Chapter 101: Entering the Tomb to Cultivate: Birth, Aging, Sickness, Death

Professor Zhang was just joking like the White Bone Spirit's words, but he never expected Officer Sun to show a thoughtful expression, leaving him speechless and shaking his head, thinking this officer was getting more and more off.

After chatting a bit more, Professor Zhang said there were still matters in the archaeological team: "I need to go pack up first, Officer Sun. If there are any further leads on the cultural relics, we'll stay in touch. The lost relics are very important, suspected to be the most important object Zuo Ci had in life—don't overlook it!"

Officer Sun nodded, "Alright, you can rest easy."

Professor Zhang had no choice but to bow to reality; with so many things happening recently, the archaeological work could not continue, and the group decided to head back.

Perhaps, like the villagers' advice, staying longer might lead to who knows what.

"Sigh, it seems this tomb and we are simply ill-fated, with all these strange things happening."

"We've worked so many years and never seen anything like this; we've entered many tombs before, but never encountered such a situation—could there really be something here?"

"Be careful, don't let Professor Zhang hear this; he doesn't like people discussing these things."

"But this thing—if you believe, it exists; if not, it doesn't; nobody can say for sure. Otherwise, why would those animals keep harassing us, and why would everyone have that similar nightmare?"

"Enough said, we're leaving now—the more we talk, the creepier it gets."

I don't know if it's their illusion, but although the surroundings are shady with green trees and the sun is bright, they always feel a chill spreading from the soles of their feet, to the point of getting goosebumps.

It seems that in the darkness, a pair of eyes is silently watching all of this.

The archaeological team quickly packed up everything; the area around the tomb was largely restored, they filled all the pits back in, and applied secondary reinforcement.

Before departing, Professor Zhang glanced back with some reluctance.

The mountains were lush and verdant, like a gemstone set here, full of infinite mystery, complementing the azure sky to form an exquisite picture.

A member of the archaeological team came over and said, "Professor Zhang, let's go; the vehicle at the mountain base has already arrived."

Professor Zhang let out a faint sigh, "Let's go."

Although he was somewhat unwilling, given the situation—lack of manpower, damaged tools, and everyone's poor spirits—it was obvious they couldn't stay.

All they could do was wait for the next opportunity!

When the mountain wind blew, the grass not far away swayed slightly.

As Professor Zhang turned around, he caught a flash of jade-green scales, like the jade formed from the misty spiritual energy of the whole mountain peak, filled with mystery and a hint of dignity.

Seeing him suddenly stop, a member of the archaeological team couldn't help but ask, "Professor Zhang, what's wrong? Did something fall?"

Professor Zhang rubbed his eyes, looked again, and saw nothing in the grass—it seemed just a fleeting illusion.

He shook his head and said, "Nothing, maybe the strong wind just dazed my eyes."

The archaeological team got into the car and completely distanced themselves from that great mountain.

Although this trip yielded no major findings, only unearthing a few relics, it would surely become an unforgettable experience in everyone's hearts.

Upon returning to the city, the archaeological team's first act was to fall into a deep sleep; the reason was simple—since going there, they had hardly slept a full night.

They slept straight through until mid-morning the next day, leaving others at the research institute bewildered.

The signal on the mountain was poor, so they rarely contacted the people at the research institute; the institute only knew that Professor Zhang's party had encountered many troubles during the archaeological work.

But they did not know exactly what those troubles were.

After these days, the entire archaeological team looked as if they had lost a round of weight; although their time away wasn't long, in terms of vital essence and other aspects, they were completely different from when they set out.

"How strange—Professor Zhang's team wasn't gone long, yet they feel so thin; the project there shouldn't be big."

"Exactly, I remember last time there was a big tomb; nearly half of our research institute's personnel were deployed, taking half a year, and their condition wasn't nearly this bad."

"I went to ask my fellow worker Xiao Chen about what happened, and his expression was also strange."

"I heard this tomb's scale is at least a medium-sized chamber, yet the relics they brought back don't even match the burial goods of some small tombs—it really defies common sense."

The people at the research institute discussed animatedly, full of curiosity about Professor Zhang's party's trip.

However, for the archaeological team, after returning they never had similar nightmares again, and they kept this experience deeply secret.

……

On another note, the villagers also knew that the archaeological team had left.

"Back when I came down from the mountain, I advised them—this tomb must not be mined, let them leave early; see what I said."

"Indeed, I heard that while the archaeological team was on the mountain, animals constantly harassed them, and even after staying at the mountain base they still had endless nightmares—this is nothing but the Mountain God stopping them from mining."

"We also helped the archaeological team back then; hurry to the Mountain God Temple to pay respects, lest the Mountain God Sir get angry."

"The tomb is to the southeast; from now on we should also go there less—the Mountain God Sir probably doesn't like people going there."

Several villagers chatted animatedly as they headed toward the Mountain God Temple.

Amidst the drifting fireworks, the entrance of the Mountain God Temple was as lively as ever.

……

With the archaeological team's departure, Ye Qin also arrived at the tomb; the recent string of events the team experienced were naturally his doing behind the scenes.

First, he directed animals to constantly harass them; they worked by day and got poor rest at night, so the team's nerves naturally weakened.

With their mental energy scattered, plus the animals' incessant bother, employing the dream-sending Divine Ability to invade their dreams became quite simple.

After all, they were just ordinary people whose mental energy hadn't been trained; with both approaches, it's hard to believe the archaeological team's work could continue.

Of course, to avoid being too supernatural, Ye Qin merely disturbed their dreams, without actually sending dreams.

Ye Qin also didn't want to frequently strike and hurt people; besides, the archaeological team had many members, and if a big commotion arose, it might attract further trouble.

After thinking it over, making them feel the difficulty and retreat was the best method, and the facts showed it worked well.

Now, without external disturbances, Ye Qin could calmly cultivate in the tomb; although he didn't have modern tools like the archaeological team,

but the many animals could serve him, and their sharp claws were the best tools.

Moreover, Ye Qin's own strength surpasses all modern tools, and he also possesses lightning power; if those animals couldn't handle something, he would step in himself.

The archaeological team had excavated part of it, but another part remained unexcavated.

Ye Qin entered the cave and continued deeper; the tomb is roughly divided into front and rear sections, and whatever tomb robbers or the archaeological team have seen is only the front part.

The rear section, blocked by many hard stone walls, cannot be breached quickly, but that poses no problem for Ye Qin.

After confirming the approximate location, Ye Qin came to the area above the tomb.

He focused his spirit and calmed his breath; the purple light on the scales on his forehead flashed, faintly visible arcs of electricity crackled, and countless tiny sparks intertwined, forming some kind of wondrous reaction.

"Boom!"

Only a deep, muffled sound was heard; the surrounding animals instinctively fled, the fear and panic felt in their bones making their expressions full of human-like dread.

A purple lightning serpent fell above the tomb, striking the hard stone inside, causing some rubble to roll down.

Now Ye Qin's mental energy can precisely control this lightning without harming the interior of the tomb, merely shattering the hard outer layer of rock.

Those lightning serpents instantly split into countless tiny currents, wandering through the stone like a spiderweb.

The odd-colored scale at the center of Ye Qin's forehead grew brighter, becoming ever more divine after being tempered by the lightning.

He carefully controlled the lightning power, lest he accidentally damage other parts of the tomb.

Compared to killing, this manipulation demands greater mental power, but fortunately Ye Qin's mental energy is vast, barely able to sustain it.

Those hard stones, after being pounded by the lightning, lost their former solidity inside, allowing the animals to easily loosen the soil and rock.

After the lightning dissipated, the small animals carried away the broken stones and soil; one could say the division of labor was clear.

If anyone were here, they would surely witness an extraordinarily strange sight.

Above the tomb, arcs of electricity flickered from time to time, after which many small animals emerged in orderly sequence, neat and disciplined, as if humans were at work.

Even some animals took out the tools left by the archaeological team earlier, loading stones and dirt to transport them out.

Such a scene is truly awe-inspiring.

Soon the tomb passage was cleared again; Ye Qin slipped inside, the passage initially narrow but gradually widening.

The cool wind blowing in proved that the whole tomb was ventilated.

Compared to the front half of the tomb chamber, the rear half seemed more refined; even the figures in the murals were more delicate and vivid, with the same person appearing repeatedly.

Ye Qin guessed that this person was the tomb's owner.

Besides this, many scriptures and classics were stored here, along with some notes on alchemy, indicating that the tomb owner not only researched alchemy extensively but also dabbled in other fields, and the collection of books was very rich.

After that were numerous bronze vessels and porcelain items, as well as various bottles and jars, which Ye Qin could not resist opening out of curiosity.

Unexpectedly, out poured many dark, dull, hard round balls.

"Could these be elixirs refined by the ancients?"

"But there's also some that's gone bad—looks like their skill wasn't great either!"

Ye Qin felt somewhat surprised, sensing nothing special about them; after wandering around the tomb, aside from these ancient texts for reference, there was nothing else useful.

Ye Qin skimmed through these ancient works at a glance; they contained some miscellaneous tales and some reflective thoughts, the miscellaneous tales being quite good, giving him a feeling like reading *Story Club*.

However, the feng shui here is indeed good, gathering yin and qi; cultivating here gives Ye Qin a very comfortable feeling.

If the tomb were left to be fully developed by the archaeological team, then its terrain and feng shui would surely be destroyed.

"Since I took your cauldron, that counts as accepting your favor, so I will naturally protect your tomb."

Ye Qin began cultivating inside the tomb; the small animals dared not disturb or enter, merely guarding outside like loyal retainers.

As time passed bit by bit, the days on the mountain and at the mountain base went by so uneventfully.

Deep winter had arrived; the leaves on the surrounding trees had mostly fallen, leaving only bare branches that looked somewhat ugly.

The weather gradually grew cold; the north wind howled, and when it hit the face it felt like a blade.

Even if one wore thick clothing, it could find every gap, seeping into the body, making one unable to help but miss the summer heat.

The first snow fell, wrapping the whole village in silver; fewer people remained at the Mountain God Temple, the villagers' hearts unchanged, but the snow-covered roads were hard to travel, compounded by the weather's influence.

Amid the wind and snow, a snowman trudged slowly toward the God Temple, like a polar bear in the snow, moving its bulky body, looking very simple-minded and adorable.

As she neared the temple gate, she suddenly stamped her foot, snowflakes fluttering down from her body, finally revealing her full appearance—it was Hu Xiaocao.

After her life improved, she grew noticeably taller, her cheeks filled out a bit, and when she smiled faintly, two dimples at the corners of her mouth appeared indistinctly.

Hu Xiaocao and her mother could be said to brave wind and rain each day, being the earliest to arrive at the temple; but lately the weather was too cold, so Hu Xiaocao worried about her mother's health and let her rest at home.

These past few days she has come alone to guard the temple.

Upon entering the temple, Hu Xiaocao began bustling about; wearing too many clothes made work inconvenient, so she took off her coat, started kindling the fire and lighting the stove, and the whole Mountain God Temple grew a bit warmer.

Hu Xiaocao dumped the incense ash and filled a basin with water, then began wiping inside and out.

After doing all this, she was drenched in sweat, her little face flushed red like an apple hanging on a tree.

"Little Grass, you're so early today—I thought you'd come later to open the door since it's snowing."

Not far off came footsteps; a snowman walked in, shook off the snow on its body at the doorway, then entered.

The visitor was precisely the village chief.

Hu Xiaocao hurried over with a towel, saying, "Grandpa Village Chief, why have you come?"

"I came to pay respects to the Mountain God; they say heavy snow foretells a bountiful year—winter wheat covered three times, then next year you'll sleep with steamed buns under your head—this is a good omen."

The village chief spoke while bowing to the Mountain God's statue, then devoutly lit several incense sticks.

It must be said that after the Mountain God Temple was built, the mother and daughter have performed their duties faithfully.

Rain or shine, they are always the first to arrive and the last to leave, never slacking.

The village chief smiled, patting Hu Xiaocao's head, and looked around but saw no sign of the woman.

"Our Little Grass is so sensible—how's your mother?"

Hu Xiaocao showed a hint of worry, saying, "Mom's health has been a bit off lately; I let her rest at home, and since there isn't much to do at the temple, I can manage it alone."

"Our Little Grass is truly obedient."

Hu Xiaocao was anxious, not knowing what she was thinking, so much that even after the village chief called several times she didn't hear him.

"Little Grass, what are you thinking about, so deeply absorbed?"

Hu Xiaocao pursed her lips slightly, her expression tense and uneasy, asking, "Grandpa Village Chief, do you still remember when my mother was seriously ill?"

The village chief fell into recollection, his expression somewhat sentimental.

"Remember, how could I possibly forget? At that time everyone thought your mother wouldn't pull through, but who would have thought she still—"

Hu Xiaocao nodded, "She went to the hospital for a check‑up later, and the doctor said Mom only has a year left to live; now I wonder if the time is almost up."

Village Chief's expression changed slightly upon hearing this, and he quickly spoke to comfort her.

"Xiaocao, your mom is a lucky person—heaven will look after her. Maybe after this period of recuperation her health has improved; let's take her for another check‑up when spring comes, and she might gain a few more years."

As the two were talking, a black dot could be seen running toward the Mountain God Temple amidst the heavy snow.

"Bang!"

The door was suddenly flung open, a cold wind howled in, scattering the room's warmth, and in an instant Hu Xiaocao's heart turned completely cold.

"Oh no, Xiaocao, your mom has fainted!"

The north wind howled bitterly; although the temperature inside the temple wasn't low, at that moment Hu Xiaocao felt her limbs turn icy, as if her very bones and blood were freezing.

Hu Xiaocao asked anxiously, "Li Dashu, what did you just say?"

Li Dashu came running, out of breath, and said, "Your mom has fainted; Lao Wu has already rushed over, so I'm here to let you know."

Hu Xiaocao looked toward the village chief, her face full of worry, and said, "Village Chief Grandpa, please help me look after the temple."

Village Chief naturally wouldn't shirk the duty, "No problem, hurry back and check on your mom."

Hu Xiaocao even forgot to put on her coat, charging straight into the wind and snow; the howling wind blew in, whipping up countless snowflakes that struck her face, yet she seemed oblivious to the pain.

Li Dashu chased after her from behind, calling, "Xiaocao, slow down—don't fall."

Though small in stature, her body now burst with tremendous strength.

When Hu Xiaocao returned home, the house was filled with a hard‑to‑describe medicinal smell.

Hu Xiaocao hadn't smelled that scent in a long time; it was both strange and familiar, and it brought back some unpleasant memories.

Hu Xiaocao rushed to the woman's bedside and asked, "Mom, are you all right?"

The woman had already come to, though her face was still a little pale; she shook her head and said, "I'm fine. How did you come back, child? What about the temple?"

Hu Xiaocao's worried heart finally settled, and she said, "Don't worry, Village Chief Grandpa is looking after it for me."

"How could I trouble the Village Chief? I'm fine—I just fainted from exhaustion. Even Old Wu Grandpa says it's no big deal, so you'd better hurry back."

Hu Xiaocao's gaze fell on Wu Yuan.

Wu Yuan nodded at her and said, "Don't worry, I'm watching over things here; you staying would be of no use."

Seeing that both of them said so, Hu Xiaocao had no choice but to leave, looking back every few steps.

After Hu Xiaocao left, Wu Yuan couldn't help but sigh, "That clever girl Xiaocao will surely figure it out sooner or later."

The woman gave a pale smile and said, "The New Year is coming soon; I don't want her to worry. I hope I can hold on until next spring, at least so she can have a good year."

"These days I've been troubling you to take care of me again—I'm really sorry."

Wu Yuan waved his hand and said, "We're all neighbors—what's there to talk about? Besides, I've watched Xiaocao grow up."

Wu Yuan couldn't help but sigh; the woman's condition had changed so suddenly it was as if her vitality were draining away like withered leaves—something no human power could stop.

"I can only do my best, but it would still be better to go to the hospital for treatment as soon as possible."

The woman shook her head. "I know my own body; even going to the hospital wouldn't help, so why waste the money?"

She knew full well that her time had originally been up, that she had even faced death head‑on, but because Hu Xiaocao found the Mountain God, he gave her an extra year of life.

As time passed, she gradually felt a premonition, as if she were returning to that earlier feeling—her life was drawing to a close.

All she could do was to spend this remaining time as best she could, accompanying Hu Xiaocao as much as possible.

Inside the Mountain God Temple, Hu Xiaocao was absent‑minded all day; fortunately the weather was bad and it got dark early, so it looked like no one would come to the temple afterward.

She closed the door early and went back home.

The woman's complexion seemed a little better than in the daytime, and she was busy making a fire on the stove to cook.

Seeing Hu Xiaocao return, she revealed a gentle smile, "Xiaocao, you're back—why are you home so early today?"

"There's no one around today, I was worried about you, so I came back early."

The woman smiled, "Silly child, what's there to worry about? I can already get out of bed."

Watching the woman prepare to add firewood, Hu Xiaocao took it over in one go, "Mom, go rest; I'll handle the cooking."

The woman sat on the bed, watching Hu Xiaocao's busy figure, unable to get enough of the sight.

Before, when Hu Xiaocao lit the fire and cooked, because the stove was too high, she had to step onto a stool and tiptoe; she never expected that now she had grown so tall she already surpassed the stove.

The woman's gaze seemed to fall into some memory, and she couldn't help but sigh.

"Time flies so fast; in the blink of an eye, Xiaocao has grown this big—I really wish time would pass a little slower."

The firelight inside the stove illuminated Hu Xiaocao's flushed face; whether from the smoke or something else, her eye sockets were slightly red.

Hu Xiaocao spoke in a muffled voice, "I wish time would pass more slowly; perhaps then I could spend more time accompanying Mom."

Her last words were spoken very softly, accompanied by the crackling of the firewood, and the woman didn't hear them.

The passage of time never changes according to human will, and soon it was the New Year.

Every household hung red lanterns, pasted red paper-cuts on their windows, and even the Mountain God Temple, with the help of many villagers, was freshly renovated, decked out with lights and decorations—it could be said to be full of festive cheer.

Except for Hu Xiaocao.

These days, the Mountain God Temple has been tended solely by Hu Xiaocao; to avoid dampening everyone's spirits, she appeared cheerful, smiling at everyone with a bright grin.

But more than once, the village head and others saw Hu Xiaocao's slightly red eye sockets, evidently she was holding back some emotion.

The villagers also knew the woman's recent situation, but they were likewise helpless, with no way to help.

Many people brought cured fish and cured meat, as well as candies and biscuits, giving plenty of things to the mother and daughter.

At first the woman was unwilling to accept, and hastily refused.

"How could I feel embarrassed taking all this for nothing? Normally everyone already looks after us a lot, and they've even let us take on the good job of tending the Mountain God Temple."

But the villagers were overly enthusiastic, insisting on putting the things inside the house.

"Hu Family sister, just accept it; this is what you deserve. Over this past year, we've seen with our own eyes that you mother and daughter have merely managed the Mountain God Temple."

The village head also chimed in, "Yeah, go ahead and accept it—have a good year."

The woman had no choice but to accept it.

She forced herself to stay energetic, trying hard not to let Hu Xiaocao notice her bodily abnormality; even when she coughed at night, she did her utmost to suppress it.

But mother and daughter lived under the same roof, and Hu Xiaocao was clever and precocious—how could she not know the woman's physical condition?

But the woman wanted to conceal it, not wanting her to worry; even taking medicine was done secretly, and each time after drinking she would mugwort to fumigate, masking the medicinal smell.

Hu Xiaocao pretended not to know anything, showing a happy smile every day.

Both mother and daughter hoped the other could have a happy New Year.

The atmosphere seemed warm and tranquil, but everyone knew such days probably wouldn't last long.

They tacitly agreed, in perfect unison, not to discuss what the doctor had said before, as if doing so could prolong the woman's time.

(End of chapter)