Small low tables were scattered about, and ten swordsmen lounged or sat in various poses. At the far end of the pavilion, Lord Shenyan sat cross-legged, with Carrie nestled right beside him, clinging to his arm and laughing happily.
I sat at the entrance of the pavilion, directly across from Lord Shenyan. All the swordsmen turned their attention toward him, as if waiting for him to speak.
"Everyone, the reason I've returned is to ask you all to come with me."
"So that's it. Lord Shenyan, I suppose things out there must be quite complicated now for you to come back."
Jing Kerr asked, and Lord Shenyan nodded.
"Xu Fu has been resurrected."
In an instant, all the swordsmen's expressions grew solemn, while anger flashed across Jing Kerr's face.
"Good. That bastard Xu Fu—this time, our feud will finally be settled."
I looked at Jing Kerr in confusion. He did know Xu Fu, and the two of them had spent some time together on the road, along with the siblings Sheng and Mie.
"What about Yin Choujian? How is their Hall of Bloodbane doing now?"
I looked doubtfully at the beautiful woman. It seemed they had no idea what was happening outside, living completely cut off from the world.
Lord Shenyan shook his head.
"The seven Ghost Lords are no longer what they once were. The Hall of Bloodbane has long since fractured, and as for the others—except for Redhair, none of them are as formidable as before."
"It seems some things never change—the number of those harboring evil intentions is endless."
The middle-aged man who had just admired my sword exclaimed, propping himself up with both hands and leaning back.
"No matter how times change, as long as the heart remains unchanged, that's enough."
Lord Shenyan began to speak about current events in the Living World. The ten swordsmen listened quietly; not a single one interrupted.
"Do you think it was worth it, Lord Shenyan—all that happened back then?"
The beautiful woman asked, and Lord Shenyan nodded.
"Everyone, please get ready. We depart soon."
Lord Shenyan rose to his feet, and the swordsmen surrounding him all nodded, their gazes fixed on him with unwavering seriousness.
If such a formidable group of Blue Wraith swordsmen could enter the Living World, they would become a powerful check on the Eternal Life Society and the other factions in the supernatural world. This is exactly what Yin Choujian wants.
"Carrie, take Zhang Qingyuan and show him around."
As Lord Shenyan spoke, Carrie came over to me with an obviously reluctant expression. Judging by their demeanor, there were many things they still needed to discuss—things Lord Shenyan didn’t want me to hear, so he was sending me away.
I accepted without protest and drifted down the mountain after Carrie.
My mind was filled with countless questions—about the existence of this place, and about Lord Shenyan himself.
"Carrie, what exactly is this place?"
"Pretty nice, isn’t it? Every ghost here, whether in life or after death, has received our help!"
I let out a sound of realization. So that’s it—no wonder all the ghosts living here are so happy whenever they see Lord Shenyan.
"What’s the story with all these swordsmen here?"
I asked again. Carrie looked at me, bored, so I stayed silent and followed her onto the street. Many ghosts greeted her as we passed. Looking around, this place felt like a hidden paradise, secluded from the world yet thriving with commerce.
Shops lined the streets, offering all sorts of goods—even though everything was from an ancient era.
"Hey, Zhang Qingyuan, what’s your deal anyway?"
Suddenly, Carrie spun around, irritated, and snapped at me. I was caught off guard, and she reached up, pressing her hands to both sides of my mouth.
"Wipe that dead look off your face—smile! You know, this is a world of pure joy. Plenty of people would kill to get in here!"
I forced a smile, and Carrie snorted coldly, striding off. I had no choice but to hurry after her.
Everything here could be summed up in two words: peaceful comfort. Harmony filled the air, and every face was lit by a smile.
"By the way, Zhang Qingyuan, are all those lunatics from the Hall of Bloodbane dead now?"
I made a sound of surprise, and soon we arrived at a teahouse. Carrie led me inside, clearly wanting to ask me something.
"They should all still be alive."