Hu Ma was slightly taken aback.
"Year-Keepers?"
"Yes, not the kind of Year-Keeper who gives out lucky money during the New Year. These are people from a specific sect," Erguotou explained with a smile.
"Year-Keepers deal with ghosts, exorcise evil spirits, and handle punishments for malevolent souls... There are many strange and sinister things in this world, and many who interact with them. Depending on their methods and customs, they are divided into various sects. The Year-Keepers are one of them."
Hu Ma's mind suddenly cleared.
No wonder Second Master's abilities were so different from Granny's.
They belonged to different sects.
Feeling a spark of interest, Hu Ma quickly asked, "So, how can one join this sect?"
"That's a bit more complicated," Erguotou replied with a chuckle.
"Brother, how many pillars of cultivation do you have now?"
"Pillars?" Hu Ma hesitated for a moment, recalling that Granny had also asked him this question.
"Are you referring to our life incense, or is this the way the world measures cultivation?"
"Both," Erguotou replied, patiently explaining.
"In this world, a person's cultivation is measured in pillars based on their life essence. If someone lives to twenty without illness or disaster, their life essence is at its peak. At this point, they can repel evil spirits and keep malevolent forces at bay. In the eyes of those in the know, this level of cultivation is considered one pillar. Three pillars equate to sixty years of cultivation."
For us reincarnators, it's a bit easier.
Our innate spirit temples reveal everything, allowing us to directly see our life incense.
If you have one stick of incense, you have one pillar of cultivation.
If you don't even have one pillar, it's just called 'heat,' not cultivation.
"If you want to join the Year-Keepers, you need at least one pillar of cultivation."
Hu Ma finally understood.
Through daily consumption of the Blood Tai Sui, he had already reached one and a half pillars, nearly two.
This was unusually fast, and it didn't make much sense.
Erguotou mentioned that one pillar was enough to join the Year-Keepers, but Granny had insisted he wait until he had three pillars.
This was likely due to the uniqueness of his body.
Realizing that he had too many differences from others, Hu Ma decided to play it safe and sighed, "I don't even have half a pillar. I seem to be different from you all. I remembered my past life early, but I was weak and sickly as a child, nearly dying several times.
I stayed with a ghost-dealing granny, but because of my weak constitution, I couldn't learn her skills. Eventually, I ended up working with an old miner, but my innate deficiencies kept my 'heat' low." It wasn't until half a year ago, when I accidentally ate some Tai Sui, that my spirit temple opened.
You're the first reincarnator I've met since then...
"Erguotou chuckled."
You're quite honest, brother.
Next time, don't reveal so much about yourself to others.
"Hu Ma followed his advice and asked,"Why not?
""Better safe than sorry,"Erguotou sighed."
My habits are different from Miss White Wine's.
She's extremely cautious and avoids meeting other reincarnators entirely.
Even though she once saved my life, I still don't know what she looks like.
I, on the other hand, am cautious but not overly paranoid.
Just be mindful in your daily life...
Of course, I'm not saying you should follow my example.
"He then turned serious."
The people of this world harbor great hostility toward us, and some of them possess immense power.
They are always looking for us, and if they find us, it won't end well.
So, while reincarnators should help each other, we should also adhere to the principle of not meeting in person.
If you need to exchange something in the real world, use a ghost messenger.
"This is something I should have told you the first time we met, but I was in too much of a hurry back then."
"Reincarnators don't meet each other?" Hu Ma felt a strange sensation.
There were many people in this world who came from the same place as him, people who were similar to him.
They knew of each other's existence and could communicate, yet they never met...
"Yes," Erguotou confirmed.
"Of course, it's just a principle. In life-or-death situations, we can't afford to be so strict. Among the reincarnators I know, many have met each other. I've even met a few myself... I'm just telling you the principle."
"If that's the case, then I should be careful," Hu Ma thought to himself, committing this to memory.
He then listened as Erguotou continued, "Your situation isn't uncommon. Reincarnators come from the same world and the same era, but in this world, their circumstances can be vastly different." Some are born into wealth and luxury, eating Blood Tai Sui like it's a regular meal, with powerful people protecting them...
"Hu Ma felt this description was somewhat familiar. Erguotou sighed and continued,"But there are also those like you, born with innate deficiencies, lacking nourishment, and living in remote, sinister places like Old Yin Mountain.
Just figuring out your own situation is incredibly difficult, let alone anything else.
It's no wonder the first path you encountered was that of the Year-Keepers.
"However, I think those flesh-cutters, who rely solely on sealing their own yang energy to resist evil spirits, digging for a few coins in the dirt, have taken a crooked path. They're more like 'human candles' than Year-Keepers..."
Hu Ma knew this was important and listened carefully.
He was slightly puzzled.
"Human candles?"
"Exactly," Erguotou explained.
"Using their yang energy to fight evil spirits, each battle weakens them a bit. If they learn some dark arts, it's like using their own life force to nourish those malevolent beings. It's like a candle burning—each time it burns, their life shortens. That's why they're called 'human candles.' These people are not uncommon, and they're all pitiful souls..."
Hu Ma listened intently and asked, "If that's the crooked path, what's the right path?"
"Further cultivation to become true Year-Keepers," Erguotou said.
"In the city, the Blood Food Guilds—whether it's the Red Lantern Society, the Green Robe Gang, or the Basket Gate—all have Year-Keepers among them. These people live alongside Tai Sui but remain healthy and long-lived because they've mastered special life-nourishing techniques."
Of course, I don't know if it's true, but I've heard that some powerful Year-Keepers, with their cultivation, can even bring the dead back to life...
"Hu Ma's heart stirred. This must be why Granny insisted he continue learning this path. He lowered his voice and said,"This is exactly what I want to learn.
But how do I get started?
"Erguotou replied,"If you really want to learn, you'll need to join a Blood Food Guild first.
Only then will you have the opportunity.
"Hu Ma quickly asked,"How do I join?
"He had heard of the Blood Food Guilds, but the people in his village both revered and feared them, as if they were some kind of powerful figures. He had never heard of anyone from the village joining one. Erguotou thought for a moment and said,"I can help you with that, but...
"Hu Ma felt a slight dissatisfaction but kept his voice steady."
But what?
"Erguotou sighed."
But this matter is too simple.
It's not enough to repay the debt of you saving my life...
"This guy is really honest. Just helping me is enough, and he's still worried about the size of the favor?"
Don't underestimate the value of 'favors,'"Erguotou explained with a smile." Among reincarnators, the most valuable currency is favors.
You need to understand that we reincarnators have no binding agreements and dare not form real-world connections.
Even when we help each other, it's just a group of pitiful souls huddling together for warmth.
"But everyone is struggling to survive and can't afford to focus too much on others. Yet, there's always the possibility that we might need someone else to save our lives. So, over the years, we've realized that the most precious thing we have is favors."
For me, you saving my life is an enormous favor.
Whether I arrange for you to join the Red Lantern Society or help you with some minor issue, it's not even worth mentioning.
To truly repay this favor, I should directly teach you the techniques... and throw in two pounds of Blood Tai Sui as well!
"Hu Ma was momentarily stunned. The idea of using favors as currency seemed both fantastical and yet perfectly logical. This also explained why Miss White Wine had insisted on repaying him with three pieces of information. Was she afraid of inadvertently owing him a favor?"
For you, it was just a casual message that saved my life, but for me, it's an enormous favor,"Erguotou said seriously." If I brush it off now, my favors might lose their value among other reincarnators in the future.
"So, brother, don't be polite with me. Since you want to learn the ways of the Year-Keepers, I'll help you find an opportunity... Besides that, if you have any other questions, just ask me on the zero days."
Hu Ma finally understood and thanked him sincerely.
Their connection was maintained through the burning of life incense, so they didn't waste time on idle chatter.
After their conversation, they both withdrew.
(End of Chapter)