Twilight Boundary

"WHOOSH!"

The earlier shocks and impacts paled in comparison to the astonishment brought by the final words of the old tree stump. Hu Ma nearly lost his composure.

A suppression object?

A suppression object, according to the records in the Age Suppressing Book required for conducting rituals on a Magic Altar, was a necessary item, and its spiritual energy was indeed closely related to the outcome of the ritual. Hu Ma had always been attentive in collecting these.

But, the old tree stump... What kind of cultivation did it possess? The handful of soil beneath it contained endless Mana, yet it was willing to be his suppression object? This meant it was lowering its own status. Once it became his suppression object, he would be above on the altar, and it willingly took the position below the altar. If it had directly intervened to help solve his problems, Hu Ma wouldn't have been so surprised.

Facing the old tree stump's gaze, which seemed to carry a slight smile, Hu Ma felt a tingling sensation on his scalp as countless questions surged in his mind. In the end, he could only stammer, "Senior, why..."

Why was this senior, previously unwilling to get involved in the matters of the Hu and Meng Families, now willing to lend a hand? Why had it initially only agreed to protect his life, but now done so much more?

"It's very simple..."

The old tree stump, understanding the good and evil of human hearts, guessed why Hu Ma asked and said with a light smile, "Originally, you weren't a Hu Family member, so I only helped a little out of respect for your Granny."

"But when you went into the mountain looking for me because of those Ghost Walkers..."

"...you had already become a Hu Family member."

"..."

Listening to its words, Hu Ma again felt an extremely complicated sensation arise in his heart.

Ever since leaving the Manor, he had been observing, ready to flee at any moment, just helping a little bit when he could. He had only been unable to restrain himself upon seeing those Ghost Walkers in danger...

This one moment of irrationality, when calm returned, might cause him to regret it deeply. If other Reincarnators knew, they might ridicule him, right? This was even more laughable behavior than getting fooled with a plaster stuck on his forehead... Yet, the old tree stump gave such high praise? If his behavior was like that of a Hu Family member... then what would the real Hu Family members be like?

But meeting the old tree stump's gaze, he quickly calmed down. This was undoubtedly not the time to think about these things.

No time to worry, so let's set up the Magic Altar!

Regarding the Age Suppressing Book, he had only just begun, having just learned the Five Towns Method, and used it only once.

The Five Town Objects needed for setting up a Magic Altar were things he had brought with him.

Earlier, he had cooperated with Sweet Potato, earning many good items from Young Master Lu of the Lu Family rice shop in Mingzhou City, some of which could be used as his suppression objects.

This time, coming out for expelling evil, although knowing he couldn't use the Age Skill, he had brought them for safety, always keeping them on the mule cart. They were in the bundle he carried on the final journey to Old Yin Mountain.

But bringing these was originally just for a sense of security; who could have thought they would actually be used?

The old tree stump just sat beside him, smilingly watching, seemingly without any intention of guiding him.

Since it had become a suppression object, it naturally wouldn't teach him how to set up a Magic Altar.

Hu Ma could only proceed according to his own understanding.

The brazier obtained from Young Master Lu exuded a chilling yin qi. Hu Ma placed it in front of himself, adding withered grass he gathered from nearby, then dry branches, and finally some logs, carefully starting a fire.

Then he took the rice obtained from Young Master Lu and sprinkled a circle in front of the brazier.

For safety, he also took several pieces of yin bone jade, placing one at each of the four corners of this rice-character circle.

Next was a scarecrow. Though there was no straw available, there were vines nearby, so he quickly wove them into a rough shape and placed one on each side.

Then, three incense sticks were inserted beside him.

The last suppression object missing was an offering...

This he hadn't prepared. Fortunately, the old tree stump was still waiting nearby to fill in...

...Hu Ma turned to look at it. "Didn't you say you wanted to help me as a suppression object? Are you just going to fill this gap for an offering?"

"I can feel the disrespect you hold for me in your heart right now..."

The figure atop the old tree stump noticed Hu Ma's gaze and sighed lightly. Its eyes seemed to sweep over the Five Town Objects before Hu Ma as it spoke softly, "The offering basin, the rice from the three desolate lands, and the yin bone jade burned from the drought ba..."

"You've truly worked hard to comprehend the Hu Family's Magic, but it's evident your understanding is still shallow."

"...You are here for spirit-constraining, not summoning spirits, so why the need for an offering?"

"..."

"?"

Hu Ma vaguely understood the old tree stump's words, but doubts remained.

However, now wasn't the time to press for details. Time was short. He glanced at the old tree stump and asked softly, "Then can I..."

"...begin?"

"..."

The old tree stump smiled and seemed to extend a hand in a "please" gesture.

Seeing its calmness, Hu Ma relaxed. He moved forward, sat behind the brazier, then took a piece of burning wood from it to light the three incense sticks beside him.

As the tips of the incense glowed red and their fragrance began to spread, he took a deep breath. He looked out beyond Old Yin Mountain, where, for dozens of miles around, yin qi shrouded the land and Evil Ghosts ran amok, while the Ghost Walkers who had rushed in from various places struggled to hold on.

There, the Yin-Yang Boundary was in chaos. Someone was covering the sky with one hand, viewing human lives as worthless as grass.

The image of the unwillingness and astonishment on that Ghost Walker's severed head flashed before his eyes. Fury surged in his heart, and he suddenly shouted:

"Let the heavens be the witness and the earth the pledge! Let no human open their eyes, nor ghostly gods linger!"

"I now cast rice to form an altar to question the evil spirit! Protectors from the eight directions, come and receive your orders! Soldiers on the altar, heed the command!"

"Swiftly apprehend the green-clothed one to face judgment! Inflict punishment and bring them into the Magic Altar!"

"My words are edicts, my edicts are the Magic... Go!"

"..."

This was the arrest order from the Age Suppressing Book—not summoning, not commanding, and certainly not inviting!

This dharma method resembled the Word Summoning Order, but its words were far more potent. Hu Ma didn't know what consequences it might bring; he only felt that as he recited it, everything around him seemed to blur.

Even the forest within Old Yin Mountain began to fade.

Vaguely, it felt as if he had arrived at a solemn place with high roofs and grand tiles, seated high above, casting down Tokens, and sternly interrogating those below.

"WHOOSH..."

With his loud shout, a bone-chilling yin wind erupted, rolling and surging into the distance.

「Meanwhile, on the wild hill outside Zhu Men Town」

The green-clothed child had already been dispatched to the various areas of turmoil. Only Incense Master Zheng remained on the mountain, along with the evil ghost mask placed on the hill, shaded by a green staff.

Incense Master Zheng steadied the Yellow Banner floating behind him, feeling the chaos all around and experiencing the faint thrill brought about by intense inner tension.

He was a Ghost Walker, and the practice of Ghost Walkers was Spirit-questioning and using Ghost. Yet in this lifetime, had he ever commanded an Evil Ghost like Old Master Qingyi? Even though the task appeared to be managed by Old Master Qingyi, it was actually he himself who handled it. With a single command from him, it would wreak havoc wherever he directed. And he didn't even need to offer sacrifices or pay the price of backlash, because that influential person was behind it all...

Of course, as a Ghost Walker, he understood very well what consequences such widespread havoc would bring.

No Ghost Walker would do such a thing, nor could they.

Afterward, never mind whether the Red Lantern Lady's Club could tolerate him anymore; even if they could, how could they protect him?

"Son of a bitch, offspring of a noble family..." he cursed under his breath, in a voice only he could hear.

He didn't know if he regretted it now. Just because he had idly wished to eliminate the little shopkeeper and spoken out of turn, he had angered that influential person, bringing himself to this state of irreversible doom.

But if given another chance, perhaps he would do the same. After all, this was his best opportunity to get rid of that little shopkeeper and exact his revenge.

It was just that the influential person was too cunning, not at all what he had expected.

He thought of his wife's family, who had pulled him from the gutter, and sighed quietly. "When your family fished me out of that filthy ditch, I wanted to make you all rich. But my skills are limited; I'm truly unable to provide for all of you..."

"Every day, it's either greed or offending people. How long can I keep patching things up for your family?"

"Since we can't achieve wealth in this world, then let's reunite in the afterlife..."

"..."

With these thoughts, he rose, gripping the Wooden Sword in his hand, and stared towards the small Manor in the south.

He didn't know if the person hiding in Mingzhou City—the one the influential person was expending so much effort to find and force out—would take action. He only knew that if that person acted, it would be his death sentence.

So, he had to eliminate the little shopkeeper in Green Stone Town before that happened.

Having tormented him for so many days, if he were to die now, would he also have tasted what Niu went through?

"Qingyi, attack!"

As he pointed with the branch in his hand, the Yellow Banner on the rack behind him immediately floated southward.

That was the direction of Green Stone Town; this signified an intensification of efforts there.

However, he had not expected this. Commanding the green-clothed Evil Ghost with a Wooden Sword, with the influential person's status backing him so the Evil Ghost had no reason to disobey—this was the most praiseworthy achievement of his life as a Ghost Walker.

Vaguely, he felt as if he could take on all of Mingzhou, capable of anything.

But just as he thrust his Wooden Sword with grim resolve, and the green-clothed Evil Ghost roared, he suddenly heard a ripping sound. The banner floating above his head had unexpectedly torn.

"Hmm?"

He was startled. Looking up, he found that the sky had turned dark at some unknown point.

Around the wild hill, yin winds howled. A rolling, murderous aura swept over, instantly chilling his body to the core.

His vision blurred, and he saw, emerging from within the swirling yin wind, four figures clad in soap-cloth robes, carrying swords and chains, much like constables.

They rode the yin wind, their appearances indistinct. He could only feel the astounding coldness and domineering presence emanating from them. From afar, they glared with wide eyes, the chains in their hands clanking as they shot directly towards the evil ghost mask.

It was as if they were arresting a criminal.