Yan Shouyi, who was supposed to face the Ghost King Shi Jing, found himself trapped in a dense fog at a critical moment.
He had no idea where the fog came from, initially believing it to be Shi Jing's doing.
"Idiot, this fog is too thick!" Lin Zitong's anxious voice echoed in Yan Shouyi's ears. However, when Yan Shouyi turned his head, he couldn't see Lin Zitong's face at all.
The fog was so thick it felt like a pair of hands covering his eyes.
Just then, Yan Shouyi suddenly smelled a fragrance.
A peach blossom scent.
This fragrance was distinctive, and Yan Shouyi remembered encountering it before.
He tightened his grip slightly, reassuring Lin Zitong, and whispered,
"Our savior has arrived. Don't resist later; just follow her."
Lin Zitong didn't understand Yan Shouyi's intention. "Is it someone from the Yuelu Academy?"
Yin Tang had given Yan Shouyi a letter of recommendation, suggesting he seek help from local folk sects in Chang'an at the Yuelu Academy. However, Yan Shouyi had already made it clear to Lin Zitong that he wouldn't easily follow Yin Tang's script.
Now, being in the Ghost Market, who else could it be if not someone from Yuelu Academy?
But Lin Zitong had been with Yan Shouyi all along, and she hadn't seen him visit Yuelu Academy!
All her doubts and thoughts vanished in an instant. The next second, a chilling wind blew, as if invisible hands were pushing Sanyuan downwards.
Sanyuan initially resisted unhappily, but under Yan Shouyi's calm reassurance, it rode the wind, picking up speed.
In the blink of an eye, they landed, and an enraged roar from Shi Jing echoed from above as the dense fog slowly dissipated.
As the fog began to clear, Lin Zitong was eager to see who had come to their aid.
A seductive and charming voice spoke from ahead, "Come over here. You'll be seen by Shi Jing if you stay outside. I have a ward here that will hide your presence even from Shi Jing."
As the fog thinned slightly, Yan Shouyi vaguely saw a door ahead. He retracted Sanyuan and had everyone walk towards it.
However, the moment they stepped inside, the door behind them slammed shut.
Even with the fog dispersed, the room was pitch black, rendering sight useless.
Ji Zhan felt a bit scared and hid behind Yan Shouyi and Lin Zitong.
In the darkness, Lin Zitong directly asked Yan Shouyi, "How did you know Tao Hua Ying would save us?"
The astute Lin Zitong had already guessed that the rescuer was the proprietress of Fenglai Tower in the Ghost Market, the seductive Ghost King Tao Hua Ying.
Yan Shouyi chuckled, not answering.
Suddenly, ghost fires ignited around them, illuminating the surroundings.
This turned out to be a private room in Fenglai Tower, exquisitely decorated, with a large bed in the center.
Tao Hua Ying was reclining on the bed, making no attempt to conceal herself.
Ji Zhan, a boy of only fifteen or sixteen, had never witnessed such a scene. He immediately blushed crimson, lowering his head but unable to resist stealing glances.
Tao Hua Ying enjoyed teasing pure young virgins like Ji Zhan, even deliberately bouncing her thigh.
"Ahem."
Yan Shouyi cleared his throat twice and patted Ji Zhan's shoulder, reminding him, "She is old enough to be your grandmother's grandmother's grandmother's grandmother's grandmother's grandmother."
Ji Zhan suddenly came to his senses, his shyness turning into fear and shame.
Having her age pointed out by Yan Shouyi made Tao Hua Ying a little angry. It seemed age was a woman's eternal forbidden zone, even for a female ghost who had lived for hundreds of years.
Yan Shouyi noticed a small room on the side of the chamber and asked Ji Zhan to take his brothers and junior sister inside to wait.
They had matters to discuss, and Tao Hua Ying was too provocative; looking at her too much was detrimental to Ji Zhan's physical and mental health.
If Lin Zitong knew Yan Shouyi's thoughts, she would likely scoff: If they can't bear to look, can you?
However, Yan Shouyi was the decision-maker. If he left too, there would be no one left to talk to Tao Hua Ying.
Ji Zhan led Ji Xiong and his junior sister to the small room, still marveling that Yan Shouyi, as a descendant of a folk sect, was far more capable than they were.
Just now, he had punched through a wall, confronted a Ghost King on a wooden bird, and now a Ghost King had come to their aid...
Ji Zhan currently only knew Yan Shouyi was a descendant of Lu Ban, yet he already admired him immensely.
After sending Ji Zhan and the other two away, Yan Shouyi glanced around the room's furnishings.
Tao Hua Ying smiled enchantingly, "Are you afraid there's something wrong with my room? Don't worry, if I wanted to deal with you, I wouldn't have saved you just now."
"Why did you save us?" Yan Shouyi feigned ignorance.
A flicker of anger flashed in Tao Hua Ying's eyes, but her smile remained.
She didn't get off the bed, seemingly asserting her status as the proprietress of Fenglai Tower.
"You gave me two drops of blood earlier, which I found very beneficial. If you died at Shi Jing's hands, it would be a waste, so I decided to save you and have you give me more blood."
Lin Zitong blinked in surprise. "Just for that?"
This was much simpler than she had imagined.
"Just for that."
Tao Hua Ying still tossed out two wine glasses, signaling them to offer their blood.
Lin Zitong didn't overthink it. If a few drops of blood could settle this favor and sever ties with Tao Hua Ying, she would be happy.
However, Yan Shouyi stopped her.
Lin Zitong frowned and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Negotiate with her further."
Yan Shouyi looked at Tao Hua Ying and said, "We'll give you more blood to repay your life-saving favor, and add one more condition: you help us leave the Ghost Market safely."
Lin Zitong suddenly understood. Yan Shouyi intended to use Tao Hua Ying's influence as a local power to be their shield.
After all, Shi Jing was too formidable, and the Ghost Market was his territory. Without Tao Hua Ying's intervention, they might indeed find it difficult to leave.
Tao Hua Ying agreed almost without hesitation.
Yan Shouyi gestured for Lin Zitong to offer her blood. Neither of them feared pain and directly filled two wine glasses with their blood for Tao Hua Ying.
Yan Shouyi's wound healed quickly, but Lin Zitong's required time to recover. Yan Shouyi took out the medicine given by Old Jin and applied it to Lin Zitong. It not only relieved pain and stopped bleeding but also ensured healing within days.
The two cups of fresh blood emitted a faint scent of blood, which stimulated Tao Hua Ying.
"Blood is best when it has a fresh scent. Wait here for me for a moment."
With that, Tao Hua Ying took the fresh blood and went downstairs.
However, as she walked out of the room, Tao Hua Ying turned her back to Yan Shouyi and Lin Zitong and let out a cold sneer.
As soon as Tao Hua Ying left, Lin Zitong couldn't help but ask Yan Shouyi,
"Can we trust this Tao Hua Ying? She's always thinking about our blood; it's a bit strange."
Yan Shouyi smiled. "Tao Hua Ying definitely has issues, but it's not with us. And her problems are about to become major ones."
"I don't quite understand what you're saying," Lin Zitong felt as though she was still being kept in the dark.