Chapter 106

Although Qu Zhiwen knew who took Qin Cheng, he was still unable to find Qin Cheng’s location. However, the one who was the most upset about not finding Qin Cheng wasn’t Qu Zhiwen, but Tang Jiaming, who was almost at the end of his days.

After learning of Qin Cheng’s possible trace from Qu Zhiwen, Tang Jiaming became so angry he even began to bite his fingers. ‘ It’s all that damn Tang Chenggui’s fault! If that guy hadn’t interfered and gotten caught by Jiang Ping, Qu Zhiwen wouldn’t have been afraid of making an immediate move on Qin Cheng for fear of alarming the Police. In the end, we made things easier for the other side! ’

‘ I can hardly wait to kill Tang Chenggui, who is still in the police station! ’

‘ In any case, Tang Chenggui, that son of a bitch, would expose us sooner or later. Not to mention that the bastard has a personal grudge on me, and with Jiang Ping’s methods, he will surely get information about me from him. Rather than having all of us buried with him, it’s better to kill Tang Chenggui first. ’

Recently, Tang Jiaming has been withering, and when the thought of killing someone crossed over his yellowed face, it made him look atrocious. Qu Zhiwen looked at him sideways but didn’t speak.

To be more precise, Qu Zhiwen could guess what Tang Jiaming was thinking at the moment. Although it didn’t show on his face, Qu Zhiwen had already regretted cooperating with Tang Jiaming.

Actually, people like Qu Zhiwen, who want to follow the Immortal path, believe very much in the cycle of karma. Originally, Qu Zhiwen was willing to cooperate with Tang Jiaming, even if he was ruthless, because at least his hands weren’t stained with blood.

Although Su Jingmo wasn’t a living person, he was a ghost who should have gone through the cycle of reincarnation a long, long time ago. Thus, Qu Zhiwen feared that Su Jingmo wouldn’t have a chance to reincarnate. However, according to the methods used by Tang Jiaming, he was intentionally trying to put an end to the unnatural longevity of Su Jingmo. At the end of the day, what Tang Jiaming was trying to do was speed up Su Jingmo’s impending demise, which was something that couldn’t be considered a bad thing.

However, if Tang Jiaming wanted to take a human life, then that’s different. Qu Zhiwen is cooperating with Tang Jiaming, and if Tang Jiaming kills people, then Qu Zhiwen would also have to carry those human lives on his back, which would be detrimental to his practice towards immortality.

“Let me make this clear. If you kill someone, then consider our partnership terminated. You should already know that in my current situation, there are some things I can’t get involved with.”

Both of them knew exactly what the other wanted, so Qu Zhiwen didn’t care to hide his thoughts and said them bluntly: “I also advise you not to get involved in this. You’re a Taoist Priest, you should understand that the cycle of karma will eventually have its reward. After all, this is exactly why you can’t directly harm Li Guoxian, right? Don’t waste all the effort you’ve made so far.”

Tang Jiaming knew this very well. If Tang Jiaming wasn’t afraid of the karma retribution, why would he let Li Guoxian live until now? If he hadn’t taken this into account, then he could have just manipulated ghosts to kill Li Guoxian a thousand times! So why bother with such complications?

Although Tang Jiaming intended to stay by Li Guoxian’s side to find out more about the Taowu bones, he had been refraining from letting the fierce ghosts drag Li Guoxian into an endless nightmare from which he would never wake up again….

“Even if you can really get the Taowu bones, if you commit such a sin, you will not be able to become an Immortal.” What Qu Zhiwen said was the truth. Although he didn’t know where Tang Jiaming had gotten so many magical tools that allowed him to exponentially increase his own strength, there were some things that Qu Zhiwen could see at a single glance.

After all, Qu Zhiwen was different from Tang Jiaming.

Qu Zhiwen didn’t have a destiny related to immortality, and according to his family’s book that had been passed down from generation to generation, without a destiny connected to immortality, even if you get the Taowu bones, the most Qu Zhiwen can get is to live a long life. But he will never ascend to immortality as such.

“If you carry a human life on your back, your fortune would worsen. By then, who knows what’ll happen when you activate the Taowu bones?” Qu Zhiwen glanced at Tang Jiaming and continued: “Do you dare to gamble with your life? So far, I’ve only heard about specific efficacy of the use of the Taowu bones, but neither of us have actually used them. What if what the book says is incorrect?”

“I’ll be fine. I won’t kill that person with my bare hands. If I don’t kill that man, I may end up in prison for a few years, and you will be affected as well. Jiang Ping will haunt you for the rest of his life. Besides, even if you manage to steal the Taowu bones, do you think the Tang family outlaws will let you go?”

Furthermore, not to mention Tang Jiaming and Qu Zhiwen’s current situation, if their fortunes were to get any worse, perhaps in the future, before the Taowu bones could even reach their hands, both of them might die.

“Then tell me, Qu Zhiwen, what should I do?” Tang Jiaming sneered. “Do you have a way to take Qin Cheng away from that man? Without Qin Cheng, how will we lure Su Jingmo out of the tomb? I’ve already spent most of my life for this, if you don’t hurry to get Su Jingmo out of the tomb to steal the Taowu bones, and I die, you won’t be able to destroy the formation in that tomb on your own.”

“Actually, I’m quite curious. How exactly are you going to destroy the formation after luring Su Jingmo out?”

Tang Jiaming looked at Qu Zhiwen and smiled: “I know the overall method. But certain steps aren’t that specific.”

“What steps? Maybe if you tell me about it, I can be of help?”

Tang Jiaming shook his head: “It’s impossible for you to know what it is. This matter must be completely clarified before we can proceed, otherwise, you and I will lose our lives.”

When Qu Zhiwen heard this, he frowned: “Is it that dangerous?”

“If it weren’t dangerous, why would I have to ask you for help?”

“Then how will we figure out what the remaining unknown steps are?”

Tang Jiaming didn’t exactly reply, but said: “Come with me to Pingyao, to the Tang family village.”

“Why there?” Qu Zhiwen was puzzled. “Shouldn’t we try to find Qin Cheng first? What could we possibly do there?”

“You’ll know if you go.” Tang Jiaming looked at Qu Zhiwen and said: “You’d better help us cover our qi. In the past, I didn’t care much when we thought that Jiang Ping was hiding Qin Cheng, but if Qin Cheng really is in the hands of that man, then the situation is different. You said it yourself. Although Qin Cheng has been with that man for several days, he hasn’t taken any concrete action until now. Why do you think that is?

“Perhaps he has no intention of making a move yet?”

“So what is he waiting for?” Tang Jiaming snorted. “Is he waiting until Su Jingmo disappears? Is he waiting until the tomb changes owner? Will he wait another thousand years before making a single move on that tomb?”

“Are you trying to say that he’s waiting for us to act?”

“I’m afraid so.” Tang Jiaming pondered for a moment and then continued: “If, as you said before, that man is Su Jingyan….then he should know that I’m the only one in the world who knows how to destroy the formation inside that tomb. The reason why he hasn’t made a move until now is because he can’t destroy the formation. Since he’s unable to do so, even if he takes Qin Cheng to the tomb and strangles him at the gate, Su Jingmo won’t be able to come out even if he wanted to.”

‘ I must say that there’s a real advantage in studying archeology in this case. Even I’m pleasantly impressed. I mean, being able to identify the possible existence of anything based on very few clues….Tang Jiaming’s way of thinking is very meticulous. ‘ Qu Zhiwen thought.

“Since you asked me to cover our qi, could it be that Su Jingyan has been following me too?”

“Whether you have been followed or not, I don’t know. But recently, I’ve been followed by a lot of people without the slightest scruple.”

“Alright then, I’ll go to Pingyao with you.” When he thought of the oppressive Tang family in Pingyao, Qu Zhiwen said meaningfully: “I just hope you won’t sell me out when the time comes. I won’t be able to stand the Tang family when they go berserk.”

“Heh, you can rest assured. They’re only useful up to this point.”

After Tang Jiaming and Qu Zhiwen covered their qi and silently travelled all night to the Tang family’s village, Tang Jiaming led Qu Zhiwen up a mountain. Only after reaching it did Qu Zhiwen realise why Tang Jiaming had chosen to go to a barren mountain in the middle of the night with a shovel and other digging tools.

“Dig an opening along the back of this tomb. This tomb has been around for many years, and the coffin should have decayed a long time ago.”

Que Zhiwen was speechless. Up to this point, Qu Zhiwen had entered countless tombs and seen countless ghosts….however, this was the first time he would dig a tomb and steal from it. ‘ Digging the tomb of one of his ancestors with a shovel….I’m afraid only Tang Jiaming would dare to do such a thing. But, isn’t he afraid that his ancestors will be pissed? ’

“Why are you in charge and giving me instructions on the side? Wouldn’t it be faster if we dig at the same time?”

“If I had the strength to do it, I wouldn’t have asked you to help me find something.” After all, Tang Jiaming wanted the knowledge about that formation all to himself.

As he spoke, Tang Jiaming looked at the path to the village in the distance. After making sure that no one noticed anything unusual, he urged Qu Zhiwen: “Hurry up. The Tang family has been robbing tombs for generations. If they know that we are digging the tombs of their ancestors under their noses, it wouldn’t be good.”

‘ That’s not quite right. I’m the one who is about to steal something from your ancestors…. ’ Qu Zhiwen thought.

“You’re saying that as if you weren’t part of the Tang family.”

“Oh, when it comes to bloodline, I should be considered more of a Tang family member than them.”

“As far as I know, your mother is the one who’s part of the Tang family, and you’re just taking your mother’s surname. Then you’re only considered as a relative outside the main line.”

Tang Jiaming glanced at Qu Zhiwen, who had dug halfway through, and asked: “How do you know this?”

“Know yourself, know your enemy.”

Tang Jiaming laughed, but didn’t reply. As if he didn’t care.

Since it was the beginning of winter, the night felt especially cold, and because they were deep in the mountains, it felt even colder than in the city. After having that conversation, Tang Jiaming and Qu Zhiming didn’t speak again, leaving only the strange sounds of wildlife among the mountains in the background.

Tang Jiaming concentrated both on watching for anyone approaching and paying close attention to whether Qu Zhiwen had touched something he shouldn’t. When Qu Zhiwen had almost finished digging, Tang Jiaming whispered: “Alright, you can step aside now.”

Qu Zhiwen wasn’t interested in the objects this small grave could have. However, he still stood close to the side to see what Tang Jiaming was trying to do.

At that moment, Qu Zhiwen saw Tang Jiaming kneeling on the ground, whispering a few words under his breath, and then paying his respects to his ancestor. After doing all that, Tang Jiaming began to feel around the tomb with his hand.

Tang Jiaming was so thin that he was nothing more than skin and bones. At this moment, when Tang Jiaming was touching the bones of a dead person in his grave, Qu Zhiwen, who had already seen ‘all kinds of situations in life’, couldn’t help but feel uneasy at what he was witnessing.

Qu Zhiwen could only say: “See? You’re very skilled! It seems that this isn’t the first time you’ve done something like this.”

As he continued to search, Tang Jiaming said: “There are many things only our ancestors know, and the Tang family has very few records.”

About that, Tang Jiaming always felt that it was too strange. Tang Jiaming had read all the books that the ancestors of the Tang family had left behind, and had even carefully studied his father’s records on the tomb in Pingyao. However, the results were not as good as he expected.

"

"

All the records about the genealogy of the Tang family are very one-sided, so they only talk about the origin of how the Tang family came to this location. However, nothing about the Xu Dynasty is ever mentioned.

When Tang Jiaming tried to find a way to disarm the formation inside the tomb in Pingyao, by an unintentional mistake, he ended up in the graveyard where the ancestors of the Tang family were buried. At that time, Tang Jiaming found a porcelain block that had some words carved on it. Only then was Tang Jiaming able to realise many things, things that his ancestor had taken with him to his grave.

For thousands of years, the Tang family has lived in that ravine as gravekeepers. But in the end, due to some life circumstances, they gradually became grave robbers.

The Tang family doesn’t really have any records about the Xu dynasty, but after Tang Jiaming found that piece of porcelain, he excavated many of his ancestors’ tombs secretly, in order to find all the information gathered among the tombs.

Otherwise, Tang Jiaming would have never learned that the Tang family was the key to disarming the formation present in that tomb.

Of course, he never mentioned this matter to anyone.

Since Tang Jiaming studied archeology and history, there were many things that he was able to discover by himself after some careful consideration. For example: Tang Jiaming had the ability to open the Divine Eye ¹ , and according to the history of the Tang family, he wasn’t the only one who had the ability to do so, which gave him the ability to see spirits and ghosts. In fact, it could even be said that the ancestors of the Tang family were masters of spell techniques. Because of this, the Tang Family was not only the key to disarming the formation present in the tomb in Pingyao, but also the even more terrifying and complicated formation present in the tomb in Ninghua Village.

Tang Jiaming’s ancestor left the answer to solve the formation. A blood sacrifice.

However, it seemed that his ancestor had broken the porcelain base that had the specific order of how to disassemble the formation into many pieces. Then, each of his ancestors took a broken piece of the porcelain and had them buried in their tombs when they died. Unexpectedly, Tang Jiaming, the only heir of the Tang family who can perform the art of spells and formations today, was the one who discovered this family secret.

It’s just that he hasn’t figured out the specific method yet. Over the years, Tang Jiaming found six pieces, and he still needs one to put them all together. Tang Jiaming estimated that the last piece would be dug out tonight.

“You can only hide this secret by taking it with you to the grave. Your Tang family ancestors were very clever. Not only did they keep the descendants of the Tang family safe, but also preserved the solution to such an ancient deadly formation.”

Tang Jiaming didn’t care to reply. When his fingertips finally touched a piece of pottery, his heart pounded with joy as he scrambled to pull it out. However, at that moment, Tang Jiaming heard scattered voices coming not far away. Tang Jiaming squeezed his eyes shut and hurriedly put the pottery into his backpack as he said to Qu Zhiwen: “Hurry, fill the grave with dirt again. We have to go, the Tang family patrols the mountain every day, and I’m afraid that they’ll come this way.”

As soon as Qu Zhiwen heard this, he didn’t dare to delay and filled the tomb as fast as he could. Tang Jiaming then led Qu Zhiwen down another mountain path and they fled as fast as possible.

Since they had obtained the last piece of pottery, they rushed all the way back to Xi’an without stopping for even a second. It wasn’t until both men arrived at Qu Zhiwen’s residence that they were able to breathe a sigh of relief and relax.

After all, after they had hurriedly fled from the graveyard, someone had been following close behind them. Neither of them knew who the person, or persons, were following them, but they were able to see through Qu Zhiwen’s concealment spell. In other words, that person was bad news. If they were to fight each other, Qu Zhiwen wasn’t entirely sure that he would be able to win.

Qu Zhiwen could finally relax, after all, he had set up several formations in his house to protect himself, not to mention that he had hidden some magical weapons that he could use in a fight. Because of this, Qu Zhiwen wasn’t afraid someone could break in.

“Hey, hurry up and take out that piece of pottery to examine it. It’d be bad if you took the wrong piece by mistake.”

“I didn’t. The pattern and texture of this pottery piece is exactly the same as the other six parts. They’re also from the same period…” After taking out the pottery piece from his backpack, Tang Jiaming carefully cleaned it. “Indeed, it has inscriptions on the inside. Fortunately, the pottery didn’t get crushed when the coffin collapsed over time.”

As he spoke, Tang JIaming carefully cleaned the inside of the pottery piece. Then, he took a flashlight from his backpack and shined it on the pottery piece to observe it meticulously while he wrote down its contents on a piece of paper.

Qu Zhiwen simply stood aside to look at what Tang Jiaming was recording. ‘ So it is true that this piece of pottery contained a fragment of the method used to dismantle that formation. For a fuller and more concise explanation, this snippet has to be paired with the rest. ’

“What about the rest? Did you bring them too?” Since Tang Jiaming was cooperating with Qu Zhiwen, he knew that this part of the job should be done by Qu Zhiwen, so he didn’t hide the information he had and handed over a piece of paper from his backpack.

As a Taoist himself, Qu Zhiwen was able to understand the terrifying nature of the formation at first glance when reading what was recorded on the paper. ‘ So, is this why there are so many burial pits with countless people thrown into them near the tomb in Ninghua Village? ’

‘ Fuck, people in ancient times sure knew how to have fun, huh? ’

After Tang Jiaming finished transcribing the words that were engraved on the pottery piece, he began to translate them slowly. Qu Zhiwen, on the other hand, added the translation to the paper Tang Jiaming gave him not long ago.

However, right after Tang Jiaming wrote down a specific sentence, Qu Zhiwen suddenly stopped his pen. In an instant, the expression on his face changed rapidly and unpredictably, and Tang Jiaming couldn’t help but frown.

After a long time of being stunned, Qu Zhiwen licked his dry lips, shook his head, and said: “Holy fuck, is this really the Will of Heaven?”

When Tang Jiaming looked at the character ‘Qin ² ’ he had just transcribed together with the part that mentioned the blood sacrifice, he got goosebumps….

“Perhaps….”

Who would have thought that Tang Jiaming and Qu Zhiwen would be such a chaotic and fun duo?

I don’t really like Tang Jiaming that much, but my babe Qu Zhiwen makes his presence tolerable hahaha And I also love Qu Zhiwen’s talent for throwing shade hahaha I love his sense of humor 😂

What’s up with the Qin character 👀 and the blood sacrifice 👀👀👀👀

Remember Qin Cheng’s past life? 👀👀👀✨

Things are about to get interesting~

.

(´｡• ᵕ •｡`) ☆ ☆

Footnotes

<ol><b>天眼</b> <b>tiān yǎn</b> ; One of the Five Eyes in Buddhism (the function of observing the origin of all things and phenomena), which can see through the Six Realms of Samsara (also called ‘six realms of existence’ or ‘six realms of rebirth’. According to Buddhism, they are the forms of existence or destinies that make up the cycle of reincarnation, in which sentient beings are reborn as long as they haven’t freed themselves and achieved enlightenment), near and far, up and down, before and after, inside and outside, as well as the future. Yes, <b>覃</b> <b>qín</b> is the same character as Qin Cheng’s surname ( <b>覃程</b> <b>qín chéng</b> ) 👀.</ol>