I walked along the road. This time, I wasn't blown away by a sudden gust of wind. My feet touched the ground solidly, and the hunger had completely vanished. Following Elder Quinn, I trailed him as he led me around a bustling street.
Soon after, we arrived at a riverside. In front of us stood an old Wishing Tree, and Elder Quinn walked over to it.
"We're here. This is my home. I live here, and my bones are buried beneath this Wishing Tree."
As soon as I stood beneath the Wishing Tree, I felt incredibly comfortable—like stepping from scorching sunlight into an air-conditioned room. The sensation was unbelievable.
"Your home?"
I looked at Elder Quinn in confusion. He walked up to the Wishing Tree, then with a single step, entered right into it. I swallowed hard. The half of his hand still outside beckoned to me.
"Come in, young man."
I responded with an 'okay' and tried to walk over. Whoosh—a moment later, I passed straight into the Wishing Tree. My eyes widened as I took in the sight: a simple courtyard, three tiled rooms, and plenty of furnishings. I swallowed hard.
"This is..."
"This is my home. Sit down, and I'll tell you everything slowly. I can't even remember how many times I've said this. Still, seeing young wraiths like you, I can't help but feel a little sorry. Many wraiths easily become Starving Wraiths. Once that happens, there's a high chance you'll be dragged underground."
I let out a sound of surprise and sat down. Elder Quinn floated swiftly into the house, then emerged carrying a plate of peanuts, which he set on the table.
"Just have a little. If you eat too much, you won't be able to handle it."
I nodded, my mouth watering as I stared at the plate of peanuts. I picked one up and tasted it—it was so delicious I nearly cried. Compared to the tofu dregs from before, this was pure heaven.
"By the way, young man, what's your name?"
"My name is Ethan Zhang."
Elder Quinn nodded thoughtfully.
Confusion filled my heart. Why had I come to this place, and why had I become the lowest class of Grey Ghost? I just couldn't figure it out.
"By the way, Ethan, where did you die?"
I blinked in confusion, then shook my head.
"Judging by how far you managed to walk, I’d guess you died outside the city or up in the mountains."
Elder Quinn explained to me that after death, Hell's Registrars are supposed to come for you. But if, for whatever reason, they can't arrive in time, your soul often becomes a wandering spirit. And once you become a wandering spirit, you're not far from turning into a wild, lonely ghost. Many wandering spirits are confused at first, and it takes a while for them to regain clarity.
As wandering spirits walk the world of the living, they pick up a certain amount of bad luck. After seven days, when the three souls and seven spirits come together, the wandering spirit becomes a ghost—the lowest kind. That's what wild, lonely ghosts are: unclaimed wandering spirits. Unless you died with intense resentment or other strong negative emotions, and escaped the Hell's Registrars, you might become a slightly stronger ghost—a Yellow Ghost, a Shadow Ghost, or even a Wraith—depending on the strength of those feelings.
Ordinary deaths or accidental deaths, where the person doesn't even realize they've died, usually only become wild, lonely ghosts. After some time, at most, they might reach the level of a Yellow Ghost like Elder Quinn, but they can't advance to Shadow Ghost or Wraith.
To become a ghost like Elder Quinn, you at least can't starve—you need decades to slowly build up enough power to become a Yellow Ghost. Most wild, lonely ghosts are Grey Ghosts or Pale Ghosts. These ghosts are extremely afraid of Yang Fire—the living flame that humans carry. If the Yang Fire is too strong, it can burn Grey Ghosts and Pale Ghosts, so it's best to avoid crowded places, especially where there are many men.
"So is there any way to become a Wraith or a Blue Wraith?"
Elder Quinn's eyes widened. He looked at me, then burst out laughing before he answered.
"Ethan, you really do love to joke. Let's not even mention Blue Wraiths—they're the supreme beings among ghosts, and any one of them could kill those stinking Taoists without them even knowing how. Even Wraiths are rarely seen, and unless you carry immense resentment and injustice, it's impossible to become one. As for ordinary ghosts wanting to transform, I have no idea how. But I've heard some ghosts say that if you keep eating your own kind and accumulate enough power, you can become one. Still, I've seen ghosts who eat other ghosts, and their fate is always miserable—they can't control the Yin energy in their bodies and end up bursting apart."
I nodded thoughtfully, and Elder Quinn continued speaking.
There's another way: absorbing Yang energy from humans. But you can't take too much—overdoing it harms you. For ghosts, human Yang energy is like a powerful tonic, and most can't handle it. If you absorb too much, you'll end up just like those ghosts who eat others—bursting apart from the excess.
There's only one special type of ghost—those who died by accident, like drowning, burning, or being crushed. These ghosts can find a substitute: someone suitable, whom they trick through dreams or other means, gradually leading that person to the place where they died, to reenact their death. That person will die, and the ghost's power and lifespan will increase.
"Aren't ghosts already dead? How can they have a lifespan?"
"Ah, Ethan, you don't know. Humans have a predestined lifespan, so ghosts naturally have a Yin lifespan. Ordinary Pale Ghosts and Grey Ghosts top out at a hundred years. Old ghosts like me might reach two hundred years or more. As long as I keep growing a little stronger and don’t starve, I can keep adding years—every extra year is a win."
Elder Quinn then told me that aside from becoming a Wraith, which lets a ghost live over five hundred years, there’s no other way to extend your existence. Blue Wraiths have almost transcended life and death—they don’t have a Yin lifespan anymore. There are also ghosts tortured in Hell, who lose their Yin lifespan and can only reincarnate when their sentence ends.
As for Blue Wraiths, Elder Quinn has lived 167 years and has never seen one—he’s only heard that these Blue Wraiths are powerful overlords.
"What about Ghost Sovereigns?"
I asked, and Elder Quinn blinked and shook his head.
"Never heard of them."
I looked up. Above me, everything was pitch black. I felt a little helpless, not knowing what had happened to me or why I'd come to this strange place.
"And Ethan, whatever you do, don’t go outside during the day. If the sun hits you, you’ll turn to dust."
I nodded. Elder Quinn didn’t really need to remind me—I knew a fair bit about ghosts. But I still couldn’t figure out what was going on.
"A ghost's range of activity is actually quite limited. Even Wraiths can't move completely freely—they need someone to carry their bones. So most ghosts can only move within twenty li of where they died. I died by the roadside, so I was buried here after a sudden illness."
I made a sound of acknowledgment and rubbed my forehead. I wanted more peanuts, so I ate several more. Instantly, my stomach began to ache and swell. I grimaced, and Elder Quinn shook his head helplessly. With a wave of his hand, the peanuts vanished from the table.
"I told you not to eat too much, Ethan. Ghosts don't eat like humans—after a meal, they don't need to eat again for over ten days. Only Yellow Ghosts can digest food quickly and turn it into Yin energy. You're just a Grey Ghost."
I replied, still puzzled by how Elder Quinn could have such a space. It must be built from Yin energy.
"Elder Quinn, why is your home here? And how do you have a house and everything?"
"Remember this, Ethan—the Wishing Tree is a good thing. It gathers Yin energy. If you ever run into trouble, just go to an old Wishing Tree. It's great for ghosts like us. Since I was buried here, the Yin energy is abundant. I liked it, so I bought some materials at the Ghost Market and built this place inside the Wishing Tree. Now, do you want to go out for a walk? It’s still early—you can check out the festival."
I agreed and followed Elder Quinn out of the Wishing Tree, returning to the marketplace. As we passed by a family’s house, I suddenly clutched my head in terror—my body’s natural reaction.
"Door Gods, we won't do anything!"
Elder Quinn hurriedly pulled me away from their doorway. I swallowed nervously, staring at the golden glow above the door—two fierce, long-bearded warriors glared down at me, weapons in hand.
"Those are Door Gods. Even ghosts at my level need tricks to get past them. You wouldn’t stand a chance—it’s dangerous for you to go near."
I nodded and kept following Elder Quinn, heading back to the street.
Even though it was so late, the street was still lively. Many ghosts mingled among the people, squatting beside stalls with impatient looks on their faces.
Elder Quinn told me that most wild, lonely ghosts survive on human leftovers. When the stalls close, there’s always a bit left behind, and these ghosts wait to snatch up whatever falls to the ground. They have to eat quickly—once the sun rises and the food is touched by Yang energy, it’s useless to them.
Just then, I saw the Taoist who splashed tea on me earlier coming our way. Elder Quinn quickly pulled me aside. The Taoist strutted past, and Elder Quinn nodded and bowed until he was gone.
"Hmph, that Maotong guy—I’ve never liked him."
Elder Quinn cursed loudly.
"What’s the deal with that Taoist?"
"Hmph, he’s got some skill, and he’s ruthless with us ghosts. We used to sneak into people’s houses for food, but ever since he showed up, every home has his warding talisman. We can’t get in, and he always warns us not to approach or bother people."
"That’s pretty awful."
I muttered, and Elder Quinn nodded, leading me onward.
But inside, I felt moved. These wild, lonely ghosts really live like beggars. It wasn’t what I’d imagined at all—maybe the world of ghosts is even harsher than the world of the living.