to handle his business after that?
But no, he was sharpening his knife!
Old Accountant was at his wit's end: "Could it be that this young man is all talk and has already given up?"
What Old Accountant didn't know was that beneath the bustling activities of countless martial artists in Guazhou, drinking, socializing, and forming connections, there was a more turbulent undercurrent. With a bounty in place, a hidden influence had quietly begun to unfold.
"That Wandering Ghost Hu Family? What are they compared to our Guazhou's Lord Yan?"
Someone had infiltrated this group of martial artists and was cursing the Hu Family more viciously than anyone else. He even casually picked a purse from a passerby to treat the group, getting the martial artists tipsy. Then, fueled by alcohol, he cursed the Hu Family while praising the Yan Family.
He revealed the Yan Family's secrets, both public and hidden, and even disclosed their promises to this group of martial artists who had come to help.
One person volunteered to assist the Yan Family and demonstrated an impressive skill that even impressed the Yan Manor's steward.
Someone went to the Iron Threshold Army and created chaos.
Another visited the Life Pavilion, claiming to be covered in vegetable flowers and specifically requesting the head manager of the Life Pavilion to take a look...
As night fell, the atmosphere became even more lively. Ten miles north of the Yan Family's mansion, under a locust tree in a cemetery, someone set up a table, chanted incantations, and waved a banner. Soon, several gambling ghosts appeared and started gambling noisily.
This commotion attracted the curiosity of countless guardian ghosts in the cemetery, who poked their heads out to watch the spectacle, some even holding their burial goods, eager to join in.
Meanwhile, the person setting up this gambling game kept an eye on the gambling ghosts while glancing in the direction of the Yan Family, thinking to himself, "They say the Yan Family has maintained official positions for seven generations, and their family discipline is strict. But I don't believe that after so many generations, there isn't a single weak link?"
As expected, the group of gambling ghosts became more and more intense as they gambled, and the commotion grew louder and louder.
However, in the latter half of the night, a sudden gust of cold wind blew, and a small ghost's voice was heard, "Lord Yan is coming..."
Turning to look, they saw a wealthy ghost dressed in brocade, with yellow parchment covering his face, and an aura of incense offerings. He was led over, instructing the little ghosts to be careful and not to reveal his arrival, then he sat down at the gambling table and started playing immediately.
After gambling for half the night, he lost everything and even incurred a huge gambling debt. Lord Yan immediately tried to flee, but the organizer of the game appeared and scolded, "Debts must be repaid, even if you die, you must acknowledge it."
"If you don't acknowledge this debt, I'll make a scene at the Yan Manor tomorrow. Let's see if the other ancestors of the Yan family will be ashamed of you and chase you away from the ancestral altar."
"..."
"..."
At the same time, outside the military camp of the Iron Threshold Army, due to the recent influx of many martial artists from the city, all the brothels and entertainment venues were occupied. The military lords had nowhere to go for entertainment, and the Iron Threshold King, fearing they might cause trouble if they drank too much, had issued an order prohibiting them from entering the city.
But that night, a voluptuous and enchanting woman arrived with a carriage and found a spacious area outside the military camp. She instructed the carriage driver to stop and proceeded to hammer wooden pillars into the ground.
Then, she sent the driver away and walked between the pillars, waving her handkerchief, which emitted a captivating fragrance. She circled the wooden pillars a few times, leaving a trail of fragrant talismans.
After casting a silent spell, giggles spread through the darkness. Several military lords felt a sense of dizziness and confusion, and they stumbled out of their tents. Before long, they spotted the open area and the numerous wooden pillars standing upright.
Their eyes lit up, "When did such a tall building and exquisite establishment appear outside our military camp?"
Salivating, they rushed forward, kissing and licking the wooden pillars.
The voluptuous woman laughed even more delightedly, gently waving her handkerchief, and said in a soft voice, "Am I good?"
The military lords hugging the pillars chorused, "You're good, you're good, you smell so good..."
"Then, is it me or the Iron Threshold King who is good?"
"Of course it's you! You're our precious darling, better than silver..."
The voluptuous woman's laughter grew even more joyful, and her voice turned softer, "Then, if the Iron Threshold King wants to kill me later, will you help me?"
"Of course, of course! Whoever dares to harm you, we'll cut them down!"
"..."
"..."
At the same time, someone else quietly arrived at the Greenwater Lake, easily locating the Snake Deity Temple with its strong incense offerings.
The temple gates were closed, and there were no incense worshippers around. Instead, many martial artists had gathered, roasting dog meat over a fire. They were guarding the temple to prevent anyone from destroying it, as they had heard that someone was coming to cause trouble for the Snake God Lord.
"That unreasonable Wandering Ghost Hu Family, I heard they are particularly ruthless and love to smash temples..."
This person listened from a distance, then walked towards the group of martial artists with a smile, reaching into his bosom as if scratching his body. As he approached, he pinched a sleeping bug and gently flicked it towards the group of boastful martial artists.
Before long, the noisy group of martial artists fell into a deep sleep, so deep that even their burning hair didn't wake them.
The man strolled into the Snake Deity Temple, taking in the exquisite construction. In front of the hall, besides the meditation cushion, there was also a bench, wider than usual, seemingly for sleeping.
The temple was devoid of worshippers, and even the statue of the snake deity was covered with red cloth. The snake deity was absent, and the temple had been meticulously cleaned, leaving no clues.
However, the man paid no heed to these details. He glanced around and already had an idea.
He lit incense and bowed towards the beam, saying, "Beam God, Beam God, you may blame me for summoning you, but you are high above, with great insight. I ask, and you answer; I offer you sacrifices!"
"..."
After finishing his prayers, he stood up, took out a soft mask, and jumped, hanging it on the beam.
The beam was made of ordinary wood, and the mask didn't seem to have any spiritual qualities. But once hung on the beam, a strange scene unfolded—the mask's eyes blinked, as if a face had sprouted on the beam and come to life.
The mask spoke, "Who is it? Who is worshipping me?"
The man laughed, "Beam God, I have a question for you. You are high above, have you witnessed everything in this temple?"
The mask on the beam replied, "I have, I have. Since the temple was built, I've been here. Every word spoken has entered my ears, and nothing escapes my sight..."
"Good."
The man smiled, "I ask the Beam God, what is this Toad Disease?"
"Did the Yan Family, who helped build the temple, have any secret dealings with the Earth Hosting Deity? Did they say anything they didn't want others to hear?"
"If you know anything, just tell me, and I'll offer you roast chicken..."
(End of Chapter)
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