CHAPTER 408: CHAPTER 172: GAIN SOME INSIGHT, USAGE OF PROPS (5K)_3

The Fourth Great-uncle Master set up the altar to perform a ritual, using a vermilion pen to write the current information on the back of a yellow talisman.

The yellow talisman with the message spun and burned as the Fourth Great-uncle Master conducted the ritual, transforming into a streak of flame that shot into a jar in front of the altar; in an instant, the fire disappeared.

"Now, we just wait. If he gets the message, he’ll definitely find a way to send a reply."

The elders of Fuyu Mountain also knew that relying on the people from the Scorching Sun Department to enter the Netherworld directly would probably get information more easily. But they didn’t want to just wait around—let alone count on the Scorching Sun Department.

The Seventh Great-Uncle Master stood by, looking like he wanted to say something but held back.

"Isn’t this that legendary method for sending messages to the dead?"

"No, strictly speaking, it’s a way to send messages to the Nether Soul Realm, Netherworld, and the like. Back when those places didn’t exist—no Nether Soul Realm, no Ghost Market—there was nowhere to use it. These days, it’s not really necessary, much more convenient to just make a phone call. Whether it’ll work, I don’t know, just giving it a try."

"How about contacting those people from Mount Qingcheng?"

"The people from Qingcheng have already got their hands full. Just got word—the entire Taiyin Domain of Qingcheng has disappeared, and even Qing Xuzi rushed back in a hurry."

The Seventh Great-Uncle Master was shocked.

"Good thing our Fuyu Mountain Zombie Cave is unloved by the Yang World, unwelcome in the Netherworld—despised by both men and ghosts."

Everyone turned together to look at the Seventh Great-Uncle Master. Even the Grand Uncle Master couldn’t help but say—

"You really have a way with words. In the future, just don’t say them."

...

Wen Yan had been staying in the manor for a day, and already he was tossing and turning, feeling out of sorts all over.

Days without electricity or internet were truly agony. Luckily, he carried the Scorching Sun Jade and Blood Warm Jade with him, so at least he could practice cultivation to kill some time.

After finishing a round of fist practice, he started flipping through the books in Lord Zhu’s study.

The lord’s library was sizable, with a lot of miscellaneous books. Judging by the marks, he read history books the most, but among the miscellaneous books it was the novels—especially those with alternate histories—that showed the most signs of being read.

At first, Wen Yan didn’t quite get why Lord Zhu could get into alt history novels, with protagonists overturning great events. But when he came across a modern novel, he suddenly understood—Lord Zhu reading alt history fiction was probably the same as him reading modern novels: all wish fulfillment.

As for the classics on the shelves, there wasn’t much sign he’d read them. Wen Yan figured Lord Zhu was pretty down-to-earth, not so different from regular people.

In a flash, half the day passed. A paper servant came to report that something outside had changed.

Wen Yan walked out of the room and looked far into the distance. At the pitch-black horizon, a vast stretch of flaming clouds seemed to appear.

The flaming clouds quickly dissipated, and the lit-up sky sank back into stillness.

Just at that moment, a yellow talisman over a meter long fell from the sky, landing right in front of Wen Yan.

Wen Yan didn’t reach for it. The few large characters on the front were hard to miss, and he recognized them.

"Don’t get tainted with Yang Energy."

He looked at the front, not recognizing most of it, so waved a Grave Walker over to flip it. The back was densely packed with words.

The person who wrote it was very thoughtful—it was in small regular script, lest he fail to recognize the characters.

After he finished reading, Wen Yan stretched out a finger and lightly touched it. That yellow talisman silently turned to ashes, leaving nothing but a bit of paper dust in his hand.

The message was sent by Fuyu Mountain’s Fourth Great-uncle Master, updating him on the situation and letting him know Fuyu was working on a way to bring him back.

Wen Yan sighed—well, that was that. He’d been planning to find someone to send a message, maybe see if the shelves could open a window, but now it had already been tried. Guess he could give up now.

The Fourth Great-uncle Master told him to be careful. Not to run around.

Right now, aside from Lord Zhu’s manor disappearing, other known places lost include part of the Yin Realm at Helan Mountain, part of Fengdu, and the entire Taiyin Domain of Qingcheng.

But on the plus side, Dai Mountain has a new road that wasn’t there before.

Old Zhao’s home turned up a bunch of Evil Ghosts, but it wasn’t a big problem. Someone had a killing spree and cleared them all out. Even the streetlights weren’t enough—as it was, the streetlights on an entire block outside the villa area were hung full of Evil Ghosts.

It was supposed to be the first time in decades something like this had happened—dozens of Evil Ghosts turning up in one area within a short time—but ironically, this was the simplest case. Cai Heizi was grinning from ear to ear.

The Evil Ghosts dangling from the streetlights—normal people couldn’t see them anyway. The Great Killer Star was killing to his heart’s content, and no one from the Scorching Sun Department even bothered to clean up...

Within a day, word spread in the shadows—every Ghost lurking hidden in Duanzhou was so terrified, they all started packing up to move out.

The living world was okay for now, but the Netherworld on this side might not be so safe.

All those things that vanished probably fell into the Netherworld, and all those Nether Souls, with their limits gone, popping up now in the environments best suited for them—eight or nine times out of ten, some Nether Souls would lose control. As a living person, he stood out like a sore thumb in the Netherworld. He’d better stay put in the manor and not run around.

The day went by. Wen Yan didn’t wander—just stayed in the manor. He was afraid if he went out, he’d get lost and never make it back. If the environment didn’t finish him off, he’d die of hunger or thirst here, for sure.

Anyway, the manor had everything he needed. He could tough it out for a year or so, no problem.

Dragging a chair out into the big courtyard, he sat down, engrossed in a "Book of Gastronomy"—when a paper servant came to report.

"Sir, we’ve caught a Nether Soul outside."

"Bring it in."

Two paper servants hauled a Nether Soul in, floating from outside. Another paper servant, carrying an odd-looking crossbow, followed behind.

Wen Yan didn’t pay the Nether Soul any mind, but took the crossbow from the paper servant and gave it a look—then was properly dumbfounded.

Candle wax for crossbow limbs, a fine brush for the bow, scripture scrolls twisted together to form the bowstring, and at the back, a bronze crossbow mechanism. Incense sticks slotted in the groove between two red candles as crossbow bolts.

And just like that, a fully functional crossbow was born.

The only thing was, the incense stick as a crossbow bolt hadn’t been lit.

Wen Yan pulled out a lighter, lit an incense stick, and gently squeezed the crossbow trigger. With a whoosh, the incense stick shot out like a real bolt, smashing to pieces on the wall.

Wen Yan was even more gobsmacked. This ghostly thing actually worked!

Wen Yan eyed the newcomer—if they had this kind of stuff, that meant they were a player who’d crossed over to get here.

"Seriously, what kind of genius told you these burial objects are supposed to be used like this?!"