"Feeding?"
Xiang's words indeed took Hu Ma by surprise. He realized that he still knew too little about the underworld. Apart from the City of the Dead and the Living Village, he hadn't delved deeper, and he hadn't seen any of the legendary Eight Sceneries of the Netherworld. Thus, it was difficult for him to understand the current dilemma in Xiang's heart. But he could see that this time she seemed different. Before, she had a kind of instinct, an unwillingness to see wandering souls adrift and alone, compelling her to enter the Ghost Cave to guide them. Now, however, she appeared to harbor some different, unspoken conflicts.
Unfortunately, she was clearly unwilling to say more, as if worried about some unseen forces, so she only briefly reminded Hu Ma before changing the subject.
