The weekend brought a rare sunny day.
It had been two days since Jiang Jianjun's mission, and Lin Feng had been closely following the Nanyang Daily and Nanyang News. However, there was no news about the murder case being solved.
"Didn't they already turn themselves in? Why are the police taking so long to close the case?"
Puzzled, Lin Feng had half a mind to call the Paranormal Investigation Division. But the mere thought of that scruffy bearded guy dampened his enthusiasm.
Suddenly, his phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, Lin Feng was surprised—it was Nie Chuxia. She'd been quiet for two months. Ever since the Southern Sect's Taoist Conference ended, she had mentioned going into seclusion, but Lin Feng had no idea what sort of retreat she had embarked on.
"Hello?"
On the other end of the line, Nie Chuxia's voice was as pleasant as ever.
"Lin Feng! Are you free today? Come with me on a business trip!"
A business trip?
Lin Feng wondered if he'd heard her wrong.
"You? Going on a business trip? Aren't you a Taoist priestess?"
Nie Chuxia sounded annoyed. "Are you coming or not?"
Lin Feng pursed his lips. He used to think of Nie Chuxia as an aloof goddess above worldly matters, but the more he got to know her, the more he realized she was just as ordinary as anyone else.
"I'm afraid I can't. Our department is recruiting today, and the director wants me to bring along an apprentice."
Nie Chuxia's interest was piqued. "You guys at the funeral home take apprentices? Fine, I'll come with you!"
Lin Feng figured she must have been so bored in the past few months that she was now looking for any excuse to pass the time.
"Alright, meet me later at the job fair."
"No need. I'm already downstairs at your building!"
In broad daylight, a sports car was parked in Lin Feng's residential complex. When Lin Feng went down, he saw Nie Chuxia sitting in the car in a business suit—a style that clashed starkly with the flashy Ferrari.
Nie Chuxia got out of the car, removed her sunglasses, and spread her arms with a playful smile.
"So? Don't I look like a workplace elite who frequents the office?"
Lin Feng nodded blankly. "You remind me of the bodyguards hired by big-shot CEOs. Very professional."
Nie Chuxia shot him a glare. "Shut your dog mouth and get in the car."
Dog mouth, my foot!
Lin Feng kept reminding himself that "Heavenly Hound" was just a codename. He was gradually getting used to the nickname, but every time he heard it, it still annoyed him.
Couldn't they come up with something nicer?
The car played Italian opera, and Nie Chuxia seemed visibly pleased with Lin Feng's irritation.
The car smelled pleasant today, and its interior decorations were different from the last time Lin Feng saw it. The style seemed to have transformed overnight into a sleek business vibe. Lin Feng held back for a while before asking,
"Miss Nie, what have you been up to lately? You seem like a different person."
Lin Feng was genuinely curious. Over the past two months, they had only contacted each other a few times, and Nie Chuxia had never mentioned entering the workforce.
Nie Chuxia replied, "What else? My grandpa took me to Sangyu City."
Sangyu City!
Lin Feng had heard of the place!
It was the Northern Sect's stronghold.
Just like the Southern Sect was based in Nanyang City, the ancient city of Sangyu served as the Northern Sect's headquarters. Situated north of the Yellow River, the city had a rich religious and cultural history and was a popular tourist destination.
Lin Feng said, "Even if you went to Sangyu City, shouldn't you have come back in Taoist robes? What's with the business attire?"
"My family's investing in Sangyu City! What do you think the suit is for, you country bumpkin?" Nie Chuxia explained. Recently, she and her grandfather had visited Sangyu City to inspect several plots of land. She had heard they were planning to build a mountain resort. Not only the Candle Sect but also the Talisman Sect and Fight Sect had pitched in some funds for the project.
It turned out that the Northern Sect had been quite displeased with Wu Bansian's unauthorized return to the mainland, prompting them to aggressively undermine the Southern Sect's assets. Fed up, the Southern Sect had decided to placate them with money.
"You don't understand. The Northern Sect is dirt poor. If it weren't for my grandpa pointing them out to me, I wouldn't have guessed that those people were actually from the same sect," Nie Chuxia said.
She explained that the Northern Sect still relied on old-fashioned means to make a living: performing rituals, drawing talismans, treating illnesses, and working as rural healers. Lin Feng found it hard to imagine how they managed to survive.
Aren't ghost hunters supposed to be wealthy? How could they be this broke?
Lin Feng couldn't wrap his head around it, and Nie Chuxia wasn't much help either. Her grandpa had told her that the Northern Sect was full of eccentric people, and it was best not to pry into their affairs.
As the two chatted, they arrived at the job fair.
The job market was particularly lively today. Autumn was a peak season for recruitment, and this kind of grassroots job fair attracted many small businesses and organizations.
With cheap labor, broad potential, and a large pool of candidates, it was at a place like this that Lin Feng had been scouted by Director Wang to join the funeral home.
After calling Director Wang to confirm his location, Lin Feng led Nie Chuxia over.
In one corner of the venue was a tent that looked more like a tea stall. Inside, Director Wang and Uncle He were sitting, listening to Kunqu opera that was so drowsy it could put someone to sleep.
Compared to the other tents bustling with activity, this one was eerily quiet. When Director Wang saw Lin Feng approaching with a stunningly beautiful young woman, he was taken aback.
"Lin, are you skipping work again? Did you pay this young lady to take your shift?"
Lin Feng burst into laughter.
Nie Chuxia, however, blushed deeply and retorted indignantly,
"Huang Ji's candlestick still burns, and the Seven-Star Palace hides its secrets. Nie Chuxia of the Candle Sect greets Senior Wang."
Though Nie Chuxia was clearly irritated, her greeting adhered to the customs of the path of life and death. Seeing her extend such courtesy, Director Wang chuckled and replied,
"Under the Nine Layers of the Netherworld lies the Palace of Nine Springs; nine mountains and nine rivers unite all under heaven. A humble guest of Fengdu greets you in return. I didn't expect the granddaughter of Old Immortal Nie to be so lovely."
When Director Wang finished speaking, both Nie Chuxia and Lin Feng froze.
Nie Chuxia murmured,
"F-Fengdu Guest… Senior, you're actually a Fengdu Guest? I was disrespectful just now."
Nie Chuxia was clearly astonished, but Lin Feng's shock was for a different reason.
Their funeral home had its own secret lingo? Holy crap, Old Wang had been hiding his depth all along!
"Old Wang, what's a Fengdu Guest? You really have ties to the underworld?" Lin Feng was visibly excited. He had always been fascinated by the esoteric jargon of the path of life and death. He'd heard funeral homes were a branch of it but hadn't expected there to be such a connection!
Director Wang gave Lin Feng a mysterious look and furrowed his brows.
"Lin, why are you asking about this? Go do your work!"
"No way! You've got to explain! How did our funeral home become part of Fengdu Guests? Did you trick me into joining for some hidden purpose?" Lin Feng pressed on relentlessly.
Nie Chuxia tugged on Lin Feng's sleeve.
"The Eighteen Guests of Fengdu are all esteemed elders on the path of life and death. Senior Wang was referring to himself, not your funeral home. My grandpa once told me that these Eighteen Guests are also known as the Eighteen Gatekeepers. Don't offend them."
Gatekeepers?
Lin Feng blinked. Aren't gatekeepers just guards? Wait a minute!
If Fengdu represents the underworld, wouldn't they be the ones guarding the gates of the underworld?
Lin Feng wasn't stupid. After hearing Nie Chuxia's explanation, he immediately put two and two together. His gaze toward Director Wang changed dramatically.
Uncle He lit a cigarette and said in a low voice,
"Lin, don't ask questions about things you shouldn't know. Our line of work has many taboos. You'll find out what you need to know when the time comes."
Lin Feng felt helpless. Watching Uncle He and Director Wang smirking like foxes, he was itching with curiosity.
Hmph! If you won't tell me, I'll figure it out myself! I'll get to the bottom of this one day!
"Alright, Lin. Dragons shouldn't stay in shallow waters. Focus on finding yourself an apprentice today. Once that's done, my task is complete. You have many responsibilities ahead of you, and there's no need to stay tied to the funeral home forever."
Director Wang sat behind the table and pulled out a stack of flyers.
"Lin, Nie, help distribute these flyers. Once we're done for the day, dinner's on me!"