The so-called ritual formation is the basic structure of an array—this much I know clearly. It’s like the framework of a supernatural technique. Watching Serena Chen’s vacant gaze, she didn’t come back to herself for a long while, as if lost in deep memories.
"The ritual formations we discovered back then actually covered both sides of the river. We’d never seen anything so complex, nor so contrary to common logic. Many formations looked utterly conflicting. That’s when we finally understood why this place was so strange. We originally wanted to destroy the formations, but Lan Miu said maybe we could find the missing people, because their souls really were here."
I hummed in agreement, and Serena Chen began her account.
At that time, they found these ritual formations were segmented, covering the forests surrounding the small village. There were so many densely packed formations that no one could count them all. Such a vast and intricate supernatural structure shocked both the Underworld Denizens and the Nether Syndicate.
For three days and nights, the group discovered hundreds of ritual formation structures—most of which they had never seen before and had no idea what they were for. Opinions split into two camps: some wanted to preserve the formations, while others proposed destroying them for good, only recording a few for research back home.
Yet those who suggested destroying the ritual formations went ahead anyway. Most were from the Nether Syndicate, including the Dog Zodiac successor, Xu Gou. Serena Chen was strongly opposed.
But after trying, everyone realized one thing: these ritual formations, set up throughout the forests with various objects and supernatural constructs, simply couldn’t be destroyed. Even if they were, they’d be restored by the next day—no matter what method was used.
Helpless, everyone could only split into groups and study the formations at different locations. All hoped to break the ritual and uncover its purpose, but no matter how hard they thought, no one could figure out what so many complex and numerous formations were for.
Finally, after a month, with the cooperation of the twelve Zodiac successors from the Nether Syndicate, they found a ritual formation leading to another space. The Underworld Denizens also arrived, sensing that there were souls in the space opened by the ritual. So, they decided to go in and investigate.
After Lan Miu prepared everything, she led the first group inside. Eventually, all twelve from the Nether Syndicate followed. But once they entered, the entrance vanished.
They arrived at a place identical to before—an empty Snowridge Springs with no one around. No matter where they walked, they couldn’t find a way out, only shuttling back and forth between two villages that looked the same but were opposites.
Everyone investigated this place for a month with no results, and they couldn’t get out. At that point, the Underworld Denizens vanished. Only later did the Nether Syndicate learn that the Underworld Denizens had used some kind of technique, sending substitutes in their place. Although the Nether Syndicate had prepared rituals to maintain a link to the outside, those rituals failed—they could sense the outside world but could never find an exit.
"What I didn’t expect was that, when the Underworld Denizens returned, they said nothing at all—instead, they claimed we’d vanished without a trace during our investigation, and that they didn’t know what happened. They never mentioned a word about the countless ritual structures and techniques here."
I stared at Serena Chen in shock. Anger flickered in her eyes again. Thinking back to what she’d told me before—that the Underworld Denizens deliberately helped the Underworld Court reduce the number of ritualists—I could easily guess: the death of twelve key Nether Syndicate members was a boon for the Underworld Court.
For a long time after, all twelve from the Nether Syndicate kept searching here. They realized the place had time-space distortions, so they started to notice some clues. They used many techniques, but still couldn’t make contact with the outside world.
Then, one day, Xu Gou found a path into the mountains. Everyone headed for the snowy peaks, but at one point, they got lost in the mountains—twelve people, starving and freezing, on the verge of collapse.
In the end, they encountered fear itself—or perhaps something this place had created. They also glimpsed a way out. By then, the twelve had already been trapped here for over a year.
Everyone considered using all their power to break through and escape. They only had one chance, and their strength wouldn’t recover—because of the time-space distortion, only their consciousness was here, while their souls were elsewhere.
There was only one chance. In the end, they failed. The twelve had almost no strength left, completely trapped in a place where time and space were disordered—no directions, no heaven or earth, no past or future, no difference between life and death.
Soon, two years slipped by. The twelve gradually came to accept reality—they couldn’t get out. Not ever. Everyone felt awful, but they kept searching for a way.
"Those without fear can leave."
Serena Chen looked at me quietly and spoke. I swallowed, starting to understand. She lowered her head and continued.
By the third year, the twelve had completely lost their spirit. Most were consumed by fear, knowing their days were numbered. Only one—Xu Gou—still had resilience in his heart. Though he felt fear too, he finally decided to try escaping.
In the astonished eyes of the other eleven, Xu Gou broke out of that place. But the price was his hands, which he depended on to survive—because fear was still inside him, leaving meant paying a price. Xu Gou lost his hands and could no longer use powerful techniques.
When Xu Gou returned to the Nether Syndicate, he’d been missing for over four years. The second-generation leader was shocked and, after learning everything, began investigating the Nether Syndicate’s affairs. All twelve Zodiac successors were eligible to inherit the leadership, since they mastered the core techniques. So, Xu Gou naturally became successor to the third generation, but he never forgot the eleven still trapped there.
But his hands remained forever in that space, left behind by his own fear. Though his mind was clear, without his hands, all he could do was train talent for the Nether Syndicate and keep researching the vast ritual techniques of that place.
Until his death, Xu Gou never found the entrance again. The ritual formations there seemed to grow and change like living things.
Still, Xu Gou did discover some core techniques and found a way in and out. But after entering, he realized the time-space he accessed wasn’t the same as the one where they’d been trapped.
That time, Xu Gou used an item—the Blood Jade. It could ignore all time-space divisions and serve as a marker. So he created a ritual for Nether Syndicate members to enter each generation, a Memory Inheritance Ritual. As long as the Snake-Monkey and Dragon-Rooster successors inherited the memory, the explanation would be passed down: entry was for sealing.
All this was just so that, one day, Nether Syndicate members could find the other eleven—even if it was only their bodies or souls—to bring them home and finally let them leave this place.
After Xu Gou was killed, he became a soul. He asked the first-generation leader of the Nether Syndicate to bring him here—he longed to see the other eleven. But fate denied him; they could never meet, only sense each other's presence through the fear that haunted them.
I looked at Serena Chen in shock. She gave a helpless smile.
"The other ten are here too, but their souls and consciousness are no longer in this place—they’re somewhere I don’t know. This ritual is eternal and unbreakable. Anyone who enters and feels fear inside can’t leave. Only one young Nether Syndicate Snake successor, Felix Fan, managed it—he had no fear at all, so he left unharmed. And now you’re the second."
At this, Serena Chen gazed at me in silence.
"Fear is something everyone has—human or ghost. But why don’t you feel fear? Can you tell me, Rachel Lan?"
I smiled and sighed helplessly.
"Because I’ve already died once—maybe that’s why. And the ones I loved are dead too, but they still live on in my heart. So I have nothing to fear."
Serena Chen nodded, slowly raising her hand to point at the forest across the river.
"After you go in, just follow..."
I stood up and shook my head.
"I’ll find a way to break everything here."
Serena Chen looked at me in surprise for a moment.
"If the problems here aren’t completely resolved, more people will end up trapped. First, help me examine these three charm pouches—what are they really? And if possible, can you teach me some ritual techniques?"
I smiled, and Serena Chen’s lips curled up slightly as she took the charm pouches from my hand.
"I’ll ask Xu Gou about it. Maybe that’s why he guided you here."
"Maybe so. Anyway, it’s late—I need to sleep. The girl on the bed isn’t doing well, I have to watch over her."
With that, I got up and ran outside to the highway. I breathed out a cloud of white mist. Just as John Chou said—whatever happens, as long as you don’t forget who you are and stay calm, there’s always a way.