Teammates who put one at ease (8,000-word chapter)

"A large tomb?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Qi'an turned his head to look at the mountains to the south. In the darkness, the mountains lay dormant, clustered together, their outline resembling a blooming lotus flower.

Xu Qi'an, who knew nothing about feng shui, only glanced at it a few times before looking away. He then noticed that Daoist Jinlian, Chu Yuanzhen, and Hengyuan were all looking at it very seriously, staring intently.

Compared to them, my foundation is still too shallow. It's also because the martial arts system is too low-level; they don't understand feng shui! Wait a minute, isn't feng shui Warlock's specialty?

Thinking of this, Xu Qi'an asked, "Can you understand the feng shui of that mountain range over there?"

Master Jinlian withdrew her gaze. "I don't understand."

Chu Yuanzhen and Hengyuan shook their heads in agreement.

"I don't understand why you're all watching so intently. You're all better at pretending than I am. "Xu Qi'an's lips twitched, then he heard Daoist Jinlian frown and say:

"Although I don't understand feng shui, the principles of landforms are roughly the same. Even if that mountain range is a feng shui treasure land, it doesn't necessarily mean there's a large tomb there."

"Yes, the Daoist priest is right. Feng Shui Master can only see feng shui, not burial grounds." Xu Qi'an looked at Zhong Li.

"The tomb has been dug up, and a foul aura is rising to the sky." Zhong Li's eyes gleamed as she surveyed the terrain and said:

"Shaped like a lotus flower, with its main peak facing east to receive the purple qi, and a river running behind it, suggesting underground currents and nourishment from the black water at the bottom, it is a 'Three Flowers Gathering at the Top' formation. If there is also iron ore in the mountain, then all five elements will be present."

"Are all five elements present?" Xu Qi'an wondered, then asked, "So?"

"The person buried here must be no ordinary person to have chosen such an auspicious burial site," Zhong Li said.

"Actually, I'm quite curious. Apart from Warlock, no one else in the system understands feng shui. So, who chose this tomb?" Xu Qi'an scratched his head.

Zhong Li answered every question, "Besides Warlock, wizards have some knowledge of divination, and Daoist School also know a little."

Warlock originated from the Sorcerer System, and wizards knew a little bit about it, so it's understandable that Daoist School also understood feng shui? Xu Qi'an couldn't help but look at Daoist Master Jinlian.

Everyone else is watching at the same time.

Master Jinlian shook his head. "The Earth Sect doesn't study this kind of thing, but the Heaven Sect and the Human Sect do have some knowledge of it. To be precise, the Heaven Sect has this ability because they have reached a high level of cultivation, become one with heaven and earth, and sense all things."

"Human cultivators, burdened by karmic fire, need to rely on emperors, hence their active study of feng shui. However, they are not as proficient Warlock."

Dean Zhao Shou and I once said that there are three things related to destiny: Confucian School, Warlock, and the imperial court! Human cultivation also relies on the emperor, so why isn't it included here? Xu Qi'an wondered.

Zhong Li continued, "This tomb may contain extraordinary treasures, but it is also accompanied by great misfortune."

She stared intently at the south, a mixture of longing and apprehension.

Xu Qi'an exchanged glances with the members of the Heaven and Earth Society. Master Jinlian shook his head and said, "Let's find the person first. We'll talk about it after we go into the tomb."

Once we find number five, we'll return to the capital and pretend nothing ever happened.

Hengyuan glanced at Zhong Li and nodded, saying, "The deceased is gone; there's no need to disturb them any further."

Chu Yuanzhen expressed his approval, "Furthermore, our preparations are insufficient; we should discuss the tomb raiding matter in more detail later."

Everyone had a strong will to survive and were reassuring teammates. There were no troublemakers or fusssters, which was great. Xu Qi'an was extremely gratified.

As for how to find the person, the group discussed it and decided to start from three aspects.

First, Xu Qi'an used his identity Nightwatchers to mobilize government officials and local militia to search the area.

Second, Master Jinlian and Chu Yuanzhen can fly on swords (objects) and are responsible for the towns and villages surrounding the main city.

Third, Master Hengyuan inquired about the situation from martial arts figures and ordinary people in the city.

"Number Five is from the Southern Frontier. He has distinctive features and is very cute and charming. Anyone who has seen him should remember him," said Master Jinlian.

The cute and charming Xu Qi'an took out a handful of loose silver from his purse and handed it to Master Hengyuan: "The best way to find out the situation is with money, the second best is with fists. Master Hengyuan can use both methods."

Hengyuan accepted the silver and nodded.

Xiangzhou administers eight prefectures and sixteen counties. Xiangcheng is the main city with a population of over 500,000. Although it cannot compare with the capital, it is still a first-class large city.

As soon as it was light, Xu Qi'an took Zhong Li into the city. Apart from the stalls where people made a living and the artisans who got up early to work, the ordinary people were still in bed.

However, brothels and entertainment venues opened early.

The clients emerged yawning, shivered in the slightly chilly morning breeze, and dispersed.

I wonder how the brothels in Xiangcheng compare to those in the capital, whether this little song is pleasant to listen to, and whether the women are pretty or not. Xu Qi'an grabbed a passerby and asked for directions to the government office, his heart as hard as iron, leaving the brothels and entertainment venues behind.

Upon entering the government office, he met the Prefect of Xiangzhou by recognizing the silver gong and the waist token.

The prefect, surnamed Li, was a portly middle-aged man who received Xu Qi'an with great courtesy.

Xu Qi'an sipped his tea and said, "I am looking for a young, beautiful woman from the Southern Frontier. Her features are easily recognizable. I hope Prefect Li will mobilize his men to search for her."

"Once you receive any news, post a notice at the city gate. I will then come looking for you."

Prefect Li nodded. "Rest assured, Lord Xu, I will certainly comply."

Xu Qi'an then took a satisfied sip of tea and continued, "Has anything unusual happened in Xiangcheng recently? Or are there any strange figures fighting nearby?"

Prefect Li thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "No."

After Xu Qi'an left, Prefect Li summoned the Assistant Magistrate and relayed the matter to him.

"Isn't this like finding a needle in a haystack? Although people from the Southern Frontier have distinctive physical characteristics, Xiangcheng is so big, how are we supposed to find them?"

Upon hearing that it was a thankless and arduous task, the magistrate was inclined to refuse.

Prefect Li waved his hand. "I can't refuse a silver gong from the capital, so just give him a perfunctory response."

After saying that, he suddenly frowned and said, "Xu Qi'an, the Silver Xu Qi'an, seems to have a familiar name and title. Go and fetch the official gazette sent by the court yesterday."

Yesterday, the government office received a report from the imperial court, stating that the Bureau of Astronomy had won a great victory in a magical duel with the Buddhist School sects of the Western Regions, and instructing all prefectures and counties to post the report and spread the news widely.

After the official gazette arrived, Prefect Li stared intently at a line of text for a long time without saying a word: "Xu Qi'an, the Silver Gong Xu Qi'an acting Bureau of Astronomy in a magical duel."

"It really is this powerful figure who has arrived." Prefect Li looked at the Assistant Prefect and said in a deep voice, "You must handle this matter immediately, and do your utmost."

He pointed to the official gazette, "That silver-gong-wielding man who just left is the important figure mentioned in the gazette."

"This humble official will certainly do his utmost." The Assistant Magistrate nodded repeatedly.

As the sun rose higher, Xu Qi'an led Zhong Li around the city several times, asking around among martial arts figures, but to no avail.

"Logically speaking, if Number Five had really encountered the evil Daoists of the Earth Sect, she would probably be in grave danger or even captured."

"Master Jinlian brought us here to search for someone, isn't this like looking for a needle in a haystack? Unless he believes that Number Five could escape from the hands of the evil sect."

"That's why they brought us here, following the clues to find Number Five. In that case, there must be traces of battle within Xiangcheng's territory. And according to what I found out at the government office, if anyone witnessed such a fierce battle, they would have reported it to the authorities long ago. The government office couldn't possibly be unaware of it."

"Of course, we can't rule out the possibility that Prefect Li is concealing the truth, but I've inquired around the city for a long time and haven't heard of any strange or unusual things. You know, the people's mouths are the fastest channel for information to spread. I guess I'll just have to go to the brothel to listen to music."

With these thoughts in mind, Xu Qi'an led Zhong Li into the brothel.

"We've been searching all day, and we're starving and thirsty. Let's go in and rest for a bit, have some water, and eat something," Xu Qi'an explained.

Zhong Li hesitated for a moment, then obediently followed him inside.

"Please come in, sir."

A young servant in blue robes from the brothel greeted them warmly and led Xu Qi'an and Zhong Li toward the main hall.

"Choose a fine private room on the second floor and prepare wine, dishes, and fruit."

Xu Qi'an flicked a piece of silver with his finger, his tone as practiced as if he were in a familiar club, and said to the madam, "Urban room, have number 2 and number 5 come over, I'll take them out tonight."

The young waiter in blue glanced at Zhong Li a few times, then gave her a knowing smile, "Then please go upstairs, sir."

Generally speaking, people who bring women into brothels are there purely to listen to music and watch plays. But there are exceptions; some people like to bring women from outside to brothels for entertainment.

Most of these women came from illegitimate backgrounds and were not suitable to be brought home, so they chose brothels.

This guest looks exceptionally handsome, I never expected him to like such an unkempt woman. The servant in blue thought to himself, but his legs were nimble as he led Xu Qi'an upstairs and pushed open the door to a private room.

"Who are you looking for?" Zhong Li asked quietly while eating.

"He's a member of a secret organization founded by Master Jinlian of the Earth Sect."

Xu Qi'an wasn't afraid that his tools would reveal his privacy.

Zhong Li chewed in small bites, and Xu Qi'an still couldn't see her face, only her rosy lips, which were quite pretty, peeking out as she ate.

"His Primordial Spirit is incomplete," Zhong Li suddenly said.

"What do you mean?" Xu Qi'an was taken aback.

Zhong Li did not answer, but said, "Just like your Imperial Academy of Music, your Primordial Spirit and physical body are not in harmony."

After a long silence, Xu Qi'an nodded and said "Oh" in a normal tone.

"Is that Law Treasure you have the Earth Book?" Zhong Li asked again.

Xu Qi'an nodded.

"The Earth Book is an ancient treasure, said to be able to trace back to the era of the ancient human emperor. It was a Law Treasure created by heaven and earth, but it was later broken," Zhong Li said.

"How did it break?" Xu Qi'an asked, intrigued.

"I heard Master Jianzheng mention it; he guessed, well, it was probably Daozun who broke it," Zhong Li explained, taking a sip of wine.

"The Bureau of Astronomy has a catalog of Law Treasure, which specifically records information on Law Treasure throughout the Nine Provinces. It was compiled by the Director himself."

This Law Treasure is very important, as it relates to Master Jinlian's plan to cleanse his sect. If it falls into the hands of the evil sect of the Earth Sect, the consequences would be unimaginable, since no one is confident that they can snatch the fragment of the Earth Book from a second-rank Daoist master.

The Daoist priest must be extremely anxious, but he didn't show it in front of us, Xu Qi'an thought to himself.

Stepping on a paper crane, Daoist Jinlian flew across the land below with a heavy expression. Xu Qi'an guessed correctly; he was indeed somewhat anxious.

When No. 5 failed to reply to the message, he already had a bad feeling. When the fragment of the Earth Book lost contact, Master Jinlian knew that something was wrong.

Who could have predicted that Number Five would have such bad luck? Her cultivation was not weak; even if she encountered a demonic cultivator from the Earth Sect and couldn't defeat him, she could still escape.

Having learned from Zi Lian's lesson, the Earth Sect's demonic path will certainly not, as before, search for each holder of the Earth Book fragments one by one.

It will likely remain hidden in the Earth Sect forever.

If he can't gather all the fragments, his grand plan will be half ruined.

Now, all we can do is pray that Number Five hasn't fallen into the hands of the Earth Sect, so that we can still save the little girl. As for the fragments of the Earth Book...

"Is it fate or destiny?"

Master Jinlian sighed inwardly and revealed a bitter smile.

On the other side, Chu Yuanzhen glided along on his flying sword at an extremely fast speed. With his eyesight, he could clearly see where a battle had taken place with just a glance.

"If the fragments of the Earth Book cannot be found, then the Heaven and Earth Society, which has finally resumed normal communication, will have to lie low again and dare not make a sound."

"This is not conducive to exchanging information, and it will also cause members who have developed feelings for each other to gradually drift apart. Most importantly, Master Jinlian's plan is unlikely to succeed. And since we promised to help him clean house, we have indirectly increased the risk."

At that moment, all the holders of the Earth Book fragments felt a surge of emotion.

[Second: I plan to go to Jiangzhou to investigate a case, and then go to the capital, eliminating evil along the way. Hmm, let's postpone the Celestial Person Examination for a few days. I'll come to the capital after the Imperial Examination.]

After the palace examination, that would be twenty days later, not too late. Chu Yuanzhen actually had a vague guess in his heart that Li Miaozhen was about to break through, which was why he kept delaying.

"This shows that she's not very confident about the battle between the Celestial Person and the Humans, which is good for me. But if she successfully breaks through to the fourth rank, it will definitely be a life-or-death struggle, unavoidable."

[Six: Something happened on the 5th. She disappeared in Xiangzhou. Daoist Jinlian lost the connection between the fragments of the Earth Book and was most likely captured by the evil Daoist of the Earth Sect.]

After a silence of about ten seconds, the message from Number Two arrived, a long paragraph:

[Are you sure she was captured by the evil sect of the Earth Sect? Xiangzhou, right? Is Master Jinlian also in Xiangzhou? I'll come over immediately and we'll search for Number Five together. She's been missing for several days now. Has Master Jinlian found any clues? How could this girl be so unlucky? What are the elders of the Gu Clan in Southern Frontier thinking?]

A naive young girl travels to a foreign land, and they don't even send anyone to protect her? Barbarians are barbarians after all.

Number Two chattered on and on like an old woman, and anyone could hear the urgency in her voice.

[1: If you encounter the evil sorcerers of the Earth Sect in Xiangzhou, a battle is inevitable. Seek help from the local government.]

At this moment, Master Jinlian sent a message: [Number Two, you don't need to come; it's pointless. Number Four and Number Six are also in Xiangzhou.]

A few seconds later, Master Jinlian sent another message: [Do your best and leave the rest to fate.]

Anyone could see the Daoist priest's helplessness between the lines. For a moment, the members of the Heaven and Earth Society felt heavy-hearted. They were worried that the Law Treasure had fallen into the hands of the evil Daoist priest, and they were also concerned about the safety of Number Five.

"Huh, the Daoist priest didn't mention me. It seems that the identity of 'Cat Daoist' really makes him wary. I knew it, people can't have quirks. If you have quirks and let others know about them, that's a living handle to use against you." Xu Qi'an chuckled.

Then, he looked at Zhong Li, "Are you full?"

"Okay!" Zhong Li nodded obediently.

"I have a bold idea," Xu Qi'an said immediately.

"I suggest you keep your bold ideas to yourself," Zhong Li said warily.

A few minutes later, the trembling Fifth Senior Sister of the Bureau of Astronomy was dragged to the street by Xu Qi'an.

"Just point us in the right direction, and with your prophetic abilities, I think we might find a clue."

"In my experience, even if we get clues, it will ultimately lead to a worse outcome," Zhong Li warned.

Sunlight shone on her, making her hair shimmer with iridescent light. She was actually quite clean, but her unkempt appearance made her look like a dirty girl.

"But don't forget, I'm a person with great fortune, capable of offsetting some of your misfortune."

Zhong Li was persuaded by him. She was a well-behaved woman and lacked some of her own opinions.

She lowered her head, her pupils revealing strange, solidified patterns of light. After a few seconds, a slightly hollow voice came. "Go three miles south, and you'll find the clue we're looking for: a blue robe." The man was filled with apprehension.

After saying that, she collapsed weakly to the ground.

"A prophet can only make one prediction per day, after which misfortune will escalate into divine punishment. Without great fortune or the protection of a special magic array, I won't survive more than two hours."

The soothsayer was already plagued by misfortune, and after revealing heavenly secrets, he was directly punished by the heavens? Considering the way the supervisor did things, it felt like this Warlock system was simply a natural-born schemer, a cunning old fox secretly plotting. Xu Qi'an thought to himself as he carried Zhong Li on his back.

"I'll take you away."

The young lady was quite well-endowed! The sensation from her back, and the full, soft feel of her breasts, prompted him to add in his mind.

Three miles into the journey, things took an unexpected turn. Xu Qi'an was struck by a horse galloping through the street, his carriage went out of control twice, and a martial arts figure mistook Zhong Li for his wife, whom he had eloped with, and killed her in a fit of rage.

Why does walking three miles feel like the journey to the West? My god, this woman is toxic. Xu Qi'an thought to himself.

"I'm sorry, I've dragged you into this," Zhong Li said.

"It's nothing, Xu Qi'an has seen it all, I absolutely don't blame you," Xu Qi'an said.

"I... I know how to Qi-Watching Technique," she whispered.

"."

Xu Qi'an pretended not to hear, looked around, and saw a man in a blue shirt sitting cross-legged by the roadside. In front of him was a sign that read:

"Urgent need for help from martial arts masters of rank seven or above. A generous reward offered. Serious inquiries only."

What's with this strong sense of déjà vu? Xu Qi'an moved closer, stared at the man in blue for a moment, and asked, "Brother, what trouble have you encountered?"

The man in the blue robe had a stern expression. He glanced at him, ignored him, and pointed to the wooden sign.

Just as Xu Qi'an was about to speak, he suddenly heard a fierce shout from behind him, "You scoundrel, you killed my whole family, today I will make you pay for this in blood!"

Looking back, I saw a burly martial arts expert, wielding a steel knife, rushing towards me angrily.

"Drink!"

A steel blade slashed down.

The man in the blue robe's expression changed, and he shouted, "Be careful!"

Unexpectedly, Xu Qi'an did not dodge at all, letting the steel knife strike his head. With a sharp "clang," the steel knife chipped.

The man in the blue robe stared wide-eyed, his voice trembling as he exclaimed, "Sixth... sixth rank?!"

The martial arts expert, whose eyes were filled with murderous intent, was also startled awake. He realized he had mistaken someone else for someone else and had actually killed a sixth-rank martial artist with copper skin and iron bones. He turned pale with fright.

He immediately knelt down and kowtowed, "Great hero, spare my life! Great hero, spare my life! I mistook you for someone else! I was blind and didn't recognize your greatness!"

"Get lost!"

Xu Qi'an kicked him away, then looked at the man in the blue robe, "Is my little trick enough to help?"

"Enough, enough, enough"

The man in the blue robe was overjoyed, his face beaming with excitement. "Please, great hero, help me save this person! The reward is negotiable, the reward is negotiable!"

He wondered if he was dreaming, to actually encounter a sixth-rank martial artist; it was like a pie falling from the sky.

"Great hero, let's find another place to talk," the man in the blue robe said.

Changing locations would only lead to other troubles, so it's better to stay where you are. Xu Qi'an suddenly understood why Zhong Li hadn't climbed out of the pit.

When faced with an unclear crisis, staying put and waiting for rescue is the best option—it's so skillful, it's almost heartbreaking.

"Alright, alright then." The man in the blue robe had no choice but to comply. He coughed and lowered his voice, "My name is Qian You, and I am the leader of the Houtu Gang."

"Good name!" Xu Qi'an asked doubtfully, "The Houtu Gang?"

The man in the blue robe explained somewhat embarrassedly, "Our job is to excavate ancient ruins and tombs, bringing the artifacts inside back to light."

Oh, tomb raiders, no, we mean tomb raiders! Xu Qi'an suddenly realized.

Qian You stared intently at Xu Qi'an, and seeing that he didn't seem to mind, he continued, "Around the end of last year, one of our guild's retainers discovered a geomantically auspicious site outside Xiangcheng, which might contain a large tomb."

"After excavation, we found it to be true. But our deputy leader said the filth in the tomb was terrifying, and there might be evil spirits inside. Our Houtu Gang alone can't handle it."

"Wait!" Xu Qi'an called out, staring at him and questioning, "How did your deputy leader know that the tomb's foul aura was so terrifying?"

Qian You puffed out his chest proudly, "Our Houtu Gang's vice leader is Warlock, Warlock rarely seen in the martial arts world."

Warlock?! Xu Qi'an stared in astonishment at Zhong Li, her face hidden in her messy hair, her expression unreadable. Xu Qi'an suddenly remembered asking about it before within the Heaven and Earth Society; although the Warlock System had only existed for six hundred years, six hundred years was only a short time compared to other systems.

The entire Great Feng's fate has only lasted for six hundred years.

Besides the Bureau of Astronomy, there are wild Warlock in Kyushu.

"What grade is it?" Xu Qi'an asked.

"A seventh-rank Feng Shui Master," Qian You replied.

Sure enough, for wild Warlock, the seventh rank is almost the limit. Sixth-rank Alchemist need to attach themselves to a dynasty and receive positive feedback from the people, which is a condition that ordinary Warlock rarely have.

Xu Qi'an nodded. "Go on."

"We prepared for three whole months, recruiting experts from all over and gathering tools, including extremely yang items to counteract the yin and foul energy within the tomb. Only recently were we fully prepared and led our men into the tomb, and then..."

Qian You gradually paled, and anxiety and worry surfaced in his eyes:

"As a result, the gang leader and the others never returned. I knew something must have happened to them. Unfortunately, my skills were too weak to help, so I could only continue to recruit experts to rescue them."

That tomb looks ominous; it could cause these professionals to fail miserably. Hmm, the authorities usually don't deal with these kinds of things, they might even arrest him, which is why he's "setting up a stall" here seeking help. Wait!

Xu Qi'an's heart skipped a beat, and he asked in quick succession, "You just mentioned recruiting experts, hmm, have you recruited a girl from the Southern Frontier? She seems to have quite good cultivation."

Qian You looked at him suspiciously. "How did you know, hero? There was indeed a girl from the Southern Frontier, with immense strength. She traveled thousands of miles from the Southern Frontier, but she was short of money and had been hungry for three days and three nights."

"The gang leader treated her to a big meal and promised to take her to the capital, providing food and lodging along the way, so she agreed to go down into the tomb to help us."

So that's how it is. No wonder Zhong Li's prophecy pointed to this guy. It turns out that Number Five wasn't captured; he had an accident while tomb raiding. But why were the fragments of the Earth Book blocked?

For a bite to eat and a little money for travel expenses, this foolish girl actually went down into a tomb with someone. Is this what they mean by "orcs will never be slaves unless they are provided with food and lodging"?

Xu Qi'an's mind was full of complaints.

Seeing that he remained silent for a long time, Qian You hurriedly said, "There are great treasures in the tomb. If you are willing to help, not only can you obtain the treasures, but our Houtu Gang will also reward you handsomely."

Xu Qi'an glanced at him. "Since you're at your wit's end, reporting to the authorities is actually the safest course of action."

"If we report this to the authorities, I'll be the first one arrested, and the officials won't rush to rescue me. It's not a safe course of action," Qian You shook his head repeatedly.

"I'll take this task." Xu Qi'an nodded.

Half an hour later, Qian You followed this powerful sixth-rank martial artist out of the city, heading not towards the southern mountains, but towards the north.

Qian You reminded him several times that he was going the wrong way, but he ignored him and simply explained, "I'll ask a few friends for help."

Along the way, Qian You went from being full of confidence to being trembling with fear because this sixth-rank expert was just too unlucky.

One moment he was being rammed by a carriage, the next he was being mistaken for an enemy, and then he was being mistaken by officials for a notorious bandit or a wanted criminal.

I almost got caught in the crossfire several times.

"Could this guy be a jinx? Is it really okay for someone like him to go into tombs? What if he fails to save the person and ends up dragging the gang leader down with him instead?"

Upon realizing this, Qian You began to consider withdrawing from the relationship.

"Wait at a distance, as far as possible, and cover your ears," Xu Qi'an instructed.

"Good!"

Qian You responded, slipped into the woods, and left without looking back.

This guy is incredibly strong, but he's just so unlucky, even I can see the problem. After we get back to town, let's find a different place to set up our stall. You guys, boss, you have to hold on! I'll definitely find some reinforcements.

Qian You was feeling heavy-hearted when suddenly, a deafening roar came from behind him, the rolling sound waves shaking the dense forest.

His vision went black, his Qi and Blood surged, and he experienced ringing in his ears. He immediately covered his ears and squatted down.

Several minutes passed before he recovered and patted his aching ear.

"What's going on?" Qian You thought in horror.

At this moment, his hearing had not yet recovered, and he vaguely heard a sharp whistling sound. He couldn't help but look up and saw a sword light piercing through the air, with a man in a blue robe standing on the sword.

From another direction, a paper crane flapped its wings and came flying, with an old Daoist priest sitting cross-legged on its body.

And they deliberately gathered towards the unfortunate sixth-rank master.

"God, a divine helper," Qian You murmured.

He never expected that the expert he encountered by chance on the roadside would not only be a sixth-rank master himself, but also have a friend who could fly and teleport. It was like finding a treasure.

With the help of these experts, how could we not save our leader and brothers?

Go back, we have to go back, go back immediately, cling to this powerful figure, and never let go!

This thought was absolutely firm in my mind.

"The fragments of the Earth Book can't be used, otherwise it will expose my identity. Luckily, I have a loud voice; I communicate entirely by shouting." Xu Qi'an looked at the rapidly approaching Golden Lotus Daoist and Chu Yuanzhen and said:

"Master Hengyuan is still in the city, Daoist priest, please inform him."

Master Jinlian leaped down from the paper crane, taking out the fragment of the Earth Book as she asked urgently, "Have you discovered any clues?"

Chu Yuanzhen looked at Xu Qi'an.

"I have good news and bad news." Xu Qi'an pondered for a moment, then said, "The good news is that I know where your young friend is. She wasn't captured by the evil cultivators of the Earth Sect, but rather encountered some other trouble."

"What trouble?" Master Jinlian asked repeatedly.

At this moment, Master Hengyuan arrived. He heard a faint lion's roar in the city and knew that it might be Xu Qi'an contacting everyone.

Because of the large number of people in the city, it was inconvenient to demonstrate his speed, so he patiently waited until he left the city before unleashing his full speed.

Upon learning that Xu Qi'an had a clue about Number Five, Heng Yuan clasped his hands together, recited Buddhist mantras with relief, and then looked at Xu Qi'an expectantly.

"She's still within Xiangcheng's territory and hasn't encountered the evil sects of the Earth Cult." Xu Qi'an pointed south and said in a deep voice, "She's gone into the tomb."

They've gone into the tomb?!

This answer was truly beyond the expectations of the three of them, leaving them stunned for a long time.

Xu Qi'an saw Qian You returning from afar, his face beaming with excitement. He scrambled to his feet, laughing, "Perfect! The Daoist can question him personally now!"

After some questioning, Master Jinlian and the other two had no further doubts and accepted the fact that they had gone down into the tomb on the fifth day.

"Master, if Number Five is in the tomb, then how come the fragments of the Earth Book are being shielded?" Chu Yuanzhen frowned.

"Besides the Earth Sect's Secret Method, other methods can also seal the fragments of the Earth Book, but they are quite demanding." Master Jinlian gazed southward, his eyes narrowed.

"There must be a powerful array within the tomb, shielding the fragments of the Earth Book and preventing her from receiving our message."

"So there was no signal," Xu Qi'an thought with relief. Then, he noticed a detail: there was a large array inside the tomb, and as everyone knew, the Bureau of Astronomy was a professional array maker.

"Let's hurry down there," said Daoist Jinlian impatiently.

"No!"

Xu Qi'an shook his head. "As I just said, I have bad news."

The three of them immediately stared at him intently.

Meeting their gazes, Xu Qi'an's expression turned serious. "Zhong Li used her prophetic abilities to search for clues, and is now suffering divine retribution."

The three of them stared intently at Zhong Li.

In the slightly silent atmosphere, Master Jinlian slowly said, "Now that we know the whereabouts of Number Five, there's no need to rush. I think we should rest for a while and go down into the tomb tomorrow."

Master Hengyuan clasped his hands together and said, "This humble monk also believes so."

Chu Yuanzhen nodded. "Excellent, very excellent!"

Everyone had a strong will to survive and were reassuring teammates. There were no troublemakers or fusssters, which was great. Xu Qi'an was extremely gratified.

Then, he paused, thinking to himself that the sentence sounded so familiar, as if he had just said it.

PS: I've been working on this all day and finally finished it. Continuing with Chapter Two, I should be able to update before midnight, but it won't be a long chapter. Remember to correct any typos.

Also, thank you everyone for the heart emojis and gifts for the little mare. You are such a wonderful group of readers; it evokes very mixed feelings in me.