In the past, this Manor never closed its gates during the day. But now, they were shut tight early in the morning. What did this signify?

The people of Ganzi Village didn't understand, nor did they want to think deeply about it, but fear had gripped everyone. They cried outside the Manor, begging the Manager inside to save their loved ones trapped in their village, yet no one dared to knock on the gate.

Their commotion attracted people from neighboring villages. Upon hearing that Ganzi Village was plagued by a Great Evil Spirit, and with the Manor's Manager still not having emerged, they too grew worried.

Some among them, either more daring or too impatient to wait for the Manor to open—especially those with loved ones trapped in Ganzi Village—courageously gathered friends and ventured back. However, once they entered, they couldn't get out.

This pattern repeated until it wasn't just Ganzi Village; other villages also had people trapped inside, and their fear grew.

Ordinary folk, when faced with such things, were almost powerless. The only ones they could appeal to were the people inside the Manor.

But with the Manor's gates tightly shut, how could they not fall into despair?

This despair and resentment seemed to darken the sky, like a mountain weighing down on everyone's heart. It seemed that this gloom was capable of fermenting into something more.

CREAK...

Before these emotions could ferment, just as the people outside were about to lose all hope, the tightly closed Manor gate suddenly opened.

From inside, a Shopkeeper with a crew cut, dressed in a shopkeeper's robe and wearing cloth shoes with layered soles, emerged. He had a redwood sword strapped to his back and a waist knife in his hand. His face was set in a cold expression as he walked out.

Behind him, workers from the Manor, who were somewhat familiar with the neighboring villagers, came out armed. Some held knives, some guns, and others dung forks. They also drove a donkey cart laden with jars and pots, some of which were leaking blood.

The desperate and pleading villagers suddenly felt a chill in their hearts, instinctively stepping back a bit in awe.

Their lips trembled, but they dared not make a sound.

At this moment, the little shopkeeper at the center took large strides forward. He looked at the anxious villagers surrounding them and said in a deep voice, "In the past, we've been well cared for by you, our neighbors. Now that the village is in trouble, we can't stand idly by."

"However, we've only recently joined the Manor, and our skills aren't quite polished yet. We'll help as much as we can!"

He spoke while striding out.

Though he was young, with a still somewhat boyish face, the surrounding villagers made way for him, their eyes full of hope as they looked at him.

"That's right, that's right, everyone follow..."

Someone quickly reacted, waving vigorously. "The little shopkeeper is coming out to help us drive out the evil spirit! Everyone, let's go and see..."

It was then that more people understood. Wiping the snot and tears from their faces, they extinguished the incense candles and paper money they had been burning in front of the Manor. According to the old customs, when trouble arose, they would burn paper money to the Red Lantern, and then someone from the Manor would come to help.

But this time, seeing Hu Ma and his companions, they suddenly felt that burning paper money to the Red Lantern was superfluous.

More and more people followed behind Hu Ma. Zhou Datong and the others wore grave and earnest expressions.

Even the donkey pulling the cart followed obediently at the back, seeming to know its way without needing to be guided...

...Of course, it might also be that the one driving it was something the villagers couldn't see with their naked eyes.

The Manor had two horses, but Hu Ma still chose this donkey to pull the large cart. The reason was that the village they were heading to this time was too unsettling, and horses were easily spooked.

This donkey, at least, had seen a few things. Moreover, after a beating from Hu Ma, it had gotten along quite well with Little Hongtang. Using it to haul their supplies, it shouldn't be spooked by ordinary dangers.

As they strode towards Ganzi Village, Hu Ma glanced back and saw the villagers following, which gave him a bit more confidence.

Inspecting Ganzi Village without the villagers was to avoid them being influenced and causing trouble. But now, with the trouble already this significant, having more people around could bolster their momentum.

The large, dark procession of people quickly arrived before Ganzi Village once more. Compared to the morning, the yin qi here was even heavier. Before they even got close, they felt a wave of chilling yin qi wash over them.

Standing outside Ganzi Village and looking in, they saw the sky inside appeared even darker than elsewhere, with indistinct shadows flitting between the courtyard buildings.

Hu Ma walked at the front, the donkey cart followed behind him, and Zhou Datong and the others flanked the cart. The villagers trailed further behind.

Seeing Hu Ma reach the entrance of the village, with Zhou Datong and the others following, the villagers hesitated.

"Datong!"

Hu Ma glanced at the eerily dark village and suddenly shouted, "Start singing the Red Lantern Lady's name!"

"Her name?"

Zhou Datong paused. When they patrolled at night, they only shouted; they didn't sing out names.

But he had seen the slogans sung every year during the Mountain Opening ceremony at Dayang Village, or when they were about to enter the mountains to chop wood. Hearing Hu Ma's shout, he understood what was needed. Facing the village from which the yin qi billowed, he immediately cleared his throat and yelled at the top of his lungs, "The Red Lantern lights the night... HEY-YO!"

"Peaceful and safe... HEY-YO!"

"..."

As he began to sing, the workers beside him quickly joined in.

At this moment, each of them felt the weight of responsibility, each believing themselves to be great masters helping the villagers eliminate the evil spirit. This sense of duty was truly emboldening. Once they started singing, their voices became deep and resonant, sounding exceptionally steadfast.

The villagers following behind were not foolish. Hearing the simple chant, they too joined in, their shouts rising like waves as they closed in on the village.

"The Red Lantern lights the night... HEY-YO!"

"Peaceful and safe... HEY-YO!"

"..."

This patrol slogan usually sounded somewhat ghostly and eerie, often accompanied by the Red Lantern in the dead of night.

Now, sung aloud by the workers with the villagers joining in, the tune meant for patrolling against evil spirits seemed to be infused with a surge of masculine energy.

And this masculine energy grew increasingly robust.

As Hu Ma strode forward, he pushed through the chilling yin qi that rushed to meet them, and the crowd surged into the village.

A chant can unite people's hearts and bolster their courage! Hu Ma thought silently, seeing this approach was effective. Of course, it wasn't entirely suitable to call out this name now. The Red Lantern Lady didn't actually want to be involved here, but once we shouted her name, it was as if she had sent us. But is there a problem with this? No! The Red Lantern Lady doesn't want to be involved, but we can't let her opt out. After all, she has just had a temple built and needs fame, virtue, and incense... We must give it to her! We absolutely must build up the Red Lantern Lady's reputation!

As he was thinking this, the workers behind him, as well as the villagers who had followed them in, truly felt as if this collective shouting, like the roar of mountains and tsunamis, possessed an invisible power.

The village no longer appeared so frightening. The bone-chilling yin qi seemed weakened. They had reapproached the once-untouchable village—so what of it?

"Mother..."

But just as this thought began to form in their minds, a cry rang out from within the village.

The cry was piercing and ethereal, as if it stabbed directly into their heads. Everyone's vision blurred, and they saw, inside the village, a little girl in green clothes, wiping her eyes and crying as she floated towards them.

Behind her followed four or five adults with ashen faces, men and women alike, who had clearly lost their senses. Their gazes were vacant, their steps unsteady, and their waists twisted strangely.

Not only the villagers but even Zhou Datong and his men were startled, their shouts weakening considerably.

They had encountered this little girl searching for her mother when they first arrived. Now, looking at her, it seemed she had found several...

"Searching all over for your mother, did you even ask if your father agrees?"

Hu Ma sensed the change in the crowd and charged straight ahead, shouting, "I'll teach you a good lesson on your father's behalf first!"

Under ordinary circumstances, upon encountering an evil spirit, one had to assess the situation and explore any potential for conversation. If a friendly understanding could be established, then enmity should be avoided. But things were different now. This village had become too sinister. Moreover, the evil Wandering Souls within seemed to have been mysteriously strengthened, yet they also weren't quite normal anymore. So Hu Ma didn't bother with talk and charged straight in.

His left hand gripped the saw-toothed knife, still sheathed. Instead, with his other hand, he drew the redwood sword from his back and channeled One Incense's worth of force directly into it.

He didn't hold back, directly using One Incense.

If it were anyone else, even with One Incense's worth of cultivation, they would have hesitated to use so much at once, fearing they wouldn't have enough power left.

But Hu Ma needed to make a strong initial impression. Besides, he had two more Columns as backup, so he didn't hold back.

"Mother..."

Seeing Hu Ma charge towards her, the ghost girl's voice suddenly turned sharp and distorted. Her face became ferocious as she lunged at Hu Ma.

She clearly didn't expect the firepower on Hu Ma's redwood sword to be so strong. She was immediately pierced by it, and the yin qi around her dissipated significantly. Yet, impaled on the redwood sword in mid-air, she still didn't disperse. Instead, she violently opened her mouth.

A mass of eerie black qi spewed from her mouth, coiling towards Hu Ma.

Hu Ma gave a cold snort. He raised his left hand, which wielded the still-sheathed knife, and its nature transformed from living to dead as he used his arm to block the black qi.

The next moment, with a sound like spring thunder from his tongue, he exhaled a True Yang Arrow.

This True Yang Arrow was also potent and fire-laden. To ordinary people, it appeared as merely a breath, but to an evil spirit, it was like scorching flame. Amidst intense struggles and howls, the girl transformed into specks of fire and scattered in all directions.

In that instant, the four or five villagers who had been following her awoke as if from a dream. They looked around in terror, their legs weak.

The surrounding villagers were both shocked and delighted, gazing at Hu Ma with admiration, as if they had found their backbone.

"Don't be afraid, folks!"

Hu Ma waved the redwood sword, shaking off the sparks from it, and declared loudly, "This evil spirit is nothing more than condensed yin qi! If you're brave enough, you can blow it away with a single breath!"

"Usually, we pay respects to them, that's giving them face. But how can the living rely on the dead to survive?"

"Today, if they try to cause trouble, for every one that appears, we'll deal with one!"

As he spoke, he raised the Wooden Sword and strode further into Ganzi Village. His voice was low, addressing the troublemaking entities within this village yet also serving as a broader warning: "We can't manage disturbances in other places. But within ten miles of our Manor, I don't care what you are—you'd better stay quiet!"