Twilight Boundary-Chapter 813 - 801: Our Home Was Stolen (Part 1)

"So, you... you are Tieguanyin?"

The arrival of the Twelve Ghost Altars caused a kind of indescribable feeling of losing weight in Shangjing City. The remnants of the recent nightmare still lingered in their hearts when the sudden sensation of being pulled back into an intensely real normal world overwhelmed them.

In this seemingly real yet illusory feeling, as everyone struggled to detach themselves, they heard such a strange voice. When they looked at her again, their gazes became cautious.

There was an answer already in their hearts, but they still wanted to ask aloud.

The person everyone had been searching for appeared so quickly at this moment, making it feel almost unreal.

"Isn't it obvious?"

The woman in green clothes sitting on the altar stretched lazily, then jumped down from it.

Her gaze, too, was fixed on the crowd, and it was hard to tell if it was joy at seeing her kind again or tinged with some sigh.

"So, you were really suppressed by the Twelve Ghost Altars?"

As suspicion brewed in everyone's heart, Hu Ma was also scrutinizing this woman deeply.

The shock in his heart was no less than that of others. On the bamboo scroll left by the Daluo Dharma Sect, or perhaps more accurately the State Preceptor, he read about someone being suppressed by the Twelve Ghost Altars, and it seemed that this woman had reached some sort of agreement with the Daluo Dharma Sect.

This was why he could be sure that by inviting the Twelve Ghost Altars, he could release this woman, although he didn't expect it to be so swift.

No need for any deliberate action on his part; the Twelve Ghost Altars arrived, and she followed suit.

"No, it was the Twelve Ghost Altars that protected me."

The woman in green clothes, or Tieguanyin, turned her head to glance at Hu Ma.

This glance seemed to encompass endless scrutiny, especially as her gaze finally settled on Hu Ma's shadow.

She faintly glimpsed the shadow's indistinct form with three heads and six arms, and her gaze showed a hint of relief. She nodded lightly toward him.

With emotion, she said, "Otherwise, I would have been devoured long ago."

"Holy crap!"

At this point, the crowd of Reincarnators suddenly became excited, not because of her words, but because they were now certain they had found Tieguanyin, a crucial figure immensely important to the Reincarnators.

Their hearts instantly surged with countless questions, and the crowd began to flow toward her like a stream.

How many questions they wanted to ask, but they got stuck between various throats all at once.

In this atmosphere of excitement yet apprehensive fear, the first to ask these questions was Miss White Wine.

"What exactly is beneath Shangjing City?"

"Are Nu'er Hong and the others alive or... dead?"

"..."

"It's our mother."

Tieguanyin turned her head slightly, glanced at her, and answered a question that no one had anticipated.

Then, she faintly answered those questions, "For them, neither existence nor death exists. They are just..."

"Returned!"

"..."

These answers certainly didn't resolve Miss White Wine's confusion; if anything, it magnified it.

But Tieguanyin had already turned away, scanning the crowd calmly, saying, "Actually, these questions shouldn't have been directed at me."

"I also know that you have many words you want to spill out, but I'm more anxious about certain matters than you are."

"If we follow this world's narrative, how many steps have you taken on the Bridge?"

"..."

"Um, this..."

The crowd was stumped by this question, but one who reacted quickly was the Floral Carving Wine bearer, who calmly replied:

"Mostly just in the Non-human Realm."

"We only got onto the bridge a month ago."

"Also, many people only encountered the Purple Tai Sui after getting on the bridge."

"In fact, for the vast majority of Reincarnators, the enhancement of their skills has just begun, needing to grasp the feeling after getting on the bridge, barely stepping into the Non-human Realm."

"Anyway, more Purple Tai Sui is needed to walk more steadily on the bridge, requiring more enlightenment to possibly walk further on the bridge and reach the realm above Non-human to Non-Ghost Realm."

"But for Reincarnators, those who have previously worked hard, laid solid foundations, or have good insight, given a few months to assimilate, can take another big step forward; reaching the Non-Ghost Realm isn't difficult, and the exceptional ones might touch the threshold of Non-Divine."

"This has already been a unique advantage provided by the Lifebound Spirit Temple, a kind of superiority..."

"..."

"As I thought."

Tieguanyin nodded slightly upon hearing this, saying, "Good, and not good."

"Precisely because you walk slowly on the bridge and got on it late, you are firmly grounded, untainted."

"This is the good part."

"Not reaching the bridgehead means less influence from the other side, no need to worry about things awakening in the temple."

"The downside is, the historical progress of this world has already begun to propel itself anew."

"But with your current skills, seizing destiny is still very challenging."

"..."

Upon hearing this, the Reincarnators couldn't hold back and became chaotic, finally unleashing the questions bottled up in their hearts:

"What is meant by things in the temple?"

"What do you mean by the other side? Is it... our original world?"

"..."

As soon as these words were said, they immediately drew more attention, with people trembling as they asked, "Yes, can we still go back?"

"Earlier, there were rumors saying the hometown was stolen, what does that mean?"

"..."

Countless eyes fell on Tieguanyin, trembling and excited, just waiting for an answer.

Including Hu Ma, who, due to excessive concern, developed a fearful attitude toward the answer.

Tieguanyin met those countless gazes, her expression turning indifferent, and after a long time, she suddenly sighed and said lightly, "Even if there are issues, must you make me answer everything right now?"

"I've been locked up for twenty years, just released. Even if you're anxious, you might show some humanity and spirit, right? Is there anyone who can arrange a meal for me?"

"At least let me eat and drink my fill before you start questioning me?"

"..."

"This..."

The crowd looked at each other, feeling truly anxious but carrying a sense of respect for this elder.

Beside them, Hu Ma exhaled and suddenly said, "Please."

Tieguanyin nodded at him and then started walking outside. After taking a few steps, she suddenly turned back and said softly:

"By the way."

"Hometown being stolen means our world no longer exists."

"..."

When she said this, she even wore a smile, lightly pointing upward with her finger, saying, "It's been consumed by the one up above."

"Even we have been consumed."

"..."

Her light words hit like thunder, shocking everyone into a daze.

Looking at each other, they could only see the dazed and confused expressions on each other's faces.

In the silent shock and collapse, Tieguanyin already floated through the crowd, turning back to Hu Ma with an inquisitive look.

Hu Ma held back the shock in his heart, leading Tieguanyin to the Hu Family Mansion. Beside them, Er Guotou's eyes narrowed and followed along, and Miss White Wine followed without hesitation.

Sweet potato glanced around; they were all familiar faces, so he confidently followed, feeling somewhat proud.

Others were unable to follow into the mansion, some stayed behind, unsettled, while others appeared anxious.

"Open the main door, light the lamps!"

Hu Ma returned to the Hu Family Mansion, instructing the old housekeeper and added, "Wake the cook, set a good table."

"Bring out the good wine, as per the finest standards."

"..."

Though it was already late at night and the city had just gone through a disaster, the old housekeeper dared not delay and quickly arranged it.

There was still the leftover hot pot from Immortal Miaoshan in the hall, but naturally, Tieguanyin couldn't be entertained with this, so a new table was set in the main hall. After serving eight cold dishes, Tieguanyin didn't touch the chopsticks. Even after serving four hot dishes, she still wouldn't touch them.

Hu Ma watched from the side and let out a low sigh, saying, "Bring incense!"

The old housekeeper brought incense, and Hu Ma lit it in front of Tieguanyin, a wisp of smoke wafting upward, which she deeply inhaled.

On her face appeared a seemingly intoxicated expression, softly sighing, "So comfortable..."

"This is the closest I've been to the human world in twenty years..."

"..."

"You..."

Seeing her like this, Miss White Wine was somewhat surprised: "You're no longer alive?"

Beside them, sweet potato looked eager, wanting to step forward and pinch her.

As part of the Execution Soul Path, it was difficult to understand how Tieguanyin managed to seem so alive.

"I chose to abandon my flesh voluntarily."

Tieguanyin inhaled the incense and the aroma of the meal before smiling slightly and saying, "Otherwise, I couldn't resist the will of that thing."

Facing the surprised and doubtful gazes, she appeared very calm, merely smiling faintly and saying, "Lao Junmei, Big Red Robe, Longjing, those fellows did their tasks swiftly, and their deaths were resolute, leaving things neat and tidy."

"Talking about looking after me, they just left me with the task of delivering the message to those below, only to discover later that this task was the hardest."

"They settled it once and for all, escaping Tai Sui, while I have had to endure twenty years of fear under eternal punishment, just to gamble on this uncertain future. If given another chance, I'd rather trade places with them, entering eternal silence ahead of time."

"..."

From welcoming her back and setting up the banquet, waiting for her to enjoy the incense, every moment was torment.

Yet, out of propriety, Er Guotou spoke at this point with a slightly trembling voice: "So..."

"Our world is truly gone?"

"..."

"Yes, it's gone."

Tieguanyin smiled and looked at him, saying, "While you were carefree, playing in this world, you didn't realize that we no longer have a return path."

"Of course, don't rush to put on this expression."

"In what I'm going to tell you, this is the least troubling thing..."