Chapter 371: Lady Calico’s Ghost City Adventure

It was dawn, and the sky at the horizon was beginning to lighten with hues of white and blue, reflecting off dark gray clouds that looked incredibly pristine.

In the early light stood a bare, towering mountain, surrounded by smaller hills that cast long shadows under the breaking dawn.

The scene resembled the northern frontier. The hills closest to Song You, forming the outermost ring around the central mountain, were equipped with watchtowers and beacon towers atop the higher elevations. Further in, the mountains featured additional defensive structures such as turreted towers, with large military tents at the base where soldiers kept vigil throughout the night.

This perimeter was likely the encampment of the Longwei Army, tasked with defending against disturbances from the human world.

Closer to the central mountain, such fortifications disappeared.

The State Preceptor, having long known of Song You’s arrival, was already waiting for him on the road ahead. As soon as he spotted Song You, he led a group toward him.

Following the State Preceptor were two young Daoist attendants, a middle-aged man in Daoist robes, an elder in a simple cloth robe, and two ghosts dressed in official attire—likely his aides. As they walked, they glanced at Song You, their eyes betraying their curiosity. It seemed they had heard of his reputation and were eager to see who could warrant such a reception from the State Preceptor.

In addition, there were several military officers in full armor, carrying torches.

“Daoist Song, you’ve finally arrived!” the State Preceptor called out as he approached. “When I heard a divine immortal had entered Fengzhou, I immediately knew it must be you and that you would come here. I calculated your arrival when you reached the Yin River and came to wait for you here. I even sent some Longwei Army soldiers to escort you, but who would’ve thought you’d take the night route instead?”

“The roads were difficult to navigate,” Song You replied, “but as luck would have it, I encountered a group of ghost officials while camping in the wilderness, and they kindly escorted me here.”

“Oh!”

The State Preceptor nodded, then turned to the ghost officials, smiling warmly as he bowed. “Thank you for bringing this esteemed guest to me. It is nearly dawn, so please return to rest and avoid being harmed by the sunlight and yang qi. I will take over from here and escort our guest the rest of the way.”

“You’re most welcome, sir.”

“We’ll take our leave...”

The ghost officials bowed and departed.

The State Preceptor then turned back to Song You and met his gaze with a slight smile before bowing formally.

“Greetings, fellow Daoist.”

Maintaining his respectful demeanor, he then lowered himself further to address the calico cat, “Greetings, Lady Calico.”

“Greetings, State Preceptor,” Song You replied.

“

Meow

...” Lady Calico responded with a soft sound.

“Fellow Daoist, you look the same as ever. You haven’t changed at all,” the State Preceptor said, raising his head to look at Song You. In the light of the torches carried by the nearby soldiers, he couldn’t help but sigh with emotion.

“You, however, have gray in your hair now,” Song You observed, narrowing his eyes as he studied the State Preceptor in the flickering torchlight. Like the emperor in the capital, the State Preceptor had aged significantly in the past three or four years. Though he wasn’t as frail and decrepit as the emperor, he appeared to have aged seven or eight years.

The last time they had met, the State Preceptor had been a robust middle-aged Daoist. Now, he looked noticeably older.

When Song You had returned to the capital and met the emperor for the first time in years, the emperor’s reaction had been much the same—remarking on how little Song You had changed.

“

Sigh

...” The State Preceptor let out a long sigh and shook his head. “Even the great Mount Cang will grow old, so how could humans be any different?”

The morning light behind them grew brighter, illuminating the nearly barren mountain more clearly. It wasn’t just that one mountain; the surrounding hills were similarly devoid of vegetation, looking as though they had aged alongside the State Preceptor’s words.

This imagery, combined with his statement, carried an inexplicable poignancy.

“Let’s not linger. Fellow Daoist, please, this way,” the State Preceptor said with a genuine smile, gesturing for them to proceed. He then began walking toward the mountains with a noticeable limp, his entourage immediately following suit. “The underworld is taking shape. In the thousands, even tens of thousands of years prior, there has been no precedent for this. I don’t know the proper way to establish it, so I’ve created a prototype here in Ghost City. I’d like you to take a look and tell me if anything seems amiss.”

“I’m just here to broaden my horizons,” Song You replied.

With his jujube-red horse trailing behind and the calico cat at his feet, Song You followed the group toward the interior.

First, they had to pass through the outer perimeter guarded by the military.

The Longwei Army was an elite force, tasked with protecting the gateway to Angzhou. Though they lacked the bloodthirsty aura of the northern frontier army, hardened by years of constant warfare, these were still young men in their prime—twenty-somethings, strong, vigorous, and well-trained in martial arts.

Those on duty wore bright, gleaming armor, carried long knives at their waists and spears in their hands, with bows and quivers strapped to their backs. Their weapons and armor gleamed in the firelight, radiating an imposing presence. It was nearly impossible to determine with the naked eye whether they were superior to or weaker than the northern army.

Only young men could withstand the conditions here—

The yin qi in the area was incredibly heavy. Even in the outermost perimeter, it was stifling. Without the robust blood and qi of youth, even seasoned soldiers might find it unbearable.

The Great Yan had elite soldiers, with a limited standing army. In times of chaos, when the world was divided among various factions, the military forces raised by a single force could surpass the total number of soldiers in the Great Yan. However, the combat effectiveness of the two could not be equated.

Should ordinary civilians wander into this place, they’d likely be scared out of their wits.

In addition to this elite military force, the camp occasionally housed monks, Daoists, and common folk experts. These were likely individuals the State Preceptor had recruited from Changjing’s Juxian Mansion, a hub for cultivators and talented eccentrics.

Deeper within the perimeter, ghost soldiers could be seen standing guard.

The defenses were strict, layer upon layer of protection.

“...”

𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Song You couldn’t help but feel a sense of solemnity.

Back when he had tasked that ghost scholar to infiltrate this place, offering only a single cup of tea that ghosts could drink as payment, the ghost had actually managed to make it inside. He had returned looking utterly battered, barely recognizable as a ghost.

At the time, Song You hadn’t realized just how daunting the challenge had been. Now, seeing the fortifications firsthand, he understood—it was nearly an impossible feat.

Even a petty thief ghost could display such loyalty and perseverance. Human nature was truly complex.

Unnoticed at first, the ground had long since become barren. Even the trees here were withered.

Looking carefully, though, there was one type of plant—

It was a grass with five leaves, arranged in a circle, with markings on the leaves resembling a human face.

It was Ghostface Grass.

If not for his chance encounter with Ghostface Grass in Changjing’s ghost market, Song You might never have learned of the situation at Mount Ye in Fengzhou. Shortly after that discovery, the State Preceptor had sought him out to explain his plans for Ghost City.

Whether the preceptor had approached him because he knew this was something he couldn’t hide from Song You, and Song You would inevitably uncover it from another angle, or because he had learned about the ghost market and Ghostface Grass discovery, Song You couldn’t be certain.

The sky grew increasingly bright.

“There’s a heavy concentration of ghostly qi here,” Song You remarked, glancing around.

“Indeed,” the State Preceptor replied. Limping as he walked, he explained, “Fortunately, Zi Commandery is remote, and Yinnan even more so. By the time you reach Mount Ye, it’s practically deserted. That’s one reason I chose this location for Ghost City. I’ve also set up a formation to seal the ghostly qi here. It works to some extent, and I’ve been hoping it will hold until the underworld is fully formed.

“At that point, all ghostly spirits and qi will be absorbed into the underworld. This place will remain only as a passage between the human world and the underworld, serving as the residence for the netherworld deities managing the connection between the two realms. It will no longer affect the human world.”

He turned to look at Song You.

“However, I’ve heard that you possess methods to block ghostly qi. If you could lend a hand, that would be wonderful.”

“It’s just a simple task,” Song You replied.

“Then, on behalf of the local people, I thank you,” the State Preceptor said with a bow.

“State Preceptor, you truly hold the well-being of the people at heart.”

“You’re flattering me too much, fellow Daoist!” the State Preceptor replied.

Among the group, only the two of them spoke, while the others—whether human or cat—followed quietly, casting cautious glances at each other.

As for the swallow...

Back when they encountered the ghost officials, Song You had infused it with a strand of Qingming spiritual energy and winter spiritual energy. It was likely now hidden in the clouds, surveying the land from above.

The nearer the mountain seemed, the farther it proved.

By the time they reached the foot of Mount Ye, the sky was fully bright.

However, the area was so heavily saturated with ghostly and yin qi that it far exceeded anything Song You had encountered before—even Turtle City in Yanzhou paled in comparison. The energy was so thick that it distorted the natural balance, dimming the sunlight and blocking yang qi entirely.

Ghosts, like the two former court officials accompanying the State Preceptor—who had reportedly died only a few years ago—were able to walk freely here.

At the base of the mountain, there was a gate embedded in a cliff’s surface.

The cliff, however, was a facade, perhaps an illusion or a formation. It wasn’t a true wall. Ordinary people wouldn’t be able to enter, but ghost soldiers and officers were currently moving in and out freely.

“After you,” the State Preceptor said with a smile, gesturing for Song You to proceed.

“My horse...” Song You began.

“It can enter as well,” the State Preceptor assured him.

“After you.”

The State Preceptor stepped forward first, passing through the cliff wall.

Those accompanying him—both human and ghost—followed closely, disappearing into the stone.

Song You naturally stepped forward and followed.

The jujube-red horse, without hesitation or pause, moved wherever Song You went. It lowered its head and cautiously extended it into the cliff wall, then walked steadily forward until its entire body had passed through.

“

Meow

...”

The calico cat stopped in place, tilting her head as she stared up at the stone wall. She looked it over from side to side, scratched an itch with her hind leg, and finally darted inside.

She felt a faint resistance as ripples spread across the surface of the wall, but before she knew it, she had passed through.

“

Meow

!”

Shaking her head, she thought it was nothing remarkable—quite similar to the experience outside Changjing City that time.

With her curiosity piqued, her eyes sparkled faintly as she looked ahead.

Inside was an enormous space—just the part visible from where she stood was vast, like a small city. And the space extended downward into the depths, its full size and depth impossible to gauge.

No sunlight reached here, not even from the entrance behind her. When Lady Calico turned to look back, all she saw was a solid stone wall.

Yet, in this cavernous expanse, there were countless ghostly flames. Some floated steadily inside lamp posts or basins, while others drifted freely through open areas, following the movements of wandering ghosts. These ghostly flames emitted an eerie glow—pale white tinged with blue and green—illuminating the entire space.

Lady Calico widened her eyes, the flickering ghost flames and the vast underground ghost city reflecting in them.

She saw a ghost pass by, and the previously dark lamp post next to it flared to life with ghostly light. Another ghost moved through an open area where there had been nothing—no lamps, no structures, just darkness—and a ghost flame spontaneously ignited there.

Her expression was serious, yet her eyes sparkled with fascination.

Snapping out of her awe, she looked ahead and realized that her Daoist priest, the horse, the limping Daoist, and the ghosts accompanying him were all standing further ahead, waiting for her.

“...!”

She hurriedly trotted forward to catch up with them.