Chapter 332

The next morning, I went down the mountain early and went to town to inquire about the location of the Great Union Hall.

The Great Union Hall, honored as the foremost horse-riding immortal hall in the northeast, always establishes a sizable branch wherever it goes. Finding them is not difficult; a casual inquiry in town will yield a clue.

At the gate of a small courtyard built in 1970s style, I saw Fang Xin chatting and laughing with some elderly men and women; he then ushered those old men into the courtyard.

Various formalities continued endlessly. These people all shared one trait: no matter how they spoke, gestured, or moved their bodies, their shoulders remained completely still.

This is a characteristic of the horse-riding immortals: they like to sit on the shoulders of their spirit steeds, making the steeds' shoulders a taboo spot that cannot be patted, and they try not to sway their shoulders while speaking or walking.

Their arrival made me believe even more firmly what the Gray Immortal had said. I never imagined that the Dragon and Phoenix Hall would be so petty, gathering so many people to deal with me over a mere trivial clash.

This scene strengthened my resolve to strike first.

At eight o'clock in the evening, during the xu hour, I returned to the graveyard as scheduled.

Lone spirits and wild ghosts covered the entire mountain, their numbers impossible to count. At the spot where I had originally invited my teacher, more than ten black-clad figures stood, each shrouded in a cloak that hid their faces, utterly mysterious. Unlike the surrounding wandering souls, these shadows were substantial, looking no different from ordinary people.

But I know they are all ghosts, all Yin Masters of my Yin Mountain Sect. The surrounding wandering souls are likely the troops under the Yin Masters. The Yin Masters veil their faces with cloaks because they dislike being inquired about; even their names are taboo. Unless they tell you, probing their fate leads only to a dead end.

But why had the Bronze Coffin Ancestor not come, leaving no trace? My confidence waned somewhat.

"Are you Chen Hai Sheng of the Yin Mountain Sect?" the leading Yin Master asked as soon as he approached.

I clasped my hands and replied, "Junior is Hai Sheng." I then asked him why the Bronze Coffin Ancestor had not come.

He waved his hand: "No need for nonsense. Have you figured out the location? Just take us there."

Seeing this, I also dispensed with pleasantries; the Yin Master and I led the way, the soldiers followed, and we marched mightily toward the Dragon and Phoenix Hall.

Along the way, I learned that this Yin Master bore the surname Fan, named Fan Tiansheng, a master of the Yin Mountain Sect from the Republican era. He had come under the Bronze Coffin Ancestor's full orders to help me subjugate the Horse-Riding Immortal Hall. Yet whenever I asked about the Bronze Coffin Ancestor's identity, Master Fan kept it secret, refusing to reveal even a hint.

This only deepened my curiosity about the Bronze Coffin Ancestor's identity, for these Yin Masters' cultivation is hardly weak, and they command troops. That the Bronze Coffin Ancestor could mobilize so many Yin Masters at once suggests his standing in the Yin Mountain Sect is far from simple in ordinary people's eyes.

"This is the place, Master Fan!" I pointed to the yellow-walled cottage and said, "Master Fan, what should we do now?"

Fan Tiansheng grunted, and before I could react, he beckoned with his hand behind him.

"Up"

At the issuance of the command, the soldiers surged into the Horse-Riding Immortal Hall like a tide.

I: "..."

I had originally thought I would go in to negotiate a few sentences, and if talks failed, then we would fight.

But the Yin Masters acted swiftly and decisively—say fight and they fight, with thunderous vigor and bold axes—truly leaving me unable to keep up.

Not long after, cries of battle erupted from the courtyard, coming from both the Horse-Riding Immortal Hall and the soldiers.

Seeing that the moment was right, Fan Tiansheng then led me and the remaining few Yin Masters inside.

Within the Horse-Riding Immortal Hall there were spirit steeds over fifty years old, as well as immortals invisible to ordinary folk: Fox Immortals, Yellow Skinned, Wolf Immortals, Tiger Immortals, Toad Immortals. Though few in number, their cultivation surpassed that of ordinary soldiers, making the battle hard to settle for a time.

Upon entering the Horse-Riding Immortal Hall, Fan Tiansheng without hesitation issued a Yin Wind Command to these horse-riding immortals; after he acted, the other Yin Masters followed suit. The commands flew everywhere, ghost fire spread throughout, dyeing the Dragon and Phoenix Hall into an Asura battlefield.

At first, the soldiers relied on their numbers to suppress the Horse-Riding Immortal Hall, but in the end the Yin Masters recalled most of the soldiers and engaged the immortals themselves. Fan Tiansheng, this fierce man, astonished me to the point I almost popped my eyeballs out, taking on five opponents single‑handedly and still driving them back step by step.

In the midst of the chaotic battlefield, I spotted a familiar figure—Fang Xin, who together with a Fox Immortal had snatched the Cat Immortal in the woods. He held something resembling a great seal, scattering the soldiers that besieged him one after another.

Fang Xin was present, but the Fox Immortal was nowhere to be seen.

Having no time to think, since the Yin Masters had acted, I naturally could not stay idle; I immediately drew a Five Thunder Flower Sigil on my palm and struck toward Fang Xin.

Recalling the Fox Immortal's insults toward our Yin Mountain Sect and the tragic death of Qingqing, I could not help but flare with rage; naturally, this palm strike contained my full bodily strength.

Fang Xin likewise showed no hesitation; amid battle he could still spare attention for his rear, and as my Five Thunder Palm was about to strike his shoulder, he abruptly turned, thrusting that great seal forward to meet my palm.

With a boom, a thunderclap rang out from the flat ground; in an instant palm and seal separated, I stumbled back several steps, and Fang Xin's great seal seemed to carry a current stronger than my Five Thunder Palm, making my palm tingle and leaving me momentarily immobilized.

After the smoke cleared, Fang Xin also saw me; he stared for a moment and asked in surprise, "Daoist Chen, what do you mean by bringing people to besiege my Horse-Riding Immortal Hall?"

"Meaning? Go ask your mother, you bastard." I cursed loudly, then drew another thunder flower sigil in my palm and struck toward Fang Xin.

I had originally thought well of Fang Xin, but that Fox Immortal bullied people excessively, seeking to exterminate my Yin Mountain lineage. Naturally I had to strike first—take out one, and that's one.

As I tangled with Fang Xin again, the tide of battle gradually turned; the immortals of the Horse-Riding Immortal Hall were beaten back step by step by the Yin Masters, and within two or three minutes a large number had fallen.

"Hurry and report to the General, quickly..." a severely wounded Yellow Skinned on the ground bellowed at a White Hedgehog Immortal.

The Ha Immortal, hearing the Yellow Skinned's words, dared not delay and rushed toward the gate, intending to run there to inform their hall's General.

But before he could run out the gate, Fan Tiansheng waved his hand, and the soldiers he had withdrawn immediately appeared, thickly surrounding the entrance and blocking his path.

"Heaven's lock, earth's lock, I beseech the Yin Mountain Sect's Dharma Master to release the golden lock..." After the soldiers surrounded the gate, Fan Tiansheng chanted a soul‑binding incantation.

As soon as the incantation left his lips, many more immortals collapsed to the ground in an instant.

Fang Xin also took a hit from my Five Thunder Palm; he was now being besieged by the soldiers and could not attend to himself.

Later, the immortals of the Great Union Hall gradually drew together into a semicircle, cautiously guarding against the Yin Masters and the soldiers.

But their defeat was already evident, their clever schemes come to naught; though they had hoped to exterminate my Yin Mountain lineage, they never imagined that the Yin Mountain Sect would gain fame from this battle.

"May I ask, esteemed immortals, what fault has my Dragon and Phoenix Hall committed, that you esteemed immortals bring soldiers to besiege my Great Union Hall? Do you not fear blame from the Four Great Leaders of the Shamanic Faith?"

A Yellow Skinned leaning on a cane stood before the assembled horse‑riding immortals, his face deathly pale; he appeared to be their leader.

I was about to speak, questioning why he had seized the killer Cat Immortal and why he shamelessly sought to destroy my Yin Mountain lineage, but before I could utter a word, Fan Tiansheng coldly snorted: "Just fight if you're going to fight—why all this nonsense? If you want revenge, simply have your Dragon and Phoenix Hall's immortals come find me; I am Fan Tiansheng."

Under the boss's such domineering declaration, I naturally fell back silently.

Then the two sides began to negotiate; although the Great Union Hall showed signs of defeat, it still bore the aura of the northeast's foremost immortal hall. Though their tone had softened considerably, not a trace of fear appeared on any immortal's face.

Yet the Yin Mountain Sect's Yin Masters paid no heed whatsoever to the Yellow Skinned's words.

I imagine they all heard from the Bronze Coffin Ancestor that the Great Union Hall's Fox Immortal had sworn to wipe out my Yin Mountain lineage; hence each Yin Master struck mercilessly, showing no pity. After all, to insult one's sect's lineage is intolerable to anyone.

Speaking of which, we gained a great advantage in this battle. After all, the Great Union Hall's main headquarters is not here, and its troops are unevenly matched. Moreover, the Yin Masters Fan Tiansheng brought appeared as a surprise attack, catching them off guard. If their forces were fully assembled, likely even the Bronze Coffin Ancestor would have to appear to breach this hall's defenses.

Seeing that Fan Tiansheng gave him no face, the opposing Yellow Skinned Immortal also grew angry, filled his breath, and adopted a posture of "better to die together than to yield."

Fan Tiansheng waved his hand, ordering the soldiers to encircle the remaining horse‑riding immortals.

"Horse‑riding immortals of the Great Union Hall, listen: your Prince has come; hurry out to greet him."

Suddenly, a great roar came from outside the gate.

"Prince..." this voice, how familiar it sounds. I racked my brain, slapped my forehead—wasn't this Pangzi's voice? Though it sounded much more imposing than usual, the lecherous undertone still could not be concealed.

"Pangzi..." I felt excited, went out to meet him at the door. At that moment, I couldn't help but feel a little moist at the corners of my eyes; after all, he's still my brother—even facing the Number One Immortal Hall of the Northeast, he still dares to risk himself, without a hint of retreat.

However, this feeling of mine lasted only one second; after one second, my emotion turned into panic.

Because, behind Pangzi, I unexpectedly saw...