At half-past nine in the evening, the snow had lessened considerably.
"It's almost time," Yu Daohen stood up, stretched, and picked up a sack of paper money, heading towards the outskirts. He muttered, "It's much more comfortable to lie in the shop and drink tea in this weather."
Cao Fang, on stage, glanced at Yu Daohen's lazy demeanor and turned to Yu Yijun beside him, "Little fairy, is Master Yu's appearance really reliable?"
Yu Yijun's small face broke into a smile, and she patted her chest to guarantee, "Don't worry, there's no one more reliable than him in this world."
A cold wind blew, and the streetlights by the roadside began to flicker.
The surrounding plants were covered in a white blanket, and a solitary figure walked through the deserted outskirts.
Yu Daohen, with a cigarette in his mouth and a sack of paper money in one hand, looked at the empty woods beside him. "This should be about right."
With that, Yu Daohen took out a handful of paper money from the sack, threw it into the air, and shouted to the surroundings.
"Esteemed elders, aunties and uncles, brothers and sisters, today we are setting up a stage to perform. We hope you will grace us with your presence and support. This small token is offered with respect."
But after a few seconds, there was no movement from the surroundings.
Yu Daohen was puzzled. What was going on? Were the lonely spirits no longer short of money?
Normally, ghosts would have swarmed forward to snatch the paper money by now.
Yu Daohen suddenly realized that ever since the village massacre last time, the killing intent that he couldn't suppress on his face made even ghosts fear him. Although he had restrained it considerably through cultivation over the past year, it would still surface from time to time.
Yu Daohen continued to throw paper money as he walked towards the stage.
As soon as Yu Daohen left, countless figures darted out from the woods and began snatching the paper money.
By the time he reached the stage, Yu Daohen had just finished scattering the paper money.
Now, all that remained was to wait for midnight to begin the performance.
Time ticked by.
Wang Chu, standing nearby, approached Yu Daohen. "Master, are there really ghosts in the audience?"
Yu Daohen looked at the dense crowd of figures below, then at Wang Chu, and smiled, "Do you want to see what they look like?"
Wang Chu swallowed. To be honest, he was an atheist, but the events of the past few days had forced him to believe that ghosts existed in this world.
After much hesitation, Wang Chu finally decided to see what a ghost looked like, and nodded, "Master, I want to see if there really are ghosts in this world."
Yu Daohen smiled faintly, "Think carefully. If you see them, it might change your life."
Wang Chu nodded affirmatively, "I've thought about it."
"This is your own choice."
Yu Daohen shook his head helplessly, took out two peach leaves from his pocket, and stuck them over Wang Chu's eyes, chanting, "Peach wood calms the soul, peach leaves open the eyes, open!"
Yu Daohen removed the peach leaves and said, "This is the world as seen by those in our profession!"
Wang Chu looked confused, feeling no physical change. But when he turned to look at the crowd below, his face instantly turned ashen.
He saw that the audience was packed with figures with deathly pale faces.
Wang Chu trembled with fear, unable to speak coherently, "G-g-ghosts..."
Seeing Wang Chu looking at them, the ghosts in the audience all turned their heads to look back.
Wang Chu took a step back in fear, his legs shaking violently.
Yu Daohen looked at Wang Chu's frightened expression and shook his head helplessly. He glared at the ghosts in the audience.
Seeing Yu Daohen's fierce gaze, the ghosts in the audience also turned their heads away, not daring to meet his eyes.
"Alright, a single glance is enough." Yu Daohen suddenly patted Wang Chu on the back.
Wang Chu shivered. The ghosts in the audience instantly vanished, and everything returned to normal.
"Master, are those in the audience ghosts?"
Wang Chu had clearly not recovered from the shock, his hands still trembling uncontrollably.
"That's right, those are ghosts," Yu Daohen said, taking out a dried peach pit and handing it to Wang Chu.
"Humans have three flames: on their shoulders and on their heads. If these three flames are extinguished, their souls will depart. You were overly frightened just now, and your vital energy leaked out. Your three flames are already flickering precariously. Chewing this peach pit can increase your vital energy."
Wang Chu took the peach pit and put it in his mouth. A bloody, mixed with a strange taste, filled his nasal cavity. A warm current flowed into his body from his mouth, like a tranquilizer, quite magical.
"Alright, go prepare now," Yu Daohen said, patting Wang Chu on the shoulder.
"Then I won't disturb you, Master." Wang Chu said, then turned and went backstage to prepare for the performance.
Watching Wang Chu's shoulder flames slowly begin to grow stronger, Yu Daohen was somewhat surprised.
He didn't expect the item made by that little girl to be so effective, though judging by Wang Chu's expression, it couldn't have tasted good.
Yu Yijun, standing nearby, walked over after observing their interaction, her small face showing pride, "How was it, Daddy? Does my Yang-boosting pill work?"