Twilight Boundary-Chapter 390 - 386 One Coin Sect

"I sealed it within the mine ahead."

This sudden group of intruders had startled the Meat Cutting Craftsmen in the mine, as well as the unaware Calculation and others. They all exchanged glances, quietly backed away, and dared not breathe too loudly.

But the one-armed Mine Chief Zhuang Erchang was extremely excited, not minding the loss of his arm in the slightest.

He glanced sideways at the Wugong Clan Chief, then led his two apprentices to respectfully kowtow to the old man on the horse. After rising, he saluted the others with a smile, explaining, "I’ve troubled you, Master, to make such a special trip.

"I had long suspected these Witches were up to no good. The Red Lantern Society members can’t be trusted, so turning to the sect for help seemed the most reliable. But inviting you here, Master, wasn’t solely because of these Witches’ troublemaking.

"As it happens, just as the Red Lantern Society manager came to visit, I discovered something unusual hidden inside that mine—likely the legendary Stone Corpse. I crossed hands with him but was no match for him, which left me quite worried.

"If he were to forcefully explore the mine, I was concerned he’d discover something was amiss. So, I deceived him by claiming there was something strange within the mine, scaring him off from trying to open it.

"Then, just in time, these Witches arrived. While I knew they harbored ill intentions, it also presented an opportunity. I could let them and the manager become wary of each other and fight amongst themselves, buying me time to wait for you, Master, to arrive."

"Oh?"

The old man on the horse appeared to be in his fifties or sixties. He was tall and robust, evidently from a martial background, yet he was dressed in extravagant attire. His face had begun to show some fleshiness, giving him somewhat the air of a nobleman.

Listening to Zhuang Erchang’s report, he nodded. He dismounted, first adjusting his slightly wrinkled brocade robe. Only then did he clasp his hands behind his back and scan his surroundings with an air of great dignity.

"Haha, you’ve done quite well. Once we received your message, we dared not delay and came at once."

As he spoke, he glanced at the Wugong Clan Chief nearby and sneered, clearly disregarding him. Instead, he first asked Mine Chief Zhuang Erchang, "I taught you all my trump cards, yet you still lost a confrontation? That’s rare...

"Where is that manager from the Red Lantern Society? And who is his master?"

The Wugong Clan Chief stood nearby, along with Wuya and the young Witch named Nengneng. However, the brocade-robed old man seemed to pay them no mind, looking past them and, as soon as he spoke, asking first about Hu Ma.

"It’s said his master is Second Master Zhou of Old Yin Mountain..." Zhuang Erchang heard this and hurriedly said, "He possesses some skill, but he’s young—a mere child, not yet old enough to grow a beard."

Hesitating slightly, he then smiled and continued, "It’s precisely because he’s a child that he’s naive in handling matters. Just now, when the Witch was causing trouble, they colluded, releasing the Golden Silkworm Gu to wreak havoc. This was a method to disturb the aura, making it easier to nurture gu. However, the Golden Silkworm was so fierce that even I could only flee for my life.

"Yet this child relied on his cultivation to forcibly suppress the Golden Silkworm Evil Gu. That’s no easy feat.

"The Golden Silkworm Gu constantly caused trouble, and with every roar to suppress it, he had to rely entirely on his cultivation. He barely managed to hold on until the Golden Silkworm Gu was broken. Now, no one knows how much strength he has left. He hasn’t shown his face since it began, and it’s uncertain if he’s even still alive."

"Second Master Zhou of Old Yin Mountain?"

The old man in the brocade robe frowned upon hearing this. He thought hard for a moment before saying, "I’ve never heard of him. Perhaps he’s some reclusive expert. But that’s not important now. Where is he? Since he’s of the Shousui Lineage, I should go and meet this junior."

Zhuang Erchang laughed and pointed to the wooden house where Hu Ma was, leading the way.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Datong and the others were shocked and hurriedly gathered around in a panic.

They didn’t know what was happening, nor did they know if Hu Ma, who was inside the house, was really in trouble or why he hadn’t come out after so long.

But just by observing the scene, they understood that this Mine Chief Zhuang harbored ill intentions. They heard him say he had invited his Shousui Master over.

His claim of wanting to "meet a junior" was just a euphemism. Clearly, he intended to go over, subdue his opponent, or even kill him directly to prevent any interference with their plans.

The Witch’s gu refining was aimed at the object inside the mine.

And this Mine Chief Zhuang, who was nominally under the Red Lantern Society’s management, had gone even further—he had practically sold the mine! They were deeply worried about the extent of the brocade-robed old man’s abilities and whether they could possibly resist.

"Get out of the way!"

Behind the brocade-robed old man, the men who had dismounted with him all wore fierce expressions. Seeing these young men dare to block their path, one of them suddenly roared.

One of them, who had a particularly bad temper, thrust out his hand and unfastened a Locking Whip from his belt.

They too were Shousui. Combined with the imposing presence of the brocade-robed old man, their collective aura was so intimidating that Zhou Datong and the others inwardly despaired, their legs trembling.

They kept glancing at the wooden house, hoping Hu Ma would come out, but there was still no movement from within, which made them even more worried.

"This branch of Shousui men is quite remarkable," Mine Chief Zhuang Erchang remarked, looking at Zhou Datong and the others. He sighed. "Although their methods are somewhat domineering, they are loyal and possess genuine skills. It’s a pity they joined the Red Lantern Society." He seemed to genuinely admire Second Master Zhou of Old Yin Mountain’s ability to train disciples. Not only was the manager named Hu Ma exceptionally skilled, but these junior brothers of his also each possessed unique talents. What was more, when it came to a crisis, they showed no fear and valued camaraderie.

With such skills, unique talents, and this kind of character, he couldn’t help but entertain the thought of recruiting them himself. His words, therefore, carried a subtle hint of protectiveness.

"Worshipping the likes of the Red Lantern Lady and other local wandering gods—how can that compare to joining our righteous One Coin Sect?"

The old man, whom Zhuang Erchang addressed as Master, chuckled. He clearly understood his disciple’s underlying meaning. He squinted, his gaze sweeping over Zhou Datong and the others, lingering for an extra moment on Zhao Zhu, before saying,

"Don’t act so rudely. I am Iron Bridge Sun San from Liu County. Go back to Old Yin Mountain and ask your Master, Second Master Zhou; perhaps he knows me.

"Being of the Shousui Lineage, I’ll show some leniency. I won’t trouble your senior brother, nor you younger ones. But call him out to pay his respects. If he’s sensible, I won’t harm anyone and may even suggest a good path for him."

He spoke with a hint of arrogance. Then, he turned to Zhuang Erchang beside him and said, "Nothing else is important. Your letter has already been reported to the Sect Hierarch. His Reverence was very pleased to hear about it.

"If that thing is truly the Stone Corpse, you will have made a great contribution to the sect. Should you choose to join, you will be directly promoted to the position of protector.

"If you are unwilling to join the sect, you can still request incense offerings to protect you in this Chaotic World. When our great endeavor succeeds in the future, granting you a fiefdom will not be an issue."

Zhuang Erchang forced a smile, thinking, Ever since joining the One Coin Sect, Master has been obsessed with superstitions, refusing to eat beef, worshipping some Great Virtuous Master, and focusing on forging iron and making armor, hell-bent on rebellion.

Normally, I would definitely avoid him. However, I can’t protect what’s in the mine by myself, so I have no choice but to rely on this Master who taught me.

Though the One Coin Sect seems unorthodox, they have made significant headway in conquering cities, seizing territory, driving out government officials, and levying taxes and grain. Their influence is considerable.

If I can seize this opportunity to present the Stone Corpse and also bring these few Shousui men into the sect, the merit from this would be enough to spare me much of the arduous struggle ahead...ŸŸŸ

Hearing this exchange, Zhou Datong and the others looked at each other, completely bewildered. They had never encountered such a situation and had no idea how to handle it. Instinctively, they looked towards Calculation, only to find the old man’s eyes darting about, his thoughts unreadable.

While Zhou Datong and his companions were still struggling to react, Old Mr. Sun had already grown impatient. He nodded to the man beside him holding a nine-section whip and said, "Go in and see how badly he’s injured. If his injuries are severe, give him a Blood Food Pill. If they’re not severe, then make them severe.

"Make sure he understands his place, so he doesn’t get in the way of our important business later... Try not to permanently injure him."

Seeing this, Zhou Datong and the others nearby were alarmed. They hastily grabbed their weapons and stood ready. However, the man holding the nine-section whip merely laughed, leaped down from his horse, and prepared to strike.

Having given his instructions, Old Mr. Sun no longer paid Zhou Datong’s group any attention. Instead, he turned to Zhuang Erchang and said, "Lead the way. Seeing what’s in that mine is the most important thing. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

"If it’s truly the Stone Corpse, it will only prove that destiny favors our One Coin Sect!"

Zhuang Erchang quickly looked up towards the mine entrance, which was covered with red cloth. He smiled and said, "It’s just ahead. I’ve never seen such a thing myself, but it resembles the descriptions in the records. Knowing I couldn’t protect it on my own, I immediately sent a letter to you, Master.

"But whether it truly is the Stone Corpse or not, my judgment isn’t keen enough. It will require your discerning eye, Master, to make the final determination."

The brocade-robed old man laughed. "Let alone you, even I haven’t seen it before. But don’t worry. I’ve invited a Magic King from our sect to accompany us. He will certainly be able to discern whether it is genuine or not."

As he spoke, a woman standing beside him, draped in a coarse burlap cloak and looking as unassuming as a common village woman, gently lifted her hood. She nodded slightly to Zhuang Erchang. After this exchange, the group prepared to walk towards the sealed mine entrance.

"Destroying my Holy Object, injuring my kinsmen, killing my gu insects! Is this how you Xia people always act, so tyrannically?"

But just as they were about to take a step, a voice filled with rage erupted beside them. It was the Wugong Clan Chief, who had only just succeeded in his gu refining.

Upon suddenly hearing the Wugong Clan Chief speak, Zhuang Erchang and the men his Master had brought with him couldn’t help but reveal smiles. Gone was any trace of their earlier respect; now, their eyes held only disdain.