Cataclysm Chapter 111: The Roofless Crypt 03

Chapter 111: The Roofless Crypt 03

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

 

The president of the Taoist Association, Chen Qingdai, mentioned the Roofless Crypt. After a detailed explanation, he got to the main point. As Du Shuo had said, ten young Tianshis would be selected to enter the Roofless Crypt and perform the Soul Releasing Ceremony at its source of resentment. He explained, “The source of the resentment isn’t human or ghost. It has no true form and constantly changes. It has always tried to escape the Roofless Crypt and is extremely cunning. You will need to identify it among the strangers around you.”

Someone asked, “How can we identify it?”

Chen Qingdai replied, “There’s no way to tell. But it will definitely appear near you. You must discern which of the strangers around you is the source.”

Chen Yang whispered to Du Shuo, “Is there really no way to tell? Wouldn’t that make it incredibly dangerous for the Tianshis? Does this mean we have to suspect everyone we meet?”

Du Shuo simply said, “The most normal is the biggest problem.”

“??” Chen Yang blinked. “What does that mean?”

Du Shuo replied, “It’s a hint.”

Chen Yang thought about it for a long time but couldn’t figure out the deeper meaning of Du Shuo’s words. Before he could ask further, he heard Chen Qingdai start reading out the list of Tianshis who would enter the Roofless Crypt. As each name was called, the individual was required to step forward.

“Director of the Dafeng Branch Office, Chen Yang.”

Chen Yang stepped forward.

“Descendant of the Northern Celestial Tao, Kou Xuanling. Descendant of the Celestial Tao, Zhang Qiudao.”

Kou Xuanling and Zhang Qiudao stepped forward, flanking Chen Yang on either side. Chen Qingdai glanced at the three of them with a kind expression before continuing to read names.

“Mao Xiaoying of the Maoshan Sect, Ziyang Palace—”

Mao Xiaoying was Mao Xiaoli’s older brother, approximately thirty years old, and a standout among the younger generation of the Maoshan Sect’s Mao family. Known for his steady and reliable nature, he had opened his celestial sense years ago. Zhang Qiudao, after a moment of thought, whispered something to Chen Yang, and the two swapped positions. Then Zhang Qiudao whispered to Kou Xuanling, and they switched positions until Zhang Qiudao stood next to Mao Xiaoying and greeted him.

Chen Yang muttered, “Better build a good relationship with your future brother-in-law. Makes it easier to woo his sister later.”

Kou Xuanling commented dryly, “Clever Zhang.”

Ten young Tianshis quickly assembled, standing in the center of the rear hall. The older generation of Tianshis observed them. Those who had been to the Roofless Crypt before gave them blessings, while those who hadn’t yet qualified looked on with a touch of envy.

Chen Qingdai addressed them solemnly. “You are all outstanding Tianshis. The goal of this mission is to seal the Roofless Crypt, but completing this task is not mandatory. Your safety comes first. Only do what you can handle. The Taoist Association has prepared a treasure talisman for each of you. If you face life-threatening danger, you must crush the talisman and leave the Roofless Crypt. Remember this.”

Chen Yang and the other nine Tianshis responded seriously to Chen Qingdai’s heartfelt instructions. Chen Qingdai then personally handed each of them a treasure talisman. Before giving it to them, he carefully inspected each one to ensure there were no flaws that could result in a tragic accident. Even after the talismans were distributed, he continued to remind them to act within their limits.

Once the talismans were distributed, the Tianshis departed to prepare. Since they would enter the Roofless Crypt at midnight, the group quickly dispersed. Chen Qingdai and the other vice presidents left together, initially intending to call Du Shuo over. However, seeing him with Chen Yang, they decided not to disturb them.

Meanwhile, Zhang Qiudao returned home to report his safety to his elders. His siblings pulled him away for various conversations until midnight approached, and he reconvened with the group. Lu Xiuzhi accompanied Kou Xuanling, leaving only Chen Yang, Du Shuo, Kui Xuan, and child behind.

Kui Xuan, holding child, asked, “Can’t I go in with you?”

Chen Yang smiled. “Kui Xuan isn’t a Tianshi, so you can’t.”

“What if I sneak in?”

“That’s still not allowed.”

Kui Xuan sighed. “Then I’ll just wait outside for you, Xiao Yang.”

Chen Yang ruffled Kui Xuan’s hair. “I’ll be fine.” Then he looked up at Du Shuo. “Right?”

Du Shuo nodded. “Mn.”

With the affirmation, Chen Yang’s face broke into a relieved and happy smile.

At midnight, the full moon shone even brighter than the night before. Accompanied by Du Shuo, Chen Yang joined the group of Tianshis. Led by Chen Qingdai and other senior Tianshis, they silently passed through long corridors, medicinal gardens, and the star-gazing platform before arriving at the altar.

The altar, a sacred space for venerating the gods, was a quadrangle courtyard with red walls, green tiles, and intricate carvings. It housed three halls: the main hall, east hall, and west hall, featuring nearly two hundred statues of deities and celestial generals.

Chen Qingdai stepped into the main hall, where 130 lifelike statues of celestial soldiers and generals stood, their fierce expressions exuding authority. The group unconsciously held their breath, feeling a deep sense of reverence as they entered.

They passed through the main hall, navigated around the statues, and reached a large side chamber at the back. The chamber had no wooden furniture, only rows of neatly arranged meditation cushions on the floor.

The most striking feature was the front wall, about five meters wide and four meters tall. It displayed an intricate relief of a complex structure resembling a network of interconnected houses. Ten multi-story buildings were connected by bridges, forming a sprawling maze. Shadows of figures seemed to flicker faintly within the rooms, making the relief appear both stunningly realistic and deeply unsettling.

Du Shuo leaned close to Chen Yang and whispered, “This is the Roofless Crypt.”

Chen Yang had already suspected something, and as he stood before the intricate, chilling relief, he felt an unsettling coldness seep into him. The figures barely visible within the relief seemed to coldly observe the people outside, as if they were waiting. Upon entering, as he faced the front of the relief, he momentarily thought he saw flames spreading, with countless shadows desperately rushing toward him. But when he focused, he realized it was just part of the artwork.

Chen Qingdai pointed to the buildings in the relief and said, “This is the Roofless Crypt.” Then he pointed to a building at the end of the relief that was still under construction. “Originally, the Roofless Crypt only had three buildings, but later it was expanded to ten. You see, that unfinished building at the end? It’s the one the Roofless Crypt built itself. It’s filled with ghosts full of deep resentment. You need to find the source of the resentment within these ten buildings, perform the Soul Releasing Ceremony, and put it to sleep.”

Chen Yang looked at the unfinished building. The roof hadn’t been completed, and beams were still being laid. He was momentarily shocked. The Roofless Crypt was called “roofless,” yet it was still adding beams? Upon closer inspection, he realized the beams weren’t wooden pillars but human corpses. Using human bodies as beams in a roof was something truly sinister.

“Hold the red string and meditate deeply. The soul-guiding lantern and bronze bell are your tools. The lantern will guide you out, and the bell will help you recognize your position and identity, so you can find your way when leaving. But once you enter, do not rely on external objects. Do not trust anything you encounter inside, whether familiar faces or not,” Du Shuo cautioned.

Chen Qingdai’s advice was much like Du Shuo’s, and soon the ten Tianshis sat cross-legged on meditation mats, with the rest of the Tianshis surrounding them to protect them.

As Du Shuo guided Chen Yang inside, he squeezed his hand and said, “I’m always by your side. Don’t worry.”

Chen Yang nodded. “I know.” After that, he walked forward and sat cross-legged on a mat. Before him was a lit soul-guiding lantern, and Chen Qingdai was beside him, tying a red string on the middle finger of a stranger Tianshi using a special knot. This knot was a protective measure against wandering souls invading a body, marking it as belonging to someone. The other end of the string was tied to the relief, the string leading to a bronze bell with no clapper inside.

Chen Qingdai crouched in front of Chen Yang and kindly asked, “Are you afraid?”

Chen Yang smiled, “No.”

Chen Qingdai laughed, just as he was about to tie the red string on him. Du Shuo walked over, crouched down, and said, “I’ll do it.”

Chen Qingdai glanced at the two of them and, without saying anything, handed the red string to Du Shuo and moved on to the next Tianshi. When it was Kou Xuanling’s turn, Lu Xiuzhi asked if he could do it himself. Chen Qingdai looked at Lu Xiuzhi for a moment, slightly surprised, but smiled without saying anything, bowed, and moved on to the next one.

Chen Yang looked at Du Shuo’s expression, who was carefully tying the red string for him. He said, “I feel like you’re really worried about me. Not quite like you, brother Du.”

Du Shuo glanced up at him before continuing to tie the string. “When have I not worried about you? You think you’ve figured me out after just a few years?”

Chen Yang rested his cheek on his hand and said, “If I say I’ve figured you out, I’ve figured you out. Are you nervous?”

Du Shuo finished tying the red string and gazed at Chen Yang. “Yangyang has grown up. You won’t need me anymore,” he sighed. “I feel a little lost.”

Chen Yang glanced at him sideways, “Give up, I’m never going to call you ‘Dad’.” His words made Du Shuo sound like an old father. If Chen Yang didn’t know Du Shuo’s nature so well, he might have been tricked into shedding a few tears.

Mao Xiaoying, standing by, was slightly surprised. Are they really playing this much? It’s very different from the image Xiaoli described.

When Chen Qingdai announced that the meditation could begin, Du Shuo had just finished saying everything he wanted to, so he stood up and moved aside, watching Chen Yang meditate with his eyes closed. In the next moment, the red strings tied to the middle fingers of the ten young Tianshis trembled suddenly, and the bronze bells rang out with a clattering sound before coming to a halt. This signified that the ten Tianshis had entered the Roofless Crypt.

The Tianshis outside instinctively looked at the relief, which started to fog up, slowly becoming enveloped in dense mist. Countless eerie shadows danced within the fog. Du Shuo frowned slightly.

When Chen Yang opened his eyes, he found himself standing on a pitch-black road, holding an unopened umbrella. Light rain fell from the sky, cold and piercing, sinking into his skin.

Without hesitation, he opened the umbrella. Looking around, he saw that the road on either side was empty, shrouded in mist, and the end of the road behind him seemed to have been swallowed by it. However, in front of him, he could see faint lights. After thinking for a moment, Chen Yang decided to move forward. As he passed a stone tablet, he unconsciously glanced at the inscription: The Road of No Return.

Chen Yang paused for a moment, then continued walking forward. From a distance, he saw a shadow ahead. As he drew closer, he realized it was a woman in a black dress, holding a black umbrella. The umbrella had a deep arc, covering her head completely. As he walked past, he could only see her pale neck and the long, dark hair hanging down. He also heard a sound, as if she were chewing something.

He walked a few more steps, but suddenly, a sense of familiarity washed over him. This scene seemed oddly familiar—an image from his childhood. On a rainy day, rushing down a country road, he had once encountered a woman in black holding a black umbrella by the roadside. At that time, he was still young, unable to distinguish between ghosts and humans, but he already had an innate fear of ghosts. He had hurried past the woman, but then heard her calling his name.

His grandfather had once told him that if he heard a stranger call his name on the road, he should never respond. So, little Chen Yang had buried his head and hurried forward, too scared to look back or respond. He could only hear the woman’s voice growing more urgent, angrier, and closer, until it was right behind him. Terrified, little Chen Yang ran, feeling something chasing him. He tripped and fell, turning around to see the woman in black with the black umbrella standing right behind him. She lifted the umbrella, revealing the woman underneath—except she had no head, and inside the umbrella was a terrifying mouth.

Chen Yang snapped out of the memory, looking up in shock. Indeed, he saw a mouth tightly closed on top of the black umbrella. In ancient customs, a black umbrella was considered an omen of death. When someone passed away, a black umbrella would be placed at the deceased’s door to ward off evil. Over time, evil spirits were said to inhabit these umbrellas, waiting to devour the living. However, this custom had long since faded into history.

The rain fell relentlessly, the cold biting into him. After a moment of hesitation, Chen Yang decided to continue walking, holding the black umbrella. As he pushed through the mist, he saw a beautiful and exquisite house not far ahead. From a certain angle, it would have looked grand, but after walking for some time, he found himself in an alley made of cobblestones, where no light could be seen, and it was as if he could not even see his own hand.

At the end of the alley, there was a bathhouse with a white cloth hanging in front, bearing large characters written with a brush: Cloud Pool Bath. Beside the cloth, there was a red lantern, swaying and creaking in the wind.

As soon as Chen Yang stepped into the alley, he felt something approaching from behind. He looked back, but it was empty. He continued forward and reached the bathhouse, where the red lantern’s glow illuminated the surroundings. Suddenly, he noticed a breath near his ear. Chen Yang quickly turned his head, his pupils dilating, as a terrifying ghostly face appeared right in front of him, pressing closely to his face.

Remaining calm, Chen Yang stepped back two paces, feeling water droplets on his nose. Looking up, he saw that the mouth on the umbrella had opened slightly, and sticky saliva began to drip down. The umbrella’s handle was shortening, and the mouth inside was moving closer to his head. Chen Yang quickly closed the umbrella, folding it and holding it in his hand. He raised his gaze to find an old man with a terrifying ghostly face in front of him.

The old man grinned, a twisted smile on his face. “This is the first time I’ve seen someone who hasn’t been eaten by this cursed umbrella. You’re lucky.”

Chen Yang asked, “Who are you?”

The old man replied, “They call me Old Cloud. I run this bathhouse to make ends meet.” He looked up at the endless rain. “Rainy days are the best for business. The hot springs are full, but there’s still one spot left. Want it?”

Chen Yang glanced at the house door not far ahead, where two fierce beasts stood guard. He declined the old man’s offer, saying, “No, thank you.” He then turned to leave, but the old man didn’t stop him. Instead, he shouted, “Are you going to the nameless house? I advise you not to go in. Once you enter, you’ll never come back.”

The nameless house? It must be the Roofless Crypt. Chen Yang passed the bathhouse, feeling the heat radiating from it and smelling the burnt odor. Without thinking, he glanced back and saw the old man staring at him with malicious intent, his face marred by what looked like burn scars. The old man had said the bathhouse was busy, but it was eerily quiet, with only the sound of water flowing.

When Chen Yang reached the door of the nameless house, he passed the two fierce beasts standing guard. As he walked past, their eyes suddenly shifted inward, as if they were eyeing his living soul, saliva dripping from their mouths and hitting the ground with a soft plop.

Knock knock.

Chen Yang knocked on the door, and it was quickly opened. A beautiful young girl walked out. When she saw him, she didn’t show any surprise, but greeted him with a bright smile and a bow, inviting him inside. She naturally took the black umbrella from his hands and, when closing the door, placed it carefully on the ground outside.

As Chen Yang stepped inside, he found himself in a long corridor that seemed endless. Both sides of the hallway were lined with tightly secured rooms, each door reinforced with several locks, keeping everything tightly shut.

With a smile still on her face, the girl spoke, “If you wish to stay in the nameless house, you must ask the master for permission. I will take you to see the master.”

Chen Yang asked, “Who is the master of the nameless house?”

“You’ll know when you see them,” the girl replied, leading him forward. As they passed by one of the doors, it suddenly slammed against the wall with violent force. Chen Yang’s heart skipped a beat, and he looked at the door, but soon all the other doors began to shake and make similar loud sounds, yet the locks remained unbroken.

The girl’s smile didn’t waver, and Chen Yang couldn’t help but feel something unnatural about her—her smile seemed fixed, unchanging, like a lifeless doll. She continued leading him until they reached the end of the hallway, where an elevator stood. They took the elevator to the fifth floor, where they arrived at a dining room. Here, he met the “master” of the nameless house—the woman the girl had spoken of.

The master of the nameless house was a middle-aged woman with graceful manners, though her head was covered with a black veil. She invited Chen Yang to dine, and when he didn’t touch the food, she wasn’t bothered and continued speaking. “Do you wish to stay in the nameless house?”

Without hesitation, Chen Yang firmly refused, “I don’t want to.”

The woman froze for a moment, and though her face was hidden behind the veil, Chen Yang could sense a change in her expression. She spoke again, “You can stay.”

Chen Yang repeated, “I don’t want to.”

“Stay,” she insisted. “Outside, the mist is thick, and the rain never stops. There are countless monsters out there. Here, you have food, drink, and a place to sleep. Stay with us.”

Chen Yang remained silent, thinking. The woman softened her tone slightly, pleading, “Alright, you can stay for just one night. If you feel comfortable, you can let me know. But for now, I’ll show you the best room, and I hope you will change your mind.”

The girl led him out of the dining room and, after turning a few corners, arrived at the door of a room. She opened it to reveal a room decorated in an antique style, with a red lantern hanging outside the window. She took the lantern down, lit a candle, and hung it back outside. “The lantern tells the outside that a distinguished guest is staying here, and no one is allowed to disturb you.”

Chen Yang looked at the lantern hanging outside the window. What he didn’t know was that if viewed from the opposite side, the lantern’s other face would reveal a ghostly face. The candle was inserted into the mouth of the face, the fire burning steadily despite the rain. The eyes of the ghost seemed to convey fear, and the oil on its face was gradually evaporating.

After the girl left, closing the window behind her, Chen Yang sat on a chair, observing the room. But the girl didn’t leave immediately. She stood quietly outside the door, listening for a while. When no sounds came from inside, she slowly walked away. Passing another room, she pulled a sharp pin from her hair and forcefully jammed it into a peephole, hearing a faint scream from inside. She twisted the pin a few times before pulling it out, now covered in blood.

With a smile still on her face, she replaced the pin in her hair and left.

The moment the girl left, Chen Yang quickly got up and opened the window, taking down the lantern. As soon as he brought it inside, the lantern became an ordinary one, with no sign of anything unusual. After inspecting it, he hung it back outside. The girl had said the lantern protected the room from certain things, so he reasoned that the woman who wanted him to stay wouldn’t allow anything to disturb him.

Looking out the window once more, he noticed countless red lanterns hanging across the way. Each lantern seemed to have a human face—some thin, some fat, all with expressions of terror.

Chen Yang realized then that these lanterns were made from the oil of corpses. After closing the window, he thought about the source of resentment in the Roofless Crypt (the nameless house). This place seemed to house numerous wandering souls and malicious spirits. From the many small rooms Chen Yang had seen, it was clear that this was a place where evil ghosts were imprisoned.

Du Shuo had once told him that the source of resentment in the Roofless Crypt was clever, and wouldn’t easily reveal its true identity. The nameless house mistress was too obvious, and her soft attitude was suspicious.

Perhaps this was just a ruse to confuse him. If every building in the Roofless Crypt had its own master, who was truly behind all the resentment?

Chen Yang stood still, heart racing. He had just narrowly avoided whatever had attempted to reach through the wall at him. His mind raced as he processed the situation. Whatever was on the other side seemed to know he was there and had tried to pierce through the wall. It was clear that this place, the Roofless Crypt, was not only filled with traps and ghostly beings but had a much darker, more sinister atmosphere than he’d anticipated.

He stood still, listening carefully. The murmurs from the other side of the wall were faint, but he could make out the words “failure” and “plan B.” Whoever—or whatever—was on the other side wasn’t going to give up that easily.

Chen Yang cautiously moved away from the wall, making sure to keep his footsteps as quiet as possible. His thoughts raced back to the mysterious red lanterns, the ominous girl with her unchanging smile, and the nameless house mistress. It felt like a web of deceit and danger was tightening around him with every step.

As he moved deeper into the room, Chen Yang felt a cold chill settle over him. There was something lurking in the dark corners of the Roofless Crypt, something watching him, waiting for him to make a mistake. He could feel it in his bones.

Deciding to take the risk, he continued forward, carefully avoiding the walls and any other potential traps. He couldn’t afford to be careless—not when the stakes were so high. Whatever Kou Xuanling and Zhang Qiudao were encountering in their respective rooms seemed just as treacherous, but he couldn’t help but wonder if they had found the key to unraveling the mystery of the Roofless Crypt. He needed to find answers, and quickly.

Suddenly, he heard another faint noise, a scraping sound that seemed to be coming from behind him. Without thinking, he spun around, but the room appeared empty, save for the eerie silence and the distant sound of the wind howling through cracks in the walls. His mind began to race. He couldn’t shake the feeling that someone—or something—was lurking just out of sight.

The tension in the air was thick, and every fiber of his being screamed at him to leave. But there was no turning back now. He had to push forward.

 

 

 

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