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Chapter 66: Leading the Charge Against Evil
Chapter 66: Leading the Charge Against Evil
"Ow, where are we?"
"Quick, quick, back to the village..."
"My hand... Why does my hand hurt so much? Where is it?"
"..."
These men had been bewitched by the Yellow Spirits, but Hu Ma's Redwood Sword had roused their spirits and dispelled the lingering yin energy, allowing them to regain consciousness.
Awakening from their fearful stupor, they were suddenly gripped by a new terror. The intense pain that followed made them clutch their fingers and cry out in agony.
"Where is Young Master Xu Ji?"
Some remembered Xu Ji and called out in a hoarse voice, "You’ve brought us so much trouble, you must protect us..."
"Look before you shout!"
Hu Ma stood in the shadows, his left hand gripping a knife and his right hand holding the Redwood Sword. He watched them coldly.
"It’s you?"
Seeing Hu Ma, they were startled, but also calmed down a bit.
If they had seen Xu Ji, they would still be panicking, the cold and fear from before would continue to haunt them. But seeing Hu Ma, their shock was tempered, and their fear dissipated.
"But... why are you here?"
"I’ve been following you the whole time..."
Hu Ma's voice was deep and serious. "I thought it was suspicious that you were out here in the middle of the night to exorcise evil spirits. I watched from a distance, and when your torches went out and the screams started, I rushed over. What happened? Why are there so many evil spirits around?"
"What about that confident Young Master Xu Ji? Why did he run away while you were all bewitched?"
"..."
"I just found his Redwood Sword!"
"..."
"I... I don’t know..."
The men, scolded by Hu Ma, became even more lucid, crying out in unison.
Even his two followers, trembling with fear, said: "Xu... Young Master Xu said nothing would happen, but it did."
"Enough!"
Seeing they couldn't explain, and his purpose was achieved, Hu Ma commanded sternly.
At this moment, he was hidden in the dark night, but his figure stood tall, his tone especially severe. "Our priority is to rescue those in need."
"Seven or eight of you followed Xu Ji out, but now only you remain. The others must be trapped in that village. Follow me, light some torches, and we'll investigate..."
"Ah no..."
The group was terrified by the suggestion.
Just earlier, they had encountered trouble in that village; who would dare return now?
But Hu Ma had anticipated their reaction and let out a cold snort: "I'm definitely going."
"If you're unwilling, return to the manor yourselves!"
"......"
Saying this, he grasped the Redwood Sword and marched towards the village.
The remaining men exchanged fearful glances, then suddenly followed Hu Ma, running to catch up.
While no one dared return to the village, after their recent ordeal, their courage was shattered, and with nearly ten miles to the manor, they lacked the confidence to go alone. Thus, their only option was to follow the composed Hu Ma.
Even the reluctant ones, seeing the others follow, hastily joined in.
"As long as they're willing to follow, this task just became half as difficult..."
Hu Ma thought calmly, aware that the men's courage had been shaken.
However, at their core, none were simple. On the surface, it seemed Hu Ma was leading them to safety, but in reality, he needed them to drive away the evil spirits. While Hu Ma's spiritual power surpassed theirs, collectively, their energy was more potent.
Without them, navigating this chaotic night would be at least ten times more challenging.
With the group following Hu Ma, their presence seemed to bolster the atmosphere. Although they couldn't light torches, the collective movement made the surroundings feel brighter. Under the guidance of Xiao Hong Tang (Small Red Hall), they soon found two more companions.
These two had become separated from the others earlier.
One was found circling a tomb, continuously walking in circles.
Hu Ma approached, using the Redwood Sword to snap him out of it. Seeing the group, the man let out a terrified wail.
When questioned, he explained that he had been fleeing, following someone in front, feeling like he had run dozens of miles.
But upon opening his eyes, he realized he had been circling the tomb.
"Now it's nighttime; even if you collided with something, it's not the other party's fault, but rather yours for charging at them!"
Hu Ma said in a low voice, "Apologize to the spirits!"
This companion didn't usually heed Hu Ma, or he wouldn't have followed Xu Ji out.
However, in this situation, he had no objections, immediately kneeling down and kowtowing repeatedly towards the tomb.
Hu Ma gripped the Redwood Sword tightly, watching the tomb with a cold gaze.
Hu Ma thought to himself that the evil spirits were certainly causing a commotion this night. But while he could understand the more powerful ones, why was even a spirit hiding in a grave joining in? After bowing a few times, he hoped the matter would be settled.
If it didn't, he was ready to use his wooden sword to drive it away.
Fortunately, after a few bows, he heard a faint sigh from within the grave, and then it was silent.
"Smart!"
Hu Ma, along with the person who had been circling the grave, left the place and continued toward the village.
After this incident, the other children trusted Hu Ma even more. Their initial fear gradually dissipated, and they followed him more confidently. They soon found another missing companion, but it was too late—he was already hanging from a tree, swaying in the wind.
"We'll settle this when it's light. Let's leave and find the others in the village first."
Hu Ma glanced at the hanging companion, the surroundings desolate and cold, but he saw no visible threat. However, his instincts told him something was wrong.
These companions, after all, had lit their own fires, and their flames were strong. It was understandable that they might be scared or confused in the dead of night, but for one to be so bewitched as to hang himself was a sign of a much deeper evil.
Of course, this judgment was partly due to Little Red Tang.
Little Red Tang, from a distance, was staring at the hanging man, his fur standing on end, baring his teeth at the sight.
Only a fool would provoke such a thing in the middle of the night, so Hu Ma made a quick decision.
"Let's go!"
Leaving in the middle of the night did not make the others question him. Instead, it made them feel more secure. They were already terrified and directionless, and having someone take charge gave them a sense of stability.
Whether Hu Ma was helping or giving orders to retreat, he was providing leadership, and they followed him closely.
They soon circled back to the edge of the village.
Returning to this place, everyone's faces were pale and trembling.
Hu Ma carefully observed the village. It was small, with perhaps a hundred households. From a distance, it looked like a dried-up scar, and in the dark of night, it seemed to have a strange, fluid quality, the entire village gently undulating.
"That's..."
When Hu Ma focused, his heart trembled. "Hair?"
The entire surface of the village was covered in fine, black hair, gently rising and falling in the night breeze.
From a distance, it felt lifeless, only a bone-chilling cold. With the wind, faint weeping sounds seemed to drift over.
This aura of darkness...
Hu Ma couldn't help but get goosebumps. Even without considering the other horrors, the sheer intensity of this dark aura was more powerful than what had bewitched the companion to hang himself.
"We can't charge in. Let's light some torches first!"
Hu Ma tightened his grip on his wooden sword, staring at the village, and quietly instructed the others.
The companions quickly scattered to gather materials. The village was not short of branches, and they usually carried oil rendered from Black Greatness or black oil paste, both of which were highly flammable.
A few branches tied together and coated with the oil made a simple torch.
Soon, seven or eight torches were lit, and the area around them brightened. The companions' courage returned.
"Let's go!"
Hu Ma gave the order, and they approached the village, torches in hand.
As they drew closer, the black hair that seemed to cover the entire village in the darkness vanished. They entered the village smoothly, though the hair still seemed to move subtly in the unseen corners.
"Xu Ji wasn't reckless; he must have had a plan..."
Hu Ma thought to himself, "Now that the evil spirits Little Red Tang has drawn are leaving, it's a good time for me to show my worth!"
With this in mind, he used the torches to light the way, advancing cautiously. He saw the low, dilapidated houses and the well in the center of the village road, its stone rim wet and slippery, leading to a deep, dark well.
As they approached, the cold wind suddenly grew stronger. They could faintly hear weeping from the well, a sound that grew clearer and more chilling the closer they got. The companions' faces grew paler, their legs trembling, their bodies stiff.
The evil spirits were growing more aggressive. Xu Ji had failed once, making her even more powerful, and the night was growing deeper, approaching midnight, the most terrifying time for evil spirits. After their recent setback, how could they not be afraid?
"Everyone, stop!"
At that moment, Hu Ma's voice cut through the air. His face was stern as he commanded, "Hold the torches steady. I'll go and deal with her myself!"
(End of Chapter)
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