Chapter 296: Chapter 289: Long-tongued Ghost Market, Water Shingen Mochi

The Long-tongued Ghost Market is vast and grand.

Its scale is second only to the Yellow Springs Ghost Market, and as for smaller ghost markets like the Boiling Oil Ghost Market or the Hungry Dream Ghost Market, they can’t compare at all.

The Tray Ghost, upon seeing the archway of the Long-tongued Ghost Market, immediately exclaimed and lowered its voice to remind the Daoist Soldier beside it:

“My lord, this is the Long-tongued Ghost Market. Once inside, we must speak less even when trading goods, otherwise…”

At this point, its entire tray body shivered with a chill.

It was clear how deeply the Long-tongued Ghost Market had left its mark on the Tray Ghost.

One must know that even in the Yellow Springs Ghost Market, the Tray Ghost was lively and cunning, never showing such a demeanor.

The Daoist Soldier turned its head slightly, the cold glint of the long spear in its hand was chilling, its eyes possessing a godlike essence gazed at the Tray Ghost.

The Daoist Soldier remained silent, yet there was an indescribable sense of oppression coming over.

The Tray Ghost sighed, not daring to keep anything back, and quickly said, “My lord, please hear this humble ghost, in the Long-tongued Ghost Market, every ghost is noisy and likes to debate.

Once inside, no matter whom you encounter, if there’s even a bit of conversation, there will inevitably be a debate.

It goes on and on; your very soul could be argued away three miles.

And once engaged in a debate, hey, without a clear winner, the trade cannot proceed.

Some of these Long-tongued Ghosts are truly infuriating, they’re unreasonable, and full of nonsensical, stubborn, maddening arguments.

If someone gets upset first, they immediately lose ’Ghost Life Span’!

It starts from three years, with no upper limit, some even lose all their ’Ghost Life Span’.

If the Ghost Life Span is depleted, the ghost’s life is gone.

The most irritating part is, when a ghost loses its Ghost Life Span, the ghost who infuriated them gains at least one-third of their Ghost Life Span, receiving an immediate boost!”

With this, the Tray Ghost clicked its tongue, speaking with a tinge of envy.

Yet it added, “The most aggravating thing is, in the Long-tongued Ghost Market, you can’t fight physically, only verbally. Should someone want to fight, the rules of the Long-tongued Ghost Market would sense it.

The ghost who attempts violence will lose their entire Ghost Life Span and die immediately.

This Long-tongued Ghost Market seems safe but is actually the most perilous, alas!”

The Tray Ghost sighed again, appearing deeply concerned.

Knowing that its own patience might not hold, it avoided the Long-tongued Ghost Market as much as possible.

Even though entering the market might yield a rich gain of Ghost Life Span.

But who knows how much of that visible, tangible Ghost Life Span ends up in one’s own hands?

In the end, it fears it might become sustenance for other ghosts.

Chen Xu noted some key words in the Tray Ghost’s speech and couldn’t help but use the Daoist Soldier to ask in return:

“You said, if a ghost exhausts its Ghost Life Span, and the ghost who angered it gains one-third of their Ghost Life Span, where does the remaining two-thirds go?”

The Tray Ghost replied with a meaningful tone, “Where does it go? Ha, it naturally disappears into thin air, dispersing in the Long-tongued Ghost Market.”

This statement was intriguing.

Like the Yin Yang Infinite Scale in the Yellow Springs Ghost Market, this scale appears to possess a spirit of divine artifact, any ghost passing through the Yellow Springs Path into the Yellow Springs Ghost Market must pay a Ghost Life Span, added onto the Yin Yang Infinite Scale.

This is an overt collection of “Ghost Life Span tax.”

It’s open and well-known among ghosts, nothing much to say about it.

Yet in the Long-tongued Ghost Market, there’s no apparent divine artifact, but it forms its own Ghost Realm, with its own rules.

One might think there exists some mysterious entity, secretly collecting “Ghost Life Span tax.”

The Long-tongued Ghost Market’s Ghost Life Span tax is far more ruthless compared to the Yellow Springs Ghost Market.

The Tray Ghost repeatedly shared such information about the Long-tongued Ghost Market with Chen Xu, and said quietly, “My lord, this humble ghost has another suspicion…”

The Daoist Soldier fixed its gaze upon it.

The Tray Ghost hurried, “This humble ghost suspects that there exists a kind of invisible force within the Long-tongued Ghost Market. Any ghost entering, unknowingly, becomes more irritable.

Restless and impatient, they become verbose, and even with prior caution, they unknowingly fall into the trap.

My lord, I mean no offense, you, of course, remain calm and composed, unfazed even if the sky falls.

But this humble ghost, after all, has limited cultivation.

I just want to say… this Long-tongued Ghost Market, do we… do we really have to go?”

Hehe, hehehe.”

After finishing, the Tray Ghost laughed cautiously.

Expressing itself as a subordinate fearful of being scorned by its lord.

One must admit, with such a ’subordinate,’ it’s hard for any superior not to be pleased.

This manner of humility, even when giving advice, is done with utmost flattery, tactful and elusive.

Such a subordinate, at a distance, might seem spineless, devoid of integrity, but if they flatter you, why resist?

Frankly, it’s hard not to enjoy it.

The Daoist Soldier listened, then suddenly pointed a finger to summon a shimmering green water droplet from thin air.

No, this isn’t a water droplet.

Upon closer inspection, it’s a kind of translucent green ice-skin confection.

Due to its vibrant green and transparent color, it hovered and trembled in the air, appearing to reflect the faint dark glow of the Netherworld, resembling a drop of emerald water.

Simultaneously, the fragrant aroma of a tea snack wafted through.

The Tray Ghost gaped in awe as the smaller ghost raised its dazed face, swallowing greedily.

These two ghosts shared a symbiotic existence, with the Tray Ghost always leading, the shorter ghost usually never present.

Yet at this moment, when the shimmering green ’water droplet’ appeared, even the usually wooden shorter ghost looked mesmerized, saliva dripping.

The Tray Ghost couldn’t hold back, anxiously asking, “My lord, this, this… what is it?”

The Daoist Soldier replied, “This is a Water Raindrop Cake, containing a thousand-year-old snow’s spirit spring and green water tea soup. Eating one, you will remain calm and clear-minded for half an hour, your Qi sharp and bright.

During that time, whether walking, sitting, or lying down, whatever you do will naturally refine your Ghost Qi.

After half an hour, the effect fades.

But half an hour is long enough for us to make a trip through the ghost market.”

This Water Raindrop Cake was made by Chen Xu recently in the Fire and Smoke Kitchen.

Every day he practiced without slacking, whether meditating and training, practicing culinary skills, or reading and writing, all were part of his cultivation.

Over time, Chen Xu used the spiritual materials he acquired to create a batch of Spiritual Food.

The Water Raindrop Cake was one of them.

The creation material, [Thousand-Year Snow], came from the Snow Spirit of Jade Cold Peak.

The green water tea was something Chen Xu found in the Spiritual Mountain Range.

After all, such a large mountain range is bound to have spiritual materials, isn’t it?

Even though Chen Xu only walked around the periphery, not delving deep, he still made numerous wondrous discoveries.

The Tray Ghost was incredibly moved, exclaiming “My lord is wise,” before gulping down the Water Raindrop Cake with one big bite.

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