Chapter 463: Ghost market

Li Qi and Li Weng… no, one human and one ghost, were traversing the Ghost Market.

Many bizarre scenes passed by the human and the ghost.

There were ghosts holding children, ghosts crying, Tibetan monks, mud ghosts, rat shows, snake breeding, intestine pulling—many strange occurrences, but in the Ghost Market, these were all commonplace.

The two chatted, exchanging updates on their situations.

Li Qi also directly told Li Weng why he wasn't affected: the fifth-grade treasure ship he had ridden on had bestowed sufficient blessings upon them when they disembarked.

These blessings were enough to resist the Yin Qi of the Ghost Gate.

As for why Li Qi could ride a fifth-grade treasure ship, neither of them delved into that topic.

The title 'Invoker' had already made it very clear.

Li Weng knew very well that this person, who could produce Ghost Emperor Divine Qi when unranked, and now could ride a fifth-grade treasure ship just by stepping out, was clearly a true 'Invoker'.

Not a self-proclaimed shaman, but a genuine descendant of the Invoker lineage, one of the true Sovereigns of Shaman Dao.

To draw a comparison, it was like a direct descendant of Fengdu in the Ghost Dao, even more orthodox than the Five-Directional Ghost Emperors.

Thinking of this, Li Weng became even more respectful, but he didn't put on a show of immediate prostration; that would have been too undignified and might have severed this karmic connection.

Moreover, from the current situation… this Invoker seemed very interested in this Ghost Market, constantly asking about the strange things he saw along the way.

Li Weng naturally responded respectfully to every question, with the attitude of someone repaying a kindness.

Through this question-and-answer session, Li Qi also learned many details about this Ghost Market.

It turned out that the reason so many living human Spirit Souls could be seen was because the Ghost Market actually doesn't exist in the world.

When one arrives at the Ghost Market, they have actually already arrived in the Underworld, and without Divine Ability protection, they would inevitably be corroded by the Underworld's Yin Qi.

As the saying goes, sleep is half-death; when people dream, often a part of their Spirit Soul enters Soul Emergence. The part representing life remains in the body, but another part has already begun its spiritual journey.

This is Yin Soul Soul Emergence, dreaming of the Underworld. Many powerful Cultivators once mastered this technique. There was even a great Human Dao master who wanted to slay a Dragon, but was delayed by an audience with the Human Emperor and couldn't leave, so he simply took a nap where he was. After falling asleep, his Yin Spirit journeyed at night, drifted for tens of thousands of miles, casually slew a True Dragon, and returned within three quarters of an hour.

Daoists, however, don't need to sleep because they have completely mastered the Yin Spirit and Yang Spirit, and no longer rely on sleep for night excursions; they can easily enter Soul Emergence directly.

Ordinary people cannot actively control this power, but when they sleep, as their dreams unfold, they can also journey at night. Sometimes they just drift on the streets, but if they are lucky enough, they can delve deeper, entering the Underworld and wandering places like Hell or the Ghost Market.

Li Weng told this to Li Qi as an amusing anecdote, but Li Qi immediately realized something keenly after hearing it.

Deeper levels… which means the Underworld and the mortal realm are not completely separate?

For example, some of those Spirit Souls, some of whom even live in the far north, still come to the Ghost Market on Mount Dushuo after falling asleep, and return to their bodies when they wake up.

The Underworld is not outside the mortal realm; the two are very likely two sides of the same space? At least in this world? As long as one dreams, they can enter the Underworld, and no matter where they are, they can potentially enter the scope of another Ghost Market.

So, what is the meaning of the Ghost Gate's existence?

Li Qi obliquely questioned Li Weng, but after asking for a long time, he couldn't get anything useful. Li Weng was just an eighth-grade Yin Messenger, a small fry, and didn't know these things.

Li Qi had to put this question aside and ask him about other matters.

For example—

“By the way, does this Ghost Market trade with the Eastern Sea? Or is it only used for transactions between minor ghosts?” Li Qi asked.

Li Weng heard this question and smiled, “Invoker, you've come for this, haven't you? Of course, the Ghost Market can't just be for minor ghosts to trade. In fact, many powerful Cultivators come to this place, and many of them are as strong as you, Invoker.”

“After all, the Ghost Market is very convenient. From anywhere, one can come to the Ghost Market by means of Yin Spirit night travel. Although one cannot stay long, for brief transactions, it is more than sufficient.”

“As expected. Then, Li Weng, would you trouble yourself to help me contact those places? Although the ordinary areas of this Ghost Market are peculiar, as a scenic view, I've seen enough.” Li Qi said.

Li Weng nodded: “What's difficult about that? It is our duty as Yin Messengers to guide. If Invoker has a need, I will naturally do my best. Please follow me.”

As Li Weng spoke, he walked towards another direction of the Ghost Market.

Li Qi immediately followed, his heart stirring.

Because he saw that Li Weng was walking towards what was clearly a dead end. That place was so thick with Yin Qi that it had condensed into a wall, impenetrable even to ordinary ghosts.

Li Qi had thought it was just a building, but now it seemed that such places were all paths to other places?

So, what exactly is the Underworld? Why do ghosts seem to find everything normal? Even those inexperienced minor ghosts, and those living souls who think they are dreaming, can naturally find their way, while Li Qi, a living person, always feels something is wrong and cannot see the paths.

Not even True Knowledge Dao Resonance can discern them.

The space of the Underworld isn't all linear? In fact, there are many strange points, aren't there?

Li Qi guessed as he followed Li Weng forward.

Passing through that wall of Yin Qi, Li Qi further confirmed his conjecture: the space of the Underworld was indeed somewhat strange, not a straightforward linear space, but rather possessing a certain degree of distortion, which only ghosts could be immune to.

Without a ghost's guidance, people from the mortal realm would probably find it impossible to move an inch here, only able to wander aimlessly.

Then the question arises—

If that's truly the case, then why did the Dao of Reason's research vessel dock here and let everyone disembark and walk around? Surely, walking around like this would yield no results.

Could it be that the Dao of Reason simply had business here, so they let everyone else walk around and relax?

That possibility can't be ruled out, after all… the people from the Dao of Reason seemed quite straightforward in their thinking. Wang Dun even appeared to be a simple-minded seeker of the Dao.

However, Li Qi felt that those who treat others as fools are the real fools, so it was best to remain vigilant.

As he thought this, the surrounding Yin Qi suddenly dispersed.

Before his eyes, there was a sudden feeling of a new vista, as if he had walked into boundless darkness and then the scene abruptly opened up.

Then, Li Qi was astonished to discover—

Before him, it was no longer the gloomy, Yin Qi-laden place, but a place resembling… a palace.

This seemed to be a grand hall, and it was underwater.

Mysterious Yin and Yang chambers connected, cave doors and pillar walls were carved, adorned with copper-lacquered windows, all with ornate lattices and green grilles.

True Qi immortal pavilions and towers, interconnected and overlooking each other, flying bridges and stone steps, spanning waterways, gold and jade, pearls and rare treasures from foreign lands, various exotic beasts, all grandly displayed here.

Vast gardens were also opened, earth was gathered to build mountains, ten li of nine slopes, mimicking the two deep forests and desolate ravines of Xiao. Countless natural strange fish and sea beasts swam among them, and there were also luxurious chambers, with beautiful and favored maidens, all adorned in silk and embroidery.

As Li Qi and Li Weng passed through here, they saw many maidens, all Jiao-people or clam-maidens. They carried trays, held musical instruments, enjoyed luxurious items, or some food, constantly moving about in various places.

Gold and jade, silk and bamboo, all were the finest of their time.

The cuisine and kitchen provisions exhausted the treasures of land and sea.

By the side of the road, corals stood, some three or four feet tall, with six or seven branches, their extraordinary colors shining brightly in the sun.

The scorching sun in the sky made the bottom of the water very bright. Occasionally, there were some protruding rocks, and the path was covered with a carpet formed by soft-bodied animals and zoophytes. Among these animal species, many thin-shelled, varying-sized disc-shells could be seen.

Some large crustaceans, with their long claws raised, watched the passing Jiao-people warily.

There was no comfortable furniture, mostly stone, as there would be no comfortable textiles or soft velvet in the water, which would become damp. But there were water-plant-like garments, styled like swimwear, very cool.

The buildings here were also different, from various towers and halls carved from living shells, to grand halls inlaid with bright luminous pearls, with many sea grass balls and coral duckweed, and coral trees by the roadside.

This place was like a palace in a shallow sea region.

Music kept echoing in Li Qi's ears. The singing was extremely pleasant, making one feel very comfortable, but there was one thing: it couldn't be removed.

This feeling was like walking on the street when a melody heard days or even years ago suddenly began to echo in one's mind, the lingering sound never ceasing. Even if one wanted to concentrate, one's mind was filled with that sound, unable to stop.

It was very strange, but it didn't affect his thinking.

Li Qi held his breath underwater, but even so, he could smell the fragrance of flowers.

Li Weng introduced from the side: “It smells wonderful, doesn't it, Invoker? The clothes these maidens wear are called 'Low-Light Lotus,' which are like dark pearls. They can be used as ornaments. After the flowers and leaves wither, they are woven into clothes, and their fragrance spreads for over ten li. Eating them makes one's breath perpetually fragrant and benefits the skin.”

“And the sound in your ears, that's the sound of sea monsters, the constant decadent music in this palace. There are a total of one thousand sea monsters, rotating daily, to ensure this pleasant music in the palace never ceases.”

“It is indeed impressive. But what is this place? We were just in the Ghost Market; why has it become like this?” Li Qi looked at the bright sunlight and pleasant singing around him, somewhat puzzled.

Li Weng explained: “The great demons, Cultivators, and Ghost Kings of the Eastern Sea, when they trade, can't always do business in that gloomy, Yin Qi-filled place, can they? With an environment like this, great figures conduct their affairs more joyfully. This is the second side of the Ghost Market, the 'Dragon Palace' built single-handedly by the Flood Dragon, Lord Tianhong.”

Flood Dragon Lord Tianhong!? Dragon Palace? The second side of the Ghost Market?

Li Qi immediately grasped the key information points.

This was still the Ghost Market, but it had been 'renovated' to better suit the aesthetics of the great Eastern Sea demons, Cultivators, and Ghost Kings.

This was not something created by the Underworld; the true mastermind behind it was Lord Tianhong, that famous Flood Dragon.

“Invoker may not know, but Lord Tianhong is extremely skilled in luxury and enjoyment, and he loves gourmet food, eating fifty thousand jin of meat in one meal. So this place is also extremely luxurious, and the food is even more captivating. It's an excellent place for doing business in the Deep Ocean of the Eastern Sea. However, like all similar places, as a notary and for stamping, half a percent is taken, but it's still very cost-effective, as the hospitality here is abundant, and Lord Tianhong is also a powerful being. As a witness, almost no defaulter has ever escaped his grasp,” Li Weng said with a smile.

“Wait, you mean Lord Tianhong acts as a notary here, guaranteeing every transaction?” Li Qi asked.

“Exactly. And Lord Tianhong’s place is famous for its excellent hospitality and notarization. Invoker, you must want to do business, right? Whether buying or selling, this is the most suitable place. This kind of Ghost Market is a place built through negotiations between True Dragons and Ghost Emperors. There are four thousand such places in the Eastern Sea. If you weren't an insider, you might not be able to accurately find Lord Tianhong’s Dragon Palace. I can only say that your luck, Invoker, is truly good, to have met me!” Li Weng boasted, patting his chest.

True Dragons… cooperating with the Ghost Dao?

Interesting.

Li Qi nodded, then said, “Then thank you, Li Weng, for leading the way. I indeed have many things I want to buy. This is the list. Could you please help me contact some merchants? I see you're familiar with this place; you must know some acquaintances, right? Perhaps you could introduce me to one or two, so I can buy things more cheaply.”

“Naturally. It’s best if I can help Invoker. Invoker, please give me a list of the things you want, and I will find them for you.” Li Weng immediately became more attentive when he heard Li Qi asking for his help.

If he could connect with Li Qi, he would truly prosper.

So, being able to help the other party was something Li Weng eagerly sought.

However, Li Qi indeed needed a local guide, so he didn't mind this. Instead, he took out the list given to him by the Peng Hai Cauldron from his mustard seed bag, copied a portion, and handed it to Li Weng.

After Li Weng received it, he gasped!

He asked in astonishment, “Live boat carp, white Flood Dragon sinews, Huang Neng, Dragon Lord scales… Hiss, Invoker, these things, surely they aren't for you?!”

“Naturally. These are things an elder asked me to buy for him in the Eastern Sea. Don't worry, the money is definitely sufficient.” Li Qi said.

“It's not a matter of money. These things, I'm not saying… Invoker, at our level, I'm afraid we can't even get close to them! Just take Huang Neng, for example. This is formed from the corpse of a fallen Heavenly Steed, at least a fifth-grade item!”

Huang Neng is a three-legged turtle, a half-Dragon, formed after the death of the Heavenly Court's white Divine Steed, 'Gun'. Moreover, Gun was an Innate God and the ancestor of the 'horse' species in the world. This is also one of the reasons why horses can become Dragon Steeds.

Although the Divine Steed had died and transformed into an entire species, so it was occasionally captured, this was still not something an eighth-grade Yin Messenger could come into contact with!