Chapter Thirty-Three: Return to the Hall of White Bones

The second time he came before the Hall of White Bones, it was just as eerie as before.

Ying Chen reined in his ghostly steed, paused in thought, and took a fresh talisman from his sleeve. After inscribing his name and purpose upon it as a formal visiting card, he gave it a flick, sending it drifting gracefully toward the hall.

He had not expected that, after a good while of waiting, the Hall of White Bones would remain utterly silent.

“Could it be that no one is inside?”

With no one to guide him today, Ying Chen had no intention of venturing in uninvited. He was hesitating, considering whether to turn back and try another day, when suddenly a familiar voice sounded from behind him.

“Junior Brother Ying?”

Ying Chen’s brows lifted slightly. Turning, he saw that it was Qu Qiao, carrying a lantern and approaching with measured steps.

“Senior Sister Qu,” Ying Chen turned fully and offered a courteous salute. “What brings you this way?”

Qu Qiao drew closer, smiling as she replied, “What, did you expect me to wait for you inside the Hall of White Bones? I don’t live there, you know.”

Ying Chen was a little surprised. Qu Qiao had only instructed him to come to the hall, without specifying a time. He had assumed she frequented the place, but that was evidently not the case.

“My apologies, Senior Sister, for troubling you to make the trip.”

Qu Qiao raised her slender wrist and waved her hand dismissively. “Are you not being a bit too formal, Junior Brother?”

Ying Chen lowered his hand with a faint smile. It was not so much formality as simple courtesy—no harm in that.

Qu Qiao did not press the point. With a graceful gesture, she indicated a direction. “I live close by—see, you can spot my little abode from here. Hardly any trouble at all.”

Ying Chen looked where she pointed and indeed saw a small house nestled into the cliff nearby. In the moonlight, it possessed a certain poetic charm.

To have a residence, even a cave-dwelling, outside the main grounds at Scarlet Water Cliff was no simple feat.

Ying Chen withdrew his gaze. “Senior Sister, you have refined taste.”

Qu Qiao smiled. “Refined, perhaps not, but it is a quiet place—perfect for playing the flute or zither, at least…”

Ying Chen was a little taken aback by this, but Qu Qiao let the subject drop, changing course. “Come, let’s go into the Hall of White Bones first.”

With that, Qu Qiao raised her lantern and led the way into the hall.

Ying Chen watched her graceful figure disappear into the ‘bloody maw’ entrance of the hall, unable to quite fathom her intentions. Still, he was not one to dwell on such matters and simply followed her inside.

She guided him through a long corridor he vaguely remembered, stopping before a spacious hall and gesturing ahead. “This place should be familiar to you, Junior Brother. Every mid-month, the White Bone Society holds a gathering here. In theory, all members are required to attend…”

“Of course, if you truly have urgent matters, it isn’t enforced too harshly.”

She smiled at Ying Chen. “Just remember to show your face once every two or three meetings.”

Ying Chen nodded in understanding.

“And as you’re a new member, your first attendance is mandatory,” she added.

With that, she turned and led him in another direction, finally arriving at a circular chamber. She pointed. “Look, Junior Brother.”

Ying Chen saw that the chamber was ringed with doors. Most stood open, some were tightly shut, but their purpose was not immediately obvious.

He looked to Qu Qiao for explanation.

“These are cultivation rooms established by the society,” she said. “They tap into the spiritual veins beneath the Hall of White Bones, equipped with unique spirit-gathering wards. You can even open skylights to draw in moonlight and starlight… In short, they’re superior to the ordinary training rooms found elsewhere.”

Ying Chen was surprised. “All members may use these?”

“Of course,” Qu Qiao replied. “There is a fee, but that isn’t for profit—it goes toward maintenance.”

Ying Chen nodded. This was only reasonable; in fact, such benefits were rare in any society.

He took a look inside one of the rooms. He might not need it for daily practice, but if he wished to attempt a breakthrough, this would be an excellent place.

After showing him the training rooms, Qu Qiao led him on a general tour of the hall, explaining the advantages of joining the White Bone Society, and finally brought him into a certain chamber.

Ying Chen was surprised to find that, though he had seen no one else during their tour, this room was full of people.

He looked around. The arrangement was reminiscent of a teahouse—no attendants, no noise. People sat separately, speaking in low voices or with wards to isolate their conversations.

He glanced at Qu Qiao, but she offered no immediate explanation, instead leading him to a wall at the far end.

Ying Chen looked up to find the wall covered with plaques, each bearing various messages in a chaotic array.

A quick scan revealed intelligence being shared—warnings of unknown dangers at a certain location, advice to avoid certain places, news of fiendish energy in some subterranean spot available for collection.

There were also offers to buy or sell: requests for rare texts, advertisements for soul goods, notices recruiting companions for gathering underground yin energy, even people seeking connections to take up service in certain offices.

Ying Chen even spotted some lucrative tasks not found in the main administrative halls.

“The purpose of the White Bone Society is to unite for mutual benefit,” Qu Qiao finally explained. “If a member has a need, they can post a message here. The society will act as guarantor.”

“Beyond that, if the society receives intelligence or benefits from the main halls or other branches, those will be posted here too.”

Ying Chen was impressed. He understood the society gained from these arrangements. For example, if a member collected yin energy after receiving information here, they were obliged to sell it to the society. For transactions and job placements, the society acted as guarantor and charged a fee.

But regardless, the principle of mutual benefit was upheld, not ruthless exploitation.

In the environment of Scarlet Water Cliff, such a practice was already extraordinary.

Qu Qiao clearly read his thoughts but did not explain further, simply smiling. “If you have any needs, Junior Brother, you may post here as well.”

Ying Chen nodded, scanning the wall, when a thought occurred to him.

“I wish to cultivate the White Bone Flying Fork, but a few of the ingredients are quite rare. If I try to buy them from the alchemy office, who knows how much extra I’ll have to pay… Perhaps I should post a notice here instead.”

He decided as much and asked Qu Qiao for a plaque, listing the materials he needed one by one.

Before he could hang it up, Qu Qiao, glancing over his shoulder, gave a soft sound of surprise.

“Junior Brother, you’re seeking these materials…” She tapped the list lightly. “Are they for cultivating the White Bone Flying Fork?”