“That’s a novel way to put it.”
Xu Zi shook the purple gold bells at her waist, making them jingle.
“As for Huiyuan, you can rest assured. Though he lives in this Ghost Buddha Temple, he has nothing to do with its master. As for our identities, he won't breathe a word about them either, so you can focus on investigating the case with peace of mind. By the way, where do you plan to start? Even though Ma San spat out a list of names before he died, this Ghost Market is a mixed bag of all sorts of people. As for those who run illicit businesses, most of them won't show their true faces, making them tricky to track down.”
“Ma San confessed two buyers. One is named 'Duan Chunming,' an evil cultivator who buys living people to extract their marrow and drain their essence to refine evil elixirs. The other is called 'Xiugu,' a fox who bought two children from Ma San to use as servants.”
Although Nan Zhi didn't quite trust Huiyuan, she felt that while Xu Zi was playful by nature, she would never do anything to sabotage the investigation. So she asked no further questions about it and simply replied:
“In my view, the chances of Xiugu committing another crime are slim. If we want to run into her in the Ghost Market, we can only make discreet inquiries among the demons. On the other hand, refining elixirs is no easy task for Duan Chunming. I expect he will take advantage of the opening of the Ghost Market this year to secretly buy living people for his alchemy again. There's no need to actively search for him. I can just pretend to be an evil cultivator looking to buy and sell living humans, blending in with those secretly purchasing contraband. Then it will be easy to single him out.”
Saying this, Nan Zhi recalled something and looked at Xu Zi:
“On our way here, you must have heard what that paper figure said. If even a paper figure guide knows that contraband is being sold in the Ghost Market, there must be a fixed trading spot.”
“If you put it that way, I happen to know such a place.”
Xu Zi sat up abruptly, a thoughtful expression surfacing on her face as she spoke slowly:
“During a previous case handled by the Demon Suppression Division, we found someone peddling large quantities of monster fur, bones, and blood to Bianjing, claiming that drinking alcohol infused with them could prolong life. Soon, the trend spread throughout Bianjing, resulting in the deaths of many harmless monsters. Later, we found out that batch of goods had come from Ruyi Pavilion in the Ghost Market. If anyone dares to defy both the Demon Suppression Division's ban and the rules of the Underworld by secretly trading in living human souls, Ruyi Pavilion is the only place I can think of. However, Ruyi Pavilion only operates during the three days when the Gates of Hell are open. At any other time, no one can enter or find it. If Ruyi Pavilion really trades in living humans, it won't be easy for just the two of us to make a move.”
“In other words, Ruyi Pavilion only dares to act so brazenly because the Demon Suppression Division cannot enter the Yin Yang Road to arrest people when the Gates of Hell are open?”
Nan Zhi pondered for a moment before frowning:
“If we enter Ruyi Pavilion disguised as ordinary guests, we might be able to capture Duan Chunming and secure evidence of Ruyi Pavilion trading in contraband. I vaguely recall that buying and selling souls is a major crime in the Underworld, isn't it?”
“Exactly! It's inconvenient for our Demon Suppression Division to make arrests on the Yin Yang Road, but the Underworld has no such restrictions.”
Understanding Nan Zhi's intention immediately, a hint of excitement gleamed in Xu Zi's eyes:
“Once we grab Duan Chunming and get our hands on the evidence, we can send them in to make the arrests. Even if they turn Ruyi Pavilion upside down, no one will dare say a word! I'll go find Huiyuan right now to see if I can get an invitation to Ruyi Pavilion from him—”
While one couldn't cause trouble on the Yin Yang Road, kidnapping someone was more than manageable.
Nan Zhi nodded understandingly:
“Then I'll walk around the vicinity of Ghost Buddha Temple first to see if I can gather any news about Xiugu and Duan Chunming.”
...
“Clang—Omm...”
“Clang—Omm...”
“Clang...”
As the dull tolls of the bell echoed, the mist above Ghost Buddha Temple thickened. Beneath the huge feet of the headless Buddha statue, travelers of various bizarre shapes moved back and forth.
Carrying her lantern, Nan Zhi threaded her way through the crowd. Under the eerie glow of the green ghost fire, the faces of the non-human creatures around her appeared all the more chilling and grotesque:
Covered in scaly snake skin, a one-eyed native of the Ghost Kingdom crawled along the ground, talking with a stone spirit several zhang tall who looked foolishly simple, its feet as massive as millstones.
A Greater Ghost with a blue face, protruding fangs, and a bared chest had dozens of fist-sized baby ghosts crawling over its body.
Their umbilical cords were still attached to the Greater Ghost's navel, pulsing rhythmic bulges as if absorbing its nutrients.
Exquisitely gorgeous and alluring fox women stood in small groups, casting flirtatious glances from the corners of their slanted eyes at sturdy men in the crowd, green glints occasionally flashing in their eyes.
As they chatted, their beautiful heads would occasionally spin one hundred and eighty degrees, suddenly transforming into massive, dusty yellow fox heads.
The wild cat spirits were short, yet possessed razor-sharp claws. Squatting on the ground to stretch, their long tails flicked back and forth, teasing the cat kittens on their backs.
Seeing Nan Zhi holding the lantern, the crowd parted like Moses dividing the Red Sea, maintaining orderly distance in fear of inviting trouble.
Recognizing that she carried a lantern from Ghost Buddha Temple, no foolish passerby dared bother her.
While Nan Zhi appeared to be strolling casually, she was actually uncovering more of the Ghost Buddha Temple map in her system interface.
It was not until the fog cleared from the minimap in the upper left corner that she stopped in front of a street vendor's stall.
The stall was run by a married couple, but their pairing was akin to a real-life "Beauty and the Beast."
The man possessed a wretched face with grotesquely ugly features, uneven dark-yellow skin, and a messy beard. His eyes were blood-red, and two long, sharp fangs protruded from his mouth, making him look like a demon-ghost.
Apart from his fairly tall stature, he possessed virtually no redeeming features.
The woman, however, was exceptionally breathtaking, radiant, and alluring, exuding fragrance with every movement. If compared to a fox demon, she was even more striking in beauty.
Only from listening to the surrounding chatter did Nan Zhi learn that they were a pair of Rakshasa ghosts.
She was surprised and stole another glance at them, finding it quite novel.
Rakshasas were not a mortal race, nor were they like ordinary spirits or demons. They were demon-ghosts born in the Underworld, naturally fierce and courageous, and often recruited by Ghost Kings as soldiers.
As a race, male Rakshasa ghosts were born hideously frightening, while female Rakshasas were captivatingly gorgeous. Rumor had it that Princess Iron Fan from Journey to the West was of Rakshasa origin.
“What are you staring at?! Are you buying a blade or not? If not, scram and don't get in my way!”
The male Rakshasa seemed furious, barking at Nan Zhi the moment he opened his mouth. But upon seeing the lantern in her hand, he merely spat on the ground and turned back to fuss over the weapons behind him.
“Would customer like to take a look? These are all my husband's proudest creations—finest treasures that slice through iron like mud!”
The female Rakshasa was more patient and warmly greeted Nan Zhi:
“Take a look at this longsword. It was forged from mountain iron essence stone and tempered with earth fire through eighty-one days of relentless hammering. It can slice right through heads as hard as mountain demons and stone spirits!”
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