C13 Trade

"If you're into lolis... I can..." Bai Xiaoxiao said with a flushed face. Her implication was clear, and not just to adults—teens would get it too.

I hastily stepped back, proclaiming with conviction, "You... stay back. I may be a virgin, but that doesn't mean I'm interested in just anything. And by age, you might even be older than me—I don't want to shorten my life!"

Bai Xiaoxiao floated a bit closer, looking embarrassed, "Oh... are you really that principled? It's okay, it's okay. I'm willing to make sacrifices..."

I was on the verge of tears. This little girl, glowing with an innocent light, I had mistaken for a benign spirit. How could she be so brazen, uttering words that even made me blush?

What's worse, she began to act, starting to remove her spectral white garment. I caught a glimpse of her pale skin and felt even more uncomfortable.

"Stop, stop, stop! There's no need for sacrifice. I don't need that kind of dedication! Just tell me what you need—don't put me through this. I can't handle it!"

We were at an impasse for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, I resorted to pulling out a talisman. Bai Xiaoxiao relented and drifted aside, lamenting in a tone reminiscent of a salon hostess, "Ah, virgins will be virgins. I was hoping for a bit of excitement from you..."

I was utterly lost for words. She appeared to be an innocent loli, yet she was quick to make such forward propositions.

"Can you perform soul transcendence?" she asked, biting her lip.

I paused, then it dawned on me. Bai Xiaoxiao, a white ghost, carried little negative karma and might soon be ready for a normal reincarnation. But her dear father, entangled in heavy karma, was trapped selling inflatable dolls in the ghost market, possibly for eternity.

So, Bai Xiaoxiao was willing to offer herself to appease a lolicon if it meant helping her father transcend and re-enter the cycle of rebirth.

With this realization, I found a new sense of endearment for this impulsive little ghost.

"Typically, monks are adept at guiding souls to transcendence. But you're in luck having met me—I can do it too. I'll help you transcend your father."

However, my friend's sister is currently in a life-threatening situation, so we need to seek out the old ghost you mentioned before anything else. We'll assist with your father's transcendence when we return."

Wang Dali nodded, a look of resolve in his eyes.

Bai Xiaoxiao, with a furrowed brow, said, "If that's the case, I'm coming with you. If you were to perish, there'd be no one left to help my father transcend!"

Bai Xiaoxiao, being a ghost, was far more acquainted with the ghost market than we were. Her willingness to guide us was a fortunate turn of events, so we followed her lead.

According to Bai Xiaoxiao, the forest housed eight ghost markets named after the elements: Heaven, Earth, Kan, Li, Dui, Zhen, and Gen. Earth corresponded to the ground, where the old ghost was concealed.

"The old ghost has ties to the underworld. The ghost servants have laid a ghostly formation within the Earth sector, which only the old ghost can navigate. We ordinary spirits can't even approach! To meet the old ghost, there's only one option..."

I frowned, troubled by the complexity of the situation. The ghost servants had established a formidable array, and their bond with the old ghost was unexpectedly strong, making this a daunting task. Contrary to the misconceptions from 'Journey to the West,' many believe ghost servants to be feeble, easily bested by monkeys. In reality, any ghost servant is mightier than the typical red-robed specter, and even a standard Mao Mountain priest would defer to them. I had no desire to recklessly provoke them.

"What's the method?" I inquired.

Bai Xiaoxiao replied timidly, "It involves... making a trade with him. It has to be a significant trade to catch the old ghost's attention. You know how to masquerade as a ghost, right? You could go in and negotiate a deal with the old ghost..."

I shook my head, expressing my frustration, "Even with the black dye, I can only mask my presence so much. If the old ghost is as formidable as you suggest, there's no way he'll be fooled...

And even if I could fool him, I have nothing of value to offer in a trade."

The two of us, along with our ghostly companion, fell into silence. At last, I came up with an idea and let out a sigh.

"Xiaoxiao, are you scared of the old ghost?"

Bai Xiaoxiao replied with conviction,

"If you can help my father's spirit move on, then I have nothing to fear!"

And so, the agreement was struck.

If one were to say that the most valuable thing to trade with the old ghost was a human body, then my plan was as follows:

Bai Xiaoxiao would lead me to the old ghost, claiming she had captured a mortal—me. We would use this as leverage in our negotiations with the old ghost, allowing us to get closer to him. Bai Xiaoxiao, though inexperienced in commerce, was a familiar face in the various ghost markets due to her frequent wanderings. With a clear motive for the transaction, she was unlikely to arouse suspicion.

As for Wang Dali... I entrusted him with several talismans and instructed him to wait for us outside the pine forest. Given his simple and rough nature, and the fact that he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, not to mention no longer a virgin, it was best he stayed outside to avoid complicating matters.

This time, I didn't collect pine branches from eight directions to break the formation. Instead, Bai Xiaoxiao guided me through it. There are paths for the living and paths for the spirits, and the Ghost Tao is the latter's domain. The formation was designed to allow spirits in but not out, so by following the Ghost Tao, we could infiltrate the formation.

Upon entering the Kun formation, an eerie sensation crept over me, vastly different from the previous ghost markets. Furthermore, the space within the Kun formation appeared significantly larger than both the earlier ghost markets and the pine forest itself, likely a result of the Ghost Tao's influence.

We soon encountered the ghosts residing here. Unlike the previous market where spirits engaged in trade, these ghosts resembled soldiers, rigidly lining the roads and watching us intently. Patrols of lost souls roamed in the distance, signaling tight security.

Barely had Bai Xiaoxiao and I drawn near when we were confronted by a menacing ghost, its head crowned with a sinister red glow, nearly akin to a red-robed specter.

"Hehe, isn't this the young lady who's always loitering around here? What brings you today, looking to strike a deal? With your level of cultivation, you won't be able to afford anything in this place. Better try your luck elsewhere..."

Bai Xiaoxiao clutched my sleeve, her voice quivering as she spoke,

"I... I came to see Old Ghost to make a trade. I've captured someone and brought them here. I want to exchange them... for my father's chance to be reborn..."

Her performance was Oscar-worthy; she had the makings of a true actress!

The ghost finally noticed me and burst into laughter.

"Ha! I've always said it, you're free of karmic debt and can move through the formations at will. You should've been bringing us more people! Had you agreed sooner, your father would have been reborn by now. Why wait till now? Come on, I'll take you to Old Ghost!"

With that, the vigilant spirits cleared a path for us. Looming behind was an eerie and sinister ghostly presence, exuding an evil that was profoundly unsettling.

I furrowed my brow, pondering the ghost's words. They had long wanted to exploit Bai Xiaoxiao's unique ability to navigate the Mao Mountain formation for their own ends. Yet, if the pine forest was such a hindrance, why insist on situating the ghost market here?

The pine forest's ability to conceal was exceptional. Without the sound of crying, even I would have been none the wiser.

What exactly were they hiding in this ghost market? Were they dealing in something even more illicit than the corruption and trafficking of souls' chances at reincarnation?