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墨書 Inktalez
On this long-inhabited land, the alternation between humans and animals continuously brings forth new life into the world. Various creatures evolve, enhancing their skills to survive. Ultimately, humans gain the upper hand in this natural competition, becoming the highest beings in the natural world and the top predators in the food chain.
Human dominance leads to the emergence of many new phenomena, whether in a patriarchal society or a matriarchal one, extending from a slave society to a feudal society, all creating incredible things on this ancient land. Many existences remain unexplained even by modern scientific means.
Much ancient knowledge has been buried deep in history as superstitions, such as fortune telling, feng shui, physiognomy, and the Five Elements Star Observation Book. Of course, there are charlatans among them, but there are also those who genuinely master these abilities. Such individuals are rare; they do not roam the streets offering to read fortunes or easily help others choose burial sites based on feng shui, nor do they casually assess faces to determine life and death. Each profession has its own rules.
As the sky brightened, Seven returned to the foot of the mountain along the same path. The water had become clear again. The bronze cauldron still stood in the river, facing off against a skull as if they were locked in a struggle.
Seven shifted his gaze back; the antiques he had fished out earlier were still there. Everything seemed unchanged, but there was a small detail Seven did not notice: both the cauldron and the skull had shifted positions.
Sitting beside a pile of antiques after eating, Seven now clearly understood his situation. He realized that he was likely in a meteorite crater. However, the meteorite had long since vanished.
Seven carefully observed the stone walls; they were ancient basalt with a history of at least a thousand years. This was an old meteorite crater, and those walls could indeed be called sheer cliffs.
The quality of meteorite material differs from local stones, making it rare and often treated as a treasure by the powerful elite; it could also be viewed as something to be avoided due to its potential for disaster. But for those who have an obsession with stones, it is an unparalleled gift.
Seven glanced again at the cave entrance and looked up. He was struck by how peculiar the mountain's shape was; he hadn’t noticed it before due to his earlier haste.
The mountain extended upward at about a 65-degree angle until it reached 90 degrees. From a distance, it resembled a Buddha statue—the lower slope serving as a base while the upper part formed the statue itself. Although Seven was not superstitious, after experiencing so many strange occurrences, he couldn’t help but believe in something.
Deliberately choosing burial sites based on feng shui is one form of feng shui itself, also known as kan yu. Feng shui is about selecting auspicious places to reside—one type for the deceased and another for the living. Ultimately, it’s all about choice; however, people typically do not alter natural environments to create good sites for habitation for several reasons: first, it requires significant manpower, resources, and finances that most cannot afford; second, such alterations can offend spirits and lead to disasters—though success could bring great fortune; third, such modifications are taboo for feng shui masters who generally avoid actions that would disrupt lineage.
Thus, many auspicious sites are naturally formed by nature but are believed by feng shui masters to be arranged by heavenly forces. There is usually great reverence towards these blessed lands.
Seven had previously scoffed at such "superstitions." Now it seemed that there might indeed be some connection to what is termed feng shui; however, Seven did not understand much about it! He only had a vague understanding and remained uncertain whether this mountain was part of some feng shui arrangement or if it had been artificially modified.
After observing for a while, he analyzed internally: "It’s nearly impossible to break out from this mountain," noting that three sides were sheer cliffs with no exits left. The only opportunity now lay with that cave entrance which seemed to beckon him.
To enter the cave entrance, he needed tools to maintain fire. Sitting cross-legged on the ground, Seven began to contemplate. He took out his only firestarter and looked around at the mountain again. If only he had thought to bring some fuel! Next time he ventured into such dangerous situations, he would definitely bring fuel along. Currently, the only materials capable of sustaining fire were plastic and fabric—essentially his clothing. Clothing is typically made from synthetic fibers that are generally resistant to burning.
Seven fashioned a torch from spare clothes, wrapping them tightly around a stick several times with all his strength. This would increase its flammability and prevent the fabric from slipping off the stick. He added some dried wild vines to complete the torch.
After patting his hands together, Seven looked at his finished torch with a sense of pride.
The sun was shining brightly, and the river was making a crisp, bubbling sound. Seven took a moment to collect himself, walked to the riverbank, and splashed some water on his face to clear his mind.
As he glanced into the water, he noticed a Golden Pendant partially trapped under a stone. After moving the stone aside and picking it up, he discovered that the other half was made of milky jade. If this wasn't part of a whole piece, there were no signs of it being inlaid. It was impossible for one half to be metal and the other half jade; this must have been a dyed piece of jade, and either the other half had fallen off or it was intentionally made this way.
Seven tucked the "jade" into his pocket. After ensuring everything was in order, he thought about conserving food; otherwise, he might starve inside later. He also filled his water bottle from the shallow pool created by the waterfall.
There were some broken pottery and porcelain fragments scattered in the river.
During this time, Seven had not noticed what was happening behind him. When he turned around, he was startled to see those Lizard creatures again and immediately ran forward.
The Lizards had been stealthy before, but once their "prey" started running, they began to chase after him with vigor.
These Lizards seemed to be seeking revenge; the daggers embedded in them were gone. Seven didn’t care about that now; all his belongings were with him, so he climbed up without hesitation.
One of the Lizards nearly clawed at Seven's leg. However, curiously enough, they did not follow him up the mountain.
The Lizards circled at the foot of the mountain, making restless noises.
Noticing that there was no movement behind him, Seven turned back for a glance and saw that the Lizards had stopped again. He felt a wave of relief wash over him and shouted, "You beasts can actually wait! You think you can outsmart me? You're still too green."
The Lizards seemed to understand his words as they became agitated and began to claw at the air towards Seven. He smiled wryly and decided to ignore them, conserving his energy as he continued toward the water cave entrance without looking back.
The Skeleton Pile in the water appeared to shift direction, all its "eye sockets" facing one particular cave entrance while the Bronze Cauldron stood steadfast in front of it as if blocking their path.
Meanwhile, the large Lizard below sensed a change as well. Animals are often more attuned to perceiving things that humans cannot see—like cats or dogs that can sense supernatural entities. It seemed these Lizards felt an unknown threat looming as well; instead of retreating quickly this time, they began to gather near the riverbank as if confirming something. They crawled slowly until they were just two or three meters away from the Skeleton Pile before suddenly recoiling in fear. They retreated cautiously until they were six or seven meters away before fleeing in disarray.
Seven had reached the cave entrance, unaware of what was happening below. The water flowed down like a torrent; although the volume wasn't large, it carried an undeniable force.
He was somewhat familiar with the hundred-meter stretch leading to the entrance. Standing there, a cool breeze swept past him, causing Seven to instinctively take a step back. A strange chill crept into his heart.
At that moment, he felt trapped between a wolf in front and a tiger behind, leaving no room for hesitation. Seven took a deep breath and stepped forward. In a confined space, even the smallest sounds could be amplified, creating an echoing effect. It felt as if two people were walking instead of one. The sound of flowing water resonated deeply within the cave.
After walking a few meters, Seven was engulfed by darkness. He pressed against the wall, one hand holding a shovel and the other a torch. He had not lit the torch yet; however, he possessed an instinctive awareness of his surroundings, an unconscious memory that kicked in when he left familiar territory for the unknown. His brain sensed something amiss in the dimness.
Realizing that the environment felt wrong, he ignited the torch. The flame grew from small to bright as he took a few more steps forward; he should soon reach the location of the Skeleton Pile.
After walking about ten meters, he discovered a sunken area that confirmed it was indeed where the Skeleton Pile had been. He crouched down beside the flowing water and noticed some white powder. Not thinking much of it, he stood up and continued onward.
He walked another twenty or thirty meters without noticing anything unusual until he saw that the source of the water began to change direction; it no longer flowed straight but veered to the left. He wondered if this river within the mountain could be classified as an Underground River. As the torch burned, fibers released a foul gas that filled the air.
Even after changing direction, the water's flow remained unchanged, which reassured Seven; if he encountered a flood, he would have been left in despair.
Wherever he moved the torch, light illuminated that section momentarily before darkness swiftly encroached without mercy.
As he continued on, the tunnel's width began to expand while the water flow remained steady. Seven kept close to the wall for stability.
The flickering light cast shadows around him as he pressed on. Suddenly, the torch projected another shadow, startling Seven. He froze in place, too afraid to move at this unexpected sight!
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