Entrance to the Underworld

"No, the incense is burned to ensure the safe arrival of travelers." The waiter looked at the three somewhat bewildered people in front of him and said, "Don't you know what happened in Nanyi?"

"I've heard about it, but I don't know the specifics." Jiang Jin and Zi Yuan exchanged a glance, sensing they might hear something different from what this shopkeeper had to say.

"Nanyi isn't far from Bifeng Township. It used to be a beautiful and peaceful place to live and work, but unfortunately, for some reason, a lot of people have died recently. At first, it was the residents, but later even passersby couldn't escape the calamity." The waiter's expression began to show fear as he spoke.

"Later, a master passed by and said that it was the entrance to the underworld. Originally suppressed by the God of War, the seal was somehow broken, and the gates of Yin and Yang opened wide, teeming with countless ghosts and monsters. That's why people with weak birth charts are prone to die there. Only this incense can offer some protection, but unfortunately, many customers don't believe it, so I can only secretly burn it for you at night." The waiter finished speaking and hugged the brazier tightly, as if only in this way could he find some sense of security.

"Is anyone still there in Nanyi?" Zhou Cong asked, gently tugging at Ziyuan's sleeve as she looked trembling.

"Of course there's no one inside. They've just hired a lot of sorcerers to perform rituals outside to ward off evil spirits. I wonder when they'll be able to close the gate between Yin and Yang!" The shopkeeper sighed, thinking of the people who had died so tragically.

"Besides the exorcist master, were there any other people who went during this time?" Jiang Jin asked, subtly trying to elicit information from the waiter who was speaking with great enthusiasm.

"Probably not. The main issue is that Nan Yi's situation has also affected Bifeng Township. Everyone was afraid that if those ghosts caused trouble in Bifeng Township, they would have moved away long ago. They only dared to return after the Yin-Yang Gate was closed. Some people who had nowhere to go or who weren't afraid stayed behind, but they all stayed indoors." The shopkeeper was wearing a blue sachet with white ash seeping out from it. Jiang Jin guessed that this must be the ash from the prayer incense.

"Thank you for tonight. It's late, you should go home and rest." Jiang Jin got the answer she wanted and didn't keep the waiter any longer. She raised her hand and gave him a gold bean as a token of her gratitude.

The shopkeeper looked at Jiang Jin with surprise, then hesitated before putting away the gold coins. "You're a complete stranger to us, yet you've thought of us. This is our token of gratitude." Jiang Jin smiled, opened the door, and the shopkeeper curtsied and left the house.

"Ah, Jin, is there really a Gate to Yin and Yang?" Zi Yuan stammered, instinctively grabbing Zhou Cong's arm.

"How could that be?" Jiang Jin plugged in the bolt and poured himself a glass of water. "If there really were ghosts, all those wrongfully killed women, drowned children, and people who committed suicide could go and seek revenge."

Jiang Jin patted Zi Yuan's head, "Although I don't believe in ghosts and gods, if someone disrespects them, they might actually anger them."

"Could it be that the people of Gaoyun Pavilion are spreading superstitious beliefs in order to seize land and stage a rebellion?" Zhou Cong became even more wary of Nan Yi.

"That possibility cannot be ruled out, but it could also be other forces. Nanyi is remote, and some desperate people may have their eyes on it."

Jiang Jin was more thoughtful than Zhou Cong. "They only used the Yin-Yang Gate without inciting the people to do anything against the court. I really don't know what these people are trying to do."

"Can I go back to sleep now?" Zi Yuan relaxed after realizing this wasn't a shady place, and sleepiness naturally made her want to get a good night's rest.

"Madam and Lady Ziyuan, please rest first. I'll keep watch for the rest of the night." Zhou Cong smiled and nodded to Ziyuan. Ziyuan left and collapsed onto the bed, soon falling asleep.

"Madam, may I write a letter to the General to inform him of what has happened here?" Zhou Cong asked Jiang Jin for her opinion, afraid that reporting in secret would anger her.

“Sure, after all, he came to Beizhou with me to investigate the case, so he should know what happened in Nanyi.” Jiang Jin yawned, looking at Zi Yuan sleeping soundly, and couldn’t help but feel sleepy herself.

"Madam, please go to sleep. Regardless of whether Nan Yi is related to Gao Yun Pavilion or not, we must be extremely vigilant. If you overwork yourself, it will be a great loss." Jiang Jin nodded and lay down beside Zi Yuan. The room returned to silence.

At the crowing of the rooster, Jiang Jin awoke with a start and only then, seeing Zi Yuan beside her, did she suddenly realize where she was.

"Madam, nothing has happened." Zhou Cong blew out the candle, looking at the sunlight streaming in through the window.

"Okay, you go back to your room and wash up first. I'll wake Ziyuan up." Zhou Cong said yes and left the room. Jiang Jin casually washed her face with cold water before waking Ziyuan up.

"Ah Jin, I want to sleep a little longer!" Zi Yuan clung to the blanket, unwilling to let go, so Jiang Jin had no choice but to grab her ear and yell, "Get up!"

"Ah Jin!" Zi Yuan sat up helplessly, and Jiang Jin threw the cloak on Zi Yuan's head. "Hurry up and wash up, we still have a long way to go."

"Ah Jin, I had a nightmare last night. I dreamt that a group of ghosts were chasing me, and some little ghosts were clinging to my feet. Ah Jin, do you think this means that ghosts really exist, but we just haven't seen them? Should we ask His Highness to send a master or get some talismans?" Zi Yuan pitifully put on her cloak and tightly gripped the small knife in her hand.

“You dare to curse His Highness? The talk of ghosts and gods is just a means of control. Your dream was just you scaring yourself.” Jiang Jin handed a damp handkerchief to Zi Yuan. “Wipe your face, and then we’ll set off.”

"Okay." Zi Yuan felt a little relieved seeing Jiang Jin's determined eyes. After they finished getting ready, they went outside and saw the waiter waiting for them.

"Ladies, these are amulets and incense for you three." The shopkeeper held up three small sachets. "My wife sewed these overnight, so they're a bit rough. I hope you won't mind."

"No problem, no problem!" Ziyuan exclaimed as if she had seen a savior, quickly grabbing a sachet and tying it around her waist.

“My sister had a nightmare last night and just now she said she was going to the temple to pray for a good luck charm.” Jiang Jin also tied the sachet to her waist. “Madam’s craftsmanship is excellent; it would be worth a lot of money if it were sold outside.”

"You flatter me, madam. I can tell that your clothes are quite elegant. I hope you have a safe journey." The waiter bowed and left. As Zhou Cong stepped outside, he saw Zi Yuan playing with a sachet.

"Here, this is for you." Zi Yuan tossed the sachet into Zhou Cong's arms.

"You embroidered this for me?" Zhou Cong picked up the sachet, looked at it, and shook his head. "It doesn't look like something you could embroider, so where did it come from?"

"The shop assistant gave me a sachet filled with amulets and incense sticks." Zi Yuan deliberately picked up the sachet tied to her waist and showed it to Zhou Cong.

"I don't believe in ghosts and gods." Zhou Cong refused to wear the sachet, unwilling to lose face in front of Zi Yuan.

"Fine, don't believe me then! But if you get taken away by a ghost, neither Ajin nor I will come to save you!" Ziyuan snatched the sachet from Zhou Cong's hand and tied it around his waist without further ado.

The warmth from Zi Yuan's fingertips touching the belt made Zhou Cong's ears burn a little. "Isn't it nice how I tied it? I always tie it like this for my cats."

Zhou Cong's previously lighthearted expression darkened considerably. Zi Yuan didn't think anything of it, simply assuming he was just being capricious. Only Jiang Jin, standing to the side, noticed something amiss.

"Alright, we should get going." Jiang Jin pushed Zi Yuan outside, with Zhou Cong following behind. After a day's journey, the three finally arrived near Nan Yi. It was indeed as the traveler had said: desolate and inhabited by ghost hunters.

"Madam, shall we go in and take a look?" Zhou Cong hurried over to the two of them after tying up the horses.

"No need. Let's observe from here first. If they're related to Gaoyun Pavilion, they're not real Taoists." The three stood in the forest watching the group begin their ritual.

"What religion is this?" Jiang Jin noticed that the people were wearing Taoist robes but using ritual implements unique to Buddhism.

"That Taoist robe doesn't seem to match the magical artifact quite well. Could it be that the Yin-Yang Gate is too difficult to seal, so they need to combine the essence of both religions?" Zi Yuan watched the people's movements intently.

“How could that be? It’s obviously fake. Those people’s legs were weak and their movements were unsteady. If they were really capable, how could they be like that?” Zhou Cong gently flicked Zi Yuan’s forehead. “You’re so stupid, you won’t be fooled by these charlatans when you’re out there, will you?”

"How could that be? Couldn't you tell I was joking?" Zi Yuan glared at Zhou Cong. Suddenly, the group in front stopped what they were doing, and the three of them fell silent, holding their breath as if afraid of missing even the slightest clue.

A man groped along the wall and pressed a button. A hidden door appeared before the three. Some of the fake Taoist priests went down through the hidden door, while others stayed upstairs to guard it.

"There's definitely something wrong!" Zi Yuan suddenly perked up. She was terrified of demons and monsters, but she really liked honest, upright people.

"Let's go, let's get out of here first." Jiang Jin decisively chose to retreat first. Otherwise, given Zi Yuan's personality, she would definitely rush in, beat them up, find the secret room, and alert the enemy.

"Ah Jin, I think we should send someone to check it out, just in case there are any clues..." Jiang Jin gave Zhou Cong a knowing look and immediately covered Zi Yuan's mouth, leading her away from the woods.

"Waaaaah!" Zi Yuan grabbed Zhou Cong's hand and kept slapping his face.

"Alright, let her go. Ziyuan, stop making a scene." With just a glance from Jiang Jin, Ziyuan shut up and said no more.

"Just as we expected, the talk of ghosts and gods is just to cover up their purpose, and there must be something special about Nanyi that would make them go to such lengths to drive away the people and take over the place."

Zhou Cong looked around warily. "Madam, should we write a letter to the general? We probably don't have the strength to take that place."

"Have Wei Shu secretly send some people over first. We'll monitor them from here and figure out what they're up to," Jiang Jin instructed Zhou Cong, glancing at the restless Zi Yuan.

"Zhou Cong is giving you a task: keep a close eye on Zi Yuan and don't let her go there on her own." Jiang Jin knew Zi Yuan too well; she could tell what Zi Yuan was thinking just by looking at her expression.