The Banquet of the Forsaken Souls

In the heart of the ancient Chinese city of Chang'an, under the shadow of the Great Wall, there stood a grand banquet hall known as the Year Gengyao's Ghostly Gathering. This hall was said to host the most sumptuous feasts, where the living mingled with the dead, and the veil between worlds was as thin as the morning mist. It was a place where the forgotten and forsaken souls found solace, and their tales were whispered in the hushed tones of the banquet's guests.

Among the living, there was a young man named Li. He was an aspiring writer, a man who sought the truth behind the legends of the past. His latest project was a book about the Great Banquets, and he had set out to interview those who had experienced the supernatural phenomena that were said to occur within the hall.

Li's curiosity led him to the old tales of the forsaken souls, those who had died without peace or justice. It was said that their spirits were bound to the banquet hall, and they would appear to the living, seeking to fulfill their last wishes or to find closure. Li was determined to uncover the truth behind these stories, and he believed that the Great Banquet was the key to his discovery.

One evening, as the moon hung low in the sky, casting a silver glow over Chang'an, Li found himself standing outside the Great Banquet hall. The air was thick with the scent of incense and the distant sound of a lute. With a shiver, he pushed open the heavy wooden doors and stepped into the grand hall.

The room was vast, with towering pillars and a high, arched ceiling that seemed to stretch towards the heavens. The walls were adorned with intricate carvings of ancient gods and mythical creatures. Li's eyes were drawn to the long table that ran the length of the hall, covered in an array of the most exquisite dishes he had ever seen.

He approached the table and was about to take a seat when he heard a voice. It was soft and melodic, yet it carried an eerie weight.

"Welcome, young man. You have been chosen to host the Great Banquet of the forsaken souls."

Li turned, searching for the source of the voice, but saw no one. The room was empty, save for the table and the endless array of food. He looked back at the table, his heart pounding in his chest.

"Who are you?" he called out, his voice echoing through the hall.

There was no answer, only the silence that seemed to press down on him like a heavy cloak.

Li's mind raced as he tried to make sense of what was happening. He had heard stories of the banquet hall, but he had never imagined that he would be its host. He decided to follow the voice, hoping to find the source of it.

He wandered through the hall, his footsteps echoing on the stone floor, until he reached a secluded corner. There, hidden behind a tapestry, he found a small, ornate box. The box was adorned with intricate carvings of souls, each one bound to the banquet hall.

Li's hand trembled as he opened the box. Inside, he found a scroll. He unrolled it and read the words written in ancient Chinese script.

"You have been chosen to host the Great Banquet of the forsaken souls. As the host, you will be responsible for their last wishes. Fulfill their desires, and they will leave you in peace. Ignore them, and they will haunt you forever."

Li's heart raced as he realized the gravity of his situation. He had no choice but to comply. He returned to the table and began to call out the names of the forsaken souls, asking for their wishes.

One by one, the spirits appeared, their forms ghostly and translucent. Each one had a story, a wish that they had carried with them since their deaths. Some sought revenge, others redemption, and still others simply wanted to be remembered.

Li listened to their tales, his heart heavy with the weight of their sorrow. He tried his best to fulfill their wishes, but the task was overwhelming. The spirits were relentless, their demands growing more desperate as the night wore on.

As the first light of dawn began to filter through the high windows, Li realized that he had failed. The spirits were not satisfied, and they had chosen him as their eternal host. He saw their forms swirling around him, their eyes filled with a mixture of anger and sorrow.

Li knew that he had made a grave mistake. He had invited the forsaken souls to the Great Banquet, and they had taken over his life. He was trapped, bound to the hall, a ghost among the living.

The banquet hall of Year Gengyao's Ghostly Gathering was now his eternal prison, where he would spend his days and nights in the company of the forsaken souls, their stories echoing in his mind like a haunting melody.

And so, the young man who sought the truth behind the Great Banquets found himself ensnared in a nightmarish encounter with the past and the living, forever bound to the spirits of the forsaken.