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墨書 Inktalez
Living Funeral
"Jiang Changsheng," said, "the Soul Seal is something my master left for me. If you don't let me go with you, I won't give it to you."
Hu Qingming replied, "Chen Fei, it wouldn't be good if you set off without us!"
"Exactly," Xiao Tongwen added.
Chen Fei responded, "Once we go up there, we might not come back."
"I have to go; I want revenge," Xiao Tongwen insisted. Hu Qingming had no objections, tacitly agreeing.
Jiang Changsheng reiterated his earlier statement: no one was allowed to go, and without the Soul Seal, it would be impossible to deal with that person. Chen Fei asked, "Isn't it good to be alive?"
"Being alive is great," Xiao Tongwen said, "but I often can't sleep at night."
I glanced at Xiao Tongwen. How could I think that Fatty Zhang slept well? Yet now Xiao Tongwen was incredibly serious. After some contemplation, Chen Fei finally said, "Alright then, let's go together." The next step was likely to ascend the Yin-Yang Ghost Path.
As Chen Fei was leaving, he warned everyone not to approach that building; otherwise, the consequences would be severe.
Once inside the building, Jiang Changsheng first handed the Forty-Eight Paths of Ten Thousand Ghosts to Chen Fei and then took out the Soul Seal.
I hurried over to take a look. Upon seeing the pattern, I instantly recognized it as the same one I had seen before. So that's what it was! The meanings behind those patterns were all related to the Soul Seal.
But why had so many Soul Seal patterns appeared later on?
Chen Fei took the Soul Seal and called out, "Changsheng!"
Jiang Changsheng responded and waited for Chen Fei to continue. I also waited for him to speak, while Xiao Tongwen and Hu Qingming shared the same anticipation in their eyes. But in the end, after thinking for a moment, Chen Fei still did not say anything.
"Let's go!"
Upon entering the building, a large Bagua Diagram appeared, with one side representing Yin and the other Yang. As the blood in my hand was released, the originally singular Bagua instantly restored itself, revealing both Yin and Yang. Then, a dark path emerged in the air.
I knew that was the Yin-Yang Ghost Path.
The Soul Seal emitted a faint yellow light, which protected the Bagua.
As I approached, Chen Fei glanced in my direction, and a strange smile suddenly appeared on his lips. Did he know I was here? While I was lost in thought, he suddenly said, "Stay alert!"
At that moment, his face was as pale as washed starch, looking quite ghastly.
Was he talking to me? If so, that would be truly incredible. Xiao Tongwen and the others were ready. Hu Qingming suddenly called out to Chen Fei.
Chen Fei reassured Hu Qingming, saying, "Don't worry."
After those words fell, Hu Qingming's expression suddenly softened. I glanced at the two of them; it seemed they had a secret—what kind of secret could it be?
Chen Fei was the first to step forward, followed by Jiang Changsheng, then Xiao Tongwen and Hu Qingming.
I wanted to follow them too but found that I couldn't get in at all.
So I could only wait outside. Even so, could I really not go in? I looked at the Yin-Yang path but saw nothing. I waited outside for what felt like an eternity; I couldn't remember if it had been one hour or several.
In any case, I remained outside, my sense of time dulled.
Finally, I heard some commotion and then saw people emerging. Chen Fei's voice called out to us, "Hurry up!"
When I came out, I saw that Chen Fei was on the verge of death, and Hu Qingming wasn't in much better shape. The only ones relatively intact were Jiang Changsheng and Xiao Tongwen, but their souls were also in a state of disintegration.
Xiao Tongwen asked, "What do we do now?"
"Senior Brother, you have to hold on!"
Chen Fei looked at Jiang Changsheng and said, "We're counting on you for our lineage, Changsheng. Live well."
"Senior Brother, you must also live well."
Chen Fei continued, "Changsheng, don't speak now. Listen to me about three things: First, you must live well. Don't worry about anything else; living is the most important. Second, place Hu Qingming in the Ghost Tomb to nurture his soul. Third, don't worry about me. This is my last wish. You must comply."
With that, Chen Fei closed his eyes.
The souls that had gathered before began to disintegrate and slowly dissipate. I didn't even see what happened in the Yin-Yang Ghost Path. Did I just die like this? It seemed so.
Jiang Changsheng said, "Senior Brother, rest assured that I will take care of Hu Qingming as you instructed. As for the other two requests, I find them hard to comply with."
"If it weren't for Chen Fei this time, we might not have made it out at all. His words still hold weight; we should listen to him," Xiao Tongwen remarked.
"What do you know!" Jiang Changsheng retorted at Xiao Tongwen.
Xiao Tongwen's expression was grim as he replied, "I may not understand everything, but you all do—your brotherhood understands. I lost a part of my soul this time too."
Hu Qingming remained in a state of unconsciousness.
Jiang Changsheng vowed, "Senior Brother, I won't let you die so easily. I will take a hundred years to set everything right for you. When you return, we brothers will once again tread the Yin-Yang Ghost Path together."
"Xiao Tongwen said, 'You must take me with you when the time comes.'
Jiang Changsheng, feeling weak himself, held the Soul Seal in his hand. Then he carried me out. Inside the Mountain Lodge, five coffins were arranged, and Zhang Xun and the others stood before one of them.
Xiao Tongwen's face showed a hint of shock, and mine did too. Were they really buried? Were there others accompanying them in death?
It seemed so; the ones accompanying them were Zhang Xun and his companions, who were originally alive. This could be considered a living burial! However, it wasn't true death. Suddenly, I saw Jiang Changsheng softly speaking to Chen Fei on his back, and I hurriedly leaned closer.
I heard Jiang Changsheng say, 'Two are of Yin fate, two are of Yang fate; the balance of Yin and Yang determines life. Senior brother, don't worry. I hope that after a hundred years, when we meet again, you won't be too surprised. Rest assured, I won't let you die. The kindness of pleading before our master is something I will never forget.'
Jiang Changsheng murmured to himself, but I heard him clearly. At this moment, as dawn was about to break, everyone in the Mountain Lodge gathered close.
Xiao Tongwen asked, 'Where is the person buried?'
Jiang Changsheng replied, 'Coffin Street.'
Almost everyone from the Mountain Lodge came out. Jiang Changsheng shouted, 'Prepare for the burial.'
Living people buried—this was truly a Living Funeral. The coffin lid was opened, and Zhang Xun, Li Qiang, and Zhang Pangzi all lay down inside. However, there was no one in another coffin; Jiang Changsheng placed my body into the Main Coffin.
Zhang Xun and the others lay in their coffins. Why did this funeral feel so helpless to me? Yes, everyone seemed to exude a sense of helplessness.
No one wanted to fail! Yet both Jiang Changsheng and Chen Fei had anticipated that things would go wrong but still resolutely embarked on the path of Yin and Yang. Why was that?
Perhaps Jiang Changsheng knew the answer; perhaps Xiao Tongwen did too.
Maybe everyone knew the answer. Zhang Xun should have known it as well. Later on, they asked me, 'Chen Fei, what about your lifelong ambition?'"
At that time, I found it amusing to hear about lifelong ambitions. Here, over a hundred people were all dressed in black. Suddenly, a dull thunder echoed as the rain came pouring down.
"Kneel!" Jiang Changsheng shouted.
The rain continued to fall. After three bows, the Five Coffins were carried down from the Mountain Lodge, but one of them was empty. Who was buried in the other coffin? The group took a detour, and in the end, Coffin Street was opened by Jiang Changsheng.
Upon entering Coffin Street, the Five Coffins were placed there. Yet, even until the end, I still did not know who was buried in the fifth coffin, the one belonging to the Yin life.
Zhang Xun later brought me back to Coffin Street; we both emerged from there.
Five people, but what about the sixth?
This was my greatest confusion.
The funeral procession gradually departed. Xiao Tongwen said, "Let's take Qingming to the Ghost Grave now."
"Alright!" Jiang Changsheng replied.
Jiang Changsheng then instructed all the funeral attendees to leave, and the two of them went to bury Hu Qingming at the Ghost Grave. Later, Hu Qingming was resurrected from there.
After everything was settled, Xiao Tongwen turned to Jiang Changsheng and asked if he should carry out a few tasks that Chen Fei had entrusted him with before his death. Jiang Changsheng looked puzzled and asked when this had been mentioned.
At that moment, Xiao Tongwen took out an envelope and said, "This." I had no idea when he had slipped it onto me. After reading it, I felt that this guy had planned things to a terrifying extent; even in death, he seemed as if he were still alive.
Jiang Changsheng paused for a few seconds after hearing Xiao Tongwen's words and then suddenly laughed.
"What are you laughing at?" Xiao Tongwen asked.
Xiao Tongwen showed the envelope to Jiang Changsheng, who glanced at it and laughed even louder, saying, "Now that's more like my senior brother's style! Never fight an unprepared battle!"
Xiao Tongwen was stunned for a few seconds before cursing, "You two perverts are really something else! If you both survive a hundred years from now, you'll definitely become something extraordinary!"
Jiang Changsheng continued to laugh, and Xiao Tongwen asked, "So should I go do it or not?"
I couldn't see the contents of the paper, but Jiang Changsheng said, "Of course you should go! My senior brother left you that letter for a reason."
Xiao Tongwen's face showed a helpless expression as he replied, "A hundred years from now, I don't even know if I'll still be alive." Jiang Changsheng reassured him, "Just focus on your cultivation, and you'll definitely survive. A hundred years from now, we'll meet again on the Yin-Yang Ghost Path."
At that moment, there was a hint of relief in Jiang Changsheng's tone. What exactly was written on that letter?
Xiao Tongwen asked, "Aren't you going to join me?"
Jiang Changsheng replied, "No, I still have things to take care of here. Besides, my senior brother specifically told you not to show me the letter. Why did you show it to me anyway?"
Xiao Tongwen said, "If I didn't show it to you, I wouldn't feel at ease. He would definitely find out."
"Alright," Xiao Tongwen concluded. "Then I'll go take care of these matters." Jiang Changsheng said, "Go ahead." With that, the two of them went their separate ways. I initially wanted to follow Jiang Changsheng because I wanted to know who the Fifth Person was.
However, just as I had taken a few steps behind him, someone suddenly called out from behind me, "Stop!" His voice was so soft it seemed like it could vanish into thin air.
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