Tang Xiaoling sat in the clearing with Tiantian in her arms, waiting in boredom.
Perhaps worn out by all the exertion, the little girl began to doze off.
Meanwhile, the setting sun slipped below the horizon without her noticing.
A blood moon rose in its place, bathing the land in red light.
Just then, a sudden clamor broke out.
Tang Xiaoling, who had nearly fallen asleep, jolted awake at the noise and hurriedly looked up.
To her surprise, the once-empty clearing was now packed with people!
Even a row of old-fashioned buildings had appeared out of thin air!
Signs of all shapes and sizes hung above them, marking out one shop after another.
Vendors hawked their wares outside these buildings, too.
Even the dirt ground had been replaced by a pavement of blue bricks for people to walk on.
The streets bustled with endless streams of pedestrians and traffic. It was a lively scene!
Astonishment filled Tang Xiaoling's face as she looked around, unable to take it all in.
Suddenly, she spotted a three-meter-tall stone tablet a short distance behind her to the right.
Two large, blood-red characters were carved into its surface.
Ghost Market!
"Oh! So this is a night market!"
Tang Xiaoling exclaimed, and a smile instantly lit up her face.
She quickly stood up with Tiantian in her arms and headed into the Ghost Market.
The stalls on either side displayed a dazzling array of goods, filling her with delight.
Before long, though, a burst of noise caught her attention.
Looking up, she discovered a group of people performing street acts.
There were fire-breathers, sword-swallowers, and performers having large stones smashed on their chests.
Acts she had only ever seen on television were now unfolding right before her eyes.
At that moment, the little girl could no