Chapter 24: Ordinary Powder and Common Paint

“Ladies, come out to greet the guests.”
The madam called out with her usual tone to the women adorned in bright colors ahead.
The scantily dressed women gathered around, their various fragrances overwhelming Fang Mu, making him feel a little dizzy.
The madam reached out to massage Fang Mu’s shoulders, speaking in a seductive voice, “Sir, pick a girl to spend the night with. Of course, I’m available as well.”
Fang Mu sized her up. Though the madam was in her thirties, she still retained her charm.
Naturally, he was a proper man, here only to investigate the enemy.
Just as Fang Mu was about to speak, footsteps sounded outside the door.
These footsteps were unhidden, rather heavy, drawing the attention of the madam and the women.
Fang Mu looked in the direction of the sound...
A long banner came into view, with four characters written on it—Unerring Divination.
Following it, a young Taoist walked in, holding a bagua in his hand.
“A fortune-teller?”
Fang Mu tapped the armrest of his chair, thoughtful.
This young man showed no sign of death, nor any sinister aura.
“Madam, hurry and bring your girls for the great Iron Diviner—this Taoist has money!”
The Taoist, called Iron Diviner, shouted as soon as he entered, swinging two bloodstained copper coins in his hand, displaying the air of a wealthy braggart.
Bloodstained copper coins?
Upon seeing them, the madam’s face revealed greed. She stepped forward and said obsequiously, “Sir, this way please.”
With that, she pulled Iron Diviner to Fang Mu’s side.
Iron Diviner: “...”
Fang Mu: “...”
The two exchanged an awkward glance, silence enveloping the air.
Fang Mu’s expression was solemn. “Moon’s shining bright.”
Iron Diviner’s face was equally grave. “Sleeping in the big bed.”
“Two pairs of shoes under the bed.”
“Under the bed, someone stark naked.”
Both displayed expressions of understanding, saying nothing further.
This was a little folk rhyme from a horror story circulating in the ancient Yue Kingdom.
Indeed, just a rhyme from a horror tale, nothing more.

Fang Mu had already confirmed Iron Diviner’s identity.
This rhyme was well-known in the ghost market; the uncanny beings there would never answer it, so Iron Diviner most likely wasn’t from the ghost market.
He was probably an outsider, either an ordinary person or a mystic.
“Sir, here in Spring Pavilion, we have all kinds of girls. Please make your choice.”
The madam ignored Fang Mu, her eyes fixed on Iron Diviner because he held two bloodstained copper coins.
Fang Mu: “...”
He felt frustrated—these days, even the uncanny knew to chase after money?
Fortunately, though the madam was enthusiastic toward Iron Diviner, she hadn’t forgotten Fang Mu, simply allocating half of the girls to Iron Diviner’s side.
“Sir, take a look. If you like any, just pick her.”
Iron Diviner casually grabbed a girl’s wrist, inspected it carefully, then shook his head and reached for another. Again, he shook his head.
He repeated this several times, then took up his banner and said, “None are to my taste. With just these girls, you dare call this a brothel?”
Upon Iron Diviner’s rejection, the madam’s face turned pale, and the girls surrounding him vanished in puffs of blue smoke.
Iron Diviner’s dissatisfaction seemed to severely harm the madam.
Fang Mu stroked his chin. Was that all it took to break her spell? A shop is superior to a stall—it shouldn’t be so simple.
Despite her pale face, the madam turned to Fang Mu and forced a stiff smile. “Sir, please take a look.”
“I’ll take them all!” Iron Diviner slapped the bloodstained coins onto the table, pretending to be a wealthy patron.
Fang Mu smiled, knowing Iron Diviner was helping him. But would it really be so easy?
“Sir, do you have enough money?” the madam asked. “One copper coin for each girl. If you show the money, you can pick as many as you like.”
“Can I pick again?”
“No, this isn’t a butcher’s stall. Here, you pay first—the shop’s not cheap, after all…”
As she spoke, her face took on a sinister look, as if any disagreement from Iron Diviner would trigger some taboo.
Iron Diviner fell silent and turned to Fang Mu, warning, “Be careful.”
He didn’t have enough money and couldn’t help.
Still, Iron Diviner felt some anticipation—anyone who could enter the chaotic, evil ghost market alone must have some skill.
But this brothel was a haven for men. How should he choose?
He had cast a divination before coming and found there would be danger but no harm.
In the ghost market, pretending not to like the girls would still count as liking them, which would provoke terrifying attacks from the uncanny.
With this in mind, Iron Diviner quietly placed his bloodstained coins on the table.
Well, if this man dies, he’ll deal with the brothel himself.

Fang Mu looked at the alluring girls and suddenly stretched out his hand. “If that’s the case, I’ll start by feeling them. Come here, all of you.”
The madam smiled and nodded.
The girls gathered around, and Fang Mu touched each one in turn.
Iron Diviner’s face showed regret. Had Fang Mu given up and decided to indulge in debauchery?
Indeed, the ghost market is not a place for ordinary mystics.
Iron Diviner didn’t notice Fang Mu’s disappointed expression.
Fang Mu touched each girl, but his corpse-touching technique didn’t activate.
He quietly categorized his corpse-touching skill, gradually figuring out its rules.
First, he could directly extract from corpse-type uncanny, such as the woman in green; he had done so before she died.
Second, for rule-type uncanny, he had to kill them first. Then, a ripple in his mind would halt the dissipating uncanny for a moment, allowing extraction.
As for soul-type uncanny, he hadn’t encountered any. When he met the village chief, he didn’t know what type he was, and the situation was tense, so he hadn’t tested further.
So far, only these two points were clear—others remained unknown.
“Sir, you’ve finished touching,” the madam said, approaching with a strange smile on her pale cheeks, “Now you must choose.”
“Did you see me kill the butcher?” Fang Mu narrowed his eyes.
The madam nodded, covering her mouth. “They don’t dare do business, but I do—because I require payment first. After all, flesh is a base trade.”
“Hm…” Fang Mu rested his hand on the armrest, supporting his head.
The madam pressed, “Sir, have you chosen? An hour of spring is worth a thousand gold.”
Fang Mu shook his head. “No, these are mediocre.”
“Sir, you mustn’t lie…what!” The madam stopped mid-sentence, stunned as the girls around dissolved into blue smoke. “You really…don’t like them!!”
Rules governed the ghost market—dislike meant dislike, no pretense. The madam was dealt another heavy blow.
Iron Diviner was astonished—the haven for men held no appeal for Fang Mu?
Fang Mu replied disdainfully, “Commonplace faces—what’s the point? Do you have any better goods? Bring them out.”
His choice had severely wounded the madam, yet she hadn’t died. Moreover, as the women vanished, Fang Mu’s mind didn’t experience the ripple needed to halt them.
He suspected that only the madam herself was uncanny.
As for the women, Fang Mu had no idea what they were.
“Fine! Fine!” The madam gritted her teeth and turned her gaze to the second floor.