Chapter 1 The Mountain Sacrifice

The mountain sacrifice was indeed a big deal, but these kinds of events were best handled by the younger generation for show, while the elders shouldn't interfere too much. Hu Ma found this a relief.

Actually, if he really wanted to speak, he could. For example, he could directly ask the Mountain Lord what kind of offerings he wanted, or if he wanted a couple of maids burned as offerings to serve him...

But thinking about the Mountain Lord's temperament, he decided against it.

How could you invite someone to a feast and then ask them what they wanted to order first, or if they wanted a foot massage after eating?

...After all, sincerity meant arranging everything directly.

Besides, what was important to him was the mountain sacrifice itself. The Mountain Lord had mentioned it many times, using his cravings as an excuse, but Hu Ma understood in his heart that he wouldn't push him to do such useless things.

If he wanted to figure some things out, then he could only do the mountain sacrifice and see the problem clearly.

Of course, as long as it was a mountain sacrifice, it was fine. As for how to perform it, what the procedure was, it all depended on what Second Master liked. It was just to make the old man happy, no need to be serious.

So, while everyone in the village was busy, Hu Ma took advantage of the fact that there was nothing for him to do and slipped out of the village alone under the cover of darkness, heading towards Second Master's manor.

Now it was the end of the year, and Second Master had returned to the village. The people who followed him to learn martial arts were also gone. Hu Ma looked around, first lit incense, and bowed towards Old Yin Mountain. He waited quietly for a while, but the Mountain Lord didn't show himself, although the wind had quietly stopped.

This was considered a greeting. Hu Ma prepared to confidently borrow his territory. He stuck the incense outside and took out the twenty-four flags he had brought from the Yin realm.

These were things that Erguotou (lit. "Second Pot Head", a type of strong liquor) had left in the Yin realm, and Hu Ma found them easy to use. He planted them one by one around the manor, isolating the inside from the outside, and then set up an altar.

"Little Hongtao, go watch the door. Don't let anyone in. If Mountain Lord comes..."

Hu Ma instructed, "...you must tell me first."

Seeing Little Hongtao jump away, Hu Ma began to perform the steps of Bu Gang Ta Dou (Taoist ritual steps), burn incense, and chant incantations inside the manor.

Holding three sticks of incense, he bowed lightly. Suddenly, a gust of yin wind swept through the mountains. Before long, thick fog gathered all around, blocking out the sky.

As heavy footsteps echoed around, two golden-armored warriors, holding iron chains, escorted a dispirited, miserable, and lonely soul, breaking through the thick fog to arrive at this place. It was the Grand Master of the Tongyin Meng family.

This once majestic and respectable Meng family Grand Master, having been suppressed by the Zhensuifu's (Demon Suppression Bureau) incense burner for some time, had his magic power depleted. His soul was light, his energy turbid, and he looked even worse than the ordinary Yin souls commonly seen in the Yin realm.

The two golden-armored warriors threw him to the ground and stood firmly on either side. Hu Ma sat on the grand master chair that Second Master usually sat on, his golden saber held high, looking down and coldly snorting,

"Raise your head."

"..."

With his command, the flags on both sides of the altar fluttered, and the scarecrows faintly transformed into black-clothed figures.

At the same time, they pressed forward menacingly, shouting loudly.

The Meng family Grand Master was muddled, half-awake, until he was startled by the shouts. He dazedly raised his head.

Standing within the altar, the Yin soul couldn't see clearly the surrounding objects. He only saw rows of tall halls, black-clad divine generals on both sides, trapping him in the middle. Ahead of him was a supreme, towering figure, carrying an invisible, oppressive aura like the Nine Nether Heavens.

He shuddered and realized what was happening. A weak voice suddenly cried out, "You... you impudent Hu family brat! The Hu and Meng families have always been friends. Even if there are some grudges, I am still your elder in terms of seniority. You..."

"...How dare you insult me like this?"

"..."

"Indeed, you are an elder..."

Hu Ma, hearing this, smiled grimly, snorted coldly, and said, "Then just keep acting like an elder."

"The matter of Guan Zhou is already confirmed with solid evidence. If I were to interrogate you in the Zhensuifu, it wouldn't be a problem to shatter your soul immediately. But now, I've invited you here to give you a chance to explain yourself properly, so at least you won't suffer too much before you die."

"..."

"Haha, haha..."

This Meng family Grand Master was now just a small, lonely soul, facing Hu Ma's imposing presence on the altar. The difference between them was immeasurable.

But facing Hu Ma's words, he suddenly burst out laughing, "Hu family brat, are you trying to force me?"

"You are truly born in the mountains, completely ignorant. Even if this old man was momentarily careless and fell into your Hu family's hands, how could your little tricks possibly coerce me?"

"My Meng family serves the Old Ancestor, raises the world's soldiers, and has the support of half of the Prefecture Lords. Destiny lies with us, and our fortune is extraordinary. Now, we are only waiting for the Old Ancestor to open his eyes again, and we will still be unharmed. Do you think you can scare me by putting on this show?"

"..."

"Heh, he's really down on his luck but still putting on airs. He's got a hard backbone, huh..."

Hu Ma even felt a bit of admiration in his heart. He laughed, nodded, and said, "Meng family uncle is right. I also know that you definitely won't speak willingly, so I've made preparations."

"Hehe..."

The Meng family Grand Master smiled grimly, "I know that your Hu family has punishment incantations. This was something that the Hu and Meng families obtained together from the Wu Chang Li family back in the day. They are specially used to punish souls and ghosts, and they are extremely powerful. Since I've fallen into your hands, why don't you chant one and let me taste the flavor?"

The Hu family's four great incantations, Xing (punishment), Sha (killing), Ju (restraining), and Jia (shackling), were all-powerful.

He clearly knew this, yet he still took the initiative to provoke. It seemed he was truly fearless.

"Spare me the trouble."

Hu Ma, hearing this, coldly waved his hand, took out a small bell from his sleeve, and held it in his hand.

He said softly, "I'll first let Meng family uncle taste a new flavor!"

As he spoke, he gently shook the bell in his hand at the Meng family Grand Master. Immediately, it jingled non-stop.

This bell was borrowed from Miss White Wine. He had asked her for a way to make Yin souls speak obediently, and she didn't teach him anything else, only gave him this thing.

Honestly, before using it this time, Hu Ma didn't know what it was for. But now, holding it in his hand and shaking it gently, he saw the Meng family Grand Master's expression slightly change. Wisps of mist seemed to surge and change around him, and his face turned pale.

"You..."

Clearly, the Meng family Grand Master had a splitting headache, and even his voice trembled, "Are you forcibly adding to my lifespan?"

"This is a treasure that shortens life to add to another's lifespan?"

Hu Ma suddenly understood, secretly thinking that the Siming (Fate Administration) ways were indeed the most effective.

The Meng family Grand Master's own cultivation was here. He seemed to be just a wisp of Yin soul, but in reality, he was like a lump of iron, untouchable and indestructible. If he retreated into himself, all methods would be ineffective, so he wasn't afraid of punishment incantations or Wu Chang (impermanence).

But the Siming methods were different. Shaking this bell forwards was forcibly giving someone a breath of life. Even a person on the verge of death would not be able to breathe their last if they heard the bell ring. It was equivalent to forcibly adding to their lifespan.

Shaking it backwards, on the other hand, would shorten someone's breath. An injured person's injuries would worsen, and a dying person would breathe their last faster. It was equivalent to shortening their lifespan.

The Meng family Grand Master was an Yin soul, so Hu Ma shaking the bell forwards was adding to his lifespan. In this way, his Yin soul was like being roasted by fierce flames, suffering unbearable pain. This was a law of heaven and earth, and his own cultivation couldn't withstand it.

Moreover, the yang fire roasted him, and his own foundation would collapse and couldn't be repaired.

Knowing that he had found the method, Hu Ma shook the bell while watching the Meng family Grand Master.

Speaking of which, he was also a master of one of the ten surnames, definitely not an ordinary person. But Hu Ma knew that the Meng family had risen from kowtowing, so he didn't believe that a person who was best at kowtowing could have bones that were that hard.

But after shaking the bell for a long time, he saw that the Meng family Grand Master was already deeply tormented. However, even in his pain, he gritted his teeth and persevered. His eyes were fixed on Hu Ma, "Hu family brat, if you have such methods, why not use more?"

"Since this old man has dedicated himself to the Old Ancestor, I am not afraid to give up this family business!"

"Even if this old man is beaten to the point of soul annihilation today, as long as the Meng family's foundation doesn't fall, and my descendants continue to offer sacrifices to me every year, what is there to fear?"

Amidst the ringing of the bell, his voice became even more resentful, "Moreover, do you really think that by capturing me, you can harm the Meng family?"

"My Meng family is different from your Hu family. There are people in charge in both the realm of the living and the dead. Even if I am gone, there are still two brothers who can take my place. Instead, what else can your actions accomplish besides angering my Meng family?"

"..."

"Hmm?"

Hu Ma, hearing his words, suddenly stopped shaking the bell and gently placed it beside him.

Looking at the lonely soul in the altar, he sighed softly, "Meng family uncle is right. The Meng family's foundation cannot be harmed by these small-scale actions."

"You are the Meng family's person in charge in the Yin realm, only serving your Meng family's Old Ancestor. But the foundation in the yang world has others watching over it. Since that's the case, then I should know a little etiquette and first invite Meng family uncle to meet an acquaintance from the yang world..."

"..."

As he spoke, he walked out of the altar. A talisman paper in his hand flickered gently, and suddenly flames rose.

After waiting for a moment, he saw a cloud of Yin mist gathering in the depths of the forest. The next moment, groups of ghost shadows emerged from the Yin mist. As they moved, paper money scattered and flew everywhere. A group of ghost shadows surrounded a noble woman.

Although she was dressed nobly, she was bound hand and foot and had a rag stuffed in her mouth. Her appearance was that of an aging beauty, still charming, but her eyes were full of horror.

"Thank you all for your hard work along the way."

Hu Ma borrowed some blood food from Little Hongtao and rewarded the little ghosts who had delivered the person. He helped the noble woman up.

He didn't even need to introduce her. Even though he was beaten to the point of soul annihilation, and he refused to lower his head even half an inch, and even endured the pain of being scorched by flames, the Meng family person in charge, upon seeing the noble woman, was completely stunned.

As an Yin soul, when he concentrated his attention, his body became clearer. His eyes widened as if they were about to pop out.

After staring blankly for a long time, he couldn't help but believe it, "You... How did you come here too?"

And that noble woman, whenever she arrived at a place, would first pretend to faint. This time, before she could faint, she saw the wisp of lonely soul huddled in the altar.

Then she was also frightened, "Old... Master, you... How could you be here?"