Chapter 1 Arriving at the Headquarters

Coming out of the room, Hu Ma looked around. There was no one to be seen around the house, nor any sign of wandering souls or little devils lurking about. But just now in the room, he had clearly heard someone speaking in his ear, which made him feel rather strange.

He tidied his robes and went to the back of the inn as agreed. He saw a figure slowly emerging from the shadows against the wall, his face full of smiles. It was the White Fan he had met at the banquet earlier.

The other party closed his fan, bowed respectfully to Hu Ma, and said with a smile, "Steward Hu, I apologize for any offense I caused at today's banquet. It was for safety's sake. I hope you won't take it amiss."

Hu Ma returned the greeting with a smile and said, "Surely someone as powerful as the ones who *bu shi niu* (don't eat beef) wouldn't worry about small fry like us?"

"Our Shijie doesn't stand on such ceremony, and she is already waiting for you."

White Fan smiled and said, "But those of us who run errands are always a little timid. Our Yiqian Sect is like a big tree that attracts the wind. We help many people and offend many people. Although we are not afraid of those ghost tricks, we don't want anyone to sneak in and disturb the peace."

"That's true."

Hu Ma said with a smile, "Then can you take me to see the sect leader now?"

"Please!"

White Fan led the way, and the two followed the unique winding paths of Shima Town. Although Shima Town was lively and had no curfew.

But now it was late at night, and there were few pedestrians. Even the restaurants and brothels, as well as the inns, had no one at the door. Only strings of lanterns hung on the doors, swaying gently in the night breeze.

After three turns and five bends, enough to confuse anyone, the two arrived one after the other in front of a large courtyard.

From the outside, there was nothing unusual. There were no lights at the door, but the two heavy doors were only half open. White Fan made a gesture of invitation at the door, and Hu Ma nodded lightly, without suspicion, and slowly entered.

At first glance, he felt the atmosphere was strange.

In the front yard, there were white cloths and paper streamers stretched back and forth, and traces of burning paper everywhere, like a mourning hall.

However, there was no coffin in the courtyard, only a large black vat, about the height of a person, placed in the middle.

White Fan followed him in and slowly explained, "Steward Hu, please don't be suspicious. This is the tradition of our Yiqian Sect. Now is a chaotic and fierce world. The government is hiding and doing nothing, condoning evil-doers. The noble families are high above, and the poor people are struggling to survive."

"Every day, countless people die of poverty and starvation, their souls are without support or sustenance. Therefore, we often set up mourning halls to appease the wronged ghosts."

"..."

"Admirable."

Hu Ma looked at the large vat beside him and said, "This is?"

"This is our prayer vat."

White Fan smiled and said, "If you want to enter our door, you must abide by the rules of our Yiqian Sect."

"There have been many people who wanted to join our Yiqian Sect, some from the *mendao* (inner circles), some poor people, some seeking shelter, and some seeking solutions to their troubles. But the rules are the same: they must put half of their family property into the vat in exchange for one of our copper coins."

"With this copper coin in hand, you are a member of our Yiqian Sect and can receive the protection of the Yiqian Sect, and you can also use this copper coin to ask us to solve your problems."

Hu Ma was slightly taken aback and said with a smile, "So, I have to do the same?"

White Fan smiled without saying a word, just looked at him. Hu Ma smiled and patted his body, saying, "Let's follow the rules."

"But..."

He took out his money bag, weighed it in his hand, and said with a smile, "I only have twenty taels on me now."

White Fan said with a smile, "It's not just cash, houses and fields are also counted."

"Then that's unfortunate."

Hu Ma smiled bitterly and said, "I really don't have any possessions or savings. Even the blood food and silver rewards from the guild have been spent, and I'm still suffering from hunger. To be honest, these twenty taels were borrowed from someone else!"

He suddenly had a thought: if it only requires half of one's property, and he is currently in debt, would the Yiqian Sect bear that half of the debt?

"If that's the case, then it doesn't matter."

White Fan smiled and said, "Our Yiqian Sect values rules and sincerity. Don't say you have twenty taels, even if a poor person only has half a cornbread bun, breaking half of it and throwing it in will do."

"..."

"There's such a rule?"

Hu Ma was moved and said with a smile, "Then what if there are cunning thieves who specialize in using cornbread buns to exchange for a copper coin from our sect?"

"Our Yiqian Sect values sincerity, and believers seek protection."

White Fan smiled and said, "But if you initially harbor the intention to deceive us, taking our *bifu qian* (protection coin) may not bring protection, but rather disaster."

"..."

"That makes sense."

Hu Ma nodded and counted out ten taels of silver from his money bag and threw them into the large vat.

He heard a series of crisp sounds, as if the vat was empty. He was looking at White Fan, wondering what to do next, when suddenly, a hand stretched out from the vat. The hand looked greenish and extremely eerie.

Between its thick, swollen fingers, it was holding a dark, black copper coin, slowly extending it towards Hu Ma. It was so abrupt that it startled him.

Fortunately, he had some cultivation and did not show any surprise. He simply reached out and took the copper coin. Looking at it in his palm, it seemed to be just an ordinary copper coin in circulation on the market. He couldn't see anything unusual about it, except that it seemed heavier than an ordinary copper coin in his hand.

In the *mendao* (inner circles), there were many who used money to make magical treasures, so it was not surprising. The same coin could be refined into a hundred different treasures.

"Please, Shijie is inside."

Seeing that Hu Ma had taken the copper coin, White Fan nodded and came to the second door, gently helping him push it open.

But from the look of it, he didn't plan to follow him in.

Hu Ma took a deep breath, nodded to him, and stepped inside, feeling a bit shocked in his heart.

In the second door, there was a very tall tree. Its crown was lush, covering almost the entire courtyard. Countless branches hung down, like a large umbrella.

What was even more strange was that there were all sorts of strange things tied to the branches: books, children's shoes, wooden horses, wooden oxen, lanterns, ink fountains, and even swords, weapons, and seals.

There were so many of them, probably hundreds of them?

Under the tree, leaning against the trunk, sat a person in a cross-legged position. Hu Ma's pupils dilated slightly.

He saw that this person was a beautiful Daoist nun. She looked about thirty years old, with picturesque eyebrows and an otherworldly temperament. She held a horsetail whisk in her hand and sat cross-legged under the tree with her eyes slightly closed. She was extremely beautiful, but her expression was indifferent and aloof, making her even more outstanding.

Hu Ma had been in this world for quite some time, but he had never seen a Daoist or a monk, nor had he heard of such beings.

Now that he saw the Daoist nun's attire, he felt a sense of familiarity in his heart.

He took a low breath and walked forward, following what Mr. Sun had told him before, and gently bowed to the Daoist nun, saying at the same time:

"Shijie!"

"..."

"Sit."

The Daoist nun opened her eyes, glanced lightly at Hu Ma, and motioned for him to sit on the futon in front of her.

In this one glance, she seemed to have sized Hu Ma up and down, and said softly, "Steward Hu of the Red Lantern Society of Mingzhou, trusted at a young age, managing a blood food mine, and even became a *shousui ren* (New Year's Eve watchman) of the Fu, once drove out the Lotus Saintess of my sect..."

"Steward Hu, you are quite extraordinary?"

"..."

"Ah?"

Hearing her mention the Lotus Saintess who had been driven out, Hu Ma said quickly, "It was all a misunderstanding."

"It wasn't exactly a misunderstanding."

The Daoist nun suddenly smiled and said, "But the two sides were not on the same path. Since there was a dispute, it's nothing to fight."

"You didn't destroy the old fox's cultivation, nor did you hurt the life of my sect's Dharma King, so you are a kind person."

"It's just that there are many who come to worship my Yiqian Sect, but either they are poor people who can't survive, or they are *jianghu* (martial world) figures who have suffered great disasters. Steward Hu doesn't seem to be either of those. Since you have come to worship me, you must be here for your skills."

"But I see that you are young and full of skills. In this chaotic world, it is not difficult to survive. Why take the risk to seek the Dao here?"

"..."

Listening to her soft words, Hu Ma had already prepared his speech. He said, "It's just to learn more advanced skills."

"Now that I am in a chaotic world, what good is it to enter the Fu, what good is it to be protected by the Red Lantern Goddess?"

"It's always more reassuring to have real skills!"

"..."

The Daoist nun listened and nodded slightly. She suddenly asked, "Then, after you have learned more advanced skills, what will you do?"

"Do you still plan to serve the Red Lantern Goddess in your Red Lantern Society, cutting blood food for her in exchange for safety?"

"..."

"Hmm?"

Hearing something different in her words, and looking at her eyes again, Hu Ma felt a bit blurred. It seemed that some thoughts in his heart were about to slip out of his mouth uncontrollably. He suddenly reacted and became vigilant.

He almost fell for it!

The Daoist nun's words seemed to have some kind of magic that could draw out the words from the depths of people's hearts. Fortunately, he had washed his body with the baleful aura of the Zhenchong Fu, and his foundation was solid, so he reacted in time. But now he couldn't avoid answering. His mind raced, and he decided to test her.

He pretended to be unable to control himself and blurted out, "Of course not. How can a true man live under someone else for long?"

After saying that, he was slightly surprised, as if he was surprised that he would say such a thing.

But his eyes were only looking at the Daoist nun, seeing how she would react to these words.

Unexpectedly, the Daoist nun did not show any unusual expression. She just nodded slightly, as if she was very satisfied with his answer, and said softly, "A good man. Then please!"

She said, turned slightly, and looked at the big tree she was leaning against, and said softly, "This tree is the Fude Youling Shen Qiansui Yu (God of Blessing and Protection, Thousand-Year Elm) of my sect. My Shixiong (martial brother) brought it from West Kunlun himself. No matter what you seek in your heart, you can sincerely pray to it."

"However, the copper coin you exchanged for half of your property must be offered here. If you get what you seek, everyone will be happy. If not, don't complain. Everything is just fate."