Chapter 136 Offering to the Mountain

Has Grandma really returned?

Hu Ma looked towards the side of the table but saw nothing. In his eyes, there was only a mass of air, blending with the night outside the door.

But he saw the genuine joy and affection on Xiao Hongtang's face.

If it were truly Grandma returning, he would naturally be able to see her. If Grandma returned in another form, she would, in principle, let him see her as well. This did make Hu Ma feel a little puzzled, but he couldn't help but refrain from asking. Second Grandpa had told him that at times like this, one shouldn't ask such questions, as it would be disrespectful.

Just because he couldn't see her didn't mean Grandma hadn't returned. The others in the village couldn't see their ancestors either, yet they remained devout.

So, Hu Ma put on a smile as well. He first went to the table, poured wine for Grandma, and then made dumplings.

He served the first three to Grandma, placing them at the table's edge. Then, he served Xiao Hongtang a small bowl and himself a large bowl.

The family huddled together in the dimly lit little house, eating another reunion dinner.

In a daze, he truly felt as if he saw Grandma sitting in the armchair, watching him and Xiao Hongtang with loving eyes, and a feeling of great peace settled in his heart.

This night, every house was lit up, the lights staying on all night long. Every family had their own ancestors staying with them.

Humans and ghosts lived together in the same house, but the people of the village all slept very peacefully this night.

Everyone feared ghosts, but who would be afraid of the people who gave them life?

...

"Grandma, don't worry about me. I've learned some of the skills of the Night Watchman, though not all of them yet. But I'm close to curing myself."

After bringing Grandma home to celebrate the New Year,

he did as he had when he brought Grandma back: burned three incense sticks to guide the way. He came to the old fire pit along with the endless stream of soul-sending villagers. Everyone stuck the incense sticks in their hands into the pit, then took out their pouches, poured the ash inside, and replaced it with a new batch.

Because they were preparing to return to their maternal homes, visiting relatives between villages.

In the Old Yin Mountain forest, fire pit ash was indispensable.

However, while there were many relatives visiting between neighboring families in the village, the Hu family had none.

After paying respects at the old fire pit, Hu Ma began to consider when he should return.

Especially since the Blood Food Pill of Miss White Wine was ready, and he was eager to go back and share the spoils…

…no, share the opportunity.

"Little Hu Ma, don't rush off yet. Your Second Grandpa and I have something to discuss with you."

However, just as Hu Ma had begun packing his things, the Village Chief and Second Grandpa came again.

The old Village Chief acted as if he were in his own home, sitting down in the armchair and puffing away at his pipe. He said, "This year, with you lads coming out, our village has truly been in the limelight. These past few days, the villagers have been visiting relatives everywhere, talking about your accomplishments, and have made the neighboring villages incredibly envious."

"They're all saying that green smoke is rising from our fire pit…"

"Five people entered the Red Lantern Maiden Assembly at once, and they've even managed to stay in it. One of them has even become a minor steward!"

"This is the first time in the surrounding villages! Before, someone from that other village became a steward's brother-in-law, and they were showing off and bragging everywhere!"

"This is a great thing for our village, and we can't just ignore this honor."

"..."

The old Village Chief savored the moment for a while, then tapped the ash from his pipe and said to Hu Ma with a serious expression, "So your Second Grandpa and I have discussed it. This year, it's not enough for us to just make offerings at the old fire pit. We want to take advantage of this opportunity before you leave to burn incense, make offerings, and say a few good words to the mountain forest surrounding our village."

"After all, it's not just the ancestors who are protecting you lads, but also our Old Yin Mountain…"

"..."

"Offering to the mountain?"

Hu Ma was taken aback. This old Village Chief was truly daring…

In his past life memories, none of those who dared to offer to the mountain were simple figures. Even emperors couldn't necessarily withstand it.

Especially the mountains in this world, which were even more strangely powerful.

Even if he had made a name for himself in the eyes of the villagers, he was, in essence, just a minor steward in the Red Lantern Maiden Assembly. What qualifications did he have to offer to the mountain?

Even if the Red Lantern Maiden herself came, she probably wouldn't have the qualifications either…

"Not a grand offering."

The old Village Chief saw Hu Ma's surprise and said, "It's just going outside the village and saying a few words to the mountain forest, seeking peace of mind."

"Don't try to refuse this. Your Second Grandpa and I, as well as several elders in the village, have already discussed it."

"Now, every neighboring village around here knows that our Da Yang Village is the most glorious. If we don't burn incense at this time, when will we?"

"Especially if we offer to this forest, our Da Yang Village will be the most outstanding in the surrounding area."

"Even when it comes to collecting Blood Food, they'll pick from us first…"

"..."

"So it's not just a matter of face, but also actual benefits. I knew he wouldn't make decisions on a whim…"

Hu Ma understood the old Village Chief's meaning, but he still felt uneasy. He turned to look at Second Grandpa.

Now that Grandma was no longer in the village, Second Grandpa was his elder, and he was also knowledgeable. He was sure to be right to listen to him when encountering difficult problems.

"It's not like we're offering for no reason."

Seeing Hu Ma looking over, Second Grandpa put down his pipe and said, "Our village has always had the tradition of offering to the mountain."

"In the past, when we had a good harvest, collected a lot of Blood Food, and had many children in the village, we would always offer to the mountain." "But in recent years, although the village has been relatively peaceful, we've been living a hand-to-mouth existence without any major events, so we've gradually forgotten about it."

"Besides, when we say offering to the mountain, it's actually just a small affair."

"Don't you have a godmother in the forest? We'll just make offerings to her. Isn't it natural for a godson to make offerings to his godmother?"

"Moreover, when your grandma was alive, she was kind and helpful, and had many acquaintances in the old forest. Even the herbalists in our village were taken care of when they entered the forest."

"You kowtowed to them when you left, so now that you've returned, it's only right to offer some tribute and burn incense."

"..."

Hearing Second Grandpa's words, Hu Ma felt a little relieved.

Although Second Grandpa was a rough man, he was one who understood the rules. If he thought something was reasonable, then it could be done.

Moreover, Hu Ma also heard another meaning from Second Grandpa's words.

The last time he made offerings to his godmother, some mysterious things came from the forest, so Second Grandpa immediately turned the offerings towards them and had him kowtow.

The village didn't know about this, but Second Grandpa must have remembered it.

This so-called offering to the mountain wasn't really offering to the mountain, but simply treating these spirits like the ancestors in the old fire pit.

They had taken care of him earlier because of their past relationship with Grandma, but as long as he proactively offered tribute this year, he would be continuing that relationship and keeping in touch.

"I'll listen to Second Grandpa."

Having understood this, Hu Ma nodded, but he still couldn't help but say that he wanted to keep things low-key.

He always felt that if things got too big, he wouldn't be able to handle it.

"Don't worry, your Second Grandpa knows what he's doing."

Second Grandpa understood Hu Ma's meaning, and he and the old Village Chief left to make preparations.

They weren't faking it. Although offering to the forest was a bigger deal than offering to the old fire pit, the scale was much smaller than offering to the old fire pit.

First, they didn't allow women and children to participate, and they didn't call up all the young and strong men in the village. Only a few elders led the way, along with Hu Ma and a few other guys who had entered the Red Lantern Maiden Assembly. Even Li Waizi was deliberately left behind.

They chose the third day of the new year. A group of people took offerings, incense, and candles, changed into new clothes, and left the village.

They wandered around in the forest and found Hu Ma's godmother. It was the dead of winter, and the willow tree was bare.

His godmother was stretching her body in the sparse sunlight in the forest. Suddenly seeing so many people coming, she trembled so much that the icicles fell off.

"Willow Mother, your godson has become successful and is taking advantage of the New Year to come see you…"

Second Grandpa was most familiar with his godmother, and warmly greeted her. He chattered away as he pasted red paper onto his godmother.

His godmother didn't seem to want this godson at all, but it wasn't good to chase people away during the New Year, was it?

Second Grandpa pasted red paper on his godmother's body, and then had the people around him clear away the weeds and dead branches, leaving a clean space. He placed the offerings down one by one.

His godmother looked at the bowls of chicken, fish, steamed buns, meatballs, and even a pig's head, as well as the high-quality incense, and was a little dazed.

The willow tree seemed to have a timid temperament.

"Hu Ma, the grandson of Hu Baishi, the ghost granny of Da Yang Village, encountered great misfortune early on, and nearly died. Fortunately, the Hu family has deep blessings, and the elders in the forest remembered the past and sheltered him. Now he is healthy and has escaped great misfortune. Today, he has come to thank you and fulfill his vows. Please accept them with a smile…"

"..."

After placing the offerings, Second Grandpa burned a red paper with Hu Ma's name written on it, while saying these words.

Before long, they felt that the surroundings suddenly became much darker.

Deep in the forest, there were countless rustling sounds, figures swaying, and dead branches swaying, as if they had entered another world.

Looking directly with their eyes, they only felt a chilling wind and couldn't see anything. But if they looked with the corner of their eyes, they felt that the forest behind them was filled with people.

Each had different gazes, some comforting, some laughing, all casting them towards Hu Ma.

And before these many gazes, Willow Mother was trembling.

"Damn it, where did you get the face to say you're here to offer to me?"

"..."

"They really came…"

At the same time, after noticing these gazes, Hu Ma's heart also shuddered slightly.

It was those people.

Those who had come out to send Grandma off, and who had come to see him when he left the village, and had received his bow.

He couldn't see these "people" clearly now, but he could sense that familiar gaze.

Especially when he raised his head slightly, the corner of his eye did indeed see something in the depths of the forest again.

That tree stump.

The old Village Chief and Second Grandpa had discussed this matter of offering to the mountain, and even he felt a little unsure.

But they seemed to have been… waiting for a long time?

He took a deep breath and was about to bow, but suddenly heard a commotion in the distance, with faint shouts and curses coming from:

"What ability does your Da Yang Village have that you can run outside and offer to the forest?"