Chapter 49

This clearly exceeded their understanding, and I calmly asked Qin Luye, "Luye, were those two mountains we just saw grave mountains?"

Qin Luye didn't answer immediately but looked out the car window. "It seems so. Those two mountains are used for burials. People from several surrounding villages are buried there. The road runs at the foot of the two mountains."

That makes sense. The yin energy we just felt must have come from those graves. The white light on both sides of the road was telling us that this wasn't a path we should take. It's a path for the dead, also known as a ghost road.

When it gets dark, the ghost road appears, and the living should not enter! If you pass this way, you must pay the toll.

This explains why those two little ghosts appeared; they were here to collect the toll!

"Mr. Li, can you explain what this ghost road is all about?"

I didn't explain immediately but continued, "Another question: Is there no traffic on this road at night?"

Qin Luye didn't hesitate. "No, not even pedestrians. Because it's a grave mountain, it's very eerie. Many incidents have happened here. Once, a student who couldn't find a ride home from the city rode his bicycle back. When he reached this place, he encountered a ghost! The next day, he was found kneeling in front of a grave with a large bump on his head. He didn't know what had happened. Over time, no one dared to walk here anymore."

No wonder there's a white mist by the roadside at night! Of course, they can't see this mist; I can see it because I've learned the art of observing qi.

I instinctively glanced at Huang Yiyi. She was now very cautious, not as talkative as before. Even though the road had become smoother, I could sense her fear.

I gently stroked her hand. "Don't worry. The old lady you saw was a little ghost collecting the toll. The paper money I burned was the toll. We've already paid, so we can proceed safely."

My words only deepened their confusion and bewilderment.

"Mr. Li, do you mean that the ghosts' road is like a highway, where you need to pay a toll?" Qin Luye's eyes widened as if she had just discovered a new world.

Not exactly, but something like that. "Yes, it's similar. Because no living person walks this road at night, and ghosts often use it, over time, it has become a ghost road. People can walk it during the day, but at night, it's off-limits."

"The two little ghosts Yiyi saw are like toll collectors on a highway. If a car doesn't stop to pay and continues, something will happen. On a highway, the worst that can happen is being detained, but on a ghost road, it's different. Some drivers encounter ghost barriers or even more terrifying things because they haven't paid the toll. Of course, it can be even worse, like the 330 bus incident. You must have heard about it. It's a typical case of taking a ghost road without paying the toll, resulting in the entire bus being taken hundreds of kilometers away, with everyone on board dying."

The two girls were stunned. "What if we hadn't continued but turned back?"

"Then it would be fine. You're not using their road, so they wouldn't kill you. However, some stingy ghosts might make you sick for a few days since they came to collect the toll."

"Does that mean we should burn paper money whenever we encounter such a situation?" Huang Yiyi asked curiously.

I shook my head. "Not necessarily. Ghosts blocking the road depend on the situation. Some ghosts aren't just there to collect money. In general, avoiding such night roads is safer."

"Mr. Li, you're so cool." Qin Luye suddenly leaned in close to me. "I've been with my master for so long, but I've never heard about these things. You're really cool. I want to stay by your side and follow you. I can learn so much from you."

"Mr. Li, do you take apprentices? I'm willing to be your apprentice and serve you."

Qin Luye was very close to me, looking at me with admiration. Her posture revealed a glimpse of her cleavage, which was quite fair and tender.

"Cough, cough, cough!" Huang Yiyi, who was driving, coughed to remind us. "Luye, your master is so good to you. How can you say you want to follow Li Yao? That's a grave sin of betraying your master and lineage."

I quickly looked away, and Qin Luye returned to her seat, giggling. "I just think Mr. Li is so cool, and I couldn't control myself! I'm sorry, Miss Huang, I didn't mean to get so close to Mr. Li."

Hearing this, Huang Yiyi blinked and asked, "Luye, when did I say you couldn't get close to Li Yao? I just reminded you not to betray your master and lineage."

"I know, I know! I won't betray my master. But Mr. Li, can you teach me how to distinguish between a human path and a ghost path? I was thinking that if I buy a car in the future, I can avoid the highway tolls by taking a ghost road. That way, I won't have to pay the toll."

"What? What kind of theory is this?" I was a bit stunned. Most people would avoid such places, but she wanted to take them.

"Think about it. Highway tolls are so expensive. I only need to buy a few yuan worth of ghost money to travel a long distance. It's a great deal! It's a good strategy."

I was amazed at her frugality. I really didn't know how stingy He Zhongtian was with them.

Alright, I'm impressed. I didn't say anything more.

Soon, we came to a fork in the road. Huang Yiyi slowed down and asked me, "Which way should we go?"

I pointed to the left. "Take this one; it leads out of their path!"

Huang Yiyi nodded and turned left. The car soon entered a bumpy mountain road.

"Amazing, Li Yao! We really made it out of that place. I can see the village ahead."

Following the lights, I could indeed see a village ahead.

"By the way, if we had continued straight without getting off, where would that road lead?"

"It should lead to the Netherworld!"

"The Netherworld?" The two girls were shocked again. "Does that mean that road leads directly to the Netherworld?"

I nodded. "It should. I haven't been there, but it looks like it. Let's keep going!"

This clearly exceeded their understanding, and I calmly asked Qin Luye, "Luye, were those two mountains we just saw grave mountains?"

Qin Luye didn't answer immediately but looked out the car window. "It seems so. Those two mountains are used for burials. People from several surrounding villages are buried there. The road runs at the foot of the two mountains."

That makes sense. The yin energy we just felt must have come from those graves. The white light on both sides of the road was telling us that this wasn't a path we should take. It's a path for the dead, also known as a ghost road.

When it gets dark, the ghost road appears, and the living should not enter! If you pass this way, you must pay the toll.

This explains why those two little ghosts appeared; they were here to collect the toll!

"Mr. Li, can you explain what this ghost road is all about?"

I didn't explain immediately but continued, "Another question: Is there no traffic on this road at night?"

Qin Luye didn't hesitate. "No, not even pedestrians. Because it's a grave mountain, it's very eerie. Many incidents have happened here. Once, a student who couldn't find a ride home from the city rode his bicycle back. When he reached this place, he encountered a ghost! The next day, he was found kneeling in front of a grave with a large bump on his head. He didn't know what had happened. Over time, no one dared to walk here anymore."

No wonder there's a white mist by the roadside at night! Of course, they can't see this mist; I can see it because I've learned the art of observing qi.

I instinctively glanced at Huang Yiyi. She was now very cautious, not as talkative as before. Even though the road had become smoother, I could sense her fear.

I gently stroked her hand. "Don't worry. The old lady you saw was a little ghost collecting the toll. The paper money I burned was the toll. We've already paid, so we can proceed safely."

My words only deepened their confusion and bewilderment.

"Mr. Li, do you mean that the ghosts' road is like a highway, where you need to pay a toll?" Qin Luye's eyes widened as if she had just discovered a new world.

Not exactly, but something like that. "Yes, it's similar. Because no living person walks this road at night, and ghosts often use it, over time, it has become a ghost road. People can walk it during the day, but at night, it's off-limits."

"The two little ghosts Yiyi saw are like toll collectors on a highway. If a car doesn't stop to pay and continues, something will happen. On a highway, the worst that can happen is being detained, but on a ghost road, it's different. Some drivers encounter ghost barriers or even more terrifying things because they haven't paid the toll. Of course, it can be even worse, like the 330 bus incident. You must have heard about it. It's a typical case of taking a ghost road without paying the toll, resulting in the entire bus being taken hundreds of kilometers away, with everyone on board dying."

The two girls were stunned. "What if we hadn't continued but turned back?"

"Then it would be fine. You're not using their road, so they wouldn't kill you. However, some stingy ghosts might make you sick for a few days since they came to collect the toll."

"Does that mean we should burn paper money whenever we encounter such a situation?" Huang Yiyi asked curiously.

I shook my head. "Not necessarily. Ghosts blocking the road depend on the situation. Some ghosts aren't just there to collect money. In general, avoiding such night roads is safer."

"Mr. Li, you're so cool." Qin Luye suddenly leaned in close to me. "I've been with my master for so long, but I've never heard about these things. You're really cool. I want to stay by your side and follow you. I can learn so much from you."

"Mr. Li, do you take apprentices? I'm willing to be your apprentice and serve you."

Qin Luye was very close to me, looking at me with admiration. Her posture revealed a glimpse of her cleavage, which was quite fair and tender.

"Cough, cough, cough!" Huang Yiyi, who was driving, coughed to remind us. "Luye, your master is so good to you. How can you say you want to follow Li Yao? That's a grave sin of betraying your master and lineage."

I quickly looked away, and Qin Luye returned to her seat, giggling. "I just think Mr. Li is so cool, and I couldn't control myself! I'm sorry, Miss Huang, I didn't mean to get so close to Mr. Li."

Hearing this, Huang Yiyi blinked and asked, "Luye, when did I say you couldn't get close to Li Yao? I just reminded you not to betray your master and lineage."

"I know, I know! I won't betray my master. But Mr. Li, can you teach me how to distinguish between a human path and a ghost path? I was thinking that if I buy a car in the future, I can avoid the highway tolls by taking a ghost road. That way, I won't have to pay the toll."

"What? What kind of theory is this?" I was a bit stunned. Most people would avoid such places, but she wanted to take them.

"Think about it. Highway tolls are so expensive. I only need to buy a few yuan worth of ghost money to travel a long distance. It's a great deal! It's a good strategy."

I was amazed at her frugality. I really didn't know how stingy He Zhongtian was with them.

Alright, I'm impressed. I didn't say anything more.

Soon, we came to a fork in the road. Huang Yiyi slowed down and asked me, "Which way should we go?"

I pointed to the left. "Take this one; it leads out of their path!"

Huang Yiyi nodded and turned left. The car soon entered a bumpy mountain road.

"Amazing, Li Yao! We really made it out of that place. I can see the village ahead."

Following the lights, I could indeed see a village ahead.

"By the way, if we had continued straight without getting off, where would that road lead?"

"It should lead to the Netherworld!"

"The Netherworld?" The two girls were shocked again. "Does that mean that road leads directly to the Netherworld?"

I nodded. "It should. I haven't been there, but it looks like it. Let's keep going!"