The Rules of Burial: If All Else Failed, Why Not Go Back to the Ancestral Hall and Take a Look?
Inside the Ancestral Hall.
The butler did not leave immediately.
He held the white paper lantern, looked at Xing Ge who remained in the Ancestral Hall, and slowly said under the other's wary gaze:
"Young Master, there are a few more rules regarding night watch that this old servant needs to remind you of."
Xing Ge stood before the offering table, his posture ramrod straight, the taut lines of his face revealing a hint of solemnity in the candlelight.
He hummed in response.
"First," the steward continued after seeing him respond, "The incense in the incense burner must be constantly monitored and must never be allowed to burn out."
"Secondly, the candles and lanterns inside the Ancestral Hall can be dim, but not completely extinguished, especially the two ever-burning lamps in front of the ancestral tablet."
"Third, you may hear some sounds or see some shadows. Ignore them, do not respond, and most importantly... do not peek."
Fourth, the fruit on the offering table must be replaced at Hai Hour. Remember to go to the kitchen and burn the replaced fruit in the Stove Hearth.
Fifth, if you feel hungry, there are cakes and pastries on the altar over there. If you feel nauseous or vomit while eating them, please stop eating immediately.
"Sixth, your Seventh Concubine might come and bring you some soup. You can drink it if you're thirsty; it's a token of her affection."
"Finally, you can trust the servant wearing the white flower in his hair."
After saying this, the butler paused, as if reminding or warning. "Keeping watch at night requires maintaining a calm mind and adhering to rules. As long as the incense continues to burn and the candles remain lit, you will be safe."
"Before dawn, no matter what happens, please, young master... make sure you remain inside the Ancestral Hall."
After speaking, the steward said no more, and without waiting for Xing Ge to ask any questions, he bowed slightly, picked up the lantern, and slowly walked out of the Ancestral Hall.
The heavy, black lacquered wooden door was not fully closed; a narrow crack remained, through which one could see the deep darkness of the night outside.
Xing Ge stood alone in the center of the Ancestral Hall, which was filled with the rich aroma of incense, his brows slightly furrowed.
He hadn't expected there to be so many rules for keeping watch, and they even sounded more bizarre than the seven rules from not long ago.
He glanced at the flickering candlelight on the offering table, then sat cross-legged on the prayer mat, preparing to remain calm and accept whatever the situation might be.
Time passed slowly in the deathly silence, broken only by the occasional crackling of the candle wick.
The drizzle outside had stopped sometime earlier.
"Tick-tock..."
A clear dripping sound suddenly rang out in the silent Ancestral Hall.
It wasn't from outside the door, nor from the roof.
It came from inside the coffin.
Xing Ge's back muscles tensed instantly. He forced himself to remain still, not looking, and breathing very softly.
Then came another sound.
"Rustle..."
It looked like something was moving very slowly across the paper.
Xing Ge suddenly paused.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that among the paper-mache children, one of them seemed to have changed position.
Xu Xi was once again amazed by the grandeur of the mansion.
He wandered around in circles for quite a while, almost making him dizzy.
He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the particularly conspicuous well in the garden.
We finally found it.
The comments section followed Xu Xi's perspective as it meandered through the Shen Residence.
[What a huge courtyard house... Damn it, what would happen if there were one more rich person like me in the world!]
[So that's what they were looking for all Ancient Well time! You scared me, I thought Boss Xu Xi was going to break the rules and go on a nighttime stroll.]
[Weren't we forbidden from getting close to the Ancient Well? Why is Master Xu Xi heading Ancient Well?]
[Wow, go check out Xing Ge's Livestream Room, why is there so much trouble just because he's keeping watch all night?]
[Damn, I'm already feeling dizzy even though this Dungeon hasn't been going on for very long.]
Xu Xi stood in the shadows beside the moon gate of the garden, gazing at the sealed Ancient Well not far away.
A thick bluestone slab was placed on the wellhead, with what appeared to be indistinct runes carved on it, and the edges were sealed with a ring of cinnabar talisman paper that had turned white.
The surrounding flowers and trees cast shadowy shapes in the night.
He didn't go forward immediately, but first observed the surroundings and, after confirming that there were no other abnormalities for the time being, slowly approached.
He stopped when he was two or three steps away from the well.
Because he sensed a certain chill.
This feeling seems familiar.
The stone slabs in that Dungeon in the last Dungeon felt just like this.
There's a Living Corpse Man hiding inside.
There must be something extraordinary inside...
Under the shocked gaze of viewers in the Livestream Room, Xu Xi strode forward, tore off the talisman, and lifted the stone slab.
Last time, Blue Entity managed to stop him, but this time, no one can stop him.
The talisman paper was very old; the cinnabar characters on it had faded badly, and it felt cold to the touch.
The tearing sound was particularly clear in the empty garden.
Xu Xi gripped the edge of the bluestone slab tightly with her fingers.
The stone slab was heavier than expected.
He gritted his teeth, exerted force with his waist and abdomen, and forcefully lifted a corner of the heavy bluestone slab, which then overturned with a "bang" onto the muddy ground next to him.
The wellhead was completely exposed.
Xu Xi clapped her hands and peeked over.
Let him take a look and see what's inside.
--
Hanging Flower Gate.
Xu Xi touched her forehead, lost in thought.
He was even prepared for the possibility that another boss, like Living Corpse Man, might jump out of the well.
However, the well was completely dark.
He had only been gazing into the darkness for a short while when he felt his consciousness gradually becoming hazy.
This feeling is also very familiar.
This is how it happened in the third Dungeon when his will was twisted by that White Humanoid.
"..." It seems the Ancient Well really shouldn't be touched.
Let's leave it for now.
[The other players have all gone off to look for clues, what are you still standing here for?]
[Don't meddle in the big boss's affairs; he has his own reasons.]
[248: Do we even need to look for clues? We can tell at a glance.()]
[I only believe in two things in my life: the authority of 248 and the reputation of Hang Ze.]
As soon as this comment appeared, the screen was instantly filled with copies.
[I didn't win, perfect, I'll go check on that unlucky kid.]
Inside the Dungeon, Xu Xi lowered his hand from his forehead; the eerie atmosphere of the well made him decide to temporarily give up.
Since no useful clues could be found at the well, let's try another one.
He felt that the Seventh Concubine was a good starting point.
So he turned around and headed to the backyard.
[Hey Xu Xi, where are you headed?]
[Judging by the direction... it seems to be the backyard]
The backyard is much easier to find than the garden.
But Xu Xi stared at the maid in front of her, who was wearing a white flower in her hair, and fell silent again.
"Third Young Master, the back courtyard is the women's quarters. Seventh Concubine has already retired for the night. It's late and the dew is heavy. If you need anything, Third Young Master, you can ask the steward to inform him tomorrow."
The other person lowered their head and lowered their eyes. Although they were respectful, their small body steadily blocked the moon gate leading to the backyard. They did not retreat an inch, and their voice was calm but carried an inviolable sense of discipline.
"..." Very good, two setbacks.
Xu Xi considered trying to force his way in, but he immediately abandoned the idea.
If all else fails, how about going back to the Ancestral Hall?