Zhuang Ciyue had been to the Ghost Market before. Without a Bone Brush, she could still easily find some of the fixed shops.
They quickly located Purple Phoenix Hall.
Two lanterns hung in front of Purple Phoenix Hall as well, but their colors did not match—one was white, the other red.
The two colors intertwined in a bizarre way, yet they somehow harmonized mysteriously.
When Zhuang Ciyue saw Yu Ruoyin staring at the lanterns and hesitating to enter, she immediately guessed what she was thinking. She explained to Yu Ruoyin, “One red and one white means the shop owner is half-human, half-demon.”
“So that’s how it is.”
After her doubts were cleared, Yu Ruoyin took hold of Nan He’s sleeve and followed Zhuang Ciyue into Purple Phoenix Hall, bringing her along.
The lighting in Purple Phoenix Hall was very dim, making it nearly impossible to see the displays inside.
Unlike the bright light in Formless Pavilion, there was only a single dim oil lamp here. The faint flame could be extinguished with a gentle puff, and the air was filled with a damp, musty smell, as if no one had tended to the place for a long time. It did not look like a shop at all.
Creak, creak—
The sound of a wooden chair rocking echoed in the darkness, and Yu Ruoyin’s heart leaped into her throat.
Even mustering all her courage, she could not take a single step forward. Instead, she retreated one.
Nan He sensed her fear and suddenly grabbed her hand, leading her toward the source of the sound.
Nan He walked quickly, even dragging her past Zhuang Ciyue. Zhuang Ciyue had not expected Nan He to be so reckless. She stomped her foot in anxiety. “Hey, you!”
She wanted to catch up to Nan He, but by then Nan He had already pulled Yu Ruoyin right up to the oil lamp.
Yu Ruoyin panted nervously, her eyes scanning the overly dim shop. Suddenly, she spotted a grayish-green hand next to the oil lamp. The hand was gaunt and skeletal, drier than a snapped twig, its skin cracked and fingertips tinged black and blue.
Yu Ruoyin’s eyes widened in terror. In her panic, she wrenched free from Nan He’s grasp, covered her mouth, and stumbled back several steps to keep from screaming.
Her cowardice drew mocking laughter from the shop. “Why so timid if you’re a Yin-Toucher?”
The voice came from behind her, heightening Yu Ruoyin’s panic. She whipped her head around and saw only a pair of gray-brown eyes.
The unusual color made her heart skip a beat.
She shifted direction and kept retreating.
Nan He steadied her, helping her stand straight. “Don’t be afraid. She’s not bad.”
“Spirit, huh.”
The woman’s voice rose at the end. A sudden gust of wind blew past, igniting dozens of oil lamps at once and brightening the entire shop. Yu Ruoyin finally saw the full appearance of the person who had scared her—a woman in her thirties, dressed in an ink-black robe with disheveled long hair, looking indolent and casual.
She leaned back in the rocking chair, her whole body curled up as it swayed slowly.
Her face was decent enough, but it lacked any vitality.
Her drooping eyelids gave the impression she might doze off at any moment.
She did not even bother lifting her eyes to Yu Ruoyin. Instead, she pulled her robe tighter around herself, her weary brows furrowed in impatience. “I don’t feel like doing business today. Come back another time.”
“Hey, Senior!” Zhuang Ciyue was displeased. She rushed up to the shop owner but held back from snapping.
In the Ghost Market, anyone who could hold a fixed shop for long was no ordinary person. She knew her own limits and did not dare provoke trouble lightly.
Yu Ruoyin already felt uncomfortable just standing there.
With the woman telling her to leave, she immediately felt timid. “O-Okay… I’ll come back next time.”
Her meek demeanor drew a cold laugh from the woman. “You don’t seem like a Yin-Toucher at all. More like a scaredy-cat. Don’t come back.”
“If you don’t want to do business, fine, but why insult people!”
Zhuang Ciyue defended Yu Ruoyin, but the woman shoved her away. “So noisy.”
She pushed Zhuang Ciyue with force, sending her stumbling backward uncontrollably.
Yu Ruoyin hurried to support her, only to find Zhuang Ciyue surprisingly heavy. The weight pulled her down too.
The red jade fruit around her neck glowed briefly, and suddenly strength surged into Yu Ruoyin’s arms, allowing her to steady Zhuang Ciyue successfully.
The glowing red jade fruit piqued the lazy woman’s interest.
She sat up, staring fixedly at the red jade fruit around Yu Ruoyin’s neck. “Jiang Huaining.”
It seemed she had recognized Jiang Huaining’s spiritual energy. She grabbed Yu Ruoyin’s wrist. “Who are you? From Four Spirits Shop?”
Before Yu Ruoyin could tuck away the Ghost Token, it slipped from her sleeve. The woman caught it and paused. “From Four Spirits Shop, after all. You lot actually need to do business with me? Isn’t Jiang Huaining all-powerful?”
She seemed to know Jiang Huaining.
But the woman gave her no chance to ask. She tossed the Ghost Token back into Yu Ruoyin’s hand. “So, what do you want?”
“I heard that… you can find memories here.” Yu Ruoyin took two deep breaths and clenched her fists, finally mustering some courage as she pushed Nan He forward. “We want to help her recover her memory.”
The woman glanced at her. “What can you offer?”
Yu Ruoyin tried to hand over the Ghost Token, but the woman did not take it.
She scrutinized Yu Ruoyin, her piercing gaze seeming to pierce through the black robe. “I don’t want any of that. I want a promise from you.”
“What?”
“Promise that Four Spirits Shop will take my business.”
“Huh?” Yu Ruoyin was surprised. She steadied herself with the Ghost Token in hand. “I… I don’t have the authority for that.”
“The Ghost Tokens from Four Spirits Shop are in your hands—how could you not have the authority!” The woman’s laziness vanished in an instant, replaced by agitation. Like a madwoman, she lunged at Yu Ruoyin and shook her shoulders hard. “Help me, please! Help me!”
Nan He rescued Yu Ruoyin from the woman’s grasp and shielded both her and Zhuang Ciyue behind her. “You…”
She did not know what to say, but Zhuang Ciyue did. She poked her head out from behind Nan He. “You should beg Boss Jiang. She’s the owner of Four Spirits Shop.”
“I’ve begged at Four Spirits Shop, but Jiang Huaining refused me.” The woman hung her head dejectedly, her expression downcast. “She didn’t even quote a price before refusing. She shouldn’t treat me like that. She shouldn’t!”
If Jiang Huaining had refused, then it could not be accepted.
Yu Ruoyin was more resolute than ever. She gathered her courage and stepped out from behind Nan He. “Four Spirits Shop only does business with those fated for it. Looks like you have no fate with them. I can’t…”
Yu Ruoyin did not finish her words. The woman’s eyes suddenly turned peach-colored.
The vivid hue dazzled Yu Ruoyin’s eyes, and her consciousness gradually blurred. She heard the woman’s voice: “I’m Lian Zhen. You’re willing to do business with Lian Zhen, right?”
“Willing.”
The promise slipped from her throat, and suddenly a Fox Mark appeared on Yu Ruoyin’s wrist.
As Yu Ruoyin’s awareness returned, she stared at the new Fox Mark in bewilderment. Zhuang Ciyue shrieked uncontrollably. “You cheated!”
What more was there for Yu Ruoyin not to understand?
She had just been controlled by this woman named Lian Zhen, and now the contract was sealed—no backing out.
No wonder Zhuang Ciyue’s temper had worsened. This line of work was full of dirty tricks she could not guard against.
Anger and regret surged in her chest. She reached out and clawed fiercely at the Fox Mark, her nails scraping her skin and leaving fine bloody scratches. Zhuang Ciyue was stunned and grabbed her hand in a panic. “What are you doing!”
Yu Ruoyin pushed her hand away and kept scratching at the Fox Mark.
Nan He stopped her, gripping her hand tightly. “No… can’t.”
Zhuang Ciyue let out a breath of relief and patted Yu Ruoyin’s shoulder gently. “What’s this about? It’s just a deal. Boss Jiang definitely won’t blame you. You…”
Before her comforting words finished, intermittent sobs reached her ears.
Zhuang Ciyue froze in place. As she floundered, she heard Yu Ruoyin’s aggrieved voice. “I know. I know she won’t blame me, and that’s exactly why I’m mad—at myself for being so useless. I dragged her down again. I caused trouble again. Why am I so useless? I…”
Too many emotions had built up, suppressed for too long. Even a small thing could break her now.
Yu Ruoyin had suddenly been pulled into a strange world. Before she could adapt, she had witnessed too much bloodshed, even life-and-death separations.
She should have collapsed long ago. Jiang Huaining’s comfort had barely kept her going. Now, without Jiang Huaining, she plunged into a spiral of self-blame—blaming herself for being useless, a burden, so easily controlled by others.
No wonder Lu Qingzhen worried she would drag Jiang Huaining down. She really was a burden.
Yu Ruoyin could not understand why such a useless person like her was by Jiang Huaining’s side, nor why someone like Jiang Huaining would take a fancy to a coward like her.
Zhuang Ciyue grew anxious hearing her cry.
She could not help blaming Nan He, who had the ability to protect Yu Ruoyin but had done nothing. “Why didn’t you stop it?”
“Her… heart is crying. She needs…”
Zhuang Ciyue cut Nan He off. “Her heart is crying? My heart’s about to cry too! We came here to help you—don’t you feel any responsibility toward us? Her heart is crying, and someone’s already breaking down here. Can’t you see?”
Zhuang Ciyue knew she should not argue with a befuddled spirit, but she was truly pissed off right now.
If she still had her Bone Brush, she would stab holes into this detestable woman even if it killed her, just to vent.
Zhuang Ciyue glared viciously at the woman, steeled herself, and bit her fingertip. “I’ve decided. I’m fighting you!”
Her bloodied fingertip smeared toward her face, on the verge of drawing a taboo ghost pattern.
Nan He hurriedly stopped her. “Die… no dying.”
She seized Zhuang Ciyue’s hand, and faint pink mist rose from the fingertip, quickly mending the injury.
Nan He pushed Zhuang Ciyue behind her. “Me, I’ll do it!”
Yu Ruoyin had been lost in her emotions, hard to pull free. But hearing Nan He mention death snapped her back.
