Chapter 13

According to Ning Caichen, he knocked on Xue Ming’s door thrice: at lunchtime, after lunch, and at dusk. After asking the servant to prepare lunch, Ning Caichen noticed that Xue Ming had yet to leave her room, so he knocked on her door himself. He tried to push the door open but couldn’t, and no one responded when he called out. He assumed Xue Ming was too tired and didn’t disturb her further. After lunch, he called out again, but still, no one answered.

At that time, Zhao Sheng’s last two servants packed their bags to escape. Ning Caichen caught up with them and relayed what Xue Ming had told him earlier, intending to stop them from leaving. Instead, his words scared them so much that they ran away even faster.

At dusk, Ning Caichen knocked on Xue Ming’s door again, and this time, the door opened. Xue Ming opened the door and told Ning Caichen she was going out for a while without explaining why she had been in her room all day. She then walked away. Ning Caichen, remembering that she had trouble walking without a cane in the morning, was puzzled to see her walking so briskly. He followed her down half the corridor, but she disappeared around a corner, and he didn’t know where she went.

Hearing this, Xue Ming felt a chill run down her spine. She had no memory of these events; she only remembered drinking water and then falling asleep, waking up to find it was already dark, with no recollection of waking up or going out in between. The situation suddenly became eerie, and Xue Ming asked what happened next.

Ning Caichen said that Xue Ming was gone for about a quarter of an hour and looked unchanged when she returned. He grabbed her and asked where she had been. Xue Ming only said, “Brother, I will leave at night. If I don’t return after the third crow of the rooster, light a fire in front of my door and call my name.”

By this point, Xue Ming was sweating with fear and didn’t fully believe Ning Caichen, as none of this was in her memory. Who knew if Ning Caichen was telling the truth or making it up?

However, what Ning Caichen said next made her even more terrified. He said he asked Xue Ming where she was going, and she replied that it was a place only the dead could go. Naturally, Ning Caichen kept asking how a living person could visit such a place. Apparently annoyed by his questions, Xue Ming said that the thing she wore around her neck allowed her to go there.

Xue Ming heard this and immediately raised her hand to feel around her neck. She actually found a thin string, which startled her. She quickly hooked the string with her fingers and pulled it out, revealing a red string with a small yellow silk bag hanging from it, about half the size of her palm. It was very light, almost weightless. She hadn’t realized she was wearing something. When Nie Xiaoqian came to her door earlier, she was so frightened that she rolled off the bed and ran away without noticing the necklace.

Xue Ming fearfully pinched the small silk bag, feeling a round, hard object inside. This was too strange, and she broke out in a cold sweat. She stared wide-eyed, unsure of what to say.

Next was Ning Caichen’s situation. He thought Xue Ming’s behavior during the day was too strange and was afraid because he knew there were ghosts in the temple. He couldn’t sleep and tossed and turned until he heard a loud noise from Xue Ming’s room next door. He hurriedly got up to check. As soon as he went out, he saw Xue Ming’s fleeing figure running as if her life depended on it, even without shoes.

It wasn’t ‘as if,’ she was indeed running for her life!

Xue Ming gestured to interrupt Ning Caichen and asked, “Did you only see me? Didn’t you see anything else? Didn’t you see what was following me?”

Ning Caichen shook his head in confusion, “Only you. I was worried something had happened to you, so I followed you. I saw you run into the wall, so I followed you in. Luckily, I didn’t lose you!”

Xue Ming was greatly shocked and confused by the series of events. So Ning Caichen couldn’t see Nie Xiaoqian at all? No wonder Nie Xiaoqian had been bugging her and not looking for Ning Caichen since they entered the temple. It seemed that the human and the ghost were in different dimensions and couldn’t see each other, so they were at peace.

Ning Caichen looked around and saw Xue Ming silent for a long time, with a faint look of fear on her face. He asked, “Brother, how do we get back?”

Xue Ming slightly regained her composure, turned her head to look, and saw that there was no wall they had crashed into but a vast field shrouded in black mist. It was impossible to go back the way they came. She thought she couldn’t worry too much now and needed to get the Yang Gathering Talisman first. She turned and asked, “Since I told you earlier to light a fire in front of my door if I didn’t return after the third crow of the rooster, who will light the fire now that you followed me in?”

Ning Caichen said, “Don’t worry, brother. I have instructed Chun Ye and Qiu Sheng to do it.”

He was quite thoughtful. Xue Ming nodded and said, “Then follow me closely. Let’s go in and take a look.”

The Rakshasa Ghost Market was like a mirage. Before entering, Xue Ming thought it would be filled with ghostly energy and eerie, but standing there, she found it very crowded. Colorful lanterns were hung densely, illuminating the bustling streets. Most of the people walking on the streets looked like ordinary people. Some were dressed in splendid clothes, while others were thin and wore plain clothes. There were vendors were shouting hoarsely and occasional quarrels on the streets. On the surface, it looked no different from the mundane world.

Xue Ming knew nothing about the Rakshasa Ghost Market but knew it wasn’t a good place for the living only by hearing its name. She cautiously walked into the street and noticed the people around her avoided her without collisions or strange looks. It was as if she had blended into the ghost market, becoming one of the ghosts. She vaguely felt that the item around her neck was responsible, but she didn’t know where it came from or where she had been during her memory loss. Finding the “Heaven and Earth” shop wasn’t difficult.

Xue Ming only had to stop a few passersby to ask, and she soon arrived at the shop. It was an inconspicuous building, about the size of a single storefront, with a lantern hanging under the eaves and a sign in front that read “Heaven and Earth.” She had imagined that a shop with such a name would be luxurious, but it turned out to be a place even pigs would find too small.

Xue Ming lifted her skirt and climbed the steps. Just as she raised her hand to knock, the door opened by itself, revealing a kindly face that smiled at her and said, “Honored guest, please come in.”

Xue Ming was surprised, but after experiencing many strange things, she had learned to keep her composure. Ning Caichen, however, was still not used to it and exclaimed, “How did the shopkeeper know someone was at the door?”

Xue Ming gently shook her head without responding and stepped inside. The interior was also small, with high shelves on both sides reaching the ceiling and a narrow passageway that only one person could walk through. Ning Caichen asked, “Old man, what do you sell here?”

The old man, who seemed good-natured, replied with a smile, “I sell everything. Whatever you want to buy, as long as you can afford it, I have it.”

“Oh?” Ning Caichen became interested and asked, “If I wanted to buy the position of the emperor, could you sell it?”

The old man stood behind the table and glared at Ning Caichen, “You really dare to ask! Even if I sold it to you, you wouldn’t have the fate to enjoy it.”

Xue Ming pulled Ning Caichen back and stepped forward, leaning on the table. “Sir, do you have a Yang Gathering Talisman?”

The old man lifted his eyelids to look at her. “I do, but it’s expensive.”

“A wise person told me that if I brought this item, I could buy the Yang Gathering Talisman from you.” Xue Ming said, taking out the grass seedling given to her by You Yin and waving it in front of the old man. “Take a look.”

The old man’s eyes lit up when he saw the grass seedling. “Oh, it’s a treasure!” He quickly made a gesture of invitation and opened a door at the back, leading Xue Ming and Ning Caichen further inside.

Once inside, they realized it was a whole different world. After walking through a long corridor, their view suddenly opened to a seven-story circular building glittering with gold and magnificence. Each floor was bustling with busy people, moving unknown items, creating a noisy and impressive scene.

“Sir, your shop is quite hidden!” Xue Ming exclaimed. No wonder he boasted about selling anything; it didn’t seem like an exaggeration.

As they spoke, they suddenly heard the sound of breaking porcelain and a commotion. Xue Ming turned to see neatly arranged carts with large wine jars, each half a person’s height. One of the jars had just broken, spilling wine all over the ground, filling the air with its aroma.

Ning Caichen sniffed and praised, “Good wine.”

The old man rushed over to scold the little ghosts moving the wine, his face red with anger. He returned, rubbing his hands and smiling at Xue Ming. “This wine is for the Grand Feast of Ten Thousand Ghosts. Not a single jar can be missing, so I need to handle this quickly. Sorry for the delay.”

Xue Ming quickly said, “Sir, what is this Grand Feast of Ten Thousand Ghosts?”

“Strange, a living person asking about the affairs of the dead.” The old man led Xue Ming upstairs and replied, “A few days ago, the Ghost Emperor suddenly died. No one knows what happened. The four great Ghost Kings gathered here to hold the Grand Feast of Ten Thousand Ghosts, probably to elect a new Ghost Emperor.”

So formal? Xue Ming was surprised. She thought ghosts wandered around aimlessly, not expecting such an organized system.

Xue Ming wasn’t concerned about who became the Ghost Emperor; she was more worried about when the ghostly realm would be opened.

“When will this feast end?”

“Who knows?” the old man said. “The four great Ghost Kings have been fighting openly and secretly for a long time. When the Ghost Emperor was still around, he could maintain a facade of peace. Now, with no leader, it’s chaos. In the end, it will likely be a fight to the death.”

He casually added, “It could be as quick as a year or two or as long as five or ten years. Anything is possible.”

Xue Ming felt a wave of despair. If the feast lasted five or ten years, she wouldn’t need to think about leaving. She might as well learn to build a house and survive in the wilderness. These ghosts were restless even in death, causing trouble for the living!

The old man led them to the third floor, where he retrieved a wooden box from a small room and completed the transaction with Xue Ming. He then guided them back to the small front room.

The old man warned at the door, “You must wait until you leave this place to open the box with the Yang Gathering Talisman. Do not open it here. Follow the path you came from to return. Although the ghost market is dazzling and charming, you must not linger. Many living people have mistakenly entered this place throughout history, but few have left safely. Remember, you must leave before the rooster crows, or even if you return to the living world, you won’t be a complete person.”

Xue Ming was deeply moved and thanked him repeatedly, thinking that there were still good ghosts. She held the box in her arms and was about to call Ning Caichen to leave when a commotion arose ahead.

Ning Caichen craned his neck to see the excitement, but Xue Ming reacted quickly, knowing that such excitement in this place was not simple. She grabbed Ning Caichen and tried to run. However, after just two steps, dozens of armored figures appeared around them, instantly moving as fast as the wind and surrounding them.

“Why are you running?!” A man in front strode forward, grabbed Xue Ming’s chin, lifted it to look at her, and shouted, “Take them away!”

“Wait, wait! Is there some misunderstanding? This is my first time here, and I haven’t offended anyone. Why are you arresting me?” Xue Ming immediately shouted, feeling like someone who had just withdrawn a large sum of money from the bank only to run into long-waiting robbers.
She clung tightly to the box in her arms, thinking that if these people were after the treasure inside, she would have to give it up reluctantly.

However, these people didn’t care about what she was holding. They just grabbed her arms on both sides and dragged her away without explanation.

Ning Caichen was also terrified and didn’t dare to struggle. He said, “Ghost lords, let’s talk this over. My brother and I were passing through. Why are you arresting us?” His treatment wasn’t good either. As soon as he finished speaking, he was kicked in the head and then learned to keep quiet.

A group of people escorted the two of them forward. When they passed the “Heaven and Earth” shop, the old man stood at the door, watching the excitement. At this moment, he reached out and snatched the box from Xue Ming’s arms.

Xue Ming shouted angrily, “Hey!”

The old man sighed, “Honored guest, you came at a bad time. The Jade Face and Hundred Crow Ghost Kings have a small gathering today. The Headless Ghost King loves to eat the brains of the living. If you’ve been caught, you’re doomed. Instead of letting someone else take the treasure, it’s better to give it to me. I can sell it for a good price.”

Damn this old man, a swindler. Xue Ming cursed inwardly. Before she could express her anger, she was dragged into a mist. When her vision cleared, the bustling street scene had disappeared, replaced by a prison.
She and Ning Caichen were separated and imprisoned. The cell Xue Ming was in was full of women, all seemingly captured suddenly, each looking terrified.

Xue Ming huddled in a corner, observing secretly. From their conversations, she vaguely heard names like “Jade Face Ghost King” and “Hundred Crow Ghost King.” She realized there weren’t many living people here; most women seemed to be ghosts, and they all had one thing in common: they were young and beautiful.

Xue Ming was anxious, thinking she had gained nothing from this night’s adventure and had been captured instead. If time dragged on until dawn, it would be disastrous! But she had no other options and dared not to cause a commotion, so she sat in the corner and waited.

Later, more girls were brought into the cell, totaling about seventeen or eighteen. A few armored male ghosts floated over, tapped the iron cage with their sticks, and opened the door, saying, “Come out, behave yourselves. If you cause trouble again, I’ll frighten you to death!”

All the girls quieted down and lined up to leave the cell. Xue Ming had to blend into the group and secretly seek an escape route. After leaving the cell, the number of guards increased significantly, surrounding the girls tightly. Xue Ming was scolded for looking around too much. She felt anxious and somewhat hopeless as she followed the group, but the path grew brighter until they arrived at a magnificent hall.
The hall doors opened, and a lavishly dressed female ghost floated out, signaling the guards to wait outside. She then led the girls into the grand hall. The hall was as luxurious as a palace, with musical instruments filling the air. Countless glass lamps hung on the walls, reflecting light that made the golden pillars shine brightly, hurting Xue Ming’s eyes.

After passing through several layers of red gauze curtains, Xue Ming saw a grand banquet in the spacious hall. Dancers in colorful dresses twirled gracefully in the air, and various musical instruments played harmonious melodies. The people in the hall were divided into two sides, with low tables filled with exquisite dishes. They were toasting and chatting merrily. At the front, two high seats were set up on several steps, with one person sitting on each. One person had a head full of red hair, a rough face, and a long scar running from the left eye to the right jaw, making him look very fierce and terrifying. He was bare-chested, with a black crow perched on his shoulder and a streak of red on the bird’s head. The other person made Xue Ming stop in her tracks, her expression turning to one of shock.

The man sitting on the northern high seat was extremely handsome. His eyes were calm and indifferent, seemingly uninterested in the banquet before him.

This person was not unfamiliar to her; it was Yu He. He wore white clothes as pure as snow, with half of his thick black hair tied up and the other half draped over his shoulders. He sat lazily, with a beautiful woman on each side—one pouring wine and the other peeling grapes. Behind him stood two more women, slowly waving large fans. He looked like a playboy indulging in luxury, exuding an air of elegance.

Xue Ming looked up several times to confirm from a distance.

At this moment, the scar-faced man said, “Jade Face, since the previous beauties didn’t suit your taste, I’ve gathered new ones for you. Take a look. Do any of them catch your eye?”