Cai Jia originally thought she would catch her husband in the act of infidelity. However, to her surprise, Liu Hele was just dining and drinking with his friends as usual until late at night.
Cai Jia left the place half - believing and half - doubting. Little did she know that Liu Hele still didn't go home that night.
Tormented by her suspicions, Cai Jia tossed and turned all night without a wink of sleep.
Liu Hele finally returned home at noon the next day. By then, Cai Jia's patience had reached its limit. She lashed out at him, scolding him head - on.
But Liu Hele wasn't annoyed at all. With a beaming smile, he said, "You've really misunderstood me. I went out to do business and make money. If you don't believe me, take a look."
As he spoke, he took out a stunning agate bracelet from his bosom.
Cai Jia didn't believe him at first, but the bracelet was so smooth and natural that it was truly a rare treasure in the world.
Cai Jia was completely entranced. "What on earth is going on? How much did you pay for this bracelet?"
Liu Hele said mysteriously, holding up a finger. "Take a guess."
Cai Jia was shocked. "100,000 yuan?"
Seeing Liu Hele shaking his head, Cai Jia's heart skipped a beat. "One million? Are you crazy?"
Liu Hele laughed. "It cost me nothing. Do you know about the Ghost Market? That's where I bought it. There's a really eccentric female vendor in the Ghost Market. She does business just for the mood. As long as she's in a good mood, she'll sell priceless treasures at rock - bottom prices as if they were free."
Seeing Cai Jia's surprised expression, Liu Hele became even more smug.
After that day, Liu Hele brought back more and more rare treasures, and each one was bought at an incredibly low price.
Gradually, Cai Jia let down her guard. She thought that Liu Hele had found a way to get rich, so she happily stopped asking questions.
"… But just half a month ago, Lao Liu suddenly staggered back home. As soon as he entered the door, he shouted, 'It's all over, it's all over!' Then he let out a sob and collapsed on the bed. No matter how I called out to him, he didn't wake up. When I felt his breath, it was so faint that it was almost gone. I rushed him to the hospital for a check - up, but the doctor said he had no illness at all, that he was just simply sleeping. And he still hasn't woken up until now!"
Cai Jia covered her face and cried uncontrollably. "I've taken him to see all the famous doctors, but none of them could wake him up. I had no other choice, so I had to ask the people in the Xuanmen for help. The Taoist priests took one look and said that Lao Liu's soul had left his body and his life was in danger."
After hearing this, Yu Nian and Feng Chengyuan were both quite surprised.
The Ghost Market. Why was it always the Ghost Market?
Especially Feng Chengyuan. He had heard about the Ghost Market all day, but he still had no idea what it was.
Sensing Feng Chengyuan's confusion, Yu Nian explained, "The so - called Ghost Market is a market that opens at dawn and disperses when the sky gets bright. It has existed since ancient times. However, the Ghost Market is neither in the underworld nor in the human world. It's located at the junction of yin and yang. In the Ghost Market, ghosts gather and demons dance wildly. Cultivators with skills also mingle among them. If you want to enter the Ghost Market, there are special restrictions on the location, method, and time. People without any skills simply can't get in. Of course, there are also some living people who accidentally stumble into it without knowing anything. There are only two possible outcomes for them. Either they're devoured alive by demons and ghosts, or they're so scared that they're half - dead when they manage to escape.
The trading method in the Ghost Market is mostly barter. The rarer the item, the more precious treasures you need to exchange for it. Although there are also some things that can be bought with human currency, these things are usually very expensive and unaffordable for ordinary people. The Ghost Market has two rules: look at the goods but don't ask about their origin; shine the flashlight on the goods but not on the seller's face.
The first half of the rule means that you can look at the goods, but don't ask where they came from. The second half means that it's taboo to shine a flashlight on the seller's face in the Ghost Market. Otherwise, you'll bear the consequences."
As Yu Nian was speaking, she also told Feng Chengyuan a story about the Ghost Market that she had heard before.
A long time ago, at the end of the year, a traveler was driving a ox - cart on his way home for the New Year at night. The cold wind was howling. He was tired and bored. Suddenly, he saw a row of big red lanterns hanging in the distance, like a bustling market.
The traveler was overjoyed and wanted to go to the market for a stroll. However, the old ox on the ox - cart kept lowing in fear and simply refused to move forward no matter what.
Helpless, the traveler had to go on foot. When he got to the market, he saw that the people there were either wearing strange masks or acting crazy and weird.
The traveler passed by a stall selling wooden combs and found someone bargaining with the boss.
The traveler couldn't help but say, "Such a cheap comb and you're still bargaining? It's just a matter of one or two yuan. If I were you, I'd buy it right away without a word."
After he said this, the comb - seller suddenly turned his head and looked at him. His face was as pale as paper. He asked the traveler, "Do you want to buy my comb?"
The traveler was quite confused. "I don't want to buy it. I'm just having some fun."
The comb - seller's face instantly darkened. He threatened, "If you don't buy it, why are you butting in? You have to buy this comb today, whether you like it or not! Otherwise, you won't be able to leave here alive!"
The traveler was very angry when he heard this. He thought that this peddler was actually forcing people to buy things. So he said defiantly, "Who are you trying to scare? I'd rather jump off a building than buy your comb!"
The moment he finished speaking, the traveler found himself standing on the top of a tall building. His body seemed to be controlled as he jumped down. His blood bloomed like a flower.
It wasn't until three days later, when the body had stiffened, that people finally found the traveler who had been smashed into a pulp...
Pulling her thoughts back, Yu Nian glanced at the seven or eight strong men behind Cai Jia. She knew that Cai Jia was still hiding something. She asked softly, "Since the Taoist priests have already solved your doubts, why did you come to the Qingxin Temple to find me?"
Cai Jia was at a loss for words. After stammering for a while, she said, "The young Taoist priest in the temple I went to before said that Lao Liu had gotten into too much trouble and they couldn't intervene. But Yu Nian from the Qingxin Temple could. He said that you're the most powerful person in the Xuanmen today and you must be able to save Lao Liu. He also said that it's better to bring more people and make a big show of it so as to catch your attention..."
Guan Sheng was so angry that she laughed. "This is obviously a case of a fellow Taoist trying to flatter and then trip us up, making things difficult for the Qingxin Temple. You've been in business for so many years. Can't you see that? Tell me who that Taoist priest is."
Before Cai Jia could answer, a clear voice came from behind the crowd.
"It's me. Is there anything wrong?"
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw two handsome men slowly walking up the steps.
Ming Ming's eyes widened when he saw one of them. "Zhou Feiyu? Why is it you?"
There was a look of apology on Zhou Feiyu's face. There was also a slightly older young man following behind him.
The young man was good - looking, but he was sickly. Although it wasn't winter yet, he was wrapped in a thick overcoat, looking out of place among the others, just like a sickly person who had been ill for a long time.