Chapter 164: Conversing with Humanity, Manifesting Holiness Abroad!

Although the village chief didn't know the military's rank there, seeing Yu Zheng's uniform told him his status was certainly extraordinary, and he hurriedly returned the handshake.

"This is unnecessary, you're being polite; these are just our duty."

At the moment of contact, Yu Zheng knew these were hands that had long labored in the fields, rough and wrinkled, covered in calluses.

Just looking at the village chief's dark skin, all of it was traces of being baked under the scorching sun; some places were even sunburned to the point of peeling, and the newly grown skin there was noticeably different in color from the rest.

After just a few seconds of meeting, Yu Zheng had sized up the village chief completely; his identity posed no problem—he was merely a farmer, with no possibility of imposture.

Yu Zheng gave a faint smile, hiding the sharpness in his expression, but deep in his gaze arose many doubts.

At first he thought, maybe these people had some other background—perhaps they were government agents pretending to be something else, or members of the 749; but now it seemed nothing unusual.

"Can you tell us how you caught them?"

The village chief chuckled, "Back then we noticed someone sneaking around the village, so we kept an eye out, fearing they wanted to go up the mountain; we lay in wait at the mountain foot, never expecting to actually catch them."

The village chief gave a rough account, though he omitted the details of the fight.

It was no different from what Hornet and the others said.

"I heard those spies say you're incredibly skilled, with limitless strength, able to dodge bullets and even throw hidden weapons; your physique is clearly good—do you usually train?"

Compared to his pride and arrogance in front of Sun Zhenbang, the village chief now appeared very modest and humble.

"It's not nearly as exaggerated as they claim; we were just many and lucky, plus it was dark then and they couldn't see clearly, so those bullets were just random shots—dodging them was easy."

"You also know we do farm work regularly, so being a bit stronger than others is normal; talk of throwing hidden weapons is pure nonsense."

The village chief's words were watertight; upon careful listening they seemed reasonable, yet they did not dispel Yu Zheng's doubts.

They knew the level of Hornet and his group; if it were truly as the village chief said, that would be far too weak—people from the CIA could absolutely not be of such a standard.

Facing Yu Zheng's scrutiny and assessment, the village chief and Wu Yuan remained calm, for they were telling the truth, merely concealing a few facts slightly.

The villagers were not criminals, and helping to capture the spies counted as merit; after giving their statements, they went home.

Watching the villagers' departing backs, Yu Zheng fell into contemplation, until Jiang Hao's voice pulled his thoughts back to reality.

"Do you believe what these villagers say?"

Yu Zheng pondered for a moment and said, "The villagers probably aren't lying, but I always feel something is off."

Fan Zhixuan nearby also deeply felt the same.

At first glance, the villagers' and Hornet group's statements matched, but in Hornet's eyes these villagers were extremely capable, even making him wonder if they had undergone human‑experiment augmentation.

Yet according to the villagers, their ability came down to luck and chance alone.

Although they were describing the same incident, the details were worlds apart.

Fan Zhixuan speculated, "Could it be that Hornet and his crew actually made a mistake, don't want to admit it, and simply blamed the villagers?"

"We can't rule that out."

Whether Hornet and his men are exaggerating, unwilling to admit defeat by ordinary villagers, thus hyping them up as heavenly flowers falling in disarray, or whether the villagers simply haven't fully explained things.

The military personnel hadn't witnessed the events, so they also didn't know the truth.

Yu Zheng's character is very cautious; although he knows the villagers' identities are fine and they've earned merit, he still feels something is strange.

Others didn't think so much, saying, "Maybe we're overthinking; perhaps Hornet and his lot aren't telling the truth, or maybe they're doing it on purpose."

Yu Zheng shook his head, "Saying that brings them no benefit either."

"Maybe it's really just the villagers' luck, plus Hornet and his crew were careless, causing this mishap."

Yu Zheng sighed, "Maybe..."

Having said that, he suddenly froze, as if thinking of something, and uncertainly asked, "I've heard Longyuan Mountain is very miraculous, which is why the National Secret Bureau sealed it off, while the villagers are officially sanctioned mountain guardians! So… could this be related?"

Fan Zhixuan and Jiang Hao involuntarily fell into contemplation.

The authorities wouldn't act without certainty; the National Secret Bureau's sealing of this mountain shows the matter is of great importance, so they should have sent personnel to guard it strictly.

But they didn't do that; instead they let the villagers keep watch, which clearly shows there must be some reason unknown to them.

Jiang Hao proposed, "Why don't I contact the National Secret Bureau to see what they have to say?"

Yu Zheng shook his head to stop him, "No need; if there really is a secret here, the National Secret Bureau wouldn't be able to speak openly about it."

The National Secret Bureau and the military are two completely different organizations; they normally have no interaction, and moreover this affair is rather special, so Yu Zheng and the others also shouldn't disturb them.

These villagers may look ordinary and plain, but perhaps they truly possess exceptional abilities—it's just that Yu Zheng and his companions have no way of knowing.

Thinking of this, Jiang Hao couldn't help but sigh, "I never expected such a tiny village to hide dragons and crouching tigers; earlier we were still worried about the villagers' safety."

Although the military personnel still felt strange, they could only keep it to themselves, for now there were more important things to do—namely, escorting Hornet and his group to the capital.

……

By now it was deep night, one could say all was silent; whether on Longyuan or in the village, everything was hushed.

Silver light hung high in the firmament, shedding a gleam of pure radiance; distant mountains and lush green trees were all veiled in a gauzy mist.

Under the moonlight, a black shadow slowly approached Longyuan Mountain.

After the night's first half uproar, Hornet and his crew were taken together by the village chief, Wu Yuan, and several other villagers to the police station.

After all that tossing about, the remaining villagers were also exhausted; each went home to rest, and no one was posted to guard the mountain foot.

Who would have thought that this very negligence gave Zhao Jianhua the chance to sneak silently into the mountains.

This time his luck was good, the timing was right—he happened to encounter the villagers and Hornet's group just after their battle, letting him slip through the gap and sneak into the mountain.

Otherwise, if it were usual times, how could he have succeeded so easily?

Zhao Jianhua arrived too late, still unaware of what had just happened; moreover, the light was dim, and he didn't notice the craters left on the ground—otherwise he would certainly not have ventured into the mountain.

"I've heard this mountain holds an intact tomb of Zuo Ci; I don't know if it's true, but if there are good things inside, then this trip of mine would surely bring a fortune—I'm not greedy, just taking a few items would be fine."

Zhao Jianhua rubbed his hands, his expression full of excitement and exhilaration.

Looking at the sign at the fence edge that read "No Entry," Zhao Jianhua snorted in contempt.

"Online they also say this mountain has been sealed off and listed as a restricted area—I think that's just bluff; if it were truly a restricted area, there wouldn't be a single guard around."

Zhao Jianhua had even made preparations; no matter how tight the guard here, judging by his skill it wouldn't be a problem.

But now there's nobody at all, which is actually convenient for acting.

If there really is treasure in this mountain, forget about forbidden zones—I'd even dare to storm the Hall of Yama.

Zhao Jianhua swaggered in, and the sign was quickly flung behind him.

At the mountain's highest point, Ye Qin lay on a boulder, drawing in the moon's essence.

As for the spies at the mountain base, he didn't give them a thought and wouldn't worry about exposure—Ye Qin now is vastly different, no longer needing to be overly cautious everywhere.

Moon essence continually bathed his body, like silver ribbons swirling around him, almost taking form, as if the heavenly Milky Way flowed slowly.

Beside him were the Northeast Tiger, fox, and weasel, all sitting cross-legged like humans, bathed in moonlight, each hair gleaming.

The moon essence condensed around them, though not as extravagant as Ye Qin's, still had form; the most outstanding was likely the Northeast Tiger.

Ye Qin taught the animals how to absorb sun and moon essence; though it's of little use to him now, it's a great tonic for them.

After they embarked on cultivation, their bodies could absorb not only heaven and earth spiritual qi, but also sun and moon essence.

All the animals' faces showed a comfortable expression.

Moon essence flowed silently; the surroundings were quiet and peaceful.

With Zhao Jianhua's entry, the original silence was broken; Ye Qin immediately sensed a stranger's aura in the air, his jade-green pupils flashing a dark light.

Huh, how could someone have intruded? Weren't those people already captured earlier?

The villagers had already subdued the poisonous bees and others; how could humans suddenly appear again? Could they have other accomplices? The key is this aura feels somewhat familiar.

Ye Qin released a thread of mental power and quickly sensed Zhao Jianhua's figure.

It's actually him.

Ye Qin was somewhat surprised; he really knew this person, no wonder the aura felt familiar.

Zhao Jianhua had previously gone to Xiguangsi to steal scriptures, and had met Ye Qin once; but at the time he was contemplating the scriptures, not wanting to interrupt, so he didn't deal with the thief—he never expected Zhao Jianhua to now come to him voluntarily.

All we can say is that it's fate.

Looking at Zhao Jianhua's position heading toward Zuo Ci's Tomb, it seems his target this time is to steal whatever is inside the tomb.

Ye Qin fell into thought, wondering what he'd thought: 'Perhaps this person could be useful to me, but I need to first see his ability.'

Ye Qin's heart stirred slightly, and he slightly modified the mountain's formation.

Roar—

The Northeast Tiger let out a low growl, a mischievous light flashing in its eyes.

Ye Qin understood his meaning: 'You also want to join the fun?'

The Northeast Tiger nodded, its paws pawing the ground; earlier when the villagers dealt with spies, it hadn't joined the fun, but now that a live person had come up the mountain, it was eager to try.

Ye Qin pondered a moment: 'Alright, but one thing—while we can have fun, we must not hurt anyone.'

The Northeast Tiger nodded vigorously, grinning.

……

Meanwhile, Zhao Jianhua, walking in the mountains, was completely unaware that a Great Demon had set its sights on him.

A mountain wind struck, a strange chill rose in his chest; he sneezed, instinctively pulling his coat tighter: 'How did it suddenly get so cold?'

Zhao Jianhua didn't think much of it, just attributing it to the high altitude and low temperature at night.

Unnoticed, a layer of mist rose on the mountain, covering the surrounding plants and almost blending with the moonlight.

Zhao Jianhua didn't notice; as he went deeper, looking at the scenery, he soon froze in place, his expression turning cautious and wary.

This road seems like I just walked it.

He keenly sensed that nothing around had changed, as if he were pacing in place, or perhaps the light was too dim and the trees all looked alike, giving him that illusion.

If I'm not mistaken, this road should be the second time I've walked it.

The moonlight was bright; whether the forest was too deep or the mountains and rivers misty, visibility kept dropping, so getting lost was quite normal.

Zhao Jianhua didn't think much; he just figured it was his first time here, unfamiliar with the terrain, so he returned to the starting point, turned on his flashlight, carefully surveyed the surroundings, and finally chose the eastern path.

According to the map, Zuo Ci's Tomb should be at the far east.

The flashlight's beam fell on the map, casting a pallid white.

In the utterly silent deep mountains, the only sound was the crisp 'creak' of footsteps on dry twigs, making it feel extremely empty.

The lush green plants that were tall and verdant by day were now just dark silhouettes, looking somewhat eerie; Zhao Jianhua, having traveled south and north for years, had seen all kinds of environments, and even more terrifying ones.

For example, like the earlier Xiguangsi.

The mist grew thicker, already visible to the naked eye, and kept expanding wildly, swallowing all the scenery.

Zhao Jianhua couldn't help muttering, 'How did the fog suddenly appear? This fog is a bit too much.'

Mountain paths are already hard to travel; now fog suddenly appears, undoubtedly adding difficulty, but since we're here, there's absolutely no reason to turn back.

Zhao Jianhua was busy discerning direction, not noticing a faint beast's pupil flash behind him, slowly approaching his location.

The mountain wind suddenly blew, making the leaves rustle like countless people whispering in the dark, while the fog remained utterly still.

He abruptly turned back; behind him there was only white mist and vague tree branches, nothing else.

But Zhao Jianhua had just felt an intense gaze, as if some creature lurked in the dark, making his skin crawl.

Could I be overthinking?

Not knowing if it was his illusion, it felt like he'd returned to the start; Zhao Jianhua saw the unchanging scenery, no matter which path he took it was the same, and his relaxed expression gradually grew solemn.

Added to the pervasive white mist, trying to find direction was extremely difficult; the forest ahead became a huge white labyrinth, and even if Zhao Jianhua had stamina, after walking so long his forehead beaded with fine sweat.

It's really strange—I've walked in heavy fog before, but this time the feeling is completely different.

Zhao Jianhua increasingly felt something odd here; in a daze he had the illusion that the white mist concealed some mysterious power that could affect his direction and judgment.

His breathing was somewhat rapid, no longer the previous calm; suddenly his face changed slightly, he sensed something, and upon listening carefully, within his rapid breathing there was also another gasp!

In other words, there are still other people present around!

Zhao Jianhua's body suddenly became stiff; his skill and alertness were top-notch among his peers—what kind of person could silently follow behind him without him noticing at all!

"Who!"

He abruptly turned his head; not far away he could see a black silhouette, which was very tall, appearing to be nearly two meters, but the fog was too dense, obstructing his view, so he couldn't see the outline clearly.

Zhao Jianhua's face changed drastically; this person appeared and disappeared mysteriously, and he didn't know when they had followed him; could it be that they were also heading for Zuo Ci's Tomb?

He spoke up to test: "Are you also on the Dao, brother?"

In the pitch-black environment, the words echoed, but the silhouette didn't speak, appearing very aloof.

They remained in a stalemate, the silhouette motionless; Zhao Jianhua didn't dare act rashly for a moment, his spirit constantly tense, fearing that the silhouette would suddenly erupt and be disadvantageous to him.

After all, to appear silently behind him, this person's skill must be slightly superior.

They just stared at each other through the fog, with no movement, as if time had been paused.

After about a few minutes, the silhouette took no action; Zhao Jianhua found he couldn't stand there much longer, he couldn't just waste time here.

Zhao Jianhua shifted his eyes, cautiously moving his feet backward; when he moved, the silhouette moved as well, but when he stopped, the silhouette also stopped.

Seeing this, he couldn't help but think it strange, feeling as if the person were imitating him.

He tried raising his hand, and the silhouette raised its hand too.

Zhao Jianhua was somewhat speechless: "Meeting here counts as fate; if you're also heading for Zuo Ci's Tomb, brother, why not travel together? If we really find something good, we'll split it."

The silhouette finally reacted, walking slowly toward him; Zhao Jianhua thought his proposal had moved him, and the stone in his heart finally fell.

After all, having one more friend is better than having one more enemy.

"Right, my surname is Zhao; I don't know how to address you, brother..."

Before he could finish speaking, as the silhouette drew near, Zhao Jianhua finally made out its appearance, but his pupils contracted sharply, as if he'd suffered a great fright, and his face turned deathly pale.

That was actually a big tiger!

Its tiger eyes were like huge lanterns, flashing brightly in the darkness; its ferocious beastly head looked even more terrifying, and its sharp fangs sliced a cold light through the air.

What surprised Zhao Jianhua most was that this tiger walked upright, looking just like a person!

No wonder he had just been mistaken.

Zhao Jianhua's mind went blank for a moment; he didn't know whether to say the tiger was too human-like or he was blind, having just tried to call the tiger brother and even wanted to travel together!

"Roar!"

Accompanied by an earth-shaking tiger roar, Zhao Jianhua reacted quickly, his legs exerting force as he sprinted backward, summoning his greatest speed, almost leaving an afterimage.

"I must not have checked the almanac before leaving today; to run into a tiger in the middle of the night!"

His speed was fast, several times that of an ordinary person, his physique indeed good, but he couldn't outrun a Northeast Tiger imbued with spiritual energy.

The Northeast Tiger only needed to increase its speed slightly to reach his limit, yet it wasn't in a hurry to catch the human before it, playing like a cat with a mouse, always keeping a distance not far nor near from Zhao Jianhua.

Zhao Jianhua ran desperately, the Northeast Tiger pursued leisurely behind; it was clear this human still had some ability, otherwise he wouldn't have lasted so long.

Having expended a great deal of stamina, Zhao Jianhua's speed gradually slowed; hearing the howling wind and tiger's roar behind him, he couldn't help but show a look of despair.

"Whoosh!"

At that moment, the Northeast Tiger leapt up and lunged at him, instantly knocking him down, leaving him no chance to fight back.

Looking at the blood‑filled maw inches away, and the sharp fangs.

His heart turned completely cold halfway, not expecting to meet his end here today.

By the time anyone found his corpse, it would already have been chewed beyond recognition by the tiger.

Zhao Jianhua closed his eyes, as if he had already seen his own death scene, yet the imagined pain never came.

He slowly opened his eyes to see the tiger looking down at him, its forepaws holding something.

It seemed to be a vine!

Before Zhao Jianhua could react to what the vine was for, the Northeast Tiger had already wrapped it tightly around him.

Watching the tiger's agile movements, Zhao Jianhua's expression inevitably showed a hint of bewilderment.

Is this really a tiger, or a person in a tiger skin? Otherwise, why are its movements so practiced?

"Roar!"

Another low tiger moan rang out; in the nearby grass, countless pairs of eerie green beast eyes appeared, and big and small light bulbs gathered together, truly making one's scalp tingle.

Looking at the jackals, foxes, yellow weasels, monkeys, and other animals gathering around.

Zhao Jianhua felt his scalp tingle, an indescribable chill rising from his core, his whole body trembling violently.

Could it be that these animals wanted to tear him apart and eat him!

"You, you guys don't come over."

Zhao Jianhua's voice couldn't stop these animals,

but what happened the next second nearly stunned his eyes.

Only to see those animals stand upright like humans, their two feet firmly planted on the ground, then actually joining forces to lift him up!

Zhao Jianhua's body hovered in mid‑air; due to the angle he couldn't move, so he could only stare like a dead fish, looking up at the trees above.

He could feel many pairs of furry beast paws beneath him, and the strange feeling in his heart grew stronger.

Leaving aside how strange that tiger was, a normal savage beast would just tear a person apart; yet this tiger meticulously tied him up with rope, summoned its little followers—such behavior is practically human.

"Could it be planning to treat me as stored grain, to take me back to its cave and eat me slowly?"

For a moment Zhao Jianhua couldn't help but let his imagination run wild, yet it seemed somewhat unreasonable.

Therefore, from the tiger's series of actions, it was clearly intelligent!

He couldn't help but think of those strange‑tale novels.

Could it be that he had encountered a monster!

Zhao Jianhua suddenly recalled that the last time he was at Xiguangsi, he had encountered a green snake flipping through scriptures…

The only common point among these animals was that they were very human‑like and full of spirituality!

At this moment Zhao Jianhua's fear was mixed with a bit of curiosity; he couldn't help but try calling out: "Tiger Brother! Tiger Grandpa! Where are you taking me?"

My meat isn't tasty; if you let me go, I'll slaughter sheep and cattle for you next time—I guarantee I'll keep my word.

Or let's negotiate: as long as you don't eat me, I'll repay your great kindness a hundredfold, or I can serve you as an ox or horse.

If these animals were truly demons with real intelligence, perhaps everything could still be negotiated; Zhao Jianhua suppressed his inner panic and fear, attempting to communicate with these animals.

But after howling for most of the day, the animals paid him no heed; moreover, many showed looks of disgust, thinking he was too noisy.

Unfortunately, since Zhao Jianhua was being lifted up, he didn't see the human-like expressions on these animals' faces.

The mountain road was rugged, yet the animals walked as if on level ground; after walking a stretch, they finally set Zhao Jianhua down.

At this time, the mist gradually dispersed.

He hurriedly surveyed his surroundings—not some gloomy cave—but Zhao Jianhua instantly recognized this as an ancient tomb cluster, with traces left behind by the earlier archaeological team still visible!

Could this actually be Zu Ci's Tomb?!

But why did these animals bring me to Zu Ci's Tomb?

Many questions arose in Zhao Jianhua's mind; if before there was fear and dread, now they were replaced by doubt, plus an indescribable strangeness.

After the animals set him on the ground, they lined up neatly on both sides, standing straight and rigid, silently gazing into the depths of the tomb, their beastly eyes filled with reverent light, like guardians.

The air was filled with a solemn atmosphere, and Zhao Jianhua was infected by it, his heart pounding anxiously.

What is your name?

Just as Zhao Jianhua was observing, a sudden voice startled him.

Who's speaking!

Zhao Jianhua followed the sound and discovered it was actually coming from inside the ancient tomb, carrying a faint ethereal feel yet filled with immense dignity.

At the same time, a cold, deep gaze swept over him.

Upon hearing the voice, the animals all lowered their heads.

It made Zhao Jianhua dazedly feel as if he had arrived at some demon's lair, that voice being the master of the manor, and these animals all his minions!

But this seemed too far-fetched; Zhao Jianhua couldn't imagine there truly being a great demon behind the scenes, merely wondering if someone was pretending to be a ghost since it could speak.

You still haven't answered my question.

Seemingly impatient, Ye Qin spoke in a low voice.

That seemingly plain sentence bore immense pressure, like a towering green mountain pressing down on Zhao Jianhua, his expression turning ugly to the extreme, even momentarily unable to breathe.

Beside him, the Northeast Tiger bared its sharp fangs, silently conveying threat—if he didn't cooperate, it could make him bleed out on the spot.

Zhao Jianhua's mental fortitude was decent, but his face turned pale and his body trembled like a sieve; if it were anyone else, they'd likely have fainted by now.

He stammered, 'My name is Zhao Jianhua.'

Earlier, Zhao Jianhua had thought these animals were all demons, which is why they behaved so strangely.

Now it seems there might be another possibility—that they are being directed by someone; otherwise, how could these animals be so obedient?

But just who is this person, actually able to command animals!

Before, I'd heard of people who could understand beast speech for simple communication, but a situation like this—being able to drive fierce beasts, even the king of beasts so obedient—is unheard of and unseen.

Zhao Jianhua's expression turned shocked; his thoughts raced, making many guesses about this person's identity, and he boldly asked, 'May I ask who you are?'

Inside Zu Ci's Tomb was indeed Ye Qin; earlier he had slightly altered the formation, temporarily concealing its lethal power, aiming to test Zhao Jianhua's character and mental fortitude.

Zhao Jianhua was fairly quick-witted and capable; he barely passed Ye Qin's trial, which led to the later scene where the Northeast Tiger bound him and brought him here.

Ye Qin didn't answer Zhao Jianhua's question, but directly said, 'You don't need to know who I am; if you want to live, help me with one thing.'

This wasn't a request for opinion but more like a routine notice, carrying an indescribable authority; even Zhao Jianhua felt it was perfectly proper, as if the person behind it ought to be so.

Only he felt somewhat puzzled—this person wielded vast divine abilities, even a tiger such a fierce beast had to obey; what task required his help?

May I ask what task?

Go steal a few items from the British Museum for me.

Ye Qin's voice sounded light and casual, as easy as saying 'have a meal, drink water'.

But Zhao Jianhua nearly choked on his own saliva, thinking he'd misheard, and couldn't help asking back, 'I didn't catch that—what did you just say?!'

Steal from the British Museum!

Ye Qin repeated it once more.

Zhao Jianhua gaped—though he was a petty thief, he usually only stole private collections from the rich; he'd never been to a museum, let alone a foreign one.

He couldn't help swallowing, 'Surely you're joking, sir—the British Museum is far overseas.'

Ye Qin's voice had no inflection, 'Do I look like I'm joking?'

Zhao Jianhua felt like crying but had no tears—what merit or ability did he have? He'd only wanted to check out Zu Ci's Tomb for a score, never expecting a master to already be stationed here.

Moreover, being ordered by the master to steal a few items from a foreign museum and bring them back instantly raised the difficulty from normal to hellish.

Could we perhaps negotiate, lowering the difficulty and switching to something else—like the Wu Du Museum?

Before Zhao Jianhua could finish speaking, Ye Qin, as if knowing what he'd say, gave a firm answer: 'No!'

His voice turned icy cold: 'Either steal, or die.'

As the final word 'death' fell, the atmosphere abruptly shifted; an indescribable chill rose in Zhao Jianhua's heart, gooseflesh popping up all over, as if marked by the Grim Reaper.

Zhao Jianhua glanced out of the corner of his eye at the fierce tiger beside him.

Noticing his gaze, the Northeast Tiger lifted its claw, casually swung it, a cold light shivered, making Zhao Jianhua involuntarily shudder.

He was certain that if he refused, that tiger could smash his head to pulp with a single swipe.

Zhao Jianhua felt like crying but had no tears, his intestines churning with regret—if he'd known this would happen, he wouldn't have come to Zu Ci's Tomb for anything.

But it was already too late.

I agree.

As Zhao Jianhua's words fell, a weasel ran out from the tomb, swaggering like a person, holding something in its paws, which it presented before him.

After he saw clearly, he discovered they were actually several yellow talismans.

Zhao Jianhua was at a loss for a moment, and he asked cautiously, "What is this?"

"These talisman papers can conceal your aura, help you evade detection by instruments, prove useful when needed; if the papers glow, that will be the antique I want you to bring back."

Zhao Jianhua touched the paper; it was just ordinary yellow paper, the handwriting looked like random scribbles, appearing quite ordinary with nothing supernatural about it—how could it possibly be so mysterious?

Are you trying to fool a three-year-old?

Zhao Jianhua complained inwardly but dared not say it out loud, lest he displease the mysterious person behind the scenes.

"You may leave now."

Ye Qin showed great mercy; Zhao Jianhua hadn't reacted yet, somewhat incredulous, "I can leave?"

Zhao Jianhua originally thought the mysterious person would have other demands, after all, empty talk proves nothing; but after being given the yellow talisman, he was simply allowed to leave—he never expected it to be so easy to let him go.

He cautiously got up, seeing that the Northeastern tiger and other animals showed no reaction, he immediately sped up; his silhouette gradually became a small black dot, disappearing deep into the forest, as if a ghost were chasing him from behind.

Only after Zhao Jianhua left did Ye Qin walk out of the tomb.

If Zhao Jianhua were to return at this moment and learn that the mysterious expert he had been speaking with was actually a giant snake, he would likely be frightened into fainting.

"Roar—"

The Northeastern tiger beside him anxiously spoke up.

"Are you worried he won't keep his word?"

Ye Qin watched Zhao Jianhua's retreating back, his gaze profound, "Rest assured, he will definitely go; after all, if he fails to fulfill his promise, he will be punished."

The reason Zhao Jianhua was sent to steal antiquities is that Ye Qin, while at the research center in the capital, discovered that cultural relics also carry the aura of the passage of time.

From this, he also conceived another idea: to search for fragments of time within objects.

Earlier, a major incident had erupted in the suburbs of the capital; Ye Qin therefore wished to stay low-key domestically, avoid causing a stir, and not attract attention, so he turned his gaze abroad.

After all, many artifacts abroad were originally smuggled out from the Great Xia; retrieving them now could be considered returning things to their rightful owner.

However, Ye Qin cannot fly through clouds and mist, making overseas travel difficult for now; fortunately, Zhao Jianhua appeared as a willing errand-runner, so Ye Qin thought to make use of him.

The talisman papers contain his mental power; if they sense the aura of a time fragment, they will alert him, enabling him to bring back what he desires.

"Roar?"

"You mean, why not let the villagers go?"

Ye Qin had his own considerations; expertise requires specialization. Although the villagers' physical fitness has improved and their abilities are indeed strong, they rarely leave their province, let alone go abroad—this is clearly impractical.

Moreover, Zhao Jianhua specializes in theft; overall, his abilities are quite good, and with the aid of the yellow talisman, he will certainly be able to bring back what Ye Qin wants, making him currently the best choice.

……

Zhao Jianhua ran all the way at breakneck speed, fearing that the mysterious expert might change his mind and send those tigers and similar beasts after him; he only slowed down after descending the mountain.

He panted, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

At this moment the sky showed a faint fish-belly white, rosy light vaporized, a red sun slowly rose, layered peaks stacked, lush green like jade, reflected in the blue sky, utterly lacking the terror seen at night.

Zhao Jianhua glanced back; there was no movement behind him, and he finally put his mind completely at ease.

That night's experience could be described as tumultuous; he had thought he would soon become an animal's meal, but instead events took a turn, and he was even demanded by that mysterious figure to steal from the British Museum.

"His methods look impressive, but his brain isn't all that sharp—having me steal from a foreign museum, if I got caught wouldn't that be suicide? Still, I'm clever; I'll agree first and figure it out later."

Zhao Jianhua escaped the danger, saw nothing pursuing him from behind, and his courage grew considerably.

He pulled out the earlier yellow talisman, examined it for a while but saw nothing odd, then casually tossed it aside.

"You really think I'm a three-year-old; this is just ordinary scrap paper, yet you claim it can conceal my aura, glow, and help me—pure nonsense."

"I'm not an idiot; how could I believe this nonsense? If you're capable, go yourself—anyway, whoever wants to go can go."

Zhao Jianhua muttered as he walked away, completely disregarding Ye Qin's words.

He had just agreed, but it was merely a stopgap measure; after all, he was facing a threat to his life, so he could only say he was compelled by circumstances.

Although that person is formidable, of unknown origin, and can command beasts—indeed somewhat inscrutable—even if he possesses vast divine abilities, if I don't go, can he still find me?

Thinking this, Zhao Jianhua felt completely relaxed, with no remaining burden; the promise he had made earlier was tossed to the clouds.

After all, he is a thief—what morality is there to discuss with a thief?

The talisman papers in the grass floated up slowly, yet the surrounding leaves showed no movement; clearly there was no wind, yet they moved on their own.

The originally ordinary script now had a faint luster flowing within it, appearing full of endless supernatural quality.

It's a pity that the distant Zhao Jianhua did not see this.

After tossing and turning all night, he was already exhausted; Zhao Jianhua hurried down the mountain, found an inn in the small town, practically fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, intending to set off again after waking.

Not long after he entered the room, a small yellow figure also slipped into the inn.

Zhao Jianhua was sleeping soundly when a cold draft blew in; he couldn't help but shiver, instinctively opening his eyes, only to see endless white mist and a dim forest.

Upon seeing this scene, the drowsiness bug had long been tossed from his mind.

Zhao Jianhua's face turned ashen; he blurted out, "I thought I had already left this damned place—how am I back here?"

Could it be that everything he experienced earlier was an illusion? He actually never left this mountain forest at all?!

Zhao Jianhua gradually became somewhat muddled, his heart filling with deep dread; he warily scanned his surroundings, fearing a humanoid giant tiger might leap out from some corner.

He tried to find a way out, but the fog was thick, heavier than before, nearly reaching the point where one cannot see their own hand in front of their face.

The vast heavens and earth seemed to contain nothing but fog; within this blindness-inducing mist, there appeared to be a monster that selects victims by head and devours them.

Unknown fear often makes people feel even more afraid, because you never know what might emerge from the depths of the fog.

Zhao Jianhua's forehead beads of sweat increased, his back already soaked with perspiration; his whole body felt as if it had been fished out of water.

Amid his ragged breathing, he heard another layer of respiration; Zhao Jianhua's body stiffened.

He had experienced such a scene once before!

Dream and reality gradually overlapped, making it almost impossible for him to discern what was real.

He abruptly turned his head, expecting to see again a humanoid ferocious tiger as before, but what met his eyes were hollow eye sockets.

A gloomy white bone skeleton stood right behind him; Zhao Jianhua felt his whole body turn ice-cold, even his heartbeat seemed to stop abruptly at that moment.

Under the tremendous visual impact, Zhao Jianhua almost forgot to be afraid; he opened his mouth wide, but no sound came from his throat.

The chilling white bones stared fixedly at him, mouth opening and closing, yet it was the mysterious man's voice: "You must do what you promised me, otherwise you will die!"

Compared to the previous gloom, now there is an indescribable chill, like something drifting from hell, constantly echoing in his ears.

Goosebumps erupted all over Zhao Jianhua's body, as if he had been cursed; he stood rooted, unable to move, only able to watch helplessly as the white bones drew almost close enough to touch him.

Huh!

His mental defenses finally collapsed at this moment; he jerked his eyes open and sat up from the bed.

He saw sunlight streaming through the window, the weather perfect, as if he had come back to life, emerging from the dark, chilly hell into the bright world.

Even the brilliant sunshine could not dispel the shadow and fear in Zhao Jianhua's heart; to this day his hands and feet were ice-cold, his whole body weak.

After a good while, Zhao Jianhua finally recovered, his heart still pounding, and he said, "It was just a dream."

A breeze brushed his face, the curtains fluttering loudly; only then did he notice the window was actually open.

"Strange, I clearly closed the window when I came in."

Zhao Jianhua didn't notice either, thinking he had opened it and forgotten to close it; a few yellow sheets of paper blew onto his face, and he pulled one down to look.

All color drained from his face, his hand trembled uncontrollably, and for a long time he could not utter a word.

It was ordinary yellow paper, covered with the scribbles of ghostly talismans, which Zhao Jianhua knew all too well.

I thought I had already thrown them away.

He had casually tossed those few yellow talismans by the roadside when he went down the mountain; how could they now follow him and appear in the inn!

Could these talismans have grown legs?!

Zhao Jianhua stared at the ordinary talisman before him, his expression as if he had seen a ghost!

Recalling the scene on the mountain earlier and the white bones from his dream, the cramped room seemed to grow gloomy and filled with yin energy.

He couldn't help but recall his encounter at Xiguangsi, which seemed to gradually overlap with the white bones in his dream...

"Holy shit! Could there really be a ghost? I can't stay here any longer!"

Zhao Jianhua shouted and ran out of the inn.

The innkeeper heard the commotion and poked his head out, seeing only Zhao Jianhua's panicked retreating back: "Crazy guy, what ghosts, no ghosts."

He also smiled apologetically at the onlookers: "Don't listen to his nonsense; this person is just a lunatic. My inn is very clean, there definitely won't be any unclean things."

For the inn, this was merely a minor incident; the crowd soon dispersed, but for Zhao Jianhua, it was only the beginning.

In the following days, whenever he slept, he was plagued by nightmares nonstop—either chased by tigers or by white bones; if he was lucky enough to be startled awake, he couldn't sleep again, staring wide-eyed until dawn.

If luck was bad, he spent the whole night fleeing for his life, waking up the next day utterly exhausted, as if he had run a marathon outdoors all night.

After several days of this, Zhao Jianhua had dark circles under his eyes, huge eye bags that were frightening; he looked utterly exhausted, as if he had aged several years overnight, and those who didn't know wondered what he had been up to.

Even his companions asked if he had recently encountered something evil or touched something unclean, and they instinctively kept their distance.

Most importantly, no matter where he threw those yellow talismans, they would unfailingly reappear by his side the next day.

Zhao Jianhua looked again at the familiar yellow talisman, his eyes bloodshot, and he could no longer restrain himself.

He tore the yellow talisman into countless pieces; the shredded paper fluttered down like snowflakes, and Zhao Jianhua threw them all into the nearby ditch, feeling as if this would vent his anger.

He snarled: "Keep haunting me, and this time I won't believe you can still appear!"

Zhao Jianhua believed his recent nightmares were caused by that yellow talisman; now that he had destroyed it, he originally thought he could finally sleep well tonight.

But he hadn't expected it to be the same as before; the white bones and tigers attacked together, even more fiercely than before, leaving him more embarrassed, as if they were punishing him for destroying the talisman and breaking his promise.

The next morning, upon opening his eyes, the yellow talisman appeared intact beside him, undamaged, with no trace of destruction, its writing as vivid as before, as if it were mocking him.

The string of reason in Zhao Jianhua's mind finally snapped completely.

Panic, fear, regret—all these emotions intertwined, and he finally broke down, kowtowing repeatedly before the yellow talisman, weeping bitterly and saying:

"Exalted one, please spare me; I, a lowly person, have eyes but fail to see Mount Tai, I have violated your orders. Now I have sincerely repented, and I hope the exalted one will give me another chance—I will surely accomplish the task you entrusted."

At this moment he finally understood why the mysterious person had given him those few yellow talismans and then let him leave easily—there was a backup plan waiting here.

He had been far too naive.

If he could make fierce beasts so obedient, how could the person employing him have only this one method?

"Exalted one, I truly know I was wrong; with your great tolerance, please forgive me this once—I pledge to devote myself utterly, even to death."

Zhao Jianhua dared to affirm that his recent nightmares were entirely the work of that mysterious person; although he didn't know how it was done, such unfathomable means were truly terrifying.

These days without a good sleep, even an ironclad body couldn't hold up; Zhao Jianhua knew that if this continued, his life might be in jeopardy.

Rather than this, it would be better to obey the mysterious person's instructions, go to the British Museum, retrieve the artifacts to make amends, and perhaps there would still be a way out.

Squeak—

As Zhao Jianhua kept repenting, a continuous squeaking sound came from his ears; through his tear-blurred vision, he could see a yellow shadow approaching him.

It was actually the yellow weasel that had handed him the talisman that night!

Zhao Jianhua wiped his tears, stared wide-eyed at the slender figure before him, wondering when the yellow weasel had appeared here, of which he had been completely unaware.

Could the yellow weasel have been following him since he came down the mountain?!

Having already witnessed the human-like tiger and the mysterious person's various methods—such as the talismans that clung like shadows and could not be shaken off—he dared not underestimate this small creature before him.

In the northeast, the yellow weasel is called Huang Daxian, one of the household guardians, of very high status; moreover, folklore has long held that yellow weasels seek divine investiture, and they are extremely spiritual.

Zhao Jianhua tentatively asked: "Huang Daxian, were you sent by the exalted one?"

The yellow weasel proudly nodded, obviously very pleased with Zhao Jianhua's address.

If Zhao Jianhua had harbored any doubts before, they were now completely dispelled.

He surmised that the mysterious person must possess extraordinary power, perhaps a special ability, or perhaps a realm beyond ordinary human reach; in short, it was not something he could provoke.

Zhao Jianhua wiped the cold sweat from his forehead; fortunately, his realization came not too late, for if he continued to delay, outwardly complying while inwardly resisting, he did not know what means the mysterious person might employ against him.

Perhaps by then even regret would come too late; at least now there was still a chance to make amends.

Faced with the human-like yellow weasel, Zhao Jianhua dared not be careless; he immediately ordered a takeout roasted chicken and respectfully invited the weasel to the table.

"Huang Daxian, care for a drink? You don't drink? Then let me ask— I don't know what instructions the exalted one sent you here with?"

The weasel had previously been somewhat dissatisfied with Zhao Jianhua, because he had outwardly complied but inwardly defied Ye Qin's orders; now, seeing the fragrant roasted chicken on the table, he felt this little brother also had some sense, at least knowing to make offerings to him.

He nimbly jumped onto the table and began to heartily devour the roasted chicken.

(End of chapter)