The Call to All Reincarnators

"The road lies beneath our feet, the enemy stands before us. What's left to hesitate over?"

As Hu Ma watched, the letter Monkey Wine had delivered and Tieguanyin's approving clap seemed to ease the pressure filling the hall. Even so, no one immediately voiced their agreement.

The oppressive night outside the hall had lightened somewhat. Presumably, many of those who had been hiding in the dark had quietly slipped away. They still needed to verify things; they wouldn't make a decision so quickly.

Even Erguotou and Miss White Wine needed to carefully sort through their thoughts.

Sweet Potato Shochu, on the other hand, did not.

"I brought back the message from twenty years ago and completed my mission. A weight has lifted from my shoulders."

Tieguanyin rose as well, slowly exhaling a wisp of green incense smoke. She turned to Hu Ma and said, "Arrange a quiet room for me in your residence. I need to rest properly and see how much of my old skill I can recover."

"All right."

Hu Ma rose and led the way, asking the old steward to show them to a room on the north side of the Hu Family's old residence. He had an offering table set up inside and incense lit. Before Tieguanyin entered the quiet room, she stopped without turning around and said:

"Leave the Twelve Ghost Altars in the Imperial Capital City for now. I need them to protect me. I can also use this opportunity to keep an eye on the altars for you. The other reincarnators will need them if they want to take a few more steps across the bridge."

"Also, I know you've met Mr. Longjing. Did you hear his assessment of the Ten Surnames as they stand today?"

Hu Ma nodded. "Mr. Longjing thinks the