That's right!
As long as a person was alive, their body would keep producing heat—or, to put it another way, Yang energy.
So Second Master's method was simple: accumulate this Yang energy and guide it into one's own "furnace."
The hotter the furnace burned, the stronger a person became. The more abundant their Yang energy, the less they feared Evil Spirits. Even something like Tai Sui Meat was simply a powerful tonic. It could make the body produce more Yang energy, allowing one's furnace to burn bright and red.
But what did it mean if a person produced no Yang energy at all without eating Tai Sui Meat?
They were dead!
Only the dead were cold to the bone, without a trace of warmth.
Forget using the heat they normally produced to practice and stoke the furnace; even a furnace that was already burning might go out.
Once Hu Ma understood all this, he couldn't help feeling a surge of horror.
He realized what was wrong with him: the blazing furnace he'd kindled the previous night had been nothing but an illusion.
He'd been able to light his furnace so easily the night before because the Tai Sui Meat he'd eaten earlier—or rather, the Blood Ganoderma, that strange, nourishing substance—had made it possible. It had even warmed his body until he felt like an ordinary person.
But once that heat had gone into the furnace, and the Tai Sui Meat he'd eaten had been completely digested, he'd been thrown right back to where he'd started...
This body couldn't produce even a spark of heat.
In Second Master's words, it was a dead person's body.
It was always cold. Not only could it produce no new heat on its own, it would even consume the "fire" in the furnace. Only after eating meat again at Second Master's place—and not just any meat, but valuable Green Ganoderma—had his body warmed up.
Only then could he keep guiding that heat into his furnace.
"So why did I suddenly wake up freezing in the middle of the night?"
He already had a vague answer: "Because I didn't eat the meat Old Woman gave me all day yesterday."
The moment he stopped eating that meat, his body turned cold.
Not only could he no longer add fuel to the furnace, the fire inside it would slowly die away.
What would happen once the furnace fire burned out?
Hu Ma didn't even dare imagine it.
"That's enough. You've got a lot to learn, so take it one step at a time."
Second Master had no idea what Hu Ma was thinking. He urged him to finish the few pieces of meat in his bowl, then left the main hall.
After eating the bowl of Green Ganoderma, Hu Ma felt completely normal again.
He couldn't feel any difference between himself now and when he'd been alive in his previous life. He was just as energetic, and his body was just as warm.
He could also easily use the "cultivation method" Second Master had taught him the night before, guiding the steady stream of heat his body produced into the furnace in his lower abdomen.
He felt no different from the other boys around him.
If anything, he ought to be in much better shape than they were. They only got to eat this little bit of White Ganoderma each day.
He'd eaten a whole bowl of Green Ganoderma.
But...
...sigh!
The only thing he still didn't understand was why this state had come about.
Was it because of some problem with his original body, or because he was a "Reincarnator"?
"You're all following Second Master because you want to learn the art of Worshiping Taisui, so you can earn money and start families."
Second Master had already gathered the boys together. He barked at them, "There's not much I can teach you. First, you have to Ignite the Furnace. If you can't light it, forget joining the Meat Cutting Team. But even if you do light it, that's only the beginning."
"You have to hike through the mountains, soak up the sun, and practice your moves. The stronger your body, the more abundant your Yang energy. The bolder and fiercer you become, the hotter your furnace will burn..."
"Of course, the best thing is to eat Tai Sui, but even your Second Master can't afford it. So don't even dream about it."
"..."
Second Master made no effort to hide his contempt for the village boys. But after a pause, he continued, "So there's only one trick to learning from me: you have to endure hardship and be patient. Most important of all, keep your minds off women."
"Take enough hardship and your body will grow strong. Your Yang energy will flourish, you'll gain courage and ferocity, and once you've got a fierce enough temper, even a butcher can overcome Evil Spirits."
"I don't care if you're unruly or get into fights. We've got plenty of Black Oil Paste. The only thing I worry about is you boys being unable to control yourselves and going astray at such a young age. Our manor sits outside the village because I'm afraid you'll set your sights on women."
"Sigh, for the sake of you little brats, I don't even dare keep sheep..."
"That's enough, enough. Today we'll practice our moves again, then you can come patrol the Woods with me!"
"..."
The boys cheered. Hu Ma couldn't help envying the boundless energy they had at that age.
But with his mind wandering, how could he join in the fun?
"Little Hu Ma, come over here..."
Second Master had no idea what was on Hu Ma's mind. Seeing him standing off to the side, dazed, he thought Hu Ma couldn't keep up or fit in. He smiled and beckoned him over. "Don't be scared. These moves are simple. After a few rounds, you'll get the hang of them..."
"Well..."
Hu Ma wasn't really interested, but he could only step forward. He was trying to think of what to say when a faint, dreamlike voice suddenly called in his ear:
"Brother Hu Ma, I brought you some food..."
"..."
"Xiao Hong Tang?"
Hu Ma recognized the voice and turned without thinking. Xiao Hong Tang was hiding outside the door, with only her little head poking into view.
He turned and started toward the manor gate.
Second Master looked puzzled. "Where are you going?"
Hu Ma hurriedly pointed toward the gate. "Someone's looking for me. It might be Old Woman."
"Old Woman's here?"
Second Master was startled. The boys, who'd been chattering excitedly moments before, suddenly fell quiet. Their faces filled with confusion as they whispered among themselves:
"Did you see anyone?"
"No. They say the Hu Family can walk with ghosts. Is he...?"
"Could he be pretending so he won't get beaten?"
"..."
"Brother Hu Ma, why aren't you coming out yet..."
Xiao Hong Tang's call from outside grew more urgent. Hu Ma glanced at Second Master, then headed out. Worried, Second Master followed him.
At the gate, Hu Ma saw a bamboo basket about the same size as Xiao Hong Tang sitting on the ground. A piece of red cloth covered it, but Xiao Hong Tang was nowhere to be seen. Second Master glanced at the basket, let out a breath, and said, "It's that girl all right. Go on!"
With that, he clasped his hands behind his back and returned to the manor.
Hu Ma stood at the gate. Only after Second Master had gone back inside did Xiao Hong Tang come strolling down the street.
Hu Ma hurried over and asked in a low voice, "Where's Old Woman?"
He had questions he wanted to ask Old Woman, and he couldn't help feeling anxious.
He'd realized the problem might be very serious, yet he had a vague feeling he shouldn't ask Second Master about it directly.
It would be better to ask Old Woman.
"Old Woman went into the mountains to look for someone."
Xiao Hong Tang squatted down in front of the basket and said, "She sent Xiao Hong Tang to bring you food."
"Food?"
Hu Ma lifted the red cloth covering the basket and saw a large bowl filled with square chunks of meat.
Blood Ganoderma.
Beside it was even a plate with two big steamed buns made of white flour.
"When will Old Woman come by?"
Hu Ma looked deeply at the bowl of meat. He understood all too well how important it was now.
"Old Woman didn't say."
Xiao Hong Tang simply squatted across from the basket, propping her chin in her little hands as she said, "But Old Woman told me to pass on a message."
"She said Brother Hu Ma should stay right here with Second Master and learn properly. If you feel cold tonight, don't be scared. Just eat meat. Tai Sui Meat can cure illness, so eat plenty of it. The more you eat, the hotter your furnace will burn—hotter than everyone else's..."
"But you've only just recovered, so you need to save your strength. Don't wear yourself out..."
"..."
"Well..."
Xiao Hong Tang imitated Old Woman's manner of speaking so adorably, but Hu Ma barely noticed. Hearing those words in Old Woman's voice made his heart sink.
Had Old Woman already guessed what would happen after he lit his furnace?
She'd gone out of her way to send those words along. She must have had a reason; it sounded more like she was trying to reassure him.
His furnace had no fuel, so it couldn't burn.
Was she comforting him, or promising that he would be able to eat Blood Ganoderma every day?
Or did she mean that even though his body couldn't stoke the furnace on its own right now, if he kept eating Blood Ganoderma and the furnace burned hotter and hotter, his body could gradually change?
Could he even end up better off than everyone else?
He couldn't be sure. But looking at Xiao Hong Tang's sweet, silly expression, he knew there was no point asking her.
She was only here to run an errand and deliver a message.
After a long silence, Hu Ma picked up the bowl and said to Xiao Hong Tang, "Tell Old Woman I understand."
"Then eat up!"
Xiao Hong Tang smiled, her eyes narrowing to slits. "Once you're done, Xiao Hong Tang has to take the basket back so Old Woman can check it..."
"Xiao Hong Tang was very good. She didn't sneak a single bite, even though..."
"...she really wanted to."
"..."
Looking at Xiao Hong Tang's pitiful expression, Hu Ma nodded. "Yeah, I can tell!"
Then he went back to eating.
Before you continue