Late at night, in a small grove at the foot of Chen Ji Mountain, it was quiet. I looked around and sat under a tree, then removed Zhi Yan's body, looking into the eerie Ghost Market. I didn't rush to the shop selling divine agility pills; instead, I turned and walked deeper into the grove.
There was a tavern in the grove, where lonely ghosts, some wandering spirits, were sitting inside, ordering food and drinks like living people. They chatted, reminisced, and looked to the future, then continued their aimless existence as ghosts.
This place had the most information.
Before, I had no money and didn't feel lonely. I had nothing to chat about with these ordinary ghosts, so I prefered to stay at my own grave. But now, I needed to gather information, so it was a different matter.
When I arrived at the door of the tavern and peeked inside, I saw three or four ghosts sitting here and there at some tables, some quietly drinking, and some gossiping. The tavern was more welcoming than other shops, and the servant came forward, smiling and asking, "Miss?"
"Lou Zhaoyao," I stated my name and walked in confidently, trusting in my own wealth!
Previously, when I bought Dream Pills, I had about ten thousand qi left in my account. Now, after burning some paper for a few days, I estimated that it had probably increased a lot. This tavern wasn't involved in the business across the yin-yang boundary, and it wasn't involved in altering my status. It was simply a place to relax and eat. If my wealth wasn't enough for this, then it would truly be unreasonable.
But I didn't expect that the servant didn't even check his pocket mirror. He just said to me, "Honored guest, money doesn't matter to us. We treat everyone the same, whether you have more or less money in your account. I feel a strange familiarity with you. Is it okay if I seat you on the second floor since the first floor is full?"
I was surprised. This didn't sound like something a ghost from the Ghost Market would say! This was a place where one's value was scrutinized upon entry, but did this tavern want to be a breath of fresh air in the Ghost Market?
I was impressed.
The servant was a lovely young lad, about the same height as me, appearing to be about sixteen or seventeen years old. But as a ghost, you can't judge someone's age from their appearance. He had died at this age, but who knew how many years had passed since then.
"Our tavern's boss has a sense of compassion, unlike the shops on the main street that are just interested in money," the servant said as he led me to a window seat on the second floor and continued, "Honored guest, the view here is lovely."
I glanced outside and saw a dark and eerie grove filled with dry branches and broken trees! The cold wind brought a hint of evil, and in the distance, I could see the ghost market shrouded in black mist, as well as Zhi Yan's body lying under the tree. Many small ghosts were playing around inside the body, but none of them could enter it.
Hmm, I suddenly felt the urge to let Zhi Yan enjoy the view here. Seeing her scared and crying would be quite amusing.
"What would you like, honored guest?"
"Just bring a pot of wine. I mainly want a drinking companion," I asked him, "Who here has the most information."
The servant then straightened his apron, swept the chair, and sat down, "Honored guest, I have been waiting for a guest like you for many years. The other drinking companions in our tavern only know some trivial tricks and entertaining guests is their greatest skill, but there are no other guests like you and me who are here to gather information." As he spoke, he vividly raised his eyebrows and casually patted my arm, but his hand directly passed through my arm.
Upon seeing this, the servant was a bit stunned.
I didn't pay attention to his absent-mindedness and just asked, "Do you know about the news from Fengzhou City?"
"Oh..." he regained awareness. "Of course, we have inns in every ghost market. Our news is all interconnected."
I put my arms around my chest. "Do you know what's going on with the vengeful ghost in Fengzhou City?"
In all my years as a ghost, I have never encountered a vengeful ghost, and have rarely even heard other lost souls and wild ghosts talk about it. It is clear that vengeful ghosts are rare, and if they appear, it will surely shock the spirits. Those in the ghost business wouldn't be unaware.
"Fengzhou City?"
The man pondered for a moment. "I haven't received any news about the emergence of a vengeful ghost."
"None?"
"Yeah, if a vengeful ghost emerges, there'll be a command from above to stay away from that area, to avoid attacks, until the vengeful ghost's resentment dissipates. Other news might be wrong, but not this one."
I tapped my chin and recalled the first time I saw the round-faced girl. At first, she floated down from the ceiling, although her appearance was a bit frightening, at least her head was normal. She didn't attack me until I mentioned Sima Rong, which made her hostile.
After giving it some thought, I asked, "Little cutie, can a ghost, after becoming a ghost, develop resentment due to a change in temperament, and thus transform into a vengeful ghost?"
"Little... little cutie!" The man blushed all over. "Sir, you really..."
Wait, aren't you here to entertain, why can't you handle this level of teasing.
I calmly looked at him, making him inexplicably shy, and he suppressed his emotions. "Yes... it's possible. Vengeful ghosts usually form because of lingering thoughts from their previous lives. When things change and those thoughts dissipate, the resentment naturally fades away. But it's also possible that it accumulates over time. It all depends on their own destiny."
I nodded. "Do you know of any female ghost in Fengzhou City, living in a house full of wooden figures? She has a round face, almond-shaped eyes, and is extremely protective of a man with a broken leg..."
"Oh, I know!" The man shouted. "It's Yue Zhu."
I squinted. "Tell me more about her. What kind of ghost is she? What did she do in her previous life?"
"We never delved into her past, but we roughly know that she was part of the Southern Moon sect and lived in that courtyard. She died about four or five years ago and has been haunting that courtyard, rejecting other ghosts... the way you describe her, she does seem to have the tendency to become a vengeful ghost..."
A person from the Southern Moon sect, living in a courtyard in Fengzhou City.
Interesting, this immediately tells me that she's definitely a spy from the Southern Moon sect!
Sima Rong had such a wide range of information before his death. He wouldn't have been unaware of her identity, but in the end, he was still betrayed by the Southern Moon sect. Could he have developed true feelings for Yue Zhu? Is that why he still lives in the house where Yue Zhu used to live.
He missed out on the message because of his emotions, and now he's unable to let go of his feelings. Is that why he said that he can't forgive himself for the rest of his life?
But how did the round-faced girl die? Was she killed by Mo Qing? If she was, then Sima Rong wouldn't have such a good relationship with Mo Qing.
Little two would definitely not know about these events in their previous lives, and I can't ask Sima Rong or Mo Qing. It seems like I have to go directly to the parties involved. I leaned back in my chair and asked the man, "Is there a medicine in the ghost market that can treat that kind of madness that Yue Zhu has now?"
The man stayed silent for a moment and then shook his head. "Not really."
It looks like I'll have to face the round-faced girl who could become a vengeful ghost at any moment.
I slammed the table and stood up, "Alright, that's all I wanted to know. You've been great today, so just go straight to my account and take a..." I swallowed the word "ten thousand" and reminded myself that I was no longer the head of Wan Lumen. So I changed my words, "a thousand yuan, okay."
"Okie dokie, I'm happy just talking to you. Come back and find me again," the cute little one said, smiling happily.
"Uh, what's your name?"
"I'm called Ziyu."
I glanced at him, he seemed to be attentive to my reactions, and he smiled and scratched his head, "Miss, don't be offended, I don't reveal my name, not that I'm not honest, but I... really forgot my own name, I only remember myself as Ziyu."
I looked at him, "How could that be forgotten?"
He looked at me with some surprise, "Miss, don't you know?" I looked puzzled, and he explained to me, "We ghosts, will eventually forget all the things from our past lives. When all these things are forgotten, it's time to be reincarnated."
"Wait, isn't reincarnation about crossing the Naihe Bridge? Isn't it about drinking the Mengpo soup? What about the King of Hell, the judges? Doesn't it follow a process?"
The little one smiled, somewhat helplessly, "Where is there a Mengpo? With so many ghosts, how much soup would have to be brewed to make everyone forget the past. When people die, they wander in the human world, and as they wander for a long time, they naturally forget, some forget early, some forget slowly. But in the end, everyone has to forget."
I was somewhat stunned.
"I have already forgotten a lot of memories from my past life, except for this name. Most of the customers who come to our shop are immersed in the past and are unwilling to forget, so they find someone to talk about their past every day, fearing that one day they will stop talking and really forget everything. But even so, many customers just stop coming, and never been seen again."
"Where... did they go?"
"Forgetting everything, forget even oneself, it doesn't matter where they go."
I followed the little two downstairs, on the first floor, the three or four customers were still there, some were drinking alone and contemplating the past. Some were still rambling on, whether or not they seemed a bit deranged, the accompanying girl would patiently listen, smiling and nodding in response.
But knowing this level of relationship, I also felt that this patience and smile was also filled with a great deal of pity and sympathy.
"A bit of a tangent," said the little two, "Actually, in my opinion, the Moon Bead you inquired about, is probably the same. Clinging to one's own past, afraid of forgetting, struggling and obsessed, so one goes towards the direction of the fierce ghost. Hey, when one becomes a fierce ghost, one would probably remember that obsession, and forget everything else."
I remained silent.
小二 escorted me out. I was dazed and thought of heading to the ghost market to buy a Divine Pill to bring back for Zhiyan. But suddenly I realized, how would I bring a Divine Pill back for Zhiyan? After I entered her body, I wouldn’t be able to touch ghost market stuff, even if I bought the Divine Pill, I wouldn't be able to hold onto it.
So, I had to wait for the day to break, and once Zhiyan returned to life herself, I would directly buy the Divine Pill for her to take, and then she would return to this body, and we'd walk back together.
But I didn't expect that when I returned to Zhiyan's body, someone who was expected, was squatting in front of her.
It was Moqing.
I stood on the side, watching Moqing frown and reach out to check Zhiyan's pulse. I don't know why, I suddenly remembered the words of the little two. He said we ghosts, will eventually forget everything from our past lives, and when all these things are forgotten, it's time to be reincarnated.
Would there be a day in the future when I would forget everything I have experienced, forget about Wanlumen on Dust Settling Mountain, forget about my once widely-known name - Lu Zhaoyao, forget about this ugly freak who seemed to have a glimmer of stardust in her eyes when she looked at me...
Or have I already forgotten... enough?
This thought, like a thousand ants crawling through the seams of my spine, crept into my mind, causing my head to tingle.