Chapter 517: The Ma Family Compound
When Yang Haoran emerged from the spatial rift again, he arrived at the place where Ma Ling had previously parked.
It was a remote, uninhabited spot, and besides Ma Ling, he saw no one else.
Seeing Yang Haoran emerge from the spatial rift, Ma Ling immediately came up to him.
"Uncle, where did you rush off to earlier? I called a million times, but you didn't pick up!"
Ma Ling had already posed this question over the phone, but now, seeing Yang Haoran in person, she couldn't resist asking it again.
"Just handled a private matter. It's not something I can explain clearly in a short time. By the way, where are the Spirit Police?"
"Oh, them. Those who needed to heal are healing, and those who needed to deal with the aftermath are dealing with it. I parted ways with them not long after you left," Ma Ling replied.
Yang Haoran showed an expression of understanding. Then he frowned slightly, looking at the car nearby. He saw it shaking violently, as if someone inside were engaged in strenuous activity.
"You put the Corpse Ghouls in the car?"
"That's right. I had to wait for you here, and I couldn't just leave them outside the car, could I? Although this place is uninhabited, what if an ordinary person stumbled upon it and saw the terrifying Corpse Ghouls? They might be scared out of their wits, so I had no choice but to stuff them into the car."
At this, Ma Ling's face twisted in disgust, and she fanned away the stench wafting from the car. She said, "I haven't driven this car for long, but with these two Corpse Ghouls messing it up like this, I'm afraid I'll have to get a new car again. I certainly don't want to get in every time and be reminded of their sickening stench."
Yang Haoran smiled, then asked, "What now? Should we space teleport back to your Ma Family?"
"Of course. Don't tell me you want to drive this car back? Aren't you worried you'll be choked to death by the stench emanating from the two Corpse Ghouls? " Ma Ling asked with a laugh.
"Heh heh, while this stench wouldn't exactly kill me, it's certainly best to avoid it if possible, because I don't like this disgusting smell either," Yang Haoran said with a smile.
"Any normal person probably wouldn't like this stench. My power hasn't recovered yet, so tearing space is quite difficult. So, the task of tearing space falls to you, Uncle. I'll give you directions."
Yang Haoran nodded with a smile, then tore space. Only this time, the spatial rift he opened was considerably larger than usual, because he also needed to take Ma Ling's car with them.
After the spatial rift appeared, Yang Haoran waved a hand towards Ma Ling's car, and a surge of Spirit Power enveloped it, sending it into the spatial rift.
Subsequently, he and Ma Ling also stepped into the spatial rift.
The Ma Family was quite renowned in Ancheng, though their fame was largely confined to the circle of non-ordinary individuals. Not many ordinary people knew of them.
Every single person in the Ma Family was an Exorcist; even women like Ma Ling were no exception. What the Ma Family loved to research most were zombies.
Zombies are different from spectral entities. Not only are they violent and bloodthirsty like wild beasts, but they also constantly emit a foul stench. To avoid affecting ordinary people and to prevent trouble for their own family, the Ma Family chose not to settle in the city or its surrounding areas. Instead, the entire family lived in a remote mountain valley.
Here, apart from the Ma Family, there was no one else. They wouldn't affect others, and others wouldn't affect them.
The Ma Family's residence was no secret within their circle. If anyone needed their help, they would honestly visit their home, not only crossing mountains and ridges but also preparing generous gifts for the Ma Family.
The Ma Family's residence wasn't a villa, but a classical-style compound. While it didn't have every conceivable amenity, it had everything it should, and possessed a distinct character.
Just then, above the stone road outside the compound, space suddenly fluctuated violently. A rift then opened, and a car shot out from the spatial rift, landing heavily on the ground.
Two figures stood atop the car. These two were none other than Yang Haoran and Ma Ling.
"We're here! This is my home—the place people affectionately call the Ma Family Compound, hehe," Ma Ling said to Yang Haoran with a smile, pointing at the compound ahead.
Yang Haoran nodded with a smile. The Ma Family Compound certainly had a distinct feel to it.
"Your whole family lives here? " Yang Haoran asked with a smile.
"We all live here. We moved here starting from my grandfather's generation, and so many years have passed, yet we've never moved house. I actually wanted to try living somewhere else, but Grandpa gave an unwavering command: our Ma Family must live here for generations to come. Currently, on the surface, my father is in charge, but in reality, my grandfather still calls the shots."
At this point, Ma Ling chuckled at Yang Haoran, then lowered her voice and said, "I'll tell you a secret: up until now, in our family, besides me, no one has dared to openly defy my grandfather. But I dare! Isn't that badass?"
By the end of her words, Ma Ling even raised her eyebrows at Yang Haoran, her expression utterly triumphant, as if telling him, 'You should understand now how high my status is in the family. '
The smile on Yang Haoran's face stiffened. Realizing what was happening, he quickly put on a fawning smile. But before he could speak, the compound gate creaked open, and then three figures walked out one after another.
Walking in the lead was an old man. From his appearance, he was probably a bit older than Old Master Wu. Although he looked very old, he had a ruddy complexion and was full of vigor.
Following closely behind the old man was a middle-aged man. He had a stern face, commanding respect without needing to be angry, and exuded the charm of a mature man from head to toe.
Ma Ling's appearance did bear some resemblance to this middle-aged man. It was just that Ma Ling gave off a mischievous and lively impression, while the middle-aged man gave off the exact opposite impression: he was very authoritative.
Behind the middle-aged man also followed a young man. This young man's age was not much different from Yang Haoran's, but their appearances were vastly different: Yang Haoran's looks were ordinary, with no hint of handsomeness, while the other's were handsome, with no hint of ordinariness.
Although the man was very handsome, the unique aura constantly emanating from Yang Haoran was something the young man did not possess.
Ma Ling's appearance also had similarities to the young man, and their personalities seemed to be similar too. After walking out of the compound gate, the young man winked and made faces at Ma Ling, as if reminding her, and also as if gloating.
The appearance of the three instantly froze the smugness on Ma Ling's face. She quickly put away her triumphant expression, putting on the look of a good child, and greeted the three.
"Heh heh, um. . . um, Grandpa, Dad, Second Brother," Ma Ling said, her face full of smiles, though her smile now seemed incredibly awkward.
"I heard everything you just said. You're getting bolder and bolder now! Not only are you swearing, but you also show no respect for your elders. I see your hide needs a good stretching!"
No sooner had Ma Ling's words fallen than the middle-aged man opened his mouth, his face stern. When these words reached Ma Ling's ears, she instantly showed a wronged expression and quickly looked towards the old man in the very front.
"Grandpa, I was just joking with a friend, that's all! Look at my dad, he looks like he's going to devour someone!"
Ma Ling used this move very skillfully; it wasn't hard to tell she had used this trick more than a few times in her daily life.
Seeing this, the middle-aged man frowned, and a hint of anger appeared on his face. Just as he was about to speak, he was stopped by the old man in front, who waved his hand.
"Heh heh, alright, don't be so petty with the child. Besides, we have a distinguished guest here."
At these words, the middle-aged man glared fiercely at Ma Ling and said, "I'll deal with you later, you wild girl!"
His words fell, and the middle-aged man said nothing more. After all, since the old man had spoken, he could only temporarily let Ma Ling off.
Ma Ling breathed a sigh of relief. The middle-aged man's final threat had indeed scared her a little, but at least she was safe now.
Moreover, this time she had brought back two Corpse Ghouls. With such an outstanding achievement, she believed her dad would definitely let her off.
"Heh heh, my apologies, Emissary Yang, for this spectacle," the old man said with a laugh, his gaze falling on Yang Haoran.
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