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Ding Li must be hiding something from me! Ye Chenfeng had tested her several times, but she refused to mention what had just happened. Not only that, but she insisted on returning to Ancient River Town, refusing to go to Ye Chenfeng's home.
With his mother at work and his father busy, there was no one at home.
Ye Chenfeng had no choice but to agree to take Ding Li back to Ancient River Town.
Ancient River Town looked the same as ever, and he would still need to visit Su Dad and Su Mother.
Ye Chenfeng was quite independent; the fact that he went alone to see his grandmother spoke volumes. He bought some gifts at the supermarket and headed to Su Dad and Su Mother's house with Ding Li. Throughout the journey, she remained silent, looking sullen.
It wasn't until they saw Su Dad and Su Mother that Ding Li's mood improved slightly.
Ding Li was undeniably a charming girl. The moment Su Mother laid eyes on her, she took an instant liking, treating her like her own daughter. After hearing about Ding Li's background from Ye Chenfeng, Su Mother grew even more affectionate towards her.
Originally, Ye Chenfeng intended to confront Vocational University for answers, but he had to abandon that plan after Ding Li returned to Ancient River Town.
Seeing how much Su Mother cared for Ding Li brought Ye Chenfeng comfort, and he felt completely at ease leaving her in Su Mother's care.
Parting was bittersweet; when Ye Chenfeng said goodbye to Ding Li and headed back, it was already dusk. Along the way, he observed various sights: buildings under construction, roads being repaired, and workers finishing their shifts at sunset. They squatted on the ground with oversized porcelain bowls, shoveling food into their mouths.
As he walked further away from Ancient River Town, night fell heavily. Small shops lit up with lights, illuminating streets that seemed endless and blocked by towering buildings. The roads were bustling with traffic; neon lights on overpasses flickered with warm and vibrant colors. The shops displayed an array of enticing goods, while the intersections were lively with people coming and going.
Ye Chenfeng looked at everything in reality; it seemed peaceful on the surface, yet he was acutely aware of an evil force stirring somewhere in the shadows. This malevolent power threatened to destroy the beautiful scene before him.
Leaving the bustling area behind, Ye Chenfeng turned onto a particularly desolate street that starkly contrasted with the lively surroundings. Long ago, this street had many small shops—hair salons, foot massage parlors, and private inns.
It was said that these establishments were linked to illicit activities and were eventually eradicated.
With the small shops closed down, the street became much quieter.
Later on, meat vendors moved in, along with vegetable sellers and even a shop selling funeral supplies. So even though it was quiet, there were still people around.
Ye Chenfeng could get off at Rainbow Bridge and walk through Eastern Market before heading two more streets to reach school. However, he chose a shortcut in hopes of getting back to school faster.
As he stepped onto the street, he felt something was off. In an instant, it was as if he had moved from a bustling world to a secluded place.
The street was deserted, devoid of any lights, shrouded in darkness. The houses on either side seemed lifeless, lacking any hint of vitality. He considered turning back but abruptly caught sight of a flickering flame a few meters away.
The Ghost Festival had already passed; who was still burning Hell Money here?
Ye Chenfeng found it strange but walked over casually.
An old woman knelt on the ground, murmuring, "My dear, today is your day of remembrance; Grandma is making offerings for you."
It turned out to be an elderly woman paying respects to the deceased. Ye Chenfeng sighed in relief and continued forward, knowing that passing through this street would lead him to the back gate of the school. As he walked past the old woman, he suddenly felt a surge of Yin energy and glanced back at her.
The old woman was focused on burning Hell Money, seemingly oblivious to his presence, yet he distinctly felt that she had been watching him just moments ago.
Suddenly, a piece of Hell Money, carried by sparks, flew up into the air, resembling a burning Fire Butterfly dancing gracefully above his head, lingering there without falling.
Ye Chenfeng froze and turned to look behind him, only to feel a chill run down his spine—the old woman who had been kneeling was gone. All that remained was a pile of swirling ashes, with no sound of her departure. At the same time, a cold wind swept through the narrow street, chilling him to the bone.
Ye Chenfeng shrank his neck and cautiously surveyed his surroundings, his fingers already gripping a talisman paper.
Whoosh—cold winds swirled around him, tousling his hair and scattering ashes from the burnt Hell Money everywhere. The air was filled with remnants of burnt offerings, creating an eerie atmosphere that sent shivers down his spine.
Something was amiss! His thoughts solidified as he remained in shock when suddenly a heavy scent of charred flesh assaulted him. At the same time, various piercing sounds penetrated his eardrums—haunting cries that resembled both ghostly wails and wolf howls.
In an instant, the previously quiet and dark space erupted into flames—
This scene left Ye Chenfeng stunned.
Run—he sprinted like he was in a hundred-meter dash but found it impossible to penetrate the choking smoke; it felt as if the entire street was ablaze. From within the burning houses came cries for help; he saw bodies engulfed in flames—both men and women among them.
One by one, their once full bodies were reduced to skeletons by the fire; even the skeletons continued to burn before collapsing into heaps of white ash.
Ye Chenfeng took off running. Whoosh—whoosh—he flung talismans into the air; with a clang—the burning images seemed to flip like pages, leaving behind an empty void. The dark and oppressive space vanished, replaced by bustling figures around him: adults, children, and small shops filled the scene.
It was even more bizarre now than before.
Ye Chenfeng remembered that there were no foot baths, no hair salons, and no private inns on this street.
The scenes before him felt both real and illusory, like a dream or a fantasy—suddenly, there was a loud explosion, and the buildings began to burn again. Amidst the flames, a sinister laughter echoed. Ye Chenfeng looked over and couldn't help but gasp in shock; a figure made of fire was approaching him, its mouth wide open with flames, its face entirely composed of fire.
With each step it took, the ground charred and collapsed, leaving behind a large footprint that continued to emit smoke. "Demon, dare to mock me," Ye Chenfeng chanted an incantation, biting his finger to sprinkle the exorcism spell—
The fiery figure showed no fear of him and continued to lunge forward with maniacal laughter.
"Ye Chenfeng..." Someone was calling his name. Ye Chenfeng turned to see Chen Peiling.
Chen Peiling walked over and casually linked her arm with his. "We need to get out of here quickly."
"What’s going on?"
"You accidentally stepped into the Ghostly Maze. This street once witnessed a tragic incident where many people died—burned alive."
"Oh, that explains it!"
With Chen Peiling's assistance and Ye Chenfeng's abilities, they quickly broke through the Ghostly Maze and reappeared in reality.
The street was still the same, but the scenes they saw were completely different from what he had just witnessed.
Ye Chenfeng smiled wryly and said, "Thank you. It's just that my skills aren't enough to deal with these illusion-casting Evil Spirits; I needed your help to get out. I feel quite ashamed."
Chen Peiling smiled back and said, "Don't mention it; I'm not helping you for nothing. You have to promise me you'll help me find Ye Feng."
"Absolutely, leave it to me." Ye Chenfeng led Chen Peiling toward the school while asking about the cause of the accident on this street.
Chen Peiling explained, "This street used to have many illegal establishments involved in illicit activities. Due to the school's influence, they were all cleared out. One desperate criminal couldn't accept this and decided to take revenge by pouring gasoline on his own shop in the dead of night when everyone was asleep and setting it ablaze, leading to the tragedy."
"Was he behind all this?"
Chen Peiling nodded and said, "He's terrifying. There have been multiple unexplained disappearances on this street, and no one knows why. I only found out by accident after jumping off a building."
Ye Chenfeng was puzzled. "Isn't there anyone who can deal with him?"
"There are several," Chen Peiling replied, "but they all died, and in a very horrifying way."
"What do you mean?"
With a pained expression, Chen Peiling explained, "Among those who came, there were Taoists, charlatans, and young people like you. They stepped onto this street and never came back. The next day, someone found their bodies—only a charred skin remained."
Ye Chenfeng was astonished. "Charred skin?"
Chen Peiling glanced cautiously behind her and lowered her voice as she continued, "It means their muscles and internal organs were gone, leaving just a burnt layer of skin."
Ye Chenfeng understood what Chen Peiling was describing: a living person inexplicably burned from the inside out. The skin and internal organs were completely incinerated, leaving only a charred shell. Hearing this sent an involuntary shiver down his spine.
Noticing his expression darken, Chen Peiling bit her lip and tentatively asked Ye Chenfeng, "Are you... scared?"
Ye Chenfeng chuckled and replied, "I already told you, the word 'fear' doesn't exist in my dictionary."
Chen Peiling stifled a laugh, saying, "This isn't something I can easily handle."
"Well, I could always take a trip to the mountains," Ye Chenfeng thought of what Shen Binghan had mentioned about the Deep Mountain Old Monk; perhaps he would have a way to deal with the Flame Demon.
"Are you going to find Ye Feng tonight?"
"Yeah, but you'll need to help me go to the Four Hospitals."
Chen Peiling smiled beautifully. From Ye Chenfeng's perspective, if only she weren't a ghost. Being friends with her would be nice too.
"How about I be your ghost confidante?"
Ye Chenfeng chuckled in surprise. "Can you really read my mind?"
"Depends on who I am," Chen Peiling said, looking at the school gate and the students coming in and out. "I was trapped in the library before, but thanks to you breaking my seal, I can now freely enter and exit the school."
Ye Chenfeng couldn't remember how he had broken Chen Peiling's seal. He tried to recall but had no clue.
Chen Peiling sighed and said, "That book about the Four Hospitals."
Ye Chenfeng suddenly realized, "Oh, it's the book..."
Chen Peiling nodded and walked through the school gate with Ye Chenfeng.
Since he was walking so close to Chen Peiling, their posture appeared strange to others. If there had been another person beside him, it would have perfectly matched his walking style and demeanor.
However, no one could see Chen Peiling next to Ye Chenfeng.
This drew the attention of the security guard at the gate.
The guard widened his eyes as he watched Ye Chenfeng talking to himself. He scratched his head and muttered, "Reading too many books isn't necessarily a good thing; it can make you silly."
In the dormitory, Su Bei, Shen Binghan, and Qin Keqing were making bets.
They were wagering whether Ye Chenfeng was hiding as a Taoist priest in the school.
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