Twilight Boundary-Chapter 612 - 603: Guazhou Became Lighter

"Damn it, how did I become the main force in this fight?"

When Hu Ma started to take action, he was startled. Clearly, he initially thought he was just a tagalong... Surrounded by familiar faces, he hadn't intended to show off in front of the crowd. After all, he hadn't yet crossed Shangqiao, nor had he fought with anyone who had, so he had no idea of the gap between them. The ability to hold his own against this old evil spirit from the Yan Family was thanks to the powers of the Great Mighty Sky General Seal and the advantages he had as a Shousui man. Besides, if they accomplished the task, wouldn't the reputation and benefits still be his?

Yet, after only a few bouts, things started to feel off. Whether it was the Dian Shen Fuling or the friend using the large jar, both of them had no lack of skills. Together with him, they barely managed to take on the ferocious Old Master Yan. But after a few rounds, the two of them began to retreat in unison, their moves filled with hesitation, leaving the pressure squarely on him. Come on, we're just getting started, and you're already selling out your teammates?

Just as Hu Ma began to feel a bit of despair, he suddenly sensed something, his heart skipping a beat. Something was off with Old Master Yan. Unlike other zombies or fiends of the Path, this old freak, after crawling out of the well, didn't lose any of his corpse qi. Instead, it seemed to grow more terrifying. Layers of black mist wafted around him like dark clouds, even flashing with tiny sparks inside. This black mist seemed to draw in the vast dark clouds in the skies over Guazhou City, covering the entire city in darkness.

The storm grew, the colors of heaven and earth changed, and evil swept through the streets and alleys. Countless citizens of Guazhou City seemed as if their Divine Soul were being suppressed. A stench of decay invaded their nostrils, and nausea rose in their chests, causing them to feel dizzy and unsteady. Above their heads, the clouds grew thicker, yet without any sign of rain. Instead, the air felt drier, as if the moisture from the human world was being absorbed by the dark clouds overhead, growing increasingly dry.

It wasn't just the moisture! Even the ashes, dust, and the warmth of the human world felt like they were being drawn out. Those with weak wills and insignificant fates almost felt their souls trying to fly away. The dark clouds were gathering overhead, seemingly stealing everything from the human realm.

The vast Guazhou City, as the clouds gathered, was becoming more and more... light!

In the midst of his direct conflict with Old Master Yan, a realization struck Hu Ma's mind, clear as day. Just like in Official Zhou, Guazhou is becoming lighter and lighter... Even in ordinary places, the rise of a Drought Bone would turn fields to barren land and bring widespread plague, making life unbearable. Yet, Old Master Yan is even more sinister... What's terrifying is not just his incomplete imperial aura, but that immortal qi. If this thing is left here, Guazhou will soon face endless natural disasters and rampant plagues. Before long, this fertile land will become a desolate wasteland like Official Zhou!

But these consequences would be long-term. For now, the changes in Guazhou City were making Old Master Yan even more formidable and difficult to deal with.

They say strength rises from the ground, but facing him now, Hu Ma felt weightless. His blade felt light in his hand; his strength and cultivation were becoming ethereal and weak... How can I fight like this?

Both the Dian Shen Fuling and the jar wielder sensed this strange phenomenon and had no choice but to hold back. It wasn't that they didn't want to exert themselves; they just didn't understand what was happening. They had witnessed the abilities of those who had crossed Shangqiao before, and they had fought fierce evil spirits. But the more they fought, the lighter they felt, and the more impossible their efforts became. It was an unfamiliar situation that unsettled them, and even the amused Reincarnators watching couldn't find it funny anymore, their expressions changing dramatically.

"Everyone be careful! This has to do with the so-called 'Xian'er,' making our ground lighter..."

During this critical moment, Hu Ma could only grit his teeth, wield his Punishment Officer's Great Saber, gather the Heavenly General Seal, and continue his vicious battle against Old Master Yan. He wasn't immune to the lightening feeling, which grew clearer with every strike. However, wielding the Great Mighty Sky General Seal, he managed to hold his ground, unlike the others who suffered significantly from this disadvantage. Strangely, the dangerous battle brought an exhilarating feeling he hadn't experienced in a long time.

Old Master Yan was definitely fierce and terrifying, powerful and tainted with all kinds of evil. His own two-layer Mansion Gate abilities barely fended him off, and even the Dharma Form felt like it could be scattered by a breath of corpse qi. Yet, deep within his Divine Soul, something exciting was being stirred. The Great Mighty Sky General Seal became more refined, allowing him to grasp a hint of its true essence, inching towards perfection. This is how it should be! A good technique needs a worthy opponent for practice.

The Great Mighty Sky General Seal was a profound skill he had diligently learned. However, he quickly acquired the Demon Suppression Golden Mace, which almost led him to abandon his Shousui abilities, leaving little opportunity to master the Dharma Form skill. Only now, by choosing not to use the Golden Mace against the monstrous Old Master Yan, did he regain that feeling.

With this thought, his blade grew heavier, and his Dharma Form more solid. In the dark of night, thunder rumbled around him, and the light of his blade surged. From afar, it appeared like a strange, three-headed, six-armed ghostly god battling a monstrous creature wrapped in chains, an illusion-like scene. Usually, Hu Ma relied on the might of the Punishment Officer's Great Saber, but this time, it was his own ferocity that overwhelmed the blade. In his hands, the blade was merely a weapon; the true fierceness came from him.

"Ah, this..." 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

As Hu Ma experienced the fierceness of the Great Mighty Sky General Seal, rolling and battling with the old monster, even the Reincarnators began to notice something unusual, widening their eyes in surprise at the brave actions of the Hall Officer:

"Wow, facing the old evil spirit head-on with just two-layer Mansion Gate skills?"

"No wonder he dared to mingle with the Ten Surnames, and no wonder he had the courage to gather the other Reincarnators with just these skills!"

"This guy's a real warrior..."

"He warned us about that so-called 'Xian'er,' but what kind of entity is that?"

"I've vaguely heard it's the biggest secret of the Ten Surnames?"

...

"Is this really the time to discuss that?"

In the heat of battle, Hu Ma overheard their comments accidentally, leaving him speechless, almost losing the strength to swing his blade. Guys, I'm still dealing with Old Master Yan here! Compared to this old monster, who is half-dragon and half-zombie, my skills are seriously lacking. Fighting him alongside two experts is one thing; when others feel lighter, I can rely on my Shousui foundation to hold out. But taking him on alone? Isn't this too much? It's indeed a great chance to hone my Great Mighty Sky General Seal, but I can't risk my life...

At this point, he distinctly felt the cultivation of the four columns within him rapidly depleting. Facing Old Master Yan, he could only bite down harder, utilizing the Great Mighty Sky General Seal. Any slowing would give rise to the uncontrollable floating sensation. Could it be time to use the Demon Suppression Golden Mace? Hu Ma couldn't help but entertain the thought but knew that using it would mean forfeiting all his effort, which made him reluctant.

Having come this far, using the Golden Mace might scare off the Reincarnators, and even the Hu Family might be ridiculed. Though Old Master Yan was bizarre to the extreme, he wasn't known to outsiders. If others saw him using the Golden Mace, they wouldn't think much of it. They would just assume that the Ghost Walking Hu Family, when faced with the minor Yan Family, had to resort to such means to kill an old undying creature. This would signal their lack of confidence and their need to handle everything personally. Of course, those in the know would find using the Demon Suppression Golden Mace quite reasonable, but there was a fear they'd feign ignorance and seize the opportunity to scorn him!

CRACK!

While everyone was engrossed in their thoughts, a sudden clap of thunder boomed outside, startling everyone. They looked over in panic, seeing a dark silhouette carrying a blade, charging through the fallen house walls, heading straight for Old Master Yan.

Rushing towards the inhuman figure—cloaked in surging black evil qi that had become an overhanging dark cloud over Guazhou City—the newcomer boldly confronted it, viciously swinging the blade down.

SLASH!

As the blade came down, it was unknown what dharma method he used, but an endless flame suddenly erupted from its edge. From afar, the blade seemed to streak through the air, trailing several meters of firelight, awe-inspiring, like a computer-generated effect.

WHOOSH!

Old Master Yan, too, seemed to sense the inherent danger, quickly turning to unleash a wave of corpse qi towards the attacker. This qi, connected to the clouds above, surged forth like a flash flood, instantly swallowing the figure in its midst. But in the next instant, firelight slashed through the dark cloud, coming down sharply. It deviated slightly, however, and only struck Old Master Yan's shoulder.

SLICE! With a sickening sound, the blow severed one of the creature's arms.

As the arm hit the ground, even the gathered clouds above seemed to lower slightly, and the vague lightness felt by everyone eased considerably.

"Another one who has crossed Shangqiao?"

The Reincarnators nearby were astonished, staring wide-eyed, but quickly realized, "Not Shangqiao..."

"But this fellow isn't using skills from the human world; his blade carries the taint of the Bloodstain Pond..."