Twilight Boundary-Chapter 543 - 534: Momentum Like Splitting Bamboo

During the chaos caused by the Five Evil Envoys, the fortune of Mingzhou Prefecture was severely damaged; five Spiritual Treasure Lands were destroyed and turned into evil objects.

Later, Hu Ma took charge. He summoned Zhensui Mansion, decapitated the Five Evil Gods, and hunted down every Five Evil Envoy until death. Despite these efforts, the Spiritual Treasures that had already transformed into evil objects could never be restored.

Among these five blessing eyes, those that reached the level of transformation bore treasures, totaling four. One fell into the hands of Miss White Wine, one into the hands of Seventh Aunt, and the remaining two into the hands of Gua Shao.

The one she had placed in the well was precisely such an evil object, refined from a Fortune Treasure. It was originally a golden carp in a stream. Had it continued to live there, it could have made those who drank the surrounding water free from illness and joyful in spirit, turning even the most ordinary village into a small utopia.

However, when the Fortune Treasure transformed into evil, it developed a completely opposite power.

To some extent, though Hu Ma had instructed Gua Shao to do something that would cause a stir in Mingzhou Prefecture Mansion, he hadn’t expected her approach to be so grand when she actually got down to business.

Moreover, she was so willing to go all in directly...

Didn’t normal folks only pull out the big guns when facing life and death? Would you do the same just to clear a minor obstacle?

But upon realizing Gua Shao’s methods, Hu Ma felt a slight stirring inside. He suddenly thought of a few possibilities related to this Golden Carp Evil. He hurried a few steps toward the south, in the direction of Old Yin Mountain, and respectfully bowed.

He muttered silently, "Mountain Lord, I am but a mere mortal with limited perception. Please, help me once more; lend me a wisp of wind so I might listen..."

As he chanted, he drew an incense stick from his sleeve and ignited it with a fire stick. Before long, a gust of wind indeed swept unexpectedly from Old Yin Mountain, causing the incense smoke to scatter erratically.

Hu Ma tilted his ear, listening intently to the wind. Faintly, within this wind, he heard cries of slaughter and sensed the scent of blood. Though not overpowering, it carried a deeply inspiring momentum, with the pounding of drums resounding and echoing.

After a while, he lifted his head, his face full of astonishment. "Indeed..."

That kid Yang Gong really scored big this time; it’s an opportunity I never even anticipated!

Gua Shao was willing to go all out, using the Golden Carp Evil to overshadow the entirety of Mingzhou City. However, she might not have realized that by casting this malevolence, she had affected more than just Mingzhou City itself...

This malevolence was born from and spread through the water veins. It impacted everyone connected to this water source. This included not only the city dwellers who had drunk from it for generations but also anyone who had ever consumed this water.

This meant that the soldiers recruited by the Truth Sect from Mingzhou and its surrounding areas were also most likely affected by this malevolence.

This kind of malevolence could only be resisted by one’s own Life Grid, blessings, and cultivation. Additionally, its influence weakened with distance. Those soldiers had left Mingzhou Prefecture Mansion only a few days prior and were still within the boundaries of Mingzhou. Naturally, they couldn’t escape the malevolence’s impact.

Now Yang Gong, already aided by the golden and silver dolls and influenced by Zhou Datong, seized this moment to emerge triumphantly from the mountains, gathering an increasing number of skilled individuals around him.

With the Truth Sect’s forces already weakened and further affected by this malevolence, how could they possibly block his path?

Thinking this, he now had a clear idea of what to do. He immediately turned back. He saw Incense Master Xu hastily eating a few mouthfuls of food and anxiously asking where the horses were, eager to flee into the mountains to his old home for refuge.

Hu Ma, however, approached with a smile, cupping his hands and saying, "Uncle Xu, you’ve got it all wrong..."

"I know you’re worried and want to escape to the mountains. But instead of abandoning your status and position within the Red Lantern Society, and leaving behind the family business you’ve established in Zhu Men Town, why not bring the mountain here to Zhu Men Town?"

"..."

This sudden remark left Incense Master Xu bewildered. He stared at Hu Ma with a strange look for a long moment before saying, "I’m terrified, yet I haven’t lost my mind! You’re sitting here all safe and sound, yet you’ve gone more muddleheaded than I have!"

"Talking nonsense! How do you move a mountain? Do you know the Skill of mountain-moving?"

"..."

Hu Ma laughed and said, "I certainly don’t know how to move a mountain, but that doesn’t mean the mountain can’t come to us. Aren’t people charging out from Old Yin Mountain right now?"

"Are you referring to the grain bandits?" Incense Master Xu shook his head repeatedly. "A bunch of mountain farmers. What can they achieve?"

"You still don’t know? The Truth Sect is backed by the noble masters in the city. I know best how deep their pockets are and what kind of abilities they possess. Those mountain folks are rootless and without backing; they can’t achieve anything. If I had to throw my lot in with someone, I’d still choose the Truth Sect over them."

"..."

Upon hearing this, Hu Ma wasn’t surprised. Most skilled individuals in Mingzhou weren’t optimistic about Yang Gong, which was why it was so difficult for him to recruit capable people.

Of course, the Truth Sect, being outsiders and having faced recent misfortunes, couldn’t recruit anyone either.

However, he already had a plan before coming to speak. Smiling, he said to Incense Master Xu, "Hehe, Uncle Xu, for a respected Incense Master of the Red Lantern Society, your information isn’t very up-to-date..."

"Do you know who this Food-Protection General emerging from the mountains is?"

"He used to drink with us at the same table more than once. That’s Yang Gong, the former Red Fragrance disciple of the Red Lantern Society. He made a name for himself ever since he eradicated bandits around Green Stone Town. In just one short year, he has fostered an exceptional momentum in the mountains."

"Now he is leading a hundred thousand Food Protection Army out of the mountains, consistently forcing the Truth Sect’s troops to retreat. If he leads his grand army towards Zhu Men Town, what threat would the Truth Sect pose then?"

"If one day he directly takes over Mingzhou Prefecture Mansion, what would those city nobles and government officials amount to then?"

"..."

"Huh?"

Incense Master Xu indeed hadn’t known about Yang Gong’s recent situation, especially given how suddenly events had unfolded. Upon hearing Hu Ma’s narration, he was both stupefied and stunned. He blurted out, "How could that be? That kid previously refused to pay with banknotes when visiting women in the brothel, claiming it was a waste of money..."

"...You mustn’t speak such words recklessly," Hu Ma hastily reminded Incense Master Xu. "He’s quite formidable nowadays. He saw me twice and bragged three times about his affairs in the chambers."

"Moreover, Uncle Xu, don’t disbelieve me. Everyone has their own destiny. Those Red Fragrance disciples who once drank with us have indeed risen. And frankly, I also have guidance from a noble patron here..."

"Don’t underestimate this Food Protection Army just because they’ve only recently emerged from the mountains. Their momentum is fierce, far beyond what the Truth Sect’s troops can handle."

"Of course, he’s still a bit green right now. But if you can take this opportunity to act as a liaison for him with the Red Lantern Society, then when he enters the city, your contribution..."

"..."

With that, he rubbed his fingers together, leaving the rest unsaid. Incense Master Xu couldn’t fail to grasp the implication.

Sure enough, Incense Master Xu, who just moments ago was sweating profusely and desperate to escape to the mountains, now had his eyes darting about, clearly conflicted. Suddenly, he looked up at Hu Ma. "Kid, you aren’t pulling my leg, are you?"

"...He genuinely has an army of one hundred thousand?"

"..."

Hu Ma quickly waved his hand, laughing. "One hundred thousand might be a slight exaggeration, but... he definitely has three thousand, right?"

"Three thousand..." Incense Master Xu instinctively started to glare, but then he reconsidered and whispered, "Three thousand young and strong men? In our Mingzhou, that’s actually quite a lot..."

Hu Ma nodded. "Yes, and they have sufficient soldiers and provisions. The key is their fierce momentum. Haven’t you noticed how troubled and agitated the Truth Sect is? That’s because they can no longer suppress him."

"Hiss..."

This actually left Incense Master Xu in a bind. He quickly mulled it over, knowing well that if he fled, he would lose the status he had painstakingly built within the Red Lantern Society over many years. But if things were as Hu Ma described, then it was an entirely different scenario...

Steeling his heart and stomping his foot, he turned to Hu Ma. "You’re young, kid, but I trust you. I’ve been watching you since you joined. In just a few years, you’ve climbed to where you are now. It’s not just about being smart; your luck alone surpasses that of others."

"This time, I’ll listen to you."

"And it won’t be just me. Since we’re doing this, let’s call on a few old comrades. We have many good friends in the various Manors of the Red Lantern Society—allies I’ve cultivated for myself over the years using the benefits from the Red Lantern Lady..."

"..."

Saying so, Incense Master Xu truly arranged for his old servant to first escort his rather attractive concubine safely back to their old home in the mountains. Meanwhile, he burned incense to summon his ghost and then hurried off to send messages to various places.

Hu Ma, watching this, felt quite gratified. When Brother Er Guotou left Mingzhou, he had entrusted him with looking after the Red Lantern Society.

Viewed this way, I’ve really made an effort, at least I’ve wrapped things up comprehensively for him...

Then, he resolutely returned and called out loudly to Li and the others, "Pack your things! Bring out all the horses from the stables! Put on your new robes! We’re heading to Zhu Men Town to pledge our allegiance to our Red Lantern Lady!"

His heart was filled with indescribable joy, largely thanks to Sister Gua’s flawless execution. The excitement he had longed for had finally been stirred up by her, and so perfectly!

Meanwhile, in Zhu Men Town, after a whole day’s uproar, almost everyone had fled. The only ones remaining were the Left Protector, a few Red Fragrance disciples, and some ordinary White Incense disciples who were oblivious to the unfolding situation.

Even those who remained waited anxiously. They initially expected the Truth Sect to attack by midday on the first day. Yet, surprisingly, they waited all day without seeing a soul from the city. They only heard that a plague had struck inside, causing such turmoil that the city’s inhabitants were too preoccupied to deal with matters outside.

However, the attack was merely delayed by a day. Then, they heard a report from a little ghost, "They’re here, they’re here! The people from Mingzhou City are marching towards Zhu Men Town!"

Whether it was Left Protector Shen Hongzhi or the incense-burning devotees keeping watch there, they were all greatly alarmed. They hurriedly climbed the archway at Zhu Men Town’s entrance and gazed northward, witnessing a surging, malevolent wind gusting towards the town.

In the wind, green banners fluttered, and yin souls wailed, "Quell the Red Lantern, dispel the plague!"

"Daring little case god, poisoning an entire city! You deserve ten thousand deaths! The Heavenly Destiny General has personally arrived to smash your temple and obliterate your idol!"

"..."

Faced with this commotion, even Left Protector Shen Hongzhi couldn’t help but feel her knees go weak. Behind them, the Red Lantern worshipped in the temple quivered with fear, as if about to burst into tears...

PS: Recommended Book "Strange Immortal Cultivation, I Have a Five Organs Temple"

Synopsis: Shang Lu traverses into a strange, eerie immortal cultivation chaotic world, becoming a small constable within the county government.

Someone has set their eyes on all he possesses, intending to seize and steal, bringing ruin upon him.

It turns out those people would do anything to become immortal...