Chapter 122 - 121: Human Evil Sacrifice

Chapter 122: Chapter 121: Human Evil Sacrifice "No need to say more." Seeing the worried look on Elder Qian’s face, the Young Incense Master merely waved a hand. He was already quite aware of this Ghost Walker’s abilities after having him around for so long. Ghost Walkers often roamed far and wide, living in poverty. Those who relied on the Blood Food Gang’s support to live comfortably usually had limited skills. Moreover, he could see for himself that while the river here appeared calm, the grievances within were far from ordinary. Not even the incense they burned could waft into the river. Therefore, Elder Qian’s ability to communicate was already quite impressive. Thus, he furrowed his brows in thought for a moment and whispered, "If we need a pair of child children, it’s not really a difficult task..." As he spoke, he glanced at the fishing villages on both sides of the river but then shook his head. "But it’s broad daylight now, which makes acting quite inconvenient." When Elder Qian heard how easy he made it sound, he was startled but quickly concealed his reaction, daring not show it. Cautiously, he said, "Then maybe we should think of another way, or... wait until night?" "Time is of the essence. Who knows what might happen if we wait until night?" But upon hearing Elder Qian’s suggestion, the Young Incense Master suddenly made a decision. Although he had initially hesitated after hearing Elder Qian, he adjusted much faster than the elder. His eyes shifted slightly as he asked, "Where is that yellow-haired girl now?" Elder Qian was slightly shocked. "In the village behind us, helping to cook meals for the men!" The Young Incense Master casually replied, "Call her over!" Elder Qian understood his intention and couldn’t help but be taken aback. "But she’s your..." "Why, she was only bought for ten taels of silver and has a decent appearance. I intended to offer her to the Ancestors eventually. Besides, I haven’t used her yet." "Using her here is no loss," the Young Incense Master stated calmly. "Ah..." Elder Qian heard his indifferent tone. He saw that a life-and-death decision had been made, which sent a shiver down his spine. He couldn’t help but whisper a reminder, "But even if we call her over, she’s just one. We’re still missing... we’re missing a virgin boy. You wouldn’t be..." As he spoke, he instinctively glanced at the disciples of the Green Clothes Gang nearby. Among these disciples, there are indeed quite a few virgin boys. Fortunately, I lost my own innocence long ago, he thought. The Young Incense Master noticed his gaze and sneered, "What are you thinking? These are people who risk their lives for me. Why would I target them? However, in the nearby fishing villages, if there’s someone out fishing alone..." As he pondered indecisively, he looked towards the river, which lay empty. The fishermen had been frightened by them and had yet to head out. Moreover, on this day, there was little chance anyone would. If they entered the village to take someone by force, it would easily arouse public anger, making it troublesome for them to handle. While pondering, he inadvertently turned his head and saw a man wearing a bamboo hat walking away from the shore. This happened to be Hu Ma, who had just met Little Hongtang and was preparing to leave. The Young Incense Master caught sight of him. His gaze shifted slightly as he asked, "Who is that?" "He seems to be a passerby. It looks like our men have already questioned him." The Young Incense Master’s mind was suddenly stirred. He ordered, "Call him over." Over on the other side, Hu Ma had just heard Little Hongtang describe how enormous the jar was. As he considered his strategy and pretended to walk away, he was suddenly hailed after only a few steps. Turning his head, he saw a man dressed in green clothes. They were made from fine material, looking silky and shiny, and he had a neatly tied bun on his head. The man brought a few gang members over and greeted from afar, "Greetings, brother!" "You seem to be in a hurry. Where are you headed?" Seeing his courtesy, Hu Ma returned the gesture with a bow and replied with a smile, "I’m delivering a message for my employer, heading to Xiaoliang County!" The man in green laughed. "My apologies, my apologies." After exchanging a few words, which were nothing more than the same questions the Green Clothes Gang members had previously asked Hu Ma, he suddenly inquired further, "You look quite young, brother. Are you married yet?" Hu Ma’s mind raced. He said, "Not yet..." After saying this, he noticed the man’s brow eased slightly and continued with a smile, "But I do have a couple of sweethearts in the alley. Why do you ask, brother?" Upon hearing this last remark, the old man beside them looked somewhat disappointed. However, the man in green was staring intently at Hu Ma’s brow, examining it closely before smiling and saying, "I see that your yuan yang remains intact. How about this? I have an urgent matter and need your help. I’ll reward you generously afterward..." You can tell just by looking? Hu Ma thought, somewhat speechless. He still replied, "Generous rewards are not necessary. I have important matters to attend to, so I must take my leave." With that, he turned to leave, but the man in green gave a subtle glance. Behind Hu Ma, the two Green Clothes Gang disciples who had been blocking his path suddenly moved in from both sides. One reached for Hu Ma’s shoulder while the other grabbed his arm. Skilled and experienced, they had clearly done this many times before. Unexpectedly, as soon as they touched Hu Ma’s clothing, his arms suddenly went limp, slipping from their grasp. He quickly grabbed their belts and hurled them outward. The two were thrown over ten feet. Their faces turned pale as they struggled, but they couldn’t stand up. Hu Ma had used the Soul-seeking Head technique of the Shousui Men. His arms underwent Death Transformation, making them not only immune to force but also capable of damaging one’s Divine Soul upon contact. This was Hu Ma going easy. Otherwise, with a more ruthless move, he could have directly torn their Divine Souls out. SWISH! SWISH! SWISH! Seeing this, the people around were shocked. They quickly drew their waist knives and stood ready. The man in green’s expression also changed slightly. He eyed Hu Ma intently, muttering, "So, he’s a skilled martial artist..." Hu Ma looked at him and chuckled. "Is this how you invite someone to help? By getting physical?" "It was just a misunderstanding, nothing more." The man in green spoke deliberately slowly, as if thinking while speaking. He said to Hu Ma, "Please don’t misunderstand. It was our mistake. You’re free to go!" "A misunderstanding, then. Farewell." Hu Ma laughed, bowing in return. He then turned his back, ignoring the Green Clothes Gang disciples who had raised their knives, and strode away. Internally, he remained vigilant, prepared to draw his blade at any moment. Yet as he passed, he felt their eyes fixed on him, but truly, no one made a move. Only once he was out of sight did both sides visibly relax. Elder Qian looked over in confusion. The man in green also frowned, quietly muttering, "What bad luck. I didn’t expect to grab a troublesome one. This guy seems quite skilled, and we shouldn’t make more enemies now, lest those fellows in the temple find a chance to escape..." Elder Qian nodded in agreement, adding, "Yet this one is deeply hidden. He might not have come with good intentions." "We can’t worry about that now," the Young Incense Master replied softly. "We must get the items quickly and send the brothers back for healing. Otherwise, the longer we delay, the more chaotic things will become." "...Where are those injured brothers now?" Elder Qian felt a sudden pang of alarm at the question. Last night, when the Green Clothes Gang chased a few Red Fragrance disciples from the Lady’s Assembly, there were casualties on both sides. The Green Clothes Gang had one severely injured member. He was now lying in a carriage, his wounds bandaged, and he was in a deep sleep. The Young Incense Master and Elder Qian approached to look at the wound on the man’s thigh. Sensing someone approaching, the man forced his eyes open. Upon seeing the Young Incense Master, he tried to rise. "No need to get up. Your wounds are too severe. Rest easy. I’ll take care of your mother and sister." The Young Incense Master came close and whispered to him. The man in the carriage was shocked, looking over in disbelief. But before he could say a word, the Young Incense Master’s palm was already on his face. He released a burst of dark energy that knocked the man out cold. Elder Qian watched, his heart trembling. The Young Incense Master glanced at him indifferently and said, "They were meant to risk their lives for me. Isn’t dying here good enough?" Elder Qian lowered his head, not daring to speak. The Young Incense Master merely stated, "Make the arrangements!" At the same time, Hu Ma, who had just showcased his skills, remained wary of any renewed attacks. Yet when they didn’t follow him, he silently pondered their motives. Their sudden hostility is confusing. They attacked but didn’t hold me back. This suggests they didn’t recognize my identity. But what was their purpose in trying to entangle me without reason? His mind drifted back to the question about whether he was married... ...Were they checking if I was a virgin boy? As he pondered this, he took a small detour, heading towards the fishing village on this side of the river. Both sides of the river had fishing families dependent on the water, and this village seemed larger than the one on the opposite bank. On his way over, Hu Ma noticed the smoke from kitchens; the fishing families were preparing meals. From a distance, he saw two figures in green clothing, clearly with the group by the river. He chose to quietly observe from the side. "Why did the young master call me over?" "I... I’m just cooking for the young master. I... I cook very well and never sneak a bite." As he got closer, he could make out two Green Clothes Gang members escorting a sickly-looking, reed-thin girl towards the river. She seemed very frightened and continuously asked them questions, but neither responded. Upon seeing her, Hu Ma’s mind suddenly clicked. Good heavens... ...Child children, could it be a sacrifice? Ever since he returned to the village, Hu Ma had been focused on training in the Path of the Shousui Men, while also delving into the Age Suppressing Book. He gradually learned a lot about offerings, sacrifices, and how to summon evil spirits. He discovered that offerings varied hugely, with different requirements. Some offerings were as simple as a bowl of rice, others as extravagant as fresh produce, poultry, and fish, with the grandest involving major sacrifices like the Tai Sui. Besides these, there were also evil sacrifices, such as those involving child children. The Green Clothes Gang took the girl away, then suddenly blocked my path, asking if I was a virgin boy... ...Could they be planning to offer a sacrifice to the River God? Considering this, Hu Ma let out a slow breath. Damn it, this matches my own intentions... The Age Suppressing Book also contained methods for offering sacrifices to the River God.