Chapter 1 This World...

"This world ah..."

Guessing at the old shopkeeper's thoughts, Hu Ma also wanted to sigh.

But he found he couldn't say anything at all. Disappointment, yet also recognition of reality. Even the heart to complain felt lazy.

He only sighed softly, then perked up and spoke his guesses, working with Erguotou and the newly invited Miss White Wine to devise a corresponding plan, before silently retreating from his Natal Spirit Temple.

In the night, he opened his eyes and pondered silently.

This was himself...

But after thinking it over, his heart settled.

There was no truly perfect plan in this world. Whatever you did, you had to face the risk of failure and unexpected challenges.

He had only confirmed the need for a bit of blood sacrifice, so what was there to hesitate about?

After all, if not for the help of these two transmigrators, he might not even have understood what he was facing.

Do it!

After all, the Tan'er Sect had already issued a challenge, arriving in seven days. That meant they could arrive here at any time. Especially since they believed the manor owed them two lives, and if they tried to collect from these workers, it would be troublesome.

Even Xiao Hongtang was confined.

The people of the Tan'er Sect knew evil arts and raised Gu worms. You, with your fondness for playing, running around everywhere, what if you were captured?

The workers in the outer courtyard, however, didn't realize this invisible pressure.

They were now familiar with the work in the manor, which wasn't heavy. In their free time, they just counted down the days until the New Year.

Madam Red Lantern had strict rules. Even if your mother died, you had to ask for leave to go home for the funeral.

But there was no reason not to let people go home for the reunion dinner.

What the workers in the manor weren't sure about was that they had only joined the Madam Red Lantern Society in the second half of the year. Would the shopkeeper allow those who had just arrived to go home, or would he keep some of them here to serve? And of course, there was another question.

When the end of the year came, would the promised money and grain be brought back in full?

It wasn't that the workers were shrewd and materialistic, but rather that they were relatively simple.

Because they had arrived in the second half of the year, and the blood sacrifice wouldn't be stored until the spring of next year, they hadn't really done any work for the Madam Red Lantern Society yet.

Although the Madam Red Lantern Society had promised them how much money and grain they would get each month when they arrived, they now felt guilty about eating for free without working, and still taking money and grain home for the New Year.

They didn't dare ask the shopkeeper directly about these concerns, so they all secretly asked Hu Ma.

But Hu Ma didn't know either...

He could only think, "I don't know if you can bring money and grain home for the New Year, but I'll make sure you have your lives to go home for the New Year!"

He was also a little curious: "This world is so different from my previous life in so many ways, but the customs are similar."

"I wonder if any transmigrator predecessors have studied the relationship between the two."

"..."

Another day or two passed, and as the date of the Tan'er Sect's visit approached, the invisible pressure increased.

It felt like a shadow was cast over the manor, making it hard to breathe.

Hu Ma still diligently practiced his cultivation, and in between, he pondered the special skill that Shopkeeper Wu had taught him.

However, he was now hiding his cultivation, so he couldn't practice freely. He could clearly feel that although the shopkeeper was still the same on the surface, not leaving his courtyard, he was much more vigilant inside.

Xiao Hongtang didn't even dare to leave her room anymore. When asked, she just shook her little head: "The manor feels uncomfortable now, and you won't let me go out to play."

"So I can only hide in my room and sleep!"

"..."

"Even Xiao Hongtang feels uncomfortable, how great must the pressure be in this manor?"

Hu Ma vaguely felt that the old shopkeeper might be using some method to watch over the manor, so he became even more careful.

Thus, in this oppressive atmosphere that made everyone uneasy, the appointed day was approaching. Several groups of villagers came to the manor to report news. Someone said, "A pot mender has come to Huang Gou Village and stayed for a day."

Hu Ma didn't plan to go and see, only advising, "Maybe it's nothing. It's almost the New Year, and everyone wants to use good pots and bowls."

Someone else came to say that three or five peddlers selling mountain goods had come to Shi Yazi Village, saying they wanted to organize their mountain goods before entering the city, so they rented two houses in the village.

"Our village remembers what you said, Little Manager. We don't let ordinary strangers into the village, but these people look wealthy... no, they look honest, so we let them rent the houses."

"Ah, yes, yes, they look honest, and they paid well, right?"

If it had been a while ago, Hu Ma would have taken people over to see. Now, he just turned a blind eye.

He only went to the inner courtyard to tell the old shopkeeper about these things, but the old shopkeeper just nodded slowly:

"Good they came. It's about time."

"..."

He didn't say anything else. He patiently waited for two more days, and even the workers in the manor were surprised:

"Why is it as lively as a temple fair at the end of the year?"

"There's someone blowing sugar figures, someone playing with monkeys, someone writing couplets, someone performing tricks... they've all come here..."

"Shall we go and watch?"

"..."

"No one is allowed to go out!"

Hu Ma was just about to remind the workers when he suddenly heard a sentence from the inner courtyard. Turning his head, he saw Shopkeeper Wu, dressed neatly.

He stood with his hands behind his back, looking coldly at the workers in the courtyard, and said in a deep voice: "From this moment on, stay in the manor and watch over it. No one is to leave the manor, not even for the night watch. Just watch over the manor."

"If anyone disobeys, I don't need to say more. Pack your things and go home for the New Year. You don't need to come back after the New Year!"

"..."

Usually, Hu Ma took care of the work and discipline in the manor, and it wasn't easy to see the shopkeeper.

Now that he suddenly came to give orders in person, everyone trembled and dared not disobey.

"Hu Ma, you come into the inner courtyard!"

After the shopkeeper finished scolding the workers, he called Hu Ma in. After closing the door of the inner courtyard, he glanced at the sky and said, "It's almost time. I'll be going out for a while. You stay in the manor and guard it."

"Oh, yes, after the lanterns are lit, don't hang them outside like before. Bring them into the inner courtyard and hang them there. Be sure to watch them and don't let them go out..."

"Yes!"

Hu Ma listened to these instructions and knew that the time had come, and he answered in a low voice.

He felt a little nervous, thinking, could it really be that just doing these things would be enough?

The formation Miss White Wine had mentioned, the name card...

Seeing that the old shopkeeper didn't mention it, he couldn't help but feel a little relieved. Just as he was thinking, he suddenly saw the old servant walk out of the main room and nod to the old shopkeeper. The old shopkeeper then led Hu Ma and pointed to the main room, saying:

"Look there!"

Hu Ma looked up and saw that the Eight Immortals table inside had been moved out a little. It had originally been placed against the wall, but now it was in the middle of the hall.

Several oil lamps and a brazier were lit beside it, and there were also some banners, yellow and green talismans, and the like.

His heart twinged, and he pretended not to understand, looking at the old shopkeeper.

"Tonight, I'm afraid something will come to blow out the lanterns..."

The old shopkeeper also looked at Hu Ma and said coldly, "Although I taught you the special skill of the Four Ghosts Greeting the Door, you've only practiced it for a few days. Your skill is shallow, so you may not be able to use it well. Therefore, I've prepared a formation for you."

"When those things come to knock on the door tonight, don't answer. If something is acting up, deal with it. If you feel you can't handle it, go and sit at the table."

"In there, even if your skill is shallow, you can use it."

"..."

"...Yes!"

Hu Ma answered in a deep voice, but the taste in his heart was indescribably strange.

The formation had appeared.

"And this!"

As he spoke, the old shopkeeper suddenly took out a letter sealed with red paper from his arms and handed it to Hu Ma, saying, "This is a protective talisman I wrote for you. Carry it with you and never discard it or lose it. If something happens, this talisman can save your life."

Hu Ma looked at the talisman and felt as if his body had fallen into an ice cellar.

After a long time, he reached out and took the talisman, and slowly, a smile appeared on his face.

He looked at the shopkeeper and said sincerely, "I've remembered it. Please rest assured, Shopkeeper."

The old shopkeeper saw him agree and stuffed the talisman into his arms. His eyes sank slightly, but in the end, he didn't say anything.

"Brother Hu Ma, be careful."

The atmosphere was already somewhat dull, but at this moment, Wu He, the shopkeeper's younger sister, walked out of the inner room. She had also changed into a black outfit, tied her leggings, and carried a bulging package on her back, not knowing what was inside.

At this time, she even tied her face with a black scarf, leaving only a pair of eyes as gentle as water.

She said softly to Hu Ma, and seemed a little hesitant, adding, "I still need to trouble you with something. Please help me pour out the water in the jar..."

"...Only you can pour it out."

"..."

Hu Ma sighed silently in his heart and smiled, "Okay, I know."

Seeing him agree, the old shopkeeper nodded to Wu He, the younger sister, picked up a package from the wall, seemingly containing his tools, and turned and left the courtyard.

The inner courtyard suddenly became deserted. The old servant and the servant boy seemed to have been sent away in advance.

Hu Ma's heart was already quite depressed. He glanced coldly at the formation the old shopkeeper had set up next to the Eight Immortals table, and felt the talisman he had put in his arms, which felt faintly hot.

He took a deep breath and entered the side room, seeing the jar where Wu He usually stayed.

His heart was already quite indignant, but suddenly, he saw a faint line of writing faintly carved on the edge of the jar: "Brother Hu Ma, never use the Four Ghosts Greeting the Door. If you can't resist, discard the talisman and save your life!"

Seeing the handwriting, he was shocked, and his emotions became complicated.