Twilight Boundary

A gentle breeze brushed by as Hu Ma awoke. He felt the sunlight on his body, a slight tickle, surrounded by tranquility.

Turning his head, he saw the small shrine, dilapidated and low, barely large enough for a fist, let alone a grand hall big enough for people to enter.

Yet, the letter he had in his bosom had indeed been delivered, and the things that Burning Blade reminded him of were still vivid, as if they had just parted.

He sighed softly, unsure whether to feel relieved or heavy-hearted.

The heavy part was, after listening to Burning Blade, he finally understood that the thing that came looking for him that night was far from simple. He had thought the Ghost Walker's incense array was potent, but it turned out that this thing had a pattern, making it even harder to avoid.

But the relief came from, indeed, having found the organization, making things easier to handle.

Thinking of their instructions, he couldn't help but sigh to himself, What on earth is in Miss White Wine's letter that makes them take it so seriously?

Initially, he thought he might get some intelligence help from the Anzhou Reincarnator Organization or lend them a small hand, but the other party seemed to accept him as one of their own instantly.

They were even willing to let him go directly to Miss Red Wine, revealing her real-world identity in an instant.

For a Reincarnator, revealing one's identity is quite an honor. In Mingzhou, Gua Shao still didn't know the identities of the other three people collaborating with her!

With a low sigh, he also recalled what Burning Blade had solemnly told him in the Yellow Millet Technique just now: "Servant ghost claims lives, Impermanence hooks souls. Within seven days, no one can escape."

"There's Spell and break the law, but this thing doesn't have any of that. It's not some dharma method anyone can perform. Once this thing singles you out, there's only one possibility of being taken away."

"But as luck would have it, the only one in the whole of Anzhou who can resolve this is Miss Red Wine."

"However, even though she agreed to help, it's not as simple as just visiting her. I need to discuss with you a way to approach her legitimately, without arousing suspicion from others."

"..."

Hu Ma fully understood this, nodding immediately and listening carefully to what the other party proposed.

"You come from Mingzhou, and in Anzhou, you have no relatives. Miss Red Wine is also someone who keeps to herself, except for occasionally going out to catch pigs. Logically, you two should have no reason to know each other, much less for her to help you with your troublesome situation."

"But as long as we plan well, we can make your acquaintance and meeting seem reasonable."

"So, first, let's have Old White explain why and how you got entangled with this thing, then see what to do next."

"..."

Hu Ma agreed with his words and pondered for a moment, revealing the matter of escorting Xiang over. This also somewhat leaked his background, but he couldn't afford to be so cautious now.

However, after speaking, he found that Burning Blade wasn't interested in his affairs in Mingzhou, nor did he ask much about Xiang's identity. Instead, his eyes lit up when he heard about his encounters with demon people on Pingnan Road in Dongchang Prefecture.

"You slew those people?"

"Do you have proof?"

"..."

Hu Ma immediately replied, "Yes, I do."

Burning Blade clapped and laughed heartily, "That's good. You can directly visit Miss Red Wine. As long as you follow the rules, there won't be any risks."

Hu Ma listened and quickly asked, "What rules?"

Burning Blade chuckled, "The rules of the jianghu."

After saying that, he handed something to Hu Ma, pointed out a location, and instructed him on a few things before letting Hu Ma leave.

A gentle breeze blew by, and Hu Ma awoke once more, feeling that the conversation was both real and illusory, truly magical, but he also knew the urgency, leaving no time for reflection as he quickly prepared.

He busied himself with errands, went to a few places, inquired about some things, and arrived at a restaurant with a red lantern within the city. Using a code, he exchanged words with the proprietress and obtained something.

With everything ready and his act complete, Hu Ma returned to the inn, picked up Xiang, settled the room charges, and took two horses to depart.

Seeing Hu Ma's urgency, Xiang grew anxious, "Young master, where are we going?"

"I've been studying it for two days, wanting to send you back to Lingshou Prefecture, but I couldn't think of a good plan."

Hu Ma had already set the script in his mind, so he wore a troubled expression, "Now, we can only take a chance outside the city."

"Huh?"

Xiang looked worried, "Are you going to confront the Third Brother?"

"He... he's very powerful."

"..."

"Precisely because he's powerful, we need to take a chance."

Hu Ma smirked bitterly, "It's not about fighting him, but seizing an opportunity first."

He said this as they led the horses out of town, only mounting once they were outside, then galloping hastily toward a destination.

After several days of continuous travel, they had both become quite adept at riding horses.

However, after running for less than an hour, they had already left Anzhou Prefecture Mansion far behind. Along the way, all they saw were neatly arranged crops in the fields, and in the distance, green mountains and clear waters, creating a beautiful scene.

But when Hu Ma saw a large town ahead, he didn't enter, instead turning north.

They quickly entered a mountain path, slowing their horses. As they progressed, the trail grew more disorienting, surrounded by wild grasses, and they even encountered a stretch of abandoned graves. Yet they pressed on, arriving finally before a forest, where the trees were festooned with red cloth.

Thick and dense, the sight among the light mist of the mountains was quite eerie.

"The red cloth indicates danger here."

Hu Ma observed as he sighed, "Miss Red Wine truly picked a perfect place to live!"

Here, it was no longer feasible to ride the horses, so they dismounted and led them by the reins.

As they were about to proceed, they heard a shout from a distance on a slope. Turning to look, it was a woodsman descending with a load of firewood.

The man looked alarmed as he called out from afar to Hu Ma and Xiang, "You two little ones, are you mad? Couldn't you see the red cloth of the Ghost Walker marking this place? You absolutely must not go ahead—there's a demon there! If you enter, you're certain to lose your lives."

Xiang became frightened upon hearing the woodsman's warning.

Hu Ma, however, simply exhaled and called back, "Thank you, Old Master, for the warning."

"But my sister and I have also faced hardship and seek an expert for healing. We've heard it's not a demon haunting this place; rather, an expert lives here."

"..."

"What expert?"

The woodsman was surprised, "Never heard of such, only know it's wicked inside, nobody dares enter."

"We who gather wood never venture in."

But seeing that Hu Ma and Xiang insisted on going, he could only shake his head helplessly. He departed with his firewood, looking back every few steps, pitying the fate of these two youngsters.

The jianghu is treacherous, but most of the common folk are good people.

Hu Ma sighed inwardly as he led Xiang further in. Passing through the woods, the view ahead opened considerably, revealing a small path trodden through the underbrush leading deeper in.

Yet perhaps due to the terrain, there persisted an inescapable mist. As they led their horses through here, there was an ever-present eerie feeling, occasionally witnessing some peculiar phenomena.

But as they continued forward, they eventually saw a manor at the small path's end. Due to the drastic changes in elevation, arriving at this manor, there was a sense as if it had suddenly materialized in the landscape.

Though the manor appeared plain enough, with a black wooden door and stone courtyard walls, a few willow trees growing outside, it still gave an inexplicable sense of unreality.

Xiang now clung closely to Hu Ma, almost hugging his arm.

Hu Ma himself steeled his nerves, feeling as if he was approaching the Ghost Village again.

The Ghost Village had an overwhelming aura of resentment, while here, there was an overpowering aura of malice.

But he knew in his heart this was a place belonging to his own people, so he summoned the courage to step forward and knock on the door.

CREAK...

He hadn't even fully extended his hand before the manor's wooden door suddenly swung open.

No one was behind the door, yet a cold wind with a faint bloody smell blew directly at their faces.

They both took a step back, shielding their faces. After exchanging a glance, they continued inside. However, the horses they led pulled back instinctively, refusing to take a single step into the manor.

With no choice, Hu Ma tethered the horses to the willows outside and brought Xiang inside.

"Young Master, what exactly are we here for?"

"Hush, don't make a sound. Whether we can safely get you home depends on whether this expert is willing to help."

"..."

Speaking quietly, they ventured deeper into the manor. It appeared quite ordinary inside: several low straw huts, wooden farming tools stacked against the walls, and even some tall stacks of straw.

What differed from a typical manor was its emptiness and the fact the livestock appeared to be free-range—pigs, sheep, cattle, and horses all scattered about.

As Hu Ma and Xiang entered, the livestock scattered throughout the manor raised their heads to look.

Under their gaze, Xiang felt a kind of creepy sensation.

"Is anyone here?"

Hu Ma called loudly, pulling Xiang, who was clutching his arm tightly, further in.

No reply answered his call, making the silence in the manor even more pronounced, yet the livestock began to gather around.

The animals varied—some large, some small, some robust, others scrawny. Yet they all moved cautiously, seemingly frail. They inched closer until they barred Hu Ma and Xiang's path, startling them into stopping.

These animals, drawing near, knelt on their forelegs, blocking their path but doing nothing else unusual.

Only lifting their necks, they emitted cries.

Some mooed, some bleated, some snorted, their cries blending somewhat ambiguously.

Yet the more Hu Ma listened, the more off it sounded. Carefully discerning the tonal changes among the noises, he was suddenly taken aback, cold sweat trickling down.

Help!

These animals, they were all calling out for help!