Chapter 104: The Grave of the Study

Hu Yunkuan’s words were unpleasant to hear.

But they made sense.

Although He Dama and the others were somewhat reckless, the matter concerned life and death, so they could still calm down.

The sky had not yet turned fully dark; the shadows beyond the open ground were still just shadows, and they still had enough time to discuss group assignments.

After intense debate, the selections for each grave mound were finally settled.

First was the Banquet Hall Grave.

Six people would enter the Banquet Hall tonight.

Aside from Qi Peiyeh, everyone in this group was primarily motivated by the desire to gain an advantage.

Because experienced quan people knew that many seemingly risk-free tasks in the blessed land were often traps; the Temple Grave had already been treated generously, and they didn’t believe the Banquet Hall was merely for eating.

Wu Xian observed all these details closely.

Twenty-one people total were divided into four groups of six, five, five, and five, and four rooms were chosen for entry.

Those who chose to enter the Study Grave with Wu Xian, unsurprisingly, included Du E—she always followed Wu Xian—and two female college students, Zhao Xiaofu and Jiang Xianglan, along with fitness coach Su Mi.

If these eight grave mounds could be linked into a single story, then the Banquet Hall, held in honor of the Liu family’s matriarch, might be the story’s greatest turning point—the moment when a birthday celebration became a funeral.

Demonic entities—human-faced owls, headless horses, coffin spirits, wandering corpses, flying-head ghosts—all gathered around the open ground, drifting aimlessly, yet none dared step into the five grave mounds with open doors.

As the last glimmer of sunlight faded and the moon’s outline grew clear, the strange creatures drew closer to the open ground, and everyone realized they must begin moving.

Su Mi didn’t overthink it; she was the first to step into the Study Grave.

Next was the Guest Room Grave.

Then what about the Funeral Hall?

The answer was: no one chose the Funeral Hall.

Du E shot Wu Xian a glare but said nothing—she had indeed been clinging to him relentlessly.

Wu Xian turned to Zhao Xiaofu and the other three.

From the very beginning, Wu Xian had intended to enter the Study Grave, because it was highly likely to contain the information and intelligence he needed.

Ahead was a podium; behind it stood several low desks, each bearing inkstones, brushes, paper, and ink.

“While we’re still relatively safe, I’ll risk asking: why did all three of you choose the Study Grave? I’m here for information, and this Du E… is just a stalker.”

The group entering the Banquet Hall had another task.

Seeing him enter, the door remained open—Wu Xian exhaled in relief; this room, unlike the Temple Grave, didn’t restrict entry to one person at a time.

None of those entering the Banquet Hall were quan people.

Hu Yunkuan couldn’t object too strongly, since on the surface, this room was indeed the most comfortable.

There were no hidden demons, no clues demanding any action.

Wu Xian and the others entered the Study Grave.

…

An old man tiptoeing forward appeared hesitantly in the center of the open ground, paused, then finally stepped into the Clothing Shop Grave.

The light was yellowish, the candle flames flickering slightly, making shadows sway; illumination was limited, and the unlit areas appeared darker and more terrifying.

Ever since seeing the words “Fatal Choice” on the credential, Wu Xian had realized order mattered, so even if it meant enduring hunger, he had to lay groundwork for entering other rooms.

He had assumed the Study Grave would be cramped, but he was wrong—its interior was vast, lined with numerous candlestands, their warm wax light illuminating the entire room.

Some were draped with gauze curtains, others held chairs; one had a railing behind which sat a pot; another piled high with ropes; one held a stone mill…

The group briefly inspected the room.

So to pass the time, Wu Xian had observed these two female students for long stretches.

Therefore, Wu Xian had not chosen this room earlier.

Zhao Xiaofu pulled Jiang Xianglan aside and said: “We’re both students from the Chinese Language Department of Fuyuan Normal College, and we’ve both joined the Calligraphy Club—I think our skills make us better suited to survive in this grave.”

Qi Peiyeh wasn’t here to mooch—he was a chef, and with his expertise, he might extract some special intelligence from the Banquet Hall.

The rear-right area was a small storage room with six doorless compartments; five of them held objects, along with some strangely arranged items.

This room made little sense—clothing might relate to identity or ritual requirements; the exact purpose still needed observation.

Though the candlelight was bright, candle flames inherently carried an eerie quality.

The Study Grave was divided into three sections overall.

After the old man vanished.

The rear section split into two parts.

Those entering the Guest Room Grave might enjoy good rest, but they had already spent a safe night here—would nothing happen tonight again?

Five people entered: Liang Fang, Wei Dian, Qing Jie, farmer’s wife Huang Anzong, and Luo Xiang.

Further back was the Study Grave.

Every anomaly must have meaning—these five compartments would surely prove crucial soon.

After tonight’s feast, if possible, they should bring out some food from the Banquet Hall for others to eat; for this, Hu Yunkuan gave them several plastic bags.

They were: Flowered-Print He Dama, chef Qi Peiyeh, Fatty Pei Dasen, and the slacker trio—Boss Yu, Huo Gai, and Sha Xiwen.

The front third resembled a classroom.

Next was the Clothing Shop.

He Dama and the others did not refuse this.

If Wu Xian was correct, the room they entered last night was the Guest Room Grave.

This place clearly related to the dead—perhaps the most dangerous room; no one dared enter first, so it remained empty.

They descended a narrow staircase.

During the day, the circular open ground held nothing; everyone stared blankly at each other, bored.

They were both quiet, scholarly girls; though not stunningly beautiful, their appearance grew increasingly pleasant with time…

After all, they couldn’t eat this meal and then starve for the next few days—they’d need others to bring out food later.

Five entered the Clothing Shop: Hu Yunkuan, Xu Fenglan, Guan Daorong, driver Old Zhao, and middle-aged teacher Luan Jing.

All twenty-one had entered their rooms; the doors remained open, faint light still glowing outward.

Wu Xian thought it unlikely.

The rear-left area held bookshelves and calligraphy-paintings; the shelves contained many ancient texts, but oddly, modern books were mixed among them.

Wu Xian even speculated.

So he, Du E, Zhao Xiaofu, and Jiang Xianglan stepped into the Study Grave one after another.

Though they wavered under danger, they were generally careful and never caused trouble—far better than He Dama.

He Dama was the type who, when danger struck, could still grasp gravity—but otherwise, she was endlessly annoying…

(End of Chapter)