"Is it tasty?"
The Decomposer and the Paper Craftsman both looked at Yi Tianxing, a strange look in their eyes. They were already in the Underworld, yet he was still concerned about whether the demonic octopus in front of him tasted good? Could this fellow be a glutton? Shouldn't he be more concerned about other, more pressing issues? Asking about food at a time like this felt a bit… misplaced.
"Never took Yi Daoyou for a foodie," the Decomposer thought to himself.
"I'm not sure if it's edible," the Paper Craftsman said hesitantly. "But since it's a creature of the underworld, it should count as some sort of netherbeast, so maybe it's possible to eat it…"
After all, he had only communicated with spirits when he previously connected with the underworld, not studied whether ghost squids could be consumed.
"Edible or not, it looks fat and juicy. I'll catch two more first. We'll roast them and try a bite later," Yi Tianxing said with interest as he stored the ghost squid into the Hongmeng Heavenly Emperor Tower.
Then, without hesitation, he once again cast his Death God Hook into the lake, yanking up two more massive ghost squids. Each one was over a hundred zhang long—towering behemoths that would terrify any ordinary person to death on sight.
Even on land, they thrashed about with waving tentacles, radiating ferocious might.But unfortunately for them, once on land, they could no longer resist and were all forcefully suppressed and stored.
"This lake isn't safe to stay around for long," said the Paper Craftsman. "We should move on and gather intel on the surrounding area before making further plans. I doubt ghost squids are the only dangers here."
The Underworld was full of bizarre unknowns. Danger could lurk anywhere.
"Agreed. Let's go," Yi Tianxing nodded.
Right now, they had to find some local denizens of the Underworld. Without information, they were as good as blind.
"This isn't like the living world. We should conceal our vital aura—our yang energy," the Paper Craftsman advised. "Otherwise, we're like human-shaped beacons in this place."
Indeed, in the Underworld, yang energy was like a glowing lamp.
Clack, clack!
Just as they turned to leave the lake, a strange rattling sound echoed in their ears—like bones clacking together. The sound sent a chill down their spines.
"Boss told me to fetch water, la~"
"I'm a happy little skeleton, wind and rain can't get me down. Only afraid of boss's green soup ladle~"
…
The footsteps and that bizarre, hoarse singing made everyone present twitch. It was like noise scratching at their eardrums.
Soon, they saw a little skeleton carrying two bone buckets approaching the lakeside. The buckets seemed entirely made of bones—though who cared about the material as long as they worked?
The little skeleton genuinely looked cheerful, matching his song—a truly happy little skeleton.
At the lakeside, he scooped up two full buckets of clear water with practiced ease and turned to head back.
"Fetching water, little brother?"The Paper Craftsman stepped forward with a grin and greeted him.
"Huh? Who are you? What are you doing here at the Xuan Yin Lake?"The skeleton's eye flames flickered as he glanced at the group. But since they had hidden their auras, they looked like any other undead to him—perhaps zombies or ghost folk. He didn't question it further.
"We had an accident and got lost. We were hoping to ask you if there's somewhere nearby where we could rest," the Paper Craftsman said with a warm smile, full of friendliness.
It naturally made the little skeleton feel closer and less defensive.
"Ohh, this is Xuan Yin Lake. Not far from here is an inn—the Yellow Springs Inn. Many local cultivators and ghost officials gather there. It's always bustling. You can get lodging, food, even trade rare treasures and information. Many ghost messengers like to rest there," the skeleton said with a toothy grin and a dry, rattling chuckle.
"Yellow Springs Inn?" Yi Tianxing murmured, eyes flashing.An inn that could operate in the Underworld—and stand strong to this day—must be backed by someone terrifying.
The Underworld, too, respected the law of survival of the fittest.
"Does the inn have a chef?"
The skeleton paused at that, then quickly replied, "Of course! We have top-tier chefs—divine chefs, even! Plenty of cultivators and ghost officials travel great distances just to taste our food!"
"Perfect. We have to visit," Yi Tianxing grinned.
He'd eaten the finest foods of the living world—but not yet of the underworld. Plus, he had just caught some ghost squid. Time to see what underworld cuisine had to offer.
The skeleton didn't object. He continued on, bucket-laden and clattering with every step. His bones seemed ready to fall apart any second.
Yi Tianxing and the others followed.
The Yellow Springs Inn—not a pleasant-sounding name, but intriguing nonetheless. A good place to gather information.
They walked perhaps 200 li before a massive inn appeared in sight.
The entire structure was gray-black, exuding a gloomy aura. Thick yin energy wrapped around it, being drawn inward by some mysterious force. Within, the density of yin energy was more than ten times higher than outside—making it an excellent cultivation spot for Underworld beings.
Around the inn, large fields of spiritual rice grew. Each grain exuded pure Xuan Yin energy, glowing emerald green like jade. Each grain was fist-sized, and just a few were enough for a full meal.
"That's Yellow Springs Rice—our specialty," the skeleton said proudly. "It's cultivated through special methods. Many come here just to buy and taste it."
The inn loomed ahead. At the entrance was a signboard with just three characters:
Yellow Springs Inn – 黄泉客栈
A wide variety of underworld denizens entered and exited the courtyard: zombies, ghosts, skeletons, wraiths—even ox-headed and horse-faced underworld officers. It was lively and diverse.
"What a place. I've never sat down with so many kinds of underworld cultivators before. This is eye-opening," the Paper Craftsman exclaimed in awe.
"Come on, let's head in," Yi Tianxing smiled.
The interior had numerous tables and chairs. The inn was seven stories tall, split into a front court for dining and a back court for lodging. This separation of functions hinted at the inn's thoughtful and grand design.
A floating platform stage hovered in mid-air, where alluring dancers performed graceful routines. Musicians surrounded them, playing eerie yet captivating melodies. Each dancer was seductive and enchanting—enough to make the crowd forget to blink.
"Welcome, esteemed guests!"A smiling ghostly server greeted them warmly. "You can rest assured here. We offer food and rooms. And most importantly—this place is absolutely safe. No killing is allowed in the inn. Anyone who violates that rule will face punishment by the Yellow Springs Inn itself."
His voice was calm but filled with conviction—clearly, this rule wasn't just for show.
"Oh? What are your signature dishes? Also… I've brought my own ingredients. Would your chefs be willing to cook them for me? I'll pay, of course," Yi Tianxing asked calmly.
"Bring-your-own ingredients? That's allowed. We only charge for the chef's work. But that depends on what you've brought…"
BAM!!
Yi Tianxing waved his hand. A massive tentacle slammed onto the inn floor—five to six meters long and still pulsating with life.