CHAPTER 351: CHAPTER 348: SLAYING THE DIVINE STATUE

Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Hu Ma looked around, feeling as if he were standing in a vast and stately mansion.

The surrounding gazes were solemn and emotionless, staring at him. Two rows of Golden Armored Warriors stood on either side, each holding blades and axes, their eyes tightly closed.

This mysterious mansion had been opened by the Nine-section copper mace from the box. As it opened, it appeared around him and also behind Aunt Zhang’s Magic Altar.

He could vaguely see the mansion’s appearance and found that it was just like the grand hall he had summoned using the dharma method from the Zhensui Book when setting up the altar. Only now, this mansion felt more real, more somber.

Standing inside, he could see the tall roof ridges, the massive black pillars, and a large drum in the courtyard, wrapped in some unknown material.

Looking further inside, he even saw the grand and imposing halls, with pillars carved with fierce beasts like Bi’an. In front, there was a platform with Order Arrows and a thick stack of dusty scrolls on it.

On the far left, there was even a row of black, chilling Choppers, aligned perfectly, instilling a sense of dread.

Everything here carried an ancient and mysterious aura, tinged with a desolate solemnity. He could even catch a whiff of a strong metallic scent, yet it wasn’t malevolent; instead, it evoked natural awe and respect.

Hu Ma instinctively wanted to see everything clearly, but he couldn’t move. Even the slightest movement seemed to bring an indescribable, turbulent aura surging towards him.

This aura was a hundred, no, a thousand times stronger than that of the Five Evil Ghost, yet it was a righteous aura. It felt as if the Five Evil Ghost carried the aura of evil men, but here in the hall, it was the aura of justice and execution—the two were incomparable.

It was only because of the Nine-section copper mace beside him that he could withstand its weight.

Without this mace protecting his body, he feared he would be crushed instantly.

Even just standing there, he felt the heavy, turbulent aura continuously passing through him, as if trying to drown him.

It was like facing the most biting wind in the dead of winter. Though countless reasons urged him to shrink back, he gritted his teeth, stood firm, and faced the oppressive aura within the mansion, slowly lifting his head instead.

Standing there was like undergoing a baptism. The cold wind from the mansion swept over him, almost dispersing his soul. Yet, because he stood firm, his soul became more solid.

Then, he looked outside the mansion and saw Aunt Zhang’s Magic Altar and the Five Evil Ghost within.

"General Zhensui, spare me! I know my wrongs..."

...

"Ah?"

When Aunt Zhang saw the scene before her, she thought she was mistaken.

She had listened to Hu Ma, set up the altar, and summoned the Five Evil Ghost. She had been feeling overwhelmed and on the verge of failure, even suffering a backlash from the altar’s Mana. Suddenly, out of nowhere, she sensed something and lifted her head to look.

At a glance, she felt a terrifying aura rolling in, pressing down on her. The burning braziers and oil lamps flared violently, casting distorted shadows all around, like a dance of demons.

Within the altar, gusts of ominous wind gradually condensed into a figure: a fierce ghost with five heads. Each face showed fear, and each mouth uttered words of plea.

Is this the Five Evil Gods?

She found it hard to associate this pleading ghostly figure with the evil god that had once loomed over her fate.

"Good gracious..."

Even Seventh Aunt beside her jumped from her sedan chair, took off her shoe sole, and held it in her hand, eager to strike. "You Evil Ghost, not so fierce anymore?"

Her exclamation startled Aunt Zhang, who finally realized it was real. But she also understood that this Evil Ghost wasn’t summoned by her; rather, someone more powerful had borrowed her altar to bring it forth.

She hurriedly turned, about to kneel to the shadowy figure behind her.

"Do not kneel!"

Before her knees touched the ground, a voice rang out—thick and mighty, enhanced by layers of Mana. Aunt Zhang stiffened and stopped short of kneeling completely.

But her heart still raced in panic. She looked towards the blurry hall, towards the dignified and mysterious gaze, then heard the voice’s calm order: "Interrogate it!"

"I..."

Aunt Zhang was momentarily dazed upon hearing the command. Subconsciously, she turned back towards the altar, looking at the Evil Ghost still kowtowing and begging, completely devoid of its once-fierce aura.

This had always been her nightmare, but this time, she felt someone had her back. She was no longer afraid.

So, she boldly addressed the Evil Ghost loudly, "You... do you know your guilt?"

The Evil Ghost in the altar seemed to recognize the familiar voice. It merely stirred, releasing a wave of aura that made the flames before Aunt Zhang flicker wildly, but it did not respond.

Aunt Zhang’s voice trembled slightly. But sensing the solemn presence of the Zhensui Mansion behind her, and the gaze from within that mysterious edifice, her voice gradually became firm, filled with confidence and sharpness.

"Five Evil Ghost, I ask you: for causing chaos in a state, for Evil Creation and harming people—how many families loyally worshiped you, only to be slaughtered to the last member by your hand? You..."

"...do you know your guilt?"

...

Facing Aunt Zhang’s questioning, the Evil Ghost finally reacted, speaking hurriedly, "I acknowledge my guilt! I shouldn’t have been so reckless, defied authority, and greedily indulged in Blood Food..."

"I was once a protector under your door. I wish only to return to serve in the mansion and atone for my sins by running errands..."

...

Its voice was murky, both rapid and urgent. An entity of its stature, even when speaking, carried a heavy power that ordinary people could not endure.

Aunt Zhang was a great walking ghost, yet even she felt a headache listening to it, able to catch only fragments of its words. Its response was so jumbled that she felt dizzy and unsure how to reply.

But Hu Ma, in the Zhensui Mansion, could hear all its words clearly. From his vantage point within the mansion, looking down, he could even perceive some of its hidden thoughts.

As the mountain lord said, was it truly determined to change allegiance, using this trial as a stepping stone to other Paths?

Or was it testing if the Hu Family descendants were promising enough, seizing this opportunity to return and secure a better future?

As he pondered this, Aunt Zhang swayed slightly. She had set up the altar, but with the Evil Ghost before her and the Zhensui Mansion behind, she was clearly unable to hold out much longer. The Evil Ghost’s pleas also made her heart waver.

This Evil Ghost was originally a protector in the Walking Ghost Path. Now that it intended to plead, could it be that the Zhensui Mansion...

"The Walking Ghost Path does not harbor evil spirits!"

But at that moment, a somber voice rose from within the Zhensui Mansion, "You defied your master, created evil, and harmed people. Your crimes are already unpardonable, and moreover..."

Aunt Zhang could feel the voice behind her grow stern. "Under the guise of a protector, you deceived my Walking Ghost disciples and violated the rules of my hall! If I spare you this time, wouldn’t everyone think that the Walking Ghost Path can be bullied and has no one to back it up?"

The voice thundered, causing Aunt Zhang to tremble as if struck by a bolt of lightning.

Then, suddenly, she heard a fierce command: "Execute it now!"

The command frightened Aunt Zhang to her core. She threw the Token she had just received as if it were a hot potato, and it clattered onto the ground.

As the Token hit the ground, a cacophony of condemnations erupted all around, as if heaven and earth were turning upside down. Pressure mounted from all sides, and a turbulent aura surged into Aunt Zhang’s small altar in an instant.

Soon, two Golden Armored Warriors emerged from the gates of the Zhensui Mansion. They stepped into Aunt Zhang’s Magic Altar and advanced towards the Five Evil Ghost.

Startled, the Five Evil Ghost leaped up, attempting to charge out of the altar.

Yet the Golden Armored Warriors suddenly reached out and pressed it down on the spot. Flanking it, they escorted it to the row of Choppers, specifically to the tiger-head-shaped Chopper, second from the right.

Without any chance for it to argue, the Chopper rose high and fell heavily.

SLICE!

The Five Evil Ghost howled, but its voice was abruptly cut off. Its five heads rolled onto the ground, eyes blinking blankly.

...

...

"Slay!"

Simultaneously, Hu Ma’s setting up the altar to capture ghosts and uttering curses to slay gods—these were all merely events within the altar.

But with his fierce shout, a sudden chill ran through the people in the vast Mingzhou, and even parts of the Gunzhou region, as if thunder rumbled in the darkness.

Countless people had witnessed the Evil Ghost being dragged over and sent into the mansion. They collectively shuddered and then came to their senses, realizing that everything they had just seen was an illusion, as if they had merely been dreaming.

Yet, as they exchanged glances and saw the fear on one another’s faces, they naturally understood that they weren’t the only ones who had experienced this dream.

「Near Green Stone Town」

Yang Gong and his men had nearly defeated the band of robbers. However, he could feel that as the fighting dragged on and more people died, the remaining bandits grew increasingly frenzied, their eyes reddening like those of demons.

Just when he felt it was becoming increasingly difficult to kill them, he vaguely heard a solemn and awe-inspiring shout to kill.

Then, THUMP!

An unexpected scene unfolded: a giant clay Divine Statue suddenly fell from the sky, impartially and precisely crushing the last of the bandits, who were shrouded in a baleful aura.

The crowd scattered in shock. After a long while, they summoned enough courage to approach and look. They were stunned to see a headless Divine Statue. No one knew where it had come from, much less why it had fallen from the sky.