CHAPTER 483: 477TH CHAPTER: ENTRUSTED FATE (FIRST UPDATE)

"The greatest skill of the Meng family was bowing down..."

As Hu Ma watched the Second Young Master Meng kowtow, the Borrowing Soldiers Token ignited, and an indescribable pressure fell upon him.

On the left, the mountain split open, accompanied by the sounds of a world collapsing. Row upon row of ghost soldiers, with yellow talisman paper on their faces, burst from the ground. The malevolent aura was overwhelming, sinister and terrifying, with such density that it almost became a tangible flood.

Shima Town seemed minuscule in front of this overwhelming yin qi. The flickering lights of the town looked as if made of paper.

Yet for Hu Ma, the most terrifying thing was the Second Young Master Meng kowtowing in front.

He appeared to have turned into a shriveled piece of human skin, but suddenly, it was as if an invisible wind filled him. Slowly, he straightened his body again, still with his back facing Hu Ma, but he felt entirely different from before.

He slowly crawled up from the ground, emitting an eerie aura. Dense hallucinations appeared before Hu Ma’s eyes. Hu Ma seemed to see some strange, squirming entity seated in an extremely distant space.

He could hardly discern how vast its body was, but he vaguely distinguished a bloated old man wearing hundred-life clothes. The presence was visible but indistinct.

All that was visible was its endlessly bloated flesh cramped together, covered by the hundred-life clothes of "longevity" characters and Copper Coin designs. However, those Copper Coins were faces making strange expressions.

A thousand faces surfaced on the flesh’s surface in his vision, and a thousand mouths ceaselessly spoke in his ears.

The immense pressure made Hu Ma’s heart pound relentlessly. It was extremely uncomfortable, as if all his blood was being squeezed out into his brain.

Even more inexplicable was the sudden rise of inexplicable hatred in him when sensing what the Second Young Master Meng had invited, an intense but powerless hatred.

Why, when he had clearly seen this thing for the first time, did he hate it so deeply? Why did this hatred even surpass his instinctual fear?

CRACKLE! Simultaneously, Hu Ma’s left arm suddenly throbbed with pain, and even his Divine Soul seemed shaken. The thing sealed and struck within his left arm now burst with a strong desire.

Never had it been so fervent, as it desperately struggled, cried, and wailed. Hu Ma could vaguely sense it shouting loudly: "Ancestor... child pays respects to Ancestor...

"Ancestor, help me... the Hu Family betrayed Ancestor’s words..."

"Huh?"

The sudden, intense pain jolted Hu Ma from his daze. He immediately gritted his teeth, suppressing the thing within his left arm.

This moment of clarity suddenly made him realize that the thing within his left arm sensed the aura now on Young Master Meng. The two entities seemed to share the same origin, which was why it was so desperate to escape.

What was it shouting about?

What was this about the Hu Family not heeding the Ancestor, about betrayal?

At that moment, he couldn’t make it out clearly, yet vaguely sensed this was tied to some secret matter, something "he" hadn’t discovered yet, but this thing had.

Moreover, this thing had overheard his conversation with Big Red Robe, meaning he couldn’t let it escape.

"Big-headed turtle son, it’s already three incense, and you won’t hold out till you reach town..."

"Big-headed turtle son, you’ve already lost, aren’t you getting off your horse to kowtow?"

"Short-legged great hall officer, you..."

"Hell, can’t we maintain a consistent name?"

"Scattering our attacks isn’t as good as focusing! Everyone, call him big-headed turtle son! Let this name spread throughout the jianghu, let’s see how he faces people!"

During these abrupt developments, at the front of Shima Town, Iron Steed Grand Hall Officer was mounted on a Tiger Skin Louse-Headed Horse, vigorously displaying his valor and exuding authority, as he fought fiercely with the Beef Avoidance Sect Disciples.

Rushing toward Shima Town, he had no idea how many Strange Techniques and demon people blocked his path.

Yet he simply swung his broadsword, cutting through them. Of those who could hinder him for a few moves, there were only three or five people. Even they were forced to retreat after moments or face grisly ends under his relentless blade.

Finally arriving at Shima Town, it was only the opera troupe leader Jin Chenzi who engaged him in a real battle, both exchanging dozens of moves as they struggled.

The Beef Avoidance Sect Disciples beside them watched tensely, their mouths spewing endless insults, trying to reach Iron Steed Grand Hall Officer’s heart. Though he clenched his teeth, ignoring these distracting words, they continued to ring in his ears.

He forced himself to disregard them, treating them as nothing but barking dogs. Yet his anger grew, his strikes becoming fiercer, and he pressed his advantage relentlessly, his Tiger Skin Louse-Headed Horse recklessly charging into town.

What did it matter what these demon people said? Once he entered the town, he would break the Divine Platform and see how these demon people reacted?

"Not good..."

At this moment, seeing the great hall officer truly angered, exuding divine might, seemingly unstoppable, and heading straight into the town, the Beef Avoidance Sect Disciples were all shocked.

CRACK!

Just then, they suddenly heard the sound of heaven and earth collapsing, making the ground beneath their feet buzz in resonance. In the high sky, dark clouds converged, with chilling gusts resembling the underworld.

The fiercely fighting Iron Steed Grand Hall Officer and the opera troupe leader were shocked and momentarily disengaged. The Beef Avoidance Sect Disciples forgot their curses, frantically looking toward the source of the commotion, their faces filled with incredulous expressions.

In their eyes, within the oppressive night, claps of muffled thunder echoed. Ghostly flames surfaced from the deep mountains, and ghost soldiers with yellow talisman papers on their faces marched heavily toward Shima Town.

With their approach, the air felt more viscous, pressing down uncomfortably.

The trees standing between them and Shima Town seemed to retreat to both sides in unison. The rugged mountain road seemed invisibly flattened, suddenly transforming into a clear path.

Throughout the entire woodland, evil spirits and Wandering Souls cowered, scrambling to hide back in their graves.

"Ghost soldiers crossing the border?"

Among the Beef Avoidance Sect Disciples, expressions suddenly froze. After a long moment, someone snapped back, jumping to his feet and exclaiming, cursing at Iron Steed Grand Hall Officer:

"You dog, what did you do?

"We, the Beef Avoidance Sect Disciples, were still thinking of dealing with you according to jianghu principles, treating you politely and with courtesy! We intended to avoid casualties, fight despite our disadvantages, and rely on our skills to confront you directly in the Shousui! Yet you, big-headed turtle son, what did you plot in secret?"

Facing everyone’s rebuke, even Iron Steed Grand Hall Officer was slightly puzzled, blurting out, "I don’t know either."

Panic rising in his heart, he glanced around, suddenly thinking of the Second Young Master Meng, startling himself. Could it be that scion again?

"Big Senior Brother, what is that..."

Meanwhile, within Shima Town, under the master hall’s old elm tree, Immortal Miaoshan shivered, asking in a quavering voice.

The old farmer beside her, hands behind his back, gazing slowly outside, explained, "It’s an Immortal withered bone, a ghostly thing that has now stolen destiny. Precisely because of it, our Not Eating Beef Sect, despite having so many miracle men and skilled individuals, has been unable to even stretch our legs for a full twenty years.

"But throughout these twenty years, we’ve been preparing. The Ten Surnames haven’t been idle either, so it’s no wonder they pressured the one from Mingzhou so hard...

"Suppose once they’ve convinced the Hu Family, the thing that once frightened our Master and Uncles will return, won’t it?"

Immortal Miaoshan involuntarily shuddered, timidly glancing at the old farmer, and whispered, "Brother, I don’t understand what you’re saying...

"But I’m a little scared..."

"There’s no need to be afraid."

The Big Senior Brother laughed, gazing up at the old elm tree where a seal was still tied. "We’ve been lying low and preparing for these twenty years. Perhaps we aren’t as well-prepared as they are, nor do we have that thing which has stolen destiny watching over us.

"But these twenty years of peace weren’t for nothing. We’ve needed this time. They’ve been waiting for the Hu Family to make a decision, and we’ve been waiting for the Sect Hierarch of Not Eating Beef to return...

"...Now, it seems our wait has ended first, hasn’t it?"

"Too early."

In an empty coffin shop in the town, Calculation, who had followed Hu Ma to this town, also opened a coffin. He laid a mattress inside and brought in a jug of wine.

After some thought, he went to the empty kitchen, fetched two plates of food, and then retrieved a pillow before returning to the coffin, measuring it to lie in.

There was a noise at the window, as a donkey pushed its head through.

"Go, don’t stand close, find your own place to hide..."

Calculation half-sat in the coffin, forcefully trying to close the lid over himself.

But the donkey, desperate, jumped through the window, knocked over his coffin with its head, and trampled it madly. Calculation almost cried, "Why come to me? Go find that one outside, find those madmen...

"Such chaos unleashed, let’s see how he deals with it. The thing the Meng family worships is beyond human ability to handle..."