Twilight Boundary-Chapter 664 - 655: Walking Ghost on the Bridge

"Brother Er Guotou?"

It was hard to describe Hu Ma's excitement at seeing Er Guotou's heroic figure when he was at his most helpless. His heart soared, and he was overjoyed. "You... how did you show up here?"

"You thick-browed, big-eyed fellow, you really know how to stir up trouble..."

Unexpectedly, the imposing Er Guotou waved his sleeves, fending off the Meng Family's ghost soldiers and Ghost Generals. He barked out harshly, but as he turned his head, he scolded Hu Ma, "Why am I here? Huh? Isn't it to get you out of here, kid?"

"The talisman I gave you was meant for you to set up an altar and get rescued when you had no other options! Who knew it would bloody well drag me in instead?"

Hu Ma listened to Er Guotou's grumbling dissatisfaction but couldn't help but laugh. So, old bro still couldn't bring himself to leave me, huh? What a pal...

If he hadn't come and set up the Magic Altar, holding onto this stone platform wouldn't have been easy.

walking ghosts counter Negative Spirits. With the Magic Altar established on this stone platform, the entire platform became the altar itself. Whether it was the Meng Family's little ghosts or even the Old Master himself, their ability to dismantle this stone platform depended entirely on the altar raiser's consent.

"Still laughing..."

Er Guotou, exasperated, pulled a red gourd from his waist as he continued to lecture. He scanned his surroundings vigilantly while saying, "I'm usually such a cautious person, but you always drag me into these messes! Miss Red Wine gave me just one order..."

"...What the hell!"

"What in the world is that thing?"

But before he could finish his sentence, he happened to turn and saw Mr. Longjing on the Divine Descent Platform. Following his gaze upwards from Mr. Longjing, he saw, through layers of ominous clouds, the gigantic and terrifying face of the Meng Family Ancestor.

He had, after all, caught a glimpse of the Meng Family Ancestor from a distance once before. The sight now terrified him, and he broke out in a cold sweat.

With a YELL, his red gourd even tumbled to the ground. WHOOSH! Countless Command Flags flew out from his sleeves, all of them already carrying a hint of Purple Qi and linking together, instantly reinforcing the Magic Altar tenfold. The next moment, he wanted to raise his sleeves to cover his face.

Now that he was within the Magic Altar, his face wouldn't be seen by outsiders anyway. But even that wasn't enough; he felt he had to cover his face to feel secure.

His sudden appearance, however, caught Mr. Longjing's attention on the Divine Descent Platform. Turning slightly, Mr. Longjing saw Er Guotou setting up the Magic Altar and, noticing the Purple Qi on the Command Flags, frowned slightly.

"So, you're the 'genius' who used Purple Tai Sui to reinforce their Lifebound Spirit Temple?"

Er Guotou was taken aback. ?

Why start with insults the moment you speak?

"Are you afraid people won't see that you're tainted with Purple Tai Sui?"

On the Divine Descent Platform, Mr. Longjing snorted coldly and said, "You've only got a tiny bit on you, and you're wasting it all on such minor Skills."

Er Guotou was momentarily speechless, blinking innocently. Though indignant, he grew increasingly amazed seeing Mr. Longjing stand so calmly amidst the Meng Family Ancestor's monstrous Yin winds.

So that's how it is...

Hu Ma, however, suddenly understood. Old Master Er Guotou's method of using the Purple Tai Sui was indeed wrong. He had reinforced his Lifebound Spirit Temple, but in doing so, it was like he had let its essence leak out. That's why, if he was even slightly careless, others could detect traces of Purple Tai Sui from his casting marks. Mr. Longjing had inferred from these traces that Er Guotou was the one who had reinforced his Lifebound Spirit Temple.

He hurriedly said, "Brother, don't worry. That's Senior Longjing."

"He just taught me the proper way to use Purple Tai Sui. I'll tell you once we get out of here."

"Does this even need teaching?"

Er Guotou, having lived for several decades, finally found some courage. Forget about receiving looks of gratitude and admiration from Hu Ma and the Reincarnator upon his arrival—he was even being scolded! He felt quite indignant and retorted, "Look at me! Isn't my Lifebound Spirit Temple incredibly sturdy now?"

"Yes, yes, yes..." Hu Ma hastily said, "You've arrived at the perfect time! Quick, look down there! What is that?"

"Hmph, in the underworld, what haven't I seen..."

Er Guotou feigned indifference and glanced down, only for his jaw to drop and his eyes to nearly pop out of their sockets. "What the hell!"

"Where did all this Purple Tai Sui come from? Did you rob the Meng Family's treasury?"

You lot could steal from our Hu Family, so what's wrong with me taking a little from the Meng Family? Hu Ma thought, but he just chuckled and said aloud, "Well? All this stuff... makes your trip worthwhile, doesn't it?"

He had noticed it earlier, but the situation had been too urgent to pay much attention. Now, the sight of the endless Purple Tai Sui beneath the stone platform was truly astonishing.

Ultimately, the construction of this City of the Dead within a city was the Meng Family's true magnum opus. Compared to building the Divine Descent Platform and the Demon Detection Mirror, this was a project hundreds of times larger. One was a temporary measure, prepared in only a few years. But this grand underworld mansion in the City of the Dead had cost the Meng Family decades of painstaking effort, created from nothing, all thanks to Purple Tai Sui.

They had spared no expense during its construction, investing massive amounts of Purple Tai Sui. Now that it was dismantled and hadn't been promptly collected, the Purple Tai Sui had scattered throughout the City of the Dead. And because Purple Tai Sui doesn't dissipate, it wouldn't vanish but would slowly seep into the City of the Dead like mercury into the earth.

"I... I..."

Er Guotou had come in with immense courage to rescue Hu Ma, not with any thought of personal gain. But the sight of so much Purple Tai Sui left him momentarily stunned. He began to mutter, his lips trembling, his eyes darting around uncontrollably.

"I already promised Miss Red Wine that as soon as I got in here, I'd get you out first. If not for that, she wouldn't have even lent me her treasure..."

He seemed utterly torn, even stammering a bit, "But... but the deeper one goes into the underworld, the faster time passes. If we're quick about it, Miss Red Wine... perhaps she won't... notice, right?"

"Such audacity..."

Just then, Eldest Master Meng, outside the stone platform, was seething with a rage so intense it felt like smoke was pouring from his seven apertures.

He looked up to see his own Ancestor, now filled with towering rage, those hollow, deep-set eyes fixed intently on the evil spirit on the Divine Descent Platform. Surprisingly, those usually indifferent eyes now held a strange, greedy light.

It was staring intently at the depths of the soul light emanating from the evil spirit, where its Lifebound Spirit Temple was reflected, with what seemed like an obsessive, frenzied desire, desperately wanting to see through to that secret.

Endless Mana was pouring through the layers of the underworld. His own cultivation of nine columns of Tao was being rapidly consumed, and he didn't know how much longer he could hold out.

And with the Ancestor's interest piqued, it was impossible for him to ask the Ancestor to look away. If he angered him, he himself would be the first to suffer.

He watched as the evil spirit on the Divine Descent Platform, now looking composed, even with a hint of mockery, guided his Ancestor's gaze as it slowly pressed the sixth talisman arrow onto the straw man, then bowed deeply with clasped hands.

At that moment, he even felt a surge of panic, unsure whether the evil spirit would collapse under the Ancestor's gaze first, or if he himself would die.

But just at this crucial moment, another evil spirit had arrived and stopped the stone platform's collapse. Most crucially, the Hu and Meng Families were eternal rivals. How could he not see that this arriving black-clad evil spirit was using a Walking Ghost Path dharma method?

A maelstrom of shock and anger churned within him. His eyes flew open, and he demanded in a chilling voice, "The Ghost Walking Sect? All those who made it to Shangqiao died out long ago! Who... who in the world are you?"

It seemed that seeing this evil spirit use a Walking Ghost Path dharma method was even more shocking to him than the spirit's appearance itself.

Er Guotou ignored him, merely gazing down at the streams of Purple Tai Sui below the stone platform, which were now forming a lake. To others, he appeared mysterious, not even bothering to look up at Eldest Master Meng's question.

The countless ghost soldiers and Yin Generals surrounding them dared not stop. Seeing they couldn't dismantle the stone platform, they surged forward in a massive, dark wave, rushing towards the platform, desperate to tear the Magic Altar upon it to shreds.

Most of the stone platform had now been dismantled, and its mass had lightened. Even when Hu Ma struck again, it wasn't with the same ease as before. However, the one who had raised the Magic Altar faced the endless Ghost Generals as if they were merely bothersome flies.

With a cold snort, he waved his great sleeves. Instantly, the area around the Magic Altar erupted with dark, rolling thunder. Balls of yin thunder detonated around the stone platform, and countless ghost soldiers and Ghost Generals disintegrated, their forms scattering as they plummeted downwards.

The sheer force of it was immense, more than ten times stronger than before!

"Indeed, indeed..."

Eldest Master Meng's eyes stung at the sight of the power displayed by the one within the Magic Altar. Uncontrollable fury surged through him, and he quickly made a decision. I knew it! All this misfortune couldn't just be a coincidence...

"Someone! Relay my orders! Quickly summon the Four Lords..."

"Huh?"

At this command, the high-capped little ghost beside him was visibly startled. It licked its lips nervously and asked, "Old Master, are you... are you sure you want to summon them?"

"The Lords of the Yin Palace... they... they shouldn't be handling our family's private affairs..."

"If we involve the other nine families, especially the Hu Family, I'm afraid they'll use this as an opportunity to stir up trouble..."

The Meng Family, in their ambition to forge an underworld, had gathered regional Lords and cultivated many grasshead kings. Apart from the Meng Family's Ancestor, these Lords were the Meng Family's main support. It was just that these Lords had all been enfeoffed by the Yi Dynasty's Dou Family in the past. Although they had joined the Meng Family's service, due to their status and position, the Meng Family couldn't simply treat them as House Generals. They could be asked to handle matters privately, but they had to be shown respect publicly.

A mere token was used to summon house slaves, not figures of their standing.

"Do I not know? Do you think I need you to remind me?"

If the little ghost had kept quiet, it might have been fine. But its words sent Eldest Master Meng into a towering rage. He slapped the creature so hard it spun around several times.

His eyes, cold and hard, fixed on the figure on the stone platform. As if struck by a terrifying thought, he barked, "Things have already come to this! Can we possibly let those evil spirits escape? Summon them all! Bring them all here!"