Chapter 1 To Acquire Blood Food

Firstly, for his own supply of blood food upon entering the estate. Secondly, to broaden his horizons and learn more about the Tai Sui (Grand Duke of Jupiter) flesh, in preparation for the future.

This trip to the blood food mine was currently uppermost in Hu Ma's mind. Of course, before leaving, Hu Ma had to arrange matters within the manor.

Logically, since he was going to Huozi Ridge (Gap Ridge) to take over the blood food mine business for the Red Lantern Society, this manor should be relinquished. After all, once he left, the manor would be without a backbone. Who would be responsible for the pick-up and delivery around here when spring arrived?

Moreover, even if Hu Ma wanted to find someone he trusted, he couldn't. To become a manor manager, one needed a letter of recommendation from the previous manager, sufficient skill, and recognition from the Society for meritorious service.

Currently, the most capable person in their manor besides Hu Ma was Zhou Datong, who had refined two legs, and had self-taught the skills of climbing walls, crossing roofs, and burrowing through holes, his lightness skill being quite impressive, but still far from what was required to take over as manager.

Normally, one would need to have refined at least four limbs to take over a manor. Hu Ma's appointment, when he ostensibly had not refined all four limbs, was a special case.

But Hu Ma certainly wouldn't teach others. He had finally become familiar with this manor, so how could he teach someone else? Therefore, before leaving, he wrote a letter of recommendation to the Society, requesting that Li Wazi temporarily guard the manor for him.

Xu Xiangzhu (Branch Master Xu) would naturally agree, being one of his own, but he also had to explain things to others. Hu Ma didn't bother with that, but instead quietly hinted to Erguotou (Double Distilled Liquor) not to underestimate this Li Wazi in their manor.

"In pursuit of a future, he willingly went to work under that zougui (ghost runner) petty official, becoming a fu ling (spirit bearer)!"

Of course, nominally, he was just a senior disciple.

Erguotou was shocked to hear this and immediately made arrangements. Within a day, everything was settled, and Li Wazi was allowed to watch over the place, with no shortage of money or supplies.

Hu Ma was surprised, "Are the people in the Society so easy to talk to?"

"No way."

Erguotou said, "Niangniang (Our Lady) personally gave the order! Upon hearing about this, she immediately agreed, and even thought about..."

He paused, and Hu Ma quickly asked, "What?"

Erguotou said, "Even thought about removing you and directly letting him be the manager!"

"?"

Hu Ma was stunned, "Is Niangniang that ungrateful?"

Of course, with Erguotou's persuasion, Hu Ma's position as manager was retained. Nominally, he was still the manager of the manor, but Li Wazi was also promoted to steward, staying here with the manor's workers.

With him watching, it was as if Seventh Aunt (Qi Gu Nainai) was watching, which reassured Hu Ma. But he still instructed them that if anything really happened, they should directly speak to Red Lantern Niangniang.

If that didn't work, they should kowtow in Old Yin Mountain.

As for himself, he packed his luggage, bought a carriage, and had the donkey pull it. He packed all his blood food, usual tools, and other items, sealing them up and piling them on the cart.

As for manpower, he left most of the people for Li Wazi to command, and only took Zhou Datong, Zhou Liang, and Zhao Zhu.

"Just these few people?"

On the day of departure, Old Abacus looked at the manpower Hu Ma was bringing and was immediately surprised, lowering his voice to say, "Brother, do you think we're going for a spring outing?"

"We're going to do black work no, take over a business!"

"Currently, that mine is full of disciples and grandsons left behind by the Qingyi (Blue Robe) Evil Ghosts, who are holding onto that piece of meat. We're going to snatch that piece of meat, and you're only bringing these three people. Will that be enough?"

""

"It's not three people"

Hu Ma looked at Old Abacus strangely and said, "Plus you, isn't that four?"

"Ah?"

Old Abacus was dumbfounded, "I'm going to be responsible for bookkeeping, I won't be fighting if we really have to."

"Alright, alright, I know."

Hu Ma glanced at him, and sneered inwardly.

However, he was very confident in this trip. Although he only brought three people, they were three Shousui Ren (Year Guardian) disciples who had entered the threshold. Their skills might not be high, but they each had their own unique abilities!

And this was precisely what distinguished them, these youths from the village, from others.

Other manor managers would probably need three or four years to train a Shousui Ren disciple to the point where they could barely stand alone, and that would depend on talent.

But Hu Ma was different. He had many unique skills. The Shousui Ren skills he learned from the Dongzi Li family could not only be used by himself, but he could also choose suitable ones to teach to Zhou Datong and the others.

Currently, Zhou Datong had only refined two legs, Zhou Liang had refined his left hand, and Zhao Zhu had refined his right hand. Other masters would feel that such disciples had not yet laid a solid foundation, and would not teach them unique skills, but Hu Ma directly selected skills that could be practiced starting from one hand and one foot, and had them start early.

If they really had to compete with others, as long as the other party's cultivation was not too much higher than theirs, these guys would not be afraid at all.

"It's good that you have a plan. Old Xu also told me before we came, that although you're not old, you're a steady worker, otherwise this old bone of mine wouldn't have come out with you."

Seeing that things were settled, and it was time to depart, Old Abacus eagerly instructed Hu Ma, "But one thing is for sure, you can't be careless when you really go to Huozi Ridge."

"That Huozi Ridge blood food mine used to be the property of the Qingyi Gang, and it's too far from our Red Lantern Niangniang Society."

"There won't be enough time for rescue if something happens."

"Besides, it's a remote and rugged place, the people are tough, and there's a Wu (Shaman) clan living there, who know how to raise insects to harm people."

"When you get there, don't rely on your strong Shousui Ren bodies and look down on them. If you're not careful, you'll suffer."

""

"Wu people?"

Hu Ma was slightly startled when he heard this, and whispered, "Old brother, what kind of sect do these Wu people belong to?"

Old Abacus became proud when Hu Ma asked, stroked his sparse beard, and sighed, "Many newcomers in the martial world are like you, when they meet someone, they first ask what sect they belong to, but what's the use of that?"

"Shousui zougui (Year Guardian ghost runners), fu ling xinghun (spirit bearers soul executioners), siming hai shou (life controllers head harmer), baxi daozai (tricksters disaster thieves), wugu jiangtou (witchcraft curse casters), the martial world says that all the techniques under heaven come from these ten sects, but who learns the techniques so orthodoxly? Unless they are from the Ten Families, they just learn whatever they can."

"However, our Ming Prefecture, or the Great North, is mostly Shousui zougui, fu ling baxi, while the wugu jiangtou two sects are prevalent in the Seven Southern Provinces. It's normal that you don't know much about them."

"What I can tell you now is that when you encounter them, be careful. Greet them with a smile first, and follow the rules if something happens, and nothing will go wrong."

"Furthermore, I must also warn you, the Wu women are beautiful, but you few young men with strong blood must restrain yourselves"

""

"Hmm?"

Hu Ma was stunned for a moment, and suddenly wanted to leave Zhou Datong in the manor.

But on second thought, it didn't seem necessary. If it was just a girl, Datong probably wouldn't like her, but if there were any pretty widows there, that would be troublesome.

While thinking, he became interested and discussed with Old Abacus some of the sects he usually didn't have much opportunity to learn about, such as witchcraft, curses, and disaster thieves. They became more and more congenial as they talked. This old Jianghu (Martial World) traveler's skills might not be great, but he was very familiar with all the sects, and spoke eloquently.

Of course, it was hard to know how much of it was true and how much was bragging. Unless they were talking about Shousui skills, Hu Ma couldn't tell if Old Abacus was just talking nonsense.

However, this discussion attracted Zhou Datong and the others, and since the road was long, they all crowded around him, joking and asking questions.

Old Abacus got excited and talked about everything under the heavens, knowing everything and saying everything. When he got happy, he even said that he was good at divination and fortune-telling, and was best at reading people's romantic destinies, which made them all excited.

They hurriedly crowded over, one by one jumping onto the donkey cart, squeezing together to ask Old Abacus when they could marry a wife, and whether they could earn a big house in the future, to show off in the village.

"Aiyo"

Old Abacus first grabbed Zhou Datong's hand and looked at it, immediately with a face full of praise, "Your fate is extraordinary, you'll be ennobled as a marquis and become a prime minister, above ten thousand people!"

Zhou Datong said, "Who asked you about that? When can I marry a wife?"

Old Abacus was stunned for a moment, then looked carefully for a while, and said, "This marriage is hard to say, how come it all looks like second marriages? It seems like you don't have any original wives in your fate"

Zhou Datong suddenly became nervous and hurriedly said, "That's not important, what's important is how many?"

Old Abacus was stunned, "You're a bit greedy, kid"

Before Zhou Datong could ask clearly, Zhou Liang and Zhao Zhu, who were next to him, couldn't restrain themselves and climbed onto the donkey cart to ask him to tell their fortunes.

Old Abacus shook his head and said that Zhou Liang had a life worth ten thousand gold, could marry a princess, and was extremely noble. Zhao Zhu had the fate of a fierce general, commanding thousands of troops and horses, fighting on the battlefield.

Even Hu Ma, who was watching from the side, was curious. Could this old guy really know how to tell fortunes?

In this world, there was no shortage of people who roamed the streets telling fortunes, but according to his understanding, it seemed that no one in any sect specialized in these things, and normally, these people seemed to be managed by the Trickster sect. In short, they were all classified as swindlers

But Old Abacus seemed to know what he was talking about. Could this old guy really be a deeply hidden expert?

"Alright, alright, revealing heavenly secrets is a great sin. I've already told you your future destiny. If you want to ask me about wealth and marriage, it won't be free anymore."

Just as he was wondering, Old Abacus revealed his true colors, putting on airs and saying, "If you ask again, you have to pay."

The three had just become excited and were all nervous, "Do you really know how to tell fortunes?"

"As long as you pay, I will."

Old Abacus said vaguely, "If you give more, I can even help you change your destiny"

The teenagers looked at each other, and suddenly plucked up their courage to take out small silver coins and copper coins. Hu Ma, watching from the side, suddenly felt relieved.

Fortunately, there weren't so many deeply hidden experts. He was clearly just a real old swindler

The End of This Chapter