Chapter 726: It Doesn't Matter
Chapter 726: It Doesn't Matter
Does he know my identity?
Upon hearing this person introduce himself, Hu Ma instantly became alert.
He took a slight step back, and within his body, the three pillar incense sticks in the incense burner were all prepared.
Knowing that doing these few major tasks would bring some trouble, he had long anticipated these problems. Now that his cultivation was sufficient, he only needed to take a step back to reach the bridge.
After the recent battle with the Malevolent Spirit Great Swordmaster, he understood that his fate was heavier than he imagined, and he felt more confident facing the skilled bridge crossers.
At least, he could escape! After all, for a New Year Guard, being able to escape was also a skill, and not something to be ashamed of.
However, seeing Hu Ma's alertness, the Daoist Sage Hongxuan, whose title was Dongxuan, did not show any unusual behavior. There was no hostility on his face; instead, he smiled, turned around, picked up the wine cup on the table, and drank the village's rice wine in one gulp. Then, he turned to Hu Ma and said with a smile,
"With the revival of the Water Spirit, divine beings are everywhere, and this mountain village has become much safer. It's not easy to encounter malevolent spirits anymore."
"Little friend, why don't you come with me outside the village for a walk?"
"..."
Hu Ma looked around and saw that no one noticed their conversation. The atmosphere remained lively, and it seemed as if no one had noticed that he had already stood up. He quickly pondered in his heart and decided to go along. Smiling, he said, "Since the senior has the time, let's go!"
The Daoist Sage Dongxuan waved his dust-sweeping brush slightly and led the way with a smile. The two of them left the gathering, and still, no one seemed to notice.
They walked slowly towards the outskirts of the village. The Daoist Sage Dongxuan sighed as he observed the village, its low thatched houses, the tall wooden walls erected to protect against malevolent spirits, the village millstone, the stone-paved roads, the chili peppers, and the rough wooden window frames.
Every person and object reflected the simplicity of life in the village. As he looked around, he couldn't help but sigh, "The Hu Clan has indeed suffered a lot..."
"The Hu Clan, a direct descendant of the Hu family, and one of the Ten Surnames Nobles, gave up their wealth, glory, grand mansions, luxurious clothing, and delicious food. Instead, they came to this humble village, struggling to survive, always on guard day and night, with a bleak future ahead. Now that I think about it, I admire the Hu Clan's determination."
"..."
Hu Ma listened with a cold gaze, his mind quickly assessing the situation. "You seem to know a lot about the Hu Clan's experiences?"
"Of course."
The Daoist Sage Dongxuan smiled and said, "The Hu Clan obtained the Evil Suppression Bureau and retreated to Old Yin Mountain to block the calamities and seal the shrines after consulting with me."
"Then..."
Hearing his words, Hu Ma's heart tightened, and he asked in a low voice, "Why?"
Instinctively, he was highly cautious of this mysterious Daoist Sage. He still remembered what the Dragon Well Senior had said—that this very person had backstabbed the Reincarnates, leading to the cleansing of the first generation Reincarnates.
He also recalled how the Meng Family Patriarch realized that his family was doomed to be eradicated. He repeatedly reminded Hu Ma to be wary of this person, but at the same time, he understood that this man knew many things.
Many things about the Hu Clan, which was precisely what Hu Ma had been trying to figure out but couldn't find answers for.
"Because the Hu Clan chose to do this themselves."
Listening to Hu Ma's words, the Daoist Sage Dongxuan smiled and said, "Not only the Hu Clan, but the Meng Clan also had the opportunity to choose this path. However, the Meng Clan lacked the courage and determination. So, they chose to sacrifice their ancestors, and their path became different."
"But the Hu Clan didn't. Their courage surpassed that of the Meng Clan. Therefore, now the Hu Clan has risen, and the Meng Clan has been eradicated."
"..."
As they spoke, they were about to reach the edge of the village, passing by the Hu Clan's thatched house.
The jar containing the Meng Family Patriarch was placed outside the house, as it might be influenced by malevolent spirits at any time. Therefore, it couldn't be brought into the house.
The Daoist Sage Dongxuan saw the jar and waved his hand slightly. The jar flew into his hand as if the Meng Family Patriarch inside the jar had sensed something. The jar shook violently, filled with hatred, and yin energy almost overflowed.
The Daoist Sage Dongxuan tucked his dust-sweeping brush into the back of his collar and then, with both hands, crushed the jar in an instant. A voice of anger and despair came from the jar.
"Old friend, it's time to move on..."
The Daoist Sage Dongxuan smiled and clapped his hands, throwing away the jar fragments as if it were just a trivial matter. He took back his dust-sweeping brush and smiled, explaining, "The things in the jar have been deceived for many years, and they've started to become dissatisfied."
"The Meng Clan's wealth and status are extraordinary, and they can probably endure a little longer."
Hu Ma, witnessing this scene, clenched his teeth slightly.
He had also wanted to take action, not to protect the Meng Family Patriarch, but to test this person's abilities.
However, he couldn't make a move.
It was as if an invisible force was holding him back, and he lost the freedom to act as he pleased in front of this person.
"Little friend, are you satisfied with the Meng Clan's fate?"
As the Daoist Sage Dongxuan spoke, they arrived at the village entrance, where the ground was all dirt, full of pits and bumps. The Daoist Sage Dongxuan took out a wine flask from his sleeve, the same one used to serve guests in the village earlier.
Who would have thought that he had secretly hidden a flask in his sleeve?
Pouring the wine onto the ground, it pooled in a pit, and the moonlight above was reflected with exceptional clarity within.
As he spoke, he casually flicked his sleeve, and in the pit, the moon's reflection rippled, then disappeared, replaced by the image of a sinister mansion. It was as if one were dreaming, witnessing countless tragic scenes.
Someone was lying on a bed, wailing pitifully, while another had already hanged themselves from the beam, swaying in the wind. The livestock were restless, and servants had stolen gold and silver, fleeing in chaos.
Hu Ma suddenly realized he was witnessing the current situation of the Meng family.
He even saw the young master of the Meng family sitting in the main hall of the mansion in Salt Province, his face resembling an evil spirit. Three nails were hammered into his head, and chains gently bound him. He alternated between crying and maniacal laughter, struggling and shouting:
"I won't go, I won't go, I won't go into that cave with you..."
"My Meng family's ancestors are incarnations of the Celestial Fiend. For the sake of our ancestors, let me stay in the mortal realm..."
"Save me, save me!"
"Is there anyone outside? Hurry and seek help from the Ten Surnames, quickly invite them to save me..."
"Without the Meng family, the Stone Pavilion cannot be opened. No one can ever be at ease..."
"..."
"Alas, poor child, always failing to recognize yourself."
The State Preceptor gazed at the reflection, heaved a nail into the young master's forehead, and the other into his own palm, then sighed softly. With a slight gesture of his hand, the nail in the reflection flew out, piercing through the water-filled pit and into the State Preceptor's hand, who then tucked it into his sleeve.
The young master of the Meng family, Meng Siliang, suddenly found the nail in his forehead gone, and he seemed startled: "Who? Who is it?"
But the Meng family mansion was already empty, and naturally, no one responded. After the nail flew out of his forehead, a white light flashed in his mouth, and a human-shaped pill emerged.
The pill looked at him disdainfully and shouted, "Can't be saved, can't be saved..."
Shouting, it ran out of the Meng family mansion, leaving the young master alone in the hall.
The next moment, a strange wind blew into the hall where the young master was, and a joyful voice could be heard:
"Found it, found it, it's here, it's here..."
"..."
Hands reached out and grabbed him, pulling him away, turning into a gust of wind that left the Meng family mansion.
At this moment, the Meng family mansion became completely empty, with only the hollow wind blowing back and forth.
To describe it, the Meng family mansion, at this very moment, was utterly lifeless, devoid of any signs of life.
"Just kill him like this?"
Witnessing this, Hu Ma was startled: 'But didn't they say that the Stone Pavilion Alliance required the bloodline of the Ten Surnames?'
He had wanted to cut off this bloodline, but the young master of the Meng family was being protected, making it difficult to kill him. Now, it seemed the State Preceptor had...
"In fact, the Meng family has never been important."
As if explaining to Hu Ma, the State Preceptor retrieved the nail and smiled, saying, "They thought the Stone Pavilion Treaty couldn't do without the Meng family, but they didn't know that from the very beginning, the treaty never included them."
"The Meng family worked tirelessly for twenty years, always being the most diligent in pushing for the Stone Pavilion Treaty, but they never had the qualifications to enter the Stone Pavilion."
At this moment, Hu Ma had to exert great effort to suppress the absurdity in his heart.
After a long silence, he asked, "Then, who is important?"
The State Preceptor turned to him and said, "Of course, it's your Hu family."
Hu Ma clenched his teeth and asked, "Just because the Hu family took on the responsibility of the Evil Suppression Bureau?"
"No."
The State Preceptor smiled and said, "The Evil Suppression Bureau isn't important either. What's important is your Hu family."
"Or perhaps, it's you!"
"..."
Hu Ma's doubts reached their peak, but the State Preceptor quickened his pace, and unconsciously, Hu Ma followed suit, their footsteps echoing through the mountains.
The State Preceptor walked leisurely, and with each step, he seemed to possess the ability to shrink distances. Hu Ma was dazed, suddenly realizing that the man was walking according to the Headbreaker Sect's technique.
In the eyes of the Headbreaker Sect, there were ten directions in the world, each with its own implications: prosperity, decline, injury, emperor's demise, and so on. By taking a step in the corresponding direction, one could shrink distances and travel thousands of miles in a day without the need for cultivation or spiritual power.
With each effortless step, the State Preceptor moved in perfect alignment with these directions, and Hu Ma, following him, instantly traversed mountains and valleys.
Unbeknownst to them, they arrived at a village in the mountains, seeing its dilapidated state—collapsed houses, overgrown weeds. They stood before the ancestral hall, where a skeleton sat cross-legged, its flesh and blood long decayed.
The State Preceptor bowed slightly to the skeleton, then stepped aside and said to Hu Ma, "Little friend, you should pay your respects."
"Why?" asked Hu Ma.
The State Preceptor sighed softly and said, "Because he's your father, Mr. Hu Shan."
(End of Chapter)
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