Chapter 314: Spirit Well Treasure Hunt
Chapter 314: Spirit Well Treasure Hunt
"An old acquaintance..."
Sitting on the bed, Hu Ma pondered, suddenly realizing the situation. He couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions.
He had put this matter behind him, focusing solely on his cultivation in the manor. Who would have thought that the resentful ghost from the well would come to him in a dream, seeking help?
If they were to speak of their relationship, there was no real connection between them. He was merely a small manager of the Blood Feast Gang, so why would she come to him for help? Could it be that she couldn't find anyone else to turn to?
Thinking about it, he couldn't help but sigh.
Technically, he didn't have to get involved. But when he recalled her words, he couldn't help but take it seriously. It seemed like their paths were destined to cross again...
Those people had actually invited the Five Sorrows Deity to deal with this resentful ghost?
It didn't make sense.
The Wei family claimed to be from an aristocratic clan and had connections with nobles. Could it be that in Bright State Prefecture, they couldn't even find someone to exorcise a well spirit? Were they so desperate that they had to resort to inviting such a malevolent deity?
It was like using a cannon to kill a mosquito; he couldn't understand their reasoning.
However, it was precisely because he had heard of the Five Sorrows Deity that Hu Ma's interest was piqued. He sat in deep contemplation in the quiet room.
To help Zhang Ah Gu, he had already planned to deal with this entity and had even discussed it with Erguotou. But now, with Zhang Ah Gu's wedding just a few months away, he wasn't fully prepared...
The situation was indeed complicated.
He was peacefully sleeping at home when this unexpected event occurred.
If he intervened, it would be meddling in affairs that didn't concern him, and as a small manager of the Blood Feast Gang, he might not be able to handle the consequences. But if he didn't help, he would feel guilty and uneasy.
Upon careful consideration, he realized that this was the first time he had encountered such a situation.
As a New Year Guardian, he was not bound by karma. Regarding the entity in the well, he could either fight it or flee; it couldn't leave the well to chase after him.
However, at that time, influenced by the attitudes of his grandmother and Second Uncle, he chose not to fight but to persuade the ghost to move, resolving the issue without bloodshed.
By encouraging the ghost to move, he inadvertently helped her block the unfaithful lover, who then summoned the Five Sorrows Deity. And now, she had come to him for help.
One thing led to another, and he found himself entangled in karma.
Although he had lit the incense, he had inadvertently performed the duties of a ghost-chasing master, thus becoming involved in this karmic cycle.
"Little Hong Tang, Little Hong Tang, are you there?"
He called out softly towards the beam above, wanting to ask her how this situation had come about.
But there was no response from above, and it seemed that Little Hong Tang had sneaked out to play. He was considering whether to light incense to summon her back, but suddenly, Hu Ma felt a slight dizziness. A faint warning sign arose within him, and he quickly looked around.
He had just woken up, but now, he felt only partially awake.
In his daze, Little Hong Tang rushed into the room from outside, anxious. "Hu Ma brother, come quickly!"
As she spoke, she grabbed Hu Ma's hand and said, "Mountain Lord wants you to come over!"
"Mountain Lord?"
Hu Ma immediately became solemn and said, "Wait for me to get dressed."
Little Hong Tang was taken aback by his words. "Hu Ma brother, you don't need to get dressed now..."
"What are you talking about? Am I supposed to go there naked in the middle of the night?"
Hu Ma found it absurd, but as he turned his head, he froze. He saw himself lying peacefully on the bed, the covers neatly arranged.
He quickly looked down at himself and noticed that his body felt light and translucent. He was wearing the black robe he often wore in the village, with a green belt around his waist and those hemp shoes on his feet.
"Hurry up and come!"
Just as he was astonished, he heard a gentle voice not far away.
Instinctively, he looked up and saw the Old Yin Mountain, at least twenty li away, seemingly pulled closer. He could see the old tree stump on the mountain, and the Mountain Lord was sitting on it, gazing at him indifferently.
Little Hong Tang was also pulling Hu Ma's hand, leading him over.
In a daze, Hu Ma followed, but suddenly, he snapped out of it and pulled Little Hong Tang's arm to examine it.
The piece of green cloth was still there, tied into an awkward butterfly knot.
It seemed to be true...
Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief and follow Little Hong Tang outside, or rather, he seemed to be floating like the wind. All he could hear was a whistling sound, and in an instant, he found himself in front of the Old Yin Mountain, standing before the Mountain Lord on the tree stump.
The Mountain Lord turned to look at him, noticing his earlier action of checking Little Hong Tang's arm, and said with a smile, "You are indeed cautious."
"But who would dare to impersonate someone else and harm you in front of the Old Yin Mountain?"
"Come with me; there's something urgent I need to show you!"
"..."
Hu Ma quickly nodded in agreement, but he was genuinely surprised by his current state.
"It's also because you're diligent in your studies. The Yin energy has nourished your seven orifices, or else I wouldn't have been able to summon you."
Mountain Lord spoke and rose from the tree stump.
When Hu Ma entered Old Yin Mountain with his body, he had never seen him stand, but now, as he stood, his body seemed to grow endlessly, to the point where Hu Ma had to look up at him.
Mountain Lord, too, seemed to be in control, his body swaying slightly as he led Hu Ma into the depths of Old Yin Mountain.
In what seemed like an instant, they had walked for a long time. Suddenly, Mountain Lord stopped and pointed ahead, saying, "Look."
Hu Ma focused his gaze and saw a village at the foot of the mountain, though he couldn't tell where it was located on Old Yin Mountain. The village appeared ordinary, with only twenty to thirty households, mostly thatched huts with straw walls, looking rather shabby and poor.
However, the villagers seemed kind and enthusiastic, and even the pigs in their pens were well-fed and robust.
A woman with a child on her back, wearing coarse, baggy pants, stood in front of a household, knocking on the door. She looked exhausted and called out, "Is anyone home?"
"I'm a passing woman, on my way to visit relatives. I've arrived here, hungry and thirsty, with no money on me. Could a kind soul spare a bowl of porridge?"
"I'm not afraid of hunger, but I fear for my child..."
"..."
Hu Ma watched this scene with confusion, glancing at Mountain Lord, who only let him observe.
How difficult it must be for a lone woman to travel with a child?
As Hu Ma wondered, the door of the household opened, and the woman was surprised. She hurriedly invited the woman with the child inside and called to her mother-in-law, "We have a guest! Add more water and rice, and let's feed our guest a hearty meal..."
The situation unfolded differently from what Hu Ma had imagined; this was a kind family.
Seeing the woman's plight, they not only offered her a meal but also specially prepared a thick porridge. They invited her to sit and called their three robust boys to eat together.
This family was prosperous, but the boys had big appetites, and the household seemed a bit tight. Still, everyone was in good health, which was a blessing.
"We've met a kind family..."
The woman ate the porridge with gratitude, chatting, "Thank you, kind sir and madam. This village is truly blessed. The porridge is fragrant, the water is sweet, the adults are healthy, and the children are strong. This village has excellent feng shui..."
The villagers smiled, "That's true. Our village isn't wealthy, but we're all healthy and free from disasters."
The woman continued to praise, "But I don't see any wells. Where do you get your water?"
"From the spring in the western mountain gully!"
The villagers smiled, "The spring water in the gully is excellent! It never runs dry, and the water is sweet and nourishing."
"When you're on your way, fill a flask with spring water, and I'll give you some rice to carry. Don't let your child go hungry."
"..."
The woman expressed her gratitude and received two handfuls of rice and a gourd from the villagers. She followed their directions, carrying her child and the gourd, and arrived at the gully, where she saw a gushing spring.
The spring formed a pool, always full but never overflowing. Whenever water was taken, it would automatically refill.
However, the woman didn't take any spring water. She tossed aside the gourd, removed the child from her back, and with a cold smile, she threw the child directly into the water.
The child cried and struggled into the spring, but soon emerged holding a white fish.
The woman spread out a black cloth, wrapped up the child and fish together, and turned to leave.
The spring water suddenly turned murky, even showing traces of blood.
"What's this?"
Hu Ma, following Mountain Lord, witnessed this strange and bizarre scene, his face filled with astonishment.
At this moment, Mountain Lord's expression was cold. In his gaze, Hu Ma seemed to see the villagers in each household losing their joy and satisfaction. Children fell ill, and adults grew weak.
Even the village's pigs and dogs weren't as robust, and an unknown malevolent spirit quietly infiltrated the village, waiting to harm people...
All this because of one action, and the village seemed to have changed its appearance.
"Treasure Hoarder."
Mountain Lord looked at the village for a long time before speaking in a low voice, his expression indifferent.
Hu Ma was startled. He had heard of a similar title—wasn't the crippled sweet potato liquor seller also a Treasure Hoarder?
"The villagers have blessings and respect me, so they live in this land of feng shui. That spirit spring is their source of blessings. Drinking its water regularly keeps them free from illness and maintains their health."
"This is what they deserve. Spiritual artifacts exist in the world, and only kind families are worthy of them. But these Treasure Hoarders use underhanded means to infiltrate the mountains and take the treasures from the spring."
"Once the spiritual artifact is gone, yin energy gathers, and the spirit spring becomes a vengeful spring. Blessings turn into vengeful retribution."
"A few days ago, this group of people came to the mountain and have already stolen many spiritual treasures, creating much karma..."
"That's why I despise these sorcerers the most."
(End of Chapter)
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