Only Xing Ge, who needed to keep vigil, and the steward, who seemed to have some private instructions for him, remained in the Ancestral Temple.
The other six people silently walked back through the damp, cold Covered Walkway in the increasingly heavy night and fine rain, returning to the side of the Moon Gate where they had initially gathered.
The six stopped, but no one immediately returned to their room.
Yu Hao was the first to speak: "Everyone, what do you think?"
His question seemed abrupt and out of context, but everyone present understood his meaning.
Their ladder rankings had long been stable within the top hundred. Although they didn't know each other's exact rankings, according to God Hunt's matching mechanism, being thrown into this instance together meant their strength levels were likely within the same range—
No one would be dead weight, and no one could easily control anyone else.
Precisely because of this, they all knew that facing increasingly difficult instances, going solo was tantamount to seeking death. The further they went, reliable cooperation and information sharing would be the fundamental key to fighting for a sliver of survival in the instance.
Shi Weiwei continued: "Keeping vigil, separate rooms, confinement... He's deliberately separating us."
Her tone remained steady, but carried a sharper edge.
"But the rules themselves are also providing clues."
Hang Ze rubbed his arms, as if trying to dispel the chilling aura he'd carried out from the Ancestral Temple: "Avoid red, purple, and gold, yet the Seventh Concubine prepared purple Mourning Garments. It says the Seventh Concubine is not to be trusted, yet she can arrange our food, clothing, shelter, and travel. The Ancient Well is off-limits, which precisely indicates there's something there."
He paused, then continued: "And the Clan Genealogy, for viewing by Shen family members only... So, do our current identities count as Shen family members?"
Xu Xi glanced sideways at him, realizing this guy, though seeming impulsive, wasn't actually reckless. His observational and summarizing skills were quite sharp. In a few sentences, he had pointed out the contradictions within the rules and raised the crucial identity question.
It seems he won't encounter fools in later instances.
...Hiss, wait.
Xu Xi jolted awake. Why was he unconsciously evaluating his teammates' capabilities?
He wasn't some top-tier player himself either.
Rubbing his forehead, Xu Xi began pondering when this mindset had shifted.
Meanwhile, the discussion continued.
Yu Hao said thoughtfully: "Based on the 'young master and young lady' identities we've been assigned, theoretically we should be surnamed Shen. But since the rule specifically emphasizes it..."
His tone was quite meaningful: "Perhaps it means that among us, someone is *not* surnamed Shen."
This speculation suddenly made the atmosphere tense.
The Clan Genealogy was clearly a key clue. If someone wasn't surnamed Shen, that person couldn't view it.
More importantly, they didn't know who the non-Shen might be. Was it just one person... or multiple?
Tang Shutong hugged her arms, unconsciously touching the scar on her brow: "There's another question. Does this 'Shen surname' refer to the name or bloodline?"
If it's the name, that's much simpler. But if it's bloodline...
After all, adopted children, illegitimate children from affairs, etc., were all possibilities.
Lin Zuo then softly uttered eight words: "The Incense Burner is very full. The coffin is very cold."
A full Incense Burner meant someone had been frequently offering incense before. The coffin's coldness might not just be about temperature.
Everyone's gaze instantly focused on the young man in the dark blue gown who had remained silent from start to finish.
Now, only he hadn't shared his own perspective.
The other party seemed to be deep in thought about something.
Over there, Xu Xi hadn't managed to figure anything out.
Unconsciously, every time he entered a new instance, he had grown accustomed to analyzing rules, assessing risks, and even subconsciously using his reload ability to gather clues.
As for when he started developing this mindset, he truly hadn't noticed.
But his goal had always remained the same: to strive to reach the top.
Suppressing his chaotic thoughts, when he refocused on the present, he suddenly realized everyone was quietly staring at him.
Xu Xi: "?"
He thought for a moment, then asked straightforwardly: "When you were offering incense earlier, did any of you hear any sounds?"
Hang Ze's eyes lit up: "You heard it too?"
Yu Hao looked at them puzzled: "What sound?"
Shi Weiwei and the other two also had strange expressions.
"A kind of playful laughter," Hang Ze described. "Like a child's voice, very shrill."
Hearing this, everyone instantly thought of the Paper Effigies of the Boy and Girl Attendants flanking the coffin.
Xu Xi guessed that perhaps the buzz-cut man had heard it too.
"I didn't hear anything," Yu Hao shook his head.
Shi Weiwei and the other two also denied it.
Everyone present suddenly realized the situation in this instance was probably even more complicated than they had anticipated.
Yu Hao wiped his face and said gravely: "Our identity issue is undoubtedly important, but what's more urgent right now is safely getting through the first night."
Shi Weiwei nodded in agreement: "Right. We need to determine which rules are absolute laws, where violation means death, and which rules have gray areas or loopholes that we can exploit."
"So, are you guys planning to go out and explore after Zi Hour tonight?" Hang Ze asked, somewhat eager. "I've even thought of an excuse: just say the Chamber Pot is full."
Tang Shutong glanced at him: "Not recommended. For the first night, we'd better play it safe."
"If we're keeping vigil, will this rule still apply?" At that moment, Lin Zuo suddenly asked.
Everyone was taken aback.
They hadn't considered that point.
Shi Weiwei pondered for a moment, then shook her head: "Keeping vigil probably has its own set of rules too."
Hang Ze stroked his chin and said: "Speaking of which, did we really just leave that guy alone over there?"
Yu Hao wasn't too worried: "He seemed pretty confident. The first night might be dangerous, but it doesn't necessarily mean something will happen."
"The order for keeping vigil is most likely based on our title rankings. Tomorrow night might be my turn." Shi Weiwei looked at Xu Xi and Hang Ze. "When it's my turn, I'll pay special attention to the sound you mentioned."
Xu Xi nodded indifferently.
If it really went by ranking, he was fifth. By the time it was his turn, he might have already cleared the instance; the vigil might never even reach him.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but remind them: "The seven-day deadline isn't necessarily the real countdown."
The last mixed-team competition instance had really screwed them over regarding time.
Hearing this special reminder from the young man in the dark blue gown, the others felt a chill inside.
The other man spoke little, carried himself with composure, and exuded a strong sense of detachment.
This made them instinctively take seriously this remark that might have just been an offhand comment.
Yu Hao nodded: "We do need to guard against that point."
After this brief exchange, the group no longer delayed and quickly dispersed to their own quarters.
The night was as dark as ink, heavily enveloping the Shen residence.
Xu Xi looked up at the pitch-black sky, then stepped towards the rear garden.
For him, regardless of taboos or anomalies, just go and actively touch them—then you'll know everything.
