Chapter 438: Tomb Grove Beneath the Lake

Sunlight slanted down onto the rippling lake, golden rays interweaving with silver waves. Amid the tranquil waters, a wooden boat slowly drifted forward.

The boat was crafted from aged, sturdy wood. Time had etched mottled marks across its surface, yet these blemishes lent it a distinct charm.

Rowing the boat was an old woman dressed in simple clothes and wearing a bamboo hat. The brim of her hat swayed gently with the breeze, her face lined with wrinkles that spoke of a life full of experiences and calm acceptance.

She gripped the oar with both hands, her movements steady and practiced. Each stroke pushed the boat forward, sending ripples dancing across the water. The ripples overlapped and spread outward, eventually fading into the shimmering expanse of the lake.

As the boat glided toward the lake’s center, the surroundings became more vast and majestic. The old woman set the oar aside and walked into the boat’s cabin, where she began dragging out a pitch-black coffin.

Though she appeared frail, her strength was undeniable. The coffin looked massive and incredibly heavy, yet she managed to drag and carry it to the bow with ease.

With half the coffin hanging over the lake, the old woman gently patted the lid and smiled. “Girl, time to go under.”

“Mhm!” came a muffled female voice from inside the coffin.

There was a living person inside!

Creaaak…

With a push, the coffin scraped briefly against the bow before plunging into the water with a splash.

The old woman watched as the coffin was swallowed by the lake, then returned to the cabin. She picked up a palm-leaf fan and leisurely began to fan herself…

Meanwhile, as the coffin sank, the surrounding light gradually dimmed.

It descended at a steady pace, yet even after half a stick of incense’s time, it showed no signs of stopping.

No one knew how much time passed before a faint clunk rang out—the coffin had finally reached the lakebed. The impact startled the lurking fish, shrimp, and crabs, sending them fleeing in all directions.

Thud—thud, thud!

A series of dull knocks echoed, and the coffin lid was pushed open slightly. A sliver of light shone from within!

As the lid opened further, the warm yellow glow intensified, illuminating the murky surroundings.

A woman, seemingly in her early twenties, sat up inside the coffin. The source of the yellow light was a piece of spirit money burning in her hand!

Spirit money that could burn underwater—and the light it emitted seemed to repel the water, allowing her to breathe freely beneath the lake.

She had a cool and elegant face, with a hard-to-describe aura between her brows. Dressed in a white martial outfit, her long hair tied up, she picked up a bamboo basket and stepped out of the coffin, walking across the pitch-black lakebed.

Each time the spirit money neared its end, she took out a new piece from the basket and continued walking.

After around a hundred steps, the ground beneath her feet turned to stone bricks, and the fish and shrimp were replaced by rows of towering tombstones.

Most of the first tombstones she passed were relatively clean, as though someone had recently tended to them. However, being underwater, many still had patches of algae or debris clinging to them.

She casually removed the debris as she passed.

Winding through the tombstones for a while, the woman stopped before one particularly worn and weathered grave. In the glow of the spirit money, the surrounding tombstones were all covered in muck.

Lighting another piece of spirit money, she placed it before the tombstone and squatted down, quietly keeping vigil like someone honoring the dead.

Strangely, as the paper burned, the grime and debris on the tombstone began to fall away with soft rustling sounds.

By the time the paper finished burning, the tombstone was spotless—but the words engraved on it were too eroded to make out, only faint traces of brushstrokes remained…

For the next hour, the woman continued this ritual, “cleaning” each filthy tombstone the same way.

The once-full bamboo basket of spirit money was nearly empty.

She had now reached the end of the underwater grave grove. Looking at the piece of spirit money in her hand, half of it had already burned away.

“It should be enough.” Saying this, she took the last sheet from the basket and lit it before the final tombstone.

As the flame rose, the filth on the tombstone began to fall off. She stood quietly nearby, staring at it in a daze.

When the spirit money was halfway burned, the engraving on the tombstone slowly came into view.

“This stroke… hasn’t faded?” she murmured in surprise, leaning in closer. She could now make out one clearly revealed word: Gu.

Her brows furrowed instinctively. As if growing impatient, she reached out and began clearing the remaining debris with her hand.

Moments later, the tombstone was fully clean. The words carved into it stood out clearly, as though freshly engraved:

Tomb of Gu Ning’an!

“Mr. Gu!” she exclaimed, clearly forgetting that the water-repelling spirit money was nearly burned to her fingers.

She leaned closer, her eyes fixed intently on the name, murmuring, “Could it just be the same name?”

“But if it’s not… why is this the only tombstone with such clear engraving?”

“But if it is…”

The paper finally burned out. Darkness and frigid lake water surged toward her.

Realizing she’d lost track of time, the woman didn’t hesitate. Familiar with the area, she quickly located the coffin and hugged it tight. With a strong kick off the lakebed, she began ascending rapidly—

Splash!

The black coffin broke the surface, the woman clinging to it, coughing and gasping for air.

From not far away, the old woman paddled over anxiously. “Girl, what took you so long today? Swallowed some water? Still feeling off?”

The woman shook her head. “I’m fine, Granny. I just got distracted down there and didn’t notice the spirit money burned out.”

“Come, hurry up. You’re soaked through. Don’t catch a chill.” As she spoke, the old woman reached out and pulled her onto the boat, wrapping her in a thick cloak she’d prepared in advance.

Once wrapped up, the woman turned to her. “Granny, did you bring my box?”

The old woman nodded. “Brought it.”

The woman paused, then said, “I’m going to fold some more spirit money. I need to go back down…”