Twilight Boundary-Chapter 518 - 510 Truth Sect Followers

"Li, I need to return to Dayang Village to see Second Master. You don’t have to come with me; just stay here at the Manor and keep an eye on things."

The next morning, Hu Ma sought out Li, giving careful instructions. "Just remember, something might happen soon. If you can reason with them, don’t resort to force. If you really have to fight, remember to prioritize your own life. If something truly serious happens, go find Seventh Aunt and ask for her advice."

"For you, the most important thing is to watch over our Manor. Before I return, no one is allowed inside."

Li was puzzled. "No one at all?"

"That’s right," Hu Ma replied. "Even the Red Lantern Lady is not allowed to enter."

Li immediately straightened up respectfully and looked at the warehouse Hu Ma had them clean out yesterday. It was now secured with a large lock, and a yellow talisman was affixed to the main door.

Even though it was just an inconspicuous yellow talisman, its presence felt menacing. Li hastily nodded seriously, taking note of this matter. Although Hu Ma didn’t explain why, Li had long since learned to handle things.

Hu Ma felt a bit helpless. Having too much Blood Food was a real hassle...

If the Blood Food gathered from this endeavor had been a small amount, he could have found a hidden place to store it, just like the 2,000 Jin of Blood Food he’d promised to Sweet Potato. He had already found a place overnight, buried it, and informed her of the location. Actually, it was not a new place at all, but the grave where the Tan’er Sect had originally hidden Blood Food, which was now empty. Hu Ma had hidden a jar inside.

The full amount of 2,000 Jin of Blood Food was indeed given. In the past, there was no rush to cure Sweet Potato’s leg, lest she cause trouble. But seeing the Reincarnator’s predicament now, Hu Ma thought it was better for her to be nimble.

However, the remaining Blood Food, being such a large quantity, was difficult to manage. So, he left it in the warehouse. Every nook and cranny, inside and out, was covered with talismans. The main door was secured with a Chains Character talisman. If anyone approached and tried to open it, they would be restrained and pinned in place by the talisman power.

But the other walls, the roof, and even the floor were covered with killing character talismans. Anyone attempting to spy would be in trouble.

After detailing the instructions, Hu Ma said to Li, "Additionally, organize a banquet, cook a pot of brown sugar eggs, and invite Seventh Aunt over. I’m hosting her for lunch today."

"Also, arrange to purchase a few cartloads of grain to transport back to the village later."

Li agreed to everything at once and hurried off.

Not long after, the food and wine were prepared and brought into Hu Ma’s inner courtyard hall. They shut the door and sealed the windows, allowing not even a sliver of light to enter. Yet, candles were lit on the table, illuminating the scene.

This was the proper etiquette for inviting Seventh Aunt for a meal, as she was a spirit by origin. Normally, entertaining her meant hosting in the evening. Of course, with her current cultivation, she wasn’t afraid of coming out during the day, but in daylight, she could easily reveal her true form, which would be a loss of face.

In other words, only Hu Ma could invite Seventh Aunt for drinks at midday with just a word.

"Oh my, Little Shopkeeper, you’re finally back..."

Just as noon approached, the faint sounds of drums and gongs echoed from outside. A gust of chill wind swept into the corner of the room, and then Seventh Aunt emerged from the shadows, visibly excited to see Hu Ma. "It’s been quite unsettled around here lately!"

"I just returned the day before yesterday, and now I have to leave again today. Isn’t it only right to quickly invite Seventh Aunt for a couple of drinks?"

Hu Ma chuckled, not mentioning that he had already seen Seventh Aunt when he first returned. He simply asked, "Why is it so unsettled?"

"Isn’t it because a bunch of people came waving banners?"

Seventh Aunt replied, "I don’t think that group of people is up to any good!"

"Although they acted politely, even bowing to an old woman like me, the more I looked at them, the more I felt an inexplicable evil aura."

"Their actions are also puzzling. As soon as they arrived, they wouldn’t let the Red Lantern Society folks handle matters for the villagers. Instead, they took over. And no matter if it involved spirits or other evils, things quieted down as soon as they stepped in."

"According to them, it’s because their banners uphold certain principles. With reason being paramount, it supposedly suppressed those little ghosts and spirits. Yet, it seemed more like a heavy evil aura to me..."

"As soon as they approached, not just the spirits causing trouble, but even those in the graves were too scared to show their heads..."

Seventh Aunt rambled on. "Moreover, although they claimed to be expelling evil and ensuring safety, it always felt like there was more to it. Out of the blue, the moment they arrived, they started measuring fields and inquiring about the number of households in the village."

"Sometimes, under the guise of investigating matters for people, they’d slip into houses and ask how much silver was there, how much grain was stored, and even peek into people’s urns..."

"They put on a courteous front, but the more polite they acted, the more unsettling it felt. There was once a banner carrier I approached, and I heard someone crying from inside his stomach..."

"Someone crying from inside his stomach?"

Hu Ma slightly furrowed his brow, a guess forming in his mind, while lamenting to himself, What kind of person has my distant relative chosen to vie for this Emperor...

Previously, he had heard from Calculation about the origin of this sect. It seemed that killing good people to increase their cultivation was their modus operandi.

Of course, that was something their sect’s ancestors did long ago.

"These are all small matters."

Hu Ma listened and then raised his cup to Seventh Aunt. "I invited you over, Seventh Aunt, precisely to discuss these things."

"Our territory has always been peaceful. The few disturbances before were dealt with. Now, there are no major ghosts, but these evil cultists have moved in. No matter how fierce or arrogant they might be, we don’t care. But if they break the rules, we can’t tolerate them."

"This matter still requires your utmost attention, Seventh Aunt!"

"Keep an extra watch here. If the surrounding neighbors encounter problems and seek help, please stand up for them."

Seventh Aunt replied, as if it were a matter of course, "Does that even need saying? I’m just itching to thrash them with my shoe sole..."

In the past, while following Hu Ma, Seventh Aunt had even whipped the Five Evil Gods. Now, facing this group of Truth Sect evil cultists didn’t intimidate her. However, what made her uncomfortable now was the wicked aura these people exuded, even while they meticulously followed the rules.

She’d had no opportunity to act once or twice, and now her patience was nearly worn thin.

"If it’s a ghost, it will eventually show its true skin; if it’s a fox, it will eventually reveal its tail."

Hu Ma chuckled. "Sooner or later, they won’t be able to hold back. You don’t need to show them any deference, Seventh Aunt."

"Additionally..."

As he spoke, he gestured to the Punishment Officer’s Great Saber placed on the nearby table. "I will leave this saber here."

"If they don’t know their place, teach them a lesson as you see fit. If they still refuse to listen and try to argue with you, then don’t spare their feelings. Take my saber back, and you won’t need to concern yourself with the rest."

"Good, good..."

Seventh Aunt was overjoyed upon hearing this. She looked again at the saber and sighed, "It would probably take both San and Si to lift it!"

The banquet left Seventh Aunt thoroughly satisfied, and she ended up sleeping in the firewood stacks outside in broad daylight.

Fortunately, everyone in this area now knew that yellow skins were Immortals and dared not provoke them; otherwise, she could have encountered danger.

By the afternoon, the grain Li had been tasked with purchasing was brought back in two cartloads. Li couldn’t help but complain, "There haven’t been any disasters or famines, and the new grain just came in a few days ago. So why is grain so expensive now?"

"It’s much dearer than last year. We in the Blood Food Gang are losing face. If I had known this would happen, why bother harvesting Blood Food? Just farming could get someone a small house and a bride back in the village."

"It’s gotten expensive?"

Hu Ma listened, not surprised, as it matched the information he had gathered. He merely sighed. Li is still thinking too simply; even with high grain prices, farmers won’t profit.

"No need to give it to me. Hire a few carters to deliver the grain back to the village. I won’t wait; I’ll set off first."

Hu Ma made arrangements with Li, then waited until nightfall. Under the cover of dusk, as shadows deepened, he first went outside the Manor. Ensuring no one was around, he began to perform his magic—stomping gently, and the two Heaven Measuring Boots appeared on his feet.

But this time, he didn’t forget Little Hongtang. He picked her up and placed her on his shoulder, holding a large jar in his arms.

This jar contained Blood Food Hu Ma had taken from the large urns, their supply for the journey ahead.

Accompanied by twilight, he strode off, heading into the Old Yin Mountain region. Yet, before heading back to Dayang Village, he paused, deciding to take a detour first to the place where Yang Gong was now living as a son-in-law.

This was his first visit, but in Old Yin Mountain, he had no fear of getting lost. With the mountain lord watching over everything, even the flowers and plants along the path could guide him.

From a distance, in a mountain hollow, he spotted Yang Gong’s current home and was inwardly surprised. Despite it being completely dark, the village of about a hundred households was brightly lit.

On the hard ground, packed firm by stone rollers, two to three hundred village heroes, stripped to the waist, were practicing battlefield combat skills under the light from nearby fire basins and torches, their grunts of effort echoing.

Holding rattan shields in their left hands and knives or spears in their right, they trained with notable coordination.

The family that chose Yang Gong as a son-in-law must have quite an extraordinary background...

Hu Ma did not disturb anyone, merely walking quietly around the village, and a clearer picture began to form in his mind.

Outside the village were stables. Within the village of about a hundred households, there were some ten blacksmith shops. In several conspicuously larger and taller houses, armor hung on the walls, indicating that the ancestors of these villagers likely had a distinguished past.

Leveraging a previous bandit attack, they had gathered the young and able-bodied men from the surrounding villages and had been training and preparing ever since!

Such a foundation might surpass that of many jianghu sects, yet the mountain lord still considers it insufficient?

Sighing softly to himself, Hu Ma decided against meeting Yang Gong just then. He turned to leave, intending to continue towards Dayang Village. However, just as he was about to lift his leg, a chilling wind swept towards him.

In the pitch-black night, a ball of black mist rolled to his feet. A head kowtowed to the ground, and a voice exclaimed joyfully, "Auspicious greetings, Old Master Hu!"