The Fatty cupped a teacup in both hands, a quilt Yao Shunyu had brought draped over his shoulders as he told everyone about the hardships he had faced along the way. When he got to the Heartless Umbrella Ghost, the Child Ghost, the Dried-up Ghost, the Face-dropping Ghost, the Old Man Who Dug Out Eyes, and finally Gao Yanqing, whom he had dealt with, even Jiang Cheng and the others, who had seen plenty, couldn't help drawing in a sharp breath.
Yao Shunyu patted the Fatty on the shoulder and smiled in relief. "I knew you could do it. That couldn't have been easy—not at all! Gao Yanqing deserved to die!"
After the pleasantries, the Fatty looked around the room. "By the way, where did that bridge go? The paper bridge?"
Li Bai poured him another cup of hot tea, his brows drawn together. "You don't know? Not long after you stepped onto that paper bridge, it suddenly caught fire. The flames were a ghostly green, and nothing could put them out. In the end, the bridge burned to ashes without leaving a trace."
Tang Qisheng, who had suggested the Yin Bridge method, looked ashamed. "It seems I'm still too ignorant. Perhaps... perhaps simply crossing the Yin Bridge isn't the way to survive. Maybe the only way is to deal with the ghosts following you along the way. Still, fortunately, Brother Fugui is blessed with good luck and made it back safely."
"Not at all. I should be thanking you. Otherwise, how would I have gotten all this stuff?" The Fatty was grateful to Tang Qisheng. The last stick of soul-guiding incense was still burning, though only a small stub remained. It stood in the little incense burner on the table, its tip brightening and dimming as if a breeze