After confirming that the strange little accessory was the source of the faint energy fluctuation, Xie Zhaolin wasted no time. She silently left the abandoned courtyard and swiftly returned to the guest quarters the Zhou family had arranged for her.
Once inside, she set up layers of protective seals before carefully taking out the accessory again.
She studied it closely, hoping to trace its origins from its material and carvings, but even with her knowledge, she couldn't identify it. The patterns were ancient and obscure, not matching any common human runes.
After a moment of thought, she tried channeling a small amount of pure spiritual energy into it.
The accessory gave no reaction.
Next, she extended a sliver of divine sense, probing it carefully.
Her divine sense sank into it like a stone into the sea, yet she couldn't detect any inner structure or seal. It was as if it were a solid, dead object.
Even when she infused it with a touch of yinsha energy, nothing happened. It was as inert as an ordinary rock.
Xie Zhaolin frowned deeper and deeper.
What exactly was this thing? Down underground, it had clearly emitted energy, but now it was as dull as ordinary iron.
While she was pondering, Mo Yan quietly appeared in the room, bowing low. "Master, I've investigated. The Zhou family sent people to check, mostly a few local ruffians from the west side of the city and some neighbors who had contact with Zhang Xiuxiu's family. They haven't found anything unusual so far."
Xie Zhaolin nodded but kept her gaze fixed on the accessory. An idea struck her, and she beckoned Mo Yan, "Come, try infusing a trace of dark energy into it."
Though a bit puzzled, Mo Yan didn't ask questions. He stepped forward, gathering a strand of pure black demonic qi at his fingertip, and carefully touched the accessory.
The instant the dark energy met its surface, the previously unresponsive dark purple trinket flickered faintly, releasing a dim, ghostly glow.
The light vanished almost immediately, and the accessory returned to normal, but everyone present saw it clearly.
"This…" Mo Yan's face showed surprise as he looked at Xie Zhaolin. "Master, it… it reacts to my demonic qi?"
Xie Zhaolin's suspicion was confirmed in an instant.
It reacted to demonic energy, but not to spiritual energy, divine sense, or even yinsha.
That meant it was likely a relic of the demon clan, or at least its seal was designed specifically for demonic qi, tied closely to the demon race. But how could a relic of the demon clan be buried under the old home of a mere mortal, Zhang Xiuxiu?
And hidden so deeply?
She immediately looked at the purple tendrils coiled around her wrist. "Zi Ying, how deep underground did you find it? Where exactly?"
Zi Ying's vine extended, measuring a long distance in the air while sending a clear thought: "Master… very deep… about this far… and it was wrapped in a very hidden seal, buried in what seems to be a man-made pit."
Both Xie Zhaolin and Mo Yan's faces changed slightly when they saw the length.
By that estimate, the accessory had been buried at least twenty zhang underground!
Twenty zhang!
For mortals without spiritual power, digging that deep was nearly impossible. Even low-rank cultivators wouldn't reach such depths casually, much less bury something silently. Either someone deliberately hid it there, or the accessory itself carried a hidden secret, maybe even capable of moving on its own.
Whatever the case, Zhang Xiuxiu's past was far more complex than she'd imagined. She couldn't be an ordinary person!
This demon relic was a key clue.
Xie Zhaolin carefully stored the accessory, her gaze dark and intense. It seemed she not only had to uncover Zhang Xiuxiu's past, but also the origins and purpose of this demon relic.
The next few days passed quietly. Xie Zhaolin stayed secluded, studying the mysterious accessory while patiently awaiting news from the Zhou family.
Seven days later, a maid arrived with a respectful bow. "Elder Ming Yue, the Patriarch requests your presence. The matter you entrusted seems to have yielded some clues."
Xie Zhaolin's heart stirred. She rose immediately and headed to the main hall.
Inside, Zhou Wanru sat in the main seat. She smiled upon seeing Xie Zhaolin. "Elder Ming Yue, welcome. Please, sit." She gestured to an elderly woman with gray hair and simple clothes, introducing her: "This is Granny Wang, who's lived in the west side of the city for decades. She remembers quite a bit about old events. Regarding Miss Zhang Xiuxiu, she seems to recall some details."
Xie Zhaolin nodded lightly to Zhou Wanru, then turned to the elderly woman in a calm, gentle voice. "Thank you, Granny Wang. Please tell me everything you know in detail."
The old woman looked uneasy, wringing her hands, and then spoke slowly in a heavy local accent. "Master Immortal… I only heard a few days ago that the Zhou family was asking about Zhang Xiuxiu. It made me remember… it was all nearly twenty years ago."
She struggled to recall. "About… nineteen years ago, I think. I don't remember the exact date. That evening, the old man of the Zhang family returned from outside… not alone."
Xie Zhaolin's eyes narrowed, listening intently.
Granny Wang continued, "He was accompanied by a young woman holding a child. The woman… she looked very young, her features… I couldn't see clearly from afar, but she didn't look like someone from our area. She dressed neatly, her face very pale, like she'd been seriously ill, and the old man had to support her as they walked."
"That child, it was the Xiuxiu girl. Back then, she was still a baby swaddled in cloth."
Xie Zhaolin's heart skipped a beat.
Could this have been Zhang Xiuxiu's birth mother? This was something she'd never heard before!
Granny Wang took a breath and continued, "They entered the city together. But strangely… after entering, no one saw the young woman again. Only the old man returned home with the child."
"A day or two later, the old man took the child to… the Chu family." Granny Wang's voice dropped slightly, as if reluctant to speak. "Later, when the child grew up, she became betrothed to the Chu family… then the next day, the old man died. How exactly, we neighbors never knew."
Xie Zhaolin frowned.
Zhang Xiuxiu's birth mother mysteriously vanished after entering the city? But the old man dying the day after Xiuxiu's engagement matched what Yu Zhu had mentioned before.
So who was this mysterious mother?
Where did she go? Was she alive or dead? And what role did the Chu family play? If the birth mother could be found, all these questions would be answered.
Xie Zhaolin turned back to Granny Wang, her tone gentle yet serious, leaving no room for error. "Granny Wang, do you remember her face? Or… did she say anything? Did she have any special accessory?"