Chapter 77

Chapter 77

The local Daoist Association's elder thought to himself, feeling utterly wronged—what's up with Taicang Sect? No one doubts their background, and the Association isn't easy either. They have to follow some rules for show, but do they need to apply pressure in this manner?

It was truly impossible to offend those with connections.

Wei Xi felt that the elder was looking at him strangely. However, just hours ago, Taicang Sect had helped the Netherworld Bureau uncover a corruption case involving a foreign City God's Soul Collector. The sect was clean and law-abiding, so how could he guess the elder's dirty thoughts, who had been immersed in the corrupt world?

The thin and tall trio of fellow apprentices were directly taken to the police station. When the young officer arrived, he dispersed his colleagues to maintain order. Wei Xi noticed that there were quite a number of people nearby, not only those at the excavation site but also onlookers and reporters from the outside.

The young officer had only mentioned on the way that someone reported two unconscious individuals found at the ancient tomb excavation site. Soon after the research team dug them out, an academic in the team also mysteriously collapsed. Upon hearing the news, villagers from the nearby village rushed over to see what happened, along with some well-informed freelance journalists. Speculations were rife, casting a thick layer of mysticism over the incident, causing significant trouble for the excavation work.

Wei Xi asked the elder Daoist, "Daoist Quan, can you tell what has happened?"

The elder's surname was Quan, and his full name was Quan Yongzhen.

Daoist Quan couldn't help stealing glances at the Black Impermanence scanning the surroundings beside him. He didn't know how to deal with this perverted Taicang Sect member and finally sighed after a moment of silence. "The problem is a bit complicated. The three who fainted are now in the medical van behind. Fellow Daoist Wei, come with me to take a look."

Tuan Jieyi also said to Wei Xi during the journey, "Master, are all tombs this big? This area is probably as large as a village."

Compared to this place and the small grave he had once buried Wei Dedao in, Wei Xi couldn't help but look back several times, his mood slightly heavy. His second disciple seemed to notice, placing his palm on the back of Wei Xi's head, drawing his lowered gaze back up. Then, in a solemn voice, he said, "This ancient tomb is of high rank, not something an ordinary person would have."

Wei Xi felt a bit better. "Is that so?"

A middle-aged man who had just gotten out of a car overheard them and immediately nodded in agreement. "It was discovered by chance recently and reported. It's indeed a very rare large-scale ancient tomb near the capital. Professor Li was ecstatic when he first arrived at the site, saying that the tomb's owner must have been either wealthy or noble in life. After all, it's not easy to come across such a grand and intact burial ground. Once excavated, it will provide invaluable materials for our country's historical research."

As the man spoke, the large hand on the back of Wei Xi's head gently rubbed, and Wei Xi looked up at his disciple, who was calmly staring back at him.

Lost in those eyes for a moment, Wei Xi found some subtle comfort in his heart.

The middle-aged man sighed. "Unfortunately, we haven't finished our survey yet, and Professor Li suddenly collapsed."

From the man's words, it seemed that Professor Li was the one who had fainted at the archaeological site without any apparent reason. After finishing his account, the man's gaze lingered on Wei Xi before asking Quan Yongzhen, "Master Quan, who is this?"

Quan Yongzhen explained Wei Xi's background and then introduced the man to him. "Fellow Daoist Wei, this is Mr. Gu from the local Cultural Affairs Office. He oversees this archaeological project."

Cultural! Affairs! Office!

Upon hearing this introduction, Wei Xi snapped out of his inexplicable daze after looking into his disciple's eyes, staring fixedly at the man.

Mr. Gu met his sharp gaze, his expression puzzled. Did he have an issue with him?

But Wei Xi instantly adopted the most composed demeanor of his life and even shook hands with a greeting. "Hello, Mr. Gu."

Mr. Gu smiled at him. He hadn't heard of Taicang Sect before, but Wei Xi and his companions all looked young and handsome, leaving a good impression on him. However, he didn't take it too seriously.

Daoist Quan was utterly astonished. He had met Wei Xi a few times, and this man always seemed distant and cold to everyone, even to an industry senior like him who held the power to approve membership in the local Daoist Association. What was going on today?

As Mr. Gu turned around, Unity Yi, standing behind Wei Xi, immediately spoke up, "Master, isn't this the department responsible for reviewing advertisements?"

Wei Xi replied, "Seems likely."

Unity Yi continued, "Then we should try to get on good terms with him! Who knows, our sect's ad might actually end up on TV someday."

Daoist Quan: "..............."

After their brief exchange, Wei Xi looked up to see the elder daoist staring at him with an unspoken question. "You two..."

Wei Xi: "Hmm?"

"..." Daoist Quan stared at him for a moment, realizing that the conversation between this master and disciple pair didn't seem to be a joke. After being momentarily speechless, he eventually turned his head away in a daze.

At this moment, he seemed to vaguely understand why many fellow daoists from the association had complex expressions when mentioning Taicang Sect.

What kind of temple was Taicang Sect...?

*****

Black Impermanence also wondered what Mr. Gu did for a living. After learning from Wei Xi that his department reviewed television commercials, he lost interest and pinned his hopes on the young police officer's superior.

Professor Li hadn't been sent to the hospital and still lay unconscious in the medical vehicle. Besides him, there were two others with similar symptoms on a separate makeshift bed. Unlike the gentle and refined Professor Li, these two were in a much worse state. Their clothes were torn, and their faces and hair were caked with mud. Even in their unconscious state, their expressions still held an indelible trace of fear.

Daoist Quan said, "These two were found during the archaeological excavation. They might be villagers from a nearby village. When they were discovered, they were lying together in a cramped tomb. It's unknown what they went through before losing consciousness."

Wei Xi examined them carefully. "No signs of soul loss."

Daoist Quan nodded. "Professor Li doesn't have it either, but his coma isn't normal. I suspect there might be some sort of curse buried in the ancient tomb."

Wei Xi took it in stride, but Mr. Gu frowned fiercely upon hearing this. "Such things really exist?!"

Priest Quan nodded solemnly. "After all, this isn't an ordinary ancient tomb. You mentioned that the archaeological team initially suspected it to be the mausoleum of a prominent family. Such a family might possess extensive knowledge and methods."

Mr. Gu asked, "Then how do we deal with this situation? Professor Li is quite old; he can't just remain unconscious indefinitely."

Priest Quan replied, "It's tricky. Ancient families had many means at their disposal, some of which might not even be recorded in any texts. I examined the tomb site earlier, and there's no lingering yin energy here. Attempting to summon spirits for information won't work either. We'll likely have to explore gradually to uncover the cursed artifact."

Mr. Gu began to worry now. Having worked in his specialized position, he'd unwillingly learned about many things he previously wouldn't have believed, but such knowledge couldn't be disclosed to the public. Quan Yongzhen was a registered senior member of the local Daoist Association, certainly not a fraud. If he was saying this, then the situation seemed far more complicated than they initially thought.

From the side, someone spoke up, "Great Lord Hei, do you have any suggestions?"

Looking up, Mr. Gu saw that it was the group of young people from Taicang Sect, specifically the exceptionally muscular tall one, asking the man in black beside him.

The man in black had remained silent throughout, almost making Mr. Gu overlook him. Now, he pushed up his glasses and spoke casually, "A large clan like this would likely have many relatives and friends. I can help inquire."

Inquire... inquire?

Mr. Gu was slightly confused. Inquire from whom?

He instinctively glanced at Priest Quan, only to find the same expression on the latter's face: "I actually forgot about him!" Meeting Mr. Gu's gaze, Priest Quan fell silent for a moment before clearing his throat. "Since Great Lord Hei is willing to assist, Mr. Gu, you should listen to him."

Listening to his tone, this man in black with the surname He seemed rather formidable. Mr. Gu instinctively followed his instructions, expecting some sort of ritual, only to witness the man pull out a token from his pocket and address it, "Where is the supervisor of the City North Earth God Temple?"

Mr. Gu: "?????"

Whispering to Quan Yongzhen, Mr. Gu asked, "Is he summoning an Underworld Messenger?"

Quan Yongzhen nodded, his thoughts complicated. He heard Mr. Gu muttering, "I've heard about your rituals to summon gods before, they usually involve long incantations. This doesn't seem so straightforward..."

Quan Yongzhen: "..."

Can the way a leader inspects work be the same as ours? Please don't sound like we're inferior.

While Mr. Gu was still wondering if such an informal summoning would work, the moment the man in black finished speaking, the scene reacted swiftly. Within less than half a second, a gust of cold wind sprang up!

Feeling the wind, Mr. Gu was astonished again. "The response time is faster than when I've seen you summon gods before!"

Quan Yongzhen: "...."

Can their attitude towards a leader be the same as towards us?! If you keep talking like this, I'll really get angry!

The sound of the Black Impermanence's voice echoed into the North City Land Deity Temple, startling all the Underworld Messengers within. The Land Deity himself didn't dare to send his subordinates and personally hurried over. Upon appearing, he bowed deeply, "When did Department Head Wuchang arrive in our jurisdiction? We, the Land Deity Temple, failed to welcome you properly. How careless of us!"

The Black Impermanence waved his hand. "I didn't want to disturb you, Land Deity. I have a question for you. Do you know who owns this cemetery outside?"

Mr. Gu couldn't see the appearance of the Land Deity, but after hearing the title, he realized that the man in the black suit had invited the Land Deity, which surprised him even more. "Master Quan, didn't you usually invite Underworld Messengers before? Why did he invite the Land Deity? What's the relationship between a Land Deity and an Underworld Messenger?"

Quan Yongzhen squeezed out his answer through gritted teeth, "The Underworld Messengers in a district fall under the jurisdiction of the local Land Deity."

"A hierarchical relationship?" Mr. Gu asked. "How convenient. Why don't you normally ask him to come instead of going through the trouble of inviting Underworld Messengers?"

Quan Yongzhen: "..."

What the hell was this 'why not eat meat' kind of question?

Mr. Gu found it odd. "Why aren't you speaking, Master Quan?"

Quan Yongzhen: "Haha."

Confused by the sudden silence and anger from the old Master Quan, Mr. Gu was unaware that the Black Impermanence on the other side had already made progress. The Land Deity who had just arrived recognized the place when he looked out the car window. "Isn't this Director Si Ma's residence?"

United Righteousness was envious. "Director... to be so wealthy while alive, I never expected that you'd hold an official position even after death."

The Earth Deity felt a bit awkward upon hearing this. "The Sima family has some influence in Fengdu. His uncle is the head of the Security Bureau for Netherworld's Yellow Springs Road, and they have some interaction with our Bureau. Later, Director Sima passed the national exam and joined our North City Bureau of Earth Deities. He worked diligently, and his annual evaluations from Fengdu were always outstanding. That's why he was promoted rather quickly."

United Righteousness: "...."

Being a rich second-generation while alive, and an official second-generation after death – what kind of unfair world was this?

Black Impermanence seemed well-versed in the intricacies and cleared his throat to interrupt the conversation, sensing United Righteousness' thoughts. "I have some matters to discuss with him. Please, Director Sima, come forward."

The Earth Deity didn't dare neglect the request and immediately set off. In a short while, he returned with a refined Underworld Messenger who exuded an air of prosperity. The moment this messenger appeared, before he could bow to Black Impermanence, his gaze was fixed in shock on the window. "Who dug up my grave like this?!"

Everyone: "...."

Quan Yongzhen's expression also turned awkward. If one considered things from the messenger's perspective, it was indeed as he said.

However, awkwardness aside, a person still needed to be rescued. Quan Yongzhen temporarily put aside his anger at Mr. Gu and hurriedly approached to explain the reason for the summoning.

Director Sima wasn't particularly cooperative. "They dug up my grave, so isn't it only right for them to receive a lesson?"

On one side, the leader who had brought him hurriedly started to persuade him: "Director Si Ma, your perspective shouldn't be so narrow-minded. Isn't this digging up a grave? This is archaeology! Forget about you, haven't the tombs of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors all been excavated? We can't lose our sense of social responsibility just because we're in the Netherworld! Archaeology studies the history of the human world in the past; it's very meaningful and beneficial to many cultures!"

Director Si Ma said unhappily, "That still involves moving my mausoleum. What's the difference from grave robbing?"

Hearing this, Black Impermanence's expression darkened, and he growled softly, "Nonsense! Grave robbing is against the law and disrupts order. The archaeological team has legitimate development permits, and they aren't doing it for profit. How can you compare the two?"

Director Si Ma froze, his gaze blank as if he was enlightened.

The Earth Deity whispered to him, "Now that our Netherworld is striving to reform in partnership with the human world, it's crucial that our staff here work together and set an example. Let alone you, my ancestors' graves were dug up centuries ago, and what did I say? Do you know how much effort scholars in the human world have put into understanding our past? My only regret is being too poor before my death, unable to leave behind more ancient books and artifacts for reference. As a local official, you should understand this principle."

Director Si Ma was struck by a sudden realization, tears welling up in his eyes. "You're right, Your Excellency!"

Black Impermanence praised emotionally, "This Earth Deity truly has advanced thoughts, worthy of being a role model."

The Earth Deity waved his hands modestly. "Oh no, oh no. If Minister Impermanence appreciates me, please speak kindly of me during this year's performance review in Fengdu."

Quan Yongzhen: "…"

Quan Yongzhen looked on in surprise at the ongoing ideological education when Director Si Ma, wiping away tears, turned to him. "Immortal Daoist, there's a Square Heaven Seal buried in the main position of my mausoleum. If you dig it up and offer it some white wine, it won't disturb the human world anymore."

Quan Yongzhen quickly regained his composure, simultaneously startled by the revelation that the object was the Heavenly Transformation Seal and overjoyed as he expressed his gratitude.

After a moment of hesitation, Director Si Ma spoke again, "Furthermore, my book chest is buried in the southwest corner. It contains ancient texts I've treasured for years, along with my own poems and essays. You're free to study those old texts, and as for the poems and essays... If possible, could you publish them? I've written articles for so many years, and I dare say my accomplishments rival those of Li Bai and Du Fu. Yet, in the mortal world, I'm virtually unknown. If these poems could be included in primary school textbooks, I would forever cherish this act of recognition!"

Primary school textbooks... Indeed, a man with aspirations. Quan Yongzhen responded, "I'll do my best to recommend them."

A faint smile appeared on Director Si Ma's face. With a wave of his hand, the unconscious Professor Li on the bed let out a soft groan, seemingly on the verge of waking up.

However, upon seeing the two disheveled individuals lying next to Professor Li, his expression changed abruptly. "These two are tomb raiders! The jade pendants around their necks are part of my burial artifacts!"

In the end, not only did the archaeological team rescue Professor Li, but they also captured two tomb raiders who they initially assumed were lost villagers – it was a bountiful outcome.

Mr. Gu listened to the conversation, somewhat bewildered. Watching Daoist Quan start organizing the temple's people to excavate the seal, he was still in disbelief: "That's it?!"

What about the ritual? Exorcising demons? How could the problem be solved without even burning a single piece of paper?

Daoist Quan felt even more uneasy, as if he had just gone through a public interview, questioning the very nature of his profession: "It's settled."

Mr. Gu looked at the Taicang Sect group with astonishment and couldn't help but suggest to Daoist Quan, "Daoist Quan, I think this method is quite good – efficient, environmentally friendly, and it doesn't disturb others. Let's do this again if we encounter something like this in the future."

Daoist Quan: "…"

Can't you just be a bit kinder? Why do you keep talking nonsense?

Not understanding Daoist Quan's expression, Mr. Gu now had a newfound respect for the Taicang Sect. He even took the initiative to shake hands with him, "Daoist Wei, thank you very much. Your sect has been a great help this time."

Recalling the department the man was from, Wei Xi also showed politeness and immediately proposed after hearing his gratitude, "There's no need to be so courteous, Mr. Gu. We have something that requires your assistance as well."

Mr. Gu didn't take it to heart and chuckled, "That would be wonderful. I'll be more than happy to help."

Wei Xi: "Really?"

Mr. Gu: "Tsk! Don't you trust me? A word is a bond; if I refuse, I'm a dog!"

After that, he went on to marvel at Daoist Quan, "This Daoist Wei seems young, but he's very composed in his actions. He even wants my help. What could my Department of Culture possibly do for him? He sure knows how to save face."

Daoist Quan: "…Haha."

Mr. Gu: "Why is Daoist Quan smiling?"

Daoist Quan looked at the unsuspecting fool with pity, and for a moment, he felt a sense of relief. "Nothing much, you'll find out eventually."