Although Jiang Ping didnât know where to find Qin Cheng, Zhang Junâs words gave Jiang Ping an idea. All the things that are happening right now, Qin Chengâs obsession with the tomb, and the vague and intermittent memories that donât belong to him. It seems as if something was changing their fateâŚ.
â If everything really happened as my memory describes itâŚ. â Jiang Ping thought. â Maybe I can go stand guard outside the tomb, in case I can get some information about Qin Cheng, or even find him in it. â
However, before Jiang Ping could act, the subordinate who was watching outside, came to inform Jiang Ping that Li Guoxian had been spotted heading towards Ninghua Village.
ââŚ.Keep an eye on him. Iâll be right there.â
Despite that, Jiang Ping didnât expect that Li Guoxian would seem to have aged several decades after not seeing him for a few months. His hair was gray, his beard was unshaven and messy, his face was filled with wrinkles, and he had dark circles under his eyes. It even looked like he had lost a lot of weight.
âWhat happened to him?â Jiang Ping asked as he quietly followed behind Li Guoxian with his subordinate.
âThis old professor is in his 60s, but he has always dyed his hair and taken care of his appearance. Iâve been keeping an eye on him for the past few months, and Iâve found that he doesnât seem to be sleeping wellâŚ. Moreover, I rented a house next to his, and I often hear him scream at night. As if he has nightmares. He also doesnât seem to eat muchâŚ.â
Jiang Ping nodded. â Iâm afraid that whatâs happening to Li Guoxian must be related to Tang Jiaming, and his nightmares must be caused by him. Besides, recently, Li Guoxian was exposed for plagiarizing his studentsâ academic research, and dating a student of his. For this, X University demoted the professor, and the award he had won not long ago was also withdrawnâŚ. How can a man like Li Guoxian, who values fame and fortune the most, bear to fall from being the most renowned scholar in the country, to a mere nobody? â
Jiang Ping only shook his head, and didnât say anything else. He simply continued to follow Li Guoxian towards the tomb.
However, Jiang Ping didnât expect that Li Guoxian would walk into the tomb.
Jiang Ping and his subordinate didnât dare to go forward. After all, this was the place where several murders took place, and they knew better than anyone how dangerous and mysterious this tomb actually wasâŚ.
âUmâŚ.Boss, should we follow him?â
Zhou Minghua hesitantly looked towards the entrance of the dark tomb. Although he hadnât personally seen the death scene, he couldnât ignore the terrible and frightening nature of the tomb. If ordinary people could die after entering the tomb, who can say that the police wouldnât suffer the same fateâŚ.?
After pondering about it, Jiang Ping looked at the sky. After seeing that the sun was about to set, he said: âIâll go in and have a look. Lil Zhou, stay here to keep watch.â
âHuh? Not good! Boss, you donât know what itâs like inside!â After seeing that Jiang Ping wanted to step into the tomb, Zhou Minghua hurried to stop him: âItâs a fucking dead end!â
âAm I the Boss or are you?â Jiang Ping frowned and growled. âBesides, Itâs not like I havenât gone in beforeâŚ. I remember that the archeological team went in during the day and nothing weird happened. Iâll just go in to have a look, and then come back right after.â
âThenâŚ.then Iâll go with you, Boss!â
âFuck that! Stay here and keep watch! If I donât come out before sunset, you should get the hell out of here and go to the bureau to interrogate Tang Chenggui, who I arrested a while ago.â
Without waiting for Zhou Minghua to reply, Jiang Ping quickly walked into the tomb.
Although the tomb shouldâve been dark, thanks to the lights that the archeological team installed long ago to make their job easier, both the tunnel and the tomb were well lit. Thanks to this, Jiang Ping was able to see from a distance that Li Guoxian was climbing over a wall in the tomb. Jiang Ping had never been to this part of the tomb before, and the last time he came was when he brought that fake Taoist Priest.
Since it didnât seem that Li Guoxian had met any ghosts, after carefully thinking about it, Jiang Ping followed behind him and climbed over the wall as well.
However, after climbing over the wall, he didnât see any sign of Li Guoxian. He only saw a tomb passage, as well as the big marble gates of the Underground Palace not far away.
For Jiang Ping, it felt like stepping into the Underworld, making him momentarily stunned. But only for a brief moment. After all, the structure of the tomb passage wasnât complicated, and there wasnât any place to hide. Even then, Li Guoxian was nowhere to be seenâŚ.
â I was fooled! â
Without saying a word, Jiang Ping turned around, only to meet with Li Guoxianâs wrinkled face. Jiang Ping rarely shivered, but this time, he even hurried to take several steps back.
Li Guoxian âtsk-edâ twice, as if sneering at Jiang Pingâs insolence: âWhat? Did you come here to catch me red handed? To make me look like an evil maniac so you can throw me into jail?â
As Li Guoxian shook his head, he laughed hideously: âIs it fun to watch over me suffering from nightmares night after night?! Jiang Ping, boy, youâre a good police officer, so why are you getting involved in all this? Didnât your Boss warn you?â
âWell, well. Now youâve pissed me off. But this teacher doesnât blame you. This teacher understands that young people can be ignorant and not understand the situation well. But one day, youâll understand.â
â For example, on the day of your death. â
Li Guoxian looked at Jiang Ping, who had his mouth open but was unable to speak. Although the exact words would be that heâs not being allowed to speak, as it seemed he was being choked by an invisible force. At this, Li Guoxian shook his head: âSince youâre here to understand, Iâll let you learn for hundreds of years. Ah, thereâs that boy waiting for you outside, right? My original plan was to lure him here. After all, what rights does he have to eavesdrop on my affairs all day long? But I didnât expect you would come as well. Iâll let that boy come along to keep you company.â
After saying this, Li Guoxian laughed out loud and didnât look at Jiang Ping, who was staring at him as if he wanted to eat him alive. Then, Li Guoxian squeezed the bean-sized Taowu bone in his pocket and walked outside the tomb.
â Why is Li Guoxian fine? Why are these ghosts not attacking him! Zhou Minghua, you fucking better not come here! â
Although Jiang Ping couldnât see the ghosts, he was able to feel that his limbs were being pulled at by many hands. They were pulling his limbs as if they wanted to split them in half, while his neck felt icy cold fingers strangling him. The grip was so strong that he couldnât breathe or make any sound!
Half a minute later, Jiang Ping heard the sound of his arm being broken, and the severe pain that came with it tore him apart. And yet, he still couldnât scream or whine.
Since both the pain coming from his throat and arm were so severe, Jiang Ping didnât realize he had been lifted into the air. Right when he thought he was going to die, the force that was fiercely pulling on him disappeared. He fell to the ground heavily, and fainted right away.
Su Jingmo looked at the ghosts that had disappeared as soon as he appeared and smiled. â Recently, these fierce ghosts have been getting restless. They even dare to come out to grab some âfoodâ during the day. â
As he glanced down at Jiang Ping, who was unconscious on the ground, Su Jingmo tilted his head to the side. Knowing that Jiang Ping wouldnât be able to hear him, Su Jingmo smiled and said: âThe son of the Ning FamilyâŚ.Ning Qing was it?â
âHeh, heâs really a bastard who only cares for martial arts and doesnât appreciate the importance of literature. No wonder the Prime Minister didnât like him at all.â
Having said that, Su Jingmo turned around and walked towards the Underground Palace. As for Jiang Ping, who was injured and passed out on the groundâŚ.What about him? Itâs enough that he saved his life. After all, Su Jingmo wasnât a kind man, so why should he care about this man with twisted arms?
âŚ
The sky was getting dark, and Qin Cheng wasnât sure what Su Weiran had in mind. However, since that man was willing to let him go to the tomb, Qin Cheng would naturally go.
After nearly a month of house arrest, Su Weiran never took action at all. It was as if he was waiting for an opportunity. At the beginning, Qin Cheng didnât understand why he waited for so long, but now he did. This man has been waiting for Qu Zhiwen and Tang Jiaming to figure out a way to destroy the formation inside the tomb!
Although Qin Cheng wasnât sure what that method was, when he thought of Su Jingmoâs slightly transparent appearance, and the things Su Weiran said about Su Jingmo not being able to support the tomb anymore, Qin Cheng had only one thought in mind.
Heâll go to Su Jingmo, even if it means heâll dieâŚ..
He will help Su Jingmo guard the tomb. After all, that tomb was the last and only proof the Xu Dynasty ever existed. Proof that Su Jingmo has been keeping safe for 1,600 years!
After escaping Su Weiranâs restrictions, Qin Cheng stopped a taxi and rushed to Ninghua Village without saying a word.
At the same time, without Su Weiranâs restriction spell, Qu Zhiwen, who wasnât that far away, was able to feel Qin Chengâs qi.
âQin Cheng has appeared! The spell I put on him reacted!â
"
"
âWhere is he?!â Tang Jiamingâs eyes widened as soon as he heard this. But before Qu Zhiwen could reply, Tan Jiaming thought of the answer himself. As his lips raised in a big, hideous smile, he said: âHeâs going to Ninghua Village, right? Quick! Letâs go after him! We canât let him enter the tomb! The soul of that ghost Emperor is about to disappear, if Qin Cheng takes his place, then it will be another thousand years until the formation inside the tomb weakens! I canât wait any longer!â
Right after saying that, Tang Jiaming used an unknown technique and disappeared right in front of Qu Zhiwenâs eyes.
When he saw Tang Jiaming disappear right in front of him, Qu Zhiwen stood stunned for a moment. The spell to transport instantly wasnât a difficult spell, but in Tang Jiamingâs current state, it was a life threatening technique.
â Tang Jiaming is really desperateâŚ. â
After thinking about it, Qu Zhiwen also used that technique and disappeared into thin air in the dark of the night.
âŚ
Since Qin Cheng doesnât have any of these abilities, naturally, he wasnât as fast as they were.
When the taxi driver took the money, he didnât dare to say anything to the desperate young man in front of him, who wasnât afraid to die, and he simply drove away. By the time Qin Cheng arrived at the tomb, it was already late at night, nearly 1am.
Since the only entrance to the tomb was the tunnel the archeological team had dug, naturally, Qu Zhiwen and Tang Jiaming were waiting for Qin Cheng there.
âQin Cheng, long time no see.â
The one who spoke was Tang Jiaming, and even though Qin Cheng didnât recognize him at first, he could tell it was Tang Jiaming from his voice. After allâŚ.the last time Qin Cheng had seen Tang Jiaming, he looked way healthierâŚ.
âTangâŚ. Jiaming?â
âWhat is it? By the tone of your voice I can tell youâre not sure itâs me.â
âWhat happened to-âŚ.â Before he could finish what he wanted to say, Qin Cheng stopped. â Whatever happened to Tang Jiaming, what does it matter to me? He went to great lengths to get the Taowu bones from the tomb. His current appearance is nothing more than karma. â
âIn order to destroy the formation inside this tomb, I used decades of my life.â
âThatâs something you brought upon yourself.â Qin Cheng looked at Qu Zhiwen, who hadnât spoken yet, and frowned.
After seeing them together, Qin Cheng somehow understood why Su Weiran would be at ease to let him come here. â They look like they have been waiting for me to throw myself into their net. Su Weiran should have planned thisâŚ. â
â If they want the Taowu bones, they will definitely not let me enter the tombâŚ. â
Qin Cheng closed his eyes and said: âAre you going to let me in, or not?â
âThereâs nothing more than a dead end for you if you go.â Qu Zhiwen, who hadnât spoken all this time, finally said. âIâm serious, Qin Cheng, do you really want to be this stubborn? Su Jingmo has been using you this whole time! Do you know why he chose you to support the formation in the tomb after his soul disappears?â
âI donât know, and I donât care!â
âThatâs because youâre the only one who can do it! If your soul gets trapped inside this tomb, the formation in this tomb will never be destroyed! You wonât be able to reincarnate, and there wonât be anyone in this world whose blood can dismantle the formation in this tomb!â
âSo what?! Is it so hard not to let this tomb, as well as the history within it, disappear forever? If that were to happen, then no one in this world will ever know that there was ever a Xu Dynasty! Furthermore,â Qin Cheng said sternly. âFurthermoreâŚ. No one will ever know that Su Jingmo ever existed. Right now, heâs still in this worldâŚ. This worldâŚ. still has traces of his existenceâŚ.â
Moral of the story? Never try to reason with a simp! đđ
Hahahahaha Qu Zhiwen, no matter how hard you try to convince Qin Cheng, he only has Su Jingmo on his mind lmao he doesnât care about his own life, he only cares about Su Jingmo! Save your braincells QZW đ¤Ł
.
I have a Ko-fi goal for extra chapters! ŮŠ(･â˘Ěâżâ˘Ě･)Űś âĄ