Twilight Boundary-Chapter 695 - 686: What a Disgrace?

"Haha, young brother Hu, your clan's Sacrificial Mountain ceremony, yet you didn't send me an invitation. That's not very considerate!"

The two groups both arrived on horseback, and they were swift. As they approached, they reined in their horses, dismounted, and came forward with laughter.

One had a long gray beard, broad shoulders, and was in his later years; the other had a pale face, no beard, and narrow eyes. They were none other than Sun Tong, the left flank Great General of the White Armor Army, and Old Altar Master Tang of Great Shanbao, nicknamed Iron Cauldron.

Compared to the food-protection general, the people in the village weren't too afraid of these two because they did not know their backgrounds. However, the jianghu figures around were taken aback upon seeing them and rushed forward to pay their respects.

I… My God…

Meanwhile, the Old Clan Chief, Second Master, and others in the village were stunned, their bodies stiff with shock.

Why would such a high-ranking person like the food-protection general lower himself to come to Dayang Village for the ceremony? Most importantly, how did this kid from the Hu Family, who hasn't even held any official position, receive such reverence from the food-protection general's wife?

This is terrible, terrible…

Further away, Tie Shoupeng had just squeezed to the front of the village gate and was dumbfounded, unable to breathe for quite a while.

His disciple beside him sensed something was off and hastily said, "Master, these two seem to be from our Path, but I can't see through their skills. Do you… do you recognize them?"

"That, that is…" Tie Shoupeng stammered, "That's the Great Shousui, Old Master Sun from Gunzhou, and beside him should be Old Mr. Tang of Great Shanbao. They are both top experts who have entered the Mansion Gate from our Path…"

"Why, why are they here too?"

Over here, Old Master Sun and Altar Master Tang met Hu Ma and the food-protection general. Old Master Sun laughed, "Brother Hu, I've long wanted to visit your village to meet the expert. Is your Master, Old Mr. Zhou, in the village now?"

Hu Ma smiled, helping Second Master over, and said, "This is my Master, Second Master Zhou."

Old Master Sun was immediately surprised, "Really?"

"Is there any other possibility?" Hu Ma laughed. "I've only apprenticed to this one Master, no doubt about it!"

"Oh my…" Old Master Sun didn't hesitate, immediately lifted his robe, and was about to bow down. "Elder, please accept my respect."

Second Master was so startled his face changed color, urgently saying, "No, no, I can't accept it…"

"This is proper."

Even Hu Ma felt that Old Master Sun shouldn't have bowed. After all, his age seemed older than Second Master's, and the bow felt somewhat awkward.

Yet, unexpectedly, Old Master Sun, being an elder, adhered to propriety and said solemnly, "I'm on equal terms with Brother Hu, and I admire his skills. I've always said I wanted to pay respects to the expert. Now, meeting an elder for the first time coincides with such a significant event as the Sacrificial Mountain ceremony, how can I not bow?"

He then respectfully performed the bow.

Yang Gong, seeing this, quickly comprehended. He came from a humble background and had no one to teach him these formalities when he was young, but he wasn't one for pretense. Seeing this person was Hu Ma's Master, he also knelt and smiled, "So, you're the Master who taught my brother to be such a formidable person. I must bow to you too."

With them kneeling, Second Master could no longer stand upright. At the village entrance, a number of people were completely dumbfounded.

It was as if countless necks had been grasped, leaving no one able to make a sound.

The people of Dayang Village and the neighboring villagers were naturally scared stiff; many secretly pinched their thighs, doubting if they were daydreaming.

Second Master, whom Hu Ma was supporting, was receiving bows from several prominent figures. He still looked so much like the familiar old bachelor from the Zhou Family, yet why did it feel like seeing him for the first time?

Everything's in chaos, everything's in chaos…

Tie Shoupeng's white beard fluttered wildly in the wind, and now he didn't even dare breathe. His face turned pale and then blue, and he felt his neck grow icy.

"Master, should we…?" his disciple beside him, slack-jawed and wide-eyed, asked. "Should we go up and greet them too? My God, the food-protection general and Great Grandmaster Shousui both bowed to your apprentice. Won't your standing rise to the skies?"

"Greet them, my ass…" Tie Shoupeng, however, trembled with fear, lifting his sleeve to cover his face and whispering, "Leave quickly, leave before anyone notices us!"

"Huh?" His disciple was taken aback. "Didn't you say we should make an impression, so it would be easier to speak in the future?"

"That was before!" Tie Shoupeng had already squeezed into the crowd, lowering his voice in reproach, almost with a hint of frustrated sobs. "Logically speaking, as long as he calls us Master, that gives us the upper hand. But haven't you heard that too much merit can become a curse? Who could have imagined Dayang Village to have such excellent fortune... This is beyond our ability to insist on our reasoning. To forcefully stick around would only invite disaster upon ourselves…"

"Let's go, forget about official status. We can't stay in Mingzhou Prefecture anymore; let's go find a living elsewhere…" 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Saying this, he had already inconspicuously squeezed through the crowd, intending to leave. He didn't even dare to exit through the village gate but instead planned to climb over the fence in the back.

Before leaving, something suddenly occurred to him, and he asked his young disciple in a low voice, "Do you still have the crafting diagrams I left for you? Take them out, leave this work behind in the village. In the future, who knows, it might be a favor that saves a life!"

The disciples, seeing the gravity of his words, hurriedly took them out and left them on the table, quickly sneaking out of the village, leaving their carriages and palanquins behind.

Meanwhile, Hu Ma invited everyone back inside the village to sit. The food-protection general, Old Master Sun, Master Tang, and others sat at the outdoor feast, while the general's wife was inside, conversing with some women from the village.

Although everyone knew each other well, given the food-protection general's status, he naturally sat at the head seat. Yet, how could Yang Gong dare to take Hu Ma's Master's seat? He graciously pushed Second Master, the host, to the esteemed guest seat.

With so many important figures elevating him, Second Master felt insecure, frequently glancing at Hu Ma. Hu Ma merely kept his head down, drinking, quite amused at Second Master's current embarrassed state.

That old man's jianghu bravado had vanished. Why is he now as shy and bashful as a young bride?

In between conversations, Hu Ma's gaze swept around. Tie Shoupeng was nowhere to be found. He only saw the deliberately left scroll of diagrams, nonchalantly had Zhou Datong collect them, and wasn't in a rush to inform Second Master. Today was a joyous occasion; there was no need to settle scores now. Knowing Tie Shoupeng's name, there was no concern about finding him in Mingzhou Prefecture.

Second Master also had the intention of inquiring about Tie Shoupeng, but Hu Ma advised him to relax. With everyone around keeping him entertained, the slight discomfort in his heart gradually dissipated.

This day was, without a doubt, the most glorious in Dayang Village's history. Not only did the food-protection general come, but also the stately Old Master Sun, Altar Master Tang, and various distinguished gentlemen whom they had only heard of but never seen before—all arrived at the village.

Not only did people from other villages thoroughly acknowledge Dayang Village's qualifications for the Sacrificial Mountain ceremony, but even the clan members of Dayang Village felt as if they were in a joyous dream.

Taking a sneaky glance at Hu Ma now, they finally understood what Zhou Liang and Zhao Zhu had said.

As the feast progressed, the entire village was abuzz with activity, full of jubilation. Amidst the bright lights, even the deep and silent Old Yin Mountain seemed much more peaceful.

Second Master said popularity can ward off disasters, and joy can avoid misfortune. Although it's old country wisdom, the current scenario in the village indeed feels like it can fend off any trouble. Hu Ma couldn't help but recall Second Master's words, instinctively believing him a little, yet simultaneously smirking inwardly. If it were truly this easy, my original body's father probably wouldn't have had to lose his life back then.

During the banquet, the atmosphere grew livelier. Everyone knew the food-protection general loved to tell bawdy stories. However, with his wife present, he dared not. Instead, people discussed the situation near Mingzhou and matters of the world, creating an air of blood and battle across the table.

It was then that the candle in the middle of the table suddenly sputtered, the wick flaring up several times and interrupting the conversation.

Everyone paused for a moment, then laughed, "The candle wick flares, a joyful event arrives. How timely!"

But before the words had settled, suddenly, the candle in the center flared once more, and then the flame dimmed, eventually extinguishing.

In an instant, silence fell over the crowd, while a chilling wind blew in from afar, cold to the bone.

"Hmm?"

Hu Ma glanced at the extinguished candle, his gaze turning cold. He slowly turned his head to peer into the depths of the mountain, a premonition of danger already stirring in his heart.

As everyone followed the direction of the ominous wind, they suddenly saw, within the shadows, several figures with stiff bodies and ghastly green faces stagger silently forward.

The one leading was Tie Shoupeng. With his hands clasped behind his back, he paced leisurely forward. Step by step, he reached the table. His eyes scanned the crowd before finally fixing on Second Master. In a chilling tone, he said, "Zhou Huai, you are quite ill-mannered.

"Years ago, you kowtowed before me and called me Master, making you my disciple. Yet today, with your Master here, you hold a feast without inviting him and audaciously sit at the head table. How disrespectful is that?

"You've trained several disciples, yet none have come to bow to me, their grandmaster. What kind of etiquette is this?"

The surroundings were dead silent. Countless eyes were fixated on them. In the deep night, everyone felt a chill crawl into their hearts, a sense of inexplicable, suspenseful fear.