# 362
**Chapter 362: Ghost City**
*Dong—!!*
With a dull thud, the dust accumulated on the surface of the massive bronze gate slowly fell away. The ancient and mysterious door finally swung fully open before the four of them!
Dust swept past their figures as they crouched beside the cave, watching in stunned silence.
As the bronze gate reached its widest point, the entire space fell into deathly stillness again. The four exchanged glances, sinking into silence...
“Did any of you... just knock on the door?” Baili Pangpang couldn’t help but ask.
“How is that possible?” Li Deyang’s mouth twitched. “That thing clearly reeks of evil. Who in their right mind would knock on it?”
“Then how did it open?”
“No idea.”
Baili Pangpang pondered for a moment, then hesitantly asked, “So... do we crawl through the cave or take the main entrance?”
“Let’s take the main entrance,” An Qingyu adjusted his glasses. “At least we can see what’s behind the door. Crawling through the cave, we’d have no idea what’s waiting on the other side.”
“Makes sense!” Baili Pangpang gave An Qingyu a thumbs-up.
The four walked up to the bronze gate and swept their flashlights into the space beyond. Amid the swirling dust, the faint outline of an ancient city emerged.
Cao Yuan, gripping his blade, took the lead. Behind him were Li Deyang, Baili Pangpang, and An Qingyu.
To their surprise, no danger appeared. They passed through the bronze gate without incident and stepped to the other side of the black wall. The moment they entered, a bone-chilling cold seeped into their skin, and all of them shivered.
“Why is it so cold?” Li Deyang frowned.
“It’s death aura,” Cao Yuan said calmly. “The space behind the gate is filled with it. It suppresses the vital energy of the living.”
“Old Cao, you sure know a lot,” Baili Pangpang remarked.
“My master told me.”
“Your master?” Baili Pangpang blinked, as if remembering something. “You mean that... Golden Cicada Monk?”
Cao Yuan nodded, sweeping his flashlight carefully ahead. Beneath their feet was a gravel path, flanked by emptiness. In the distance, they could see scattered earthen houses, uneven and eerie, exuding a sinister aura.
“Looks like an abandoned ancient town,” Li Deyang muttered, puzzled. “I’ve lived in Anta County for so long. How come I’ve never heard of a city hidden in this primeval forest?”
An Qingyu glanced at him and said calmly, “Maybe you *have* heard of it.”
Li Deyang froze, as if something clicked. “You mean... those strange legends?”
“The eternal kingdom of the dead, hidden deep within the forest,” Cao Yuan murmured. “It does match this place.”
At that, Baili Pangpang swallowed hard and began glancing around nervously...
“A kingdom of the dead... does that mean there are ghosts?” he whispered.
“Not sure,” Cao Yuan hesitated. “But the Golden Cicada Monk once said that dense death aura is usually caused by wandering spirits. Normally, they don’t approach the living, and they can’t be seen with the naked eye.”
“Can’t be seen?”
Baili Pangpang blinked, then pulled a monocle from his pocket.
He stared at it, conflicted...
Should I put it on?
What if I *do* see a ghost?
I’ve never seen one before...
But what if it’s terrifying?
Maybe I shouldn’t look?
But I’m so curious!
Fear and curiosity warred in his mind. After a long internal struggle, curiosity won. Clutching his prayer beads, Baili Pangpang carefully placed the monocle on his nose...
To the others, Baili Pangpang suddenly froze. He turned his head stiffly, scanning the surroundings inch by inch.
His face turned pale.
“What’s wrong? What did you see?” Cao Yuan asked, puzzled.
Baili Pangpang swallowed hard, opened his mouth, and said in a trembling voice:
“Ghosts... ghosts everywhere!”
...
Elsewhere.
Lin Qiye darted out of the tunnel, quickly turning around. Before the paper figures could emerge, he slammed his palm onto the ground.
*“Earth trembles, the tree of heaven and man collapses.”*
*Bzzzt—!!*
The ground beneath Lin Qiye cracked, spreading to the edge of the cave. Then, the entire entrance collapsed, sealing the tunnel shut!
Dust billowed, but Lin Qiye didn’t pause. He turned and sprinted away from the collapsed cave.
He knew this trick would only slow the paper figures. It wouldn’t stop them for long.
Sure enough, just ten seconds after Lin Qiye vanished, the collapsed cave burst open again. Paper figures poured out, their eerie faces scanning the area, searching for his trail.
Moments later, they scattered in all directions, combing the area methodically.
By then, Lin Qiye had already crossed five streets and stopped in front of a small, dim courtyard.
Having shaken off the paper figures, he finally had a chance to observe his surroundings. He looked around and realized he was now in an ancient, abandoned town. Surprise flickered in his eyes.
He had imagined many possibilities behind the bronze gate—a larger ant nest, a sealed terror, a paradise for “mysteries”...
But never a *city*.
His gaze fell on the dark, low house before him. Something felt off, though he couldn’t quite place what.
Just then, a white paper figure entered his mental perception range. It drifted swiftly along the winding gravel path, as if searching for something—and it was heading straight toward him.
Lin Qiye frowned. His eyes swept the area, finally settling on the eerie courtyard.
There was nowhere else to hide.
He took a deep breath and slowly pushed open the red-painted gate. To his surprise, it opened smoothly—no creak, no resistance. It was eerily silent.
Without a sound, Lin Qiye slipped inside and gently closed the gate behind him.
In front of the vermillion door, the air fell into deathly silence once more.