Corpse Retriever.

Chapter 429

The longer a person lives, the less human they become.

Just as Li Zhuiyuan said to Elder Zhai during the day: "I am an atheist."

There are countless stories of immortals, but in reality, Li Zhuiyuan has yet to see a truly ancient being who can live out the so-called "immortal appearance".

Even Wei Zhengdao cannot be an exception.

In terms of the outcome, Wei Zhengdao certainly did not die, but he would never feel fortunate to have survived such a calamity.

It's hard to imagine what his expression was when he looked at the bone fragments behind the throne, the remains of himself that had been gnawed and sucked clean.

Of course, it's also possible that they're too lazy to even look at it.

This is likely not the first time for him.

But he will definitely grow to hate himself more and more.

Li Zhuiyuan interrupted his thoughts.

As the sword strike ended, the scabbard returned to its original calm.

The boy applied the last few seals, completing the task.

"Take it off."

Tan Wenbin reached out to pick it, and the moment he touched it, he felt a needle-like pain in his fingertips.

It's not just a simple prick; a casual touch results in a barrage of tiny needles repeatedly pricking you, making your fingertips go numb.

Runsheng reached out to pick it up and grasped the knife in his hand. After a while, the corner of Runsheng's mouth began to twitch slightly; he was in pain too.

Lin Shuyou took off his coat: "Wrap it up with something, would that help?"

Runsheng took it and tried it, but found that it had no effect, not even a slight improvement.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Because you know you are holding this knife, and the knife also knows that you are holding it."

Lin Shuyou: "So, you have to forget you brought this knife. Is this the state of 'having no knife is better than having a knife'?"

Tan Wenbin: "Good idea. You've forgotten you have this knife in your hand, and you certainly won't remember it during the fight either. So why not just keep it hanging here?"

Lin Shuyou: "Uh, right."

Moreover, this was with Brother Yuan having completed the seal and the sword still sheathed. Ayou couldn't help but imagine himself drawing this sword and fighting. It would definitely be a bloodbath, and most of the blood would come from himself.

"Brother Binbin, collect the bone fragments behind the throne."

"Okay, um, Brother Xiao Yuan, are you taking him away?"

"Okay, I'll take it to go."

This is a perfect souvenir to bring back to Qing'an after this trip.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Runsheng, hang in there a little longer. We're going to meet up with Zhao Yi and the others now."

Runsheng: "I can handle it; it's not as bad as when I was hungry before."

Runsheng went ahead again, descending into the dark well in the center of the pillar. Before his head even went down, Runsheng warned him:

"The well wall is not smooth; it's full of pits and sharp spikes. Don't slide down it."

After giving the reminder, Runsheng continued to lead the way.

"Brother Xiaoyuan, come here!"

With one hand holding the knife, Runsheng was no longer able to carry Xiaoyuan on his back. This time, Lin Shuyou would take care of the minor.

Previously, people dared to jump directly into elevator shafts on construction sites because they knew that the biggest danger below was just some scattered steel bars. However, they didn't know what was actually down there, so they could only be cautious.

Li Zhuiyuan, who was on Lin Shuyou's back, was also observing the environment of the well wall.

Actually, the fact that this was dug out from the pillar is already quite unusual. This shouldn't be a conventional entrance or exit. It's impossible that the tomb owner would have to cut down the pillar and then reseal it every time they entered or exited.

Li Zhuiyuan guessed that this must be the hole that Wei Zhengdao dug back then.

While others dig holes outwards, trying to escape, he didn't. He dug right in the center; he was courting death.

While I'm still worried about not living to adulthood, look at his behavior—it's like comparing drought and flood.

After rounding a bend, a cold white light appeared below, visibility improved, the slope decreased, and we could finally switch from climbing to walking.

When I finally stepped outside, my first impression was that I had entered a world of ice and snow.

Beneath my feet lies a layer of silvery-white ice. This is not ice formed from water, but a mineral vein, a flowing mineral vein, only its current form resembles water and ice.

Beneath the ice, the water ripples, creating a beautiful scene.

Above them were holes like honeycomb briquettes, each leading to a hidden world.

Beneath the ice layer, layer upon layer, there are countless holes, but they are all filled with this white, seemingly liquid substance.

This must be the prison cell.

It's somewhat like a classic scene from a Hong Kong movie – Kowloon Walled City.

I am now standing inside, suspended in mid-air.

In the past, every evil spirit imprisoned here was a resident of one of the holes.

Originally, the area above was also filled in, but it is unclear whether it was due to years of disrepair, the construction of civil defense projects, or the recent construction that damaged the underground structure and caused the "water level" to drop.

According to Ye Dui's account, each prisoner had their own cell and could only communicate with each other in a special way during fixed time periods.

Given their occupancy rate at the time, they probably were living quite far away.

Even at the peak of occupancy here, residents in adjacent holes could not visit each other.

By observing the holes below the water level, one can see that when the liquid seeps out of the holes, a membrane similar to air bubbles appears.

This means that the liquid concentration inside each hole is much lower than in the external public area.

Normal evil spirits would feel immense torment in their own cells. If they wanted to leave their holes and go out to visit other places, they would have to face the area with the highest concentration of liquid.

In fact, only from the outside perspective can one see the hole. From the inside perspective, the surroundings are completely enveloped by water, and the prisoners inside cannot detect the existence of the hole.

It's like using a mold, pouring molten iron into it, letting it cool and solidify, and then throwing an insect in. From its perspective, all it sees is the iron it can't penetrate, and it has no idea that there's a mold outside.

Only someone like Wei Zhengdao would dare to do that, and actually succeed in doing it.

The reason Ye Dui was able to go to Wei Zhengdao's cell might be because Wei Zhengdao had secretly visited him long ago, chosen him as his pawn, and left a trace of his passage between his cell and Ye Dui's cell, or rather, created a barrier passage by his own power.

Lin Shuyou pointed to the entrance of a hole above: "Brother Xiaoyuan, there are marks left by the three eyes there."

A piece of clothing fabric was hanging there, with a standard bow tied on it. Zhao Yi liked to tie this knot on his skin when he needed to stop bleeding.

Li Zhuiyuan looked up and thought to his companions through the red thread:

"Be on guard, something has happened to Zhao Yi and his group."

Runsheng, Lin Shuyou, and Tan Wenbin immediately formed a triangle formation, protecting the boy in the middle.

Zhao Yi came to scout ahead, but only to this point. There was no need for him to leave a message here; he could have simply sent someone back to relay it, which would have been much safer.

That bow was most likely tied by Zhao Yi; it's his personal habit, but it wasn't meant to guide him. On the contrary, it was precisely to tell him that he was being watched by "someone."

The position of the bow has likely been changed, and the hole it marks is probably the path that the hidden entity wants them to take.

The tomb owner was not at home, but the tomb was not empty; there was still someone inside.

For Li Zhuiyuan, Zhao Yi was a very easy person to guess because he was smart and calm. Even when they were far apart, they could deduce each other's behavior and logic.

Zhao Yi wouldn't drill a hole for no reason, but there were no signs of battle or lingering traces of it here. If he discovered danger, Zhao Yi would not hesitate to lead his team back to rejoin his own side.

The only situation that fits the current disappearance of Zhao Yi's team is...

Li Zhuiyuan lowered his head and looked at the ice beneath his feet.

As the ice melts and the water level rises, those who don't want to fall in and die are forced to find a hole to take refuge in.

The path back will be the first to be submerged, and Zhao Yi and his group will be unable to return.

But now that they've arrived here, why not use the same methods they used on Zhao Yi and his group to "drive" them away, instead of leaving the ribbon as a guide?
The "person" who still exists deep within this ancient burial site does not wish to know of his existence.

That person was like a relay race, still pushing themselves along the pre-designed plot line.

That person may not have known that the "Book Without Words" was not in their possession, nor that the tomb owner was unable to return home;
It's possible that person knew, but they had no other choice but to drive away the unexpected factor, Zhao Yi, and the others, to clear the stage for their own upcoming performance.

This script actually has two directors, a director and a deputy director.

The director couldn't come in, so the assistant director continued filming.

Li Zhuiyuan guessed who that person was.

Zhao Yi's exploration was indeed very valuable. He not only exposed that person in advance, but also pointed out the true direction for himself now.

Li Zhuiyuan turned around and looked at the hole he had come in through. It was the tunnel that Wei Zhengdao had dug out back then, and it was also the passage through which Ye Dui was "kicked" back to his cell.

The water level drops to this point and freezes, creating a seamless transition for those walking out of the passage.

Li Zhuiyuan closed his eyes, filling the void above him in his mind. There were no empty spaces; every step forward here was excruciatingly painful.

We should regard Wei Zhengdao as a pangolin with supernatural vision.

The reason Wei Zhengdao initially regarded Ye Dui as his stepping stone was actually for calibration. He didn't want to drill crookedly; he wanted to drill a straight line in the least effort.

Li Zhuiyuan raised his hand and touched his nose.

Because of the red thread connecting them, all the partners could feel what Xiao Yuan was thinking.

At this moment, the feedback they received from Xiao Yuan was a simple mathematical concept that even elementary school students could understand:
The shortest distance between two points is a straight line.

On the horizontal plane, just this horizontal plane, there is no difference in elevation, so Wei Zhengdao's original prison cell was on this horizontal plane.

Therefore, the black bow left outside the hole at the top, as pointed out by Lin Shuyou, is a false indication.

However, there are also many holes at this level.

Li Zhuiyuan opened his eyes and looked at the opening of the passage he had come from. He quickly calculated its angle with his eyes, then turned his head and followed his gaze in a straight line, precisely aligning it with a... rock wall?
That rock face was in the middle of a ring of holes.

Could it be that I made a mistake in my deduction?

The logic I used was indeed too simplistic and based on assumptions.

No, that's right.

It should be a rock wall, because Wei Zhengdao crawled out of his cell by digging a well downwards. The entrance and exit Wei Zhengdao took back then were not normal prison entrances and exits.

The opportunity only comes once. That person is definitely still "watching" their every move. He hopes that they will climb up and crawl into the hole where the bow is, where there is a plot he wants them to experience.

But Li Zhuiyuan now wants to go straight to the director's room.

There's only one chance, so we have to be quick. Otherwise, that person will do what they did to Zhao Yi and the others, forcibly changing the environment here and forcing us into their control.

Using the red line, Li Zhuiyuan conveyed the next target location to his partners.

As I counted down in my head...

Rush!
Runqi opened his stamina gate and rushed forward first.

Lin Shuyou picked up Li Zhuiyuan in one go, revealing his True Lord state, and charged ahead second.

Tan Wenbin unleashed his Blood Ape power, keeping pace with Lin Shuyou.

As they began to run, the previously calm ice beneath their feet quickly began to melt.

Clearly, that person had sensed something was wrong and was trying to change Li Zhuiyuan and the others' intentions.

This is a race; whether you can break free from the opponent's narrative framework depends on your current speed.

One after another, the energy gates of the lungs opened, and Lin Shuyou's muscles tensed up. Even though he was being very gentle, Li Zhuiyuan was still in pain from the tightness. That wasn't the worst part. The key was the wind resistance created by this rapid sprint, which pressed Li Zhuiyuan tightly into Lin Shuyou's arms, making it impossible for him to move, and his joints were in excruciating pain.

There was no other way; this was the result of his teammates running with all their might. Lin Shuyou had always used this speed to attack the enemy in the past.

The ice beneath our feet is cracking, especially at the edges, where it has almost completely melted away and drifted away, and the water level is rising at a visible rate.

Runsheng leaped forward, completely trusting Li Zhuiyuan, and crashed directly into the rock wall.

If it were truly a solid rock wall, then Runsheng's fate would be to have his path blocked, then be submerged by the rising water below, and endure the most horrific torture.

"boom!"

There was an obstruction, but it wasn't a muffled thud; it was as if there was just a layer of paper covering it. Runsheng smashed through that rock wall, and there was a passage inside!

The distance between the ice surface and the wall was increased. When Lin Shuyou leaped, Tan Wenbin reached out and patted him, giving him a push. Tan Wenbin then displayed the amazing jumping ability of an ape, completing his own leap over an even greater distance.

"Keep moving forward, the water level is rising!"

The three continued along the passage and soon began to climb upwards.

Li Zhuiyuan relaxed. Yes, he had to go upwards; this was a well.

Runsheng was the first to climb out, followed by Lin Shuyou, who was holding Li Zhuiyuan, and then Tan Wenbin.

This place resembles a small farmhouse, with a yard, a fence, and various farm tools. It was built by Wei Zhengdao when he was bored here.

Tan Wenbin pointed to the bottom of the well and said, "Brother Xiao Yuan, the water level is rising!"

If the liquid were to seep in, everyone would still suffocate in this confined space.

Li Zhuiyuan: "It shouldn't overflow."

Because Wei Zhengdao left a restriction here, which suppressed the water ripples.

Sure enough, when the water level in the well rose to a certain height, it seemed to be suppressed by an invisible force, unable to rise further, let alone overflow the well and fill the area.

The water level suddenly turned into a well, the perfect setting for a shot.

Li Zhuiyuan tried hard to sense the feeling he had just experienced. It was like a restriction, an array, and feng shui. It was clearly real, yet it left no trace.

This feeling vaguely familiar to Li Zhuiyuan.

Wei Zhengdao's clone had taught him in the dream of Meng Gui in that wave of dreams. He had lost the memory, but the teaching results remained.

It turns out that by continuing down this path, one can reach this height.

Li Zhuiyuan got out of Lin Shuyou's arms and stretched his limbs.

Lin Shuyou said with great remorse, "Brother Xiaoyuan..."

He saw that Xiao Yuan had several bruises on his body.

This is because I didn't protect myself well.

Li Zhuiyuan glanced at Ayou, and Ayou's expression immediately returned to normal.

The house was built against the rock face.

Li Zhuiyuan pushed open the door and went inside.

The house is fully furnished and has a layout of one kitchen, one living room, and three bedrooms.

In the living room, there is a screen with paintings on it.

The painting depicts a man in armor, leaning on a sword in both hands, sitting majestically on a throne in the center of a banquet hall.

Unlike the various painted artifacts and murals unearthed during previous construction work, the paintings on this screen are very delicate and lifelike. They do not deliberately exaggerate or highlight any particular element, but simply aim to depict that person exactly as he is.

It lacks emotion, is all technique, and looks like a photograph.

This was also Li Zhuiyuan's flaw.

Lin Shuyou: "Brother Xiaoyuan, there's a reflection in the water in the tank, like watching a TV. Could there be some important clue hidden here?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Yes, there is."

Lin Shuyou: "Then I'll read it carefully and write it all down."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Take your time and look at it. It will take ten years."

Lin Shuyou: "Huh?"

Li Zhuiyuan walked to the door of the middle bedroom, reached out, and grabbed the doorknob.

This house has its back completely against the wall, so it's normal to have bedrooms at both ends, but where is there any space for a door to open to the back?

Li Zhuiyuan opened the door, revealing a dark hole inside.

This is the real reason why Ye Duineng came to Wei Zhengdao's prison. In his statement, this detail was deliberately distorted and made to appear mysterious, as if some kind of secret method was used.

Where did this secret method come from? I've already dug the tunnel for you, just in case you die in jail.

"go in."

Following this passage, after walking for a short distance, you'll see the exit, which leads to another cell.

In the center of the cell sat a man dressed in a scholar's robe.

As if sensing that someone had entered, the person slowly raised their head, revealing a face that was exactly the same as the tomb owner on the screen!
The tomb owner addressed Li Zhuiyuan, saying, "I've been waiting for you here for a long time. Welcome to my home... as a guest."

In an instant, a terrifying, almost tangible pressure enveloped Li Zhuiyuan and the others.

Runsheng, Tan Wenbin, and Lin Shuyou all took one or two steps back, their faces showing pain, trying their best to resist and not kneel down under this pressure.

Li Zhuiyuan, who was in the worst physical condition, stood there quite easily.

Soon, as if they had received some kind of answer, Runsheng, Tan Wenbin, and Lin Shuyou all slowly straightened up, no longer oppressed by this pressure.

Li Zhuiyuan countered with a question:

"your home?"

The tomb owner remained silent, only revealing a faint smile, as if everything was under his control.

Li Zhuiyuan continued:

"Just because he's put on the skin of the master, does he really think he's the master here... Ye Dui!"

(End of this chapter)