Chapter 788: The Ancestral Spirit of the Meng Family
Chapter 788: The Ancestral Spirit of the Meng Family
Rattle!
The talismans that were pressed onto Hu Ma's body suddenly crumbled and burned under the powerful force that seemed to emanate from the depths of the Nine Netherworld.
In the next moment, they were like firecrackers on the ground, the footprints left by the Grand Preceptor to restrict Hu Ma and prevent his escape. With a series of cracking sounds, all the restrictions were completely shattered.
The immense force even distorted the phantom shadows around the Grand Preceptor.
Behind Hu Ma, it was as if a gate to the netherworld had opened, and within it, a vague figure over a hundred feet tall could be seen. It wore burial robes, and its empty eye sockets held a chilling aura that did not belong to the living.
The night sky surged with darkness as dark clouds rolled in. Under the shadow of this colossal figure, Hu Ma clenched his teeth and roared, raising his hand to grab at the Grand Preceptor's face.
Just as the Grand Preceptor had grabbed Hu Ma's face earlier, Hu Ma was returning the favor, showing no respect for his opponent.
And he had the confidence to do so.
The Grand Preceptor was right; those who had crossed the bridge possessed astonishing abilities. Hu Ma's ability to comprehend the longevity techniques of the Zhou family was due to the unique qualities of the Mother Style of the Shou Sui Sect. This style was like a turtle retracting its head, capable of withstanding and evading attacks, but not suitable for offense.
However, the Grand Preceptor was also wrong about one thing. Not every sect's Mother Style required slow and painstaking cultivation from start to finish.
The Meng family was an exception.
The Mother Style of the Meng family was determined by who could bear the weight of their Ancestral Spirit.
The more one could bear, the more powerful they were, and the one who could bear it the most was considered the master of the Meng family's Mother Style.
"The Hu family is bearing the weight of the Meng family's Ancestral Spirit, and you..."
Even the Grand Preceptor found the current situation absurd and outrageous. Astonished and enraged, his eyes took on a peculiar look.
"This is not the Ancestral Spirit of the Meng family."
At this moment, Hu Ma's face turned deathly pale, resembling a demon. He felt an immense weight on his back, and his mind was filled with countless strange words, causing him to feel dizzy. The life force within his body was rapidly depleting.
Fortunately, with his Nine Pillars of Dao cultivation, he managed to barely hold on. Remembering the promises made, he clenched his teeth and shouted at the Grand Preceptor, "This is just a monster that has devoured the spirits of the Meng family's ancestors!"
"Do you think the Meng family are fools, not realizing what they are bowing to?"
"When we were at Old Yin Mountain, Meng's Grand Master realized that he had been deceived by you. He told me everything, saying that you had deceived the Meng family into bowing to this thing and promising them endless benefits..."
"But in the end, the Meng family served as your dogs, and the first to attempt to exterminate the Meng family was also your Dalaofa Religion."
"As soon as you entered Old Yin Mountain, you were eager to silence the Meng family. But even before that, he had already told me everything."
"Including how to summon their Ancestral Spirit."
"..."
As Hu Ma spoke these words, he couldn't help but recall his initial shock upon hearing them.
The Meng family had earned their place among the Ten Surnames through their head-bowing skills, which had always been a subject of ridicule. So when Lord Meng, while in the altar, revealed these secrets to him, Hu Ma had found it absurd.
He had thought that the Ancestral Spirit was kept under control by the Meng family's servitude, preventing it from causing chaos. In this regard, the Meng family's task was similar to the Ghost Cave people, but even more intricate.
Without anyone from the Meng family to support it, the Ancestral Spirit's resentment would grow stronger, eventually leading to disaster. That's why Lord Meng asked Hu Ma to bear its weight. Initially, Hu Ma had found it laughable, thinking, "How could I, a sworn enemy of the Meng family, bear such a strange thing?"
Moreover, even if he wanted to, there was no familial connection between him and the Meng family.
It was then that Lord Meng said, "Past karma cannot be changed. Since Laosi was once hidden in your body, you've been tainted by the Meng family's aura. No matter how thoroughly you refine yourself, if it happened once, it happened."
"Furthermore, that thing is not the true Ancestral Spirit of my Meng family, and it is eager to break free. As long as you attempt to summon it, it will surely come."
Initially, this ghostly thing had devoured the spirits of the Meng family's ancestors, bringing it one step closer to the mortal realm. In the beginning, the Grand Preceptor had deceived the Meng family, promising that their ancestors would advance further and that their virtue would surpass the other nine surnames.
Indeed, they had surpassed the others, but the Meng family soon realized that this was not their true Ancestral Spirit.
But with things having come this far, what could they do?
They could only hold their noses and bow.
What left the deepest impression on Hu Ma was Lord Meng's teeth-gritting roar, "The Meng family and the Hu family have been rivals for decades, but in the end, you have to believe me!"
"I don't intend to harm you or turn you into a puppet of that thing. I don't dare to expect you to take care of this matter, but if one day, the Dalaofa Religion also kicks your Hu family aside, just like they did to the Meng family..."
"Then use this method!"
"Hehe, possessing a spirit doesn't mean you'll be controlled by it. Who says that bearing a ghost means being ruled by it?"
"The Meng Clan has been practicing spirit channeling for over a hundred years, but do you think we only know how to kowtow and have no capable individuals? No, the Meng Clan also has countless experts. We have long since gained insights into the method of using humans to control ghosts..."
"... "
"... "
As Lord Meng narrated, the Ancestral Spirit of the Meng Clan was indeed an exceptionally eerie and peculiar entity. If one had to describe it, it would be:
A ghost possessing a ghostly body.
Since it had consumed the Ancestral Spirit of the Meng Clan, it could get this close to the mortal realm. To summon it, one simply needed to use the soul-binding technique, perform the spirit possession ritual, and recite the revered name of the Ancestral Spirit.
After summoning it, Lord Meng also explained how to send it away and dispel it.
At that time, Hu Ma naturally couldn't distinguish between truth and deception, but he remained calm and stated his condition: he wanted Hu Ma to convey these words to the State Preceptor on behalf of the Meng Clan.
This was the only condition he asked for in the end. He didn't want the Meng Clan to be ridiculed even after their demise.
Hu Ma agreed, and now he has conveyed the message. At this moment, with such a heavy burden on his back and the Nine Pillars of Daoism rapidly depleting within him, he felt immense pressure, as if his body was about to fall apart.
He even felt that without the Lifesoul Temple, the pressure he was experiencing would have been ten times greater.
However, he also developed an extremely subtle sensation within himself. The infinite pressure enveloping his body seemed to grant him the strength to turn the rivers and seas with every move.
As long as the life incense hadn't burned out, he even felt invincible.
"Huala!"
He took a step forward and lunged towards the State Preceptor.
The swirling yin energy around him was stirred, like dark clouds descending upon the mortal realm, infinite and overwhelming, capable of covering and suppressing everything.
Although Hu Ma had learned the method to summon the Ancestral Spirit of the Meng Clan, he hadn't learned how to control it. So, he could only rely on the Year Guardian technique and his instincts to forcefully attack.
But even with such a crude application, it seemed to be enough.
The State Preceptor's face had already turned ashen. Earlier, he had controlled Hu Ma with ease, appearing as a celestial immortal. But now, his face was iron-blue, and the whisk in his hand waved, causing the silk threads to spin and emit a faint purple aura, forming a shield.
However, the shield was instantly grabbed and torn to shreds by Hu Ma, who unleashed countless iron chains towards the State Preceptor.
The State Preceptor's figure disappeared in front of Hu Ma and reappeared behind him.
But Hu Ma's body stiffened, and his head turned unnaturally. The iron chains continued to wrap around his body.
The State Preceptor tried to escape into the netherworld, but Hu Ma stomped his foot, and the ground hardened like iron, preventing his escape.
The once-lofty State Preceptor was now cornered, a scene no one could have anticipated.
If it had been anyone else, they would have likely retreated to a safe distance, waiting for Hu Ma's Daoism to deplete and the Ancestral Spirit of the Meng Clan to withdraw before making their move, which would have been the wiser choice.
However, the State Preceptor refused to let go of Hu Ma. Finally, he heaved a low sigh, no longer concealing the disappointment on his face, and shook his head lightly. "I did indeed look down on the Meng Clan the most. Now, they've outmaneuvered me, and it serves me right."
With the Ancestral Spirit of the Meng Clan on his back, Hu Ma's temperament had become peculiar. He opened his mouth, ready to mock loudly.
After the State Preceptor's sigh, he resolutely raised his eyes. "I originally planned to summon the Twelve Ghost Altars and then let them reveal themselves. But now..."
"There's no time for that!"
"... "
As he spoke, his figure quickly retreated, and countless talismans fell around him.
The next moment, Hu Ma had already gathered the yin wind around him and lunged towards the State Preceptor. The State Preceptor was floating backward, but Hu Ma's hand moved faster, and he was about to grab the State Preceptor. Suddenly, several dark shadows descended.
These shadows appeared in an exceptionally eerie manner, materializing from all directions simultaneously and raising their hands.
Hu Ma was well aware of the terror of the Ancestral Spirit of the Meng Clan and believed that no one could withstand its grasp. Even the State Preceptor, with his highly advanced agility, had barely dodged a few strikes.
But now, with the full force of the attack, Hu Ma could feel the eerie, endless yin wind surging forward like a mighty river. Yet, to his surprise, the four figures appeared and blocked his astonishing grab.
Even Hu Ma found it hard to believe. He abruptly raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the people before him, and his body stiffened slightly.
He instantly understood the reason.
Only a reincarnate could withstand the power of the Ancestral Spirit of the Meng Clan.
The four figures that had appeared in front of him were the very same ones he had seen: Daughter Red, Tonic Wine, an old man from the Harmful Sect, and a young man with an eerie appearance and pale face whom he hadn't met before.
Reincarnates.
It was they who, by utilizing the unique properties of the Lifesoul Temple, had blocked his attack.
(End of Chapter)
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