Twilight Boundary
Chapter 68 - 67 Cries from the Bottom of the Well

Chapter 68: Chapter 67 Cries from the Bottom of the Well

Hu Ma went up first, not because he was determined to show off, but because he could see that the group of attendants was already scared out of their wits.

It was their first time accompanying Xu Ji, and ordinarily, they would have had some courage; they wouldn’t have been so hesitant. But after such an unexpected event, their bravery had completely dissipated.

Even though they had lit the furnaces, the more afraid they were, the harder it was for the stove fire to burn. Forcing them to get closer would only make it easier for whatever was in the well to take advantage of them.

Once things get chaotic, I won’t be able to control the situation, Hu Ma thought.

It was better to keep them farther away; at least they could stand firm and hold their torches securely.

Once they truly calmed down and their courage returned, the power of the furnaces would also become apparent.

So, he simply acted nonchalant, using the firelight from behind him to inch closer.

His shadow scattered, like grasping claws and bared fangs, slowly approaching the well.

The wailing around him became clearer, as if it was ringing right by his ears.

Amidst the sparse, fragmented black shadows on both sides, he couldn’t tell how many furry things rustled, like a place crawling with snake bugs—eerie and bizarre—slowly closing in on him.

"Hmm?"

Hu Ma felt a chill seep into his body, as if he were in an ice cellar; his body was almost numb from the cold.

When he felt his steps becoming heavy and looked down, he vaguely saw that his feet and calves were tangled with a mess of hair.

This evil spirit had considerable cultivation and took advantage of the midnight hour, causing gusts of yin wind. Human reactions were sluggish, and people wouldn’t even know when the hair had ensnared them. Often, by the time they realized, it was too late; the eerie hair was tightening, straightening suddenly.

"Retreat!"

Realizing this, Hu Ma was horrified. He tensed his nerves and gave a loud shout.

I deliberately suppressed my internal stove fire to see if I could lure this thing out, he thought.

Now, it suddenly erupted. He employed the technique Second Master had taught, the energy method of "Mountain Opening."

The stove fire surged, transmitted through his arm to the redwood sword. The sword moved with his body, and he suddenly swung it forward, tracing a beautiful arc in front of him.

CHH...

Hu Ma didn’t dare to be careless. He used a third of his flame’s intensity, thinking it should be enough to push back the danger.

But he hadn’t expected the flame’s power, when wielded through the redwood sword, to be so unexpectedly great.

The air felt hot and dry, almost as if invisible flames were rising. In the darkness not illuminated by the torches behind him, faint, dark red shadows appeared.

The hair coming from all directions, the moment it touched the redwood sword, instantly burned into tatters. Not only did the hair that had entangled Hu Ma’s legs scatter completely, but the rest suddenly retracted, pulling back into the bottom of the well.

From the bottom of the well, the sobbing cries became even louder.

Amidst the eerie and bizarre sounds, there seemed to be a hint of fear and anger.

"Good stuff..." Hu Ma was momentarily overjoyed, and his courage soared accordingly. Holding the wooden sword, he pointed at the well. "Stop causing trouble! We are Green Incense Disciples of the Red Lantern Lady’s Club from Green Wall Village, ordered to act here. We know some attendants were harmed by you."

"Return our people quickly, or I will resort to force!"

...

He had originally intended to announce his identity while he had the momentum, but just as the words came to his lips, he suddenly realized that this name couldn’t be casually invoked.

I’m an attendant of the Red Lantern Lady’s Club; announcing the Red Lantern Lady’s name is perfectly appropriate!

"Disciples of the Red Lantern Lady, are you so arrogant?"

Unexpectedly, as Hu Ma’s voice fell, a sobbing voice came from the well. "I was thrown into this well by a heartless man, my vindictive soul unable to dissipate, with no place to voice my grievances. I have been confined here, just waiting for that heartless man to return so I can have my revenge."

"I haven’t provoked you. Yet you, disciples of the Red Lantern Lady, are so domineering, insisting on coming to trouble me?"

"Eh?"

Hearing this, Hu Ma’s heart stirred. She’s already scared...

With the redwood sword in hand and the attendants behind him gradually regaining their courage, their presence was having a restraining effect on the surrounding yin qi.

Outside the village, the evil spirits that had been lured there were also retreating, the commotion diminishing.

In terms of on-paper strength, I already have the advantage, he mused. Should I seize this opportunity and find a way to eliminate what’s in this well?

But he couldn’t help but recall Granny. He hadn’t learned the art of the walking ghost from her, but Little Hongtang had always followed her, and in Little Hongtang, he saw Granny’s way of handling things.

So, he turned to look at Little Hongtang. Seeing her eyes wide with worry, he got an idea.

With his knife in his right hand and sword in his left, he looked coldly at the well and shouted, "Stop your wailing! I am a disciple of the Red Lantern Society. I have no intention of bullying you, but you cannot stay here and harm the local people."

"If you heed my advice, move your nest elsewhere!"

...

As he said this, the attendants around him also felt their thoughts waver.

This Brother Hu Ma and Young Master Xu Ji certainly have different methods, they thought. Xu Ji would fight immediately, while Hu Ma tries to persuade first.

Moreover, Hu Ma, who preferred persuasion when facing trouble, had just made a move far more impressive than Xu Ji’s.

Seeing this turn of events, the attendants felt slightly more at ease.

Whether it was an illusion or not, as their minds calmed, the surroundings seemed less eerie than before.

Even the flames of the torches in their hands had steadied somewhat.

After speaking, Hu Ma focused his gaze, looking coldly at the well opening.

During this time, leading the attendants in their work, he had gradually become familiar with the affairs around the Manor and some rules of the Red Lantern Lady’s Club. He knew that dealing with an evil spirit didn’t necessarily mean fighting or killing; it was often more about persuasion and expulsion.

Even for this tricky problem, the old shopkeeper had only said to resolve it, not necessarily to eliminate it.

"And you say you don’t bully others..."

However, as Hu Ma’s voice fell, from within the well, sobs rose again, and she said plaintively, "I just want to wait here for that heartless man. I don’t believe he won’t return to his ancestral home. Now, my grievance isn’t settled, and you’re forcing me away."

"Besides, even if I wanted to leave, my remains are buried here. I can’t be more than a few miles from my corpse. Where do you want me to go?"

Complaining now? Hu Ma’s heart stirred; he thought this was promising.

Whatever story she’s trying to spin, I don’t care, he thought. But I understand one thing deeply: when the other side shows weakness, never indulge them, or things will become a tangled mess. No need to be too harsh, but don’t be too soft either.

So, he simply widened his eyes and aggressively demanded, "So, you absolutely refuse to leave?"

AIYA...

From within the well, a gust of yin wind suddenly swept out, as if resentment surged.

But Hu Ma just planted his feet firmly, neither dodging nor flinching, coldly watching.

His assertive stance bolstered the courage of the surrounding attendants, and they all stared intently at the well.

As their courage rose, their stove fire also blazed brighter.

In essence, following Hu Ma, they used their own yang qi to suppress the yin qi in the well.

Sure enough, Hu Ma didn’t indulge her complaints but instead pressed her forcefully. It seemed unreasonable, but it was very effective.

Though the entity in the well was seething with resentment, after a moment, it let out a sorrowful sob.

"If you really insist that I move, I dare not defy the Red Lantern Lady. But you must personally come down, exhume my remains, and rebury me in a shady spot along the official road to Mingzhou Prefecture, so I can see that heartless man when he returns..."

"If you agree, I will move."

...

"Huh?"

The attendants around him, hearing this condition, immediately felt uneasy. Looking at the well, they already felt a chill in their hearts.

Just approaching the well makes us feel cold all over; the resentment is overwhelming, they thought. Even Xu Ji tried to force her out first. Now we have to personally go down the well and dig up her bones? Who’d be foolish enough to do that?

Hu Ma also frowned slightly and said, "That’s not difficult. How about I relocate your bones once daybreak comes?"

From the well, the eerie voice echoed, rife with resentment, "Relocate my bones by daylight? With the sun shining on them? Are you trying to harm me?"

Not foolish at all...

Hu Ma frowned.

Currently, it wouldn’t be much trouble for me to wait until daybreak. However, even in daylight, with the evil spirit hiding in the well—a naturally cold and dark place shielded from the sun—it wouldn’t save much effort. Moreover, doing it that way wouldn’t resolve the matter smoothly, nor would it showcase my capabilities.

So, he quickly weighed all the factors, finally taking a slow breath. He looked up at the well and said, "You have a point. In that case, I’ll go down."

"Huh?"

The surrounding attendants were stunned, looking at Hu Ma in disbelief.

Even the entity in the well seemed to fall silent for a long while before eerily saying, "If you are truly willing to move my bones, I will leave."

"Not only will I move your bones," Hu Ma said, "I will also find you a good place. You’ll be able to watch the official road and not endure this cold suffering. I will also offer incense and worship for you, so you may enjoy some incense."

Perhaps these words moved the entity in the well. Suddenly, the yin qi at the well mouth dissipated, as if waiting for Hu Ma to enter.

"Hu... Hu Ma brother..." the surrounding attendants worried, subconsciously mimicking Zhou Datong by calling him ’brother’. They said nervously, "Be careful, she might harm you..."

"With the Red Lantern Lady protecting us, what’s there to fear from evil spirits harming people?" Hu Ma said, though he didn’t quite believe his own words. After a brief contemplation, he instructed, "Go to the nearby villagers’ homes and get some rope, prepare to pull someone up. Also, find some blankets or straw mats to collect the remains... Don’t just take them; pay some small change."

"Once I gather her remains, we must bury them quickly to avoid exposure to the sun..."

Hearing this, the attendants hurriedly went off.

Only then did Hu Ma take off his outer coat to avoid getting it dirty. He then picked up a bamboo basket and approached the well.

Taking a deep breath, he tied the redwood sword to his back for easy access, then propped himself up with both hands and entered the well.

At midnight, the yin qi was bone-chilling. Especially descending into the well, goosebumps rose on his skin.

He slowly slid down, his feet testing a layer of cold well water.

After gauging the depth, he gradually landed. Holding his breath, he slowly took out the Fire Stick to illuminate his surroundings.

The moment the Fire Stick lit up, he first saw a stiff, pale face pressed closely against him.