The two of them remained silent as they followed the stone steps for a while before the State Preceptor suddenly spoke softly to Hu Ma: "Do you find it strange?"

Hu Ma nodded, and candidly said: "In Shangjing, you only burned one incense stick, and when you left, you left that one incense stick to me."

"The Daluo Dharma Sect has always burned just one incense stick, which is that one Observing World Incense."

The State Preceptor spoke calmly, saying: "But I no longer belong to the Daluo Dharma Sect, and naturally, there are more things for me to revere."

Hu Ma slightly frowned, turned to look at the State Preceptor, and said: "There are things in this world that you still hold in reverence?"

"Many."

The State Preceptor slowly spoke, saying: "Only the ignorant are fearless; I know much more than you do."

"It sounds like you're insulting me?"

Though being insulted usually causes anger, since Hu Ma had won that duel in Shangjing, he felt broad-minded and didn't mind. He simply followed the State Preceptor while walking, and said with a smile: "Since I'm here, you should also tell me."

"I have many questions to ask, and only you can answer them."

"Why are the three realms of the Daluo Dharma Sect named Observing World, Entering World, and God?"

"Why did the Great Virtuous Master, back then, originally create a dharma method named Great Mighty Master, but later change it to Heavenly General?"

"What do the two words 'Heavenly General' mean?"

"..."

The State Preceptor listened and didn't hurry to answer; instead, he suddenly looked at Hu Ma and said: "You have to answer me first, why are you asking now?"

"Back in Shangjing, you were the Daluo Dharma Sect Leader, and at that time, you didn't even care much."

"..."

"Because there was no need."

Hu Ma candidly said: "When I saw this path of the Luotian Festival, I knew that all ten dharma methods would disappear. Once I had the Ten Incense Sticks and the ability to bear the Twelve Ghost Altars and equivalent matters, it was enough."

"All I need is to gather the five items: seal, weight, book, fruit, command, and change the world, then it will be sufficient to expel the Tai Sui. Everything else is superfluous."

"The path of the Hu Family is destined to destroy the dharma, and I cannot become someone who steals the dharma."

"But now..."

He paused, then slowly said: "I have a reason."

The State Preceptor could sense the sincerity in Hu Ma's words but did not directly respond; instead, his gaze fell.

He saw Little Hongtang beside Hu Ma and said in a low voice: "I think many things, the Hu Family already knows."

"Otherwise, how could this little ghost have stayed with the Hu Family?"

"..."

"Granny left it to me."

Hu Ma gently exhaled, patted Little Hongtang's head, and said: "In Shangjing, I also asked Granny about Little Hongtang's origin. Granny told me, but as soon as she said it, I could tell that Granny didn't know Little Hongtang's true origin."

"To her, Little Hongtang was just a little ghost she picked up in Shangjing."

Hu Ma lowered his head to look, Little Hongtang was curiously glancing around, not listening to his words, so he felt a bit relieved but still lowered his voice and used the Ghost Whisper method, saying to the State Preceptor:

"At that time, Granny left Old Yin Mountain because my birth mother had left; she wanted to go to Shangjing to persuade her, but my mother was determined, so Granny didn't say anything."

"That trip back to Shangjing, she happened to see Little Hongtang, at that time, the soul root was already broken, unable to enter the underworld, seemingly refined by someone, yet not dissipating like an ordinary yin soul, holding a personal Eight Characters Book, representing no master to rely on..."

"Seeing the many scars on her body, Granny knew she had suffered a lot."

"Because at the time, the Hu Family had already lost power, and there were many influential families in Shangjing City, capable of refining this little ghost, probably not few."

"Granny was angry at this kind of cruel act, but she had no ability to find out who it was, so she had to bring her back to Old Yin Mountain, cut blood food to feed her, and slowly she recovered. Of course, it also gave this little girl a little problem of gluttony..."

"...This actually isn't really a problem; I reckon, with my skills, I can always afford to raise her."

"..."

After saying this, Hu Ma said: "But it was also I who later discovered many anomalies about Little Hongtang."

"Granny was too good to her at that time, didn't need her help to fight, nor to steal things."

"Many of her skills weren't discovered."

"..." 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"Or maybe they were discovered but not mentioned."

The State Preceptor listened to Hu Ma's narrative and slowly opened his mouth: "Granny Bai is also a person with great skill, but with too kind a heart, she is destined not to walk too far on the Bridge."

"If you say she didn't know the true background of this little ghost, I believe you, but if you say she didn't discover anything unusual about this little ghost, that's impossible. I think she must have discovered it, but just didn't want to tell you."

"Because..."

He turned his head to look at Hu Ma and said: "She didn't want you to provoke those people in the Netherworld Palace."

"Netherworld Palace..."

Hearing these two words, Hu Ma's expression slightly tensed.

Even this desolate Da'ai Mountain suddenly stirred with a cold wind because of these two words.

Chilling him all the way to the spine.

Little Hongtang felt inexplicably a bit scared and leaned closer to Hu Ma.

"Do you know, back then, why Lao Junmei and Mr. Longjing insisted on exterminating the entire Duyi Royal Family, leaving none?"

The State Preceptor slowly asked a surprising question.

Hu Ma was also slightly stunned and said: "Isn't it to cut off the Duyi fortune and prevent Tai Sui from continuing to invade the human world?"

"That's just one of the reasons."

The State Preceptor slowly said: "Moreover, if it was just for this matter, there would be no need to bear such a great sin of killing."