Chen Xu was still alive, yet he was already being questioned by a group of ghosts about his "experiences before death".

His mind raced, but he only appeared slow-witted on the outside, speaking sluggishly:

"I, I was originally a cook. Because of my extraordinary culinary skills, I opened a restaurant in my hometown.

Folks from miles around said my dishes were the tastiest. I worked hard, and my business flourished.

I even developed a few secret recipes. The dishes made from these recipes could rival even those of the palace chefs.

At the time, there were noblemen from the capital who offered to buy my secret recipes, but naturally, I refused to sell.

They then offered to recommend me to the Imperial Kitchen as a Dietary Officer..."

At this point, Chen Xu deliberately paused.

The ghosts grew curious, and Old Ghost Cai, holding his head, urged, "Did you go? Hurry up and tell us!"

Chen Xu remained calm: "I didn't go. If I did, I'd be a palace chef, but wouldn't that still mean working as a servant?

I simply didn't want that. I preferred running my own restaurant and earning a modest living. I may not be filthy rich, but at least I wouldn't worry about food and clothing.

Why would I want to be a servant in the capital…"

"Oh, dear!" Old Ghost Cai stamped his foot at once.

Not only he, but all the ghosts expressed regret.

"What a fool, hiding in a remote area and running a restaurant, what's the point of earning such little money? How is being a palace chef being a servant? It's an official position!"

"You had the opportunity but didn't take it. Don't you know how many people would give anything to be in that position and can't get in?"

"This ghost must have died stupidly. I don't believe his cooking could be that good, that such a foolish ghost could make dishes that would astound nobles?"

"Ah, I've figured it out!"

In the tavern, a ghost suddenly clapped his hands and exclaimed, "You were killed by the nobleman for rejecting his offer and refusing to sell your secret recipes, weren't you?"

This guess was logical, but Chen Xu stiffly replied, "No, the noble said he never forced anyone under any circumstances.

I only rejected one of his offers. Why would he want to kill me?"

The ghost sneered, "The noble didn't kill you, then how did you die?"

Chen Xu said, "One morning, I lost my footing, slipped, and fell into a pond…."

And with that, the whole venue was filled with boos.

The ghosts began noisily buzzing, "We thought we had an extraordinary ghost here, but he's just a fool."

"This ghost really died stupidly, how boring, we shouldn't bother with him anymore."

"I'm too miserable, who can be more miserable than I am? Boo-hoo-hoo…"

In the noisy Ghost Market, cries and laughter mixed together.

Some ghosts tore their hair out, dug out their eyes.

Others raised gleaming cleavers, chopping meat crazily at the stalls.

Chaotic evil qi and grievance qi intertwined, resembling the Mortal World, yet different.

Chen Xu stood in this chaotic scene, though he appeared as a fierce-looking blue-skinned ghost, yet he seemed helpless, showing a hint of simplicity.

He was fishing.

Though his expression was chaotic and confused, his mind was calm as ice.

At the same time, he was employing Divine Thought Sensing, capturing Netherworld's aura from time to time, ready to utilize it and travel to the Netherworld at the first sign of trouble.

He was also secretly investigating the whereabouts of the so-called "Ghost King" atop Pufeng Mountain.

Old Ghost Cai, holding his head, his eyeballs rolling around, suddenly became stealthy, he walked to Chen Xu's side, lightly bumped him with his shoulder.

With a low voice he said, "Hey, was your culinary skill truly top-notch in the Mortal World?"

Chen Xu replied, "Of course, even as a ghost, my cooking skills remain top-notch. Why don't you try them?"

He feigned innocent foolishness and reached for the bag slung over his left shoulder.

Old Ghost Cai hurriedly stopped him, chiding anxiously, "Hey, don't rush, what's the hurry? Come with me…"

As he spoke, he placed his head onto his neck with a crack, securing it.

Old Ghost Cai twisted his neck and beckoned Chen Xu to follow him deeper into the Locust Tree Forest.

Chen Xu smoothly followed him.

What Old Ghost Cai didn't realize was that although Chen Xu seemed to be obediently following him, his Divine Thought was quietly hovering behind Old Ghost Cai's back, sensing the world.

Behind Old Ghost Cai, there was an invisible thin line connected to the Ghost Market behind.

This line's aura was deep and though it appeared slender, in reality, it was incredibly profound, seeming limitless for the moment.

The earlier change of heart outside, accepting Old Ghost Cai's head, was precisely due to discovering this invisible line.

Upon entering the Ghost Market, Chen Xu noticed that no other ghosts had such a line.

Only Old Ghost Cai did!

Chen Xu didn't know what secret lay within this, but he reckoned Old Ghost Cai could be a good breakthrough point.

Watching the ghost walk ahead, he glanced back at the little ghost market hidden in the depths of the dense forest.

That Ghost Market was already submerged in mist, only faint laughter and noise came distantly.

Old Ghost Cai squatted under a locust tree, calling Chen Xu, "Come, come, little brother, what's actually in your bag? Now you can tell me."

As he spoke, Old Ghost Cai rubbed his hands eagerly, his eyes constantly flicking toward Chen Xu's bag.

Inside Chen Xu's bag, there were two bamboo tubes of Meat Ganoderma Soup.

[Meat Ganoderma Bell, after cooking, can seduce ghosts. Within two hours, it can make them follow orders.

The soup's form is exactly the same as the Ghost Ganoderma Soup, with slightly lesser effect, only enhancing ghost qi by three percent.]

Old Ghost Cai's attention on Chen Xu was clearly due to having smelled the fragrance of the Meat Ganoderma Soup in the bamboo tubes ahead of other ghosts!

This old ghost thought he was deceiving the newcomer "Ghost Chef" Chen Xu, unaware that Chen Xu was the one fishing him.

Chen Xu opened his bag unhurriedly and delicately took out one bamboo tube with some reluctance, presenting it to Old Ghost Cai.

"This tube of Ghost Ganoderma Soup, I brewed tirelessly with Spiritual Materials… alas!"

Before he could finish speaking, the bamboo tube was snatched away by Old Ghost Cai.

The old ghost, like a black gust, instantly grabbed the tube and withdrew several feet away.

Then he impatiently uncorked the bamboo tube and stared inside with wide eyes.

Whether he saw anything is not mentioned, only that the fresh fragrance of the mushroom soup swiftly filled the surrounding air in the dense forest.

Old Ghost Cai was about to laugh gleefully.

But perhaps fearing to alarm something, he cast a glance left and right, forcibly suppressing his urge to laugh loud, and only tipped his head back, directing the bamboo tube to his mouth.

Cleverly, he swallowed the soup.

"Wonderful! Haha…"

Having drank the soup, Old Ghost Cai's figure darted and he attempted to snatch Chen Xu's other bamboo tube from his bag.

Chen Xu said, "Wait a moment."

Old Ghost Cai's movement to grab the bamboo tube abruptly stopped, he hesitated excitedly.

"The second tube, the second tube… the little brother doesn't want to give it to me?" The old ghost paused with a grin, swallowing hard.

Chen Xu said calmly, "Is the soup flavorful, delicious?"

"Delicious, absolutely marvelous!"

[Praise +500.]

Good ghost, generously offering 500 praises in one sentence!

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