Chapter 629: Second Pot Head's Prestige
Chapter 629: Second Pot Head's Prestige
"We're leaving tomorrow, but where are we headed?"
For a moment, he couldn't understand why Second Pot Head was complaining about Miss Red Wine. After all, in theory, Miss Red Wine and Second Pot Head had only met in Bright State, thanks to Miss White Wine. So, theoretically, they shouldn't be that familiar.
"Jade Province."
Second Pot Head smiled and said, "To be honest, the Reincarnate First Priority is indeed effective. The matter of sneaking past the Ghost Gate is not a small feat. There are many things involved."
"It's not easy to find someone to handle it, but I used your name, and when Miss Red Wine asked around, someone immediately agreed. Brother Five-Skin has already returned to Jade Province ahead of us."
"Once he helps us enter the Netherworld, I can use the Yin-Yang Dual Scene Disc to take you to the City of the Wrongly Dead!"
"..."
'Five-Skin, is that also a type of wine?'
Hu Ma wondered for a moment, but it didn't matter. He just smiled and said, "Jade Province isn't exactly close from here. How are we getting there?"
"I happen to know a secret technique for rapid travel from the Year-End Gate, allowing us to cover a thousand miles in a day."
"..."
"You Year-End Guardians and your clumsy methods shouldn't even be mentioned in front of us Wandering Ghosts."
Second Pot Head laughed and said, "It's getting late today. You should rest well. When you're ready, pack your things, and find me at the west gate of Mingzhou City after nightfall tomorrow. I'll use my abilities to take you there. We should arrive before the rooster crows."
"Second Pot Head, you're truly amazing..."
Hu Ma agreed, sincerely praising him in his heart. This brother had always been too cautious, even with his abilities.
Now that he knew the "Noble Hu Family" was trapped in the mountains, he seemed to have become bolder.
So, they rested that night, and the next day, after instructing Li Wazi and the others to transport the blood food from the manor to the Blood Meat Mine, they could consider returning to Big Sheep Village to celebrate the New Year.
To be honest, he was feeling a bit arrogant. He had entrusted over ten thousand jin of blood food to these guys without a second thought...
Of course, it was best if this batch of blood food didn't cause any trouble; otherwise, the major client, Monkey Wine, would be knocking on their door...
He patiently waited until nightfall and then used his Measure Heaven Boots to quickly reach the west gate of Mingzhou City, where he found a tea pavilion.
Due to the darkness, the city gates were closed, and there was no one around. However, a man with a goatee, wearing a black cloth robe, was sitting in the shadows of the tea pavilion, drinking tea. Who else could it be but Second Pot Head?
The two were already familiar with each other, but it felt like they were internet friends who had only chatted online and rarely met in person, making it a bit awkward.
"Is this the secret technique you Year-End Guardians use for rapid travel?"
Second Pot Head, or Right Defender Hu Shanchuan, turned to look at Hu Ma and smiled, "It's fast, but it wears out the shoes!"
Hu Ma instinctively wanted to explain that he had borrowed the Measure Heaven Boots for the journey, which didn't wear out the shoes.
But then he thought that Second Pot Head knew much more than him, so he smiled and said, "I'll have to rely on the Right Defender to lead the way."
"No problem!"
Second Pot Head stood up, walked to a nearby straw pile, and pulled out two bamboo sedan chairs.
He smiled and said, "When I usually travel long distances, I'm used to borrowing the Netherworld's path. But you Year-End Guardians have heavy bodies, and bringing you through the Netherworld is like swimming with someone who can't swim. So, let's keep it simple and have the little ghosts carry the sedan chairs."
"Do Wandering Ghosts also use little ghosts to carry sedan chairs?"
Hu Ma couldn't help but show off, "Isn't that the ability of Punishment Souls?"
"Wandering Ghosts have a unique trait—as long as it's useful, they'll adopt any technique, no matter what. Didn't you know that?"
Second Pot Head laughed and, like a magician, pulled out two bundles of incense from his sleeve.
The crucial part was that both bundles of incense were already lit, and he wasn't sure if they had been lit from the start or if they had ignited when he pulled them out. He placed one bundle on a sedan chair and, amidst the fragrant smoke, began to chant.
"Incense as command, gold and silver as payment, may the four directions send soldiers to aid me, granting me the ability to travel a thousand miles in a day!"
He then took out a stack of spirit money from his sleeve and scattered it into the air, causing a gust of yin wind to blow.
Although nothing could be seen, the two sedan chairs suddenly creaked as the bamboo poles rubbed against each other and slowly rose into the air, as if carried by some invisible force.
Hu Ma observed from the side and noticed that Second Pot Head was using the same technique as Sweet Potato Burn, but the effect was slightly different...
...Sweet Potato Burn's technique was so majestic.
...While traveling, there was also a supporting act.
Second Pot Head sat in one of the sedan chairs, and Hu Ma followed suit. As Second Pot Head held a yellow talisman and waved it in the air, a faint, indistinguishable "Hey yo hey yo" sound echoed nearby, and the sedan chair flew forward.
At that moment, it felt like they were flying, with the cold yin wind blowing on their faces.
Most surprisingly, the speed increased as they went, and little ghosts seemed to gather from all directions.
With each additional ghost, the sedan chair became lighter, and their speed increased. Even Hu Ma, sensing the dark, oppressive yin wind all around, was amazed and felt like his eyes had been opened to a whole new world.
"..."
As they swiftly moved forward, the fields and mountains on either side seemed to fly by in the night, occasionally startling birds, beasts, and some yin spirits with their hurried journey. The scene was almost surreal.
Vast State was a thousand miles away, yet they arrived before dawn. Leaping out of the sedan, they dispersed the little ghosts.
Even Second Pot Head was surprised, muttering to himself, "Before, when the Demon Suppressing Office was closed, the Soul Gate Path could only use three-tenths of its power, and I could only display one and a half tenths of my skills. Now that the office is open, with three-tenths of the power, I can utilize six or even seven-tenths of my abilities..."
"Is that so? Am I improving too fast?"
"..."
Hu Ma, standing nearby, couldn't help but silently nod in agreement. 'Indeed, this is impressive. Even the Ten Clans would have a similar entourage when traveling.'
In the distance, they saw a hazy mist rising from the fields, and a dilapidated city came into view—they had reached the Vast State City in the northwest.
Second Pot Head didn't hesitate. He took out a sign from his bag, which he had prepared beforehand. On it was written: "Reviving Hands, Tyrant of the Plum Grove. Chicken Eye Removal, Mole Removal, Poisonous Sore Treatment, and Sexual Health Expert for Difficult Cases!"
"Huh?"
Hu Ma was startled, feeling that the sign looked vaguely familiar...
"Hey, how can you walk the Jianghu without an identity?"
Second Pot Head chuckled and said, "I got this from an old high-ranking member of the Scarlet Lantern Society. It's so convenient to have this when I'm out on business."
Hu Ma nodded repeatedly, then cautiously asked, "That old high-ranking member, was he the one nicknamed Lao Suandan?"
"Yes!"
"Have you met him too?" Second Pot Head asked.
Hu Ma immediately fell silent. As the Right Defender, he had many responsibilities, and he didn't realize that Lao Suandan was currently overseeing the mine he managed!
In the city of Vast State, the two had no interest in sightseeing. Everything looked similar, so they found a teahouse and sat down. They ordered two baskets of steamed buns and a pot of tea from the tea master, and had a satisfying meal.
As the sun rose, they stepped outside the teahouse and found a corner to squat. Soon, a sedan chair approached and inquired if they truly had the skills they claimed.
Second Pot Head glanced at the sedan chair with its curtain drawn and smiled, nodding in agreement. He followed the sedan chair.
Half an hour later, he returned, satisfied, tossing two copper coins in his hand. "There was a young lady in the sedan chair."
"She's beautiful, and her feet are so white. If it weren't for the painful chicken eye, she might not have come to seek out a wanderer physician like us. I removed her chicken eye and even gave her a foot massage..."
"..."
Just then, a burly man approached and asked, "Chicken eye removal for a few copper coins? Do you guarantee it won't grow back?"
"One tael of silver, no guarantee," replied Second Pot Head.
The man cursed and left.
Hu Ma felt like he had gained new insights. With a peculiar expression, he stared at Second Pot Head and sighed, "When is that brother coming?"
Second Pot Head scanned the street and said, "Should be soon, right?"
They waited until noon, and indeed, a well-dressed man on horseback approached. He had already passed by but turned back to take a second look. He reined in his horse and said, "Hey, street doctor, you claim to treat poisonous sores. Can you really do it?"
Second Pot Head lifted his head and said, "I have the medicine, and I guarantee it'll work, but it's expensive. Do you want to buy it?"
"How much?" the man asked.
"Ten taels of silver per application," Second Pot Head replied.
The man's eyes widened slightly, and he smiled. "Then follow me."
Hu Ma and Second Pot Head stood up and followed the man on horseback. After passing through two alleys, the man dismounted and opened a door. As Hu Ma and Second Pot Head approached, the man's face lit up with excitement. From a distance, he stretched out his hands and exclaimed, "We've been waiting for you for half a day. I walked around the streets twice, but I never expected you to be squatting there, removing chicken eyes. You must be the legendary..."
Instinctively, Hu Ma raised his hand, but the man bypassed him and shook Second Pot Head's hand instead. He sighed, "Brother Second Pot Head, right?"
"..."
"Shh..."
Second Pot Head hadn't expected Five Skin Brother to be so enthusiastic. He quickly signaled for caution, whispering, "We still need to be careful."
"No need, no need," Five Skin said with a chuckle. "In Vast State, there's no one I can't handle."
After saying this, he turned to Hu Ma and nodded. "Hello, brother."
Hu Ma felt strangely less enthusiastic than he was toward Second Pot Head, as if he were being treated like Second Pot Head's assistant. He was puzzled because he was the one with the first priority, wasn't he? But he smiled and said, "You are..."
"..."
Unlike Five Skin, who directly called out his name, he held up five fingers.
"Genuine, I just returned from Guazhou a couple of days ago..."
Five Skin nodded, then whispered, "But out of caution, should we exchange secret codes?"
"We're under Stumbling Donkey Brother's command. Our secret code is..."
"Crayon Shin-chan?"
(End of Chapter)
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