Twilight Boundary-Chapter 723 - 714: Disaster Seeking Debt

Half the world offers sacrifices, inviting the gods to return to their altars.

These two matters alone already made the Heads of the four families restless, pacing with a mix of shock and anger. They were quickly contemplating what measures to take to prevent the young master of the Hu Family from continuing his madness, yet at this very moment, they once again felt a renewed sense of profound unease.

The loss of control over the situation seemed to come in waves. The invisible roar caused their expressions to change dramatically.

"An evil spirit on the Bridge?"

"No, it's seizing the Bridge!"

"..."

Such a thing had never happened since the Bridge first came into existence. The urgency of the situation shocked even them, catching them completely off guard.

The Bridge was a path to avoid disaster and a hope to transcend.

Ascension was a Skill, Entering the Mansion was Magic, and stepping onto the Bridge could already be called a Path.

Over two hundred years ago, when Tai Sui descended upon the world, it allowed miracle men to ponder and develop this method of stepping onto the Bridge. The Ten Surnames were among the first to come into contact with it and among the earliest to tread upon the Bridge.

Because they were among the first on the Bridge, and because their power increased over time, the Ten Surnames gradually came to regard the Bridge as their own. All those who followed and stepped onto the Bridge had to kowtow and pay homage to the Ten Surnames, willingly lying low.

Especially in the past twenty years, with the absence of reincarnating evil spirits, the Ten Surnames' power on the Bridge solidified further. The Bridge became even more privately owned by them, a fact all in the jianghu had to acknowledge.

Their transcendent status lay precisely in this.

If the Ten Surnames were merely considered prestigious families within the world, with a possibility of reshuffling, then the Bridge had drawn a clear distinction between them and all others. It even made it impossible for newcomers to escape their grasp.

But now, it had all been thrown into disarray in an instant?

"It's impossible for so many people to step onto the Bridge, nor is it possible for all these events to coincide so perfectly, unless..."

"...evil spirits!"

When the Chen Family's Head cried out, his voice trembled as if he had realized another dreadful possibility. "Those evil spirits that once contended with us on the Bridge, they're back!"

"Twenty years ago, they were merely scattered across the various Bridges. Although they dueled with us repeatedly, they ultimately failed to seize the Bridge."

"This time, they've… damn it, they've changed their strategy!"

"This time, as soon as they acted, they targeted the Meng family's Bridge directly, giving us no time to react!"

"..."

"The most critical part is the Hu Family..." someone began, then trailed off.

If the evil spirits had such intentions, they must have been plotting for a long time. But how could it be so coincidental? Just as the Hu Family was clashing fiercely with the Meng family, drawing everyone's attention, the evil spirits suddenly moved to seize the Meng family's Bridge.

"Now that things have come to this, should we go protect the Meng family's Bridge?"

Finally, amidst the chaos and alarm, someone voiced this question, instantly drawing countless gazes.

"How do we protect it?"

Someone nearby retorted angrily, "This isn't some village or territory where we can just charge in and fight. Those evil spirits are on the Bridge; our strength is useless there. We have to find them in the human world..."

"But with the world in such chaos, where can we possibly find them?"

"..."

"We should first keep an eye on the Meng family. Currently, no one from the Meng family is on the Bridge. With this path seized, they have lost their last sanctuary. This trouble is immense..."

As the Heads of their respective families, they were typically decisive. Even during normal discussions, their deliberations were calm and elegant, plans decided with grace. Yet this was the first time they had panicked and argued.

But despite the flush on their faces and the anger in their hearts, they now realized the most crucial matter.

They had only just left the Meng family and hadn't gone far. Now, turning their heads, they saw the sky over Salt State, where thick, dark clouds hung low. Ever since the disaster was invoked, something had been watching the Meng Family, and now, that thing was clearly on the move.

The rolling black clouds, which had been hanging low on the horizon, were at this moment rapidly descending into the Meng family compound.

Even the threshold of the Meng family's main gate, as if blown by an unseen wind, silently and slowly began to fall inward into the courtyard.

This signified the collapse of the Meng family's last pillar of support. The eleven paths of disaster now poured directly through the main gate, completely unobstructed.

"First, protect the lives of the Meng family bloodline!"

Witnessing this scene, the Lord of the Undying Wang Family, unwilling to let matters rest, gave a deep shout and pulled a porcelain bottle from his sleeve.

Once the stopper was removed, a plump, fingertip-sized white doll leaped out.

It was a medicinal pill refined by the Wang family, which had gained spiritual properties and seemed like a living creature. He quickly pointed towards the Meng Family Ancestral Mansion, directing the pill-doll to save lives, while he swiftly turned to the other three. "Find the Sun Family! Quickly dispel this disaster!"

"Then, we should invite someone from the Ten Surnames who still holds some sway to come and discuss this."

"..."

Looking at the Meng family compound, now shrouded in black clouds, the others knew there was no other way.

Now, it was almost certain that the eleven paths of disaster had no chance of entering Old Yin Mountain.

Invoking and sending a disaster was a process that required a price. Sending the disaster on its way also incurred a cost.

And as fate would have it, the pond god of Old Yin Mountain had emerged and blocked the disaster, which meant the Meng Family had to bear the full brunt of it.

As for the Hu Family, the Meng Family had indeed planned for them to be the disaster's target. However, when faced with disaster—whether by hiding or blocking it—as long as they prevented it from getting near, the matter had almost nothing to do with the Hu Family.

On the surface, the Meng Family had become the world's biggest joke.

By both invoking and attempting to send away the disaster, they had squandered such a prominent family's fortune and bloodline, yet the Hu Family hadn't even caught a glimpse of the disaster.

And at this moment, they, as outsiders, had to hold their noses and deal with the Meng family's mess.

News soon spread. Outside Old Yin Mountain, the eleven Disaster Senders, all with blank expressions, came to a halt. They clutched the disaster objects, which simultaneously looked up and wailed, their cries seeming to make the heavens and earth tremble.

The disaster objects were weary and wanted to return!

Yet, on this trip, not only had they not enjoyed any offerings, but they had also endured countless lashings. The resentment in their hearts had multiplied many times over.

And all of this, the Meng Family would have to repay.

As the dazed Disaster Senders began to turn back towards the cave, within the Meng Family Ancestral Mansion, the rolling black clouds were also slowly drifting out of the compound.

However, though it was clearly a cloud, figures could be vaguely seen within. They were dressed in gold and silver, with brocade robes and jade crowns. Each looked dignified, yet they were now chained, looking pitiful and tearful as they were dragged away.

The Meng Mansion was now desolate. Only a few servants, new to the Meng Family, wandered aimlessly through the house and courtyards. When they met, they would only stare blankly at each other and mutter:

"Another... another one died..."

"..."

"The thing from the cave has come to the Meng Family to collect its due..."

Watching this from afar, even the Heads of the four families dared not approach. Though they had advanced far on the Bridge, enabling them to avoid birth, old age, sickness, and death, they still lacked the ability to evade the three disasters. Thus, they dared not risk any association.

With their abilities, they had originally believed that no matter how fiercely the Hu and Meng Families fought, they could intervene at any time, paying some price at most.

Now, apart from sending a medicinal pill into the Meng Mansion, they didn't even dare to enter and see if Young Master Meng was still alive.

「In Shangjing, Northern Land, within the Ancestral Hall」

The elderly Cemetery Guardian watched as, one by one, the lamps in the Meng family's Ancestral Hall were extinguished, the hall seeming filled with cries, as if reluctant to depart from this place.

His lips moved slightly as he glanced at the Hu family's Ancestral Hall, where only a single lamp remained lit. He muttered softly, "Sister Bai, this outcome... is this also something you anticipated?"

From within the Hu family's Ancestral Hall, Granny's voice finally sounded after a long silence, seemingly filled with sorrow. "The Meng Family today... how is it any different from the Hu Family twenty years ago?"

"The Meng Family only thought of harming others. Did they never consider that my Hu Family also has worthy descendants who would avenge this?"

"..."

The Cemetery Guardian was at a loss for words. "But it was, after all, for the Stone Pavilion..."

"When you were discussing this Stone Pavilion matter, you should have considered telling the Meng Family not to bully my Hu Family too excessively."

Inside the Hu family's Ancestral Hall, Granny's voice was firmer than ever before. "When I returned, I told my grandson to stay alive, to learn abilities, and to seek revenge. However..."

"...I never once mentioned anything to him about your so-called Stone Pavilion!"

"..."

"..."

"Let's go! We're entering Old Yin Mountain too!"

Witnessing the yin disaster invade the residence, the Heads of the four families, despite their vast Divine Skills, felt their hearts sink as if plunged into icy well water. In their fury, they resolved to go to Old Yin Mountain. This time, they absolutely had to find someone from the Hu Family and demand a clear explanation.

But just as they were about to set off, they suddenly heard someone nearby chuckle, "My esteemed noble lords, you ignore the pond full of lotus blossoms to rush about so anxiously. For what reason, I wonder?"

The four Family Heads turned in surprise and saw the speaker: a man by the roadside carrying a divination flag.

He appeared down-and-out, his cloth robe soiled and disheveled, like a common fortune-teller who roamed the streets.

Yet this kind of jianghu character, even when facing the four Family Heads who possessed an inherent air of authority, merely chuckled, showing no signs of apprehension.

The four Family Heads, upon seeing him, first frowned slightly. Then, their gazes shifted to what was behind him. The man carried a wooden frame on his back, and on this frame, a piece of red cloth was draped.

From the protrusions beneath the red cloth, it seemed like a Divine Statue was enshrined there. A gust of wind lifted a corner of the red cloth, vaguely revealing a wooden carving.

The expressions of the four Family Heads changed instantly. They quickly suppressed their alarm and slowly raised their hands, performing a salute towards the man—or rather, towards the wooden Divine Statue he carried on his back.

They lowered their voices, "Could it be that things have escalated to such a point that even the State Preceptor has finally deigned to show himself?"

The fortune-teller grinned, not a trace of surprise on his face. "The willing take the bait, that's all. What's there to discuss about it being a grand matter or not?"