Food gives me an entry, I will be invincible if I stay alive

Chapter 202 Hiring a Ghost: Ghosts are Seven-tenths Afraid of Humans
Chen Xu returned to the human world.

In the ghost market of the underworld, three "ghosts" have disappeared.

The streets remained bustling as ever, and no one noticed that the three "ghosts" had disappeared.

Only the legends of the "hanging ghost" and the spirit rice porridge still circulate in the ghost market, and for a short time, the ghosts still remember them fondly.

"Hey, that's strange. Where did that hanged ghost go? Why can't I see him all of a sudden? I was thinking of buying his porridge."

Some ghosts plotted evil schemes, but missed their target and could only lament their helplessness.

"I'm so angry! That little devil is fast enough to escape, and I can't catch him."

"Hmph, he'll definitely come back to the Ghost Market next time. And if he does, we won't let him escape again..."

Chen Xu was unaware of these things, but he never considered the Ghost Market a safe haven. Therefore, even before his initial entry into the Ghost Market, he had already planned his next move.

On the fifteenth, he will once again be able to randomly enter a nearby ghost market through the Netherworld's power.

But that might not be the Ghost Market of the Underworld. Meanwhile, Chen Xu had used up all the puppet skins he had.

The puppet skin was obtained from the demon puppet, and Chen Xu had not seen such a thing since he destroyed the small statues of the Daoist demons in Yunjiang Prefecture last time.

Therefore, he lacked a clear source for the puppet skin in the short term.

Chen Xu had also made up his mind that without the puppet skin, he would not go to the ghost market again.

However, Chen Xu was unwilling to give up the vast market of the Netherworld.

Therefore, when he left the Ghost Market of the Underworld, he took the opportunity to capture the Tray Ghost with the Ghost-Hiring Pearl.

Upon returning to the human world, the tray ghost was still trapped inside the ghost-beading device, completely bewildered and unaware of the time.

As Chen Xu stepped back into his room, he suddenly heard the watchman's clapping sound from the distant street outside the courtyard: "Bang bang bang bang!"

"It's past four in the morning!"

"The night is deep and the dew is heavy; the curfew has not yet been lifted. Every household, beware of thieves!"

The long, drawn-out shout instantly brought people back to the vibrant world.

At this moment, the lights in the room flickered dimly, and Chen Xu tore off the puppet skin from his body, completely returning to his human form.

At his waist, the little mouse Ashi was fast asleep in the spirit pouch, occasionally letting out a soft mutter:

"It smells so good! Has the scholar cooked porridge again? Squeak, I want some..."

The sound was so faint that it seemed to come from another dimension, and only Chen Xu could hear it.

Unbeknownst to it, being led by Chen Xu, it had already traversed the netherworld.

Chen Xu raised his hand and gently stroked it through the spirit pouch.

Although they went to the Ghost Market, Ashi was taken by Chen Xu with him.

The little guy has extraordinary bloodline and is being hunted down by the demonic puppet forces. Chen Xu wouldn't feel at ease no matter where he put it; the only way to ensure its safety is to keep it with him at all times.

All his experiences in the ghost market were replaying in Chen Xu's mind at this moment, and he habitually reviewed everything that had happened before.

Then he flicked the Ghost-Slaying Pearl in his hand and tossed it onto the table in front of him.

The ghost bead bounced a few times on the table, and suddenly a wisp of smoke emerged from it. The smoke gradually expanded and transformed into the shapes of a short ghost and a tray ghost.

The tray ghost cried out "Ouch!" Sensing the vibrant life of the human world and sensing the unfathomable mystery of the living person before it, it slammed itself onto the table, along with the short ghost, and screamed:
"Help! Someone, you're terrifying!"

As the saying goes, people are afraid of ghosts three parts, but ghosts are afraid of people seven parts.

This tray-shaped ghost was quite powerful, but upon arriving in the mortal realm, before it could even truly see the sights and sounds of the human world, it was already so terrified by the mysterious and vast literary aura emanating from Chen Xu that it almost wet itself in fear.

"What? Don't you recognize me?"

In the shadows of the night and the lamplight, Chen Xu smiled slightly.

Half an hour later, the tray ghost finally understood why he had appeared in the human world, and also completely accepted one fact:
It turns out that there were never any hanged ghosts in the Yellow Springs Ghost Market who could cook porridge.

The one who has been controlling it all along is the person right in front of us...

The other party had an air of refinement about him, which was terrifying. The tray-carrying ghost was dejected, on the verge of tears, and wished he could slap himself a few times.

Call you a bitch!

Why did you have to go looking for trouble? How did you end up getting involved with someone like that?

The tray ghost was not weak in cultivation, but it was precisely because of its strong cultivation that it was able to sense just how terrifying the person in front of it was with such a powerful and vast literary aura.

If it were a clueless kid, he might not be able to tell right from wrong.

This person can pretend to be a ghost whenever they want, and can freely traverse between the underworld and the mortal realm; it's truly—

The tray ghost's self-reproach lasted only a few breaths.

Half an hour later, the tray-shaped ghost, now swaying back and forth, was utterly delighted after eating another crimson-colored dish.

He said, how could his old man's judgment be wrong?

So what if they're alive?
Living people would feed it red cinnabar robes, but would the dead ghosts in the Yellow Springs Ghost Market do the same?
Those dead ghosts would fight like madmen over a few ghost coins, and sometimes they would even sell their lifespan for a moment of greed!
Short-sighted, a lingering corpse, utterly foolish.

Hehe, from now on, the tray ghost will be no different from the mediocre and vulgar ghost.

It is a ghost hired by the master before it, and from now on, it will be able to eat two Crimson Robes every month.

It turns out that after the conversation just now, Chen Xu had formally reached an employment agreement with the Ghost Bearer and the Tray Ghost.

On the first and fifteenth of each lunar month, the tray ghost would go to a ghost market to help Chen Xu sell spiritual food and collect praise from ghosts.

This is similar to Chen Xu's initial hiring of Aunt Ge, except that Chen Xu instructed Aunt Ge: "Aunt Ge, before you sell my porridge and cakes, you must ask if they smell good."

I won't sell it unless the customer specifically asks for its fragrance.

Chen Xu also offered a reason for this explanation indirectly.

Aunt Ge simply thought it was a quirk of his, a scholar, but in order to earn more copper coins, she diligently helped Chen Xu collect likes.

When it came to the tray ghost, Chen Xu didn't offer any explanation at all.

He simply gave the order, and the tray ghost fawned over him, chuckling, "Of course! These are all made by Your Majesty yourself. Those guys wouldn't even dare to touch them if they didn't know their stuff!"

Good heavens, he truly lives up to his reputation as a slippery old devil.

Chen Xu had only signed an employment contract with it, but it had already positioned itself as a servant.

The moment he opened his mouth with "Your Excellency," he immediately elevated Chen Xu to the status of some kind of divine being or religious leader, instantly exuding an air of superiority.

Chen Xu only asked the pallet ghost to keep his identity and origin a secret and not to betray him, and he included the details in the employment contract.

If you disobey, your life will be cut short.

The Ghost Pearl emitted a radiant light, connecting a human and a ghost.

Finally, Chen Xu flicked his finger, sending the tray ghost back to the underworld.

On the first and fifteenth of the month, he can summon the tray ghost again using the ghost-summoning bead.

Therefore, when the tray ghost left the human world, it cried out, "Your Majesty, this little ghost doesn't want to leave! This little ghost is willing to stay by Your Majesty's side, serving you faithfully and taking care of all the trivial matters. Please, Your Majesty, give this little ghost a chance!"
"Waaah, Your Majesty, after this separation, this lowly one will not be able to receive your instruction again for another fifteen days..."

Chen Xu raised his hand and stroked it, closing the Netherworld and silencing the ghostly sounds.

The tray ghost is too noisy and cunning. Although it is restrained by the ghost bead, it is still very troublesome to carry it with you.

Conversely, if it is released back into the Netherworld, guided by the Ghost-Summoning Pearl Contract, Chen Xu will be able to locate it directly the next time he enters the Netherworld.

This is equivalent to setting up a location for yourself in the underworld; who knows, it might have a surprising effect someday.

Finally, all the complexities were cleared away.

The night watchman's gong had long since faded away, and everyone in the courtyard was sound asleep.

Chen Xu opened the Book of Culinary Delight to examine his gains and felt a surge of joy.

Once you accumulate over 30,000 likes, the [Literary Food] feature can be unlocked!

(End of this chapter)