Wandering Souls

"Let's rest for now!"

Shen Lang spoke up. "Looks like nothing's going to happen tonight. Let's wait until daybreak!"

"Where are we going to rest?"

Ye Qianfan had watched those ghosts return to the houses they had lived in before their deaths. He certainly didn't want to trespass into a dwelling of the dead!

And the temple's rules said only one person could enter. With so many of them here, they couldn't all spend the night inside!

Besides...

The Evil God inside the temple was no easy character to deal with, either.

If he had to choose, he would rather make do with a night outside the temple doors than sleep inside!

"Back to Ghost Village."

However...

Just as everyone was wondering where to go, a Roving Exorcist Disciple holding a Soul Banner spoke up. "I just tried guiding the souls, but I discovered that all the souls here are fake. They aren't real souls at all. My guess is that they're merely images formed by resentment!"

"Fake souls?" Someone challenged the Roving Exorcist Disciple. "But when we entered Ghost Village earlier, those wandering souls and wild ghosts attacked us."

"Exactly! Those wandering souls could scream and even lunge at people. They didn't seem fake, did they?"

"If you don't believe me..."

The Roving Exorcist Disciple offered no explanation and simply continued, "Anyone who can summon souls or open their heavenly eye can take a look for themselves, can't they?"

"I'll do it!"

An old Daoist holding a peachwood sword took two leaves of some unknown plant from inside his robes. After forming a seal and making a whole series of hand gestures, he finally brushed the leaves across his eyes. "Huh! They really are gone? There isn't even a trace of ghostly energy in Ghost Village!"

"What about that old man?"

The Rich Merchant asked.

The old Daoist answered, "He's alive!"

"Alive?"

Now everyone was stunned.

Hearing this, Ye Qianfan hurriedly took out his Bagua Mirror and swept it across Ghost Village.

He immediately discovered that, just as the old Daoist had said, there wasn't even a trace of yin energy in Ghost Village. And although black energy wreathed the old man's entire body, he had a reflection in the mirror, proving that he really was alive.

Instead...

"Quick, let's find houses to hide in!"

Ye Qianfan hurriedly called out to Shen Lang and the Rich Merchant, because he had spotted gray mist appearing around the outskirts of Ghost Village.

People from other cities might not understand this ghost mist, but as someone from Fog City, Ye Qianfan knew it all too well. Once that stuff spread in, being outdoors was far more dangerous than being inside.

Moreover, the farther the mist spread into the village, the thinner it became. That meant it was certainly thickest on the outskirts.

So Ye Qianfan had to secure a house near the center of the village as quickly as possible!

"What's going on?"

Hearing Ye Qianfan say that, Shen Lang naturally sensed that something was wrong!

Ye Qianfan merely pointed at the mist on the outskirts!

Shen Lang's and the Rich Merchant's pupils contracted at the same time. "Ghost mist?"

"Yes. Hurry and find houses to hide in!"

With that, Ye Qianfan led his companions toward the houses around the little temple.

The little temple stood at the very center of the village, so any house nearby would naturally be among those closest to the center!

"Creeeak!"

When Ye Qianfan pushed open a door to enter a house, the Rich Merchant tried to follow him in again.

But Shen Lang grabbed the fat man. "Boss Qian, it's one thing to get yourself killed, but do you want to get Brother Ye killed too? That night watchman said one person per house!"

"Huh?" The Rich Merchant finally caught on. "Sorry, sorry! I wasn't listening carefully earlier!"

"Stop dawdling. Hurry and find an empty house!"

The others weren't stupid, either!

Although they weren't from Fog City, they had all noticed something strange about the mist by now.

Besides, Ye Qianfan's group had already taken the lead. Seeing the three of them move, the people who had followed Ye Qianfan to collect the Cinerary Urns also hurried to find houses and settle inside!

They had all heard the night watchman's words, too, so the clever ones each took a separate house!

Soon...

Almost all the houses nearby had been occupied.

After all, the little temple wasn't large, and there were only five or six houses around it. If Shen Lang and the Rich Merchant delayed any longer, they might not even get a dilapidated house on the outskirts, since the entire village had very few houses.

With everyone needing a house of their own, there were simply too many wolves and too little meat.

So Ye Qianfan could only hurry them along!

"All right, all right!"

Only after seeing the nearby houses taken did the Rich Merchant begin to panic.

Fortunately, Shen Lang reacted quickly. He grabbed the Rich Merchant and ran toward the houses behind Ye Qianfan's, skipping the nearest ones to seize a house in the third ring instead!

Someone else tried to claim it too, but they were a step slower than Shen Lang!

Shen Lang pulled the door open and shoved the Rich Merchant inside. "Keep the door shut, and don't come out tonight! Remember to light a campfire!"

"Got it. Brother Shen Lang, hurry and find a house yourself."

The Rich Merchant nodded and hastily closed the door.

Only then did Shen Lang hurry toward the houses farther back. Unfortunately, he was still a step too late. All the good houses near the little temple had already been taken.

He had given the house he had finally managed to find to the Rich Merchant. After all, with Boss Qian's sluggish movements and reactions...

He probably wouldn't have found one even if he searched until nightfall!

But...

Now Shen Lang was the one with nowhere to stay.

There were still a few houses on the outskirts, but the mist was too thick there. If it seeped inside, hiding in a house would hardly make any difference!

"Boss, there aren't any houses left."

Meanwhile...

Those Martial Artists had hesitated briefly before setting out.

So by the time they started looking for houses, the people with foresight had already claimed them all.

"If there aren't any left, can't you take one!"

Brother Wu immediately smacked his underling on the head.

But the underling protested, feeling wronged. "We tried, but those people seemed to know we'd take their houses. They bolted their doors shut, so we couldn't get in! If we really wanted to smash the doors down, it would take at least an hour or two..."

"Damn it. If there's no other way, we'll stay together." Brother Wu spotted a courtyard residence on the edge of Ghost Village that was also being swallowed by the mist. "We'll stay in that courtyard house. It has several rooms, so one room each should be good enough!"

"Brilliant, Brother Wu!"

The Martial Artists headed that way.

Shen Lang looked at the house, which had been devoured by the ghost mist until only its outline remained. He said nothing, merely stepping aside to let them pass!

He planned to circle back around the temple and try his luck.

If there really was no other choice, he would stay in the temple. He was alone now, anyway.

One person may enter the temple...

That meant staying in the temple alone shouldn't be dangerous... right?