Ning Zheng thought about it.

At this rate of Qi Fortune dispersing, there are about eleven days left before the manor faces a crisis?

Honestly, he's still not very panicked.

The sudden crisis is clearly triggered.

The likely cause of the trigger, could it be fishing too many River Demons?

But maybe not.

Besides that, what else could trigger a crisis?

Ning Zheng suddenly remembered what those blacksmiths at the manor said, the Year Beast.

Could the trigger point be because of the New Year?

Ning Zheng recalled the timing in his mind,

Eleven days later, the crisis will come, coinciding with the fifteenth of the lunar month, which is the last day of the New Year Market.

This shouldn't be a coincidence!

Ning Zheng couldn't understand, but also thought that there's no need to, asking the local Ning Jiaojiao might shed some light.

"Ning Jiaojiao, is there any possibility of us encountering danger during the New Year?" Ning Zheng turned to Ning Jiaojiao next to him.

Ning Jiaojiao, still fishing, slowly reeled in Su Yuniang from beneath the water, thought for a moment:

"New Year, danger? Of course, it's forgetting to pay homage to our ancestors."

Ning Zheng's thoughts were stirred: "Pay homage to the ancestors?"

"Mother used to say when I was little, that during the New Year, if each household doesn't worship the ancestors, doesn't visit the tombs, burn incense, and offer roasted duck and pig, the ancestors would be angry."

Ning Jiaojiao earnestly said: "It's said that some hot-tempered ancestors would transform into a Year Beast and attack."

Ning Zheng listened to this tale, akin to a story used to scare children, and felt a moment of epiphany as if clouds were clearing to reveal the bright moon!

Paying homage during the New Year, visiting ancestral tombs, and cleaning the graves.

This custom doesn't seem unusual at all.

However...

Perhaps in this world, the ancestral tombs are alive.

Inside, those ancestors might just push open the coffin lid and come out to beat their unworthy descendants for not worshipping, burning incense, or visiting the grave?

It's quite normal.

Lots of ancestors have died, and there's always one or two in the graves that might have Embers.

Embers are memory voids without souls, dead but not completely, like the leftover flame of a candle.

So, in their ancestral tombs, they truly house the Embers in luxurious mausoleums? With buried wives, servants, jewelry, and weapons too?

They lived extravagantly in life, and even the Embers live lavishly after death.

Take a look around the village.

Poor ghosts who couldn't eat their fill in life, continue to starve as poor ghosts in death, such is the difference in death between people.

Ning Zheng said: "Paying homage to ancestors during the New Year is indeed the most important part, we should also worship, but where is our village's ancestral tomb?"

"Oh, they are on the southern mountain, and also on the northern mountain."

Ning Jiaojiao said: "They circle all around our village, and we go to pay respects every year."

"It's precisely because our village's ancestors, with their tombs constantly on the periphery protecting the village, that we've been spared from attacks."

Gulp!

The well's opening suddenly rippled.

Su Yuniang, who had just climbed back up, also heard and was greatly shocked:

"Damn, literally blessed by the ancestors!? Will they really show up when there's trouble?"

"Then the offerings of fruits, incense burning, and worship during the holidays are definitely necessary!" Su Yuniang continued, "I want to check out the ancestral tombs, is that okay?"

Ning Zheng glanced at her but didn't respond.

Go worship at the tombs?

Her plans were too clear.

Su Yuniang suddenly asked: "Then if I die, having my ashes scattered into the sea and the tomb not nearby the manor, what if it doesn't bless the descendants?"

"Then that would be an unfilial ancestor!!"

Ning Jiaojiao was furious on the spot:

"Mother told me since I was little, that of all virtues, filial piety comes first."

"Ancestors bless their descendants' growth, and you benefit from their protection as you grow. Once you're buried after death, becoming an ancestor, you should bless the growth of the descendants too, the Inheritance of the Firewood, the continuity of civilization!"

Su Yuniang secretly acknowledged the sense in that.

Could this be the foundation of ancient Great Sect's millennia-old inheritance here?

Everyone's using their ancestors' tombs, encircling all around.

What?

You want to breach the Mountain Gate?

You must first defeat the ancestors of this Sect, the Red-haired Old Monster.

When ancestors pass away, tombs are built outside the Mountain Gate, perhaps Embers appear to protect descendants; this must be a traditional custom of a Sect.

If they refuse, they're just unfilial.

Su Yuniang felt that the sects of this world were truly genius!

This is truly choosing a piece of geomantic treasure land, ensuring the ancestral tomb's blessing for their business to prosper, going in and out safely.

It's not just Three Flowers Gathering at the Top, the ancestral blessing is also literal!

It's so hardcore!

The older and more hidden the Holy Land, the more deeply rooted these invincible foundations become, truly a time of Patriarchical Battle!

And at this time, Ning Zheng also began to understand somewhat, internally reflecting:

"The places Ning Jiaojiao described, the ancestral tombs in the village had long been dug up."

"In other words, a hundred years ago, those Demon Men came and first eliminated the village's defensive force — the ancestors, then turned them into Embers."

"And even the small villages have ancestral tombs, the Demon Men, with such a deep heritage, surely have ancestors too?"

"If I were them, I'd relocate the ancestral tomb, bury on the periphery of the village while creating a second line of defense, turning it into a geomantic treasure like Sword Casting Manor."

Ning Zheng basically realized the source of the crisis.

Turns out, during the grand New Year, those Demon Men forgot to pay homage to their ancestors and clean the graves!

It's actually that simple.

And the reason for Great Calamity or Great Fortune likely depends on the choice to visit the tomb or not.

If they go, acknowledge their ancestors, blend in, that's great Qi Fortune, an instant +500 Qi Fortune Value?

"After all, if those Demon Men's wild ancestors protect me, my Sword Casting Manor would be impregnable."

Ning Zheng sighed longingly.

The cultivation of their ancestors surely wasn't weak.

Even the Demon Men in the manor have declined in this generation, resulting in all sorts of conflicts to mutually destruct.

Perhaps relying on the ancestral tombs' protection, these unworthy descendants acclaimed such ferocity, intimidating the nearby areas.

And the logic understanding of Embers is quite solidified, memory voids; with some manipulation, if luck permits, it's feasible to impersonate for tomb sweeping and worship.

Had tried it before.

Let Ning Jiaojiao acknowledge a brother, to impersonate her deceased brother's identity.

But the problem is.

Ning Zheng, as his name suggests, is upright with steely resolve, adept at acknowledging juniors but not great at acknowledging ancestors.

It's quite troublesome.

"If someone could help me acknowledge an ancestor, to pay homage and sweep the tomb, that would be great."

Ning Zheng suddenly thought of the group of junior blacksmiths at the manor.

Recalling when he used to be an old steward on the mountain, they always spoke of "Adoptive Father," "How can we remain beneath others for long,"...

Always talking about filial piety endlessly.

They always seemed so adept at it.

Though unsure why the customs have become so peculiar with each surpassing generation desiring Adoptive Fathers in those twenty years of their world.

Must be that filial piety and loyalty are greatly upheld in that era.

Which also made Ning Zheng feel like a perfect professional match for a moment.

Ning Zheng thought to himself,

"Anyway, during the grand New Year, they have nothing to do on the mountain."

"Always thinking of setting off fireworks, firecrackers, to create a festive atmosphere, now cleaning tombs, showing filial piety, pleasing the ancestors is also quite festive."

"In this way, with ancestral blessings, peace for our manor next year is secured too."

This time, the main quest has truly appeared!