Chapter 1 Concerning Fate

Hu Ma had heard a lot about fate, and he always felt that the old abacus seemed to be saying something, but it wasn't guaranteed to be true.

Before, this old boy had also talked about various aspects of fate, and what would happen when people with light or heavy fates met, but it was more like a hindsight than a pre-calculation.

And that Zitaishui (purple Ganoderma lucidum) that could "become immortal," still depended on fate. Reincarnated individuals were hidden everywhere, with different identities. How could this fate be calculated?

Why would Zitaishui specifically affect the original life spirit temples of the reincarnated?

This trip to the blood food mine was because he knew this old thing knew a lot of things, and he wanted to ask the bottom line, but he didn't expect that after asking, he was still confused. Now the only thing that can be determined is that within the Zhensuifu (Demon Suppression Bureau), there is indeed no description or record about Zitaishui. He had talked to Erg锅头 (Second Pot Head) before, and he was worried that he had missed it, so he looked at it again.

But, there really wasn't.

On the Zhensuifu's case, there were several volumes of files, some being Guilu (Ghost Records), some being Jinjiaji (Golden Armor Collection), and some being Diyinshu (Underworld Letters), each with its own wonderful uses, waiting to be researched.

But only the Tai Sui (Grand Duke Jupiter) was not mentioned at all, as if it was not on the same branch at all.

"This shows that the Zitaishui seems to be really only related to the Lao Zou Gui (Old Ghost Walker) lineage, and the Zhensuifu is independent."

Hu Ma thought silently, and the shadow of his婆婆 (grandmother) flashed in his mind: "Back in the village, Grandma seemed to know a way to find the Xuesha Tai Sui (Blood Evil Grand Duke Jupiter), so she could find fresh Xuesha Tai Sui for me to eat every day. Since the Xuesha Tai Sui can be found, can the Zitaishui also be found? Grandma came from the Lao Zou Gui lineage, so there's no reason she wouldn't know about these things..."

Thinking about it, he only felt confused and uncertain, and it was difficult to put a lock on it.

Fortunately, Erg锅头 also said that the next time to go in would have to wait until the Zhongyuan Festival next year, so it's okay not to lock it now...

The problems faced by reincarnated individuals are too many. Now, he should just focus on doing the things in front of him.

Having made up his mind, he only traveled with the old abacus, Wu Ya, and Zhou Datong, a group of four, towards Guazhou. Along the way, although there were all kinds of people, and it was chaotic, there were many eyes, but it seemed that the best way to disguise oneself in the Jianghu (martial world) was to make oneself inconspicuous. Hu Ma was clearly wearing a black cloth robe and carrying a Falcon Official Broadsword on his back, which was very outstanding, but because he was wearing a sache, he was not eye-catching at all.

Looking at those Jianghu people coming and going, even the carts carrying night soil had to be opened to see, but no one looked at him more than once.

Hu Ma looked at the way those people did things, and felt a little strange: "Do these guys think that the Zou Gui Da Zhuo Dao (Ghost Walker Executioner) will hide in a dung bucket to muddle through? ...We are a Shou Sui Ren (Night Watchman), not a variety troupe!"

After walking like this for three days, they arrived in front of Guazhou Prefecture City. Looking at it from a distance, it was a majestic big city.

The city wall was a few feet taller than that of Mingzhou Prefecture City. Walking forward along the official road, he also saw that in front of this Prefecture City, it was lively and bustling, with merchants and mule teams everywhere, as well as Jianghu people sitting in sedan chairs or riding large mules, with knives on their bodies, coming and going. In front of the city, he could even see a line of soldiers wearing black robes, with a piece of black iron skin inlaid on their chests as a heart-protecting mirror.

This was the Tiekan (Iron Threshold) Army, which had a great reputation in this Southeast Dao (Southeast Province).

Different from the Mingzhou Baoliang (Grain Protection) Army, which rose from weakness to fame in just one month, the appearance of the Tiekan Army followed the trend of the times, naturally. First, it rose from Guazhou, recruited 10,000 soldiers and horses, and then cleared out bandits everywhere, and killed goblins. It also competed with a strong and powerful gang of boat bandits on the lake south of Guazhou for a name, and with the help of ghosts and gods, it subdued the boat bandits.

At this time, when its reputation was extremely strong, it proclaimed itself the Tiekan Wang (Iron Threshold King) in Guazhou, and won the unanimous support of the nobles and people in Guazhou.

Now, the Tiekan Army and the Baoliang Army are separated by an Laoyin (Old Yin) Mountain, looking at each other from a distance. However, both of them have only recently risen, and have not yet reached the time to advance outwards. Otherwise, sooner or later, the two sides will have a fight, and the winner will get the Laoyin Mountain's Qi Luck (luck).

However, unlike the Baoliang Army, the Tiekan Wang sealed himself as king early on when his momentum rose.

Whether it is good or bad is difficult for others to say, but having sealed himself as king, he has the Qi of a King. In the Guazhou area, goblins and ghosts dare not offend him.

Looking at it from outside the city, it was already this kind of atmosphere. After entering the city, it was even more lively. This wide street that ran through Guazhou Prefecture City was full of people, shoulder to shoulder. Those Jianghu figures who usually occupy a place and enjoy delicious food and drinks had come in groups, attracting the people of Guazhou to come out to do business, like a temple fair.

It is hard to say what other influences these Jianghu figures have had, but the business of restaurants, inns, and even brothels has exploded all at once.

Even the old abacus was dumbfounded when he saw it: "The momentum is even greater than I thought, Little Shopkeeper..."

Saying that, he glanced at Hu Ma: "What did you see?"

There was a bit of smugness on his face, as if to say that he had judged things accurately, and the nobleman's two hundred kilograms of blood food was not spent in vain.

But Hu Ma looked at the city, smiled, and said, "I saw evil spirits everywhere!"

Seeing these people crowding the streets, his mood was actually...

...Excited!

Who knows how many reincarnated individuals are hidden among the people of all kinds and demons on this street?

The news that all the reincarnated individuals gathered in Guazhou to hold a meeting has already been spread through the mouths of Miss Red Wine and others. Although there are still a few days away from the date, there must already be many reincarnated individuals who have arrived from various places. Now, these people are all hidden among the crowd of Guazhou people. Hu Ma understood this and wanted to find a place to rest and call out.

Usually, except in places he is familiar with, or designated places, calling out for reincarnated individuals depends on luck!

But now it's different. Hu Ma is very sure that if he enters the original life spirit temple and shouts, he doesn't know how many responses there will be!

With this thought in mind, Hu Ma even had the feeling that everyone he saw was a reincarnated individual. He saw a rich young master dressed in noble clothes on the street, wearing a silver silk robe and stepping on a pair of embroidered cowhide boots. Who would be so fashionable except a reincarnated individual?

Looking at the girl next to him, whose whole body was shrunk in a wide black robe, only revealing a small head...

...Who could be so depressed except a reincarnated individual?

Looking at the storyteller in the teahouse, the old man setting up a game on the street, the woman waving a handkerchief in the brothel...

...That woman is not necessarily a reincarnated individual, except for special hobbies, they probably won't enter this industry.

"Evil spirits?"

While Hu Ma was sighing, the old abacus was stunned, and sighed: "You Zou Gui family, your tone is really big!"

"Just because they are helping the Yan family, they have become evil spirits in your mouth?"

"..."

Hu Ma didn't explain, smiled, and said, "Let's find a place to rest first!"

"This Guazhou Prefecture City is so lively, the inns must be full. It's not like us, the dignified Zou Gui Da Zhuo Dao, to sleep on the streets!"

"..."

"I'll go!"

Seeing that he wanted to find a place to live, Zhou Datong immediately volunteered. His eyes glanced around, and he saw a woman in front of a certain house on the street who had just taken her child to buy wine, with the temperament of a widow. He piled a smiling face forward, bowed deeply, and said with a smile: "This elder sister, we are passing merchants, is this house yours? Can you let us stay overnight?"

"Don't worry, we'll give you money!"

"..."

The elder sister's expression was stunned when she heard Zhou Datong's words.

Before she could agree, five or six heads suddenly poked out from the door behind her, all with bare backs, carrying knives and guns, and shouted: "What do you want to do?"

Zhou Datong was stunned when he saw these Jianghu people, and said blankly: "Bor... Borrow a room."

The people inside the door immediately sneered: "What do you want to do, how could we not know? This house is full, you can change places!"

Zhou Datong immediately returned dejectedly, with an embarrassed expression towards Hu Ma: "It's too crowded..."

Hu Ma was a little helpless, what kind of tastes do these people have?

At this moment, he heard Wu Ya, who had been following along the way, loved to listen to people's words, but didn't interrupt much, smiled and said:

"Teacher, Shopkeeper Brother, Datong Brother, why don't you follow me, I'll find a place!"

"..."

Saying that, she raised her arm, rolled up her sleeve slightly, revealing her snow-white arm, and gently whistled, and a small emerald green snake emerged from her sleeve, poking its head around. This snake was obviously a circle smaller than the one she had raised before, which was afraid of heights. It seemed to be newly hatched. After probing in the air for a while, it nodded in one direction, and Wu Ya walked towards it.

The others followed behind. After walking a few streets, they went deep into the city, and came to a large house by a pond with a big willow tree.

Wu Ya lowered her head to look at the little snake, made a shushing sound in her mouth, seemingly confirming something with it, and said to Hu Ma: "Shopkeeper Brother, let's stay here today!"

Saying that, she stepped forward and knocked on the door.

Hu Ma didn't interfere, just looked curiously. After she left, he said to the old abacus: "What is this妹子(younger sister) doing?"

"Hey, this is their Wuren (shaman's) habit..."

The old abacus chuckled, and said: "Because their dress and speech are different from ours, it is inconvenient to go out and walk around on weekdays. Therefore, the Wuren who raise Gu (poisonous insects) have a rule. When they arrive in a place, they first look at the Qi of Gu. If they see that someone's family has not been going well recently, and there are insects in the house, they will come over to borrow a room. One is to help people, accumulate some Yinde (negative merits), and the other is to make it easier for themselves."

Hu Ma was immediately surprised: "Someone in this family has been poisoned by Gu?"

"It's not Gu either. What is raised by people is called Gu. This family may have insects, which triggered some kind of chronic and strange disease, and was smelled by the snakes and insects on her body."

The old abacus said: "There are many strange people and strange insects in the world, lurking everywhere. Wuren also rely on treating people to walk the Jianghu."