36: Section 36

“Niangzi, our Foundation here in Qinglin County is still shallow. The officials at the government office might not side with us.”

“Doesn’t Dou Qianli often come to our restaurant to eat?”

“If the restaurant is ruined, then he will lose his place to eat.”

“So I also want to ask if Dou Qianli can help us.”

“Guo Lin's eyes showed worry after hearing your words.”

“That strange book said that humans and Demons should not have any involvement, if possible, because it will change one's destiny. Once the Innate destiny is changed, it will move in an unknown direction.”

“You, upon hearing this, remained unconcerned.”

“Don’t worry, Niangzi, nothing will happen.”

“For now, let's first get through the crisis before us.”

“Besides.”

“It’s so cold in the middle of winter right now, what if a few more beggars freeze to death at our doorstep? That wouldn’t be auspicious, would it?”

“Hearing your repeated insistence, Guo Lin hesitated for a few moments, and finally said nothing, letting you go to the Grey Smoke Hall.”

“The Grey Smoke Hall is located at the lowest point in Qinglin County, with a pond nearby. There are many weeping willows by the pond, but because it is winter, the willows are covered in snow.”

“As if sensing someone's arrival, Dou Qianli opened the door of the Grey Smoke Hall before you even had a chance to knock.”

“Seeing that it was you, Dou Qianli looked a bit surprised.”

“It’s you?”

“What do you need me for?”

“Thanks to Brother Ximen Qing for 15 monthly passes,”

“Chapter 43: Yin Yang Market, the Boundary Point Between the Yin and Yang Realms”

“You then explained your purpose. Dou Qianli looked a little surprised. After a light sniff with his pointed nose, he closed the door of the Grey Smoke Hall behind him, stepped onto the snow in front of the door, and squatted down.”

“Then, he pulled out a pipe from who knows where. The tobacco in the pipe ignited on its own without fire.”

“He exhaled a long puff of smoke and looked at you.”

“Do you know my origin?”

“You, hearing this, started to flatter him.”

“Although this humble one does not know your specific origin, I am certain you are a Celestial.”

“Upon hearing the words 'Celestial', a trace of nostalgia appeared in Dou Qianli's green bean-like eyes.”

“You accidentally flattered him correctly.”

“Dou Qianli then extinguished the tobacco in his pipe.”

“Alright, I’ll help you this time.”

“You go back first. In a few days, all your troubles will be gone!”

“Upon hearing this, you immediately nodded in agreement, overjoyed.”

“From now on, when Master Dou comes to my shop to eat, it will absolutely be free of charge. I can even personally research and create some dishes you've never tasted before.”

“Hehe, that’s not necessary.”

“Next time I come, just make me some milk tea spring rolls, cheese pastries, and the like.”

“...”

“You had never heard of such dishes, but you could infer the specific preparation methods from their literal meaning.”

“Alright, Master Dou!”

“You left the Grey Smoke Hall and began to research the recipes for milk tea spring rolls and cheese pastries at the restaurant.”

“Because you didn't know Dou Qianli's taste, you made three flavors of milk tea: savory, sweet, and sour.”

“For the spring rolls, you made three fillings: red bean paste, chives, and fresh shrimp.”

“The cheese pastries, like the milk tea, were also made in three flavors: savory, sweet, and sour.”

“After waiting for a day, you found that the beggars on the street had disappeared. Before they disappeared, they even cleaned up all the trash and snow in your front yard.”

“You understood that Dou Qianli had taken action.”

“Although you didn't know how he did it, it was the best solution.”

“When evening came, Dou Qianli arrived at your restaurant.”

“The staff all knew you had such an eccentric guest as Dou Qianli, and they all returned to their rooms.”

“Seeing this, you immediately brought out the prepared milk tea spring rolls and cheese pastries.”

“Master Dou, I haven't eaten these milk tea spring rolls or cheese pastries before, so I made several different flavors.”

“Dou Qianli couldn't help but exclaim after tasting them.”

“Your culinary skills are truly miraculous. I grew up in the Great Qing and was accustomed to savory snacks.”

“But now, after tasting the other two flavors you made, I realize that sweet and sour can also be made so wonderfully.”

“After Dou Qianli finished his praise, he threw you a white invitation card permeated with an eerie, ghostly Qi.”

“Your cooking skills are useful to me. This is an invitation to the Yin Yang Market. Take it and come with me.”

“What do you choose now?”

“Option 1: Take the invitation and go to the Yin Yang Market with Dou Qianli.”

“Option 2: Refuse Dou Qianli’s request, telling him you are inconvenient as you need to accompany your Madam.”

“Option 3: Agree to Dou Qianli’s request, but you need to go back and inform your Madam.”

“...”

Seeing the three options that appeared, Su Mo pressed his temples.

The Yin Yang Market.

Could it be a special space formed by the roots of that thousand-year-old tree spirit, which penetrate the Yin and Yang realms?

Who knows how many Demons and ghosts there would be inside.

This must be the price of choosing to let a Demon help.

In the current situation.

How could he possibly have any room to refuse?

Dou Qianli would not help for free.

As for whether to choose the first or third option, Su Mo didn't know what the difference was.

But to keep Guo Lin from worrying too much, it was better to choose the third option.

“Upon hearing that Dou Qianli wanted you to go with him to the Yin Yang Market, a place you had never heard of, you began to inquire.”

“Master Dou, how long will I be gone this time?”

“If I'm gone for a long time, I'd like to inform my Niangzi.”

“Upon hearing your words, Dou Qianli directly refused your request.”

“It’s only two or three hours at most. Come with me, we’ll be back quickly.”

“After saying this, Dou Qianli grabbed your shoulder, and you, uncontrollably, grasped the white invitation card leading to the Yin Yang Market, disappearing in an instant.”

“You didn't know how much time had passed, only that your vision was hazy, and your body felt as if some sand had entered it, causing a stinging pain.”

“When you returned to normal, you had already arrived at the Yin Yang Market that Dou Qianli spoke of.”

“...”

At this moment.

Su Mo also saw the Yin Yang Market in the image.

The sky of this Yin Yang Market was not black, but permeated with a strange orange-yellow, like the color of a sunset mixed with fiery clouds.

Under the feet of the simulated self was a large road paved with bluestone bricks, winding and extending forward.

Looking ahead, one could vaguely see a magnificent city situated at the end of the road.

Countless tree roots hung down from the sky, covering the entire city.

Su Mo zoomed in to look.

He found that the tree roots were constantly wriggling, some hanging in the air, while others were rooted underground.

However, the only common point was that each tree root had a human skin lantern hanging from it, providing light for this Yin Yang Market.

Looking at the true face of this Yin Yang Market, Su Mo couldn't help but sigh, if an ordinary person went to such a place, they would surely be scared unconscious immediately.

At this moment, Su Mo in the image was following Dou Qianli towards the Yin Yang Market.

“You followed Dou Qianli all the way towards the Yin Yang Market, but you felt some discomfort in your ears. You shook your head and found some yellow dirt particles falling out of your ears.”

“Dou Qianli's old face flushed at the sight.”

“My apologies, young Su Mo. My Earth Travel technique for carrying people isn’t perfected yet, but it’s fine. This is underworld soil. Even if some remains in your body, it will turn into Qi once you return to the surface and eat mortal food.”

“You felt relieved upon hearing Dou Qianli's words, and at the same time, you realized that the stinging pain you had felt earlier, as if something similar to sand was grinding inside your body, was due to Dou Qianli's incomplete Cultivation.”

“The journey you took to the Yin Yang Market lasted for more than half an hour.”

“You felt that this did not match the three hours Dou Qianli had mentioned.”

“Dou Qianli sensed your mood and then told you that the flow of time in the Yin Yang Market is slow; one day here is only one hour on the surface.”

“You were startled upon hearing this, feeling as though you had boarded a pirate ship.”

“If he said three hours, wouldn't that mean you would have to stay in this ghostly place for three days?”

“However, you did not show this emotion. Since you were already here, showing such emotion was meaningless.”

“After following Dou Qianli to this Yin Yang Market, you then discovered that there were not only various shops but also various street stalls along both sides of the road.”

“The first thing that caught your eye was a fox Demon dressed in a white robe. In front of him was an incense table made of red sandalwood, on which pine ink was neatly arranged.”

“As if noticing Su Mo’s gaze, the fox Demon picked up a piece of pine ink with his long claw and began to promote it.”

“Authentic painted skin ink, made from the smoke of pine trees burned from female ghosts' graves and glue boiled from black donkey hooves.”

“Dotting a tear mole can attract romance, drawing eyeliner can see ghosts and gods.”

“Dipped in the tears of a beloved, it can even change one's appearance for three days.”

“Sir in the silk robe, would you like a piece?”

“Me?”

“You were stunned upon hearing this, only then realizing that the fox Demon was calling you.”

“And as the fox Demon saw you turn your head, he immediately looked at Dou Qianli again.”

“And you, Master Rat, I think you also need one. Then you can change into a beautiful woman if you want, or a strong man if you want!”

“And if you just outline your whiskers, tsk, tsk, tsk, your appearance will definitely surpass that of Guan Yu’s magnificent beard…”

“No, no! Not needed!”

“At this moment, Dou Qianli’s tone was fierce, clearly indicating that he disliked others commenting on his appearance.”

“He immediately interrupted the fox Demon's words.”

“Seeing his attempt thwarted, the fox Demon pouted and stopped promoting, sitting behind the table, quietly waiting for the next fated person.”

“You continued to walk forward, following Dou Qianli.”

“The hawking sounds from both sides of the road continuously reached your ears.”

“Life-borrowing talismans, selling life-borrowing talismans! First, borrow the lifespan of children; second, borrow from spouses and parents; third, borrow from ancestral graves’ Feng Shui…”

“Karma mending, Karma mending! Mending past life grievances, specifically cutting off karmic creditors…”