“Huff…”

“That Xiang girl, or rather the Li family of the Ghost Cave, is still very righteous in the martial world…”

Seeing this team of tall-hatted ghost escorts appear, Hu Ma felt a slight relief. From the moment he entered the Yin realm, he had already thought of this escape route.

If you want to bypass the Gates of Hell to enter and exit the Yin realm, the Ghost Cave is the most suitable and reliable choice. However, descending from the Yang realm requires a long trek to Lingshou Prefecture, which wastes time. But ascending is as easy as saying a word.

He had helped Xiang girl return home, which was already a favor to the Li family, and he had given them that copper coin.

If he didn't use it, then fine, but since he did, it shouldn't be a problem for the Li family to bring him and Di Gua Shao up together.

However, seeing that these tall-hatted ghost escorts only brought one sedan chair, Hu Ma frowned slightly. He saw Di Gua Shao sticking his head out, looking at him with a face full of emotion, as if saying, "I made it!"

"My leg healed a long time ago, but this time down here, I got bitten by a little ghost again…"

Di Gua Shao said, but he unceremoniously sat down in the sedan chair, then turned his head and said, "We're martial world people, what's with the politeness? Senior, come sit on my lap."

"?"

Hu Ma was a little speechless. Was it because his leg hadn't fully healed that he was so eager to cause trouble, adding new injuries to old ones?

While they were being polite, the tall-hatted ghost escort looked at them, and suddenly, starting from the lantern bearers in front, they split apart in the middle, and the mass of shadows split into two. One team of escorts became two teams.

Even the single sedan chair they were carrying turned into two. Then, looking at Hu Ma, they still smiled politely, inviting him to sit in the sedan chair.

This time, Hu Ma didn't stand on ceremony. He summoned Little Red Sweet and had her sit in his arms before setting off.

"Brothers, take care! I'll definitely invite you up for delicious food and drinks…"

Di Gua Shao said goodbye to the misshapen and cracked dates with sincere emotion as he sat in the sedan chair.

Hu Ma, listening from the side, suddenly became very vigilant. He thought to himself that he should take the initiative to teach Di Gua Shao, lest she learn from others…

…But it was also strange that the misshapen and cracked dates were actually crying. Did they really have genuine feelings?

Compared to that, he was a little curious as he sized up Little Red Sweet. The little girl was sitting obediently in the sedan chair, held in his arms, but Hu Ma was quite surprised.

He realized only now that when Little Red Sweet was in the Yang realm, she was no different from other little ghost servants, but in this Yin realm, her weight was almost comparable to that of a living person…

Yin ghosts and divine souls are all light. Even if a little ghost servant follows its master and receives more incense, this weight is still a bit too exaggerated, right?

He was becoming more and more curious about this family heirloom little ghost servant left by his grandmother.

Although Little Red Sweet had always been with him, when he thought about it, his understanding of her was still very superficial…

…

The sedan chair bearers' short legs moved non-stop, and soon the two sedan chairs disappeared into the deep mist. After Hu Ma and the others had been gone for a long time, a faint shadow suddenly appeared beside the City of Wrongly Dead.

Er Guotou now looked sneaky, and the expression on his face was indescribably strange. He gritted his teeth for a while, and then slapped himself twice in shame:

"Is what this little brother said true?"

"No, if he's that Hu family's foolish young master, then what was I investigating in Old Yin Mountain before?"

"Heavens, does that mean I've been moving his family's things in front of the head of the family?"

"No, if he really is from the Hu family, should I trust him?"

"Should I tell him about that matter?"

"…"

"…"

Hu Ma didn't know that Er Guotou hadn't gone far. While Er Guotou was trapped in confusion, anxiety, panic, and severe social awkwardness, he was slowly pondering in his heart.

Since Er Guotou took the Yin-Yang Twin Scenery Plate and then the Purple Ganoderma, from the hints from Divine Hand Zhao and Curse Master Chen to the shout from the Meng family's Great Master…

…Then he couldn't help but smile.

An issue that had been bothering him was how to handle his identity. Before entering the Yin Mansion, the ways of dealing with those three identities had become increasingly unsuitable as his skills grew, and the things he was involved in became more and more important.

Especially since the Meng family had suffered a great loss this time, it was time for the Hu family of Suppressing Calamities to show their faces. One could only say…

…Brother Er Guotou, you're too kind.

He wasn't worried about this brother sneaking away. Anyway, he definitely wouldn't be able to resist contacting him.

Besides, even if he really ran away, could he escape from Little Red Lantern, the Ming Prefecture Lord?

But without thinking too much, there was no spatial distinction in the Yin realm. After a burst of misty air dissipated, Hu Ma quickly felt that the sedan chair seemed to be floating upwards.

When a feeling of suddenly rising out of the water appeared around him, the sedan chair suddenly stopped, and a faint glow suddenly jumped into view from the darkness ahead.

He got out of the sedan chair and took a deep breath. The feeling of standing on solid ground was so reassuring.

After tidying up his robes, he led Little Red Sweet and Di Gua Shao forward. After a few steps, he saw a space that looked like a cave ahead, with only an oil lamp lit.

On either side of the oil lamp, he saw an elegant man in a wide-sleeved robe and a thin, fair-skinned girl in green sitting cross-legged. When they saw Hu Ma appear from the depths of the cave, the girl's eyes lit up and she straightened her back slightly.

When they saw Di Gua Shao sticking her head out behind him, they showed curious expressions.

The man smiled and said, "Little friend, have you been well?"

"I thought that the martial world was vast and that you would need this copper coin in the realm of the living, but I didn't expect to receive a message from you in the Yin realm."

"…"

Hu Ma quickly stepped forward and bowed to the two of them, saying with a smile, "I'm not skilled enough and have run out of options, so I can only rely on my thick skin to come and trouble Senior and Sister Xiang Yu. But I'm also very apprehensive, not knowing if I've caused you any trouble."

As he spoke, he turned sideways and introduced them, saying, "This is my adopted sister. Her husband's family name is Lu."

Di Gua Shao was usually irresponsible, but at this moment, in an unfamiliar place, she immediately stepped forward and bowed respectfully when she heard Hu Ma's introduction.

Her laughter was like silver bells as she said, "I was framed by villains and thrown into the underworld. Thanks to my brother's loyalty, he went to bring me up. Of course, I can return to the Yang world, all thanks to the grace of the Great Master. I've remembered it."

Then she said to Xiang girl, "This sister is also very beautiful. My brother didn't believe me when I said that earlier, but now that I see you, I know that my brother was actually hiding something…"

These words made Xiang girl's face turn red. She glanced at Hu Ma and lowered her head.

Hu Ma was dumbfounded. In the martial world, you speak human language to humans and ghost language to ghosts. Everyone likes to be flattered, but you can't flatter randomly…

"Haha, well said, well said…"

These words made the Li family's master feel very happy. He smiled and said to Xiang girl, "Have a banquet prepared and set up right here."

While arranging for Xiang girl to go, he said to Hu Ma, "Little friend, you're familiar with this place. We, the Li family of the Ghost Cave, don't usually hold banquets here."

"It's just that seeing the look on both of your faces, it's better to arrange it here first, to adapt to the atmosphere of the human world and to keep me company."

Hu Ma said, "I'm endlessly grateful."

Before long, he saw Xiang girl personally bring a food box over. Judging from the time, it hadn't been long, so she must have prepared it just now. She was just bringing it over.

But the things in the food box were simple, and also strange. There was wine, meat, and rice, but the meat was steamed and then cooled, with a layer of grease on it. The rice was also half-cooked, and the wine was normal, but it seemed to have been pulled out from well water.

Hu Ma and Di Gua Shao exchanged glances, picked up a piece of meat with their chopsticks, and saw that the meat was ice-cold, but when they put it in their mouths, it was actually a little hot, like a burning coal.

Only then did they understand that the underworld was indeed very different from the above.

They were people of the inner circle, each with their own abilities, but going up and down had an extremely deep influence on them.

"Little friend, if we count, it's only been less than two years since we last met, but your skills have improved so much. You are truly a force to be reckoned with!"

After Hu Ma and the others ate a few bites, the Li family master raised his wine glass and said with a smile.

It could be seen that the Li family of the Ghost Cave understood etiquette very well.

Logically speaking, two living people had emerged from the underworld, so they must have had something happen to them, but he didn't ask about the details and only made small talk.

Hu Ma had chosen to return to the Yang realm here, first to bring Di Gua Shao, second to find some Golden Thread Ganoderma for Monkey Wine, and third, because he had some things he wanted to ask, so he naturally didn't mind chatting.

He also raised his cup and said with a smile, "Things in the martial world are dangerous at every step. I was able to learn these skills because of the Li family's kindness."

"If it weren't for your guidance on some tricks and sending me two loads of blood food, I'm afraid I wouldn't be where I am today."

"…"

As he spoke, he didn't hide the curiosity on his face and said, "It's hard to tell the time of day in the underworld. I went down this time and took care of some personal matters, but I wasted a lot of time. I don't know what year and month it is in the Yang realm today?"

The Li family master smiled and said, "The end of the year is approaching."

"It's been almost a month?"

Hu Ma was quite surprised when he heard this, and said with a smile, "Then has there been any news during this time?"

"News…"

The Li family master smiled and said, "Rebels have risen up, the world is in chaos, dragons and snakes have emerged from the land, and talented people have appeared in large numbers. Perhaps these can all be considered news?"

"But if you want to talk about the most shocking thing…"

"There is a large family in Yanzhou named Meng, known as the Meng family of Connecting with the Yin, a top wealthy family in the inner circle. A single word from them can set off a storm of blood…"

"…But the main wife of the Meng family's Great Master was actually kidnapped by a demon. Does that count?"