Chapter 855: The Name of the Blade

Chapter 855: The Name of the Blade

"Abandoning the name of Necromancer Chen, this... how is this possible?"

As the old woman's cold and low voice echoed, the Chen family's head steward, Du Rou, felt as if struck by lightning. He staggered back, his mind in disarray, and the poison sores on his body became even more severe, with blood even flowing from his cheeks.

It seemed even more terrifying than the curse itself.

Although he was the head steward of the Chen family, he leaned more towards the art of divination and necromancy. The most powerful necromancy skills and authority within the Chen family were all in his hands.

As for the second aunt of the Chen family, she served as the Execution Hall Official, understanding more of the causes and effects, and was also the longest-serving member of the Chen family at the Forgetfulness Tea Shop. She was more adept at reasoning and exploring other Daoist paths, so the Chen family's steward trusted her.

However, the solution she proposed to counter this curse affecting countless lives was simply impossible to achieve.

To abandon the name of "Necromancer Chen" to escape this cause and effect?

No way!

Chen, one of the Ten Surnames, the Chen family, this title was even more significant than the life of the head steward himself, and more important than the lives of all the members of the Chen family.

He couldn't burn this incense, nor could he even consider doing such a thing. Yet, his eyes remained fixed on the Execution Hall Official, as if still hoping for another suggestion from her.

But the old woman had already closed her eyes, appearing somewhat exhausted.

Infinite panic and anger simultaneously flooded into his mind. At this moment, the head steward didn't know what he was thinking, but the countless black lines above his head were still descending towards the Chen family. In the distance, down the mountain, the cries and wails of the clan members continued without end.

For a moment, a ruthless determination flashed across his face, and then he suddenly shouted loudly towards the hall, "Open your eyes! Don't hide anymore!"

With this angry shout, the poison sores on his body broke open, and blood flowed out.

He stared intently at the clan members, officials, and servants in the hall, each struggling to hide their souls and escape the curse. With a stern gaze, he declared, "Those malevolent spirits... if they take heaven with their curse, then we will invite heaven back!"

"Let heaven see us again..."

"..."

"What?"

These people, forcibly awakened by him, felt as if they were in a nightmare. Upon opening their eyes, they felt as if they were surrounded by spider webs, and the people and sounds around them seemed unreal.

They had nowhere to hide, and the head steward's words only plunged them further into despair, "If we go..."

"Then... we'll have no chance of survival!"

"..."

At this point, they were all already marked by the curse. Hiding was uncertain, and taking action was even more hopeless. The head steward's suggestion of inviting heaven back might be possible.

But whether it succeeded or not, they only had one path—death.

"So what if we die?"

The head steward glanced at the location down the mountain, feeling a momentary heartache. He wanted to look down at the mountain, to see if his wife was safe and to know how many had perished under the curse. But he dared not, fearing the sight would be too devastating.

Instead, he clenched his teeth and shouted at them, "By appearing in this realm, you will block the curse and buy more time for the clan members below!"

"You are all protected by the name of Necromancer Chen. For countless years, you have lived under one name, ruling over tens of thousands. You have enjoyed glory and prosperity, with a grand family and business."

"Now, at this critical moment, how can you not fight for the name of Necromancer Chen?"

"Go!"

"With nails piercing your skulls, pinning your souls, measure the extent of this curse. Sacrifice yourselves to invite heaven back!"

"..."

Amidst the angry shouts, sleeves were suddenly waved, and with a few clinks, an iron nail appeared before each person, standing upright in front of them.

"To... sacrifice ourselves as a curse?"

The various experts within the Chen family, upon seeing the iron nails, knew there was no hope. For a fleeting moment, they felt crushed and hopeless.

But facing the head steward's furious expression, they realized there was no other choice.

They had just been hiding their souls and heard the words of the Execution Hall Official. To survive, they had to abandon the name of Necromancer Chen, but that was impossible. The Chen family, even in death, would protect their reputation.

So, they could only fight with all their might.

Even if it was a curse affecting countless lives, as long as they left the mansion, the curses would first concentrate on them. As long as they survived, the clan members below would have a better chance.

But...

Someone's voice trembled as they spoke, "Even if we pierce our skulls with nails and barely survive, there's the matter of lifespan. Under this curse, how many incense sticks can we endure?"

This wasn't a matter of willingness to go out and block the curse; it was simply impossible to stop it.

The head steward stared at them coldly and slowly said, "If this life's lifespan is insufficient, then we'll borrow from the next life. No matter what, as long as we hold on until heaven returns and the curse is dispelled, the Chen family can still win this battle!"

"Those malevolent spirits are ruthless, willing to sacrifice themselves. Can it be that the Chen family are all cowards?"

"..."

Hearing his words, the various Daoists in the hall trembled with fear. They glanced at each other, only to see deep despair in each other's eyes.

Then, starting with the Reasoning Hall Official, they all clenched their teeth and grabbed an iron nail. With determination, they drove the nails into their own skulls, straight through their brains.

"Ssss... Ssss... Ssss..."

This was a common method among the sects, capable of stabilizing the soul and prolonging life.

However, it was merely a temporary extension of life, not a true revival. It came at the cost of damaging one's divine soul, forcing oneself to remain alive for a period, waiting for the opponent's spell to pass. It was a desperate move, used only when all other options had been exhausted.

But for Chen Tou Chen, the most ingenious part lay elsewhere.

Theoretically, even if they used the Spirit Nailing Technique to prolong their lives, their natural lifespans would still be exhausted, and they couldn't shield their clansmen from the curse.

Therefore, the Chen Family's leader had, from the start, proposed the most sinister and ruthless method—borrowing life from the next generation. Using this borrowed lifespan, they would invite the heavens back and, in the process, shield their clansmen from the curse.

Amidst the shouts, as the iron nails pierced their skulls, they gritted their teeth, enduring the excruciating pain and pressure. They stood up without hesitation and rushed out of the hall, aware of the urgency, not even having the time to utter a word.

As for the method the Chen Family's leader used to break the curse, they understood upon hearing it.

It was a crude method.

The Chen Family controlled one of the Eight Sceneries of the Netherworld—the Forgetfulness Tea Shop. They could use this to evade cause and effect, but they did so in a place shrouded by the first speaker's liking.

When the people turned into resentful spirits, dispersing the heavens and earth, the Chen Family's ability to evade cause and effect became useless.

The only option was to invite back the old heavens. And so, they had to go out, find the boundary, and bring back the heavens. Once the demonic heavens were suppressed, the Chen Family would also become invincible in this world.

"Whoosh... Whoosh... Whoosh..."

As the others left, the Chen Family's leader clenched his teeth even tighter. He paced back and forth in the hall, then waved his palm, opening the lids of three of the four iron coffins in the hall.

A torrent of malevolent energy surged from the coffins, quickly filling the area and holding back the descending heavenly curse.

He didn't hold back, loudly chanting incantations to command the three corpses within the coffins. Accompanied by a dark cloud, they flew out of the old mansion in an instant. He, with an ashen face and bloodstained, sat in the armchair, panting heavily.

"This..."

At that moment, the nearly blind old woman, her eyes almost completely clouded, also showed a look of despair on her face, "Is it worth going this far?"

Was the name of Necromancer Chen more important, or the lives of the Chen Family's members?

She couldn't answer this question, but the Chen Family's leader certainly had an answer.

"The Chen Family's foundation must not be destroyed by my hands."

The Chen Family's leader, in the empty hall, took a long breath before speaking in a low voice, "We must endure this trial, even if it means the death of us here. We must persevere."

"Otherwise, wouldn't twenty years of careful planning be in vain?"

"..."

The old woman remained silent, too weak to respond. The principles she had lived by all her life couldn't provide an answer that satisfied her in the face of the current situation.

"Father, did we lose this spell battle?"

Just then, a voice sounded from outside the hall. A woman, shrouded in a black robe, stepped over the threshold. Despite her obscured appearance, one could sense that she seemed to float as she walked.

"Abao..."

The Chen Family's leader looked up at her.

His daughter, Chen Abao, was renowned within the Ten Surnames for her intelligence, sweetness, and obedience.

He had considered this spell battle too dangerous and, as she had been unable to participate due to worldly affairs, hadn't called her over.

It was only after the curse descended and someone blocked it that he dared to summon her.

It was clear that he cared, but now, with so many clansmen affected down the mountain, how could she, as the eldest daughter of the Chen Family, possibly...

His voice trembled, and he dared not ask about her injuries.

He could only force his blurry eyes to focus, staring intently at her to confirm she was alive. With great effort, he said, "This spell battle... we... we underestimated those malevolent spirits."

"No one from the Chen Family can escape this curse."

"But you're different, Abao. You're already engaged to a Zhao Family child and are half a Zhao Family member. So, today..."

"Today, I'm sending you off to marry!"

"..."

Chen Abao stood in place, her emotions unreadable. But when she spoke, her voice quivered with tears, "There's not even a flower palanquin. How can you send me to marry like this?"

"Once you marry, you're no longer a Chen Family member. So, regardless of the outcome, you can escape this curse."

The Chen Family's leader looked at his daughter, trying to sound both gentle and authoritative. He said softly, "Moreover, the Zhao Family's boy has always been good to you. He's one of the few who didn't fight with you when you were young."

"After you marry him, I'll be at ease. But, if... if something happens to your maternal family, you can ask him privately if, in the future, when you have children, one of them can bear the Chen surname?"

"..."

"What's so good about the Chen surname?"

The Chen Family's leader tried to sound calm, but Chen Abao spoke with anger, "I just came up, and I've already heard it outside.

"Father, are you willing to risk the entire family for the sake of this Necromancer Chen's reputation?"

"What's so great about this name? It doesn't even sound good, and people behind our backs secretly call us 'Living Ghosts Chen'!"

"..."

The Chen family head's expression was shrouded in sorrow, and he could only force a smile, saying, "Abao, you... you still don't understand this."

"I understand, Father."

Chen Abao looked at her father seriously, rubbed her head in pain, and accidentally twisted it, then straightened it out, saying, "I've listened to Young Master Hu's words more seriously than you have."

"Father, you treat the reincarnated people as malevolent spirits. Even though you already know that they are invited by the Great Luo Fa Teaching, you still refuse to believe in them."

"But I've listened to their reasoning, and I even think they're right."

"..."

The Chen family head's face turned cold, and he scolded, "Shut up, Abao. You shouldn't be saying these things."

"Father, I know why you sent these uncles and aunts out to resist the curse. What's your real purpose?"

Chen Abao turned her head towards the hall, where there was still an iron coffin. Her voice paused, and she said, "I also know why you asked my brother to guard this place."

"But it's quite meaningless, Father."

"You can't abandon the name of Necromancer Chen because you want to be treated as a lord forever. But our Chen family, being from the mortuary profession, was never looked upon favorably by those noble clans."

"Why do you insist on forcing yourselves into their circle?"

"When you were young, the nobles despised you for having the smell of a dead body. So, you dreamed of becoming one of them. But have you ever thought that maybe pulling them down from their high horse is the right thing to do?"

"..."

For the first time, anger flashed across the Chen family head's face, but Chen Abao interrupted him, speaking softly, "Father, you're my father, but I think you're wrong."

"You still want to involve my brother in this..."

She looked at the fifth iron coffin in the hall, pressed her lips, and said, "You will lose, Father."

...

...

"I've never seen such a spell battle in the Daoist sect..."

"All of them are half-immortals, but before they could even make a move, they've already lost, and they want to take a lifetime's worth of longevity as compensation?"

"That's unreasonable!"

"If everyone is so unreasonable, are the abilities we've cultivated in this life worth nothing?"

At this moment, the Four Prefectures and Seven States were in chaos, with dead silence all around. Everyone had fallen into a deep sleep, as if this piece of heaven and earth had ceased to exist, leaving only an angry dream.

The various experts of the Chen family, with nails driven into their foreheads, were filled with resentment. They stood on their toes, moving through the night, feeling the mysterious black shadows all around. They walked in the world as if they were walking in hell.

But the more they thought about it, the angrier they became, and they gritted their teeth, rushing towards various places.

Behind them was a putrid aura of injustice and resentment. Amidst the rolling black clouds, three flying corpses emerged from the Chen family's old residence, withering everything in their path. Even the empty night sky was shrouded in a layer of eerie atmosphere.

As they passed by the Changping Army, they saw the scattered troops and nobles fleeing in panic and crying in this night.

The Changping Army had already been defeated.

The malevolent energy of the army could break spells, but the resentment of the people was even heavier than the army's energy.

They couldn't rely on the Changping Army anymore. If they couldn't even block this resentment, how could they withstand the tide of a million angry people after dawn?

This anger couldn't be calmed. To calm their fury, one could only feed them, but where could they find enough food in the Four Prefectures and Seven States to satisfy them?

Only by relying on themselves and inviting heaven's return could they restore everything to its barely maintained state...

Fortunately, the Chen family still had four great corpse summoners and ten bridge-crossing experts. Fortunately, the Chen family's abilities could originally cheat heaven for longevity and reverse the heavens!

Countless fine black lines filled the surroundings, but they also borrowed this indescribably heavy and oppressive curse to see its boundaries. Above their heads, the rolling malevolent energy of the corpse summoners, and on the ground, the corpse summoner masters strode forward, their anger growing stronger, already pointing their swords in all directions.

However, in the midst of the people's deep sleep and the deathly silence of heaven and earth, there were also figures emerging from the night, staring at them from a distance.

"That Sweet Water, actually seizing the opportunity to create such an intense scene?"

Some faced the Necromancer Chen family's non-ghostly experts, while others looked up at the rolling corpse stench and the corpse generals flying with the clouds, smiling or sighing, "It's life-threatening. Such a good opportunity, and he took it..."

"The most stubborn guy made the most clever and ruthless decision at the most critical moment. As for us..."

"We can only be good supporting characters for him..."

"..."

Although they were all complaining, smiles appeared on their faces uncontrollably, and they approached the Chen family's experts with the most relaxed and content expressions.

Their sleeves fluttered in the wind, and for some, nine lanterns floated around them. Some had ghosts following them as they walked, some sat in sedan chairs, and some held wine gourds in their hands. Facing the various bridge-crossing experts and the corpse summoners who could influence the heavens, they calmly raised their hands, "Fellow Daoist, please stay..."

No matter how powerful the Chen family experts they faced were, they were ready.

No matter how fierce the three Corpse Summoners raised by the Chen family were, they all felt at ease, for this Spell Battle was already won.

...

...

In the Nether Palace, Hu Ma was confident after the five Surnames intervened to stop the Slaughter Calamity. He brandished his saber towards the Sixth Palace Emperor Ghost.

However, the Sixth Palace Emperor Ghost had suppressed countless Righteous Army troops in his lifetime, and his hands were stained with killing energy. With the Slaughter Calamity obstructed, the two clashed, and Hu Ma found himself at a disadvantage. The savage Emperor Ghost, along with the entire court, pushed Hu Ma back.

He landed heavily, carving a deep furrow in the ground. Clearly, this was happening in his dream, yet he felt as if his body was torn and his Divine Soul was sharp.

Ordinary people would wake up uncontrollably after a severe injury in a dream, but Hu Ma felt as if it were real. He understood that this was because he had ventured too deep into the Nether Palace, and at the heart of the dream, it was no different from reality.

Beside him, the Meng family ancestor let out an inhuman roar. The character for longevity on his body became tattered, and his body was pierced by countless spears. Even the eerie ghostly energy around him seemed to dim.

Little Red Tang had just been pulling the hair of a civil official for a while, and she still held a handful of the official's beard.

All three were severely injured and in critical condition.

"Although he's the son of a lowly clerk, using his body as a bridge and sending him to our door is better than those human offerings..."

At the head, the Sixth Palace Emperor Ghost glared at Hu Ma and shouted, "Today, I'll borrow your body to return to the mortal realm and let the world's rabble witness my Imperial Majesty once more!"

In his angry shout, he stood tall, suddenly raising his hand. A thousand troops and ten thousand horses flew from his sleeve, charging fiercely towards Hu Ma.

These were the elite troops who had followed him in life, slaughtering the Righteous Army, and even in death, they did not lose their ferocity in the purple energy's illusion.

The civil and military officials flew in the air, pointing at Hu Ma's nose and cursing him. Their words were heavy, as if trying to crush him into the dust.

His true body remained in the mortal realm, and he had only entered the Nether Palace for the duration of an incense stick. Although he had seized endless purple energy, he had intervened in the Slaughter Calamity, and with the calamity obstructed, Hu Ma found himself at a disadvantage before the Sixth Palace Emperor Ghost.

But at that moment, Hu Ma also sensed a change in the mortal realm.

He knew this change would happen, so he wasn't worried, but when he turned back and saw what the Rice Wine Brother was doing, he felt a tremor in his heart, giving rise to indescribable emotions.

At this moment, facing the Sixth Palace Emperor Ghost's surging ferocity, Hu Ma suddenly slowed his movements, turned slowly, and bowed deeply towards the mortal realm with his saber pointing downward.

Even his eyes moistened uncontrollably, and he muttered softly,

"Rice Wine Brother, you played this move well..."

"..."

With a sigh, he turned around and rushed towards the front, his second saber stroke directly meeting the countless shadows of the Emperor Ghost.

In the mortal realm, to the east of Bright State, in the Four Prefectures and Seven States, a million resentful souls shone into Hu Ma's dream. This saber, originally weakened by the blocked Slaughter Calamity, now surged with boundless wrath, its power soaring.

The thousand troops and ten thousand horses were slashed into rolling purple energy by Hu Ma's saber, surging like a tide behind him.

The Golden Words were not as loud as the ringing of the Tyrant Emperor Saber's blade.

The Tyrant Emperor Saber directly split the Sixth Palace in two. The two Emperor Ghosts of the Eighth and Seventh Palaces, who were already somewhat useless, were sliced in half by this stroke and then stuffed into Hu Ma's mouth to be chewed.

Facing the savage saber, which had already reached his eyebrows, he felt the world darken and his body becoming infinitely small. The saber, raised above his head, was so fierce and oppressive.

Unprecedented fear filled the heart of the Emperor, who had once suppressed the Righteous Army and slaughtered the common folk. He could only shout, "You, you... What is this?!"

The Sixth Palace Emperor Ghost was exceptionally powerful, but he didn't understand why, just moments ago, his killing energy had been insufficient, and now he had unleashed such a fierce stroke.

He couldn't comprehend how the common people, once trampled like weeds under the iron hooves, could bring such powerful support to the intruder of the Nether Palace in the blink of an eye.

"This stroke is called..."

Hu Ma, his face illuminated by the saber light, now looked extremely eerie, his eyes moist with tears, gritting his teeth. His voice was louder than ever, filled with anger:

"Righteousness fears not, if heaven won't take me, the people's wrath will. Let you know..."

"Who is your father!"

"..."

His shout reverberated, pressing down on the Sixth Palace, which was already half-collapsed. With a single stroke, he beheaded the Sixth Palace Emperor Ghost.

Until this moment, the headless corpse of the Sixth Palace Emperor Ghost and the tentacles on his body continued to wave and grope unconsciously.

His face bore an expression of unprecedented fear and confusion.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end