Twilight Boundary

"I must offer a formal apology to Housekeeper Zhou."

"In the past, I often wondered why the Trick Door's work could only be watched and not delved into thoroughly. There was so much fluff that it didn't seem like true skill."

"But now, I don't think that way anymore. The Trick Door is indeed impressive..."

Watching Xiang, who had perfectly hidden herself in the cabinet and seemed completely unaware of what had just happened, Hu Ma quickly did some self-reflection. He seriously thought, let's see who dares to say the Trick Door lacks real skill in the future.

"It's all right now. You don't need to keep your eyes closed, nor do you have to stay in the cabinet. Get on the bed and sleep!"

Miss Red Wine glanced at Xiang and then said with a smile, "Of course, it's best not to leave this room, in case the opponent is foolish enough to come back for another attempt."

Hu Ma said, "Shouldn't the one who returns for another attempt be considered the more cunning one?"

Miss Red Wine chuckled. "The thing was meaningless from the start. Doing it once was enough. Insisting on doing it again, isn't that foolish?"

As she spoke, she and Hu Ma exited and returned to the front of the main hall. Miss Red Wine once again pulled over the screen, took out a pot of wine and two teacups from her sleeve, and poured hot tea.

She had just poured from it, yet now it was still full?

Hu Ma couldn't quite tell if this trick was genuine or fake...

Many magic tricks and acts are prepared in advance just to surprise people superficially. If this trick was like that, then wouldn't Miss Red Wine have had to diligently boil water and steep tea, hide it up her sleeve, all just to put on a show in front of him?

Thinking about this scene, it seemed quite interesting.

Of course, having just witnessed Miss Red Wine's prowess and skills, Hu Ma quickly dispelled this disrespectful thought and whispered, "Thank you greatly, Senior, for what you did earlier."

"Though the opposition has retreated, things might not be resolved so easily."

"Many people in the Li Family don't wish for their young miss to return. Now, as we near Lingshou Prefecture, the trouble may be even greater."

"How should we safely escort Xiang back?"

"How to escort her back?"

Lady Han turned her head, looked at Hu Ma with a smile, and said, "If you ask me, we should wait until daybreak, gather all the prominent people along Anzhou Road, and with great pomp, take her back openly on large wagons and noble steeds."

"If you wish, you could even find people to beat drums and gongs to parade her back."

"Senior, your suggestion is..."

Hu Ma, having vaguely guessed her intention from what Lady Han had just said to the person in the black sedan chair, whispered, "Make a big commotion, so it can't be covered up?"

"We considered this idea before, but is it feasible?"

"Would those prominent figures from the jianghu be willing to get involved in the Li Family's messy affairs?"

Lady Han glanced at him with a smile and said, "To be able to build a connection with the Dongzi Li Family and gain the reputation of escorting their young miss home—that's quite a bit of face. Why wouldn't they come?"

"Of course, one needs enough standing to invite them. The more people invited, the safer Miss Li will be. Consequently, more people will want to join in to gain some prestige, and those with ill intentions within the Li Family will naturally have to behave themselves."

"And I..."

She paused, pointed to her nose, and said lightly, "On this Anzhou Road, I happen to have some standing..."

Here comes that arrogance again...

Hu Ma felt that familiar sensation again and quickly said, "Senior, you are truly formidable!"

"It's just from drifting through the jianghu for a long time, that's all."

Miss Red Wine chuckled softly. "Many Reincarnators are too cautious. Because they're so timid, they fail to discover that this world has many interesting things to offer..."

"Of course, sister here is also doing this to give you a grand gift."

"It might not seem like much now, but later on, you'll understand just how weighty and necessary this gift is..."

A grand gift?

Getting Xiang back safely is the most urgent thing right now. How did this turn into giving me a grand gift?

Seeing her mysterious demeanor, Hu Ma felt rather helpless.

People from the Trick Door are most annoying when they love to show off but don't let others inquire. So, Hu Ma decided not to press further. Instead, he kept watch in the manor overnight to guard against any possible intruders. By the time morning was about to break, Miss Red Wine—or rather, Lady Han—no longer seemed concerned.

After the rooster crowed, she released a few pigeons. Then she busied herself, first chopping hay to feed the livestock, then heading into the kitchen to cook white porridge and eggs for breakfast.

This meal wasn't conjured up like a magic trick; it was earnestly prepared by working the bellows and tending the fire.

Watching the steaming pot of white porridge, Hu Ma couldn't help but recall the image of her secretly boiling water, steeping tea, then hiding it in her sleeve, only to produce it and pour for him as if she were some profound expert.

Meanwhile, Xiang, who groggily emerged from the small room, still looked at Lady Han with sheer admiration.

"Eat up. Once you're finished, we'll send you home."

Lady Han merely glanced at Xiang and said casually.

These few simple words, a stark contrast to the trials Hu Ma and Xiang had faced on their journey, allowed Xiang to relax a little.

Finally, as they were nearing the end of their meal—likely because the pigeons she had released had done their work—people began to arrive one by one, some on horseback, others in sedan chairs. Their hearty laughter filled the air outside the usually deserted manor, creating a rare scene of liveliness.

"Yo, Dart Head Liu..."

"Heh, Shopkeeper Qiu..."

"I never expected that even the rarely seen Divine Doctor Zhong would come..."

"Hehe, Lady Han extended the invitation, and since it's a matter of jianghu righteousness, how could we not come?"

Gradually, more and more people gathered outside the manor. Most seemed to know each other and could all be considered figures of the jianghu.

Hu Ma glanced at Miss Red Wine, somewhat surprised. He knew she had influence, but he hadn't expected it to be this extensive. Could a few messenger pigeons truly summon so many Martial Artists?

Judging by the hour, many of them probably set out before dawn, right?

Other Reincarnators would do anything to hide their tails, but Miss Red Wine... is she about to become the top dog on this road?

"Let's go!"

Seeing the arrivals, Lady Han quickly tidied up the dishes. Strangely, despite their arrival, these Martial Artists remained outside the manor, conversing leisurely, only approaching to offer greetings when Lady Han opened the gate.

Some furtively glanced at the livestock in the manor; perhaps among those animals were acquaintances of theirs.

Facing these Martial Artists, Miss Red Wine still carried a hint of her usual languid air, but her tone had shifted, becoming like that of a seasoned heroine of the jianghu. She declared loudly, "Everyone! We all make our living here in the Anzhou territory. When one of us faces hardship, who wouldn't lend a hand for the sake of fellowship within the jianghu? Our dealings with the Dongzi Li Family may not be extensive, but whenever we've sought their help, they've never refused."

"Yet who would have thought that the Li Family's cherished young miss would be harmed by treacherous servants, ending up stranded in a foreign land? She relied on a little shopkeeper from Mingzhou, who accompanied her back across a thousand li, through countless hardships and dangers, finally arriving at my door."

"You tell me, if a mere little shopkeeper possesses such a chivalrous heart, can it be that here on Anzhou Road, there's no one willing to join in escorting her?"

Her words instantly stirred a sense of righteous indignation among the crowd. They all clamored to escort Miss Li home, declaring that with everyone going together, they'd like to see which treacherous servant would dare block their own young miss's path.

Simultaneously, the way they looked at Hu Ma changed, their gazes now filled with admiration and a touch of envy.

After speaking to the Martial Artists, Miss Red Wine had someone bring a horse-drawn carriage into the manor.

Turning to the lounging livestock, she asked, "Who is willing to bear the burden? Come and be harnessed."

The manor fell silent for a moment. Then, the livestock, whether lying or standing, suddenly grew agitated, scrambling and pushing against each other, all trying to get to the front of the carriage. Even the few pigs on the periphery were oinking eagerly, desperate to join.

Lady Han casually selected a sturdy-looking ox and harnessed it to the carriage. The horse that had presumably pulled the carriage earlier was given to Hu Ma to ride, while Xiang settled inside the carriage.

As they set out, she seemed to notice Hu Ma's curiosity and said, "Although I practice Beast Creation, I also abide by the rules of the Trick Door. Every soul that falls into my hands was already courting disaster."

"But since they've been transformed, I don't intend for them to die as beasts. The suffering they endure now is to repay their karmic debts. However, depending on their crimes and their conduct, when the time is right, it's not impossible to change them back."

Isn't this just like serving a prison sentence? Hu Ma thought silently, his mind then drifting to Wu He from before.

She had been victimized by the Beast Creation Technique. The circumstances were different from Miss Red Wine's practice here, but the method was the same.

When Miss White Wine knew that the Divine Hand Zhao Family had the ability to cure her and recommended she seek them out, could she have learned this from Miss Red Wine?

And the reason she didn't recommend Sister Wu He visit Miss Red Wine directly was likely due to the inherent caution of Reincarnators.

"Young Master..."

While he was musing, a soft voice called from behind. Xiang peered out from the carriage. "Are we really just going back via the main road?"

"Shh!"

Hu Ma quickly stopped her and said sternly, "What time is it to still be calling me Young Master? Are you trying to get me into trouble?"

"We're on your family's turf now. If you keep calling me that, who knows what your family members will think when they hear it!"

"Just call me Brother Hu. It sounds affectionate but not overly familiar."

Xiang blushed and nodded vigorously, indicating she understood. Then she added, "Young... Brother Hu, do you think anyone will try to stop us again?"

Hu Ma glanced at Lady Han, who was accompanying them, and whispered, "Let's trust Senior's arrangements!"

"By the way, what exactly happened last night? Did you ever leave that small room?"

"No, I didn't..."

Xiang seemed surprised and said, "I just did as Senior instructed: I hid on the bed, holding onto the chopsticks. When I couldn't hold on any longer, I hid in the cabinet and kept my eyes closed."

"During that time, I heard the sound of iron chains and things smashing, as if everything around me was being destroyed. I felt chains CLANGING and lashing about near me, but I just kept my eyes squeezed shut, not daring to open them."

"It wasn't until you opened the cabinet that I finally dared to open my eyes. By then, everything around was already gone."

"Truly amazing..."

Hu Ma was deeply intrigued. If only I could learn such a skill...