Cailian Town lay shrouded in darkness. Only a scant few candles were lit, and before long, the streets and alleys had fallen silent.
Every household had tied red strings before their doors and nailed wooden planks across their windows.
The Yamen, which ought to have maintained order, had remained shut for days. Its four walls were covered in yellow talismans, while traces of black dog blood were splashed everywhere.
The Yamen could barely look after itself. From time to time, the cries of infants rang out from its rear courtyard.
A mountain wind swept past, scattering joss paper across the sky.
Dong.
The Night Watchman struck his gong, reminding people that night had arrived.
"The daylight fades; midnight comes."
Wu Hong had worked as a night watchman for thirty-six years. Now over fifty, childless and gray-haired, he was nevertheless still in good health.
"All the Living People have gone home. I need to hurry up and patrol the streets too. Sigh, day after day... who knows when I'll die by the roadside."
He knew that Cailian Town's nights were becoming increasingly dangerous, but he had no choice but to go out.
There had originally been two night watchmen in town.
Just three days ago, the coffins had thrown everyone into panic, and the other man had stopped patrolling. Only Wu Hong had continued to fulfill his duties.
As a result, that man had died with his intestines ruptured and belly rotted away, while his gong had somehow appeared inside his stomach.
Every night, Wu Hong remained on edge as he forced himself to patrol the streets and beat the gong, terrified that he would meet the same fate. Fortunately, he had survived each night without incident.
Dong.
He followed his usual route through town.
Wu Hong walked by moonlight, sounding the watch once every half-street. A habit formed over decades meant that he rarely mistimed his strikes.
After finishing the western side of Cailian Town, he would happen to have a quarter of an hour to rest.
Wu Hong stood at the intersection between the eastern and western districts, eating the dry rations he carried. Once his strength returned, he planned to head for the next street.
At that moment.
Wu Hong inexplicably felt his heart pound, as though someone were watching him.
He abruptly turned around and saw an eleven- or twelve-year-old Daoist boy squatting by the roadside, leaning close to inspect the Earth God shrine at the corner.
The Earth God shrine was only half a meter tall, with a clay statue of a deity placed inside.
"Little Daoist priest, you..."
Yang He did not turn around. Instead, the statue inside the shrine raised its head, and the incense suddenly ignited, releasing foul-smelling smoke.
Wu Hong was so frightened he nearly fainted, and the gong in his hand fell to the ground.
Was it human or ghost?!
Yang He seemed able to see through Wu Hong's thoughts. He murmured, "I am a Daoist from Qianyuan Mountain, sent to Cailian Town on my master's orders."
As he spoke, he tore the incense from the Earth God shrine.
Incense and Candles of the Earthbound Ghost A yin object spawned by an Earthbound Ghost. It can be refined through the 'Dao of Earth-Binding' and is one of the yin objects required for an Earthbound Ghost to advance into an Evil Ghost. Ground into powder, it can temper the quality of yin artifacts.
Wu Hong had never heard of Qianyuan Mountain, but after repeatedly confirming that Yang He was human rather than ghost, he said, "Little Daoist priest, quickly put the incense and candles back in the Earth God shrine!"
"It's fine."
Yang He glanced at the Earth God shrine. The Earthbound Ghost inside had already vanished without a trace, while the black cat in his arms warned him of danger by clawing at his clothes.
He shook his head slightly and noticed that the Yang Fire on his left shoulder was nearly extinguished.
Yang He was certain he would not live to see Grandmaster Taiyi arrive. He might as well take the chance to gain something. Yin artifacts were surely worth a fortune in the main world.
Wu Hong trembled violently. From the corner of his eye, he saw the deity statue standing in the shadows half a meter away.
"There's a ghost..."
"There's more. It'll be here soon."
Wu Hong froze. "Little Daoist priest, what do you mean it'll be here soon?"
"A ghost."
"Little Daoist priest, don't joke around. Wh-where would a ghost come from?"
At a loss, Wu Hong tried to pick up the gong and get away from Yang He.
Because Yang He had delayed him, he should have been sounding the watch at the other end of the street. Now it was already too late to reach the spot hundreds of meters away.
Dong!
A crisp gong strike echoed through the air.
Wu Hong froze in place. Only then did he see a figure standing at the end of the street.
He recognized it at once. The figure was clearly the other night watchman who had just died in Cailian Town, except its body was twisted, and it was no longer human.
It was a ghost! A Night Watchman Ghost!!
The Night Watchman Ghost stared fixedly at Wu Hong, its long, narrow tongue licking its lips.
Knock knock knock.
The gong rang out again and again.
The Night Watchman Ghost slowly approached Wu Hong.
"L-Little Daoist priest, save me! It's a ghost, ahhh!!"
Wu Hong had now placed all his hopes on Yang He. The latter remained expressionless as he casually picked up the gongstick from the ground.
Dong.
Yang He struck the gong hard, and the Night Watchman Ghost's expression changed.
Gong stained with resentment qi A low-grade yin artifact spawned after being stained with ghost blood. After living people hear it being struck, their heartbeats will gradually synchronize with the rhythm of the gong.
Yang He stuffed both treasures into his robes, especially the incense and candles, which he tucked close against his body within his inner lining.
"Go."
"Little Daoist priest, did you... lay that ghost to rest?"
"How could it be that simple?"
Yang He turned into a secluded alley, with Wu Hong following close behind him.
"I merely made the ghost set its sights on me."
Wu Hong looked back. Although the Night Watchman Ghost was no longer visible, the occasional ringing of the gong showed that it was still drawing closer.
"Old man, does Cailian Town have a vendor who makes clay figurines?"
"Yes..."
"Take me to where he usually sets up his stall."
"Ah?"
"Hurry."
Wu Hong did not dare delay. Although Yang He was only half-grown and dressed in shabby clothes, his words carried an undeniable authority.
The two soon arrived at a street corner near a teahouse.
Wu Hong panted heavily, while Yang He clutched his chest in exhaustion. The Yang Fire on his left shoulder had gone out, and yin qi had begun to seep into his flesh and bones.
"Little Daoist priest, has Clay Figurine Zhang become some evil thing already?"
The stall at the street corner stood in darkness. The light from its lantern was dim, while a middle-aged man obsessively kneaded all kinds of clay figurines.
"Yes. I came looking for ghosts."
Wu Hong's eyes widened, and his legs gave out as he collapsed to the ground.
Yang He stepped forward. The middle-aged man's neck stretched half a meter toward him, staring at him with a chilling gaze as he let out an indistinct murmur.
"Make me a clay figurine."
"Y-You... who do you want me to make?"
"Make one of me. Quickly." Yang He glanced into the distance. The Night Watchman Ghost had silently reached the street corner, and the Earthbound Ghost was also stirring restlessly.
"Fine."
Clay Figurine Zhang worked swiftly, and a lifelike clay sculpture gradually took shape.
At the same time, Yang He's body rang with the sound of bones colliding. His skin turned bruised and purple, and matching wounds appeared on the clay sculpture.
"Done?"
Clay Figurine Zhang grinned, as though he had already foreseen Yang He's death.
Mudman of the Substitute Ghost A yin object spawned by a Substitute Ghost. It can be refined through the 'Path of the Substitute' and is one of the yin objects required for a Substitute Ghost to advance into an Evil Ghost. It can also be used to refine a 'Corpse Puppet.'
"Enough, enough."
Yang He was satisfied after obtaining three yin objects and yin artifacts. The Yang Fire on his right shoulder also went out.
Three ghostly figures overlapped as they prepared to feast on the delicious Daoist boy. Wu Hong covered his eyes, not daring to face the fear in his heart.
The Yang Fire above Yang He's head went out, and the last trace of life in the Daoist boy vanished.
Your character 'Daoist Boy' has suffered severe injuries. The role-playing story has ended.
At the instant his consciousness returned.
A third arm extended from his chest. Before Wu Hong's astonished eyes, it crushed three Weak Ghosts to death, then transformed back into a sixth finger.
Wu Hong said tremulously, "An immortal! An immortal has come to save us!!!"
Thanks to Detective Pikachu, Jiong Tu, and Logic Exhaustion Ghost Path for the rewards.
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