On the Yin Yang Road, most travelers are non-human. Occasionally, a living person mixes in, but they wrap themselves tightly to prevent yang energy from leaking and disturbing the malicious souls on this path.
Or rather, this realm is no longer the world of the living; here, the living are the true outliers.
Many demons and ghosts travel this path—mountain pigs, wild cats, foxes, and dog demons, most appearing in their original forms.
Even those who maintain human form usually retain some animalistic traits.
Further ahead, a python as thick as a water bucket crossed the road, its palm-sized scales rippling as its head and tail disappeared into the mist.
It was enough to give anyone goosebumps.
Nan Zhi spotted a strange duo: a scruffy man who looked like a beggar and a tall woman wrapped entirely in black cloth, revealing only her eyes, with a large, pitch-black scorpion perched on her shoulder.
She only glanced at them twice before looking away.
With so many demons outside the sedan, friction was inevitable.
A mountain pig spirit and a rhino demon collided, standing in the middle of the road and shouting insults at each other. Their exchange was quite comical.
The mountain pig spirit stood with hands on hips and barked:
“Hey! Who do you think you are, blocking the path of the Mighty Grand General of Yellow Peak Mountain? Do you think you have more heads than anyone else?”
“Bah! Mighty Grand General? You think I don’t know your true origins?!”
The rhino demon wasn't to be outdone, snorting white mist from its nose:
“You’re nothing but a domestic pig that escaped from a farm at the foot of Yellow Peak Mountain! You usually spend your days eating rotten cabbage leaves in people's fields. What kind of Mighty Grand General is that?!”
“You—you—you! You bastard wild ox, I’ll kill you! And what about your 'great' origins? You’re just a mountain ox that turned into a demon, sticking a broken horn on your head all day to pretend to be a rhino! You think I don’t know?!”
Exposed, the mountain pig was furious. It charged forward, snorting, and actually ripped the horn right off the wild ox's head.
Nan Zhi was dumbfounded.
That worked?
She’d heard of sticking scallions in a pig’s nose to pretend it’s an elephant, but she’d never seen a wild ox stick a rhino horn on its head to pretend to be a rhino.
The wild ox let out a strange cry, pouncing on the mountain pig spirit. They tore at each other in a frantic brawl.
Before a winner could be decided, two monks drifted over, seized the two brawlers, and led them into the surrounding mist where they vanished.
Those ghost monks were charred black, with fist-sized holes in their chests. Through the holes, one could see their bright red internal organs.
The surrounding demons and ghosts were unfazed, merely glancing at the scene before continuing toward the Ghost Buddha Temple.
“Do not be alarmed, prestigious guests! Those are the ghost monks of the Ghost Buddha Temple. They usually don’t harm anyone,” one of the paper figures carrying the sedan said in a shrill voice.
“You look like first-timers, so you probably don’t know the history of the Ghost Buddha Temple. We’ll give you a friendly warning: the rules inside are very strict!”
“Legend says the temple was an ancient one burned down during the Jin Dynasty. When the fire broke out, the monks stayed to protect the scriptures, and not a single one escaped.”
Having received the large paper ingots, the paper figures were serving Nan Zhi with utmost devotion, eager to share everything they knew.
“Later, for some reason, the temple came alive. It grew legs and ran onto the Yin Yang Road, where it has stayed for over a thousand years.
“The monks became ghost monks, still chanting scriptures and tolling the bell every day, practicing their faith.
“Later, around the time of Empress Shenlong, there was a Water and Land Dharma Assembly. During the Ghost Festival, the Gates of Hell opened, and ghosts from the Underworld fled to the temple and refused to return.
“Yama had no choice but to show mercy, decreeing that every year during the Ghost Festival, wandering spirits could stay at the Ghost Buddha Temple for seven days to witness the mortal world once more.
“Eventually, the Ghost Market began to form. As more humans, demons, and monsters arrived, it grew livelier every year. The master of the Ghost Buddha Temple then set a rule:
“No matter your origins, no trouble is allowed in the temple. If there is a blood feud, one must go to the Life and Death Arena for a duel. Everything is settled there.
“Once on that arena, the winner not only takes the enemy’s life but might even catch the eye of the Ghost Buddha Temple's master and receive a grand opportunity.”
“Such a thing exists? I’ve never heard of a temple growing legs and running away. Could it be that after all these years, the temple itself has become a monster?”
Hearing these savage rules, Nan Zhi grew even more curious about the temple.
“Do you know who the master behind the Ghost Buddha Temple is?”
The paper figures shook their heads like rattles. They didn't know either, only pointing toward the giant Buddha above.
“That—we don’t know. But for centuries, no one has dared to cause trouble here. It’s said that those who do are swallowed whole by that Buddha statue!”
At this, the paper figures seemed to recall something terrifying. They trembled, and the rouge on their faces seemed to droop.
Swallowed by a Buddha statue?
Nan Zhi looked up. The statue was headless, and from her angle, she couldn't see the top of the neck. One of the Buddha’s hands was in a flower-pinching gesture, while the other was held palm-up below.
Aside from its immense size, the statue looked no different from a regular one.
Thinking that they might have to fight to capture someone later, Nan Zhi asked about the temple's taboos. The paper figures answered everything.
“Though the Gates of Hell haven't opened yet, the Ghost Buddha Temple is already bustling. If you’re interested, you can look around. You might find something you like!”
“The Yin Yang Road connects the Nine Provinces and the myriad worlds. Whether it’s the East Sea ten thousand miles away or even further, one can arrive in an instant.”
“There are mermaid pearls from the merfolk of the East Sea, divine weapons forged by Rakshasa Kingdom smiths, ginseng babies born from old spirits in the Valley of Ten Thousand Ginseng, pills from Penglai, hundred-silk garments from the Three-Headed Kingdom, peacock gold silk cloaks from the Feathered People Kingdom...”
Excited, one of the paper figures bobbed its head and added cheerfully:
“There are so many treasures! And those are just the common ones. As long as you have the money, you can even buy the rare treasures that the Demon Suppression Division forbids from being sold!”
As soon as the words left its mouth, the other paper figures glared at it. Realizing its mistake, it immediately fell silent.
“Oh? Treasures the Demon Suppression Division forbids? I’ve never heard of that. Why don’t you tell me more?”
Nan Zhi perked up her ears, pretending to be interested.
“What kind of treasures are so mysterious?”
But no matter how she pressed, the remaining paper figures refused to speak, keeping their mouths shut as they carried the sedan.
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