Volume Twelve: Invitation to Hell, Chapter Thirty-Seven: This Man of the Wicked Path

The market outside was still crowded with people. Seeing Yaoguang and her companions emerge, several individuals stepped forward, likely wanting to ask questions, but they were glared away by "Three-Eyes." Their angry stares were met with utter indifference; Three-Eyes was a local fixture here, and his thick skin made him completely immune to their glares.

"So, Divine Venerable, did you manage to dig up anything good?" Three-Eyes asked with his usual bluntness.

"What exactly counts as a 'good thing' to you?" Yaoguang countered.

"Heh, I don’t have any grand pursuits. I just want to find some decent medicine to live a few more years. You know, one has to be alive to have any opportunities at all." It was surprisingly profound coming from someone like him.

Seeing his earnestness, Yaoguang smiled and placed a porcelain bottle in his hand. "Elixirs to boost spiritual power. A gift for you."

Three-Eyes gasped in amazement. "Oh, Divine Venerable, you are as generous as ever!" His grin was so wide it seemed to reach the back of his head.

As they walked and talked, their easy rapport made it appear as though they were old friends. Yaoguang, however, remembered the earlier incident and felt it necessary to warn him. While she feared no one, she had no desire to implicate others.

"Don’t be seen with us in the open during the day," Yaoguang advised. "We seem to have offended someone quite formidable in the market earlier. It would be bad if you were dragged into this."

Three-Eyes shrank back, momentarily tempted to flee, but after a moment of deliberation, he stayed. Lowering his voice, he asked, "Divine Venerable, who is it? Tell me. I may not be much, but I’ve attended this Ghost Market many times and know quite a few people."

Yaoguang nodded in approval. She realized she had been away from the Ghost Market for many years and was perhaps out of the loop; knowing more would help them handle whatever came their way. She wasn't afraid, but she wouldn't be reckless. She could handle herself, but she held her companions dear and couldn't let them fall into danger. Even if others couldn't touch her, she had to prevent them from targeting those around her.

She described the man’s appearance in detail. As she spoke, Three-Eyes’ expression grew increasingly grim, until he looked as though he were on the verge of tears. When she finished, he hurriedly whispered, "Divine Venerable, I truly admire you, but how could you offend *him*? I won't lie to you—this guy is absolute trouble. He’s like a living, breathing sticky plaster. He’s even harder to deal with than those infant spirits."

The group exchanged glances, and Yaoguang frowned slightly. "Is it really that serious?"

Three-Eyes paced back and forth, hands behind his back, before stopping abruptly. "Divine Venerable, your magic is powerful. Use your energy to mask your destinies and auras so he can’t track you once you leave the Ghost Market."

Nalan Yu watched Three-Eyes and realized he was genuinely trying to help.

"Don't worry," Yaoguang said. "Since he has his eyes on us, we aren't the type to run. Just tell us everything you know about him. You don't need to worry about the rest; we won't let it affect you. You are, after all, my most reliable operative in the Dark River Ghost Market."

Three-Eyes gave her a grateful look, wiped the sweat from his brow, and glanced around nervously before whispering, "I can’t talk here. How about this? I’ll come find you quietly tonight before the market opens."

Yaoguang understood. Years ago, she had simply stepped in to drive away those who were bullying him, yet Three-Eyes had remembered it all this time. Such loyalty was rare, and she was happy to have fostered such a bond. She nodded, and Three-Eyes prepared to leave.

Yaoguang called him back, realizing there was one more question she had to ask. Three-Eyes, despite his hurry, stopped and assumed a look of forced composure, lowering his voice. "Go ahead."

"I know the organization running this place forbids any form of fighting or magical dueling. But there must be places to settle personal grievances. I want to know where one can still resolve these things openly."

Three-Eyes replied, "Things are different now. If both parties agree, there are designated places to fight. But if one side refuses, it’s not allowed—that’s the new rule. In all the years the Dark River Ghost Market has been open, actual fighting has been rare; there's usually no need for it."

"So, does such a place still exist?" I pressed.

"Yes, of course it does. I'll explain the details tonight," he said before hurrying off.

Yaoguang and her group returned to their lodging, where they had something to eat and chatted.

"The person we offended seems to be quite powerful and influential," Chen Haixu said, biting into a piece of bread.

Yaoguang set down her yogurt. "It’s not a matter of you not looking for trouble; trouble looks for you."

"What do we do when we run into it? Act like cowards?" Chu Tianyou asked. "That doesn't sound like our style."

Yaoguang chuckled but said nothing more than, "Let's wait and hear what Three-Eyes has to say tonight."

By nine that evening, the sky was completely dark, and the encampment had fallen into silence. The Dark River Ghost Market began preparations after eleven and officially opened at midnight, so the time between dinner and midnight was quiet, as people needed to rest.

Exhausted from days of travel, the group had intended to wait for Three-Eyes, but they had fallen asleep. It was Yaoguang who eventually shook them awake. They stirred, bleary-eyed, to find Three-Eyes already in the room.

"Divine Venerable, you scared me! I knocked several times and no one answered," he said, revealing a row of yellowed teeth in a slightly disreputable grin. Yet, everyone knew his character was actually quite decent.

They washed their faces, feeling more alert. Just as they turned to question him, Three-Eyes pulled a bag of flatbreads from his coat. "Everyone, please support my business! This whole bag is only two hundred yuan, much cheaper than what others sell."

Yaoguang smiled and pressed a thousand yuan into his hand, taking the bag. Three-Eyes beamed, his eyes fixed on the bread, swallowing hard.

Nalan Yu teased, "Don't tell me you're selling your own rations?"

"What does it matter? I can go hungry for three days. Who doesn't want to gain something here?" Three-Eyes licked his lips, feigning indifference.

Nalan Yu laughed, opened the bag, and handed him two pieces. "Eat. There's more if you need it." Jiang Yun poured him a cup of water.

Three-Eyes took them with trembling hands, took a large bite, and downed the water. Jiang Yun then pulled a vacuum-sealed chicken leg and several sausages from her pack. "Eat slowly. There's more."

Seeing the food, Three-Eyes felt a surge of emotion, his eyes welling up with tears. He choked out, "You are all so good to me, truly good. I’m an orphan; no one has ever cared for me. People look at me and don't want to be friends, and clients think I'm a con artist. That year, when I found a treasure and was being hunted, you were just passing by and saved me. I never expected you to remember me for so many years, let alone take such good care of me. I didn't realize that those around you were all like living Bodhisattvas."

"Three-Eyes, I'll say it again: whenever you don't want to work in the Dark River Ghost Market anymore, come find me," Yaoguang said, returning to her yogurt.

Three-Eyes nodded gratefully. The group felt a strange weight in their hearts, suddenly realizing how much they possessed. When people complain, they really should think of what they have; it brings a sense of peace.

Three-Eyes ate two and a half pieces of bread before stopping, carefully tucking the sausages and chicken leg into his shirt.

"Was the money I gave you not enough? Why are you being so frugal?" Yaoguang asked, puzzled.

"No, Divine Venerable. That money was for your business; I wouldn't dare touch it. What if I delayed your affairs? That money is untouchable," he said, his eyes earnest.

"I'm speechless," Yaoguang said, shaking her head. She pulled another five thousand yuan from her pocket and shoved it into his hand. "Take this for yourself. Keep the change from the other money, and if you need more, come to me."

"Divine Venerable, this is too much! I can't use all this!" Three-Eyes looked at the cash, moved to tears.

"Keep it. You're my retainer now. Eat your fill, then let's talk." Yaoguang waved her hand, opened a pack of cigarettes, lit one, and tossed the rest to him.

Three-Eyes treasured the money and cigarettes, tucking them into his inner pocket and patting them carefully before returning to his bread.

Nalan Yu watched in wonder. Did Three-Eyes idolize his eldest sister so much that he treasured even the smallest thing she gave him? He seemed like a good man.

They waited for him to finish before Yaoguang asked, "Tell us everything you know."

Three-Eyes didn't hesitate. "The person you offended is called 'Thousand Hands,' though he likes to be called 'Ancestor Fengyun.' He believes his cultivation is profound and his methods formidable, so he thinks he’s earned the title. Divine Venerable, you know that while most people in this world practice orthodox methods, there are plenty who take shortcuts with evil arts. They bully the weak and have organized into a sort of 'evil cultivator' group. Thousand Hands holds a high position among them. Furthermore, I’ve always suspected he belongs to the lineage of Shang Liye; their operating style is very similar."

As Three-Eyes rattled off the details, Yaoguang remembered the man in black calling him 'Ancestor' and asked, "What is his relationship with that hidden faction?"

"Those hidden factions are just temporary groups, composed of people who operate in the shadows and stop at nothing to get what they want, mostly to ensure they don't lose out to the orthodox sects. The circle is complex, with everyone distrusting everyone else. But yes, Thousand Hands’ lineage is part of that hidden faction, which gives him influence. Offending him means life in the Dark River Ghost Market will be difficult. Even if you evade him here, he will surely seek revenge later. People who practice those arts are often psychologically twisted; don’t expect him to be magnanimous."

The group listened, absorbing the implications. In short, regardless of his personal power, his influence was immense—offending him was like being afflicted by a rot that refused to heal.

Yaoguang analyzed her options. Thousand Hands wasn't the immediate priority, but there was one person she definitely didn't want to leave alive: Du Ping. Killing Du Ping couldn't be done in private; he was the 'chicken' to be slaughtered to scare the 'monkeys.' Only by doing it in front of everyone would it be effective.

"Three-Eyes, tell me about the public fighting arena," Yaoguang said.

"You mean the Dueling Platform? You aren't thinking of dueling Thousand Hands, are you?" Three-Eyes was shocked, though he quickly realized that if the Divine Venerable acted personally, killing Thousand Hands might not be so difficult after all.

"No. I want to kill Du Ping. He's been like a cockroach for years, and I see no reason to be soft-hearted anymore. It’s better to use the Dueling Platform to make an example of him than to handle it in the shadows," Yaoguang said calmly.

Indeed, Yaoguang rarely killed, but for someone like Du Ping, it was better to simply remove him. He had been a pest for too long, and leaving him alive only guaranteed more trouble.

"You want to kill him? That’s simple enough. The grievances in this circle are complex; everyone has enemies. It’s impossible to stop every confrontation. So, to maintain order, the Dueling Platform was established. Pay the fee, and if both parties agree, you can resolve your grudges there. But Divine Venerable, I must warn you—the Dueling Platform is a fight to the death. If someone is killed, it's considered settled, and it will be covered up. Just be careful."

"It's fine. Don't worry," Yaoguang said dismissively.

Three-Eyes nodded and left.

"Sister, are you really planning to kill Du Ping?" Nalan Yu asked.

"Yes. There's no need to keep a scoundrel like that around. He won't stop bothering others. He's already an Earth Immortal; if we don't finish this now, his methods will only become more despicable," Yaoguang said, lying down with a tranquil expression.

Nalan Yu nodded, saying no more.