Chapter 116 - 115 Shousui Heritage

Chapter 116: Chapter 115 Shousui Heritage Cultivation, what’s so difficult about it? With this batch of Blood Food in hand, Hu Ma felt greatly relieved, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders. The Shousui Path offered him two advantages: first, his body was already dead, and second, he had his Lifebound Divine Statue for guidance. Now, the only thing limiting my progress is my level of cultivation. This batch of Blood Food was a timely lifesaver. Once he replenished his cultivation, he could continue to cultivate without any further worries. Perhaps he could even complete the entire third-tier of Cultivation. With his skill in refining life, he had already ascended to the First Tier. Now, having secretly completed the refining life process for his four limbs, he was theoretically already at the Second Tier. Refining his Five Organs would allow him to reach the Third Tier, making his abilities comparable to Shopkeeper Wu’s. Excited at heart, he almost wanted to devour all the Blood Food at once, but it was merely a fleeting thought. He first consumed a Blood Food Pill, then prepared to hide most of the Blood Food, intending to use it for gradual cultivation over time. Of course, his main plan was to hide the green food. The Blood Food Pills were too valuable; he decided to keep those on his person. Fortunately, these Blood Food Pills were compact and easy to store. After being fed a piece of green food, Little Hongtang worked with extra zeal. She dug at the stove with her bare hands for a long time, her small face becoming covered in soot. When she turned around to smile, only a row of sharp, white teeth was visible, creating an image that was both eerie and adorable. Hu Ma secured the Blood Food Pills and went over to help. He assisted in burying the cloth bag in the pit under the stove, covering it with dirt and then bricks. He then added a layer of mud and replaced the stove ash, thus creating his small treasure trove. Even after being refined, safely hiding Blood Food was a complex skill. The methods of the Tan’er Sect were vicious; they used human skin bags that could prevent the Blood Food’s scent from leaking for up to a year. The Red Lantern Society, however, had a different approach. Although the Red Lantern Lady was a menace in Mingzhou, she couldn’t commit such blatant acts of murder and skinning... ...at least, she wasn’t doing so for the time being. Thus, they usually used large vats sealed with blood talismans, escorted by guards. Logically, Hu Ma’s batch was safer after being refined. However, since it included a rare Tai Sui piece that hadn’t been refined, he didn’t dare be careless. He used a method taught by the Second Master and hid it under the stove. The area under the stove, the heart of all cooking, was imbued with the essence of many herbs and pulsed with the strongest aura of the human world. This made it perfect for masking the Blood Food’s scent, and it was the most economical option available to him. What’s this ’golden thread Tai Sui’ Miss White Wine mentioned? After taking care of everything, Hu Ma still found it puzzling. Inside the oil-paper pouch was the rare Tai Sui itself—a piece blood-red in color yet threaded with fine golden patterns. Miss White Wine had processed the other Blood Food into easy-to-carry Blood Food Pills and gels. This particular piece, however, she left unaltered. She merely divided it into three portions and instructed both him and Er Guotou to store it carefully. The golden thread Tai Sui was wrapped in a special oilcloth that prevented its essence from leaking and kept it from decaying. This method was actually more effective than using human skin bags, though considerably pricier. It was far more convenient and efficient than the grisly alternative of skinning someone to make a bag. "Either it’s unnecessary, or it’s a lifesaver." When Miss White Wine distributed this Tai Sui to Hu Ma and Er Guotou, she had said this languidly, seemingly in a poor mood. Hu Ma guessed she was likely regretting her decision, pained by the thought that she could have easily kept it for herself... Once everything was arranged, he took Little Hongtang outside and locked the door. Glancing up at the dense night sky, he began to walk. As he walked along the town’s cobblestone paths beneath a canopy of stars, he felt a refreshing satisfaction, almost as if he had just gotten away with something wicked. Perhaps, I should find a suitable excuse to move here permanently. Of course, he couldn’t rush moving. Being too impulsive, showing up here and there erratically, would only arouse suspicion. Back at the Manor, after a night’s rest, Hu Ma began to organize the workers. They opened the outer courtyard warehouse, which had been locked for a year, repaired rat holes and broken window frames, and inspected the large carts and weapons needed for the coming spring. He was busy until the afternoon when the old shopkeeper sent an old servant to summon him. Upon arriving in the inner courtyard, Hu Ma saw two oil lamps on the stone table. By the old shopkeeper’s feet rested a somewhat worn-looking rattan box. The old shopkeeper was sipping tea. He didn’t offer any to Hu Ma, nor did he invite him to sit. He simply said, "I will speak; you will listen." "I won’t elaborate on past events." "But the dharma method I taught you is genuine, and the Four Ghosts Salute trump card is also real." "You’ve only refined one hand and one foot; your cultivation is still quite shallow. Managing this Manor is likely beyond your current capabilities. Therefore, you should begin to comprehend the refinement of your other hand and foot. Take these two lamps with you, and light them when you deem the time is right." "These, along with the contents of this box and the two lamps you took previously, you need not return them." "..." "Shopkeeper, your meaning is..." Hu Ma listened, a hint of surprise in his voice. Peering through the fine gaps in the rattan, he could see that it was filled with oil lamps. He had seen these lamps in the shopkeeper’s cabinet before. These oil lamps were fundamental to a Shousui man’s practice of seeking life from death through refinement. And the shopkeeper was about to give them all to him? In response to Hu Ma’s perplexed expression, the old shopkeeper didn’t elaborate. Instead, he frowned slightly and asked hesitantly, "You mentioned before that your granny was a Ghost Walker. She must have some worldly knowledge. Has she ever spoken of the Divine Hand Zhao Family?" "The Divine Hand Zhao Family?" Hu Ma hesitated for a moment, then slowly shook his head. "Sigh..." The old shopkeeper said no more, merely sighing softly. "Tell the men to keep an eye out for any news when they have the chance." "During this time, stay alert and observant; I fear I won’t be able to teach you for much longer." "..." Hu Ma understood his implications. Towards the end of the previous year, the old shopkeeper had subtly hinted at recommending Hu Ma for a shopkeeper position. He also mentioned that he himself had aroused suspicion from their superiors and felt there was little point in remaining. It now seemed his intention to leave was genuine. It wasn’t just that the Red Lantern Society would no longer accommodate him; he also wanted to find the Divine Hand Zhao Family to cure Sister Wu He, though he had yet to learn of their whereabouts. The critical issue was that Hu Ma himself was also unaware. Miss White Wine had mentioned this matter to him but hadn’t revealed any further details. Firstly, there was certain specific information that, even if he knew it, he couldn’t recklessly divulge, as it was beyond his station to know. Secondly, Miss White Wine herself didn’t know the whereabouts of the Divine Hand Zhao Family either. She knew of this family and was aware they could heal Sister Wu He, but the family was exceedingly mysterious, and no one knew where they resided. Upon returning with the rattan box and opening it, Hu Ma found it, as expected, filled to the brim with oil lamps. He counted them: fifteen in total. It appeared the old shopkeeper had truly passed down the Shousui man’s dharma method to him. Typically, a Shousui man cultivating the Shousui dharma method relied on these oil lamps. Each limb, organ, eye, ear, nose, and tongue had a corresponding specific oil lamp. These lamps, it was said, contained what were essentially poisons, designed to precisely target and ’kill’ specific parts of one’s body. Yet, paradoxically, they were the very ’poisons’ a Shousui man most needed, embodying the accumulated wisdom and effort of countless predecessors. Although Hu Ma himself didn’t need them for his unique cultivation, he understood their immense value. However, the complete set for Ascension and Entering the Mansion actually comprised 17 lamps. The set passed down by the old shopkeeper was already quite good; it only lacked the two most mysterious lamps—those for the mind and the secret apertures. This wasn’t because the old shopkeeper was holding anything back; rather, he himself had never received them. Moreover, just as the Tan’er Sect boasted numerous Sorceries, the Shousui Path also encompassed many skills. Whether for the limbs, organs, ears, eyes, nose, or tongue, corresponding special abilities could be cultivated. However, mastering each of these abilities required immense effort and dedicated study. The old shopkeeper himself was merely an unaffiliated practitioner who had later pledged allegiance to the Red Lantern Lady. For him to possess even one such trump card was already quite impressive. Let’s just hope Sister Wu He is fortunate enough to find the Divine Hand Zhao Family... Hu Ma sighed inwardly, feeling that the concept of human relationships and obligations was truly complex. According to his previous calculations, the guidance Miss White Wine had provided for Sister Wu He should have fully repaid the life-saving favor he was owed. But, unable to bear seeing Sister Wu He suffer, he had gone further and requested a jar of Green Jade Paste for her. Unexpectedly, this act had brought him further benefits. Now, the old shopkeeper was treating him even better than he might treat his own disciple. Yet, a rift had already formed between them, making it impossible to return to their previous relationship of complete trust. He stowed away all the oil lamps. However, he kept his right hand wrapped in cloth. As long as the old shopkeeper remained in the Manor, he needed to maintain some caution. With the refinement of his four limbs complete, his next step was to consider the methods for refining the Five Organs. The old shopkeeper’s notebook contained relevant information, all of which Hu Ma had already committed to memory. However, mere notes, no matter how detailed, could never compare to the meticulous guidance of hands-on instruction. Yet, on the one hand, he could no longer seek instruction from the old shopkeeper as he once had. On the other hand, with his Lifebound Divine Statue to guide him, he wasn’t worried about straying onto the wrong path. The only question remaining was which of the Five Organs he should begin with. While Hu Ma spent his nights pondering matters of Cultivation, his days became increasingly busy. The time had come. Several groups of people arrived from the city sequentially to survey the road conditions, inspect the health of the livestock, check the state of warehouse repairs, and verify the clarity of the accounts, among other things. By now, all seven of the Red Lantern Lady’s blood food mines had paid their homage to Tai Sui, and personnel from the city had already been dispatched to each location. Presumably, the first shipment of Blood Food would arrive soon, and all the Manors needed to begin their preparations. Whenever these groups arrived, the old shopkeeper would emerge to accompany them. It was unclear what method he used, but he always managed to appear quite energetic. However, he merely acted as an escort; most of the actual responsibilities of participation, oversight, and hosting fell to Hu Ma. As soon as the visitors departed, the old shopkeeper would quickly retreat to the inner courtyard. It seemed that maintaining even a brief facade of normalcy was extremely taxing for him. Through this process, Hu Ma became increasingly familiar with these affairs and the individuals involved. This was especially true on one occasion when Manager Xu from the city came down. When Hu Ma presented him with the item the Second Master had asked him to deliver, Manager Xu was unexpectedly delighted, despite the gift’s apparent lack of intrinsic value. From that point on, Manager Xu began to treat Hu Ma as a personal acquaintance, even discussing private matters with him. Even Hu Ma himself sometimes couldn’t help but wonder: Could I truly have what it takes to become a shopkeeper?