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墨書 Inktalez
Returning once again to my grandfather's grave, the cemetery here felt eerily different than usual. The hills were dotted with glowing green Will-o'-the-Wisps that appeared sporadically, sending chills down my spine.
Standing before my grandfather's grave, Mu Xuanche slightly bent at the waist, a gesture of respect towards him. For someone as proud as he was, this was already quite commendable.
As I stood there, Mu Xuanche reached out to touch the gravestone and said, "Gu Rong, why must you do this? Even in death, you refuse to enter your ancestors' resting place and instead linger here to guard his spirit."
What did he mean by that? Gu Rong was my grandfather's name; who was he guarding?
I was about to ask him when I saw him reach for the stone door of my grandfather's tomb.
"What are you doing?" I shouted at him.
Mu Xuanche turned to look at me, his gaze sharp and cold.
The hand that had been resting on his arm fell limply to my side.
"Can you please tell me what you're planning?"
My voice softened as I looked at him with pleading eyes.
He replied slowly, "Don't worry, I won't harm your grandfather. I'm just going in to take a look."
"Does this have something to do with my parents?" I asked, reacting instinctively.
He nodded and then gently pushed me back a little, creating some distance between us.
A stone door was forcefully pulled down from my grandfather's tomb, and at that moment, tears fell from my eyes.
Although my memories of my grandfather were faint, ever since I learned that he had shortened his own life by ten years to ensure my survival, I felt an overwhelming sense of unfilial piety.
Now, I was actually bringing people to dig up his tomb, disturbing his peace even after death.
As the stone door was opened, Mu Xuanche reached out to take my hand.
I shook off his grip; that hand was the culprit that had pried open my grandfather's tomb, and I couldn't bear it in my heart.
He sighed and glanced at me before lowering his head and crawling inside first.
Seeing him disappear through the doorway, I slowly followed, with Mingyue trailing behind me and Bai Qiling guarding the rear.
I had never realized how vast my grandfather's tomb was; it was far beyond what our family could afford to construct.
Not just for four people—this chamber could easily accommodate a dozen or more.
In the center of the tomb lay a pitch-black coffin, which seemed quite simple compared to the grandeur of the tomb itself.
"Is this my grandfather?" I asked Mu Xuanche, pointing at the coffin.
He glanced at me and nodded.
I fell silent and walked to the front of the coffin, staring at it before kneeling down.
"Grandpa, unfilial descendant Gu Yanxi is here to bow to you,"
My head heavily knocked against the ground. As I bowed forward, a strange sensation coursed through my forehead—not the hard feeling of the earth, but a soft sensation as if lying on a pillow.
I reached down and pulled at something beneath the surface.
A blue cloth bag.
I cautiously opened the bag, revealing a bronze key that looked somewhat aged.
Could it be something my grandfather left for me?
I felt around inside the bag and found more items. Pulling one out, I discovered a cigarette box with a note inside. The handwriting was somewhat hasty, but I could still recognize whose it was.
"Leave the village quickly; your parents are safe."
Liu Qingfeng left this note for me. Why did Liu Qingfeng feel the need to rush me out of the village? What had happened that made it so urgent?
"Yan Xi, what are you doing down there? Don't faint on us!"
Shangguan Mingyue's voice rang out behind me. I hurriedly tucked the items under my stomach, unsure of what Liu Qingfeng meant by leaving these things for me. It was better not to reveal them just yet.
"It's nothing. I just feel sorry for my grandfather. I've never been filial to him, and now that he's gone, I'm digging up his tomb. I feel particularly guilty."
As I stood up, I felt a bit dizzy from squatting for too long. I almost stumbled, but fortunately, Mu Xuanche noticed and caught me just in time.
I had initially thought the tomb chamber was only this large, but to my surprise, there was more space behind it. However, there were two passages, and I suddenly didn't know which way to go.
I waited by Mu Xuanche's side for him to make a decision, but he instead turned to Bai Qiling.
He approached and pointed at me. "Gu Yanxi, I hear you can break formations. How about I set up a formation for you to break?"
From what I knew in the Cellar, Bai Qiling was an expert in Qimen Dunjia. His sudden request for me to break a formation left me puzzled.
Before I could respond, he began drawing a tic-tac-toe grid on the ground and set up the formation.
"Please," he said, slightly bowing and gesturing for me to proceed.
With no outsiders around, I had nothing to hide.
I crouched down to observe the layout; it was quite clear.
Nine Earths, Life Gate, Assistant—Life Gate was on the left.
Nine, Rest Gate, Charge.
Yin Moon, Death Gate, Concern.
Although the Life Gate had already determined that this path was to the left, I still didn't understand the situation.
It seemed that this place should be an Extreme Yin Land. The Hai is the most yin among the twelve Earthly Branches, hence it is called extreme yin, representing the end of all things. The Hai governs the main palace, which is a sign of Extreme Yin Land.
How could my grandfather have built a Tomb here? Even ordinary people know that Extreme Yin Land is not suitable for burial; otherwise, it would lead to Corpse Transformation. My grandfather was well-versed in Qimen Dunjia and Five Elements and Eight Trigrams, so he couldn't possibly be unaware of this.
"Are you done yet?"
Bai Qiling's impatient voice came from behind me. I stood up, cleared the board, and pointed to the left, telling him, "The Life Gate is to the left."
He nodded and flashed me a charming smile, seemingly quite satisfied.
"What else do you see?" he asked.
Seeing everyone looking at me, I hesitated and said, "I don't know why this is Extreme Yin Land; it seems a bit strange."
"Hahaha," Bai Qiling laughed heartily.
"Not bad, Gu Yanxi. This is indeed Extreme Yin Land. Are you having trouble believing that your grandfather was buried in such a place?"
It was clear to anyone with insight that there was more to his words. I wasn't going to hold back either. "Bai Qiling, what exactly do you mean by that?"
He pointed at Mu Xuanche. "Ask him."
I turned to look at Mu Xuanche, but he didn't respond; instead, he pulled me toward the left.
After walking for a while, the tomb chamber before me became even more magnificent. If the previous area was merely a hall, this place was nothing short of a palace.
The musty smell in this tomb was much stronger than that of my grandfather's earlier location. It had clearly been sealed for a long time. As I stepped inside, dust swirled around me, rushing into my nostrils.
I found myself sneezing and gagging.
Mu Xuanche was beside me, patting my back with one hand while placing the other on my stomach to soothe me.
"Stop being dramatic," came a cold voice from nearby. It was Bai Qiling. Ever since Mingyue had used her potion on me, he hadn't shown me a kind face. I wasn't sure why; perhaps it was because Mingyue had given him a good beating, which made him hold back from continuing to antagonize me.
As we moved forward, we arrived at a stone door. I was surprised to see how lavishly this tomb was constructed.
In front of the stone door stood two bronze figures crouching down, with eternal lamps lit above them. Although the candlelight was somewhat dim, it still managed to burn in this nearly oxygen-deprived space, showcasing its preciousness.
The oil in these eternal lamps came from deep-sea fish, known for its low flash point. It does not easily evaporate in the air and can burn slowly and steadily.
However, this type of fish oil is extremely rare and expensive; it's not something that can be bought just because one has money. My grandfather wouldn't have had the means to acquire it, and it seemed clear that the owner of this tomb was not my grandfather. I remembered Mu Xuanche's words when we entered my grandfather's tomb; he implied that my grandfather was merely a Grave Keeper, helping others guard their graves.
Above the sky and below the Underworld, Life and Death Are Mine to Control. I couldn't help but feel...
On both sides of the stone tablet, the couplet carved there was identical to the one found at the ancient tomb in the back mountain of Li Kui Villa. How could such a phrase appear here as well?
Bai Qiling stepped forward, intending to push open the stone door.
As his hand made contact with the door, it emitted a creaking sound. He quickly turned around and pushed Mingyue aside.
Suddenly, several steel needles shot out from the walls around him. If they struck a person, they would surely turn them into a pincushion.
I bent down to pick up one of the steel needles to examine it. The sharpened tip glistened blackly, and when held under the candlelight, it faintly revealed a greenish hue. It seemed that poison had already been applied to them. The Tomb Owner did not want outsiders to disturb their rest, so they had set up numerous traps.
Suddenly, I felt something strange behind me. I swiftly turned around, and a shadow flashed before my eyes.
"Who is it?"
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