Twilight Boundary-Chapter 422 - 416: The Kind and Wonderful Aunt (Second Update)
Leaving the room, Hu Ma looked around. He saw only the area in front of the house and behind it; there were no people in sight, nor any yin souls or little ghosts lurking. However, just moments ago inside the room, he had clearly heard someone speaking next to his ear, making it all feel quite mysterious.
He adjusted his robe and, as agreed, went to the back of the inn. There, from the shadows cast by the wall, a figure slowly emerged. A smile spread across the man’s face—it was Bai Shanzi, whom Hu Ma had seen at the banquet earlier.
The man folded the fan in his hand, gave Hu Ma a respectful bow, and said with a smile, "Manager Hu, I apologize for any offense at the banquet today. It was all for safety’s sake, so please don’t take it to heart."
Hu Ma also smiled and returned the courtesy. "Would an expert who abstains from beef really worry about small fry like us?"
"Our Senior Sister isn’t concerned with such trifles. She’s already waiting for you."
Bai Shanzi chuckled. "But we who run errands are always a bit more cautious. Our One Coin Sect is prominent and thus attracts much attention; we help many people, but we also offend many. Although we aren’t afraid of tricks from the ghost realm, it wouldn’t be good if someone managed to sneak in and disturb the peace."
"That’s true."
Hu Ma chuckled. "So, can you take me to meet the Sect Hierarch now?"
"This way, please!"
Bai Shanzi led the way. The two followed the winding paths unique to Shima Town. Although the town was lively, there was no curfew.
But now it was deep into the night, and few people were about. Even at the eateries, brothels, and inns, there was no one at the doors. Only strings of lanterns hung above them, swaying gently in the night wind.
After many twists and turns that would leave anyone disoriented, they finally arrived at a large residential compound.
From the outside, it appeared ordinary. No lights were lit at the entrance. The two heavy doors were only half-open. When Bai Shanzi reached the entrance, he made a gesture inviting Hu Ma to enter. Hu Ma nodded lightly, suspecting nothing, and slowly walked inside.
At first glance, the atmosphere felt distinctly odd.
White cloths and paper streamers were hung all around the front courtyard, and there were burn marks from joss paper everywhere, resembling a mourning hall.
However, there was no coffin in the courtyard. Instead, a large black vat, about the height of a person, stood in the center.
Bai Shanzi followed him in and slowly explained, "Manager Hu, please don’t be alarmed. This is a tradition of our One Coin Sect. We live in a Chaotic World, an Evil World. The government is inactive and tolerates evildoers, while nobles stand aloof as the poor commoners struggle on the brink of death."
"Every day, countless people die of poverty and hunger. Their lonely souls are left with no one to care for them or perform funerary rites. Therefore, we perpetually maintain a mourning hall to appease these Vengeful Ghosts."
Hu Ma was silent for a moment before remarking, "Commendable."
He looked at the large vat beside Bai Shanzi and asked, "And this is?"
"This is our Blessing Vat."
Bai Shanzi chuckled. "To enter our sect, you must abide by the rules of our One Coin Sect."
"Many people wish to join our One Coin Sect. Some are from the Path, and others are impoverished commoners. Some come seeking protection, while others seek relief from their troubles. But the rule is the same for everyone: they must deposit half of their worldly possessions into the vat in exchange for one of our Copper Coins."
"Holding this Copper Coin signifies that you belong to our One Coin Sect. You can receive our protection and also use this Copper Coin to request our assistance in times of difficulty." 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖
Hu Ma was slightly taken aback. He then smiled and asked, "So, does the same apply to me?"
Bai Shanzi smiled but said nothing, simply watching him. Hu Ma then smiled and patted his own clothes. "Let’s follow the rules, then."
"However..." he began.
He pulled out his money pouch, weighed it in his hand, and chuckled. "At the moment, I only have twenty taels on me."
Bai Shanzi chuckled. "It’s not just ready silver that counts. Houses and landholdings must also be included in the calculation."
"Then that’s rather unfortunate."
Hu Ma gave a wry smile. "I truly am destitute, with no savings to speak of. Even the Blood Food and Silver Coins awarded by the Society have been spent down to the last bit, leaving me with nothing but debts and an empty stomach. To be honest, these twenty taels were borrowed from someone else!"
His heart suddenly stirred. If it’s only half of one’s assets, and I’m currently in debt, would the One Coin Sect take on half of that debt for me?
"If that is indeed the truth, then it’s no matter."
Bai Shanzi chuckled. "Our One Coin Sect upholds its rules and values sincerity of heart. Never mind twenty taels; even if a poor person only has half a steamed bun and throws that half in, it still counts."
After a brief pause, Hu Ma, intrigued, chuckled. "There’s such a rule?"
"Then what if some cunning person deliberately brings half a steamed bun just to exchange it for one of our sect’s Copper Coins?"
"Our One Coin Sect looks for sincerity of heart; the believers seek protection."
Bai Shanzi smiled. "But if someone intends to deceive us from the very beginning, then the blessing money they receive might not bring protection. Instead, it could very well bring disaster."
"That makes sense..." Hu Ma mused, nodding. He counted out ten taels of silver from his money pouch and tossed them into the large vat.
He heard only a series of crisp clinking sounds, suggesting the vat was empty. Just as he was looking towards Bai Shanzi to see what to do next, a hand suddenly shot out from the vat. The hand, greenish in color, looked extremely eerie.
Between its thick, swollen fingers, it clutched a dark Copper Coin, slowly extending it towards Hu Ma. The suddenness of it was startling.
Fortunately, thanks to his Qi Cultivation Skills, he managed not to show his surprise. He simply reached out and took the Copper Coin. Observing it in his palm, it appeared to be an ordinary copper coin, the kind circulating in the market, with no discernible special features. It just felt heavier than a regular copper coin.
In the Path, it was quite common to use coins as Magical Treasures, so this wasn’t particularly surprising. The same type of coin could be refined into a hundred different kinds of treasures.
"Please proceed. Senior Sister is inside."
Seeing that Hu Ma had taken the Copper Coin, Bai Shanzi nodded. He walked to the second door and gently pushed it open for him. His demeanor suggested, however, that he did not intend to accompany Hu Ma any further.
Hu Ma took a deep breath, nodded to Bai Shanzi, and stepped inside. He suddenly felt a sense of profound shock.
Just inside this second doorway, a remarkably tall tree stood, its crown so lush and widespread that it covered almost the entire courtyard. Countless branches draped down like a massive umbrella.
Even more strangely, all sorts of peculiar objects were tied to these branches: scrolls, children’s shoes, wooden horses, wooden oxen, lanterns, ink markers, and even weapons like swords and sabers, as well as seals. They were densely packed; there must have been hundreds of such items hanging there.
And there, under the tree, leaning against the trunk, a person was sitting cross-legged. Hu Ma’s eyes widened slightly.
He saw that it was a strikingly beautiful Taoist nun. She appeared to be around thirty years of age, with features as exquisite as a painting and an ethereal, transcendent aura. She held a horsetail whisk, her eyes slightly closed, as she sat cross-legged beneath the tree. She was inherently beautiful, yet her calm and indifferent expression made her seem even more exceptional.
Hu Ma had been in this world for a considerable time, but he had never before seen Taoists or Monks, nor had he even heard of such people existing. Now, seeing the attire of this Taoist nun, he felt a surprising sense of affinity.
Taking a quiet breath, he walked forward. Following Old Mr. Sun’s prior instructions, he gave a slight bow to the Taoist nun and said:
"Senior Sister!"
The Taoist nun regarded him for a moment before speaking. "Sit."
She opened her eyes. Her gaze swept lightly over Hu Ma as she gestured for him to sit on the rush cushion in front of her. That single glance seemed to scrutinize him from head to toe. She then said softly, "Manager Hu of Mingzhou’s Red Lantern Society. So young, yet deeply trusted enough to oversee a blood food mine. You even became a Shousui man by Entering the Mansion, and once drove away our sect’s Lotus Holy Mother..."
"Manager Hu, your abilities are quite extraordinary, wouldn’t you say?"
Hu Ma hesitated. "Ah?"
Hearing her mention the Lotus Holy Mother, whom he had indeed driven away, Hu Ma quickly said, "That was all just a misunderstanding."
"A misunderstanding, you say? Perhaps not."
The Taoist nun suddenly smiled. "But our two sides were never on the same path to begin with. Given our differences, conflict was inevitable, so a clash is hardly surprising."
"You didn’t destroy that old fox’s cultivation, nor did you take the life of our sect’s Magic King. That shows you are a person of considerable mercy."
"However, many come to pay homage to our One Coin Sect. They are typically either destitute commoners struggling to survive or Jianghu figures who have suffered great disasters. Manager Hu, you seem to be neither. Since you’ve come to me, I presume it is for the sake of these abilities of yours."
"Yet, you are young and already possess considerable skills. Surviving in this Chaotic World should not be difficult for you. Why would you risk coming here to seek our Magic?"
Listening to her gentle words, Hu Ma, who had already prepared his response, said, "I simply wish to learn more advanced skills."
"In this current Chaotic World, what good is Entering the Mansion? What good is obtaining the Red Lantern Lady’s protection?"
"Neither can compare to possessing true abilities of one’s own. That is what truly brings peace of mind!"
The Taoist nun listened, nodding slightly. After a moment, she suddenly asked, "And after you have learned these more advanced skills?"
"Will you still remain in your Red Lantern Society, serving the Red Lantern Lady, continuing to harvest Blood Food for her in exchange for your safety?"
Hu Ma was silent.
"Hmm?" the Taoist nun prompted.
Hu Ma detected a hidden meaning in her words. Looking into her eyes, he vaguely felt his vision blur. It felt as if certain thoughts deep within him were about to spill out uncontrollably. He quickly came to his senses, a sense of alarm rising within him.
I almost fell for her trick...
This Taoist nun’s words seem to possess a kind of magical power, capable of prying out the deepest thoughts from a person’s heart. Fortunately, I once used the baleful energy of the Zhensui Mansion to cleanse my body, solidifying my foundation, so I reacted in time. However, I can’t refuse to answer. My mind raced, and I instantly decided to test her.
He then pretended to lose control, as if the words were bursting out of him. "Of course not! How can a true man be content to remain subservient to others indefinitely?"
After saying this, he feigned a slight look of surprise, as if astonished that such words had come from his own mouth. His eyes, however, remained fixed on the Taoist nun, observing her reaction.
Unexpectedly, the Taoist nun showed no unusual expression. She merely nodded slightly, seeming quite satisfied with his answer, and said softly, "A worthy man indeed. In that case, please proceed."
With that, she turned slightly to look at the great tree she was leaning against and said softly, "This tree is our sect’s wish-granting and spirit-blessing entity, the Thousand-Year-Old Master Yu. My Senior Brother personally transplanted it from West Kunlun. Whatever your heart desires, you may pray to it with utmost sincerity."
"However, the Copper Coin you received in exchange for half your assets must be offered here. If you attain what your heart desires, then all will be well and joyful. If not, you must not complain. Everything is simply a matter of fate."
