"Huh?"
Er Guotou was clearly taken aback by Hu Ma’s question. "Why ask such a strange question?"
"If you’re asking about the wealth-moving dharma thod, there are plenty, like Five Ghosts Transporting Wealth, Gold Stealing Jade, stealing the beam and replacing the pillar, all sorts of tricks. But once Blood Food is involved, many thods beco useless..." He was indeed worthy of being a great walking ghost who had achieved Entering the Mansion. After hearing Hu Ma’s words, he imdiately spoke confidently, "Take stealing the beam and replacing the pillar, for instance; other things can be easily swapped, but with Blood Food, even if you use the magic ten tis, you can’t swap it out."
"Sotis, not only does the Skill fail, but you also suffer backlash!"
"Then there’s the Wall-penetrating Skill. If you learn this thod, shouldn’t it be as easy as pie to pass through walls and take things out?"
"But not with Blood Food. You can get in but can’t take the Blood Food out. Of course, there’s one way: enter through the wall, eat to your fill, and then co out. In theory, it’s possible, but how much can you eat in total?"
"Anyway, in all my years in this world, the only successful case I’ve heard of was from a master from the Trick Door who once transported Blood Food harvested by a Blood Food Gang."
"But here’s the issue: when soone from the Trick Door uses their magic, how do you know if it’s real or fake? The Path of the Trick Door likely involved bribing the guards to smuggle it out, then tricking you into believing it was magic."
"They’ve often done such shaless things; their trump cards are nine fake, one real. You’ll never know what’s true and what’s false."
Listening to his lant, Hu Ma sighed along with him and then carefully probed, "Is there really no thod at all?"
"If there were a thod, would our Blood Food Gang’s business be so lucrative?"
Hearing this, Er Guotou chuckled. "Anyway, if you ask , if you want to get a batch of Blood Food, there’s only one way: rely on true skill, charge in openly, and take it back!"
Following his words, Hu Ma paused, as if pondering, then said, "But what if we can find a little ghost that doesn’t crave Blood Food?"
"I see many little ghosts—so are soul born, grave born, resentful born, and victim born. So are more spiritual; so are duller. Among so many little ghosts, can’t we find one that can transport Blood Food?"
"Brother, you’re thinking too simply..." Hearing this, Er Guotou gave a wry smile. "I’m a walking ghost, and I’ve seen more little ghosts than you. In all my years, I’ve never heard of a little ghost that doesn’t crave Blood Food."
"This goes against a little ghost’s nature. Even the most obedient little ghost, upon slling Blood Food, can’t resist stuffing it into its mouth. The more they eat, the less they control themselves. Even the most well-behaved little ghost will go berserk..."
"Yeah..." Hu Ma also sighed with him. Inwardly, however, he was certain of this point, and his heart couldn’t help but pound wildly.
A little ghost that doesn’t crave Blood Food indeed seed like a fantasy, but the key point was... there was one right beside him! Little Hongtang! Although she also had a fixation on Blood Food, drooling at the sight of it, she was undoubtedly more sensible than other little ghosts! Back in Dayang Village, she would deliver als from Granny to him every day. Directly. No need to pack it in an altar; she’d carry it in a basket. She could sll the Blood Food all the way but could refrain from eating it. If Sister Hong Tang could deliver als then, perhaps this task of transporting Blood Food now...
"By the way, why did you suddenly think of this question?" Er Guotou was baffled by Hu Ma’s strange questions, trying to probe, "Does it have sothing to do with that noble in the Old Yin Mountain?"
"You don’t need to worry about that. We are on the sa side. Would I trick you?" Hu Ma laughed. "Where are you now?"
"I’m no longer in Mingzhou Prefecture, but I haven’t gone far yet. I just received a letter from the Left Protector." Er Guotou sighed. "Last ti, when I learned about those things in Shima Town, Miss White Wine had already left Mingzhou Prefecture. Perhaps she went to Anzhou or maybe to Shangjing. She didn’t tell ."
"I can’t sit idle, so I plan to look for the elder Biluochun I’ve t before, gather so information, and maybe go to Shangqiao. I wanted to settle the Plum Blossom Lane before leaving, but..." As he spoke, he sighed again, feeling upset and unlucky, but with things as they were, he simply said, "But compared to our matters, this Prefecture and land are small. Now that you’re back in Mingzhou Prefecture, I won’t be turning back."
"After all, you’re familiar with that noble and can help look after the Red Lantern Society. Little Red Lantern is timid, and the Left Protector is just a brute..."
"If I wasn’t looking after them, those two would be counting money after being sold..."
Wow, he was just muttering about not breaking through the cultivation of three incense, and now he’s already heading to Shangqiao?
Hu Ma suddenly felt a deep respect and sighed. "Brother, you handle your matters. Rest assured about things in Mingzhou; we’re all on the sa side."
"Besides, our Red Lantern Society is full of hidden talents. How could outsiders bully us?"
With a round of assurances, Er Guotou finally felt at ease. After giving so reminders, he also finished explaining the Five Ghosts Move Wealth thod and then headed towards the West Mountain Road.
As for Hu Ma, after carefully considering everything, he called on Sweet Potato again. It seed the other had been waiting all along, imdiately responding eagerly, "I’m here, Master; I’ve always been here. I was just thinking about how to accomplish this job..."
"Why don’t we gather a group of people and charge in? To be honest, I also know so friends in the jianghu, all of them are ruthless people who lick blood off the knife’s edge..."
"Okay, okay..." Hu Ma was speechless. "We don’t need such ruthless people for now; we need to keep a low profile for this job."
"You don’t have to worry about it; I already thought of a solution just now."
"My goodness..." Sweet Potato took a deep breath, profound admiration arising for Hu Ma. "To think of a way to transport Blood Food in such a short ti? Master, your skills are indeed as Er Guotou and Miss White Wine said, unfathomable!"
"But..." She suddenly felt a bit worried, timidly asking, "But Master, if that’s the case, finding the job, planning, execution, and even post-operation clean-up are all handled by you, won’t you..."
"...leave out of it?"
Hu Ma found it quite peculiar. Sweet Potato, who feared nothing, actually sounded a bit worried? Finding it amusing, he chuckled softly. "We’re all Reincarnators, naturally on the sa side. Even if you’re less involved this ti, I wouldn’t leave you out. After all, it’s good to give you more experience."
"Besides, I also thought carefully, and there are so small tasks that you can do."
Sweet Potato was so moved that she almost cried. "Master, you’re really too kind to . Please tell ; I’m willing to do anything."
Hearing her eagerness, Hu Ma couldn’t help but smile. "It’s just a few people from the Truth Sect, at most involving one or two at the Entering the Mansion level. You should be fine, right?"
The discussion that night went smoothly. Sweet Potato pounded her chest firmly, and Hu Ma felt relieved.
The next morning, he had breakfast with Incense Master Xu and then took his leave.
He first went to the north of the town to check the locations of the two Blood Food Storages Xu had ntioned. He thoroughly examined the surrounding terrain, layout, and forces.
As Incense Master Xu had said, those two Blood Food Storages were once incredibly hidden, but now could be seen from afar, heavily guarded. On one side, the Left Protector of the Red Lantern Society, worried about mishaps, was personally leading gang mbers to guard it.
The followers of the Truth Sect, since arriving in Mingzhou, had always followed the rules. Naturally, they wouldn’t forcibly seize the place, but they seemingly feared that the Red Lantern Society would do sothing secretly, thus set up a few divine altars there, watching over them.
Confirming the locations, Hu Ma quietly departed, mounted his horse, and found a secluded place in the wilderness. He then lit incense and waited silently for Little Hongtang to arrive. This ti, he waited a full hour before Little Hongtang appeared timidly on a nearby tombstone.
Hu Ma imdiately adorned a warm smile. "Little Hongtang, how did you beco more beautiful again?"
Little Hongtang turned her head angrily. "Brother Hu Ma ca back without waiting for . I couldn’t see you. I searched for a long ti but couldn’t find you."
Hu Ma suddenly understood. Actually, the relationship between people and their ghost helpers wasn’t necessarily one where they stayed together all the ti. Many people only summoned their little ghosts by incense-burning when needed for a task. But Little Hongtang was indeed used to following him daily. She could find him by his scent over short distances, but couldn’t when it was far, requiring him to burn incense to guide her to him.
Feeling a pang of guilt, he quickly said, "I was coming back after practicing Spells, so I couldn’t wait for you; I’ll be more careful next ti."
"Look, I know you’re hungry, so I prepared a Blood Food Pill for you."
While speaking, he took out a Blood Food Pill and handed it to Little Hongtang.
Little Hongtang’s eyes lit up at the sight of the round, atball-like pill. She popped it into her mouth promptly, erasing all her anger, and cheerfully held Hu Ma’s hand.
And as Hu Ma watched her, he took out his last remaining Blood Food Pill with a smile. "How could one be enough? There’s more!"
Little Hongtang was astonished, hardly daring to believe another round Blood Food Pill was before her.
As he handed it to her, Hu Ma laughed. "Eating too much isn’t good for you, so why don’t we head back to the Manor first, and once we’re there, you can eat more, how about that?"
Little Hongtang imdiately nodded vigorously and carefully placed the Blood Food Pill into her basket, showing no sign of the greed to devour it imdiately. This instantly made Hu Ma feel even more relieved.
Steady.
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