Chapter 266: Calling the Reincarnate
Chapter 266: Calling the Reincarnate
"Young Master, are we almost home?" asked Xiang Yaa, as they approached Anzhou City.
Upon entering the city, Hu Ma changed into a set of coarse cloth garments, and Xiang Yaa, with her hair cut short like a boy, accompanied him as his mute brother. After several days of continuous travel, her face had thinned, and she was covered in dirt. It was a challenging journey, and she had endured it all without complaint.
Riding a horse for a short while might be fun, but doing so for an entire day was pure torture.
For several consecutive days, they had ridden horses, rushed through the journey, and evaded potential dangers. They were constantly on high alert, unable to eat or sleep properly, making the journey a nightmarish ordeal.
Hu Ma managed to endure thanks to his robust physique as a Shou Sui person and the blood feast pills.
Xiang Yaa, on the other hand, had not uttered a word of complaint throughout the journey. Her determination impressed Hu Ma, especially when he saw the towel she used to wipe herself down the next day, which was even stained with blood, and her inner thighs were chafed.
After several days of hardship, they finally reached Anzhou City.
During this time, Xiang Yaa had followed Hu Ma, staying in farmers' homes, finding shelter in ancestral halls, or even sleeping in the wilderness. They had only managed to escape evil spirits by relying on the Incense Array.
Now, as they approached the city, they were getting closer to home.
"Of course," Hu Ma replied with a smile. "We've reached Anzhou Prefecture, and from here, it's just a day's journey to Ling Shou Prefecture."
"You'll be home soon."
"..."
"That's wonderful..." Xiang Yaa's face lit up with joy, and the gloom that had enveloped her seemed to lift.
However, she didn't realize that Hu Ma had taken them on a longer route.
Normally, coming from Mingzhou, they could have first gone to Lingzhou Prefecture, which was actually a little closer than Anzhou Prefecture.
But Hu Ma had to make a stop in Anzhou first to contact the Reincarnation Organization. Xiang Yaa, having stayed indoors the entire time, had no intuitive understanding of the terrain or the states and counties. Unconsciously, she believed that to get to Ling Shou Prefecture, they had to go through Anzhou Prefecture.
Nevertheless, Hu Ma felt fortunate to have made it safely to Anzhou City. After the fierce battle outside Dongchang Prefecture, he had decided to travel light with Xiang Yaa and rush to Anzhou.
If they had continued their journey as before, they might have encountered more fights.
Even so, Hu Ma had experienced several heart-pounding moments along the way, feeling as if something was about to find them.
He suspected that the so-called Third Young Master, unable to wait for the steward to meet up with him, was growing anxious and using some method to track them down.
By coming to Anzhou City first, Hu Ma not only had the opportunity to contact the Reincarnation Organization but also gained an advantage over their pursuers. Two days ago, they had passed through a major intersection.
If they had wanted to go to Ling Shou Prefecture, they could have simply headed north. However, Hu Ma, who appeared to be escorting Xiang Yaa home, had turned east, taking a longer route directly towards Anzhou Prefecture.
If their pursuers had been waiting at the crossroads, they would have been disappointed.
But as they drew closer to Ling Shou Prefecture, their pursuers would become more anxious. Hu Ma wondered when they would reach Anzhou Prefecture.
"It seems the pursuers haven't spread out their net, indicating that not many people from the Li Clan dare to harm Xiang Yaa," Hu Ma observed.
"Perhaps they bear a grudge against her. Many people resent the Ghost Cavern Guardians, but most wouldn't dare to harm her, considering she's a young lady of noble birth!"
"..."
Hu Ma's thoughts turned to Xiang Yaa's dirty face as she hurriedly poured him tea. He sighed softly, "She's such a pitiful girl. Despite being a young lady, she's not accepted by others, and even returning home is this difficult!"
"Don't bother," he said, deciding to go downstairs and order some food. "I'll get something to eat, and you can clean yourself up."
"We won't travel tonight, so you can rest. Tomorrow, we'll discuss how to get you home."
"..."
Xiang Yaa nodded vigorously, "I understand, Young Master."
"Should I sleep on the floor tonight?"
"..."
"No need, you can sleep on the bed."
Hu Ma left the room and went downstairs to the hall. He ordered a pot of wine, a plate of braised meat, and a dish of salted soybeans.
During their journey, Hu Ma and Xiang Yaa had introduced themselves as siblings to outsiders. With the constant threat of danger, they shared a room, one sleeping on the bed and the other on the floor, maintaining proper etiquette.
Xiang Yaa, being a girl, valued cleanliness. After a day or two, it was manageable, but after seven or eight days of travel, she became dusty and smelly. Occasionally, she would clean herself up.
Of course, with her thighs chafed, she needed to apply some medicine.
Hu Ma was giving her some time to do so.
In terms of endurance, they couldn't compare to the Shou Sui people, who sweated less and were more resilient to the rigors of travel.
As Hu Ma ate in the hall, he listened to the conversations around him but didn't hear anything particularly noteworthy. He kept a watchful eye on the entrance, feeling relieved when he saw nothing unusual.
As they journeyed, they encountered no fierce battles, but there was one particularly perilous moment on the second night.
The most dangerous moment occurred during the evening of the second day. Just as they were patiently keeping watch by the fire, a sudden chill swept over them.
Looking down, even the fire in front of them had turned emerald green.
Hu Ma was startled and quickly lit up the incense array, taking refuge within it with Xiang Ya Tou, not daring to make a sound.
Faintly, they could hear the sound of dragging chains passing by on the road outside.
After several back-and-forth trips, they still remained undetected, and the fire gradually returned to normal.
Xiang Ya Tou's face had turned deathly pale, and she whispered, "That was..."
"Something was searching for me."
"..."
Hu Ma became more alert after that incident, and they proceeded with even greater caution on the rest of their journey.
Indeed, they encountered two more close calls, but they managed to evade them carefully.
Fortunately, they were adept at concealing themselves, and by altering their route midway, they distanced themselves from their pursuers. In the following three days, they didn't encounter any further incidents.
Hu Ma breathed a slight sigh of relief and slowly finished his meal. He then ordered the waiter to cook a large bowl of noodles with braised meat. Only then did he head upstairs.
By this time, Xiang Ya Tou had already finished cleaning herself and even washed the towel she used to wipe her body, leaving it hanging to dry. Earlier, Hu Ma had noticed blood on her clothes and asked her about it. Although it was just a gesture of concern, it made her blush with embarrassment.
She had made the bed neatly, but she herself was wrapped up tightly, sitting in a chair inside the room.
Hu Ma placed the food on the table and asked, "Why aren't you sleeping on the bed?"
"Today, Young Master, you sleep on the bed!"
Xiang Ya Tou whispered, "These past few days, you've been letting me have the bed, but I know you're also tired."
"I can manage, just rest well. Don't let yourself get sick right after I send you back; how would I explain that?"
Noticing the tense atmosphere, Hu Ma smiled and said, "Come and eat, then sleep after you're done."
Xiang Ya Tou obediently nodded and sat at the table to eat.
As she ate, tears fell into her bowl after just a few bites. She wiped them away with the back of her hand and continued eating.
"It's not easy for the little girl either," Hu Ma observed.
He pretended not to notice, quietly sitting by the wall, practicing his cultivation and focusing on his seven orifices.
Throughout the journey, Hu Ma remained cautious, and Xiang Ya Tou was also vigilant, like a bird startled by a bow.
She had been sold once before, and even the steward who had cared for her since childhood wanted to harm him. The members of the Li family didn't want her to return, which was a heavy blow to her.
She longed to go home, but she also felt that her family was less reliable than Hu Ma.
After Xiang Ya Tou finished her noodles, Hu Ma still let her lie on the bed, while he silently practiced his cultivation. Gradually, his body relaxed, and he entered the Life Spirit Temple.
"Finally, I can call the Reincarnate..."
The thought of this made his heart flutter with excitement.
The closer they got to Ling Shou Prefecture, the more the Li family tried to prevent Xiang Ya Tou from returning home, and the invisible dangers became more intense.
However, the ability to contact the Reincarnate made him feel more at ease.
He just hoped to find the person smoothly.
As he approached the deep darkness, only the statues of the five organs and four limbs were illuminated. Hu Ma took a deep breath, gently raised his hand, and placed it on the wall of the incense burner on the incense table. He focused his mind and spoke softly to the incense burner:
"Nickname Old Bai Gan calling from Anzhou Prefecture Capital, is there any Reincarnate who can hear me?"
"..."
After calling out three times without a response, Hu Ma's heart began to race with worry.
"Could it be?"
If he couldn't contact the Reincarnate, he would have to deal with the Li family's matters himself...
Just as he was about to call out for the fourth time with some concern, the incense suddenly extended outward.
Immediately, a lazy voice sounded, "No."
"?"
Hu Ma was momentarily stunned. If no one heard him, what kind of ghost are you?
As he hesitated, the voice spoke again, "Nickname Old Bai Gan? That's a good name. Why didn't I think of it at the time? I wonder if it's too late to use it now..."
"..."
"Brother, where are you from?"
"Passing through Anzhou Prefecture, are you thinking of settling down here or pulling off a big job?"
"If it's settling down, forget it. If it's a big job, don't come here either. There are few monks and even less porridge. We haven't eaten in several days."
"..."
"?"
Hu Ma was once again taken aback, "Is this the style of the Reincarnate in Anzhou Prefecture Capital?"
He paused briefly, then tentatively asked, "I'm looking for someone with the nickname Red Wine."
"Do you know her, brother?"
"..."
As soon as he said this, the other party's attitude clearly changed. The voice suddenly disappeared, leaving the atmosphere quiet. After a long while, the other party cautiously spoke, "Before I answer..."
"..."
"Brother, you're not at the end of your rope, coming here to ask her for help, are you?"
"..."
Hu Ma was stunned, "Huh?"
(End of Chapter)
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