Chapter 211: End of This Volume

As night fell, Lin Fu'an carried a candle holder, walking through the temple's main hall, where numerous statues of the Guanjian Shou deities were displayed. Every night before bed, the old man would check the hall, ensuring the altars were clean and the incense and candles in front of the statues were sufficiently stocked.

Lin Fu'an stopped when he reached the back door. The statue at the very end of this row was that of the White Crane Child. Seven days prior, cracks had appeared on the child deity's statue. Initially, people in the temple thought it was because the child deity's statue was at the very end, by the back door, and thus most exposed to wind and sun. However, the cracks gradually proliferated, covering the statue's head, chest, and even its feet with dense fissures. The outer layer of paint also began to peel off extensively; no sooner was it cleaned than a fresh pile accumulated at the statue's base.

This level of damage could no longer be attributed to its location. All statues in the temple were custom-made in the same batch, consecrated, and brought in at the same time, so it was unlikely that only this particular one would have such severe quality issues.

The temple had hired a master craftsman to repair the statue. Before beginning the repair, the master followed a ritual: holding a bowl of water, he tapped a copper coin along the rim of the bowl before dropping it into the water. This ritual was commonly known as "opening the sound to discern the color." Their profession adhered to three rules of what not to repair. First, they would not repair temples without a legitimate presiding deity, fearing the summoning of evil spirits. Second, they would not repair temples with corrupt practices, fearing they might abet wickedness. Third, they would not repair deities whose merit was diminished, fearing they would have to compensate for it themselves.

The first rule could be bent if respected village elders made the request. The second rule could also be overlooked if enough money was offered. After all, if they refused to repair this and that, how would they make a living? Moreover, there were countless temples in the world, and truly efficacious ones were a rare minority. Thus, the "opening sound to discern color" ritual was usually just a formality. However, this time, the copper coin cracked the moment it touched the bottom of the bowl.

Terrified, the master craftsman immediately fled with his two apprentices without a word. As a local, he knew this Guanjian Shou temple was efficacious. The cracking coin signified that the White Crane Child statue had diminished merit, and if he and his apprentices were to proceed with the repair, it would be akin to sacrificing their own meager lives to the deity. Would their lives even be enough to fill a gap in the Adult Yin God's teeth? With no other option, the White Crane Child's statue was left as it was.

Lin Fu'an looked at it, feeling quite troubled. Although the Child deity's rank among the Guanjian Shou was not high, compared to other Adult Yin Gods, the Child was industrious, tireless, and made significant contributions.

Just then, Lin Fu'an's eldest disciple, Chen Shoumen, approached. He was Lin Shuyou's master and also the current temple abbot. Chen Shoumen said to Lin Fu'an, "Master, I've inquired at other Guanjian Shou temples as well. The child deity statues there are similar to ours, all showing significant damage. One temple invited a master to repair theirs, but as soon as he started, he suffered a sudden heart attack. Fortunately, he was rushed to the hospital in time and survived." Lin Fu'an nodded upon hearing this.

The temples Chen Shoumen could inquire at were those with spirit mediums capable of performing trances, not just those for mere performance. In the latter type of temple, the child deity statues would naturally be intact, as they couldn't invoke the Child deity in the first place.

Lin Fu'an asked, "Children, still unable to invoke the Child deity?"

Chen Shoumen replied, "I tried with them today, but we all failed. I even tried to invoke him myself, and it didn't work either."

Because the White Crane Child was the easiest to invoke, he was often the first Yin God many young spirit mediums encountered and tried to invite, and thus the busiest on a daily basis. When the Child deity stopped responding to invocations, it significantly impacted the daily operations of the entire Guanjian Shou temple. Other Yin Gods were difficult to invoke, and young spirit mediums couldn't manage it. What used to be simple tasks now required the older generation of the temple to invite other Adult deities.

Chen Shoumen spoke again, "Master, could it be about A-You..."

Lin Fu'an's eyes widened, and Chen Shoumen immediately stopped speaking. "Are you out of your mind, spouting such nonsense!"

"Yes, yes, I was careless."

Lin Shuyou's "river walking" ritual, involving the Dragon King's family, was a secret known only to the two of them who had gone to Jinling, not even to Lin Shuyou's parents. It was arguably the temple's biggest secret. Moreover, as time passed, this secret grew heavier, even more frightening. This was because both of them had tried hard to gather information from the spiritual community, yet they had never heard anything about the Qin and Liu families' successors performing the "river walking" ritual. Logically, given that young man's status, performing the "river walking" ritual to gain renown should have attracted immense attention and caused a sensation. How could it have been so quiet?

This eerie silence sent chills down the spines of the master and disciple, making them guard the secret even more closely. However, during Lin Shuyou's last visit home when he performed a trance for the deity parade, he displayed an extraordinary intimacy and interaction with the Child deity, a level of closeness that even highly respected elder spirit mediums couldn't achieve with an Adult Yin God. In fact, Lin Fu'an himself was secretly wondering if the Child deity's problems were somehow connected to his grandson.

"Enough, go rest. Tomorrow, try to contact A-You. Don't mention anything about the temple; just ask him how he's been doing lately."

"Understood, Master. You should also get some rest."

The master and disciple left the main hall and, after closing the door, returned to their rooms to prepare for sleep. No sooner had they lain down than a fiery glow emanated from the main hall. Some temple residents thought there was a fire and began shouting. Lin Fu'an and Chen Shoumen immediately got up and rushed over. Through the door, they saw flickering light and shadows inside the main hall, but detected no smell of smoke.

Pushing the door open, they discovered the light and fire were only at the very end of the cluster of statues. Lin Fu'an and Chen Shoumen exchanged glances. Chen Shoumen immediately signaled the temple's core disciples to maintain order and prevent others from entering. He then personally closed the door and walked with his master towards the very end of the hall.

At this moment, the damaged statue of the White Crane Child was emitting white smoke, with alternating wisps of orange and red light seeping from its cracks, creating the visual effect of being aflame. Chen Shoumen sniffed, detecting a pleasant aroma, and asked in confusion: "Master, this is..."

Lin Fu'an's lips trembled slightly, and he spoke with a hint of disbelief, "I've heard the elders mention this before; it's a manifestation of a Yin God."

Besides the light and mist, they also noticed that the White Crane Child's statue had been moved. It no longer stood at the very end of the row, following the other Guanjian Shou statues. Instead, it had turned around, facing the back door alone. In this new position, it was no longer at the end of the row but seemingly standing in the first row by itself, subtly conveying a sense of disdain for associating with the other statues in the temple.

Chen Shoumen said, "Master, I'll arrange for someone to contact other temples first thing tomorrow morning to see if their child deities also showed any anomalies tonight."

Lin Fu'an raised his hand. "No, the first thing you need to do tomorrow morning isn't that..."

Chen Shoumen asked, "Master?"

Lin Fu'an bowed solemnly to the White Crane Child statue and said seriously: "First thing tomorrow, you must arrange for someone to add a separate row of altars here and move the Child deity into that exclusive row."

As soon as he finished speaking, a piece of paint flaked off the White Crane Child statue's palm, floating gently down to land directly on Lin Fu'an's head. The Child deity was pleased; a pleased Yin God caressed his head.

On the rooftop terrace of Fat Jin Ge's guesthouse in Lijiang, Lin Shuyou, who had just recovered enough to get out of bed, was practicing the "Chuiyuan Health-Preserving Fist." He already possessed a solid foundation in martial arts. This set of fist techniques was initially something he had secretly learned. Later, after Xiao Yuan Ge improved it based on Lin Shuyou's specific condition, practicing it evoked a sense of seamless unity. Lin Shuyou recited the incantation as he practiced: "Practice a form like that of a crane, beneath a thousand pines, two sutra scrolls."

Zhao Yi and Lin Shuyou had the "best" relationship. In his free time, Young Master Zhao enjoyed chatting with A-You. Thus, while Lin Shuyou practiced his boxing, Zhao Yi watched from the side. Lightly pressing his fingertip against the gauze-wrapped "Gate of Life and Death" on his chest, Zhao Yi saw a swirling light and shadow within Lin Shuyou's body. This was not Lin Shuyou's own power, but the divine power of a Yin God. In the secret realm, Lin Shuyou, despite his already weak body, repeatedly forcefully invited the Child deity to descend. Each time the Child deity arrived, fearing the spirit medium would die, he would immediately infuse Lin Shuyou with his divine power to sustain his body. With so much infusion, more and more power remained. It wasn't apparent when he was unconscious, but now that he was awake, this health-preserving fist technique simultaneously invigorated his qi and blood and stimulated the absorption of the residual divine power.

Zhao Yi licked his lips, thinking: *What the hell is wrong with this world? There's actually a spirit medium who can absorb a Yin God's divine power.* His fingertip repeatedly tapped lightly as he began to calculate how much merit this Li fellow had distributed to his subordinates to make that Yin God so willing to do such a thing. Northeast Great Immortals were formerly demons; Yin Gods were formerly ghost kings... Furthermore, the more revered a "deity" was, the more often they were emotionless, detached, and selfish. Only if the Child deity believed there was an absolute profit to be made would he be willing to expend his foundational divine power like this. No other reason; it must be that the Li fellow gave too much! However, to receive such an opportunity for divine power to enter one's body, there must be a corresponding and tailor-made method. Wasn't this set of boxing techniques that this kid was practicing created by that Li fellow himself?

After finishing a set, Lin Shuyou felt refreshed and invigorated. He put his hands on his hips and began to practice Qi Gong, facing the expansive and beautiful scenery before him: "Hoo...hoo hoo hoo...hahahaha."

This commotion disturbed Tan Wenbin, who was strolling on the rice paddies ahead. More precisely, it startled the two children. After Tan Wenbin woke up, the two children had clearly grown much sturdier. They sat on his shoulders, constantly wiggling their bottoms, full of unspent energy. Unable to do anything else, Tan Wenbin had to borrow an exorcism whip from Yin Meng. He tied a whip to each of his two adopted sons and took them out for a walk to expend some energy, treating it purely as "walking the kids." Yin Meng had several spare exorcism whips in her bag. This one was not poisoned, and since exorcism whips inherently suppressed evil entities, he used it as a leash, fearing the two little ones might run too far if playful and disturb others. After all, walking a dog without a leash might just scare people afraid of animals, but walking a ghost without a leash could easily lead to someone having bad luck, getting startled by these two little round ghosts, rolling their eyes, and dropping dead.

The two children were originally having a great time, looking here, sniffing there, discussing where abandoned bones were buried and where a landlord's small tomb might be. While Tan Wenbin took a puff of his cigarette, the two children actually managed to summon the vengeful spirit of a child buried with a landlord, inviting it to play with them. Further away, there was another household, likely where someone had miscarried or had an abortion. A faint little vengeful infant spirit stood there with its hand in its mouth, looking as if it wanted to play but was too afraid to approach. By the time Tan Wenbin realized what was happening, he was numb with shock. If he had zoned out for a moment longer, his two sons probably would have summoned all the lingering resentments in the village to hold a class meeting.

There was nothing he could do; he knew that his two sons' soul-thoughts were becoming increasingly solidified. They were originally curse-resentments, of a higher grade than ordinary ghosts, and after following him, they were always well-fed, so their grade naturally rose. Only now, with him supervising them, if they were really let loose to become "wild children," they could inadvertently cause chaos in an entire area. Ordinary monks and Taoists with some cultivation, let alone subduing them, would likely be subdued *by* them.

"Come back, come back, stop messing around!" Tan Wenbin adopted the stance of a stern father and gathered his two adopted sons back. Ordinary resentful spirits, when exposed to them too much, could easily transform. He didn't want spirits that were supposed to dissipate over time to turn into malicious ghosts and harm people, inviting karmic repercussions unnecessarily, especially since he, as a ghost controller, was already prone to such issues. He naturally had to be extra careful.

Tan Wenbin observed that the distant spirit had very faint resentment and no strong desire for revenge; it was likely an unfortunate one that had miscarried before birth. The one in the landlord's tomb had been worn down by time and wouldn't harm people, but its essence was trapped by the funerary objects. Without disrupting the underlying structure, it would be difficult for it to break free and dissipate.

"Hahahaha!" Lin Shuyou's Qi Gong practice sounds drifted over. The two adopted sons immediately turned their heads and glared. In that sound, there was a distinct aura of a Yin God. Deities like the Guanjian Shou, who pledged allegiance to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and became demon-slayers, were seen as akin to "ghost traitors" by other ghosts. Although it wasn't the Child deity himself present, the fact that the two adopted sons dared to show aversion and rejection to a sound with a Yin God's aura was enough to indicate that these two had grown up and become bolder.

Tan Wenbin patted their heads to soothe them: "A-You is one of us. If you have an issue, go find that Zhao fellow."

The two adopted sons clenched their fists and nodded vigorously: "Exactly, the worst one is that three-eyed guy!"

Looking at the two children, Tan Wenbin's face showed contentment. It seemed they were very close to being sent for reincarnation. His "prenatal education" for them also needed to speed up. He couldn't just teach nursery rhymes; he should bring elementary school textbooks to give them an early start. This way, after reincarnation, the two children should have a better start in their studies from a young age. Tan Wenbin had always disliked the academic pressure imposed on him by Tan Yunlong and Zheng Fang, but that didn't stop him from applying similar pressure to his own "kids" now.

Back at the guesthouse, Tan Wenbin brought out a small table with incense and candles, set up simple offerings, and performed a ritual for the child who had not been born. The child nodded to Tan Wenbin, then waved to the two little chubby spirits on his shoulders, and its form grew fainter and fainter until it dissipated, finding liberation. As for the poor child buried with the landlord, Tan Wenbin was too lazy to dig up the tomb himself in the dark with a "Yellow River shovel." Instead, he went to the village shop, used the public phone to call the town, identified himself, and then notified the relevant authorities for cultural relics protection. He had many various documents and work permits in his bag, all issued with Xue Liangliang's help. He simply stated he discovered it during geological exploration, which was a perfectly valid reason. After all, not every place could afford to be like Luoyang or Xi'an, where historical artifacts were so common they were almost trivial. Especially during the rise of tourism, every region eagerly sought to unearth its own cultural value... and often, that meant digging.

After finishing the call, Tan Wenbin remembered that his mother's birthday was approaching. He called his father's office. He called his father because his father always forgot these important dates due to work. No one answered the office phone, so Tan Wenbin paged his father.

"A pack of cigarettes, that one."

"Here."

The shopkeeper was an old woman. After giving Tan Wenbin the cigarettes, a delivery person happened to walk in. The old woman said to the delivery person, "That soda bottle wasn't returned, I'll pay for it."

The delivery person asked, "Have you heard? There was a big avalanche on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain a few days ago."

The old woman replied, "Oh? Were people hurt?"

"No, it wasn't on a tourist path. It's very deep in there, so no one should have been hurt."

The old woman patted her chest, "That's good, that's good."

"Quite a few tourists heard about it and even wanted to go up to take photos and see the view, heh heh."

The old woman shook her head, "Maybe it was Lord Mu getting angry."

Tan Wenbin interjected at this point, "Lord Mu has a very good temper."

Soon after, the phone rang. Tan Wenbin answered, and Tan Yunlong's voice came from the other end: "Are you still in Yunnan?"

"Yes, the mountains, water, and people are all wonderful. I can barely bear to leave."

"Take care of yourself, and be careful."

"Yes, I know. Dad, Mom's birthday is coming up."

"Yes, I remember."

"Don't believe it." As Tan Wenbin spoke, he picked up some candy from the shop counter, unwrapped two pieces, and handed one to each of his adopted sons perched on his shoulders. "Dad, remember to prepare a gift."

"What kind of gift is suitable?"

"Go to a gold shop and buy a light necklace or bracelet."

"I...I only have cigarette money."

"It's fine, I'll transfer you some money."

"Okay..."

"Click!" The phone on the other end was slammed down.

Tan Wenbin looked at the receiver in his hand: *Who's the son and who's the father, really?*

A series of burglaries had occurred within the district, and the thieves had even stolen from the district mayor's home. The matter and its impact were quite serious, with superiors demanding a prompt resolution. Today, Tan Yunlong was leading a team to conduct an investigation near the crime scene. He happened to receive a page from his son, so he casually found a small shop to return the call. Dressed in his police uniform, as he walked over, he noticed that the shopkeeper's son, who was eating inside, looked somewhat uneasy. Ordinary people feel pressure when they see police, and initially, Tan Yunlong didn't think much of it. But as the call progressed, the shopkeeper's son became increasingly restless. An old detective's intuition kicked in at that moment. Seeing the shopkeeper's son put down his chopsticks and prepare to leave, he immediately hung up the phone, stopped him, and prepared to question him. To his surprise, the young man saw this and immediately bolted, which was a clear sign of guilt. He hadn't run more than a few steps before Tan Yunlong tackled him. Before other officers could arrive, Tan Yunlong simply bluffed a little, and the young man confessed to his thefts and revealed the location of the stolen goods. Colleagues arrived and arrested the suspect. Everyone was used to this by now and had already begun discussing which restaurant to go to for their celebration dinner. Tan Yunlong quietly lit a cigarette. He himself was somewhat accustomed to it, but as he exhaled a smoke ring, he glanced again at the telephone on the counter.

"Sizzle... sizzle..."

Fat Jin Ge helped carry over a small grill. Zhao Yi personally grilled beef, its fat sizzling and its aroma wafting into the air. "Come, eat, this one's tender." Li Chuiyuan picked up his chopsticks and began to eat. The two, or rather, their combined team had been together day and night for the past few days. The medical team Zhao Yi brought was indeed very effective, significantly accelerating their team's recovery speed. But all good things must come to an end, and it was time for them to part ways.

"I have a new idea," Zhao Yi said, putting down his tongs and reaching to unveil the gauze on his chest. "Give me your opinion." These past few days, Zhao Yi had pulled off the gauze every morning to expose his heart to the sun. Too much sunning had given him an idea, a very radical one. "I plan to move the Gate of Life and Death from my forehead to my heart. This way, I can continuously use its effects, and secondly, avoid feeling weak and powerless."

Li Chuiyuan waved his chopsticks and said, "We're eating." Anyone would lose their appetite if the person across from them suddenly exposed their heart during a meal. Zhao Yi covered his chest with the gauze and asked, "What do you think?"

Li Chuiyuan replied, "Theoretically, it's feasible. The Gate of Life and Death on your forehead only contains death energy, which is why you experience side effects every time you open it. The heart is the origin of life energy in the human body. If you move the Gate of Life and Death here, there's a chance to achieve a balance between life and death. The drawback is, you only get one chance to try."

Zhao Yi said, "Didn't I just complete a 'wave'? Now that I'm imbued with merit, it's the perfect time for a risky attempt."

Li Chuiyuan nodded. Taking such a step at the peak of one's luck was indeed the wisest among reckless actions.

Zhao Yi said, "If I succeed, I won't be the current me anymore."

"Mm." Li Chuiyuan finished the beef on his plate and pointed his chopsticks at the meat waiting to be grilled nearby. "Time for more meat."

In truth, Zhao Yi possessed many techniques, but many of them could only be understood and utilized when the Gate of Life and Death was open. However, when the gate was open, his extremely weak body couldn't sustain the execution of these techniques. Consequently, Zhao Yi had always performed the "river walking" ritual while afflicted. But if this problem could be resolved, his overall personal strength would undergo a massive leap, no longer "lame," but capable in both scholarly and martial arts.

Zhao Yi said, "I was also inspired when the Watchtower was destroyed. Immortality and destruction, a sudden, radical transformation—that truly is the extreme of life and death."

Li Chuiyuan said, "You've had this idea for a long time. It's just that your heart couldn't bear it before. Now, with the stone that Lord Mu filled you with, you feel you have a chance to try."

Zhao Yi stammered, "Uh..."

Li Chuiyuan said, "How guilty and anxious are you that you have to involve such a grand scene just to treat an ailment?"

Zhao Yi pouted. "After I get back, I'll also start focusing on training Xu Ming and Sun Yan."

"Mm." Li Chuiyuan continued eating beef.

Zhao Yi smiled and added, "Oh, by the way, the location you asked me to find for you—my family found it and notified me."

Li Chuiyuan put down his chopsticks and picked up a tissue to wipe his mouth.

Zhao Yi said, "Hey, at least pretend a little! I just said I had a chance to reach a higher level, and you didn't even seem to care."

Li Chuiyuan replied, "It doesn't matter how many floors you climb; I'll always be on top."

Zhao Yi continued, "In the 12th year of Yongyuan in the Eastern Han Dynasty, a landslide occurred on the bank of Qingtuan River, forming a dangerous shoal that blocked the waterway. This location is downstream from the old city of Zigui County. There's a saying: 'Qingtuan and Xietuan aren't real shoals; Kongling is the gate to hell.' However, while Qingtuan can't compare to Kongling, it's still an extremely dangerous place. 'March Forest' doesn't refer to a forest, but to a gorge adjacent to Qingtuan. It's barren all year round, only bursting with flowers, lush foliage, and vitality during the Qingming Festival. This is the exact location. Keep it." Zhao Yi handed over a piece of paper.

"Thank you." Li Chuiyuan took the paper.

Zhao Yi asked, "Are you going back to Nantong next, or are you going here?"

Li Chuiyuan replied, "I'll go check this place out first, then return to Nantong."

Zhao Yi said, "Let me offer you some advice: since this 'wave' is already over, there's no need to cause more trouble."

Li Chuiyuan replied, "I'm different from you." Unless he thoroughly investigated this matter, Li Chuiyuan couldn't rest easy. Some things, even if he wanted to avoid them, the river would not comply with his wishes, so it was better to be proactive.

"If you go there and find that the remains are gone... well, that would truly be a bit frightening," Zhao Yi said, standing up, continuing to place beef onto the grill, and humming, "Children and grandchildren have their own blessings; if there are no children and grandchildren, I will enjoy the blessings."

Li Chuiyuan said, "There's nothing scary about it. The longer a person lives, the lower the value of their descendants becomes."

Zhao Yi asked, "Like that Mengmeng under your command?" The Great Emperor of Fengdu resided in Fengdu, yet he could idly watch the Yin family's population dwindle. Neither Yin Meng's grandfather nor her father met a good end. Zhao Yi took a sip of soda and continued: "Honestly, I think in the eyes of the Great Emperor of Fengdu, you are more valued than his own bloodline descendants. Listen to me, when it comes to lineage succession, no misunderstanding is unresolvable. If you go to Fengdu someday, apologize and admit your mistake, and those minor grievances will vanish."

Li Chuiyuan said, "That would require an intermediary to deliver the message."

Zhao Yi called out, "Fat Jin Ge, is there any more beef? Cut me some more, it's not enough!"

The next morning, Tan Wenbin went to settle the guesthouse fees and other expenses with Fat Jin Ge. Xu Ming came to pay for his own expenses, but Tan Wenbin insisted on covering them all. "Oh, you shouldn't have."

Tan Wenbin replied, "It's fine. Reimbursing the auxiliary team is within procedure."

After settling the bill, Fat Jin Ge smiled and said, "I'll arrange a car to take you to the station."

Tan Wenbin was surprised. "Didn't you say last night that you'd personally drive Zhao Yi and the others to Lugu Lake?"

Zhao Yi was ultimately worried about failing, and the consequence of failure was death. Therefore, he had chosen a beautiful scenic spot nearby, convenient for immediate burial if he failed.

Fat Jin Ge said, "I just hired a new assistant recently. I've asked him to borrow a car and he'll be here shortly to drive you."

Tan Wenbin replied, "Alright then."

Due to recent increased rainfall, Fat Jin Ge was concerned about the mountain roads, so he drove Zhao Yi and the others to Lugu Lake early. Watching the receding car, Lin Shuyou finally let out a sigh of relief. Last night, he had seen Brother Bin's two adopted sons sneaking into Zhao Yi's room to cause mischief, but A-You hadn't stopped them. Unfortunately, the two adopted sons were trapped by Zhao Yi's formation. If Brother Bin hadn't arrived in time, Zhao Yi would have used a peach branch to spank them. Ultimately, Young Master Zhao might seem a bit unremarkable in front of his own Xiao Yuan Ge, but outside, he was still an extraordinary figure. It's just that this individual had no magnanimity. Who would hold onto a secret as if they intended to capitalize on it for a lifetime? Even kindergarteners weren't this childish.

Sitting in the car, watching the scenery pass by on both sides, Zhao Yi spoke to Xu Ming and Sun Yan, who were sitting in front: "If something happens to me, bury me. Remember to bury me deep so they don't dig me up again for tourism development or a hotel later." Hearing this, Xu Ming and Sun Yan didn't know whether to agree or not.

Zhao Yi continued: "If I succeed, I'll treat you even better from now on. Regardless of whether I ultimately become a Dragon King, I can't let you follow me for nothing."

While waiting for Fat Jin Ge's new employee to arrive with the car, Tan Wenbin led everyone in checking the guesthouse from top to bottom, making sure no item was left behind, especially Yin Meng's poison jars. Li Chuiyuan, meanwhile, walked to the counter, where a small statue of the God of Wealth was enshrined. The young man initially intended to press an inkpad, but after a moment of hesitation, he instead gathered a mist of blood in his right palm, which then formed into a blood bead at his fingertip, and proceeded to apply a cursed inscription onto the God of Wealth statue. As the final stroke landed and his fingertip pressed against the God of Wealth's face, the statue's color instantly became much brighter. Staying at their home for so long and receiving such care was something that couldn't be repaid simply by paying money, especially considering Fat Jin Ge had also guided them in and out of the snow mountains. Consecrating the God of Wealth statue was purely to establish a protective charm for his home. As for "fortune," Li Chuiyuan believed that Fat Jin Ge, without any external help, would definitely make money in the future, relying on his current mindset and drive for business.

"Honk honk!" The car arrived. Li Chuiyuan walked towards the door, and the others also gathered their hiking bags and came out. The driver got out of the car. He was a young man with a fair complexion. Everyone paused in surprise upon seeing him. The young man, seeing no one else around, leaned against the car and prepared to kneel in greeting.

Li Chuiyuan said, "Since you've decided to become human, don't just kneel at every turn."

The young man was surprised. *Don't only humans kneel?*

Everyone got into the car, and the young man drove. As they passed by the ancient town, Tan Wenbin pointed towards Muwang Mansion and teased, "Look, Muwang Mansion." A smile appeared on the young man's face. He was referred to as Lord Mu, but he was not the same as the historical Lord Mu.

Upon reaching their destination, everyone exited the car. The young man turned off the engine, got out, and stood respectfully by the car door, bowing as he saw them off. Li Chuiyuan stood before him and said: "Since you've decided to enter the world and cultivate as a human, here's a piece of advice: people don't only have a beautiful side, and life is the same. When you encounter the opposite, remember to restrain yourself, respond with human ways of thinking, and never let impulse lead to failure."

Upon hearing this, the young man bowed deeply.

Lin Shuyou gently nudged Tan Wenbin's arm and whispered, "I didn't expect Xiao Yuan Ge to sound so professional about these things."

Tan Wenbin replied, "Xiao Yuan Ge reads a lot of scriptures. If you go back and copy all those scriptures, you can be professional too."

"Really?"

"No, you actually plan to copy them?"

"I can ask the Child deity to come down and copy with me."

"Heh, by the way, how is that Child deity of yours?"

Lin Shuyou's eyes narrowed, and his vertical pupils opened. This time, the vertical pupils were not only deeper, but also had a faint crimson glow in the center, appearing very spirited. This action startled Lord Mu, making him shiver and almost collapse to his knees. Tan Wenbin immediately covered Lin Shuyou's eyes. "There's a tourist shop up ahead. I'll buy you some sunglasses."

After several days of continuous travel, they finally reached Qingtuan and found the gorge known as March Forest. It was not long until Qingming, and the valley was bursting with vitality, but due to inconvenient transportation, few tourists came here. Time was the most suitable sand for burying things, not to mention that the Black-Robed man had killed his entire family and moved their remains to the base of the tower, essentially obliterating his own lineage.

Li Chuiyuan, holding a compass, walked through the area and quickly pinpointed the location. As he approached the spot, Li Chuiyuan could sense the restrictive formations that should have been there, but they had now dissipated. On one side of the gorge was a hollow, its entrance covered by an old Chinese scholar tree. The old tree looked as if it had recently been struck by lightning, with much of it scorched. Runsheng and Lin Shuyou cleared it for a while before finally uncovering the cave entrance. Along with it, they unearthed many animal and human skeletons, clearly the old tree's food, compelled to serve as its nourishment. If it hadn't been struck by lightning, they would have had to deal with this troublesome tree first upon arriving.

The passage inside the cave was not downward, but level. The Black-Robed man's ancestral tomb was likely built within this gorge's mountain body. Its scale was not large, appearing similar to a minor noble's tomb. Who would have expected that the ancestor who had laid out the "Grand Ascension Scheme" in the secret realm would have such a miniature and simple tomb for himself? Li Chuiyuan, having read "Qi's Spring and Autumn Annals" and being skilled in formations, recognized countless intricate mechanisms and profound formation remnants in the short passage from the antechamber to the main burial chamber. Though the tomb was small, the deadly traps within were so profound that even Li Chuiyuan was shocked. Fortunately, everything here was as stated in the ancestor's book: at the appointed time, the restrictions would naturally dissolve. Otherwise, even Li Chuiyuan would have found it incredibly difficult to enter. Even if one broke through the visible mechanisms and formations, who knew how many unseen mysteries lay hidden beneath?

The Black-Robed man, relying on his ancestral bloodline, could receive preferential treatment from the rules within the secret realm's tall tower. In fact, his proficiency in formations, or at least his level of formation mastery when he first entered this place, was far inferior to Li Chuiyuan's current skill. Li Chuiyuan could now almost certainly conclude that the Black-Robed man's claim of "being a dead person and thus allowed to enter the ancestral tomb" was a complete joke. When the restrictions here were intact, not only could the dead not enter, but even if the White Crane Child himself were to arrive, his divine status would likely dissipate here.

On the ground and walls, many corpses, long turned into dry bones, could be seen, likely the Black-Robed man's ancestors from previous generations. Their ancestor had left a message: "Do not enter the ancestral tomb until the appointed time." But which descendant could resist such temptation? After all, no one knew if they would live to that appointed time. Consequently, they all died here, within the restrictions personally set by their own ancestor—all except the Black-Robed man.

Tan Wenbin said, "Um, Xiao Yuan Ge, I have a suspicion."

Li Chuiyuan replied, "Speak."

Tan Wenbin asked, "Was that last message left by the ancestor intentional? He told future generations not to enter, so anything that happened afterward wouldn't be karmically linked to him?"

"Yes," Li Chuiyuan acknowledged, then pointed to the lingering traces of the restrictions around them. "Including the so-called 'automatic dissolution at expiry,' I suspect it wasn't to allow future descendants to retrieve his book, but rather to allow him to come out himself."

Lin Shuyou exclaimed, "He lived here for so long? What state would he be in then?"

Tan Wenbin said, "Definitely not human-like."

Lin Shuyou clarified, "No, what I mean is, staying so long in such a small tomb—how is that different from long-term solitary confinement? Could he really endure it?"

Tan Wenbin responded, "Inside the tall tower, in the pit of kneeling corpses, within the jade—didn't so many people stay confined for so long? With the 'pie of becoming an immortal' dangling in front of them, they could just sniffle when lonely and endure it."

As they spoke, they reached the main burial chamber. The main burial chamber was not large, and its furnishings were quite ordinary, primarily made of stone. However, there was no coffin, only a stone bed in the central area. There should have been a crack above. It was noon, and a beam of sunlight fell directly onto the stone bed. On the bed, apart from some stones and lime, no remains were visible.

Lin Shuyou asked, "Did he get up and leave on his own, or did someone enter before us?"

Tan Wenbin replied, "You and Runsheng cleared the old Chinese scholar tree blocking the cave entrance. Although it was scorched by lightning before, there were no signs of it having been disturbed by anyone else."

Lin Shuyou wondered, "Then did he crawl out through that crack above?"

They approached the crack. Looking up from below, the crack was very narrow and small, yet its walls were extremely smooth. A person with a small and thin frame could barely squeeze through, but that was all; there was no room to climb upwards. Li Chuiyuan looked at the stones and lime piled on and under the stone bed and said, "He should have drilled out from above."

"Drilled?" Tan Wenbin noticed Xiao Yuan Ge used "drilled" instead of "crawled." He immediately looked up again, gauging the distance. This was inside a mountain peak on one side of the gorge. Drilling upwards from here, all the way to where direct sunlight could reach, would be exhausting, even if one were to walk up the side of the mountain. "My goodness, what kind of monster is this?" After a pause, Tan Wenbin looked at Runsheng: "Runsheng, can you drill through that?" After all, Runsheng was the physically strongest among them. Runsheng reached out, touched Tan Wenbin's forehead, then touched his own.

Lin Shuyou used his Qinggong to fly up to the crack above, reached out to feel its smooth curvature, then touched his own shoulder joint: "Brother Bin, Xiao Yuan Ge was right, he really did drill out himself!"

Tan Wenbin said, "I was just expressing my astonishment, not questioning Xiao Yuan Ge. I didn't expect even you, with your honest appearance, to learn how to sow discord."

Lin Shuyou landed, blinked, and didn't understand.

Tan Wenbin patted Lin Shuyou's shoulder: "Another day, talk to your Child deity. He can come down and be human, and you can go up and become an Adult Yin God. I think that Child deity is very skilled at being a human now." Although Tan Wenbin deliberately used humor to alleviate the tension in everyone's minds, the mere thought of a human-like entity being able to forcibly drill its way out of the rock was enough to send shivers down their spines.

Li Chuiyuan reached out, pushed aside the rubble and lime on the stone bed, and saw a line of text on the bed. Judging by the traces of the handwriting, it appeared to have been written directly with an index finger. It read: "To be continued another day, a half-faced encounter."