“Who have I offended…”

“Ever since I built this broken-down temple, I haven’t left the main gate, haven’t stepped beyond the second gate, and I was even forced by the Right Protector to learn how to bestow marriages, how to bless people with sons…”

“…I didn’t even have any children when I was alive. What idea would I have for those people who come to kowtow and beg for sons?”

“But even having done so much, why can’t I get a moment of peace? Everyone says building a temple is good, but why does it feel like the more I build, the more I become a grandson? It was better when I was with the Right Protector, scaring passing merchants in the forest to rob them of their gold and silver…”

“They used to call me Red Lantern Ghost, but I didn’t have to worry about offerings. Later they called me the scourge of Ming Prefecture, but I lived comfortably. Now they call me the Accused God, and I have no face left…”

“They say I harmed a city, but I don’t even know what happened. They came running over to obliterate me…”

“…Clearly, they initially said the worst I’d get was to be a foot-washing maid!”

“…”

When Hu Ma led Li Wazi and the others to Zhumen Town, the entire town was almost empty. Only red lanterns hung on the town, swaying back and forth in the cold wind, miserable and desolate, with faint cries audible.

More than half of the association's incense masters, venerated elders, and managers had fled. The remaining few, who hadn't grasped the situation, looked lost, clutching their weapons, unsure of what to do.

"When I first joined the Red Lantern Society, there wasn't even a temple yet, but it was full of strong men and horses, with countless experts, unfathomable."

Hu Ma watched from the town entrance and couldn't help but sigh, "Now that Ming Prefecture is only showing signs of chaos, the gap between these martial world sects and the true struggle for qi destiny is revealed. Clearly, there are many capable people, but they are completely vulnerable!"

"However, it is precisely at this time that our loyalty is most evident…"

A thought flickered in his mind, "Could it be that after being in the society for so long, I finally have a chance to enter the core management of the Red Lantern Society?"

He quickly told Li Wazi and the others to perk up, take good care of the livestock, and secure the goods on the cart, as they marched into the town, full of vigor. Before they even arrived, he had Li Wazi and the others shouting, "Manager Hu Ma from Qing Shi Town, here to protect you…"

Logically speaking, the word "protect" was inappropriate, but Hu Ma had pondered it. The Red Lantern Goddess was an Accused God, so even a slight overstep wasn't a big deal.

Meanwhile, inside a large house in the town, the Left Protector, Shen Hongzhi, was in a state of chaos. Since the news arrived yesterday that the Truth Religion was about to attack, fewer and fewer people remained in the town.

Some left under the guise of running errands, leaving a letter and running away. Others said their eighty-year-old mother was getting married and they needed to go back to be a groomsman. These were the ones who followed the rules. More didn't even say a word and simply disappeared, even taking some things with them.

"One by one, when the Goddess gets through this tribulation, I will deal with them properly!"

It couldn't be said that the Red Lantern Society was a complete mess. When fighting the Blue-Clad Evil Ghost, they had strict rules. Those who were chosen knew they would die, but they still had to bite the bullet.

But now it was different. Fighting the Blue-Clad Evil Ghost was because the Red Lantern Society had the upper hand. Even if they didn't, if the Red Lantern Society lost, they would still have the strength to retaliate against those who didn't follow the rules, killing their entire families without batting an eye.

But facing the Truth Religion, not to mention they couldn't win, even if they lost, they couldn't even protect the Red Lantern Goddess's temple. What was there to retaliate about? So these members ran away without any pressure.

Even she, as the protector, could only say a few harsh words. In truth, she had no plan at all.

But just as she was watching the people in the town run away, unable to stop them, she suddenly heard someone coming to "protect" them. She was immediately delighted.

She hurried out to greet them, but saw that Hu Ma had only brought seven or eight helpers, dragging a large cart. Her face fell again:

"What use are just these few people?"

But then she thought again, feeling a sense of desolation: "As soon as we encountered a tough opponent, everyone in the society with any ability ran away. They're so loyal. The only ones thinking of our Goddess are my sworn sister and this loyal little shopkeeper. What is there to complain about?"

"If I have to run later, I have to take them with me. Such loyal brothers will be useful when we make a comeback…"

“…”

So she hurriedly invited them into the town, directly to the house opposite the Accused God temple of the Red Lantern Goddess, and sat down. The Left Protector personally served them tea. In the past, Hu Ma, a small shopkeeper, would at most sit with an incense master. He wouldn't have this honor.

Indeed, chaotic times were good for promotion.

After sitting down and being served tea, the three of them stared at each other, at a loss for words. She forced a conversation, "But now the Truth Religion is very fierce. Now that the society has few people, how can we compete with them?"

Hu Ma picked up the tea, took a sip, and said, "They're the ones being unreasonable first. Why be polite? If they really come, then we fight!"

Di Gua Shao, who was next to Hu Ma, had been rolling his eyes, pretending not to know him. Now, hearing this, he immediately slapped his thigh and said, "Then we fight!"

“…”

The Left Protector thought, maybe I shouldn't take these two with me when I make a comeback...

Just as she was wondering what to say, she suddenly heard a creaking sound outside. She saw that a wind, from who knows where, had suddenly swept into the town, stirring up sand and stones. The window lattices, door panels, and lanterns throughout the town were shaking wildly.

83 Chinese Website latest address

Her face changed drastically, "They're here already?"

…

…

Outside Ming Prefecture City, many people had come out. In the rolling yin wind, one could clearly see a black sedan chair in front, followed by two maids, four servants, and a red-haired fire bull, carrying the Mandate General in a black cloak, followed by dozens of riders.

Behind them were two rows of altar masters carrying green banners, and over a hundred Truth Religion believers with gloomy faces and murderous intent. The dark mass looked like everyone who remained in Ming Prefecture City had come along.

Such a formation frightened not only Zhumen Town but even the common people along the way, and even the noble gentlemen in Ming Prefecture City. They sent people to follow from afar, just to get news.

And the Truth Religion crowd, with murderous intent, rushed all the way to Zhumen Town, but didn't enter the town. They stopped about three li away. Several altar masters of the Truth Religion, carrying green banners with the character "Reason" on them, simultaneously stepped forward and plunged their banners into the ground.

"Chi!"

Eight green banners were simultaneously stuck in the ground. The eight altar masters carrying the banners began to chant incantations while circling the banners.

As they circled and chanted, the banners suddenly began to spin as well. The banners stirred up gusts of yin wind, and wronged souls and evil ghosts emerged from the banners one after another.

Those with weak fire energy could even see in this yin wind, evil ghosts covered in chains crawling quickly on the ground, heading straight for the Red Lantern Goddess's temple.

"Good fellow, without even saying where they're from, or asking about the crime, they directly want to capture someone?"

Hu Ma, in front of the Red Lantern Temple, noticed the sound of the wind outside and was shocked. "This style is even more overbearing than our Town Suppression Bureau?"

Ignoring Di Gua Shao's excited wink, he simply turned his head to look at the red lantern in the temple opposite, thinking: At least it was chosen by Brother Erguotou, it shouldn't be so useless, right?

"Chi!"

As he was thinking, the yin wind in the town grew stronger and stronger. Wooden frames were blown down, and the light of the red lantern in the small Accused God temple, only a few zhang in size, suddenly lit up in a strange way.

It instantly filled the small Accused God temple and even broke through the roof tiles, illuminating the deep blue night sky.

As this red lantern lit up, all the red lanterns hanging around the town, which were unlit, also lit up one after another. For a time, red lanterns were everywhere, creating a red lantern array.

No matter how timid the Red Lantern Goddess was, she was going to resist so many evil ghosts rushing into her temple to arrest her. If one listened carefully, one could even hear sounds like "Injustice!" "Don't bully me!"

The feeling was that, facing the other side's unreasonable capture, she was struggling and shouting injustice.

The only problem was that her struggle seemed too intense. Red light flashed everywhere, and a chilling yin wind swept through the air. The evil ghosts that had crawled down from the banners had only just stretched out their claws and thrown out their iron chains.

They immediately met the red light of the lanterns. In an instant, they melted like the first snow. The iron chains shattered inch by inch, and the faces of the fierce gods and evil ghosts were torn to pieces by the red lantern light.

"Chi chi…"

Three li away, two of the eight green cloth banners that the Truth Religion had stuck in the ground suddenly made the sound of cloth tearing. They were directly torn to shreds, and the Truth Religion believers guarding these two banners were suddenly thrown out, spitting blood and appearing to be dead.

This unexpected movement startled everyone around, not to mention the Truth Religion side, even the Left Protector Shen Hongzhi was stunned.

"Wait, is the Goddess's magic really this high?"

“…”

The red lantern light that had just lit up in the temple also dimmed slightly, as if somewhat confused: "Om?"

…

…

"Resisting criminal ghosts, injuring my law enforcement!"

Three li away, the Mandate General, sitting high on his horse, saw this scene and his expression changed drastically. He said grimly, "I said long ago that this small Accused God has a mysterious origin and receives private incense."

"Now look at her, her magic power is even more powerful than I thought. How could a small Accused God who has only built a temple for less than a year cultivate such magic?"

"I think she probably secretly received a dark sacrifice long ago, that's why she has such abilities!"

“…”

But beside him, Hu family's elder sister in the black sedan chair, was also startled by this movement, and deeply agreed with the first half of the Mandate General's words, but was somewhat hesitant about the second half: "Her magic is indeed not what an Accused God should possess."

"But if it's an illicit sacrifice, how could it be so upright?"