Chapter 368: Remaining One Person

The ghost city also had a name: Laoyang Ghost City. It was naturally nowhere near as bustling as Laoyang Prefecture City; in fact, it was many times quieter than the Boundless Ghost City Ji Yuan had seen before.

Lan Ningke walked through the streets and alleys of the ghost city, finding it difficult to even find a ghost to ask for directions, as there were simply too few ghosts around.

After walking by instinct for a long time and circling the city's south side several times, he finally couldn't help but venture into the residences of the city's inhabitants to seek out a ghost for information.

However, the houses in the city were also peculiar; some were completely empty, and in some places, even the ground was hollow. After searching several spots, he finally heard some laughter and noise in an alley.

Lan Ningke quickly stepped forward and knocked on the courtyard door.

"Knock, knock, knock... Is anyone, uh, is anyone home?"

After a moment, the door creaked open. Lan Ningke was slightly startled to see a paper figure with an eerie expression.

To be honest, even though Lan Ningke was a ghost, he was still a little taken aback.

The paper figure remained silent and expressionless after opening the door, maintaining a constant grinning face, as its expression was merely painted on, with exaggerated and unsettling blush and eyes.

Lan Ningke then saw the situation in the courtyard: eight people, four men and four women, were seated around playing with wooden tiles, and each one looked older than the last.

*All old people?*

Lan Ningke paused again, then realized where he was: Laoyang Prefecture Ghost City. Most of its inhabitants had died of old age, so naturally, they were all elderly.

"Oh, a young one," an elder remarked. "You died quite young, didn't you?"

"Ah, what a pity, to pass away so young!" another added. "Indeed!"

The elders commented on Lan Ningke's appearance, and he politely bowed and inquired.

"Sirs and Madams, do you happen to know the location of the Dong family's ancestral grave in Laoyang?"

The Dong family was a prominent household in Laoyang Prefecture; any local would have heard of them.

"The Dong family? The one known for martial arts?"

An old man asked.

"Yes, exactly, that Dong family!"

"If you're asking about the old Dong family tomb, that place is already desolate," another elder replied. "However, a few years ago, we heard that the young master of the Dong family passed away prematurely—it's always a shame when young people like you die. It seems he wasn't meant to die, so his ethereal lifespan is particularly long. He should be deep in Yinwood Lane, in a place surrounded by a forest."

Lan Ningke understood. No wonder he hadn't found it after circling several times; it was in the Yinwood Forest.

He thanked them and quickly departed.

Half an hour later, he finally arrived at the edge of the Yinwood Forest. These trees resembled locust trees, but their trunks were jet black and their leaves a somber dark shade, appearing to exist only in the underworld or places with heavy yin energy.

A normal city wouldn't have such a large forested area, but it seemed normal in this desolate ghost city. After all, most people's ethereal lifespans were much shorter than their earthly ones, so ghosts in a ghost city were always sparse.

After walking about a hundred paces into the forest, Lan Ningke could already see a noticeably more luxurious mansion in the distance. He could even spot paper figures holding brooms, sweeping the already clean entrance to the compound.

At that moment, Lan Ningke's emotions were complex. He could feel jealousy and even resentment towards the other members of the original Nine Knights, but not towards Dong Bicheng. Dong Bicheng had died years before him, making him arguably the unluckiest of the nine.

Before even getting close, Lan Ningke called out loudly.

"Brother Dong, Lan Ningke has come to visit! May I inquire if Brother Dong is at home?"

Just as Lan Ningke reached the mansion, a man in a brocade robe, appearing to be in his early thirties, quickly emerged from inside. It was Dong Bicheng.

Dong Bicheng's expression was first one of slight surprise upon seeing Lan Ningke, then a hint of excitement. He looked closely to confirm it was indeed Lan Ningke; although he differed slightly from how Dong Bicheng remembered him, this was normal.

"Brother Lan, you too passed away prematurely? And here, in my Laoyang Ghost City? Did you die in Laoyang Prefecture? Was it illness, an accident, or some martial arts affair? Come, come, let's go inside for some tea, for some tea!"

Visitors were rare in the ghost city, and friends even scarcer. Dong Bicheng was clearly overjoyed to see Lan Ningke, but considering his recent death and potential grief, he tried not to show too much happiness on his face, merely inviting him inside with slight eagerness.

"Very well, thank you for the invitation!"

"Ah, Brother Lan, you still remember me! Your visit already makes me incredibly grateful, so please, don't be formal. My parents offer me good tea every year. Come, try our pre-rain tea from Laoyang Prefecture this spring."

Watching Dong Bicheng's concerned yet enthusiastic expression, Lan Ningke felt a slight pang of shame for some reason, but he didn't forget Lu Shanjun's request.

The two ghosts took their seats in the mansion, while paper maidservants automatically went to prepare tea and other items. Lan Ningke then asked a question.

"Brother Dong, what hardships did you endure before entering the ghost city, and what is your ethereal lifespan?"

This was quite a telling question; for a ghost who had entered the ghost city, knowing these two points could generally reveal what kind of person they had been in life.

"Perhaps it was the good deeds of my Dong family ancestors," Dong Bicheng mused. "I didn't suffer much in the Underworld; I was merely lectured by the Lord of Judgment for some frivolous acts. Ah, perhaps because I died young, my ethereal lifespan is over sixty years. I used to think that was a good thing, but now, it's quite dull here in the netherworld."

"It's better to live poorly than to die well," Lan Ningke murmured.

Lan Ningke could only offer that small comfort. Hearing Dong Bicheng's words, he understood that they had been fundamentally different types of people in life.

"By the way, Brother Lan, you still haven't told me how you passed away," Dong Bicheng inquired.

Just as Lan Ningke was about to speak, feeling awkward, another voice preempted him.

"Him? Naturally, he met his just deserts for his many evil deeds; I swallowed him whole!"

As the voice ceased, a wisp of mist detached from Lan Ningke's ghostly form and materialized beside him into the likeness of Lu Shanjun.

"You are?"

Dong Bicheng wasn't overly surprised; he had seen some old ghosts possess many miraculous spectral abilities, and he himself knew a few, so he presumed Lu Shanjun was simply a more powerful ghost.

Lu Shanjun cupped his hands in greeting and said.

"My name is Lu Shanjun. Years ago, before the Mountain God Temple on Niu Kui Mountain, I made an agreement with you nine knights. I have come today to fulfill that pact. However, you've had poor fortune; you're already dead."

Dong Bicheng was slightly stunned, then recalled the events of that time. However, compared to the previous individuals, he was the most composed; having been dead for nearly a decade, there was little left to be upset about. He simply rose and returned the bow.

"So it is the Mountain Lord who has arrived," he said. "However, I, Dong, have been dead for a long time and was unable to fulfill my promise to you. I can only offer my apologies."

As he finished speaking, he turned to the paper maidservant who had already brought the tea.

"Please, serve tea for Mr. Lu as well. Don't fill it to the brim, pour carefully so you don't spill."

The paper figure nodded mechanically, slowly walked over, placed teacups for all three, and poured out tea that held no warmth whatsoever.

"These paper figures are a bit slow-witted," Dong Bicheng sighed. "You have to instruct them very precisely for everything..."

Dong Bicheng sighed, then looked at Lu Shanjun again.

"Since the Mountain Lord has come, what do you intend to do with me? Can demons also enter the ghost city?"

Lu Shanjun picked up the weightless teacup and tasted the so-called tea. It was icy cold and full of yin energy, but the flavor was decent.

"You haven't committed any great evil, so I won't do anything to you. My visit is merely to fulfill the old agreement. By the way, how did you die?"

Dong Bicheng calmly took a sip of tea, then recounted.

"It also relates to chivalry, actually, haha. Everyone in the martial world admires the world-renowned great heroes, and their chivalrous deeds are widely celebrated. But who truly knows how many people die in pursuit of them? I, Dong, overestimated myself, pursued the bandit 'Grasshopper', and, being inferior in skill, was killed by him instead."

"Indeed," Lu Shanjun acknowledged. "Chivalry also depends on strength and luck, but to die this way is admirable; one could say you died with a clear conscience."

Hearing Lu Shanjun's words, Dong Bicheng gave a wry smile.

"Truly a clear conscience? No! To act blindly without recognizing one's own strength, bringing harm upon oneself is one thing, but it also causes immense grief to one's family. After my death was confirmed, my usually stern father's hair turned white overnight, and my mother cried constantly. Who can understand the pain of a parent burying their child? How could I have a clear conscience?"

Though Dong Bicheng spoke calmly, there was still a sense of sorrow and guilt in his voice.

Lu Shanjun said nothing, pondered for a moment, and then merely sighed.

"Let's not dwell on that," Dong Bicheng said. "I am very happy that you two could come today. Tell me about the mortal world. We won't mention Brother Lan's affairs. How are Yan Fei and the others doing now?"

Dong Bicheng no longer pressed about Lan Ningke's situation, instead shifting the topic to the others. Lu Shanjun's earlier words had already given him some clues, so he chose to preserve some dignity for Lan Ningke.

Lu Shanjun was quite willing to speak more with Dong Bicheng, giving a general account of the previous individuals' circumstances. He genuinely did not mention Lan Ningke's affair, which made Lan Ningke feel a little grateful.

It was not until half a day had passed that Lan Ningke and Lu Shanjun bid farewell and departed. Lan Ningke, in particular, inquired in detail about "Grasshopper."

Dong Bicheng leaned against the courtyard gate, watching his visitors leave. He had a strong intuition that these two would likely not return, and he could also guess that they hadn't entered the ghost city through proper means. However, he had no intention of reporting them to the underworld officials. He merely felt a sense of melancholy, for himself and for his former friends.

Just as he was about to turn back inside, he suddenly noticed another visitor at the edge of the forest.

Ji Yuan, dressed in a white robe, with one hand at his side and the other behind his back, arrived before Dong Bicheng's mansion in just a few steps, as if shrinking the ground.

"You are?"

A strong sense of familiarity arose in Dong Bicheng's heart. Having just seen Lu Shanjun, he immediately realized who this was and instantly changed his address to a more respectful one.

"You are Mr. Ji!"

Ji Yuan cupped his hands in greeting.

"I hadn't expected to meet you again, Great Knight Dong, in such a manner!" Ji Yuan said. "The affairs of the living world are long past, and the path in the netherworld is still long. If you find yourself bored in this city, Great Knight Dong, you could seek out an official in the Underworld for a position. Just say that Ji Yuan recommended you. Here, take this; though it's just a small trinket, it's quite rare."

After speaking, Ji Yuan extended his right hand from behind his back, revealing a stack of copper coins on his palm. They glowed with a dazzling golden luster, very eye-catching, and there appeared to be twenty or thirty of them.

"These, what are these?"

"Magic coins," Ji Yuan replied. "Great Knight Dong, have you not seen them before?"

Magic coins? Dong Bicheng was stunned. He pulled out a small stack of thin, faintly brass-colored paper money from his robe and compared them.

"Haha, take them," Ji Yuan chuckled. "My magic coins are naturally quite unique; they can turn the tide in critical moments. Use them carefully!"

Ji Yuan smiled and placed the magic coins into Dong Bicheng's hand. The latter instinctively reached out to take them, finding them surprisingly heavy and imbued with strong spiritual energy.

Dong Bicheng playfully handled them, admiringly. Just as he was about to thank Mr. Ji and invite him inside, he looked up to find that the person had already vanished.

Outside the Yinwood Forest, Ji Yuan looked back, then gazed forward. With this, only Yan Fei remained.

"I wonder what it will be like when that brute and Lu Shanjun meet!"

Ji Yuan chuckled to himself, greatly anticipating what he had in mind.