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Chapter 815: Calling All Reincarnates (5000 Words)
Chapter 815: Calling All Reincarnates (5000 Words)
"The path lies beneath your feet, and the enemy awaits ahead. What more is there to hesitate about?"
Amid Hu Ma's gaze, the letter delivered by Monkey Wine elicited a clap of praise from Iron Guanyin, momentarily dissipating the tense atmosphere in the hall. Nonetheless, despite this, no one in the room immediately voiced their agreement or any such response.
The oppressive night outside the hall had slightly lifted, indicating that many who had been hiding in the darkness had quietly dispersed. They still needed to verify and wouldn't make a decision so hastily.
Even Erguotou and White Wine Miss needed time to thoroughly sort out their thoughts.
Sweet Potato Burn, however, didn't require such contemplation.
"I've delivered the message from twenty years ago and completed my task. Now, my shoulders feel lighter."
Iron Guanyin rose from her seat, exhaling a wisp of incense smoke as she spoke to Hu Ma, "In your family's residence, prepare a quiet room for me. I need to rest and see how much of my former skills I can recover."
"Okay."
Hu Ma stood up and led the way, with the old steward guiding them out of the Hu Family Manor. They entered a room in the northern wing, where a shrine was set up, and incense was lit. Before stepping into the quiet room, Iron Guanyin paused, not turning back as she said,
"For now, let's leave the Twelve Ghost Altars in the Imperial Capital. I need them to shield me, and this is also an opportunity to help you watch over the Ghost Altars. For other reincarnates who wish to take extra steps on the bridge, this object will still be useful."
"Additionally, I know you've met Dragon Well. Did you hear his evaluation of the Ten Surnames from him?"
Hu Ma nodded, "Dragon Well Mister believes that the former Ten Surnames were not to be taken lightly, but after twenty years of recuperation, they have become formidable."
"That settles it, then."
Iron Guanyin sighed, "I trust Dragon Well's judgment."
"The smart guy outside has set a spell duel with the Ten Surnames, which is good. However, to win a spell duel, one must rely on genuine skills and upright conduct to earn respect. Schemes and tricks won't work."
"As a disciple of Elder Jun Eyebrow, I won't deceive you with words meant for outsiders. The path ahead is indeed challenging, but the Heaven-Chasing Grand Ritual requires a grand sacrifice."
"And you are one of those sacrifices."
"Shouldering the burden of the heavens and earth, carrying the will of the people, I believe you must have mentally prepared for this when you comprehended Elder Jun Eyebrow's Dharmic Techniques."
"However, these five talismans require your meticulous crafting, with no room for error, especially the Heavensward Sealing Seal in your hands. It is the primary talisman, so you must obtain the fourth character on the seal, or all efforts will be in vain."
"..."
"I understand."
Hu Ma nodded, "But since the Heaven-Chasing Grand Ritual has been decided, what are the specific five talismans, and what are they?"
As a half-Ghost Walker, he understood that five talismans were needed to set up an altar, but for the almost mythical Heaven-Chasing Grand Ritual, he was cautious about the level of talismans required.
Iron Guanyin replied directly, "The talismans are the Divine Seal, the Weight, the Longevity Fruit, the General's Order, and the Emperor's Skin."
Hu Ma asked, "Are they all in the possession of the Ten Surnames?"
"Most of them."
Iron Guanyin smiled, "We couldn't have predicted the Ten Surnames' growth over the past twenty years, but their expansion was expected. It will be easier to retrieve the items from them when the time comes."
"Of course, it will require genuine skill to reclaim them."
Looking at her confident and proud face, Hu Ma nodded deeply, then suddenly added, "The previous reincarnates did leave us a path to follow, but it's a path that can be walked."
"However, have you truly told them everything, or are there still some things you're keeping from them?"
"..."
In response to Hu Ma's question, Iron Guanyin's expression became somewhat ambiguous. Smiling, she said, "Not just me, you have secrets too, don't you?"
Hu Ma acknowledged this without replying.
"They need time to verify and make their decisions, but as the Chief Priest, you don't have much time."
Iron Guanyin's smile gradually faded, and she said earnestly, "I know how Elder Jun Eyebrow's Dharmic Techniques culminate, so the real gamble is not just for the reincarnates but for you."
"The Non-Cattle Sect left behind a painting, which should now be in your possession, right?"
"Now that history is back on track, the long-lost title of Great Sage Master should resurface."
"In seven days, I will call upon all reincarnates and, in my capacity, reveal everything to them. I will also inform them of the reincarnates' destiny, but how many you can convince to help you will depend on your skills."
"The number of reincarnates may be greater than you imagine, and many are hidden even deeper than you think. Reincarnates have never been a strict organization; they are just a group of people."
"There are good and bad, kind and dark, selfish and generous. When people are away from home, they may willingly show some kindness, but when their lives are at stake..."
"Some might prefer to sleep soundly with their doors shut, ignoring the raging flood outside!"
"..."
Understanding what Iron Guanyin was referring to, Hu Ma smiled and said, "Rest assured, I'm prepared."
When he took on the identity of the Non-Cattle Sect leader, he also inherited the painting, which could be used to call upon all reincarnates under the name of Great Sage Master.
Iron Guanyin, who had also once used the title, could have taken back the painting herself, but she chose only to remind herself, her intentions clear.
She agreed to use the title of Great Sage Master to call upon all reincarnates.
But this was indeed a significant matter...
And it required an opportune moment.
Iron Guanyin walked straight into the quiet room, and Hu Ma closed the door for her, his heart clear and his steps resolute.
When he returned to the hall, Sweet Potato Burn had already devoured his food, leaving oil stains on his face. White Wine Miss had departed, and Erguotou had been waiting for Hu Ma all this time.
As soon as he saw him, he stood up and said, "That crazy monkey is straightforward, he's already made a deal with the Ten Surnames for a spell duel. But the Ten Surnames all have real skills. It's easy to shout slogans, but if we really face them, how confident can we be?"
"We weren't in a hurry when there was no path, but now that we have one, what's there to worry about?"
Hu Ma smiled at him and said, "The Ghost Walker's proper punishment, in that place of yours, the spirit's law is upon me. Nobleman Zhang has been dealt with, and the Wang Family has become a drowning dog. Now, among the Ten Surnames, there are only six families left at most."
"And Mr. Monkey Wine clearly stated in his letter that he has already secured the Mountain Watch Zhu Family. We just need to help a little at the crucial moment, so there are only five families left. What's the difficulty in that?"
"When did the Ten Surnames become so easily dismissible?"
Erguotou couldn't help but sigh softly, not only was the crazy monkey full of confidence, as if the Mountain Watch Zhu Family could be easily taken, but even the young man before him spoke with such grandiosity.
With no other choice, he sighed, "Then, where should we start?"
"Send the Grain Guard Army back to Bright State."
Hu Ma smiled and said, "Since history has returned to its normal course, it's time for the new emperor to emerge."
"As for which family to target first..."
"If the Grain Guard Army is going to Bright State to seize the world, who will be their first opponent?"
"..."
Erguotou wasn't paying attention to these details, frowning in thought, when suddenly, Sweet Potato Burn raised a chicken wing and shouted, "I know, I know! To the west of Bright State is the Treasure Vase King, and his advisor is from the Impermanence Li Family's branch incense hall. That old kid has chased after me before."
"And to the northwest is the Tranquil Peace King, and to the southeast is the Three Lakes King..."
"Tsk..."
Both Hu Ma and Erguotou were momentarily at a loss for words, shaking their heads, and could only smile at Sweet Potato Burn, "Then, which one do you want to vent your anger on first?"
Without hesitation, Hu Ma took action while the reincarnate still needed to think and deliberate. He couldn't afford to waste any time, and in just one night, he had already arranged everything in the Imperial Capital. It was simple, really; he just left Miao Shan Immortal Lady here to serve Iron Guanyin.
After all, in terms of seniority, Iron Guanyin was her aunt. Perhaps when Miao Shan was young, Iron Guanyin had seen her, but later intentionally distanced herself to help Miao Shan avoid karmic entanglements.
Of course, there was another reason for keeping Miao Shan here: Bean Official's work was simply too reassuring.
As for Hu Ma, he went to burn incense for the Elderly Woman, and then decided to depart the next day.
Originally, the ancestral halls of the Ten Surnames had all left the capital, and the Elderly Woman's incense offerings could have been brought back to the Great Sheep Camp. But Hu Ma understood the words of the guardian of the ancestral halls, so he wasn't in a hurry to retrieve them.
After all, he could carry the Twelve Ghost Altars himself, and leaving the incense offerings here wouldn't oppress the Hu Family. It would also allow them to steal a few more days of the emperor's lifespan.
On the second day, when they left the city, they saw that the enormous and bloated flesh mountain was still outside the city. Within it, calamity flames rose, intertwining with each other. The flames didn't extinguish, and the flesh dried up and charred in patches, but most of it remained intact.
The calamity flames were meant to collect people, not ordinary fire, and this Celestial Year God's body had some living characteristics, so it could be burned by the calamity fire, but the effect wasn't ideal, making the burning process extremely slow.
And this flesh, descended from above, was the best blood food, especially since it was from the Blood Celestial Fiend.
The sheer size of this flesh mountain was difficult to describe. Although it had fallen from the heavens, inspiring fear and reverence, there were undoubtedly ambitious and greedy individuals who had long coveted this massive blood food.
Hu Ma noticed that some of the disaster-stricken commoners in the Imperial Capital, along with those around them who were hungry, had gathered around. On the first day, they kept their distance, but by the second day, some had dared to come closer, and on the fourth day, some had already tried to harvest it.
It was precisely because of these calamity flames that they dared not approach too closely.
Hu Ma, however, moved closer and took a look at the faint flames, which resembled ordinary fire. But as he drew near, he felt an alarming heat.
He thought for a moment, then pulled out the Calamity Child Bag from his waist and looked inside at the Calamity Snake.
This little thing had been quite wild, following him around but not showing him any respect. However, after attempting to come out and deal with the State Preceptor, it had suffered a significant loss, and now it seemed much more well-behaved, even appearing a bit wilted.
Hu Ma gently stroked its head and said, "I may not understand calamity theft, but since you're following me and came out of the cave, I'm sure you can handle the fire burning here, right?"
The Calamity Snake hissed, its eyes wide and not seeming particularly intelligent.
Hu Ma glanced at the massive mountain of flesh and suddenly tossed the black Calamity Child Bag into the air. The Calamity Snake inside quickly slithered into the flesh mountain.
In an instant, the sky turned dark, and calamity winds rose from all directions.
The Calamity Snake also sensed this and quickly moved through the flesh mountain, drawing the calamity flames towards itself like flowing water.
The commoners holding sickles and carrying bags, already facing the massive blood-red flesh with trepidation, now saw dark winds rising all around and became even more afraid. As they retreated, they spotted Hu Ma standing by the flesh mountain.
With just a wave of his hand, dark winds blew from all directions, and the flames between the flesh mountains quickly subsided. Excitedly, they shouted, "A capable person is here to put out the fire!"
Amidst the cheers, they exchanged glances, unable to contain themselves any longer. They rushed forward, brandishing their sickles and competing to harvest the red flesh.
"The Celestial Year God is an indescribable being from beyond the heavens, and the blood food is its body that has intruded into the mortal realm."
As Hu Ma witnessed this somewhat crazy and spectacular scene, he thought of the blood food mine and the old miners like Second Brother Guan, who had spent their lives mining blood food. Suddenly, a realization dawned on him:
"Perhaps one day, when the consciousness of the Celestial Year God descends, all this flesh will become a nightmare for mankind, devouring the entire world."
"But before this moment, what is a Tai Sui? It's just food rations."
"If the common folk dare to eat this thing, why should we, who have learned the secrets of the trade, be so afraid?"
"..."
With this thought, a surge of excitement filled his heart. Listening to the rustling sound, he opened the black Calamity Child Bag once more. The Calamity Snake had returned from the mountain of flesh, its body covered in blood-flame-like dark red scales, and it seemed to nod and sway, looking much more lively.
Hu Ma watched this scene, letting out a soft sigh. He walked forward, took the Punishment Official Saber, and sliced off a piece of the red Tai Sui. He slowly put it into his mouth, chewed it carefully, and swallowed.
"Tai Sui eats people, and people eat Tai Sui. Who is inferior to whom?"
"..."
Hu Ma turned to the Second Pot Head beside him and said, "Since the Grain Guard Army is here, it's not good to return empty-handed. This mountain of flesh is probably worth several hundred thousand pounds of food. Even after discarding the burnt parts, what's left is still quite a sight."
"Let's get to work. Cut it all up and take it back as rations!"
"..."
Upon hearing this, the Second Pot Head hurried to give the order. The Sweet Potato Burn, on the other hand, didn't need any instructions. He grabbed a hemp bag and started collecting the meat.
She couldn't quite understand why Old Bai Gan and Second Pot Head were acting so high and mighty, guarding this mountain of blood food. They had only enjoyed their wealth for a few days, and now the common folk had already arrived.
Tai Sui was such a valuable thing. Now that they had the chance to cut it up, it was like diving into a pile of money. In just one day, they had completely carved up this massive mountain of flesh, leaving behind only some charred meat in the field, a reminder of the terrifying creature that had once lived there. Hu Ma and the others then led their troops and set off.
The return journey was more troublesome than the trip there.
Initially, the Grain Guard Army had been brought here by the magic of the Second Pot Head, but now, due to the purple aura they had acquired, their weight had increased, making it difficult to cast spells on them.
Furthermore, with everyone carrying blood food on their bodies, casting spells became even more challenging. They had no choice but to set off in a grand procession, traveling all the way from the Imperial Capital to Bright State. Fortunately, with their strong soldiers and horses, no one dared to provoke them, and they took this opportunity to witness the world.
Unbeknownst to them, they had passed the New Year in the Imperial Capital and were now returning after a spell duel. More than a month had gone by, and the weather was warming up, heralding the arrival of spring.
During the spell duel, Hu Ma had driven away the purple aura from the Imperial Capital, nourishing the earth and bringing spring rain and lush growth. Perhaps a good season and a bountiful year awaited.
At least, before the great chaos, the people of the world could catch their breath. But then, an even greater challenge would arise.
As they approached Bright State, nearing their hometown, Hu Ma calculated the time. On the seventh day, as agreed upon with Iron Guanyin, he took out the painting he had obtained from Non-Eater Ox and once again entered the ancient and dilapidated Life Temple.
That night, Iron Guanyin's voice rang out as promised:
"I am a reincarnated Iron Guanyin, and the news I brought back twenty years ago must have reached you all."
"It's time to wake up. We are not time travelers, nor do we come with a sense of superiority, thinking we are the protagonists in a game of life. We are but the remnants left behind by the Tai Sui's devouring, the lingering ghosts by its side, prisoners with no escape."
"But we are also the lingering glow of our previous civilization. Here, we represent everything about our homeland, the place we constantly yearn for."
"In our homeland, we each had our identities. We may not have been outstanding or successful, but here, we are the last glimmer of light, the final lifeblood of our homeland..."
"..."
"..."
In fact, before this, the secret she had revealed in the Imperial Capital had already spread throughout the world. Many reincarnated individuals must have already known, and now, she was making a formal announcement through the Life Temple.
Ever since she appeared in the Imperial Capital seven days ago, the reincarnated community had been in an unusual state of suppression, even losing the chaotic atmosphere they once had.
In reality, who knows how many people had been driven to self-doubt, or even despair, by this news.
Her voice now carried a sense of gravity and seriousness, but the gray, despondent tone of hopelessness still lingered. Even after she finished speaking, there was a long silence, with no one responding.
It was at this moment that Hu Ma slowly inserted the half-burned incense into the incense burner. He brushed aside the thoughts that had occupied his mind during the journey, placed his palm over the incense burner, straightened his back, and spoke slowly:
"Fellow reincarnated individuals from another world, I am Hu Ma, descendant of the Hu family, the exorcist, fourth-generation chief priest of the Dalaofa Religion, and the inheritor of Elder Jun Eyebrow. I am Old Bai Gan, calling out to all reincarnated individuals..."
"Two hundred and forty years ago, Tai Sui descended, bringing chaos to the world. The Dalaofa Religion prayed to the heavens, summoning you to save the millions of people in this world from disaster."
"I received a gift from Elder Jun in the other world and learned the principles of your world."
"Therefore, although I know the terror of Tai Sui, I still believe that even though our world is weak, there are millions of people here. We may be foolish, but we have the courage and the determination to resist."
"If they dare to cut their flesh, I am also willing to shed my blood and flesh, becoming a mere pawn in the fight against Tai Sui, a blade in the hands of the people."
"..."
His voice trailed off as he paused, and his heart seemed to be filled with an invisible surge of energy.
Gathering his courage, he spoke again, "In Bright State, I will use the name of the Great Sage to change the world, challenge the heavenly mandate, and eventually face Tai Sui..."
"There will be countless difficulties and dangers, but I am confident that I can clear them all and restore order to this world. However, I need your help, and I believe you will lend a hand because we believe in the same principles..."
After a brief pause, he finally uttered the two most sacred words from the gift given by Elder Jun:
"Comrades!"
(End of Chapter)
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