[Uncanny Trait—The Soil of Deathly Stillness]:

  First, the grave soil is capable of devouring the life force of living beings, refining it into a malevolent energy known as Yin Sha Qi, which it then stores.

  Second, by consuming Yin Sha Qi, the rank of the “Graveyard Monument” may be elevated—unleashing further supernatural traits and augmenting the total volume of the grave soil (its very mass). Advancement to the next echelon, “Bai Yuan,” requires five units of Yin Sha Qi.

  Third, the grave soil can alter its form at will—accumulating into mounds or subsiding to burrow deep beneath the earth.

  Fourth, should the grave soil be ingested by a creature, it “contaminates” the organism, inducing a supernatural metamorphosis; the higher the creature’s intrinsic stature, the lesser the effect.

  “So, it appears that while my core essence remains immobile, my form may extend limitlessly—much like a malleable rubber man…”

  “If I could expand the reach of my grave soil to encompass an entire city, might that not allow me to extend my being to the main city of the Ninth Safe Zone—and thus, to behold Qiu Li once more…”

  A surge of anticipation welled within David. Though the notion seemed utterly fantastical, after witnessing men beget offspring and the transference of consciousness, it appeared not entirely implausible.

  “Of course, all of this presupposes that my soul’s lifespan endures long enough… Fortunately, the Yin Sha Qi I have amassed is sufficient to further prolong my existence…”

  In that moment, David experienced an overwhelming sense of destiny. The Yin Sha Qi accumulated by those once interred here now seemed destined to empower one to exact vengeance upon the treacherous Whitmore family.

  At present, there were a total of ten units of Yin Sha Qi—all of which, according to his perception, could be manipulated at will. He immediately endeavored to consume the energy to ascend to a higher echelon.

  “Is it so?”

  Under the sway of David’s will, the Yin Sha Qi nestled beneath the soil flowed like a gentle stream into the obsidian monument, with a small fraction evaporating into nothingness. The characters upon the “Ghost Monument” shimmered with a fluid luminescence, and the entire stone edifice trembled ever so slightly before returning to tranquility.

  The entire process was far less dramatic than David had envisioned, and he felt little beyond the emergence of new data:

  [Remaining Yin Sha Qi: 5 units]

  [Current Rank Elevated to: Bai Yuan]

  [Yin Sha Qi Required for Next Ascension: 8 units]

  [Current Volume: 5×5×1 m]

  [Soul Lifespan Extended to: 2.5 days (of conscious existence)]

  [Awakening of a New Uncanny Trait—The Inscription Curse]:

  By inscribing the name of a living being upon the “Graveyard Monument” and interring a part of their body or an associated object within the grave soil, a curse is unleashed upon them. Should the living be slain by the Inscription Curse, a measured dose of Yin Sha Qi is instantaneously fed back, irrespective of distance. Further variations of the Inscription Curse may yet manifest upon attaining an even higher rank.

  “I have ascended—the ‘Graveyard Monument’… or rather, my power has exceeded even my expectations; to think that at merely the Bai Yuan level, such bizarre abilities are already within my grasp…”

  David murmured silently, “Yet the price for this power is death, and I owe it all to you—Lady Whitmore, Sophia… Since fate has ordained my survival, I shall not let you escape my retribution.”

  “Although I may live until the day after tomorrow, my soul’s lifespan remains too brief; the urgent task is to swiftly accumulate more Yin Sha Qi. For now, there are two primary means: the death of life itself, and the transmutation of Yin corpses.”

  Gazing upon the withered vegetation surrounding him, David mused, “Devouring the life force… Could it be that these plants were stripped of their vitality by the grave soil at the moment of my awakening, thus reduced to this state?”

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  With that thought, he immediately extended his grave soil to draw the inherent life force from an outer ring of foliage. Gradually, the Yin Sha Qi seeped into the deep, ebony earth.

  Yet, as expected, the cluster of red spider lilies remained untouched by the grave soil, swaying seductively in the breeze. David’s intuitive sense revealed that these crimson blossoms too possessed an uncanny nature—harmless to him, and indeed, sharing a mysterious bond.

  “Could they be symbiotic anomalies?”

  Contemplating this possibility, he noted that the “Graveyard Monument” offered no corroborating evidence. Within moments, the surrounding plants withered to a grim, ashen hue, disintegrating into dust with the slightest breeze—save for the enduring cluster of vivid red spider lilies. Meanwhile, the Yin Sha Qi had increased.

  [Accumulated Yin Sha Qi: 6 units]

  “Only one unit more—still insufficient, still insufficient…”

  Since the current “Ghost Monument” had not yet revived to transmute Yin corpses, he could only contemplate the art of taking life. The Inscription Curse, which could fulfill this need, required as a prerequisite the acquisition of a body part or item belonging to the intended victim.

  David then amplified his perception, scouring a fifty-meter radius. In succession, he uncovered a multitude of human skeletal remains—each in varying degrees of disrepair. When assembled together, and including his own corpse, they amounted to exactly nine sets of remains. The bones revealed both male and female forms, with some appearing not yet fully matured…

  Perhaps due to the absence of a human brain, David’s emotions remained unperturbed as he observed the remains, though numerous questions arose:

  “Wasn’t the purpose of the impregnation ritual to require a man? How then is there a woman present? Could it be that Lady Whitmore and her cohorts have engaged in other acts of life-ending treachery?”

  “And those juvenile remains—might they be the stillborn sister of Sophia?”

  After a brief interval, through his acute perception, he finally discerned the object he sought upon the earth’s surface—a single strand of gently curled, golden hair, perfectly suited for his experiment with the Inscription Curse.

  “I recall that among the five maids of the Whitmore household, only two possessed golden hair—one named Caroline, the other Mary… They must have been complicit in my interment, leaving behind this token.”

  Guiding his own form—now a mass of obsidian soil—David wormed his way to engulf that strand of golden hair. The next step was the inscription; yet, bereft of limbs or tools, how might he accomplish it?

  In a sudden flash of inspiration, David found his mind attuned with the obsidian monument. A recessed groove began to emerge upon its surface, extending and twisting until it resembled a particular character. The process unfolded slowly, taking several minutes to ultimately manifest as a peculiar symbol bearing a faint resemblance to modern script.

  Though David was certain that this character belonged to no contemporary language, he miraculously comprehended its meaning—it corresponded precisely to the name “Mary.”

  Yet nothing further occurred.

  Consequently, he proceeded to inscribe, with his mind, the name “Caroline.” Since the origin of the golden hair was uncertain, he inscribed both names. Once the second name was fully etched, the golden strand buried within the soil vanished without a trace, as if evaporated into thin air. Along with its disappearance, one unit of Yin Sha Qi was expended—reducing the total back to five units.

  “Is it done?” David mused, convinced that the curse had been activated, its target none other than Caroline.

  Simultaneously, a graceful maid’s figure materialized within his consciousness, establishing an enigmatic connection. He could clearly observe Caroline bustling about in the Whitmore household’s kitchen; David understood that this had formed a kind of surveillance—a real-time monitoring. Yet the curse did not appear to take immediate effect, for nothing aberrant was manifest in her behavior.

  “What manner of effect will the curse yield?” he thought, already impatient to witness her demise.

  Only if Caroline were to be slain by the curse would it confirm his capacity to exact further vengeance upon Sophia and Lady Whitmore.

  At that very moment, the wheels of fate began to turn with ever-increasing haste, as the shadow of death spread from the periphery of the “Wall of Life,” slowly encroaching upon the Whitmore mansion. Perhaps one day, it would ultimately envelop the entire town—and even the broader expanse of humanity’s Safe Zone.