Twilight Boundary-Chapter 658 - 649: Retribution for Injustice

With a shout, Third Master Zhang even raised his whip, scolding harshly and causing the creature's face to turn deathly pale.

Suddenly, it flipped over, pulling a black, dull nail from its tattered robe. Its face showed an aggrieved expression, but its hands acted without the slightest hesitation.

With a SQUELCH, it drove the nail into its own shoulder. Simultaneously, Mr. Longjing, who had just finished preparing the second talisman arrow, felt his own left shoulder split open as blood began to seep out.

"Evil spirit! Demon spawn! Do you see this grand gift the Zhang family has sent you?"

Third Master Zhang was eager to capture Mr. Longjing's full attention. His face was ghastly as he shouted, "You might think this is a Creation Technique, and while that's not entirely false, he is also made from your own flesh and blood—an evil object among evil objects, an abomination among abominations!"

"But even this beast is of your bloodline!"

"You still dream of escaping the Zhang family's grasp, harboring malicious intentions? From the moment you entered the Zhang family, this dog chain has been fastened around your neck."

"With this beast here, you shall never achieve true freedom!"

Facing his fury, Mr. Longjing was clearly affected, his gaze seemingly weak as he looked at Third Master Zhang. Slowly, he said, "I have studied numerous participating techniques, but I have indeed never learned such an Evil Skill. You..."

"You don't understand, do you?"

On the wooden boat, Third Master Zhang leaned forward, stepping on the gunwale. He said grimly, "It seems you, evil spirit, are not all-knowing."

"I'll tell you, this creature... was originally your son."

Mr. Longjing's pupils trembled slightly. "What?"

"You perhaps thought that because you participated in severing the imperial mandate of the Yi Dynasty, your sins were so grave that you were destined to be childless?"

Third Master Zhang's voice was even more eerie than the wailing of ghosts in the underworld. "But that foolish girl from my Zhang family... she thought far too much of you."

"Simply because you unintentionally mentioned this matter to her, she, who should have told us about it long ago, instead became obsessed. She was determined to bear you a son, because she knew that only by having this son would the Zhang family tolerate you, and only then would you willingly stay."

"She revered and loved you so deeply, even claiming you were no ordinary mortal and were destined to achieve Immortal Ascension one day!"

"Indeed, your sins run deep. You were abandoned by the Heavenly Duke, unworthy of a son. Yet, she journeyed to the Blessed Hut, kowtowing with every step as she prayed her way up the mountain, seeking blessings. She begged for this son for you. But who could be fooled by such actions?"

"Once she had this son, there was then a way for countless vengeful souls, all eager to inhabit this blood-fetus..."

"And so, your son became... like this."

As he spoke, Third Master Zhang's voice sounded like something from a nightmare. "You yourself are an evil spirit who achieved life through possession. Now, your son is also possessed by an evil spirit. I only ask you... how does that feel?"

The world was utterly silent, devoid of any sound save for his chilling voice, which seemed to drift down from above, pressing into everyone's ears.

At that moment, even Hu Ma felt a heavy shock in his heart. Filled with worry, he looked towards the Divine Descent Platform.

On the Divine Descent Platform, Mr. Longjing stood motionless, having even forgotten to prepare the second talisman arrow. He seemed completely unaware as countless grievances from the many vindictive souls and fierce ghosts he had awakened in the City of the Dead wrapped around him.

His face grew paler. He suddenly began to cough violently, and after a few coughs, a mouthful of blood surged from his chest, soaking the front of his robes.

When he raised his head, his pale face was filled with bewilderment. "She... she did all this?"

"Senior..."

Listening to Third Master Zhang's words, Hu Ma could no longer contain the flames of anger rising within him. A trace of worry appeared in his eyes. "Senior, you..."

"That..."

Mr. Longjing seemed unable to hear Hu Ma's words. His eyes stared blankly at the creature beside him. "That... that was supposed to be my son?"

"GA-GA..." The creature, ignorant and unfeeling, grew even more excited upon seeing Mr. Longjing look its way. Already covered in blood, it suddenly pulled out the nail and began to stab itself repeatedly. Each thrust sent a jolt of pain through it, making it shriek, but this was immediately followed by crazed laughter as it stabbed itself with even greater force. Simultaneously, countless wounds appeared on Mr. Longjing's body, and blood gushed out.

"I personally entered the underworld to find this unforgivable resentful ghost for you—one that would possess the blood-fetus, devour its mother, and bring misfortune to its father. Now that you've seen it, are you satisfied?"

On the wooden boat, Third Master Zhang wore a low, cruel smile. He slowly raised an eyebrow, looking down from his superior position, and said slowly, "She died giving birth to this abominable fetus. Her Divine Soul was obliterated, with no place in heaven or earth."

"And because of you, she could not be buried in the Zhang family's ancestral tomb. Because you refused to formally marry her, even after death, she was desolate and alone, with no one to depend on..."

Third Master Zhang's words, full of sarcasm, were like arrows piercing Mr. Longjing's heart. "Learning a few nightmare techniques, you think you can overturn the heavens? Simply wishful thinking!"

"The Zhang family presides over ten earth veins, maintaining stability in this world. With the Zhang family present, this world cannot descend into chaos. And the high prestige of our Zhang family's door was built up by the people of the world."

"Never mind your mere nightmare techniques; even if you brought the entire City of the Dead into the mortal world, how could it harm the Zhang family in the slightest?"

Following these arrogant words, Mr. Longjing fell silent, seemingly truly suppressed and rendered motionless.

But how could Hu Ma simply stand by and watch? He suddenly reached out to grab the creature. However, the creature, which had previously been dodging Hu Ma, now showed no concern at all, even lifting its face towards Hu Ma's approaching hand.

Hu Ma dared not kill it. Instead, he snatched the iron nail from its hand and restrained it, trying to prevent the creature from further self-harm.

Yet the creature let out a cackle like that of an Evil Ghost. Its tongue thrashed about, and a series of CRACKLING sounds came from within its body as its flesh and blood seemed to melt and consume each other.

Hu Ma, feeling an unprecedented level of anger and powerlessness, struck the creature on the head, trying to knock it unconscious. But the creature's head merely wobbled, followed by a loud GA-GA laugh. It was a soul born of possession; its body and soul were mismatched, so it couldn't be knocked unconscious.

"Brilliant..."

At that moment, Eldest Master Meng, listening with appreciation to the Zhang family's masterpiece, also realized that an opportunity had arisen. With a wave of his large sleeve, the fierce ghosts and evil spirits around him began to quietly move towards the platform.

He had confirmed that the evil spirit on the Divine Descent Platform had a chain put around its neck by the Zhang family. Therefore, this remaining evil spirit was as good as his.

However, he failed to notice that beside him, Third Master Zhang's initially sinister and savage smile was gradually giving way to an expression of surprise.

He had very much wanted to see the expression of the evil spirit on the Divine Descent Platform upon learning this secret. That wish had been fulfilled, but another doubt now arose...

No, that evil spirit was in unbearable agony, as if pierced by ten thousand arrows, but why, even now, was it not dead?

And it was only pain; there was no further deterioration?

"Help me get rid of this monster..."

Outside the Divine Descent Platform, even Hu Ma's mind had become unsettled. Just as he was thinking that these seven arrows could no longer be fired, he heard Mr. Longjing's low voice.

Startled, Hu Ma abruptly raised his head. He saw that Mr. Longjing, on the Divine Descent Platform, had also raised his head. His face was ashen, like death itself, but the wounds on his body had stopped bleeding, and his movements seemed unaffected.

Slowly, steadily, he turned to face the scarecrow, raising his blood-stained great sleeve.

"Something's wrong..."

Third Master Zhang's expression had become slightly rigid, his brows furrowing tightly. "A blood relative's grievance... why can't it harm him?"

Mr. Longjing retorted, "You only said such things to destroy my state of mind!"

Not only Third Master Zhang, but Hu Ma and the others were also curious.

But amidst the dead silence, Mr. Longjing's face was pale, his sorrow deeply concealed, yet he did not lose his composure as they had expected. "Her reverence and love for me?" he continued. "I have long known of it. Why would I need you to remind me?"

"I was unwilling to give her a marriage certificate merely because I knew my own sins were too deep, and I did not wish to implicate her..."

"But since you Zhang family insist, then let us see. If I enter the Zhang family, and the grievances of the Douyi attack all at once, how long can your Noble Zhang Family withstand it?"

"Quick... quickly stop him!" Third Master Zhang, still not entirely clear on the full reason for all this, already sensed that something was terribly amiss, as if a crucial matter had gone awry.

At this moment, Mr. Longjing faced the scarecrow and slowly bowed, his voice extraordinarily calm. "The Zhang family only made one mistake. I am not Tieguanyin. I am Longjing. It was I who performed the Nightmare Killing on the Yi Dynasty's Dou Clan, slaughtering one hundred and seventy thousand members of their royal family."

"Those connected to me by blood and karma are not tolerated by heaven and earth, and are cursed by the Dou Family for generation after generation..."

"I did not wish to marry her because I did not want her to bear this karmic burden for me. But since she no longer exists in this world, then let us see... how does your Zhang family's door compare to that of the Dou Royal Family?"

RUMBLE! As he spoke, Mr. Longjing completed his bow. In an instant, a torrential wave of resentment erupted from the City of the Dead. It attached itself to this arrow, instantly sweeping up the myriad yin souls, and then abruptly soared into the mortal world.

SWOOSH!

This arrow flew into the mortal world, landing on a small earthen mound in a desolate, grassy spot, unmarked by a tombstone and not part of any ancestral graveyard.

A single tile covered the top of the mound. At this very moment, a crack appeared on the tile.

Compared to the first arrow, this one caused the least commotion. Yet, because of this arrow, the karmic threads intertwined, and the marriage contract was sealed. Mr. Longjing no longer disguised himself as Tieguanyin, hiding from the karmic retribution of heaven and earth. Instead, he openly and honorably entered the Noble Zhang Family's household.

In Shangjing, within a particularly malevolent Evil Land, over a hundred thousand members of the royal family—fierce, resentful ghosts, unwilling to depart for two hundred years—suddenly stirred with sky-shattering resentment and fury. They surged and flowed like a torrent, having found an outlet for their rage.

It was directed towards a dense forest hidden deep in the mountains, a treasured geomantic site. This was the ancestral resting place of the Noble Zhang Family's forefathers—an Imperial Mausoleum from a previous dynasty.