Chapter 198

I completed the procedures with Qiu Fengnian, and also called Master Hui Quan to ask if he had time to come to Changshi to hold a Daoist ritual.

Master Hui Quan repeatedly said he was free, and at the latest he would bring his disciples over tomorrow.

Qiu Fengnian took the phone directly and said, "Master Hui Quan, I will send someone to pick you up tonight. I would like to ask you to conduct Daoist rituals for a whole month, and meanwhile look for a suitable place to reinter the ancestral tomb. Bring as many people as you need; the compensation will surely satisfy you."

After this exchange, both sides were very pleased.

After hanging up, Liu Junyan happened to return as well.

I saw his face a little pale, but I didn't feel comfortable asking in front of Qiu Fengnian.

Qiu Fengnian both urged us to stay a bit longer and offered us payment, but I refused them all.

That night we left Changshi.

On the way back I drove, and Liu Junyan sat in the passenger seat.

At night, traffic on the highway was light; I gripped the steering wheel with both hands and chatted with him off and on.

In the end, I still steered the conversation toward that pit.

I probed, asking, "Āyàn, what's in the pit? You saw it, right?"

"No, I didn't see anything." Liu Junyan said, "But just as I was about to retrieve the Golden Scale, countless memories seemed to flash through my mind—unclear, yet they struck my nerves hard; I felt terrible at the time."

So that's how it was.

I said, "Could whatever is buried below be a dragon? I seemed to hear a dragon's roar."

Liu Junyan's brows furrowed even tighter.

It seemed that my mention of the dragon's roar made him uncomfortable again.

After the car had gone a considerable distance further, Liu Junyan finally said, "Xiao Jiu, when we get back tell Master Hui Quan that on the high slope five li southeast of that mountain range there is an auspicious feng shui spot; relocate Qiu Family's ancestral tomb there, and move the entire village as well."

"We can't touch what's in that burial ground for now, but we won't abandon it; we'll cordon it off, and when I have time I'll study it thoroughly."

I agreed to each point.

When the car entered Jiangcheng territory, it was already late at night, and Liu Junyan leaned back and fell asleep.

I looked at his weary profile and felt a pang of sympathy.

The four words 'safe and steady' are a luxury for people like us.

We have been on the road constantly, constantly facing all kinds of big and small problems.

And we are always ready to risk our lives.

We don't know when this will end.

The two people guarding the pawnshop hadn't expected us to rush back that night; Li Qingying hurried off to cook, while Hui Moqiong immediately noticed that Liu Junyan was off, followed him all the way to the west room, asking along the way, 'Is the situation over there thorny? What about the three-eyed golden toad? Didn't you bring it back? How did you wear yourself out like this? I said I should have come with you…'

I didn't follow them up, giving them some space to talk properly.

I took a hot shower, changed into clean clothes, and Li Qingying was already calling for dinner.

Steaming hot egg and beef noodle soup—I ate a big bowl, and my whole body warmed up.

I guessed their talk was probably wrapping up, so I went to the west room to call Liu Junyan.

Just as I entered the door, I saw Liu Junyan sitting cross-legged on a mat, while the Red Flag Child hugged the Red Flag and circled around Liu Junyan.

After a while it stopped, leaned close to Liu Junyan, sniffing with its little nose, then after a moment stroked its chin as if in thought.

Hui Moqiong, standing nearby, grew impatient, scooped up the Red Flag Child, and tickled its armpit, saying, 'Little guy, what are you looking at? Acting all sneaky.'

"Who's being sneaky?!" the Red Flag Child protested, 'I just smelled a familiar scent on Seventh Lord.'

Everyone's gaze instantly shot toward the Red Flag Child.

I asked, 'A familiar scent? What do you mean?'

"It's not Seventh Lord's own scent, but something brought back from outside.' The Red Flag Child rubbed its chin, narrowed its eyes, and struggled to recall, 'But this scent is too ancient; I can't quite tell… exactly when and where did I smell it before?'

He thought and thought.

We all held our breath, waiting.

After a good while, the Red Flag Child's eyes lit up: 'I remember now—it was back then, the last time we saw Zhao Zixun before his accident; I smelled this scent on him! Yes, I'm sure!'

I remember it vividly because it's the unique yin and killing aura that lingers after being buried long in a battlefield—even heavier than the hostile energy on Zhao Zixun himself!

This answer is something none of us would have guessed.

Could it be that a general is also buried beneath that burial ground?

The Red Flag Child spoke again: 'It's a pity that the scent on Seventh Lord will soon dissipate; otherwise we could have Zhao Zixun smell it, or perhaps… but no, Zhao Zixun could never come near us, let alone accompany us to Changshi.'

"Why not?" Hui Moqiong said, 'I'll go right now and truss up that horse-riding, sword-wearing kid!'

"Hold it!" Liu Junyan interjected, 'That plot has already been taken into the pawnshop, and I've placed a seal on it; the timing isn't ripe yet—first, don't scare the snake.'

Hui Moqiong glanced at me, then gave a thumbs-up: 'Xiao Jiu'er, you managed to acquire this? Awesome! How much did you spend?'

"888." I said, 'I insisted on paying that; otherwise I could have gotten it for free.'

Hui Moqiong pointed his thumb at me again: 'I am utterly impressed.'

The atmosphere instantly became lively.

This little interlude passed like a gust of wind, without raising a ripple.

But we all know that when we dig this up again someday, we will face an unprecedented trial.

Seven days passed in a flash, and we also got a good rest.

This time, as before, Hui Moqiong and Li Qingying guarded the home, while Liu Junyan and I drove to Huicheng.

This time Liu Junyan drove, I carried the Soul-guiding Lamp, and the mysterious cat lay lazily on my leg, purring.

I hadn't planned to bring the mysterious cat, but as soon as the car door opened it jumped up, and there was nothing I could do.

Thinking that it had already been to the Yellow Springs Road, bringing it along also counts as a capable helper.

During these seven days, Yu Nian stayed at the Tang household, taking care of Tang Xun.

Tang Xun's condition was neither good nor bad—sometimes he'd wake up and seem normal, other times he'd suddenly fall into a deep sleep, impossible to rouse without being called.

Only on the afternoon of the seventh day did Tang Xun suddenly fall into a deep coma.

The butterfly chrysalis on her lower back actually began to slowly break out of its cocoon.

This process was already slow, but Yu Nian also stuck a soul‑stabilizing talisman on Tang Xun to delay the speed at which the butterfly chrysalis broke out of its cocoon.

When we arrived at the Tang Family, the runes on that talisman paper had grown extremely faint; they could spontaneously ignite at any moment and burn to ash.

I placed the soul‑guiding lamp on the bedside table, and Yu Nian peeled off the soul‑stabilizing talisman.

Tang Xun on the bed instantly let out a long yawn, then her body arched up, looking exactly like a butterfly chrysalis straining to break out of its cocoon…