These two really do have issues, don't they...?
Hu Ma immediately tensed up and fell silent, fearing he might incur Miss White Wine's transferred anger.
He was just an innocent messenger, after all... The enmity between these two, no matter what, couldn't be blamed on him, right?
Fortunately, Miss White Wine's temper was rather good. Her breathing merely grew a little heavier, the atmosphere cooled a few degrees, and she vaguely seemed to be gritting her teeth.
Then, she quickly adjusted her mood, seemingly deliberately changing the subject, and said coldly, "Meeting people like them isn't so bad. Everyone has their own way of living. I actually appreciate Er Guotou's caution, although it would be even better if he were more prudent."
"But then again, it's rare for a Reincarnator to live so carefully and cautiously for an entire lifetime. Life is like a game of chess; things don't always go as planned. Some, who initially only want to hide, might one day suddenly go mad."
"Those who originally acted with high-profile recklessness might suddenly become low-key after suffering some loss. Of course, we can't rule out those who are inherently unconventional and might suddenly pull off something outrageous."
Upon hearing her speak, Hu Ma immediately thought of Sweet Potato.
That guy is a prime example...
"Your situation is special; you've had only a short time of contact with our kind. Letting you meet her isn't a bad thing," Miss White Wine continued. "Actually, she could be considered my mentor. We met early on and even teamed up in Shangjing to handle some affairs, encountering certain more mysterious organizations and veteran Reincarnators."
"This included other Reincarnators in Anzhou; we actually discovered them together and huddled together for warmth. However, I eventually stopped associating with them due to certain matters."
"Of course, I don't think her methods are clever, much less secure."
"But I must also admit, perhaps some things are impossible for people like us; only they can accomplish them."
Hu Ma fully agreed with her opinion.
While most Reincarnators hid from the Ten Surnames, it was rare to find someone bold enough to actively approach them. This feeling was especially complex in his eyes. Perhaps it was because he had first encountered Miss White Wine and Er Guotou, whose influence led him to believe Reincarnators should hide and be wary of exposure. But when he thought of his other identity, he felt a surge of powerlessness. All other Reincarnators could hide, but he alone couldn't, could he? They hid from the Ten Surnames, but he *was* one of the Ten Surnames. Thus, a glaring question had been placed before him long ago... Should he keep hiding until he could hide no longer, then passively confront those matters, or should he start planning now?
Miss White Wine probably didn't know what Hu Ma was currently thinking. After she finished speaking, she paused briefly, allowing Hu Ma time to ponder, then sighed lightly and said, "In any case, it's good that the matter is settled."
"With this letter delivered, half of my worries are gone. I'm just not sure if you were injured during this trip. Will it affect other matters?"
"Miss Red Wine took great care of me, so I wasn't injured." Hu Ma knew what she was referring to and immediately said, "Miss White Wine means..."
He paused slightly, then stated candidly, "The 'Sealing' we mentioned before?"
Miss White Wine suddenly fell silent, not rushing to answer. Although she had mentioned "Sealing" to Hu Ma before, she had never explicitly explained it, each time referring to it only as "that matter." Hu Ma hadn't pressed for details previously, but now that he was back, he naturally needed clarification.
"Yes," Miss White Wine finally replied after a long silence. She seemed to have a natural aversion to this topic but ultimately couldn't avoid explaining it.
Hu Ma nodded to himself. "This matter has been on my mind. My cultivation is now sufficient. However, since this is a serious matter, please allow me to first try it elsewhere before giving you a reply. Would that be okay?"
Miss White Wine had no objections to this, nodding. "Of course."
She didn't inquire where Hu Ma planned to conduct his trial, agreeing immediately as if she had already guessed.
With this matter settled, it was natural for Hu Ma to bring up other things. He quickly smiled and said, "Additionally, I have some matters where I need Miss White Wine's assistance."
"During this trip, I received a lot of guidance and need to prepare to further improve my skills. I require some secret medicines that ordinary people can't access. I was wondering if your Grass Heart Hall..." Hu Ma trailed off.
Miss White Wine listened, then chuckled softly. "Haha, a Shousui Man's inherited oil lamp?" she said. "You've come to the right person."
"Grass Heart Hall excels at this. Here in Mingzhou Prefecture, countless Shousui Men have us prepare their oil lamps."
"Of course, they are all very cautious, buying only the secret medicines individually. Each time, they deliberately vary the quantities and mix them among other types, afraid we might decipher their formulas and steal their heritage. In truth, given the synergistic and antagonistic properties of medicines, we've long since deduced several such formulas."
"But don't worry about me taking advantage of you. The more skilled a Shousui Man is, the more precious and rare the secret medicines they require."
"If it weren't for our Grass Heart Hall, I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to find them even if you tried!"
"That's excellent then..." Listening to this, Hu Ma couldn't help but feel somewhat pleased.
Entering the Mansion was a significant endeavor. Especially after witnessing Ji Tang's immense skills, he felt quite anxious. For others preparing for Entering the Mansion, configuring the oil lamp and eliminating their Head or Divine Soul were the most critical preparations. However, he didn't need that; with the dharma method for Entering the Mansion acquired, he could cultivate directly.
Yet, the fact that his physical body was dead—a consequence of his 'mid-stream career change'—was his greatest secret, unknown even to other Reincarnators.
Therefore, configuring the oil lamp was indeed a crucial task. Miss White Wine's ready agreement saved him considerable worry. Confident that he could smoothly learn the skills of a Shousui Man, he could also focus more energy on the Age Suppressing Book.
Having reached an agreement, they were about to disconnect. Miss White Wine was quite direct, adding one last thing before they did:
"Go ahead and try whatever you need to. Just let me know once you're confident."
"By the way, now that you're back, find some time to come over and settle the previous consultation fee."
"The Five Ghosts Shopkeeper is still thinking about it!"
"Ah..." Hu Ma was momentarily speechless. It was clearly agreed upon as a setup, so why is she dunning me for payment now...? The Golden Silk Tai Sui that Xiang had used back then wasn't cheap...
But in reality, all that Golden Silk Tai Sui had come from his own stock. In fact, it would be fine to use what he had on hand to settle her account. Besides, the Dongzi Li Family had been generous this time, so even if he truly had to bear that cost, he wouldn't mind.
Tch, who cares about those scraps?
After a moment's thought, he put it to the back of his mind. These trivial matters weren't important; the most crucial thing before him now was power.
His trip hadn't been in vain. He had already reviewed and memorized all the Shousui Man trump cards acquired from the Dongzi Li Family on his journey. All that remained was diligent practice.
Although he possessed the dharma method for Entering the Mansion, he hadn't rushed to examine it. After all, the matter was too significant. He hadn't felt secure enough on the journey and only felt at ease back in his own territory.
Moreover, besides Shousui, he actually had an even more important task.
The Age Suppressing Book!
This journey had yielded another significant gain, one that, in Hu Ma's eyes, was no less valuable than the gratitude from the Dongzi Li Family.
These were the skills related to the Ghost Walker's Path.
Aunt Zhang was a good person, and she had truly taught him wholeheartedly along the way.
Perhaps from the perspective of the Blood Food Gang's Little Shopkeeper and a Shousui Man, these skills weren't that important. But Hu Ma, who possessed the Age Suppressing Book, understood the value of what she had taught him. Or rather, what she had taught were not Ghost Walker skills at all.
They were the key to unlocking the Age Suppressing Book!
With the foundation she had taught him, he could attempt to truly master the dharma methods within the Age Suppressing Book. But before that, there was still one problem.
The Age Suppressing Book was domineering, but such a thing couldn't be without a source. What was the root of the power it wielded?
Just as a Shousui Man's abilities resided within them, and the Dongzi Li Family's skills originated from the Ghost Cave, the Age Suppressing Book—such a formidable power—couldn't possibly lack a root.
Before truly embarking on the Path of the Age Suppressing Book, Hu Ma wanted to understand this issue.
At least knowing what's behind this threshold would give him the courage to take that step inside...
"Sealing, Sealing..."
He didn't light an oil lamp but sat quietly on the bed, thinking silently, Perhaps this is an opportunity for me to see the Hu Family's foundation?
Mountain Spirits and wild monsters seeking Sealing wasn't uncommon in this world, but upon closer examination, one would find mysterious and strange aspects to it.
Bestowal by imperial edict—that was originally the Emperor's power. With a single edict, Mountain Spirits and wild monsters could become True Gods eligible to receive incense. However, even an Emperor couldn't grant these bestowals simply as he wished; he acted as a representative of the entire realm when conferring them.
And if he were to perform a Sealing for someone, would he be doing it in his own name, or would he be representing the Hu Family?
He had already asked Aunt Zhang about this. She said it wasn't a bad thing and could even accumulate yin virtue, but it would also attract karmic consequences. After some Sealings, the mountain spirits and wild monsters would protect one's descendants, bringing generations of wealth. Others, however, might invite disaster, bringing down formless and dangerous calamities.
So Hu Ma had to carefully consider the consequences and risks of doing this. Miss White Wine had asked him to perform a Sealing, saying only that Er Guotou and Sweet Potato were unreliable, but was it really that simple?
After pondering silently for a long time, his thoughts became clearer.
He once again entered his Lifebound Spirit Temple. Then, placing a hand on the incense burner, he called out softly with a hint of anticipation, "Brother Er Guotou, Old White here. Are you there?"