Chapter 69: Entering the Tomb, The Path Revealed

With less than fifteen minutes until midnight, the designated time to enter the ancient princess’s tomb was drawing near.

Ren Ye stood in his room, mentally going through the items he needed to bring.

The first item was a letter he had brought in from outside. It had been found during the raid at the apartment building. At the time, the vigil keepers from the Qingfu District had surrounded and attacked Mr. He, and in the chaos, this letter had fallen from him.

Ren Ye had been too busy to examine it in detail but had skimmed enough to know it was related to the ancient princess’s tomb.

The second item was a diagram of the tomb’s construction that Lian’er had just reproduced.

Interestingly, this discovery was thanks to Liu Ling’er. The diagram had originally been etched on the iron door of the secret chamber. However, during Ren Ye and the Second Fool’s first visit, they had been startled by ghosts and focused on finding the imperial edict to restore the supernatural powers of the Imperial Brush, completely overlooking the details on the door.

But Liu Ling’er was different. Her main mission was to find maps, so she had meticulously examined the secret chamber upon entering and discovered that beneath the rust on the iron door lay the hidden diagram.

She had just scratched off part of the rust with her fingernails—then died…

When Ren Ye re-entered the chamber to investigate, he reaped the benefit of her discovery.

This was simply a case of “good things happen to good people.”

The diagram outlined the construction process and historical background of the princess’s tomb. It also mentioned that the tomb was hidden within Qingliang Mountain, protected by an array that made it invisible and inaccessible to ordinary people without the right fortune.

The tomb itself consisted of nine levels from bottom to top.

Unlike conventional tombs, which were underground, this princess’s tomb began above ground and ascended the mountain, with the main burial chamber said to be at the summit—almost reaching the heavens.

By normal standards, it was unusual for a woman, even a princess, to have such an extravagant tomb, especially during a feudal era steeped in patriarchal values. However, this oddity only added to the tomb’s mystique.

Apart from these two items, Ren Ye had no intention of bringing anything else. Tools like black donkey hooves and Luoyang shovels¹, considered essential for grave robbers, were useless here.

This Star Gate world of Qingliang Town was clearly one of high supernatural intensity, where conventional methods for warding off evil couldn’t compete with the powerful spirits.

…

Once everything was prepared, Ren Ye left the bedroom and set out to find Tang Feng.

[Dear Prince Huai, there are only fifteen minutes remaining before the ancient princess’s tomb opens. Friendly reminder: there are faction cooperation tasks within the tomb. Solo completion is highly challenging. It is advised that you confirm your faction teammates in advance to avoid an untimely demise…]

[Legend has it that a powerful and mysterious Daoist once set up a heaven-defying array at the tomb of the Jingguo Princess, shielding it from divination. Without the right destiny, one could search a lifetime without finding it. When the destined moment comes, those fated will naturally see the path to the tomb at the foot of Qingliang Mountain.]

The ethereal and icy voice echoed briefly in Ren Ye’s ears.

Frowning, he murmured, “Faction cooperation tasks?! Damn it, does this mean I have to send Tang Feng a team invite now? This Star Gate’s ‘Gatekeeper’ is seriously unpredictable. Why wasn’t this mentioned earlier?”

Before entering for the second time, Ren Ye had crammed knowledge about Star Gates. He knew that high-tier gates like Qingliang Prefecture’s would definitely have a Gatekeeper, who observed the world’s development from the shadows to ensure it didn’t deviate from its intended trajectory.

In the depths of Qingliang Mountain, outside a strangely conspicuous inn, an old woman chopping firewood suddenly sneezed. “Little bastard, daring to curse me?!”

Back in the corridor, after muttering his curse, Ren Ye hurriedly found Tang Feng, who had just finished cleaning up.

“Did you get the reminder from the Star Gate?”

After taking a bath, Tang Feng felt much cleaner, and her confidence returned. She adjusted her hair slightly before softly responding, “Faction cooperation tasks?”²

“Yes,” Ren Ye frowned and replied, “If that’s the case, you need to join the team now to be safe. Because Li Yan hasn’t recognized me yet, he should still belong to the Court Faction, which means I’m essentially a one-man army.”

Tang Feng pouted slightly as she touched her lips with the ancient lipstick paper, then said with determination, “…I have one condition.”³

“Spit it out.”

“If we manage to survive this Star Gate, you can’t include the part about Li Yan and me in the report,” Tang Feng’s eyes were firm, leaving no room for refusal.

“Sure.” Ren Ye nodded immediately. “Now, kneel.”

Upon hearing the word “kneel,” Tang Feng became inexplicably annoyed. “Why do all these officials love making women kneel… that damned ghost, too!”

Though she complained, she still gracefully kneeled, her gaze sincere.

“Royal Command!”

Ren Ye softly called out, and in his right hand appeared a noble, ancient token.

“Songstress Qing He, do you swear allegiance to me, Prince Huai, and vow never to betray me?” As Ren Ye spoke, his entire being radiated with the majestic light of the Royal Command, exuding an aura of great authority.

Tang Feng bowed fully to the ground and cried out loudly: “Songstress Qing He vows to serve Prince Huai loyally, and if I betray him, may I be struck down by heaven and earth, my descendants wiped out!”

“Boom!”

The Royal Command shone with golden light, directly illuminating Tang Feng.

In that instant, an almost mystical sense of trust formed between the two.

[All factions alert: A player has sworn allegiance to Great Qian’s Prince Huai, vowing eternal loyalty and permanently leaving the Court Faction.]

[Court Faction player -1.]

[All factions announcement: One day, the towering figure of a father will fall, just as the giant tree that once shielded young birds from the wind and rain will eventually wither and die. After the fathers’ shade, will one remain caged, forever a spectator, or will they break free with the passion of youth? From today onward, the inept Prince Huai has finally awakened. He has chosen to create his own faction and fight for his life.]

After the announcement, the crude Xing Tao immediately cursed, “Why does the Star Gate help him put on an act? Why don’t we get that kind of treatment?!”

Guo Cai’er couldn’t be bothered to respond to such foolish questions and instead lightly wrote on paper: “The new Liu Ling’er has joined the team. This is an unexpected turn of events, which means one less player for our faction permanently.”

“It’s unfair, it’s so unfair!” Xing Tao bitterly complained, “Apart from my right hand, I’ve got nothing left to show off.”

In the ladies’ courtyard, Zhang Meixuan commented in a low voice, “Heh, I hope this Prince Huai lives up to the special treatment from the Star Gate. Don’t be too weak… make the process a bit more interesting.”

In the Chief Historian’s residence, Li Yan grinned: “This little Prince Huai is not worth worrying about.”

Imperial Inspector Liu stood up, raising his arm: “I hope this time, we can advance and retreat together, rather than me being struck while you watch.”

“Boom!”

Li Yan bumped fists with him, filled with brotherly spirit: “I don’t care what others think, but you and I… we’ll be life and death together.”

“Repeat our slogan,” Imperial Inspector Liu reminded.

“Prince Huai’s father will always encounter vice raids when he gets in a ride, and his grandmother will always run into hooligans when she dances!,” Li Yan repeated, recalling the phrase.

Imperial Inspector Liu nodded: “Then… we shall meet in the tomb!”

…

The Star Gate’s description of the ancient princess’s tomb was not as direct; it merely stated that those with fate would see the path into the tomb. After reminding Lian’er and Second Fool, Ren Ye, along with Tang Feng, made their way into Qingliang Mountain.

To be honest, Ren Ye had already been at the Star Gate for quite some time, but he had never seen the scenery outside Prince Huai’s residence.

The ancient wilderness was filled with lush greenery, and wild beasts roamed freely. The cold mountain wind blew against his face, carrying a biting chill.

As they walked through the dense forest, Ren Ye couldn’t shake the feeling of inexplicable anxiety, and his right eyelid was twitching uncontrollably.

He felt uneasy, restless, and had the nagging sensation that once he entered the tomb, he might never be able to leave.

The moonlight shone brightly, and the willow branches rustled in the wind.

“…Ren Ye, if you really become successful in the future, becoming… the sixth person in our nation to be a possessor of that profession, have you thought about what you’d want to do?” Tang Feng suddenly asked.

“No,” Ren Ye paused for a moment, then slowly shook his head. “I haven’t thought about it.”

Tang Feng stopped and, with a smile on her face, said, “Forget about grand ideals, forget about lofty and noble dreams. Just remember, if you ever find yourself in a dead-end inside the tomb, think about what you could do after becoming powerful. What could you achieve? For an ordinary person, first, you’ll change your own fate—you’ll have money, power, and status; second, you’ll change your family’s fate. Your father won’t have to write articles just to make money—he can write what he likes, for the sake of ideals and expression. Your sister won’t have to stream anymore… And even your future children will receive special privileges. You know, this world has privileges…!”

Ren Ye was silent for a long time after hearing this.

Tang Feng patted his shoulder. “Whatever happens, just deal with it as it comes. Telling you about the moral code and honor of a Vigil Keeper now isn’t realistic. You’re not one of us yet, so just focus on yourself. From this moment on, your chance to change your fate is here!”

“I hope you’ll get what you want here too.”

“Of course! Everything will go smoothly, comrade!” Tang Feng smiled warmly, as if dimming her own light to brighten someone else’s.

“Woo…!”

Suddenly, a gust of mountain wind swept by.

“Swish!”

A burst of light suddenly shone from the peak of Qingliang Mountain, which soared into the clouds.

A soft, ethereal, and melodious female voice echoed down from the peak: “…Am I awake? How long have I waited? Is it you… have you come?”

She seemed to have been asleep for a long time, murmuring as though recalling past events.

The scene before Tang Feng and Ren Ye suddenly blurred, then refocused.

A narrow and steep path leading up the mountain appeared, clearly visible.

Ren Ye turned his head suddenly and realized that Tang Feng had disappeared. He was now standing alone in the wilderness.

[The path to the ancient princess’s tomb has appeared. Would you like to use a disguise talisman?]

“Yes.” Ren Ye answered without hesitation.

“Swish!”

A burst of clear light shot out from his body, and the talisman in his consciousness space vanished. Immediately, Ren Ye transformed into an unremarkable man, wearing a green robe, a scholar’s cap, and looking like a typical scholar.

[A supreme being left a unique and mysterious legacy in the princess’s tomb. To obtain this legacy, one must pass the tests left by the princess and achieve the feats of immortals with a mortal body.]

[All factions alert: After entering the tomb, all supernatural abilities, spells, and items will be unusable. You will need to rely on the strength of ordinary people to overcome the tests within the tomb. Only the faction that succeeds will enter the main tomb chamber. All abilities will be restored after completing the tomb tasks.]

Upon hearing these two alerts, Ren Ye immediately lost his composure. “What the hell, damn Star Gate! You’ve built me up so high, calling me the Heavenly Pardoned One and the bird that breaks free of its cage, but now you’re not even letting me use my supernatural powers?! Damn it, we’re supposed to fight with 3+1 against everyone! Without the Nation-Stabilizing Sword or the replication ability, what’s the point of playing this game?!”