Twilight Boundary-Chapter 515 - 507: The Majesty of the Red Lantern Lady
"Sister Hong Tang, you’re really something..."
Looking at the originally empty warehouse, where ten large vats had appeared overnight, Hu Ma found it quite spectacular. Two of them were even stacked on top of each other.
He felt a sense of awe and, upon self-reflection, thought that even if he were to run to some distant place and bring back a few vats like this, his body wouldn’t be able to handle it.
"Quick, lock the door!"
Little Hongtang, having pulled off this big job, was obviously pleased. She remembered Hu Ma’s words that these Blood Food items couldn’t be seen by others and urged Hu Ma to quickly close the door. Then, she climbed up from the ground, extended her small hand, and said,
"Give me the Blood Food Pill!"
"..."
"Give it... Of course, I’m going to give it!"
Hu Ma glanced at the ten large vats leaning against the wall beside him and took a deep breath. Compared to these ten vats, Little Hongtang’s slender and small figure suddenly seemed mysterious.
When Granny left, she entrusted Little Hongtang to him, but she never mentioned she was leaving him with a Fierce General...
How could she have gone toe-to-toe with those baby ghosts and cat demons before? Though I still have doubts, seeing Sister Hong Tang now, I can’t help but feel a deep respect. In his mind, a line emerged: Sister Hong Tang: naturally obedient, soft and cute, less than three feet tall, yet her two arms possess the strength of a thousand pounds...
Meanwhile, in Green Stone Town, while Hu Ma was still in shock, the chaos between the Red Lantern Society and the Truth Sect raged fiercely in the Blood Food Storage area. The Left Protector, Shen Hongzhi, was infuriated by the Truth Sect’s sneak attack.
Wielding a chain whip, he forcibly repelled two Altar Masters from the Truth Sect, protecting the Blood Food Storage and preventing any Truth Sect members from approaching.
The two altar envoys from the Truth Sect who had come to assist initially had their doubts. Furthermore, they were under strict orders not to truly harm members of the Red Lantern Society.
However, when they discovered that more than a dozen of their own followers had inexplicably lost their lives in the chaos, and that the Red Lantern Society members were fighting with increasing ferocity and no mercy, they became genuinely enraged.
They had never really considered this small Blood Food Gang a significant threat, but now that the Red Lantern Society was showing such audacity, they got serious. In an instant, they killed several Red Lantern Society members, intending to intimidate them and prevent the situation from escalating.
But it was late at night, and visibility was poor. If they had been ruthless from the start, showcasing their methods and crushing the Red Lantern Society’s morale, things might have been different.
Their initial restraint, however, had allowed the Red Lantern Society members to grow bolder. By the time the Truth Sect attacked fiercely, it was difficult to achieve the desired intimidating effect. This back-and-forth only intensified the fighting.
The battle was indeed perilous. Apart from one fearless individual with an injured leg who hid among the crowd, scattering paper money to buy life, the others were genuinely outmatched by the Truth Sect followers.
Strictly speaking, the Red Lantern Society was merely a jianghu gang, not on the same level as the Truth Sect. It was one thing if their opponents weren’t serious, but once they were, they revealed astonishing methods.
The Red Lantern Society had courage, but not many of its members dared to follow this Left Protector into a deadly fight. At this rate, half of them would likely fall here.
Nevertheless, as the chaos unfolded, word of the commotion had already spread, frightening countless people.
"It’s begun?"
People in Mingzhou Prefecture realized the fight had broken out and were initially shocked. "Where does the Red Lantern Society get the confidence to fight the Heavenly Destiny General, who’s backed by nobles?"
"Wasn’t it just a small evil spirit with a newly built temple...?"
"..."
Others were surprised by the Truth Sect’s actions, anxiously thinking: What on earth is the Truth Sect thinking?
"When they first arrived, didn’t they say they wouldn’t draw weapons here and would follow the rules? Now, with both sides supposedly in contact, why did they attack so suddenly without any warning?"
"We’re all entrusting our lives and fortunes to you! If you break your word like this, who will dare to rely on you in the future?"
"..."
All these suspicions left many at a loss, unable to see the situation clearly, feeling only an ever-increasing pressure on their hearts.
But just as the chaos reached its peak, with many dead on both sides, the sound of a deep drum suddenly echoed from the direction of Mingzhou Prefecture. Its powerful beat seemed to disperse much of the eerie atmosphere of the night.
In the distance, a group of dark figures could be seen emerging from Mingzhou Prefecture, pressing toward the battlefield like a dark tide.
At that same moment, people also rushed in from the direction of Zhu Men Town. High above their heads, a red lantern was carried, exceptionally conspicuous in the night. However, without the accompaniment of drumbeats, their momentum was noticeably weaker than those arriving from Mingzhou Prefecture.
"The Heavenly Destiny General has arrived..."
"The Red Lantern Lady is here to support us..."
"..."
With the appearance of these two groups, the spirits of the chaotic crowd immediately lifted. Those hiding in the city or observing from nearby villages felt their hearts pound with even greater anxiety.
Could it be that after holding back for so long, the Red Lantern Society and the Truth Sect would finally have their decisive confrontation tonight?
Amidst their worries, they saw both sides rapidly approaching the Blood Food Storage. Coming from Zhu Men Town were about a dozen Incense Burners, all mounted on tall horses, with the one in the lead carrying a red lantern on a pole.
From Mingzhou Prefecture, however, a contingent of easily more than a hundred people arrived.
At their very head was a tall, imposing man in a brocade robe. His face was stern, radiating an natural air of authority. He rode a bull with fur as red as blazing flames, a sword strapped to his waist.
Beside him were four Altar Masters, each holding a green banner, two protectors in scarlet cloaks, guards clad in silver armor armed with bows and swords, and a group of nobles from Mingzhou Prefecture who had come to watch the commotion, craning their necks nervously.
Among them, several figures were clearly dressed in official attire, apparently Mingzhou Prefecture officials.
Arriving before the chaos, over two hundred feet away, and seeing the combatants mangled like bloody gourds, the Heavenly Destiny General’s face showed a hint of displeasure.
"Great General, please do not be angry."
At this, an Altar Master holding a green banner stepped forward and called out, "I request a command! Allow me to lead a force to annihilate these ignorant Blood Food Gang ruffians!"
"Do not cause more trouble."
The Heavenly Destiny General slowly exhaled, raising a hand to stop him. He then coolly glanced over the disorder. The Red Fire Bull beneath him took a few slow steps forward. Then, he slowly raised both hands, clasped them in a salute, and said,
"Gentlemen, and good friends of the Red Lantern Society, we have always treated each other with courtesy. If there’s an issue, we can discuss it. Why let a small misunderstanding harm our peaceful relations?"
"..."
He spoke with a powerful voice and a sincere attitude. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚
But as his words left his mouth, winds suddenly gathered, and a fierce gale arose as if from nowhere.
If one looked at him then, it would seem as if rolling black clouds filled the sky behind him, painting the entire night an inky black. An indescribably fierce wind howled from behind him, sweeping across the entire battlefield.
At this moment, by the Blood Food Storage, the fighting had reached a fever pitch, and fire qi was palpable. The Shousui men slashed at each other with their blades. Among them were many who possessed Strange Skills or wielded Magical Treasures, causing flashes of spiritual light and dense ghost qi to intertwine.
But as this fierce wind swept through, all two hundred people on the field simultaneously felt an unbearable oppression, as if a great mountain were pressing down on them from above.
The Shousui men felt an icy chill permeate their bodies, as if their surging fire qi had been doused with icy water, instantly extinguishing it along with their heated battle rage. All that remained was an invisible reverence, so profound they dared not even breathe.
Even the Magic being cast and the strange treasures flying through the air were abruptly scattered by the wind. The spiritual light on the treasures dimmed, and they fell to the ground like stones.
Sweet Potato, lurking among the crowd, saw the paper money he had scattered—which had been fluttering like a cloud of butterflies in the night sky—suddenly become incredibly heavy, each note plummeting to the ground with a RUSTLE. His small face changed in alarm.
Not only did the battlefield instantly transform from a scene of clamorous intensity to one of dull gloom, but those who had been fiercely fighting grew unsettled, their faces paling as they dropped their weapons.
Even the Incense Burners rushing from Zhu Men Town raised their sleeves to shield their faces. The red lantern they carried on a pole seemed to dim, overwhelmed by the gale.
At this moment, untold numbers of talented individuals from the Mingzhou Prefecture area, drawn by the fierce battle, were awestruck by this display of power. They lost their composure, pondering: Can it be that the Heavenly Destiny General truly possesses the Mandate of Heaven? That with a simple clasped-fist salute, he can make a hundred men abandon their weapons?
But at that very moment, while the people from Mingzhou Prefecture were smiling, as if witnessing the Heavenly Destiny General completely cowing the entire assembly, the red lantern—though dimmed by the gale—swayed a few times and then stabilized. Instead of fading, it grew brighter, shimmering even more intensely than before and casting an increasingly eerie light.
The shocked and pale faces around were illuminated. The red lantern, standing firm against the night and the fierce wind, seemed to hold its ground. Even the Incense Burners under its glow tightened their reins.
The fierce wind silently weakened and slowly vanished, leaving only the ghostly and venerable red lantern floating in the night.
Everyone around sensed something was amiss. Looking at the red lantern again, their eyes gradually filled with astonishment and alarm. "The Red Lantern Lady’s stance is unexpectedly firm? How deep is her Mana?"
"She can withstand my Mana?"
The Heavenly Destiny General, mounted on the Red Fire Bull, suddenly showed a change in expression. "Wasn’t it said that the Red Lantern Lady was merely a minor case god? How can she possess such immense incense?"
"This... I fear even a Prefecture God’s incense would only be of this magnitude..."
"..."
Amidst the countless fearful inquiries, the Red Lantern Lady quietly illuminated her surroundings, somewhat bewildered. "Huh?"
