Only Decent People Write Diaries

Diyi Era of the Zixuan Dynasty, seventh month, eighth day.

With my purse embarrassingly empty, I had no choice but to set up a stall to make a living. Who would have thought I'd run into evil constables making trouble? Left with no alternative, so they wouldn't give me a hard time, I cast a fortune for them and told them they had only one life.

They all believed it.

But I didn't.

Still, they were right, and I was wrong.

Diyi Era of the Zixuan Dynasty, seventh month, ninth day.

Today I encountered only one evil constable. There had been three yesterday—why was there only one today?

So I changed locations.

Yet I unexpectedly found a very peculiar door here. Since it was tightly shut, I had no choice but to break in.

The Land Where Humans and Ghosts Coexist had three levels in total.

The third level was Forgotten Street.

On this street, powerful fierce ghosts served as patrolling guards.

Today was also Tan Shuchang's third day setting up his stall on this street. In just two days, he had gained four fierce ghosts, filling him with hope for the life of a street vendor.

There was only one thing Tan Shuchang could not understand. The Weird Game instance, which had originally come once every two days, had now failed to summon him even after three days.

Although the Land Where Humans and Ghosts Coexist gave him an extra source of income, Tan Shuchang still did not want to give up his main job.

After all, its income might be meager, but it was steady and long-lasting!

At that moment, Tan Shuchang suddenly noticed blurred figures carrying terrifying malice hurrying toward a certain place. His heart stirred for a moment, but he immediately suppressed the impulse within him.

There were simply too many ghosts.

The combined presence of so many powerful fierce ghosts, each possessing a malicious domain, had already surpassed that of some Yin Gods. Their malice was enough to make Tan Shuchang feel uncomfortable.

Near Tan Shuchang, three or five figures groaned dully before vanishing into thin air.

They were all players of the Weird Game.

Unable to withstand that malice, they immediately chose to leave the Land Where Humans and Ghosts Coexist.

Tan Shuchang, however, could still endure it.

This discomfort was probably like the feeling of someone who did not like cilantro but did not particularly hate it, upon seeing cilantro in a dish.

They could simply pick it out with their chopsticks or avoid eating it. It was no great matter.

Thus, Tan Shuchang withdrew his gaze, because he knew where those fierce ghosts were going.

In that direction stood a very strange door, which he had discovered yesterday. Yet there was actually nothing behind it, and the space beyond was so narrow and cramped that a person could not even turn around inside.

Why were those fierce ghosts so concerned about a place where there was clearly nothing?

Tan Shuchang found it strange, but did not take it to heart. Such things were common in the imperial court. Some huge rats, after emptying out the granaries, liked to put on a show to pull the wool over people's eyes.

Seeing more and more fierce ghosts gathering here, Tan Shuchang decided to leave first and return tomorrow to set up his stall, striving to tell a few more fortunes.

However, when Tan Shuchang tried to enter the Land Where Humans and Ghosts Coexist the next day, he was informed that its rules had changed: Grade-D players could enter only once a year.

The Weird Game also explained the reason. A mysterious evil ghost had appeared on Forgotten Street, where Grade-D players had once stood a high chance of survival. Even ordinary patrolling guards were no match for it, so this restriction had been imposed to reduce needless casualties among Grade-D players.

In return, Grade-D players would receive one chance at resurrection when entering Forgotten Street in the Land Where Humans and Ghosts Coexist.

In other words, if they accidentally died on Forgotten Street, the Weird Game could resurrect them.

For other Grade-D players, such compensation was undoubtedly cause for wild jubilation. Though the number of entries had been restricted, how many Grade-D players dared enter the Land Where Humans and Ghosts Coexist in the first place?

But for Tan Shuchang, this restriction seemed as though it had been made specifically for him.

Could it be that they discovered I was capturing fierce ghosts?

As soon as the thought arose, Tan Shuchang could not help feeling guilty. The Weird Game instance that had previously appeared every two days still had not dragged him off to participate in the "game," even though it was already the third day.

"Why has he come back?" Tan Shuchang suddenly revealed a look of surprise.

In his senses, one of his junior brothers was walking up Blackheart Mountain. Two others followed behind him.

"One has cultivated before, but his internal power is shallow. He has practiced fist and foot techniques as well, but only to an ordinary degree. The other cultivates an inferior technique, though he has accumulated quite profound internal power—seven or eight years' worth, at least..."

Long ago, Tan Shuchang had planted lotus marks throughout Blackheart Mountain using the Blood-Refined Lotus Art. Thus, whenever someone arrived, they would unknowingly trigger his lotus marks.

So Tan Shuchang went to the entrance of the only mountain path leading up from the foot of the mountain and patiently waited for the three to arrive.

His junior brother was clearly treating the latter two as his betters. As he led the way, he repeatedly took the initiative to stop and wait for them.

Although this junior brother had cultivated for only three years, the Sevenfold Demon God Scripture was a superior treasure-class cultivation art. The divine abilities he possessed with three years of cultivation were far stronger than those of someone who had cultivated an inferior technique for seven or eight years.

As for the other one, he was not even worth mentioning.

The three did not keep Tan Shuchang waiting long. Soon, their figures entered his field of vision.

"Young Master Qiu, I've brought you here. That person is the senior brother Tan Shuchang you were looking for. You can give me Heavenly Wonder Pavilion's pardon token now, right?" Upon seeing Tan Shuchang, his junior brother's eyelid could not help twitching. He hastily shouted, then quickly cupped his fists toward Tan Shuchang. "Senior Brother, this is Qiu Junlin, the son of Heavenly Wonder Pavilion's chief pavilion master."

After hearing this, Tan Shuchang immediately understood why his junior brother had brought people here. He waved a hand, indicating that he would not hold this matter against him.

"Thank you, Senior Brother!" Tan Shuchang's junior brother immediately looked delighted. He gave a deep salute, then rose and turned toward Qiu Junlin.

He was waiting for the other man to hand over the token.

"Relax. Since when has anything I, Qiu Junlin, said ever been false? Take it. Your younger sister is imprisoned in Rat Tower. After all, she merely offended that young miss of the Ning family; it wasn't as though she had truly committed some great evil." Qiu Junlin impatiently tossed out a token.

Upon seeing the token, Tan Shuchang's junior brother treated it as a priceless treasure.

Then he hurriedly departed.

Only then, after hearing Qiu Junlin's words, did Tan Shuchang learn how this junior brother's younger sister had offended Heavenly Wonder Pavilion, the Zixuan Dynasty's special institution.

The matter had happened two months ago. When this junior brother received the news, he had been frantic with worry and wanted to beg Blackheart Elder for help, but naturally, he had not even been able to see Blackheart Elder.

"Hey, Tan Shuchang!" Qiu Junlin called out like this.