Twilight Boundary-Chapter 792 - 782: Paper Money Buys Life

"Hmm?"

When Hu Ma heard the State Preceptor’s words, he felt many things spiraling out of control.

The worst thing he feared had happened.

He had warned Miss White Wine when he first saw her in Shangjing City that the city was full of experts from the Ten Surnames and extremely dangerous.

Unfortunately, Miss White Wine never heeded advice, and he couldn’t force her. Now, guessing she was undoubtedly in danger, how could he not be worried?

Yet, as the pressure in his heart suddenly increased, his mind cleared slightly, as if even the violent resentment from the Meng Family Ancestor had somewhat weakened. Suddenly, he sensed an inexplicable aura. He quickly turned his head and saw a flurry of paper money drifting like snow in the distance.

In the deep night, within the deathly silent Shangjing City, the sight seemed particularly lively and grand.

"Damn..." He couldn’t help but be stunned. "Why so brazen?"

Although he had already guessed who it might be, he still found it somewhat strange. How did she get in before the appointed time?

Er Guotou was still outside the city, and he hadn’t officially sent the signal yet...

The most crucial thing was, when setting up this plan, he did ask Er Guotou to pass on a message to her: ’Do you want to see paper money covering Shangjing City?’...

But that was just an exaggerated and romantic notion!

Could she have actually made it happen?

"Have other Reincarnators snuck into Shangjing City?"

The State Preceptor also detected unusual changes in Shangjing City. He was even aware of the Undying Wang Family’s movements. However, he had no time to address them now. Slowly scattering the last handful of incense ash in his hand, he looked up.

The incense ash outlined a massive talisman on the ground. It spanned several dozen yards, trapping Hu Ma inside.

"You still think of others at a time like this?"

There was exasperation in the State Preceptor’s words, even a touch of mockery.

No matter how proficient his Qi Cultivation Skills were, he couldn’t suppress his anger. He had planned for twenty years, everything prepared for the Ten Surnames’ return to the Capital. Who would have thought this Hu Family youth, grown right under his nose, would play such ruthless moves and give him the slip?

Their great advantage was mostly ruined, and the dharma assembly was clearly going to end fruitlessly. How could he not feel heartache?

Evil spirit! Evil spirit!

The Hu Family had completely turned into evil spirits, absolutely detestable!

In his anger, he used the incense ash from the ancestral hall to sketch such a talisman. Then he straightened up, holding three incense sticks, and bowed to Hu Ma from a distance.

The incense ash on the ground began to emit a ghostly, heavy aura. It swirled like violent whirlwinds, even quickly drawing away the cold aura from Hu Ma.

"Sending the gods away?"

Hu Ma noticed it immediately, his heart shocked. He squinted.

This is a soul-sending dharma method, a higher-ranking walking ghost’s technique against a lower-ranking Negative Spirit. Walking ghosts counter Negative Spirits. Negative Spirit hosts can invite a god to possess them, but walking ghosts can forcibly expel that god.

This State Preceptor really seems to know everything, mastering all paths and methods with unparalleled skill.

Endless pressure filled his heart. Since entering Shangjing, he had meticulously planned and prepared, yet facing the State Preceptor, he still felt controlled in every aspect.

He couldn’t worry about Miss White Wine anymore; he had his own plans. Sensing the fierce, howling winds around him, it felt as if countless cold threads were being forcibly pulled from his body.

The Meng Family Ancestor’s presence was an immense, exhausting weight. Feeling its power being drawn away was logically a crisis, yet, by human instinct, Hu Ma surprisingly felt a bit relieved.

Slowly stretching his muscles, he sneered sinisterly and looked at the State Preceptor. "Your game is almost destroyed, your cards are all revealed. Isn’t it time to decide the final winner?"

"Come!"

...

At this moment, his mind was at ease. In principle, Miss White Wine’s skills surpassed Sweet Potato’s. Yet, for some reason, knowing Sweet Potato was here made him no longer worried.

Sister Gua just has that knack; she never considers how strong the opponent is when causing trouble.

Meanwhile, in an alley in Shangjing City, Miss White Wine looked up sharply. She saw the endless paper money fluttering down, which left her stunned.

She gazed deeply at that brazenly proud, slightly mad, yet delicate little face, her feelings mixed. Among the Reincarnators in Mingzhou, I originally disliked her the most... she sighed to herself.

Now, do I actually need to apologize to her?

It’s incredible, she thought. Shangjing City is so heavily guarded, with countless capable people from every Path. It’s practically a forbidden land for Reincarnators.

A lone Reincarnator entering would be courting death, so an attack would require a large force. Otherwise, trying to sneak in under the watchful eyes of so many experts would make concealing one’s identity incredibly difficult.

How did Sweet Potato, that reckless creature, get in?

"Good thing I listened to Senior Old White! When I heard there was a big commotion in Shangjing City, I took a detour to get here early."

As Miss White Wine pondered, Sweet Potato giggled proudly, "And I arrived just in time for such a spectacle!"

"Totally worth scrubbing chamber pots for two days!"

...

Miss White Wine listened, her whole being—no, her entire cat self—went numb.

No wonder!

She knew Shangjing City best, having investigated every aspect. She knew that ever since the Daluo Dharma Sect’s Hierarch returned to the Capital, he had been probing inside and out.

She also knew the entire city was under the protection of the Ten Surnames Ancestral Hall. Once the city gates closed, it was virtually isolated; outsiders couldn’t enter. So, the reason Sweet Potato could appear here was suddenly simple...

She came in before the city gates closed.

And the reason she wasn’t discovered was also simple: she sneaked in with the farmers who collected night soil from outside the city...

Shangjing City was suspended between life and death, yet outwardly maintained its prosperity. All businesses and travel in and out of the city were under the scrutiny of the Ten Surnames—or rather, the Undying Wang Family—except for the lowliest farmers responsible for collecting night soil...

This couldn’t really be called negligence on the Wang Family’s part!

Reincarnators are famously arrogant. Who on earth would disguise themselves as a night soil collector to hide their identity?

The key was, she had hidden among those night soil collectors for days...

Of course, while it sounded outrageous, thinking it through, it made perfect sense.

Night soil is filthy, the best for disrupting magic. Hiding in such a foul-smelling place would indeed be the safest way to remain concealed, wouldn’t it?

"This is bad! That evil spirit has accomplices in Shangjing City..."

As Miss White Wine swiftly processed this, and with paper money fluttering everywhere, the Wang Family’s Hall Officers, couriers, and House Generals rushing over from all directions were also shocked.

This paper money appeared abruptly. It was so light and hard to avoid that it hit the heads of those at the front, causing them to scatter in panic.

Although this paper money was the lowest-grade tool of the Punishment Soul Sect and not very effective against these skilled doctors, its sheer quantity was overwhelming!

Shouting, they scattered in all directions, splitting up their forces to hastily surround and block any escape routes.

They scattered easily enough, but they hadn’t expected Shangjing City to be filled with people standing completely motionless.

As the pursuers scattered, the paper money chased them. However, it proved incredibly effective against the Shangjing City residents who didn’t dodge, merely standing dumbly in place. Sheets of it flew about, covering countless people.

Threads of Life Qi were all bought by the paper money.

Through the connection between the paper money and the paper men in the sky, the Life Qi spread to the paper men.

The people of Shangjing City were neither alive nor dead and logically devoid of "life," yet they all harbored Purple Qi.

Purple Qi represented vitality, essentially equivalent to lifespan. All of it was being bought up as if no price negotiation was even needed. Even the paper men drifting in the air were quickly suffused with Purple Qi, their once-pallid forms now tinged purple.

The Wang Family members who rushed up saw this, their expressions changing drastically. "She came prepared! She’s forcibly extracting the Pill Qi from Shangjing City!"

And Sweet Potato, who had just scattered the paper money to save the cat, was also suddenly taken aback.

Then, she beamed with delight.

No wonder Senior told me to prepare so much paper money! Turns out Shangjing City is full of such good stuff!

Ever since I entered the Path, I’ve never bought life this cheaply!

...

Amidst the cries of surprise, the Wang Family pursuers reacted swiftly. As they fanned out to surround their target, a squad hurried from ahead, led by the Great sword catching sect of the Siming Path.

His face stern and remarkable, mostly hidden under a cloth hat, he stopped ten yards away. Facing the endless paper money, he pulled a medicine furnace from his sleeve and gently blew a spark to life.

Then, from his other sleeve, he drew out a palm leaf fan. With a gentle waft, purple smoke drifted forward from the furnace.

The instant any living thing smelled this purple smoke, its vitality was cut off, and it died without a sound.

Beside him, small hall officers and couriers, their faces covered with special wet cloths, advanced quickly.

But they hadn’t expected that the cloth-dressed young woman controlling the paper men wouldn’t evade them. Instead, she kicked over two large chamber pots, the sudden stench forcing the group back temporarily.

Afterward, she completely ignored the more numerous pursuers. Quickly forming a spell to control the paper men, she had them fly straight toward several large mansions nearby.

The paper money on the paper men fell rapidly, SWISH, SWISH, flying endlessly.

This unexpected scene left the approaching Wang Family members stunned. Why isn’t she trying to block us? Why did she make the paper money retreat?

Another glance, and their brows twitched wildly with anger.

The countless sheets of paper money were passing through windows and into houses, like a blizzard sweeping into the city. It struck an unknown number of people who stood stupefied, unable to comprehend or dodge.

That woman isn’t even concerned with us! She’s just crazily buying lives...

Is she here to provide support, or to refine treasure in the city?