Chapter 550 What is a Show of Force

"Zhuodao, Zhuodao..." Hearing Hu Ma declare his identity, the black-skirted woman stumbled back, her voice trembling with disbelief, "This is impossible. How could the Zhuodao appear before we even see him?"

"He wouldn't be so rude. He... do you think I can't tell?"

Her voice suddenly held a strange doubt, and she said sharply, "Most of your skills come from the Shousui lineage. How dare you claim to be my Zougui Zhuodao?" (Zougui Zhuodao - Ghost Hunter Executioner)

"Is this the collateral line of the Hu family? By blood, she's my cousin?"

As the woman's voice trembled, Hu Ma raised his head slightly, sizing up her features, figure, and bearing. He thought to himself, "...Not bad rations!" But when he spoke, his eyes only held a faint arrogance, "Whether I am worthy or not, what does it have to do with you?"

Seeing that she was already gnashing her teeth, his voice suddenly sank, echoing in all directions, "That noble from the mountains said that he only hates that the Zougui ways have declined for twenty years. Those with virtue are hidden in the countryside, unable to obtain the true law; those without virtue enjoy wealth in vain, ashamed before ghosts and gods."

"Therefore, he chose me, a Shousui, to be the Zhuodao, to execute first and report later, only judging the crime, not asking who the other party is, nor looking at whether they are... surnamed Hu!"

As soon as these murderous words were spoken, the black-skirted woman was struck as if by lightning and staggered backward.

The city's dignitaries, who had just lost half their lives, suddenly understood and were filled with unspeakable panic, "Indeed, indeed, we have all been deceived by the True Logic Sect. They have absolutely no connection with that noble... The Zougui Grand Zhuodao has appeared; these people are just妖人 (yao ren -妖 means demon, 妖人 means a person who is like a demon) , just devils!"

"We... bet on the wrong side!"

An foreign sect, without any foundation in Mingzhou, has suddenly become a force to be reckoned with. Not only did they swagger in and occupy the Mingzhou government office, but they also gained the assistance of dignitaries and officials from all sides, even collecting grain taxes into their own pockets.

At any other time, anyone would ask, "What makes them so special?" Do they really think the True Logic Sect is so capable of attracting so many believers? In the end, it's nothing more than the "Hu" surname.

But now, things have already escalated. Even the sons they secretly raised have been sent out to fight several battles, and countless people have died. The grain taxes have also been collected, and they are waiting for that noble to come forward and give them a reassurance.

But now they suddenly hear that it is not his intention? They felt absurd, horrified, and resentful. Some people were so suffocated that they felt a surge of anger, "If the True Logic Sect wasn't supported by you, then why didn't you say so sooner? These people are swindling and cheating under the guise of your Hu family. Why didn't you remind us earlier?" Although it was disrespectful, they even harbored a suspicion: "Could it be that this noble is deliberately watching them make fools of themselves?"

"Enjoying wealth in vain, ashamed before ghosts and gods..." As the surroundings became chaotic, the Qingyuan Hu family's young lady, who had stepped out of the sedan, was trembling with anger. Since arriving in Mingzhou, she had been waiting for the other party to come forward. Now, she first received these eight words, and she already understood the other party's attitude.

From the previous 精怪说理 (jing guai shuo li - monsters reasoning), to the yet-to-appear but decisive Wen Shi (Questioning Master), to the insignificant An Shen (Local Earth God) who was being protected, and this Grand Zhuodao of the Shousui lineage – each and every one was the result she least wanted to see, making her unable to control her expression for a moment, gnashing her teeth: "This isn't child's play!"

"The Zhenchong Prefecture is not a place where others can be enfeoffed so lightly. He doesn't even show his face, and he doesn't even know the situation in Mingzhou. How dare he send an outsider like you to kill people? Does he... does he know what he's doing?"

"Does he really think that just finding someone to take the name of Zhuodao can solve everything? Does he really think that he can protect such a small An Shen without even showing his face?" ...In her roar, her eyes were grim as she stared fixedly at Hu Ma, who was alone, holding a knife, and guarding the True Logic Altar. Behind her, however, the earth suddenly rumbled, and the heavy hooves and scattered footsteps were endless, rushing in from the outside.

In the surrounding night, there were mostly spies from all sides. After hearing the words of the Zougui Grand Zhuodao, they were most dissatisfied with the True Logic Sect. But because of this sudden formation, they suddenly felt a little scared in their hearts. Before they could see anything else, they hurriedly looked in the direction of the sound.

They saw that behind them, from the direction of Mingzhou City, a troop of soldiers had rushed over. At the front were the banners of the Qingli Sect (True Logic Sect). And that wasn't all. In the western night, they also saw banners, shaking in the night sky, rapidly approaching.

"The True Logic Sect's troops?"

Many people were shocked, "They're only dealing with a small An Shen, but they've even mobilized troops?"

"To overthrow the Red Lantern Goddess's small An Shen temple, they're actually dispatching troops directly?"

"This... is not in accordance with the rules..." At this time, that Hu family cousin, listening to the sound of the soldiers galloping behind her, also had a grim expression. When it comes to rules, she naturally understands them, even more than Hu Ma. But now, her eyes held a hint of cruelty, "He shouldn't have rejected his fellow clansmen from thousands of miles away without even showing his face. He shouldn't have treated the Zhenchong Prefecture as his game without considering the overall situation." If these troops charge forward and destroy the Red Lantern An Shen temple even after he intervenes, where will he put his face? Where will the Hu family put its face?"

...Looking at the swaying Qing banners behind her, and the figures surging beneath the Qing banners, the clashing swords and weapons, Hu Ma's face under the mask also darkened slightly.

"Things are going to get bad..." With the True Logic Altar as the center, people on both sides tensed up.

The spies of the dignitaries behind him knew Hu Ma's identity. They saw that this Zougui Grand Zhuodao was alone, but two to three thousand soldiers had arrived in an instant. No matter how great a person's ability is, how could he possibly stop such a mighty army? However, if the Zougui Grand Zhuodao actually died at the hands of these people, how would everyone step down afterward? "My Protector..." In Zhu Men Town, the Red Lantern Goddess was trembling even more, and even her chanting stopped for a moment. The faint, shrinking red light looked to the north: "They've even sent troops?"

Neither the Red Lantern Goddess nor the Left Protector Shen Hongzhi held high positions, nor did they have great ambitions. However, they also heard the shocking sound of hooves, and they immediately felt despondent.

The True Logic Sect used many methods that night, but whether it was the Qing banner's control of ghosts or the Baier Evil Cauldrons, they were not as terrifying as these troops.

Even the Red Lantern Goddess herself sensed that her magical power seemed to be not low, but if two to three thousand soldiers charged together, their mighty presence could directly suppress her. Not to mention her, even the City God might not be able to withstand it.

Within this, there was inherently a distinction between life and death, power and authority.

The god of a prefecture can influence the people of a prefecture or even a road, numbering in the millions or tens of millions. But influence is influence. If people really gather together and directly tear down the temple and break the golden statue, a few hundred people would be enough.

The situation changed drastically in an instant, causing countless hearts to tremble, at a loss for what to do.

Hu Ma, seeing that the True Logic Sect's troops had gathered at this time, was also slightly surprised. But the rolling Yin wind around him, constantly intertwined and blowing, naturally also blew from the direction of Old Yin Mountain.

In between, there was the aura of killing and fighting, which also made him understand the situation in this field. Now, seeing that the True Logic Sect's troops were becoming more and more numerous, with at least two to three hundred people under one banner, and more than a dozen banners representing the converging troops, how numerous were they? However, facing the Hu family cousin's indignant and cruel expression, facing the earth-shattering sound of hooves and the rolling killing intent, a hint of mockery appeared on his face instead: "Do you really think you have seen through the bottom line of this Mingzhou?"

As the words fell, the Executioner's Blade in his hand suddenly burst out with layers of baleful aura. The gale was like a series of thunderclaps, scraping everyone's faces until they stung. Even the mounts of the troops that had just rushed nearby were startled and raised their front hooves high.

At this moment, it was as if he alone, holding a knife, had suppressed one side of the army.

In this moment of silence, everyone heard another sound of hooves pounding the ground. However, the direction was reversed. It was from south to north, coming from the south of Zhu Town, heavily galloping and striding forward.

Everyone's expression changed, and they hurriedly looked up to the south. They heard a voice coming from afar in the night wind: "Who dares to be disrespectful to our Red Lantern Goddess?" "Yin Mountain Grain Protecting General, Red Fragrance disciple Yang Gong, is here to protect my Red Lantern Goddess's Dharma (law/teachings)..."

"Ah?" Hearing this voice, whether it was the black-skirted woman who came out of the sedan, the spies who secretly listened, or even the True Logic Sect's troops who were gathering from all directions, their expressions changed drastically in disbelief, and they looked towards Zhu Men Town.

The Red Lantern Goddess, who was trembling in Zhu Men Town, was even more stunned: "What?"

"Who dares to be disrespectful to our Red Lantern Goddess?"

Following the rapidly approaching sound of hooves, other voices rang out: "Inner Affairs Incense Master Xu Wensheng leads people to protect the Dharma!" "Kouzishan Branch Counter Shopkeeper Bald Zhang leads people to protect my Red Lantern Goddess's Dharma..." "Huoziling Old Bear comes to protect the Dharma." "Hongmiling Branch Counter Sun Niangzi leads all the miners to protect the Goddess's Dharma..." One voice after another rang out, shocking everyone present, their expressions changing drastically in disbelief.

They saw that in the southern night, a vast army, quickly broke through the night, vast and mighty, like a black tide, suddenly swept past Zhu Men Town, a black mass rising with rolling killing intent, directly pressing towards the True Logic Altar in this night.