Twilight Boundary

The old Shopkeeper was truly too kind. He explained it to Hu Ma in detail, allowing Hu Ma to feel the magic of the Shousui dharma method.

This trump card was called the Four Ghosts Salute. To put it simply, it was derived from the techniques Hu Ma and others practiced daily.

The precursor to becoming a Shousui man involved stoking the furnace. Once they learned the corresponding technique, they could make the stove fire rise, thereby driving away evil spirits. When grappling with others, the blessed stove fire made them overwhelmingly powerful; few could get close.

However, these techniques consumed a lot of stove fire, and each use diminished the fire somewhat. If one could obtain Blood Food for regular nourishment, it wouldn't be a problem, and one's use of the techniques would become more skilled over time. Without Blood Food nourishment, the body would quickly deteriorate. Furthermore, even if this weren't an issue, once one's body was broken, their cultivation would also be wasted.

But if one advanced to the Shousui dharma method, it involved a transformation from life to death, and then from death back to refining life, making the techniques even more wondrous.

The trump card the old Shopkeeper spoke of was essentially a technique that only Shousui men could perform.

On the surface, Hu Ma had already achieved refining life in one hand and one foot, but his secret progress was even faster. Yet, even so, he only knew that after refining life, he had become fearless of weapons, poisons, and fire.

It was only after listening to the old Shopkeeper that he realized his understanding was indeed shallow.

When hands and feet were dead, one had stepped into the Ghost Gate. Through this Shousui dharma method, one could unexpectedly borrow the power of ghostly gods and wield eerie forces unimaginable to the living.

"Four Ghosts Salute, Netherworld's Power!"

Just the aura this trump card pointed towards gave me a solid shock.

This was actually a method that could open the so-called Netherworld Gate, borrowing the power of ghostly gods, not to mention that after borrowing that power, one could use abilities like Ghost Ascending Stairs, Soul-seeking Head, and more.

Other people could also learn these abilities, but without the foundation of a Shousui man, they couldn't use them at all.

"Every move and form is experience; every moment of stillness and motion was tested with their lives by our predecessors..."

Upon hearing the old Shopkeeper's guidance, Hu Ma couldn't help but sigh.

Many of these trump cards were things that, as a Shousui man, I grasped immediately.

But although they sounded simple, if I had to figure them out entirely on my own, who knows how long it would take.

And this was where the old Shopkeeper was so generous.

Ordinary Shousui men would teach disciples dharma methods one by one, or meridians one by one, and might stop teaching at any point. If you asked, they would just use the excuse that your skills weren't mature enough. Disciples, constrained by this, felt that even working like oxen for their Master was not enough. But the old Shopkeeper taught by explaining all the key points at once, then letting Hu Ma quietly ponder them.

This was true for the cultivation of a Shousui man's dharma methods, and it was the same for this trump card.

Logically, the Four Ghosts Salute trump card could only be fully performed after Hu Ma had achieved refining life in both hands and feet. He only needed to guide Hu Ma on the entry-level skill, but he still taught the mantra in its entirety, afraid that Hu Ma might forget it. He said that when Hu Ma achieved refining life in both hands and feet, he would naturally be able to use it.

This kindness naturally moved Hu Ma deeply, one guiding and one learning, until it was time to light the lamps.

Then Hu Ma stood up, bowed deeply to the old Shopkeeper, and said, "Thank you, Shopkeeper."

"Hehe, go on!" The old Shopkeeper, also satisfied with his teaching, waved his hand with a smile. "Don't forget to take that bowl of green food from the kitchen."

Hu Ma smiled in agreement, first going to the small kitchen to get the bowl of green food, and then he left the inner courtyard with a smile.

His mood was exhilarated, his steps seemed much lighter. Upon returning to his small house, he placed the bowl of green food on the table, turned to close the door, and when he turned back, the smile on his face had vanished, replaced by deep concern.

The old Shopkeeper, is he really that good?

After all that effort, is his ultimate goal just to have me watch over the lanterns in the Manor?

...

...

This is all... so much...

In the inner courtyard, the old Shopkeeper, stroking his beard with a smile, watched Hu Ma leave with the bowl of green food. Then, he slowly sighed. The satisfied smile on his face gradually faded, and his eyes took on a touch of gloom. He remained silent for a long while. Even the usually quiet old servant, who brought the meal on a tray, noticed the atmosphere was off, turned and left, pulling along the errand boy to eat with him in their inner courtyard kitchen.

The silence in the main hall persisted for quite some time before Sister He's tremulous voice came from a side room, "Are we... really doing the right thing?"

The old Shopkeeper merely sat quietly for a long time before saying, "What else can we do? If we told him directly, even a fool wouldn't agree, would he?"

Wu He was silent for a while, then said, "But he really wants to help us..."

"Actually, I also think he's good." The old Shopkeeper sighed softly. "He's sensible, diligent, knows gratitude, isn't wary, and has a clean background. What I just told him wasn't false. If it were another time, I might indeed be willing to take him as my final disciple."

"But now... it seems we father and daughter have no other options. If we don't use him, who else is there to use?"

"However, when it comes to teaching him skills, we haven't shortchanged him. Using him this one time... can't be called unfair!"

"We'll just have to see if his fate is strong enough. Perhaps... we won't actually need to use him..."

In the jar, Sister He remained silent, a barely audible sound of sobbing escaping her, though she forcibly contained it.

"At least two things are certain." This content was first released on MV_LEMPYR.

Hu Ma was now sitting in his side room. The bowl of green food rested on the small table, but he was too preoccupied to eat. He carefully reviewed his recent conversation with the Shopkeeper and reached a conclusion.

The old Shopkeeper knows where that batch of Blood Food is, or at least its general location. He just perhaps can't get it himself.

Perhaps after those from the Tan'er Sect hid that batch of Blood Food, he quietly found its whereabouts long ago but kept it secret.

And precisely because he knows the location of the Blood Food, he isn't panicking or concerned about whatever schemes the Tan'er Sect are concocting. For him, he merely needs to lie in wait, and those Tan'er Sect people will deliver themselves to him.

The second thing...

Hu Ma contemplated, his face growing increasingly somber. He didn't tell me the truth about some matters...

If Hu Ma were truly just a lad from the village, without his past-life memories and worldly experience, and if he hadn't chatted with Er Guotou a few times, he might have believed the old Shopkeeper's story. But with all that, he suspected things weren't so simple.

Of course, in front of the old Shopkeeper, he couldn't say anything.

A young man from the village like me has no reason to doubt this.

But I've reached the simplest conclusion: if the old Shopkeeper truly wanted me to guard the Red Lantern, there was no need for all this trouble.

However, to understand what the old Shopkeeper truly intended, he needed to consult someone knowledgeable.

Thus, he calmly finished the bowl of green food, then performed his usual practicing before drifting off to sleep.

Just like last time, he called for Er Guotou in his dream. "The Tan'er Sect people will probably arrive soon," he said. "But things are a bit strange. My Shopkeeper is very worried about the Red Lantern being extinguished and wants me to guard it here."

"Watching the lantern?" Er Guotou was taken aback. "Why make it so complicated? If he's afraid the lantern will go out, why not just have you carry it?"

"If he's truly worried about other things, he could just directly teach you the skill to invite the Red Lantern Lady's presence. Why make it so convoluted?"

...

His words vaguely confirmed my suspicions. "That's what I thought too," Hu Ma said slowly. "The old Shopkeeper passed down dharma methods, taught me a trump card, and even uses green food to nourish my body..."

This great kindness...

...

I fear it's not great kindness, but a great vendetta, isn't it?

As Hu Ma pondered this, a woman's voice suddenly interjected, calm and measured, "The Shousui dharma method you learned was taught by him, and the trump card you practice is also his specialty. You're practically a smaller version of him."

"If he employs some other measures when he leaves the Manor, wouldn't you then become his substitute?"

"Eh?" Hu Ma was surprised. He looked intently and saw that the Life Incense in his incense burner had already released a tendril of smoke. The smoke from two Life Incense sticks now stretched out in two different directions, forming fine wisps. It was another person speaking.

"Don't you recognize this voice?" Er Guotou chuckled. "We were just talking before you arrived."

"Miss White Wine?" Hu Ma finally recalled whose voice it was and said with a quick smile, "I was just wondering when I'd have the chance to see you again."

"If there's something to be gained, you can see me anytime," Miss White Wine said coolly. "If there are no benefits, why would you want to see me?"

...

Still so unapproachable!

Look at how kind Brother Er Guotou is...

But with urgent questions still unasked, he pushed aside these thoughts and quickly asked, "What do you mean by 'substitute'?"

"Substitute," Miss White Wine said. "For now, it's just speculation. What he's truly up to will depend on whether he sets up some kind of Array when he leaves the Manor, perhaps making you stay within it, or gives you some strange item. If not...

"...well, then it's not impossible that you've simply met a kindhearted Master."

...

I've met a kindhearted Master before, but that person is still mining in Old Yin Mountain!

Hu Ma thought to himself. He took a shallow breath and asked, "What if he does?"

"If he does, then you must be careful," Miss White Wine stated coolly. "The Tan'er Sect has many insidious methods. However, in a direct confrontation, only Aunt Tan, who has cultivated a body full of resentment, is truly formidable. In terms of actual ability, your Shopkeeper is definitely no match for the many demon people of the Tan'er Sect."

"But if he can find someone to bear Aunt Tan's resentment for him, then even if the number of Tan'er Sect members were doubled, they probably wouldn't be enough for him to kill."

...

Hu Ma's heart sank. "Then I..." he quickly asked.

Er Guotou's voice interjected with a laugh, "Wouldn't that be perfect?"

"We need an opportunity to get our hands on that batch of Blood Food, don't we?"