Who wouldn't want the method for Entering the Mansion of a Shousui man?
But even a family with the capabilities of the Dongzi Li Family couldn't help me obtain it.
They also mentioned that this dharma method for Entering the Mansion requires an inheritance. The Li Family might occasionally obtain it from the deceased here in Anzhou, but they dare not pass it on. Transmitting it could offend those in the Path of the Shousui.
Therefore, they could only give me a few trump cards; I needed to find my own way for Entering the Mansion.
But how could I find a way?
The logic was simple: become an apprentice. Find an expert who had already achieved Entering the Mansion, serve them well, and wait for them to be pleased enough to teach.
This was like retracing the old path from the manor in Green Stone Town.
Of course, compared to simple initiation, the method for Entering the Mansion was far more challenging; the two were not on the same level.
Hu Ma had initially planned to solve this issue on his trip. However, the closer he got to Anzhou, the more complex he realized the problem was, so he had decided against bringing it up. He hadn't expected Miss Red Wine to mention it, which suddenly made him quite excited. He quickly asked,
"Senior, do you perchance have the Shousui man's inheritance for Entering the Mansion?"
Miss Red Wine paused, then slightly frowned upon hearing this and smiled, "I am from the Trick Door. How could I possibly have your Shousui men's method for Entering the Mansion?"
Hu Ma was puzzled by her candidness.
"However, it doesn't matter if we have one," Miss Red Wine said, looking at him. She suddenly laughed, lowered her voice, and added, "We can always snatch one! Murdering for treasure—isn't that the trump card of us Reincarnators?"
Damn... Hu Ma's heart skipped a beat. Is that really an option?
After a brief pause for thought, he hurriedly asked, "Who do we kill?"
Miss Red Wine said slowly, "Someone who will kill you if you don't kill him first: Ji Tang, the Gang Leader of the Beggar Gang on Pingnan Road!"
"The Beggar Gang?" This answer truly surprised Hu Ma.
"Heh, yes, him."
Miss Red Wine said lightly, "Don't forget, you were able to find me for help precisely because you killed those demon people on Pingnan Road—the likes of Godmother Cui, White Bone Whip, and Craftsman Li."
"They were all elders or Worships of the Beggar Gang, his reliable subordinates who helped him make money and manage affairs. A gang relies on its people to get things done. You silently eliminated his key subordinates; do you think he'll just let that slide?"
These words served as a reminder to Hu Ma. He frowned slightly and said, "Normally, he certainly wouldn't let it go. But I've already escorted Miss Xiangyu back..."
He paused briefly before continuing, "Would he dare to offend the Dongzi Li Family?"
"And what does the Dongzi Li Family have to do with you?" Miss Red Wine chuckled softly. "Don't think the jianghu of this world is too simple. No one is a fool."
"If you had become the Dongzi Li Family's son-in-law and stayed at Big Stone Cliff, he might have truly swallowed his resentment and stopped thinking about causing you trouble."
"But you left, taking the Li Family's generous gifts with you, and you're heading back via Pingnan Road. Do you think he *won't* try to make a move on you?"
"Besides, after this trip, everyone understands something else."
"The Dongzi Li Family's abilities are indeed formidable, and no one dares to offend them. However, their young lady was lost, and you were the one who escorted her all the way back. Yet, no one from the Dongzi Li Family even came out of Lingshou Prefecture to receive her..."
"...Doesn't this suggest that it's actually very difficult for the Li Family members to venture out?"
Miss Red Wine smiled faintly at this point and said, "Frankly, even people on the road in the Anzhou region now know you're carrying valuable goods. They might be all smiles to your face, but quite a few are secretly plotting against you. And that's not even mentioning the Beggar Gang."
"Now, so many of his men are dead, and he has, at least nominally, offended the Li Family. He probably doesn't dare to continue operating on Pingnan Road."
"Based on my understanding of him, he'll definitely try to make a score off you before fleeing far away."
Hu Ma pondered Miss Red Wine's speculations, let out a low sigh, and said, "Senior, you know them very well?"
"I've wanted to eliminate this Beggar Gang for a while now, so I've been thoroughly investigating their background."
Miss Red Wine said lightly, "From what I know, Ji Tang, the Gang Leader of the Beggar Gang, is of the Shousui Path and should be over forty years old. For almost two years before this, he rarely showed his face, letting his subordinates handle the gang's affairs."
"I suspect he went into seclusion precisely to achieve Entering the Mansion. And recently, I've received word that many beggars from outside the area have appeared in Anzhou Prefecture City, asking around. I imagine he sent them to gather news."
"This also indicates he has come out of his seclusion and has already planned his next move."
"People from the Beggar Gang are already here gathering information?"
Hu Ma was quite surprised. It had been less than ten days since he had dealt with Godmother Cui and her group.
They move quickly.
Of course, such swift action also suggested someone was indeed directing them from behind the scenes.
However, upon hearing this, a very surprising thought surfaced in his mind: The Beggar Gang's leader... is actually a Shousui man?
"Heh," Miss Red Wine chuckled. "Gangs, sects, families, followers of incense traditions—they are all different."
Miss Red Wine explained to Hu Ma, "These gangs, including the Blood Food Gang, are formed for mutual benefit and refuge. Consequently, their internal structures and Paths are diverse, and their presence in the jianghu is mixed. They don't adhere to any strict rules; whoever has the skills rises to the top."
"However, because most members of the Beggar Gang originate from the Trick Door, many of the initial special skills they learned were rudimentary techniques from our Trick Door. That's why it's generally acknowledged in the jianghu that matters concerning the Beggar Gang fall under the Trick Door's jurisdiction."
"I've long wanted to get rid of him. But he was always hiding before, and I wasn't confident I could find him, so I delayed. It wasn't entirely for the sake of nurturing livestock."
Only then did Hu Ma understand. So that's why Burning Blade was so pleased when he heard I had clashed with those demon people on Pingnan Road, and why he said Miss Red Wine would surely be able to help me. It turns out Miss Red Wine wasn't just playing along with what I said earlier; she genuinely had wanted to eliminate that group of demon people on Pingnan Road all along...
But at this point, another curious question surfaced in his mind. "Miss Red Wine, you mentioned earlier..."
"...'manage'?"
"Naturally," Miss Red Wine chuckled lightly. "Didn't I just tell you? Zhuo Dao Wenshi, Reason, Divine Incense Distribute—these, along with the Four Great Hall Officials, manage the order of the jianghu."
"Among them, sword catching is for killing, Inquiry is for mediation, Reason handles grievances, and Divine Incense Distribute is for creating registers."
"And I," she continued, "am a Knife Catching Steward from the Trick Door, responsible for purging our ranks. Within the territories of the Anzhou Prefectures, if anyone uses skills from the Trick Door to cause chaos, I must investigate. Whether it leads to killing or Beast Creation is often decided in a moment's thought."
"Furthermore, if I kill someone in this capacity, neither the government nor any reputable figures in the jianghu will question it."
Hu Ma was increasingly astonished. Doesn't that mean she specifically works for the Path? He had seen earlier that Miss Red Wine had made quite a name for herself in the Anzhou region, but he hadn't imagined she had actually attained such a significant title!
"Heh, actually, this status as a Knife Catching Steward is quite useful in many situations."
Miss Red Wine sighed softly at this, adding, "Unfortunately, most Reincarnators prefer to stay hidden."
"Becoming a Knife Catching Steward means coming to the attention of the Ten Surnames, and they wouldn't dare take that risk."
"But I'm different. I've always detested such things. With or without this official status, I would still eliminate those demon people. However, if I hadn't accepted this role, my methods of Beast Creation and killing would have long ago drawn coordinated attacks from powerful jianghu figures."
Upon careful reflection, all of this did seem to make sense. This made Hu Ma think of the female bandits of Eggs Mountain he had encountered on his journey—the entire group had been slaughtered... Could they also have been killed by sword capturers from one of the Paths? He just didn't know which Path's operatives had carried it out.
He let out a soft sigh and said to Miss Red Wine, "So, Senior, your plan is for me to help lure out Ji Tang, the Gang Leader of the Beggar Gang and the biggest demon person on Pingnan Road. Then, we eliminate him, and I obtain the Shousui man's inheritance for Entering the Mansion from him?"
"Precisely."
Miss Red Wine smiled faintly. "Since that man was able to achieve Entering the Mansion, he definitely possesses the necessary inheritance."
"A Shousui man has only two ways to achieve Entering the Mansion."
"Either become an apprentice or seize the Magic."
"If you become an apprentice, you'll be constrained by your master and waste a lot of time. If you seize the Magic, you must be wary of the original owner's disciples coming to seek justice."
"This Beggar Gang Leader, however, is a rare opportunity. He has committed countless evils and deserves to die a thousand deaths. If you take his Magic, no one will dare question it. Even if someone did come asking, a single sharp retort from us would send them packing."
"You could say: 'Since he was supposedly your disciple, why didn't you show up when he was wreaking havoc on Pingnan Road?'"
"Therefore, taking the Magic from him will not only save you immense trouble but might even earn you a good reputation..."
"Indeed!" Hu Ma exclaimed. He thought it over carefully and felt his heart stir; he was already quite tempted.
But just as he was about to agree, another point occurred to him. He took a deep breath, looked at Miss Red Wine, and said, "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me, but I'm also a bit curious..."
"Why are you going to such lengths to help me?"
Miss Red Wine looked at Hu Ma upon hearing this. "Hmm?"
She paused briefly, then smiled. "It's true that I'm helping you, but it's not entirely for your sake..."
"I've been a Knife Catching Steward for several years now, and I've done a decent job, but I'm not satisfied with just that."
"By eliminating Ji Tang, you'll get the inheritance—a clear gain for you. I don't lose anything in this. In fact, uprooting the Beggar Gang will be a significant achievement for me. With that accomplishment as a foundation, plus the connection I'll have with the Dongzi Li Family, it's not out of the question for me to aim higher than my current steward role. I might even be able to contend for the position of a small hall officer of the sword capturers..."
"Ah?" Hu Ma was truly impressed. Miss Red Wine is already a Knife Catching Steward, and that's not enough for her? She's still aiming to climb higher? Climbing higher... wouldn't that bring her even closer to the Ten Surnames?