"During the Northern Wei era, there was a general nad Wang Xuanmo. Official history records that he died despondent after failing in his southern campaigns, but unofficial histories such as the 'Luoyang Jialan Records' and the 'Beimang Ghost Record' claim that he retreated to Mang Mountain to practice the Yin Soldier Technique. At that ti, the common people called him the 'Mang Mountain Ghost General.'
"I suspect that this person has occupied the Ghost Palace from the Qin era, so I searched everywhere for clues about him and finally had soone find a late Song Dynasty book called the 'He Shuo Monster Record.'
"However, those foolish disciples of Dilongzi sohow heard about this and ca to demand it."
"Fortunately, I have many friends at the Ghost Market who chased them away. Who knew that as soon as those fools left, they were hard by Papern."
"When the people from the Law Enforcent Hall ca to my door, I had no defense, insisted I knew nothing of the internal story, and thus was thrown into prison."
"I believe Zhao Lvzi's wife being threatened is related to this matter."
Li Yan quickly asked, "What about that book?"
Jin Yan Feng spread his hands helplessly, "I didn't have the chance to read it before the Law Enforcent Hall ca to my door. In a panic, I hid it in a secret compartnt in the shop, need to go get it."
"That's easy to handle."
Li Yan took out his pocket watch and looked at it. "It's still midnight now. While no one's around, we can go to your shop and retrieve it."
Jin Yan Feng chuckled, "Little brother, you're wrong. During dayti my place is deserted, but at night, it's quite bustling."
"Where is it?"
"The Luoyang Ghost Market!"
......
"The 'Luoyang Ghost Market' began in the Tang era."
In the dark alley of the night, Jin Yan Feng walked and introduced as he went.
"At that ti, the Divine Capital Luoyang was still a Grand Canal hub. The city had the North and South Markets, where not only northern and southern rchants gathered, but also Persian rchants and Sogdian cal caravans, trading spices, silk, porcelain, and even Kunlun slaves—truly making it a global trade center."
"Because Tang had a nightti curfew, and Rangers sold illegal salt and liquor, the Ghost Market was born."
"Later, during the Anshi Rebellion, the Eastern Capital was destroyed, Pei Shou built the Qiyun Villa, and used the 'Eight Dragon Plate of Zhenyue' to suppress the Yique Demon Flood Dragon while gathering Mystical Sect mbers. Back then, the mystical soldiers of the late Tang erged everywhere, and the Luoyang Ghost Market beca a trading place for Mystical Sect mbers..."
"By the Northern Song era, Luoyang was called the Western Capital. Although not as prosperous as Bianliang, the Ghost Market was considered the best. The 'Records of the Splendor of Tokyo' records that 'at the Luoyang Ghost Market, the market opens at the third watch and disperses by the fifth,' with the populace secretly trading antiques and stolen goods, despite the governnt's repeated bans."
"What happened later, I'm sure you all know. During the Dragon Gate Inn incident, Grandmaster Chen Shoujing destroyed the 'Eight Dragon Plate of Zhenyue,' releasing the Yique Demon Flood Dragon, resulting in mutual destruction with the elites of the Golden Stick Wolf Country and Iron Cavalry."
"Alas, nowadays Luoyang is in decline, and the Ghost Market has also beco sowhat desolate..."
As they spoke, they arrived at the South City.
This place was a slum, filled with low, dilapidated dirt walls and thatched houses, with the chimneys of every house blackened by smoke, and filthy water flowing across the ground.
The national strength of the Great Xuan Dynasty was flourishing, but the gap between rich and poor was widening, sothing Li Yan and the others were used to seeing whether in Chang'an, Xiangyang, or Chengdu.
The only peculiar thing was that in this dilapidated slum, there stood half a stone tower, faintly majestic, with faint firelight beneath it.
Seeing their confusion, Jin Yan Feng explained, "This is the old site of Dingding Gate. During the Wu Dynasty, they built the 'All Things Divine Palace' and the 'Tongtian Stupa,' quarried stone here."
"After the Divine Dragon Coup, the project stopped, but it created a massive underground palace, which has now beco the new Ghost Market."
"Rember, in the Ghost Market, the Three Religions and Nine Sects gather, with a rule of 'three no-inquiries.' Buyers don't ask where goods co from, sellers don't ask where money goes, drifters don't ask others' identities."
"Break the taboo, and you'll stir up trouble!"
"Don't worry, elder."
Li Yan and his group, upon hearing this, all raised their face masks.
Soon, they were close to the stone tower.
They saw several n squatting below, all with broad shoulders and sturdy waists, their faces were full of muscles, lounging around a fire chatting and bragging.
"Who's there?!"
Hearing the commotion, the n stood up promptly, reaching for their waists.
"Don't panic, it's ."
Jin Yan Feng imdiately stepped out of the darkness.
Clearly, he held a high status in the Ghost Market, as the n, upon seeing him, quickly bent and cupped their hands, "So it's Elder Jin."
"Wasn't it said you were caught?"
"A minor issue, just paid so money to get out."
"These friends are..."
"Friends from the street, don't ask too much."
"Yes, yes, yes..."
After a brief conversation, the n quickly made way.
One of them stepped forward, reached into a crevice of the stone tower, and pulled hard on a thick hemp rope.
Crash!
Beside the stone arch, a large wooden board was suddenly lifted, revealing a pitch-black hole in the ground with a wooden ladder.
Under the lead of Golden Eye Feng, the group climbed down the wooden ladder, and after about seven or eight ters, they reached the ground.
From the depths of the cave on the left, a faint glow of firelight seeped out as well.
"Heh~ this Ghost Market sure is well hidden."
Sha Lifei, finding it novel, joked, "Chang'an Ghost Market is in the ruins of the Great Ming Palace; it gathers at night and disperses at dawn, not as good as the Divine Capital."
"There's really no choice."
Golden Eye Feng shook his head and sighed, "The governnt keeps a tight grip, constantly harassing the Ghost Market. If it were possible, who would willingly crawl into this ground hole?"
"The governnt office knows about this place too, but now they just turn a blind eye. If they really wanted to catch us, it would be like catching a turtle in a jar, and even I wouldn't escape…"
As they talked, the group had already passed through the ground hole.
The view suddenly opened up to reveal a large stone chamber, with neatly arranged stone walls full of excavation marks.
Within the stone chamber, candle flas flickered dimly, making it hard to see how many people there were. Just a few steps away, soone was setting up a stall.
All the stalls were set up on oiled cloths spread on the ground, filled with various items, including burial goods dug up from tombs and stolen goods.
Li Yan even saw soone selling "coal spirit."
Just as Golden Eye Feng had said, with Luoyang in decay, the Ghost Market was no longer bustling, and there weren't many custors inside. Everyone was masked with a black cloth; even transactions were conducted using hand signs, with few words spoken.
Shadows flickered in the candlelight, like wandering spirits.
Golden Eye Feng gave a signal with his eyes, leading the group through the stalls, turning left and right, until they arrived at a small street in the center.
This place was visibly more upscale, with no more makeshift stalls, but various abandoned wooden materials were used to build small shacks.
Among them, one small wooden house looked quite neatly constructed from the outside, with a flag hanging at the door bearing a drawing of a yellow eye, evidently Golden Eye Feng's little shop.
However, inside was a scene of chaos, turned upside down, the dim light revealing that even the tables, chairs, and benches were smashed.
"Damn bastards!"
Seeing this, Golden Eye Feng imdiately flew into a rage, shouting curses in the street, "You bastards, I'm rely having so trouble, not dead, and you're all in such a rush to rummage through my stuff!"
"Heh heh~"
A beggar with ulcers all over his body lying in the corner laughed at his words, "Old blind man, you brought this disaster upon yourself, causing everyone to be unable to do business for days. You should compensate us a bit."
"Compensate your damn mother!"
Golden Eye Feng cursed, "It's you, this old cripple, who's not being fair! I buy you drinks all the ti, and next ti, stay away!"
Though he cursed harshly, he didn't ask more. Instead, his face darkened, and he whispered, "Soone else has been here, hurry, take the stuff and leave!"
Clearly, the old beggar was using a secret code to warn them.
Different regions have their own pugilistic world codes, which, while similar, have differences. So even created their own codes, making them incomprehensible to outsiders.
Li Yan and the others didn't ask questions either, following Golden Eye Feng into the wrecked shop.
Seeing the old man pay no attention to store losses, he quickly ran to a corner, clawed at the dirt with his hands, and dug out a leather pouch.
Li Yan was sowhat surprised to see this.
The leather pouch seed dull and ordinary, just common dog hide, but it could block Divine Skills from probing, evidently a Spiritual Treasure.
Golden Eye Feng, having mingled in the Ghost Market for years, clearly had acquired so good stuff.
Without looking closely, the old man directly stuffed the pouch into his chest and whispered to the group, "Let's go!"
Li Yan nodded, but just as he stepped out, he sensed danger and pulled Golden Eye Feng behind him.
From a distant wooden house, a cold-faced man in a black robe strode out without a word and slowly drew a waist knife while walking.
Clang!
The knife's gleam was chilling, the air filled with a deadly aura.
anwhile, in the corner opposite, the old beggar who tried to warn them had his mouth covered from behind, and with a flash of the knife, his throat was cut.
The cold-faced man slightly lifted his knife and said:
"Hand over the stuff, and we'll leave you with intact corpses."
As he spoke, a dozen people quickly ran from a distant stall, blocking all exits and surrounding them.
"Chang Family Saber?"
Seeing the stance of the man holding the knife, Li Yan squinted his eyes slightly.
"Be careful, they're from the Captain Bureau…"
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