Chapter 148

Silence fell.

It was as if a stone had been thrown into a lake; after a "thump," it quickly sank to the bottom.

Ripples spread, then peace returned.

But in an instant, the wind rose again.

The same wind that had blown hundreds of years ago now rekindled a fire that had never truly died out over centuries.

Beneath the seemingly calm lake, magma surged and flames flowed, bringing the entire lake to a boil.

Inside the palace, everyone faced Li Zhuiyuan and the statue behind him, bowing in unison.

The Four Great Families of the Old Heavenly Gate each had their distinct rituals, yet at this moment, they performed them with surprisingly uniform precision.

Old Madam Liu had once told Li Zhuiyuan, "Times have changed; we don't observe those old rituals anymore."

Yet, the ritual itself remained the same; the question was how many people in this era truly still recognized it.

Inside the palace, the ancestors of the Four Great Families of the Old Heavenly Gate almost simultaneously finished returning the bows, then collectively bowed again in worship.

Li Zhuiyuan subconsciously turned to look at the statue of Qin Kan behind him.

They are still bowing to you.

“Crack…”

The statue cracked, with fissures spreading like a spiderweb from its forehead, arms, and chest.

It cracked so suddenly, without any warning.

In mere blinks, the statue, which had been worn but still exuded grace and majesty, shattered into pieces on the ground.

Li Zhuiyuan stared blankly at the ground. The statue seemed to be telling him, in this way:

No, they are actually bowing to *you*.

At the same time, as if in response to this unspoken thought, everyone in the palace, still maintaining their bowing posture, chanted in unison:

“We obey the Dragon King’s command!”

Immediately, everyone in the palace lightly flicked their sleeves, and a short bamboo pole slid into their hands. With a flick, the pole extended.

They were corpse drivers. The bamboo pole was both their mark of identity and a lifelong companion.

Many of the bamboo poles bore dense marks of cracks that had been repaired.

Each person tucked the bamboo pole under their armpit.

They were heavy, imbued with immense cursed power that compressed and restricted their movement.

Thus, they began to move using their most proficient corpse driving technique, except this time, they were "driving" themselves.

Though no one was holding the front end, the bamboo poles remained remarkably stable. One by one, they walked out in this manner.

The four individuals leading the procession wore four different sets of clothing, representing the Four Great Families of the Old Heavenly Gate.

Standing side by side, each of the four clapped their hands forward, and their four bamboo poles slid into each other, forming a single thick, heavy pole.

Though Li Zhuiyuan was not yet completely blind, his vision was already a deep red. However, his ears could clearly discern their movements.

Four people, two in front and two behind him, positioned themselves before him, crouching down, and tilting the pole.

“Dragon King of the Qin family, please ascend the palanquin!”

Hundreds of years ago, they had shown Qin Kan the same respect.

They did not see carrying a palanquin as a sign of unequal status. They simply understood that a Dragon King who had successfully traversed the river had no inherent need to involve himself in this matter.

But the Dragon King had come and was willing to lead them to fight to protect their homeland from evil spirits.

Since he came with righteousness, I shall treat him with reverence.

Li Zhuiyuan reached out, fumbled, grasped the bamboo pole, and then sat upon it.

The four stood, lifting the boy’s form.

The procession began to move.

Outside, everyone closed their eyes and lowered their heads.

The pressure exerted by such a massive procession of cursed power was terrifying.

One person was an exception: Xie Shun'an.

The Unspeakables had all been summoned by Li Zhuiyuan.

He knew his plan had utterly failed.

Yet at this moment, he was no longer enraged or hysterical. Instead, he just kept muttering in astonishment:

“Why is the current sole heir of the Qin family Dragon King named Li?”

In fact, Li Zhuiyuan had stated his name earlier when he swore a warning to the White Crane Child at the edge of the pit.

Lihua had heard it, and it was impossible for Xie Shun'an, with his excellent hearing, not to have heard.

He had also wondered why the boy claimed to be the inheritor of two Dragon King families, but his primary attention had been on the Qin family.

However, "the current inheritor of the Qin family" and "the current *sole* inheritor of the Qin family" were entirely different concepts.

It was not strange for a Dragon King family to have inheritors with different surnames.

For example, Xiong Shan and Lihua, a married couple, dreamed of entrusting their son to the Dragon King family; this was a path of fortuitous connection, and no surname change was required.

Similarly, if someone exceptionally talented joined or was taken in and nurtured, no surname change was necessary.

The presence of people with different surnames was common in any large family.

But for the current *sole* inheritor of the Qin family not to be named Qin, there was only one possibility.

That was: the Qin family's lineage had become terrifyingly thin.

Yet the Qin family was a great clan, so... were nearly all the Qin family members truly dead?

Indeed, before Li Zhuiyuan officially joined, the only Qin family members properly wearing red ceremonial robes for rituals were Uncle Qin and A-Li.

Uncle Qin was a "family-born" child, which in old times referred to a servant's child born in the master's household. Although he was granted the surname Qin, he was not of the Qin family bloodline.

However, the Old Madam herself had raised and nurtured Uncle Qin, a privilege even direct descendants had not enjoyed. So, while their relationship appeared to be master and servant, it was in fact like mother and son.

Furthermore, Uncle Qin’s failed river traversal meant he belonged to the previous generation.

As for A-Li, though she possessed Qin family blood, she had not formally joined due to her illness. Even before initiation, she was plagued by malicious entities; had she joined, they would have become even more relentless.

Therefore, once Li Zhuiyuan formally joined, he became the Qin family’s sole contemporary inheritor, and similarly, for the Liu family.

As Li Zhuiyuan was carried past Xie Shun'an, Xie Shun'an gasped and whispered:

“The Qin family… the Qin family… are the Qin family truly… truly dead… truly all gone?”

Li Zhuiyuan still ignored him.

But in this case, no response was a form of acquiescence.

A joyous expression appeared on Xie Shun'an's face, and he suddenly burst into laughter.

“Heh heh… Hahahaha.”

However, this time, his laughter lacked its previous savagery.

Images of the past flashed through his mind:

He recalled sitting on his grandmother's lap, listening to her tell tales of how his ancestor and the Qin family Dragon King had jointly suppressed the General, describing the Qin family as one where many generations of Dragon Kings had traveled the land to uphold righteousness.

He remembered countless nights in those years, clinging to the Qin family Dragon King's ancestral tablet, crying, pleading, offering sacrifices.

So, it wasn’t that the Qin family deliberately didn’t come; it was because the Qin family members were all dead… Haha, how wonderful.

The towering image he had revered since childhood had not crumbled, filling Xie Shun'an with joy.

At the same time, it also left him puzzled.

“The Qin family… the Qin family… why exactly… why did they die?”

Li Zhuiyuan had already moved far away, and the procession of Unspeakables had also left the area.

“Tell me… tell me… why did the Qin family die… why did they die?”

Tan Wenbin reached out, grabbed Xie Shun'an's hair, pulled his head back, and then lowered his own head, asking in return:

“Why do *you* think they died?”

Xie Shun'an's body began to tremble. Once the Qin family’s image was restored in his mind, the reason became quite easy to guess.

For a family with such deep roots, there were countless ways to avoid disaster or misfortune. Even if they simply withdrew from the world for a hundred years, they would still be a formidable force afterward.

Therefore, the only possible reason for this situation was that the Qin family had chosen it themselves.

A striking and obvious comparison suddenly emerged between the Qin family and the Xie family.

The Qin family descendants were still protecting common people and defending righteousness, while he himself…

“How could this be? Why is this happening?”

Xie Shun'an began to murmur to himself incessantly.

Tan Wenbin sighed. Had it been anyone else, he would have thought this guy was faking fear of failure or death. But Xie Shun'an was an extreme madman; perhaps this truly was genuine emotion.

“You all go follow Little Yuan. Remember not to get too close, and be careful with your vision. I need to take care of something first; I’m afraid I won’t have time later. Oh, and take this guy with you; let him keep watching.”

After giving quick instructions to his teammates, Tan Wenbin ran off in another direction.

After leaving the palace, he arrived at a secluded hollow in the northwest corner. Though not small, it was difficult to discover.

At this moment, the Head Eunuch was standing there.

“Little Binzi, I appreciate it. Even with things like this, you still remembered me.”

“Godfather, what are you saying?”

“There are some things I don’t understand, but I can clearly see that your mission is complete. Afterward, you didn’t just discard me like a used rag; you remembered your promise and came here. Only now do I truly dare to accept you calling me godfather. Who would have thought that I had a host of godchildren when I was alive, but the one who genuinely remembered old affections was accepted only so many years after my death.”

“It’s that direction, right, Godfather?”

“Yes, just dig down.”

“All right, watch me.”

Tan Wenbin pulled a Yellow River Shovel from his bag, unfolded it, and began to dig. Before long, he unearthed a coffin.

“Godfather, should I just forcibly open the coffin?”

“I’m standing right in front of you. Are you still afraid of disturbing me?”

“Heh heh.”

Tan Wenbin pried open the coffin, revealing a skeleton inside.

They had all been ordered to be buried alive. Naturally, no significant efforts were made for their preservation. To have a coffin here was already an extraordinarily generous treatment.

Underground nearby, countless maids and eunuchs were buried. Many skeletal hands and feet still protruded from the ground; one had to be careful not to step on them when walking past.

“Bah, a cannibalistic old society!”

“I don’t understand that term, but it sounds satisfying.”

Tan Wenbin took a bag from his pack and began collecting the remains. Some bones were a bit large, so he tapped them with the shovel to make them fit easier.

After collecting them, Tan Wenbin continued to rummage through the coffin, looking puzzled.

“Huh?”

The Head Eunuch reminded him, “I told you already, the gold and silver jewelry are in the coffin’s false bottom. Just hit it.”

“No, Godfather, isn’t your precious thing here?”

“Are you looking for *my* precious thing?”

“Yes, I heard that when eunuchs are buried, they always take their precious thing with them, or have it reattached. Isn’t that right?”

“That is true. My precious thing was originally stored with the master who performed my emasculation. Every year, I would send someone to deliver a gift of money to him, so he would diligently keep it safe for me until I could retrieve it after I retired from court in my old age. Unfortunately, the burial was rushed. My precious thing was stored at the master’s home in Luoyang, and the General’s residence was too far from Luoyang; there was simply no time to wait for it to be returned.”

“Oh, I see. Alright then, after I get out, I’ll get some gold and have a precious thing crafted for you to place with your remains, to be buried together.”

“Uh, gold seems a bit soft.”

“My oversight. Don’t worry, Godfather, I’ll find some good steel and a mold factory, and ask the most experienced master there to forge one for you using a machine lathe.”

“I don’t understand those words, but it sounds impressive?”

“I guarantee you’ll be stiff for the next few hundred years!”

“Excellent!”

Tan Wenbin began smashing the coffin. Gold and silver jewelry tumbled out. The amount wasn't excessive, but given the purchasing power of the time, it was quite substantial, enough to build several roads in a village.

After gathering these, Tan Wenbin picked up his shovel again and looked at the Head Eunuch somewhat awkwardly.

The Head Eunuch asked with a smile, “What’s wrong? Is there something else?”

“Uh, Godfather, I also need to dig up Eunuch Wang’s remains.”

Without Eunuch Wang’s guidance and introduction, he wouldn’t have even met the Head Eunuch, let alone navigate the palace’s forbidden mechanisms.

However, he worried that the Head Eunuch might be displeased knowing he was treating Eunuch Wang’s remains with the same care.

But now, it didn’t really matter.

Once Little Yuan dealt with the cursed power and the General was gone, everything here would return to dust.

“He’s over there,” the Head Eunuch pointed.

“Ah, I know, he told me.”

Tan Wenbin picked up his shovel and began to dig. Although Eunuch Wang didn’t have a coffin, he was buried quite deeply, which was considered the next best treatment after having a coffin.

He found it, and also the identity jade pendant Eunuch Wang had told him about. Tan Wenbin began collecting the remains.

Far from being angry, the Head Eunuch sighed, “What a pity, Little Binzi. I’m already dead. If I had met you in life, I would have risked everything to pave the way for you.”

“Heh heh.”

“You, boy, were born to be a great eunuch!”

Tan Wenbin: “…”

“You also find it a pity, don’t you? In my Great Han dynasty, being a eunuch was quite prestigious.”

The long procession continued to advance.

The Sands of Illusion had no effect on them or on Li Zhuiyuan.

The procession thus arrived at the stone gate exit.

From then on, they could only enter one by one.

Li Zhuiyuan was still being carried. He knew he didn't truly deserve to be in this position.

This group of people was like an overly clean mirror, reflecting his own somber nature.

Even before he spoke to them, he had inwardly predicted the outcome: they would certainly agree, with no exceptions.

This was also why the young man had felt pain earlier.

Here, there was no meticulous calculation, no manipulation, no exchange of benefits… only the purest impulse driven by emotion.

Having just barely learned to engage in basic emotional communication with a small handful of people around him, suddenly facing such a scene was nothing short of torture.

Fortunately, he endured it.

He realized one thing: they didn't actually care if his heart held benevolence, care, or compassion.

They didn't even care about his true intentions.

They only cared whether his actions were protecting the common people and upholding righteousness.

His condition couldn't be cured overnight, but his thoughts and direction could be adjusted.

The inheritance of the two Dragon Kings was an honor that granted him status, but simultaneously, an inescapable responsibility.

And while immersed in his battle of wits with the river, it seemed he could still spare some thought to truly observe the scenery within it.

He had once complained that Wei Zhengdao had left no case files or prescriptions.

But now, Li Zhuiyuan had a faint feeling that Wei Zhengdao seemed to have left something after all.

His repeated phrase "destroyed by righteousness" in his books might not have just been politically correct cover for his personal thoughts, nor mere teasing or subtle satire.

As a fellow sufferer, Wei Zhengdao might have experienced similar things.

People like them desperately needed a sense of internal logical consistency; any conflict would cause them pain.

Even if one didn’t possess enough inner emotion, as long as one's actions conformed to righteous logic, there was no need for torment.

Li Zhuiyuan raised his right hand, holding it before him. He could only see a blurry shadow.

“Wei Zhengdao…”

The next moment, Li Zhuiyuan slid off the bamboo pole. He walked to the stone gate, standing at the edge, facing the crowd before him, and spoke:

“For righteousness, for the common people, please… proceed slowly.”

The first person stepped forward. As he passed Li Zhuiyuan, he paused briefly and called out, “Thank you, Dragon King, for sending us off!”

Immediately after he entered the stone gate, the Dragon Eye Locking Gate formation, already activated by Li Zhuiyuan, began to operate.

Once he was inside, a sky-filling blaze erupted beyond the stone gate. Black mist billowed but was quickly consumed by the fierce flames. Within, a dragon's roar seemed to echo.

Once the flames outside the stone gate subsided, the second person stepped forward: “Thank you, Dragon King, for sending us off!”

He entered, and the flames reignited.

Under a pair of majestic dragon eyes, this surge of cursed power was directly refined.

The third, the fourth, the fifth…

Each time the great fire outside the stone gate extinguished, it signaled the next person to enter.

Amidst these repeated cries of 'Thank you, Dragon King, for sending us off,' they entered one by one.

Hundreds of years ago, a Qin family Dragon King arrived and helped them suppress evil; hundreds of years later, another Qin family inheritor appeared, leading them to eliminate a natural disaster.

The former led them in, the latter led them out.

Not far away stood Runsheng, Xiong Shan, and others, along with Xie Shun'an, who had been specifically brought over.

At this moment, Xie Shun'an pressed his forehead to the ground, silent.

The number of people by the stone gate steadily dwindled.

The flames on the other side also appeared to be growing weaker.

Fortunately, even when the last person entered, the flames still managed to incinerate him and the cursed power he carried.

After a brief pause, sounds of crumbling and falling came from beyond the stone gate.

Sometimes, formations are like machines: they can barely maintain themselves through inertia when continuously running, but once they truly stop, problems appear everywhere.

This Qin family formation, personally arranged by Qin Kan and later repaired by Li Zhuiyuan, had finally fulfilled its mission.

Li Zhuiyuan turned, faced outside the stone gate, bowed, and softly said:

“Thank you all.”

After standing up, his body swayed, and he almost lost his balance.

Without the Unspeakables present, everyone could breathe a sigh of relief.

Runsheng ran forward, squatted down, and waved a hand in front of Little Yuan.

“Runsheng, I’m not completely blind yet.”

“Your eyes are completely red.”

“It’s fine. I’ll be fine after a rest. No big deal.”

Runsheng turned, carried the boy on his back, and let him rest properly.

Xiong Shan walked over and said, “Dragon… Li…”

Li Zhuiyuan, lying on Runsheng’s back with his eyes closed, said directly, “Spit it out.”

Xiong Shan: “It’s like this: Before I came down here, I left two straw puppet decoys by the lake. They’re reacting now. People, many people—people who can trigger a spiritual sense—have arrived at the lake, right above us.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “The people from those three families have arrived.”

He had hurried and pushed the schedule because he was worried that the three families would arrive and disrupt the situation here.

But now, the matter was resolved.

Xiong Shan said, “My wife and I are going up to avenge our second and third brothers. As for the child, he can stay…”

Li Zhuiyuan knew that ever since the couple learned his identity, they had been intent on seeking death so they could entrust their child to him.

Their parenting philosophy was truly extreme from beginning to end.

There were many people up there; it seemed all three families had come out in full force.

Even many ants can kill an elephant. Their second and third brothers were likely trapped and surrounded. Plus, the couple wasn’t in good condition right now. Going up now, they might kill some people, but they would definitely die themselves.

Li Zhuiyuan: “I promise you, if anything happens to you, I will send your son to a well-resourced orphanage and donate some money.”

Xiong Shan: “…”

Lihua, who had just been about to cooperate with her husband in feigning a rage-fueled charge, paused, her mind blank, and blurted out, “Your great kindness, in the next life… what?”

“A-You.”

“Here!”

“Bring Xie Shun'an,” Li Zhuiyuan said, shifting his position on Runsheng’s back. “To that giant pit.”

Everyone returned to the edge of the giant pit.

The coffin lid remained open, and the Corpse Driving Daoist still stood upright.

Tan Wenbin also ran back at this moment, holding three bags: two large and one small.

Lin Shuyou tossed Xie Shun'an aside and leaned closer, asking, “Brother Bin, what are you carrying?”

Tan Wenbin: “Carrying relatives.”

Lin Shuyou: “Brother Bin, your family is really impressive, having relatives here too! Are they direct relatives?”

At this moment, Xie Shun'an seemed drained of all vitality, kneeling there lifelessly.

Li Zhuiyuan: “Untie him.”

Lin Shuyou was just then kicked back by Tan Wenbin.

After scrambling to his feet, he immediately went to untie Xie Shun'an.

At this moment, a pair of bamboo poles was tossed in front of Xie Shun'an.

Xie Shun'an fumbled for the bamboo poles, found them, and asked, confused, “What is the meaning of this?”

“I promised the General that he could have one last display of power before fading away. I promised your great-grandfather that he would personally teach you how to get revenge when bullied by other families. They have very little strength left and could dissipate at any moment, but they are still more than enough to deal with those scum up there.”

After all, a family that has lost its righteousness and responsibility, even if its legacy continues, would long ago have become nothing but a bunch of rats.

Xie Shun'an stood up. From his hands, the bamboo poles extended downwards.

The Corpse Driving Daoist actively reached out, caught the bamboo poles, and with his body suspended in the air, came to the edge of the pit.

Upon seeing this, Runsheng and the others involuntarily took several steps back, their faces grim.

They had experienced how terrifying the Corpse Driving Daoist was. A slight misstep when facing it could result in their bodies exploding.

Moreover, at this moment, the Xie family ancestor, who had originally imposed the seal, had released the restrictions on the General, allowing the General to regain control of this body.

However, this was only for a very limited time; the aura of decay on its body was already very strong.

In fact, the General should have perished long ago; it was the Xie family ancestor who had been holding on.

Li Zhuiyuan spoke weakly:

“The Xie, Wang, and Bu families above intend to harm me and foolishly seek to disrupt the situation, triggering a natural disaster. To avert this catastrophe, I have overexerted myself and am exhausted. Currently, I am unable to protect myself, and my subordinates are all weary. Alas…”

As soon as he said this, Tan Wenbin immediately began coughing violently, as if trying to cough up blood.

Runsheng bent at the waist, and Lin Shuyou clutched his chest.

Yin Meng quickly said shamefully, “Alas, I’m just a good-for-nothing who lives off ancestral heritage.”

Xiong Shan and Lihua widened their eyes. They were utterly stunned today; *this* was how it could be played!

“Under duress, to protect myself and preserve this useful body, so as to continue eliminating evil and defending righteousness in the martial world. Therefore, I have temporarily lifted the General’s seal, employing the strategy of 'driving wolves to devour tigers,' allowing the wicked to destroy each other, and restoring peace to the human realm. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. I only hope Heaven has eyes, and the Way of Heaven will be my witness.”

Xie Shun'an and the Corpse Driving Daoist quickly retracted their bamboo poles, and the two figures aligned themselves closely.

Only this time, Xie Shun'an was in front, and the Corpse Driving Daoist was behind.

Xie Shun'an turned his head, faced Li Zhuiyuan, and said, “Thank you.”

Li Zhuiyuan shifted into a new position. He was about to sleep, and before doing so, he said:

“No need to thank me. I promised them so much, and they also promised me one thing. Before they dissipate, they will first break your neck.”