Chapter 1 Attitude Must Be Clear

Hu Ma didn't include the vengeful ghost in his calculations, nor did he intend to help her. He was simply handling the problem from the perspective of a blood food provider for the young shopkeeper.

If the other party was truly from Plum Blossom Alley and had earnestly written a note under the guise of saving someone, clearly stating when and where they borrowed how much blood food from the Red Lantern Society, then he could take this note back and hand it over to Xiangzhu Xu to complete his mission.

But if the other party just verbally requested the blood food and took it away, that would be a major mistake.

He wouldn't be able to explain it to the Society, and he'd have to take the blame himself. Even the matter of taking over the blood food mine at Blind Man's Ridge would likely fall through.

"What?"

Hu Ma understood this in his heart, but his words immediately angered the group that had rushed up. Especially the black-robed mage, who strode forward and shouted coldly, "You blood food providers are indeed shortsighted and don't know what's important. Do you know who I'm trying to save?"

"I originally wanted to help you, a small shopkeeper, accumulate some yin virtue and form a good relationship. Instead, you don't appreciate it and argue with me?"

"Even if your Red Lantern Society's Xiangzhu was here, he'd have to hand it over when I, your lord, open my mouth to save someone."

The black-robed mage seemed somewhat displeased that Hu Ma had directly revealed his identity, but he only snorted.

"We're saving the son-in-law of the Huainan Wei family. Master Mage is a disciple of Old Man Mei from Plum Blossom Alley. If you say this when you get back, you should be able to complete your mission."

Hu Ma's mind raced as he quickly assessed the situation upon hearing these words.

His expression softened, and he cupped his fist towards the old servant and said, "Old sir, it's not that we don't want to help. It's just that we're small fries in a small gang trying to make a living. Making a mistake could cost us our lives. Since you're willing to write a note, there's no reason for us not to help."

In comparison, these members of the blood food gang were quite bold and dared to draw their knives.

The robust men beside him were slightly moved and slowly took a few steps forward, instantly increasing the pressure in the air.

Hu Ma immediately looked surprised and said, "Master Mage wouldn't resort to robbery if I don't hand it over, would you?"

Just as he was anxious, he saw Little Red Tang running over from afar, followed by a gust of yin wind. He knew that reinforcements had arrived.

The people next to the black-robed mage slightly flinched upon hearing this.

These words temporarily quelled the arrogance of both sides.

If they really fought, they had no reason to be afraid of them. But they feared that there would be too many people and things would get out of hand, and someone would get hurt by a stray blade. After all, they had come to save someone, so there was no reason to risk their own safety.

Besides Hu Ma, only four of their shop's workers had followed him. Naturally, they were outnumbered. But they usually worked with Hu Ma and had gained experience. Most importantly, they were always successful, which had given them courage. Now that they had drawn their knives, their momentum was not small.

He then said to the black-robed mage, "As long as we can complete our mission when we get back, there's no reason not to listen to your orders, sir?"

At that moment, Zhou Datong suddenly roared, and he and the other workers drew their knives.

His gaze coldly swept across Hu Ma's face, seemingly dissatisfied that the blood food gang's young shopkeeper had drawn his knife against him.

But just then, someone rushed forward in a panic and stopped both sides. It was the old servant who had followed the Wei family's nobleman. He hurriedly bowed to both sides and said, "Good sirs, please calm down. Master Mage, please calm down. I will write the note."

The mage seemed slightly stunned upon hearing this, not directly answering, but only sneering.

"Don't fight, don't fight..."

"Blood food is our life, protect the blood food!"

"Take the blood food from this cart."

"Ah..."

These words made the black-robed mage and the old servant look strange. They didn't seem to expect such a change in attitude.

The old servant thought that the young shopkeeper was clearly quite reasonable and knew etiquette. The black-robed mage was originally dissatisfied with him, but when he saw him draw his knife and then say nice things, his anger subsided.

If Hu Ma hadn't drawn his knife first and had directly said nice things, he might not have appreciated it.

The workers in the shop were confused when they suddenly heard Hu Ma say this, but they still listened to him and put away their knives. The people next to the black-robed mage hurriedly came forward to move the blood food from the cart.

But just then, a gust of yin wind suddenly blew from afar. They could only hear the sound of suona horns, which made their eyebrows twitch. They hurriedly turned around and looked into the wilderness.

They were all instantly dazed by the bizarre scene they saw.

Accompanied by gusts of yin wind, a paper sedan chair floated over from afar. Sitting in the sedan chair was an old woman wearing a blue shirt, paper flowers and beads in her hair, a pointed mouth and monkey cheeks, and a large wart on her face. She was comfortably smoking a long pipe in her hand.

Carrying the sedan chair were two strong yellow weasels, heaving and ho-ing with great enthusiasm.

Following beside them were two skinnier yellow weasels, holding small suona horns in their little paws and blowing them vigorously, di-da-da.

"Who's coming with such a grand display?"

This sudden scene startled the black-robed mage and his men. Especially the black-robed mage, whose expression became slightly tense.

The Wei family's old servant couldn't see anything, but he vaguely heard the sound of suona horns and felt that something was coming.

"Seventh Aunt has arrived, so everything will be alright."

Hu Ma smiled silently when he saw this and retreated to the back, ready to watch the show.

He didn't want to interfere with the evil spirit's revenge in the well, but he didn't want to lend out the blood food for nothing. To be honest, even if a note was written and handed over to the Society, allowing him to get through this, he would still be at fault sooner or later if the other party didn't return the batch of blood food.

For him, the most perfect solution was to not get involved in this matter at all and obediently send the blood food to Vermilion Gate Town. But directly refusing wasn't good, as he would offend Plum Blossom Alley and that Wei family, which could cause future troubles.

A small blood food gang shopkeeper was in a dilemma in this situation, pleasing neither side. So, he let Seventh Aunt come and take charge, while he played the good guy.

He could also take this opportunity to see what those things in the halls were all about.

"Where did this ignorant person come from? Arriving at the territory and not knowing to burn incense, but instead bullying our neighbors?"

The sedan chair floated to a stop in front of them. Seventh Aunt took a puff of smoke from her pipe and slowly spoke, her shifty eyes almost floating to the top of her head.

Now that she was worshiped in this surrounding area, her status had increased, and she had developed a sense of dignity. She even spoke with a drawn-out tone.

The black-robed mage was slightly apprehensive upon hearing this. He stepped forward and politely said, "May I ask who the immortal is? How many incense sticks have been burned in the halls?"

"We were invited here to settle a matter. There is a grievance harming a nobleman here, and we intend to eliminate her."

"What who's who? Don't you even recognize your Seventh Aunt?"

Seventh Aunt's small eyes darted around as she glanced at him, extremely dissatisfied. She didn't know who this person was, but she didn't care. Who in this area didn't worship her, Seventh Aunt?

She knocked the ashes off her pipe on the side of the sedan chair and said with a displeased expression, "We didn't see any grievance or nobleman. We only saw a matter between a couple. What are you, an outsider, meddling in? Is that your grandfather or your own mother?"

These words were so impolite that the black-robed mage couldn't help but change his expression.

Seventh Aunt? Never heard of her.

But the other party's tone was so unkind, clearly intending to pick a fight. The key was that when he looked up, he couldn't see her depths even more clearly.

Yellow weasels carrying a paper sedan chair, an odd sight. The one on the sedan chair didn't seem to have much cultivation, as if he could slap her and the sedan chair to death with one palm...

But how could that be possible?

Others might not recognize it, but he did.

He knew what the sedan chair and the suona horns, looking so out of place, actually represented...

That was an entourage!

Ordinary evil spirits and mountain goblins wouldn't dare to do this. Even the Red Lantern Society, which had just built a temple in Ming Prefecture City, could only ride in sedan chairs at night and wouldn't dare to play music!

Those who could have this entourage definitely had status.

Moreover, if the other party was truly incompetent and had no cultivation, how dare she be so impolite when speaking to him?

He was originally a madman, but he was stunned.

At this moment, the Wei family's old servant spoke again.

He couldn't see Seventh Aunt, but he could see that the mage looked like he was facing a formidable enemy. Now he only wanted to save his master. With the blood food right in front of him, there was no need for complications.

So, he mustered his courage and bowed to the air, saying, "I don't know which great immortal has arrived?"

"Our master is a nobleman from the Huainan Wei family. Unfortunately, he has been entangled by a grievance. Please, great immortal, give us some convenience for the sake of the Wei family..."

The mage suddenly paid attention upon hearing this, wanting to see what would happen.

The Wei family was a noble family, and he had only come to deal with this matter after hearing the Wei family's reputation.

This thing in front of him was strange, and he didn't know if it was from the halls. He also wanted to see the other party's reaction upon hearing the Wei family's reputation.

Unexpectedly, Seventh Aunt was already dissatisfied because the old servant was bowing to the north while she was in the east. After thinking for a moment, and not knowing who this Wei family he was talking about was, she said, "Who knows what Wei family or no Wei family you're talking about? I do know Wei Old Cripple."

"He's not a promising fellow!"

She was talking about the old man who went to pick up manure every morning in Ganzi Village. He had been bitten by a venomous snake when he was young and had a limp. He always secretly sought her help in finding a marriage partner, fearing that his Wei family would be extinct.

But when asking for a marriage partner, he was unwilling to make offerings. Who would offer two eggs, and rotten ones at that?

Seventh Aunt was extremely dissatisfied with him. If it weren't for the fact that the young shopkeeper had told her to abide by the rules of protecting people, she would have liked to teach him a lesson.

But he didn't know that these words made the mage break out in a cold sweat.

In the blink of an eye, he had no intention of lingering. He hurriedly bowed deeply and said, "It turns out that I had eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai. Now that we have the old lady's words, I dare not disobey. It's just..."

"Can we take this person away?"

Seventh Aunt rolled her eyes at him and said, "Take him away, who's stopping you?"

The black-robed mage immediately breathed a sigh of relief and turned back to look at the old servant and others who were hesitant to speak. He shouted, "Don't talk, let's go!"

End of Chapter