"Are you coming along?"
As soon as Hu Ma spoke these words, both the clan leader and Second Grandpa were visibly startled.
The situation with Hu Ma was well-known in the village.
The last time he had ventured into the forest, something had happened.
Later, his grandmother had come to ask the ancestors in the old fire pit to acknowledge Hu Ma, but they had refused, and he had not received their protection.
It was said that he had gone to Second Grandpa to learn some skills, but it had only been a few days.
Now, going into the forest again—wasn't that just asking for trouble?
"Don't you dare follow! You might hold Second Grandpa back!"
The old clan leader immediately warned Hu Ma sternly: "We'll figure out a way to find your grandmother."
"It won't hold him back. Besides, the place these city folks are heading is in the same direction where my grandmother disappeared, right?"
Hu Ma had already made up his mind and insisted on going.
His grandmother must have run into some trouble; otherwise, she wouldn't have forgotten to burn incense for Little Red Tang.
The trouble his grandmother faced was either something the village couldn't help with, or something only Second Grandpa could handle.
That's why Hu Ma had to go with him.
As for the dangers in the forest...
Hu Ma had already thought it through.
His cultivation had reached a certain level, and ordinary wandering spirits couldn't get close to him.
And those that dared to approach him—even if he stayed in the village, they could still take his life.
Rather than staying in the village, worrying about an uncertain fate without Second Grandpa's protection, it was better to go into the forest with these people.
Not only would he have Second Grandpa's protection, but he could also try to find his grandmother.
Even if it turned out to be a false alarm, once his grandmother returned to the village and summoned Little Red Tang, both sides would feel at ease.
"Ah... right, let Hu Ma come along."
Second Grandpa had initially wanted to persuade Hu Ma to stay, but as he was about to speak, he suddenly understood.
It made sense.
Hu Ma going with him was the best option.
He had realized this too, just a bit slower.
"I say, is it really this hard for such a big village to find a guide?"
At that moment, the old man in the long robe who had been standing nearby, hands behind his back, watching the scenery, walked over with a smile.
"We're in a hurry to get into the mountains. If your Great Sheep Village doesn't have someone familiar with these old forests, we can always find another village."
"We do, we do."
The clan leader quickly replied with a smile: "We've got someone. I just need to explain the rules to him, so he doesn't offend our esteemed guests."
"I'll take you into the mountains. I know the Eight Hundred Li Old Yin Mountain around Great Sheep Village like the back of my hand."
Second Grandpa turned to the old man in the long robe and said, "But I'll need to bring this kid along to help out."
"You need a helper just to lead the way?"
The old man in the long robe glanced at Hu Ma with a smile.
"Fine, he can come, but he won't be paid."
"He wasn't expecting to be paid anyway..."
Second Grandpa muttered, then headed back into the village: "I'll go prepare some provisions."
"No need, we've got everything here. You won't go hungry or thirsty. Let's not waste time and get into the mountains as soon as possible!"
The old man in the long robe raised his hand to stop him and waved to the people behind him: "Unload the supplies!"
The men, who looked like porters and guards, were very efficient.
They immediately opened the large carriage, which was packed with boxes and luggage.
They unloaded everything, picking out the essentials, which they tied up with thick ropes and slung over their shoulders.
The largest bundle was handed to Second Grandpa without hesitation.
Even Hu Ma wasn't spared.
A bundle was tossed his way: "Hey, kid, make yourself useful."
Hu Ma silently took it without resistance.
With his short hair, rough cloth shirt, and cloth shoes, he did look like a wild kid.
Besides finding his grandmother, these people had piqued his curiosity.
Perhaps through them, he could learn more about the world.
"It's almost noon."
The old man in the long robe took a straw rope handed to him by someone nearby and tied the front and back of his robe around his waist.
His silk trousers were neatly bound at the legs, and he respectfully addressed the sedan chair with its black curtains: "Shall we set off?"
"Proceed."
A cool, detached voice came from inside the sedan chair.
Two strong men, one in front and one behind, stepped up to the sedan chair and slung the carrying poles over their shoulders.
"Are they really going to carry that sedan chair into the mountains?"
Hu Ma watched from the side, feeling a bit surprised.
The forest paths were treacherous, and carriages couldn't pass, so the luggage from the carriage had to be carried on foot.
But the person in the sedan chair needed to be carried into the forest?
Of course, this had been arranged beforehand, and no one objected.
Once everything was ready, they set off.
Hu Ma turned his gaze away and silently followed Second Grandpa.
The group left the village and headed straight west, toward the densest, most remote part of the Old Yin Mountain.
Hu Ma had been in this world for a while now and had gradually come to understand the basics.
This mysterious region, where the mountains and forests intertwined, was known as the Eight Hundred Li Old Yin Mountain.
It was a dangerous place, but it was also where the Tai Sui grew, holding endless treasures.
Though he usually slacked off when it came to mountain travel, Hu Ma's cultivation was now strong, and his stamina was impressive.
Carrying a bundle through the forest wasn't a problem.
But the oppressive silence of the forest couldn't help but make one feel a sense of desolation.
After a few steps, a red figure flashed by his side.
Little Red Tang had come to hold onto his sleeve, following him carefully.
Hu Ma noticed that none of the others seemed to notice Little Red Tang's presence, so he kept quiet and let her follow.
Whether it was because Second Grandpa was with them or because the last time they had left the village, it was due to his grandmother's ghostly identity that had attracted so many evil spirits, this journey was surprisingly smooth.
Apart from the occasional difficult path that required clearing with a sickle or encountering some snakes and insects, the trip was mostly uneventful as they gradually ventured deeper into the forest.
"There's fog ahead. We can't go that way."
Second Grandpa, acting as the guide for these city folks, wasn't as talkative as he was in the village.
He silently carried his large bundle forward, saying nothing until they reached a fork in the path that was almost completely overgrown with weeds.
He stopped and addressed the old man in the long robe: "We'll have to take a detour along the river. It'll be longer."
"What happens if we go through the fog?"
The old man in the long robe stopped and looked ahead at the heavy night fog slowly drifting.
"That fog isn't normal. It's probably the old toad from the river coming ashore."
Second Grandpa explained: "If we accidentally wander in and provoke it, even if we can handle it, it'll waste time."
The old man, who looked like a shopkeeper, raised an eyebrow and smiled: "Twilight marks the boundary between yin and yang. The living and the dead walk separate paths. Judging by the light, it's still early..."
"It's different here."
Second Grandpa replied honestly: "The Old Yin Mountain forest is different from other places. The yin energy is heavy, so it's always twilight, day or night."
"If the living enter the forest, they cross the boundary."
"..."
The old shopkeeper listened, seeming intrigued but unafraid.
Still, he glanced back at the sedan chair.
After a moment, a cool voice came from inside: "Listen to the guide."
The group said no more and followed Second Grandpa on the detour.
Seeing this, Second Grandpa sighed in relief and quietly spoke to Hu Ma.
When guiding these city folks, the worst were those who thought they were powerful and knowledgeable, refusing to listen to advice.
This forest was perpetually shrouded in darkness, close to the Tai Sui Lord.
No one knew what strange spirits or wandering gods lurked within.
No matter how powerful you were, you had to respect the forest to stay safe.
One misstep, and you wouldn't even know how you died.
Hu Ma took Second Grandpa's words to heart and paid close attention to his every move.
With his cultivation strong and Second Grandpa's experience, even deep in the forest, they could keep the danger to a minimum.
But this ancient forest was vast and deep, with no trace of human presence.
Could they really find his grandmother by just wandering around?
"Maybe we'll have to rely on Little Red Tang. She's my grandmother's little ghost servant. If we get close, she'll sense her."
Thinking this, Hu Ma glanced at Little Red Tang, but she seemed listless, just holding onto his sleeve.
It was as if, without her grandmother, she was afraid of losing him too.
As they ventured deeper into the forest, the sky began to darken.
Second Grandpa called for a stop and found a clear spot near a stream to rest.
He and Hu Ma gathered some branches, not just for a fire but also to stick them into the ground around their camp, forming a makeshift fence.
They placed a thick branch across the entrance, calling it a threshold.
Spending the night in the forest was like trespassing into the realm of evil spirits.
But by setting up a fence and a threshold, they created a yang dwelling.
Living in a yang dwelling meant that unless invited, no evil spirits could enter.
If any dared to intrude, they could be dealt with without offending the forest's inhabitants.
The city folks found this interesting and followed suit, setting up their sedan chair inside the "fence," clearing the weeds, and starting a fire to cook their rations.
They were generous and shared some dried meat with Hu Ma and Second Grandpa.
Hu Ma tasted it and confirmed it was just salted meat, not Tai Sui.
Hu Ma noticed that the person in the sedan chair still hadn't emerged, even now.
No one brought her any food, so perhaps she had her own provisions inside, or maybe she no longer consumed mortal fare.
But Hu Ma was too preoccupied with his own worries to care about others.
After eating the rations they offered, he hugged Little Red Tang and lay down next to Second Grandpa, falling asleep in his clothes.
Before long, he drifted into a dreamlike state, where he suddenly heard a hoarse voice:
"White Wine calling from Old Yin Mountain. Can any reincarnators hear me?"
(End of Chapter)