CHAPTER 460: CHAPTER 454 BLESSED CORPSE BESTOWS BLESSINGS

No one was foolish...

Now in this town, they had subjugated the Demon Corpse, and with so many townsfolk coming in, the One Coin Sect was willing to bring out their resources and host the Lantern Festival in a lively and splendid manner.

This made the ordinary believers and the townsfolk who had rushed to the festival brim with confidence, even disregarding the great hall officer from outside.

But those who had entered the sect and gained abilities were not so easily fooled.

However, it was also these capable people whose minds were running with thoughts. They considered this and that, and instead of hurriedly speaking or acting, they maintained an appearance of calmness on the surface.

Hu Ma exhaled softly, looking at Old Master Sun’s anxious face. He knew the old man was ready to make a desperate move. Not knowing how to comfort him, he merely said, "Don’t rush to conclusions. Let’s wait and see; there might be a turn of events."

"Wasn’t that Demon Corpse formidable before? And it has been subdued now, hasn’t it?"

...

"What are we still waiting for?"

Old Master Sun glanced outside, only to see the shadow of numerous heads through the paper-covered window, lit by a mass of firelight. But he didn’t find it lively, only chaotic and disturbing, and his face grew more worried.

He sighed softly and said, "I know about the subjugation of the Demon Corpse. Many people say there’s an expert hidden in Shima Town. The Immortal has been reassuring us without giving any concrete details these past days, but who could truly be at ease?"

"The more bustling this festival, the more unsettled I feel inside!"

"And I have no clue what the Immortal is thinking, mentioning nothing of the events outside, only insisting on holding this festival. Doesn’t she realize all the Protector Gods of the altar are dead? What will she bless the townsfolk with later?"

"People should be low-key. Think about your Red Lantern Lady’s Club; even the Red Lantern Lady, with her high mana, stays quietly in Mingzhou reaping Blood Food..."

...

He spoke a while longer, realizing he perhaps shouldn’t criticize the One Coin Sect like this, then shook his head and said, "...Sigh, it would have been better to have Qi join the Red Lantern Lady’s Club."

Just as he was speaking, there came the sudden sound of drums and gongs outside on the street, and the crowd erupted in a frenzy.

Even Sun Family’s Seventh Son, who was on guard outside, pounded on the door, saying, "Dad, Uncle Hu, look quickly, the Divine Platform is arriving..."

"There’s nothing on the altar, and they are still setting up a Divine Platform?"

Old Master Sun was taken aback, rose, and opened the window to gaze outside. There, in the distance, the crowd had parted to either side, with countless townsfolk loudly shouting and kneeling by the roadside.

And at the other end of Shima Town’s street, a massive object slowly moved forward. Even from a distance, one could see it was a giant wooden palanquin decorated with red flowers, surrounded by countless believers, led by disciples of the Magic King, dressed as little ghosts hopping along joyfully.

On both sides were paper-clothed Blowers, raising suonas and beating copper gongs, setting up the ceremony tent.

On top of the Divine Platform stood four Magic Kings of the One Coin Sect at each corner, each shirtless with painted faces, holding a bowl of clear water, constantly dipping and sprinkling it over the crowds of believers and townsfolk kneeling on either side, seeking blessings.

The massive Divine Platform was carried on the shoulders of strong Warriors from the One Coin Sect, who paused every three steps, allowing the four Magic Kings to sprinkle sweet dew as blessings.

The street, running through all of Shima Town, was only three or four miles long, yet was already filled with kneeling townsfolk, anticipation written all over their faces, waiting for blessings from the deity on the platform.

The spectacle was even more awe-inspiring and grand than when the One Coin Sect previously set up the altar, summoning four altar Protector Gods. Most importantly, what was enshrined at the center of the platform left Old Master Sun’s eyes riveted in shock: the red lantern!

No Nine Heaven Lotus Holy Mother, no Great Fortune God, God of Multiple Lives, or any other fancy revered names and Divine Statues—only a bewitching red lantern.

Swaying gently, it was guarded by the four Magic Kings and countless believers, emitting a mysterious and eerie red glow as it floated slowly from the other side of the street.

It drew the eyes of countless townsfolk in this town and led many unknowingly to bow their heads towards it.

This was what set the One Coin Sect apart from other gangs. The Red Lantern Lady’s Club worshiped the Red Lantern Lady, and the green clothes gang worshiped the green-clothed evil ghost, but the One Coin Sect worshiped whatever was enshrined on their Divine Platform.

All the believers did not even know who they were worshiping.

Of course, to Old Master Sun, this was entirely different. Seeing that red lantern, he was dumbfounded.

He watched the red lantern high on the Divine Platform, swaying gently in the night wind, thinking he must be mistaken. He rubbed his eyes vigorously before turning to Hu Ma in a daze and said, "Hu... Young Brother Hu, your Red Lantern Lady..."

The One Coin Sect has no Protector God left, so they had to borrow our Red Lantern Lady for their use...

Hu Ma hadn’t intended to discuss this, but circumstances being what they were, he also felt a bit awkward, saying, "No, this has nothing to do with our Red Lantern Lady..."

"People in the Path use red lanterns as Magic Artifacts or substitutes often enough. What the One Coin Sect enshrines could just be a coincidence?"

...

...

Who knew if Old Master Sun believed him or not? Anyway, this matter had nothing to do with him. Even if Er Guotou came looking, he wouldn’t be able to find him...

Besides, what could they do even if they did come looking?

He was a loyal manager of the Red Lantern Lady’s Club. But the One Coin Sect had taken a liking to him and wanted him to be the head here. Would he betray the Red Lantern Society for the One Coin Sect?

That made no sense.

So, helping the Red Lantern Lady expand her influence and gather more incense should be considered a great merit, shouldn’t it?

Setting aside these thoughts for the moment, Hu Ma focused his gaze on the approaching Divine Platform. He was extremely interested in such Lantern Festivals. He watched as the Divine Platform came from the other end of the town, moving very slowly, seemingly to ensure that all the townsfolk could receive the blessing of sweet dew.

Sweet dew, in this context, referred to the clear water in the hands of the four Magic Kings standing on the Divine Platform’s corners. Every three steps, the platform halted, allowing them to sprinkle the clear water in all directions, which was considered as granting blessings.

The key point, however, was that when the surrounding townsfolk were sprinkled with this "sweet dew," they genuinely felt instantly rejuvenated, as though sensing the descent of some entity, their expressions growing increasingly devout and excited.

Is this the so-called blessing?

Hu Ma, having learned about the One Coin Sect’s secrets, combined with his cultivation into a Magic body and heightened Divine Soul, was perceptive enough to detect this crucial detail.

There was both truth and falsehood.

Hu Ma, at that moment, could discern that the so-called blessing was actually a nourishment of the Divine Soul, with each drop touching the Living Soul of the townsfolk.

The Living Soul was closely related to one’s life and essence; even a minor touch of mana, a slight nourishment, could invigorate a person, naturally inducing an unusual sensation compared to the ordinary.

Yet, in more advanced terms, even within the One Coin Sect, it was akin to bestowing blessings on the townsfolk, whose life spans were short and blessings were scant. Receiving the One Coin Sect’s blessing allowed one to gain fortune and live better henceforth.

But the One Coin Sect was just a ragtag group. How could they have such profound means to bless the common folk?

His mind flashed to those ten massive jars.

Called the Evil Suppression Tanks, they could suppress evil because they contained blessings.

However, life span, blessing, and fortune were all abstract concepts, difficult to grasp, and most people found them incomprehensible and harmful if probed too deeply.

Common people were familiar with these terms but could not understand or clearly identify what they specifically represented or pointed to.

Only by reaching a certain level could one become aware of their existence. These days, Hu Ma had only caught a glimpse of these concepts, thanks to the One Coin Sect, thus broadening his understanding.

What kind of blessing?

Those ten massive jars actually contained bodies. The records stated that they used Tai Sui Blood and Flesh, bones, some demon with cultivation, and bodies that had died under specific conditions and decayed without decomposing to breed a peculiar entity called a "Blessed Corpse."

Essentially, it was as wicked as a Yin General.

Yet folklore indeed mentioned cases of accumulating blessings for oneself through cultivating such wicked entities.

The ten jars of the One Coin Sect had seen countless family wealth and prayers cast into them by believers, accumulating substantial blessings. This was how the One Coin Sect could still organize the Lantern Festival despite losing their altar guardian deities.

In essence, those altar guardian deities were merely employees of the One Coin Sect who worked for them, while the ten massive jars were the foundation the One Coin Sect had built up over the years.

...

...

Phew, a ragtag troupe performing big deeds...

Hu Ma, understanding all this, couldn’t help but exhale lightly. The One Cent Sect Leader was muddleheaded, and his associates weren’t experts either. However, the most fundamental techniques within the sect had been guided by an expert, using the most unorthodox methods to accomplish the most orthodox tasks.

They amassed the foundation for this Lantern Festival through years of accumulation. Then, they used the townsfolk’s word of mouth to spread the One Coin Sect’s name, generating more incense in the process.

More incense means Public opinion is on their side, which translates to fortune and luck...

...

It was evident that Hu Ma was not the only one who realized this. After the appearance of the Divine Platform, Old Master Sun’s eyes became keen, and he sighed heavily as someone beside him brought over his talismanic armor and weapon.

Meanwhile, at the banquet behind him, the old altar master of Great Shanbao, the Store Manager of the Wanma Gang, the adopted son-in-law of Grandma Wu, and other experts in the Path lost interest in the feast before them. They exchanged looks and nodded slightly towards one another.

The entire Shima Town was abuzz with the arrival of the Divine Platform, and the atmosphere of the Lantern Festival began climbing steadily. Hu Ma stood amid the crowd, squinting slightly.

The people outside likely wouldn’t allow the One Coin Sect to host such an ostentatious Lantern Festival; its influence was too overwhelming.

He hadn’t intended to meddle, but since he was here...