Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Yi Qing scanned the group of ghosts. This was shocking! Did these ghosts all suffer from amnesia at the same time, or did the culprit act so fast that they did not even have time to react before they found themselves dead?
He asked them more questions to understand the situation better, and found that not only did they forget how they died, they even forgot everything that had happened to them while they were alive. They did not even remember each other’s names! That was why they referred to each other as “Headless Ghost” or “Opened Ghost”.
Yi Qing frowned even more deeply. From the number of ghosts there were in front of him, it was obvious that someone had wiped out the entire city. The strange thing was that he had not sensed an array being set up around the city. They also did not meet with any obstacle along the way. Why were the ghosts trapped here then?
He raised his head and saw the city gate, which was just metres away from him. “There’s nothing here holding you back. Why can’t you go out?”
“That’s because…” Thinking that Yi Qing did not believe him, the Headless Ghost began to panic. Yet, he did not know how to explain himself. After pondering for a moment, he said, “Exalted Immortal, just take one look at it and you’ll understand.”
The ghosts all nodded. Then, an entire group of them, as if on a night walk, rushed toward the city gate. They were just about to float past the gate when their figures flashed. Half of the group vanished.
The next moment, the half that disappeared reappeared in the middle of the main street. Not one of them was missing.
“Exalted Immortal, this happens,” all of the ghosts said at the same time, their expressions pained.
“It’s not that we don’t want to go, but no matter how we try, we keep ending up back here.”
“That’s right, we can’t even go out.”
“Exalted Immortal, we want to reincarnate as well.”
“Exalted Immortal is very powerful – please save us!”
Yi Qing started. This is… a transportation array?
That’s not right – he did not sense any spiritual power at the city gate neither did he sense the presence of any arrays.
“Master…” He turned to address Shen Ying, who was standing beside him.
Shen Ying took a bite off her fruit and answered, “Is it a certain sealed space?”
A sealed space?
Yi Qing paused, as if thinking of something. “Master, you mean to say that this place is just like a mystic realm? It’s separated from the rest of the world?”
“I think so.”
It was no wonder that the ghosts were unable to escape. To them, this city had been completely isolated from the rest of the world. It now formed its own world, and the boundaries of the city were the boundaries of this world. Unless they had the power to break through realms, they would be transported back here every time they tried to escape. According to them, moreover, it seemed that the boundaries were only effective as toward ghosts. It did not have the same effect on everyone else.
Wait a moment!
Yi Qing had a sudden realisation. He turned around and looked a bit further away, at a ghost which as hugging the pillar and trembling. He pursed his lips, and he began to radiate a chilly aura once again.
“You! Go out and try!” He pointed to the city gate not far away.
“Ah… Huh?” Song Ren, who was suddenly called upon, turned to look at the malicious ghosts, each one looking scarier than the other. Each of them looked back at him. Song Ren’s body trembled uncontrollably. “Wh-What?”
Before he could react, Yi Qing conjured a spell. There were several clinks as a spirit sword landed in front of Song Ren. The impact caused it to cut about three inches into the ground. The blades were radiating with a cold aura
Song Ren jumped back from the pillar and hid behind it, trying to avoid the spirit sword. Yet, Yi Qing did not stop. Many swords formed from spirit Qi fell close to Song Ren, no matter where he tried to escape to.
Ah!
Song Ren let out a terrifying scream, turned and ran toward the city gate. Just like that, he got chased out of the city gates by spirit swords.
I’ll stab you to death, you little bastard!
(╰_╯)#
“He’s… out!” Everyone stared on in disbelief.
Indeed!
With a flick of his wrist, Yi Qing caused a spirit sword to land in front of Song Ren, forcing him to turn around and run back the same way that he was forced to run out of the city.
The boundaries of this city did not work against Song Ren. No wonder he made it to the immortal realm.
Song Ren was so scared that he was now curled up into a ball in between Shen Ying and Yi Qing He raised his head to look at all the other ghosts and trembled again. He inched closer to the two of them. This time, he had no guts to touch Yi Qing again. He reached out for Shen Ying instead.
Before he touched her, however, Yi Qing reacted. It was as if he had a certain sensor. With a gaze ten times colder than before, he glared at Song Ren.
Little bastard! What are you trying to do?
(艹皿艹)
Yi Qing stepped to the side so that he now stood between the ghost and Shen Ying. Then, he grabbed Shen Ying up by the collar and conjured a seal to make his ghostly body more tangible. It was then that he turned to address the group of ghosts. “Do any of you recognise him? He used to live in this city.”
All the ghosts paused and tried to look closely at Song Ren, whose face was green from fear. One by one, they shook their heads.
“Never before. I may have known him when I was alive, but I don’t remember..”
“Exalted Immortal, did he die in this city too? It doesn’t look like it.”
“That’s right – he’s much worse than the rest of us. He’s not even as scary as the Hanging Ghost.”
“That’s right, just one look and I know he’s a good-for-nothing ghost.”
“…”
Yi Qing’s expression darkened. It looked like he was not going to be able to find out much else. He wanted to find out why Song Ren died, and find out why he had so much grievous energy in his body. He had not expected to find an entire ghost town filled with ghosts who had no recollection of how they died.
“Master, what do you think we should do with all of these ghosts?” Yi Qing turned to Shen Ying and asked hesitantly.
“Huh?” Shen Ying, who was reaching out to grab another fruit, paused and tilted her head. “What do you think?”
“I think this is too strange.” Yi Qing’s expression remained stern. “There are so many ghosts here – they can’t be trapped here forever. I think I want to bring them to the River of Forgetfulness in the Underworld.” Shortie was not there. They could only bring these ghosts to the Underworld through the River of Forgetfulness.
“Aright.” Shen Ying picked a pastry out of Yi Qing’s bag, instead of a fruit. She nodded as if she had no other opinion. She had not been listening to what was going on, anyway.
Chef turned around to address the group of ghosts. Using both of his hands, he conjured a huge array which appeared beneath all of their feet. The Yin Qi around the ghosts’ bodies dissipated. Even the ghosts that looked the most terrifying were slowly beginning to recover their original looks. They no longer looked as horrible as they did before. A power that flowed like a river began to wrap around them.
The next moment, the ghosts all turned into green smoke which floated downward. They were about to disappear into the array, yet their bodies began to flash and a huge group of ghosts turned up in the middle of the main pathway once again. Even the array below Yi Qing’s feet broke apart.
Huh?
Yi Qing jumped, looking at his own hands in disbelief. How could this be? Why was he unable to send the ghosts up? Even if this place was isolated from the rest of the world, it was not like a realm beyond realms. There was no reason they would not be able to enter the River of Forgetfulness, unless…
His heart fell as he squatted down and placed his hand on his chest. Overcome with shock, he turned to face Shen Ying. “Master, there is no River of Forgetfulness under the ground!”
“Oh.” Shen Ying tilted her head and pointed above. “I think it’s on top.”
What?
He looked up at the grey skies and activated his assistant authority to look. There, in the middle of the sky, was a golden river that flowed through the entire ghost town.
The River of Forgetfulness… was in the sky!
( ̄△̄;)
