https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-71-The-Way-of-the-New-Year-Guardian/12834540/
Chapter 70: The Time to Pass on the Knowledge (Third Update)
Chapter 70: The Time to Pass on the Knowledge (Third Update)
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“Untie him!”
The old shopkeeper watched coldly, waving his hand.
With the shopkeeper nearby, the apprentices felt bolder and quickly formed a human ladder to untie their comrade.
Hu Ma watched from the side, his heart growing suspicious.
He had initially thought that the shopkeeper would intervene and eliminate the evil spirit that had killed the apprentice, avenging the man’s death.
However, the shopkeeper simply had the apprentice untied and taken back, then turned and walked away without a second glance.
“It’s all fate.”
As if reading Hu Ma’s thoughts, the shopkeeper explained with a faint tone, “The entity that possessed him is already gone. He’s now a substitute, bound to stay here. If I had removed the evil spirit, I would have only removed him.”
“From now on, if the apprentices pass this way, they should be cautious. He won’t remember his old friends.”
Hu Ma understood, his heart sinking.
A substitute?
There was indeed something here, but last night, after it killed the apprentice, it had gained its freedom and left.
Now, the apprentice would take its place, bound to stay here...
A torment.
The man was already dead, but this torment was just beginning.
As he thought this, Hu Ma felt a chill run down his spine, as if someone was glaring at him from behind with hatred. He turned sharply, but saw nothing but empty space.
Two apprentices were assigned to carry the man back to the manor, while the others continued searching. After two hours, they finally heard shouts from ahead.
Rushing over, they found Xu Ji’s body at the foot of Old Yin Mountain, hidden in a field of terraced slopes, surrounded by weeds. His clothes identified him, but his appearance was too gruesome to bear.
He was curled up in a clump of dried thorns, with bite marks all over his body. A bag of ash was scattered around, and his face was frozen in a look of sheer terror.
The sight chilled the apprentices, and even Mr. Wu frowned deeply.
After a long moment, he sighed, “If only he hadn’t been so ruthless.”
Hu Ma noticed that after seeing the wounds on Xu Ji’s body, the shopkeeper seemed to relax slightly.
A thought struck him: "He was actually worried that I had killed Xu Ji?"
That was too much...
...If I had done it myself, you would never have found the body.
Hu Ma had realized early on that the surest way to ensure his own safety was not to win the competition, but to leave the shopkeeper with only one choice.
If he had the chance, he might have acted himself.
But it turned out that Xu Ji had many enemies, and they had caught him first.
And that family of yellow spirits was truly cunning. They had killed him and then dumped his body at the foot of Old Yin Mountain, almost as a challenge.
"We’ve killed your apprentice and entered Old Yin Mountain. Come find me if you can."
“Let’s go.”
The old shopkeeper sighed, glancing at Xu Ji’s body, then shook his head and said, “It’s not as if his death was for nothing, but those villains have probably fled. Even if I wanted to avenge him, I couldn’t find them.”
“Tell his father the same thing.”
With that, he waved his hand, and the apprentices carried Xu Ji back to the manor to be placed in a coffin.
Back at the manor, the young apprentices were all in low spirits, silent and somber.
Some were in pain from their mutilated fingers, others couldn’t believe Xu Ji was dead, and still others were terrified, wondering what their future held as apprentices in the Red Lantern Lady’s guild, dealing with such evil spirits.
“Go find the carpenter at the town entrance and have him come to measure the body.”
Mr. Wu returned to the inner courtyard, and Hu Ma took charge of the aftermath.
He had Zhou Datong bring out the black ointment left by the second master and distributed it to the apprentices whose fingers had been gnawed off.
The ointment was excellent for external injuries, but whether it could regrow the missing flesh and muscles was anyone’s guess.
When he looked at Li Wa, he was at a loss.
At that moment, a servant from the inner courtyard brought Hu Ma a pill.
Hu Ma knew it was the shopkeeper’s intention. He had the pill dissolved in water and fed it to Li Wa, who eventually regained consciousness, though he was dazed and seemed to have lost his soul.
Next, Hu Ma personally supervised the carpenter, Liu, as he measured Xu Ji and the other apprentice, then hurried him to make the coffins. The bodies were temporarily stored in the warehouse.
He then assigned tasks to the shaken apprentices for the day, returned to his room to wash his face, and brought the redwood sword to the inner courtyard, gently knocking on the door to report his arrangements.
“You’ve done well. Carry on as you’ve planned.”
The old shopkeeper’s face was expressionless as he said, “Burn the other apprentice, keep the ashes, and send them back to his hometown in the spring. As for Xu Ji, his family can take care of him.”
“...If anyone comes to claim him.”
“...”
“Understood.”
Hu Ma agreed, then presented the redwood sword with both hands, saying, “This was Xu Ji’s. Last night, when the evil spirits were rampant, I was afraid and kept it. Since his family will come to claim him, this sword should be kept by the shopkeeper.”
"Keep it for now!"
The shopkeeper waved his hand and said, "If his family wants it, give it to them. If they don't mention it, consider it a reward for you."
"Even in such a small matter, one can show favor?"
Hu Ma thought to himself that the group of yellow spirits must have known giving him the sword would be a favor. The shopkeeper, too, wanted to do him a favor.
He inwardly sneered but still bowed respectfully, thanking the shopkeeper. However, he remained in the inner courtyard, not in a hurry to leave.
"I know what you're thinking."
The old shopkeeper sighed and said to Hu Ma, "Since I've promised you, I will teach you."
"After your night patrol tonight, come to me."
"..."
Only after hearing this did Hu Ma finally feel relieved. He bowed and said, "Thank you, Shopkeeper."
"Why thank me? You dealt with the evil spirits, so it's only right that I teach you."
The shopkeeper chuckled, then looked at Hu Ma with a slightly cold expression. "Besides, you two made a big show of it. How could I go back on my word now?"
Hu Ma's face turned slightly red as he excused himself.
But though he pretended to be embarrassed, he felt no guilt. Before leaving, he deliberately mentioned the matter of the New Year's Guardian to all the other staff. He did this to prevent the shopkeeper from changing his mind. If everyone knew about the test, the shopkeeper couldn't easily find another excuse.
In this regard, even Xu Ji had the same idea, though the difference was that both believed they would get the opportunity.
As things reached the critical point, Hu Ma forced himself to remain calm.
He returned to his side room and took a nap, placing the redwood sword beside him where Little Red Tang could play with it. After sleeping for about two to three hours, it was already afternoon.
He arranged for the staff to feed the horses and clean up, then took the red lantern to patrol the night. Once everything was in order, he headed to the inner courtyard.
When he pushed open the door, he couldn't help but feel a bit startled.
He saw Shopkeeper Wu sitting in the courtyard, surrounded by various oil lamps.
A cup of tea was by his side, and he looked at Hu Ma calmly. "Come over here!"
Hu Ma took a deep breath and slowly stepped forward.
The ordinary little courtyard, now filled with various oil lamps, took on a eerie atmosphere. Hu Ma could smell the different scents of burning oil from the lamps.
The strange ambiance made it hard not to feel a sense of hidden danger.
But Hu Ma knew he was facing a critical skill that could save his life, so he continued to walk in step by step.
He reached the center of the oil lamps, next to a small stone table, and nothing unusual happened.
Shopkeeper Wu remained seated quietly by the stone table, watching Hu Ma walk in slowly.
His eyes flickered, as if comparing Hu Ma to someone else.
"You went to such lengths to seize this opportunity and walked calmly to my side..."
He gestured for Hu Ma to sit beside him and said slowly, "But do you know what I can teach you?"
"I do."
Since joining the Red Lantern Society, Hu Ma had been eagerly awaiting this day. He had long prepared for various scenarios in his mind. He said in a low voice, "An elder in my family once told me that the Red Lantern Society houses some highly skilled individuals."
"Longevity, blessings, and protection from evil spirits—these people are called New Year's Guardians."
"..."
"Longevity and blessings?"
Shopkeeper Wu wasn't surprised by what Hu Ma said.
The name "New Year's Guardian" wasn't widely known, but it wasn't a huge secret either. Long-time miners or those who had dealt with evil spirits often heard of this mysterious group.
He simply smiled and said, "You're not wrong. This skill is indeed called being a New Year's Guardian."
"I've been a New Year's Guardian for thirty years, dealing with countless evil spirits and paying homage to the Great Year many times. Of course, I've also faced numerous dangers."
"Now that I'm older and there's no one to help in the estate, it's time to find someone to pass on my knowledge. Among the new staff, you are the most suitable in terms of intellect and foundation."
"..."
Hu Ma's heart stirred. Perhaps he should immediately stand up and bow?
If so, he would bow without hesitation.
But just as he was about to stand, Shopkeeper Wu seemed to read his mind and gently waved his hand. "No need for formalities. You don't have to call me Master."
"After all, we both serve the Red Lantern Lady. The only difference is that I'm the shopkeeper and you're the staff."
"More bows would only create more obligations!"
"And I'm not teaching you out of kindness. There are important matters that require your help."
"..."
"Important matters?"
Hu Ma's heart sank, sensing a hidden meaning in the shopkeeper's words.
(End of Chapter)
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