Very well.
Qin Ye wondered if it was time to remove the signboard behind him and replace it with "Sunset Glow Haunted Amusement Center".
Then, he'd play the most dazzling ethnic song.
Perfect.
Don't tell me … you're really good at taking over a magpie's nest?
Do you know how much this coffin costs?
Qin Ye's eyes flickered with ice spears, frost arrows, flame blasts, and death rays. The old granny turned a deaf ear to him. Instead, she turned to the old ladies and smiled, "What do you think of my grandson?"
"Not bad. His skin is fair. There's no need to buy skincare products when he goes down."
"He's obviously a short-lived one. He'll be able to enjoy a few more years of peace down there."
"Three biscuits." "Damn!
Fifty thousand … He's got a family business, and he's even prepared a coffin, paper money, paper dolls, and paper horses. Does this mean he's ready to go down there and enjoy life? "
"Have you prepared a way down there?
Let me give you a word of advice - it's hard to drown.
It's not a pretty sight to behold. "" Hang on!
Cut it off, it'll cost you 140,000 … Incidentally, hanging isn't a good idea either. The tongue will be three feet long, and it'll be troublesome to reel it back in. "" I suggest we get into a car accident and adjust the angle.
If it's an exquisite maneuver, it'll be painless as long as it remains intact.
It'll spiral into the sky and explode instantly. "
Bloody hell!
Is there still any law in this world?!
Shouldn't the usual 'What do you think of my grandson' be? ',' Not bad, good boy ',' What grade are you in? ', or' Can you read? '?
Why are we reading it in such a bizarre manner now?
Aren't you guys a little too advanced in your thinking?
No …
Who the hell is your grandson?!
Don't call me your relative!
Qin Ye was so stifled that he nearly spat out a mouthful of blood. His face was as black as the bottom of a pot.
The old granny took a drag of her cigarette and muttered, "Take a closer look."
The old granny turned around in unison and took a closer look. The smiles on everyone's faces vanished instantly.
They even put down the mahjong tiles in their hands.
The four of them exchanged awkward glances. Several seconds later, one of the old ladies asked the old granny, "Is this … the taisui fungus?"
The clattering of mahjong tiles rang out once more. Eight hands continued to play the tiles. The old granny smiled, "He insists that it's not the taisui fungus in front of me … Let's just pretend that he's not … You, pour me some rootless water. The water from the mortal realm is a little spicy."
Ahhhhh … Has he changed from a grandson to that person …
The so-called rootless water was rainwater. It did not touch the sky, nor did it touch the earth, nor did it touch Yin and Yang. This was the only thing grandma had used this week.
Qin Ye took four cups and placed them on the coffin lid, before turning around and walking away.
Don't provoke me. I'm so annoying.
The game went on until midnight. Just as the clock struck twelve, grandmother stood up and sighed, "Let's go … This should be our last game of mahjong."
Following her figure, the three old ladies stood up at the same time and bowed slightly to their grandmother. Then, they turned into four wisps of green smoke and disappeared beside the coffin.
"What is this?" Qin Ye asked curiously.
Grandma did not reply immediately. She laboriously took out an old oil lamp from the coffin, which was covered in dust. She massaged her waist and said, "Five Ghosts Luck."
"… You play mahjong with the Five Ghosts of Fortune?"
"You know nothing!
I've earned 1.2 billion in one day. Why isn't it the Five Ghosts Luck? "
What she's saying makes so much sense … Qin Ye was rendered speechless.
"Do you know what day it is today?" The grandmother sat on the bed and stared straight at Qin Ye.
Then, without waiting for him to respond, she continued in a deep voice, "Halfway through the seventh month, ghosts run amok. Today is the last day of the Hungry Ghost Festival.
It's also the time when the gates of Hell are about to close. "
"The day when a person's lifespan is nearing its end is also the day when they enter the gates of Hell for the first time.
Unfortunately … there are too many souls in Hell, and too few Emissaries of Hell.
There will always be some souls that we haven't noticed in time that are drifting about outside.
After a long period of absence, these souls would naturally lose consciousness due to their instinctive thirst for Hell.
These souls are known as the Drifting Spirits.
The three major ghost festivals are when they descend into Hell. "
"Do you … understand now?"
As soon as the grandmother grew serious, Qin Ye felt as though he were in the center of a torrent of emotions.
Having seen far too many things, he knew that this was an aura. It was a display of extreme confidence in one's actions, expressions, and words, which affected others.
It was hard to imagine that an old woman with one foot in the grave could actually exude such a terrifying aura.
Qin Ye couldn't help but retract the smile on his face. He pondered for a moment, "Are you saying that … the person who carries' it 'will die within the next seven days?"
The grandmother nodded.
Qin Ye furrowed his brows and continued, "I can't find him. But, this person will definitely head to Hell's gate tonight?"
The grandmother grunted in response.
Qin Ye carefully observed the expression on her face and probed further, "So … what you're trying to tell me is …"
A sly smile appeared on the grandmother's face. Then, before he could even finish speaking, she suddenly tugged at Qin Ye's hand. Qin Ye didn't even have time to cry out in alarm before his vision went dark.
When everything became clear to him, he couldn't help but gasp in shock.
Black, white and green. A tri-coloured world!
As far as the eye could see, everything was dyed black and white. Whether it was the room or the bed, everything was filled with wisps of green smoke.
And then, he saw his own body. His eyes were closed, and his grandmother was holding onto his hand as she sat on the chair!
The two of them were like two stone statues, completely motionless.
"This is … a soul?" He stared at his own hands in astonishment. His understanding of the grandmother's identity and strength had once again increased.
He had seen many methods of summoning souls, including monks and Daoists, but none of them had ever been able to make someone's soul leave their body with just a gentle tug!
Compared to her, these so-called methods of summoning souls were simply too weak!
"Number one, don't look back." The grandmother stooped over and lit the ancient lamp.
The lamp was unique. It was an ancient, rectangular lamp that was roughly the size of a palm and made of bronze.
However, the lid of the lamp was inscribed with two carps, one black and one white.
"Hammerstone?"
"Shut up … Number two, don't open your mouth."
The grandmother's body began to move. As soon as she took her first step, the world of black, white and green trembled slightly. Qin Ye could clearly sense the temperature plummet, and the fog around him grew thicker and thicker.
The green fog around him appeared to have come alive. Seconds later, they were surrounded by a cloudy sky and a sea of fog.
The lamp was the only source of light in the entire world.
He could almost hear the wails of countless people in the roiling sea of fog.
"Hold this in your mouth.
Also, hold on to my clothes. "Qin Ye took the object in his hand and examined it closely. It was a willow leaf.
As soon as he placed it in his mouth, a warm sensation immediately spread to the tip of his tongue.
He held on tightly to the grandmother's clothes, and the two of them finally began to move.
"This path isn't meant for the living." Qin Ye remained silent despite the fact that he had a bellyful of questions.
After walking for a full twenty minutes, the grandmother's hoarse voice finally came from up ahead, "You living people call this the Yellow Springs Road.
However, the Yellow Springs Road is actually divided into three parts.
The ferryman of the River of Forgetfulness, Granny Meng's rebirth, and finally, Fengdu Necropolis.
We're only on the first part of the journey. "
She pointed at the surroundings and said, "This green fog is the Yin energy of the ghosts.
It should have been pure black in color, but the Yang energy in the mortal realm is too strong, and the two elements clash, resulting in the formation of this green Yin energy. "
"As soon as any living being opens their mouth here, the Yang energy will leak out and become like a lighthouse in the midst of a tsunami.
Countless ghosts will be reminded of their past in the mortal realm. Some are sentimental, while others are reluctant. These ghosts who haven't even drunk Granny Meng's soup will tear the person to shreds.
So, don't open your mouth. "
Qin Ye blinked vacantly, and a thought suddenly occurred to him - Is this all caused by Hell's Gate?
According to the grandmother, Hell's Gate has opened today, and countless wandering spirits have entered Hell.
But … it's practically a sea of Yin energy! How many ghosts must there have been to congregate such a terrifying amount of Yin energy?
Is this a dereliction of duty?
Just then, a faint sigh came from up ahead, "Don't turn back. There's a creature called the Echoing Worm on this path.
All you have to do is open your mouth, and it will converse with you.
The Echoing Worm has a human face and a worm body, and is formed from the condensation of countless obsessions.
As soon as you're captured by it, you'll have to converse with it for thousands of years.
You'll lose the opportunity to be reincarnated forever. "
Qin Ye gently tugged on the grandmother's sleeves, and the grandmother chuckled, "Are you wondering why not a single Echoing Worm has come forward despite the fact that I've spoken so much?"
"Because … they don't dare."
"Disperse." As soon as she finished speaking, her white hair suddenly scattered and danced about on its own.
The fog in all directions was like a turbid wave, pouring down with a loud rumble.
Everything in front of his eyes finally became clear. Qin Ye took a single glance, and then immediately drew a deep breath, only to feel a chill run down his spine.
What they were standing on was no longer a path. Rather, it was … a silvery-white skeleton!
The skeleton was massive. It was at least a hundred meters wide, and it was long and flat. It appeared to be a cervical vertebra.
Countless people were standing on either side of them. Some were dressed in suits, some were wearing T-shirts and jeans, and some were wearing dresses. They were all accompanying them as they made their way towards the end of the skeleton!
They were illusory, hazy, numb, and emitting wisps of Yin energy from time to time.
What was even more frightening was the fact that these ghosts maintained the same appearance they had before they died!
Some had long tongues sticking out of their mouths, while their eyes bulged out.
Some had twisted expressions on their faces. Some had broken limbs, and they could only crawl across the bridge with half of their bodies.
Others had their skulls shattered, while others had a gaping wound on their chest and abdomen … It was practically an exhibition hall of the dead!
An exhibition hall of the living.
These living dead floated in midair, moving along with the rest of the group without touching the ground.
On the last day of the Hungry Ghost Festival, the gates of Hell closed. It was a pitch-black night, and countless ghosts accompanied the living on the path of the netherworld.
They were right beside him, and right behind him.
However, as soon as he gasped in horror, the people around him suddenly stopped in their tracks.
Hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of illusory ghosts paused in unison.
Then, without moving their bodies, their heads turned around like a machine. Some had half a head, some had long tongues, and some were even headless. Countless gazes that made one's scalp go numb stared straight at Qin Ye at the same time!
Greed, confusion … Qin Ye's body trembled in that instant, and an intense chill rushed into his heart.
Just then, a bony hand patted the top of his head, and the chill around him immediately vanished.
The ghosts around him stared at him for thirty seconds, before turning their heads away and continuing on their way aimlessly.
Thump, thump … Qin Ye rubbed his chest. His heart was thumping wildly. His hair stood on end as soon as the countless heads turned to look at him.
"Look over there." The old granny pointed in a certain direction.
Qin Ye glanced over, and then immediately covered his mouth with his hands. His pupils shrank.
He could see several figures the size of small mountains in the distance where Yin energy permeated the air.
He couldn't see what they were, but they appeared no different from … bedbugs that had been magnified countless times.
Two green eyes burned brightly in the darkness, flickering erratically.
And its body … was covered with people!
Living people. Or rather, living ghosts.
Every single one of them was desperately trying to say something, while the ones closest to them were at least ten meters away.
Echoing Worms, human cocoons!