"Oh?"
Li Yan beca interested, "Tell more."
The young man took another sip of wine and began, "Just the year before last, there was a river monster causing trouble in the Wuding River outside the city, claiming several lives. The City God Temple sent people to perform exorcisms, and it's said they used nets to fish out many river monster corpses, burned them all, and buried them at the Chaotic Burial Mound. They even invited soone to chant scriptures for the dead before the matter cald down."
"I grew up at the Chaotic Burial Mound, was taken in and brought into the city. Later, my adoptive parents beca ill and passed away. With no one to rely on, I had no choice but to return to the Chaotic Burial Mound, doing so grave robbing to make ends et."
"Without a ntor, I didn't dare mix with those old hands for fear of being buried alive in a tomb, so I could only work solo."
"As you know, I was raised by wild dogs, so I'm quite familiar with them. I'm aware of all the dog holes in the Chaotic Burial Mound, and thanks to their help, I can navigate the Chaotic Burial Mound at night without encountering any strange phenona."
"Just a few days ago, the wild dogs accidentally uncovered the Water Monkey Tomb. Out of curiosity, and since the wild dogs didn't warn , I ventured in."
Li Yan asked curiously, "What did you see?"
"Ugh, don't ntion it."
The young man, with a face of gloom, said, "There was nothing there, just a pile of burnt ashes, and this black pottery shard was mixed in, with quite a few others. I thought it would be a waste to leave empty-handed, so I took one piece back."
He then tentatively asked, "Sir, could this be so kind of valuable porcelain?"
"You're overthinking it."
Li Yan sneered, made a seal with his left hand, and pointed at the pottery shard.
To the naked eye, white frost rapidly condensed on the black pottery shard.
This was a technique of divine thought, triggering the residual Yin Sha Qi in the black pottery shard, nothing too clever.
But seeing this, the young man was wide-eyed, "You... you're a true Cultivator?"
"What else could it be?"
Li Yan said in a deep voice, "There's a problem with this item. Fortunately, you haven't had it for long; if you keep it for another three to five years, you'll surely be plagued with nightmares and sicknesses."
He wasn't lying; though the residual yin energy in the black pottery shard was minimal, prolonged exposure would affect health.
This is why collectors who acquire items often invite people to perform rituals to remove bad ons.
He was trying to scare him because he noticed the kid was hiding sothing.
Sure enough, the young man gulped and muttered, "No wonder, the old man told to throw it away, said it would bring a blood calamity..."
Li Yan's eyes narrowed, "Who told you that?"
The young man dared not hide any longer, "After I got this thing, I couldn't tell what it was, so I went to Old Man Wu at the ghost market for appraisal. As soon as he saw it, his face changed and he told to throw it away imdiately and not to tell anyone about it."
"Old Man Wu always acts all mystical, so I didn't think much of it, oh..."
The young man suddenly rembered sothing and quickly turned around, ran to the woodshed, and dug out a small bundle from a dirt pit.
He looked a bit embarrassed, "Don't get the wrong idea, sir, I just couldn't help myself and took a few more."
Li Yan opened it, his pupils suddenly contracted as he picked out a finger bone from the black pottery shards.
The young man whispered, "This was dug out from the ashes. I thought maybe Water Monkey bones could be worth sothing..."
"Can you take to find Old Man Wu?"
Li Yan asked directly, his expression serious.
The so-called Water Monkey had several types; he had even seen so.
This... was clearly a child's bone...
......
Approaching midnight, lanterns swayed in the dark alleys.
"To be frank, the ghost market is tacitly approved by the officials..."
The young man was holding a lantern, speaking in a low voice as he walked, "So items seized by the governnt that aren't suitable for direct sale are often consigned for sale at the ghost market. There are also so dubious items for sale, from stolen goods to burial objects, and even dead people's clothes."
Li Yan frowned, "Why buy dead people's clothes?"
"You might not know this, sir,"
The young man chuckled, "Clothes for the living are expensive; dead people's clothes are considered unlucky. So even contain brocade and silk. Cut away the bloodstained part, bundle it, and sell it cheap. So people with tight budgets secretly buy it, tailor it into new clothes, and no one can tell, nor would anyone laugh at them."
"The Capital is a good place, but living with dignity isn't that easy either..."
While speaking, they had already walked out of the dark alley.
Outside the Capital City God Temple at night, the scene was vastly different.
The dayti temple fair stalls had been dismantled, and small stalls were set up.
A piece of cloth was laid on the ground as a stall, with goods placed on it, illuminated only by a dim little candle. They were spaced far apart, not interfering with each other. Custors walked among them, transactions were made with hands hidden in sleeves, and even conversations were in whispers.
From afar, the dim candlelight flickered, with shadows moving like the Hundred Ghosts Night Parade.
"Sir, I need to explain the rules to you."
The mongrel suddenly stopped and said, "In this Ghost Market, each of the three trades and six markets holds its place."
"On the east side in front of the temple, the incense trade dominates, selling sandalwood incense, paper horses, and divine statues. So of these co from the City God Temple and don't co cheap. But whether they're genuine or fake, it's said only insiders can tell. They must pay a 'fragrance tax' to the temple priest. Even if you see sothing, don't ask too many questions..."
"On the west side, they sell antique mingqi. The Ghost Market adheres to 'Nightti doesn't cheat, dayti doesn't ask for prices.' Everything from 'Suzhou Painting' to 'Central Plains Piece' must be clarified. If fake is sold as real, the penalty is to slice a finger in apology. But whether it's valuable depends on your eye power..."
"During transactions, prices are negotiated with finger pinches inside the sleeve, known among insiders as 'a universe in the sleeve'..."
"Real goods here are called 'hard goods,' fakes are 'soft films,' and bargaining is called 'scraping the ground'..."
"If a stallholder suddenly packs up and hits the copper basin three tis, it ans 'governnt officials are patrolling the streets.' If two long knocks and one short follows, it ans 'enemies at the door'..."
The mongrel explained tirelessly, carefully saying, "Don't bla for being wordy."
"Not at all, rules must be observed."
Li Yan shook his head slightly, "What's with that Old Man Wu?"
"Old Man Wu is quite eccentric."
The mongrel whispered, "It's said that his ancestors served as pawnbroker tributes in the previous dynasty of Great Xing. He can recognize an item's origin at a glance. But he's got a bad temper, often saying inauspicious things, acting all mysterious. If it weren't for his good eye power, no one would bother with him."
Bang~ Bang~ Bang~
Just then, the sound of the night watchman ca from afar down the street.
"It's midnight, be careful with the candles!"
As if receiving a signal, everyone stopped in their tracks.
Stallholders took out paper money and burned it in front of their stalls, and so hung portraits of Zhong Kui behind them.
Li Yan knew this was the taboo of the Ghost Market ntioned by the mongrel.
In the Ghost Market, it's said 'the child does not speak.'
This ans after the hour of Hai, one should not speak loudly of ghosts, lest attracting unclean things. Stallholders must prepare red cloth to cover mirrors and scissors to ward off evil. Those selling unearthed underworld artifacts must draw a 'well' character with vermilion to ward off evil. Those who violate and are discovered will be expelled.
And the burning of paper by stallholders is called the 'market-opening ghost sacrifice,' to avoid 'ghosts snatching wealth.'
Perhaps it is these taboos and customs that enhance the Ghost Market's mystery.
Of course, to Li Yan, this was another scene entirely.
He could noticeably sense that many stall items had residual Yin Sha Qi.
But outside the distant City God Temple, two guardian divine statues' incense rose, directly suppressing these items.
Even if there were anything sinister, it wouldn't easily cause harm.
This is one reason why the Ghost Market is set up outside the City God Temple.
"Alright, the Ghost Market is open, and Old Man Wu is in the alley behind."
The mongrel gave a glance, leading Li Yan carefully through the Ghost Market.
In this place, not only were there stalls on the street, but even the surrounding alleys had people setting up mysteriously.
Compared to the outside, the items in the alleys were evidently of a more unusual quality.
Li Yan was not interested in these mingqi, even those incense, candles, and magical tools from the City God Temple, seed of low rank to him.
His sole target was Old Man Wu.
Finally, the two reached a dark alley.
There, in the corner, an old man in tattered clothes had set up a stall, with a curtain hanging that read 'Identifying Through the Ages.' His white hair was withered, and his head nodded as if he were about to fall asleep.
"Old Man Wu, a big business is here..."
The mongrel approached him with a smile.
The old man slowly opened his eyes, muttering, "Huh, how co you aren't dead yet..."
Before finishing, he saw Li Yan behind and his face changed dramatically, imdiately getting up to run.
Swish!
Li Yan exerted force with his feet, flashed to block him, and smiled, cupping his hands, "So you're a senior."
He felt a familiar aura from the old man, which was the Hook Paper.
This old man was actually a living Yin ssenger…
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