Chapter 648

I always feel that between that tomb and South of the Ridges, something else must have happened.

Otherwise, why would the Red Armor Army have specifically chosen South of the Ridges at such a critical moment?

"South of the Ridges is a blessed land," Grandfather said, "but the reason your great-grandfather could escape calamity and settle in South of the Ridges was due to enlightenment, and the one who enlightened him was none other than the proprietor of Yin Dang Hang back then."

"Yin Dang Hang?" I exclaimed in surprise, "So you would support me getting close to Jin Wuya and secretly investigating the Wufu Town Pawnshop because of this?"

Grandfather nodded: "It is said that your great-grandfather and his companions managed to escape from that tomb because they brought out a great evil object from inside; they could not suppress it, and following someone's guidance, they handed over the yin evil qi carried by that great evil object to Yin Dang Hang as a death pawn."

I couldn't believe it: "What? I didn't hear wrong, did I? Your great-grandfather back then pawned not the great evil object itself, but the yin evil qi attached to it? What does Yin Dang Hang want with that yin evil qi?"

"At that time your great-grandfather had no other options; someone gave him that advice, so he had no choice but to grasp at straws in desperation." Grandfather said, "But I also once heard your great-great-grandfather mention that back then, the proprietress of Yin Dang Hang herself was already quite abnormal; perhaps collecting that yin evil qi had its own use for her."

However, when the proprietress was alive, she also said that the great evil object had long since become one with its owner's cultivation; she could only separate the yin evil qi that the great evil object carried at that time from its owner's body, and thereafter the great evil object would erupt again as the owner's own yin evil qi grew.

It was also the proprietress who pointed your great-grandfather toward a place with abundant Spiritual Qi, so he could seal the great evil object there, using the heaven-and-earth Spiritual Qi to suppress and purify it, thereby delaying its next eruption.

The direction your great-grandfather and his companions were heading at the time, the nearest place that could meet the requirements, was South of the Ridges; he felt this was an arrangement of fate in the dark, so he ultimately chose to settle in South of the Ridges.

No wonder Grandfather said South of the Ridges is a blessed land; without it, our Shi Family could not have endured to this day.

"But mistakes must be paid for; it was your great-grandfather who personally brought that great evil object out of the tomb, and it was he who personally sealed it, so ever since then, the descendants of the Shi Family have faced particular hardship.

As time passed, the Spiritual Qi of this blessed land beneath the ancestral grave was gradually consumed by the great evil object, making things even harder for our family's descendants.

My brow twitched, and I suddenly realized: "So my first four fiancés couldn't suppress my destiny, and my first two children died young—all because of this?"

"Yes," Grandfather gave an affirmative answer, "and it is precisely because that great evil object is about to break through the seal of the blessed land beneath the ancestral grave that your great-uncle noticed the signs and harbored thoughts he shouldn't have."

I didn't understand: "Great-uncle is also a member of the Shi Family; what he's doing brings him no benefit at all, does it?"

Grandfather gave a wry smile: "Ah Rou, he simply doesn't know the origin of that great evil object."

"The Red Armor Army members who went down into the tomb together back then were merely a small core faction of the whole Red Armor Army; those who fled to South of the Ridges and settled there, including your great-grandfather, totaled only eight, and the others only gradually migrated and organized after they had settled."

"Your great-uncle, after all, is just a distant branch of our family; I value him because he is capable, and that's why he has his position today—he is not a core member."

That is why Grandfather could steel himself to set up this scheme.

It was he who gave great-uncle his authority and status.

Without Grandfather, where would great-uncle's present standing come from?

Yet great-uncle, taking advantage of Grandfather's impending demise, intends to use Jin Wuya to break the Shi Family's taboo and seize power—truly wolf-hearted and dog-lunged!

Even if Grandfather could tolerate him, I absolutely could not!

"These years, your great-uncle has secretly allied with various forces, piecing together information that may be biased, or perhaps someone has secretly been guiding him; after all, the Shi Family occupies half of the Yin Yang Hang in South of the Ridges, this fat piece of meat is too fat, too fat—anyone with a chance wants to take a bite, right?"

"Yeah, people have been restless for a while; Grandfather, you remain inactive, letting great-uncle jump up and down, but that's also because even if great-uncle doesn't harbor crooked thoughts, that great evil object will inevitably resurface under the sky, right?"

"Exactly, I couldn't help but make early plans, so when you noticed that kid Jin Wuya, my eyes lit up as well."

Grandfather pointed to the draft paper I had tossed aside, and I hurriedly handed it to him.

He spread out the draft paper again, examined the traces and results of Jin Wuya's research there, and said satisfied and appreciative: "I really didn't misjudge him—Wuya is someone with genuine ability, and he indeed found the key to breaking the seal."

Jin Wuya's excellence is obvious to all; otherwise, how could Xiao Jiu Zhanggui of the Wufu Town Pawnshop hold him in such high regard and trust him?

"But finding the key to breaking the seal is only the first step; whether he can successfully open the seal by himself is another trial; even if he opens it, upon entering the underground tomb and seeing that great evil object, whether he has the ability to suppress it or bring it out is yet another trial; after bringing it out, how to handle that great evil object is the fourth trial, Ah Rou—the future of the Shi Family lies in your hands as well as in Jin Wuya's hands."

Grandfather's final words carried too much weight, too much weight.

Only now did I truly realize how wildly wrong I had been from the very start.

Grandfather had indeed schemed against Jin Wuya, yet he also gave him opportunity and trust.

Otherwise, he would never have allowed an outsider to get close to something so important.

After all, that great evil object concerns the fate of the entire Shi Family.

Perhaps this is unfair to Jin Wuya, but… but last night, Jin Wuya firmly stood on my side, didn't he?

He could, without hesitation, sacrifice his life for me, couldn't he?

I glanced at the time, then glanced at the sun outside.

It was already afternoon.

It had been six or seven hours since Jin Wuya went down into the tomb, and Shi Yin had also left a while ago.

As for great-uncle's side… there should be news by now, right?

Just as I was thinking that, I saw Shi Yin stride in from the main gate, dragging a person covered head to toe in blood.

A long trail of bloodstains stretched from the gate all the way forward, shocking to behold.

He threw that bloody person to the ground, bowed his fist to Grandfather, and said: "All those with ulterior motives within the Shi Family have been completely brought under control; the Shi Nation's army is at your disposal to deal with as you see fit; the area around the ancestral grave has been tightly layered according to your demands, guaranteeing that no one else will be allowed to enter."

I anxiously asked: "Jin Wuya? Any movement down there?"

Shi Yin replied: "There's no news of Jin Wuya at all, and nothing stirring down below."

My two hands instantly clenched into fists, trembling slightly.

Jin Wuya, are you still alive, right?

You will surely make it out of the underground tomb, won't you?

You still owe me a child…