538 The Current Situation (1/2)
”Finally... I've returned...”
Tantai Guihu looked up towards the Tantai Mansion and was overwhelmed with emotions.
Although it was no longer on the original piece of land it once stood on, the mansion was still the same old one. Within moments, his mind was filled with memories of his childhood.
”Daoist, is this the Tantai Mansion?”
Beside him stood a daoist and a monk.
The daoist appeared well-groomed and his long beard swayed in the wind. Draped in a daoist robe, his energetic outlook made him seem like a deity.
On the contrary, the monk standing next to him was skinny and had a sorrowful look on his face. He was wearing black monk robes.
The daoist was Sanmu while the Monk was Kuhai. Both of them were top exorcists in the trade and were recruited by Tantai Guijing to enter the Netherworld.
It was not the most accurate to say that Tantai Guijing had recruited them. They themselves had also sensed the seemingly approaching doomsday and had taken the initiative to help Tantai Guihu.
”We've long heard that the Tantai Family was the most prominent among the exorcists... Never would I have thought that I would see the actual mansion of the family... in the Netherworld...”
Master Kuhai gazed at the mansion and remained emotionless.
Hearing this, Tantai Guihu felt a tinge of regret but did not respond.
It was almost an impossible task for living humans to enter the Netherworld and there had been no cases of humans leaving the Netherworld alive in history. Therefore, the exorcists who dared to enter the Netherworld had already resigned to their fate.
”Clang!”
At this moment, the door of the Tantai Mansion opened. Tantai Guijing and a group of elders walked out to invite them.
”It's Daoist Sanmu and Master Kuhai!”
It seemed that Tantai Guijing recognised these two exorcists. As soon as he noticed Tantai Guihu, he grunted.
”Brother!”
Tantai Guihu walked up and called out softly. He was wearing his mask and therefore, not many of them could recognise him.
”Hehe... My greetings to you, family head!”
Daoist Sanmu paid his respects. ”20 years had gone by just like this. It is our fate to be able to meet here today...”
The Netherworld was too huge. Even though the 3 of them had attempted to enter the Netherworld from the location where the Tantai Mansion once stood and had made use of Tantai Guihu's bloodline to search for the mansion, they were lucky to complete the treacherous journey to the actual mansion.
”Amituofo!”
Master Kuhai maintained his sorrowful look even when greeting others. ”The both of us have come here because Deity Yigua had made a prediction... If the bloodline of the Tantai Family were to disappear from the real world, the entire world will be destroyed!”
”Deity Yigua? That quack?”
Tantai Guijing scoffed as though he had a grudge against this person. ”Why don't he predict his own life? Hasn't he died yet? How's he doing?”
”After making that prediction, he had died of exhaustion!”
Daoist Sanmu calmly reported.
”Dead?”
Tantai Guijing seemed stunned. ”Our generation is slowly dying off... Did the both of you make the trip here just because of this prediction?”
”A few hundred years ago, the entire realm changed and was being cursed. We must put an end to this!”
Master Kuhai spoke with a monotonous tone.
With their seniority, they already understood most of what had happened to the realm and were extremely close to finding out the truth.
”Even so... Why did you let him come back?”
Tantai Guijing glared at Tantai Guihu. ”If we allow the Tantai bloodline to remain out there and if we survive through this time, wouldn't the prediction be false?”
”It will be good if everything is so simple!”
Tantai Guihu sighed and stretched his right hand out before rolling up his sleeves.
On his arm, a dark palm print could be clearly seen.
”I have an ominous feeling... This curse will not let any member of the Tantai Family go! Furthermore, by staying in the overworld, we will be scrutinised, just like what I experienced... I've been attacked once in the overworld. Even with Master Kuhai and Daoist Sanmu's help, I only barely escaped! On the other hand, after entering the Netherworld, I feel less watched...”
He concluded with a deep voice. ”Therefore... We might stand a chance if we directly go against the curse. If we try to escape, we would undoubtedly die!”
”Is the Tantai Family bloodline... really going to end here?”
Tantai Guijing shut his eyes and the entire mansion was filled with desolation.
This cycle was very different from the previous few! It was targeted at every single descendant of the Tantai Family!
Tantai Guijing could vaguely sense that ever since their ancestor had made the mistake resulting in the curse, the entire world seemed to have entered a different phase!
Regardless of the future of the world, the Tantai Family would not be fated to be part of it.
As the both of them were at their wit's end, none of them had recalled that there was still the existence of the mutant-like Fang Yuan.
To Fang Yuan, in his current state, other than the Curse of the Door, any curse which could traverse space could do nothing against him. He was untouchable.
However, since Fang Yuan promised to return, he would deliver his promise and return.
After all, he knew that he was not totally helpless against the final curse.
”Right, since the three of you have come from the overworld, have any of you gotten news of Tantai Mieming?”
Tantai Juexin walked up and looked towards his uncle, who was around the same age as him.