"But I have a condition."

"...I know the Li Family has lost and has no right to negotiate terms, but still, I have to say it."

"..."

Hu Ma did not retort, just furrowed his brows slightly and said, "Speak."

The Li Family's Housekeeper took a deep breath and suddenly said, "I want you to recommend my Li Family's two daughters for positions in the Food Protection Army."

"They will follow no one else. They will only follow this person surrounded by calamity, ensuring they obey orders and do not harbor other intentions."

"..."

Hu Ma listened, slightly taken aback, yet he chuckled slightly.

Why would anyone say that the housekeepers of the Ten Surnames were not incredibly smart people?

He slowly nodded, "I agree."

Only then did the Li Family's Housekeeper take a deep breath and spoke to Hu Ma, "Firstly, you must find a well..."

The Impermanence Li Family indeed was willing to accept their loss gracefully, or rather, they had initially prepared to cooperate with Hu Ma and others, the difference being they lost too suddenly, without even the time to muster the resolve for a standoff or mutual destruction.

Not only did they lay out the "theft" Magic that Hu Ma required in detail, but they also handed over the seals, orders, and stone weights one by one.

These items, once in Hu Ma's hands, meant that the Zhen Sui Hu Family had consumed the Impermanence Li Family.

As for the five stone weights, they were already collected.

Of the five towns for the Luotian Festival, one was now in hand.

Hu Ma and Er Guotou returned to the mortal world, standing before Menghu Pass, looking up to see the flags of the Food Protection Army, Iron Threshold Army, and White Armor Army already planted on the pass.

Now, between this land and sky, as the bloody rain stops and the cold sun rises, the wind blows from all directions, full of the scent of blood, and the heads of men before the pass have all been buried, with numerous ragged people coming to receive porridge.

The aroma of the porridge mixed with the bloody smell surprisingly formed a harmonious union no one ever thought of.

Standing in front of Menghu Pass, Hu Ma looked towards the world, seemingly having already envisioned the outcome, that this overwhelming calamity from where it originates would render any Menghu Pass or God-given King or even the Impermanence Li Family's Hall Officer and Jianghu Strange People with Strange Techniques and evil skill all powerless.

And many Reincarnators represented by Miss Red Wine have already willingly plunged into this calamity.

They would destroy everything while making everyone understand why destruction and how to survive and be reborn.

This is just the beginning; this calamity will become increasingly ferocious.

The weight of destiny will be leveled, and any grasshead king or noble will bow in this calamity, or else their heads will roll.

"Old friend, it's up to you now."

Gazing at the situation that has already unfolded, Hu Ma handed over everything taken from the Impermanence Li Family, including "The Golden Armor Collection" and "Delivering Yin Book" from Zhensui Mansion, to Er Guotou in front of Menghu Pass.

The Golden Armor Collection can command the Golden Armored Warriors within the Zhensui Mansion, while the Delivering Yin Book ensures that Er Guotou can contact him anytime and has the ability to command ghostly gods across the world.

"What do you mean?"

Listening to him, Er Guotou felt a bit confused, "This is just the beginning, and you're not returning to the army?"

"You understand these principles better than I do, and you can manage these things better as well."

Hu Ma took a deep breath, looked at him seriously, and said, "So, I must go to handle something else extremely important."

Er Guotou was rather surprised, "More important than gathering destiny and defeating the Ten Surnames?"

Hu Ma nodded slowly, "Yes!"

Even though Er Guotou still couldn't quite understand, he knew Hu Ma wasn't an impulsive character, and he also had many things to comprehend and discuss with Miss Red Wine, so he agreed and hurried off to the Food Protection Army.

Meanwhile, Hu Ma watched Er Guotou walk away, his expression tense, standing quietly and practicing for a moment until Calculation arrived hurriedly, covered in mud.

"This... this matter..."

Calculation clearly had much he wanted to ask, but as soon as Hu Ma saw him, he directly said, "I asked you to help me contact the State Preceptor. Have you found him?"

"I found him..."

Calculation seemed a bit puzzled but nodded anyway.

Hu Ma didn't want to say much more and nodded, "Take me to him. I have questions to ask."

"What questions?"

Without waiting for Calculation to respond, Hu Ma heard a cold, clear voice behind him. He turned around to see National Master Dongxuan, standing where there once should have been a pine tree.

It had been nearly three months since their separation in Shangjing City, and upon seeing him again, Dongxuan no longer had the celestial demeanor in a Taoist robe.

His cheeks were still gaunt, but he had changed out of his Taoist robe, his beard disheveled, and his eyes no longer as clear and bright as before.

Calculation, upon seeing him, looked a bit awkward, lowering his head and whispered to Hu Ma, "He's just as anxious as you. Upon hearing that you wanted to see him, a shadow of him came a few days ago..."

"I need to know the path to the Returning Home Realm..."

Without a hint of hesitation, Hu Ma looked at the State Preceptor and slowly said, "When you deceived me about achieving the nine columns of Tao cultivation, you mentioned a method to bridge the gap between the mortal world and the bridge, even suggesting the possibility of reaching the Returning Home Realm by this method."

"That statement should have a concluding part."

"Returning Home?"

Upon hearing Hu Ma's words, even the State Preceptor found it somewhat absurd, replying coldly, "If you continue down this path you're on now, there will be no more law between heaven and earth, no more technique, just a group of villagers wielding knives, slaying everywhere..."

"You instigated all this, yet you come to me now asking about Returning Home?"

"..."

"Yes!"

Meeting the State Preceptor's questioning gaze, Hu Ma merely nodded silently and said, "The world's laws will vanish, but I want to reach the true Returning Home Realm before all of this disappears."

Hearing the resolve in his words, a mocking look seemed to cross the State Preceptor's face, "In the end, do you also wish to become immortal?"

Within his sleeve, Hu Ma held a piece of cloth taken from the Bloodstain Pond, gradually clenching it. He exhaled slowly and said softly, "Becoming immortal holds no significance."

"But returning home holds great significance!"