I Am Not a Master - Chapter 48

Gu Feiyin had only taken two days off. Not only was time limited, but she also didn’t have the money to stay longer. After all, being away from home meant spending on meals and lodging. She wasn’t planning to stay long, but with the yellow police tape cordoning off the mountain base, non-essential personnel were prohibited from entering. She had no way to get up the mountain.

But she couldn’t just go back. The high-speed train and accommodation costs had already set her back a few hundred yuan. Returning empty-handed would be a real waste, not to mention the extra money she’d have to spend if she came back again. Earning money wasn’t easy for her, and just thinking about it made her heart ache.

She could only linger at the mountain base, hoping to find another way up the mountain.

Gu Feiyin thought that since there were many people in the morning, they would disperse by the afternoon, and the missing people on the mountain would likely be found by then. She planned to sneak up the mountain when the crowd thinned out. However, by noon, the number of people gathered at the mountain base had only increased, forming a line stretching hundreds of meters long. There was hardly any room for her to stand, and the scene was quite spectacular.

Most of these people were fans of the missing individuals, with red eyes and holding placards with names like “Shen Yue,” “Shao Yizhou,” and “Xia Yao.” Gu Feiyin vaguely remembered “Shen Yue” as the wealthy man who sat in first class on her first flight, whom Ma Ao mentioned was a big star.

Could it be the same person?

She still had his number, so she couldn’t resist pulling out her phone and dialing him. The phone rang a few times before a man’s low voice came through, “Master, Master Gu?”

Gu Feiyin couldn’t hear clearly because it was really noisy on her end. With so many people around, it was chaotic, and some were shouting names at the top of their lungs. Conversations had to be practically shouted into each other’s ears.

Struggling to hear Shen Yue’s voice, Gu Feiyin quickly moved to a quieter spot and said, “I heard you went missing. Are you guys okay? Where are you now? A lot of people are looking for you on the mountain.”

Shen Yue also struggled to hear Master Gu because it was really noisy on his end too. He heard a lot of shouting and could only quickly say, “Master, could you please come over? I feel something’s not right here.” The line crackled with static, and Shen Yue called out urgently, “Master, Master? Please come quickly…

“I seem to be… I don’t know where I am…”

“I… beep, beep, beep, beep.”

Click, the call was cut off.

Gu Feiyin only vaguely heard Shen Yue calling for Master, asking her to hurry over, but she couldn’t even get up the mountain. How was she supposed to go over? Besides, he didn’t say where he was, making it difficult to find him, like searching for a needle in a haystack. She tried calling Shen Yue again, but couldn’t get through. The police had organized a search and rescue team, and they were more capable than she was. They should be able to find Shen Yue and the others.

Of course, she couldn’t enter through the main entrance, so she had to think of another way.

Dalong Mountain was vast, with undulating terrain, and there were several paths up the mountain, all now guarded by the police.

Gu Feiyin spent quite some time walking along the base of Dalong Mountain. The further she went, the fewer people there were, but every so often, there was a no-trespassing tape and uniformed personnel patrolling to prevent anyone from climbing.

With such tight security, Gu Feiyin had no way to climb the mountain under so many watchful eyes. She sighed, cursing the heavens once more.

…

While Gu Feiyin was figuring out how to get up the mountain, Zhang Daoist and two Special Unit members received the news and arrived. They were informed that someone was trapped on the mountain, and sporadic contact had been made with them, with some strange messages, prompting the Special Unit to handle the situation.

When Zhang Daoist arrived, several members from the local Taoist Association in City D and Special Unit personnel were already there, totaling about a dozen people, all there to provide support.

“What exactly is going on?” Zhang Daoist asked. “You weren’t clear over the phone, and I couldn’t figure out what was happening.”

It wasn’t entirely the police’s fault for not providing clear information, as they were also unsure. The police chief responsible for the Dalong Mountain area said helplessly, “Since last night, we’ve been trying to establish contact with the trapped individuals, but we’ve only managed to reach them twice. Once, we connected with Xia Yao’s phone, and she only said one sentence, ‘Help me, please save me!’ before the call was cut off. Another time, we reached a staff member with them, who said they were taken to a strange manor, and then the call was disconnected.”

“Yes, it’s not that we didn’t explain clearly, but we ourselves don’t fully understand what’s happening. Both calls were unclear, but we suspect they encountered something.”

“To our knowledge, there’s no manor on Dalong Mountain. With last night’s heavy rain, the mountain roads are difficult to navigate, and the situation is urgent. Even if they were seeking shelter, they couldn’t have gone far. How could they have ended up at a manor? And even if they did, wouldn’t they know that their disappearance has caused a huge uproar outside? It’s been so long, could they really stay hidden in a manor without contacting us?”

“Exactly, the situation is indeed strange and doesn’t make sense, which is why we sought your help.”

Zhang Daoist pondered, “Do you suspect Shen Yue and the others encountered… ghosts?”

“It’s not just a suspicion; it’s likely. They must have encountered something, and we don’t know when that thing might become dangerous. Although they are currently safe, it’s hard to say how long that will last.”

“So we must find them quickly, or else they might be in grave danger!”

To this end, they formed a special search and rescue team to fully assist Zhang Daoist and others in solving the case.

After discussing their plan, Zhang Daoist and his team immediately set out with compasses and spiritual artifacts, determined to find the six missing individuals.

…

Shen Yue clutched his phone tightly, not taking his eyes off it, hoping someone would call.

His phone was running low on battery. When he first arrived, he frantically tried to make calls, but couldn’t get through and wasted a lot of battery. He didn’t dare make random calls anymore, waiting for someone to call him. Now, with the battery indicator in the red, showing only ten percent left, he was even more cautious about making calls.

Not only that, but he hadn’t eaten anything since he realized the manor was strange, and now he was so hungry that his stomach was churning.

He recalled when Master Gu called earlier. The signal was weak, and it was noisy on her end. He wasn’t sure if she understood his message…

He sighed.

Shao Yizhou sat leisurely nearby, noticing Shen Yue’s worried expression. “Hey, why do you look so troubled since we got here? Don’t overthink it. Didn’t the manor owner say that once the mountain roads are clear, they’ll send us back?”

Shen Yue didn’t feel like talking anymore. He looked helplessly at the naive Shao Yizhou and couldn’t help but say, “Don’t you find this place strange? There’s no electricity, only candlelight, no sunlight during the day, and everyone seems so eerie. There’s no phone signal… Have you ever seen a manor like this?”

Shao Yizhou thought for a moment and said, “Mr. Zhuang said he yearns for the life of ancient people, wanting to return to simplicity, so he built this old house deep in the mountains, modeled after ancient residences. And it’s difficult to get electricity in the mountains, so there’s none. What’s so strange about that? There aren’t many people like Mr. Zhuang these days.”

Shen Yue: “…”

Shao Yizhou continued, “And I chatted with Mr. Zhuang today. He’s indeed a cultured and refined gentleman. Don’t overthink it. If he wanted to harm us, he wouldn’t have saved us in the first place, right?”

Shen Yue: “…”

He was at a loss for words, only able to acknowledge that Mr. Zhuang was a master of deception.

Last night, they were filming late when a sudden downpour triggered a mudslide. The situation was chaotic, and he, Shao Yizhou, and Xia Yao were together rehearsing, so they fled together, along with their assistants. Unfortunately, they got lost on the mountain, but luckily, Mr. Zhuang saved them.

It was still raining, and the mountain was dangerous. They didn’t know the way, so they followed Mr. Zhuang to his home. Once there, Shen Yue felt something was off. The manor, though beautifully constructed with an ancient charm, felt lifeless. Not only did the housekeeper and Aunt working there seem lifeless and speak little, but he didn’t even see a single animal. The surroundings were eerily quiet.

If Mr. Zhuang yearned for the life of ancient people, shouldn’t it be a place of natural beauty? How could it be like this? Moreover, Mr. Zhuang reminded him of the Face Ghost, as his aura felt similar.

His instincts told him that anyone with such a manor in the deep mountains wouldn’t be ordinary.

Shen Yue said, “Shao Yizhou, if you don’t believe me, pay attention to whether Mr. Zhuang has a heartbeat, whether his body is cold!”

Shao Yizhou rolled his eyes and said, “You should just check if Mr. Zhuang has a shadow. Both Mr. Zhuang and the Housekeeper Aunt have shadows. How could they be ghosts? Besides, where in the world are there ghosts? Don’t be superstitious, and don’t let a mudslide scare you.”

Shen Yue looked at Shao Yizhou sympathetically, as if seeing his own foolish self in the past.

Shao Yizhou stood up and said, “I’m bored. I’m going to find Mr. Zhuang for a game of chess. I found out he’s really good at it, quite impressive. Want to join?”

Shen Yue shook his head, “No.”

He watched Shao Yizhou leave the room. After sitting in the room for a while, he realized that although it was safe, it wasn’t a long-term solution. He got up and went out, hoping to find an exit and look for Xia Yao.

However, when he stepped outside, he discovered that the housekeeper and others were hanging red cloth all over the manor and pasting large red “double happiness” characters. He was surprised and asked, “Is someone getting married?”

The housekeeper looked at him eerily, “The master is getting married, Mr. Shen. Please stay for a drink at the wedding banquet.”

Shen Yue was shocked, “When? In a few days?”

“Tonight.”

“…Tonight? So soon?”

Shen Yue was baffled and extremely surprised. Everything seemed normal in the morning, with no hint of a wedding atmosphere. Suddenly, they were getting married, and they only started decorating in the afternoon for a wedding that night… Was this a rush job?

Shen Yue said, “Why didn’t I hear about this before? Who’s Mr. Zhuang’s bride?”

The housekeeper gave a strange smile but didn’t say who it was, “You’ll find out then. You must come.”

Shen Yue felt a chill in his heart but maintained a calm facade, nodding, “I wouldn’t miss Mr. Zhuang’s wedding for anything.”

He bid farewell to the housekeeper and leisurely strolled around the courtyard, as if admiring the scenery, until the eerie gaze behind him disappeared. Then he hurried to find Xia Yao.

Mr. Zhuang suddenly announced he was getting married, and Shen Yue couldn’t think of anyone else but the few people who had come to the manor with him. Among them, Xia Yao was the only woman, so it was highly likely she was the bride!

Xia Yao was hiding in her room, clutching her phone tightly. When Shen Yue knocked on the door, she jumped in fright. It wasn’t until she heard his voice that she calmed down, opened the door, and pulled him inside. She peeked outside suspiciously before closing the door and saying, “Did you come because you noticed something strange?”

Shen Yue replied, “You noticed it too?”

Xia Yao nodded, her face pale. “Last night, I got hungry and went to the kitchen to find something to eat. But when I got there, I found the rice and vegetables covered in mold, with cobwebs everywhere! I thought I had gone to the wrong kitchen, so I went back to my room. But this morning, when I went to find food, I saw the butler and Aunt bringing out lots of dishes from the same kitchen I went to last night!”

“I thought I was mistaken, so I went back to check the kitchen. The layout was exactly the same as I saw last night! Even the rice and vegetables were identical, but in the daylight, they looked fresh, without any mold or cobwebs… It’s too weird! Then I noticed the butler and others never make any noise when they walk, and they always knock on the door four times! Isn’t it said that only ghosts walk without sound and knock four times?”

“Shen Yue, do you think we’ve ended up in a place we shouldn’t be? Otherwise, how could Mr. Zhuang have appeared so coincidentally when we got lost? Or is this all just my imagination?”

For some reason, Shen Yue felt relieved. “You probably didn’t see it wrong. I also think there’s something off about this manor and the people here! And did you notice? The butler said the owner is getting married tonight, but he never mentioned who the bride is. If…”

Xia Yao’s eyes widened in fear. “You mean… me?”

Shen Yue nodded. “It’s very likely.”

Xia Yao panicked for a moment but quickly calmed down. “No, I can’t marry him. We have to escape!”

Shen Yue agreed, “We must get out, or we might never leave this place…”

“Let’s gather everyone and discuss what to do!”

“I’ve talked to Shao Yizhou, but he doesn’t believe me.”

“Then I’ll try talking to him.”

“Alright, let’s go together. He might believe us if we both say it.”

No matter what, they had to find a way to escape.

…

Zhang Daoist and his group had been searching the mountain with a compass for a long time without any results. It wasn’t until dusk, when they were about to give up, that the compass suddenly started spinning wildly, the needle circling without stopping at a fixed point.

Their expressions changed drastically, and the Director of Dalong Mountain grew nervous. “What’s happening? Did we find their direction?”

Zhang Daoist’s face was grave. “I’m afraid not. This mountain is dangerous.”

The compass pointed to where ghosts were, and now it was spinning uncontrollably, indicating there were many ghosts nearby.

Not only Zhang Daoist, but the other Taoists and Special Unit members were also on high alert, fearing they couldn’t handle so many ghosts. They needed to call Taoists from City D and nearby areas, as many as possible.

“We’ll follow these ghosts to see where they’re going. You go back and call for reinforcements, report the situation on Dalong Mountain.”

“Call headquarters and have them send more people immediately.”

“How many do we need?”

“As many as possible, the more the better!”

While they were calling for reinforcements, Zhang Daoist and his group continued to explore deeper into the mountain, their faces filled with tension, not daring to be careless. As they went further, the compass spun faster and faster, increasing their anxiety.

Along the way, they even saw many ghosts flashing by in the distance, seemingly gathering at a certain place.

“How can this be? I’ve never seen anything like this since I started following my master into Taoism!”

“It looks like hundreds of ghosts are being summoned. What could this be for?”

“If Dalong Mountain is really gathering hundreds of ghosts, wouldn’t City D be in danger?”

The Director of Dalong Mountain was sweating with fear upon hearing this. “City D has millions of people. If something happens, it would be disastrous! Should we evacuate the people?”

Zhang Daoist said, “We must prepare for the worst, just in case.”

Of course, evacuating wasn’t simple. With millions of people, it was almost astronomical, and it could cause public panic, with criminals taking advantage of the chaos. If not handled properly, it could lead to huge negative consequences.

The Director of Dalong Mountain, thinking of these things, felt overwhelmed.

He hurried down the mountain, contacted various parties, gathered security forces, and ordered a citywide lockdown, instructing citizens to stay indoors and not to go out. Vehicles on the road were to find a place to stop, and those far from home should find a nearby hotel. The fans and media reporters at the foot of Dalong Mountain were the first to be in danger if the evil ghosts came down…

This led to more speculation online about why Dalong Mountain was under lockdown. Was the disappearance of Shen Yue, Shao Yizhou, and Xia Yao not a simple case of missing persons?

Such a curfew hadn’t been issued since the founding of the country. With the reforms and opening up, it had been a long time since such a decree was issued. Although some foreign countries had implemented it due to political turmoil, it was rare in China. If it really happened, it would mean something major was going on!

For a while, there was much speculation online.

“Oh my God, City D is under lockdown. Not only are people not allowed on the road, but cars are also banned. All those fans at the foot of Dalong Mountain were taken away by police cars, dozens of vehicles! It scared me to death!”

“Did something happen at Dalong Mountain? I heard from an uncle who works there that many Taoists went up the mountain with compasses, Thunder Strike Wood, and Copper Coin Swords… I feel like something’s being hidden from us!”

“I feel the same. Remember the Doll incident? Although they said it was because of too many adventurers being attracted to Wawa Island, so they removed all the Dolls, I still feel it wasn’t simple. If the Dolls weren’t a problem, why burn them?”

“Wuwuwu, my Yizhou, is he alright? I’m so worried…”

“And my Yue, my Yao, are they okay?”

“……”

“Don’t talk, I see a lot of police downstairs! All the shops are closed, City D has never been this quiet!”

“I feel like something big is about to happen.”

…

Gu Feiyin couldn’t find a way up the mountain, so she sat at the foot of the mountain, munching on a bun. The bad news of not being able to climb the mountain made her lose her appetite. Fortunately, she had a few buns in her bag to stave off hunger. Once she got back, she’d have the Water Ghost catch her a big fish. She was craving pickled fish.

Thinking about the tender fish slices, marinated with salt and egg whites, with some scallions, ginger, and garlic, and the classic old pickled cabbage in pickled fish, she could almost taste it. Especially when stir-fried, the aroma was incredible, perfect with porridge or noodles. Stir-frying the pickled cabbage with the fish head and tail, adding water until it boiled, then quickly adding the fish slices, they would be tender and delicious. Finally, pouring hot oil over diced green and red peppers on the fish slices, the taste would be tangy and spicy, incredibly appetizing.

Thinking about it made her mouth water. With some green bamboo shoots and bean sprouts in the pickled fish, she could eat three bowls of rice.

Lost in thought, she finished two buns and put the remaining two back in her backpack.

As the sun set and the sky darkened, the atmosphere became gloomy and dim.

She found a secluded spot at the foot of the mountain to sit, where it was quieter. Once it was completely dark, she’d sneak up the mountain.

Unexpectedly, as darkness fell, she hadn’t even started climbing when she saw many Little Ghosts.

These oddly shaped Little Ghosts seemed to come from nowhere, floating up the mountain in groups, muttering, “How many times has the King gotten married now? I bet this one won’t last either. Why is the King so keen on getting married?”

“Marriage is a big deal in a ghost’s life. Even though I don’t like marriage, if the King likes it, what can we Little Ghosts say? We don’t want to be swallowed in one bite!”

“I wonder who the King’s bride is this time? Is she pretty? I’d like to see her. The King must have unique taste.”

“She must be pretty. The King’s previous wives were all beautiful, so this one must be too. By the way, last time the King got married, I only got a million in the red envelope. How much did you get?”

“I was unlucky, only got two million. This time, I have to get more.”

“Can I join the wedding?” A ghostly woman’s voice came from behind, startling the gossiping Four Little Ghosts. They turned to see a Long-haired Woman in black cotton clothes, black pants, and black Cotton Shoes. Her long, straight black hair hung down, and her cold, large eyes stared at them. “I want to go too.”

The Four Little Ghosts took a step back, stunned. “You want to go? Why?”

Gu Feiyin replied seriously, “To grab a red envelope!”

The Four Ghosts: “……???”

The Four Ghosts’ stiff faces showed surprise. They looked at the Long-haired Woman’s shadow on the ground, then at her expressionless face. She was clearly human, what was she doing grabbing red envelopes?

“Don’t think you can fool us into thinking you’re a ghost by dressing like that. Aren’t you afraid of losing your life in a ghost den? Go away, stop dreaming.”

“The King said anyone is welcome to his wedding, but it’s all ghosts like us. You’re human, even if you grab a red envelope, you can’t use it. Are you out of your mind?”

Gu Feiyin looked at the Little Ghost. “I’m human now, but I’ll die eventually, so I want to save some money in advance. You don’t know, but in this world, you can’t do anything without money. Money makes things easier, hehe.”

The Four Ghosts: “……?!!”

They were shocked, speechless at the Long-haired Woman. They’d never heard such a thing. Not only was she unafraid of ghosts, but she also wanted to attend the wedding and grab red envelopes! What could they say?

The Four Little Ghosts shrank back, whispering, “What’s with this Long-haired Woman? Why isn’t she afraid of us? Even Taoists wouldn’t be this calm.”

“This Long-haired Woman gives me a bad feeling. I’m a little scared…”

“…Don’t be afraid, she’s human, and she doesn’t have any spiritual artifacts. She can’t do anything to us.”

“So what do we do, take her with us?”

As they discussed, the Long-haired Woman slowly approached, her lips curling into a creepy smile, revealing a missing tooth, looking terrifying. They couldn’t help but say, “Fine, you can come, but don’t blame us if something happens…”

“Thank you, thank you.”

“……..”

The four Little Ghosts led a human along the path, which naturally made the journey quite inconvenient. Even if they slowed down, their speed was still beyond Gu Feiyin’s ability to keep up with, especially since they weren’t following a path but were floating randomly through the forest. Gu Feiyin struggled to keep up, her feet sinking into the ground, sweat soaking through her autumn clothes.

She could manage on regular paths, but when faced with steep slopes, she was truly at a loss. Staring at a slope taller than herself, she couldn’t help but wave at the Four Little Ghosts ahead, saying, “Could you help me out here? I can’t get up this slope.”

The Four Little Ghosts exchanged glances, surprised by the Long-haired Woman’s fearlessness. Not only did she follow them knowing they were ghosts, but she also dared to ask for help. However, they couldn’t help her even if they wanted to, as ghosts couldn’t physically touch humans. “We’d like to help, but we can’t. Maybe you should turn back. We’ve only just started, and it’s still a long way to the King’s place.”

Gu Feiyin chuckled and grabbed the shoulder of the nearest Little Ghost, saying, “Thanks.”

The Little Ghost felt the weight of her hand on his shoulder, shocked and speechless. The other three were equally stunned, unsure of how the Long-haired Woman could touch them. Gu Feiyin didn’t pay much attention and grabbed another ghost’s shoulder, saying, “Could you carry me up? Thanks.”

The Little Ghosts were bewildered. They were young, only about seventeen or eighteen, and hadn’t been ghosts for long, so their experience was limited. Carrying the Long-haired Woman up the slope, they were still trying to figure out what was going on.

Gu Feiyin enjoyed the convenience of being carried by ghosts, finding it much easier than walking herself. It was comfortable and effortless, perfect for climbing mountains. But she didn’t want to impose too much, so she decided to let it go.

Once she landed, the Four Little Ghosts quickly floated away, whispering among themselves, “Is this Long-haired Woman really powerful? Who is she? Is she a cultivator from the human world?”

“Could be. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be unafraid of us.”

“If she’s really a cultivator, is she really here to grab red envelopes with us?”

“It’s hard to say.”

Gu Feiyin couldn’t hear their whispers, but she appreciated their kindness. As night fell, the path became harder to see, and she relied on the faint light from the sky to guide her.

After about two hours of walking, they encountered many ghosts along the way, but those ghosts moved quickly and had no interest in lingering.

With the help of the Little Ghosts, Gu Feiyin finally reached her destination.

It was a manor, and they stood inside the courtyard. It was even darker here than outside, with dense trees towering into the sky, blocking the faint light and casting everything into darkness.

The place was crowded with ghosts, indicating that the King’s wedding was a significant event for them.

Even during her time as a ghost, she had never seen such a spectacle.

Clearly, these outside ghosts were extraordinary and formidable.

Following the Little Ghosts, Gu Feiyin prepared herself for the red envelope grab, hoping to snatch a million each time.

The ghosts gathered in corners, gossiping about the King’s new bride, wondering if she was beautiful. It seemed that ghosts were quite gossipy, each with a peculiar appearance, floating in the air, looking eerie. No one paid attention to the Long-haired Woman, and those who did quickly backed away.

Soon, two young ghosts carrying baskets appeared, their faces pale, smiling eerily. “Welcome to our master’s wedding. Today is a very important day for our master, so we invite everyone to join in the festivities. Here are some small red envelopes to spread the joy.”

As they spoke, they tossed handfuls of Paper Money into the air, scattering it among the ghosts. Gu Feiyin wished she had ten hands to grab all the red envelopes, but with only two hands, she jumped around and managed to catch two.

It wasn’t her lack of agility; the ghosts could fly and float, and as soon as the Paper Money was airborne, they swarmed to snatch it away. The two she caught were thanks to a one-eyed ghost who generously let her have them.

If Jumpy, the Old Lady, and the Red-Dressed Ghost were here, they could have grabbed more together.

Still, two was better than none.

Opening them, she found one worth a thousand and the other two thousand.

Two thousand was good; it was still money.

The Four Little Ghosts who had accompanied her floated down, looking jubilant. “I got twenty thousand.”

“I got forty thousand.”

“I got sixty thousand!”

“Haha, I got eighty thousand!”

Gu Feiyin: “I got two thousand?”

The Four Little Ghosts looked at her with rare sympathy. The smallest denomination of Ghost Money was a thousand, equivalent to a few yuan in the human world. The King was known for his generosity, with envelopes worth millions, but he also threw in a few thousand-yuan ones for fun. Unfortunately, she had grabbed one of those. What luck!

“Don’t be discouraged; this is just the first round. When the bride comes out, gets off the sedan, crosses the bridge, and climbs the slope, the King will scatter more red envelopes. Last time, the luckiest ghost grabbed one worth a billion.”

A billion? Wow, that would be amazing!

Gu Feiyin said, “I’ll try to grab more next time!”

The Four Little Ghosts looked at her with mixed feelings. “You… good luck.”

Meanwhile, Zhang Daoist and his group had applied a talisman to conceal their human presence, quietly following the ghosts to the strange manor.

The talisman temporarily created an aura similar to that of ghosts, making them appear ghost-like rather than human. Thanks to this, they hadn’t been discovered and had enjoyed several conveniences along the way.

They hid outside the manor, watching the ghosts enter. Despite the overwhelming Yin Energy, they were cold with sweat. Two Daoists from the City D Taoist Association had brought their apprentices for training, but they hadn’t expected to encounter such a situation. They were trembling with fear.

It wasn’t surprising they were scared; there were at least hundreds of ghosts here. Normally, they might encounter one or two, and seeing ten at once was a major event requiring their Shishu’s intervention. Now faced with hundreds, each looking sinister and terrifying, they were naturally terrified, with only one thought: What should we do? Are we going to die here?

Zhang Daoist and the Special Unit members, along with the two Daoists and their apprentices from City D, totaled seven people. Seven people could handle a few Little Ghosts, but against hundreds, it was like trying to stop a tidal wave with a twig.

Zhang Daoist decisively said, “Now that we’ve confirmed the location, let’s retreat and plan our next move.”

Minister Li agreed, “Let’s pull back. This requires careful planning. A misstep could lead to disaster for City D!”

Just as they were about to leave, an Old Lady appeared behind them, smiling like a blooming chrysanthemum. She had somehow snuck up on them, cheerfully saying, “What are you doing here? Come in, the wedding is about to start.”

“Are you scared? Don’t be. Guests are welcome, and the master won’t harm them.”

“Come, follow me.” She called out, “Old man, Little Ghosts, come out and greet the guests!”

Zhang Daoist and the others were ushered into the manor, surrounded by hundreds of bizarre ghosts, unsure how to react.

The Old Lady turned back, her gaze chilling, “You all look unfamiliar. Is it your first time here? New ghosts?”

Her words made Zhang Daoist and his group change their expressions.