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墨書 Inktalez
Returning to this place once more, Song Bunan felt that the house before him seemed to have changed significantly. The last time he visited, it appeared merely old and somewhat eerie; now, it felt as if he had fast-forwarded into a horror movie just before the climax. Although he had not seen many horror films, he was familiar with such classic scenes.
Walking ahead, Xiao Mei looked fierce, a mix of emotions swirling within him that Song Bunan found hard to articulate. If he were to analyze it, it seemed as if he was determined to settle something. Song Bunan realized he had many questions but could not bring himself to ask them, so he silently followed behind.
However, he remembered what he had read in the Black Notebook and combined it with what Zhang Long had said earlier. It seemed there was something right in front of him that felt elusive and hard to pin down. This house served as a Gathering Yin Land, where a master had set up a formation for suppression. Tonight was a night when the formation weakened, and after tonight, it would be Xiao Mei’s eighteenth birthday...
The notebook mentioned that on the day of Eighteen, there would be tribulations that required his assistance; and now Xiao Mei was here tonight, needing his help as well...
“Xiao Mei,” Song Bunan finally spoke after entering the small house and closing the door behind them. Unable to contain himself any longer, he asked a crucial question, “You…”
The question was difficult to voice; after all, it was just his own speculation. However, the person addressed seemed to know what he was about to ask. Placing his backpack on the sofa, Xiao Mei turned back and coldly replied, “I am.”
At that moment, there was no need for further questioning; the answer was laid bare before him. Song Bunan licked his lips and dared not look directly at Xiao Mei again but felt guilty for avoiding his gaze. He had a habit of tugging at his hair when anxious, and just as he was about to pull out a handful of black strands in frustration, he took a bold step toward Xiao Mei to offer comfort but hesitated, feeling that any words would only add salt to the wound.
Many details in the notebook differed from what Xiao Mei had shared; these discrepancies seemed to hold the truth while Xiao Mei only saw part of the picture. The writer of the notes had advised him not to disclose these details to Xiao Mei; given his language skills, anything he said would surely raise suspicion.
Deciding instead to use the method his mother employed when comforting him during sad times, he stepped forward and embraced Xiao Mei. The boy's body stiffened at first from the unexpected hug; initially wanting to break free, he merely lifted his hands without further resistance.
“I believe we will succeed,” Song Bunan reassured him. “Although I don’t fully understand how troublesome Gathering Yin Land is, since I can get help from that White Mist Old Man, I’m sure I can make him appear to meet you. Don’t even think about running off on your own tonight; we’re going in together and coming out together. I’m still waiting for you to tell me how to pursue brother Xinyi.”
The boy who had been rigid in his embrace slowly relaxed; his head gently nudged against Song Bunan’s shoulder in acknowledgment.
Xiao Mei could hardly miss that Song Bunan genuinely regarded him as a friend. However, there were very few things visible in the notebook for him to see; no one knew how to interpret what his master had recorded using secret methods years ago. When he handed the notebook over to Song Bunan, it was merely a hope that he would understand how much trouble lay within this house. Although he had asked Song Bunan if he saw anything special with some hope, the outcome was as expected.
“On Eighteen’s day, one must settle past grievances; the variable is the one who awakens Long Residence. When all is accomplished, you may lay down your resolve for violence and return to being a youth.”
For over ten years, he had dreaded this day because he did not want to die. There were still many things left undone; he did not even have a proper home yet and had never attended school like ordinary children. Fate weighed heavily on him with every step feeling like an unbearable burden.
Song Bunan carried a faint scent of jasmine mixed with soap. He felt grateful that this person agreed to help him; although he hadn’t yet seen the one he most wanted to meet, deep down he suddenly thought that if he were to die like this, it might be fulfilling some kind of destiny.
“We’ll go inside at ten o’clock,” Song Bunan said before pulling back slightly from their embrace and looking at Xiao Mei with a smile and an encouraging nod.
“But before that, you need to tell me what Gathering Yin Land is.”
Song Bunan could clearly sense that his question caused a crack in Xiao Mei’s previously expressionless face. Fortunately, instead of making fun of him as usual, Xiao Mei took out a drink from the fridge and began explaining earnestly.
The term “Yin Land” generally referred to places heavy with Yin Qi. Such locations might have witnessed deaths or significant accidents or simply be inhabited by ghosts; ordinary people who approached or wandered into them could fall ill or even lose their lives.
As for “Gathering Yin Land,” it referred specifically to areas where low-lying terrain collected many negative elements from surrounding mountains and waters. These places were favored by lonely spirits and wild ghosts who lingered there nourished by natural Yin Qi, thus growing stronger over time.
Typically, Gathering Yin Lands were found deep within forests or mass graves; Dragon Garden happened to be built on an ancient battlefield during its selection process among surrounding villas. Although Dragon Garden’s soil quality was excellent, it lay at the lowest point of this area. In recent years, extensive construction nearby created highways that transformed it into a hollow shape.
Among the workers who built the house were those knowledgeable about such matters who managed to bury triggers in the foundation using Long Family members as “medicine heads,” intending for this place to become a haunted house entirely. No one knew why they did this; however, among Long Family’s connections were many masters who arrived too late upon learning of this situation and could only save the surviving child by setting up formations within the house for his protection.
To survive, one must return here at eighteen, at the moment the formation fails, to completely break the Gathering Yin Land.
"So what you're saying is that although you're alive, part of your life is still trapped in that house. Only by completely making the Gathering Yin Land disappear tonight can you continue to live smoothly," Song Bunan finally understood what the Gathering Yin Land was, thanks to Xiao Mei's heavy accent and the information he had processed in his mind about what needed to be done tonight.
He rubbed his eyes, which had grown dry from waiting too long, and suddenly felt a surge of anticipation for everything that would happen tonight. Glancing at the clock, he saw it was just past seven; there were still two hours until ten. The two of them sat on the sofa, feeling bored and simultaneously falling into an inexplicable silence, accompanied by nearly synchronized yawns.
"How about we set an alarm and take a nap?" Xiao Mei suggested, her seriousness fading. She nodded in agreement and pulled out her phone to set an alarm. Then she brought out a blanket to wrap around them both and settled back on the sofa to rest her eyes.
Xiao Mei fell asleep first, her breathing becoming steady beside him. Song Bunan tightened the blanket around them and relaxed his body as well. Just as he was about to drift off, he suddenly heard a faint sound of footsteps.
The sound was fleeting and came from an unknown direction. Turning to look at Xiao Mei, he found her still asleep and unresponsive. He thought for a moment; if someone as capable as Xiao Mei didn't hear it, it must be his imagination.
After reassuring himself, Song Bunan lay back down without noticing the wisps of white mist gently rising behind the sofa, wrapping around the pendant on his wrist that Xiao Mei had given him, as if being drawn into something before disappearing entirely.
Someone stood in the Dragon Garden courtyard, gazing at the soft orange light emanating from the small house with a gentle smile. His eyes were filled with warmth, and his smile seemed sincere and captivating, as if that house contained his entire world.
He wore a white cloak that radiated a soft glow under the moonlight. He resembled a plaster statue carved by a master sculptor, meant to be displayed in an opulent gallery for all to admire, protected by glass from any dust settling upon it.
Yet this seemingly gentle figure held a skull in his outstretched hand—a skull of an unknown creature. A small metal buckle was nailed onto it, with a Yan Sheng Chain hanging from the clasp, swaying slightly in the air.
The Gentle Smiling Person looked down at the skull and murmured in a voice only they could hear: "Having eaten so many souls, I suppose letting you keep this skull counts as doing a good deed."
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