Entering A Chinese Ghost Story

More than twenty days passed quickly. An Yang had gained almost nothing aside from a custom-made transverse flute, and now his time to enter A Chinese Ghost Story had arrived.

The setting of Guo Bei County was chaotic—or rather, the entire realm during this era was in turmoil, with the law long since disregarded. To avoid being marked as an outsider, An Yang found a theatrical costume shop and had a set of ancient scholar's robes tailored.

Not only that, but he also went to a jewelry store to buy two catties of silver, prepared several buckets full of diesel, and bottled a portion of it until his Portable Space could hold no more. These were meant to save his life against the Thousand-Year Tree Demon.

With everything ready, he entered A Chinese Ghost Story.

His vision blurred as he fell from the air, finding himself in a desolate, overgrown place. Ahead stood a gray-white stone tablet inscribed with three large characters: Guo Bei County.

"So this is Guo Bei County?"

An Yang frowned and muttered to himself. Just like the awkward situation he'd encountered in his first world, Léon: The Professional, he had no idea where the plot currently stood.

Sitting beneath the Guo Bei County tablet, he thought for a long time and realized that most of the plans he'd made earlier were essentially useless, retaining only a pitiful scrap of reference value.

But he had to give it his all.

The A Chinese Ghost Story mission was not only harder than the previous two, but it also granted no starting skills or items. This meant that if he couldn't gain benefits through his own efforts, his harvest would be far less than in the last two worlds.

He pulled out his phone and held it in front of him. The screen lit up, and a cold voice rang out: "Something to say?"

An Yang frowned and said, "No, I'm just using it as a mirror. Turn off the screen."

"..."

The screen went dark.

A moment later, the sky turned overcast, whether from an impending storm or the approach of evening.

An Yang strode swiftly into Guo Bei County. The nights in this world were unsafe, filled not only with legendary demons and monsters but also with roaming wolves. Though he had a pistol, bullets weren't entirely free.

Stepping into Guo Bei County, he found it as chaotic as expected. Everywhere were armed warriors, clad in armor and carrying blades, who made a living hunting wanted criminals. They looked at everyone as if they were fugitives.

Few pedestrians walked the streets. The ancient walls and green-tiled roofs along the roadside were authentically old-fashioned, giving An Yang a strong sense of novelty—far better than the ancient towns of later eras.

On a single short street, he was stopped and questioned three times before he reached the inn where Ning Caichen was collecting debts. He wasn't there to stay, of course. Familiar with the plot, he knew that next to it was a shop selling funeral money. The talismanic symbols on that money could actually harm ghosts. In the original story, Ning Caichen had a cinnabar talisman printed on his back, which startled Nie Xiaoqian.

This funeral money wasn't the modern kind; it was yellow paper inscribed with cinnabar talismans. Perhaps because cinnabar was supremely yang and rigid, it had some lethality against ghosts.

Though An Yang now had Mastery of Combat at intermediate level and Firearms Mastery at intermediate level, along with a sniper rifle and a pistol, these were of little use in this world. They worked fine against ordinary humans but couldn't kill demons or monsters, especially intangible ghosts.

After buying a stack of talisman paper, An Yang walked to a painting stall. Sure enough, he saw the painting that had captivated Ning Caichen in the plot—a beautiful woman washing her hair, who was none other than the living Nie Xiaoqian. He asked the shopkeeper if he'd seen a scholar who was "low in status but high in taste." Receiving a negative answer, he bought the painting without hesitation and then headed toward Lanruo Temple.

In less than an hour, a dilapidated ancient temple appeared before him. It wasn't yet dark. Ahead stood a worn stone tablet engraved with the words "Lanruo Temple," and in front of it were stone statues of the Four Heavenly Kings, now exposed to the wilderness, weathered by countless storms.

The sky over this area seemed even gloomier. Silence reigned all around. If he looked closely, he could see faint wisps of black mist swirling unsteadily above the ruined temple.

An Yang glanced up, then resolutely stepped into Lanruo Temple. Having watched A Chinese Ghost Story so many times, he understood Nie Xiaoqian's character well enough to avoid mishaps.

Entering the main hall of Lanruo Temple, he saw a big-bearded man in gray robes sitting in the center, a sword case strapped to his back. He figured this must be Yan Chixia.

Glancing down at his scholar's attire, he raised his hand and knocked on the worn wooden door. "Hero, this humble scholar apologizes for the intrusion."

Yan Chixia's eyes snapped open, sharp as torches, and his voice boomed like a bell: "What scholar is this? What are you doing here?"

An Yang clasped his hands in a bow. "This humble one is named An Yang. I was a scholar on my way to the capital for the imperial exams, but I was waylaid by bandits on the road. They robbed me of everything, and I barely escaped with my traveling bag. With no other choice, I've come here to seek shelter for the night."

Yan Chixia snorted. "So you're a pitiful scholar. But in this world, which official didn't buy their rank with money? And you still want to go to the capital for the exams!"

An Yang had also analyzed Yan Chixia's personality. As the most powerful fighter in the plot, building a good relationship with him was essential, no matter which plan he intended to follow.

After a moment's thought, he said, "Precisely because the realm is in chaos and treacherous ministers hold sway, this humble one is all the more determined to take the exams and contribute to the nation's welfare!"

Yan Chixia said, "What do you know, little scholar? Contribute to the nation's welfare? It'll be a miracle if you don't end up as a parasite!"

An Yang replied, "The world is murky by nature, and some will inevitably fall. But heaven is pure by nature, and some can rise unstained from the mire. As long as the heart is still, the Buddha dwells within. As long as one holds fast to their true heart, they won't be tainted by the world's filth!"

Yan Chixia paused, then narrowed his eyes!

"Heart still, Buddha within"—that was his own catchphrase from the plot!

The name Yan Chixia was renowned. He had once been the fierce judge of Guan Dong and Guangxi's twenty-six provinces, hating corrupt officials above all. But with treacherous ministers in power, he had grown disheartened, retired from the martial world, and taken up residence in Lanruo Temple alongside demons.

If anyone embodied holding fast to one's true heart and rising unstained from the mire, it was him. An Yang's words struck a chord deep within him.

"Ha! You little scholar, you've even read a few Buddhist sutras. You're quite stubborn too, like a younger version of me!"

An Yang said calmly, "The Buddha says, only through obsession can one let go of obsession. Regardless of the outcome, I will strive with all my might. Even if I fail in the end, I won't regret it."

Yan Chixia was taken aback again. Wasn't that describing him?

In his youth, he had hated evil like an enemy, catching countless corrupt officials. But in the end, he had come to realize that the entire court had been overrun by them. Disheartened, his former persistence had failed—but had he ever regretted it?

Seeing An Yang already sitting down in Lanruo Temple, his expression turned fierce, and he shouted, "No, you can't stay here!"

An Yang feigned surprise. "Why not? I don't have a single coin on me. Where am I supposed to go?"

Yan Chixia turned his head away. "I don't care where you go. This place doesn't welcome you. Leave now!"

An Yang said, "But it's almost dark. Can't you even give me a place to shelter from the wind and rain? If I wander into the woods outside, I'll be eaten by wolves!"

Yan Chixia's eyes widened like brass bells. "I said no means no! Do you know that the things in this temple are a thousand times more vicious than the wolves outside?"

An Yang paused, then asked, "A thousand times more vicious than wolves? Are you saying there are demons and monsters here?"

Yan Chixia let out a cold laugh. "That's right. At least your sage books weren't wasted on a dog. There are demons and monsters here, and they come out to eat people every night!"

An Yang said earnestly, "Don't talk nonsense. If there really were ghosts here, how could you live here so peacefully? You're just making up lies to drive me away!"

Yan Chixia said, "You scholar really don't know what's good for you. This temple isn't mine to run—why would I bother lying to you? If you want to stay, then stay. When you die and turn into a ghost, don't blame me for not warning you!"

An Yang shrugged, set his cloth bundle on the ground, and looked as if he truly intended to settle in here.

From their earlier exchange, Yan Chixia had taken a liking to him, so he couldn't help asking, "Are you really planning to stay here?"

An Yang said, "That's right. Do no wrong by day, and no ghost will knock at night. Besides, compared to all the twists and turns of people, maybe demons and monsters are more straightforward. If I'm not tempted, even a ghost can't harm me!"

Yan Chixia stared at him, feeling that every word struck a chord in his own heart—wasn't this exactly why he had secluded himself at Lanruo Temple, living alongside demons and monsters?

An Yang pulled a hamburger from his backpack—actually from his Portable Space—and a tempting aroma instantly filled the entire dilapidated hall.

Yan Chixia glanced sideways. In this chaotic age, few people could even get a full meal, and something this fragrant was probably something most had never seen.

And indeed it was true. Modern spices and seasonings were far richer than in ancient times, and as everyone knew, fast food was packed with flavorings and additives. The first taste alone would far surpass anything this era could offer.

An Yang turned his head.

Sure enough, Yan Chixia subtly swallowed a mouthful of saliva, quickly looked away, and closed his eyes, saying nothing. After a moment, he opened them again, seeming hungry, and pulled a cold, hard steamed bun from his robe, gnawing on it.

An Yang smiled, took another hamburger from his Portable Space, and tossed it to Yan Chixia. "Big Beard, it just so happens I've only got a bit of food left on me. Try some."

Yan Chixia caught the hamburger. He had never seen such a strange bun before. Shaking his head, he said, "No reward without merit. I, Yan Chixia, won't take your things for nothing!"

An Yang said, "Didn't you say there are demons and monsters here? You don't seem too scared, so you must have some skill. I'll just stay the night and leave tomorrow. If something happens tonight, you hear it and come help me once. If you don't hear it, then so be it—it's my fate!"

Yan Chixia paused for a moment, then said, "Fine. For the sake of this bun, if you run into danger tonight, just shout my name loudly. As long as I hear it, and it's not the Thousand-Year Tree Demon, I'm not afraid of any demon or monster here! By the way, my name is Yan Chixia!"