Nightwatcher

Chapter 304: Teammates that Makes One Feel Secure (Long)

# 304. Teammates that Makes One Feel Secure (Long)

“A large tomb?”

Upon hearing this, Xu Qi'an turned his head and gazed toward the mountain range in the south. In the dark of night, the mountains lay silently, nestled together, their contours resembling a blooming lotus.

After a few glances, Xu Qi'an, who didn’t understand Feng Shui at all, withdrew his gaze. However, he noticed that Daoist Jinlian, Chu Yuanzhen, and Hengyuan were all watching intently, their expressions serious and focused.

*Compared to them, my foundation is still too shallow. I guess it's also because the martial artist path is too low-class... -hey, wait a minute, isn't Feng Shui the specialty of Arcanists?*

With that thought, Xu Qi'an asked, "Can any of you actually understand the Feng Shui of that mountain range?"

Daoist Jinlian withdrew his gaze. "No."

Chu Yuanzhen and Hengyuan both shook their heads as well.

*You don’t understand, yet you were looking so seriously, even more convincingly than me...* the corner of Xu Qi'an’s mouth twitched, and then heard Daoist Jinlian frown and say, "Even though I don’t understand Feng Shui, the flow of the earth's veins still tells somewhat. Even if that mountain range is a Feng Shui treasure ground, it doesn't necessarily mean there's a large tomb there."

*True, Daoist Jinlian makes sense; a Master of Feng Shui can only see the Feng Shui; how could they possibly tell there's a tomb underground?* Xu Qi'an turned to Zhong Li.

"The tomb has been excavated, and a thick Yin energy is rising to the heavens," Zhong Li's eyes glimmered with a clear light as she observed the terrain, speaking as she did so. "The shape is like a lotus flower, with the main peak facing east to absorb purple Qi. Behind it is a river, which probably has underground currents. The base is nourished by black water, forming a formation of three-flowers gathering at the top. If there is also iron ore in the mountains, then the five elements are complete."

*The five elements are complete?* Xu Qi'an thought and asked aloud, "So?"

"To choose such a Feng Shui treasure ground, the person buried in this tomb must not have been an ordinary person," Zhong Li replied.

"I'm actually quite curious. Apart from Arcanists, no other systems understand Feng Shui. So, who selected this burial site?" Xu Qi'an scratched his head.

Zhong Li answered, "Apart from Arcanists, Warlocks know a bit about Feng Shui, and the Daoist sects also have some knowledge."

*Arcanists originated from the warlock system, so it makes sense that warlocks know a bit... But Daoists also understand Feng Shui?* Xu Qi'an couldn’t help but glance at Daoist Jinlian.

The others followed suit.

Daoist Jinlian shook his head. “The Earth Sect doesn’t study such things, but the Heaven and Human Sects dabble in it. To be precise, the Heaven Sect gains this ability naturally after reaching a profound level of cultivation, becoming attuned to the world and sensing all things.

"As for the Human Sect, their cultivation involves karmic entanglements, requiring them to attach themselves to emperors, which leads them to actively study Feng Shui. However, they aren't as proficient as Arcanists."

*Dean Zhao Shou once told me that things related to fortune and Qi are connected to three forces: Confucians, Arcanists, and the Imperial Court. Since the Human Sect depends on emperors for cultivation, why aren't they listed?* Xu Qi'an pondered.

Zhong Li continued, "There may be a rare treasure within the tomb, but it is also accompanied by great danger."

She stared intently at the southern mountains, both eager and fearful.

Xu Qi'an exchanged glances with the members of the Heaven and Earth Society. Daoist Jinlian shook his head, saying, "Let's focus on finding Five first. We can talk about the tomb afterward."

*Once we find Five, we'll return to the capital and pretend we never heard about this.*

Hengyuan glanced at Zhong Li and nodded. "The dead are gone; there’s no need to disturb them."

Chu Yuanzhen agreed, "Moreover, we are not fully prepared. The matter of entering the tomb should be considered more carefully."

*Everyone’s survival instincts are strong. It’s comforting to have teammates that make one feel secure...* Xu Qi'an felt deeply reassured.

As for how to search for people, after a brief discussion, they decided to proceed in three ways:

First, Xu Qi'an would use his identity as a Nightwatcher to mobilise the officials and militia of the local villages and towns for a search.

Second, Daoist Jinlian and Chu Yuanzhen, capable of flying with swords (or other objects), would be responsible for covering the towns and villages surrounding the main city.

Third, Master Hengyuan would inquire among the local martial artists and common folk for information in the city.

"Five is from the Southern Marches, with distinct features and an adorable, charming appearance. If anyone has seen her, they should remember," Daoist Jinlian said.

*Adorable and charming...* Xu Qi'an took out a few pieces of broken silver from his pouch and handed them to Master Hengyuan. "The best way to gather information is with silver; the second best is with fists. Master Hengyuan, feel free to use both."

Hengyuan accepted the silver and nodded.

…

Xiangzhou governed eight districts and sixteen counties, with Xiangcheng being the provincial seat, home to over five hundred thousand people. Although it couldn’t compare to the capital, it was still considered a first-tier city.

At dawn, Xu Qi'an brought Zhong Li into the city. The streets were mostly empty, with only a few vendors setting up stalls and artisans starting their early work. Most commoners were still in bed.

However, the brothels and entertainment venues had already opened early, with clients yawning as they left, shivering in the chilly morning breeze before dispersing.

*I wonder how the brothels in Xiangcheng compare to those in the capital. Are the performances good? Are the women charming?* Xu Qi'an pondered, but resolutely left the brothels behind after asking a passerby for directions to the government office.

Upon entering the government office, his Silver Gong badge granted him an audience with the magistrate of Xiangzhou.

Magistrate Li was a rotund middle-aged man who greeted Xu Qi'an with utmost politeness.

Xu Qi'an sipped his tea and said, "I need to find a young woman from the Southern Marches, very beautiful, with distinct features. I hope Magistrate Li can mobilise his people for a search.

"Once there’s any news, post an announcement at the city gate. I’ll check it myself."

Magistrate Li nodded, "Rest assured, Sir Xu. this official will see to it."

Satisfied, Xu Qi'an took another sip of tea and asked, "Has anything unusual happened in the Xiangcheng area recently? Any strange individuals or battles nearby?"

Magistrate Li thought for a moment before shaking his head. "None."

After Xu Qi'an left, Magistrate Li summoned his deputy to relay the task.

"Isn't this like searching for a needle in a haystack? Though people from the Southern Marches are distinct, Xiangcheng is large. How are we supposed to find her?" The deputy, hearing it was a thankless task, felt reluctant.

"Silver Gong Xu Qi'an... I feel like I've heard that name before." Magistrate Li furrowed his brows. "Fetch yesterday's court bulletin."

The prefecture had received a bulletin from the imperial court the day prior, announcing a grand victory of the Sitianjian against the Western Region's Buddhists, instructing all provinces and prefectures to publicly post the news.

When the bulletin arrived, Magistrate Li's eyes lingered on one particular line: "Silver Gong Xu Qi'an, standing in for the Sitianjian in the contest."

The moment dawned on him—this was no ordinary visitor. He turned to the prefect's assistant with a serious tone. "Handle this matter diligently. The Silver Gong who just left is none other than the renowned figure mentioned in the bulletin."

The assistant nodded emphatically. "I’ll see to it at once."

…

As the sun climbed higher, Xu Qi'an wandered the city with Zhong Li, inquiring among various martial artists, but no valuable clues surfaced.

*Logically, if Five really encountered a Daoist from the Earth Sect, she’s likely in grave danger—or worse, captured...*

*Daoist Jinlian wouldn't have brought us all this way to search blindly unless he thought Five could escape from the Earth Sect. If that’s true, there must be traces of battle in this area. But from what I gathered at the government office, no reports of such incidents have surfaced. If there had been a clash significant enough to attract attention, the authorities would have already been notified. Of course, it’s possible Magistrate Li is concealing something, but after so much asking around, I haven't heard a single strange tale. Common folk love to gossip, after all...*

His thoughts drifting, Xu Qi'an looked towards a nearby Goulan and led Zhong Li in. "We've been searching all morning—let’s take a break, grab something to eat."

Zhong Li hesitated for a moment but followed him obediently.

"Welcome, honoured guests."

A young servant in blue clothes greeted them warmly, ushering them into the establishment.

"Find us a private room on the second floor. Good food and fresh fruit," Xu Qi'an said smoothly, tossing a small silver piece to the servant, a move well-practiced by him.

The servant glanced at Zhong Li, his smile widening. "Please, upstairs this way."

Usually, bringing a girl to the Goulan would mean the guest was purely there to watch plays. However, there were exceptions — those who liked brining women from outside to play.

These women were usually not of reputable backgrounds, and couldn’t really appear around one’s house — hence the Goulan.

*This guest is certainly handsome, who knew that he would like this kind of unkempt chick…* the blue-clothed servant thought, as he lead them with light steps to a quiet booth on the second floor.

"Who exactly are you looking for?" Zhong Li asked softly between bites.

"A member of a hidden organisation—the one founded by Daoist Jinlian of the Earth Sect."

Xu Qi'an wasn’t worried about revealing his secrets to his typewriter.

Zhong Li chewed slowly, and Xu Qi'an could only see her small, rosy lips as she ate, not her face. Those lips, he noticed, were quite lovely.

"His soul is incomplete," Zhong Li suddenly remarked.

"What?" Xu Qi'an was taken aback.

Instead of elaborating, she continued, "It's like your companion in the Jiaofangsi—her soul doesn’t fully align with her body."

After a long silence, Xu Qi'an nodded, keeping his tone casual. "Oh."

"Is that artefact in your possession the Earth Book?" she asked next.

Xu Qi'an nodded again.

"The Earth Book is an ancient treasure, said to date back to the era of the Human Sovereigns. It was a divine creation but later shattered," Zhong Li said.

"How did it break?" Xu Qi'an’s curiosity was piqued.

"I once overheard Teacher Jianzheng mention that it was likely the Daoist Venerable who shattered it." Taking a sip of wine, she explained further, "The Sitianjian keeps a record of powerful artefacts in a special ledger—it was compiled by Teacher himself."

The Earth Book was critical to Daoist Jinlian’s plan to cleanse his sect. If it fell into the hands of the Earth Sect's renegades, the consequences would be dire. Xu Qi'an knew this, and it was clear that Daoist Jinlian was likely anxious, even if he didn’t show it.

…

Meanwhile, Daoist Jinlian, riding on a paper crane, soared across the lands below, his face clouded with concern. Xu Qi'an had guessed correctly—he was indeed worried.

When Five had failed to respond through the Earth Book, he’d immediately sensed something was wrong. When the fragment itself fell out of contact, his worst fears were confirmed.

*"Who could have foreseen Five's luck being this bad? She’s no weakling. Even if she encountered a demon daoist from the Earth Sect, she should’ve been able to escape..."*

After the incident with Zilian, the demon daoists wouldn't be so careless as to parade the Earth Book fragments around. It was likely they would keep it hidden away in the Earth Sect.

Without retrieving the fragment, Jinlian’s grand plan would be thwarted halfway.

For now, all he could do was pray that Five hadn’t been captured. If so, she might still be rescued. As for the fragment...

"Fate can be cruel," Daoist Jinlian sighed bitterly to himself.

Elsewhere, Chu Yuanzhen was flying rapidly on his sword, his sharp eyes scanning the ground for any sign of battle.

*If we can’t recover the Earth Book fragment, the newly restored communication in the Heaven and Earth Society will once again be silenced. Without the ability to exchange information, the members who’ve grown close will drift apart. And most importantly, Daoist Jinlian’s plan to purge his sect will be in jeopardy.*

*We promised to help him with this. Now, the risk has increased.*

Just then, all the holders of the earth book simultaneously felt a lurch in their hearts.

【TWO: I plan to visit Jiangzhou to investigate a case, and afterward, I'll head to the capital, eliminating evil along the way. Hmm, let’s delay the Conflict of Heaven and Man for a few days. I’ll come to the capital after the palace examination.】

*After the palace examination, that would be in twenty days—not too late...* Chu Yuanzhen had a vague suspicion that Li Miaozhen was about to break through, which was why she kept postponing.

*This shows that she isn’t very confident about the Conflict of Heaven and Man, which is good for me. But if she successfully breaks through to the fourth rank, then it’ll definitely be a life-or-death struggle that can’t be avoided.*

【SIX: Something happened to Number Five. She disappeared in Xiangzhou, and Daoist Jinlian lost the connection with the Earth Book fragment. It’s very likely that she was captured by the demon daoists of the Earth Sect.】

After a brief silence, Number Two’s message came, long and urgent:

【Are you sure she was captured by a demon daoist of Earth Sect? Xiangzhou, right? Is Daoist Jinlian in Xiangzhou too? I’ll head over immediately to help find Number Five. She’s been missing for several days, has Daoist Jinlian found any clues? How could that girl be so unlucky? What were the elders of the Southern Marches thinking, sending such an inexperienced girl abroad without protection? These barbarians truly are barbaric...】

Number Two’s nagging was laced with urgency, evident to anyone who heard it.

【ONE: If she encountered a demon daoist of Earth Sect in Xiangzhou, then there must have been a fight. Seek help from the local authorities.】

At that moment, Daoist Jinlian sent a message: 【Number Two, you don’t need to come. It’s pointless. Number Four and Number Six are already in Xiangzhou.】

A few seconds later, Daoist Jinlian sent another message: 【Do your best, the rest is up to fate.】

Anyone could sense the helplessness in his words. The members of the Heaven and Earth Society were weighed down with worry—both concern over the treasured artefact falling into the hands of the demon daoists, and fear for Number Five's safety.

...

*Hmm, Daoist Jinlian didn’t mention me. Looks like the identity of 'Cat Daoist' really makes him wary. As I suspected, one should never reveal an eccentricity to others—once people know, it's like handing them a weakness.* Xu Qi'an chuckled to himself.

Then, he looked at Zhong Li, “You full?”

“Mm!” Zhong Li nodded obediently.

“I have a bold idea,” Xu Qi'an suddenly said.

“I suggest you hide that bold idea,” Zhong Li said cautiously.

A few minutes later, the trembling Fifth Senior Sister of the Sitianjian was dragged by Xu Qi'an onto the bustling street.

“Just point us in the right direction using your Master of Prophecy abilities. I feel that we might find a clue.”

“Based on my experience, even if we find a clue, it will probably lead to a worse outcome,” Zhong Li reminded him.

Sunlight fell upon her, and her hair glistened with a rainbow of colours. She was actually quite clean, just unkempt, which made people mistake her for a scruffy girl.

“Don't forget, I have great luck. I can offset some of your bad luck.”

Zhong Li was successfully persuaded. She had a naturally agreeable personality lacked firm opinions.

She lowered her head, and her pupils took on a strange, fixed pattern, glowing faintly. After a few seconds, her voice became distant and hollow: “Head three miles south, and you’ll find a clue—azure clothing… a man… anxious… afraid...”

After speaking, she collapsed weakly.

“As a Master of Prophecy, I can only predict once per day, and after that, my bad luck escalates to divine retribution. Without great fortune or a special protection array, I won’t survive four hours.”

*Master of Prophecy... perpetually cursed with bad luck, and revealing the secrets of heaven leads directly to divine retribution? Knowing the Jianzheng’s style, this whole Arcanist system feels like it was designed for schemers—cunning manipulators behind the scenes...* Xu Qi'an thought, as he carried Zhong Li on his back.

“I’ll carry you.”

*She’s unexpectedly well-endowed!* The sensation against his back, soft and ample, made him add a silent note in his mind.

The three-mile journey was not uneventful. Xu Qi'an encountered a horse that ran wild in the street, two runaway carriages, and a martial artist who mistook Zhong Li for his eloping wife and tried to kill them in a rage.

*Why does this feel like a journey to the West? Is this woman poisonous...* Xu Qi'an internally grumbled.

“Sorry, I’ve dragged you into this,” Zhong Li said apologetically.

“It’s nothing, really. I, Xu Qi'an, have weathered all sorts of storms. I certainly don't blame you,” he reassured her.

“I... I can use the Qi-watching technique...” she muttered.

"..."

Xu Qi'an pretended not to hear that. He scanned the area and spotted a man in azure clothing sitting cross-legged by the roadside with a sign in front of him. The sign read:

"Urgent help needed from experts seventh rank or above. Generous rewards. No time-wasters."

*What is this strong sense of deja-vu...* Xu Qi'an walked closer, staring at the man in azure for a moment before saying, “Brother, what trouble are you in?”

The man in azure gave him a cold look, didn’t answer, and pointed at the sign.

Just as Xu Qi'an was about to speak, a furious shout came from behind him: “You bastard! You killed my entire family! Today, I’ll have your blood for my blood!”

Turning around, Xu Qi'an saw a burly Jianghu warrior charging at him with a steel sabre in hand.

“Hah!”

The saber slashed toward his head.

The man in azure’s expression changed, and he shouted, “Watch out!”

But Xu Qi'an didn’t dodge. The saber hit his head with a “clang,” and the blade curled into a spiral.

The man in azure stared wide-eyed, his voice trembling, “S-s-sixth rank?!”

The enraged martial artist also snapped out of it, realising that he had attacked a sixth-rank warrior with Bronze Skin and Iron Bones. His face turned pale as he dropped to his knees and begged for mercy, “Forgive me, great hero! I made a mistake! I didn’t realise who you were!”

“Fuck off!”

Xu Qi'an kicked him away and then looked at the man in azure. “My humble skills—are they good enough to help?”

“Of course of course...”

The man in azure was overjoyed, unable to contain his excitement. “Please help me, hero. We can discuss the reward—anything is fine.”

He could hardly believe his luck. Meeting a sixth-rank warrior felt like a pork bun had just dropped from heaven.

“Hero, let’s talk somewhere else,” the man in azure said.

*Changing locations would only bring more trouble. Better to stay put…* Xu Qi'an suddenly understood why Zhong Li never crawled out of the pit.

When faced with an unknown crisis, staying in place and waiting for rescue was indeed the best option. She had that down so well, it was heartbreaking.

“Alright… fine…” The man in azure finally gave in, coughed, and lowered his voice, “My name is Qian You, and I’m the helm master of the Houtu Gang.”

_What a great name!_ Xu Qi'an asked, confused, “Houtu Gang?”

Qian You, a little embarrassed, explained, “We specialise in excavating ancient ruins and tombs, bringing the buried treasures back to light.”

_Oh, tomb raiders! No, wait… grave diggers!_ Xu Qi'an understood.

Qian You kept a close eye on Xu Qi'an's expression and, seeing no disgust, continued, “Late last year, our gang’s guest elder discovered a feng shui treasure outside Xiangcheng. There was likely a grand tomb hidden beneath it.

“After some digging, we confirmed it. But our vice helm master warned that the tomb was filled with filthy miasma, likely harbouring evil creatures. Our Houtu Gang alone couldn't handle it…”

“Wait!” Xu Qi'an interrupted, staring at him suspiciously. “How did your vice helm master know the tomb was full of filthy miasma?”

Qian You puffed up his chest proudly. “Our vice helm master is an arcanist, a rare breed in the Jianghu.”

_An arcanist?!_ Xu Qi'an glanced at Zhong Li, noticing her expression remained unchanged. He remembered hearing about wild arcanists before. The arcanist system had existed six hundred years, which was extremely short compared to other systems.

But then the Dynasty of Feng was also six hundred years old.

Apart from the Sitianjian, wild arcanists did exist throughout the land.

“What’s his rank?” Xu Qi'an asked.

“A seventh-rank Master of Feng Shui,” Qian You replied.

_Just as I thought. For wild arcanists, seventh rank is about their limit. Sixth-rank alchemists need to rely on the royal court and the people’s “approval”, something most wild arcanists can’t achieve._

Xu Qi'an nodded. “Go on.”

“We spent three months preparing—hiring experts, gathering tools, including items of pure Yang to suppress the filth and yin energy in the tomb. Only recently did we feel ready to enter. But…”

Qian You’s face turned pale, anxiety and worry flooding his eyes.

“But our gang leader and the others never returned. I know they ran into trouble, but I’m too weak to help them. So I’ve been here recruiting someone stronger to help.”

_That tomb must be extremely dangerous if it managed to cause a group of professionals to overturn their boats… The authorities typically don’t handle these kinds of things, and they’d likely arrest him if he tried. That’s why he’s ‘set up shop’ here… Wait!_

Xu Qi'an’s mind raced as he quickly asked, “You mentioned hiring experts earlier. Did you happen to recruit a girl from the Southern Marches? Strong, skilled, and looks like a real fighter?”

Qian You looked at him, confused. “How did you know? There was indeed a young woman from the Southern Marches. She’s incredibly strong but was penniless after her long journey. She hadn’t eaten for three days.

“Our gang leader treated her to a big meal and promised her room and board if she helped us in the tomb. She agreed.”

_So that’s it. No wonder Zhong Li’s prophecy pointed me to this guy. Five wasn’t captured; she just got into trouble while tomb raiding… But why did the Earth Book fragment get blocked?_

*For a meal and some traveling expenses, this foolish girl agreed to go down into a tomb.* _Is this what they mean by ‘a beast-man will never be enslaved unless you provide room and board’?_

Xu Qi'an mind was filled with curses.

Seeing him lost in thought, Qian You hurriedly added, “There are treasures in the tomb. If you’re willing to help, not only will you get a share of the loot, but our gang will also reward you handsomely.”

Xu Qi'an glanced at him. “Since you’re out of options, reporting this to the authorities would be safer.”

“If I report this, I’ll be the first one arrested. Besides, the officials wouldn’t be in a rush to rescue anyone. It’s not reliable,” Qian You shook his head frantically.

“I’ll take the job,” Xu Qi'an nodded.

…

Half an hour later, Qian You followed the formidable sixth-rank martial artist out of the city. Surprisingly, they weren’t heading to the southern mountains but toward the north.

Qian You reminded him several times they were going the wrong way, but Xu Qi'an ignored him and explained, “I’m gathering a few friends to help.”

Along the way, Qian You’s confidence gradually turned to fear… The reason? This sixth-rank martial artist was incredibly unlucky.

First, they were nearly run over by a cart. Then someone mistook Xu Qi'an for an enemy, and finally, he was nearly arrested by constables who mistook him for a notorious bandit.

Several times, Qian You himself was almost caught up in the bad luck.

_Is this guy cursed? Can someone like this really go tomb raiding without causing even more trouble?_

As doubts filled his mind, Qian You quietly considered backing out.

“You should wait from a distance, and make sure to cover your ears,” Xu Qi'an instructed.

“Understood!” Qian You nodded and darted into the forest, fleeing as fast as he could.

_This man is strong, but his luck is so bad even I can tell something’s wrong… I’ll just return to the city and find a new place to look for help…_

Qian You’s mood grew heavy, but then a deafening roar erupted behind him, shaking the forest and nearly knocking him unconscious. Blood rushed to his head, his ears ringing, and he immediately crouched down and covered his ears.

Several minutes passed before he regained his senses, shaking his aching head.

_What just happened?_ he wondered in terror.

Through the ringing in his ears, he vaguely heard a sharp whistling sound. Looking up, he saw a sword beam streaking through the sky, with a man in azure standing upon it.

From another direction, a paper crane flew in, with an old Daoist sitting atop it.

Both were clearly headed toward the unlucky sixth-rank martial artist.

“I- immortals…” Qian You muttered, stunned.

He hadn’t expected that the expert he casually encountered by the roadside was not only a sixth-rank master but also had friends capable of flying through the air and traversing the ground. It was like stumbling upon a treasure.

With these powerful individuals assisting, how could they not rescue the gang leader and the others?

_I need to go back, right now. I have to cling to this thigh for dear life!_

This thought took root in his mind with absolute certainty.

_I can’t use the Earth Book fragment, or I’ll expose my identity. Luckily, I’ve got a loud voice, I can shout loud enough..._ Xu Qi’an glanced at Daoist Jinlian and Chu Yuanzhen as they approached swiftly and said, “Master Hengyuan is still in the city, Daoist. You should notify him.”

Daoist Jinlian leaped off the paper crane and, while taking out his Earth Book fragment, urgently asked, “Did you discover any clues?”

Chu Yuanzhen looked at Xu Qi’an expectantly.

“There’s good news and bad news,” Xu Qi’an said after a moment of deliberation. “The good news is, I know where your young friend is. She wasn’t captured by the demon daoists of the Earth Sect, but she’s in a different kind of trouble.”

“What kind of trouble?” Daoist Jinlian pressed.

At that moment, Master Hengyuan arrived. He had heard the faint sound of a lion’s roar while still in the city and guessed it was Xu Qi’an calling for everyone. Considering the crowds in the city, he couldn’t display his full speed, so he patiently left the city before sprinting with all his might.

Upon hearing that Xu Qi’an had found a clue about Five, Hengyuan put his palms together in relief, chanting a Buddhist prayer before eagerly turning to Xu Qi’an.

“She’s still in the Xiangcheng area, and she hasn’t encountered the Earth Sect’s demon daoists,” Xu Qi’an said, pointing to the south with a grave expression. “She went tomb raiding.”

_Tomb raiding?!_

This answer took the three of them by complete surprise, leaving them stunned for a long while.

From afar, Xu Qi’an spotted Qian You returning, his face filled with excitement as he scrambled back, laughing, “Perfect timing. Daoist, you can question him yourself.”

After a round of interrogation, Daoist Jinlian and the others had no more doubts and accepted the fact that Five had gone tomb raiding.

“Daoist, if Five is in the tomb, then why has the Earth Book fragment been blocked?” Chu Yuanzhen asked with a frown.

“Besides the Earth Sect’s secret techniques, other methods can block the Earth Book fragment, though they’re quite rare,” Daoist Jinlian said, narrowing his eyes as he gazed southward. “There must be a powerful formation in the tomb, which is why the Earth Book fragment is being blocked, preventing her from receiving our messages.”

_So it’s like she’s out of signal range,_ Xu Qi’an thought. He then picked up on a detail—there was a large formation in the tomb, and everyone knew that Sitianjian specialised in formations.

“There’s no time to waste. Let’s head down immediately,” Daoist Jinlian urged, eager to move.

“No!”

Xu Qi’an shook his head. “I mentioned earlier that there’s also bad news.”

The three of them stared intently at him.

Meeting their gazes, Xu Qi’an’s expression grew serious. “Zhong Li used her prophecy ability to search for clues and is now suffering from the backlash of heavenly retribution.”

The three then turned their gaze to Zhong Li.

In the quiet atmosphere that followed, Daoist Jinlian spoke slowly, “Since we know Five’s whereabouts, there’s no need to rush. I believe we should take a brief rest and head into the tomb tomorrow.”

Master Hengyuan put his palms together. “This humble monk agrees.”

Chu Yuanzhen nodded. “Indeed, a wise choice.”

*Everyone’s survival instincts are so strong. They’re all such reassuring companions, free of troublemakers or drama seekers—how wonderful,* Xu Qi’an thought with relief.

Then he paused, suddenly realising that this sounded oddly familiar, like something he had just said not too long ago.

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