​​Chapter 16: The Seventh-Day Memorial and the Cursed Land​​

The seventh day.

It was not only Lin Ye’s seventh-day memorial since his arrival. It was the seventh-day memorial for every survivor across the world.

Lin Ye ceased all activity. He remained within his dilapidated shrine, waiting.

Yet, as the afternoon wore on, while other lords had already completed their events, Lin Ye’s random event still hadn’t triggered!

Discussions were already swirling on the World Channel.

"Everyone, what event did you get for your seventh-day memorial?"

"I'm a female lord. I don't even know how to describe it. My seventh-day event started triggering on the very first day!"

"What do you mean?"

"On the first day, I inexplicably received a wedding invitation. It had only one line: 'My bride, in seven days, I shall wed you.'"

Then, on the second day, this female lord received another wedding invitation. Only this time, the message changed to: 'My bride, in six days, I shall wed you.'

And so it continued. Until the seventh day, she received the final invitation: 'My bride, the seven days are complete. I have come as promised to wed you.'

"What happened then?"

"At first, I didn't take it seriously. But who knew that on the seventh day, a Ghost King actually descended to marry me!"

"Wait! You said... Ghost King?"

"Yes! I spawned in the Soul-Loss Ridge within the Ghost Domain. It was the ruling Ghost King of Soul-Loss Ridge!"

"Did you agree?"

"Refusal meant death. I had no choice but to accept. But unexpectedly, I gained many rare treasures."

Essentially, it was the system reward for completing the seventh-day event. It just happened to be delivered in the form of the Ghost King's betrothal gifts.

"Damn! That's way more than just getting married. You practically latched onto a local powerhouse!"

"Oh, Ghost King's Queen, mighty goddess! May I humbly ask what rewards the Ghost King gave? Could you share? Give this little brother something to strive for."

"Nothing much, really. Mainly, he rewarded me with a ghost palanquin mount. His minions are carrying it right now, taking me to the Ghost King's palace in Soul-Loss Ridge."

"Envy! My seventh-day event also started triggering on day one, but the outcome was completely different!" Another lord chimed in with a tragic tone.

"What was your situation?"

"I also received an envelope on the first day. But the messenger was a headless ghost! I nearly pissed myself in fright!"

"What did it say?"

"It told me to take good care of my head because in seven days, it wanted to swap heads with me!"

Then, day after day, he received envelopes from the headless messenger. Until the seventh day, the headless messenger truly came to swap heads.

"Hold on! How did you handle it? If you actually swapped heads, you should be dead by now!"

A headless ghost can survive without a head. But a player cannot!

"Luckily, my talent is Paper Figurine Crafting. I gave him a paper head. Barely managed to fool him."

"What was the reward?"

"Ugh, don't even ask. Turns out, the 'headless ghost' wasn't truly headless. It just didn't have its head on its neck – it was carrying it in its hand! I gave it a head, and it gave me the head it was carrying. It's like a jack-o'-lantern, bobbing around, and it even talks! Anyone want it? I'll trade it to you!"

For outsiders, this was the system's event reward. But for this lord, it was a goddamn hot potato. Imagine: you're asleep in the middle of the night, and a human head is constantly whispering beside you. Even if the ghost doesn't kill you, you'd die of fright.

"My heart aches for you for a second. My seventh-day memorial involved living relatives from the mortal world burning a lot of offerings for me. Zero danger, life just got cushier."

"Wait, how do you have living relatives?"

"Maybe you guys crossed over normally. Mine was a soul transmigration. My current identity is the recently deceased, seven-days-dead, idiot son of a landlord family in a nearby neutral village."

"Bro! Does our dad need another son? Think hard! I'm your long-lost biological brother!"

"..."

Two more hours passed. Dusk had arrived.

Yet, just as Lin Ye thought the system had forgotten him, a funeral procession suddenly appeared in the distance of the mass grave!

Strangely, though it was clearly a funeral procession, the coffin was a bridal sedan chair! Even the mourning clothes were a vivid red!

Bathed in the twilight, this eerie funeral procession slowly advanced.

Leading the way were several Soul Summoners dressed in red robes and tall hats. They shook bronze bells in their hands, producing crisp yet ethereal chimes, as if calling out to the spirits of the dead.

Following closely behind was an eight-man palanquin. The sedan chair was lavishly decorated, wrapped in red silk and adorned with gold and jewels, yet it exuded an indescribable desolation and strangeness.

Beside it walked a shamaness dressed in peculiar attire. She held a ritual staff, chanting incantations under her breath. As her spells resonated, the entire procession seemed enveloped by a sinister force, radiating an unnatural aura!

Further back were rows of musicians playing mournful music. The tune was sorrowful and low, sending chills down the spine.

Then came various paper effigies – houses, carriages, livestock, and more. These paper crafts were lifelike, seeming almost real.

Wherever they passed, even the wind seemed to stop blowing. The surroundings fell into utter silence. Only the Soul Summoners' bells, the musicians' dirges, and the low murmurs of the mourners intertwined, composing a song of death that echoed across the desolate graveyard!

"What is this?"

Seeing this bewildering scene, Lin Ye frowned. He couldn't tell if he was nervous or just confused.

"If this humble servant isn't mistaken," the Seductress Ghost's voice came from the jar, "the girl inside that sedan chair is likely a living person. Her natural lifespan isn't over, yet she's being forced into a grave marriage and buried alive!"

"How do you know?"

"Didn't you see? There's a man walking ahead holding a rooster."

A living person wed to a rooster. There's only one explanation. The village must have offended some evil spirit – perhaps a River God or a Huang Daxian (Weasel Spirit). So, to appease the spirit's wrath, the village is sacrificing a woman!

"Fellow sufferers under the same sky," Lin Ye shook his head. There was nothing he could say. Right now, he could barely protect himself; he had no mind to pity others.

Closer. Closer still.

The funeral procession arrived at the graveyard where Lin Ye resided and came to a halt.

Then, just as Lin Ye was about to retreat into his tomb chamber to rest, a series of chilling system notifications plunged his heart into an abyss!

Ding! System Notification: "Due to the profound resentment of the bride buried alive, the entire graveyard has been cursed!"

Ding! System Notification: "Due to the graveyard being cursed..."

— Chance of encountering a Ghost Wall when venturing out increased!

— Chance of experiencing nightmares while sleeping increased!

— Chance of encountering a Malevolent Ghost increased!

— Attributes of all items decreased!

— Yield from collecting materials decreased!

— Refresh rate of new graves decreased!

— Drop rate of ghostly items decreased!

"..."

Seven negative effects. All at once.

Lin Ye was stunned.