C21 Living Burial

I sneered, "Having a bit of an attitude is pretty standard when you're dealing with someone as impressive as Wu Tianyou. Plus, he's young and handsome—who wouldn't be drawn to him? By the way, Third Uncle, you've been in Shenshi for years and still haven't found me a third aunt?"

Third Uncle shot me a glare, his expression slightly uneasy, "What are you on about? Why drag me into this? That girl is no ordinary person. Back on the rooftop, she showed a glimpse of her capabilities chasing after that voyeur. You can't pull off something like that without some serious skills."

I scoffed, "Skills? She's just taking advantage of her agility, if you ask me. Seems to me she's just clinging to Wu Tianyou's wealth."

Third Uncle gestured dismissively, "Yet without her, we don't have the keys to get into that mall. We might actually need to call her."

I paused, surprised, "Third Uncle, are you serious about going to that mall? I thought you said this place has great Feng Shui and there's no need to visit at night?"

Third Uncle let out a sigh, "This isn't just a place with great Feng Shui; it's also incredibly complicated. If we're not careful, we might end up embarrassed or worse. I was ready to drop the whole thing. Wu Tianyou seems approachable enough; I thought maybe we could persuade him to extend the deadline on that three hundred thousand yuan debt. But then he pulled this move..."

He patted the leather bag on the table, filled with two hundred thousand yuan in cash.

I remarked, "Third Uncle, looks like the sight of money has opened your eyes wide. There's no denying that money can make the world go round."

Third Uncle glanced at me sideways, "Quit your babbling. Are you telling me you're not envious of this cash?"

I replied, "Tempting, sure, but when it comes down to it, life is more precious."

Third Uncle reassured me, "Relax. I'm not the type to risk my life for a quick buck. This place might be a bit tricky, but there's nothing I can't handle. I've already scoped out the Feng Shui during the day. Now, we just need to check it out at night. I bet we'll be able to snag a decent catch with this net."

As he spoke, Third Uncle opened his leather bag and pulled out ten bills from a stack, handing me five: "Keep these for spending money. I'll lock the rest in the safe in the room."

I pouted and said, "Third Uncle, aren't you a bit too frugal? Only five hundred?"

Third Uncle dismissed the comment with a wave of his hand: "I told you, it's just pocket money. We'll divide the rest after our business is settled. Who knows, we might not succeed and have to return it."

I nodded in understanding and asked, "So, when do we leave?"

Glancing at the clock, which showed it was just past eight in the evening, Third Uncle replied, "There's time. Let's enjoy a hot bath, relax a bit, and head out around eleven."

The suite was opulent, complete with a two-person bathtub. Third Uncle and I luxuriated in a hot bath, washing away the weariness of the past days. Lying in bed afterward, we agreed on a truth: the life of the wealthy is unbelievably comfortable.

With some time to spare, I turned to Third Uncle and said, "About that impressive Fengshui you mentioned, what did you find? Give me a preview."

Third Uncle nodded, lit a cigarette, and inhaled deeply. He wasn't a regular smoker, but he indulged occasionally. As the smoke curled around him, he began, "Remember I mentioned that Tianyou Square's layout is like an Eight Python Dragon Formation? Old Wai's mention of the eight coffins only confirms my theory. In ancient China, many were adept at Fengshui Arts, not like today where such knowledge is rare. Back in the Qing Dynasty, despite being on a Dragon Vein, the presence of an Evil Dragon Fengshui configuration would have been noticed. Nature always seeks balance. Luckily, next to the Evil Dragon were eight pythons, creating a standoff."

"So, the eight coffins represent the eight pythons?" I inquired.

"You're conflating the symbols," Third Uncle corrected. "The dragons and pythons I refer to are elements of Fengshui configurations, not actual creatures. The coffins, on the other hand, are very real. I suspect they were placed by a master. Nowadays, with all the high-rises, the Fengshui has been largely obscured. But back in the Qing Dynasty, the layout would have been clear, with the Fengshui of the eight pythons strong enough to potentially transform into dragons. If the pythons became dragons, it would disrupt the auspicious Dragon Vein. So, the master used the eight malevolent coffins to contain the pythons, preventing their transformation into dragons."

Third Uncle shared a lot with me, trying his best to clarify things. Initially, I was quite perplexed, but as he continued, my understanding began to crystallize.

He went on, "These eight coffins couldn't possibly be empty. The individuals interred within are crucial. They must possess an immense aura of malevolence and resentment to effectively counterbalance the serpent's position. Hence, I surmise that they likely selected eight irredeemable felons from death row and entombed them alive."

"Entombed alive? You mean they buried living people in coffins?" I shuddered at the thought.

Third Uncle nodded, "Exactly. Therefore, the individual who desired this particular Fengshui setup must have been someone of considerable influence, to go through such lengths. Only with such measures could the malevolent energy of these murderers be contained by the eight serpents. Yet, they never anticipated that centuries later, the ground here would be disturbed again, and those eight coffins would be broken, disrupting the pattern of the serpents coiling around the dragon. Now, the Evil Dragon, unbound, has become exceedingly ferocious. A few deaths are minor in comparison."

I paused, taken aback, "If deaths are minor, what would be a major issue?"

"It's difficult to predict," Third Uncle replied with a shake of his head. "After so many years, the Fengshui of this place has undergone significant changes. It remains to be seen how much of the Evil Dragon's malevolent energy remains. The most obvious sign of the Fengshui shift is the overwhelming presence of Yin Qi. The main building, painted red, was likely intended to ward off evil spirits. But now, it's having the opposite effect, becoming a beacon for malevolence. Spirits and ghosts from the surrounding area are drawn to it, converging within the main building. That's why I'm planning to investigate tonight."

I hadn't given much thought to visiting the main building, but after hearing Third Uncle's explanation, a chill ran down my spine. I protested, "Third Uncle, have you lost your mind? Knowing full well that it's a hotbed for Yin Ghosts, you're still going there?"

He patted his bag reassuringly, "We take the money, we deal with the trouble. Didn't you hear what Old Wai mentioned? On the eve of the incident, someone heard flute music coming from the rooftop. That sound is peculiar; I need to figure it out. Perhaps understanding it will help stabilize the situation temporarily and prevent any more tragic jumps. You yourself nearly leapt from the building today; there has to be an underlying cause."

"Can I skip this one?" I asked with a hint of apprehension.

Third Uncle fixed me with a stern look. "You still want the money, don't you?"

"Of course."

He chided me, half-jokingly, "Nephew, you can't just take the money without doing the work. Don't be so shameless. Plus, Assistant Liang is going too. It wouldn't look right for an old Taoist like me to take a young woman to the rooftop in the dead of night. It'd sound scandalous."

I gestured dismissively, "Fine, fine, I'll go. Let me catch some sleep first, then wake me up when it's time."

I knew there was no getting out of it; Third Uncle wouldn't let me off the hook that easily.

The bed was incredibly comfortable, and I was out like a light the moment my head hit the pillow. After some time, Third Uncle woke me up with a nudge.

"How can you sleep so deeply?" he grumbled. "Your snoring was so loud, I couldn't get a wink of sleep myself. Time to get up; we're on the clock."

Blinking away the sleep, I saw it was precisely eleven o'clock.

After a big yawn, Third Uncle handed me a fresh plaster. "Stick this on your shoulder to ward off trouble. It's pitch black out there, and if I lose sight of you, we're both in for it."

I nodded and applied the new plaster to my shoulder.

Third Uncle had everything ready to go, and we each shouldered a bag. He also armed me with a peach wood sword for protection, which did nothing to ease my nerves.

We stepped out and headed next door, where we began knocking.

It wasn't long before Liang Yue answered. In stark contrast to us, she was dressed in athletic wear and looked ready to take on the world. "What took you so long? I've been waiting forever. I was starting to think you were going to leave me out," she said.

Third Uncle gave a wry smile. "Miss, this isn't a game. I'd rather not bring you along. Just hand over the key."

With a sly grin, Liang Yue replied, "I never had the key. I am the key. Let's get going..."

With that, Liang Yue locked her door and strode ahead, brimming with excitement.

From her casual demeanor, you wouldn't think she was heading to explore the Ghost Tower—more like she was off on a picnic. Having experienced the horrors of the Ghost Tower myself, I couldn't tell if bringing along such a fearless individual was a stroke of luck or a recipe for disaster.

Once we left the hotel, it was clear we were in a bustling district. Nearing midnight, the area was still ablaze with lights. Neon signs flickered, and the nightlife thrummed with energy.

This bustling atmosphere offered me a bit of comfort. With so many people around, I reasoned that any ghostly presence couldn't be too threatening.

However, my thoughts soon proved naively optimistic.

Guided by Liang Yue, we made our way back to Tianyou Square.

In stark contrast to the vibrant lights outside, the square was sparsely lit. The few dim lights that did shine from some buildings didn't offer any comfort. Instead, they cast an eerie glow that seemed to spread a sinister chill throughout the area.

Third Uncle, accustomed to grand spectacles, seemed unfazed. He inquired of Liang Yue, "Which entrance can we use to get into the building?"

Liang Yue gestured towards the main building, "The front entrance is locked at night. We'll need to circle around to a small door at the back. There's a guard inside. I can ask them to let us in."

Curious, I asked, "With all the commotion this building has seen, who would dare to guard it?"

Liang Yue smirked, "Why wouldn't they? Not everyone is as faint-hearted as you. Uncle Hsiao has been a loyal night watchman for Tianyou Group for many years."

Hearing the name Uncle Hsiao reminded me of something Old Wai had mentioned. There was an old watchman at Tianyou Square who once heard flute music coming from the rooftop—it must be the same person.

Following Liang Yue's lead, we traversed the square and approached the rear entrance of the main building's shopping mall.

In the absence of surrounding lights, each of us clutched a flashlight.

With a sweep of Liang Yue's beam, an iron door materialized before us.

"This is the place..." Assistant Liang remarked, stepping forward to knock on the door.

The rapping echoed distinctly through the stillness of the night, carrying far into the distance...