https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-380-The-Seven-Step-Poison-Puppet-Part-Two-/12918679/
Chapter 379: The Worm in the Vessel (Part 1)
Chapter 379: The Worm in the Vessel (Part 1)
"Grandmaster?"
Hu Ma had intended to seriously discuss matters with Old Abacus, but he never expected the old man to cast a divination right before his eyes, and his expression seemed a bit peculiar.
Ever since they arrived in Mingzhou Prefecture together, it felt like Old Abacus could meddle in anything. Especially when it came to fortune-telling and divination, he would always set up a solemn ritual and then spout nonsense.
At first, everyone took it lightly, but gradually, Zhou Datong, Zhou Liang, and Zhao Zhu seemed to be convinced. Their silver coins were almost entirely emptied by this old man, and they did so willingly, as if it were a sweet treat.
Speaking of which, what was Old Abacus' background?
Hu Ma couldn't quite remember, but he felt like the old man could talk about any topic. Especially when it came to divination, he always spoke with authority. Several times, Hu Ma felt the itch to try it out himself and see if the divination was truly effective.
Unfortunately, every time he had this thought, he would change his mind.
...The divination fee was too expensive.
Of course, Hu Ma wasn't worried about the cost of the divination. It was just that after being cheated out of several hundred Blood Pellets, he didn't want to fall for another trick from Old Abacus. It would make him seem too...
He gave Old Abacus a once-over, and with a hint of skepticism, he asked, "Is your method reliable?"
"Oh dear..."
Old Abacus immediately looked annoyed and glared at Hu Ma. "Young man, you can joke about me all you want, but you must not joke about my Grandmaster. My divination skills are genuine, not like those frauds out there."
"The divination result is the words of my Grandmaster. If you doubt the result, you doubt my Grandmaster..."
"..."
Hu Ma was speechless, so he said, "Then tell my Grandmaster that I owe him. Once I get my money back, I'll repay him double..."
"Get your money back? Who owes you?"
Old Abacus was also taken aback for a moment. He said, "Getting money back is my specialty. If you're having trouble collecting, leave it to me. Of course, if I recover the debt, we'll split it 30-70."
Hu Ma: "..." That's very good. It's perfect to entrust this matter to you, but we'll need to discuss it further. Let's talk about the main issue first."
"The main issue is simple."
Old Abacus shook his head, his expression turning serious. He spoke in a low voice, "My Grandmaster's words are never wrong. If he says the Clan Leader's words are true, then they are. This matter..."
"I don't believe it even if it's all true."
Hu Ma spoke frankly, "We've just arrived, and we've encountered so many things. At this point, I don't dare to trust anyone's words."
Old Abacus was momentarily stunned. "Then you..."
"There's no other way."
Hu Ma smiled, "Suddenly, this Clan Leader, who hates evil with a passion, comes to our door, offering to eliminate our formidable enemy. I feel a bit embarrassed, but even if I disagree, we can't think of any other solution for now, right?"
"We can't possibly go out and fight against the sorcerer's madman, can we?"
"He only sent a dead crow, and it injured Zhuang Erchang, who had his five viscera restored. If I were to take on this task, I might not be safe either. What if something goes wrong? Who would I turn to then?"
"..."
His words were spoken with conviction. After all, he had come to the mine with the mission from Lady Red Lantern. He was here to carry out her orders.
Such life-threatening tasks couldn't be taken lightly. He was a Qingxiang Disciple, not a Hongxiang Disciple.
Of course, he had already reaped the benefits of the mine, but he had earned them with his own abilities. He believed that Lady Red Lantern was magnanimous and wouldn't hold such minor matters against him.
The more he thought about it, the more at ease he felt. He smiled and said, "But we can't keep dragging this on. The miners are all afraid."
"This Clan Leader has a reputation and authority in the mine. If he offers to help and I refuse, what kind of impression would that leave?"
"To be honest, even if we don't invite him and instead rely on ourselves to call for reinforcements, who knows how many people the Red Lantern Society would send, and to what extent they would get involved? Not to mention, the blood feast we just seized might not be safe in our hands."
"..."
He paused, thinking not only about the uncollected blood feast but also the mysterious vein of ore. Who knew what incredible things were hidden within that mine? Old Abacus was unaware of Hu Ma's conversation with Monkey Wine, but seeing Hu Ma's distrustful attitude, he couldn't help but feel a bit impressed. He spoke in a low voice, "That's right. I was worried you might be too young and easily deceived..."
"I was thinking the same."
"Not to mention that Clan Leader, I don't even trust that Zhuang fellow. But if even my Grandmaster says their words are true, I'm not so sure anymore..."
"..."
He sighed softly and said, "Since the situation is unclear, let's just let him continue with his crafting for now."
"Once he completes the poison puppet, he will become very dangerous. But before he finishes crafting it, he is the one at greater risk."
"When a sorcerer crafts a poison puppet, they always seek a safe and undisturbed location, fearing any unexpected incidents that might cause the poison bugs to counterattack. Yet, he dares to come to our place to craft his poison puppet; he's incredibly bold!"
"There's no need to worry about him causing any trouble for the mine. In my opinion, it's him who should be worried."
"A poison puppet master has no chance against a New Year Beast Guardian in a direct confrontation. If he hides in the shadows, he might be able to last a few rounds against you. But if he causes trouble right in front of you, you'll chop him down in one strike. Using two strikes would only show that you, young man, haven't mastered your skills..."
"..."
"I always feel like you're secretly cursing me..."
Manager Hu smiled at Old Abacus, not wanting to argue. After pondering for a moment, he said, "Actually, this is also what I find strange..."
"Let's first observe if there's any trickery and investigate the matter within these seven days, which is the time he needs to craft the poison puppet."
"..."
While Manager Hu and Old Abacus discussed, the miners suddenly became busy.
Everyone was already on edge, and the hanging red lantern outside didn't provide much reassurance. After all, the miners didn't fully trust Lady Red Lantern. But with the arrival of Clan Leader Wu, they all felt a sense of relief and stability.
Soon, two shelters for storing miscellaneous items were dismantled, and the wooden boards and strips were piled up in front of the valley. Following Clan Leader Wu's instructions, they constructed a peculiar vessel in the shape of a mace.
It was more like a shelter than a vessel, designed to accommodate a single person sitting inside with the Hundred Toad Pot placed in front of them.
After the shelter was set up, Clan Leader Wu burned some mugwort, fumigating the inside of the vessel. Wu Ya, who had gradually recovered, also came out and assisted from the side.
She held various bottles and containers filled with fresh blood that carried a pungent smell. She slowly poured the blood onto the shelter, then squatted down and took out different types of medicinal herbs, using a stone mortar to grind them slowly.
At first glance, it was hard to tell if they were crafting a poison puppet or preparing medicine.
After all the preparations were complete, and with nightfall approaching, Chief Zhuang specifically approached Manager Hu and said, "If you have no objections, they will start crafting the poison puppet tonight."
Manager Hu nodded and said, "Since you're familiar with this old sorcerer, just cooperate with him."
Chief Zhuang nodded slightly awkwardly and returned to inform Clan Leader Wu. Then, Clan Leader Wu removed the black cloth wrapped around his head, unraveling it into a strange knot around the shelter.
After finishing these tasks, with his hair falling down, he carried the Hundred Toad Pot and sat inside the shelter. Then, he spoke sternly.
Wu Ya and the other man brought by Clan Leader Wu immediately responded and then both of them, carrying bamboo baskets on their backs, quickly headed out of the valley.
Their conversation was not in Mandarin, so those watching from a distance couldn't understand it, but they dared not disturb them.
"This is the first step in crafting a poison puppet—seeking the poison!"
Old Abacus, standing beside Manager Hu, had been observing the process. He whispered, "The old clan leader's method of crafting poison puppets is the most orthodox and ancient."
"Actually, it's different from what others imagine. When sorcerers craft poison puppets, they don't specifically aim to craft snakes or insects. Before setting up the poison altar, they themselves don't know what they will craft. They simply follow the prescribed methods."
"Now, the old clan leader has set up the poison altar and will guard it. His two subordinates will follow his instructions and, at specific times and locations—for example, a certain number of zhang east or west of the altar—collect any snakes or insects they find and bring them back."
"Whether it's golden toads, centipedes, scorpions, or tigers, they must bring back whatever they find and place them in the pot. That completes the first step."
"..."
As he spoke, he also sighed softly, saying, "These insects, when outside, are just insects. But once they enter the pot, they become poison puppets. To put it simply, the initial poison puppets are just about raising insects and selecting the most venomous one to harm others."
"Outsiders speak of sorcerers' methods as being extremely mysterious."
"But in essence, you can understand it like this: Imagine you really dislike someone, like someone who owes you money and refuses to pay it back. So, you gather a group of snakes and insects, place them in one spot, and watch as they attack each other, eventually selecting the most venomous one."
"Then, you take this most venomous insect and, under the cover of darkness, place it in the debtor's bed. That's what it means to craft a poison puppet..."
"..."
Manager Hu, listening intently, was surprised. "Your explanation is so down-to-earth!"
"Is it really that simple?"
"Hehe, the principle is indeed like this..."
After hearing Manager Hu's words, Old Abacus also chuckled and said, "When it comes to the intricacies, they're all quite simple. Isn't the skill of New Year Beast Guardians just about wielding knives to kill people?"
(End of Chapter)
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