"After all, they're family..."

Looking up at the direction of Mingzhou City, Hu Ma smiled at the young master of the Meng family and said, "My place is too filled with killing intent, inconvenient for entertaining guests. I'll have to borrow your ceremonial tent, is that alright?"

The young master of the Meng family pursed his lips, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

Before coming to Mingzhou, he had tried his best to learn about this descendant of the Hu family. Clearly from one of the ten great clans, yet he had never enjoyed a day of good fortune. His fate was said to be incredibly noble, yet he hid in the mountains, uncared for...

Therefore, although they had never met, he could surmise the other's timidity, sensitivity, ferocity, even his baseness and arrogance. But now, upon interacting with him, he found him completely different. He had even learned the airs and thick skin of a noble master. What the hell was going on?

The Hu family was seeing relatives, yet borrowing the Meng family's ceremonial tent? How could that be appropriate?

But he couldn't say no. A noble master had to maintain face; how could he refuse? Therefore, not only did he agree, but he also waved his hand, ordering the row of banners to form a circle, the green curtains fluttering, separating this bloody battlefield.

A team of maids and servants came to wash the ground, spread carpets, and placed small tables and cushions on top. There were candied fruits and fresh fruits on the table, and a small stove was lit to brew tea, along with the burning of sandalwood incense.

Hu Ma was even more impolite, directly taking the main seat, squeezing the young master of the Meng family into the guest seat.

This display of pomp made the young master of the Meng family even more uncomfortable. It was like being with a social butterfly who always made others uneasy, but how do you make a social butterfly uneasy?

Bring in someone even more of a social butterfly!

"Oh my..."

Before the tea was even brewed, a flash of red appeared. Little Red Camellia entered with three men in black cloth robes and a slightly plump young woman. They all looked dazed and confused.

They were initially filled with trepidation, but Hu Ma's reaction was completely unexpected. He rose to greet them from afar, bowing deeply with his hands clasped, and said with a smile, "I grew up in the stronghold and haven't had the chance to return to Qingyuan to visit relatives. I don't know how to address you?"

Seeing his politeness, everyone present was somewhat dumbfounded. Little Red Camellia tilted her head and went to the side, while the four distant relatives looked at each other, momentarily forgetting to speak.

The young master of the Meng family suddenly spoke, "Hu Qiu, second uncle of the Hu family, Hu Feng, third uncle, Hu Liang, fourth uncle, and of course, Miss Hu Xi, the eldest granddaughter of the fourth generation of the Hu family, who recently got engaged to that General of Heavenly Mandate..."

"Of course, she is the eldest granddaughter of the main branch because your Zhensui Hu family separated. Otherwise, the eldest grandson of the Qingyuan Hu clan can only be you, regardless of their status or age. You don't have to be so polite when you meet them."

"Besides, they arrived in Mingzhou long ago. Did you not know, brother?"

"..."

"Of course, I knew."

Listening to the words of the young master of the Meng family, Hu Ma still had a smile on his face, inviting these relatives to sit down, and personally offering them tea, his smile carrying a hint of apology and sincerity. "I knew my relatives were coming early on, it's not that I didn't want to see them, but I couldn't."

Meeting the puzzled and apprehensive gazes of these relatives, he sighed as he spoke, "If I could see these relatives, then my grandfather wouldn't have had to split the family back then, and my father wouldn't have had to move the whole family to Mingzhou."

"How could my grandmother not ask for help from the main family when she was in dire straits back then?"

Saying this, he sighed, shook his head, and said, "I asked Zhuodao to pass on a message earlier, I suppose it wasn't pleasing to hear, but please forgive me, uncles and elder sister. It's not that I treat you as outsiders, it's just that the Qingyuan branch can only be outsiders."

"..."

"This..."

His words were too polite, causing the Hu family members to react unexpectedly. The second uncle of the Hu family was also stunned for a moment, then suddenly looked up at him and said in a low voice, "If you're mocking us, then there's no need."

"We came here because we thought you didn't understand the Zhensui Prefecture and were afraid you would cause trouble. Now we realize that it's actually us who don't understand."

"Now, now that things have backfired, it's not good to explain anything further. I only hope that you..."

"..."

He clearly wanted to say something along the lines of ignorance is bliss, or to use his status to plead for leniency, but the matter had become too big, and the Zhensui Prefecture had just been established with new rules. This eldest grandson of the separated family was being too aloof, and he couldn't bring himself to say those words.

"The uncles are too concerned and are caught up in some old matters, which is understandable."

Unexpectedly, Hu Ma actually spoke those words for them, sighing and saying, "Of course, things didn't turn out well, but I appreciate the sentiment."

"I just don't quite understand, what made the old family think of me and cause such a misunderstanding?"

"..."

"It's..."

The matter seemed to involve something inconvenient to mention. Hu Ma's frank question made the others hesitant. The second and fourth uncles of the Hu family stole glances at the young master of the Meng family.

In the silence, Hu Xi, the elder sister, suddenly spoke, "Because we all know that the Zhensui Prefecture is about to be revealed."

The others were shocked and hurriedly looked at her. Hu Xi, the elder sister, looked straight ahead, only looking at Hu Ma and saying, "The world is already in chaos, even the ten great clans and four great halls can't suppress it. All sorts of upstart kings have already appeared."

"Qingyuan has also been paying attention, but after waiting and waiting, they couldn't find any news about the Zhensui Prefecture. Plus, Grandma Bai... I should call her Great Aunt, has returned to the ancestral hall."

"When the news spread, we had already planned to come."

"Later, after finding out that you were in Mingzhou and hearing about the Zhentianyi and the slaying of the Five Fiends, we knew that you were the only living member of the Zhensui lineage, without even a Dharma Protector God, all alone. How could you support the ten great clans?"

"So, we planned to come... to see you."

"..."

"Just to see me?"

Hu Ma nodded and smiled, "Perhaps you also felt that the most difficult twenty years have already passed, and I'm all alone, so now is the time to come and reap the benefits?"

His words made the faces of the Qingyuan Hu family members change drastically, turning pale. They wanted to explain.

But Hu Ma waved his hand and smiled, "Don't panic, I'm just making a joke."

"However, uncles, you knew I was in Mingzhou and came so well-prepared. I don't think you came casually, right? Could it be that there are some villains behind you directing you?"

"..."

He glanced at the young master of the Meng family next to him and smiled, "Brother Meng, don't misunderstand, I'm not talking about you."

The young master of the Meng family had a strange expression and smiled, "I understand."

Hearing Hu Ma's words, the faces of everyone present changed drastically, their eyes secretly darting across the face of the young master of the Meng family, but in the end, they hesitated, unable to say anything.

Only Hu Xi, the elder sister, had the most complex expression. She wanted to force a smile, but couldn't. Of course, the Qingyuan Hu family had considered everything carefully when they came to do these things, and they were well-prepared. Even she had been promised a destiny to become the mother of the world.

But no matter how generous the conditions were, they seemed like a joke when said after the failure. But it had to be admitted that before the failure, the conditions were so tempting, even seeming so close, within reach.

"I know what you want to ask."

At this moment, Hu Ma's third uncle, who had been silent all along, suddenly looked at the young master of the Meng family and said, "But this matter has nothing to do with the Meng family, and we don't need the Meng family to instruct us to do anything."

"Communicating with the Yin and controlling ghosts has always been one path."

"Twenty years ago, it was always the Hu family wielding the whip and the Meng family using the seal. It's been the old rule for many years. Back then, the eldest uncle offended the Meng family in order to monopolize the Zhensui Prefecture, which was not what our Qingyuan Hu family wanted. Later, he separated from us and fought endlessly with the Meng family..."

"Look now, he got the Zhensui Prefecture, but he also ended up in such a state. Isn't that enough?"

"Besides..."

Speaking of this, he paused, his eyes uncontrollably stealing a glance at Little Red Camellia, who was squatting on the side in a daze, and said in a low voice, "The Homecoming Secret Realm, the chance to become an immortal..."

"If we don't repair our old friendship with the Meng family, how will our Hu family have a chance..."

"..."

"Homecoming? Become an immortal?"

Listening to the words of the third uncle of the Hu family, even hearing a bit of resentment, the smile on Hu Ma's face remained unchanged, but his eyes also became colder. He wasn't surprised at all. The greatest skill in the hands of the Meng family wasn't this so-called immortal?

It's just that some people are extremely afraid of the Meng family, while others are extremely greedy for it, willing to be driven...

He himself pondered for a long time before slowly saying, "Do you really believe that there is something that can become a so-called immortal?"

"How could this be a false statement?"

The second uncle of the Hu family couldn't help but look up and argue, "Many people on the bridge have glimpsed the secrets of heaven, and since then, their thoughts and ideas have been only to solve the doubts in their hearts and set foot on the path of Homecoming, and the Meng family..."

Hu Ma shook his head and said lightly, "Lunatics also hear and see some messy things. If you really believe it, not to mention what kind of ghost thing you'll become, even if you really have the ability to see through the secrets of Homecoming, how could it be obtained by kowtowing?"

The young master of the Meng family's face suddenly changed, but Hu Ma suddenly turned his head to him, smiling apologetically, and said, "Brother, don't misunderstand, I'm talking to my own family."

Hearing this, the young master of the Meng family could only smile awkwardly.

"As for you..."

Hu Ma looked at the uncles and elder sister, sighed, and said, "After all, blood is thicker than water. No matter how bad the things you do, I can't deny that you're family."

"Ah?"

The Hu family members were greatly surprised and even a little excited, "You, you really willing..."

"Of course."

Hu Ma nodded and said, "Family members don't talk like strangers. What can't be said? But I also have something that only family members can do well, I don't think you'll refuse me, right?"

The three uncles spoke at the same time, "What?"

Hu Ma smiled and said, "Lend me your heads to use, to make a name for my Zhensui Prefecture. I don't think you'll be stingy, right?"

(End of chapter)