Twilight Boundary-Chapter 745 - 736: Hu Family Identity

"Is there a second disaster?"

The sudden change startled both Immortal Miaoshan and Fourth Miss Zhou. They had just dispersed to guard against an attack on Hu Ma from an unexpected direction. Fourth Miss Zhou felt helpless, while Immortal Miaoshan swung her horsetail whisk and began to calculate with her fingers. But in her haste, the calculations went awry. The more chaotic they became, the more anxious she grew, until she could make no sense of them at all. Sweat beaded on her forehead. "What is this thing? It's so powerful!"

Meanwhile, Bean Official, who stood beside her, immediately grasped the situation and slapped his thigh in dismay. "This is bad! The Master has probably fallen into someone's trap."

Amidst this shock and suspicion, the snake—or the footless lord, as it was also known—had already swum swiftly to a spot not far from Hu Ma.

Ever since emerging from its lair, it had wandered aimlessly, unsure of how it arrived, its purpose, or its destination. Other disaster creatures that came into the world had a clear objective, but this one was the most confused. Now, after an unknown period of wandering, it had finally found someone. Overjoyed, its tail began to tremble, and it swam faster the closer it got to Hu Ma.

As it approached, a vicious wind rose from all directions, and black clouds pressed down upon the mountains. The ominous aura of disaster intensified, more than ten times heavier than before.

"It's that twelfth path of disaster!"

The moment the snake drew near, Hu Ma suddenly understood.

He knew this feeling all too well. Once, in Old Yin Mountain, eleven paths of disaster had threatened the borders. The mountains then were shrouded in an obscuring mist, creating this very same oppressive atmosphere.

But at that time, the mountain lord had brought all the pond gods to block them. The eleven paths of disaster couldn't penetrate the mountain and never got close. Now, however, Hu Ma was almost face to face with one. The ominous change in the heavens brought by this disaster creature, and the eerie pressure it exuded, felt even greater than during the Old Yin Mountain incident.

This creature didn't return to its lair? he thought with surprise.

This twelfth path of disaster had also been summoned using the Meng Family's name. Logically, when the Meng Family fell, it should have also retreated somewhat. Once sated, it should have naturally returned to its lair. Why was it still wandering about? And by sheer coincidence, it bumped into me right here?

Suspicion bloomed in his heart, but he had no time for careful consideration. The closer the strange snake approached, the more a heavy drowsiness overcame him, as if the very sky above was collapsing.

Dealing with this creature presented an extremely tricky problem. This disaster creature was not a demon; it couldn't be fought or killed, only blocked or evaded. Caught off guard and utterly unprepared, he had no means to counter it.

He watched as the snake swam to within thirty feet, tilting its head to inspect him. The sight made his scalp tingle.

This thing is powerful. Eleven paths of disaster were enough to annihilate the Meng Family. I'm facing just one. How could I possibly fare any better?

Without hesitation, Hu Ma thought of the black bag in his hand.

That mad son-in-law who brought fortune to the Sun Family... he guessed this would happen...

By now, how could he not understand? Thinking back, that mad son-in-law had been genuinely considerate. The Disaster Bag he had given him was truly capable of saving his life. He had long foreseen that of the twelve paths of disaster, only eleven would return to their lairs. One would remain, and Hu Ma would inevitably encounter it. Therefore, he had left this bag specifically for collecting such a disaster.

But perhaps because he was genuinely mad, his words were disjointed, and he hadn't explained things clearly.

As this realization dawned, the doctor's cold smile and words flashed through Hu Ma's mind...

He now faced an incredibly difficult dilemma.

Collecting this twelfth path of disaster was, in theory, very simple: he just needed to use the Disaster Bag against it.

But if he wanted to use the Disaster Bag to deal with the snake, he would have to release the toothless group from within it. The villagers he had just saved would die instantly.

They had indeed suffered this unwarranted disaster because of the Hu Family. Moreover, he had already revived them. If they died again, the debt would undoubtedly fall upon the Hu Family. Yet, if he protected the villagers, he himself would be ensnared by this twelfth path of disaster.

No wonder that doctor looked at me with such cold, eerie, and sneering eyes.

The trolley problem? he thought. Only a Reincarnator could concoct such a diabolically clever trap!

"Do you still not understand?"

Just then, from afar, Calculation had already run into the mountains. Seeing the swirling black winds ahead and the emergence of a powerful disaster creature, he dared not approach. Instead, he fished out his precious little flag from his crotch, unfurling it to cover his face. He didn't dare open his eyes but shouted loudly in Hu Ma's direction, "They're trying to alter your Hu Family's destiny!"

"So that's how it is..."

Hu Ma only vaguely heard his words, but in that instant, clarity struck him.

If he hadn't gone to the Bridge earlier for a look, he might not have understood Calculation's words now. On the Bridge, he had seen that he bore three fates, intertwined and seemingly stitched into a single existence. Previously, Nu'er Hong had attempted to assassinate him to seize his Immortal Fate—the Lao Junmei Fate. But she had failed, leaving a nail behind.

That nail prevented him from using the Great Mighty Heaven Master General Dharma Form. However, because he had seized the fourth incense stick, his connection to that fate had deepened.

He had initially thought this second assassination attempt would also target his Great Mighty Heaven Master General Dharma Form. Unexpectedly, they had taken the opposite approach.

Are they using this disaster creature to force me to abandon the destiny of the Hu Family descendants?

"Have you figured it out?"

When Calculation had come forward to shout that reminder to Hu Ma, the lurking Fall and Hit Wine hadn't intervened. Now, however, her voice, laced with laughter, drifted unsettlingly from the shadows into Hu Ma's ears:

"The Daluo Dharma Sect created a monster like you. However, we hold no personal grudge against you, and we know you were unaware of the circumstances beforehand. This doesn't have to be a fight to the death. You still have a way out!"

"The lives of these villagers are tied to the Hu Family's karma. What concern is that of yours now?"

"If you're truly intelligent, you'd understand that some karmic debts are too heavy to bear. Why not seize this chance? Abandon the Hu Family's destiny and break free from the Daluo Dharma Sect's control. Perhaps then you can return to being that free and unfettered Reincarnator you once were."

"We haven't publicly revealed your identity yet. If you renounce your Hu Family identity, you might be able to keep this secret hidden forever..."

"..." 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Abandon the Hu Family identity? Her words struck Hu Ma with a sense of absurdity. Can it really be done like that?

These villagers faced this calamity because they followed the Hu Family's orders to perform the sacrificial ceremony for the pond god. He had to bear this karma because he *was* a Hu.

So, if I abandon these villagers now, it's tantamount to abandoning my Hu Family identity? And by doing so, I could retain only my Reincarnator identity and follow the path of other Reincarnators?

The phrase "carefree and unfettered" was undeniably tempting, yet he dismissed the underlying proposition without a second's hesitation.

To a Reincarnator, the Hu Family identity and its karma were indeed trivial—merely a guise, an identity adopted for this world.

But for him, it was different.

He took a deep breath. His thoughts raced, and a grim look settled in his eyes. "I myself am unclear about the past," he said, "but borrowing the world's incense was my doing."

"Did you expend so much Mana and orchestrate this entire trap just to watch me make a fool of myself?"

"..."

His voice was low, but he could no longer suppress the rising tide within him.

The Toothless Lord inside the black Disaster Bag remained docile. The strange snake, however, after much probing and circling, still seemed uncertain.

After all, this was a far cry from the Meng Family's meticulous disaster invitations. Hu Ma had merely borrowed the identity of the Meng Family's Fourth Old Master, with Xiang's aid, to make a haphazard request. It was intended only as the final straw to break the Meng Family's back. Thus, unlike other disaster creatures that arrived in this world with a clear target and a designated deliverer, this one lacked clear direction.

Yet, however confused, it had now confirmed its connection to Hu Ma and coiled itself up without hesitation, ready to strike.

The next moment, the disaster creature pounced.

Just as it coiled, Hu Ma suddenly shook the black Disaster Bag in his hand. The Toothless Lord tumbled out, chattering wildly, its form instantly wreathed in surging disaster energy as it prepared to pounce on the villagers.

From the shadows, the doctor watched Hu Ma release the Disaster Rat, and a cold smile touched his lips.

In the end, he still chose to save his own life first, didn't he?

"..."

But the doctor hadn't expected this: after releasing the disaster from the bag, Hu Ma didn't flee. Instead, he advanced directly towards the Toothless Lord.

The snake, now agitated, shot towards Hu Ma with a SWOOSH! Its movement stirred the eerie mountain winds, causing them to swirl and sway. Hu Ma, holding the empty Disaster Bag in his right hand, deftly caught the strange snake and sealed it inside.

Simultaneously, the Toothless Lord, which had been released from the bag and was about to rush the villagers, found itself caught in Hu Ma's lightning-fast grip, held tightly in his hand.

He could feel an intensely cold and malevolent aura emanating from the creature. The mere act of holding it sent this sensation rapidly spreading up his arm and throughout his body.

The Toothless Lord's attention instantly shifted from the villagers to Hu Ma.

It opened its sharp-toothed maw, exuding an indescribable, skin-crawling eeriness.

Fourth Miss Zhou had merely kicked it once, and her shoe had nearly been incinerated due to fear of contamination from the disaster aura. Yet now, Hu Ma grasped it directly, absorbing all of its power into himself, leaving not a trace behind.

In that instant, the world fell silent. All creation seemed to hold its breath. Even the doctor was stunned into silence.

It seemed no one had anticipated Hu Ma's actions at this critical moment.

"Then I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you," Hu Ma said. With the Disaster Bag in his right hand, he kept the strange snake trapped, while his left hand firmly gripped the Toothless Lord. His voice was resolute and grim. "I will bear the debt for this village's people."

"Just as the pond gods shielded me from disaster, I too will shield them!"

"Destiny has its weight. I want to see if my life truly is more valuable than all those villagers' lives combined!"

"..."

As he spoke, a torrent of disaster energy engulfed him. An unprecedented pressure bore down, threatening to crush Hu Ma instantly.