Infinite Puzzle City

Chapter 315: In and Out of Yangguan
"Ding-ding-ding-ding-ding..."

"The dead go on the road, the living avoid it."

"Crash..."

Like snowflakes of guiding money blowing in the air with gusts of cold wind, two figures walked forward on a hazy mountain road.

"Master, there is Yangguan Road ahead. We can get out in two days."

On the way, the old lady had a kind look on her face and walked briskly, turning back from time to time to say something to Xiao Ran.

No wonder she was in such a good mood. She thought this master was trying to extort money from her. Ten pieces of paper money were the money she had saved for half a year. She was so heartbroken that she almost couldn't breathe.

However, she didn't expect that the master just took a look at it and pushed the money back. Instead, he gave her ten paper money for the dead. Only then did she realize that she had misunderstood the master.

"Grandma, I'm not very old, you don't have to call me master."

"Yes, yes, sir, you look young, just call me by my name. My name is Wu Niang."

Wu Niang?

Although Xiao Ran knew that this was the old lady's name, he always felt... as if he was being taken advantage of.

"I'll just call you Fifth Grandma."

"Okay, okay, okay." Fifth Grandma nodded, thinking: "This old man is old but his heart is young. He is thousands of years old, but he still thinks of himself as a young man."

As the two were talking, they saw the gap between the mountain roads ahead kept changing, and from time to time a sneaky shadow flashed by.

As I looked ahead, the colors of the world were fading, and in front of me were white mountains and black shadows, just like the world in an ink painting. It was hard to see clearly, and it was hard to tell what was real or fake.

Grandma Wu explained to Xiao Ran: "The Yangguan Road is not a easy road to walk on. You look up every step you take, and the path is different every hundred feet. If you take the wrong path, you can't turn back. If you're lucky, you can still get out, but if you're unlucky, you can never get out again!"

"Fifth Grandma, I don't know much about ghost walkers. Can you tell me about them?"

Xiao Ran had heard of ghost walkers, but in his impression these people were more like folk fortune-tellers.

For example, asking ghosts to possess you, talking to deceased family members, sending a message, etc.

This kind of witch is very common in the south, southern Fujian and other places. Xiao Ran lives in the Central Plains, so there should be this kind of witch. However, in today's Central Plains, these witches are rarely seen.

This is because after the Central Plains experienced war, famine followed.

After finally settling down, development almost stagnated and all resources were transferred outward.

People are so poor that even a mouse would shake its head if it came in. At this point, let alone a fortune teller, even if a god came, he would starve to death.

As a result, some people who were really capable of escaping in the early years had already escaped.

On the contrary, it is extremely common in wealthy places.

As I said before, wealth, friends, Dharma and place, no matter you are a practitioner or not, these four words are the foundation of your survival.

Without these four words, even if you have great abilities, all your efforts will be in vain.

"Alas, they are all poor people." Fifth Grandma sighed and explained to Xiao Ran the matter of the ghost walking.

Speaking of which, walking as a ghost can be considered a shady activity.

Human during the day, ghost at night.

The ability to perform Yin-Wan is innate and cannot be learned by outsiders.

If one can awaken this ability between the ages of seven and thirteen, he or she will be a natural born ghost walker.

Once you become a walking ghost, if there is another walking ghost nearby, you will feel the connection with him/her and they can become master and disciple or friends. But they are not allowed to become husband and wife, otherwise it will bring disaster to their descendants, the second generation will be stupid, and the third generation will die young.

The practice methods of the Yin-walkers are different from others; theirs is not a profession that is visible to the world.

In other words, they don't do business with living people at all.

In reality, they have their own identities, either they are farmers, peddlers, or wonton sellers. When they are old, they sit at home taking care of their grandchildren and sewing insoles.

This is why a profession like the Yin-walking cannot be classified as a Yin activity.

At night, they will do their best to help the passing souls between the underworld and the world of the living.

For example, giving a full meal to some starving people, and giving a pair of insoles to barefoot ghosts.

Although it is not something earth-shattering, it is also a kind of practice of one's own kindness.

Only people like Fifth Grandma, who are already extremely advanced in the Yin world, can enter and exit the Yin and Yang world.

When they come, they will lead the lost ghosts to avoid them falling into the Yin-Yang world and becoming monsters without spirituality.

When leaving, give it to those who want to see their relatives to fulfill their wish in the world of the living.

If you have to understand it, it is almost the same as the security guards in real shopping malls, maintaining order and walking in the gray area, and the underworld just turns a blind eye to it.

Of course, if one’s practice reaches a certain level, one will also accumulate virtues and increase blessings for future generations.

As the two were talking, they saw a gate in the distance. The gate was wide open, not very big, and about the same height as the Drum Tower Gate in Luo City. There were three words "Yangguan Road" written on it.

There is a passage written on both sides of the gate.

【Entering Yangguan from the east and looking towards Chang'an, the old friend has built a new grave with white hair. 】

"Fifth Wife, why are you so fast today?"

Two dark little ghosts were squatting at the door. They poked their heads out and asked Grandma Wu with a smile.

Fifth Grandma hurried forward and replied: "We came late today, so we have to go back early." As she spoke, she took out six paper money for the dead from the small bag on her waist and handed them over.

When entering or leaving Yangguan, you must pay money, whether you are coming in or going out.

This is the rule, and no matter how many people you bring, you have to give money, and you can't give less than six ghost money. This is why it takes Grandma Wu half a year to save up ten ghost money. After all, you can't make money every time. Many times, you have to work voluntarily, and you can't get any money, or even have to pay out of your own pocket.

The two little ghosts took the money and immediately nodded to let Fifth Grandma go through, then turned to look at Xiao Ran.

The little devil on the left is about to run up and search you.

He stretched out his black little hand and said, "Whether you are entering or leaving the customs, you must abide by the rules and not bring any private property with you."

However, before the little hand could reach over, Xiao Ran raised his eyelids slightly and put the [Evil-Suppressing Order] directly in front of the little ghost.

It was too close, and the kid couldn't see clearly for a moment, thinking it was some treasure, so he just picked it up and cursed, "What a piece of junk, you... huh?"

When the little ghost saw the inscription on the sign clearly, his eyes suddenly widened, and he shuddered and fell to his knees on the ground.

"Greetings to the Master, may the Master be blessed."

As he said this, he held the sign high above his head respectfully.

Even though the Hades Messenger is only the lowest-ranking official in the underworld, a small official of the ninth rank, for these gatekeepers, he is a person they dare not offend.

If you make the master angry, he will whip you at the very least, leaving your skin torn apart, or at the worst, he will kill you on the spot.

This Yin-Yang Road is home to few underworld officials passing through, so they did not notice Xiao Ran's identity for a while.

"Get up."

Xiao Ran took back the [Evil Suppression Order] and asked casually, "What are the rules you just mentioned?"

"You little one deserves death. Those rules are for others. From now on, you, the master, are the rules."

Looking at the little ghost kneeling in front of him, Xiao Ran couldn't help but sigh in his heart:
"Damn privilege...

I like! "

"Don't be nervous, I'm just asking."

"Yes!"

The two little brats rushed to explain the so-called rules in detail.

There are not many rules, except that you are not allowed to take things from the underworld out. There is a mirror in front of the door, called the "Yin Mirror", which can show if you have anything hidden on you.

If you enter the customs, you are not allowed to bring in things from the world of the living.

There is also a mirror at the entrance, called the "Worldly Mirror" and its effect is the same as above.

"So that's how it is. No wonder the old Taoist priest didn't want to help Chongshan and the others bring things in. This business is really not easy to do."

Xiao Ran believed that as long as the benefits were great, these two little devils would open the door. However, every time they went in and out, a part of the profit would be taken away by these two little devils, which would make anyone feel uncomfortable.

"But as a ghost messenger, I am not under your jurisdiction. Although I may be suspected of abusing my power for personal gain, so what? I dare to chop down even the City God, so why would I care about such a thing?"

"This will actually be convenient for me. Even if other initiates are able to enter and exit Yin Yang in the future, they won't be able to compete with me for business."

Xiao Ran was calculating in his mind, and a smile gradually appeared on his face.

"In that case, I won't bother you anymore. This Fifth Grandma is an old friend of mine. Please take good care of her in the future."

Xiao Ran pointed at the Fifth Grandma and said that she still had to pay the money. After all, it was impossible for her to follow them in and out of the Yin and Yang world all the time. But she could ask the two of them not to make things too difficult for her.

"I know, I know. Don't worry, Grandma, from now on, as long as you follow the rules, we promise not to make things difficult for you."

"Then I'll leave it to you two."

Xiao Ran bowed to the two little ghosts and followed Fifth Grandma out of the city.

As soon as they left the city, Xiao Ran looked back.

There was still a sentence on the gate of the city.

[I urge you to drink another glass of wine, as I will be an ancient person after leaving Yangguan]

Well, it's quite unlucky.

After leaving Yangguan, the world in front of me began to become dim. The candle in the old lady's hand flickered, sometimes bright and sometimes dim, and sometimes I had to slow down.

This reminded Xiao Ran of something he had in his hand.

Xiao Ran groped around in the space, and an oil lamp with a glass cover appeared in his hand. Under the light, the dim path in front of him immediately became clear.

This oil lamp is not a cursed object, but the oil lamp that Li Ji gave to me when he left the mystery city after I completed the trial of the mystery city.

The oil lamp to light the way is many times better than the candle in Fifth Grandma's hand.

Fifth Grandma showed a relaxed look on her face, and she quickened her pace with Xiao Ran until the light in front of them gradually became slightly brighter, then she stopped: "Master, you will have to walk on your own from now on. Just keep in mind the place where you came back last time and walk forward slowly. There is only one thing you must remember, don't look back no matter who calls you..."

"it is good!"

Xiao Ran nodded to indicate that he would take note of it: "Fifth Grandma, take care."

"Oh, okay, okay!"

After saying goodbye to Fifth Grandma, Xiao Ran raised the oil lamp in his hand and silently recited the three words "Zhenxianguan" when he entered the underworld. Just after taking two steps, he heard Fifth Grandma's anxious shout behind him: "Master, Master, there is one more thing..."

Xiao Ran paused slightly when he heard that, but on second thought he decided not to hold the usual meeting and just kept walking forward.

As the light in front of him became brighter and brighter, Xiao Ran stepped on the stone slab with one foot. A cool breeze suddenly blew in his ears. He looked closely and saw that the ghost locust tree was lying on the ground. The yard was in a mess, and the air was filled with a strong stench of decay and blood...

　Alas, I just received a call that my grandma passed away suddenly. The update tonight may be a little late. I have to go see my grandma for the last time. I will take a leave the day after tomorrow to bury my grandma. It’s sad. As written in this chapter, I urge you to drink another glass of wine. This time I will be dead after leaving Yangguan...

　　
　
(End of this chapter)