"The ghost market."
Lu Fei slung his bag over his shoulder and signaled for Tiger to lock up the shop.
"Lil' Lu, where are you two going? Don't leave me here alone!" Liu Fugui said anxiously.
"Lao Liu, we're heading to a place full of yin energy tonight. Your yang energy isn't strong enough; it's best you find somewhere crowded to spend the night," Lu Fei said with a helpless smile.
"But what if that necromancer comes looking for me? I can't handle it alone!" Liu Fugui complained, looking distressed.
"They wouldn't dare cause trouble in a place with lots of people. Worst case, go hide out at the police station for the night."
"Just come back soon, alright?"
Seeing Lu Fei's decision was final, Liu Fugui couldn't insist and reluctantly waved them off.
Leaving the antique street, Lu Fei hailed a cab to an old part of town, stopping outside a pitch-black alley.
The alley was known as "No-Light Alley" and had been abandoned for years.
The driver eyed them with a strange expression before speeding off as soon as they stepped out.
Lu Fei glanced around.
They weren't too far from the antique street; nearby old buildings still had lights and occasional sounds of people. Yet, this alley was dark and silent as a grave.
A tall weeping willow stood at the entrance, its long branches swaying gently in the breeze.
"This should be the place, with the tall willow as the marker."
Lu Fei glanced around but didn't step in right away. He led Tiger to a nearby grove and dug up some cool earth, smearing it on their faces.
"Boss, why are we putting mud on our faces again?" Tiger asked curiously.
The last time they did this was to deal with the spirit of Lucky Sister, to hide their living presence.
This earth, which never saw sunlight, was rich in yin energy and could mask human life energy.
"In the ghost market, there's no distinction between the living and the dead. If we show any sign of life, it could invite disaster."
After applying the mud, Lu Fei put on a hat and mask.
"But it's not time yet. Let's find a place to wait."
"Alright."
Tiger glanced at the alley, feeling an inexplicable chill that made him uneasy.
They found a relatively clean spot in an abandoned building nearby and sat to wait.
Lu Fei frequently checked the time, eyes fixed on the large willow in the alley.
He felt a bit anxious—this was his first visit to the ghost market, following his grandfather's directions.
What if he'd made a mistake?
As night deepened, a gust of wind stirred, making the willow sway.
Lu Fei checked his watch and smiled.
"Midnight has arrived. The ghost market opens! This is the place."
He nudged Tiger awake.
"Tiger, remember the ghost market rules."
"First, don't speak recklessly! You don't ask where things come from or where they're going, and you never inquire about anyone's identity."
"Second, once a deal is made, there's no backing out. No matter if the item meets your expectations or not."
"Third, absolutely no causing trouble."
"This isn't our turf. Stirring up trouble means no one will save you. Just follow my lead and don't do anything."
"Got it, boss!"
Tiger nodded firmly, feeling both nervous and excited.
They smeared a bit more mud on themselves before heading toward the large tree.
The massive willow stood silently under the night sky, its rough bark covered in lumps of various sizes.
One of the knots resembled a human face.
Its hollow eyes seemed to gaze down at Lu Fei.
Lu Fei quickly took out two sticks of incense from his bag.
These were special incense sticks called "bone incense," made from powdered human bones.
Lighting the incense, he planted them at the base of the willow. If allowed, they could enter the ghost market.
He waited anxiously.
Thin curls of blue smoke rose, the incense burning steadily.
Permission granted!
He breathed a sigh of relief and signaled Tiger, and they stepped into the dark alley together.
The world went dark.
Then the scene shifted.
Dim lanterns hung on either side of the alley, casting a faint glow that made the place half-lit, half-shadowed.
Vague human figures moved about.
Tiger was stunned.
Outside the alley, there hadn't been a single glimmer of light.
Was the alley a different world from outside?
"This is the ghost market."
Lu Fei quelled his excitement and began leading Tiger through the market.
Every lantern marked a stall.
The stalls were filled with an array of odd items, enough to open anyone's eyes.
There were grayish-white bones, possibly human or animal, that looked eerie.
There were ancient artifacts, battered and weathered, whose efficacy was uncertain.
Some stalls featured treasures and antiques, and even rare medicinal herbs like ginseng and lingzhi.
Besides that, there were many bizarre items with incomprehensible designs.
The vendors squatted by the walls, guarding their goods. Their faces were shadowed and hard to discern, making it unclear if they were human or ghost, adding to the mystery.
Lu Fei took a brief tour and noted that each lantern was already manned.
Apparently, arriving early was necessary to claim a stall.
"Having a stall allows you to showcase your goods and negotiate prices more easily," Lu Fei guessed.
But he wasn't in a hurry. This was his first time at the ghost market, and there was much to learn, so he kept browsing.
He was here specifically to find a suitable magical item, focusing on the relevant stalls.
Soon, he spotted an old token at one of the stalls.
Kneeling, he examined it under the lantern light.
In the ghost market, picking up an item signified an intention to trade, so it was best to rely on keen observation.
The token bore an intricate carving of a tiger's head, exuding a fierce presence.
But after a closer look, Lu Fei shook his head.
At first glance, the token appeared aged and impressive, but it was a fake—poorly made and lacking any mystical properties.
The ghost market was a mixed bag; while genuine treasures could be found, so could counterfeits.
Lu Fei moved to the next stall.
This one held a variety of items, including Taoist talismans, weights for holding down papers, and Buddhist prayer beads.
He checked them one by one, sighing in disappointment.
Most were ordinary, not even as good as his ghost-beating whip and ghost-headed knife.
"Good finds are rare."
Unwilling to leave empty-handed, Lu Fei resolved to visit every stall.
Tiger stayed close and silent, his curiosity brimming but his lips sealed tight, lest he misspeak.
"Huh? What's that?"
Just when Lu Fei was about to give up, something caught his eye at a modest corner stall.
It was a wooden branch, about a meter long, charred black as if scorched by fire.
Lu Fei's eyes lit up.
"Could it be thunderstruck wood?"
He hurried over and studied the branch closely, feeling a surge of excitement.
It looked like it might be a piece of thunderstruck jujube wood.