“If you want blood essence, go ask your own father!”

Upon receiving the letter from the Truth Sect, Left Protector Shen Hongzhi was immediately enraged, slapping the table and cursing. Hongdeng Niangniang (Red Lantern Goddess) was quite startled.

Unaware that this was a consequence of being scolded away by Seventh Grandmother the other night, the Truth Sect, in the mountains to the south, began gathering troops, planning to crush those mountain bandits in one fell swoop. In the north, they urged the delivery of blood essence to prepare for recruiting these unorthodox figures of the martial world.

Currently, both the Truth Sect's troops and the grain-protecting army from the mountains were hastily assembled. Therefore, whichever side recruited enough helpers could dominate the battlefield—a very simple truth.

Hu Ma could see this, and the Truth Sect understood it as well. This was why they hadn't rushed the Red Lantern Society for the grain earlier, but now that the moment of truth had arrived, when would they ever deliver the thousand jars of blood essence?

But this letter nearly made the Red Lantern Society's Left Protector faint from anger: "The blood essence was already stolen by your Truth Sect using evil methods, and you still dare ask us for it?"

"It's one thing to quietly reap the benefits, but now you want more? The two granaries combined have so little left, it's not even enough to feed mice. Are you trying to force us to sell Red Lantern Goddess to you?"

"..."

For a moment, she was truly bewildered by the Truth Sect's actions. Previously, the Truth Sect had sent people to raid the blood essence granary, and the blood essence had disappeared that very night. The Left Protector couldn't contact the Right Protector and had to investigate herself for a long time, but couldn't find any real clues.

But without a doubt, the blood essence granary must have been intercepted by the Truth Sect. But to openly ask for blood essence while secretly stealing it, what was their motive? She couldn't figure it out for a while.

However, everyone had witnessed the Truth Sect's behavior of ostensibly suppressing demons and spreading their teachings in Mingzhou Town, while secretly measuring land and collecting grain. Now, when it came to blood essence, she thought that it was probably the same tactic.

It was one thing to bully those rural peasants, but the Red Lantern Society at least had a deity enshrined. How could they be manipulated like this?

"Someone, today we'll have a showdown with the Truth Sect."

In a fit of anger, the Left Protector immediately summoned the various incense masters, managers, and retainers from Zhumen Town in front of the Red Lantern Temple. Waving the letter from the Truth Sect, she shouted, "It seems that the Truth Sect harbored evil intentions from the start, not wanting us to have an easy time."

"They talk about borrowing grain from us, but I think they might be looking for an excuse to destroy us, to show those noble gentlemen in the city. But we're not pushovers!"

"Some brave brothers, come with me to Mingzhou City to confront them!"

"If they really bully us like this, then we'll fight!"

"Our Red Lantern Society also has three to five hundred men. Are we afraid of these foreign sorcerers?"

"..."

She spoke with anger and enthusiasm, her beautiful face filled with murderous intent. But an awkward scene unfolded. She shouted enthusiastically above, but no one responded.

Unwilling to give up, she shouted again, "Get a few brothers to go to the city and reason with them. Everyone deserves a fair hearing!"

But none of the incense masters, managers, or retainers wanted to make eye contact.

What a joke. They were collecting grain, recruiting troops, occupying Mingzhou Prefecture City, and allying with various noble gentlemen. It was clear that they were planning something big...

The Red Lantern Society was just a martial world organization. What were you going to fight them for?

Whether it was the managers, retainers, or even those incense masters in the Red Lantern Society, none of them were fools. When martial world sects encountered someone planning something big, they were not in the same league...

When it came to experts, the Red Lantern Society actually had quite a few. Under its name were seventeen estates and blood essence mines, most of which were Shou Sui Ren (Year Watchers). On the battlefield, every Shou Sui Ren was a good fighter, easily making a name for themselves.

But who dared to rebel?

Not only did they not dare to rebel, they didn't even dare to fight these rebels. After all, most Shou Sui Ren were doing quite well, living comfortably. How could they risk their lives on such a matter?

Therefore, after the Left Protector shouted for a long time, she saw that only a few silent incense burners were willing to follow. Many were secretly scheming to temporarily leave the Red Lantern Society...

Not only them, but even the red lanterns hanging in the temple behind them seemed to have a confused glow: 'First, send someone over to explain things properly. It's not that we don't want to give it, it's just that we really don't have anything...'

'Fighting and killing is so unpleasant...'

'...'

But in this awkward silence, someone suddenly jumped up and down, raising their hand: "I'll go, I'll go!"

Everyone hurriedly turned their heads to look, and saw a young woman dressed in a silk jacket that wealthy women usually wore, with a large red skirt and hairpins on her head. Her style was completely different from the martial world figures in the hall.

But among a group of rough men, she had a look of righteousness on her face: "The society is in need of people right now. Why isn't anyone standing up to share the Goddess's burden?"

"Aiya..."

Left Protector Shen Hongzhi was so angry that she couldn't express it in words. When she saw her, she was overjoyed: "It's you. I've finally found you."

"Sister, you have great skills and are loyal to our society. I noticed you last time. I wanted to find you afterwards, but I couldn't. You're Bai Yao (White Sash) Little Retainer, right?"

"I've wronged you. After meeting you last time, I originally wanted to find you and promote you to Hong Yao (Red Sash)."

"..."

"We're all working for the Goddess. What's so important about Bai Yao and Hong Yao?"

The people around also recognized her. This seemed to be a wealthy rice merchant's wife who had defected from the Green-Clad Evil Ghost's side. Her husband's surname was Lu, but he was ill, and no one had ever seen him.

These Little Retainers were actually part of the Red Lantern Society's hidden forces. They usually managed their businesses at home, and would only secretly come to meet when the Red Lantern Society had something to summon them for. No one knew why this wealthy wife was so happy and active.

Even when faced with the Left Protector's offer to promote her, she actually just waved her hand: "Just give me a red lantern."

"I want to take it home and enshrine it. As long as I enshrine our Red Lantern Goddess, I'll feel happy when I do things. I've never been afraid of the Green-Clad Evil Ghost or the Truth Sect!"

"..."

"Good, good, good."

When the Left Protector heard her say this, she was so moved that she almost cried. Especially in this group of timid men, she felt that Di Gua Shao (Sweet Potato Liquor) was different from the rest, and liked her more and more. She said, "You're proactively helping the society and you're not greedy for credit..."

"Sister, how about I become sworn sisters with you, sharing weal and woe?"

"..."

"Sworn sisters?"

The Left Protector's proposal under such moving circumstances surprised the wealthy Lu wife from the rice shop: "I've never done that before..."

She quickly became excited: "Okay, okay, let's try it and see if it's interesting..."

Deliberately embarrassing this group of cowardly old men, Left Protector Shen Hongzhi came down and burned incense in front of everyone with this wealthy wife from the Lu rice shop, the Red Lantern Society's little Bai Yao, becoming sworn sisters.

Then, she took out a gold-trimmed red lantern, which only the incense masters were qualified to hold, and gave it to Di Gua Shao, effectively appointing her. Only then did she prepare to gather her troops and go to Mingzhou City with her to directly meet with the Truth Sect.

Originally, Left Protector Shen Hongzhi also wanted to go with her, but Mrs. Lu righteously stopped her: "Sister, you stay behind. It's inconvenient for me to take you..."

"...Not safe."

"The society has a lot of things to do now. If something really goes wrong, you still have to take charge of the overall situation!"

"..."

These words moved the Left Protector greatly. She took her hand and whispered, "Sister, let me tell you something quietly. I had to be tough when I was speaking earlier, but after you go, you must not say that..."

"The main thing is to tell them that we really don't have that much blood essence anymore. If they only want one or two hundred jars, we'll scrape them together for them..."

"..."

"There are still one or two hundred jars?"

Hearing this, Di Gua Shao said seriously, "Sister, don't worry. I know what to do!"

Saying this, she took on the heavy responsibility, left the town alone, and spent her own money to find a few people in the neighboring village to carry her sedan. She raised the red lantern high and went to Mingzhou Prefecture City with fanfare.

Entering the city with such fanfare immediately attracted the attention of countless people. Along the street, martial world figures carrying "Reason" banners and weapons, followed by the usually hidden noble gentlemen and yamen runners wearing official uniforms, were all drawn over.

Now that the outside world was in turmoil, everyone said that the grain bandits in the mountains were rampant, causing panic. Seeing the Red Lantern Society's people arrive, they naturally cared about how the situation was.

"Our Red Lantern Society didn't even have this kind of prestige in Mingzhou Prefecture City back then..."

As Di Gua Shao entered the city, sitting in the sedan and looking around, seeing the Truth Sect's banners everywhere, she felt sorry for the Red Lantern Goddess: "Such a respected goddess could only shrink in the southwest corner of the city before. It was hard enough to build a temple, but she was driven to Zhumen Town..."

She became more and more angry as she spoke: "The Goddess is so pitiful. I feel indignant for the Goddess..."

As she thought this, she had already arrived at the Prefectural Yamen and saw the Truth Sect's altar masters, who had received the news and were waiting for her.

Di Gua Shao got out of the sedan and politely gave a curtsey to the two altar masters. The two altar masters also hurriedly pretended to receive her, but after all, seeing that it was a woman who had come, they only gestured and did not actually touch her, smiling and saying:

"We were just about to invite the Red Lantern Society's martial world colleagues to discuss important matters. The Red Lantern Society's friend has arrived. Please come inside..."

"..."

"That's not necessary. I'm just here to deliver a message for the society. You sent someone to ask about the one thousand jars of blood essence. Our Goddess said..."

Di Gua Shao shyly glanced at the people around her, then raised her head, lifted her chin slightly, and said loudly: "Forget about it..."

"...There's not a single drop left!"

(End of Chapter)