Twilight Boundary-Chapter 641 - 632 Zhao Family’s Divine Technique

"Oh?"

Hearing the two were so confident, Hu Ma couldn't help but show respect. "Thank you!"

The City of the Dead was originally a place in the underworld, filled with endless Evil Ghosts and Vengeful Ghosts. But now, the Meng family had taken it over, and after years of management, it had become the Meng family's foothold in the underworld.

Even Brother Er Guotou, with all his great prowess, had no idea how to enter this City of the Dead, despite wandering freely in the underworld. Now seemed like a good opportunity to see what methods the esteemed Ten Surnames might possess.

"Please, lead the way then!"

Zhao Sanyi asked Hu Ma to gather his things, then led the way. Shortly after, they reached the western edge of the village and looked out into the distance.

Outside the village, the Mist-shrouded Underworld stretched on, with countless yin souls and Wandering spirits drifting about, unaware and unfeeling. The vast City of the Dead lay directly ahead of the village, seemingly boundless and shrouded in a gloomy, desolate atmosphere. One could vaguely make out armored Evil Ghosts patrolling back and forth on the city walls.

The number of Wandering Souls within the underworld was unknown; they drifted aimlessly towards the front of the City of the Dead.

Surprisingly, almost immediately, the Evil Ghosts in the city reached out with giant claws or opened their massive, blood-red mouths to devour them.

Their wails were agonizing, yet they were utterly powerless to resist.

Hu Ma took only a single glance before turning back, his eyes questioning.

"Heh, brother, seeing this, do you really think the Meng family has the City of the Dead firmly in their grasp?" Zhao Sanyi, sensing Hu Ma's thoughts, chuckled softly. He said, "In fact, no. The City of the Dead was originally formed from the Underworld's celestial will, containing endless Vengeful Ghosts and resentful souls whose lives were unjustly cut short."

"Originally, your Hu Family was responsible for expelling evil and alleviating the grievances of these Vengeful Ghosts and resentful souls. But after the Reincarnation Road was sealed, your Walking Ghost Sect stopped performing this duty. This led to the incessant cries and ever-increasing resentment of these resentful souls, making this the most dangerous place in the underworld."

"Though the Meng family did indeed come down and take this City of the Dead, not even the Ten Surnames combined could truly subdue the resentful ghosts here. After all, where does resentment come from?"

"It is born from unwillingness, which gives rise to resentment. And where there is resentment, subjugation is impossible. The Meng family understands this, so they've stationed people to guard the vicinity and prevent anyone from sneaking in."

...

"Is it truly so difficult to subdue those with grievances?"

Listening, Hu Ma felt there was some truth to Zhao Sanyi's words. He pondered for a moment and said, "Then we..."

"Since the Meng family cannot truly subdue this City of the Dead, it actually makes things easier for us." Zhao Sanyi chuckled softly. "The City of the Dead is a gathering place for vindictive souls and resentful ghosts. All those souls who died unjustly, burdened with grievances and unable to find peace, naturally come here after passing through the Ghost Gate. They wait for their resentment to dissipate before being judged and reincarnated."

"Therefore, no Meng family decision is needed to enter the City of the Dead. As long as you appear qualified to enter, you'll naturally get in. And those who are unqualified, even if they manage to enter, will be discovered immediately."

...

Hu Ma listened, his expression growing serious. "Then we..."

Zhao Sanyi suddenly smiled. "Simple. We just deceive the celestial will, won't that do it?"

"Ah, wow..."

Hu Ma listened, deeply impressed, thinking to himself, Truly worthy of the Trickster ancestors...

With such audacity, daring to deceive the heavens themselves.

Furthermore, before using this dharma method, they actually explain the principle to you! Unlike Miss Red Wine, who, despite having a few trump cards, performs them with such secrecy, unwilling to explain the key points, terrified her illusions might be seen through!

...

Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Hu Ma asked, "What should I do then?"

"Haha, just watch my skills, brother. You only need to follow my commands."

Zhao Sanyi spoke loudly as he reached the edge of the village. He suddenly raised his hand and, with a tug, pulled a two or three-zhang long piece of black cloth from his sleeve.

Holding one end, he shook the black cloth until it was taut. Then, Zhao Sanyi fumbled in his other sleeve for a moment and produced a writing brush, surprisingly still wet with ink, and began to write quickly on the black cloth.

A line of characters, written in a flamboyant, flourishing script, vaguely indicated a person's origin, name, and allotted lifespan.

After finishing, he pulled the black cloth again and draped it over a straw man that had been prepared nearby. As Zhao Sanyi covered the paper man with the black cloth, he said softly:

"You were born into a wealthy family, with prosperous parents and loving elder siblings. Yet, you were tricked by human traffickers and sold to a brothel. Your family searched for you for years, eventually mistakenly bringing back a servant who resembled you, showering them with love and treating them as their own."

"You escaped after much hardship and returned home, only to find an impostor living in your place. Though you proved your identity and were allowed back, your parents and siblings favored the fake, despising you."

"You were cautious and meticulous, trying your best to please, yet you were still framed and reprimanded, suffering immensely. One day, the impostor committed murder on the street. When the officials came to make an arrest, your parents and siblings insisted you take the blame. You refused and were slapped twice for your defiance."

"Finally, you were knocked unconscious, poisoned so you couldn't speak, a black cloth thrown over your head, dragged to the execution grounds, and beheaded..."

...

What the hell is all this? Listening nearby, Hu Ma was bewildered. Yet, as he listened more closely, he found it strangely moving.

At this moment, having finished the story, Zhao Sanyi loudly asked the paper man covered in black cloth, "Are you wronged or not?"

As he was casting a spell, the straw man beneath the black cloth, forgetting it wasn't human, began to cry, "I am wronged! I am wronged! I am the true young master! Parents, elder brother, elder sister, why do you not recognize me? Why make me take the blame for that fake?"

"I am wronged! I am wronged! I was born into a life of wealth and privilege, yet I endured such suffering and met such an early end by the blade..."

...

Its wailing seemed to pierce the heavens, filled with soaring resentment, every sound echoing with bitter hatred.

"The greater injustice is yet to come..." Zhao Sanyi said. "You never actually existed. Everything I just told you was a lie I made up to deceive you..."

"WAAAAAH..."

The straw man under the black cloth trembled violently, its sense of grievance instantly magnifying tenfold. It cried out, "You lie! Don't try to deceive me! If my grievance is not redressed, I refuse to leave..."

But Zhao Sanyi paid it no mind. He reached out and snatched the black cloth off it. The straw man inside fell to the ground, but it truly seemed to have forgotten it was merely woven from straw, and it continued to wail incessantly.

Terrified of being further harmed by Zhao Sanyi, its stiff arms flailed. The stick supporting its body hopped and jumped, propelling it straight towards the City of the Dead. Its cries grew louder, scattering a group of wandering spirits.

"Here you go!" Zhao Sanyi draped the black cloth robe over Hu Ma. "Put this robe on, and you will carry its resentment."

"Right now, it wants to enter the City of the Dead but will surely be blocked by those armored Evil Ghosts. However, that's all right. Once it gets close to the City of the Dead, the city will remember it. Then, wearing its resentment, you can move freely within, completely unrestrained!"

...

Hu Ma was astounded. "Is that even possible? Then how do I get in?"

As he was pondering, he indeed saw the straw man charge towards the City of the Dead, only to be immediately blocked.

But it was too wronged, its resentment too deep. It cried and screamed, insisting on entering, unwilling to retreat even if it were torn to pieces.

"Follow me..." Zhao Sanyi seized the opportunity, pulling Hu Ma to the eastern edge of the village. From this vantage point, the City of the Dead appeared as if they were viewing it from behind. Then, Zhao Sanyi led Hu Ma out of the village and to the front of the City of the Dead.

The towering, ominous city walls loomed, appearing both real and illusory. At the wall, Zhao Sanyi produced a piece of paper, tore a hole in it, and plastered it onto the surface. He then chanted silently. Finally, he ripped the paper away, and the hole from the paper was now on the wall itself.

He pointed. "Just crawl through."

...

Hu Ma, who moments before had been praising the Zhao Family's great skills, was now dumbfounded. "You spoke so eloquently and performed so grandly, yet the method to get me into the City of the Dead... is to crawl?"

"This..."

Zhao Sanyi looked slightly embarrassed. "Keep your voice down. Others don't know. You can say you got in however you like."

"Besides, look at this hole..."

"...If it weren't for the Zhao Family's skills, who else could conjure a hole in the City of the Dead?"

...

Nearby, Chen Abao said, "Conjure? Didn't you just sneak over here two days ago and spend ages digging it yourself, huffing and puffing?"

Zhao Sanyi's face flushed crimson. He snapped, "Shut up!"

"All right, all right, stop arguing now..." Hu Ma took a deep breath, glanced at the hole, and said, "Crawling it is, then..."

"But didn't you say you could help me find Tieguanyin... that evil spirit? Once I'm inside, how do I find her?"

...

"I have a way..." Chen Abao huffed, then detached her head and handed it to Hu Ma. "Take me with you!"

"Huh?" Hu Ma was rather horrified, unsure if he should accept it.

Chen Abao pushed her head forward with both hands. "Take it. Don't worry, I don't bite people randomly."

Still, even if you don't bite, it's too creepy...

Hu Ma felt his skin crawl, thinking to himself, No wonder the Chen Family earned the name of living ghosts...

Seeing Hu Ma's strange expression, Zhao Sanyi felt somewhat helpless. Fearing Chen Abao might get angry again, he quickly advised, "Take it. Only she can truly help you find that evil spirit!"

Having no other choice, Hu Ma extended his hand to receive it. Chen Abao added, "Be careful not to pull my hair. I don't have much left."

Hu Ma simply pulled a corner of the black robe and bundled her head inside it.

Chen Abao nodded with satisfaction, then turned to Zhao Sanyi. "Don't you dare try to take advantage of me!"

Zhao Sanyi looked disdainfully at her remaining body and retorted, "Take a look at yourself from the side. Is there anything there to take advantage of?"

Chen Abao instantly grew furious, sharp fangs emerging from her mouth. Hu Ma, however, felt quite exasperated, wondering how long they would quarrel if they started. He quickly secured her head in the robe, saying, "Both of you, please! Let's focus on the important business first!"

With that, he crawled through the hole. In an instant, an unseen force seemed to pull him inward.

「At that very moment, in the City of the Dead, within a luxuriously and exquisitely decorated room—outside which innumerable fierce ghosts wailed endlessly, yet inside was warm and serene—a pair of pale white hands gently set down a teacup.」

Their owner's expression was calm, a slight smile playing at the corners of their lips. "They have arrived!" they murmured.