Twilight Boundary

"Huh?"

Even Hu Ma hadn't expected this to be the Li Family's request. He found it absurd at first but then suddenly understood its logic.

The Dongzi Li Family had lived here for generations, yet they still yearned for a bustling life. Even if they remained secluded, it was impossible to completely isolate themselves from the outside world.

For instance, when their family members married and had children, how could they manage this internally?

Previously, Housekeeper Zhou had mentioned that his daughter was married into the main family, indicating that the Dongzi Li Family didn't care much about status when it came to finding spouses for their clan members. Perhaps they would agree to anyone fated to be with them and willing to stay.

However, getting someone to stay was easy; getting them to willingly stay was difficult. How many could endure the daily hardships?

Of course, from the Li Family's Lord's words, another subtle insight into their perspective emerged. With Xiang returning home, it seemed this clan was preparing to stay here indefinitely.

Upon hearing his request, Lady Han also smiled and said softly, "This is easy to arrange."

"The disciples and grand-disciples of our Trick Door make a living through this craft. Having such a good patron, how could we refuse?"

"I'll find them and speak to them. Arranging a show monthly is definitely doable."

"..."

"That would be great. Thank you for your consideration, Lady Han..."

The Li Family's Lord repeatedly bowed in thanks and laughed. "We invited several opera troupes and acrobat groups in the past. However, after visiting once, they were terrified and refused to return."

"But with Lady Han's word, they will surely believe us..."

"..."

After their detailed conversation, the Lord approached. The genuine smile on his face was clear.

Seeing that everyone else had been thanked one by one, it was finally Hu Ma's turn. He quickly and politely stood up, exchanged greetings with the Lord, and glanced discreetly at the box that had held the Copper Coins—it was already empty.

"Mr. Hu, I have met with the Old Master and heard from him how you saved our entire clan's lives."

The new Lord of the Outer Mansion of the Dongzi Li Family said in a low voice, "We dare not forget such profound gratitude, which cannot be repaid with trivial gifts. But please, follow me, so that the Li Family can at least express a token of our appreciation!"

"It was my duty; there's no need for such formality," Hu Ma said as he followed him to a nearby house.

Most of the houses here were simple and rustic, with mud walls and thatched roofs, resembling farmhouses. But this one was exquisitely built, quaint like a scholar's abode, though it appeared quite ancient.

"This was the official residence built by our Li Family ancestors when they arrived. No one lives here now. The younger generations merely patched up walls and thatched roofs to make do."

The Li Family's Lord explained with a smile, invited Hu Ma to sit, and then called over a young Li family member waiting at the door. He instructed him to bring the items collected from the back mountain.

Hu Ma heard the words "golden pattern ointment," and his heart suddenly skipped a beat.

Could it be?

But just after the Li Family's Lord poured tea, before Hu Ma had finished half a cup, he saw the young Li family member from before carrying two large baskets on a pole.

The baskets were ordinary bamboo baskets but with large bellies, likely able to hold over a hundred pounds each. The carrying pole bent under the weight, indicating how heavy the contents were.

He brought them in, placed them against the wall, then took his leave.

Hu Ma, without letting it show on his face, sniffed the air slightly. He immediately caught an extremely familiar scent, which stirred his heart and surprised him greatly.

But the Li Family's Lord didn't even glance at the two large baskets. He just smiled apologetically at Hu Ma, saying, "Thank you for waiting, sir."

"You traveled such a long way to bring our young lady back and faced so many dangers along the way. The Li Family deeply remembers and greatly appreciates it. Such profound gratitude cannot be repaid with mere silver or gold..."

"..."

I don't really mind; I can forgive you... Hu Ma thought to himself but naturally didn't say it aloud. He simply gave a modest smile. "I've heard these words quite a few times. The Li Family is very polite."

"Bringing Miss Xiangyu back was my duty. Moreover, at the time, no one knew the Li Family was such a large clan. Perhaps I shouldn't have meddled and should have just sent a letter; the Li Family would have naturally brought her back."

"..."

"Sir, you are too modest..."

The Li Family's Lord smiled, then suddenly lowered his voice. "I've already asked the Old Master. He too said that worldly gifts could hardly express our gratitude for your great deed. In life, one's skills are most important, and you, sir, make a living from Blood Food..."

He paused slightly, looking at Hu Ma. "Additionally, the Old Master also noticed that Mr. Hu is from the Shousui man lineage, right?"

Hu Ma hadn't expected the topic to shift so suddenly. He was momentarily taken aback, looking into the other's eyes. "Does the Li Family also know the Shousui Path?"

"Not really."

The Lord smiled. "Our Li Family doesn't actually possess much skill. These abilities were all given by the Ghost Cave."

"If we really left, whether they're useful or not is another matter."

"But within Lingshou Prefecture, or rather, in Anzhou, all who die will come to the Ghost Cave."

"Among these people, there are naturally some Shousui men. If they are Shousui men who have Entered the Mansion, their souls won't come here. But there are quite a few Shousui men with trump cards who arrive here before Entering the Mansion."

"The Li Family is responsible for receiving these people, serving them their last meal, and listening to their last words. Having stayed here for a long time, we've naturally accumulated quite a bit from various Paths, perhaps..."

"...some of which might be suitable for a Shousui man, sir, and you wouldn't find them wanting."

"..."

"What?"

When the Li Family first mentioned Shousui men, Hu Ma had remained relatively calm. The mysterious Dongzi Li Family naturally attracted many from different Paths.

Take Housekeeper Zhou, for instance. Wasn't he also rescued by the Li Family and willing to serve them?

Given that they could attract people from the Trick Door, certainly, those from the Shousui Path would also be present. Offering some guidance to someone like him, who hadn't Entered the Mansion, probably wasn't difficult for them.

But he never expected the Li Family's Lord to say such things...

His inner shock was, for a moment, difficult to describe with words.

The Dongzi Li Family was far deeper and more terrifying than he had imagined...

Putting other things aside, if those who died within Anzhou truly had to pass through the Ghost Cave, and if the Li Family had the ability to extract secrets and dharma methods from these dead, how much would they have accumulated over generations?

Dharma methods represented skills; secrets represented even more...

For a moment, Hu Ma even felt that perhaps the Dongzi Li Family's foundation was unimaginably vast.

Earlier in Mingzhou, when he first learned about the Ghost Cave Li Family, he had only thought their foundation was quite solid, perhaps a bit stronger than the Red Lantern Lady's Club, but the difference would be limited. After all, the Red Lantern Lady's Club was no slouch either.

But now...

Hmm, even if Little Red Lantern worked hard for another hundred or eighty years, it might not be enough, right?

This time, he didn't deliberately hide it; the surprise on his face was genuine.

"Actually, we should have given you the entire Shousui men's dharma method for Entering the Mansion, Mr. Hu, and even that wouldn't be enough."

The Li Family's Lord, seeing Hu Ma's reaction, also sighed softly. "After all, Shousui men who have Entered the Mansion won't come to the Ghost Cave. However, some Shousui men who knew the dharma method for Entering the Mansion but hadn't yet Entered the Mansion did come here."

"However, the dharma method for Entering the Mansion carries too much karma, and it's not our Li Family's to give. If we gave it to you, sir, we fear the ancestors of the Shousui men would come to us to Reason."

"So, we can only offer a few trump cards for you to see if any are suitable..."

"..."

"It's enough, more than enough..." Hu Ma listened, his heart filled with considerable surprise.

Shousui men certainly valued trump cards. It could be said that the number of trump cards one possessed determined how capable one was when encountering trouble.

Currently, he had refined his Five Organs, but he only possessed two trump cards: one obtained by risking his life, and another, also originally obtained by risking his life, was then bartered from someone else by leveraging a favor.

But from what the Li Family implied, they had an abundance of trump cards for Shousui men, enough to pick and choose?

And they pick and choose... We Shousui men outside don't pick and choose at all. As long as it's a trump card, we welcome it eagerly...

Moreover, the Lord had also mentioned the dharma method for Entering the Mansion, meaning they weren't without it, just worried that giving it to him would displease the ancestors of the Shousui men?

If they possessed even such things, just how deep was the Li Family's foundation?

Pondering in astonishment, he instinctively glanced again at the two large baskets by the wall. He had already smelled the Tai Sui Blood and Flesh scent coming from them. If the Li Family was planning to thank him with a Shousui man's dharma method, then the things in the baskets were...

"Oh, those."

The Lord smiled. "That's a local specialty our Young Lady prepared for you, sir, collected from the back mountain. The Li Family members rely on eating this daily to be able to stay here by the Ghost Cave."

"Feel free to take it with you when you leave, sir."

"..."

What the hell?

Hu Ma was even more shocked. Could it be that the Li Family's back mountain housed a blood food mine?

The Dongzi Li Family, who served such simple daily meals and whose feasts even someone from a village like him found wanting, were actually living by guarding a blood food mine?

Stunned by the Dongzi Li Family's grand gesture and unintended revelation of secrets, Hu Ma reacted briefly and then immediately expressed...

...a strong refusal: "This is absolutely unacceptable..."

"I didn't come here for this! How could I accept such a valuable gift from you? No, no, please take it back, take it back immediately..."

"..."

The Li Family's Lord quickly insisted, "You must, you must, sir! Please accept it, otherwise the Old Master will blame me for not handling things properly..."

"No, no."

"You must, you must."

"..."

The previously peaceful conversation suddenly turned intense. Hu Ma, believing it was the right thing to do, firmly refused. Meanwhile, this new Lord of the Li Family was equally insistent on expressing their gratitude.

You push, I yield; you push again, I yield again.

In the end, Hu Ma lost...