Chapter 1 Departure

"We're setting off. It'll take several days, you youngsters. Be patient!"

Hu Ma and the other boys followed Second Master onto the road, gradually seeing sights they couldn't in the village.

Pulling the cart was a sturdy yellow ox, its fur smooth and shiny. It pulled the large wooden-wheeled cart, swaying and bumping along the rough mountain road, not moving very fast. If you had to guess, the boys in the cart could probably run faster than the ox cart.

But since they had set off a few days early, there was no hurry. So they looked at the scenery along the way, listening to Second Master spinning yarns.

A day or two later, they had gradually left the Old Yin Mountain area and entered the main road. The road was a little smoother, but not much better, still uneven and bumpy.

Along the way, Hu Ma learned a lot. In this world, traveling far was a big deal.

The first thing to fear was encountering evil spirits.

However, their cart was full of half-grown lads with active furnaces (referring to their strong life force), plus Second Master, an old furnace (experienced cultivator) with sixty years of cultivation. They traveled smoothly and didn't encounter anything.

Of course, they were careful. Every day before dark, they had already found a place to rest, and they stuffed the pond ash (special ash to ward off evil) they brought from the village in their chests. Ordinary evil spirits found it difficult to get close to them…

But they didn't encounter evil spirits, they encountered bandits.

There were no slogans like "This mountain was opened by me, this tree was planted by me," just a pile of rubble, plus a fallen dead tree blocking the way. A group of people dressed in rags came out.

Some held manure forks, some carried hoes, and some even had a stick in their hands, holding stones, bowing from afar to the people on the ox cart: "Passing folks, please be kind…"

"Our village has suffered a disaster and won't last until spring. Please be kind and give us some grain to feed our children."

"After the autumn harvest next year, when we have grain, you can come back here and we'll return the grain to you double…"

"…"

The boys in the ox cart didn't know what to do, but Second Master waved his hand and jumped out of the cart.

Then he spoke with a crying voice: "Folks, our village is also poor. Look, we're even preparing to sell our children in the city."

"But we have a little bit of dry food on the cart, take it if you don't mind."

"The year is bad, and we folks in Old Yin Mountain rely on each other to survive…"

"…"

He poured three large bowls of coarse rice from a bag for the other party. The other party clearly saw that there was still half a bag on the cart, but didn't ask for more.

They also enthusiastically came up to move away the stones and dead wood, and pointed out: "Twenty li ahead after crossing this intersection is a mass burial ground. There are wild dogs that dig up graves and eat people, and restless ghosts after death. Be careful and don't venture there at night…"

"Thank you, thank you, we'll meet again someday."

Second Master cupped his fists to say goodbye to the other party, watching them put the stones back in place from afar.

Hu Ma carefully observed Second Master's words and actions, and his intuition told him that perhaps this experience in the martial world was no less useful than the martial skills he had learned.

On the other hand, the boys in the ox cart, after going far away, became eager to try, saying that they should have made a move just now. Although there were six of them, they might not be able to defeat the bandits. Second Master slapped them on the head: "Don't say that again."

"If you rely on fighting and killing in the martial world, when will you ever finish killing?"

"…"

All along the way, they were gaining experience and knowledge.

Hu Ma glanced into the distance and saw a large city suddenly rising on the plain. Looking at it from afar, it had some imposing manner, but when they got closer, they saw that the city wall wasn't small, but it was rustic, repaired here and there, and there were some traces of axes and fire.

It was still an inch before sunset, and the city gate had already been closed, leaving only the small doors on the left and right open.

Second Master jumped out of the cart in advance, led the ox to the city gate. The city gate official, dressed in ragged clothes and listless, saw an old man plus a few kids, became impatient, waving his hand and said: "It's late today, you can't enter the city. Wait outside!"

Second Master busily put on a smiling face, took out the token left by the steward, and said: "Officer, look, we're going to the Red Lantern Society to worship the goddess."

"These kids in the cart are all apprentices needed by the Red Lantern Society."

"…"

"The Goddess Society?"

The city gate official changed his expression, sized up Hu Ma and the others, stepped aside, and pointed out the place: "Stick to the roadside, watch the ox and don't let it poop. Go to Diaogan'er Alley in the west city, and you'll find the Red Lantern Society's lanterns."

"…"

Second Master responded diligently, driving the ox cart into the city.

It was the time when night was about to fall. In Da Yang Village, the villagers had already returned home, maybe even had dinner and were lying in bed doing their few entertainment activities.

But the atmosphere in this city was indeed different. Carved buildings on both sides lit up with gorgeous lanterns, the noise was deafening. Passing merchants wore brocade robes, either sitting in sedan chairs or riding tall horses, slowly walking through the middle of the street like mountain gods inspecting their territory. Peddlers and vendors shouted loudly, attracting customers.

A group of boys from Da Yang Village stared with wide eyes, including Hu Ma.

The boys had never seen it before, but Hu Ma had seen a lot in TV dramas, but he felt that there were many differences, with more simplicity and realism.

Especially when they saw a strong man carrying a woman with bound feet and a listless expression running in front of the cart, the boys' eyes widened even more, and Hu Ma also looked over.

Second Master glanced at their appearance, sneering, and waved the whip, saying: "What are you looking at? That's a pimp, carrying a prostitute to serve the rich masters in the restaurants."

"You must remember, before you learn your true skills, no one is allowed to play this tune…"

"…"

"This thing even has takeout?"

Hu Ma felt like he had gained knowledge. The boys became excited one by one: "Second Master, how do you play this tune?"

Second Master perked up and gave them a boastful explanation, what with listening to music, what with feeding wine, what with Shuanglu (a type of board game), what with a month-unwashed small feet, speaking very meticulously.

But when he got to the key point, he stopped abruptly. One who hadn't heard enough casually asked: "And then? After getting into bed…"

Second Master's expression suddenly became a little awkward, turned around and slapped him, scolding: "Why are you asking so much?"

"Not learning good things."

"…"

"…"

They walked slowly in the city, and it took them more than half an hour to reach Diaogan'er Alley in the west city. They saw that this place was indeed different from other places. The people coming and going mostly wore black clothes and wide belts.

Red lanterns were lit in the streets and alleys, but they were different from those used for weddings, with a gloomy atmosphere. Second Master arrived at the entrance of the alley, stopped the ox cart, and looked around. Before long, two men in black clothes came over and asked what they were doing.

Second Master busily told the truth, and the faces of the two men softened. They pointed to a residence in front: "Go over there."

Driving the ox cart over, Second Master let the boys get off the ox cart, told them to tighten their belts, wipe the dust off their faces, and then put on a smiling face, carefully peeking into the courtyard.

He saw a short-sleeved old man with a small mustache sitting under the pomegranate tree smoking a dry pipe. He glanced at Second Master, and just as he was about to ask, Second Master busily greeted him, said where they were from, and presented the token given by the steward.

"There are still a few days before the altar is set up to worship the goddess. Why did you send them so early?"

The old man with the small mustache took the token and glanced at it, his expression lazy.

"The mountain road is not easy to walk, afraid of delaying things, isn't it?"

Second Master answered with a smile, and took out the coarse cloth bag placed on the ox cart, opened the mouth, and sent it over.

Seeing that the cloth bag was dirty, the old man was a little disgusted, but his eyes swept over and saw that there were three dried and shriveled pieces of cured meat inside. He felt strange in his heart, and let Second Master hand it over to him, reached out and pinched it, and put it in his mouth.

His upper and lower lips smacked, and his eyes suddenly lit up.

He busily took the cloth bag, stood up, and cupped his hands with a smile, "Old brother, you're too kind!"

"We're all our own people, why are you doing this?"

"These green… these few pieces of cured meat, I can't finish them all, so I'll keep them for now, and I'll help you send them to each of you later…"

"…"

"Yes, yes."

Second Master didn't show any suspicious petty attitude, and agreed repeatedly: "The village is poor, there's nothing good."

"Just a little cured meat, don't dislike it."

"…"

The other party took the cured meat, and called out a blue-clad boy from the house to take it into the inner room and store it in the jar.

He himself straightened his clothes, took the key, and led the way, smiling and saying: "The place has been vacated for you long ago, I'll take you over there to live first."

"We will follow the incense master to set up the altar on the 29th, to worship the Red Lantern Goddess, that is our goddess's birthday."

"After worshiping the goddess, we will arrange where to send you little ones. But don't worry, I will definitely help you choose a good place, find a good shopkeeper, so you can get wages and learn skills…"

"…"

The group agreed repeatedly, and the man personally took the key and led Hu Ma and others to a residence across the street.

It looked dilapidated, as if it had been abandoned for a long time, but it had a decent main room, east and west wing rooms, as well as a gatehouse and stable, obviously it was also a property owned by the Goddess Society.

The steward didn't take them into the main room, but opened the door of the west wing. They saw a simple table and chairs, and a brick kang (platform bed) built against half the wall.

"Well, when I get here, I still have to sleep on a communal bed…"

Hu Ma thought to himself, but after looking around, he was satisfied: "At least it's more spacious than sleeping with Second Master before."

Turning his head to look, Second Master was sending the steward out of the courtyard. He also thought to himself: "Coming to this city is to burn incense, and after that, I don't know where I will be sent to work. That Brother Erguotou (nickname for someone who drinks a lot), with such great energy, must also be a real power figure in the Goddess Society."

"These past few days, I don't know if I'll be able to see him…"