What is this thing, can it be buried?

"But come to think of it, those guys earlier… could their target have been this thing?"

The lively, ghost-like girl muttered to herself in a puzzled tone, casting a curious and suspicious glance at the object beside her—right where Lin Yuan was currently hiding.

In Wuwang Hill, a place famous for being an "underworld," such a peculiar egg had appeared! Its size was several times larger than that of a regular bird's egg, and that would've been strange enough. But there were also faint, red-golden patterns visible on the shell, and it emitted an aura brimming with life.

From every angle, it didn't seem like an ordinary object at all!

Even though Hu Tao had seen plenty of bizarre things in her time, she couldn't figure out what kind of egg this was.

"It looks pretty tough, though. Whatever, whatever, I'll deal with this later!"

Crouching down, Hu Tao carefully examined the strange, giant egg for a while. Then, out of nowhere, she pulled out a large iron shovel, testing it by tapping the egg's shell from a distance. To her surprise, the shell was much harder than she had anticipated!

This only piqued her curiosity even more about the mysterious origin of the giant egg.

Though intrigued, Hu Tao chose not to investigate further. After all, she had come all the way from Liyue Harbor to Wuwang Hill for a legitimate purpose!

What most of the people in Liyue didn't know was that Wuwang Hill had earned its reputation as a paranormal hotspot for a reason. Hidden near the hill was a passage that connected the realms of the living and the dead. And it had been the duty of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, or more specifically, every generation of its director, to guard this passage.

Maintaining the balance between the two realms and dealing with any disturbances from the connection between the living and the dead was a responsibility that Hu Tao took seriously. Almost every month, she would come to Wuwang Hill once or twice to perform this duty. Aside from her other job of promoting Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's services, this was one of her most important tasks!

With that thought, Hu Tao leisurely made her way to the altar she had already prepared, following the numerous rituals required. Once she arrived, she began her work, performing an ancient rite handed down through many generations of the Hu family of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.

Flames in the shape of butterflies fluttered from Hu Tao's palms, landing in the center of the altar. As the fire ignited, the offerings and the numerous yin-yang spells she had set up earlier became catalysts, and the centuries-old ritual began in earnest.

Anyone well-versed in this craft, or those who possessed a Vision, might have faintly sensed that a special energy was gradually radiating from the fire at the altar's center. It spread outward, influencing some deeper existence.

However, Lin Yuan, still trapped within the egg's shell, was completely unaware of this. Even though he had gained the ability to sense the outside world, his vision was pitch black, and all he could hear were vague sounds. When the only noises he could make out were gusts of wind and the crackling of flames, his calm was shattered once again.

"Damn… That sound, it's fire, isn't it?! They're really going to cook me, aren't they?!"

As the crackling of the flames reached his ears from a distance, Lin Yuan's composure crumbled. He had no idea why he had transmigrated, let alone why he had turned into some unknown creature trapped inside this giant egg. But one thing was clear: right now, he was nothing more than a large egg! He couldn't move, couldn't walk, and had no means of attacking. Anything could come along and eat him at any moment.

The thought of his once illustrious life, only to transmigrate and become an egg, and now facing the possibility of being cooked alive, nearly drove him to despair. Maybe it was his survival instincts kicking in, but Lin Yuan managed to summon a bit of strength. He once again threw himself at the shell that confined him, desperately trying to break free.

However, even this attempt failed to crack the shell. All he managed to do was create another small crack. He still didn't have enough power to break through this strong prison.

"Flame butterflies guide the souls... toward their afterlife..."

As the flames continued to burn fiercely in the center of the altar, Hu Tao clasped her hands together, chanting ancient incantations that ordinary people couldn't understand. The playful spirit she usually displayed was gone, replaced by the seriousness and responsibility of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's director.

Within the flames burning at the heart of the altar, faint human-like silhouettes appeared, gradually dissolving as the fire consumed them. This was the true purpose of the ritual—to send the souls of the deceased, who had been lingering at the passage between the living and the dead, to their rightful place through this unique method.

The soul-sending ritual continued for nearly half an hour. Only when the flames and the Hu Tao wood burned out completely did the ceremony finally end.

"Phew… It's done! Time to wrap up!"

As she saw the flames at the altar extinguish, Hu Tao let go of her hands and instantly reverted to her usual lively self. Stretching lazily, she began to clean up, quickly packing away the tools she had used.

Just as she was about to head back to Liyue Harbor, her gaze once again fell on the enormous egg, resting quietly beneath a tree not far away.

"What should I do with this thing… Should I bury it?"

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A/N:

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