Finding a Master

Blood Ganoderma...

The thing I've been eating for so long was actually the Blood Ganoderma that guy mentioned?

Isn't this thing supposed to be incredibly rare, something ordinary people wouldn't even dare to dream of? And I've been eating it like it's rice?

Is this village that wealthy, or is my Old Woman actually a secretly rich old lady?

A strong curiosity for this extremely precious Blood Ganoderma surged within me.

What's the use of eating it?

I don't feel like my body has changed much at all?

...Although my injuries do heal faster than usual.

However, despite the shock in his heart, Hu Ma could only force himself to suppress the astonished expression on his face. Theoretically, I'm still in a state of not remembering things, so I shouldn't know how precious Blood Ganoderma is.

He just lowered his head, trying hard to control his slightly trembling hands, and helped the Old Woman pack the bundle. The two roosters beside them also had their legs tied with hemp rope.

Casually saying "Oh," he changed the subject and asked, "Old Woman, where are we going after packing these things?"

"To find you a master and learn some skills."

The Old Woman didn't look at Hu Ma and said slowly, "The ancestors in the village don't acknowledge you, so we'll find another way to help you ward off Evil Spirits."

"Learn skills?"

Hu Ma finally understood. The Old Woman was preparing these things as betrothal gifts for a master.

He also took the opportunity to distract himself.

I can't think too much about the Blood Ganoderma, for fear that the Old Woman will see the shock on my face.

After failing to return from the Old Fire Pit and refusing that Ghost Marriage, the Old Woman had been very worried about my condition. Besides using that Tai Sui Meat... the best Blood Ganoderma... to stabilize my condition every day, she seemed to have been thinking of other methods.

So, the master she was going to take me to see must be her third method.

But who was this master she wanted me to apprentice under?

Speaking of skills, in this bizarre world, she herself seemed very capable.

Could there be someone more powerful than her here?

Yet, despite his heart full of doubts, he didn't ask a single question.

He had long ago summarized a set of survival rules for himself in this world and by the Old Woman's side: ask less, inquire less, observe more, and ponder more when something happens. After all, I was currently unable to move an inch in this world, so what other choice did I have?

He could only act obediently, change his clothes, and help the Old Woman, walking out step by step through the deep and shallow ground.

Judging by the direction, they weren't going into the village, but were walking step by step towards the outside of the village.

"Not from the village?"

When they reached the edge of the village, Hu Ma was slightly surprised.

Is she really going to take me out of the village?

Since waking up, Hu Ma had already learned that the Evil Spirits outside the village were far more numerous than those inside.

This was also the first time he had left the village since arriving in this world.

Gazing at the towering giant trees and the deep, secluded scenery from afar, his heart trembled slightly.

He didn't know how many Evil Spirits similar to the Upright Sheep and White-faced Monkey were lurking in this dense forest...

But then he thought, staying by the Old Woman's side, and with Xiao Hong Tang, it should be fine, right?

Outside the village, a path trodden by people led into the overgrown, tall, and somber forest.

It was quiet all around, as if even the birds had stopped singing.

The forest was too deep, too dense.

He didn't know what this world had experienced, but the deep mountains now had a suffocating lushness.

Even though it was high noon, the forest was dark and oppressive.

Thick weeds covered the ground, almost obscuring the path that countless people had walked.

The dense, winding branches on both sides intertwined, and as they passed, they seemed to come alive, silently stretching out, quietly climbing onto his shoulders and tangling around his legs.

But when he turned his head, he saw that there was nothing unusual on either side.

He could only suppress the faint unease in his heart and tightly follow the Old Woman, gradually venturing deeper into the forest.

As they went deeper into the forest, the surrounding trees seemed to become denser.

Branches and vines intertwined in front of them, making it feel like they were walking through a thorny bush.

In the depths of the dense forest, it always felt like something was watching him.

"Stop for now."

Just then, the Old Woman, who was walking ahead, suddenly stopped and said quietly.

Hu Ma immediately stood still, holding his breath.

Glancing sideways with his peripheral vision, his heart suddenly felt horrified. He realized that without knowing it, the area where he was standing had already been piled with scattered branches, so dense that they almost entangled his body and the Old Woman's in front of him.

But looking forward, or looking back, he found the small path, trodden by people, was as clear as ever, without such dense branches.

"Are these branches alive?"

Hu Ma felt a chill in his heart. They had entangled him and the Old Woman, and were tightening their grip without them realizing it. What did they want?

"This is my little grandson, everyone recognize him, so there's no misunderstanding later."

As he was thinking, the Old Woman suddenly spoke coldly, then struck the ground heavily with the cane she was holding.

With a "rustle," a gust of cold wind suddenly swept by.

The dense branches that had entangled Hu Ma and the Old Woman seemed to be cut by invisible scythes, falling to the ground with a "swish."

Vaguely, he seemed to hear a sound of pain, accompanied by a miserable groan.

Whether it was an illusion or not, after this gust of wind, the surrounding branches swayed as if in fear, and retreated to the sides.

The path in front of Hu Ma and the Old Woman had become significantly wider.

"So powerful..."

Hu Ma's scalp tingled.

He didn't know if he was marveling at the Old Woman's imposing power with that sudden strike of her cane, or if he was terrified that the forest seemed to have a life of its own.

He had heard before that the outside of the village was dangerous, but he hadn't known there was so much danger.

Fortunately, he hadn't really escaped the village back then, and fortunately, this time, he had come out with the Old Woman.

In such a world, Hu Ma's rationality and his worldview of not believing in ghosts and spirits from his previous life had vanished. He didn't dare to speak loudly, and could only follow silently beside the Old Woman, walking deeper into the dense mountain forest, carefully, not daring to touch anything.

This world made him feel awe, especially since even the Old Woman seemed very cautious.

Besides these branches and trees that exuded an evil aura, the forest was filled with all sorts of strange things.

There was a small puddle that looked ordinary on the surface, but when it appeared in front of the path, the Old Woman frowned and led Hu Ma around it. After walking not far, they surprisingly saw the same small puddle again, exactly as before.

They went around again, but the small puddle was exceptionally persistent and appeared once more.

The Old Woman also sighed helplessly, then asked Hu Ma to hand over the live chicken he was carrying.

She drew a fingernail across the chicken's neck, cutting its trachea.

Flapping, she threw it into the puddle, then told Hu Ma to turn around and not look at what was happening in the puddle.

After a while, strange chewing sounds came from behind them.

A few minutes later, the Old Woman said, "You can turn around now!"

Hu Ma turned around and saw that the small puddle had disappeared. Only then did they continue walking on the smooth path.

Again, when they passed a remnant of a tree stump that looked like it had been struck by lightning, the Old Woman stopped.

She asked Hu Ma to bow to the stump, then walk fifteen steps forward and wait for her there.

She herself stayed behind, muttering as if communicating something with the stump.

"Are there so many evil things?"

Hu Ma found it difficult to understand these bizarre phenomena, feeling a sense of dread mixed with a hint of novelty.

He couldn't help but ask Xiao Hong Tang beside him, "How do people from our village usually dare to come out?"

Xiao Hong Tang seemed very cautious in this forest and didn't talk much.

Hearing Hu Ma's question, she poked her little head out from behind a nearby tree and said, "Others don't encounter so many when they come out. Their Yang energy is strong, and they carry ash from the pond."

"Hu Ma Ge is more fragrant, different from others."

"..."

"?"

Hu Ma's heart trembled, and he couldn't help but say, "Since Grandma is so capable, can't she drive them away?"

"Grandma is a Ghost Walker."

Xiao Hong Tang said, "Ghost Walkers generally don't drive away Evil Spirits, they only guide them."

"Ghost Walker?"

Hu Ma pondered silently, "Is this a title, or the name of a skill?"

Seeing that the Old Woman was still chatting with the lightning-struck tree stump not far away, he took the opportunity to ask:

"Do you know which master Grandma is going to take me to apprentice with?"

"..."

"Go south after leaving the forest..."

Xiao Hong Tang thought, and said, "Then Grandma must be taking Hu Ma Ge to find Second Master!"

Hu Ma's heart stirred. If that "Second Master" lived outside the village, he must be quite capable.

Curiously, he asked, "Then, who is more capable, this Second Master or Grandma?"

"I don't know."

Xiao Hong Tang said honestly, "Xiao Hong Tang is close to Old Woman, but she's afraid of Second Master."

"Xiao Hong Tang helped Old Woman deliver things to Second Master, but Xiao Hong Tang didn't dare to go inside. She just threw them at the door and ran."

"..."

Hu Ma thought silently, Making Xiao Hong Tang this scared, it seems he has some skills...

...Suddenly, a shock went through his heart. Old Woman didn't see through his problem, so if he encountered someone even more powerful, would they see through it?

"Let's go!"

At this moment, Old Woman finally returned. Looking ahead, she said, "I ran into an acquaintance, we'll catch up briefly. Let's hurry on our way!"

"We'll arrive in another stick of incense's time."