Twilight Boundary-Chapter 628 - 619 Hundred Ghosts Approach the Altar

"The matters in Guazhou are finished..."

In truth, when I came here openly, it was merely to cut down that Earth Snake God. I hadn't even considered targeting the Yan Family or the so-called Iron Threshold Army. It was simply because so many Reincarnators had gathered together, and there was nothing else to do.

It wasn't part of the original plan, so naturally, Hu Ma didn't pay much mind to it. Letting Not Eating Beef take over was only to avoid waste.

Of course, how these unruly guys would interpret the situation afterward was up to them.

I just knew what was most urgent at hand. While Brother Er Guotou was busy preparing for me, I took Calculation, Wuya, and Zhou Datong—who was quite thrilled after getting some recognition these past few days—back to the blood food mine.

And he instructed them, "Guard the mine well. Come spring next year, we'll send people to do a proper harvest!"

Only Calculation was still concerned. "About the one hundred and ninety pounds we agreed on, though..."

"Do you think I'd short you?" Hu Ma said. "Not only will this mine produce next year, but I also have another batch in Mingzhou that I'll transport over. Take as much as you want."

Calculation was taken aback. "No, don't be like that. I'm not used to such sudden generosity..."

"I mean it," Hu Ma said. "It's just that, soon enough, a major customer will come to our mine. Just don't ask him about anything else. Whatever he wants, if the mine has it, give it all to him..."

"What kind of big customer is this?" Calculation sounded somewhat indignant. "How much are you selling each Blood Food Pill for? Which escort agency are you hiring? Or are you hiring people yourself? Why didn't you consult me about this business deal?"

Hu Ma felt a bit helpless and could only lean in to whisper something in his ear.

Upon hearing it, Calculation's face turned pale. "Is that fierce god really coming back?"

"His family and sister are here. If he doesn't return here, where else would he go?" Hu Ma sighed, patting Calculation on the shoulder. "After all, you're not an outsider. Just hand things over to him when the time comes."

Now, looking into Calculation's eyes, there was a hint of sympathy.

I only learned about this after discussing the handover of Blood Food with Monkey Wine. He mentioned meeting Wuya in Guazhou, so I took a look too. Of course, I saw Wuya formally taking Calculation as her master, and how Calculation had been teaching her.

"He's quite nice to Wuya," Monkey Wine had said. "That's why I retrieved the gu I planted on him..."

Calculation hadn't had it easy...

Back in Shima Town, thanks to Monkey Wine's gu insects, I eavesdropped on a conversation between the Second Young Master Meng and the Shousui Hall Official. I learned that Calculation had a mysterious background, claiming to be from the State Preceptor's lineage, the eleventh surname, yet he never easily took sides...

If he didn't easily take sides, why has he been following me all along and truly helped me so much?

Now, only Monkey Wine and I know this old fellow's background. I couldn't bear to kill him, but Monkey Wine might not be so lenient.

Still, this old fellow isn't bad. He helped me, so we formed a bond. By accepting Wuya as his disciple, Monkey Wine would also show him leniency. Without anything being revealed, he's managed to find his footing.

Given this, I might as well try to get more information out of him without rushing to reveal the truth.

With everything arranged, he returned to Mingzhou. The first thing he needed to do there was summon Zhou Liang and Zhao Zhu. He wanted them to take a squad of soldiers to help transport the Blood Food hidden in Green Stone Town's manor back to the blood food mine. This would serve as the first batch of funds for Monkey Wine's use.

The other matter was to wait for Aunt Zhang to formally set up an altar for a ritual.

"Young Shopkeeper, are we killing again?" Aunt Zhang asked. She had witnessed a bloodbath before, and now her headless little ghost was changing day by day. Upon hearing that an altar was to be set up and names recited, she couldn't help but feel surprised.

"Don't worry, Aunt. This time should be different."

Seeing Hu Ma so confident, Aunt Zhang reluctantly mustered her courage. Still holding the Hundred Demons Record Hu Ma had given her, she began to set up an altar near Green Stone Town and recite the names one by one.

She was genuinely worried. If this ritual proved ineffective again, a large number of names on the Hundred Demons Record might be crossed out. But unexpectedly, this time was different. As soon as she set up the altar, a gust of yin wind blew heavily.

The candle flames in front of the altar flickered wildly, shooting up about ten feet and casting a ghostly, eerie aura all around.

As she stammered out the names from the Hundred Demons Record, ghostly figures flickered before the altar. Normally, after reciting a name, one would need to state the request and the offering. But she hadn't even finished speaking...

Moreover, this time, those summoned didn't speak at all. They just came to the altar and kowtowed obediently.

Aunt Zhang was surprised but continued reading the names.

"WOO WOO WOO..."

Dark clouds gathered in the sky, and ghostly figures danced on the ground. The entire process was simplified to the extreme: a single name was enough to summon the ghostly gods.

Watching them kneel before the altar one by one—some thirty feet tall, some clad in armor, some exuding a terrifying yin qi—Aunt Zhang felt a little scared.

I've only set up an ordinary thirty-foot altar this time. In the past, summoning ghostly gods with such power would have cost me everything I owned, and even then, it might not have been enough. Yet now, they come before the altar so effortlessly. It's like a dream.

Back when she was forced into a marriage with the Five Evil Ghosts, her abilities were actually at their peak.

After the Five Evil Ghosts were slain, her Mana hadn't changed—in fact, it had grown stronger. Yet her actual skills had diminished by ninety percent.

But now, with this Magic Altar established and the ghostly gods arriving, it was like forming contracts at the altar. She could summon them in the future, instantly amplifying her abilities...

...a hundredfold or more?

Hu Ma nodded quietly, standing behind the altar with the Punishment Officer's Great Saber clasped in his arms. "Aunt," he said in a low voice to Aunt Zhang, "Ghost Walkers lead hard lives and face many difficulties. But from today, you can pass on the names from this Hundred Demons Record to others."

Aunt Zhang was deeply stirred. "Re... really?"

The Ghost Path had waned for twenty years. Although there were many Ghost Walkers in the villages, those with great skills were few.

But now, if the names of the Hundred Ghosts from this altar were spread, how much would things change?

One ghostly name was equivalent to a trump card!

To put it more broadly, for the past twenty years, it was acknowledged among all Paths that the Negative Spirit Path was the most powerful and numerous.

But now, perhaps the Ghost Path would rise as well. At least, it could contend with the Negative Spirit Path...

Hu Ma smiled and nodded. "Yes. But I ask all Ghost Walkers to follow the rules: use the power of ghostly gods to uphold the order of yin and yang. If anyone truly causes trouble, Zhensui Mansion won't show mercy."

Aunt Zhang absorbed this. "Yes, yes."

She had suffered losses before, but not everyone who suffers seeks revenge.

She was the kind who, after suffering, only desired more fairness. Therefore, she deeply understood the importance of the "rules" Hu Ma spoke of.

Hu Ma, feeling assured, entrusted this matter to Aunt Zhang. Holding the Punishment Officer's Great Saber, he walked through the dense crowd of ghostly figures kneeling before the altar.

Wherever he passed, the ghostly figures trembled violently. Even the Punishment Officer's Great Saber cradled in his arms, seemingly sensing their fear, began to hum faintly, like the grim laughter of a madman, terrifying the ghosts even more.

"Eh?"

But it was only as he reached the back of the group that Hu Ma paused, looking at a cluster of ghostly figures kneeling further away, trembling. These ghosts were much weaker than those whose names had been called, and they only dared to kneel at a distance, not even approaching the edge of the altar.

Finding it strange, he asked, "Why have you come? The altar did not summon you!"

"Mercy, Hall Officer..." 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

His question sparked a flood of crying voices. "It was not our intention to intrude upon the Magic Altar! We truly had no choice..."

"We were not originally evil spirits, but Case Gods and Wandering Spirits from West Mountain Road, who found sustenance there and previously served the Meng family's orders. However, a young 'grandma' arrived at West Mountain Road, and she's terrifyingly fierce..."

"There, she slays ghosts on sight and kills people on sight! She even smashed our golden forms, causing widespread chaos. We heard her mumbling that everyone except those of the Hu Family could be slain, so we... so we..."

"...have come seeking refuge!"

Hu Ma was stunned. "What on earth?"

What in the world is Gua Shao doing on West Mountain Road now?

I've finished my business in Yanzhou, so why hasn't she returned to report yet?

Of course, being quite far away, he couldn't just drag Gua Shao over for questioning. Regardless, he figured it was fine to accept these spirits who had come to the altar seeking refuge. After this roll call, he felt somewhat more at ease, now just awaiting word from Brother Er Guotou.

"How about departing tomorrow?"

Brother Er Guotou usually dithered, but once he decided to help, he was remarkably quick.

The night after Hu Ma finished calling the names of the Hundred Ghosts, he received word from Er Guotou and eagerly replied, "Naturally! Is everything set?"

"You have top priority. Don't tell me dealing with Reincarnators is difficult?" Er Guotou sounded smug, but he couldn't resist complaining to Hu Ma, "That Miss White Wine speaks so harshly, cold and unfeeling. How come her sister, Miss Red Wine, also loves to talk in riddles?"

"Miss Red Wine is quite easy to talk to..." Hu Ma was immediately intrigued. "What did she say to you?"

Er Guotou seemed puzzled. "I only mentioned that you're headed to the City of the Dead and asked her to help find someone with a method to smuggle you in. She merely asked if smuggling was easy, but then questioned if I was sure I could find the City of the Dead, since it's said to be hard to locate..."

"Of course, I said it was no problem."

"Then she asked me why, after the Yan Family fell and the Guazhou Lord closed his temple doors, Guazhou suddenly had red lanterns hung all over the city overnight..."

"What could I say? Little Red Lantern somehow became the Divine Incense Distribute Hall Official for that being in the mountains. Isn't it perfectly natural for him to visit Guazhou? What objection could I, a mere Right Protector, possibly have?"

"After she heard that, she just chuckled softly and said nothing more..."

Hu Ma listened, still not quite understanding. Miss Red Wine's mind is entirely focused on matters concerning Reincarnators, so why was she asking about the red lanterns?