The surroundings were cold and pitch black.
The ghostly temple fair was in full swing, but it carried an eerie, sinister atmosphere.
A chilling wind blew from nowhere, and in the shadows, there seemed to be things moving about, indistinct and incomprehensible.
The biting cold swept through like night fog, rustling the wild grass by the roadside, making it sway and bend.
The area was deathly silent.
The townsfolk had all shut their doors and windows, leaving only the manor, brightly lit by red lanterns, bustling with activity.
The aroma of wine and meat wafted into the air, and the loud chatter of the workers carried far into the quiet night.
Even the performers near the manor couldn't help but frown, feeling an inexplicable strangeness.
To them, it seemed as if the manor had lit a dozen stoves, making it so hot that even in the depths of winter, they had to shed their heavy coats.
Outside the manor, the sound of the wooden clappers grew increasingly urgent.
In the unseen darkness, something seemed to be urged on, slowly but eagerly trying to squeeze its way into the manor.
Meanwhile, inside, Hu Ma was joking with the slightly tipsy workers: "Have you heard of the 'Four Soft Things'?"
The workers' eyes widened.
"What are the 'Four Soft Things'?"
Hu Ma chuckled.
"This is something our village elder told me. Cotton bales, willow branches, sun-dried persimmons, and a woman's waist..."
The workers burst into laughter, their faces red with excitement.
Zhou Datong, hearing this, chimed in with a grin, "That's just the beginning. There's also the 'Four Hard Things,' the 'Four Tender Things,' and the 'Four Wilted Things.' Have you heard of those?"
The workers had no idea what these were, but just hearing about them got them all riled up, their faces glowing with excitement, their eyes practically on fire.
"With Datong here, we're set..."
Hu Ma thought to himself, watching the workers' excitement.
He had been at a loss earlier, thinking of sharing some key parts of that infamous book with the workers.
It would definitely have an effect, but his image as the steady and reliable little manager would be completely ruined.
Datong was a good brother, and he had a real talent for this...
As he drank, Hu Ma casually glanced outside the manor.
The sky seemed to have grown even darker, far more so than before.
The chilling wind circled the manor, whistling as if something was desperately trying to get in.
But right now, the workers were fully engrossed in their food, drink, and stories, completely focused and unshakable.
They were like an egg without a crack.
Of course, it was fortunate that it was the Altar Sect that had come tonight.
If it had been the Beauty Demon...
...then they would have been completely wiped out.
But as time went on, the method they were using seemed to be holding up, though the things outside were growing more and more impatient.
Hu Ma could hear the clappers outside, sounding as if they were about to burst into flames.
After what felt like an eternity, a sudden gust of cold wind swept through, chilling the workers to the bone and snapping them out of their reverie.
Looking down, they saw the bonfire for the roasted lamb flickering wildly, the flames quickly dying down as if scared into shrinking.
The red lanterns above swayed gently in the wind, and the shadows of the people below swayed along with them.
"Huh?" someone muttered, turning to look outside the wall.
"Are those performers still here?"
Bang!
Hu Ma, who had been keeping an eye on the situation, suddenly stood up and smashed his bowl on the ground.
The loud noise immediately drew the workers' attention.
Hu Ma, his face full of displeasure, shouted toward the outside of the manor, "What a damn nuisance! We brothers here work ourselves to the bone every day, and it's been months since we last had a decent meal and some wine. Are there really some evil spirits out there, jealous of our feast, trying to sneak in for a bite?"
"This is just too much! Do they really think we're pushovers? Haven't they heard? Every evil spirit within ten miles of here has been driven away by us! Who dares to cause trouble now? Believe me, I'll spit a True Yang Arrow and blast you to pieces!"
By now, the lamb was almost gone, and the workers were about seven or eight drinks in.
The cold wind had sobered them up a bit, but Hu Ma's outburst had stirred their emotions.
Drunkenness often leads to anger, especially when someone hits a nerve.
Though they were afraid of evil spirits, they had been patrolling the night for so long without encountering anything that dared to cross the Red Lantern Lady.
Naturally, they had developed a bit of a swagger, like a fox borrowing the tiger's might.
Plus, with Hu Ma, whom they trusted, leading the charge, they all joined in, cursing loudly.
Foul words spilled from their mouths, and some even stood up, clapping and jumping as they shouted.
The cold wind that had crept into the manor was forcefully pushed back.
The flames of the roasting lamb gradually rose again, and the chilling wind disappeared.
"Good, keep it up!" Hu Ma thought to himself, pleased with their reaction.
Fire could ward off evil spirits, and so could foul language and anger.
Back in the Great Sheep Village, the elder had said that if you encountered wandering spirits at night, cursing loudly could keep them at bay.
And now, with seven or eight "stoves" cursing together?
Of course, Hu Ma knew that what they were facing wasn't just wandering spirits.
While this method might work temporarily, it could also provoke the other side.
So, while the workers were busy cursing, Hu Ma quickly got up and went to the kitchen.
He grabbed a few live roosters, a pot of brown sugar water that Li Wazi had just boiled, and some hard-boiled eggs.
He gave Zhou Datong a look, signaling him to keep the atmosphere going, then hurried to the side of the manor.
He slit the roosters' throats and sprinkled their blood around the perimeter.
Then he went to the manor's entrance, tossed the flapping rooster outside, and placed the pot of brown sugar eggs at the gate.
He lit a few sticks of incense and waited silently.
The night was deep, and outside the manor, it was pitch black.
He could hear the rooster he had thrown out flapping a few times before suddenly disappearing, as if swallowed by something.
"Has it come yet?" Hu Ma turned to look.
Little Hongtang was crouching beside him, her face full of worry—or perhaps fear—as she stared outside.
She had come out of the house as soon as night fell, occasionally climbing onto the roof or the walls, only to scurry back in fright.
She hadn't dared to get close to the table where Hu Ma and the others were drinking.
Those workers had been really scary.
Only now did she dare to approach Hu Ma.
When he asked, she shook her head.
"Alright..."
Hu Ma could only wait patiently.
He felt the cold, eerie air outside the manor growing heavier, chilling him to the bone.
He also noticed that the workers at the tables behind him, who had been so lively earlier, had fallen silent.
Only Zhou Datong was still cursing, though his voice was now thin and weak.
Suddenly, there was a rustle in the grass outside the courtyard, and a voice came from behind Hu Ma: "Little manager, you've got quite a few enemies coming your way..."
Hu Ma was startled and quickly turned around.
He saw Li Wazi's body twisting unnaturally, his eyes rolling around, his voice sharp and hoarse, as he stared at Hu Ma with a strange expression.
"How did it possess him so quickly?" Hu Ma was shocked, but then he realized that of all the people in the manor, Li Wazi was the easiest to possess—no contest.
"Don't eat that..."
Seeing Li Wazi about to stick his finger in his mouth, Hu Ma quickly stopped him.
"Good neighbor, we're all friends here. You can borrow his body to talk, but please spare his finger. He's the one who boiled the brown sugar water for you..."
Reluctantly, Li Wazi put his finger down.
"What do you want from us?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Hu Ma glanced outside the manor.
"The temple fair is in full swing. We're neighbors, always bumping into each other. Can you lend us a hand?"
Li Wazi said, "Your Red Lantern Lady is so mighty. Why do you need our help?"
Hu Ma quickly replied, "She's up there in the heavens. How could she compare to the bond we share? Even if you won't help me, at least take a look and tell me what's coming our way..."
This was something Hu Ma had planned in advance.
He had known from the start that this night would be anything but peaceful, and he had no idea what kind of powerful things the Altar Sect might bring.
He didn't dare send Little Hongtang out to investigate, fearing that the Altar Auntie might just gobble her up.
The only ones he could turn to were the Huang family—those weasel spirits.
They were a fierce bunch.
Back when they had killed Xu Ji, even the old shopkeeper had thought they would be too scared and flee into the depths of the mountains.
But in reality, they hadn't.
They were still lurking around, just avoiding conflicts with the night patrols.
Of course, Hu Ma usually pretended not to notice them.
Now, Hu Ma had prepared offerings to see if they would come.
If they did, it meant they weren't too afraid of whatever was outside and could help scout.
If they didn't, it meant they had been scared off.
"There's quite a lot out there. Their offerings are much better than yours..."
Li Wazi blinked, eyeing the pot of brown sugar eggs outside the manor with longing.
"Our family is righteous. We'll eat a few of your eggs and help you a little, but don't expect too much."
Hu Ma quickly said, "Thank you, thank you."
Li Wazi ignored the thanks and asked directly, "What will you give us next time?"
Hu Ma said, "How about ten chickens?"
Li Wazi's face lit up with delight, and then he suddenly collapsed, the possessing spirit having left.
Hu Ma heard a rustling outside, and in the darkness, a yellow shadow flashed by.
The pot of brown sugar eggs had been snatched away.
He let out a small sigh of relief but remained cautious.
He called Zhou Datong over to carry the unconscious Li Wazi back inside, then turned to the workers, who were now wide-eyed and sober with fear.
He said in a low voice, "Don't ask questions. Go back to your rooms, lock your doors and windows, and don't come out no matter what you hear."
The workers, still tense and confused, hesitated for a moment before scrambling to their feet and rushing back to their rooms.
Hu Ma sighed softly and sat alone at the table, sweeping the messy dishes and cups to the floor.
He placed his wooden sword and waist knife on the table and stared into the night.
He had borrowed a lot of power tonight, but for the rest of the night, he would have to rely on himself.
(End of Chapter)