Finally bidding farewell to the Dongzi Li Family, Hu Ma and a group of martial artists embarked on their journey home.
Since everyone came from different places to begin with, there was no need to travel the same path on the way back. At every fork in the road, someone would say goodbye, and quite a few wanted to invite Hu Ma to accompany them for a visit.
But Hu Ma simply smiled and said he had already promised to follow Lady Han, so these martial artists laughed heartily and promised to find another time to drink together properly.
Of course, there were also plenty who turned around and laughed coldly, "That lucky little fellow, blessed with fortune, making such a big name for himself at a young age and forming a bond with the Dongzi Li Family. But whether he's smart enough, that's another question."
"People of the Trick Door are best at deluding others' minds. By following her, can anything good come of it?"
"Lady Han's manor is not known for keeping people, or rather, those who stay with her mostly don't remain human!"
...
But Hu Ma also knew that, in the eyes of many martial artists, he was probably just a kind-hearted fool, and there was nothing he could do about it.
If he didn't trust Miss Red Wine, should he trust these martial artists he had only met once?
Or was he supposed to naively believe in the so-called jianghu code and carry these valuable items home by himself?
The Dongzi Li Family was indeed generous, and the things they gave were excellent. However, being able to take these benefits back home was the real challenge!
As they traveled, the further they went, the fewer people they encountered. When they arrived at Anzhou Prefecture City, Hu Ma and Lady Han decided not to even enter the city, heading directly toward her manor nestled in the wild mountains.
When they pushed open the wooden door and dismounted, both took a deep breath. Miss Red Wine didn't even wait for Hu Ma to get inside before saying,
"Don't rest yet, help me feed the livestock first."
...
What could Hu Ma do but hastily agree? He helped her with the work, handling the feed, mixing in cornmeal, and even heating water to scald it. These animals had been starving for two days and a night, constantly grunting as they rushed to the trough, wolfing down their food.
Hu Ma realized by now that the livestock Miss Red Wine raised were not ordinary, so he observed them carefully.
From their eyes, he could easily discern their difference from regular livestock, but their appearance showed no flaws.
He could only marvel at the remarkable skills of Miss Red Wine.
Miss Red Wine, after feeding the livestock, boiled water again, brewed tea, and went into the main room with Hu Ma for a chat. Before speaking, she went to the door to hang a couple of delicate bells before returning to her seat.
With a low sigh, she said, "The skill of the Dongzi Li Family is even greater than I imagined. Last time, I couldn't enter the village; I stopped at the Stele."
"This time I finally had the chance to take a look inside their village, and some things are still hard to understand…"
...
Talking about these things in reality again…
Hu Ma felt a shiver in his heart, instinctively glancing outside before saying in a low voice, "I heard that inside that cave…"
"...some powerful evil spirits crawled out?"
...
Although he felt pressure talking about such things in reality, Hu Ma's curiosity couldn't be suppressed.
Ever since he spoke with Old Master Li, his heart had been filled with shock, and his curiosity had surged. According to Old Master Li, were the Reincarnators really coming out of that cave?
Was the Li Family guarding the passage for Reincarnators?
"You're not the first to have heard this notion."
Miss Red Wine immediately turned to look at Hu Ma, saying, "Actually, I've always wanted to explore the depths of the Dongzi Li Family for this very reason."
"Although many people say this, I don't think it's possible."
...
Hu Ma was slightly taken aback, unsure why she was so certain, then heard her say, "The Ghost Cave only appeared after the grand festival in Shangjing."
"But as far as I know, some of the earliest Reincarnators among us arrived even before that grand festival. Some even speculated that there were traces of our Reincarnators' activities behind that grand festival, though it's unclear how much they did."
...
"What?"
Hu Ma, who had always harbored some dread in his heart, was suddenly shocked by this statement.
The earliest Reincarnators appeared so long ago. What, then, was the current Li Family guarding? And what was the true reason for the Reincarnators' arrival?
"Are you starting to get interested in these matters now?"
But Miss Red Wine stopped speaking at this point, merely smiling faintly at Hu Ma, as if scrutinizing him.
Then, shaking her head, she said, "I did notice that you're actually different from Bai."
"She's too cautious, so despite her great skills, she's always hesitant in her actions. You, on the other hand, though you appear cautious, can't suppress your curiosity. It's in your nature—you and I are of the same kind."
...
This statement made Hu Ma somewhat embarrassed.
It didn't feel like a good thing to be praised by someone with Miss Red Wine's personality…
Miss Red Wine, noting his awkward reaction, sighed again, "I admire your curiosity, but it is indeed too early for you to know these things now."
"Actually, with your current status, you don't have the qualification to understand these matters…"
...
How did I end up being looked down upon again?
Hu Ma felt stung and a bit helpless inside, asking, "So, how do I gain this qualification?"
"Entering the Mansion!"
Miss Red Wine said softly, "Without Entering the Mansion, in this world, you can only survive; you don't have the qualification to understand it."
"Of course…"
Here, she suddenly grew a bit dispirited, letting out a helpless sigh. "But the most annoying thing is that even among those who have Entered the Mansion, most Reincarnators have become accustomed to lying low. They show great skill in messing around but are timid when it comes to serious matters."
"Not to mention Bai. Look at our Anzhou: Burning Blade, Yubing Shao, Old Sorghum… they're all capable, yet they not only lie low but also meddle in my affairs…"
"...Clearly, I'm of the Trick Door! I'm so careful; how could any exposure come from me?"
...
Yes, yes, you're careful… Hu Ma sighed inwardly. I just hope you stop discussing these things in reality.
Quickly pondering, he tried to redirect her attention by asking, "Is Entering the Mansion difficult?"
"The Paths are different, and so are the methods and difficulties of Entering the Mansion."
Miss Red Wine nodded slowly, pondering, "But Ascension to Enter the Mansion, Crossing the Bridge to Return Home—this is a journey everyone in every Path must attempt to walk."
"And the special nature of what happens after Entering the Mansion…"
She paused before continuing slowly, "You will start to see this world clearly."
"Once you Enter the Mansion, more and more secrets will actively come to you, making it impossible for you to avoid them."
"This is why many Reincarnators stop after Entering the Mansion. Reincarnators are apprehensive; once the secrets of this world find their way to them, they fear their own secrets will be revealed, so they prefer to remain at the stage of having Entered the Mansion."
...
She seemed to wish for Hu Ma to understand, but as she spoke, she also seemed to come to terms with it.
When one hadn't reached a certain level, words were often insufficient for communication. So she just sighed and said, "Perhaps, all you need to understand is that Ascension is just entering the Path. Only by Entering the Mansion can you see the true scenery within this Path."
"Of course, it's not just us; even those evil spirits and monsters have to go through this. Without incense, they ultimately amount to nothing. But if they receive incense…"
"...heh, then they can be considered something on the hall."
...
These words stirred something in Hu Ma's heart. He had learned about Aunt Zhang's situation earlier, and it had stayed on his mind.
And the problem Aunt Zhang faced was the so-called Five Evil Gods invited from the hall.
Yet, even now, he still didn't understand what this "hall" represented…
"Those on the hall are the ones who receive incense and Worship."
Miss Red Wine said lightly, "Without incense, one cannot ascend to the hall. They can only rely on their own abilities. If they are eliminated, they can't blame others. But those who are on the hall can be considered Fire Gods to some extent, possessing their own spiritual temples, divine statues, and also their own followers."
"It's only by being on the hall and being registered in the records that they truly establish a foothold in this world. Otherwise, they are just considered Wild Gods or evil spirits, not worth mentioning…"
...
"On the hall and registered in the records?"
Hu Ma was somewhat surprised and quickly asked, "What are these?"
"I told you your curiosity was strong, didn't I?"
Miss Red Wine glanced at Hu Ma. "Haven't you noticed that even though this world is in such chaos, order hasn't completely collapsed?"
"Heh, that's because there are Hall Officials overseeing it…"
"The Four Great Hall Officials—Sword-Catching, Inquiry, Reason, and Divine Incense Distribute—are authorized by the Ten Surnames and are the Dingzi that stabilize this world's order."
"Below the Hall Officials are small hall officers, and below them are stewards who run errands. They aren't government officials in the traditional sense, but their power now surpasses that of the actual government. However, they all act with discretion and do not involve themselves in worldly disputes."
"But the greater one's ability, the more one fears them. Speaking of which, your Mingzhou might have them too. It's just that with your limited abilities and insufficient experience, you've been unable to discover their presence."
...
Reminded by her, Hu Ma truly began to ponder deeply.
In Mingzhou, he was just a little shopkeeper in the Blood Food Gang; his experience was indeed limited, but he had always paid attention to developments in various places.
Now, prompted by Miss Red Wine, he began to think hard. Several possible entities flashed through his mind. In Mingzhou, the Red Lantern Lady's Club was indeed powerful and exceptionally prominent.
However, from previous conversations with Incense Master Xu, he had also learned that in Mingzhou Prefecture City, there were indeed a few entities that even the Red Lantern Lady dared not easily offend…
...For example, those whose Path had always been unknown: the Prefecture Government Office? Plum Blossom Lane?
...
"This world is deep and complex. Even old hands in the jianghu like us haven't fully grasped it, let alone you."
Lady Han just sighed and said, "However, right now, I have a crucial question for you: do you want the Shousui Man's inheritance for Entering the Mansion, or not?"
Hu Ma was immediately taken aback. "Would anyone say no to that?"