Chapter 1 The Rapid Demise

*Rumble!*

The yao corpse came quickly and left quickly, like a muffled thunder, descending from the sky with deafening force, and then suddenly disappearing. Adding to the intense fiendish aura that contaminated magical treasures, there was no time for careful consideration before it fled, along with the rampaging wronged souls that also scattered.

Looking around, only a scene of chaos remained, along with the faces of the crowd, filled with shock and suspicion.

"It...it's gone?"

Someone's lips trembled, their face full of disbelief, "How could a yao corpse have the intention to escape? It's not even daytime?"

Everyone knew that these *xingzi* (entities) were unlike Yin spirits, which possessed some awareness, would actively harm people, and also feel fear.

These *xingzi* harmed people purely out of instinct and had no concept of escape. Now, it wasn't even daytime, with sunlight scorching it. How could it suddenly develop an instinctive fear and actually have the thought of fleeing? Was this thing really a corpse demon?

Silence descended all around, and countless gazes turned towards Hu Ma.

But Hu Ma couldn't be bothered with that now. Just now, he had swallowed and spat out Yin energy, and he only felt his body swelling, as if his soul was about to fly away.

When the spirit consumes qi, its weight increases, and the body can't bear it.

The method of entering the *fu* (mansion of the spirit) was supposed to be gradual. Once the steps became too large, it would lead to the physical body being unable to contain the spirit, causing it to fly away, and the person would die directly, becoming something like an evil ghost.

But fortunately, Hu Ma was also guarding the year in the *fu*, his whole body transformed into death, so he wouldn't experience rejection from the spirit. In addition, his bones were solid, so he slowly guided the threads of his spirit back into his body, then gradually revived them, trying his best to appease it.

Even so, he didn't dare to speak or breathe for quite some time, lest his spirit would drill out through his seven orifices.

Only when he adapted to this state and no longer felt dizzy did he breathe a sigh of relief. He opened his eyes and saw countless strange gazes fixed on him, especially a tall figure with a gloomy face in the crowd who suddenly took a step forward.

Showing no doubt in his eyes, he shouted, "Who exactly are you?"

This person was precisely the chief steward of the Wanma Gang. Others wanted to speak when they saw him asking, but he waved his hand to stop them, only staring intently at Hu Ma, pressing forward step by step, and shouting in a deep voice:

"Earlier, you said that you only had the ability to open one *fu* gate, but now it seems that you have already entered the door of the *shiqi* (consume qi) method, and you are so skilled. Then..."

"Where did you learn this *shiqi* method? And why did you hide it from us, pretending to be ignorant?"

The others fell silent at his words, and even Old Man Sun now looked at Hu Ma with an embarrassed expression, as if wanting to help, but his lips trembled, and he couldn't say anything to help.

The *shiqi* method was of great importance. Since this little manager had long understood the *shiqi* method, he must have had a legacy, but he deliberately concealed it and mixed into the One Coin Sect. In addition, this evil corpse demon broke in and wreaked havoc tonight, so how could it not arouse suspicion?

*If I said I learned it just now, would you believe me?*

Facing the Wanma Gang chief steward's questioning, Hu Ma also gave a wry smile. He had just calmed his spirit, and then he encountered this matter, and he didn't know how to explain it to others for a while.

After a long silence, his thoughts gradually became more flexible. He sighed softly, but instead of answering his question, he slowly turned his head to look at the One Coin Sect's leader, Immortal Miaoshan, bowed deeply, and sighed:

"Immortal, you taught me such a powerful method, why didn't you remind me first, so I could prepare myself mentally?"

"Ah?"

The surrounding people were stunned and looked at Immortal Miaoshan in unison, their eyes filled with shock and suspicion. They all knew that this little manager would be summoned by the Immortal after the banquet tonight, and might even be taught the *shiqi* method. Could it be that the method just now...

Was really granted by the Immortal?

Impossible, right?

This One Coin Sect was originally seven parts deception and three parts real skill. Where did this Immortal get the ability to help people enter the door overnight?

But in the midst of everyone's shocked gazes, Immortal Miaoshan herself was obviously stunned. Just now, Hu Ma ignored his own safety, rushed in front of her, blocked the wronged souls, and swallowed and spat out qi in one breath, striking the corpse demon with his palm, all of which had a great impact on her.

Now, her heart was clearly in a mess. Meeting Hu Ma's gaze, she panicked a little. After a long silence, she suddenly waved her hand and said, "There's no need to say anything else for now."

"You come with me!"

This was undoubtedly an admission of what Hu Ma had just said, which immediately surprised everyone. The One Coin Sect leader could help people enter the door in an hour. This Immortal leader's skills were unfathomable...

"Ah, leader..."

The White Fan knew the inside story and suddenly saw that Immortal Miaoshan was about to leave with Hu Ma alone, so he hurriedly wanted to speak, but Immortal Miaoshan suddenly waved his hand, interrupted him, turned around and said, "Upper Altar Master, please stay here."

"Find out the details of the yao corpse, collect the bodies of these poor people who were killed by the yao corpse, and arrange for patrols. After you have dealt with the matters here, come and find me!"

"Everyone else, please do your best to ensure the safety of the altar. I will deal with some matters and return immediately!"

The White Fan was surprised and uncertain, but he understood that the Immortal didn't want him to participate, so he swallowed the words back into his mouth and accepted the order.

The Immortal seemed a little anxious. After saying this to everyone, she took two steps forward and looked back at Hu Ma, signaling him to follow quickly.

Seeing this, everyone was suspicious and didn't understand.

At this moment, it was the One Coin Sect leader's birthday, and all the members came to celebrate. The Lantern Blessing Assembly was about to begin, but suddenly the yao corpse attacked the altar, killing so many people and disturbing the sect's members, making them feel uneasy. The One Coin Sect leader should try her best to appease everyone.

Why did she seem to not care and think that the little manager's words were more important?

Even the White Fan couldn't understand the leader's meaning. He could only hurriedly agree, see off the leader and Hu Ma, and then brace himself to thank those who had helped and order people to count the casualties.

Walking in front, the Immortal turned back several times to look at Hu Ma, as if she had something to ask, but she held back.

The two quickened their pace and quickly crossed half the town, arriving once again at the mansion with the mourning hall in the front yard.

This time, when Hu Ma walked in, he discovered that the objects on the tree crown in the second courtyard, which was originally full of things, had decreased a lot. Most of the things had disappeared, and only a few important trunks still had a few items hanging on them.

They seemed to be a pair of armor, a pair of official boots, a fist-sized seal, and so on.

*How can things suddenly decrease?*

Hu Ma quickly thought in his mind: *Unless some of the things were originally hung up by them?*

If it were normal times, he would naturally look for an opportunity to ask, but now no one could care. The Immortal directly led the way, bringing Hu Ma into the hall that he could have entered earlier. After Hu Ma entered the door, she immediately turned around and closed the door of the hall.

Only the two of them remained in the hall. Knowing that they could finally speak, they suddenly looked at each other and asked at the same time:

"What exactly is the method you taught me?"

"What exactly is your background?"

These two sentences were asked almost at the same time, which made them both pause at the same time.

Their eyes met, and neither of them concealed the suspicion in their hearts.

Hu Ma had already noticed something obviously wrong and suspected that the Immortal had deliberately taught him this method?

Why was it this method that suddenly and inexplicably started and entered the door when he was not prepared and hadn't thought about whether he wanted to cultivate?

More importantly, thinking carefully about the changes that occurred when he was surrounded by Yin energy, he couldn't even determine whether it was a coincidence, whether the time was ripe, and he consumed the qi and entered this door, or...

Like enjoying the Black Tai Sui when entering the *fu*, was it the spirit that suddenly took the initiative?

If so, then things would be terrifying.

The Immortal was also looking at Hu Ma with obvious suspicion: This method naturally couldn't fall into the hands of others, but inexplicably, someone actually learned it and easily entered the door, which made her feel an indescribable shock. This was unreasonable.

Holding this mutual suspicion, the two of them stood in the hall, silent for a while, and couldn't ask the second sentence.

"The method you are cultivating is the Great Might Heavenly Duke General Seal."

After a long time, the Immortal slowly opened her mouth, her pretty face carrying an unspeakable solemnity: "This method is not from the One Coin Sect, nor should it be given to you..."

"Not given to me? Then who is it for?"

Hearing the Immortal's words, Hu Ma was filled with strangeness and asked, "Could it be that this method didn't fall from your big tree?"

"This method was originally for..."

Immortal Miaoshan also subconsciously opened her mouth, seemingly wanting to say something, but she held back, looking at Hu Ma's young and handsome face, and suddenly felt a little troubled in her heart.

Things developed too quickly and too strangely, and even she couldn't explain it for a while. After a long silence, she could only sigh softly and say, "Perhaps, everything is the will of fate..."

Hu Ma's eyes suddenly narrowed: *Here it comes again, right?*

*When I asked for the method just now, you used this rhetoric, but now you want to fool me again, then this matter will be difficult to say...*

Unexpectedly, even Immortal Miaoshan was confused at this moment. After a long deliberation, she suddenly sighed and said, "Little Manager, this matter has great karma. You are a kind-hearted person, and I don't want you to lose your life in vain. Now I just want to ask you one question..."

"Do you want your life or not?"

"Um?"

Hu Ma frowned and said, "What do you mean by this?"

Immortal Miaoshan sighed softly and said, "If you want your life, then you can only formally join my sect and call me master."

"Well..."

Hu Ma's eyes suddenly narrowed. As expected, this was indeed the same trick!