“Now what?” Bao Cong asked as the group loitered in front of the grass that marked the start of the graveyard proper.
Dotted throughout the graveyard, graves sprouted from the ground, many on the slight rise of the hill that had likely marked this location for burial. The graveyard itself had originally been located a distance away from the city, and even now it was at the edges of the city walls. Only a single neighborhood stood between it and the walls, offering a green—and morbid—oasis in the city. The constantly expanding city had driven the construction of the graveyard’s enclosure within the walls of the city, offering protection to the living and dead in equal measure. As for the expanse of greenery, none would gainsay the Wen family their uninterrupted, picturesque views.
It was a pretty sight, and facing the water, Wu Ying could see how the slope of the hill gave the dead a view over the river and the city. At least for those main branch members and the few tertiary branch members who had been in favor before their demise. Those who hadn’t been were placed on the opposite side or in dips in the ground where smaller, meaner stones marked their resting places. Still, large and expansive or small and humble, the graves were carefully tended. The tombstones at the top of the hill that they could spot from here were the larger, more ornate, semicircular stone edifices or monuments with large, single-story buildings. He even saw the occasional gilded mausoleum.
“Let me guess, it’s the big one,” Wu Ying said to Yin Xue. He didn’t even wait for the noble to reply, before he frowned at the graveyard guards, thinking.
Before Wu Ying could say anything, Yin Xue walked up the hill, stepping foot onto the graveyard grounds. To Wu Ying’s surprise, the moment Yin Xue did so, purple light formed around the perimeter of the grounds, alerting the groundspeople. It was only then, as he felt the shift in chi flows, that Wu Ying realized that there was a formation.
Of course there was a formation.
Yin Xue turned around, looking at the group, and gestured for them to catch up. Not having a better option, the three cultivators fell in step behind Yin Xue.
Wu Ying took two steps, making sure he was just behind Yin Xue before speaking softly. “What are you doing?”
“Getting us in. We don’t have time for your hesitation,” Yin Xue said. He continued to stroll toward the mausoleum at the top of the hill, ignoring the incoming groundskeepers. He walked with a hand behind his back, acting as if he owned the place.
Wu Ying, on the other hand, looked more nervous, casting glances between the approaching guards. He extended his senses, judging their cultivation levels, and was relieved to note that they were mostly in the mid-stages of Body Cultivation. On further thought, that made sense. Anyone with any skill would not be relegated to such a task. And the newly risen ghosts or hopping-vampires would be a low enough threat that properly armed groundskeepers could deal with them.
“Honored sir, what brings you to the grounds?” the first groundskeeper to make it to them asked Yin Xue respectfully. He kept shooting glances at the fast fading color of the formation perimeter barrier.
“Why else would I be here?” Yin Xue glared at the groundskeeper, never stopping in his journey up the hill. He occasionally glanced at the tombstones, reading the names of ancestors, but he never broke stride.
“I’m sorry, honored sir. I’ve just never seen you before at the ceremonies.” Again the groundskeeper tried to slow Yin Xue down with conversation. But again, Yin Xue barely shot him a glance as he continued his walk. “And these others are…?”
“My third wife,” the Yin Xue said, turning his head and offering his hand to Li Yao. “Who I just took. I want to introduce her to my ancestors. The others are unimportant—a friend and my servant.”
The groundskeeper paused, raking his eyes over Li Yao’s form. She, in turn, tried to look as demure as possible. She must have succeeded, for the groundskeeper ducked his head and raised his hand to wave off the other approaching guards. Wu Ying let out a small breath of relief, grateful that they would not have to fight these men. They were, after all, doing their job. Not even a morally questionable one. Taking care of the graves, ensuring that no corpses bothered the living, providing food and tending to the ancestors was an honorable job.
“I shall escort you then, honored sir,” the groundskeeper said. “I am groundskeeper Han.”
“Good.” Yin Xue nodded, letting his eyes roam over the graveyard. After a moment, he raised his voice again. “Your men and you have done a good job.”
“Oh, not my men. I am only the third groundskeeper. The first died recently. The second is on break, taking the more dangerous shift at night.” Still, groundskeeper Han preened at Yin Xue’s praise. “It has been difficult, with the war. All that death, all that release of yin chi. It has made the ghosts more restless.”
“I can see that.” Yin Xue look pointedly at the churned earth around a broken tomb which had been only partly rebuilt.
The pair continued to talk. Forced by social custom to stay back, Wu Ying could only catch brief snatches of the conversation, but it seemed it had turned toward Yin Xue’s latest conquest—the beautiful, petite, and demure bride. Li Yao was forced to walk alongside them, a step behind, her head bent as she played her part. Wu Ying could see how she disliked the pretense as her clenched fist grew whiter and tighter.
He only hoped that she could hold her temper until they got what they needed.
“Stop snarling,” Bao Cong softly growled the words at Wu Ying.
Wu Ying blanked his face on command, scared that he would give away the game.
Luckily, the walk up the hill was not far, allowing them to arrive at the impressively large mausoleum in short order. The building was nearly the size of Wu Ying’s old home in the village, the single-story structure having three wings to it. The double doors sat closed, the gold filigree on the doors failing to hide the glowing enchantments they contained.
Yin Xue turned his head to groundskeeper Han. “My father did not relate much about the opening procedures. He said it was obvious. But now that you are here, perhaps…”
Catching Yin Xue’s hint, the groundskeeper smiled. He pointed at a small circular location in the door, stained a light muddy-brown, a marked difference compared to the ornate white marble of the surrounding stone. “You only need to place your hand there to activate the formation. A drop of blood on your hand will be sufficient.”
Wu Ying winced, grateful that Yin Xue was with them then. They could probably brute force their way through the formation and the stone doors. Neither looked to be anything more than normal stone and a mortal-tier formation. But that would alert the guards and the groundskeepers.
Complying with the groundskeeper’s suggestion, Yin Xue pricked his finger and laid his palm on the circular depression. To his surprise, the stone bubbled and swallowed his hand, leaving him trapped.
Without hesitating, Wu Ying drew his sword and placed it against the groundskeeper’s neck. “What is this?”
“Nothing. Nothing! It is normal. If he was not of the blood, if you tried to trick the formation, he would lose his hand.” The groundskeeper swallowed, once and then again as Wu Ying’s jian pricked his neck, drawing a bead of blood. His eyes flicked sideways to Yin Xue, whose hand continued to be stuck, then to Bao Cong.
“His friends are here,” Bao Cong said as he placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.
“Stop it. Stand down, boy. I will be fine,” Yin Xue said. He glared at Wu Ying even as the formation that had once been hidden around the mausoleum sparked in a series of colors.
Realizing that he might have given away their disguise, Wu Ying carefully resheathed his sword. Bao Cong continued to leave his hand on his own weapon, while Li Yao, having stepped into the shade of the mausoleum and readied herself to attack, relaxed and stepped out. Luckily, the groundskeeper could not catch sight of the female cultivator as she put away her spear.