Chapter 15 The Showdown

The air was heavy with tension as the figures stood in silence, the distant firelight casting long, dancing shadows.

Facing north were the Transcenders, their forms grotesque in the night, like demons descended upon the earth.

Facing south was Hu Ma, his shadow stretched out long and distorted, vaguely suggesting a three-headed, six-armed apparition, like a fierce god of the mortal realm.

Restrained by their positions and moods, they hadn't met yet. One side had been hoping the other would enter the city to break the stalemate, while the other had been clamoring to cleanse the ranks of traitors. Both sides had made a great show of strength, but now that they finally faced each other before the ancestral shrine, an unusual silence fell.

Of course, it was also possible that the Dongxuan National Preceptor's display of power when he left had been too overwhelming, dampening the spirits both sides had been building up.

But within this silence, the four Shangjing Transcenders near Hu Ma suddenly looked up.

Since appearing beside the National Preceptor, they had remained silent. Even after the National Preceptor left, they hadn't rushed after him like the Wang family, preferring to abandon everything in Shangjing.

But now, seeing the group of Transcenders enter the city and surround Hu Ma, a glimmer of human awareness seemed to ignite in their otherwise wooden expressions. They abruptly looked left and right, their voices hoarse as if squeezed from the earth itself, and said with chilling intent:

"The Hu family harbors wicked intentions, stealing our immortal fate and ruining our duties. Adding the hatred for the slaughter of the previous generation of Transcenders, now that Transcenders have entered the capital, it's time to settle things with the Hu family's descendants."

"..."

That was quite an accusation. The Transcenders were still busy striking poses, and they were startled by this statement.

Especially Erguotou, who tensed up immediately. He subtly adjusted his position, ready to speak up in a deep voice.

But before he could organize his thoughts, he saw that the group of Transcenders had already turned toward Hu Ma. Their figures shifted slightly, and an invisible pressure surged forward. The one in the lead held a giant umbrella, none other than the Temple God Burdened Spirit, codenamed Huadiao Wine.

He was the Huizhou captain, and one of the strongest among the Transcenders.

Seeing him move slightly, the others followed suit immediately.

Then, with a focused gaze, he coldly fixed his eyes on Hu Ma's face and asked with an aggressive tone: "Bear One? Bear Two?"

"?"

Even Hu Ma, whose spirit had been slightly tense, felt as if he'd missed a step. He replied helplessly, "King Jiji."

"Alright."

Huizhou's Huadiao Wine coldly glanced at everyone around him and said blandly, "I've confirmed the password. This guy is one of us."

"???"

Suddenly, countless faces in the crowd went blank.

"What nonsense are you spouting?"

Someone among the Shangjing Transcenders roared, "The National Preceptor's secret plan with the Hu family was already communicated to you. This boy was created from the Lao Jun Mei immortal fate stolen by the Great Radiance Dharma Sect. He's a nail planted inside the Transcenders."

"Lao Jun Mei is of great use to the Transcender group. With Lao Jun Mei's immortal fate on him, we can have no secrets. This trip to Shangjing is precisely to retrieve that immortal fate..."

"He answered the password..."

Immediately, a Transcender looked at them strangely and said, "What do you think the point of designing such a complex and intricate password, one that outsiders could never imitate, is?"

"It's to identify who's on our side in all kinds of complicated situations!"

"But..."

These Shangjing Transcenders seemed to wake up from a dream, utterly confused. "The password came later, the fate-sewing came first..."

"Since he's a member of the Hu family, how can he be trusted..."

"Then you're even less trustworthy..."

Someone shrank back, looked around, and said, "The only thing you can trust among Transcenders is personal favor. Everyone still owes this Lao Bai Gan brother a favor..."

"Even if there's really a problem, if we're going to kill him, shouldn't we ask clearly before drawing our swords?"

"That's right, we're all law-abiding citizens, not assassins!"

"..."

"You..."

This chaotic babble left the four Shangjing Transcenders utterly bewildered. They felt both angry and anxious, as if the world had changed overnight. They said fiercely, "But don't forget, Lao Jun Mei's immortal fate is on him!"

"He is the Transcenders' innate enemy. If we don't retrieve the immortal fate from him, it will be difficult for us to carry out our mission. He... he is destined to be the enemy of the Transcenders!"

"Ah?"

These words frightened everyone even more. They exchanged surprised glances. "Do Transcenders have an innate mission?"

"Why don't I know about it?"

"Damn it, no one even pays us a salary, so how can they directly assign us work?"

"..."

The conversation had reached a point where nothing more could be said.

Whether it was the four Shangjing Transcenders, or Hu Ma, or Erguotou, they all felt a little strange, but for some reason, they felt a sense of dawning understanding after hearing these words.

The Transcender group was inherently bizarre.

Each one appeared mad on the surface, but they were very clear-headed, as cunning as monkeys. They saw everything, but no one wanted to be the first to speak out.

"Hehe, the Transcender group is not a strict organization, it never has been, but it has its own way of doing things."

Erguotou, who had breathed a long sigh of relief, couldn't help but show a joyful expression. He stepped forward slowly, clasped his hands in a salute to everyone, and said, "Since that's the case, allow me, the captain-level figure of the Mingzhou Transcenders, to say a few words!"

"Actually, I also have many..."

"..."

"Capture them!"

Before he could finish speaking, a deep voice suddenly rang out, and a gust of yin wind swept over their faces.

Everyone was shocked and wary. They saw a gust of foul wind blowing from Shangjing, filled with paper money that scattered before them.

Within the paper money, a petite young woman in cloth clothes vaguely appeared. However, it wasn't the young woman who spoke, but a white cat perched on her shoulder.

"Miss Bai Putaao, you've come too..."

As soon as Erguotou heard the white cat's voice, he was overjoyed. He turned around, but then paused slightly when he saw the cat.

"There's no time for greetings."

The white cat, sitting on the shoulder of the young woman in cloth clothes, had a solemn look. It coldly fixed its gaze on the four Transcenders, its cat face serious, and said in a human voice, "First, stop them. Don't let any of them escape."

"What's going on?"

The sudden turn of events clearly caught Erguotou off guard. He anxiously turned his gaze to Digua Shao, "Miss Digua..."

Digua Shao followed closely, her eyes immediately falling on Hu Ma. The smile on her little face bloomed like a flower.

She waved her hands excitedly. "Senior, Senior..."

"Look at me, look at me, I made it this time, right?"

"..."

"?"

Erguotou was utterly dumbfounded. "I'm still the captain of Mingzhou, can you guys respect me a little?"

"Stop us?"

At this moment, the four Shangjing Transcenders also coldly fixed their eyes on the white cat. Some of them lowered their heads, only looking at the countless paper money that had appeared with them and fallen to the ground.

Each piece seemed light and ordinary, but they appeared to have fallen into carefully arranged positions. Their faces were devoid of smiles, almost stiff, as they looked up and said, "Miss Bai Putaao, we used to take care of you in Shangjing."

"Now, you don't trust us and want to capture us?"

"..."

Hearing the change in tone, the surrounding Transcenders didn't show it on their faces, but their hands, hidden from view, were already prepared.

"Hong Putaao has already gone to Lao Yin Mountain."

The white cat coldly looked at them and slowly said, word by word, "Being able to say such words, you must know how those people took care of me back then."

"Then how do you think I will deal with you monsters?"

"..."

Her somewhat cryptic words caused the four Transcenders' expressions to subtly change. Hu Ma, who had been standing not far from them, ready to act at any moment, accurately captured the change on their faces.

It was as if the light of humanity that had been on their faces was rapidly disappearing, reverting to the blank expressions they had worn when they were beside the National Preceptor.

"You have indeed forgotten your innate mission, you are almost defective products."

When they spoke again, the four of them suddenly spoke at the same time, their voices sounding like one person, "But don't give up on the last chance, otherwise, the suffering of Eternal Imprisonment awaits you."

"Do it."

As they revealed the appearance of four people speaking as one, Miss Bai Putaao suddenly shouted, her voice filled with boundless anger.

But she was in cat form, so her shout was a little shrill.

At that moment, Digua Shao suddenly made a hand seal, and the paper money on the ground instantly wrapped around the four of them.

Some of the faster-reacting Transcenders subtly stepped out, blocking the four's escape routes. But no one expected the four to show no intention of fleeing. They stood still, allowing the paper money to envelop them.

But at the instant the paper money wrapped around them, their bodies seemed to suddenly deflate.

"The suffering of Eternal Imprisonment?"

Hu Ma's heart stirred slightly as he listened. He vaguely remembered hearing this phrase before.

When he returned to Lao Yin Mountain and went to the Abandoned Village to retrieve the Hu family's evil-suppressing golden mace, he had seen a strange object.

It also had a cold, mechanical voice like the four of them, and it had also mentioned the suffering of Eternal Imprisonment.

"What exactly is going on?"

Seeing the four of them wrapped in paper money like mummies, the surrounding people rushed forward, asking in low voices.

"I have something to show you."

Welcoming the crowd's astonishment, the white cat showed a human-like expression, slowly exhaled, and squinted in the direction of the Zhishou Pavilion, murmuring, "Something terrifying has appeared among the Transcenders."

"But it's not him."

She quietly turned her gaze to Hu Ma, nodded slightly, and then slowly said, "He is one of the most trustworthy people. I am willing to vouch for him."

(End of Chapter)