"I was just asking a simple question..."
Hu Ma noticed the old man was not pleased and felt a bit embarrassed.
He had always been curious about such things, so he asked casually. In this world, there were Living Souls and evil spirits, and even the Li Family known for "Impermanence," so theoretically, the underworld should also exist.
But even though he had been involved in this Path for some time, he had never truly seen such things.
This old Ghost Walker had mentioned the underworld being closed with a calm demeanor, as if he was stating a commonly accepted fact. He had thought there might be some well-known secret.
Turns out, it was just a widely accepted rumor...
That left Hu Ma even more puzzled. Such commonly accepted rumors generally had two origins.
Either such things had really happened, so they were passed down by word of mouth and known by everyone.
Or, people were curious about why there were evil spirits everywhere, why the underworld didn't guide these Living Souls away, and why no ghostly gods emerged to restore peace to the world.
Everyone was curious and wanted answers but didn't know the reasons, so they casually theorized, which provided some psychological comfort.
But now, ultimately, it could only be a conjecture. This world was too chaotic, with evil spirits rampant, making it difficult for many to think clearly; they focused only on survival. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ novel★fire.net
As for himself, it might be too early to ponder these questions.
The Age Suppressing Book inherently involved some secrets, but what he could comprehend now was only a tiny, insignificant part: a flayed Emperor, a government that had gone into hiding, a reportedly closed underworld, and the Ten Families, high and unattainable, who seemed to have discussed something momentous at the Stone Pavilion...
Perhaps only when he gained the qualification to meet the Ten Surnames could he understand these things!
"Old Sir, it's getting late. I shall seek your advice again tomorrow."
Unable to continue asking, Hu Ma forced a smile while talking to the old Ghost Walker. Seeing that the man displayed some disdain, he didn't disturb this ancient tradition and returned, planning to prepare a feast to host them the next day.
However, he hadn't expected that when he rose early the next morning to make arrangements in Yellow Dog Village, the village, which had paused for a day, had already voluntarily taken up the task.
Even several neighboring villages, whose families had been helped, came over, bringing rice, flour, and eggs.
But very few Ghost Walkers came to eat the meal.
Most of the Ghost Walkers had quietly left after pacifying the dead spirits the previous night.
Their Path had its own rules and traditions. They were usually flexible, but when it came to official matters, they followed the rules.
This outbreak of evil spirits was not limited to one family or household; it was a disaster.
So, having received word, they all came. But after helping, they didn't accept any donation and simply left quietly.
"Then let the villagers eat it. No need to waste it."
Standing at the village entrance, Hu Ma watched a Ghost Walker shoulder their load and walk away into the distance. He made no effort to stop them.
He simply gave their retreating figures a gentle bow, then turned back.
"Take good care of the recuperating Ghost Walkers. If they need anything, get it from the Manor."
He gave instructions one by one, "For the three who died, use quality wood for the coffins, lay them to rest properly, offer incense, and wait to send them home."
Only after finishing all this did he return to the Manor.
Though he had slept for a few two-hour periods the previous night, for some reason, as he lay on the bed now, keenly aware that this ordeal had finally passed, his eyelids felt heavy again.
A few days' worth of hidden fatigue suddenly surfaced, quickly dragging him into deep sleep.
Then, he was woken by a voice, "Brother Old White, are you there?"
Are the Reincarnators finally going to meet?
Hu Ma quickly realized this and found himself in the Lifebound Spirit Temple.
He felt slightly comforted.
Initially, when the Meng family arrived, the Reincarnators had immediately decided to lay low. Ironically, it was during this very period that he faced his toughest adversary and the most complex situation since his reincarnation.
Back then, he had thought that if he could consult the Reincarnators and ask for their opinions, it would be great. But he couldn't break a decision made by all four of them together just for his own sake.
Now that the Meng family had left, they had all become active again.
"Brother Old White, you've noticed as well, right? The one from the Tongyin Meng family has already left Mingzhou Prefecture."
Er Guotou's voice sounded less relaxed and more subdued than before. "But that doesn't mean we're safe. I... I actually think our situation seems even more dangerous now."
Hu Ma, who had started to relax, was completely caught off guard by this statement.
Startled, he asked urgently, "What happened?"
"Because that Meng family member didn't leave on their own. They were frightened away by someone in Mingzhou Prefecture..."
Miss White Wine's voice chimed in softly, "And the green-clothed evil ghost was also directly slain by someone in Mingzhou Prefecture, who set up a ritual altar to do so. To be able to scare away someone from the Tongyin Meng family and so easily kill the green-clothed evil ghost—what level do you think such a person must be?"
"Do we even need to guess?" Er Guotou's voice sounded somber, even slightly panicked. "Someone who can kill a dog belonging to the Ten Surnames and frighten away their people must also be of the Ten Surnames' caliber."
"But the key point is this: judging from the fact that the Meng family came looking for someone, and used such methods to force that person to show themselves, that individual must have been in Mingzhou Prefecture all along..."
To think, all our previous collaborations were conducted right under their nose! Aren't you scared?
Listening to his complaints and fears, Hu Ma understood the situation, yet he felt a mix of emotions.
This time, out of necessity, had he scared the other Reincarnators?
"Seniors, Seniors, I'm here..."
While he was pondering, a clear voice suddenly rang out. A wisp of smoke from his Life Incense separated and passed through the dark red mist to connect with another person.
Sweet Potato arrived a little after Hu Ma, brimming with excitement. "You've all seen what's happened recently, right? My goodness! The green-clothed evil ghost was actually killed, and the Meng family left too..."
"This proves there's an expert in Mingzhou Prefecture! And they must have connections to both the Meng family and the Ten Surnames."
"Tell me, if we cooperate to dig this person out, how much do you think that information would be worth if we sold it?"
No sooner had he spoken than Er Guotou, Miss White Wine, and Hu Ma were all immediately shocked.
Then, in unison, they exclaimed, "Shut up!"
This Sweet Potato certainly had audacity...
Even Hu Ma was startled by this guy. Everyone feared him now; even the Red Lantern Lady was scared to the point of mending her ways. Brother Er Guotou's voice even trembled with fear. How could this reckless youth be so fearless, even thinking of digging me out?
It was a good thing he wasn't truly from the Hu Family, or he would have had Sweet Potato detained and brought to the Magic Altar!
Sweet Potato, scolded by the trio, immediately shrank back. "Hehe, I was just making a suggestion..."
"If you suggest something like that again, you'll be kicked out of our circle," Miss White Wine said calmly. "Er Guotou is right. With someone like that in Mingzhou Prefecture, we do need to be cautious."
"Of course, we don't need to be terrified. We've worked together for quite some time now, and nothing has happened yet. This suggests the person residing in Mingzhou isn't focused on us Reincarnators."
"Or perhaps, he's in no position to take care of himself and is merely hiding here. The Meng family went to such great lengths to find him precisely because he's not easy to locate."
Er Guotou said anxiously, "Even if he is just hiding here, it's not impossible that he's already discovered us."
"We were too careless before! I can't just chat with you all so freely anymore..."
"Thank you," Miss White Wine said calmly. "It is a fact that the Ten Families once purged Reincarnators, but this doesn't mean every member of the Ten Families can spot Reincarnators in a crowd."
"In fact, until now, we don't even know if the Ten Families have the ability to see through our dream connections. We simply don't know the reason for the last purge."
"But since it's confirmed that there's someone here on par with, or even surpassing, the Meng family, we indeed need to proceed with caution."
She pondered for a moment, then said, "Let's all be honest with each other..."
Hu Ma listened, slightly puzzled about what Miss White Wine meant by "being honest."
Then he heard her say, "Mr. Er Guotou, if it were you, how many evil spirits at the level of the green-clothed evil ghost, or your family's Red Lantern Lady, could you eliminate?"
Suddenly hearing this, both Hu Ma and Sweet Potato were confused.
Was this question misplaced? Was Miss White Wine joking? Er Guotou was merely a protector by the Red Lantern Lady's side...
Er Guotou was also clearly startled by Miss White Wine's words, feeling as if he'd been exposed. He hurriedly said, "What are you talking about? My loyalty to our Lady is unwavering! I would die for her a thousand times, give my life, give my body..."
"I believe you," Miss White Wine said calmly. "So, if you were to truly go all out, how many evil spirits like the Red Lantern Lady could you eliminate?"
"I couldn't eliminate any..." Er Guotou was shocked and terrified, repeatedly exclaiming, "Our Lady is an extraordinary figure, with boundless Mana, capable of taking lives at will! In her presence, I..."
"...I couldn't bear to."
Both Hu Ma and Sweet Potato were astounded. What was this conversation about?