“The mass grave?” Li Yan froze. “That’s the territory of the western beggars. Yin killing qi gathers there; it’s no good place at all. Heavenly treasures can grow in a ghostly place like that?”

Zhao Luzi scratched his head. “Brother Li doesn’t know this, but ‘heavenly treasures’ is only a general term. It refers to spiritual objects naturally born from heaven and earth, but not all of them are good items.

“Some can be refined into spiritual artifacts. Some can heal wounds and extend life. Some form their own geomantic domains and can regulate fengshui simply by being placed inside a home. Anything beneficial is considered fortune granted by heaven and earth. That’s why after obtaining a treasure, we always yell, ‘Received’!

“On the other hand, harmful ones are called ominous objects. Not only are they dangerous to obtain, some may even transform into spirits, monsters, or demons, requiring the great orthodox sects to suppress and seal them.

“You may have heard of something like it. During the Tang Dynasty, a great drought struck the Guanzhong Plains, and a Dragon Bone Treasure Reef appeared in the Wei River. People believed it was the Dragon King’s skeleton and dug it up and burned incense in worship.

“But that same night, flying sand and rolling stones swept through the area, and countless villagers died. That was an ominous object. Later, the Taixuan Orthodox Sect’s Master Weiyang established an altar and held rites, imprisoning the evil before summoning heavenly lightning to destroy it. When the story spread among the common folk, it became the legend of Immortal Weiyang Slaying the Dragon God.”

Li Yan suddenly understood. “So that’s what happened!”

He had heard plays about that tale before and always assumed it was merely folklore. He never expected it to have a real origin.

Thinking further, he asked, “Then what exactly is a Mountain Tai Sui?”

Zhao Luzi answered without holding anything back. “The name Tai Sui originally comes from the God of the Year, symbolizing imperial authority. Commoners would never dare use it recklessly, which is why people speak of avoiding the Tai Sui.

“As for earthly Tai Sui, they carry both fortune and disaster. Some are called Flesh Lingzhi. Consuming them can prolong life and preserve youth. Others absorb yin killing qi from the earth veins and transform into ominous objects. Occasionally, commoners dig one up. A mild case would leave them gravely ill, but severe cases might kill them on the spot. That’s where the saying ‘disturbing the earth atop Tai Sui’ comes from.

“The Mountain Tai Sui also grows within the core aperture of a mountain’s earth vein. It either absorbs primordial heavenly astral qi or gathers innate killing qi. Over enough years, it may even evolve divine astral qi and seize the position of the mountain god itself. Provoking it recklessly is extremely dangerous.”

At that point, a revelation suddenly flashed through Li Yan’s mind. “We once went to the mass grave to invite a Yin spirit. According to Daoist Wang, there should have been a mountain god there commanding ghost soldiers, yet there was no response at all. Could it have been because of this thing?”

Zhao Luzi nodded. “That’s right. According to the information spreading from Xianyang, the mass grave originally did possess a mountain god and was once an excellent geomantic location. But too many corpses have been buried there. The massive accumulation of yin killing qi polluted the mountain god’s astral qi. Then incense offerings ceased, and the deity stopped responding.

“According to the leaked intelligence, the beggar leader known as Mountain Lord from the western beggars was originally a wandering jianghu ritualist. He seized the position of beggar chief and then waited at the mass grave for years just to seize this treasure.

“The object capable of suppressing it is the patched beggar sack passed down through generations of beggar chiefs. In a few more days, on the ninth day of the ninth month, when nine returns to truth and primal origin begins anew, the Mountain Tai Sui will expel all yin killing qi from its body and attempt to reclaim the mountain god’s position.

“At that time, if the timing is calculated correctly, the treasure can be taken. Its greatest effect is healing. No matter how severe the injury, it can restore one completely.”

Li Yan’s face betrayed his surprise, but he had already lost interest. “It’s really that miraculous?”

No matter how effective the Mountain Tai Sui was, it certainly could not compare to the Great Luo Dharma Body. Though absorbing its fortune could repair the Great Luo Dharma Body, with so many experts competing for it, it probably would not fall into his hands anyway.

With that thought, Li Yan directly dragged Zhao Luzi into drinking. “Come, come, let’s continue to drink!”

Eating meat and drinking wine inside the Mountain God Temple would have been disrespectful, so the two lit a bonfire outside on the hillside. Zhao Luzi even roasted two wild rabbits he had caught.

The moon had already risen high when beside the bonfire, the two toasted and drank while chatting about strange stories and jianghu tales.

Knowing Li Yan was interested in treasure hunters, Zhao Luzi held nothing back except for the deepest secrets of his own inheritance. He explained various legends, taboos, and ancient stories in detail.

Li Yan likewise shared many jianghu secrets. Before they realized it, the night had deepened and the bright moon hung high overhead. The bonfire upon the dark mountain flickered together with their laughter...

***

Outside Xianyang, another fire flickered upon a hillside. Two rows of braziers had been placed around the area. As the mountain wind blew through the night, the pungent smell of burning grease spread alongside the swaying flames. A temporary ritual altar had been erected between the braziers.

Unlike the altar Wang Daoxuan once constructed, this did not just hold incense, candles, water, fruit, and the five offerings, but also an Eight Trigram bucket filled with command flags, a ritual seal, and a peachwood sword.

There were also countless talismans pasted around it. Even stranger, a row of wooden puppets stood before the altar. Each puppet was lifelike, painted with opera masks representing the roles of the Sheng, Dan, Jing, Mo, and Chou.

Chen Fakui wore an unusual white Daoist robe resembling funeral clothing, with a white headband tied around his forehead. Yet a massive symbol of the Eight Trigrams had been embroidered onto the back of the robe.

In the distance, Yuan Qu stood with several subordinates alongside Zhou Peide, who wore a hooded cloak. All silently observed the scene.

Yuan Qu glanced at Zhou Peide’s gloomy face and quietly asked, “Is everything taken care of?”

Zhou Peide replied coldly, “Relax. I never revealed my name. I hired people from Chang’an’s Ge Sect, the two most efficient men under Second Master Tu. The child should already have been delivered to Menggu Village by now.”

Yuan Qu sneered. “You’re so cautious. Senior Brother Zhou, are you afraid?”

Zhou Peide merely cast him a cold glance without speaking. He was no fool. In truth, after returning home and thinking things through, he had realized Yuan Qu intended to drag him down into the mud as well. Yuan Qu knew that Zhou Pan did not care about him or Zhou Bai.

But behind the two of them stood the entire Zhou Family. Yuan Qu clearly intended to gather leverage. If things went wrong, he could use it to threaten Zhou Pan into protecting him. Yet despite understanding it, Zhou Peide still chose to proceed. After all, he had learned of the heavenly treasure at the mass grave.

Chen Fakui would go there to seize the treasure. If Zhou Peide assisted him, he would receive a share afterward.

It was Zhou Bai’s only hope. What did the Zhou Family matter anymore?

Once Zhou Bai was crippled and abandoned, not one elder of the family had stepped forward to say a single fair word for father and son.

Seeing Zhou Peide’s expression, Yuan Qu smirked crookedly and said nothing more.

At that moment, Chen Fakui suddenly opened his eyes. He glanced up at the bright moon overhead before casually lifting the peachwood sword. One hand formed incantation seals while he chanted spells. At the same time, his feet stepped through the patterns of the big dipper and stellar positions.

He picked up the Eight Trigram bowl from the altar and took a sip before spraying out a light mist. The technique was called “Water Sprinkling.”

Water nourished all things and resembled the Dao itself. The Water Sprinkling ritual could cleanse dust, disperse filth, and dissolve foul energies. It was also a crucial step in activating the altar. Wind rose with the water as the altar’s astral qi gathered into formation.

Of course, Yuan Qu and the others could not actually see what happened. They only sensed a sudden gust of wind rising around them. When it reached the altar, it transformed into a swirling vortex that caused the surrounding braziers to flicker wildly.

This was only the beginning. At that moment, Chen Fakui seemed like a completely different person. His posture became upright and imposing, and his gaze turned profound and terrifying. The peachwood sword spun through several sword flowers in his hand. He raised a command token with his other hand and pointed it toward the sky.

Then his footwork shifted again, as though he were dodging unseen forces. Only after completing the sequence did he slam the ritual seal onto the altar table with a loud smack.

He seized a command flag and threw it forward while forming seals and chanting, “By decree of the Divine Lord of the Three Nether and Nine Origin, let the spirit soldiers obey at once, as swiftly as heavenly law commands!”

With that, he thrust the peachwood sword forward.

Immediately, sinister winds howled all around. One of the painted Dan wooden puppets upon the altar suddenly creaked. Its head slowly twisted. The puppet seemed pulled by invisible strings as it stiffly stood up.

The scalps of Yuan Qu and the others went numb at the sight.

Chen Fakui glanced at them indifferently. “Set out. Follow the earlier instructions and bring the puppet outside Shangyi Village. Once the puppet returns, leave immediately.”

Yuan Qu nodded and looked to the side. “Zhu Tiedan, this is your task.”

The man he addressed was a large, heavily built brute with a vicious face. Known as the bravest member of the White Ape Gang, he once ate human liver while drinking wine without changing expression.

Yet now, even this man’s face had turned pale, with cold sweat pouring from his forehead. But, seeing Yuan Qu’s sinister gaze, he could only steel himself and carefully step forward to take the puppet.

Rustle, rustle.

To his horror, the puppet crawled up his arm like a spider before climbing onto his back.

Zhu Tiedan’s entire body went numb with terror as he clawed frantically at himself. “Ah! Ahhh!”

Chen Fakui frowned. “Relax. Don’t move recklessly.”

Yuan Qu also shouted coldly, “Zhu Tiedan! If you dare ruin this matter, I’ll have you buried alive in this grave tonight!”

Zhu Tiedan could only wear a miserable expression as he hurried forward. Leaping onto a nearby black horse, he snapped the reins and galloped toward Shangyi Village. Along the way, he felt his back growing colder and colder, as though someone were constantly blowing cold air beside his ear.

He trembled uncontrollably in fear.

Fortunately, his courage truly was exceptional. After adapting somewhat, he forced himself not to think about it, muttering constantly under his breath, “Braised meatballs, sheep offal stew, donkey meat sandwiches...”

Racing at full speed, he unknowingly arrived outside Shangyi Village, where he felt the weight on his back lighten. Gulping nervously, he carefully turned to look behind him.

The wooden puppet on his back had vanished without a trace!