Fengdu: A Handbook for New Ghosts offered no map of the ghost city itself, much to Song Miaozhu's dismay. She skimmed the entire volume front to back—only one chapter came close, listing Fengdu's tangled maze of streets and alleys.
It stated: "All streets in Fengdu begin at the Magistrate Hall and end at the city gates. In the middle of each alley stands an archway where spirits may cross between their ghost dwellings. On either side of each street are a thousand ghost shops. Every hundred shops, there is a junction leading to a neighboring alley."
That meant as long as Song Miaozhu walked toward the beginning of Yinshui Alley, she would eventually arrive at the Magistrate Hall.
Each street was flanked by exactly two thousand ghost shops: one side numbered 1–1000, the other 1001–2000.
Anshou Hall was at No. 414 on Yinshui Alley. If she passed 414 more ghost shops heading toward No.1, she should arrive at the Magistrate Hall.
After passing about a dozen shops, she spotted one of the junctions described in the Fengdu: A Handbook for New Ghosts
A signpost stood at the fork.
To the left: Cuiliu Alley.
To the right: Chunyi Alley.
However, both paths were engulfed in thick fog and a suffocating chill—what lay beyond them, she could not see. Curious though she was, Miaozhu didn't linger. She only had an hour to remain in the underworld today. She had to reach the Magistrate Hall quickly.
She hurried onward, keeping an eye on the numbers above each ghost shop to track her progress. Though she didn't examine them closely, she noticed the ghost shops varied wildly in size. Some were massive, with storefronts spanning more than ten meters—multi-storied, even. Those were rare. She'd only seen one of that size so far.
But a ghost shop as small as her family's Anshou Hall? None. It seemed to be the smallest one in the entire alley.
She had expected as much.
According to Secret Art of Paper Crafting, one of her ancestors had mentioned that Fengdu once implemented a strict hierarchy of ghost shops—classified into four major ranks: Heaven, Earth, Mystic, and Yellow, with each tier further divided into Upper, Middle, and Lower levels.
Different ranks came with different functions and permissions.
But that system had since been abolished. Shops that had spent resources to upgrade under the old system were compensated accordingly. Now, any function or ability could simply be leased or purchased with underworld currency—except one.
Only Heaven-Ranked Ghost Shops possessed the ability to bridge the realms of yin and yang, a function so unique that no replacement had been created. The ancestors had refused compensation for that feature, and it alone was allowed to persist. Today, Anshou Hall remained the only surviving Heaven-Rank ghost shop in all of Fengdu.
Over the years, Fengdu's streets had multiplied rapidly.
Yinshui Alley, however, was among the oldest. In the Fengdu: A Handbook for New Ghosts. which listed streets by date of establishment, it appeared early on. Even if the owners had changed many times, a ghost shop permanently expanded with underworld currency would never revert to its original form.
After years of growth, most shops on Yinshui Alley were now spacious and well-furnished.
A shop like Anshou Hall—which returned to its basic form every time ownership changed—looked downright shabby in comparison. That thought made Song Miaozhu pick up her pace.
"Yinshui Alley No. 5!"
"Yinshui Alley No. 4!"
Almost there. She floated a little higher to see ahead, but was met with only fog—gray mist, heavy and impenetrable. When she finally reached No. 1, the true beginning of Yinshui Alley, she found herself at the mouth of a broad road plunging straight into the void.
A sign at the side pointed deep into the mist, reading: "To the Magistrate Hall of Fengdu."
It looked much like the side paths leading to other alleys. From time to time, she saw spirits float into the mist and disappear without a trace. Miaozhu followed suit and dove into the haze.
Immediately, her vision blurred. The world was a gray void. Nothing was visible.
Two or three more steps, and—
The fog cleared.
Before her rose a vast palace complex, solemn and grand, with awe-inspiring presence.
It was exactly like the illustration she had seen in the Fengdu: A Handbook for New Ghosts.—the Magistrate Hall of Fengdu.
The ghosts who had disappeared in the mist began reappearing around her, now numbering in the thousands—far more than she'd seen on Yinshui Alley.
If the Fengdu: A Handbook for New Ghosts. were accurate, and all streets led to the Magistrate Hall, then this was likely the convergence point for spirits across the entire ghost city.
None of them seemed surprised to see each other. They floated up into the sky and dispersed toward the palace buildings. Each hall had a distinct function.
Song Miaozhu's destination was the Underworld Commerce Bureau—the largest hall in the southeastern corner. Without delay, she headed there.
The hall's doors stood wide open, but the interior was pitch-black, like a gaping abyss. Ghosts who entered vanished the moment they crossed the threshold.
Having experienced similar transitions before, Song Miaozhu wasn't fazed. She had already realized that Fengdu's spatial logic defied mortal understanding.
If all the countless streets were as wide as Yinshui Alley and connected to the government office, the palace complex couldn't possibly accommodate them. Stepping into the mist must transport one to another space.
When she entered the hall, instead of darkness, she found herself in an office-like room. Bookshelves lined the walls, and behind a desk sat a ghost in official attire.
A badge on his chest read: "Underworld Commerce Division, No. 1023 – Xing Peng."
The numbering system was in modern Arabic numerals—a convenience from the world of the living.
"State your name and business," the official said in a crisp, formal tone.
"He sounded like an old-world ghost," Miaozhu thought. She floated to the empty chair in front of the desk and sat down.
"I'm the proprietor of Anshou Hall, No. 414, Yinshui Alley. I'm here to inquire about upgrading my shop's functions."
"Show your proof of ownership."
Miaozhu summoned her golden key from within her spirit body. The ghost official picked up a calligraphy brush—its tip dry of ink—and tapped the brush gently against the key.
A thread of gold light emerged, which he guided into a massive ledger titled Ghost Shop Archives.
The book flipped open of its own accord and stopped on a specific page. The official reached in and pulled out a volume: Ghost Shop Archives – Yinshui Alley No. 414.
But it didn't end there. The original book continued turning, stopping at its final page. The official reached in again and pulled out a second, thinner booklet—barely two pages thick. He raised an eyebrow. "Newly inherited, I see?"
"Yes," Miaozhu replied.
"In that case, you'll need this." He turned around, retrieved a book from the shelf, and handed it to her.
"This Ghost Shop Function Catalog lists all currently available upgrades, along with rental and purchase prices. There are also limited-time promotions—like the recent Qingming Flower Festival event, which included an app trial. Check if you qualify."
His speech was practiced, almost mechanical. He flipped to the section of the archive documenting Song Miaozhu's tenure as owner.