Hungry Ghost Path (Martial Artist) (Please Vote)

Old Man Yang looked at Yang He worriedly and noticed that his youngest son was drenched in sweat.

"A He, if you're feeling unwell, go home first."

"Dad, I'm fine. I'll rest after I help you deliver the goods."

Yang He replied with a bitter smile, forcing himself to ignore the Long-Tongued Ghost passing by him. The worldview he had built over two months had been completely shattered.

What drove him to despair was that he could not turn off Spiritual Vision.

That meant he had to get used to living alongside countless ghosts. If he wanted to consume Spiritual Vision, it seemed he could only rely on the Lotus Born Lotus he had just obtained.

Yang He knew this was not the time to investigate the mundane object, so he tucked the lotus seed close against his body.

"A He, give me the mule." After confirming that Yang He did not have a fever, and seeing his youngest son insist repeatedly, Old Man Yang agreed.

Yang He knew he needed to visit a martial arts hall.

At the very least, he had to find out.

What exactly was a Martial Artist? Otherwise, he would never know peace.

"Alright, Dad."

"Perfect timing. I can introduce you to Instructor Jin, whom I know well."

Old Man Yang took the mule's reins himself. The two passed through bustling streets and delivered bundles of fresh vegetables to the appropriate restaurants and merchants.

After working for most of the day, the two stopped in front of a martial arts hall.

The plaque prominently read: Blackwater Hall.

Shouts rang out from within the hall. Dozens of children tempered their bodies in the courtyard under the guidance of a bare-chested middle-aged instructor.

When the instructor saw the father and son, he frowned, his face showing impatience.

Old Man Yang hurriedly pulled Yang He into an alley beside the hall.

"A He, vegetable sellers like us should never use the martial arts hall's main entrance. Remember to watch your words and actions. Martial arts halls taboo people stealing their teachings, lest we bring trouble upon ourselves."

"Got it."

Yang He was still too far removed from Martial Artists, and his Spiritual Vision had not noticed anything unusual for the time being.

On the surface, Martial Artists did not seem to possess the traits of ghosts?

He secretly thought, Could it be that people in this world have unusual constitutions, allowing Martial Artists to digest ghost flesh without being affected?

If so, learning martial arts might be a way to protect himself.

Dong dong dong.

Old Man Yang knocked on the back door, and before long, a worker opened it.

The vegetables were carried into the martial arts hall. Old Man Yang was in no hurry to leave and began chatting with the worker.

For an outsider to make a name for himself in Peibai, he had to be tactful in every respect. Old Man Yang understood this well and had become friendly with the workers of Blackwater Martial Arts Hall.

After a long while, the person Old Man Yang had been waiting for finally arrived.

Footsteps approached from afar. A skeletal old man emerged from the inner room, leaning on a cane.

"Yang San."

"Greetings, Instructor Jin."

Yang He had heard Old Man Yang mention that the old man was Instructor Jin Song of Blackwater Hall.

Jin Song was over seventy. He had once been a Martial Artist employed by an escort agency, but had retired from the martial world many years ago. Occasionally, he taught children at Blackwater Hall to earn some silver.

Old Man Yang had obtained Blackwater Hall's business because he had gotten to know Jin Song.

"Uh."

Seeing Jin Song's near-dead appearance, Yang He could not help but startle.

He knew that Martial Artists would inevitably suffer declining vitality and blood in old age, but he had not expected Jin Song to look as though he were afflicted by a grave illness, staggering even as he walked.

"Yang San, why are you a little later than usual? Did you run into trouble?"

"Instructor Jin, it's because Liangshan tobacco happens to be on sale in early spring."

Old Man Yang slipped broken silver and tobacco into Jin Song's hands. The latter nodded in satisfaction, then turned his gaze toward Yang He.

"Your son?"

"The boy just arrived from our hometown and doesn't understand the rules. Why haven't you greeted Instructor Jin?"

"Greetings, Instructor Jin."

Thinking of Yang He's frail body, Old Man Yang silently weighed the silver he had left.

He gritted his teeth and said, "Instructor Jin, do you think you could take in one more student and let my youngest follow you to practice martial arts and strengthen his body?"

Jin Song waved his hand. "Difficult. Why didn't you do it a few years earlier?"

He felt Yang He's spine. "Building up his body is fine, but entering the path of a Martial Artist is too dangerous. Martial arts emphasize training from childhood."

As the two chatted, neither noticed Yang He's stiff expression.

The instant Jin Song touched Yang He, Spiritual Vision had already detected something strange.

More precisely, something strange inside the other man's body.

Yang He rubbed his eyes and saw Jin Song leaning against the wall. Around the area of his stomach and intestines, a ghostly shadow was faintly curled up within him.

The ghostly shadow was hunched over, its skin like dried tree bark and its body little more than skin and bones. Its limbs were bent as it imitated an unborn infant, utterly motionless.

"Hungry, so hungry..."

Yang He's scalp went numb. He quickly realized that all Martial Artists shared the same trait.

A Hungry Ghost was hidden in their stomachs.

Perhaps because the Hungry Ghost demanded endlessly, Jin Song looked exhausted after only a short while. He bid Old Man Yang farewell and prepared to return to the inner room.

Yang He did not want to miss this chance to learn about this world, so he could not help asking, "Instructor Jin, does practicing martial arts require Treasure Fish?"

Old Man Yang shot Yang He a look, signaling him not to be rash.

"Hehe, you're quite clever." Jin Song casually patted Old Man Yang on the shoulder.

Thinking Yang He had not given up, he smiled and explained, "It differs from place to place. The martial arts of Jialiang Water Town lean toward the soft and yielding Water Force, so we enter the path by consuming Treasure Fish flesh."

Yang He's mouth fell slightly open, goosebumps rising across his skin.

No wonder the Hungry Ghost had been so excited before its death.

Once a Hungry Ghost became a great medicine, it could be reborn inside a Martial Artist's body and endlessly demand nourishment from its host.

Jin Song sighed. "Don't be fooled by my declining vitality and blood. When I was young, I had the back of a tiger and the waist of a bear. I could eat no less than ten jin of cooked meat in one meal. Ha, outsiders all say Martial Artists are the reincarnations of starving ghosts."

Yang He was rendered speechless, laughing dryly at the absurdity.

What declining vitality and blood? Clearly, Jin Song simply could not satisfy the appetite of the Hungry Ghost inside him. He would probably starve to death before long.

Jin Song warned, "Never try eating Treasure Fish on your own. Without the support of inner cultivation, ordinary people will be too weak to handle such nourishment."

Yang He could no longer look directly at the words "too weak to handle such nourishment."

Clearly, ordinary people's bodies could not contain Hungry Ghosts.

As Instructor Jin explained the matters of martial arts training, words surged before Yang He's eyes once more.

Hungry Ghost Path (Martial Artist)

Once mastered, the Hungry Ghost becomes a dantian capable of containing yin energy. During this time, all of the Hungry Ghost's appetites must be satisfied. When full, the Hungry Ghost nourishes the flesh in return; when hungry, it devours vitality and blood.

Yang He drew in a sharp breath.

By his understanding, however many ways there were for people to die, there were that many kinds of ghosts.

The Hungry Ghost alone had spawned such a strange and unfathomable cultivation system as martial arts. It was difficult to imagine just how deep the waters of this world ran.

"Cough, cough, cough." Jin Song coughed violently several times. "Forgive the sight. Though I survived the winter, my hands and feet no longer obey me."

Old Man Yang hurriedly said, "My son and I won't disturb Instructor Jin any longer."

"Take care. I won't see you out."

The two left Blackwater Hall.

Old Man Yang looked remorseful. "It's all Dad's fault for being useless and delaying your martial arts training. I'll ask at other martial arts halls. There must be a way to enter one."

"Don't!"

"Martial arts cannot be forced. Running the vegetable business is the proper path."

Yang He still could not make sense of the Hungry Ghost Path. Besides, his family was not wealthy enough to support the Hungry Ghost inside him endlessly demanding food.

Rather than seek power for self-protection through that, he might as well place his hopes on the lotus seed.

Yang He subconsciously touched the lotus seed, and words appeared before his eyes again.

Mundane Object: Lotus Born Lotus

Associated Lore: "Ghost Lotus." Consume 1 point of Spiritual Vision to enter the Lore World?

"Mundane objects are definitely related to ghosts. Does the Lore World refer to the origins of a particular ghost?"

While thinking, the two arrived at the earthen house they rented in the western part of the city. The nearby residents were all outsiders, so the area was relatively quiet.

"A He, rest for a while. I'll prepare the meal."

"Dad, I'll help chop firewood."

"You have a cold. Don't work yourself into a drenching sweat."

Old Man Yang paused for several breaths. When Yang He did not respond, he could not help but poke his head outside.

He found Yang He staring at the eaves, but did not think much of it.

Yang He clutched his chest and calmed himself. From a perspective ordinary people could not see, viscous liquid dripped from the eaves, giving off a fishy stench.

Just by the smell, he knew the mucus came from a Hungry Ghost.

And it was the Hungry Ghost born from that Treasure Fish at the morning market!

"Was it a coincidence? Could that Hungry Ghost have noticed me watching it back then?!!"

Yang He clenched the lotus seed. No matter what, he had to investigate the mundane object's function. Clinging to wishful thinking would only lead to death. Besides...

More than a dozen Headless Ghosts passed through the alley outside the earthen house.

The Headless Ghosts were bloated with flesh, their hands groping about for their lost heads. From the black blood vessels at the severed openings of their necks came miserable wails.

Besides, ghosts were everywhere!!!

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