Golden Box Hides Evil

A few days ago, while Xu Qin's miners were digging deep in Brute Ox Mountain, their pickaxe struck a dark opening. A chilling aura seeped out from the hole, piercing to the bone. The miners, mustering their courage, explored further and unearthed an ancient tomb, sealed for who knows how many years. The most eye-catching item within was a chest wrapped in black cloth, filled with golden artifacts: hairpins, bracelets, and a small golden box that was later given away. Each piece gleamed with a heavy luster, yet exuded an unspeakable malevolence.

Upon hearing the news, Xu Qin sealed the tomb overnight and personally led a team to investigate. Beside the tomb owner's coffin, he found a bronze plaque covered in inscriptions. Though somewhat faded, the core message was clear: these golden items contained sealed malevolent spirits! The weaker ones were comparable to Peak Martial Masters, while the strongest was sealed in a specially made small golden box, known as "Calamity Star of the Long Night - Qi Luo," its power approaching the Grandmaster realm!

The bronze plaque also detailed the malevolent spirit's notorious reputation. Historically, "Calamity Star of the Long Night - Qi Luo" had repeatedly caused chaos, and the number of noble families wiped out because of it was countless.

Xu Qin gazed at the golden box, a glint of ruthlessness flashing in his narrow eyes. If Zhu Chenhao dared to open it, even if he himself survived, it would undoubtedly trigger immense turmoil in the capital, allowing Xu Qin to reap the benefits.

Meanwhile, in Northern Garrison City, Lin Zhao spent half a month meticulously preparing for his journey.

He first secured the Brilliant Crystals he had acquired. These crystals, glowing with an ethereal blue light and swirling with inner luminescence, were treasures for cultivating internal energy. Traveling with large amounts would be too conspicuous, so he kept only a small piece on his person, wrapped in a waterproof deerskin pouch three layers thick. Afterward, he contacted a merchant who frequently traveled between Oirat and Great Ming through Xuan Yao Pavilion.

This merchant was named Li Yue, nicknamed "Thousand Mile Guest." He was lean, sported a small mustache, and always carried a mingled scent of horse sweat and spices. He was a "dealer with a Martial Master background," but he didn't trade Pangolin Dragon Essence, focusing instead on Oirat's specialty furs and medicinal herbs.

Lin Zhao was generous, paying two hundred taels of silver upfront to hire him as a guide. Li Yue, seeing the money, patted his chest and guaranteed, "I absolutely won't let Lord Shen Luo take a single wrong step."

Before departing, Lin Zhao specifically informed Zhao Tieying, so his family wouldn't worry. He had already donned his familiar Rakshasa mask, its eyes inlaid with obsidian that glinted coldly in the sun. The title "Hundred Refinements Heavenly Craftsman" was already gaining some renown in Northern Garrison City, and traveling in disguise would minimize trouble from petty thieves.

"Lord Shen Luo, please heed my advice. Once we're in Oirat territory, if we can avoid conflict with the locals, let's do so!" Li Yue said, leaning closer to Lin Zhao as they rode, his voice lowered. "Those Oirats are as fierce as starving wolves on the plains, proficient in riding and archery. Ordinary Martial Masters aren't their match. We have no need to clash with them head-on."

Lin Zhao gripped the reins, his gaze sweeping across the Gobi Desert ahead, his voice calm. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. Just make sure you lead me on the right path."

In the following days, they traveled by day and rested by night, finding shelter in wind-sheltered caves or dilapidated temples. Lin Zhao never slacked, dedicating two hours each night to cultivating his internal energy. Since the Mystic Dragon Technique and Netherworld Technique lacked the necessary secret elixirs for assistance, their progress was as slow as a snail's. He shifted his focus to the Iron Rhinoceros Technique, Brute Ox Technique, and Blood Poison Technique.

While practicing the Iron Rhinoceros Technique, his blood essence surged, veins bulging on his arms as if immense strength was colliding within him. When practicing the Brute Ox Technique, the true qi in his dantian surged like stampeding oxen, and with each circulation, he felt his strength steadily increasing. During the Blood Poison Technique, fine silver threads seeped from his fingertips, and his speed had improved noticeably.

Half a month later, the two finally entered Oirat territory. After another month of travel, coinciding with the end of Oirat's wheat harvest season, they arrived at the border town of Kala City.

However, upon entering Kala City, Li Yue brought bad news. "Lord Shen Luo, we're too late! The merchant houses here say that all the Pangolin Dragon Essence was bought out by a group of Persian merchants a few days ago. There isn't a single bit left!"

Lin Zhao's brows furrowed slightly. Seeing this, Li Yue quickly added, "But don't worry! I've inquired, and the most prosperous capital city of Oirat, Lanting, definitely has Pangolin Dragon Essence! That's the capital of Oirat, you can find not only Pangolin Dragon Essence there but also Night-Luminous Pearls from the Western Regions and Persian carpets!"

Upon hearing "Lanting," a flicker of interest crossed Lin Zhao's eyes. Since he was already in Oirat, a visit to the capital wouldn't hurt. The two pressed on without rest, and half a month later, on the last day before the end of the harvest season, they finally reached the legendary holy city.

"Whew... traveling in a foreign land is truly grueling!" Li Yue reined in his horse, wiping sweat from his brow, but couldn't hide his excitement. "But it's worth it! Look at this holy city, how magnificent!"

Lin Zhao looked up. Lanting City truly lived up to its reputation. The city walls were built of bluestone, towering over forty zhang high, with Oirat's wolf-head banners fluttering atop the battlements.

The architectural style within the city was vastly different from Great Ming. Pointed roofs were arranged in a picturesque manner, and in the distance, a towering pagoda could be seen, piercing the clouds.

Li Yue mentioned that the capital city had a permanent resident population of over five million. However, Lin Zhao immediately noticed the disparities. The streets of the outer city were narrow and crowded, with adobe houses packed side-by-side, and beggars in tattered clothes were everywhere, resembling a giant slum. The houses in the middle city were more refined, with red walls and green tiles, and silk curtains hanging at the entrances, clearly residences of minor nobles and wealthy merchants. As for the innermost inner city, glimpses of golden palace roofs could be seen, heavily guarded, the domain of the Oirat royalty and high officials.

"It's a pity we don't have a travel permit. We'll definitely be stopped if we try to enter the city directly," Li Yue scratched his head, then his eyes lit up. "But I have a way! Follow me!"

He led Lin Zhao around to the west side of Lanting City, near a city gate where a crowd had gathered. It was a troupe of acrobats preparing to participate in Lanting's 300th-anniversary celebration. The troupe leader was a portly, obese noble, dressed in a silk robe embroidered with intricate patterns, directing his subordinates as they loaded their carts.

Li Yue sidled up, pulled out several gleaming silver Oirat gold coins, and quietly slipped them into the fat noble's hand, speaking with a smile. The noble weighed the coins, grinned, and waved his hand, "Alright, let them follow behind. Just keep quiet."

Lin Zhao and Li Yue quickly blended into the end of the troupe's procession. Among them were many heavily made-up girls, holding cigarettes and puffing smoke, and several bare-chested strongmen carrying gongs and musical instruments. A blonde girl, her face smeared with paint, saw Lin Zhao and Li Yue approach and pointed to a nearby pot of face paint. "Quick, smear some on your faces. Don't talk when we enter the city. We can't protect you if the guards question you."

As she spoke, Lin Zhao noticed a cage behind her. It was made of fine iron, and inside, a massive Scorpion-tailed Tiger lay curled up. Its body was covered in dark brown scales, and the tip of its tail bore a gleaming poisonous stinger. It lazily swished its tail, its pair of yellow beastly eyes warily fixed on Lin Zhao.

An adult Scorpion-tailed Tiger was comparable to a mid-level Martial Master. Though not as ferocious as the Black Bears of the Northern Frontier, it was still not something an ordinary Martial Master could handle. It was clearly the troupe's "cash cow."

The blonde girl was the Scorpion-tailed Tiger's tamer. Seeing Lin Zhao staring at the cage, she didn't stop him. Instead, she crossed her arms and watched with amusement. After all, the Scorpion-tailed Tiger was confined to the cage and couldn't cause any trouble.

Lin Zhao picked up some face paint and casually smeared it on his face, obscuring most of it. He possessed Beast Taming skills himself, and with the special effect of "Heart of Beast Taming," he could clearly sense the Scorpion-tailed Tiger's hostility. The beast, upon seeing a stranger, immediately perked up, stood up abruptly, baring its sharp fangs, and let out a low growl from its throat. Its stinger-like tail pointed directly at Lin Zhao, and the iron bars of the cage rattled as it slammed against them.

Lin Zhao's eyes turned cold. He subtly clenched his fist, his knuckles cracking audibly. In an instant, his aura changed. In his heart, a phantom of the Mystic Dragon coiled and danced wildly. The whimpers of the Mystic Wolf, the roars of the Black Bear, and the neighing of the Iron Rhinoceros intertwined within his aura. The phantom images of those legendary fierce beasts seemed to come alive, exuding a terrifying pressure that bore down on the Scorpion-tailed Tiger.

The Scorpion-tailed Tiger's roar abruptly ceased. Its previously ferocious demeanor instantly collapsed. Its tail tucked tightly, its scales trembled, and it retreated step by step to the corner of the cage, no longer daring to look at Lin Zhao, even its breathing becoming cautious.

The blonde girl's eyes widened in shock. She had raised this Scorpion-tailed Tiger for three years and had never seen it so terrified of anyone! To make a beast comparable to a mid-level Martial Master tremble like this, this masked young man was definitely a hidden master! She immediately dropped her casual demeanor and didn't even dare to look directly at Lin Zhao, retreating obediently to the side.

After successfully entering the city with the acrobatic troupe, Lin Zhao noticed patrolling soldiers everywhere on the streets of the outer city. They wore leather armor, carried curved sabers at their waists, and their sharp eyes scanned the passersby, clearly preparing for the grand celebration in a month.

"Haha! It's truly better to arrive early than to be late!" Li Yue rubbed his hands excitedly. "I heard there will be horse racing, wrestling, and lots of delicious food during the celebration. We can join in the fun!"

Lin Zhao, however, was not in the mood for revelry. He knew the purpose of his trip: Pangolin Dragon Essence must be purchased. Furthermore, he needed to collect as many cultivation techniques that could enhance internal energy, Netherworld Grass, and malevolent spirit dust as possible. He couldn't have come all this way for nothing.

After parting ways with the acrobatic troupe, Li Yue led Lin Zhao directly to Lanting's largest merchant house, "Western Regions Trading Post." The shop assistants, dressed in smart robes, greeted them as they entered. "What can we get for you, sirs? We have medicinal herbs from the Western Regions, spices from Persia, and specialty furs from Oirat, all of excellent quality!"

"Do you have Pangolin Dragon Essence?" Gou San asked directly.

The shop assistant's eyes lit up, and he nodded. "Yes! But not much left. One liang costs one hundred silver coins, and we only have five liangs remaining. How much do you want?"

Lin Zhao's brows furrowed slightly. The price was reasonable, equivalent to about two hundred taels of Great Ming silver, significantly cheaper than in Great Ming (Pangolin Dragon Essence in Great Ming had long been inflated to five hundred taels per liang, and it was often out of stock).

However, the problem was that five liangs were not enough for him. Traveling to Oirat was a long journey, and returning with only five liangs of Pangolin Dragon Essence would be too much of a loss.

"We'll take all five liangs," Lin Zhao had Li Yue convey, then added, "Do you expect more stock in the near future?"

The shop assistant thought for a moment and said, "If you want more, you'll have to wait until after the month. During the Holy City's grand celebration, there will be a traditional beast-fighting performance. The Guardian General of the Nation will personally enter the arena and fight a Pangolin Dragon with his bare hands! After that performance, a batch of new Pangolin Dragon Essence will be entrusted to our merchant house for sale. There will definitely be enough then."

Lin Zhao's eyes moved. "Fighting a Pangolin Dragon with bare hands?" The strength of this "Guardian General of the Nation" was somewhat intriguing.