Volume Twelve: Invitation to Hell, Chapter Thirty-Four: The Ghost Market of the Undercurrent

The group gathered in Yaoguang’s villa, each face etched with a grave expression.

"Based on the clues collected so far, the hunchbacked man among the two culprits in the Hell Messenger case is Huangquan. The message he managed to relay through A-Yu indicates he is being held captive in the Dark River Ghost Market. Furthermore, the Fire-Poison Insects, the Bone-Dissolving Technique, and the Yin-Yang Androgynous Art used by the woman in white are all lost, forbidden sorceries. As far as I know, these were invented by a group of evil cultivators a millennium ago. After that group was destroyed, these arts vanished. I suspect that some of those evil cultivators never entered the cycle of reincarnation and have been hiding in the shadows all this time. The woman in white must have located them through the Dark River Ghost Market to acquire these sinister techniques," Yaoguang explained.

"I have a question," Huo Mingkun interjected. "Why would this woman in white target Huangquan? Master, you once said that Senior Huangquan is no longer human, ghost, demon, devil, god, or immortal."

"What if this woman in white is the very enchantress who drove Huangquan to fall into the demonic path?" Yaoguang replied. "Doesn't that make the situation easier to explain?"

"You mean... she is Senior Huangquan’s inner demon?" Huo Mingkun asked, astonished.

"Yes. In the world today, the only thing Huangquan would still care about is that enchantress," Yaoguang nodded. "Based on my understanding of him, she likely started by asking for his help, only to later use some form of power to control and coerce him."

"What a femme fatale," Huo Mingkun shook his head silently. "First, she caused Senior Huangquan to destroy his true divine body and hide in the ghost market, and now she intends to drive him to complete annihilation?"

"We have three objectives for this trip to the Dark River Ghost Market: first, rescue Huangquan; second, capture the woman in white; and third, uncover the whereabouts of the evil cultivators," Yaoguang stated.

"Are we all going together?" Xuan Chen asked.

"Yes. But before we depart, we must prepare. I need to explain the rules of the Dark River Ghost Market in detail. It is not a place to be trifled with. A single slip, and we could be lost there forever," Yaoguang warned.

"What do we need to do?" Nalan Yu asked.

"First, I will give you some pills. You must use the next three days to adjust yourselves to your peak state. Then, we head to Mount Canglan. The market is being held there, and it opens on the first day of next month. We must leave in three days, or we will be too late," Yaoguang said.

"Understood," everyone agreed.

"Remember, our primary goal is to find someone, not to trade. Once we arrive, we must be cautious. Do not provoke anyone easily, and keep a low profile," Yaoguang cautioned.

The group spent the next three days in the villa, training under Yaoguang’s guidance to elevate their spiritual power to new heights. Three days later, dressed as mountaineers, they set off for Mount Canglan.

"Master, what exactly is the Dark River Ghost Market like? Why is it so mysterious?" Jiang Yun asked curiously.

"The origins of the Dark River Ghost Market are untraceable. It does not have a fixed location; it is constantly moving. Or rather, it is the spirits within it that move. You’ve heard of mirages—appearing and disappearing without a sound. A mirage is essentially a spatial shift. We exist in three-dimensional space; a mirage is a glimpse of the fourth dimension. When the fourth dimension intersects with our own at specific points in time, the naked eye can perceive it. The Dark River Ghost Market is like a mirage, only it exists within a more powerful, stable barrier. This barrier manifests at specific times, but the location depends on the choices of the spirits within. That is why it is always moving," Yaoguang sighed. "The spirits inside include ghosts, immortals, cultivators, and even gods. There are both good and evil beings there. It is mysterious because you never know who is stronger or weaker than you. Caution is our best survival strategy."

"We don't know the rules, so we will follow your instructions," Jiang Yun said.

"We shall see once we get inside. Every opening is different; I won't know the situation until we arrive," Yaoguang replied.

Xuan Chen glanced at Nalan Yu and asked, "Phoenix, I have a burning question. Why does Nalan Yu call you ‘Big Imperial Sister’?"

Yaoguang and Nalan Yu exchanged a smile. "A-Yu, you explain it," Yaoguang said with a laugh.

"Haha, it’s a long story," Nalan Yu chuckled. "It dates back a millennium to the Tianque Continent. Every emperor of the Tianque Dynasty was a deity from the Heavenly Realm descending to undergo their mortal trials. My father, the Emperor, was a weak man, which led to chaos across the land. My sister’s trial was to become the new Empress and restore order. I was her youngest brother. In the palace, she was the closest person to me; my mother died young, so she was like a mother to me. A century later, she ascended to become a High Immortal and took me with her because she couldn't bear to leave me behind. But I was lazy and never took cultivation seriously, so I remained a minor immortal. Later, I grew nostalgic for the mortal world and spent time wandering there. When I learned she had ascended to become a True God and was in Ye City, I went to find her. When I was targeted by the Hell Messenger, she sacrificed her own cultivation to help me ascend, just to save my life. I’ve called her 'Big Imperial Sister' ever since; it’s a habit."

"I see," Chu Tianyou said, confused. "But if your name is Nalan Yu, why do you call her Yaoguang?"

"In Tianque, I was known as Nalan Fengjin. Yaoguang is my immortal name, my true name. Upon ascending, I returned to my true name. 'Phoenix' is my title as a deity. In the realms of cultivators and immortals, I can only be addressed by my title. Only a few elders and friends I permit can use my true name; for anyone else, it is an offense to a True God, punishable by heavenly lightning. For safety, I have everyone call me Phoenix," Yaoguang explained.

As the car continued toward the remote city near Mount Canglan, the group grew silent, contemplating the journey ahead. They arrived at the foot of the mountain by evening. After a hearty meal—which Yaoguang insisted on because they wouldn't be able to eat again for nearly a week—they began their trek.

The mountain was vast and wild, with no clear paths. As they hiked, Yaoguang noticed the remnants of campfires. "Others have arrived early," she noted. "People often come early to trade before the market officially opens."

That night, huddled around a campfire and cooking simple instant noodles, Jiang Yun asked, "Master, are there terrifying things in these deep mountains at night?"

Yaoguang smiled faintly. "Terrifying things? I haven't seen any. But I remember when I was still a young cultivator, I went to the market alone. I was so scared by the sounds of the wilderness that I couldn't sleep, constantly telling myself not to be afraid, not to cry."

Jiang Yun instinctively leaned closer to Yaoguang, who held her protectively. Seeing her master’s calm gaze, Jiang Yun felt a sudden sense of peace. With her master there, what was there to fear?

The next afternoon, they reached a ridge overlooking a valley. Below them lay a cluster of abandoned buildings. "This was likely a former outpost. It seems the organizers of the Dark River Ghost Market have scouted this place well," Yaoguang said.

The others looked down in shock; never in their wildest dreams would they have imagined the mysterious market to be hidden in such a desolate, forgotten corner of the world.