These words left Hu Ma dumbfounded; he hadn't anticipated this twist. "Choosing a small team leader?"
"I had them choose," Miss Red Wine chuckled. "Did you really think everyone would connect all at once to hold this eting?"
"The Lifebound Spirit Temple has its limits too. The more people you connect with at once, the quicker your cultivation is consud. You might not even get to say more than a couple of sentences before you put your own life at risk."
"Besides, with so many people connected at once, everyone talking over each other, could you even get a word in?"
"So, after seeing them start to get serious following the Yan Family's incident, I suggested they learn from our Anzhou. They should divide the adjacent states and prefectures and select a trustworthy small team leader from each. These team leaders would then share information with us. After our discussions, they would relay other necessary information to the remaining Reincarnators to organize actions."
...
"So formal?"
Hu Ma was sowhat taken aback. Just them? Each of them is so arrogant. Could they really accept soone else? he suddenly wondered.
"Ha, it's not a matter of acceptance. You need to sacrifice sothing to beco a small team leader."
Miss Red Wine chuckled. "Being a small team leader isn't about talent... though, of course, the more talented, the better... The key lies in earning trust."
"Take , for example. I gained others' trust early on because I revealed my identity when I first connected with other Reincarnators. Even for a Reincarnator, revealing your identity is what makes you most trustworthy. That's why Burning Blade, Old Sorghum, and the others were willing to stay by my side. Admittedly, I was the only one who revealed my identity at first, but eventually, they revealed theirs too."
"For Reincarnators, once identities are revealed to each other, you beco the most trustworthy people."
"So, when they choose a small team leader, the first thing is to reveal their identity. Only by doing this can they possibly gain others' trust."
...
...
Regarding such matters, Hu Ma hadn't thought about it before. But upon hearing it, he suddenly realized and felt a sincere admiration for Miss Red Wine.
She had struggled for so many years, becoming only a small hall officer of the trick door and often mocked. Yet, her accumulated experience was indeed incomparable to other Reincarnators.
He sighed lightly. "We really don't understand these things; we're lucky to have Miss Red Wine."
"Soone has to be willing to take the initiative first."
Miss Red Wine chuckled at Hu Ma's words. "Besides, bring us the promised one hundred catties of Blood Food."
"Each person also needs their two Blood Food Pills. The responsibility for these falls on you; you can't be short."
...
"Of course," Hu Ma agreed wholeheartedly. Miss Red Wine's dedicated efforts were a fortune for the Reincarnators. This was not the ti to be stingy.
"In addition, you should prepare yourself."
As Hu Ma was thinking, he heard Miss Red Wine speak again, saying, "When the gathering occurs, you also need to be convincing enough to take on the role of interim overall leader."
"Huh?" Hu Ma was a bit surprised. "?"
"Who else if not you?" Miss Red Wine chuckled. "Although you haven't fully revealed your identity yet, your identity as the Ghost Walking Great Sword Catching seems to be public knowledge within the Reincarnator circle now."
"Besides, even though your personal abilities aren't the greatest among Reincarnators, you've climbed the highest. You're the closest to the Ten Surnas, and it's most convenient for you to gather information."
"Not to ntion, you initiated this gathering, paved the way for other Reincarnators to have a flexible identity, and brought in the Food Protection Army and the policy of not eating beef..."
"These are all your foundations, so don't be modest. Ti is pressing for Reincarnators, and we can't afford any pretentiousness."
...
Miss Red Wine's words left Hu Ma montarily at a loss.
After pondering for a mont, he asked, "So, when will they reach a decision?"
"It may still be a few days," Miss Red Wine laughed. "Right now, most of them are likely selling zombie teeth, seeking each other's dharma thods, and bickering."
"Also, they indeed need to familiarize themselves with each other and develop a rapport. For many, such a gathering is very new."
"Reincarnators are accustod to hiding from each other. We in Anzhou have the most connections among Reincarnators. Your Mingzhou isn't bad either, having organized more major events."
"But for others, such experiences of interacting with fellow Reincarnators are rare."
"So have lived for twenty or thirty years and only occasionally contacted others once or twice."
"It's even possible so have lived alone in isolated places, knowing there were others like them in this world, yet never attempting to connect."
"They also need ti to adjust and awaken those past-life emotions."
...
Upon hearing this, Hu Ma couldn't help but nod, deeply understanding this point.
However, rembering the information he'd just received, he paused slightly and then whispered, "But now, perhaps we should start a bit earlier."
"I just received so urgent information that others need to know quickly."
...
"Hmm?" Miss Red Wine was slightly startled. "Do you also want to start the gathering ahead of ti?"
Hu Ma picked up on it. "Are there others?"
"Little Bai also said he's discovered sothing urgent to tell the others," Miss Red Wine said. "And just now, I heard a guy nad Monkey Wine say he has sothing to tell everyone too."
"He's here too?" Hu Ma suddenly thought of that Iron Threshold King's personal guard who had been turned into a bonsai in the alley and hurriedly asked, "What did he say?"
Miss Red Wine paused for a mont. "Just as he was starting to speak, soone who was loudly hawking Old Master Yan's toenails scolded him and told him to get to the back of the queue. So, he didn't continue his call."
Hu Ma suddenly felt a bit worried for the person selling the toenails.
After a pause, he quickly advised, "Miss Red Wine, we're on the sa side, so let give you a piece of advice."
"Absolutely do not provoke that guy..."
...
Miss Red Wine had long since achieved Shangqiao, and her skills were quite remarkable among Reincarnators.
But hearing Hu Ma say this, she couldn't help but recall the sight she had seen in the Yan Mansion, feeling a lingering fear and nodding repeatedly.
"You don't need to tell ; I've realized it too. Among Reincarnators, even though we're fellow countryn, there are indeed a few..."
"...really frightening ones!"
...
...
Seeing that Miss Red Wine was truly the most experienced in the jianghu and had arranged everything so clearly, Hu Ma finally felt sowhat relieved.
He called out to Miss White Wine and also asked about Monkey Wine, but found that neither of them seed to have entered the Lifebound Spirit Temple yet. So, he decided to exit for now as well.
Over the following days, he awaited their selection of respective small team leaders, while also observing the situation in Guazhou Prefecture.
It went surprisingly smoothly. The Immortal Miaoshan's little ghost, Bean Official, had co by. He let Hu Ma know that the people adhering to the 'not eating beef' policy had arrived. Seizing the opportunity of Guazhou's current leaderless state, they were taking over the Iron Threshold Army and related affairs. Even Zhou Datong had now beco a highly respected guest of Guazhou Prefecture's prominent families, thriving in his role as Little Inquiry Hall Officer.
Of course, Zhou Datong was originally a Sword Catching small hall officer and sotis even moonlighted as a great sword-catching hall officer.
But that wasn't an issue. The Walking Ghost Path had its advantages: wherever there was a vacancy, they would fill it.
Hu Ma was more concerned about whether solving the Yan Family's situation would attract other troubles. After all, so many Reincarnators had revealed themselves under the guise of Zhen Sui Hu Family Sword Catching Hall Officers, which could draw the attention of others. Surprisingly, though, it didn't. The Yan Family situation had been significant, with considerable impact, yet the unusual attention it attracted was manageable.
The reason was the events happening on West Mountain Road...
In Guazhou, amid such chaos, Hu Ma gradually heard of the events on West Mountain Road.
Reportedly, it began with the deaths of a few ghostly gods and evil spirits. This then spread to several aristocratic families in Wazhou, and from there to the surrounding grasshead kings, quickly spiraling out of control.
The situation was still escalating, and no one knew when it would settle down!
Upon hearing the nas of those ghostly gods, Hu Ma couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat. "Damn, was it really the list I gave out?" he thought. "No, those were just a few ghostly gods with stubborn streaks, but not that much influence. How did Sweet Potato manage it?"
...
It was just like asking her to smash a window, but she blew up the whole building!
Most crucially, as the situation intensified, no one linked it back to the Hu Family...
Even though Sweet Potato had assud the identity of a little sword-catcher of the Walking Ghost Path for this task, she had even been given a waist card to serve as an Amulet for protection!
Hu Ma thought long and hard before finally understanding. "Sister Gua does keep her word..." he mused. "I told her to be careful, not to cause trouble that might implicate . So, she simply didn't ntion . But the trouble was definitely going to be stirred up regardless..."
...
...
It was in this oppressive and tense atmosphere that Hu Ma waited three days in Guazhou Prefecture.
As the reputation of the Ghost Walking Hu Family began to sweep across the land like a fierce wind, causing ghostly gods to shiver, the day finally arrived for the Reincarnators to gather and discuss matters together.
That day, Hu Ma ate early, then returned to his room under the pretense of practicing, delving into the Lifebound Spirit Temple.
Soon, strands of Life Incense wafted in from outside the dark red mist.
Each was accompanied by a serious voice: "Anzhou, codena Red Wine."
"Mingzhou, codena Er Guotou."
"Gunzhou, codena Monkey Wine."
"Huizhou, codena Floral Carving Wine."
"Dongzhou, codena Laozao Wine."
"Qizhou, codena Double Stead Wine."
"ngzhou, codena Dazed Donkey..."
...
One voice after another resonated. The clamor and excitent from when the Reincarnators first t were gone, replaced by a deeper sense of solemnity and reflection.
"Wandering souls, eting in the other world, everyone, greetings to you all..."
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