“Okay…”

The people from the Red Lantern Society were stunned for a long while before they realized that Shopkeeper Hua had won, winning decisively.

For a moment, they stood up one after another, cheering loudly, and even the red lanterns beside the arena seemed to be a little more festive.

So far, nine rounds had been fought, and the Red Lantern Goddess had won five rounds. Even if the next round was lost, it would be a draw. Of course, for the Red Lantern Goddess, she couldn't accept a draw in the end, but the gang members were finally relieved.

On the Qingyi Gang side, there was silence. Countless people got up and left, leaving the old man's body on the stage.

Compared to the excitement of the previous night, their morale had now reached rock bottom.

"Digua Shao is coming up next..."

Hu Ma got up, thinking to himself, "I wonder what tricks she has prepared, and how Erguotou plans to win against her."

As he was thinking and preparing to go back, he suddenly noticed a burst of red light approaching him. Walking in front was a team of incense burners with masked faces and mysterious auras.

In their hands, they were even carrying a small red lantern.

Although this lantern didn't look that big, even smaller than the lanterns used for night patrols in the village, it was clustered with flowers and very delicate. But the light spilling from the lantern was blood-red, with an indescribable eerie aura.

"This is..."

Illuminated by the lantern, Hu Ma couldn't help but feel a shock in his heart. He felt as if his body, inside and out, was being seen through by some kind of gaze.

An instinctive sense of crisis made the hairs on his body stand on end, and he was at a loss, warily looking at the group of incense burners.

"The Goddess has something to ask you..."

At this moment, the incense burner walking at the front, holding the red lantern in his hand, suddenly spoke emotionlessly, his voice as if it had been scooped out of an ice cellar.

"So..."

Hearing his words, Hu Ma suddenly realized, "This is the Goddess's...true form?"

He had also carried red lanterns with the power of the Red Lantern Goddess descending upon them, but he could feel that the powers of the two were not on the same level at all. He immediately had a guess, and hurriedly nodded, preparing to perform a kneeling salute.

But the incense burner waved his hand lightly and said, "Spare it."

"The Goddess wants to ask you if it was you who brought back the news that someone from the Xinghun Gate (Soul Punishment Gate) would come to fight for the Qingyi Gang?"

"..."

Hu Ma's heart was already hanging tightly, but he could only show a more solemn expression on his face, and said in a deep voice, "Yes, I have truthfully reported all relevant information to the two Dharma Protectors."

He didn't dare to stare directly at the red lantern, but he could feel the eerie red light flowing, like a person's emotions.

The incense burner was silent for a while, seemingly listening to the Red Lantern Goddess, and then suddenly intensified his tone, saying, "Is this news true?"

Hu Ma was already in a dilemma, and could only say, "True."

The eerie red light of the red lantern seemed to soften suddenly, and the voice of the incense burner disciple also became a little gentler, saying lightly, "The Goddess said that this matter is of great importance and must not be missed."

"If the news you brought back is true, you will be heavily rewarded."

"If it's false..."

"..."

He paused slightly, then snorted coldly and said, "I don't need to remind you, you know the consequences."

What could the consequences be?

Skinning? Tendon extraction? Or turning into jelly like the demons of the Tan'er Sect (Altar Child Sect) did back then?

Hu Ma was also really helpless in his heart, but he didn't dare to show it while being illuminated by the red lantern, and could only reply, "Yes."

After the incense burner said these words, he walked forward with the lantern, seemingly representing that the Goddess had finished asking her questions. But after he walked more than ten feet away, the red lantern's light turned slightly, and he suddenly stopped, turning his head to look at Hu Ma, with a faint smile on his face:

"By the way, the Goddess said that she remembers you!"

"..."

"Remembers me?"

Hu Ma didn't straighten up until the red lantern had gone far away, only feeling that his back was soaked in cold sweat.

How could the Red Lantern Goddess remember him? Could it be the time when he invited her to deal with the Tan'er Sect in the village?

This woman has a pretty good memory!

Logically speaking, being remembered by the company boss is not a bad thing, but when he thought of the eerie blood light in the red lantern, Hu Ma felt a faint tingling all over his body.

Now, he also understood how much the Red Lantern Goddess valued the victory or defeat of this duel.

Logically speaking, she now had five wins and four losses, already holding an advantage, but she didn't want to give up the last round at all, and was going all out to win. To this end, she didn't hesitate to come over in person to confirm the news with him.

However, since the Red Lantern Goddess promised in front of him that he would be heavily rewarded if the news was true, then how heavy would this reward be?

Erguotou was going to get him a great achievement, and now it seemed a bit too great?

Even the risk had increased. So, if Digua Shao or her senior brother didn't come up for the last round of the Qingyi Gang, he would suffer a great deal...

"Nephew Hu, how is it?"

Only at this time, watching the Red Lantern Goddess go far away, Steward Xu and others hurriedly came up.

They had all seen the incense burner come over and speak to Hu Ma with the lantern, but unfortunately, the red lantern was shining, and they couldn't hear the sound here. But they did notice that the incense burner had a smile on his face when he left, and they also heard the words "The Red Lantern Goddess remembers you."

It didn't sound like a bad thing?

"It's nothing."

Hu Ma saw their curiosity, but didn't dare to ask in detail. He also knew that the matter was of great importance, so he simply didn't say anything, only saying, "The Goddess asked me something."

Steward Xu and the others looked at each other, all thinking, "What a great face! The Goddess came over to ask you something in person?"

But they didn't dare to ask in detail, and Hu Ma didn't dare to say anything more. He could only say a few vague words, and hurriedly followed Steward Xu back to sleep, even forgetting about Yang Gong's invitation to drink.

Things were a bit big!

Originally, he was just bringing a message back to earn a reward for his hard work, but now it seemed that the Goddess valued it too much, and even his own risk had increased.

Erguotou had indeed persuaded Digua Shao, right?

The reason why he agreed to come back earlier was because Erguotou said that he had reached an agreement with Digua Shao, but after all, he hadn't asked Digua Shao in person yet.

Sleep, sleep. He had to get in touch with Digua Shao earlier and ask her in person to feel at ease.

Before, he couldn't connect with her because of the distance, but now that there was only the last round left, she had to rush over. He should be able to call her directly.

"Laobaigan calling Digua Shao, can you hear me?"

At night, Hu Ma entered his natal spirit temple, pressed his palm on the incense burner, and called out several times in a low voice. He was a little worried when he suddenly saw a wisp of life incense connecting to the outside of the red mist. Sure enough, Digua Shao's voice rang out.

She also seemed very excited: "Senior, so you're nearby? I was just about to thank you for introducing me to a good job."

"I came to join in the fun."

Hu Ma hid the worry in his heart, only lowered his voice, smiled hoarsely, and said, "It looks like Erguotou has already approached you. However, I heard you say earlier that you wanted to win this round. Now you have to lose, won't you blame me?"

"Why blame you?"

Digua Shao said in surprise, "Didn't Senior Erguotou tell you how many benefits he promised me?"

"I wanted to win this game to earn a reputation and get a good start, but now it's better to directly cash it in, isn't it?"

"To tell you the truth, I was still thinking about whether to let my senior brother go up. Now it's good, I'll just go up myself and first please our Red Lantern Goddess."

"Maybe after I join the Red Lantern Society, Senior Erguotou and I will still have to rely on you to take care of us?"

"..."

"Phew..."

Hearing her answer, Hu Ma finally felt a little relieved.

It seemed that Brother Erguotou was still reliable on such important matters. If he was just running his mouth, he would have harmed himself.

After letting go of this worry, he suddenly noticed the strangeness in Digua Shao's words and asked curiously, "Me?"

"Take care of you?"

"..."

"Yeah..."

Digua Shao said mysteriously, "Senior Erguotou told me everything. You are a hidden master in our Red Lantern Society. Miss White Wine has also received your help, and so has he. If it weren't for your care, his old life would have been lost in the Lao Yin Mountains..."

"I'm really lucky to have met you..."

"Senior, senior, we've also cooperated before. After I join the Red Lantern Society, I'll be following you..."

"..."

"What the hell?"

Hu Ma felt a bit bizarre for a moment: "How did Erguotou brag about it to her?"

"Besides, you're still a member of the Qingyi Gang, why do you keep talking about our Red Lantern Society?"

"So Erguotou didn't just give you the answers, but directly defected you?"

"..."

"We just take care of each other to survive in this world..."

For some reason, he had become a mysterious master hidden in the Red Lantern Society. Hu Ma's skin wasn't usually thin, but he was a little embarrassed by Digua Shao's calls.

But the conversation had reached this point, so he could only pretend to be a master, instructed her casually, and withdrew from the connection.

Thinking about it, he still felt uneasy and wanted to ask Erguotou how he had discussed it with Digua Shao. Unexpectedly, as soon as he called Erguotou, he connected, and Erguotou smiled sneakily as soon as he opened his mouth:

"Brother, you don't need to thank me."

"This Digua girl is sensible and clever, and she has a good voice. She sounds like a well-behaved and cute little junior sister!"

"We're all brothers, don't I know how to be your wingman?"

"..."

Hu Ma was speechless when he heard this. What was Erguotou thinking about all day long?

Was it true that if life was too comfortable, you wouldn't think about anything else?

I'm not like you. I still have to survive, I still have to learn skills, and I still have to quickly refine my kidneys...

...If I don't refine this place, what's the point of knowing girls?