Dao Qi Wu Zang Guan Guan: I became a Daoist Master in the 1990s

Chapter 10 A Ghostly and Eerie Place
As they passed through a grove of dead locust trees, a figure dressed in a bright red wedding gown and covered with a red veil stood quietly in the middle of the road, her back to them, emitting soft sobs. Her voice was mournful and heart-wrenching, piercing straight to the heart.

Qi Yun felt a surge of sadness well up in his heart, and almost burst into tears as he stepped forward to comfort her. Then, a burning sensation shot through his dantian, instantly bringing him back to his senses.

The old Taoist priest walked straight past the "bride" without glancing to the side.

As they approached the edge of a mass grave, countless phosphorescent lights flickered and scattered, vaguely outlining the shape of a card table. Several indistinct, mutilated figures sat around it, emitting hollow shouts and the crisp sound of dice clashing.

A gambler with no lower body and intestines dragging on the ground enthusiastically waved to them, a strange smile on his face, saying, "Come on... play a couple of rounds... win mountains of gold and silver... lose... hehe... leave some scraps too!"

After crossing another murky, stagnant river, a lotus-shaped river lantern floated on the surface of the water, its candlelight glowing a vibrant green.

In the flickering lamplight, the figure of a woman dressed in white with long hair covering her face appeared and disappeared in the water. Her voice was ethereal and mournful as she sang an unknown country tune, the melody lingering and poignant, as if calling out to her lover who had left home.

The singing voice entered my ears, stirring my heart and making me want to go closer to the water to see what was going on.

There was also an old man who appeared out of nowhere at the crossroads, giving directions with a kind smile but empty eyes; and a withered arm that suddenly stretched out from the weeds, grabbing at the ankle.

The sound of children's laughter carried on the wind lured people off the road to "play".

The endless stream of bizarre sights and bewitching sounds assaulted Qi Yun's senses like a tidal wave.

Each time, it was that spark of "Crimson Hunting Fire" in his dantian that timely scalded him back from the brink of losing his way.

He also gained a deeper understanding of the dangers of this place and the miraculous power of the old Taoist's lantern flame.

If he hadn't followed the old Taoist, even with the protection of immortal fire, he would have died countless times in this deadly environment.

Time becomes blurred in the midst of intense tension.

Just as Qi Yun felt his strength was about to be exhausted and his legs felt as heavy as lead, a warm current surged from his dantian at just the right moment, supporting him.

Finally, he felt the thick fog surrounding him thinning slightly, and a faint, yet distinctly different, grayish-white hue peeked through the deep darkness ahead.

The old Taoist priest, whose body had been tense, seemed to relax slightly. He stopped and let out a long sigh, his voice carrying a hint of relief: "Phew... We're finally out of the Ghost Realm. Kid, you can speak now."

Upon hearing this, Qi Yun's tense nerves suddenly relaxed, and a strong sense of fatigue instantly swept over his body. He almost couldn't stand up and only managed to stay upright by sheer willpower.

"Sir...we were...were in the 'Ghost Realm' just now?"

Qi Yun, panting heavily, asked in a hoarse voice, his heart filled with lingering fear and shock.

The old Taoist priest took off his bamboo hat, glanced at Qi Yun, and his eyes held a hint of barely perceptible approval.

"That's right. The Ghost Realm is a place between Yin and Yang, a gathering place for ghosts, forming its own Yin domain, which does not manifest in the Yang world."

It would be difficult for ordinary people to get in without special means or a guide.

You've got some serious bad luck, you must have had the worst luck in the world to actually walk right into this!

As for me, I'm just using this 'shortcut' in the ghost realm to get around and save some time.

"Who would willingly venture into such a ghostly place unless absolutely necessary?" he said, carefully blowing out the tiny flame in the lantern.

The dim yellow halo disappeared, and the surroundings were plunged into the deepest darkness before dawn, with only a sliver of pale light peeking through the eastern horizon.

The old Taoist priest then pulled a dirty, coarse cloth bag from his bosom, deftly folded up the extinguished lantern, and stuffed it, along with his tattered cloak, into the bag.

Only then did Qi Yun realize that the old Taoist was wearing a faded blue Taoist robe with worn edges!

The front of the Taoist robe was embroidered with a vague, strange pattern resembling cloud patterns.

"Let's go, it's almost dawn. There's an abandoned temple ahead, perfect for a rest."

The old Taoist priest slung the cloth bag over his shoulder and pointed to a dark silhouette not far ahead.

Qi Yun forced himself to keep up.

Upon closer inspection, it became clear that it was a long-abandoned mountain god temple.

The temple wall had collapsed, revealing the broken clay statue inside. Half of the statue was missing, and the remaining part was covered with cobwebs and thick dust.

The temple gate had long since disappeared, leaving only a dark, gaping entrance.

The two entered the temple one after the other.

The temple was not very spacious, and the ground was covered with a thick layer of dead leaves and broken tiles.

A few faint rays of morning light struggled to penetrate through the cracks in the collapsed roof and broken window frames, barely illuminating the scene inside the temple.

The old Taoist priest walked to a relatively flat open space in the center of the temple and sat down on the ground.

He rummaged in the coarse cloth bag for a while and pulled out two dry, hard grain cakes wrapped in oil paper. He handed one to Qi Yun, who was still shaken.

"Eat up, calm your nerves and fill your stomach. This journey has been exhausting."

Qi Yun looked at the dry, hard pancakes and recalled his encounter at the ghost market, and his stomach churned.

But the intense hunger in his stomach eventually overcame the discomfort.

He took the pancake, thanked him, and began to eat it with gusto.

The flatbread was dry and hard, making my throat hurt, but chewing it at that moment was more comforting than any delicacy.

The old Taoist priest watched Qi Yun wolf down his food silently. A trace of barely perceptible pity flashed in his eyes as he thought to himself, "Alas, orphaned and alone, homeless and destitute, he suffers from all five deficiencies and three lacks."

He managed to remain composed despite being bewitched by ghostly sounds, and his mind is quite sharp... What's even more remarkable is that he actually stumbled into the ghost realm, was taken in as a disciple, and was entrusted with my mantle. Perhaps... it's not entirely unwise?

After Qi Yun swallowed the last bite of the cake with difficulty and drank a few mouthfuls of water to help it down, the old Taoist cleared his throat, breaking the silence in the temple.

(End of this chapter)