Couldn't outwit, couldn't defeat, couldn't even find the person.
Ever since learning his skills, Hu Ma had never encountered such a situation. Though he felt resentment in his heart, he immediately recognized the gap between them as soon as he made a move.
He stirred up all his magical power, eager to shake off the incense burner and display his Dharma form, but as the National Preceptor chanted, the incense burner grew heavier and heavier, causing his bones to crack and creak all over.
His eyes were stern as he stared directly at the National Preceptor, urgently chanting the Hu family's Punishment Word Curse, but the National Preceptor's figure was erratic, unable to be found. Instead, behind him, a curse also rang out. The National Preceptor was chanting the "Jia" (shackles) Word Curse, one of the Hu family's four great curses.
While chanting, he walked slowly, emerging from beside Hu Ma.
With each step, a footprint fell, and each footprint transformed into a talisman.
Among these countless talismans, only the clanging of iron chains could be heard. One after another, they emerged from the ground, firmly缠繞 (chanrao, entwining) Hu Ma's body, pinning him down.
"I should have been the one to teach you the method of bearing the Twelve Ghost Altars, establishing your first merit in White Jade City. I didn't expect that I would still have to do it myself in the end."
The National Preceptor sighed softly only after trapping Hu Ma. His voice even seemed to carry regret.
With a wave of his horsetail whisk, it seemed to transform into a writing brush. Then, he extended his left palm and sliced the flesh of his palm with his thumb nail, causing it to split open. Then, his left arm drooped, and fresh blood flowed gurglingly onto the ground.
He waved his horsetail whisk,沾了 (zhan le, dipped) it in the blood, and began to write talismans quickly, starting from the incense burner that was pressing on Hu Ma's head. One after another, strings of them, all carrying fresh blood with hidden golden light, floated in the air around Hu Ma.
More and more were written, disappearing into the night, as if enveloping this entire world. Vaguely, giant umbrellas adorned with jewels intertwined and rested, isolating the outside world.
At this moment, Hu Ma seemed to truly realize that the gap between them was too great. The intention to struggle lessened slightly. The incense burner on his head, as he no longer struggled fiercely, seemed to lighten slightly.
He only gritted his teeth and sternly shouted, "Hai Shou, Zou Gui, stagecraft, you are proficient in the skills of every sect..."
The National Preceptor also smiled easily and explained to Hu Ma, "Our Da Luo Dharma Sect's Dharma is not limited to sects. Anything that is useful is fine, so I have dabbled in many, and have also helped the Ten Surnames 推敲 (tuīqiāo, to carefully consider/deliberate) several Dharma methods."
"It's a pity that I've learned many of the Ten Surnames' skills, but the Da Luo Dharma Sect's old profession, the method of offering sacrifices to question the heavens, has been neglected."
"Because I am the body of the chief priest, I cannot be too far from heaven and earth."
"I didn't understand this back then. Although I gained these skills, I only realized afterwards that since I am not in this world, I can no longer be the chief priest who sacrifices to heaven and questions the earth."
"..."
"So you are borrowing me to carry the altar?"
Hu Ma whispered in a deep voice, "Then what will happen after you invite it?"
The National Preceptor laughed, seeming to look at Hu Ma with some appreciation, and said, "I have returned to the capital this time to hold this Dharma Assembly, and also to suppress those evil spirits."
"You helped them seize the Meng family's bridge, which has also caused some things to begin to spiral out of control."
"Reincarnators originally come from the heavens. Unlike us, who are born of this earth and step on solid ground, they often undergo some inconceivable changes after they set foot on the bridge and come into contact with the Zi Taisui (Purple Jupiter)."
"But their presence on the bridge is also our opportunity."
"You will bear the Twelve Ghost Altars, occupying the body of the chief priest, and I will use Dharma to invite that evil spirit who is already on some bridge to fight, taking the opportunity to invite it into the altar..."
"..."
As he spoke, he even couldn't hide the joy on his face, and he laughed, "What do you think the result will be?"
"So you entered the Yin realm yesterday to awaken that thing?"
Hu Ma sighed softly. Now that he was no longer forcing his strength, the incense burner didn't seem so heavy. It was easier to speak, and he even managed to show a puzzled expression: "Are you so sure?"
"After all, we have already tried it once using your Hu family's bridge."
The National Preceptor also looked at Hu Ma, smiled faintly, and said, "Laojun Mei is actually a traitor to the reincarnators."
"At least, after he chose to cooperate with your Hu family, the Hu family did not spare those reincarnators who tried to夺回 (duóhuí, reclaim) his immortal fate."
"Of course, those reincarnators did not spare the people of your Hu family at that time either."
"..."
As he spoke these words, his hands did not stop. He had already finished writing a row of talismans. Then, he smiled and looked at Hu Ma, saying, "Little friend, the time has come."
"Once this sacrifice begins, it can never be ended. If you change your mind now, I can still record your first merit in White Jade City."
"..."
He seemed to want to persuade Hu Ma again at this time, but meeting Hu Ma's sinister gaze, he just shook his head and immediately gave up.
He sighed softly and suddenly said, "You were created by my own hands. You were originally a perfect immortal fetus, but now I have to destroy you with my own hands. Believe me, I am also very heartbroken now."
But while saying he was heartbroken, he did not stop. He raised his hand and summoned five altars from afar.
They were placed neatly in front of Hu Ma. The National Preceptor sat cross-legged, facing Hu Ma. Then, he slowly scooped out a piece of black, oily, and eerie meat from the first altar in front of him.
Hu Ma was slightly alert and recognized that it was the Black Taisui (Black Jupiter).
At this time, the National Preceptor seemed to have a sense of holiness on his face. He bowed to the Black Taisui and vaguely捏 (niē, pinched) the shape of a human figure on the ground.
After that came the White Jade Taisui (White Jade Jupiter), Azure Taisui (Azure Jupiter), Blood Taisui (Blood Jupiter), and Golden Silk Taisui (Golden Silk Jupiter).
These five Taisui were placed in the five altars respectively. He first used the Black Taisui to create a human figure, then spread the White Taisui within it, mixed the Azure Taisui in the middle, kneaded the Blood Taisui into viscera, and outlined the meridians with the Golden Silk Taisui.
Once everything was completed, he lightly flicked his sleeves, and a flurry of talismans descended from the sky, covering this vague human figure with a rustling sound.
After that, he took out a pill from his sleeve. Hu Ma looked closely and saw that it was the immortal pill that the young owner of Zhi Shou Pavilion had used to revive the person who had died twenty years ago.
Lifting a talisman that was vaguely located at the head, the National Preceptor stuffed this immortal pill into the mouth of this "person."
He chanted silently and tapped gently. The next moment, the human figure on the ground suddenly sat up, the talismans on his body rustling and falling. Looking at him, a complete person appeared.
Most importantly, this person had vivid features and empty eyes. Looking at him, he looked exactly like Hu Ma.
After helping this person sit up, the National Preceptor personally held up a领 (lǐng, measure word for clothes) of clothing and draped it over this person. Then, he slowly bowed to him, looking as if he was sacred. Only after doing all this did he calmly turn his head and look at Hu Ma.
Hu Ma also stared at this person who looked exactly like himself. Only at this time did he suddenly look up at him and say, "Senior, you have repeatedly said that my Hu family, in league with Laojun Mei, deceived you."
"In your mouth, my Hu family is a traitor to the Ten Surnames, and Laojun Mei is a traitor to the reincarnators. Then, there must be a reason for betrayal."
"They don't approve of your plan to become an immortal, so what exactly do they want to do?"
"..."
The National Preceptor's busy hands suddenly stopped. He slowly turned his head and looked at Hu Ma, his eyes filled with an unprecedented sharpness.
After a long time, he suddenly smiled and said, "Little friend, things have come to this, it doesn't matter if I tell you."
"It's just a pity that their whimsical ideas are disrespectful to heaven and earth. Even if I were to tell you, I would feel that the sin is too great, so please forgive me for not being able to tell you this final answer."
"..."
"I understand, you are very afraid."
Hu Ma also stared at him with bright eyes, and suddenly said slowly, "But actually, even if you don't tell me, I have guessed it."
Then, he slowly opened his mouth: "受命于天，既寿永昌 (Shòumìng yú tiān, jì shòu yǒngchāng, Having received the Mandate of Heaven, may your life be long and prosperous)."
It was only these eight words, but hearing them, the National Preceptor's face suddenly changed drastically. He suddenly厉喝 (lìhè, shouted sharply), "Shut up!"
His large sleeves flicked, and he said in a low voice, "You madmen will never know fear, but fortunately, thanks to this great sacrifice, these guys who bring curses can finally disappear completely from this world."
"Borrowing life to invite the altar!"
With a low roar from the National Preceptor, he stepped into the Gang Steps and walked around the four directions. The next moment, the horsetail whisk in his hand became a sword, and he gently pointed it forward.
The golden light of the surrounding talismans all lit up, like candlelight. Opposite Hu Ma, the him who had just been created also捏 (niē, made) a Dharma seal with his hands, and his lips moved, as if he was following the National Preceptor and quickly reciting something.
"Hmm?"
He was pressed down by the incense burner
He only felt the Nine Pillars of Taoist Practice in his body surging at the same time. Rolling mana was automatically circulating. In a trance, he even had an illusion, as if he was really casting a spell earnestly, and following the National Preceptor's guidance, carrying out some kind of sacred ritual.
And with his spellcasting, the surrounding heaven and earth seemed to become extremely dark, to the point where he couldn't see his fingers.
At the same time, in Old Yin Mountain, in Fox Coffin Village, the Corpse of Disaster moved slightly.
The weight of this altar was so great that Hu Ma's real body, when he was here, could not shake it even with all his strength, but now it seemed to sense something. Mysteriously, slowly, it suddenly flew into the air.
Like an invisible big hand, holding this altar, and then, the heaven and earth around the altar changed. The altar itself did not move, but the surrounding rocks, trees, cities, and earth were moving rapidly. Therefore, the altar seemed to have also flown over the dark earth.
Invisible rumble, awe-inspiring, no matter human, god, demon, or ghost, at this moment, they only saw a black meteor streaking across the earth.
Pointing directly at the capital city.
(End of this chapter)