Twilight Boundary-Chapter 636 - 627: Reincarnator Traitor

Zhao Sanyi and Chen Abao guided the way to a farmhouse in the middle of the village, inviting Hu Ma and Er Guotou to sit before a stone table and stone stools. Nearby, someone bobbed along and served tea. Hu Ma turned his head to look, feeling slightly surprised. The maid serving the tea had unstable footsteps, a stiff expression, and there was a rustling of paper as she moved: she was actually a paper man.

However, the tea she served was hot to the touch, indeed belonging to the world of the living.

In the underworld, having a Living Village was already astonishing. Yet, employing paper men to serve tea added to the sensation of bizarre extraordinariness within the mundane.

For someone entering the underworld for the first time, it truly was an eye-opener.

As for Er Guotou, he remained wary, unsurprised by strange phenomena, and stayed silent. He did not drink the tea, maintaining an air of mysterious arrogance.

Zhao Sanyi sipped the tea before raising his head. He first clasped his hands in salute to Er Guotou. "Um..." he began, just as Chen Abao suddenly nudged him with her elbow.

He quickly understood, turning to Hu Ma and saying, "The reason for inviting the Hall Officer here needs no further explanation. Since Brother Hu sent the Hall Officer to see us, it shows he takes this matter quite seriously."

"Naturally so," Hu Ma nodded. "The Demon Detection Mirror, whether it detects demons or not, isn't a concern for us at Zhensui Mansion. But our young master did say that purging those evil spirits is the duty of Zhensui Mansion. The Meng and Zhang families quietly crafting such things is like a dog catching mice—meddling. We at Zhensui Mansion must, at the very least, inquire about it."

Zhao Sanyi glanced at Chen Abao, feeling somewhat relieved. This young Hall Officer didn't speak so boldly when we met him last time. Now, he clearly has confidence and speaks with firmness.

"Excellent, excellent." Zhao Sanyi, who resembled a rooster, beamed and nodded repeatedly. "Well said! Those evil ghosts crawling out of hell are indeed troublesome, but the Hu Family has the means to deal with them. What need is there for the Meng and Zhang families to meddle? We two also felt indignant, which is why we specifically came to give Brother Hu a heads-up. If there's any need, we..."

Er Guotou, sitting beside them, had spoken few words since entering the village. Now listening, he internally sneered, casually casting a glance at Hu Ma.

He had discerned that this Young Master Zhao spoke insincerely, fearing Hu Ma, being young, might be deceived and suffer a loss.

Hu Ma promptly nodded slightly towards Er Guotou, indicating his understanding. He looked at Young Master Zhao leisurely and said, "You two are only indignant?

"When hell's evil ghosts climbed back to the human world to wreak havoc, the Hu Family had already made great efforts while these evil spirits were most rampant. We secured Zhensui Mansion, earning everyone's admiration.

"Could it be that over twenty years have passed, and others no longer remember the Hu Family's favor, treating it as merely our family's affair?

"It's kind of you to remind us. I really thank you."

Hearing the somewhat cold words, and also noticing the glance Er Guotou had just given Hu Ma, Zhao Sanyi's face turned somewhat awkward.

"Naturally, your favor will not go unacknowledged. Here, there are no outsiders, so no worries about being overheard," Zhao Sanyi said, wearing a sincere smile. "Frankly, everyone among the Ten Surnames understands that eliminating those evil spirits hidden in the human world is the most important matter. Without eliminating them, the new Emperor likely cannot be chosen, and the plans we've waited twenty years for cannot proceed. So, although the Meng family was a bit rash before, everyone wanted to bring back people from the Hu Family, so..."

What are the Ten Surnames waiting for?

Hu Ma keenly caught the key point and suddenly glanced over. "So everyone disregards the rules, allowing the Tongyin Meng family to act so recklessly?"

"Well..." Being countered by this question, Zhao Sanyi momentarily felt uncomfortable, pondering how to reply.

"Let's be frank!" At this moment, Chen Abao, who sat sipping tea, suddenly spoke. "To speak honestly, previously, no one stopped the Meng family. This was because the Hu Family had been in seclusion for twenty years, and no one was sure what to expect. It wasn't that people didn't consider the possibility that the Hu Family had no one left and that waiting was futile. Additionally, the Meng family was so proactive that everyone had to pin their hopes on them.

"But now it seems the Meng family isn't just active; they're... far too active.

"Almost all their male members have entered the underworld, sealed the path of reincarnation, and greatly expanded the Incense Orders, bringing those Lords and case gods under their banner.

"What are they trying to do?

"If that day truly comes, and the entire underworld bears the Meng name, then their family will be able to govern everyone after death."

Zhao Sanyi, beside him, was already breaking into a cold sweat, feeling Chen Abao was far too daring in her speech.

However, Chen Abao remained oblivious, continuing with a cold sneer, "And if they can govern people after death, they can govern them before death too.

"If the Meng family truly succeeds, then forget about the Ten Surnames. Everyone might as well just take the surname Meng!"

"Wow..." Hu Ma listened, suddenly filled with respect for Chen Abao.

This woman was impressive. She'd said everything, while he had been fretting over how to extract information from them.

Even Er Guotou, who had remained silent and only feigned the air of an expert, couldn't help but look intently at Chen Abao. He wasn't entirely satisfied with all this information, yet his eyes showed a hint of pleasure.

Chen Abao noticed their glances, her expression revealing a faint pride.

"Very good, very good." Hu Ma, quickly digesting Chen Abao's words, clapped his hands lightly and sighed. "You two came to give our Young Master Hu this reminder, which shows that your families don't want to see this happen. Since I received the Young Master's orders to come specifically to the underworld, it also demonstrates our family's sincerity.

"At this point, things should be said this clearly.

"Otherwise, if we keep hemming and hawing, hiding two meanings for every word spoken, we'll just be guessing at intentions. How can any business get done then?"

Saying this, his gaze fell on Zhao Sanyi. Er Guotou's gaze followed, and Chen Abao also looked over.

Zhao Sanyi suddenly felt awkward. "Why are you all looking at me? I'm not holding back. Wasn't it our Zhao Family who brought this up in the first place?"

"Oh?" Hu Ma heard the crucial point in his words and asked, "Then what is the Zhao Family planning?"

"I... this..." Zhao Sanyi hesitated. He knew that everyone in the Trick Door was slippery, let alone their ancestors. How could he take full responsibility for such a matter?

Yet Chen Abao beside him said, "Speak up. Weren't you perfectly clear before? Why are you tongue-tied now that you see someone from the Hu Family? Shy?"

Zhao Sanyi's recently rekindled enthusiasm was instantly doused, feeling as if cold water had been thrown on him by her words.

Sighing deeply, with a sense of resignation, as if throwing caution to the wind, he said, "In truth, everyone knows the Meng family's intentions. But as long as Zhensui Mansion still stands, the Meng family's attempt to remake the underworld will always be a delusion. As for those Reincarnator evil spirits hidden in the human world, the Meng family knows little about them. After all, twenty years ago, the Meng family didn't even have the qualification to participate...

"The recent mishap involves Noble Zhang.

"Why Noble Zhang, knowing the Meng family's ambition, also got involved in this mess is truly puzzling. Someone inquired at the Noble Zhang Family but learned nothing. Yet everyone understands that with the Noble Zhang Family's assistance, the Meng family's plans do seem to be taking shape. With mid-July drawing nearer, it compels us to pay close attention..."

Hu Ma felt a faint shock in his heart and suddenly said, "The first time those evil spirits were purged, it was people from our Hu Family who put in the effort.

"What capability does the Noble Zhang Family possess? Why have they now become such a key player?"

"This..." Zhao Sanyi and Chen Abao were slightly startled. They subconsciously glanced at Er Guotou before slowly shaking their heads and saying to Hu Ma, "It seems the Hall Officer isn't completely aware of everything that happened back then. After several altars were destroyed, didn't the Noble Zhang Family already have in-depth discussions with the Hu Family and the State Preceptor about that matter?"

"Altars?" Hu Ma listened as they mentioned this. Although he didn't question it aloud, he couldn't hide the confusion in his eyes.

Yet unexpectedly, Er Guotou, upon hearing that word, suddenly seemed to recall something and couldn't hold back. "Was it the Shangjing Twelve Sealed Ghost Altars of the elder walking ghosts' Shangqiao?"

"Correct!"

Zhao Sanyi and Chen Abao simultaneously looked at him, unsurprised by his knowledge, finding it entirely expected.

They spoke solemnly, "Those evil spirits were all purged. However, to understand their origins, the State Preceptor handed a live captive over to the Zhang family..."

Hu Ma felt his heart tremble as he heard this, his scalp tingling. "An evil spirit, captured alive?"

Beside him, Er Guotou's pupils had contracted slightly, but his superior Qi Cultivation Skills and deliberate concealment hid any signs of panic.

"Yes."

Zhao Sanyi regarded Er Guotou, sighed gently, and said, "Why the State Preceptor handed her over to the Zhang family, we outsiders aren't aware.

"But obviously, the Zhang family made excellent use of her.

"To my knowledge, for nearly twenty years, the Zhang family has been 'entertaining' that evil spirit well. Although her spirit is strong, the Zhang family's methods are equally numerous. In the early years, the Ten Surnames awaited results from the Zhang family, but none came. It led everyone to believe the evil spirit had been killed by the Zhang family. But now, since the Zhang family has allied with the Meng family...

"Presumably, the Zhang family has succeeded. That evil spirit has finally yielded."

Hearing this, Hu Ma could hardly contain the horror welling up inside him. He asked solemnly, "What... what does that evil spirit look like?"

"I don't know." Zhao Sanyi, upon hearing this, gave a bitter smile and said, "The Zhang family has hidden her extremely well; outsiders have never seen her. My Trick Door is considered well-informed, but even we only know..." He trailed off for a moment before adding, "...it seems she has a nickname: Tieguanyin!"