Seeing the “little ancestor” smile, Six Pence grew even more confident, but his tone became even more miserable: “Little ancestor, you must know, our lineage of spirits is nothing like humans. We don’t have that kind of talent. Cultivation is especially hard for us, and even when we achieve a little, Heaven comes to make things difficult, turning our luck terribly bad. Truly, we can even choke on a sip of cold water. Look at me—this was my very first greedy thought, and I ran straight into your hands.”

These words took James Smith by surprise. He turned to look at Six Pence again: “You’re a spirit?” Earlier, the black-robed man had called Six Pence a “monster,” but James Smith had thought it was just an insult, nothing more. He hadn’t expected this thieving Daoist to actually be a monster.

Six Pence hurriedly nodded: “I was originally a squirrel on Mount Qixi, who by great fortune gained the chance to cultivate and take human form. I’ve gathered a hundred or so followers under me, and carved out a small domain.”

So he was a squirrel spirit. Now, when James Smith looked at the pair of buck teeth Six Pence showed as he spoke, it felt much more natural. Curious, he asked, “Why are you called Six Pence?”

Six Pence looked indignant: “When I’d just gotten my chance but hadn’t gained any real power, I suffered a great calamity and fell into the hands of a hunter. He picked me up and said to his companion, ‘This fine pelt is worth six taels of silver.’ Later, I barely escaped with my life, and resolved to cultivate diligently so I’d never be bullied like that again. I named myself ‘Six Pence’ to never forget that brush with death, as a constant motivation.”

So he was an inspirational monster, too. James Smith let out an “oh,” seeming a bit sleepy again, and absentmindedly replied, “Now, maybe you’re not even worth six taels anymore.”

If the black-robed ancestor had killed this monster just now, he really wouldn’t have been worth even six taels of silver!

Six Pence understood the meaning in James Smith’s words, and looked thoroughly embarrassed, rubbing his palms together and muttering, “It was the first time, really the first. I promise there won’t be a next time. I’ll always remember your words, little ancestor, and never dare disobey even half a syllable…”

James Smith chatted with him idly as they rode the great eagle westward…

Towering cities flashed by, thousands of acres of good farmland looked like blocks of tofu, and those once-broad rivers, whose far banks were impossible to see, now appeared as ribbons of blue-green jade… Gradually, the prosperous eastern lands were left behind by the soaring eagle. The scenery ahead turned to layers of mountains, undulating all the way to the horizon. But even seemingly endless mountains must have an end; beyond them lay the Western Regions. Herds could be seen in the distance, slowly moving across grasslands dyed emerald by the grass. Beyond the Western Regions, the land grew increasingly barren, until at last, in James Smith’s eyes, only endless yellow sand remained.

Unknowingly, the great eagle had flown for a full twenty-one days. James Smith was famished and parched; the rations in his pack had long since been eaten, but the eagle never showed any sign of stopping, giving him no chance to go down and find food or water. Fortunately, Six Pence carried a small storage pouch, which held some pine nuts and a few flasks of clear water.

Seeing that they still hadn’t reached their destination, Six Pence was deeply frustrated and confessed, “I actually have a really good storage bag, with treasures and weapons I’ve used before, plus wine, meat, and money. But I didn’t bring it when I left—just this little one.”

For the past two days, James Smith had been subsisting on pine nuts. At the mention of meat, his eyes lit up: “Why didn’t you bring it?” He was quick-witted, and before the squirrel spirit could answer, James Smith realized on his own: “Going out to rob people, you didn’t dare bring it?”

“Yes, yes! What if I ran into someone ruthless—if I failed to rob him, he might turn around and rob me… You can never be too careful.” The monster answered with utter seriousness.

At that moment, the giant black eagle suddenly let out a series of loud cries, its wings drawing in slightly as it abruptly picked up speed. James Smith and Six Pence quickly looked down, and both were startled at once.

Chapter Four: A Living Ghost City

Towering walls, imposing gatehouses, rows upon rows of pavilions and terraces, sharp spires piercing the clouds, grand Daoist temples exuding a solemn air, broad avenues crisscrossing, and bustling crowds and traffic… What a magnificent city!

Looking out into the distance, all around was still endless desert, not a trace of life; yet in the center stood a thriving city, full of vitality. Such a stark contrast—how could James Smith not be shocked? And within that contrast, wasn’t there also a sense of eerie strangeness?

The black eagle began to descend slowly. James Smith tentatively asked, “Brother Black, is this the place?”

The black eagle, intelligent and spiritual, let out a soft cry, as if to say “yes.”

James Smith pondered. He’d heard that cultivators seeking tranquility always chose secluded places to meditate, but he hadn’t expected the “ancestor” to settle in such a grand city. Yet a city in the very heart of the desert, with no water sources or oasis nearby—the more prosperous the city, the more sinister the place seemed…

The black eagle deliberately chose a secluded corner of the city to land, attracting no attention from passersby. After riding the eagle for more than half a month, James Smith was finally able to set foot on solid ground, feeling unspeakably happy. But as he jumped down from the eagle’s back, the moment his shoes touched the ground, he suddenly cried out, his body swaying and nearly falling to the ground.

It wasn’t that his legs were weak from riding so long, but that the ground itself was soft. The stone-paved road, which looked solid, was actually springy underfoot, as if he were stepping on sand, and the boy’s ankles sank right in.