When the fake Chuyi screamed, the force from his three hands was reduced at once. I took the chance to take out a few more talismans from my pocket and palmed them on him.
I had spent a few months drawing these powerful talismans. At the moment the talismans contacted the person, sparks flashed. Then, the man whimpered in pain.
Using the short light from the sparks, I saw the fake Chuyi. It was a monster with many arms growing on its upper body. There were enough to form a circle. It looked like the Thousand-Hand Guanyin. Its neck grew a centipede head with two antennas as thick as thumbs.
It seemed to be a centipede spirit that had encountered failure while cultivating. After thinking that I had just grabbed one of its legs, my stomach churned! Fortunately, after my talismans hit it, it was being burned. But, it could still chase after me.
After I got away from the centipede spirit, I became more vigilant. I grabbed the Emei Piercer I had put around my waist. After a while, I heard Zen Master Baimei’s voice. “Benefactor, please let me use your Emei Piercer for a while.”
In the darkness, I couldn’t locate him. But if he asked for my help, he must be encountering something foul. Subconsciously, I wanted to throw the Emei Piercer at him. But then, Chuyi’s voice echoed in the back of my head: No matter what you hear, do not pay attention!
I was so careless that I almost lost my Emei Piercer! The foul things here weren’t as strong as Zen Master Baimei, so why would he ask me for help?
To avoid another situation like this, I directly spat blood on the Emei Piercer. I activated it and spun it around me while reading the Sacred Text of Daoism.
The Sacred Text of Daoism was working well, and I felt much calmer. There was no sound coming at me. Soon, I saw the light at the end of the tunnel. Before I could do anything, I landed on my butt.
It was a hard land, and I had to roll around to reduce the force. When I pulled myself together and got up, I saw Zen Master Baimei and Chuyi standing not far from me. They were brushing the dust off their bodies.
I rushed to them. “Are you all right?”
Chuyi shot me a disdainful look, but he said to Zen Master Baimei purposefully, “You see, he’s alright. He even has free time to worry for the two of us…”
Zen Master Baimei chuckled and patted my shoulder. “It’s good that you’re alright. It’s our fault that we didn’t remind you before we jumped in.”
I embarrassedly scratched my head, but I felt happy. Chuyi had never joked before. He always had a cold face. It seemed that after he had solved the problem with his father-in-law, the knot between them was untied. It was good.
I assessed the surroundings and found that we were standing in front of the village entrance. From a distance, the village had the colors and shape of the past. There were many small, black flags flying in midair, and some signboards rattling in the wind.
Walking on the small street, I saw people wearing ancient clothes moving around. A man was riding a big horse, knocking on each door to notify the dwellers about something. It looked like a historical drama to me.
While I was watching them, I thought I would take a photo of those ancient dressed people. Chuyi said, “Don’t look at them. They aren’t living people!”
His words made me pull myself together. I put my phone back into my pocket.
“Most of the ‘people’ you see here are ghosts and spirits. Don’t worry, they have their rules. During the trade conference, they won’t proactively mess with living people. In fact, to facilitate the trades, they will volunteer to help the living,” Chuyi explained.
Every year, some people with big guts would come to join the trades in the Ghost City. They would try to earn something good from the dead. And, when they returned to the mortal world, they would sell the items to antique businessmen like me.
“I’m sure you’ve joined this market many times. Have you ever found any treasures?”
What Chuyi told me was new and interesting. I couldn’t refrain from my curiosity.
“I have participated in the Ghost Market many times, but I’ve only come to find the stuff I need. I haven’t earned a profit by reselling the items. And, there are some things you can only find by chance.”
Chuyi said that to make me prepare myself, indicating that perhaps we wouldn’t find the mermaid’s tears here.
“Yeah, we can only take one step at a time.”
He didn’t need to remind me. I understood that. If we kept the thought of success in everything we did, we couldn’t survive in this business.
Chuyi was pleased with my reaction. He nodded, then said, “I’ve got a friend who used the good fortune of a whole year in exchange for a small bowl from a Ghost King in this Ghost Market. Later on, he recognized that it was a genuine blue-and-white porcelain bowl from the Yuan Dynasty. It even went on the treasure hunting program on national TV. Of course, he told the antique expert that it was his family heirloom.”
Chuyi smiled mysteriously, “Now, guess how much that bowl is worth.”
I thought then gave him a thumbs-up because real blue-and-white products from the Yuan Dynasty had the price of eight to ten million renminbi and more.
“Ten times more than that!”
I took a deep breath. He wasn’t joking, but what kind of bowl was as expensive as one hundred million?
“It’s a bowl the Mongolian royal family used to use. When Ogedai Khan marched to the East to fight in the European Continent, he used this bowl to eat. And when Temujin was seriously sick, he used this bowl to make him a concoction.” He smacked his tongue while talking.
I felt excited. When someone’s luck came to them, nothing could stop it! Who could have thought that a normal-looking bowl would have a relationship with those two famous figures?
But then, Chuyi continued the story. “My friend became a parvenu. But people were jealous of him. In the end, he was murdered horribly.” Chuyi dropped his hands. “That’s why we say we don’t know if it’s good luck or bad luck when something happens. Making ends meet with our sincere work is much more precious and sustainable than anything else.”
I nodded. He was right.
While talking, we reached the center of the village. It was as Chuyi had told me. Most of the ghosts around acted as if we didn’t exist. Sometimes, they made gestures as though they welcomed us. This was the first time I thought that ghosts weren’t really scary.
Alongside the streets were inns, tea houses, and shops. Chuyi casually took us to an inn. He did it so naturally; it was as if he had known this place for years. The innkeeper wore shrouds and sat at the counter. When he saw Chuyi, he smiled and welcomed him respectfully. “Priest Chuyi, you’ve finally come. Shall we use the old rule?”
Chuyi gave him a slight nod. It seemed he was a regular customer here. The innkeeper took us upstairs and checked us into three rooms next to each other. However, since Chuyi was worried about me, he asked me to share the room with him, while Zen Master Baimei would take the next room.
“Is that innkeeper a ghost or a human?” I couldn’t help but ask after the innkeeper was gone.
I could see that the innkeeper acted like a living human, but he was wearing a shroud. Chuyi understood me well. He explained, “This inn owner is a smart man. Wearing shrouds will make the ghosts treat him friendlier.”
I felt amused. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. That man was willing to risk his life just to earn money.
Anyway, it was his choice. I shouldn’t say anything.
When the fake Chuyi screamed, the force from his three hands was reduced at once. I took the chance to take out a few more talismans from my pocket and palmed them on him.
I had spent a few months drawing these powerful talismans. At the moment the talismans contacted the person, sparks flashed. Then, the man whimpered in pain.
Using the short light from the sparks, I saw the fake Chuyi. It was a monster with many arms growing on its upper body. There were enough to form a circle. It looked like the Thousand-Hand Guanyin. Its neck grew a centipede head with two antennas as thick as thumbs.
It seemed to be a centipede spirit that had encountered failure while cultivating. After thinking that I had just grabbed one of its legs, my stomach churned! Fortunately, after my talismans hit it, it was being burned. But, it could still chase after me.
After I got away from the centipede spirit, I became more vigilant. I grabbed the Emei Piercer I had put around my waist. After a while, I heard Zen Master Baimei’s voice. “Benefactor, please let me use your Emei Piercer for a while.”
In the darkness, I couldn’t locate him. But if he asked for my help, he must be encountering something foul. Subconsciously, I wanted to throw the Emei Piercer at him. But then, Chuyi’s voice echoed in the back of my head: No matter what you hear, do not pay attention!
I was so careless that I almost lost my Emei Piercer! The foul things here weren’t as strong as Zen Master Baimei, so why would he ask me for help?
To avoid another situation like this, I directly spat blood on the Emei Piercer. I activated it and spun it around me while reading the Sacred Text of Daoism.
The Sacred Text of Daoism was working well, and I felt much calmer. There was no sound coming at me. Soon, I saw the light at the end of the tunnel. Before I could do anything, I landed on my butt.
It was a hard land, and I had to roll around to reduce the force. When I pulled myself together and got up, I saw Zen Master Baimei and Chuyi standing not far from me. They were brushing the dust off their bodies.
I rushed to them. “Are you all right?”
Chuyi shot me a disdainful look, but he said to Zen Master Baimei purposefully, “You see, he’s alright. He even has free time to worry for the two of us…”
Zen Master Baimei chuckled and patted my shoulder. “It’s good that you’re alright. It’s our fault that we didn’t remind you before we jumped in.”
I embarrassedly scratched my head, but I felt happy. Chuyi had never joked before. He always had a cold face. It seemed that after he had solved the problem with his father-in-law, the knot between them was untied. It was good.
I assessed the surroundings and found that we were standing in front of the village entrance. From a distance, the village had the colors and shape of the past. There were many small, black flags flying in midair, and some signboards rattling in the wind.
Walking on the small street, I saw people wearing ancient clothes moving around. A man was riding a big horse, knocking on each door to notify the dwellers about something. It looked like a historical drama to me.
While I was watching them, I thought I would take a photo of those ancient dressed people. Chuyi said, “Don’t look at them. They aren’t living people!”
His words made me pull myself together. I put my phone back into my pocket.
“Most of the ‘people’ you see here are ghosts and spirits. Don’t worry, they have their rules. During the trade conference, they won’t proactively mess with living people. In fact, to facilitate the trades, they will volunteer to help the living,” Chuyi explained.
Every year, some people with big guts would come to join the trades in the Ghost City. They would try to earn something good from the dead. And, when they returned to the mortal world, they would sell the items to antique businessmen like me.
“I’m sure you’ve joined this market many times. Have you ever found any treasures?”
What Chuyi told me was new and interesting. I couldn’t refrain from my curiosity.
“I have participated in the Ghost Market many times, but I’ve only come to find the stuff I need. I haven’t earned a profit by reselling the items. And, there are some things you can only find by chance.”
Chuyi said that to make me prepare myself, indicating that perhaps we wouldn’t find the mermaid’s tears here.
“Yeah, we can only take one step at a time.”
He didn’t need to remind me. I understood that. If we kept the thought of success in everything we did, we couldn’t survive in this business.
Chuyi was pleased with my reaction. He nodded, then said, “I’ve got a friend who used the good fortune of a whole year in exchange for a small bowl from a Ghost King in this Ghost Market. Later on, he recognized that it was a genuine blue-and-white porcelain bowl from the Yuan Dynasty. It even went on the treasure hunting program on national TV. Of course, he told the antique expert that it was his family heirloom.”
Chuyi smiled mysteriously, “Now, guess how much that bowl is worth.”
I thought then gave him a thumbs-up because real blue-and-white products from the Yuan Dynasty had the price of eight to ten million renminbi and more.
“Ten times more than that!”
I took a deep breath. He wasn’t joking, but what kind of bowl was as expensive as one hundred million?
“It’s a bowl the Mongolian royal family used to use. When Ogedai Khan marched to the East to fight in the European Continent, he used this bowl to eat. And when Temujin was seriously sick, he used this bowl to make him a concoction.” He smacked his tongue while talking.
I felt excited. When someone’s luck came to them, nothing could stop it! Who could have thought that a normal-looking bowl would have a relationship with those two famous figures?
But then, Chuyi continued the story. “My friend became a parvenu. But people were jealous of him. In the end, he was murdered horribly.” Chuyi dropped his hands. “That’s why we say we don’t know if it’s good luck or bad luck when something happens. Making ends meet with our sincere work is much more precious and sustainable than anything else.”
I nodded. He was right.
While talking, we reached the center of the village. It was as Chuyi had told me. Most of the ghosts around acted as if we didn’t exist. Sometimes, they made gestures as though they welcomed us. This was the first time I thought that ghosts weren’t really scary.
Alongside the streets were inns, tea houses, and shops. Chuyi casually took us to an inn. He did it so naturally; it was as if he had known this place for years. The innkeeper wore shrouds and sat at the counter. When he saw Chuyi, he smiled and welcomed him respectfully. “Priest Chuyi, you’ve finally come. Shall we use the old rule?”
Chuyi gave him a slight nod. It seemed he was a regular customer here. The innkeeper took us upstairs and checked us into three rooms next to each other. However, since Chuyi was worried about me, he asked me to share the room with him, while Zen Master Baimei would take the next room.
“Is that innkeeper a ghost or a human?” I couldn’t help but ask after the innkeeper was gone.
I could see that the innkeeper acted like a living human, but he was wearing a shroud. Chuyi understood me well. He explained, “This inn owner is a smart man. Wearing shrouds will make the ghosts treat him friendlier.”
I felt amused. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. That man was willing to risk his life just to earn money.
Anyway, it was his choice. I shouldn’t say anything.
