Chapter 865: Sincerity

Chapter 865: Sincerity

How could anyone be so ruthless to this extent?

To willingly sever ties with their mortal bloodline and cut off all connections between Duyi and the world's nobility?

Within the Nether Palace, the two high and mighty Emperor Ghosts, who were above all, revealed expressions of disbelief on their faces.

They couldn't comprehend this turn of events at all. They were no longer living beings, and their knowledge and experiences, which existed in their minds and bodies, had already been interrupted at the moment of death.

Compared to the Pond Deity, there was a significant difference. The Pond Deity, due to the constant burial of new dead bodies in the pond, could update and renew its thoughts and understanding of the world. However, these Emperor Ghosts, in order to maintain their individual spiritual independence, were limited to only what they knew during their lifetimes.

Even with the Purple Aura enabling them to think like living beings, they remained cold and rigid, fundamentally unable to comprehend new concepts.

Therefore, they never expected that this descendant of a minor official would make such a desperate choice.

The key point was, what was the purpose of this choice that rendered everything meaningless? As the founder of the Duyi dynasty and the emperor who established its rule, their ambitions and desires knew no bounds, sweeping across the world. In their previous lives, they had never feared anyone.

But now, for the first time, they felt afraid.

If they knew what the other party was seeking, even if they saw the other party's determination, they wouldn't be scared.

It was only because they couldn't understand what the other party was seeking, yet witnessed their resolute determination, that they felt terrified.

Amidst this endless fear, they listened carefully and realized that they couldn't hear any knocking sounds from outside the Nether Palace. For a long time, they had intermittently sensed someone worshipping the Nether Palace from the mortal world, but the person was very cautious. Although they worshipped, they did so stealthily, appearing and disappearing, making it difficult for the Nether Palace to locate the mortal world. Now, after the person finally made up their mind and directly came to knock on the door, this opportunity that they had been waiting for over twenty years was ruined by this individual?

"You audacious wretch, kill him!"

The First Palace Emperor Ghost and the Second Palace Emperor Ghost revealed insane expressions, no longer concerned about the emperor's dignity and decorum. They angrily shouted in a loud voice.

Countless banners unfolded before them, and an overwhelming tide of civil and military officials surged forward like a flood.

Since emperors couldn't meet, there could only be one emperor in a dynasty, and they couldn't appear or act simultaneously. But at this moment, they no longer cared about such rules.

They were no longer acting as emperors but as a group of evil spirits who couldn't find their way back to the mortal world, desperately rushing towards Hu Ma.

Only by devouring this person could they possibly hear the knocking sounds from the mortal world again and return to the human realm, allowing Duyi's reputation to once again dominate the earth.

"Haha, are you afraid?"

At this moment, Hu Ma saw the expressions of the two Emperor Ghosts, who had lost their composure and had their defenses breached in an instant. He felt a sense of relief in his heart.

He burst into laughter, letting out a carefree laugh, "Who doesn't want to live if given the chance?"

"I've practiced the New Year Guarding Technique my entire life, and I'm still a virgin. Do you think I don't want women?"

"But there's no other way. How can I avoid doing what needs to be done? Compared to personal desires, I'd rather see the prosperity of the mortal world and witness the despair of you chickens and dogs!"

"..."

Amidst his laughter, countless faces flashed through his mind.

Previously, he had served as a bridge, half in the mortal world and half in the Nether Palace, borrowing the mortal world's killing calamity to slay the eight Emperor Ghosts. Naturally, he had witnessed everything that occurred during this calamity.

He thought of how Shaodaozi had initially attracted the killing calamity to the mortal world, willingly bearing the Blood Pool with a false fate.

His fate was fake, but his spirit was real.

The Hu Laozhao wine incited the anger of ten thousand lives, teaching the people of this world to hate.

He saw how Shuangzhengjiu opened the eyes of the people of this world, allowing them to see the black hand that was playing tricks.

He witnessed how Huadiaojiu and White Wine Miss joined forces to slay the gods, bringing hope to the people of this world...

He saw countless reincarnates in the Northern Region sacrificing their future paths to resist the New Year Guarding Technique, and he saw the individual outside Hundred Entertainment Town who stood against the army with their own strength.

He saw countless vibrant faces, some proud, some mischievous, and some low-key and patient. Regardless of their personalities or their connections with the mortal world, they all possessed a sense of transcendence as they threw themselves into this great calamity.

He even saw the Hundred Thousand Mountains in the Southern Border, and even Sweet Potato Burn, who usually wasn't very reliable, was...

...Damn, what is this guy doing?

...Never mind, having one or two unreliable individuals isn't important.

Moreover, didn't she bring genuine fear to those aristocratic families?

"I originally wanted to grasp the last glimmer of hope, but in the end, it was all in vain. So..."

In his heart, he suddenly felt at ease, "The only thing I can do is to prevent your arrogance and the killing calamity you've unleashed from being destroyed by petty people."

Hu Ma's mind was filled with a single thought, and when he made this resolute decision, he felt unusually calm. Facing the overwhelming killing intent that filled the sky and earth, he took a deep breath.

Standing firmly in the Nether Palace, he borrowed the power of the countless Emperor Ghosts and Purple Aura he had just devoured. His body began to swell and stretch, instantly growing taller, reaching the same height as the two Emperor Ghosts, blocking their path.

At this moment, his physical body in the Great Sorrow Mountain in the mortal world completely lost all signs of life.

The rolling Purple Aura around him drifted in all directions, transforming into clouds that infused the four directions of the mortal world.

This was the eighth palace's purple aura that he had retrieved for the mortal realm.

It was also the last thing he did for the mortal realm, the final gift he left behind.

...

...

"How could this be?"

Just as Hu Ma had severed his connection to this life, blocking the Nether Palace, in that instant, countless people were startled.

One of them was the Spirit Summoning Chen Family. The family head, using 'Corpse Speech', had summoned a corpse from within a coffin to bow and plead for the Nether Palace's attention to be directed towards the Chen family's old residence. His heart was filled with excitement, reaching its peak, but to his surprise, after the bowing, there was no response.

Nothing happened in the mortal realm, and the Ten Thousand Lives Curse continued to roll in from all directions.

In fact, it became even more overwhelming.

The enraged commoners had awakened and were gathering in groups, slaughtering the followers of the Chang Ping King.

Many of them even directly attacked the Spirit Summoning Chen Family.

"What...what went wrong?"

After a long time, he lifted his head in a daze, his face filled with confusion as he looked around. His hair had turned white in an instant.

The kneeling corpse showed no reaction, no breath, only a lifeless aura.

Outside the residence at this moment, Chen Ao Bao, having changed out of her black cloth robe and into a red wedding dress, stood outside the threshold with a bundle on her back.

She quietly watched the incense table, where the family head was bowing with the summoned corpse. Realizing the cause and effect of the situation, she bit her lip and said slowly, "Father, you keep emphasizing the importance of the Spirit Summoning Chen Family's reputation..."

"But in the end, you're going to destroy this reputation so thoroughly?"

"..."

After a while, the family head reacted and saw the look in his daughter's eyes, which made him inexplicably anxious.

"Ao Bao, I..."

"Father, I can see it, and I understand."

Chen Ao Bao looked at her father with determination, her dark circles seemingly sparkling with tears, and said in a low voice, "The calamity of slaughter cannot be stopped, and the people will eventually survive."

"When the new heaven arrives, some families will seize the opportunity, join the slaughter, and not only be free of guilt but also be rewarded. Others will act decisively, avoid bloodshed, and although they won't be rewarded, they may also escape retribution afterward."

"Even if we had bowed to the Meng Family, because they died early, they wouldn't have had the chance to stand in front of the people of this world and add to their sins..."

"But what about our family?"

She almost despairingly dropped the bundle in her hand and cried, "In the face of the Ten Thousand Lives Curse, you can let me get married and avoid these consequences."

"But when the new heaven arrives and they start investigating these matters, who will ignore the fact that I got married and overlook that you are my father, sparing our Chen family for what we've done?"

"Father..."

Despair filled Chen Ao Bao's voice, "You've doomed our Spirit Summoning Chen Family."

"How could this be?"

The most shocked person was the National Teacher on Mount Great Sorrow, who had been closely monitoring Hu Ma's dream.

Initially, he had seen Hu Ma unleashing slaughter in the Nether Palace, witnessing the beginning of the calamity, but finally, someone knocked on the Nether Palace's door.

He was disappointed but helpless because he had already warned the Hu Family descendant.

Hu Ma was too reckless and underestimated both the Nether Palace and the world's influential families.

The influential families didn't refer to a specific surname or person but rather the obsession of placing oneself above others for generations.

With this obsession, anyone could become an influential family.

With this obsession, there would always be someone standing in opposition to the commoners, and there was nothing they could do about it.

But when he saw Hu Ma blocking the Nether Palace with his body, he suddenly jumped up, feeling his scalp tingle. The disappointment and dissatisfaction on his face vanished in an instant, leaving only a profound disbelief from within:

"How dare he go this far?"

"Wasn't he going to perform the Grand Ritual of the Lofty Heaven to expel the Earth Deity? How could he let the Propelling Evil Hu Clan be cut off in this world?"

"..."

"From the moment he entered the Nether Palace, he had already planned for this."

The old fortune teller beside him was so scared that his legs went soft, and he knelt on the ground, his face contorted as he said, "He...he left a letter before entering the Nether Palace..."

"If he dies, he wants the right protector of the Red Lantern Society to host the mortal ritual and said that even if he blocks the Nether Palace with his body and becomes a propitiation artifact, he can still help with the Grand Ritual of the Lofty Heaven..."

"..."

The National Teacher's face turned pale, "He was prepared for this from the moment he entered the Nether Palace?"

His voice trembled, and at this moment, he finally understood that the Hu Family descendant's ruthless and decisive move wasn't made in haste.

The Hu Family descendant's vision was even broader than he had imagined.

That was why, after entering the Nether Palace, everything he did seemed so reckless.

It turned out that his heart was even more ruthless than before, ensuring his safety as a propitiation artifact first, so that even if he died, the situation wouldn't be affected.

He left this calamity of slaughter for the reincarnates, and if any mortal clan, or even the Ten Surnames, wanted to resist this calamity, the reincarnates would have a fighting chance. But if the Nether Palace were truly summoned to the mortal realm, then all would be lost!

So, from the moment he entered the Nether Palace, he had prepared for this.

Either he would use the calamity to eliminate the Nether Palace and even find the way back to the mortal realm.

Action: In the depths of the Nether Palace, a young man was willing to sacrifice his own soul, becoming a propitiatory artifact to block the Nether Palace from reaching the mortal realm.

"But, to do this, he must give up any benefits for himself, for the Hu Family, and even for the Bright State King..."

"Even those reincarnates, who were already destined to die, gain nothing from this..."

"But what about you..."

The National Teacher's voice trembled as he spoke, and a sense of unprecedented shock finally emerged after twenty-four years, creating the biggest wave yet, shattering all his pride.

...

...

"Something's not right..."

Not everyone knew that Hu Ma had entered the Nether Palace, nor that he had abandoned his mortal body to block it.

However, the surging purple aura flowing into the mortal realm was impossible to ignore.

Accompanied by this endless purple aura, a vast and mighty force surged in all directions, making the entire world seem heavier and the land more fertile. With seeds sown, a bountiful harvest was assured.

In the wilderness, lush green hills teemed with vitality, a sight that would become more apparent during the autumn harvest. But another obvious change left people stunned.

Countless black Earth Deities, once wild and untamed, were now turning white.

The black Earth Deities transformed into white ones, becoming edible, no longer just poisonous.

Countless people destined to starve now had a chance to survive, thanks to these white Earth Deities providing sustenance.

Even the timing of the purple aura's arrival was impeccable.

If this aura had come earlier, there might have been a way to avoid the massacre. Perhaps the people of this world would not have been driven to such desperate measures.

But the impact of the purple aura's gathering was not limited to this. The vast army, blessed with good fortune, was now invincible. Even the Pond Deities, who had been struggling with their meager foundations to suppress the thirty-six cave disasters, found themselves more firmly in control, preventing the emergence of these calamities.

The purple aura nourished all things, and the changes it brought were subtle yet profound. But the aura was so vast that it was impossible for others not to notice it.

"What is that boy up to?"

At Tiger Gate, Er Guotou, armed with the Exorcism Golden Mace borrowed from Hu Ma, had been slaying the spirits of the dead and returning their souls to the people.

His heart had been pounding with excitement, but now he suddenly sensed something amiss.

Across the realm, those reincarnates who had not yet found a way to escape, as well as the masters of various sects who had survived the massacre by choosing the right path, all felt the terrifying purple aura returning to the mortal realm.

With this purple aura, the weight of the world had increased significantly. So, while they had instigated the massacre, had someone else been doing something different?

They were unaware of what was happening in the Nether Palace, but there were those who could calculate, observe, and investigate.

Thus, when they learned of the events in the Nether Palace, which had remained hidden during the massacre, a wave of shock swept through everyone's hearts.

The impact of this revelation was no less than being struck by five thunders!

"A descendant of the Hu Family has reclaimed the purple aura of the eight palaces, and is even willing to sever the Hu Family's bloodline to block the Emperor Ghost of the Nether Palace?"

Such ruthlessness left the sect members of this world stunned.

A deep sense of fear and reverence arose, and those who had wisely conceded defeat, turning back, secretly wiped their cold sweat.

They were fortunate not to have opposed the Exorcism Hu Family in this massacre; who could stand against such determination?

He was even willing to sever his own family's bloodline; what other family's bloodline would he dare to cut off?

...

...

"He's a real man..."

The reincarnates still in the mortal realm, upon learning of this, were initially stunned and then felt a sense of dejection.

"A clever one has found a way out, leaving us behind."

"Now even the locals are coming to challenge us. Is there no justice left in this world?"

"I just wanted to act big; is that a crime?"

"..."

"Save people!"

While some sighed with admiration, others were not content. At Tiger Gate, Er Guotou's face turned red with anger, almost losing control. He suddenly stood up and kicked the stone beside him.

He stormed out of the altar, his voice filled with rage as he disappeared into the netherworld, rushing towards Great Sorrow Mountain. He didn't know where the mountain was, but sitting on the altar of the world, he could calculate where Hu Ma's physical body was.

"The bolder they are, the bigger the trouble they cause!"

At this moment, he was furious and thought bitterly, "I haven't even left yet, how dare you?"

"If you leave, who will I entrust Little Red Lantern to? Who will remember what we've done for this world?"

"We are already doomed, but you can't die, how dare you?"

"..."

"Is this also within your calculations?"

Meanwhile, in the Northern Region, the Red Wine Lady, upon learning of this, immediately rushed to the capital and angrily shouted deep into the Twelve Ghost Pavilions. Her previous trust and admiration for Tie Guan Yin seemed to dissipate in that instant.

After witnessing the apparent escape, Tie Guan Yin, who had been in a deep sleep under the protection of the Twelve Ghost Pavilions, took action.

The world was engulfed in a calamity, and Tie Guan Yin had been the driving force behind the plan to sever the fates of the reincarnates, ensuring their deaths. She had even secretly orchestrated many events to ensure the success of this calamity.

All reincarnates could die, as it was their inevitable fate, but they sought to leave a mark on this world.

However, Lao Bai Gan was an exception! What he had done was astonishing and beyond everyone's expectations.

She had no idea and couldn't even guess, but she believed that Tie Guan Yin, who secretly influenced the grand trend of the world, must have known about this and might have even...

...intentionally manipulated it?

"No!"

Despite the anger of the Red Wine Lady, Tie Guan Yin's soft and calm voice echoed from deep within the Twelve Ghost Pavilions: "This is not something I could have calculated."

"Although he left his physical body as a propitiation artifact and brought the purple aura back to the mortal realm, increasing the chances of success for Lao Jun Mei's plan from an initial three-tenths to an unimaginable seven-tenths..."

"But Lao Jun Mei's plan did not include this part."

"Even when he learned that someone was secretly contacting the Hall of Shadows and that this fragile mortal realm might face unprecedented despair, he had another choice."

"He could have returned to the mortal realm and searched for the person secretly communicating with the Hall of Shadows. If he found and stopped them, the Hall of Shadows could still be ignored, and they would remain as insignificant pieces outside the game, unable to influence the mortal realm..."

"So, entering the Hall of Shadows was entirely his own decision."

"..."

"But..."

The Red Wine Lady's voice trembled, "He's not a fool. If he could avoid it, why did he go in?"

"He was chosen by both the reincarnates and the Great Law Teaching as the main officiant of the Grand Ritual of the Lofty Heaven."

"Even if he did nothing, this calamity would still occur, and the Ten Surnames would still fall into our hands. Whether he reaps the benefits or enjoys the glory, it's all right in front of him..."

"What was he after that he would rather seek death?"

"..."

After a long pause, Tie Guan Yin's voice finally spoke softly, "Perhaps, he took this risk not for himself?"

"Do you think that Lao Jun Mei chose to cooperate with the Hu Family just because... the Hu Family is ruthless?"

"..."

The Red Wine Lady was surprised by these words: "Isn't that the reason?"

"Reincarnates must die," Tie Guan Yin sighed softly. "This is something that Lao Jun Mei, Dragon Well, and Great Red Robe understood long ago."

"We have no way out, no path to life, but we refuse to bow to the Earth Deity. So, we must take action."

"Even if a civilization fades away, it will always leave behind some beautiful things. As those destined to die, our sole purpose is to preserve these beautiful remnants in a world that still holds hope."

"But when Lao Jun Mei proposed his plan, we hesitated and struggled. After all, we are not saints, and we cannot expect other reincarnates to become selfless and desireless saints."

"So, even if we are willing to give everything to help this world resist the Earth Deity, there may be times when we secretly harbor a little greed in our hearts..."

"The choice of the Hu Family was not because they are ruthless but because they are kind."

"Because they know gratitude and understand our sacrifices. When we give everything for this world, he doesn't want to see us without any way out..."

"..."

Her voice wavered as she spoke these words, and after a long pause, she said softly, "He... is finding a way out for us..."

"We..."

The Red Wine Lady was stunned by Tie Guan Yin's words, "Finding a way for us?"

"Yes."

Tie Guan Yin smiled gently and said, "If not for us, why would he willingly enter the Hall of Shadows and take such a risk when the grand trend was already set?"

"This wasn't my calculation."

"We give everything for this world, but will it ever consider us in return? Amidst despair and silence, can we find a sliver of hope for the reincarnates?"

"This was Lao Jun Mei's deepest, most subtle, and unspoken desire..."

"It cannot be calculated; it depends on the hearts of people..."

After a prolonged silence, a soft sigh concluded, "This descendant of the Hu Family did not disappoint Lao Jun Mei and lived up to the name of the Propelling Evil Hu Clan. He truly thought of us, shedding blood for this world, while he gambled with his life, seeking a way out for us..."

"Perhaps we will fail, but with such sincere hearts, we..."

Only then did her voice become firm, filled with relief and an unseen grit as if she had silently clenched her teeth, "How could we not fight with all our might?"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end