Chapter 509 Heavenly Mandate General

"...Listening to Hu Ma's words, even Mountain Lord seemed a little surprised.

He had initially thought this matter would be thorny for Hu Ma, since they were of the same origin and from wealthy families, worrying that Hu Ma might be conflicted. He hadn't expected him to answer so decisively.

Originally able to discern the good and evil in people's hearts, seeing Hu Ma's cold expression now, it didn't seem feigned. He truly treated those people as strangers.

As he was thinking this, Hu Ma raised his head slightly and said, "Senior, you don't have to worry. I really don't think much of those people. I'm more interested in this Heavenly Mandate General of the True Logic Church that you mentioned."

"Ignoring the Red Lantern Society and openly raising banners to measure the land, just how much *benming* (natal destiny) does this guy have to dare call himself such an arrogant title?"

"...This kind of person is bound to appear."

Mountain Lord sighed softly, saying, "The selection of the emperor has already begun. The various aristocratic families can't sit still and are placing their bets one after another. As they enter the game, these Heavenly Mandate Generals will naturally become more and more numerous. Didn't you choose one yourself?"

"He's also in these mountains now, watching him train soldiers and store food. He's got a bit of confidence, but compared to the people coming over this time, they're not even on the same level."

"I advised you before, his fate isn't enough, his foundation is too shallow. You can use him, but you shouldn't choose him."

Hu Ma knew he was talking about Yang Gong. Listening to Mountain Lord's meaning, although he looked down on him a little at first, he had secretly paid attention to him. Unfortunately, Yang Gong didn't have that potential yet, and in Mountain Lord's view, he was already too slow.

He laughed and said, "Speaking of it, my brother Yang Gong's skills are not even comparable to the True Logic Church's Heavenly Mandate General, let alone the Yiqian Church. But those who are arrogant first are not necessarily the final winners."

"Since I chose him, there's no way I'll just replace him for no reason."

"Now that the True Logic Church has set its sights on our territory, it might not be a bad opportunity to see if he's up to the task."

These words were spoken naturally, showing that he had already thought it through. Even Mountain Lord was slightly surprised: 'Before going to the blood food mine, he was just careful in his actions, thinking everything through, not decisive enough. How does it seem like he's changed into a different person?'

"Besides…" As Hu Ma spoke these words, he pondered slightly and slowly said, "Compared to this, I have something else I want to discuss with you, Senior. Now the Tongyin Meng family's actions are becoming more and more frequent, and some mysteries have reached the point where they should be understood. So I…" He paused slightly before looking directly at Mountain Lord and saying, "...am preparing to retrieve the Hu family's heirloom."

Hearing these words, Mountain Lord trembled slightly and asked, "Are you ready?"

In response to his question, Hu Ma simply nodded slightly, not saying much. But his tightly pursed lips clearly represented his determination.

"It really should be retrieved…" Mountain Lord took a deep look at Hu Ma, but only sighed softly, saying, "Firstly, the True Logic Church has come to Ming Prefecture, and many things can't be delayed. I may not take the initiative, but it's necessary for you to do so."

"Moreover… Such a valuable thing from your Hu family has been in my possession, and I've always felt uneasy. It would be best if you took this thing away sooner."

Hu Ma was a little surprised: 'Why do you seem happier than me when I say I want to retrieve the Hu family's heirloom?'

Mountain Lord, who could discern the good and evil in people's hearts, seemed to sense the curiosity in Hu Ma's heart, but he just smiled and sighed, saying, "I've seen the Hu family's majestic appearance many times, so I always feel a little unaccustomed when I see you being so cautious."

"But thinking about it carefully, you're alone and helpless, so there's nothing you can do. But since you've made it through, then of course you have to take back the heirloom and reopen Zhenchong Prefecture."

"Presumably, at that time, there won't be so many *mei* (spirits) daring to disturb your peace, and you'll know what your Hu family has to do. You don't have to keep asking me about this and that every day."

"Just remember my words, among the disasters in the world, war is the most harmful, and among the misfortunes in the world, war is the most terrible. Old Yin Mountain is my place to enjoy. When you take charge of Zhenchong Prefecture, if you have a choice, please be merciful. I don't want to see blood flowing like rivers and corpses piled up like mountains here…"

Hu Ma stood up and said solemnly, "Please rest assured, Senior Mountain Lord!"

He felt a little emotional for a moment. Since coming to this world, he had seen many ghosts and gods, but they were all sinister and strange. Only Mountain Lord matched his imagination from his previous life.

During their conversation, the family's full moon celebration was coming to an end. The villagers who came to drink were staggering away, and the hosts were beginning to remove the incense table dedicated to Mountain Lord.

His family didn't know that their simple incense table had really invited Mountain Lord over. People were still in the middle of celebrating when the offerings of fruit, vegetarian wine, and even red eggs were taken back in front of Mountain Lord's face.

Seeing Mountain Lord's embarrassment, Hu Ma could only pretend that nothing had happened and walked back with Mountain Lord, trying to make conversation, saying, "Does Senior have any other instructions?"

"Since you have your own ideas, I don't have anything else to say." Mountain Lord thought for a moment, then suddenly said, "That's right, after retrieving the Hu family's heirloom, you can go back to Da Yang Village and directly perform the mountain sacrifice."

"Huh?" These words really surprised Hu Ma a little.

Since he had become successful and became a small manager in the Red Lantern Society, Da Yang Village had started to worship the forest and the dry mother, but this matter had too much influence, and they never dared to say it directly, let alone openly use the name of mountain sacrifice. Now, how could Mountain Lord take the initiative to bring it up?

Mountain Lord was very serious and gave some instructions, sighing, "After all, it's been many years since I've had a proper sacrifice…"

Hu Ma was a little confused: "So Senior Mountain Lord is so fond of liveliness, going wherever there's an event. Now, even the full moon celebration of someone else's child has to be drunk…" Was the reason "because it's been many years since someone has sacrificed to him?"

With a wave of Mountain Lord's sleeve, he sent him back. His body jolted, Hu Ma got up and saw that he was still in Old Yin Mountain, at the place where he had just entered the mountain to burn incense. Everything he had just experienced seemed like a dream.

Smiling bitterly and shaking his head, he got up.

Taking a deep breath, he already had an idea in his mind. Now was different from before. The Great Red Robe's letter had made the reincarnated people feel a little urgency in their hearts. Many things needed to be understood, but before understanding them, preparations had to be made.

Slaughtering the Grand Duke, fighting for destiny… These things used to be troublesome, and reincarnated people would try to avoid them as much as possible. But now, knowing the importance of the situation, how could they still avoid them? Instead, they had to actively get closer to these things.

Now that the True Logic Church and those people from the Qingyuan Hu clan had come, and even dared to play those ghost tricks to influence his own territory, how could he not accept them?

Thinking this in his heart, he came down the mountain and saw that it was already past noon. He first walked twenty miles east and arrived at the village.

He happened to see Li Wa leading the few guys who had stayed behind in the village, plus a few unfamiliar faces, who seemed to be strong young men from the surrounding villages, practicing martial arts. But the level of their swords, spears, sticks, and cudgels… How should he put it? Even the Third Master's Three Splitting Axes were considered real skills.

"Who's coming?"

As soon as they saw Hu Ma enter, the unfamiliar faces immediately glared and shouted, "Good fellow, daring to enter the village?"

Glaring and rushing over, they were about to attack, but it startled an old guy beside them. It was Da Long, who had followed young master Xu Ji to freeload when he first entered the village and was now an old veteran. He hurriedly came over and slapped each of them, saying, "This is our shopkeeper Hu."

"If you dare to attack him, don't you want to live anymore?"

The few people were frightened and covered their heads, smiling apologetically and saying, "Seeing him carrying a knife, we thought he was from the True Logic Church. Shopkeeper, please be generous."

Hu Ma naturally didn't mind, just waved his hand and said, "Where's Li Wa?"

Da Long said, "The steward is burning incense inside."

Hu Ma nodded and entered the inner courtyard. Now that he had gone to the mine, this inner courtyard was still empty. Li Wa had suffered from ignorance before, but now he had become the most sensible one.

Counting it, he was the oldest in the village, but he refused to move into this courtyard. He would only use the private space in this inner courtyard when he needed to burn incense or invite Aunt Qi over to discuss matters.

As soon as Hu Ma entered, he saw Li Wa frowning and putting away the incense burner in front of him. When he glanced over and saw Hu Ma, he was so excited that he hurriedly said, "Brother Ma, you're finally back. Those people from the True Logic Church are too arrogant…"

"First make some food to eat!"

Hu Ma had been hungry all day. This morning, he had been eating a full moon celebration in someone else's mountain with Mountain Lord. The old man was a god, and he was full after receiving offerings, but he was a living person. He had accompanied him for so long, seeing the food but not being able to eat it, and had been hungry the whole time.

Hearing this, Li Wa immediately went into the kitchen himself. After a clanging and banging, he brought a large bowl of hand-pulled noodles with eggs to Hu Ma.

As Hu Ma ate, he asked Li Wa, "How are they arrogant?"

"This…" Li Wa opened his mouth to speak, but then hesitated. Thinking that although the True Logic Church was powerful and made people feel uncomfortable, they were also quite disciplined and hadn't done anything substantial to bully their village. Even if they had argued a few times, they hadn't ended up fighting.

So he paused and whispered, "They… they raise banners every day and wander around. When they see our Red Lantern Goddess's lanterns, they never kowtow and even want us to give way to them."

"How dare they!" Li Wa himself felt guilty when he said this, but unexpectedly, Hu Ma was furious when he heard this, slamming the table and shouting, "So arrogant and ignorant of etiquette, this True Logic Church has already found its own death."