At that moment, the stand-in idol in Li Yan's dantian stirred restlessly.
His eyes widened as he scanned the surroundings, quickly locking onto his target.
On the opposite courtyard wall, a black snake, as thick as a man's arm, had appeared out of nowhere. It hissed, its tongue flickering, its eyes glowing green.
The creature was clearly unnatural, enough to terrify any ordinary person.
But to Li Yan, it inexplicably seemed like a rare delicacy.
He stayed calm, pretending not to notice, but his left hand gripped the hilt of his Guanshan blade, while his right reached for the Three Talents Demon-Suppressing Coin in his pocket.
The snake slithered down, silent as a night breeze.
Its head was fixed on the room where the mistress lay, as if anxious, winding its way closer.
Where it passed, the guiding lamps went out.
A realization struck Li Yan.
This snake was likely a creature with cultivation.
The mistress's soul leaving her body was probably tied to it.
No matter what, he'd kill it first.
"Don't move!"
Just as he prepared to act, Wang Daoxuan's trembling voice came from behind, whispering, "Startle it, and it's ruined!"
As he spoke, the black snake seemed to sense danger, its form dissipating, vanishing as if it had never been there.
The sweet scent was gone too.
Li Yan felt regret but not anger.
He knew Wang wouldn't sabotage him without reason, so he asked, "Master, what was that?"
Wang, visibly shaken, swallowed hard. "That was… a Heavenly Spirit, Earthly Treasure!"
Heavenly Spirit, Earthly Treasure?!
Li Yan's heart jolted, recalling the term.
Widow Wang had mentioned that a former dynasty's martial grandmaster, Yang Yi, seeking victory against the Golden Horde, hired treasure hunters to find a Heavenly Spirit, Earthly Treasure. It was forged into a pair of demonic blades, immensely powerful.
Later, the blades went rogue, backfired, and were melted by the Daxing court into 108 Three Talents Demon-Suppressing Coins—exactly like the one he carried.
How could a Heavenly Spirit, Earthly Treasure look like that?
As if reading his mind, Wang whispered, "They come in many forms, born of various causes, but all have gained sentience, embodying the world's fortune."
"Taking such fortune is no easy task. Each has its taboos. Without knowing the key, it's like a reflection in water or a flower in a mirror—visible but unattainable."
"They have two main traits."
"First, they conceal themselves. With sentience, unless they reveal themselves, you wouldn't recognize one even if it sat before you."
"Second, they're fiercely resolute. If mishandled, whether destroyed or captured, they'll scatter their fortune, turning pearls to rubble. Some even take you down with them."
Li Yan frowned. "That difficult?"
"So there's a mystic trade for it—treasure hunters."
Wang shook his head. "The Great Way is boundless, as are its methods. Human energy is limited. Whether orthodox or unorthodox, you start young."
"Treasure hunters with yin-yang eyes are locked in dark cellars from childhood, trained like night owls, their vision razor-sharp…"
"Those like you, with awakened nose spirit roots, are tossed into wilds, graveyards, or deep forests, eyes temporarily blinded by herbs, forced to find their way home by smell alone…"
"And since Heavenly Spirits, Earthly Treasures vary, treasure hunters specialize—some scout mountains, others seas, some burrow into tombs, each with unique skills."
Li Yan's head ached. "Do I need to hire a treasure hunter?"
Wang shook his head. "Most are eccentric and elusive. I don't have those connections."
"But I know some of their methods."
"Born of the world's fortune, they're countered by something specific. Find its true form, align with the five elements and eight trigrams, locate the countering item, and you can claim it."
Li Yan was speechless. "What's that snake's true form?"
Wang gave a bitter smile. "If I could identify treasures, I wouldn't be this destitute. But I know one thing…"
"It's definitely unremarkable!"
---
By dawn, those who'd stayed outside due to conflicting zodiac signs returned.
They'd been barred from the mansion, staying up all night, brimming with curiosity and whispering among themselves.
The mistress's maid kept quiet.
But last night's noises were heard by many, and gossip, embellished with each retelling, grew wild.
In their tales, ghosts and gods tried to thwart the soul-calling, and Master Wang fought them all night to reclaim the mistress's soul.
The more outlandish, the better.
To the mansion's residents, Wang Daoxuan grew ever more mysterious.
Meanwhile, the back courtyard was silent.
Wang, holding a pulse-measuring ruler, checked the emaciated mistress, stroking his beard, brow furrowed.
He'd studied medicine, not on par with mystic doctors but sufficient as a clinic physician.
As expected, though her soul had returned, the mistress remained unconscious, her face gaunt, exhaling more than inhaling.
An old saying went: all people have a finite qi.
Exhaling more than inhaling signaled qi's end.
After checking, Wang and Master Lu stepped outside. Wang shook his head. "As I feared, the mistress's days are few. Her lamp burns low, beyond medicine's aid."
"The good news is, with her soul back, she can rest in peace after passing. Master Lu, prepare early."
Master Lu sighed. "Thank you, Master."
"We returned from the capital with no ancestral burial ground. Please select a auspicious site—not for wealth or longevity, but for peace."
"Naturally."
Wang nodded, leading Li Yan from the back courtyard.
As they left, Li Yan glanced back, reluctant.
From last night to dawn, he'd searched every corner without rest.
As Wang said, Heavenly Spirits, Earthly Treasures hid well. Without revealing themselves, they were invisible even in plain sight.
Though unwilling, he had to leave.
This was the Lu family's main courtyard, now guarded again.
Another chance might come only during funeral rites.
But who knew when the mistress would pass?
His grandfather's health was failing, and with neighbors watching him, Li Yan couldn't linger.
Fortunately, unless a treasure hunter intervened, if he couldn't find it, others wouldn't either.
He could return later.
Lost in thought, they followed Steward Lu to the side courtyard.
After the night, Steward Lu was even more deferential to Wang. "Master, you must be tired. The master says to eat and rest well."
"No need."
Wang shook his head, eyeing the hill behind Gushui Village. "The mistress's condition is poor. I'll eat, then head to the hill to pick a site, lest things get chaotic later."
Steward Lu's respect grew. "Thank you for your trouble, Master."
He ordered food served and bowed out.
Sha Lifei, also zodiac-conflicted and waiting outside last night, couldn't hold back, eating while pestering them with questions.
Li Yan, after a moment's thought, announced his plan to leave first.
Wang stroked his beard. "Filial piety comes first. This can't wait. Don't worry, Brother Yan, I'll find you at the Li Family Village after this."
After eating, Li Yan prepared to depart.
Perhaps to curry favor with Wang, Master Lu, hearing of his departure, had the steward give him travel money and a horse from the stables.
A generous gesture, making Sha Lifei's eyes red with envy.
At the stables, there were over ten horses—not prized steeds, but far better than market scams.
Li Yan, in good spirits, picked a young, docile black horse that nuzzled his hand, eating a carrot.
"Good horse!" Sha Lifei praised, glancing at the corner's tack. "I once delivered saddles for a tanner. I know a bit. Let me pick you a good one."
He rummaged through the pile.
"Huh, what's this?"
Uncovering the tack, he found a stick on the ground.
Black, scarred, with faint dragon patterns.
Steward Lu, who'd followed, frowned. "How'd that end up in the stables?"
Seeing their looks, he explained, "This land had a dozen old estates. The master bought and rebuilt them all."
"One was the former home of Xianyang's Drum King…"
Sha Lifei laughed. "Drum King? Looked like a drum, did he?"
Steward Lu scoffed. "You crude fool, what do you know?"
"Guanzhong's drums are many—ten-sided gongs, Weiqi drums, dragon-twirling drums, old temple drums… countless, each with its lineage."
"Every Lantern Festival, Chang'an holds a drum meet, a thunderous spectacle. To be a Drum King is rare."
"This is a Drum King's relic. I dabbled in drums as a youth, kept it as a memento. It was at home—how'd it get here?"
"Just a beat-up stick…" Sha Lifei muttered, handing it to Li Yan.
Li Yan, fond of antiques in his past life, took it to inspect.
But as it touched his hand, his face changed sharply!
**(End of Chapter)**