They disembarked and went ashore, still some distance from the Bone Beach ferry landing. That suited Chen Ping'an fine. He had planned to visit Muyi Mountain, where the Pima Sect's Patriarch Hall stood, when he returned to Treasure Bottle Continent. As for Mural City, he had even less reason to go. Its opportunities were gone, and its painted murals had faded into line drawings.
Chen Ping'an did intend to visit the market at Naihe Pass, the entrance to Ghost Realm Valley. Since Gao Cheng's disappearance, the valley had lost its backbone. Guān City had no leader, while Pu Rang, lord of White Cage City, had gone to the Treasure Bottle Continent battlefield and vanished as well. A rumor claimed Pu Rang had joined a monk on a journey through the Western Buddha Country. With both of them gone, the heroic spirits and Ghostly Creatures of the cities, including Skin Cream City, had hurriedly formed a loose alliance. They then reached an agreement with the Pima Sect: neither side would attack the other for a hundred years. Ghost Realm Valley had changed completely. It remained thick with sinister energy, but visiting cultivators could no longer come here to temper themselves under the Pima Sect's protection, especially now that the Ghostly Creatures had banded together. Of course, if anyone believed he could rampage through the valley alone and slaughter as he pleased, the Pima Sect would not stop him.
Chen Ping'an carried a Night Roamer on his back, with a vermilion wine flask at his waist.
Ning Yao wore the Golden Li magic robe and carried a sword case on her back.
Pei Qian carried a bamboo trunk and held a Hiking Staff. Inside the trunk stood a black-clothed little girl. Little Millet was counting on her fingers how long it would