Chapter 374: Observations in Ghost City

Unknowingly, Song You had followed the State Preceptor through the entirety of Ghost City.

The city itself was entirely within Mount Ye and about the size of Yuan’an City. However, the surrounding smaller mountains also contained connected spaces, as did the vast underground caverns and fault lines—these, too, were part of the Ghost City. At this moment, Song You was following the State Preceptor deeper into the underground sections.

“I noticed in the ledger that the ghosts are categorized into five levels,” Song You remarked.

“It’s a temporary measure,” the State Preceptor replied, “designed to facilitate the management of Ghost City. It will be refined in the future. Every ghost who arrives here undergoes a thorough evaluation of their deeds. Under the Karma Mirror, there are no lies, and they are categorized into five levels accordingly.”

“How are they divided?” Song You asked.

“If a person was truly virtuous—of outstanding moral character—and has never knowingly committed any wrongdoing since reaching adulthood, they are categorized as first class. These ghosts may hold official positions in Ghost City,” the State Preceptor explained.

He continued, “If someone committed minor errors or caused minor harm, but not to the extent of committing a crime or creating serious consequences, they are categorized as second class and may work as clerks in Ghost City. Those who bear sins or unresolved crimes from their mortal lives are placed in third class, and their transgressions must be settled here.”

“And the fourth and fifth classes?” Song You inquired.

“If someone committed grave crimes—heinous acts of great evil—but not to the extent of warranting death, they are categorized as fourth class and must serve penance and face punishment in Ghost City,” the State Preceptor explained.

“As for the truly irredeemable—those who committed unforgivable crimes deserving of death—they are placed in the fifth class. The treatment of fifth class ghosts depends on the severity of their sins. Those who are utterly irredeemable or committed capital crimes unresolved in life will face a second death even after arriving here.

“They are burned alive, reduced to ashes, and scattered into nothingness. If their crimes warranted death but were resolved in the mortal world, they may either be moved to the fourth or third class, or still face annihilation, depending on the circumstances.”

“Is repentance a factor?” Song You asked.

“It is one of the considerations,” the State Preceptor replied.

“I see,” Song You said, nodding without further comment. Internally, however, he found the system quite fascinating.

“The Ghost City is newly established, and extraordinary measures are necessary for extraordinary times. If a ghost is virtuous, we are especially lenient. But for evil ghosts, we are particularly harsh,” the State Preceptor added, pausing momentarily. “Of course, all of this is temporary.”

“Is that the entrance to hell?” Song You asked, turning toward a nearby passage. He could already feel the heat emanating from that direction.

“That is the Inferno,” the State Preceptor answered calmly, without any attempt to conceal it. “At present, the Inferno is the only one of the ghost prisons that has been completed, and it is the most commonly used. Any ghost with unresolved mortal crimes must enter the Inferno. Some remain at the edges to endure punishment, others are sent to the center for harsher suffering, and some are burned until their very souls are destroyed.”

“The ghosts appearing in people's dreams...”

“They are either undergoing punishment here or have already been annihilated in the Inferno,” the State Preceptor said.

“May I take a look?” Song You asked.

“The Inferno is blisteringly hot, even at the edges. Moreover, the wailing of the ghosts inside is deafeningly chaotic,” the State Preceptor said, lowering his gaze with a smile to look at the calico cat. The cat raised her head to meet his eyes, her expression unyielding. “And though I’m sure you and I can withstand witnessing the scenes within, they are not something Lady Calico should witness.”

“In that case, please wait for me here,” Song You said, looking down at his cat.

The calico cat’s expression stiffened, her eyes widening slightly. Yet, after a brief pause, she sat upright, her posture impeccably proper. Her tail curled neatly around her small paws, and she kept her head lifted, staring unwaveringly at her master.

“Don’t wander off, Lady Calico,” Song You said with a gentle smile before turning to the State Preceptor. “I wonder, State Preceptor, are you afraid of the flames and intense heat?”

“With no abilities to match yours, of course, I fear them,” the State Preceptor admitted.

“That’s no problem,” Song You said with a wave of his hand.

A shimmering light enveloped both him and the State Preceptor, immediately creating a cool, refreshing sensation. The oppressive heat emanating from the Inferno vanished entirely.

“Shall we?” Song You asked with a smile.

The State Preceptor, realizing he’d been left no room to refuse, could only smile helplessly. Seeing that Song You had already prepared everything and was insistent, he relented and started walking toward the Inferno.

“After you, fellow Daoist.”

“Thank you for your effort.”

“How could I call it effort?” The State Preceptor chuckled. “To be honest, while the Inferno was built based on folk legends, I only made the decision to construct it. My own cultivation is shallow, and my physical strength is limited. I neither conjured the flames, bound the wicked spirits, nor supervised their punishments. All of that was handled by others.

“I’ve only ever observed the Inferno from a distance. Ever since the flames were lit, mortals haven’t been able to make it even halfway down this passage. At most, I’ve seen the glow of the fire from afar. I’ve never truly seen the inside of the prison.”

He said as he led the way, “So, it seems I’ll be benefiting from your abilities this time, fellow Daoist.”

The two continued their conversation as they walked further away, leaving the calico cat sitting in place. Her posture remained neat and composed, her tail curled around her small paws. She watched her master’s retreating figure until he disappeared from sight.

Only then did she lower her gaze, lifting a paw to lick it. After two licks, she rubbed her face vigorously with the paw, her sharp eyes stealing glances at the other two individuals left behind—a robed Daoist and an elderly man in a plain cloth robe.

“...”

The calico cat sniffled softly.

***

The passage wasn’t particularly long, and soon, the flickering of flames became visible ahead.

As the temperature rose, the two ghost officials who had been accompanying the State Preceptor stopped, unable to proceed further. However, neither Song You nor the State Preceptor felt even a trace of heat. The protective light surrounding them kept their bodies refreshingly cool.

They continued forward until reaching the end of the passage.

Ahead, the scene was dominated by firelight, its glow filling their vision.

The space was not very large. Below them was a recessed pit resembling a pool, its edges and ceiling forming what looked like a massive furnace, filled entirely with flames.

At the edges, the fire swayed gently, while at the center, the flames burned intensely, so densely packed that only blinding light could be seen. The ground and walls were inscribed with fiery golden runes, forming a complex formation. Stone pillars stood around the perimeter, each wrapped in chains engraved with the same runes, evidently designed for restraining ghosts.

“

Whoosh

...”

A wave of heat from the flames brushed past them.

Within the Inferno, ghosts were being punished, their anguished wails echoing deafeningly.

Song You squinted slightly and turned his gaze away from the suffering spirits. Instead, he focused on studying the runes on the walls and floor.

It was a relatively simple fire-gathering formation. Of course, in this era, many people no longer knew how to construct even a formation like this. Those capable of setting up such a formation could already be considered notable figures in the realm of cultivation.

In addition to this formation, there were several others layered atop it, serving functions such as restraint and reinforcement. It was evident that the State Preceptor had some skilled individuals under his command.

Quietly, Song You's eyes flashed with a subtle glow.

Sure enough, beneath these visible formations was another concealed formation.

Unfortunately, it was purely for hiding purposes, similar in effect to Song You's winter spiritual energy.

“You have some capable people working for you,” Song You remarked.

“Great Yan is vast and teeming with extraordinary talents. Borrowing the authority of my position and the resources of the imperial court, I’ve been fortunate enough to meet quite a few skilled individuals,” the State Preceptor replied as they reached the edge of the Inferno.

Flames from the pit swirled around him, but he appeared completely unaffected. “I don’t possess your abilities. If it were left to me alone, I wouldn’t be able to accomplish anything. Only by leveraging the strengths of others can great tasks be achieved.”

“There's an additional formation hidden beneath these formations. What purpose does it serve?” Song You inquired.

“Fellow Daoist, you truly have sharp eyes,” the State Preceptor replied without haste. “It is merely a formation to gather spiritual energy and conceal disturbances. First, it prevents the spiritual resonance from the fire from dispersing and causing undue harm to innocent ghosts outside.

“Second, it muffles the wails of the punished ghosts, sparing the outside from being frightened by their screams. Lastly, it ensures the spiritual resonance does not attract the attention of outside demons or spirits, avoiding unnecessary trouble.”

“That makes sense,” Song You said with a nod.

The State Preceptor, appearing somewhat unfamiliar with the space himself, glanced around before asking, “Is there anything else you wish to see?”

“Let’s head back.”

“Today, there aren’t many ghosts being punished. The few that are here have relatively minor offenses and are stubborn cases. They’re only being burned at the edges of the flames, so indeed, there isn’t much to observe,” the State Preceptor remarked as he turned to accompany Song You back.

The fiery glow around them gradually dimmed, replaced by the pale blue-white light of ghostly flames, which gave the surroundings a dark, chilling atmosphere.

The shimmering light protecting the State Preceptor also dissipated.

The calico cat remained seated obediently in place, her head tilted upward, watching the Daoist. The two individuals who had stayed behind were panting heavily, wiping their brows in relief as they glanced at the State Preceptor and Song You with expressions of exhaustion.

“Did you wait patiently for me here?” Song You asked, looking down at her.

“...!”

The calico cat tilted her head slightly and met his gaze without uttering a word.

This was typical of her—sometimes full of chatter, asking endless questions, and other times silent as a stone, expecting you to communicate with her through looks alone. Who could ever truly know what was going on in a cat's mind?

“Fellow Daoist, you traveled all night and half the day to reach Mount Ye, and now you’ve spent a long time touring. You must be tired,” the State Preceptor said with a calm smile. “Although this Ghost City was built in the mortal realm as a transitional space, the ghostly qi here is oppressive. I usually avoid spending the night within its confines. However, with your considerable abilities—and the exceptional nature of both your cat and horse—you may not fear such things.

“So, the choice is yours. I can prepare accommodations for you within the Ghost City for convenience as you explore, or arrange a tent outside Mount Ye in the wilderness, where you can rest more comfortably.”

“...”

The State Preceptor's tone was confident and open, carefully framing both options. It was clear he didn’t mind where Song You stayed, suggesting a sense of transparency.

Song You, however, replied with a light smile, “Lady Calico and I travel the world not for comfort, but for the novelty of it. We seek the rare and extraordinary—things we’ve never encountered before—so that in our later years, we’ll have tales to tell that astonish and delight those who listen.”

“Very well!”

The State Preceptor agreed without hesitation and instructed the ghost official to prepare the previously designated residence for the First Palace for Song You.

“Tomorrow, I shall visit again to accompany you in further exploring Ghost City and discussing its layout and development. If either of you has any needs, please inform me or the ghost officials,” the State Preceptor said with a smile. He then glanced down at the cat by Song You's feet, his grin widening. “If Lady Calico has any requests, she is also welcome to let me know.”

“Do you have rice wine soup here?”

“Rice wine soup?”

“Yes! Rice wine soup!”

“We do!”

“Add more sugar!”

“Of course...”

The State Preceptor's smile grew even brighter.

He personally escorted Song You to his assigned residence alongside the ghost officials. There, he gave instructions that Song You was to be treated as an esteemed guest and granted unrestricted access to any part of the Ghost City. All questions from Song You were to be answered truthfully. He also arranged a time to meet Song You the next day to discuss the city’s matters before finally taking his leave.

Song You stood still for a moment, with the horse on one side and the cat on the other.

Behind him, the residence and official hall mirrored the architectural style of the mortal realm, grand in scale and impressively imposing. However, the lighting came entirely from ghostly flames—pale white tinged with green and blue—which cast an eerie and chilling atmosphere over the area.

It bore an uncanny resemblance to the underworld described in popular folklore.

Song You turned and stepped inside.

This place, created by the State Preceptor before the true underworld came into being, served as a refuge for wandering ghosts and spirits. It was, in essence, the prototype of the future underworld.

The Ghost King of this residence would likely become the Ghost King of the future underworld, and the official halls of the first court in that underworld might closely resemble this one. However, the Ghost King had yet to be chosen, and Song You had already moved in—a curious twist of fate.

It was an interesting experience, nonetheless.

Yet, Song You had a nagging premonition that he might not find anything significant here.

“Daoist priest...”

“Yes?”

“It smells bad here,” the cat complained.

“It’s underground...”

Song You understood that Lady Calico, being a cat, was highly sensitive to odors—more so than most animals—and particularly averse to foul smells. He reassured her, “Please bear with it for a few days, Lady Calico. We won’t be here long.”

“That’s too long!”

“Please...”

“Fine!”

As a divine cat, Lady Calico found it difficult to resist a direct request from her human.

Still, as she followed Song You deeper into the residence, she tilted her head to glance up at him and muttered again, “There aren’t even any mice here!”

“Try to adapt to it,” Song You replied, assuming she was merely lamenting the lack of entertainment.

𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

“But there’s a smell that’s just like dead mice!”

“Dead mice?”

“Yes! Like mice that weren’t fully eaten!”

“Oh, rotting mice,” Song You said thoughtfully.

“Rotting!” Lady Calico affirmed.

“Why does it have to be mice? Why not something else that's rotting?” he asked.

“Rotting mice smell different from other rotting things,” Lady Calico replied with a serious expression. “A dead cat doesn’t smell the same as a dead mouse. And a dead bird smells different too.”

“That makes sense,” Song You acknowledged.

“I have a very keen nose.”

“You’re exceptionally skilled—especially when it comes to mice.” Song You gave her a bit of flattery before asking, “And where exactly did you pick up this smell?”

“It’s everywhere! Along the way, it was already there,” she said after thinking for a moment. “It’s strongest in places where fires are burning.”

“Did you find anything?”

“I searched thoroughly, but there was nothing,” Lady Calico admitted, pausing briefly. “It smells like rotten mice, but it’s not. It doesn’t smell edible.”

“I see,” Song You replied.

No wonder those two people looked so exhausted earlier.

It was likely that after he left, Lady Calico became unusually lively and started darting around. She might even have gone for a round of “parkour” through the Ghost City. The two people, worried that she might wander off and cause Song You to get angry, probably panicked and chased after her. But chasing a cat was never an easy task.

With that, Song You decided to settle in for a temporary stay at the Ghost City.

The heavy presence of yin qi and ghostly qi in the Ghost City was palpable. Yet, as it was still within the mortal realm, neither had any adverse effect on Song You. Everything proceeded as usual for him.

Over the next several days, the State Preceptor visited Song You daily.

Song You, accompanied by Lady Calico, followed him around, thoroughly exploring both the completed and under-construction areas of the Ghost City. They even ventured into places not yet included in the official plans. Each day, they discussed matters concerning the Ghost City.

Every day, discussions with the State Preceptor revolved around the matters of the Ghost City. Song You listened to his plans and visions for the Ghost City and the future underworld, as well as his frustrations with the Heavenly Palace and the Buddhist sects, and the areas where his aspirations exceeded his abilities.

They also discussed the evolution of the Heavenly Dao and the sentiments of the people. Occasionally, the Daoist offered his own suggestions, and both parties gained considerable benefit from these exchanges.

At the very least, Song You greatly expanded his knowledge.

If the underworld were truly to take form with the Ghost City as its foundation, then Song You would be among the very first to experience what would shape the myths and tales about the underworld for centuries or even millennia to come.

He witnessed firsthand the lives of souls who, after death, had become ghosts living in the Ghost City, observing how their existence differed from that of the living and the mortal realm.

For Song You, whose journey was a path of cultivation, this experience was both rare and invaluable.