Twilight's Threshold Chapter 773: The City of the Undying - Novel Cool

Chapter 773: The City of the Undying

Chapter 773: The City of the Undying

"Brother Hu, you should choose your words carefully."

The atmosphere, which had been filled with laughter and joy, suddenly turned tense as Hu Ma's stern rebuke carried no hint of humor. Everyone present felt a chill.

Most of them were just vassals of the Ten Surnames, and none dared to speak up to Hu Ma. However, the eldest son of the Zhu Family, who was also present, couldn't hold back his displeasure. "The Wang Family is renowned for their medical skills, saving countless lives. When did their abilities become a source of boasting for you?"

"That pill you just saw can bring the dead back to life and resurrect flesh from bones. You witnessed it yourself."

"Even if it's not perfect, it still demonstrates incredible skill. Once the pill is perfected, how many lives could it save?"

"..."

"How many lives could it save?"

Hu Ma gave him a cold look and said, "Do you not know how the Purple Celestial Guardian came to be? I certainly do."

"How many lives were sacrificed to create that Blood Pill? And now you call it a life-saving miracle?"

"On my journey here, I saw plague and war ravaging the land, claiming countless lives. If you still have a shred of medical compassion, you should first consider saving those who shouldn't have died. What kind of ability is it to revive the dead from twenty years ago?"

"..."

These words carried both authority and a hint of accusation, leaving everyone momentarily speechless.

Especially the young master of the Wang Family, who had expected a display of exceptional skill, was now met with this rebuke.

Still trembling from the earlier encounter, his face flushed with anger, unable to speak.

Amidst the awkward atmosphere, a cold laugh suddenly drew everyone's attention to a man dressed in tattered clothes, his face pale and haggard. He was from the Zhang Family, now mired in a quagmire, struggling for survival.

The Zhang Family was currently in a dire situation, and this man had been left behind as a precaution. He already carried an air of decline, and while others were cautious of Hu Ma's status, he scoffed from the side.

"The Hu Family sure has a lot of nerve. Everywhere in the capital, people are talking about how the Hu Family has achieved great merit, earning a place on the Dalaofa Religion's Merit Ledger. But all I've seen are those reincarnated malevolent spirits, who have kept a low profile for twenty years, now causing chaos and seizing the bridge."

"This has piqued my curiosity. Among the Ten Surnames, the Hu Family is said to have the most merit. Where is this merit and virtue?"

"On what grounds do they claim superiority over the other nine surnames?"

"..."

Hu Ma's gaze turned icy as he glanced at the speaker, noticing the changing expressions of those around him.

He realized that this sentiment wasn't unique to the Zhang Family beggar; many others likely shared this opinion.

Hu Ma let out a cold laugh and stood up. "The Hu Family's achievements and faults are not for the likes of you, a lofty and noble person, to understand."

"I'm just a country bumpkin, and I truly don't understand your etiquette."

"Hmph! A bunch of country bumpkins, so-called Ten Surnames, with barely a century of heritage. Counting from the beginning, it's been barely twenty years since you stopped bowing to others."

"The dust on your knees hasn't even been brushed off, and you dare to sit on a high pedestal and call yourselves nobles?"

"If that's the case, the Hu Family indeed cannot boast of its merits, nor can we learn your etiquette."

"..."

"Hah!"

These words caused an uproar, leaving everyone with an uncomfortable silence.

It was as if he had insulted everyone, including the Hu Family themselves.

With the situation at this point, there was no way to continue the conversation. Hu Ma recalled the words of the White Wine Miss, who had told him not to draw attention to anything he saw. A sense of extreme strangeness filled his heart, but he merely turned around, intending to leave.

Suddenly, a cold laugh sounded from behind him. "They say the Hu Family endured hardships to achieve great merit, aiming to capture all the malevolent spirits in one fell swoop."

"But now I hear the young master of the Hu Family spouting nonsense. It's not like the Hu Family is holding those malevolent spirits at bay with the Evil Subduing Golden Saber. Instead, it seems like those spirits have ensnared the Hu Family."

Hu Ma stopped in his tracks, turned around, and looked at Zhu Youqin from the Zhu Family.

"Do you understand the logic of those malevolent spirits?"

"It's just strange talk. Everyone knows that."

Before Zhu Youqin could respond, the beggar from the Zhang Family on the side spoke up with a cold laugh. "It's not just the Hu Family who understands those malevolent spirits. Our Zhang Family also kept one, and I heard plenty of similar nonsense from that demon in our mansion."

"In the end, it's all just empty words to deceive others and themselves. They talk about not bowing to others, about all lives being equal, with no distinction between high and low, noble and humble..."

"Nonsense!"

"Our Zhang Family has its fair share of knowledgeable and profound individuals. When it comes to debating, even they can't hide the truth. Just like them, we see nobles everywhere, surrounded by herds of livestock, oppressing the common folk. Clearly, status and worth are predetermined by heaven. Those sweet words are just empty flattery."

"How can such logic be compared to ours?"

"..."

As he spoke, even the White Wine Miss couldn't help but frown slightly, as if recalling a past life's dilemma, making it difficult to argue.

However, facing the words of the Zhang Family beggar, Hu Ma slowly opened his mouth and said, "I can tell the difference.

"Hmm?"

The beggar from the Zhang family looked up, his gaze cold as he stared at him.

Ever since Hu Ma learned of his identity, it was as if his past life's dreams had become more distant. But at this moment, the gift that Laojun Mei had given him suddenly became clear in his mind. Without needing to force it, he calmly spoke, "People aren't afraid of kneeling, they're afraid of getting used to kneeling and never thinking of standing up."

"Nobles think it's their right to sit on others' heads, and that's a habit they can't change. But what's worse is when people get used to kneeling and accept it as normal."

"The things you mentioned, Dragon Well Scholar won't hide them, and I won't either. But he can't answer your question, and as an outsider, I can. In their world, there are indeed distinctions of high and low, noble and humble..."

"But the nobles in their world have already witnessed the power of the commoners, and the commoners have also tasted the freedom of not being treated like livestock."

As he spoke these words, his voice carried a natural weight, "That's enough."

"Once livestock have lived as humans, they won't forget what it's like to be human."

"Of course, the noble lords will always exist, but as long as the livestock remember that feeling, the nobles can't take their status for granted."

"Those principles are etched into their bones. Even if they can't fully live up to them, as long as these ideals exist, all the noble lords can do is act in secret, not openly, and they certainly can't claim it's their natural right..."

"You're no different!"

As he said this, his gaze turned cold, sweeping across the crowd, "You're thieves, but the true owners haven't thought of settling the score with you yet."

For a moment, silence filled the air, and everyone's faces changed, turning pale and extremely repressed, even dazed.

"Brother Hu's strange words seem to make sense."

At this moment, Zhu Youqin spoke with a solemn tone, "But there's one thing you said that's wrong."

"In the struggle for power, those with ability take their place. The status and identity of the Ten Surnames are earned through their skills."

"..."

"Earn?"

Hu Ma couldn't help but laugh as he heard his words, "Have you ever fought against Duiya?"

"Have you ever planted a single grain for the commoners?"

"It's just that Duiya is taking what belongs to the commoners, and you're stealing it from Duiya. How can you call yourselves capable people?"

Each word and sentence was like a slap in the face, and the crowd's expressions were indescribably ugly.

Hu Ma had just dampened their spirits, and even Zhao Sanyi and Chen Abao felt a hint of displeasure in their hearts. However, since they had known Hu Ma for a long time, they wouldn't join others in speaking ill of him.

But now, hearing Hu Ma speak these words, the displeasure in their hearts dissipated for no apparent reason. They looked at Hu Ma with a mix of unfamiliarity, confusion, and repression.

Only Thursday Miss, as she listened, couldn't help but clench her fists, her eyes filled with determination.

Facing their expressions, Hu Ma smiled and said, "We're country folk, used to being straightforward. Please don't take offense."

"But this time, when I returned to the capital, I wanted to see if the Ten Surnames' youth truly had the knowledge to match their splendor and prestige."

"Now that I've seen them, they have skill but no morality, only knowing how to show off and seek attention, with no grand ambitions. Thrown into this world, they struggle to survive, yet they boast of divine powers?"

"..."

After speaking, he waved his sleeves and turned to leave the pavilion.

But those in the pavilion seemed unwilling to let him go. Someone shouted, "If you believe in their principles, they won't consider you one of them."

"If you weren't in the capital right now, do you think those malevolent spirits would let you off easily?"

"..."

"You're wrong."

Hu Ma, standing outside the pavilion, looked at them and said earnestly, "Their principles, once I've learned them, become my principles."

After saying this, he didn't linger and took large strides away.

He used his ground contraction ability and arrived on the street, his eyes sharp as he looked around.

In the imperial capital, people were everywhere, coming and going with smiling faces. But amidst this bustling atmosphere, Hu Ma felt an even heavier sense of oppression.

His mind kept flashing back to the young missy rescued by the Wang family's young master, and he increasingly felt that the cheerful and crowded pedestrians in the capital carried an indescribable malevolent aura. After a long while, he suddenly stopped in his tracks, his whole body trembling, and thunderous sounds emanated from his body.

With the support of the Nine Pillars of Dao, this golden toad resonance was like a blazing sun, dispelling layer after layer of malevolent energy.

Several passersby who walked by him stumbled, and one of them had his flesh and blood fall off his body. People nearby cried out in surprise, but this person seemed dazed and unaware, continuing to walk forward.

After a few steps, the flesh and blood crawled back onto his body, and he became indistinguishable from ordinary people, blending into the crowd.

Hu Ma confirmed his guess and stood there in a daze.

Behind him, the voice of the White Wine Miss suddenly rang out, "The imperial capital hasn't had a death in a long time, and those who have died are starting to come back to life."

"This is the reason for the capital's bustling atmosphere, and it's also the matter I'm investigating."

(End of Chapter)

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