Chapter 21 "Holy Crap, They Really Kidnapped Her?"

Hu Ma's expression remained unchanged as he listened to the words of this Master Li, but his heart skipped a beat.

He'd been thinking that after dealing with the Meng family, it would certainly make them suffer.

And seeing so many people delivering letters to the Meng family's patriarch, he knew they were already taking action. His own smooth progress in dealing with the Meng family's patriarch was also related to the things they were doing above.

But…

…you kidnapped the Meng family's matriarch? What for?

…Alright, I did kidnap the Meng family patriarch, but that was useful!

Not only was he shocked, but Diguashao, who was holding a wine cup nearby, was also rolling her eyes around, clearly tempted.

She probably also realized that during the time she had been running from the Impermanence Li family, she had missed some amazing excitement.

"Later, I'll have to see which猛人 (měng rén, fierce person) was so bold as to kidnap someone's chief madam…"

Thinking to himself, Hu Ma quickly adjusted his expression and said in surprise, "Oh? The Meng family, one of the Ten Names?"

"Heavens! Who… is so audacious?"

"…"

"That's not clear."

Master Li smiled and said, "It's just that my Li family has been guarding this place by imperial decree for generations and is not connected to the outside world. Although we can hear some news, it's still not clear enough."

"But it seems that whoever could do something so audacious and whimsical must be no ordinary person. As for the Meng family, they are at the top of the Daoist world, feared by ghosts and respected by gods. They are no ordinary experts. I've heard that their foundation is in the human world, but their roots are in the netherworld."

"If such a disaster can happen in the Yang residence, it must mean that the netherworld is already in chaos."

"Little friend Hu just came from above. I wonder if you've heard anything?"

"…"

Meeting Master Li's meaningful smile, Hu Ma also smiled and said frankly, "I have indeed heard something."

"The Tongyin Meng colluded with evil spirits, destroying the Dragon Lair of the Zhang family, causing chaos in the world. They have been taken down by the Zhenchui Hu. It's a pity that although the Zhenchui Hu had the world in mind and tried his best to stop it, he ultimately failed. This world, I'm afraid, is going to be uneasy."

"…"

"Eh?"

His casual attitude in saying such shocking things startled both Xiang Yatou and Diguashao.

Xiang Yatou just looked at Hu Ma, feeling that after two years of not seeing him, his demeanor was natural. Most ordinary jianghu (martial world) people were sharp and exposed when they were young, but gradually learned to restrain their brilliance and hide their edge.

Only this Brother Hu, when they first met, seemed stable and proper in everything he did, without any flaws. Now, after two years, his temperament and form are radiant, even more dazzling than before.

This was not because he was getting younger, but because his skills had greatly increased and he had seen more, so his edge could no longer be hidden.

Diguashao thought even more simply: "Did I really miss something exciting?"

"Oh?"

Master Li raised his eyebrows slightly upon hearing this.

Even for someone of his status, this news was truly shocking.

But he looked at Hu Ma, smiled, and said slowly, "So that's how it is. It sounds good."

"Now, the jianghu is full of rumors about the destruction of the Dragon Lair of the Zhang family. The Great Era of Contention has arrived, and indeed many capable people are secretly speculating that it is related to the Meng family. Those who are harmed by the Daoist sects deeply hate the Meng family, while jianghu heroes are grateful."

"…"

Hu Ma smiled and said, "That's what jianghu people see. What about you, senior?"

Master Li smiled and said, "The Dongzi Li family doesn't enter the jianghu, and doesn't even count as people in the Daoist world, so naturally we don't understand these things."

"But I also think that if the Meng family secretly harmed the Zhang family, then they must have been prepared long ago. They would never have allowed their chief madam to be kidnapped at such a critical time. Now is the time when various aristocratic families are rising and seizing opportunities…"

"…the Meng family is in a state of desperation, and even Yanzhou is about to become someone else's."

"…"

Hu Ma nodded as he listened.

Naturally, he would prefer to chat with the Ten Names to see what they were thinking, but since he had not revealed his identity, he did not have the opportunity for such in-depth discussions.

However, from the reaction of this Dongzi Li family, he could guess a thing or two.

Mr. Longjing's arrow was well shot, using the power of the Meng family's ancestor. This matter could not be concealed in the Daoist world.

No matter how many mouths the Meng family had, the Dragon Lair was destroyed, and it was destroyed by your ancestor.

The jianghu is not a court. It is not something that can be refuted.

While he was thinking, he felt that the time was right, so he looked at Master Li and slowly said, "Last time I came, I heard you say that evil spirits had crawled out of the depths of the ghost caves, causing harm to the world."

"This time, I went to Jiyong and saw the Tongyin Meng, who for their own selfish reasons, betrayed the world."

"In this way, I am increasingly puzzled. What kind of outrageous things have these evil spirits done?"

"Is the trouble they caused even greater than that of the Zhang family and the Tongyin Meng?"

"…"

"Ah?"

Diguashao and Xiang Yatou were both surprised when they heard this and looked up at Hu Ma.

Hu Ma smiled and said, "Of course, I have also heard you mention these evil spirits disrespecting the Diyi Emperor."

"But it seems that they were already evil spirits before that, right?"

"…"

"Hehe…"

Master Li was not surprised at all by Hu Ma's question. He nodded slightly, but did not rush to answer. He just nodded to Xiang Yatou, who understood and said to Diguashao, "Sister Lu, let me take you to change your clothes!"

"Okay…"

Diguashao actually wanted to listen, but knowing that the seniors were handling important matters, she quickly wiped her mouth and stood up, looking Xiang Yatou up and down, "Sister, let me wear yours later. Our waists are about the same size. Just find me a looser undershirt…"

Xiang Yatou blushed and quickly led her out of the cave.

Master Li also waited for the two of them to leave before looking at Hu Ma and smiling, "Little friend, in what capacity are you asking me?"

Meeting his gaze, Hu Ma also smiled, got up and bowed, and said, "Please forgive me, senior. In fact, a few years ago, I had my own緣法 (yuán fǎ, karmic affinity) and was favored by an expert. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to make such progress."

Master Li waved his hand and smiled, "That's not strange. Although the incident happened in Mingzhou, I have heard that the Zhenchui Mansion's top constable is a Shou Suiren (Night Watcher). At that time, I told Yatou, could it be our guest?"

Hu Ma looked surprised and smiled, "Just from this news, because I was in Mingzhou, you could associate me with it?"

"Not entirely."

Master Li smiled and said, "It's just that my Dongzi Li family has been guiding ghosts here for generations, and we have seen many wandering souls, so we inevitably have some insight."

"The world is full of the poor, the rich, the lucky, the unlucky, the long-lived, the short-lived, the farmers in the fields, the merchants in the buildings, the experts in the Daoist world, all kinds of different people. We have seen countless people. We can see the weight of a person's yin soul at a glance."

"The first time I saw you, little friend, I could see that your destiny was extraordinary, perhaps heavier than my Yuer's. No matter your origin, you will definitely not be an ordinary person in the future…"

"…"

"There's such a thing?"

Hu Ma had to admit that each sect had its own skills, and their insight could not be hidden.

But things were different now, and he did not clumsily hide it. He just smiled and said, "I don't know if it's a blessing or a curse, but a person in the jianghu can't help himself. If a noble person is willing to help, then of course he has to bite the bullet and go."

"It's a pity that the sect I joined is good to me, but it also has its own difficulties. Following them, I can't expect to stand out and become a big master."

"I understand."

Master Li smiled and nodded, "The Hu family has a low threshold, so that talented people from all over the world can step in and be used by them."

"On this point, I admire them instead. I think, if the people in the Hu family didn't have this ruthlessness, how could they take on this burden for the world?"

"…"

"Huh?"

Master Li's frankness was beyond Hu Ma's expectations, and his heart couldn't help but move: "Taking on a burden for the world?"

"That's right."

Master Li sighed softly and said, "It can even be said that they are redeeming the sins for those of us who guard the caves."

Hu Ma raised his eyebrows: "Because of those evil spirits?"

"More than that."

Master Li looked at Hu Ma's eyes frankly and said, "I once told you about the sins and karma of the Dongzi Li family."

"The Shangjing Grand Ceremony that changed the fate of the Thirty-Six Families was already 170 years ago. At that time, it had been more than 60 years since the Diyi imperial family had seized the world from the Zhang family."

"But for a full 60 years, the world was still broken, disasters continued, and because there were too many killings, the netherworld was full. Evil spirits were everywhere in the human world, the yin and yang were unclear, and even strange flesh and blood grew out of thin air, causing monsters, demons, ghosts, and evil spirits to appear all over the mountains."

"The Diyi Emperor, deeply harmed by this, was forced to invite the Shangxuan Dharma Master of the Daluo Dharma Sect to Shangjing, appointed him as the national teacher, and set up the Kyoto Grand Ceremony, in order to bring peace to the world."

"It's a pity that the disaster began with that Grand Ceremony…"

"…"

Listening, Hu Ma's heart was already slightly moved. He had heard Master Li say: "Was it from that time that evil spirits crawled out of the human world? Your ancestors of the Thirty-Six Families also bore the karma and began to guard the Thirty-Six Ghost Caves?"

"More than that…"

Master Li slowly said, "The most serious problem with that Grand Ceremony was that the ancestral altar that enjoyed the incense of the past dynasties was destroyed."

"Ancestral altar?"

Hu Ma's heart moved inexplicably when he heard this word.

"That's right."

Master Li sighed leisurely, looked at Hu Ma deeply, and sighed in a low voice, "Do you know why there is a tradition of worshiping fire pits in ancient places all over the world?"

"Therefore, there was indeed a fire pit in this world that protected the world's luck and suppressed evil spirits."