Chapter 628

This is an opportunity, but at the same time it is also a greater challenge.

Zhong Susu said solemnly, "I only share what I know because I cannot bear to keep it; the final decision is still up to you to discuss."

Every spring-summer transition, especially when the flood season arrives, is also the busiest time at the Yellow Gate's mouth, especially for the yellow carp clan; they swim upstream, enduring countless thunderstorms and heavenly fire before entering the Yellow Gate's mouth, finally they self-amputate their fish tails and enter the marrow-washing pool.

Out of ten thousand yellow carp that jump in, fewer than one make it out.

This method is even more unworkable.

Not to mention whether Li Qingying can undergo rebirth by jumping into the dragon clan's marrow-washing pool; just speaking of swimming upstream during the flood season, given Li Qingying's current physical condition, it is an impossible challenge.

Zhong Susu can only help us this much.

She kept comforting me; she was also pregnant, and I didn't want to worry her too much, so I followed Liu Junyan and left hastily.

By the time we returned to the pawnshop, it was already daylight.

The pawnshop's door was still open.

What I didn't expect was that Hui Moqiong was actually sitting in front of the counter of the Nan Shu Fang.

He sat there motionless, not knowing what he was thinking.

By rights, he now wishes he wouldn't leave Li Qingying even for a second.

He has something to do.

I then walked over and called him twice.

Hui Moqiong came to, lifted his eyes to look at me; his eyes were red and swollen.

He opened his mouth and said, "Xiao Jiu, I want to ask you for a favor."

I understood that whatever he asked of me now must be for Li Qingying, so I asked, "What?"

I want that affinity stone you brought back from the Nineteen Cave-Heavens.' Hui Moqiong said, 'I can't think of a better way to prolong Qingying's life; the only option is to bind our lives with the affinity stone, so we live and die together—perhaps this will make her body feel better and let her live a few more years.'

I immediately rejected his idea: 'The affinity stone is not the Mandarins' Heart Lock; it lacks the lock's efficacy. It can now only be used on those originally without affinity, such as Jin Wuya and Shi Rou, and of course it must be modified by a artifice master to achieve the desired effect—your and Sister Qingying's conditions do not meet that.'

What am I to do?!

Hui Moqiong's emotions surged: 'This won't work, that won't work—do I really have to watch her die helplessly and bury her myself? I can't! I'd rather die with her!'

Liu Junyan scolded: 'Mo Qiong, calm down!'

Hui Moqiong shouted at Liu Junyan: 'I can't calm down!'

After shouting, he slumped in the chair like a deflated balloon.

But soon he seemed to think of something and came to ask me again: 'Xiao Jiu, why not go to the Chenghuang Temple to find Yu Nian and ask her to ferry us across the Wangchuan River on a ferryboat, so we can reincarnate together with our memories...'

Absurd!' Liu Junyan felt like striking Hui Moqiong, 'You think anyone can board the ferryboat? You're alive and well; if the ferryboat takes you, how much karma are you preparing to make Yu Nian bear?'

Ferrying also has its own rules.

If ferrying could be done just by personal favor, Yu Nian couldn't hope to be a ferryman.

Hui Moqiong's entire mental state was off.

He left, dazed and dispirited, heading for the Bai Family clinic.

I was still uneasy, so I had Huang Fan keep an eye on Hui Moqiong while Liu Junyan and I went around looking for solutions.

The marrow-washing pool at the Yellow Gate's mouth is the last resort; unless absolutely necessary, we dare not decide.

But that evening, Huang Fan came running back, out of breath, telling us that Hui Moqiong had found a master who claimed he could transfer Hui Moqiong's hundred years of lifespan to Li Qingying.

Hui Moqiong spent a large sum of money, saying he would perform the life-prolonging ritual tonight.

Hearing this news, we felt a mix of emotions.

How smart Hui Moqiong is, yet he even believes such a thing.

Where did such a powerful person come from, claiming to help extend life, even a hundred years—how high is his cultivation, how deep his merit, can he withstand the backlash of defying heaven to change fate?

Normally, Hui Moqiong would beat such a charlatan whenever he saw one.

People, once driven to desperation, lose all reason.

All he wants is for her to be well.

All he wants is for her to stay alive.

Liu Junyan went to find Hui Moqiong; he needed to stop him from acting recklessly.

I then took out that affinity stone, thought it over, and finally called Jin Wuya.

Jin Wuya is an artifice master, highly skilled; perhaps he could modify this affinity stone to achieve the mana of the original Mandarins' Heart Lock.

But the call wouldn't go through.

I tried several times, but no one answered.

Suddenly I recalled that I had previously messaged Jin Wuya about the affinity stone.

How many days have passed, and Jin Wuya hasn't even replied to a single message.

A bad premonition welled up in my heart; I instinctively felt something was wrong on Jin Wuya's side.

Could it not be Shi Rou...

I thought it over and then contacted other members of the Shi family.

Fortunately, I got through.

They told me that recently a small tomb cluster was discovered in Lingnan, and Shi Rou had taken Jin Wuya down into the tomb, so they couldn't be reached for now.

They also asked what I needed them for.

After they come up, they can help relay the message.

I then said there was nothing major, just that I was concerned about Shi Rou's health.

I asked them to let Jin Wuya and Shi Rou contact me immediately after they emerge from the ancient tomb.

They agreed.

After hanging up, I still felt uneasy.

Shi Rou, how can you be so reckless?

She had a miscarriage this time, the fetus was far along, it really harmed her body; after only such a short rest, how could she already be going down into the tomb?

Has a small tomb cluster recently been unearthed in South of the Ridges?

I searched on my phone but found no related news.

I then sent Tang Tang another message, politely inquiring.

If a small tomb cluster had indeed been discovered in South of the Ridges, even if the news hadn't spread yet, someone like Tang Tang's mentor—an industry figure—would definitely have known right away.

Tang Tang's call came through quickly: "I just asked my mentor; he said there's no such thing, and added that even if South of the Ridges had a small tomb cluster discovered, the Shi family couldn't possibly have someone go down into a tomb—they've been retired from the underworld for many years, and their business focus has changed."

Tang Tang's words reminded me.

Yeah, Jin Wuya also told me about this.

So, that person just now was lying.

But why?

What is the other party lying to conceal?

I started to wildly speculate—could it be that Jin Wuya has died?

After all, Shi Rou has a hard fate; before Jin Wuya, it's said she already caused the death of several fiancés.

Could Jin Wuya also have been doomed by her?

"Hello? Hello?" Tang Tang's voice came over: "Xiao Jiu, are you listening?"

I grunted in acknowledgement: "I'm here."

Tang Tang then said: "I heard my mentor also mention that the Shi family's initial retirement from the underworld was a helpless move, as if they had violated some taboo..."