Chapter 3: Grave Digging

Nightfall approached.

After Third Uncle’s house went dark, Chen Luo changed his clothes and ventured out for the second time that day.

Certain tasks were impractical during daylight hours; nighttime was perfect for grave digging!

Since awakening his golden finger yesterday, he hadn’t forgotten about it. Throughout the day, he had been busy testing medicines and preparing supplies, leaving the evening as the ideal time to act.

Now, with darkness fully settled and neighboring houses extinguishing their lights for sleep, even the dogs lay quiet - the perfect opportunity to carry out his plan. Seizing this moment, Chen Luo intended to exhume the batch of buried individuals from the previous day, hoping to test his ability. Among so many travelers, there might just be one whose mind holds memories of extraordinary martial arts!

To safeguard against poisoning, Chen Luo meticulously equipped himself with leather gloves, a face mask, a pouch containing antidote pills, and several insects for detecting toxins. These preparations drained all the wages he earned from burying bodies with his third uncle last time. If Third Uncle found out, a sound beating would undoubtedly follow.

In this small county town, there were no night patrols due to its inland location, and the city walls had fallen into severe disrepair. Chen Luo effortlessly located a breach and slipped through undetected.

Guided by memory, Chen Luo hurried along with his backpack.

As the surroundings grew increasingly desolate, he lit his lantern and continued deeper down the narrow path.

In the night-shrouded valley, insects chirped and birds called out.

Night crows perched on barren trees emitted eerie cries, their crimson eyes watching Chen Luo as he traversed the mountainside.

“Here we are!”

Chen Luo sighed in relief.

Having assisted Third Uncle with burials for quite some time, he had gained considerable experience. Even navigating mountain paths at night felt manageable to him. The dangerous profession of a grave digger naturally involved unique skills passed down through generations.

Chen Luo lit the corner lantern in his hand and hung it on a nearby crooked tree. He retrieved the shovel from his back, spat twice onto its blade, and began digging.

Since he had filled the soil himself, Chen Luo knew exactly where to look. Soon, he uncovered a straw mat.

With utmost care, he brushed away the dirt above, revealing the buried body of the jianghu traveler beneath.

“There’s only one way to find out if this is real or not.”

Suppressing the overpowering stench, Chen Luo lifted the straw mat. The pungent odor nearly made him retch up last night’s dinner. Thankfully, mentally prepared, he managed to withstand the smell.

He retrieved a bamboo tube from his waist and released the toxin detection beetle inside. It was a small, jet-black creature resembling a scorpion. When Chen Luo took it out, the beetle was curled up tightly. Upon sensing the corpse’s odor, it unfurled its body, extended its pincers to prod the remains twice, and then circled around them.

After some time, it recoiled again, forming a tiny ball.

No poison detected!

Relieved, Chen Luo sighed.

Then, wearing the deer-hide gloves he had prepared earlier, he cautiously placed his hand on the corpse.

Detected residual brain waves, damage level 97%. Read now?

“Yes, read!” Chen Luo exclaimed aloud, as there was no one else around.

The Widow Wang was truly enticing; too bad I won’t have another chance with her.

As familiar brain waves entered his mind, the traveler’s final obsession swiftly appeared in Chen Luo’s thoughts. However, this revelation left him momentarily stunned. His entire demeanor soured upon gazing at the decomposing corpse.

All that effort late at night just to uncover such an obsession!

Unwilling to give up, Chen Luo swung his shovel again for a second round of digging.

“Read now!”

This time, without waiting for the system prompt, Chen Luo spoke directly.

Cuihua, wait for me when I return!

I hid three taels of silver under the crooked tree next door.

As Chen Luo searched through each corpse, he gradually felt numb.

None of these dead travelers’ final obsessions were reliable—either hidden money or illicit affairs. Some, more responsible ones, were consumed by thoughts of their families. To Chen Luo, these obsessions held no significance whatsoever.

However, the last corpse yielded something valuable:

With Blood and Qi at Three Revolutions, consuming Black-bellied Grass increases the chances of breaking through internal cultivation by thirty percent.

Internal cultivation?

What realm is that?

Chen Luo didn’t know, but he made a mental note.

Sooner or later, he would embark on the path of martial arts. Even if Third Uncle couldn’t help him find a mentor tomorrow, it wouldn’t matter. With his shovel and lantern in hand, he could carve out his destiny amidst the graves.

After a night’s labor, by the time Chen Luo reburied all the bodies, dawn was nearly upon them.

He dragged his weary body back towards the city.

At the city gate, the guards were already yawning with fatigue.

The dog hole Chen Luo used had attracted a few others; they seemed to be villagers coming to the market who preferred this shortcut to avoid paying the entry fee.

Those familiar with this path were mostly local residents.

Similar to evading admission fees at tourist spots, no one exposed each other’s shortcuts.

Chen Luo, lacking the energy to care, crawled back into the city through the dog hole and then scaled over the rear wall to reach home. From inside the front room, Third Uncle’s snoring continued unabated, indicating he was still asleep.

After storing away his tools, Chen Luo didn’t even bother washing up. He simply pulled the quilt over himself and fell asleep instantly.

It had been an exhausting night, and he drifted off shortly after lying down.

Chen Luo experienced a delightful dream.

In it, he became a legendary hero, commanding wind and rain, with extraordinary martial prowess that allowed him to soar effortlessly. His treasured sword faced no equal; every time he raised it, an enemy would crumble. However, as the battle progressed, the scene took an unexpected turn. The sword in his hand mysteriously transformed into a shovel. His clothes turned ragged, and a crooked stick with a four-cornered oil lamp hung from his back.

The slain enemies vanished, turning into mere dirt, while the surroundings morphed into a graveyard—an endless sea of graves stretching out before him.

“How am I digging graves again?” Chen Luo felt momentarily stunned. Just as he tried to take a closer look, someone suddenly called out to him.

“Lazy little brat, get your ass up right now! Today, we’re going to meet someone.”

Groggily, Chen Luo opened his eyes and realized that at some point, Third Uncle had entered the room. Holding a bowl of tofu pudding and two oil strips, he was urging him to wake up.

Looking up, Chen Luo noticed it was already bright outside.

Sunlight streamed through the window, warming the interior of the house.

“Already this early?” Chen Luo shook his slightly dazed head as he asked.

“It’s all thanks to the trouble you’ve caused, you little rascal! Hurry up.” Impatiently, Third Uncle slammed the bowl of tofu pudding down, causing some droplets to splash out.

From Third Uncle’s tone, it seemed he had already been out earlier that morning.

Chen Luo didn’t dare waste any time, quickly devouring the tofu pudding from the bowl. Then, grabbing the fried dough sticks, he crumpled them together and stuffed them into his mouth, nearly choking before Third Uncle swiftly handed him a ladle of water to save him.

“Wash your face properly and change into clean clothes,” instructed Third Uncle, waiting for him upfront.

Chen Luo complied without delay, knowing well that such opportunities were rare. He promptly got ready.

Shortly after, a freshly attired Chen Luo emerged in the front room.

“Not bad, now you look presentable.”

Observing his tall and upright nephew, Third Uncle nodded with satisfaction. He walked to the wall, picked up the carefully prepared gift, and led Chen Luo out the door.

Third Uncle’s network was limited. As a grave digger, he had little access to influential figures. The person he was taking Chen Luo to meet wasn’t some awe-inspiring tycoon or hidden master, merely someone known within their own social circle. This individual was the only one among Third Uncle’s acquaintances who possessed genuine martial skills.

Without Third Uncle’s introduction, Chen Luo would not have been able to connect with such people - that’s just how pragmatic the world was.

“The person I’m taking you to see is called Cripple Ma. He was already crippled when I first met him,” Third Uncle began explaining precautions to Chen Luo on their way.

“I never asked about his past, and he didn’t share it either.” Walking ahead, Third Uncle took Chen Luo through a detour to buy two pounds of marbled pork and three liters of loose-packed liquor at the alley entrance.

“Seven years ago, while burying bodies, I found someone still alive amidst the corpses. On impulse, I saved them.” Third Uncle didn’t finish his story, but Chen Luo could guess the rest.

As an official grave digger, most of the individuals Third Uncle buried were travelers from the jianghu.

These individuals often carried blood on their hands, living in a completely different world from ordinary people. Encountering any of them meant inviting trouble. When Third Uncle saved Cripple Ma from the pile of corpses, he undoubtedly took a significant risk.

“So, he owes me his life. Under normal circumstances, Cripple Ma would never teach martial arts to outsiders; it’s too risky.”

Martial arts were strictly taboo for common folk.

If word got out and reached the authorities, no one involved could escape consequences.

“Listen up, boy, do you understand what this means?” Third Uncle stopped walking, turned around, and glared at his silent nephew.

“I get it, we must keep a low profile!” Chen Luo promptly responded.

“You little rascal!”

Third Uncle muttered under his breath, but the pride in his eyes couldn’t be hidden. His nephew was sharp-minded—a welcome change after generations of straightforward ancestors in the Chen family.

“Outta the way! Outta the way!!”

As uncle and nephew emerged from the alley, they spotted a group of constables armed with sabers rushing ahead before they even crossed the street. The entire area had been cordoned off, with a large crowd gathered nearby, seemingly drawn by the commotion.

Amidst the crowd, faint whispers could be heard:

“A major incident! The entire Wang family has been wiped out.”

“I heard it involves matters from the previous dynasty.”

Rumors among neighbors always spread swiftly, regardless of their truthfulness. Nonetheless, amidst these whispers, the uncle and nephew gleaned some crucial information.

“Let’s go; it’s not our concern,” Third Uncle said, turning his gaze away and heading towards another street.

With this road blocked, they had no choice but to take a detour.