Chapter 28: Ghost Market Part 1

The Ghost Market was a trading venue provided by the Netherworld for humans, ghosts, demons, and spirits. The trades there involved items, and money rarely appeared.

For example, if a living person wanted a treasure from a ghost, they had to provide what the ghost needed most, such as nether coins or talisman paper that could increase yin energy. Only by offering a suitable price could the deal be made.

The Netherworld issued ghost tokens to those who frequented the Ghost Market often.

These people stored items they were willing to exchange, or even money, in the Ghost Market. When they wanted to trade, they took out their ghost token, and the other party could see the stored items through it. If something caught their eye, they could complete the trade with the ghost token. As long as they found a patrolling Yin General and touched the ghost token to a nether token, the traded item would appear directly. This was far more convenient than carrying trade items around.

Of course, not many people had enough treasures to require the Ghost Market to manage them on their behalf, so ghost tokens generally appeared in the hands of clans and sects.

Independent sorcerers like Zhuang Ciyue and her group did not have ghost tokens.

Thanks to Yu Ruoyin’s blessing, Zhuang Ciyue got to see two ghost tokens in a single day.

One from Lu Qingzhen, and one from the Four Spirits Shop.

‘On second thought, Sister Qingzhen is actually pretty nice to me. She offered to let me use her ghost token without a second word.’

Lu Qingzhen harbored no malice. The bit of hostility she felt toward Yu Ruoyin stemmed solely from Yu Ruoyin dragging down Jiang Huaining. From Zhuang Ciyue’s perspective, Lu Qingzhen was not a good person, but from Jiang Huaining’s perspective, she was very good.

‘Xiao Yu…’ Zhuang Ciyue had a lot she wanted to say, but saying too much would make it seem like she was trying to sow discord between Lu Qingzhen and Yu Ruoyin. In the end, she just huffed in annoyance. ‘I didn’t expect you to have such an optimistic side.’

Yu Ruoyin smiled but said nothing.

She held onto Nan He’s sleeve and followed behind Zhuang Ciyue, who had already walked ahead of them.

As they drew closer to the Ghost Market, inky clouds suddenly appeared before their eyes, steadily compressing the visible range. The ink-like fog carried a chilling, damp sensation that quickly enveloped their limbs. A wave of warmth emerged from the red jade fruit, dispelling the chill.

Zhuang Ciyue’s warning sounded by her ear. “Be careful. This thick fog is formed from yin qi. It’s easy to run into ghost walls here.”

Yu Ruoyin gripped Nan He’s sleeve tighter and prayed silently that Xia Yu had not deceived them.

Fortunately, though Zhuang Ciyue lacked a bone brush, she had followed the strongest Painting Yin Master for three years. Finding the Ghost Market was not too difficult for her, and they smoothly located the entrance.

The entrance to the Ghost Market consisted of rows of coffins. Standing before a coffin caused its lid to open automatically and draw the person inside.

Each coffin could hold at most two people. Zhuang Ciyue pushed her and Nan He together onto one. “You two go in together. I’ll find you later… No… I don’t have my bone brush now…”

She grew troubled. Without her bone brush, a Painting Yin Master was left with only life-saving methods; basic tracking spells were beyond her.

As Zhuang Ciyue floundered in uncertainty, she spotted the dazed Nan He and immediately pulled out a small knife.

Yu Ruoyin jumped in fright. “Sister Yue, what are you doing?”

“Spirits are sensitive to auras. Without my bone brush, I can only rely on her.” Zhuang Ciyue explained as she sliced a tiny cut into her index finger and squeezed a drop of blood into Nan He’s palm. She asked solemnly, “You can find me, right?”

Nan He nodded blankly.

Though she said nothing, she clearly understood Zhuang Ciyue’s words.

Zhuang Ciyue breathed a sigh of relief. She pushed Nan He and Yu Ruoyin toward one of the coffins and whispered, “When you exit the coffin later, you’ll have a mask on your face and a black robe on your body. The Netherworld does this to prevent people from regretting a trade and robbing the item back in private, so don’t panic.”

“The Netherworld also set rules to prevent people from being targeted outside the Ghost Market. All entrances lead to completely different locations, and the exit points change randomly. It’s a bit troublesome, but it ensures personal safety.”

“Then how do we get out?”

“To leave, find a safe spot, remove the mask, and break it.”

“I’ve got it.”

The closer they got to the entrance, the more uneasy Zhuang Ciyue became.

She suddenly realized there were many things she had not yet told Yu Ruoyin. “Don’t be too scared. Nan He will protect you. Have her bring you to me as soon as possible, and… absolutely do not…”

Before Zhuang Ciyue could finish, Yu Ruoyin and Nan He were both sucked into the coffin. The floating lid slammed shut.

Zhuang Ciyue froze in place. She had not managed to warn Yu Ruoyin not to ask for directions from strangers in the Ghost Market.

—

Yu Ruoyin felt darkness engulf her vision. When it cleared, she stood in the center of a bustling street.

The street’s decorations were very retro, filled with old-style buildings seen only in movies, at least a thousand years old. Newer structures appeared only occasionally. Each shop had two lanterns hanging out front—white, black, blue, or red—giving an eerie yet exotic look.

Besides the shops, there were stalls in front with wooden carts, each manned by a black-robed figure. The deep hoods made it impossible to tell male from female.

Yu Ruoyin glanced down and saw she wore the same black robe. She touched her face and found a mask there.

Nan He was dressed identically. If not for still holding her sleeve beneath the robe, Yu Ruoyin would have struggled to identify her.

The black-robed figures passing by showed no surprise at the newcomers, not even glancing their way, but Yu Ruoyin still felt uneasy.

She instinctively gripped Nan He’s sleeve tighter and whispered, “You can take me to Sister Yue, right?”

“I’ve been here before!”

Nan He’s voice rang out, no longer dazed and slow, but firm.

Yu Ruoyin had a bad premonition, and sure enough, Nan He began wandering the Ghost Market with her, showing no intention of finding Zhuang Ciyue.

She felt helpless. After all, she could hardly explain to a mindless spirit how important it was to find Zhuang Ciyue.

After a lap around, Yu Ruoyin began to grasp the setup.

In the Ghost Market, only shop owners and patrolling Yin Generals went without black robes and masks. Buyers and street vendors alike wore identical robes and masks, hiding faces and bodies. Many even altered their voices to conceal identities.

Shop lanterns came in four colors: black, white, blue, and red.

Black meant the owner was a ghost, white a human, blue a spirit, and red a demon.

Yu Ruoyin did not dare wander randomly. Nan He, whether from ignorance or familiarity, dragged her around without stopping.

Now it was Yu Ruoyin’s turn to worry. She knew nothing about the Ghost Market and could find nowhere without Zhuang Ciyue.

Nan He might know where Zhuang Ciyue was, but she clearly had no intention of going there—perhaps even avoiding her.

She could not abandon Nan He, but where could she find Zhuang Ciyue?

Right!

Lu Qingzhen had sent them to the Ghost Market for Painting Witch materials. If Zhuang Ciyue could not find her, she might go to the Painting Witch materials shop looking.

Xia Yu had said there was only one such place. But how could she find it?

After agonizing for a while and seeing Nan He show no signs of stopping, Yu Ruoyin decided to ask for directions.

Everyone wore black robes and masks, making it hard to tell who might answer.

Yu Ruoyin gritted her teeth and picked the nearest one at random. “Excuse me, I’d like to ask…”

She reached out to grab the closest black-robed figure. Before she touched them, Nan He seized her hand and redirected it to another black-robed figure’s arm. Yu Ruoyin startled. “You…”

The black-robed figure slowly turned to face her, silent.

Yu Ruoyin then noticed another black robe beside them. As that one looked over, the first pushed Yu Ruoyin’s hand away. “Do you need something?”

It was a woman’s voice, young but cold as a midwinter gale whispering in her ear—colder than the Ghost Market’s fog. Yu Ruoyin shrank back in alarm but mustered her courage. “Excuse me, do you know where the shop selling Painting Witch materials is?”

“Painting Witch…” The other black robe spoke up.

Unlike the icy one, her voice was soft and glutinous.

Gentle and frail, yet captivating.

She said only two words, but the black-robed figure suddenly gripped Yu Ruoyin’s wrist hard. “You’re asking me?”

Not only was her voice cold; her palm lacked warmth and carried a vicious edge.

The force on Yu Ruoyin’s wrist was immense, nearly crushing bone.

“Yes.” Yu Ruoyin struggled but could not break free.

Fearing the figure might actually shatter her bones, she saw Nan He suddenly lean in. Nan He slapped the figure’s back, grabbed their robe, and yanked them away forcefully. She then dashed back to Yu Ruoyin’s side, spreading her arms to shield her.

Yu Ruoyin was surprised Nan He still remembered to protect her. The black-robed figure eyed Nan He. “Spirit?”

?

The robe and mask clearly obscured gender and aura, yet this figure had identified Nan He regardless.

This black-robed figure was no ordinary one.

Yu Ruoyin thought to herself as the accompanying black robe spoke. “Take her there.”

At her word, the seemingly unapproachable figure agreed. “Mm, alright.”

“No… It’s fine…”

Before Yu Ruoyin could refuse, the figure clasped her wrist through the fabric and dragged her eastward forcefully.

This time, Nan He did not interfere and followed obediently.

The figure took only two steps before doubling back to grab the other robe and continue.

“I can walk myself.”

“Mm.”

She responded curtly, ignoring it as she dragged the other along.

Yu Ruoyin noted the rough dominance in how she tugged the other robe—no room for discussion. If not for seeing her obey earlier, Yu Ruoyin might have thought the other was her captive.

The black-robed figure said little, and the other fell silent.

Yu Ruoyin dared not speak either. The only sound was Nan He’s muttering by her ear. “Kill kill kill… Daoist… One by one…”

Nan He suddenly uttered two unfamiliar phrases. Yu Ruoyin perked up her ears, hoping to hear more.

Before she could make sense of it, the figure dragged them into a shop called Formless Pavilion.

Yu Ruoyin glanced hastily before entering. Two azure lanterns hung at the Formless Pavilion’s door, meaning the owner was a spirit.

Once inside, the figure released her. The shop displayed mostly exquisite ornaments and sachets, with no trace of talisman paper or cinnabar. Unsure if this was the right place, Yu Ruoyin hesitated at the doorway, neither entering nor leaving, and overheard two voices outside.