"Auntie, weren't you just saying you wanted to take a look at the Ancient Mine? Well, there's our ready-made pathfinder."
Luo Yue spoke.
Luo Qingluan froze, then caught on, her almond-shaped eyes lighting up. "You mean we let that damned fat grave robber spring the traps, then follow behind and scoop up the spoils?"
She lowered her voice, growing excited, but then eyed Duan De in the distance with renewed suspicion.
"But is that unscrupulous Daoist any good? I heard even a grandmaster from a Source Arts Family went mad. Could he really know more than those doddering old men? Just look at those shifty rat eyes..."
At that moment,
the fat Daoist in the distance had his backside sticking out as he pawed at a misshapen source stone on a street stall. One glance made Luo Qingluan feel as though her eyes had been sullied, and revulsion immediately prickled through her.
The faintest curve touched Luo Yue's lips. "You can't judge a person by appearances. Think about it, Auntie. Someone who dared set his sights on our Luo Family ancestors' tombs, then swaggered back into Luo City after being caught and soundly thrashed, and even took an interest in that 'inauspicious' Ancient Mine..."
"He's either hopelessly stupid, or he really has a few tricks and skills to keep himself alive."
"I'm betting on the latter."
Luo Qingluan remained dubious, but remembering her little niece's miraculous Divine Eye and stone-gambling skills, she felt there was some sense to it.
"Then... how do we make him go willingly?"
"No elaborate schemes needed. Daoist Duan will go all on his own." As she spoke, Luo Yue took small, unhurried steps toward Duan De's stall.
The moment they approached, Duan De straightened with a whoosh, as though he had eyes in the back of his head. Seeing them, he instantly piled a Maitreya-like smile onto his face and turned toward them, rubbing his hands like a fly.
"Well, well! If it isn't the Luo Family's eldest young lady and little princess! Blessings of that immeasurable Heavenly Venerable! This humble Daoist offers his greetings!"
His gaze swept over Luo Qingluan before settling on Luo Yue, a sharp gleam flickering in his tiny eyes.
"You shameless Daoist, you still have the nerve to come to Luo City?" Luo Qingluan planted both hands on her hips, her brows bristling as she spoke without a shred of courtesy, then threatened him.
"Didn't you get enough blows with the paddle last time for snooping around our ancestors' tombs? Believe me, I can call the elders over right now and have you hauled out!"
The smile on Duan De's face stiffened, then became utterly sincere and aggrieved.
"A misunderstanding! An enormous misunderstanding!"
"That day, this humble Daoist was studying the feng shui layout of your honored ancestors' tombs! Nestled against the mountains and beside the water, sheltered from wind and gathering qi-a truly auspicious site promising blessings for generations! I harbored not the slightest disrespect!" The unscrupulous Daoist thumped his chest and swore solemnly.
Unfortunately, even the Black Emperor would not have believed him.
"Daoist Duan, did you come for the Ancient Mine at Luoshui?" Unwilling to waste more words on him, Luo Yue went straight to the point.
At the mention of the Luoshui Ancient Mine, a fierce gleam flashed through Duan De's tiny eyes. His smile grew even more benevolent as he rubbed his hands.
"That unscrupulous Heavenly Venerable! Little Princess Luo, your discerning eyes burn like torches. This humble Daoist heard that Primordial Ruins had appeared in your esteemed territory and came specifically to pay my respects..."
"Of course, if I should be fortunate enough to behold some of that legendary divine source and contemplate the wonders of heaven and earth's creations, that would also be my good fortune." Duan De spoke with a perfectly straight face.
"Pah! You damned fatty, your words sound sweeter than a song. You're here for the divine source, aren't you?" Luo Qingluan exposed him mercilessly.
Duan De's skin was as thick as a city wall, and he paid her no mind. Instead, he looked at Luo Yue, his fat face beaming. "Since the little princess brought it up herself, surely you're interested in this mine too?"
"This humble Daoist has some modest expertise in feng shui, geomancy, and breaking ancient restrictions. Little princess, you possess extraordinary gifts, born with Divine Eyes that see through falsehood. Why don't... we work together?"
The fellow had finally revealed his true aim.
Luo Yue found it amusing. Sure enough, this unscrupulous Daoist wanted to drag her into the water. She shook her head slightly, a hint of playfulness in her voice.
"You must be joking, Daoist Duan. My cultivation is still shallow. Recklessly venturing deep into the Ancient Mine would be no different from seeking my own death."
"Besides, the Luo Family and Jiang Family have already reached an agreement. I'll soon be returning to the Jiang Family, so it wouldn't be appropriate for me to take such risks personally. I'm afraid your calculations will come to nothing."
"But cooperation is still possible. Since you're well versed in this field, you should go and investigate. With my Divine Eyes, I'm keenly sensitive to evil forces and curses, so I can provide remote sensing and guidance from here."
"Oh? Remote guidance?"
Duan De became interested, though he was clearly dissatisfied with the word "remote." He continued trying to coax her.
"Little princess, this Ancient Mine is exceptionally strange. Even a Source Arts Grandmaster fell victim to it. If your Divine Eyes were there in person to perceive the source of the curse, working in concert with this humble Daoist inside and out, we could achieve twice the result with half the effort and reduce the risks to a minimum!"
Fatty Duan thumped his chest in assurance, practically spraying spittle.
Luo Yue, however, refused to listen to his sermon.
She lightly tapped the air with a fingertip. A strand of peculiar divine power imbued with the true essence of yin and yang flowed out, slowly tracing a miniature, simplified Eight Trigrams diagram made of light. This was her first practical application of the path of deduction she had studied through the Yellow River Chart and Lo Shu over the past half month.
"I have a talisman that uses bloodline resonance and deduction through Dao principles. It contains a trace of my essence. If you carry it, you can pinpoint fluctuations in the curse caused by imbalances of yin and yang deep inside the Ancient Mine."
Luo Yue's meaning was perfectly clear: she would provide technical support only.
He would bear the remaining risks, and they would share the information.
Duan De's tiny eyes darted about as he swiftly weighed the pros and cons. Naturally, he could see that Luo Yue had no intention whatsoever of entering the mine with him.
This little enchantress was shrewd, with powerful backing and Jiang Family protectors following her wherever she went.
But the method she offered was indeed valuable. In particular, she possessed the Divine King Body, a bloodline that naturally suppressed evil forces and curses. Her senses might well be more direct and effective than his feng shui and burial-site techniques.
"Heh, heh, heh..."
At that thought, Duan De's face instantly filled with smiles again. He took the Spell Talisman in one swift motion. It felt cool in his hand, and he could sense the strange, pure power within it-certainly no ordinary divine power.
"Little princess, you truly are a heaven-gifted genius! The abilities of your Divine King Body bloodline are extraordinary. Not only were you born with all-seeing Divine Eyes, but this talisman is exquisitely drawn as well. Then this humble Daoist shall obey rather than stand on ceremony. With this Spell Talisman, I feel much more at ease!"
The unscrupulous fatty tucked the Spell Talisman into his robe with a beaming smile, as though he had acquired some precious treasure.
Beside them, however, Luo Qingluan's gaze sharpened slightly. She looked at Duan De in startled uncertainty.
Even within the Luo Family and Jiang Family, few knew that Luo Yue possessed the Divine King Body bloodline. They had kept it well concealed. How had this unscrupulous Daoist learned the truth about her little niece's Divine King Body?
Her little niece had been right. A Daoist who could recognize the Divine King Body at a glance really did have some substance.
"Remember, Daoist, the Spell Talisman's sensing ability is limited,
and the curse is strange and unpredictable. You must never rely on it too heavily," Luo Yue stressed with a perfectly serious expression.
She seemed genuinely concerned for him.
"I understand, I understand! In our line of work, roaming the world, safety comes first." Duan De patted his belly, his face glowing as though he could already see the divine source beckoning to him.
"No time to waste. This humble Daoist will make preparations at once. No day is better than the present opportunity. Tomorrow, I'll scout the edges of the Ancient Mine first. Little princess, just await my good news." The unscrupulous Daoist offered Luo Yue and Luo Qingluan a rather improper Daoist salute.
Then, humming a little tune, he strode away with remarkably light steps for a man weighing two hundred jin and vanished into the bustling crowds of the Ancient Street.
"That damned fatty certainly runs fast."
Watching Duan De's rounded figure disappear into the depths of the bustling crowd, Luo Qingluan withdrew her gaze and curled her lip, her tone still tinged with distrust.
"Little Yue, that damned fatty is sly as a fox. Can your Spell Talisman really keep him in check?"
"Just look at that fat face of his, smiling like an old chrysanthemum. Who knows? He might already be plotting to use your talisman as toilet paper."
A sly gleam flashed through Luo Yue's ice-blue eyes. Her lips curved slightly, and her voice carried the calm certainty of someone with a plan firmly in hand. "The Spell Talisman is real, of course. It truly can sense the curse."
"But... what he received was only the little taste of sweetness on the outermost layer. The real 'eye' attached itself to him the moment he touched the talisman. Even if he throws it into a latrine now, I can still drag him out of any rat hole in the Northern Region."
Luo Qingluan's almond-shaped eyes widened, as though she were truly getting to know this little enchantress of a niece for the first time.
She could not resist poking Luo Yue's forehead. "You little girl, you have more holes for schemes than a sieve. Don't you dare use them on your aunt in the future."
"It's called repaying someone with their own methods. Since he wanted to dig up our Luo Family ancestors' burial grounds, there's naturally no need to be polite." Luo Yue rubbed her poked forehead. Her little face remained largely expressionless, but her tone grew serious.
"Auntie, tell Third Uncle and Uncle Wei to get ready. Especially Uncle Wei-he must bring the Hengyu Furnace! We're leaving tonight."
"Tonight? So soon?"
Luo Qingluan looked surprised. "Didn't that fatty say he wouldn't scout the place until tomorrow?"
Luo Yue gave a soft laugh, with a hint of something inscrutable. "Believing even a tenth of what our Daoist Duan says is too much. A slippery old hand like him excels at feints and catching people unprepared."
"I'd bet he's already somewhere in the barren hills outside the city, getting ready to slip into the Ancient Mine under cover of darkness. A moonless night with high winds-that's exactly when he most wants to make a quiet fortune."
Understanding dawned on Luo Qingluan, and excitement shone in her eyes. "Got it! The mantis stalks the cicada, while we're the oriole waiting behind."
"I'll go find Third Brother and Jiang Wei right now!"
Luo Qingluan turned and hurried away, her figure soon disappearing into the crowd.
Luo Yue remained where she stood and gently closed her eyes. In her Sea of Consciousness, the phantom Yellow River Chart and Lo Shu slowly rose and fell.
An almost imperceptible fluctuation of spiritual sense pointed far into the wilderness northwest of Luo City-the direction in which Duan De was currently moving at speed.
As the saying went, only someone in the same trade truly understood another. It was absolutely right. She knew all too well what that fat Daoist would do next.
Nothing beyond the same old tricks...
Scouting sites and digging tunnels, treading tombs and casting bait;
toppling ghosts in dark towers, deceiving heaven to cross the sea.
"Duan De, oh, Duan De, you'd better not disappoint me." Luo Yue's eyes curved, and a rare, broad smile appeared on her little face.
That night,
the darkness was like thick ink, swallowing the Northern Region's wilderness completely.
The scorching heat of the day receded. A biting night wind swept up reddish-brown dust, moaning as it passed over bare mountain rocks like countless wronged souls whispering.
Thousands of li from Luo City, the outskirts of the Luoshui Ancient Mine lay in deathly silence.
A great river flowed here, its waves sweeping along yellow sand. It was said to have flowed for more than a hundred thousand years, making it older than Qingyun Province itself.
Not far away stood the entrance to an inconspicuous little source mine belonging to the Luo Family. Long abandoned, its enormous opening had been hastily sealed with collapsed boulders and restrictions, and it radiated a chilling aura that made the heart tremble.
A faint smell of rust mingled with an indescribable stench of decay in the air, as though something were rotting deep beneath the earth.
A bloated, ball-like shadow appeared soundlessly, like a ghost, in the shade of a huge boulder near the mine entrance.
It was Duan De!
There was not a trace of a smile on his fleshy face now. His tiny eyes glittered as he scanned his surroundings warily, clutching a Spell Talisman he had already crushed.
The unscrupulous Daoist's lips twisted into a disdainful curve.
"That unscrupulous Heavenly Venerable! Hmph, little girl, you think you can snare this Daoist with such petty tricks?"
"I've crossed more bridges than you've eaten meals."
Once he confirmed that no one was following him and that there were no tracking fluctuations on his body, Duan De displayed an agility utterly at odds with his bulk.
Like an enormous gecko, he pressed himself against the rock wall, forming hand seals and muttering incantations.
Several faint lights flew from his sleeve and landed precisely in a few inconspicuous cracks around the mine entrance.
"Open!"
With his low shout, the seemingly solid fallen boulders began to tremble slightly. The restrictive talismans covering them rapidly dimmed and shattered.
A narrow gap just wide enough for one person appeared without a sound. Instantly, a denser, pungent breath spilled from the cave, carrying icy deathly stillness and strange, murmuring whispers.
The smile vanished from Duan De's face at once, replaced by utter gravity.
"Immeasurable fucking Heavenly Venerable... this damned place is seriously sinister." Duan De cursed under his breath, his mung-bean eyes fixed on his compass.
"Sinister yin surging to the heavens, earth veins utterly dead, resentment congealed... what divine source mine? This is an ancient tomb, and a murderous one with something extraordinary buried inside!"
He cautiously extended his spiritual sense to investigate.
But the gray-black mist seemed capable of devouring it. His probing sense vanished like a clay ox sinking into the sea after advancing only a few zhang. Faint, needle-like pain also came back, accompanied by a heart-chilling malice.
"That little Luo Family enchantress's Divine King Body senses were right. This curse corrodes the soul far too strongly.
The fat Daoist murmured to himself. An earthy-yellow halo rose around him to protect his body, and without hesitation, he squeezed into the mine passage, which was as deep and dark as a giant beast's throat. The gap swiftly closed behind him, returning to its original state as though it had never opened.
Less than half a cup of
tea's time after Duan De disappeared, a patch of empty space farther from the mine entrance rippled like water.
A miniature warship only three zhang long materialized out of thin air, dark-gold cloud patterns flowing across its hull. Ancient Jiang Family totems were engraved upon it, and it emitted faint spatial fluctuations, blending perfectly into the night.
At its head stood Jiang Wei, his cloud-patterned robe snapping in the night wind and his expression solemn. In his hand, he held a furnace scarcely a foot tall.
There was no need to guess-it was undoubtedly the Hengyu Furnace!
To bring out this Extreme Dao Emperor Weapon, the Jiang Family had spent more than half a month preparing. Nor could it remain away for long, since it still had to return to guard the Jiang Family's hidden reserves.
Luo Qingying frowned deeply at the pitch-black mine entrance and said quietly, "That unscrupulous Daoist really does know a few tricks. He's far too practiced at tunneling."
"Little Yue, are we following him?"
Luo Yue shook her head. What was there to follow?
All she needed to do was wait by the stump for the rabbit, while Daoist Duan had far more to worry about...
Looking down at the Ancient Mine, Luo Yue succumbed to her occupational habits again and began studying the terrain.
"The land rises step by step, that broad river churns, and yellow sand fills the sky like a golden dragon. What a fine Golden Dragon Sweeps the Sky!"
This sort of feng shui terrain existed only in ancient texts. Even Luo Yue was seeing it for the first time.
Come to think of it, this river was called Luoshui.
Did it have any connection to the Luo River on Earth?
Was it connected to Luoshui on Earth? The Desolate Ancient Jiang Family had the Jiang River, and the Ji Family had the Ji River. Earth also had a Ji River and a Jiang River, one producing the Yellow Emperor and the other the Flame Emperor. Both were imperial corpses that had awakened spiritual awareness, which could not help setting Luo Yue thinking.
"Interesting..."
Luo Yue perked up a little.
Though she had said she would never come here even if it killed her, her body had been quite honest.
The "archaeology genes" in her bones were restless after all. Even transmigration could not change that.
Otherwise, she would not have been so stubbornly reckless as to insist on tasting those two lingzhi mushrooms that had sent her into another world.
Perhaps eating them really could prolong her life?
Why else would she have gone to such trouble to dig up those two mushrooms? Well, her life had indeed been prolonged now, but no one had told her eating them would make her transmigrate...