Twilight Boundary-Chapter 587 - 578 Ransom Money

"Did the descendants of the Hu Family go mad?"

Now, as a bloody storm erupted, Hu Ma could also imagine the commotion within this Path was immense.

If it really were some Mountain Spirit, killing it would just be killing it, perhaps incurring some karmic debt in the grand scheme of things, but living people wouldn't concern themselves with such matters. However, of those recorded in the Hundred Demons Record, even those meriting only four or five words, could any of them be considered simple?

Being listed in the Hundred Demons Record at least proved that, over twenty years, within a state's Prefecture, they were exceptionally outstanding, noteworthy enough to gain attention from higher-ups. For instance, if Little Red Lantern hadn't become a case god, it would still have been recorded there.

And how could the killing of such a spirit go undetected by people within the Path?

Obviously, in a territory like Mingzhou, no one yet dared to stop the Zhensui Mansion's Great sword catching sect from their killing spree. But as more heads rolled and the news spread, it sparked widespread displeasure outside, with many even secretly whispering about it:

"How audacious! What is this young master of the Hu Family doing?"

"Establishing dominance?"

"The whole world knows your Zhensui Mansion is desperately short-handed—so short that you disregard Path and background, even allowing Mountain Spirits to serve. So short that you'd kill your own relatives to enforce these rules."

"It's understandable that you're summoning ghosts again now. But instead of offering them high positions and generous stipends, you've unleashed a murderous rampage. Aren't you afraid of provoking public outrage?"

"..."

"..."

"So what if it angers everyone?"

Aunt Zhang had warned him about such sentiments, but Hu Ma only sneered. "They're allowed to have their vast families and thriving businesses, but we, the Zhen Sui Hu Family, aren't allowed to smash our already broken bowl?"

He genuinely didn't take it to heart. In fact, their reaction signified that he was achieving his goal. What did those few he'd killed earlier even amount to?

Practicing Juehu was not just something the Qingyuan Hu Family did; these people took advantage of Zhensui Mansion being closed for twenty years to gather spirits and ghosts under their own banners. Isn't that also an act of Juehu?

He had deliberately chosen targets that were close by and less skilled, making them easy to kill and quickly build momentum. Later, the individuals on the list given to Sweet Potato were also those who seemed less intelligent, meaning killing them would likely cause fewer complications.

Now, with this momentum established, it was the perfect time for him to truly exert his strength.

Now, he just needed to see who would be the first to step forward. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

And just as Hu Ma finished explaining these matters, someone indeed stepped forward quickly. Aunt Zhang was performing her usual ritual of setting up the altar, meticulously recording all those who remained unbound or disrespectful to the altar. However, some were too far away, and their numbers too great, making it impossible to kill them all in time.

But on this particular day, as she set up the altar, things were different. No sooner had she chanted the curse and performed the Magic on the altar than a cold wind suddenly gusted through, extinguishing all three incense sticks. The two banners hanging on either side of the altar burst into flames with a WHOOSH.

Only after they had burned to cinders did silence return to the altar. Aunt Zhang's face had turned deathly pale, but then flushed with two patches of crimson from sheer indignation.

She had only recently hung these banners and hadn't even told Hu Ma. With so many recent deaths, she had felt the need to be more respectful, adding the banners as extra ceremony tents to lend more solemnity to the altar.

But now, the banners had been burned?

This was a blatant show of disrespect, not just a refusal to attend, but a direct severing of ties with the altar.

This is bad...

She wanted to notify Hu Ma immediately but hesitated, knowing the Shopkeeper's temper. If he heard about this, wouldn't he go on another killing spree?

But just then, a hazy black fog suddenly swirled up outside the altar. Faintly, from within the fog, came the sounds of pipes and drums, heading straight for the altar. Aunt Zhang quickly straightened up, watching intently.

She understood instantly: the entities she had summoned to the altar hadn't arrived, but something else, using the altar's oil lamp as a beacon, was making its way over.

Huh?

As she was pondering, a procession with ceremony tents emerged from the darkness, advancing towards the front of the altar. They paused, slightly taken aback, seemingly having expected to arrive at the Zhensui Mansion, not at such a simple Magic Altar set up by a rural Walking Ghost Aunt.

At the head of the procession was a little ghost dressed in funeral clothes. Its face was painted a ghastly white, its lips a vivid red. It was tall and gaunt, swaying as it walked, yet it carried itself with an air of great importance, a paper fan in its hand.

It wobbled its way to the front of the Magic Altar but did not kneel. It seemed to stand a head taller than Aunt Zhang, who was seated on the altar. With a snap of its fan, the surrounding music of the procession ceased. The little ghost bowed to Aunt Zhang on the altar and said, "Grandma on the altar, I am from the Yan Family of Guazhou's Iron Gate. I wish to speak on behalf of Old Master Chun Sheng of the Three-Eyed Pavilion at White Sand Lake in Guazhou City. Old Master Chun Sheng was indeed named by the Zhensui Mansion in the past, but he has since turned over a new leaf and now dedicates himself wholeheartedly to the welfare of the people."

"My Old Master also admires his benevolence, kindness, and broad knowledge, and has befriended him. Although the Zhensui Mansion has re-emerged, Old Master Chun Sheng genuinely does not wish to commit any more sins by killing. Therefore, my Old Master has ordered me to deliver this ransom money."

"I also have a few words I wish to convey personally to the Master of Zhensui Mansion, Old Master Hu. Please, Grandma of the altar, kindly make the introduction..."

"..."

"Ransom money?"

Aunt Zhang frowned, her gaze fixed on the little ghost with its remarkably imposing air. Her frown deepened. She had set up the altar to summon ghosts, and while those she called hadn't come, ransom money had arrived instead. This was quite unexpected.

The crucial part was that this little ghost had arrived with ceremony tents and now even wanted to meet the Master of Zhensui Mansion?

That couldn't happen. Even I... haven't officially met him.

She had previously helped people in the countryside by expelling evil and settling spirits, encountering many dangerous situations, but nothing as complex as this. With a growing sense of unease, she glanced towards Seventh Aunt beside her. "Old Master Hu is... busy, but a person of Reason from my Zhensui clan is here."

"Reason?"

Seventh Aunt, who had been puffing on her pipe with a vacant expression, started when Aunt Zhang looked at her. "Ah? Me?"

Even the lanky little ghost turned. After looking Seventh Aunt up and down and evidently recognizing her origins, he frowned slightly and stepped forward.

He had intended to offer a full salute, but seeing Seventh Aunt's dazed and bewildered appearance, he found it difficult to muster much respect and settled for a half-bow. "Immortal above, please listen to the words of this humble ghost, Hua Ping'er."

"My Old Master often says that Heaven values all life. The Zhensui Mansion exists merely to guard the balance of yin and yang and prevent the people of the world from breaking the rules. Ultimately, its purpose is to deter those unruly Mountain Spirits and wild ghosts, to prevent them from harboring harmful intentions."

"Now that Mr. Chun Sheng has genuinely reformed, my Old Master is also willing to invite him into the Yan Family's Ancestral Hall, to enshrine him as a family protector god. He will receive our Yan Family's incense and protect our family's fortunes. We implore Master Zhensui to be merciful, to make an exception, accept this ransom money, and strike his name from your list."

"From this day forward, please do not summon him at this Walking ghost altar again!"

"..."

He prattled on, his words flowing like a river, but Seventh Aunt hadn't understood a thing.

Her expression was one of utter confusion. "Why?"

This single question seemed to stun the ghost. Unwilling to elaborate further, he merely frowned and said, "After all I've said, does the Immortal still not understand?"

"Understood, understood," Seventh Aunt insisted stubbornly, glancing at the chests carried by the two ghost shadows behind him. "I understood from the start. You're here to pay ransom money, right?"

The ghost paused, then slowly nodded. "Yes."

Seventh Aunt's expression grew even more perplexed. "And why should we?"

This question instantly stumped the ghost. He hesitated, then said, "I've already explained..."

"And what good is that?" Seventh Aunt retorted. "Who asked you for ransom that you brought it here? If you come to my house to buy tofu, you have to ask if it's for sale first. Who just throws down money and leaves? Does the Hu Family owe you something?"

"..."

"You..."

The ghost was genuinely taken aback by Seventh Aunt's words. He wanted to explain further but suddenly realized this yellow skin was tricky to deal with. The Walking Ghost Aunt on the altar beside them remained silent, showing no intention of introducing him to the Master of Zhensui Mansion. So, he simply chuckled. "Immortal, just deliver my words. Old Master Hu will surely understand. I'll leave the ransom money here, and please also present my Old Master's name card. Farewell!"

With that, he cupped his hands, unwilling to say more, turned, and vanished with a gust of eerie wind.

Was I, Seventh Aunt, being unreasonable?

Seventh Aunt was getting flustered. She stood up and shouted in the direction he had disappeared, "Whose household does he belong to, acting so rudely?"

The more Aunt Zhang thought about it, the more something felt wrong. The creature had kept claiming to be a 'little ghost,' but in all her years as a walking ghost, she had never seen a ghost like that. She quickly rose from the altar, picked up the name card from one of the chests, and read it.

"Yan Family of Guazhou's Iron Gate..."

She mulled it over, and a vague memory surfaced. Though she was a rural walking ghost, her years of travel had given her some worldly knowledge. Her expression changed several times. "Is this the Yan Family, one of the three great families of East Village Road?"

"This is bad..."

"..."

Seventh Aunt, still puzzled, was about to speak when a voice suddenly cut through the darkness from the side, "The three great families of East Village Road?"

"So, not one of the Ten Surnames, then..."

"..."

With this voice, Hu Ma emerged from the shadows, a bluish-green, fanged head dangling from his hand. He tossed it into the basket beside the altar, then took the name card from Aunt Zhang. After a cursory glance, he threw it back onto the chest.

He said lightly, "Send the chest, along with this name card, back to them!"

"Additionally..." He thought for a moment, then drew a copper coin from his pocket and added lightly, "Send this Copper Coin along too, so they can't accuse us of lacking etiquette!"