Chapter 11

In the following period, Lin Huo also disappeared for a while. However, before he disappeared, he arranged for the village elders to take care of Wu Mian's meals. Wu Mian did not rashly search for the location marked on the map again. Instead, he combined the local map described by Lin Huo and the village elders to judge the possible location. During his two previous searches in the forest, he had a feeling that the location of the map was nearby, but after searching for a long time, he still found nothing. As time passed, even that feeling began to fade and eventually disappeared.

Wu Mian compared several maps countless times. It was better not to compare them at all; after using a reference, he found no place similar to the map left by Xu Fu. Could it be that he had remembered the location wrong, and the map's location was actually in another part of the forest? Unfortunately, the forest was too large, and the Miao people in each village only farmed and hunted in a fixed area. Unless there was a disaster, they rarely left their village's territory to move to other areas.

It seemed that he would not find anything unless he thoroughly explored the entire forest. Just as Wu Mian was preparing to search deeper into the forest, Lin Huo, who had not been seen for several days, suddenly appeared. This time, he brought a message from the Witch Ancestor. Since their last meeting by the large pond, the Witch Ancestor had felt a special connection with the young man with white hair and wanted to see him again before his physical body decayed.

Meeting the Witch Ancestor... Wu Mian was more than willing. Each Witch Ancestor inherited the soul of the previous one. After dozens of generations, the forest was as familiar to the Witch Ancestor as his own backyard. Getting information about the forest from him would be much more detailed than the maps provided by Lin Huo and the village elders. Otherwise, Wu Mian would not have waited in line with a stick of incense.

The Witch Ancestor lived in the altar, which was not suitable for receiving guests, so the meeting place was set by the large pond where they first met. When Lin Huo brought Wu Mian there, the Witch Ancestor was already waiting. After seeing Wu Mian, he smiled and nodded, then said in perfect Mandarin, "When we met last time, I thought you were the perfect candidate for the next Witch Ancestor. Unfortunately, I never expected that you would have no connection with the Witch Ancestor."

As he spoke, he opened his arms to embrace Wu Mian's shoulders, a gesture of greeting among the Miao people. The moment the Witch Ancestor's hands touched Wu Mian's clothes, electric arcs flashed all over Wu Mian's body, making a crackling sound. The Witch Ancestor, however, seemed unaffected, gently patting Wu Mian's shoulders while electric sparks flew from his hands, leaving no signs of burns.

Originally, Wu Mian had come to seek help, but after being tested by the Witch Ancestor, his sharp personality could not be restrained. "There's no need to be polite. That night, so many people saw me eliminated first. If I had the connection to be a Witch Ancestor, everyone that night would have been Witch Ancestors. Each person could take a day, and within ten years, everyone would have their turn. But to be honest, the Witch Ancestor speaks Mandarin very well. Even officials in remote areas might not speak as well as you."

Fortunately, Lin Huo had already introduced Wu Mian's character, so the Witch Ancestor was not too concerned. He still smiled and said, "It's not only the Miao people who can become Witch Ancestors; the decision is made by the Heavenly Way. One of my predecessors was a Chu person who came here to seek refuge. By chance, he was chosen by heaven to be a Witch Ancestor. Thanks to him, all the Witch Ancestors after me can speak Mandarin."

Perhaps fearing that Wu Mian would not understand, the Witch Ancestor continued, "The experiences, memories, and even the souls of each Witch Ancestor are passed down through generations. The experiences of the predecessors are the wealth of the future Witch Ancestors. Without such inheritance, the Witch Ancestor would be no different from an ordinary person." As he said this, the Witch Ancestor glanced meaningfully at Lin Huo, who lowered his head, not daring to meet the Witch Ancestor's gaze.

Hearing that the memories of the Witch Ancestors could be inherited, Wu Mian's eyes narrowed, and a rare smile appeared on his lips, not a cold one. The Witch Ancestor also smiled and continued, "Lin Huo told me that Mr. Wu has shown remarkable skills. You don't seem like someone who makes a living by mining. Let me guess, Mr. Wu, you are... a fangshi?"

"I did work as a fangshi for a few years, but I stopped three years ago. Now I really do make a living by mining," Wu Mian said without any change in his expression. He continued, "I have a map of a mineral vein, and it marks the location of a jade mine nearby. However, I've searched several times and can't find it. If the memory you inherited includes this, I would be very grateful."

"Mineral vein map..." The Witch Ancestor nodded and said, "Tell me more. I can't promise to know, but I can at least give you some advice."

Wu Mian naturally could not reveal the detailed route of the map to the Witch Ancestor. He only drew the entrance route on the ground, keeping the subsequent routes secret. The Witch Ancestor looked at the route on the ground, thought for a long time, and then said, "I know this place, but it is rarely visited by people, and I have never heard of any jade mine there..."

As he said this, the Witch Ancestor's gaze shifted from the map to Wu Mian, "It's not a jade mine, is it?"

"Let's say it's an iron mine or a copper mine," Wu Mian met the Witch Ancestor's gaze and said, "If you're happy, you can call it a gold mine."

The Witch Ancestor laughed and said, "If Mr. Wu says it's a jade mine, I'll take it as a jade mine. However, that place is rarely visited, and I am getting old. I really don't have the motivation to accompany Mr. Wu there..." As he said this, the Witch Ancestor intentionally elongated the last word.

"Motivation..." Wu Mian looked up at Lin Huo, who was standing behind the Witch Ancestor, and said, "Lin Huo has told you a lot, but don't think too much about the pills. They are not something you can handle. Just continue being the Witch Ancestor for another year or two. I owe you the pills, and if we meet in the next life, I will definitely give them to you. Don't worry, even if we don't meet in the next life, I'll leave them for you in the life after that..."

"Mr. Wu, you misunderstand," the Witch Ancestor said with a smile, "Immortality is good, but it doesn't necessarily mean remembering the generations of Witch Ancestors. No matter how good immortality is, as a Witch Ancestor, I cannot aspire to it."

"Hmm?" Wu Mian frowned and looked at the Witch Ancestor, "I really don't understand. What else do I have that you keep thinking about?"

"Mr. Wu's abilities are enough to think about," the Witch Ancestor said, his smile fading, "And there is a pitiful person who hopes to learn some skills from Mr. Wu to protect himself."

"Pitiful person?" Wu Mian asked, "Who is so pitiful?"

The Witch Ancestor looked back at Lin Huo and said, "Lin Huo, come here and tell Mr. Wu yourself."

What could be Lin Huo's problem? Wu Mian was taken aback. He heard Lin Huo walk up to him and say, "I can no longer become the next Witch Ancestor..."

A few days ago, the Witch Ancestor called Lin Huo to his side. He originally wanted to prepare for the succession and ask about the white-haired man who appeared with Lin Huo that night. However, when the Witch Ancestor saw Lin Huo, his face changed. He immediately ordered his subordinates to bring a copper basin and fill it with mercury.

The Witch Ancestor first bit his right index finger and dripped his blood into the mercury, then ordered Lin Huo to do the same. After Lin Huo's blood dripped into the copper basin, the Witch Ancestor shook the basin to mix the two drops of blood. To his surprise, his own blood avoided Lin Huo's blood as if it were a plague. No matter how much the Witch Ancestor shook the basin, the two drops of blood would not mix.