Stranger Danger

“How about a cup of tea, everyone?”

Feng Qingyou and Wen Anran smiled and shook their heads at Ye Qing’s antics. They then poured the group of five another cup of tea.

The group hurriedly accepted the offer and drank it all in one gulp. It worked. The growing bile inside their stomachs subsided considerably before they knew it.

“Thank you, seniors,” Cang Qingmei and Leng Tianjue thanked Feng Qingyou and Wen Anran on their group’s behalf.

“You’re welcome, but I must mention that I am your peer, not your senior. Just call me Anran,” Wen Anran said gently.

As for Feng Qingyou, she was chiding Ye Qing lightly, “If you’re going to give an explanation, then do it properly, Joyless.”

Ye Qing chuckled and continued his explanation like nothing had happened, “I’m sure you know that the living and the dead do not share the same meal. The food we eat in the norm is what we call food for the living, whereas those that we place upon the altars and shrines are known as the food for the dead.”

“Food for the living contains yang qi and nourishes the human body. However, ghosts dislike it because it is harmful to them. The opposite is also true. Food for the dead contains yin qi and nourishes a ghost’s body, but it is harmful to a living person. If they eat it, they would be infected by yin qi and suffer. In the best case scenario, they would suffer mild bouts of illnesses or misfortune. In the worst, they would perish. That is why we have the saying, ‘the living shall not share a table with the dead’.”

“‘Living Enter Not’ is an inn meant for wandering ghosts and spirits, so of course the food and drinks they provided are also meant for the dead. You saw the ghosts’ final deaths, didn’t you? Normally, one cannot see a ghost’s final death directly, but since you guys consumed the food for the dead, which is exceptionally rich in yin qi, a bridge was formed.”

“This is why the ghosts targeted you, and why Miss Wen warned you not to consume the food and drinks of this place earlier.”

Cang Qingmei and Leng Tianjue shot Wen Anran an apologetic smile. If they had listened to her warning from the beginning, then none of this would have happened.

“I-Is eating the food for the dead dangerous?” Fei Fei asked with a pale white complexion.

Ye Qing smiled reassuringly at her and said, “If you’re an ordinary person, then you would be lucky to get away with a terrible illness. Most of the time, you would simply die. But since you are all strong, vigorous warriors, then no harm will come to you besides being able to see the ghosts’ final deaths. When tomorrow comes, simply stand under the sun, and the yin qi inside your body will be dispelled.”

“Oh, thank goodness! I was so scared!” Fei Fei let out a huge sigh of relief.

“Oh right. If you don’t mind indulging my curiosity, how does the food taste?” Ye Qing suddenly thought of something and asked.

“Don’t you know already?” Tan Tao instinctively reacted.

“Of course not. It’s not like I’ve tasted it before,” Ye Qing replied matter-of-factly.

Tan Tao: “...” He’s right. I don’t know why I asked such a stupid question.

“If I have to be completely honest… it was pretty great,” Tan Tao answered honestly.

“Are you kidding me? It was fantastic!” Gu Mingfei interrupted, “The wine especially is out of this world. Seriously, I could go for another jar!”

Cang Qingmei: “...”

Leng Tianjue: “...”

You would think that he would learn from his mistake after such a harrowing experience, but…

Ye Qing was curious and wondered if he should order a jar as well. With his physique, that bit of yin qi would not be able to kill even a cell in his body.

“As food for the dead are meant for the dead, they are composed of candles, paper, and other kinds of offerings. It might be delicious beyond imagination for a ghost, but for a human, it tastes no different from wax.”

It was at this moment Feng Qingyou chimed in, “The reason Miss Cang and the others were wowed by the food was because their sense of taste and smell were obfuscated, but if it’s you, then I’m pretty sure you’re only going to taste wax, Joyless. Unless that is what you enjoy, then forget what I just said.”

“Ahem… never mind then.” Ye Qing hurriedly shook his head. He had no interest in eating wax.

The group of five smiled for a few seconds when suddenly, they realized something. Hey, wait a second. Is she calling us weak?

… Shit, we are weak.

Cang Qingmei hesitated for a moment before asking in a subdued voice, “I’m sorry for my many questions, but… Do you know who is the one who created this inn?”

Ye Qing raised his eyebrows. For the first time, he did not have an answer to offer. The reason he knew about “Living Enter Not” was because he read it in the Pacification Bureau’s files before. Nowhere was it mentioned who was the inn’s creator, or how the shrine came to be.

“I can answer that.” Thankfully, Wen Anran seemed to know the answer and stepped up. “I once read in my sect’s books that ‘Living Enter Not’ was created by a powerful ghost warrior. A ghost warrior they may be, but they walk the way of divinity through worship. The reason they created ‘Living Enter Not’ and provide food and shelter for wandering ghosts is to receive their worship and achieve godhood through it.”

“Out of all the ways in the world, the competition for worship is surely the harshest. And yet, it is clear that this senior was able to carve out a path against all opposition. They are surely a senior of great courage and wisdom.”

Leng Tianjue asked, “Would you happen to know their name, Miss Wen?”

Wen Anran answered, “I don’t know their true name. I don’t even know if they are male or female. What I can tell you is that the people call them the Lord of Western Radiance.”

As soon as Wen Anran mentioned the name, light suddenly spilled out of the shrine on the counter. It merged together to form an enigmatic silhouette of unimaginable power. Every ghost in the inn instantly cowered in fear, and the group of five suddenly felt as if someone was choking them. Their faces turned white, and fear spread inside their hearts like wildfire.

Ye Qing, Feng Qingyou and Wen Anran were the only ones who didn’t react at all.

Ye Qing was a Grandmaster, and he had experienced the power of supreme warriors such as the Dark Overlord or the Demon Lord of Freedom[1]. He had long since gotten used to presences so immense that they were comparable to the sea; auras so powerful that just standing it felt like a mountain was crushing his back. Compared to their auras, the enigmatic silhouette’s presence was—no offense—almost paltry.

Ye Qing wasn’t surprised that Qingyou was unaffected. She was even stronger and more experienced than him. It was perfectly normal for her to treat the enigmatic silhouette’s presence like air.

Wen Anran was a curiosity though. In his senses, the young woman was just a late-stage Spirit Master, and as she told Cang Qingmei and Leng Tianjue earlier, she was their “peer”. And yet, she was completely unaffected by the enigmatic silhouette’s suffocating aura. It both surprised and piqued his interest in her.

“Let’s end it here. It is impolite to gossip about the owner in their own inn, isn’t it?”

Ye Qing tapped the table once, and his demonic thought washed out like a tidal wave. It pushed away the enigmatic silhouette’s aura and wrapped around them like a protective cocoon.

Legend has it that some Sages or great powers were so powerful that their power bridged heaven and earth, and their will was akin to the will of the world itself. So godlike was their power that even the mere mention of their name or the desire to do harm upon them would draw their attention. In a sense, it was pseudo-omniscience.

The reason the statue in the shrine had reacted in such a manner was surely because Wen Anran had mentioned their title. Besides, the Lord of Western Radiance walked the path of divinity through worship. They of all people would be especially sensitive toward someone invoking their title, not to mention that they were inside “Living Enter Not” right now.

“Living Enter Not” was created by the Lord of Western Radiance themselves as the foundation of their worship. They were intricately tied to the deity in ways they could scarcely imagine. To make an example, invoking their title was like invoking the Buddha’s name inside a Buddhist temple. Of course they would notice it instantly.

One thing for certain, the Lord of Western Radiance was incredibly powerful. They would be wise not to provoke them if at all possible.

1. Demon Lord of Freedom: Hey guys, I came over to show my face for a bit. Now bye! ☜

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