Linglong Town (9)

The ghost market is huge, and can be found everywhere in the four realms, but it is very hidden.

Southeast of Linglong Village is a dense forest. The suburbs are deep and dark, with thick shadows of trees. It is clearly daytime, but it is dark when you look outside the forest.

Tan Huai rubbed his arms and said timidly, "I always feel that this place is a little scary. Don't you feel any strange aura?"

"That's miasma." Su Xuan said, "Some things can't be sold openly. There are people who do business secretly, and there are often many unidentified people in places like this."

"For example, the evil spirits being hunted by the Immortal Alliance, or the people that our Xingque Palace in the demon world wants to kill, humans, ghosts, monsters, and demons may all come. When all kinds of auras are mixed together, it is easy for evil spirits to burst out and breed evil spirits, and it is also easy for righteous monks to discover them. Therefore, such places are often covered with miasma produced by a kind of immortal grass. This miasma will cover up the chaotic aura of the ghost market and is not easy to be discovered."

Sandy nodded: "Yes, I used to go down the mountain to exorcise evil spirits frequently. I have also been to ghost markets in other places, and there is also this kind of cold and heavy atmosphere."

She looked up and pointed at the sky, saying, "If you stand there and look down, you will only see fog and feel that the fog is thick here, but you won't detect any evil spirits."

Tan Huai understood: "Is this thing poisonous?"

Sandy pondered for a moment, then shook her head and said, "It should be non-toxic. I once spent nearly a month in a ghost market when I was exorcising evil spirits, and I didn't suffer any serious harm to my body."

But Sang Dai came less often after all, so the swordsman still asked the Demon King beside him in a more serious manner.

"Su Xuan, do you know this thing is poisonous?"

"Just ask."

The little fox took out the jade token and the other party took it quickly.

"My Lord?"

"Do you know the miasma in the ghost market?"

"...You went to the ghost market, didn't you go to look for Wu Hanshu?"

"Wu Hanshu is in the ghost market."

There was a rustling sound coming from the other side of the jade plate. Liu Lixue might have been lying down just now, but now she should be sitting up.

He pondered for a long time. Liu Lixue was knowledgeable and gave an answer quickly.

"You are asking about the miasma, right? I have never heard of anyone dying from it, but just in case, you should take a Jie Yuan Dan before going in. It's in Miss Sang's Qian Kun bag. I once gave her a bottle."

Sandy took out the pills he gave her. Liu Lixue had given her many bottles of pills before, but she basically held them and didn't touch them much.

"Um."

Su Xuan hung up directly.

Liu Lixue on the opposite side looked at the dim jade token with a frown on her face.

"Ghost market... miasma."

There are no ghost markets in the demon world. Su Xuan had already sent people to clear out all the ghost markets in the demon world. Liu Lixue had never been there. He seemed to have heard about it before, but he couldn't remember what he had heard.

Liu Lixue opened the jade token to connect to the Demon Palace. The person on the other side received the jade token but did not speak, but one could guess who it was by listening to the cold and heavy breathing.

"Thirteen, go to my house and find a book with a golden cover. It should be in the study. It's quite old and very important."

The person on the other side didn't say anything and hung up the jade token.

Liu Lixue knew that Thirteen should have already set off. He had never spoken to Liu Lixue and hardly communicated with outsiders except Su Xuan, but he was very skilled and steady in his work.

On the other hand, Sandy had already distributed the Jieyuan Pills.

She swallowed the Jieyuan Pill, and Su Xuan took her hand at this time.

Sandy tilted her head and asked, "What's wrong?"

Su Xuan pinched her face and said, "You can't be separated from me in there. You have to endure it even if you see Wu Hanshu. And... he saw your face last night."

Even though Wu Hanshu was drunk, he still saw Sang Dai's appearance.

Wu Hanshu had never seen Sword Clan's eldest daughter Sandy before, so he probably wouldn't recognize her as Sandy. However, if he met Wu Hanshu in the ghost market, he would most likely recognize that Sandy was the one who raided the City Lord's Mansion last night.

Tan Huai also said, "Yes, Miss Sang, you messed up his machine last night. He must know that someone went to the City Lord's Mansion. Maybe the two buildings damaged in the fight last night will also be blamed on you. You have to change your appearance."

Sandy knew this and agreed without hesitation, then turned around and set a trick for herself.

The once beautiful face has now turned into an ordinary and unfamiliar appearance, and it is impossible to recognize the slightest bit of its former appearance.

Su Xuan's heart softened, and his eyes were filled with smiles. He felt that his swordsman was good-looking in every way and extremely beautiful.

Tan Huai sighed, and was speechless after seeing his appearance. He put his hands together and said, "My Lord Demon King, you also need to change your appearance."

Sandy touched the little fox's silver hair, which felt soft and cool.

"Our Lord Demon King, with your silver hair, is like the walking 'Su Xuan'. Common people may not recognize you, but Wu Hanshu can definitely guess who you are when he sees your silver hair."

The little fox lowered his head and said, "Help me change my appearance."

Sandy decisively changed his silver hair to black.

This is the first time I've seen Su Xuan with black hair. Before, when he had silver hair, he looked like he was isolated from the world and high above. But now with black hair, he looks much more approachable.

Tan Huai and Sandy looked at him side by side and nodded at the same time: "Not bad."

The little fox stood up and held Sandy's hand, "Come in."

"good."

Although the ghost market is filled with miasma, it does not affect your vision once you enter. The thick fog can only be seen from the outside and from above.

It was no different from any other street market, with shops and vendors lining both sides of the bluestone-paved streets. It was brightly sunny outside, but when we came in, we discovered that it was drizzling inside.

The bluestone slabs were wet and strings of raindrops hung under the eaves, adding a bit of haziness to the red bricks and green tiles.

Tan Huai was surprised: "Why doesn't this look eerie at all? Doesn't it look like a ghost market?"

Sandy explained: "The ghost market has its own rules. There are usually people managing these shops. If you want to sell something, you can set the price yourself, but you must listen to the authority and have order in business. However, the ghost market does not care about murder or arson. The strong have absolute say."

Tan Huai looked at the sky again, "Then why is it raining?"

This time it was the little fox who spoke: "The miasma can only be sustained by a humid environment created by spiritual power. It must be humid enough in here so that the miasma outside will not dissipate."

Sandy smiled and glanced at the little fox beside her: "Master Demon King knows a lot, right?"

The little fox raised his head proudly, snorted coldly and said nothing.

Tan Huai turned the Buddhist beads in one hand, and sighed in his heart that the word love is really difficult to understand.

The quiet swordsman will also learn to coax people, and the proud demon king with a stern face all day will also lean over and show his ears.

He also gained a lot of knowledge.

"Let's go, Miss Sang, Lord Demon King, we have to go find someone quickly."

***

The cave was silent, with a bonfire lit. The swordsman in white was still sitting on a huge rock beside the stone wall.

He could not see and did not know how to tie his hair. His black hair was loosely tied up with a headband. A strand of hair slid down the side of his face, blocking his handsome features.

The young man in black did not eat the candy this time. Instead, he took a pot of wine and drank it slowly. There was a small table in front of him, piled with many cakes and snacks.

He glanced at Ying Heng, who had been silent for an hour. If he had not been breathing, he would have thought he had died quietly.

"Hey, do you want to eat something?"

Ying Heng finally responded.

He slowly raised his eyes, his pupils were still dim and his gaze was unfocused.

“…No, I have no sense of taste.”

The young man in black nodded: "Yes."

The peregrine falcon flew into the cave and landed on the shoulder of the young man in black.

"You're still eating. Sang Dai and Su Xuan went to the ghost market, and the Spring Shadow Sword suddenly appeared. Was it you who did it?"

Peregrine wanted to roll his eyes when he saw the man enjoying a piece of cake, and he didn't know why God would let him kill Sandy.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" He swallowed the cake and drank a cup of tea. "I didn't put the Spring Shadow Sword there. I never saw Ying Heng's Spring Shadow Sword from beginning to end. When I picked him up, the Spring Shadow Sword was no longer with him."

Peregrine was surprised: "Who is that?"

The young man in black lowered his eyes and chuckled: "Who cares who it is? I will definitely get it."

He glanced at Ying Heng who was standing opposite him. Ying Heng couldn't hear anything, so as long as they didn't use spiritual power to transmit messages, even if they whispered in his ears, Ying Heng would not react.

The peregrine falcon also looked over and happened to meet Ying Heng's empty eyes. Even though it knew that the man had lost his sight and was only looking at it unintentionally, it remained silent for a moment.

"Who asked you to save Ying Heng?"

"My secret, I won't tell you."

The Peregrine Falcon standing on his shoulder kicked him and said, "We are partners!"

"No, I won't keep a bird as my companion."

The peregrine falcon was annoyed, pouted, and flew away in shame.

The vines that had been hidden in the ground quietly poked their heads out, then swam straight towards Ying Heng, waving their branches in front of him.

Yingheng is ignorant and unconscious.

The young man in black raised his eyebrows: "You want to eat Ying Heng? He has no spiritual power now, his spiritual roots have been drained, and he doesn't have the Four Bitterness on his body. The only one who can possess the Four Bitterness poison with a mortal body is Shi Yao."

The vine wilted and drooped, then swam weakly to the side of the young man in black.

He patted the buds that had not yet bloomed and muttered, "There are still three flowers that haven't bloomed yet. It seems you will have to suffer more."

I looked up at Ying Heng. He had been sitting there without saying a word, as if he had lost his soul.

The young man in black swallowed the last piece of osmanthus cake, stood up and mumbled to Ying Heng.

"Hey, I'm going to the ghost market. You stay here quietly. This place is a hundred miles away from Linglongyuan. The mountain roads are dangerous. This cave is very deep. You'd better not run around when you lose your five senses. I won't care if you fall to your death."

Ying Heng said nothing.

The young man in black was not angry. He put away his food and turned away.

"Let's go to the ghost market."

The vines followed him happily.

Ghost Market, that’s where the four kinds of suffering are most severe!

Deep in the cave, Ying Heng sat motionless, like a still wooden sculpture. What the man in black told him was enough to calm him down for a long time.

When the last bonfire burned out, the cave became dark again. To Ying Heng, it made no difference whether the bonfire was lit or not.

He can't see anything.

***

The ghost market is indeed a mixed bag. After all, most of the people who come here have unknown identities and do not need clearance documents. Some of them even sneak in. I have seen many humans, ghosts, and monsters along the way.

Along the way, Sandy also saw a villain on the wanted list of the Immortal Alliance. The swordsman pointed with one hand, and Tan Huai immediately understood. He found a secluded place, tied up the man and threw him outside the ghost market, and used the jade token to call someone to pick him up.

They saw a lot of interesting things along the way, and even saw people selling forbidden items like spiritual roots, which was somewhat similar to the auction in Bai Ren.

However, Bairenli under Fuyou's governance is much better than Guishi. After all, you can't kill people in Bairenli, but it's different in Guishi.

The monk happily twirled his Buddhist beads and suddenly said, "Miss Sang, Lord Demon King, we have been walking for an hour. How long will it take us to find Wu Hanshu if we keep walking aimlessly like this?"

I've been here for so long, I've been to all the stores I should go to, but I can't find the person I'm looking for.

Sandy drooped her eyelashes and said, "Wu Hanshu probably came because of the Spring Shadow Sword. The Spring Shadow Sword appeared in the ghost market. Most people who come here are selling or buying things. Maybe... someone is auctioning it?"

Su Xuan: "How many stores are there in the Ghost Market?"

Tan Huai sighed: "I don't know, I have been to more than 30 auction houses along the way, and I don't know how many are left - hiss!"

Before Tan Huai could finish his words, a person suddenly rushed out from the corner and bumped into Tan Huai's shoulder.

The monk was talking and was not on guard, so he was hit hard.

Sandy hurried to investigate: "Master Tan Huai?"

The man who bumped into someone wanted to run, but Su Xuan teleported in front of him. The monsters were tall, and the man was too thin. Su Xuan looked very fierce when he had a cold face, and the man was so scared that he knelt on the ground.

"I...I really didn't mean it!"

The monk rubbed his shoulder, then lowered his eyes to look at the person who was skilled in sliding and kneeling.

He is a teenager, no more than ten years old. The clothes he wears are made of good material and he is also good-looking. He must be from a wealthy family.

There was no murderous intent in him, and there was not even any spiritual power fluctuation, so they were not on guard and let the child bump into Tan Huai.

The monk quickly lifted him up: "Get up, get up, it's nothing serious."

He glared at a fox and said, "Why are you so fierce?"

Su Xuan: “?”

The little fox was about to get angry, and Sandy hurried forward and hugged his arm.

"Don't be angry, don't be angry, smile more, okay? You scared the child."

The swordsman spoke in a soft and gentle voice, just like coaxing a child. The anger that had just risen in Su Xuan's heart was extinguished in the blink of an eye.

Tan Huai brushed the dust off the young man's knees and asked, "Why did you appear in the ghost market by yourself? Why did you run so fast just now? There are many vicious people here. If you bump into someone, it may not end well."

The young man was a little anxious: "My father has been insane for a long time. There is a medicine in the ghost market that can suppress his madness. I have to go home now to deliver the medicine to him. Many people in the ghost market know me and will not hurt me. Senior, please let me go first."

He handed over a wooden sign, "This is my family token. If I hurt you, you can take the jade token and go to the west of Linglong Town to find the Chen family. I really have to go first. My family is waiting for me to deliver medicine."

Crazy?

Tan Huai's face suddenly turned cold, and he grabbed the young man who was about to leave, "I mean no offense, but someone in my family has also been stricken with this disease. Where did you buy this elixir, young master?"

The young man pointed to an alley and said, "Go along this road. There is a big store at the end. It is the largest auction house in the ghost market. It is right there."

He broke free from Tan Huai's hand and turned around and ran away quickly.

The three looked toward the alley.

The largest auction house in the ghost market is actually hidden in this alley.

Su Xuan picked up the wooden sign from Tan Huai's hand. The wooden sign was exquisitely and smoothly made. Even ordinary wooden pass signs were made of fine sandalwood.

The little fox threw the wooden sign to Tan Huai and said in a deep voice: "Since his family is so rich, why would they let a young master like him come to the ghost market alone to buy medicine?"

But the child had disappeared long ago.

Tan Huai pondered: "...Maybe, this child is filial?"

Su Xuan and Sang Dai were both silent.

The little fox looked at him with a hint of disdain: "I heard that Buddhists are kind-hearted, but now that I see it, I'm afraid that kindness is mixed with 70% stupidity."

Tan Huai: “…”

Sandy shook her head and walked towards the alley holding the little fox's hand: "No matter if there is something strange or not, let's go and take a look. If it is really the largest auction house in the ghost market, maybe Wu Hanshu is really there."

Tan Huai smiled awkwardly, turned around and entered the alley.

This alley is very deep, but as the young man said, at the deepest point is an attic.

The shops in the ghost market are usually three or four stories high, but this attic is actually seven or eight stories high. The three of them looked up at the magnificent auction house and inexplicably felt that it looked familiar.

Manxiang Pavilion.

Sandy: "Why does this look a bit like the Spring and Autumn House?"

Su Xuan: "It should have been made by Qiu Chengxi."

Tan Huai: "This...Mr. Qiu has a really wide range of business."

Qiu Chengxi's skills in mechanical engineering had reached a superb level. Rich families and large sects would often choose to hire Qiu Chengxi if they wanted to build houses or create mechanical engineering. Although he charged a high price, Qiu Chengxi's machinery and attics had almost become a facade and were well-known in the four worlds.

Su Xuan pulled her inside and said, "Let's go in first. We've been delayed for a long time."

Tan Huai followed them.

As soon as they reached the door of Manxiang Pavilion, the guard at the gate stopped them with his sword drawn.

"Stay!"

Su Xuan's face darkened. Over the years, there were only a few people in the four realms who dared to confront the Demon King.

"Do you dare to challenge me?"

"Don't be like this." Sandy held his arms and pulled him behind her, signaling the little fox with her eyes to be patient.

Tan Huai hurried forward to act as a lobbyist: "We are here to buy things. I heard that Manxiang Pavilion has many rare treasures. I wonder what the rules of your pavilion are?"

The guard said coldly, "If you want to buy something, please let us know in advance. If Manxiang Pavilion doesn't have the item today, you won't be allowed in."

Su Xuan sneered: "What a broken rule! How come I have to think about what I want to buy before I go to your place to buy something? Who knows what you sell?"

The guard pointed to the Manxiang Pavilion and said, "Each item needs a separate room for auction. Those who compete for the item go to the same room. The items to be auctioned the next day will be announced one day in advance. Didn't you receive the list?"

Sandy covered Su Xuan's mouth, crooked her eyes and smiled, "This is our first time here, and we want to buy some elixirs and... magical instruments. I wonder what Manxiang Pavilion is selling today. Can you let us take a look at the list?"

She spoke in a soft voice, which formed a sharp contrast with the male cultivator next to her. With Su Xuan standing by as a reference, the guard's originally cold interview gradually relaxed when he heard Sang Dai's polite questioning and Tan Huai silently stuffing money into his pocket.

"This is only for this time. If you come to Manxiang Pavilion again in the future, you must come one day in advance to get the registration list."

"Yes, of course. Thank you."

Sandy took the list from the guard, turned around and opened it with her back to everyone else.

Tan Huai leaned over to look at her.

There were more than a dozen pages of papers, and hundreds of items were sold, mostly elixirs and magical instruments, as well as some things written in jargon. Sandy couldn't understand the jargon, but Su Xuan could tell what it meant.

There are spiritual roots that are forbidden in the four realms, and there are poisons that can kill people. Su Xuan often enters the world and can almost recognize them all.

Sandy only looked for what she was looking for, and even turned to the last page, but she couldn't find the three words "Spring Shadow Sword".

She didn't believe it, so she searched again, but still couldn't find it.

The swordsman's face turned cold, and the ease that had just appeared between his brows disappeared.

Tan Huai asked in a low voice: "Is it possible that... he is not here at all? Should we look for him somewhere else?"

Sandy's heart sank. The ghost market was so big. It would take who knows how long to search for it in every store. Moreover, Wu Hanshu came to the ghost market most likely for the Spring Shadow Sword. If he left with the Spring Shadow Sword, or if the Spring Shadow Sword was bought by another buyer...

"Show me the list."

The voice of the little fox rang in my ears.

Just as Sang Dai was about to let go, Su Xuan had already taken the list away.

He did not start from the beginning, but turned directly to one of the pages with purpose.

Sandy and Tan Huai looked over.

There was only one word written on the page.

without.

Su Xuan said coldly: "This is a jargon, which means priceless treasure."

Room No. 1, Xuanzi, none.

Sandy thought the room was empty and had nothing to sell.

She asked, "Are you sure?"

"Confirmed." Su Xuan closed the roster. "Manxiang Pavilion's business is so brisk, and there are so many things to sell every day, it's impossible for a room to be empty without anything to sell."

Sandy nodded: "I believe you, let's go in."

Tan Huai asked carefully: "If we guess wrong, we might miss Wu Hanshu... What if the Chunying Sword is sold..."

Sang Dai was silent for a moment, but still held Su Xuan's hand despite Tan Huai's hesitation.

"I believe him. If we really miss him, we can look for clues again."

Su Xuan looked at her, and Sang Dai's eyes were full of trust.

She had been willing to give him her back a long time ago, and they were no longer the old enemies they once were.

The corners of the little fox's lips curved wider and wider, and a smile appeared between his eyebrows.

Tan Huai let out a long sigh and handed the list over first.

“We want something like this.”

The guard's face froze and he asked, "Are you sure?"

Seeing this man's attitude, Tan Huai, who was originally skeptical, became more convinced. Maybe this word really is a slang.

Tan Huai patted his Qiankun bag and said, "I have money, don't worry. Did you see the man behind me? He has even more money."

The guard raised his eyes to look, but the proud little fox didn't even look at him.

Su Xuan was wearing a black robe with intricate and exquisite gold thread embroidery. This robe alone could be sold for a lot of money, not to mention the jade communication token on his waist, which was made of the finest mutton-fat jade.

"Please come in. The auction for the entire Manxiang Pavilion will be held at the same time. There are still two incense sticks left. You need to take a seat as soon as possible."

Tan Huai nodded politely and entered the Manxiang Pavilion, followed by Sang Dai and Su Xuan.

Outside Manxiang Pavilion, in the huge ghost market, the drizzle was getting heavier.

Peacock, who was far away in the inn, couldn't sleep. He sat at the table waiting, tapping the table with his knuckles.

The jade token on the table suddenly lit up.

Liu Lixue quickly picked up the phone.

He heard a rough, hoarse sound, like a sharp stone grinding against a throat.

"I got it."

Liu Lixue was stunned for a moment before she realized that it was Thirteen who was speaking. She had known Thirteen for all these years but had never heard his voice before.

But now was not the time to be distracted, so he hurriedly said, "Turn it over and find the page about the ghost market and read it to me."

From the other side of the jade token came the sound of pages being turned.

The book was not thick and was left behind by Liu Lixue's master when he was still alive. Liu Lixue had read it once, but that was many years ago and now he only remembered the general idea.

Thirteen replied quickly: "Yes."

"Read it to me."

"Ghost markets are spread all over the four worlds, selling mostly banned items. People coming and going——"

"Don't read this, look for miasma."

Thirteen paused for a moment, then resumed his speech after a while.

"Miasma, produced by the Heart-Resolving Grass, can conceal breath and create illusions. It is often used to block..."

Liu Lixue couldn't hear anything else that was said afterwards.

My mind is full of one word.

Heart-relieving grass.

He hurriedly cut the jade token in half, found the other person's spiritual seal and sent it out.

The jade card flashed several times before it was connected, and there was some noise on the other end.

"Liu Lixue, what's wrong?"

Liu Lixue clenched her fists and said with rapid breathing:

"My Lord, come back! You can't go to the Ghost Market!"