Zhang Yuanqing's gaze settled on the ceiling of the corridor, where the curved wall with three arches and three undulations bore a yellow paper talisman, its incantation drawn in vermilion ink in a twisted script. This was something not present in the realm of illusion. "Hm..." Zhang Yuanqing studied the talisman for a moment before deciding to leave it undisturbed. He couldn't be hasty—having already retrieved his pistol and gloves, he thought silently. Instead of heading toward the main chamber behind him, he walked in the opposite direction along the corridor. Just moments ago, a memory from one of his favorite tomb-exploration novels surfaced: among ancient nobility, upon death, a stone tablet was often erected along the corridor, recording the deceased's identity, birth date, and life achievements. As Zhang Yuanqing entered the corridor and began his inspection, he indeed spotted stone-set recesses along the walls, each housing a stone tablet. The inscriptions on the tablets had worn thin over time, leaving much of the information unclear. Zhang Yuanqing, based on the remaining details, roughly understood the noble lady's identity: she was the eldest daughter of a prince from the early Ming dynasty, with the private name Yin Yao. From childhood, she was both intelligent and beautiful, possessing an exceptional talent for cultivation. She had once studied under the Lady of the Three Mountain Temple at Song Mansion, and after completing her training, she traveled throughout the land, living for two jiaos (approximately 120 years), until her passing in the mid-to-late Ming dynasty—she never married. Everything was just as it had been in the dream, the only difference being that the porcelain items had cracked, and two tall black wooden chests, each half the height of a person, had been opened, their contents scattered across the floor. They were mostly clothes, books, and various items commonly used by ancient women. These weren't particularly valuable—there were no major pieces of gold, silver, or jade, though there were quite a few smaller silver and gold accessories, such as gold buttons the size of a thumb nail. Clearly, the place had just been recently looted. That's finally something! Zhang Yuanqing muttered, but as the words formed on his lips, they turned into passionate indignation: "Their belongings—items belonging to the deceased—are being stolen, and Wang Xiao'er has gone far beyond what's reasonable." ...Zhang Yuanqing paused, suddenly realizing what was beginning to unfold—the cost of the Later Earth boots had started. A sincere, straightforward man! He glanced at the coffin, hesitating to touch it due to his lingering psychological discomfort about opening it, and instead began to examine the scattered items. Clothes, copperware, ceramics, ceremonial furnishings, gold buttons, silver hairpins that had twisted He immediately opened the yellowed, brittle volumes—several miscellaneous texts, a few geographical records, and one copy of *The Breathing and Vitality Method of the Night-Wandering Spirit*. "Mostly unremarkable, hmm. Just so unfortunate—Wang Xia'er took away all the props? Though those three items seemed valuable, there were only exactly three props in the tomb room. Quite a coincidence." At that moment, Zhang Yuanqing murmured, "Hm," his gaze fixed on the *The Breathing and Vitality Method of the Night-Wandering Spirit*. He wasn't drawn to the book itself, but rather noticed something seemingly tucked between its pages. He picked up the book and examined the folded parchment inside, which recorded a specific ritual method. By locating the materials listed on the parchment and performing the ceremony, one could invoke the power of the supreme presence beyond the mortal realm. Holding the parchment for a few seconds, the item information appears: 【Name: Mass-produced Parchment】 【Type: Leather-based】 【Function: Ritual Offering】 【Description: Conduct a ritual according to the content inscribed on the parchment, thereby drawing strength from an all-encompassing, unseen existence.】 【Note: It incurs no cost—only the gathering of ritual materials is required.】 Such a strange item… Zhang Yuanqing had never seen something like this before. Not exactly—this was his very first encounter with the concept of "offering a ritual to an all-encompassing existence." Based on his understanding, he interpreted the item as follows: "Obtaining an enhancement through ritual offerings is very much like a skill that buffs a character in a game—though it remains unclear how powerful this buff might be. Once back in reality, he’ll gather the required materials and try it out. Since there’s no cost, it will only take a little expense at most. If the enhancement proves substantial, it could become a decisive advantage." Zhang Yuanqing attempted to store the parchment in his inventory, and was delighted to find that it could indeed be stored. "The sheer value of just this sheepskin scroll is amazing!" he thought, feeling deeply regretful. He had become a tomb robber himself. As he approached the jade coffin, he placed both hands on the lid and prepared to push it open. Suddenly, item information appeared in his field of vision: 【Name: Jade Coffin of a Thousand Years】 【Type: Coffin】 【Function: Nourishes the body】 【Description: A relic left by Lady San Dao, originally used to house her physical form. After Lady San Dao's passing, her lay disciple commissioned a stone coffin to replace the jade one.】 【Note: What a touching bond between master and disciple.] "Ahahaha!" Zhang Yuanqing couldn't help but laugh. Indeed, the old actor had been lying in a stone coffin—his own hand that had pushed it open. Zhang Yuanqing realized why, when he opened the coffin, the old woman appeared pale and her skin dull, as though lacking proper care. "No, no, how could I possibly laugh?" We shouldn’t be gloating over this kind of thing… Anyway, when the old man woke up and found himself lying in the stone sarcophagus, I can’t imagine how he must have felt back then. I’d definitely want to ask him someday—well, at least after I reach the Sovereign Realm. “No, no, we mustn’t disturb his wound.” Muttering this, he quietly channeled his power with both palms, gently pushing the sarcophagus lid aside. Inside the sarcophagus, there was another jade coffin. Zhang Yuanqing took a deep breath and carefully lifted the lid of the jade coffin. Inside, a Daoist in a green robe lay still, with silver hair, deeply lined face, yet rosy complexion—like he was simply asleep. …Zhang Yuanqing silently closed the jade coffin lid, then the outer sarcophagus lid, vowing to never open another one in his life. The wandering Daoist was here—how come? He was actually here!—Zhang Yuanqing was full of questions. It was unexpected, yet perfectly logical. In Wang Xiaoe's account, the wandering Taoist sought out the Princess's tomb because his vital energy was waning—driven by a final, desperate attempt. Whether or not he had mastered the secret of immortality, the very jade coffin that nurtured his physical body was an irresistible allure. What does "the time of destiny drawing near" mean, if not the gradual decline of the body toward death? Indeed, this coffin, by nurturing the body, offered tangible benefits in extending life. Upon seeing the Taoist within the coffin, Zhang Yuqing, drawing on both the game's background and Wang Xiaoe's description, began to piece together the full picture. The sequence of events unfolded as follows: After discovering the ancient tomb, the Taoist was delighted to find that the coffin could slow the deterioration of his physical form, prompting him to aspire to take over the tomb—yet he remained cautious, mindful of the Princess who lay within. Thus, while the spirits trapped within the props were sleeping during the day, he orchestrated Wang Xiao'er to secretly take the props from the tomb chamber. Once the princess discovered the props were missing, she would become furious and pursue the thief. Meanwhile, since the props themselves served as guardian spirits, he could not remain in the tomb chamber for long without eliminating the three formidable spirits of ill will. Once the princess had departed, he immediately entered the tomb and took up residence in the coffin. Who posted the yellow scroll? The answer is clear—it was placed there after the bronze mirror was stolen and the princess left the tomb. Zhang Yuanqing climbed steadily up the steep brick wall, his fingers gripping the joints between the bricks, relying entirely on a few fingers for support—an feat far beyond what ordinary people could achieve. Reaching the curved top, he held the two fingers against the gap in the stone block, extending his other hand without daring to tear the yellow scroll directly, gently touching it with his fingertips. "It seems the Princess won't be returning. As long as I stay in the ancient tomb until ten o'clock this morning, I'll be able to pass through the Silent Village and return to reality." With that, the Silent Village quest is finally complete. What a relief—throughout the night, I nearly died three times. This was far more thrilling and intense than any tournament match. Why am I so unlucky? Every time I enter a dungeon, it's always in hell mode! Zhang Yuanqing was feeling quite down. But then, his mood soured even more—he remembered that the dungeon he had just entered was likely one that the Magistrate King himself had once experienced. Given the Magistrate King's hidden rating, there would surely be many more hell-mode dungeons in the future. All of this was the Magistrate King's fault! Wait—Zhang Yuanqing frowned. According to the normal logic, if the Princess's appearance ends the quest, then at the end of the fourth watch—when the final bosses are defeated—the dungeon should conclude. Staying any longer would be pointless. But the main quest in the副本 lasts for 24 hours—after sunrise, I need to stay in the副本 for an additional ten hours. "Ten hours of completely meaningless time! That's incredibly exaggerated—could this be a bug? If it's not a bug, based on my experience, this副本 should have hidden quests, so those ten hours are specifically reserved for the Journeyers to complete those hidden tasks..." "Survival副本 are typically those that offer no prompts from the Journeying Realm—whether a task is hidden or not, you have to figure it out on your own. Unlike Yin-Yang Town, where the Journeying Realm gives clear notifications once a hidden quest is triggered." What are these hidden quests? Items that go to sleep during the day—there's a princess who can't return home... Zhang Yuanqing understood. The hidden quests are to help the princess recover her items and assist her in returning to the ancient tomb. Therefore, the setting where items go to sleep during the day is designed to allow Journeyers to focus entirely on searching for them. "So, finding these items turns out to be quite challenging, but that's no problem—I've got my little quirky companion!" Zhang Yuanqing grew more and more certain, his eyes shining—something entirely consistent with his earnest and sincere nature. Once he had made up his mind, he sat down in a corner of the outer room, leaning back against the brick wall and closing his eyes to rest. Three hours later, Zhang Yuanqing stirred from his light sleep, donned his red ballet slippers, walked up the steep brick wall to the upper entrance of the tunnel, and then climbed out of the ground through the tunnel. By now, the sky outside had brightened. The valley was lush and green, with towering hills on either side and dense forests stretching throughout. Making the most of the time he spent wearing the red ballet slippers, Zhang Yuanqing stepped out of the mountains and danced a full routine outside the village before finally entering. As he had when he arrived the day before, the village remained quiet and desolate—no sounds of life, yet no danger either. Zhang Yuanqing then breathed out a little comic relief, assigning him the task of searching for treasures. The little comic creature climbed to the side of his master, extended his short, sturdy arms, wrapped himself around Zhang Yuanqing’s lower leg, and gently “nuzzled” his round face against his leg Having weathered the crisis last night, he now understands gratitude. The young, lively one waved his arms and legs, crawling ahead as a guide, while Zhang Yuanqing followed slowly. Soon, they found the first deceased in a narrow alley. The body lay rigid on the ground, like a frozen corpse, with no obvious external injuries—yet Zhang Yuanqing looked deeply sorrowful. The spiritual essence within the corpse had been completely destroyed. When crafting a shadow corpse, the first step is to re-establish the connection between the residual spiritual essence and the physical body. This spiritual essence forms the foundation and core of the shadow corpse. Without this intact essence, the corpse becomes merely a shell—effectively rendered useless. Zhang Yuanqing kneeled down beside the shadow corpse with a soft "thump," then bowed deeply. "Brother, you gave your life for me. This debt of gratitude will forever remain with me—only to be repaid in a future life. Rest well." After bowing, he felt something was off, yet, being a straightforward man, he didn't dwell on it further. Instead, he picked up the human-shaped membrane lying beside the shadow corpse. The perfect human skin remained, not taken by the Princess—it had shed itself from the body on its own. "It was you who made me make the sacrifice of my brother. You're a curse. Once we exit this quest, I'll sell you." Zhang Yuanqing sighed deeply, placing it back into his inventory, then proceeded to the small courtyard where Mr. Xu lived, where he retrieved the silver rouge box placed on the desk. Then stood up to pursue the little comic, entering the inner room lined with coffins. There, the young spirit was lying beneath one coffin, her small hands gently tapping the solid ground, emitting soft, infantile calls of "Ah-ba, ah-ba." Zhang Yuanqing was struck by this, reaching for the blood-thirsty blade and using its sharp tip to cleave through the hard soil. After digging nearly fifteen centimeters deep, the blade suddenly emitted a clear "ting" sound, as though it had struck a firm object. Zhang Yuanqing reached out, brushing away the loose soil, and revealed a metal lid nestled within the soil. He continued digging, expanding the excavation area until finally he unearthed the iron box. The box measured half a meter in length, twenty centimeters in width, and thirty centimeters in height, adorned with a bronze lock. With ease, he sheared off the hanging lock and opened the lid. Inside lay a full chest of gold, silver, and jade objects, with the most prominent piece being a sculpted figure entirely black and translucent—shaped like a young girl with elegant, flapping ears. The girl was open-mouthed, yet her tongue was missing. By the sculpture stood a circular bronze mirror, about the size of a palm, dull in appearance, with phoenixes engraved on its reverse—each phoenix's eye set with a red gemstone. Zhang Yuanqing turned the mirror over and looked at himself in it, yet his face did not appear within the reflection. This was a mirror that did not reflect human faces. Holding the two objects, he waited a moment, and the item information appeared: 【Name: Yin Jade Child】 【Type: Craft Item】 【Function: Embodiment】 【Description: Originally a block of yin jade nurtured for a hundred years in a profoundly yin locale, it was unexpectedly obtained by a lonely, impoverished girl. Over time, as she carried it with her, the yin energy seeped into her body, and she eventually passed away. Her spirit fused with the jade, transforming into this sculpture.】 【Note 1: The spirit within the yin jade longs to play games. Anyone who fails to accompany her in playing will be embodied by her—this embodiment is inevitable, unpreventable, and unstoppable. The spirit cannot be completely extinguished.】 】 【Note 2: Let's play a game! I'll be the third one—haha~】 Zhang Yuanqing stared in astonishment, murmuring, "Rules... rule-type items..." In the item attributes, any item described as "cannot X," "unable to X," or similar is categorized as a rule-type item. Rule-type items are particularly demanding because rules are inherently unchangeable. The ghost doll has a simple function, yet it is indeed a rule-type item. In fact, as soon as Zhang Yuanqing learned that three people were required to safely evade the ghost doll's threat, he sensed a similarity to the rules of the red slippers—namely, one must dance to resolve the rule and escape the pursuit. Instinctively, unconsciously, and contrary to his usual straightforward nature, Zhang Yuanqing wanted to claim the ghost doll for himself and add it to his inventory. 【Ping! This item cannot be collected.】 This item belongs to the Princess—I cannot take it… Zhang Yuanqing felt embarrassed for a few seconds, then glanced at the information for the second item: 【Name: Ghost Mirror】 【Type: Mirror】 【Function: Enchantment, Reveals Spirits】 【Description: Everything in this world can be reflected, yet the human heart remains elusive. The Ghost Mirror was crafted by Princess Yin Yao after two generations of traveling across the land, enduring countless changes and observing countless human affairs, when her art of enchantment reached its peak. It records what it sees and hears, and can create illusions so vivid that their authenticity is hard to distinguish.】 【Note: From the moment you use it, you become—a Great Sage.】 A Great Sage? That’s the price? Since Zhang Yuanqing had not yet become the owner of the item, he couldn’t fully grasp what the specific cost of being a Great Sage truly meant. Nevertheless, returning the items to the unfortunate Princess was more important. He found a bamboo basket in the outer hall and placed the three items into it, then carried the basket away from Wang Xiaosi’s stone house, heading toward the rear of the compound. It was time to complete the hidden quest