Chapter 43: Peril in the Ghost Market (1)

In ancient times, the words (wū, shaman) and (líng, spirit) were the same. The Wu clan believed that all things in the world possessed spirituality, with humans having the highest level of spirituality among the three realms, and shamans possessing the highest level of spirituality among humans.

Back then, shamans could not only communicate with the heavens to convey the will of the people and announce the thoughts of the gods to the common folk, but they could also achieve magnetic field synchronization with every flower, blade of grass, animal, or even stone, wind, and rain. This was understood by the world as communicating with all things.

Therefore, many things in the world could be raised and controlled by shamans.

Some beasts with strong spirituality, like my family’s Flood Dragon, Ni Chang, had lived for nearly a thousand years. It was a spiritual creature that transformed from a snake into a Flood Dragon, tamed and kept by my scumbag mother.

It was not only a pet but also a partner, family member, and the most powerful weapon.

These kinds of spiritual creatures lived for a long time and had strong combat power, making them rare. However, they were not fully intelligent; to put it bluntly, they still retained their animal nature. They could understand human speech but couldn’t speak it themselves.

Later, some shamans, in order to make the spiritual creatures they tamed stronger, began to use self-destructive methods of infighting to increase their combat power, thus giving rise to the dark shamanistic practice of ‘raising Gu’

Spiritual entities raised in this way were evil and violent. To rapidly increase their own power, they would absorb essence and blood. If not properly nurtured, they could easily turn on their masters.

In the movie theater, the Fox Spirit I encountered was a Gu spirit cultivated through infighting with many kinds of Gu creatures.

Whether it was my family’s Ni Chang or the Fox Spirit, because they were both tamed spirits, shamans collectively called them Gu spirits, only one was righteous and the other evil.

Gu spirits, upon reaching a certain level of cultivation, could become invisible, existing as ethereal spiritual bodies, and could also manifest physical forms.

As for the Cat Spirit raised by Great-Grandaunt, it would be more appropriate to call it a Cat Ghost. Great-Grandaunt used術法 (shùfǎ, magic arts) to retain the black cat’s soul. It didn’t have much cultivation; its main purpose was companionship.

Finally, there was Wen Ye. He attained intelligence through cultivation methods and, after experiencing various tribulations, shed his animal form and transformed into a human.

Although he still retained some animal instincts, he was largely no different from a human.

Those who maintained a pure heart and unwavering original intention, relying on absorbing the essence of the sun and moon for cultivation, walked the path of immortal cultivation. Those who harbored evil intentions, absorbing baleful energy to strengthen their cultivation, would fall into the demonic path.

These were two different outcomes: one would transform into divine beasts or celestial beasts, while the other would become demon beasts or fiend beasts.

“Sounds so complicated.” After listening to Wen Ye’s long explanation in a daze, I felt that I was really shallow and had a lot to learn.

“Why did you let that Fox Spirit go?” I asked, puzzled. “It will still harm people.”

“I’m not a demon-slaying exorcist. As long as it doesn’t provoke me or…you, I’m too lazy to care.” Wen Ye turned his head to look out the car window, not letting me see his expression.

I pursed my lips and giggled, tilting my head slightly to look at him.

Neon lights shone on him, weaving together gently, making this proud and aloof fox seem less aloof.

——————

After getting out of the car, I followed Wen Ye through a large, abandoned resort, around the back of a small mountain, and towards a pile of graves.

Crooked tombstones were stuck in front of the graves, some eroded by the wind, surrounded by overgrown weeds, like an unkempt burial ground with no one to offer sacrifices.

I felt cold all over, grabbing the hem of Wen Ye’s shirt and asking warily, “Is this the entrance to the Ghost Market? Why is it built in a place like this?”

“Where else would it be? In a crowded place?” Wen Ye rolled his eyes at me, then explained, “The Ghost Market is a special area between the Yin and Yang realms. The entrance has to be in an extremely Yin and ominous place to avoid affecting the balance of Yin and Yang.”

“This is the closest Ghost Market entrance to West City. There happens to be a doctor inside who can remove toxins…” He pointed at my poorly worn mask. “Don’t speak in the streets of the Ghost Market, or you’ll leak Yang energy and inhale Yin energy.”

I quickly put on my mask and sunglasses, listening to him continue, “After entering, don’t be surprised. There are not only living people but also Yin souls you can’t see.”

“I can’t see them. What if they attack me?” Thinking about how there were many ghosts inside, I couldn’t help but get goosebumps.

“You’re pure Yang blood. They’ll avoid you like the plague. Who would dare attack you?”

Wen Ye didn’t want to waste any more words. He walked to a collapsed tombstone more than two meters tall, drew a circle, and burned some paper money inside.

The ashes flew up in small whirlwinds. After a while, the tombstone opened, revealing a dark hole. An icy Yin energy that penetrated to the bone rushed out, quickly sweeping over my entire body.

It was like being thrown naked into an icehouse, so cold that my teeth chattered.

I nervously grabbed Wen Ye’s wrist. “I, I’m a little scared…”

He lowered his eyes to look at my hand, forcefully removing it. I thought he was disgusted with me and was about to beg him, but he grabbed my palm, leading me into the dark hole one after the other.

So his hands were so big, so slender, so hot.

The warmth from his palm dispelled my fear. The resentments and various emotions of the past two days were like dust on a butterfly’s wings, scattered by the wind.

Walking along the narrow tomb passage for dozens of steps, I experienced a moment of hearing loss, as if my head had been plunged into water.

When I came back to my senses, Wen Ye and I were standing beneath a towering stone archway.

The Ghost Market was different from what I had imagined. There were all kinds of buildings here, with Chinese architecture interspersed with Republican-era buildings from 1930s and 40s Shanghai.

In front of the shops, there were both handwritten signs and shiny electronic billboards, both ominous red lanterns emitting ghostly flames and modern lamps of various kinds.

It was an extremely mixed and contradictory but strangely harmonious scene.

The gloomy sky pressed down uncomfortably on people’s hearts. The bluestone streets were very wide. The crowds coming and going were wearing all kinds of clothing, all silent and without any eye contact.

The people were like ghosts.

At this moment, a group of men in black suits and sunglasses walked out of a luxuriously decorated shop, their aura resembling bodyguards.

They swarmed out one after another, at least a dozen of them.

You don’t need such a big entourage to stroll through a Ghost Market.

Behind the group was a man in a gray plaid suit, tall and upright. I didn’t see his face clearly before the man was ushered forward by the crowd.

I subconsciously made way for them, not paying attention to the sign next to me, and was muddled-headedly pulled into a shop by Wen Ye.

“Oh, today is truly the arrival of the God of Wealth! Come, come, please sit down. What do you two need?” The shop owner welcomed us in and immediately closed the door.

“You can talk now.” Wen Ye said, turning his head.

I took off my mask and sunglasses, looking around the shop, just as I was about to look at the price list on the wall, a flamboyantly dressed woman sitting by the counter blocked my view.

“Oh, what a handsome young man. Seeing that you’re at the prime of your life, why would you come to a place like this? Surely this little girl can’t satisfy you? This sister knows many tricks, I guarantee you’ll be satisfied.”

The woman wore thick foundation, with a severe color difference between her face and neck. She had bright red lips, bright red nail polish, and her eyeliner was drawn high and dark.

She struck a seductive pose and was about to lean against Wen Ye.