Chapter 764: Zhen Cui Hu's Return to the Capital
Chapter 764: Zhen Cui Hu's Return to the Capital
"So, when the Longevity Practice is cultivated to its peak, it's called the Immovable Seal of Heaven and Earth?"
"That's right, it's the grand technique of our Lifesaving Zhou Family, and it's also the greatest skill within the New Year Protection Door nowadays."
"My father told me that this is the ultimate skill of the New Year Protection Door, but unfortunately, most of it is passed down from our ancestors, and only men can cultivate it successfully."
"He's always wanted to modify it, to make it a skill that both men and women can inherit, but after all these years, he still hasn't succeeded..."
"Why must it be changed?"
"Because he only has me as his daughter, and he feels it's a waste to teach it to others."
"That makes perfect sense!"
"..."
As they gradually approached the capital, Hu Ma, through his conversation with Thursday Miss, gained a deeper understanding of the Longevity Practice.
"There's a reason why the name of the Lifesaving Zhou Family includes the words 'life-saving'. It's not just a coincidence."
"Longevity Guards are not reckless fools; they seek survival through the simplest techniques. Everyone has only one life, and by borrowing strength from heaven and earth, they can grow and be eroded and dissolved by the forces of nature."
"Human emotions are like blades, and calamities can take lives. No one can escape this, but the Zhou Family has the method of life preservation. Without changing one's destiny, they can maximize their own lifespan."
"With a healthy body, one can avoid countless illnesses. By understanding the law of the interplay between Yin and Yang, one can achieve invulnerability and protect their original destiny."
"When this technique is cultivated to its peak, one becomes unaffected by all other techniques."
"My father once secluded himself for three months, neither moving, eating, drinking, nor sleeping. When he emerged, he was full of vitality, just as he was at the beginning of his seclusion. The key is that his lifespan didn't diminish..."
"In other words, during those three months, he transcended the cycle of life and death, existing outside the realm of heaven and earth."
"..."
Hu Ma pondered these words, and three words suddenly came to mind: Immortal Alive.
When he first entered the Longevity Practice, Master Wu had mentioned that the ultimate state of this path was the Immortal Alive State.
At that time, he thought that 'Immortal Alive' meant reaching the peak and being able to transform into death at will.
Now, he wondered if the state of Immortal Alive was even higher than that. Of course, Master Wu probably heard this from somewhere else, as his own cultivation was far from reaching such heights.
"My father's invulnerability and immunity to all techniques are well-known among the Ten Surnames. Few people in the sect dare to provoke him, but he also said that there's a problem with this technique. However, he couldn't explain what the problem was, and that was his stumbling block."
"Breaking through it means transcending the limitations of fate."
"But with just this one skill, it can be called the foundation of Longevity in the world."
"The Ten Surnames are all considered the original masters of their respective sects, and they are also referred to as 'ancestors' by the various sects. There's a reason for this saying. Within the sects, it's believed that all techniques return to the origin, and this is because the bridge is in the hands of the Ten Surnames. In the realm of the unknown, they lead their respective sects, and each of the Ten Surnames possesses a unique and unparalleled skill. Although they may not be the true ancestors of their sects, they can be called the mother styles of the Ten Great Sects."
"The ten sect masters?"
Hu Ma listened intently, deep in thought, and nodded slightly. "The Ten Surnames are indeed extraordinary..."
"It's as if they were deliberately chosen and set apart."
"..."
"Master, the capital city is just ahead. We should reach it before sunset."
As he was thinking, a voice came from outside the carriage, it was Xiao Douguan calling out.
Hu Ma lifted the curtain and looked ahead. There was an ancient official road stretching out before them, its surface covered in a layer of yellow sand. The road extended straight into the distance, flanked by green mountains that seemed to be shrouded in a gloomy aura."
Although they were still far away and couldn't see the legendary ancient capital, Hu Ma could sense that at the end of this road, there was a massive structure enveloped in a dense aura of ghosts, waiting for his approach.
The capital, the center of the dynasty, the core of heaven and earth, the place where Duiya was destroyed, was also the birthplace of the Ten Surnames.
Since traveling through the realm, Hu Ma had heard many legends about the capital. Even though Duiya had fallen, the capital seemed to hold a special place in the hearts of the grassroots warlords and the sect members.
It was common knowledge that various grassroots warlords had risen across the realm, but no matter how much chaos they caused in their territories or how renowned their names became, it was all in vain.
In the end, only the one who conquered the capital and ascended the throne would be considered the true dragon; the rest were mere vagabonds.
Although the Ten Surnames rose to prominence in the capital, many of them chose not to stay there for various mysterious reasons. Even the most unorthodox Meng Family considered the capital too eerie, so they moved their ancestral home to the Salt City, leaving only their ancestral shrine in the capital.
The Hu Family was no exception.
After splitting from the Qingyuan Hu Family, they were no longer included in the clan's genealogy.
Speaking of which, the Hu Family now had two ancestral lands, one in the capital and the other in the Old Yin Mountains.
Therefore, although this was Hu Ma's first time visiting the capital, theoretically, it was like a homecoming.
"We've delayed long enough, let's speed up!"
Hu Ma's emotions were stirred, and he urged them to hurry. The sound of the carriage wheels became more intense.
Unexpectedly, after traveling for a short while, they suddenly heard the livestock outside becoming restless, stomping and hesitating, shaking their heads and refusing to move forward.
Even the carriage driver and the accompanying servants suddenly exclaimed in low voices, their voices trembling: "No, not again..."
Seeing everyone's alarm, Hu Ma frowned and looked outside. Ahead on the ancient road, the wind blew away the yellow sand, revealing a solemn army formation. It was a vast, pitch-black formation of countless soldiers and horses, neatly arranged across the official road. The killing intent emanating from them seemed to freeze even the wind that blew towards them.
Previously, they had encountered a foraging party and experienced a perilous situation. Now, they were facing another large army blocking the road, and everyone's hearts were filled with fear.
"It seems to be the City Defense Army..."
From behind, Old Abacus hurriedly rode his donkey to catch up, and said to Hu Ma, "This used to be the Duiya Imperial Guard. After the Duiya were exterminated, the Du surname still existed in name but not in reality. However, this City Defense Army was jointly supported by the Ten Surnames and did not participate in any battles. They were only here to guard the Capital City. How did they end up a hundred li outside the Capital City?"
"This is different from the Pan Mountain King. Don't provoke them lightly!"
Hu Ma said, "I'm just escorting the funeral procession back to the capital. Who am I provoking?"
"Since you're escorting the funeral, you should follow the rules and not take a detour. Let's go straight ahead!"
"..."
As he spoke, he slightly focused his mind, and the aura of the Nine Pillars of Dao surged, protecting himself and his companions, including the animals.
This was a natural ability that emerged after he had cultivated his Dao to a high level. Others around him were unaware of it, but they felt that their courage seemed to have strengthened invisibly.
Seeing Hu Ma's firm tone, they calmed down and urged their horses forward, slowly approaching.
The Capital City was the foundation of the Ten Surnames, and the City Defense Army was naturally under their command.
Now that the Ten Surnames knew of Hu Ma's arrival, they had brought this army here. What did it mean? As Hu Ma was pondering, the procession moved forward, and both sides gradually drew closer. They could now clearly see the large army ahead and the tall 'City Defense' flag raised high in the army.
As the auras were about to intertwine, they were about to collide, but suddenly, a drumbeat sounded from the army, followed by the sound of horns.
The soldiers blocking the road quickly withdrew to both sides of the official road, dismounted, and half-knelt on the side.
"The City Defender of the Capital City welcomes the return of the Great General of Evil Suppression!"
"..."
Hearing this loud shout, not only the pallbearers and helpers but even the Kindness Fairy and Thursday Miss in the carriage behind were stunned.
Firstly, they had never seen such a grand welcome by an army, and secondly, they found the address strange.
Hu Ma, who was in the carriage, did not get off. Since he had not given any orders, the carriage slowly passed through the army. Just as everyone was wondering, they suddenly saw two figures in the dust behind the army, slowly approaching from the front.
Upon closer inspection, they were familiar faces—Zhao Sanyi from the Skillful Hand Zhao Family and Chen Abao from the Curse Removal Chen Family.
The two of them came from both sides of the road and, upon reaching the carriage, did not speak. They simply walked alongside it, leading them forward.
The soldiers behind followed closely, and the sound of clanking armor filled the air as they stood up and set up their ceremonial tents, forming an impressive procession behind the carriage.
After traveling less than twenty li, they saw two more people coming to greet them.
One wore a bright white robe, while the other wore a colorful garment similar to a shaman's attire.
They, too, came from the left and right, arriving at the carriage and bowing slightly to Hu Ma inside. Then, they followed on both sides.
As they continued, another pair approached, one in black and the other in red.
"The Ten Surnames' youth, coming a hundred li to greet you..."
Old Abacus, who was following the carriage, glanced at the formation and felt a hint of fear:
"People who don't follow etiquette are despised, but their respect is too heavy and scary..."
"..."
Hu Ma also realized that the ones who had come a hundred li to greet him were none other than the young disciples of the Ten Surnames.
The Skillful Hand Zhao Family, Curse Removal Chen Family, Immortal King Wang Family, Mountain Watching Zhu Family, Blessing Bestowing Sun Family, Longevity Zhou Family, Nobles Pi Family, Transience Li Family, and Spirit Communication Meng Family—two by two, a total of four pairs, came forward.
However, the person from the Nobles Pi Family was dressed in tattered clothes, devoid of any nobility.
When the last pair, the Transience Li Family and Longevity Zhou Family's elder brother, approached, they held a paper figurine in their hands...
...Did this represent the Spirit Communication Meng Family?
He understood slightly and followed them forward. After a while, they finally arrived in front of an ancient and majestic city. Looking up, they saw towering walls that seemed to touch the sky and block out the sun.
But this legendary ancient capital was devoid of grandeur and holiness. Instead, it gave off a ghostly aura, like a city of ghosts where humans and spirits mingled.
As they reached the city gate, the scene became even more lively. There were incense altars, ceremonial tents, and a high platform already set up, with green banners fluttering in the wind.
The leader of the Dalaofa Religion, Daoist Sage Hongxuan, stood in front of the platform, surrounded by figures with flowing sleeves, each with a unique appearance but all prominent members of the Ten Surnames.
As the carriage slowly approached, the State Preceptor gently waved his dust-sweeping brush and took a step forward, sighing softly,
"Enduring humiliation and carrying a heavy burden for twenty years, the people of heaven and earth should know gratitude."
"The Zhen Cui Hu Family returns safely to the capital, proving that the heavens have blessed the worthy..."
"..."
After speaking, he bowed deeply and slowly rose, coming to the carriage and saying loudly, "I will personally lead the Hu Family's horses and escort them into the capital!"
(End of Chapter)
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