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In the Provincial Capital, there was a Ghost Market. Wang Tuozi had once shared the addresses of all the Ghost Markets in the country with Wei Ning, so even though it was her first time visiting, she felt somewhat familiar due to her previous experience with Wang Tuozi.
The Ghost Market in the Provincial Capital was different from the one in Phoenix. It was located inside a dilapidated City God Temple on the outskirts. Observant individuals might notice that despite the lack of cleaning for a long time, it remained remarkably clean, especially the stone statue of the City God, which was pristine because the entrance to the Ghost Market was right inside.
Wei Ning held a copper coin and pressed it against the top of the City God statue. After a moment, a wide hole appeared at the altar, and as Wei Ning bent down to enter, the statue triggered a mechanism that automatically closed behind her.
She descended a low staircase and soon saw some dim light. Using that light, she navigated through the Ghost Market, employing the techniques taught by Wang Tuozi to compare prices. In the end, she purchased what she believed to be high-quality Cinnabar and talismans. She even spotted several sheets of red Yama Paper but had to give up on buying them due to their exorbitant price.
At that moment, a woman in flowing white approached the stall and casually gathered those sheets of Yama Paper into her arms without even discussing a price. Wei Ning glanced sideways and felt that this woman's figure looked very familiar.
"Is it her?" Wei Ning's heart stirred, but since speaking was prohibited in the Ghost Market, she shook her head. She thought to herself: If it really were her, there’s no way we could just pass by each other without greeting. Besides, this place is filled with rough people; someone like her wouldn’t appear here. I must be mistaken.
After dismissing her own thoughts with a smile, she bought a few more items she needed before leaving the Ghost Market.
Later, Zhang Ye, Wu Haozi, and Wei Ning gathered together. Zhang Ye said, "Comrades, we are facing a daunting battle ahead. We are not just challenging any ordinary tomb; this is an ancient grave over a thousand years old. We need to unite and face this together."
"Are we not looking for my grandfather?" Wei Ning asked with confusion.
"Ahem, well, that's exactly what we're doing—looking for your grandfather," Zhang Ye replied hesitantly. "I heard he appeared in this tomb recently. So... we need to check if he’s really there. Perhaps he hasn’t left yet. Wouldn’t that mean you could have a grand reunion with him?"
Seeing Zhang Ye's hesitation, Wei Ning said firmly, "Brother Zhang, you’re not trying to trick me into accompanying you on some ghostly endeavor, are you? Our ancestors had rules about such things; I won’t partake in anything that harms our integrity."
Zhang Ye's expression changed as he exclaimed, "Wei! It’s not like that! When have I ever deceived you? Besides, I’m just as eager to find your grandfather. Even if I weren’t in a hurry, my friend here is quite impatient!" With that, Zhang Ye wore a mournful expression as if he had lost something dear.
Wu Haozi interjected, "If it's to help my master find his grandfather, then I'm all in, ready to face any danger. But if it's about settling scores, I want to make it clear—brotherhood aside, we need to settle this properly. My master should get four parts, and we’ll split the rest three ways..."
Before Wu Haozi could finish, Wei Ning shot him a fierce glare.
Zhang Ye laughed heartily and said, "This friend is quite interesting. Don't worry; sharing blessings and facing difficulties together is my principle."
After discussing for a while longer, the three of them parted ways. The next day, they gathered at Zhang Ye's house. Zhang Ye was well-prepared, having gathered candles, flashlights, ropes, fire hooks, liquor, dried meat, and all the necessary tools for their venture. He even managed to get his hands on two double-barreled shotguns. After having breakfast, Zhang Ye brought over a van, and the three of them set off.
Changde is known for its titles like "Western Chu's Teeth and Lips" and "Qianchuan's Throat." Zhang Ye drove to the outskirts of Changde City at Hexia Mountain. The three of them took their tools and followed Zhang Ye up the mountain. Hexia Mountain is part of the Wuling Mountains' foothills, extending from Peach Source Gao Wu Mountain for about ten miles. It is densely forested with ancient trees and has a winding terrain that has been a battleground throughout history. It was also the main battlefield during the Changde Campaign against Japan. Locals often claim that on certain nights, one can still see ghostly soldiers from that campaign haunting the area. The tales of ghosts have never ceased, adding an air of mystery to this place.
The trio stayed in the car until hunger struck, prompting them to boil two packs of instant noodles. As night fell, Zhang Ye became energized and handed a flashlight to both Wei Ning and Wu Haozi while he carried a military backpack himself. Once everything was ready, they began their ascent.
Although Wei Ning grew increasingly skeptical about Zhang Ye's quest to find Wei Qiuxi, he didn't want to give up as long as there was a glimmer of hope. They walked along the farmland as dusk settled in, occasionally hearing cicadas and frogs chirping. The three flashlights pierced through the night sky as they moved swiftly under Zhang Ye's lead without exchanging words.
After walking for about half an hour, Zhang Ye stopped on a hilltop and shone his flashlight around before muttering to himself, "It should be here."
He pulled out a folding Luoyang shovel from his backpack and plunged it into the ground with force. Pulling it out again revealed packed earth. "It's sealed soil; it has been tamped down—this is definitely the spot."
Zhang Ye's movements were skilled and confident; it was clear he was no novice at this.
Wu Haozi felt a spark of inspiration and suddenly said, "Upward probing and downward digging are essential; fortune-telling requires precision."
Zhang Ye looked surprised and replied, "Fortune-telling requires clarity; one must be cautious when opening doors to fate."
Wu Haozi nodded and said, "Thieves, poison, thousand treasures, orchids, life-seeking, divine tunes, red handkerchiefs, the fortune-tellers have gathered."
"The pestle is soft; it can't compare to Old Hai."
Wu Haozi smiled slightly and replied, "Likewise."
Zhang Ye initially looked down on the short and ugly Dwarf. Moreover, he felt a sense of disdain towards Wu Haozi for calling Wei Ning—who was nearly two decades older than him—his master. However, he soon realized that Wu Haozi was quite familiar with the ways of the martial world; it was clear he was someone who had been around. Zhang Ye no longer dared to underestimate him. As for Wei Ning, Zhang Ye's impression of him was still stuck in the past when he could only hide behind his grandfather and use Boys' Urine to fend off enemies. This time, bringing Wei Ning along was more about leveraging the reputation of the Chen Prefecture Wei Family. If they encountered a few insignificant Zombies, Wei Ning could lend a hand. If worse came to worst, there was always Wei Ning's all-powerful Boys' Urine.
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