Chapter 833: The Ability to Return Home
Chapter 833: The Ability to Return Home
Upon hearing the words of Elder Lady Li, Hu Ma initially found them somewhat bizarre, but as he listened further, he couldn't help but feel that it was the greatest joke in the world.
The ten surnames, who were wholeheartedly seeking immortality, were actually taking the same stance as those pursuing the Heavenly Mandate and slaying the Celestial Age?
If that were truly the case, why make things so difficult?
However, despite finding the situation strange, Hu Ma had forced the Li family to show themselves, first to question them and then to duel, in order to determine the ownership of the town's treasure.
Since she had brought it up, Hu Ma was eager to hear more.
Elder Lady Li seemed to realize that her sudden revelation was hard to believe, and she sighed, "I dare not speak recklessly, but what I say is the truth."
"Moreover, I won't hide it from you, Great Master. I came here with the intention of confessing my guilt. It's true that the Divine Bestowed King was raised by the Li family, but reaching this point was never the Li family's wish. In fact, it's become a headache for us."
"Sigh, if it weren't for such a huge handle being grasped by the Zhao family, the Li family wouldn't have been forced to be the first to come and speak with you."
"But since it's the first, so be it. Someone has to take the lead, so I've prepared a few heartfelt words. I wonder if the Great Master of the Hu family is willing to listen?"
"..."
Hu Ma furrowed his brows and said, "I should respect my elders. Please."
Elder Lady Li slowly exhaled, and after she spoke, she fell silent for a moment. After a while, she spoke softly, "Great Master Hu, aren't you curious as to why, when the State Tutor built the White Jade Capital, despite the Stone Pavilion Alliance, the various surnames weren't enthusiastic?"
Hearing this, Hu Ma was indeed slightly taken aback and then nodded.
Previously, in the capital, Hu Ma had indeed been suspicious. The State Tutor had summoned the leaders of the ten surnames and wanted to borrow his body to invite the Twelve Ghost Shrines and meet with the reincarnators.
However, firstly, he had given the town's treasure to the Second Pot Head, taking a precautionary measure. Secondly, when they arrived in the capital, the Zhou family, the Li family, and others seemed more interested in participating than exerting their full strength.
This could be attributed to their lack of opportunity to act, but in hindsight, it still felt awkward.
The ones who truly exerted effort should have been like the Wang family, betting the entire family's fate.
But during the duel, the other surnames didn't give their all, and after the State Tutor's defeat, they didn't take any responsibility. They even showed a dismissive attitude towards the failure of the entire capital's assembly.
"Dao Profound is indeed a capable person..."
Elder Lady Li looked at Hu Ma's youthful face, seemingly with a hint of admiration, and sighed softly, "But he's also too naive."
"He actually wants to become immortal!"
Hearing her comment, Hu Ma couldn't help but raise his eyebrows slightly, feeling that her words were quite interesting.
The State Tutor's desire for immortality was genuine, but was it not the same for the ten surnames?
"Calling him naive isn't meant as ridicule."
Elder Lady Li explained, "He's too smart, studying the ways of heaven and man, and focusing solely on various mystical arts, even wishing to become a carefree immortal. But he's pursuing this goal."
"So, twenty years ago, after destroying the Dou Yi fortune, he went into hiding, enduring the wind and snow, enduring loneliness, and focusing solely on the calculation of heaven and earth, all for transcendence. Unlike the ten surnames, he didn't steal the Dragon Throne and govern the world through the martial artists. Instead, he spent twenty years rolling around in this dirty arena."
"Governing the world isn't an easy task. Even just maintaining it requires dealing with all sorts of filth. He sought this tranquility to focus on cultivation, but because of this seclusion, he lacks insight."
"For those who seek transcendence, no matter how intelligent they are, without experiencing the trials of the mortal world, they'll never truly understand the human heart."
"He doesn't understand this world or the wealth and honor of mortals."
"Speaking of immortality, do you know why they not only want to become immortals but also build the White Jade Capital?"
"..."
Listening to her words, Hu Ma's thoughts stirred, and he slowly spoke, "Isn't it because they want a city of people to serve them after becoming immortals?"
"That's right."
Elder Lady Li sighed and said, "Even the idea of the White Jade Capital was proposed by the Wang family. The State Tutor considered our mortal status and made a concession."
"He only seeks immortality, cutting off the last thread connecting him to the mortal world, roaming the vast universe in a carefree manner. But he never considered..."
"What's the point of becoming an immortal, alone and desolate?"
"The Wang family understands this a little. Not only do they want the ten surnames to become immortals, but they also want to build the White Jade Capital. Only then, after becoming immortals, can they remain high above in the White Jade Capital, still enjoying the ultimate pleasures of the mortal world."
"It's a pity they think too narrowly. What can one White Jade Capital accomplish?"
"..."
As she spoke, she couldn't help but laugh coldly, her expression filled with mockery, "Immortality is the ultimate freedom in the world, not the ultimate suffering!"
"If we follow their plan and build this so-called White Jade Capital, with the ten surnames crammed inside, floating aimlessly, who knows when it will end? Is this becoming immortals or trapping themselves in a cage?"
"This..."
Even Hu Ma was momentarily stunned, having to admit that her words made sense.
"So..."
Elder Lady Li continued, and it was evident that Hu Ma had understood. She slowly spoke, "Expel the Celestial Age, this is not just your wish."
"The ten surnames, at least among us old friends who have communicated, think the same."
"We not only think this way, but we also believe that when the new emperor ascends the throne, and the people are united, during the great change of heaven and earth, we will surely accumulate enough momentum to expel the Celestial Age."
"Of course, before arriving in the capital, we weren't so sure. It was only after seeing your ten pillars of incense and the path left by the Great Sage that we understood what you were trying to do, and we finally had a clear idea about the path beyond the White Jade Capital."
"..."
Listening to her words, Hu Ma even felt a sense of surrealism.
She was the elder lady of the Li family, representing the most stubborn and highest-ranking group in the world of mystics, yet when she spoke of the reincarnators pursuing the Celestial Age and vying for the Heavenly Mandate, she sounded so confident?
Even more confident than when she had initially shared this plan with Tieguanyin.
But if that was truly the case, they would have joined forces long ago to confront the Celestial Age. Why would they need to engage in this battle?
"It's a good thing that the Elder Lady believes in the mortal realm."
Hu Ma's heart was also filled with intertwining thoughts. Knowing that it wasn't that simple, she slowly exhaled and looked at Madame Li seriously, saying, "Now, it's time for you to state your conditions."
"We can grant you everything."
Madame Li didn't hide anything and slowly, earnestly, said, "But we want to retain the abilities in our possession, and even the abilities we will gain after overcoming the obstacle."
Hu Ma narrowed her eyes, finding this somewhat odd. She asked, "What do you mean by that?"
"The abilities of the Ten Surnames, aside from the Hu family, are not solely within the mortal realm."
Madame Li looked at Hu Ma and said in a low voice, "When the Celestial Age descended, the mortal realm was filled with demons and evil spirits. As people fought over the Celestial Age, they gradually developed malevolent powers. Ghosts and spirits wandered, demons and evil spirits were everywhere, and the world was in chaos, shrouded in darkness."
"The abilities of us in the Jianghu world are mostly acquired in this way."
"So we are also well aware that if we truly expel the Celestial Age one day, the blood and food of the mortal realm will also disappear, and the abilities and methods derived from them will lose their foundation and gradually become ineffective."
Hu Ma nodded; this was something that everyone in the Jianghu world knew.
In the current world, the art of magic was flourishing, but this was due to the influence of the Celestial Age. Once the Celestial Age was expelled, everything would return to normal, and it would be impossible to have so many unique and extraordinary methods.
Perhaps a few would remain, just like before the Duyi entered the capital, but there would definitely not be so many powerful methods anymore.
"But in addition to these methods, there are also abilities gained after ascending the bridge."
Madame Li's expression turned solemn as she spoke of heavenly secrets, "The Ten Surnames all have some abilities that surpass the mortal realm and reach the netherworld. These abilities are already a means to steal the authority of heaven and earth and are not of the mortal realm."
"Precisely because of this, the first step after ascending the bridge is the 'Human-Non-Human' realm."
"In theory, even without the Celestial Age, these abilities gained after ascending the bridge would still exist."
"..."
Hu Ma nodded.
Ascending the bridge was equivalent to exploiting the loopholes of heaven and earth, no longer relying on the blood and food of the Celestial Age as a foundation, so it was natural to be able to retain these abilities.
However, she had left out one thing:
To expel the Celestial Age, one needed to change heaven and earth.
At that time, the abilities gained after ascending the bridge would also be blocked, and the loopholes between heaven and earth would be sealed, with the authority being reclaimed. Consequently, these abilities would also disappear.
Therefore, he couldn't quite understand what Madame Li meant.
"Great Master, your sect's abilities come from the incense offerings of the common people and the laws of the dynasty."
As Madame Li spoke, her expression became more solemn. She paused slightly and then asked, "Do you know where the Li family's abilities come from?"
Hu Ma didn't interrupt but gave her a questioning look.
"The Li family, during the Duyi dynasty, or under the arrangement of the Great Luo Sect, was tasked with executing evil spirits."
Madame Li said, "The Li family has the Sin Registry, also known as the Book of Sinners by outsiders. Anyone who commits a sin in the mortal realm and damages their yin virtue will be led to the Blood Pool in the netherworld to receive a slash."
"The Blood Pool, one of the Eight Scenes of Hell, is formed from the blood that flows out when the sinners of the mortal realm are executed. Therefore, it is extremely toxic, vengeful, evil, and malicious."
"Aside from the Blood Pool, there is also the Gate of Ghosts, which determines life and death; the Clothes-Stripping Pavilion, where the skin is peeled and the bones are painted; the Bridge of No Return, where the dead cross over; the Evil Dog Village, where souls are divided and spirits are seized; the Homelooking Terrace, where fortunes are created and blessings are bestowed upon descendants; the Coin-Breaking Mountain, where money is made for the living; and the Forgetfulness Shop, where karmic debts are resolved..."
"These Eight Scenes of Hell all belong to this category. They are naturally formed by heaven and earth and are the foundation of the mortal realm."
"..."
As she spoke, Hu Ma slowly nodded.
After arriving in the capital, she had obtained the Ten Pillars Incense, and her cultivation had naturally increased, along with her abilities. With her expanded vision and the discussions with the Senior Abacus representing the Great Luo Sect, the reincarnators like Second Pot Head, her knowledge had also deepened.
They all knew that to compete with the Ten Surnames, they must understand their abilities, and the most powerful abilities of the Ten Surnames were their mother formulas.
The foundation of the Ten Surnames, aside from their mortal realm foundation, was the Eight Scenes of Hell.
She had been to the City of the Wretched Dead and knew of the existence of the Eight Scenes of Hell. However, to understand them, one had to acknowledge that these places did not actually exist.
It was like if a living person didn't have the means to travel to the netherworld or the ability to become a ghost, they would never be able to enter the netherworld.
If they couldn't enter, then it didn't exist.
It was only because this realm was influenced by the Celestial Age that something could be created from nothing. Therefore, living souls could leave their bodies, and the dead could still travel between the realms of the living and the dead. At this time, one could see the netherworld.
Since the netherworld was truly visible, then some of the legends within it also became real.
To describe it, Hu Ma borrowed the principles of the afterlife to understand that the netherworld was similar to the spiritual world, which didn't exist in reality but did exist in the spiritual world, and various legends had been passed down.
For example, the Gate of Ghosts determined life and death. After passing through it, one became a dead person. But if one didn't pass through it, they couldn't rest in peace. Once they crossed the Gate of Ghosts, their traces in the mortal realm were truly erased.
Another example was the Homelooking Terrace, where the ancestors of the netherworld looked back at the mortal realm.
On this terrace, the ancestors cared for their descendants and could bring blessings and good fortune to their descendants, protecting their future generations.
Then there was the Coin-Breaking Mountain, where a furnace melted iron to create money for the living.
And at the Clothes-Stripping Pavilion, it was said that this was the place where one's form was determined, whether they would be reincarnated as a human or an animal, depending on what was stripped away and what was put on.
The other scenes were also the subject of various rumors.
These things should have existed only in legends or the spiritual world, but because the Celestial Age had descended upon the world, the boundaries became blurred, and they faintly appeared in the mortal realm, becoming the netherworld that Hu Ma had seen before.
The influence of the Eight Scenes of Hell on the mortal realm was somewhat like the core of a vast database.
The world's splendor and complexity are all a result of algorithms. When data changes in that realm, the world gains its myriad beings, creating a spectrum of wealth and poverty, a division between humans and animals, and various other distinctions.
...
...
"For over a hundred years, the Li Family has been executing divine justice, apprehending evil-doers, and maintaining heavenly law and peace."
"The Li Family is tasked with apprehending criminals and punishing the guilty, as well as entering and exiting the Netherworld, summoning souls, and executing divine punishment. Ultimately, all of this is made possible by the Blood Pool."
As Madame Li spoke, she said, "The Ten Surnames possess the greatest abilities. Aside from the Hu and Meng families, the others, after ascending the bridge, enter the Netherworld involuntarily and witness the foundation of various mystic arts."
"For example, Nobleman Zhang's Coin-Breaking Mountain, Immortal King's Bridge of No Return, the Zhou Family's Gate of Ghosts, and the Zhao Family's Clothes-Stripping Pavilion. Compared to others, these are the Ten Surnames' priorities."
"Of course, because of their importance, the Ten Surnames have different fates."
"Aside from the Hu and Meng families, who don't enter the Netherworld, why did Nobleman Zhang and Immortal King fall first?"
"To put it bluntly, the Immortal King's family sealed off reincarnation twenty years ago. With reincarnation sealed, the Bridge of No Return in the Netherworld became useless, so the Immortal King's abilities developed the slowest. They could only pin their hopes on the National Teacher."
"As for Nobleman Zhang's family, they originally had access to Coin-Breaking Mountain, ensuring an endless supply of silver. However, in these chaotic times, money is useless, and since they don't cultivate mystic arts, they've lost their foundation."
"Later, the Evil Outsider's arrow severed the connection between the Zhang family and Coin-Breaking Mountain."
"Without the Netherworld's money creation, the Zhang family is destined for poverty, ensuring generations of beggars. Without wealth, they even suffer the torment of Dou Yi Imperial Clan's ghostly spirits."
"...
There are too many fantastical tales about the 'Eight Scenes of Hell' and the 'Netherworld'. Even Hu Ma could only listen and slowly raise his head to ask, "What does this have to do with what you're talking about, Madame?"
"The connection is right here."
Madame Li's expression grew solemn as she continued, "Many reincarnators ascend the bridge, but do you know how the Ten Surnames are calculated?"
"Upon ascending the bridge, one enters a realm beyond humanity, and only by experiencing the Eight Scenes of Hell can one be considered beyond the realm of ghosts."
"As abilities grow and begin to influence the Eight Scenes of Hell, one transcends the realm of ghosts."
"However, for the current Ten Surnames, they can only influence the Eight Scenes of Hell and haven't reached the level of controlling them."
"Even with numerous members sent down and generations of effort, they can only serve the Eight Scenes of Hell, falling far short of controlling them."
"...
As she spoke, Hu Ma suddenly understood.
His heart raced, and his eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at her. After a long pause, he slowly asked, "So..."
"You want to fully control the Eight Scenes of Hell and even..."
"...
"That's right."
Seeing that Hu Ma understood, Elder Lady Li's aged eyes flashed with a hint of brilliance. She lowered her voice and said, "We all agree with your plan to change heaven and earth and expel the Celestial Age. We will help you win the hearts of the people and won't hide any worldly mystical arts."
"But we also want to leave something for our descendants!"
"After expelling the Celestial Age, various mystic arts will disappear, and the method of ascending the bridge will also vanish. However, what remains in the Eight Scenes of Hell will not disappear. This is an eternal law of the world and the origin of all things in heaven and earth."
"This is what the Ten Surnames understand as..."
"...Return to Origin!"
"...
Hu Ma's scalp tingled as he listened to Madame Li's words. He felt it was absurd, yet at the same time, it seemed like it should be that way.
"No wonder you don't want to become immortals or help the National Teacher build the White Jade Capital..."
His gaze was intense as he stared at the old lady, struggling to contain his smile. He spoke softly, "You find his plan too lonely, too joyless, and not as enjoyable as the wealthy life you've led for the past twenty years..."
"So, you don't want to become his immortal..."
"Your plan is to become living gods in the prosperous human world after changing heaven and earth..."
"...
I had underestimated the Ten Surnames.
With control over the Eight Scenes of Hell, someone can create money in the Netherworld, ensuring their descendants never suffer poverty. Someone can pardon souls, avoiding the consequences of Yin Virtue. Someone can create good fortune and luck, enjoying eternal prosperity...
I should have realized that when the National Teacher sought support in the Capital City, it wasn't out of a change of heart but because he didn't meet their expectations.
Facing Hu Ma's seemingly mocking words, Elder Lady Li remained calm and composed.
After a while, she slowly said, "What do you think?"
"There are still two scenes left in the Eight Scenes of Hell, enough for you to divide."
"Moreover, fighting the Ten Surnames isn't a simple matter. But if you're willing to help us overcome the obstacles on the bridge, not only will the world be in your hands, but the establishment of a new emperor and the expulsion of the Celestial Age will also be swift..."
"...
Her words were filled with endless persuasion, but Hu Ma suddenly stopped smiling and looked at her seriously. "Impossible."
Elder Lady Li was taken aback and almost exclaimed, "Why?"
"Because you still don't understand our plan..."
Hu Ma sighed and raised his hand to his forehead. "To fight the Celestial Age, we must unite the world's strength and the will of the people, leaving no room for retreat. We must fight this colossal entity and seize a glimmer of hope."
"Since the Heavenly Mandate is not yet fulfilled, you come here to bargain. You want to become living gods..."
His face showed a mix of disdain and mockery as he continued, "Huh, you keep five kilograms, and I keep five kilograms. Before we even start, it's already divided. How can we fight the Celestial Age like this?"
(End of Chapter)
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