Chapter 41 The Bones of Old Hu Mountain?

"The bones of Brother Old Hu Mountain?"

Compared to Hu Ma's calmness at this moment, Second Grandpa was even more moved.

He always felt that the misfortunes within the Hu family were largely related to the taciturn Hu Mountain of that year. Back then, he shielded Da Yang Village from disaster, and he could have been buried in the pond.

However, because his corpse was never found, his fate unknown, none of the Hu family members were buried in the pond that year. Therefore, during the time when Hu Ma changed, the fire pit in the village could not protect him.

Moreover, back then his knowledge was limited, and his thoughts were the same as those of people from other villages. Everyone felt that their ancestors were only their own and could not easily give blessings to outsiders. Therefore, although he felt sorry for his grandma, he didn't know how to explain it to the village.

But now, he had performed the fire sacrifice to the mountain and witnessed the birth of the Pond God, and he had already understood many things in his heart.

The practice of guarding one's own village and excluding outsiders was actually a lie.

Where this lie originated was untraceable, but this custom prevented a true god from being born in the pond.

His heart was filled with complex emotions. He hurriedly supported the bones in Hu Ma's hands, led him into the house, and helped him burn incense and appease the spirit.

Only then did he look at Hu Ma and say, "Is he to be buried in the village, or..."

Now, if anyone from the Hu family wanted to be buried in the pond, no one would stop them. On the contrary, they would think it was natural. However, Second Grandpa had already seen that Hu Ma had considerable abilities now, and his status was probably extraordinary. His biological father probably had a better place to go...

"Just in the village."

Hu Ma nodded when asked, and said, "The place where the god is born protects all people. What better place could there be?"

Grandma was also buried in this pond back then. Although grandma's soul had already left, her remains had already merged with the ashes in this pond. It was also very appropriate to bury his biological father here.

Hu Ma was even thinking that when he went to Shangjing, grandma's memorial tablet could perhaps be brought back to the village.

The ancestral hall in Shangjing was created by the Da Luo Faction. He didn't feel at ease leaving grandma there.

"Huh?"

Second Grandpa agreed and was about to prepare when Hu Ma noticed the three incense sticks.

He saw that in the time they had been talking, these three incense sticks had burned into a shape that sloped downwards from left to right, with increasingly obvious differences in height. Hu Ma had learned incense observation techniques from the *Zhen Sui Shu*, and he couldn't help but frown. This was an inauspicious incense omen.

Now, his biological father's soul had died young, and after all, he died to suppress disaster, at a great cost. He was probably not even given the chance to enter the underworld, and his guardian soul also dissipated.

It could be understood that only a skeleton remained.

Within the mysteries, it was said that the most tragic thing for a person was to have their soul and spirit scattered, which actually referred to this. However, in the darkness, there would still be some strange influences.

This influence was something that people within the mysteries couldn't understand. The influence in the darkness should be related to the legendary karma soul.

This incense omen was the attitude of the deceased. He didn't seem to want to be buried in this pond.

Of course, it could also be a coincidence.

"Your father, this is, does he have something to say to you?"

Second Grandpa also noticed the incense omen and looked a little surprised, but he couldn't understand it very well, so he tentatively asked Hu Ma.

If one didn't care about incense omens, no one would pay attention to how they burned. But if one saw it in the blink of an eye, one had to pay attention to it.

This glance might be predetermined in the darkness, similar to the words passed down by ancestors. If one didn't hear them, one would pretend not to have heard them. If one heard them, one had to consider the reason.

Hu Ma also frowned, then whispered, "Perhaps I should send him back to the ancestral hall!"

He vaguely understood in his heart. Grandma stayed in Da Yang Village back then, first to protect him, and second because grandma recognized Da Yang Village and was willing to stay here. And among the elders of the Hu family, only grandma stayed in Da Yang Village the longest.

But this biological father, he would not show arrogance in front of the villagers of Da Yang Village, and he would do his best to save people.

But he was probably in his bones, he recognized the ancestral hall in the north and didn't want to stay in Da Yang Village.

"Then please, Second Grandpa, help me prepare a coffin and a shroud. First, let me dress my father and put him in the coffin. I will escort the coffin back north!"

Hu Ma said slowly, "It just so happens that I'm also going to the north to burn incense for grandma."

Second Grandpa didn't quite understand. It was clear that your grandma was buried in the village, so why did you have to go to the north to burn incense? But he didn't ask about such private matters and immediately agreed.

He went out at night and woke up a few carpenters in the village to help the Hu family prepare. He prepared all the wood, shrouds, and corresponding sacrifices, but at Hu Ma's request, he didn't say who it was for.

Hu Mountain left that year without alarming the village, and he didn't want to stay in the village, so there was no need to make trouble in the village.

He was busy until the next day. With Second Grandpa's help, Hu Ma put his biological father's bones into the coffin, sealed the coffin, and offered sacrifices. The people in the village didn't know the reason, and except for a few helpers, no one let anyone come to pay their respects, which seemed a bit deserted.

But Second Grandpa still remembered that Hu Ma's biological father was a good person before he died, and he always felt that it shouldn't be so deserted.

Seeing that Hu Ma had already offered incense and Miss Zhou Si next to him was stretching her head to look, he beckoned to her and said, "Girl, you come over and offer a stick of incense too!"

"Well, in theory, it would be appropriate for you to kowtow according to the rules of the Hu family now."

"But after all, we haven't seen your family's adults yet, so let's skip the kowtow and offer a stick of incense to make it more lively!"

"..."

"Ah?"

Zhou Si knew that this was Hu Ma's father, and she was caught off guard when she heard Second Grandpa's words. She subconsciously wanted to ask Zhao Sanyi if it was in accordance with the rules, only to find that Zhao Sanyi had already left. She was immediately a little hesitant and said, "This... this isn't good, is it?"

Second Grandpa said, "You're a big girl, and you've already run to our village. What's not good about it?"

As he spoke, he handed over the incense.

Even Hu Ma looked a little surprised and felt that it was inappropriate for Second Grandpa to let Miss Zhou Si offer incense to his biological father, and said, "This isn't good, is it?"

Second Grandpa glared at Hu Ma and said, "She's a big girl, and she's already come to our village. What's good or bad about it?"

However, Zhou Si was a straightforward person. Seeing that Second Grandpa had handed over the incense, she thought that the ghost-walking Great Executioner was a good man, and his father must not be an ordinary person either. Without saying anything else, it was right to offer a stick of incense to him.

So she came over to offer incense generously, and although she didn't kneel down to kowtow, she still bowed deeply with great courtesy.

After offering incense, burning paper money, and sealing the coffin, it was placed on the cart. Only Hu Ma could escort the spirit back north.

Hu Ma also finished dealing with these matters before saying to Zhou Si, "Why haven't you gone back yet?"

Zhou Si had stayed for these two days, sleeping in grandma's original room at night. She didn't need to be called for meals, and she came over when it was time.

She even helped enthusiastically with collecting Hu Ma's biological father, and when preparing the wooden coffin, she could carry two of the thick, thousand-pound timbers by herself, which scared Second Grandpa. He only felt that she must be a good hand at farming in the fields.

Now that Hu Ma finally had time to ask her, she bit her lip and said, "I can't leave. I haven't found a way to get my things back!"

"Those two hammers? Or Master Bottle?"

Hu Ma looked at her and added, "That bottle has already been chewed up, I can't give it to you."

"But those two hammers, I didn't want yours in the first place. They're under the bed. Take them back if you want!"

"..."

"Who do you take me for?"

Hu Ma really didn't mean to embarrass Zhou Si, but when she heard this, she looked a little unhappy.

Crossing her arms, she said, "We Zhou people don't need anyone's pity."

"You beat me and took my weapons, so of course I have to beat you before I can take them back in a dignified manner!"

"..."

Hu Ma frowned and said, "Then come on!"

"Do you want to exchange a few blows, or do you want to let go and have a fight?"

If it was just an exchange of blows, it would be fine in the village. If they were to have a real fight, they would have to go out and find a place. The village was too small to fight in.

But facing Hu Ma's frankness, Zhou Si became conflicted. After all, she was a girl and careful. These past few days, she had seen that Hu Ma's expression was calm, but she could always see his vague disappointment beneath that calmness.

So she pouted and said, "No, I don't want to fight you now."

Hu Ma was even more puzzled: "Then what do you want to do?"

Zhou Si said with confidence, "I haven't figured it out yet!"

"Then you can think about it slowly!"

He wanted to find an excuse to return the two hammers to her, but she was a little clueless.

Hu Ma was too lazy to pay attention to her, and let her take the big sea bowl and follow Second Grandpa to eat. He had no appetite, so he still went back to the house to pack his things. After all, he didn't know what he would encounter on this trip, and of course, he had to bring as many useful things as possible.

And as he was packing things in the house, Little Hong Tang squatted on the roof beam, watching him curiously.

It seemed that she could also sense the dullness in Hu Ma's heart, and she had been much more well-behaved these past two days, just following him.

When Hu Ma turned his head and saw her, he sighed in his heart and forced a smile on his face, saying, "Little Hong Tang, do you miss grandma?"

Little Hong Tang was happy when she heard this and said, "I miss her!"

"Then let's go see grandma!"

Hu Ma also showed a sincere smile, and the various odds and ends he was holding were directly thrown aside.

He wouldn't pack anymore. The skills of the watchman were all on his body, what else was there to pack?

Anyway, as long as he saw grandma, he would understand everything.

(End of chapter)