Chapter 47

Chapter 47

The next time they enter the instance, it will be Xie Yin Xue's third time and Zhu Yi Kun's fourth.

Of course, for that instance, Liu Bu Hua will replace Zhu Yi Kun.

To "replace" someone in the game instance hinges on two words: consent.

The substitute must genuinely wish to take the place; only then will they replace the original player in "Eternal Lock"—it's always the case.

Otherwise, the original player would still enter. If someone were to threaten another with a weapon to replace them in the game, it would disrupt many rules.

Last time, after hearing Xie Yin Xue's words, Liu Bu Hua kept hoping in his heart not to enter the game. In the end, it was still Zhu Yi Kun who entered the "Dream of Herol."

Though they can avoid entering the game, the lives of both individuals remain intertwined.

It's uncertain how the difficulty of the next instance will compare to the Dream of Herol.

Even if it's easier than the Dream of Herol, Xie Yin Xue doesn't plan to bring Zhu Yi Kun again since he's of no help.

It's not that Xie Yin Xue necessarily needs assistance, but given Liu Bu Hua's life is tied to Zhu Yi Kun's fate, Zhu Yi Kun's inability to assist is a minor issue. The real fear is if he jeopardizes himself and, in turn, risks Liu Bu Hua's safety.

After all, Zhu Yi Kun is terribly afraid of ghosts.

Looking back, Xie Yin Xue feels fortunate that the guests in the Dream of Herol instance, when transformed into monsters, only seemed repulsive and were less frightening than the actual players. If the instance had a supernatural theme with entities like the ghostly woman in red who once nearly killed Zhu Yi Kun, Xie Yin Xue believes he'd faint from fear—truly increasing the instance's difficulty.

Liu Bu Hua is different.

Because he has a condition.

It's not an insult from Xie Yin Xue but a fact. Whatever Liu Bu Hua fears is feared by the flowers. Are flowers afraid of ghosts? No. Liu Bu Hua only fears bugs that eat grass and bite flowers.

Considering this, Xie Yin Xue thinks it's better to bring Liu Bu Hua.

Additionally, Xie Yin Xue mentioned to Liu Bu Hua: "Oh, by the way, Bu Hua, I met a woman in the instance who seemed to recognize me, but I have no recollection of her."

He asked Liu Bu Hua, "Her name is Su Xun Lan. Do you remember her?"

Xie Yin Xue is certain that Su Xun Lan knows him in the real world. Even if she hasn't seen his face, she must've heard his name, otherwise, she wouldn't have reacted that way initially.

"I don't."

Unfortunately, Liu Bu Hua also has no memory of the name. He shook his head but offered another perspective to Xie Yin Xue: "Could she, like Zhu Yi Kun, be an old acquaintance of your master's?"

"I should ask Chen Ma about this," Xie Yin Xue murmured, "Let's wait until tomorrow; she's probably resting now."

Chen Ma's full name is Chen Xiang Ling.

However, she isn't actually surnamed Chen. Only Chen Yu Qing knows her original surname, not even Xie Yin Xue.

Because before Xie Yin Xue was born, Chen Ma had already been by Chen Yu Qing's side.

To be honest, Xie Yin Xue often felt that Chen Ma was like Chen Yu Qing's wife. She sewed his clothes, cooked for him, and accompanied him through the decades on Ming Yue Cliff, transitioning from her youthful black hair to snowy white at her temples. Even after Chen Yu Qing passed away, she refused to leave the place rich with his memories, stubbornly remaining as if ensuring Chen Yu Qing still had one relative left.

But everyone knew it was impossible—upon initiation, Chen Yu Qing chose the "Solitude" fate, meaning he could never marry nor truly have a "relative" in his life.

Xie Yin Xue, who also embraced the "Solitude" fate, was the same.

That's why he never shared a house with anyone.

He had to get accustomed to—and perhaps even "fall in love" with—the feeling of spending long nights alone. How else could he endure this endless life?

However, that night, after his bath, Xie Yin Xue sat on the bed and noticed an absent bracelet on his right wrist. He opened the bedside drawer, picked a shimmering silver pear blossom bracelet from the pile, and put it on. But upon glimpsing the bracelet's golden pear blossom centerpiece, he was reminded of someone who once suggested the bracelet might look better entirely in gold.

Would it look better?

Xie Yin Xue pondered, giving a slight blink. The bracelet on his wrist transformed, now predominantly gold, leaving only the pear blossom petals in silvery white.

In the silent moonlit night, he stared at the bracelet for a long while.

Moments later, he frowned and muttered, "It's hideous."

He then removed it, tossed it back into the drawer, and chose another silver one. Only then did he pull up the covers and close his eyes to rest.

The following day was the weekend. His young disciple, Shen Qiu Ji, didn't have school, so he slept in while Xie Yin Xue and Liu Bu Hua got up.

Thinking that it was natural for the young boy to want more sleep, Xie Yin Xue decided to have breakfast first with Liu Bu Hua.

As Chen Ma served them freshly cooked barley porridge, Xie Yin Xue casually asked, "Chen Ma, do you know if my master had any adversaries with the surname Su?"

"Your master had no adversaries," Chen Ma chuckled, shaking her head. "But he did save quite a few people with the surname Su. He often boasted about having an extraordinarily talented disciple."

"That's true," Xie Yin Xue laughed, recalling his kind-hearted master. "Though if I had a disciple as talented as myself, I'd boast daily."

He then sighed, "If only..."

A youthful voice with an oddly mature tone chimed in, "If only you had such a disciple?"

The three dining turned to see the young disciple, Shen Qiu Ji, dressed in white traditional robes, emotionlessly holding onto the doorframe.

"No," Xie Yin Xue corrected with a playful smirk, "If only there was another person in this world as exceptionally gifted as me."

Shen Qiu Ji: "..."

"Ah Ji, you're up? Come have breakfast," Chen Ma beckoned.

Chen Ma adored children. She raised Xie Yin Xue herself and now was looking after Shen Qiu Ji. But Shen Qiu Ji was more reserved than Xie Yin Xue was at his age. After paying respects to Chen Ma, he declined her assistance, serving himself porridge and eating quietly, requiring no cajoling.

"Ah Ji is such a good boy. My neighbors' grandson back in my hometown is six and still needs coaxing to eat," Chen Ma beamed, adding, "Ah Xue, you were the same."

Xie Yin Xue quickly retorted, "I never needed coaxing as a child."

Resolute not to tarnish the dignified image of his master in front of his disciple.

"But you're picky and have particular tastes," Mother Chen remarked without any reservation about exposing Xie Yinxue's shortcoming, "You even developed night blindness because of it."

Xie Yinxue: "..."

"You only became less picky as you matured, and that too only with my cooking. You're still fussy about everyone else's." Perhaps reminiscing about Chen Yuqing, Mother Chen seemed especially reflective today. "I suspect you don’t even like my dishes much. Alas, I won’t be around forever. I wonder who could possibly cook dishes to your liking."

Upon hearing this, Xie Yinxue's thoughts inadvertently drifted to a certain someone.

He paused, spoon in hand, and said to Mother Chen, "There might be someone whose cooking I find palatable."

Intrigued, she asked, "Is it a new godson you're planning to take in?"

Xie Yinxue had no friends growing up. In his childhood, he was closest to her and Chen Yuqing, and as he grew older, he took a few godsons under his wing, like Liu Buhua, who frequently resided at Mingyue Cliff. So, upon hearing Xie Yinxue's words, she naturally assumed he was planning on adopting another godson.

"Not exactly," Xie Yinxue chuckled, arching an eyebrow, "I wouldn't mind him being my godson, but I doubt he'd be willing."

Mother Chen sighed wistfully, "It'd be nice if we could hire him as a chef."

Xie Yinxue responded, "That might be a bit difficult."

NPCs can't leave their game world, can they?

Ah Jiu can only reside within "Lock Immortality", and even seeing him again depends on fate—after all, every game level has different NPCs. Even if he encountered the same ferryman in two different levels, which was a rare stroke of luck, it's unlikely the ferryman in the next level would be Ah Jiu, right?

After breakfast, everyone went their separate ways.

Xie Yinxue sat in the inner courtyard pavilion, lighting some incense and sipping tea. As he watched the white smoke rise from the burning incense, he suddenly thought of something: the human-fat lamp Zhu Yikun had left here.

For ordinary people, that lamp was an extremely dangerous item.

Ever since Zhu Yikun acquired the lamp, he had been plagued with nightmares every night, leaving him looking haggard and emaciated. Strangely, no matter how he tried to discard the lamp, he couldn’t. Regardless of where Zhu Yikun threw it, the human-fat lamp would always return to the center of his bedside table at precisely midnight and reignite.

Placing a candle above one's head is considered an extremely ominous act.

Legend has it that in ancient times, when a deceased's body was placed in a charitable mortuary, a night watchman would light a candle in front of the corpse's head. If the candle remained lit, it signified everything was well; but if it was extinguished, and it wasn't the only living night watchman who blew it out, it meant... a ghost had blown the candle.

If the candle changed color, the consequences were even more dire, as it indicated that the deceased had turned into a vengeful ghost, unwilling to leave with the grim reaper.

Every night, a human-fat lamp was placed above Zhu Yikun's head, similar to the corpse guarding candle. After resolving Zhu Yikun's issues, Chen Yuqing stored this lamp in a storeroom to prevent it from causing further harm.

After Chen Yuqing's death, the key to this storeroom naturally came into Xie Yinxue's possession. However, he hardly ever entered the storeroom over the years. Only Liu Buhua, out of curiosity, would occasionally borrow the key to "enrich his knowledge".

Today, Xie Yinxue recalled the unique scent emitted when the human-fat lamp was lit, and he felt compelled to search for it in the storeroom.

Minutes later, Xie Yinxue emerged from the storeroom with the lamp and returned to the pavilion in the courtyard.

The lamp was lotus-shaped, looking as if it was intricately carved from a high-quality mutton-fat jade. It was translucent and exuded a lustrous shine. However, only experts could discern that this lamp wasn't made from any jade, but from human bones. The fat extracted from a corpse solidified into a pure white wax. A close sniff revealed a delicate sandalwood fragrance. However, once lit, it emitted a scent that was difficult to describe.

Xie Yinxue struck a match to light the lamp. As he watched the solidified fat melt into transparent wax, he closed his eyes and savored the fragrance.

"This scent feels so familiar."

Shortly after, Liu Buhua, following the scent, appeared in the courtyard. Recognizing the lit lotus lamp in front of Xie Yinxue, his eyes brightened. He quickly sat down across from Xie Yinxue, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, exclaiming, "Godfather, you're secretly enjoying the human-fat lamp!"

Liu Buhua was particularly fond of this lamp and had lit it numerous times himself. He loved the mysterious scent it gave off when burned. Having used up more than half of the lamp's fat content, he hesitated to use it any further, fearing he wouldn't be able to share the lamp's exquisite aroma with others in the future.

Immersed in the aroma, Liu Buhua opened his eyes and asked Xie Yinxue, "Godfather, what do you think?"

Mistakenly believing he was asking about the lamp's scent, Xie Yinxue honestly remarked, "It's very fragrant."

"No, I meant—", Liu Buhua gestured, "Have you ever seen that seductive... err, terrifying female ghost that Zhu Yikun mentioned?"

Xie Yinxue looked at Liu Buhua, raising his eyebrows slightly, "I've never seen her."

"Neither have I," Liu Buhua sounded a bit dejected, "I even placed it above my head, but saw nothing."

Somewhat exasperated, Xie Yinxue commented, "If you're keen on seeing other ghosts, there are plenty of ways."

Liu Buhua retorted disdainfully, "Those encounters aren't interesting."

Between the lines, it seemed he had already encountered others by "different means".

Hearing this, Xie Yinxue was merely grateful that Liu Buhua lived at Mingyue Cliff and often stayed close to him. Otherwise, who knows how many misadventures Liu Buhua might have had elsewhere.

As Xie Yinxue was advising Liu Buhua to drink herbal tea regularly to calm his mind, Liu Buhua suddenly exclaimed, clutching his phone. He told Xie Yinxue, "Godfather, Xiaosi Yu and Lu Shuo have reached out to me."

Xiaosi Yu and Lu Shuo were participants Xie Yinxue met during his first dungeon experience. Mentioning Xiaosi Yu, Xie Yinxue recalled helping his sister, Xiao Rushi, with a sinister issue. He wondered about Xiao Rushi's current situation and asked, "What did they say when they contacted you?"

"He asked if you're still taking on cases from the real world." Liu Buhua said, reading the message Xiaosi Yu sent him on his phone. "He has a classmate who's encountered some malevolent force and would like you to take a look."

Xie Yinxue, sipping his tea, put down his cup after hearing Liu Buhua's words and said, "Let's take it. I have nothing much to do at home anyway."

After all, if it weren't for the considerable profit from the "Hel's Dream" venture, Xie Yinxue wouldn't be relaxed enough to leisurely enjoy tea in the pavilion.

Moreover, Xie Yinxue's greatest wish was to be free from the constant pain in his body. So, he wouldn't turn down a business opportunity handed to him on a platter.

He then asked Liu Buhua to inquire more about the situation from Xiaosi Yu, wanting to understand what had caused the misfortune to befall his classmate.

Turns out, Xiaosi Yu's classmate was just unlucky.

Xiaosi Yu's classmate was named Li Hong, and they were close friends. Li Hong was brave and always the go-to guy for horror movies or mischievous plans.

Just last week, Li Hong

had a secret crush on

a girl from the neighboring dance department named Li Lumeng. Unexpectedly, she asked him to stay after school to keep her company.

Upon hearing this, Li Hong, thinking that his long-time crush might have feelings for him, was over the moon. He even went on to excitedly discuss it with Xiaosi Yu for a long time.

Upon reaching the rendezvous point Li Lumeng told him about after school, Li Hong discovered three more people waiting: Li Lumeng's best friend Yu Qinwen, and their mutual friends Duan Ying and her boyfriend Xu Chen.

For a moment, Li Hong was baffled by the unexpected crowd and puzzled about Li Lumeng's intentions. Upon inquiry, he learned that the three girls intended to participate in a dance competition. They had been practicing but struggled to find an appropriate venue.

They'd heard from a teacher about an old, seldom-used dance studio at the top floor of the old teaching building, Wenxin Building. Wanting to check if it was suitable, but feeling apprehensive, Duan Ying brought along her boyfriend Xu Chen. Knowing Li Hong was fearless, Li Lumeng invited him to help inspect the place.

Initially, Li Hong found it odd. If they needed a place to practice, why opt for the top floor of an old building? If necessary, he could easily rent a room elsewhere for them to practice. To him, the rent was a trifling matter.

However, Li Lumeng insisted, emphasizing the building's proximity within the campus and her reluctance to seek other male companions. She only wanted Li Hong.

Flattered and somewhat spellbound, Li Hong agreed and accompanied them to the top floor of the old building. Little did he know, this would lead to mysterious events.

"Li Hong says he's seen a ghost."

Upon seeing Xie Yinxue, Xiao Siyu succinctly briefed him on Li Hong's situation, "He should be here in a few minutes. Please wait a bit longer, Mr. Xie."

"Alright."

With a nod, Xie Yinxue took a sip of his bubble milk tea.

They were seated in a bubble tea shop outside the university town where Xiao Siyu and Li Hong studied.

Initially, Xiao Siyu wondered if someone as refined as Xie Yinxue would be comfortable in such a place. To his surprise, Xie didn't mind. The meeting location was set there, partially because Lu Shuo, now a close friend of Xiao Siyu due to the "Lock Life" game, wanted to broaden his horizons. He even treated Xie Yinxue to the bubble tea.

Sure enough, three minutes later, Li Hong arrived.

Without needing an introduction, the moment Li Hong entered his field of view, Xie Yinxue instantly recognized the young man with a dark aura of resentment.

"Li Hong…" Xiao Siyu, taken aback by his friend's appearance, hesitated, "You seem paler, are you okay?"

The disheveled Li Hong was a shadow of his former vibrant self.

With pale lips and dark circles under his eyes, his first words to Xiao Siyu were an anxious cry, "...I've been bitten by a ghost!"

He then tilted his chin to reveal a reddened, slightly charred wound.

Xie Yinxue's eyebrows twitched at the sight of the injury.

Liu Buhua and Lu Shuo glanced at it and simultaneously commented, "This doesn't look like a bite mark, does it?"

Confused, Li Hong turned his gaze to Xiao Siyu, silently questioning who these individuals were.

"Li Hong, let me introduce you. This is Mr. Xie, who helped me with my sister's situation," Xiao Siyu introduced the young man in the pale blue robe, then pointing to Liu Buhua and Lu Shuo, "This is Mr. Liu, Mr. Xie's... adopted son, and Lu Shuo is a friend from another school."

After hearing Xiao Siyu's words, the fear in Li Hong's eyes quickly focused on Xie Yinxue.

He looked at the young man, who appeared even younger and more delicate than both he and Xiao Siyu, and remained silent.

Realizing the difficulty in convincing someone that such a youthful figure could be a powerful exorcist, Xiao Siyu assured, "Trust me, he's incredibly skilled."

After a silent pause, Li Hong, trusting his friend, finally turned to Xie Yinxue and pleaded, "Mr. Xie, please help me."

Before taking on any business, Xie Yinxue always made sure to settle on the "price" upfront. So, he began by asking, "Has Xiao Siyu told you about my fee?"

"He has," Li Hong nodded. "I can accept it."

Xie Yinxue acknowledged with a nod and, pointing to Li Hong's injury, stated, "The wound on your chin isn't a bite mark; it's a burn."

"A burn?" Neither Xiao Siyu, Lu Shuo, nor Li Hong had expected that answer.

Initially puzzled, Liu Buhua studied Li Hong's injury more closely and frowned, "It does appear to be a burn."

Li Hong's expression turned even more bewildered as he countered, "But I haven't been near any heat sources lately. If I were burned, I'd know. The injury... it started as a red patch after I visited the top floor of Wenxin Building. It's been getting more painful every night, and now it looks like this."

"It's definitely a burn," Xie Yinxue asserted confidently. "However, its occurrence is quite peculiar. Tell me everything about what you did and witnessed on the top floor of Wenxin Building."

It seemed Li Hong hadn't shared the complete story with Xiao Siyu since Xiao himself wasn't entirely clear on the details. So, Xie Yinxue had to hear it from the source.

"It was a Wednesday; I remember it vividly."

With downcast eyes and clasping a hot coffee Lu Shuo had treated him to, Li Hong gathered his courage, "I accompanied Li Lumeng and the others to the top floor of Wenxin Building. It was the sixth floor. There's indeed a big room up there, invisible from below. The door to the top floor is usually locked, but we picked it that day."

As Li Lumeng and the others had mentioned, that room was a dance studio.

Author's Note:

NPC: Did you miss me?

Master Xie: Only for your cooking skills.

npc：？