Chapter 103

Chapter 103

◎The Little Wallet Arrives◎

As Ji Yuanting had previously speculated, the construction of the subway had unearthed various-sized tombs, halting the project temporarily and bringing in the archaeological team.

Initially, the discovered burial area was not large, but due to its age, it caught the attention of the higher-ups.

According to archaeologists, the burial area was likely the tomb of a wealthy individual, with basic burial items and a modest scale. Because of its modest size, it was well-preserved. Based on the unearthed artifacts, the tomb was estimated to be around six to seven thousand years old.

The reason this small burial area drew so much attention was that the burial items already featured fairly complete inscriptions and social hierarchy systems, clearly indicating a transition from primitive society to slave society, with a continuous cultural lineage.

However, according to historical records, the first hereditary dynasty in recorded history emerged over five thousand years ago, meaning these unearthed artifacts could potentially rewrite history.

If the matter were that simple, it would only concern the archaeological community and archaeologists, and wouldn't need the Management Bureau's involvement.

But later, after on-site investigations by experts, it was speculated that there might be a larger tomb here, as signs of a tomb-raiding passage were discovered.

The signs of the passage were likely buried by centuries of geological changes, making them difficult to find. However, the presence of a passage was enough to prove that there were other tombs here.

Indeed, after some time of searching, they discovered an underground tomb in a sandy desert area. The tomb was of a grand scale and, due to the unique geographical environment of the desert, was well-preserved.

This discovery was enough to send shockwaves through the archaeological community, and many experts were dispatched to start classified work.

On the way back to the camp by car, the student who had come with Yan Beisheng to pick them up and act as the driver gave a quick rundown of the process of how the tomb area was discovered.

Ji Yuanting asked, "What happened later that alerted the Management Bureau and left so many Taoists out of touch with the outside world for over a year?"

The student replied, "Later, we discovered the largest tomb and found its entrance. But after entering less than a hundred meters, we encountered a group of tomb raiders who had died in the passage. Hundreds of years had passed, and their bodies had become mummified. We moved the bodies out, but when we tried to enter again, the passage had vanished."

Ji Nanxing, who had been taking in the desert landscape, turned to look: "Vanished?"

The student nodded: "Yes, vanished. After the people who moved the bodies exited, the entrance to the passage could no longer be found. But there were murals in that passage, and a team was documenting the murals. That team disappeared along with the passage."

Ji Yuanting glanced at his master and said, "A phantom tomb?"

Yan Beisheng shook his head: "Not a phantom tomb. Guess again."

Ji Yuanting thought for a moment: "A dimensional rift?"

In some places with unique magnetic fields, there can be spatial overlaps. For example, there was once a hot spring mountain where a few college students on a trip accidentally entered and almost couldn't return. At that time, their master happened to pass by, sensed something unusual, and left his body directly to follow the rift and bring the students out.

That situation was extremely dangerous. Even someone as capable as their master couldn't bring everyone back completely unharmed. Although the students' lives were saved, their incomplete souls would certainly impact their lives. However, being able to come out alive was already quite fortunate.

Yan Beisheng looked at his younger disciple: "What do you think?"

Ji Nanxing pondered: "It doesn't seem like a dimensional rift. Dimensional rifts usually exist at the boundary between yin and yang. Stepping into one leads directly to the underworld, and ordinary people wouldn't see another world unless they accidentally entered. But that tomb has been buried there for so many years."

Ji Nanxing asked, "Was the tomb's entrance difficult to open?"

The student replied, "Not particularly. Although there were mechanisms, they were simple. Thousands of years ago, tombs were rare, and mechanisms were mainly set up to prevent animals from disturbing the tomb, so they weren't complex. It was only later generations who, valuing the afterlife and increasing burial objects, began to guard against thieves, and the mechanisms became more complex."

Ji Nanxing said, "If the mechanisms weren't complex, how could those who managed to enter die in the entrance passage? Unless what they saw wasn't the entrance passage but a dead end they couldn't escape from. This feels more like a hallucinatory force, such as a ghost wall."

Yan Beisheng smiled: "Very close. But what's inside is even more powerful than a ghost wall. The entire tomb is under its control, forming its own domain—a spectral domain."

Ji Nanxing and Ji Yuanting were both shocked: "A spectral domain?"

To control an entire area as one's own domain, in the world of the living, this would be equivalent to declaring oneself king. In the world of the dead, it holds the same meaning. Without reaching the level of a ghost king, an ordinary lingering ghost could never achieve this.

Ji Nanxing looked at his master and asked, "So there's a Ghost King in that tomb?"

If that's the case, it's not hard to understand why the top officials from the Supernatural Affairs Bureau have been trapped here for nearly a year.

Ji Yuanting, even more curious, asked, "Has the Ghost King been dealt with? Sent to the underworld?"

Yan Beisheng, with a look of difficulty, said, "After a lot of reasoning and emotional appeals, we finally managed to send it away. But even though the Ghost King is gone, the things inside are still very sinister. We had no choice but to stay and provide protection for the archaeologists. This time, we managed to get some leave so you could come and see for yourselves. Given the scale of the tomb, we might have to guard it for a while longer."

But the most difficult thing has been resolved, so there's no need for everyone to stay here. Just one or two people need to remain to guard against any unexpected supernatural events.

A tomb that hasn't seen the light of day for thousands of years is full of strange things. So, to protect the archaeologists, the higher-ups have provided a substantial subsidy, with a substantial bonus.

Hu Jia, who was driving in front, tried hard to suppress the twitch at the corner of his mouth upon hearing Yan Beisheng's words.

He was studying archaeology, and because he had a very capable mentor, he was able to participate in this rare opportunity.

Before this incident, he had no idea their country even had such a Bureau. Even though archaeology often brings one into contact with so-called legends, he always tried to explain them scientifically.

For example, hallucinations in tombs are not caused by ghosts but by poor air circulation or the presence of hallucinogenic spices buried inside.

Or, coming out of a tomb and contracting strange illnesses is not a curse but likely an unknown fungal infection.

But after the Bureau's top officials arrived and used unconventional methods to reopen the tomb, rescuing the team that was almost trapped in the corridor, their worldview began to shift.

Moreover, after Hu Jia was assigned as an assistant to these Bureau officials and saw how they trapped the big boss inside the tomb and engaged in a battle with a lingering ghost from a distance, he would never forget it for the rest of his life.

What reasoning and persuasion? It was clearly a group of people trapping the big boss within a formation, beating it if it didn't obey, beating it if it didn't cooperate, and beating it if it didn't want to go to the underworld. Among them, Master Yan was the fiercest. It wasn't convinced to leave; it was forced out.

If Ji Nanxing could hear Hu Jia's thoughts, he would just smile and tell him that his master had even fought with border-crossing underworld soldiers, so a Ghost King was nothing.

Ji Yuanting asked, "Was the Ghost King the tomb owner?"

Yan Beisheng shook his head and said, "No, it wasn't. It was a loyal servant of the tomb owner. Guarding the tomb was his lifelong obsession, so much so that he willingly sacrificed himself to be buried with his master. Later, his obsession didn't dissipate, and he became a lingering ghost in the tomb. Over time, as he was gradually corroded by the yin energy, he regained consciousness and gained power due to the tomb's geographical conditions."

Because guarding the tomb was his obsession, both in life and death, the entire tomb became his domain. Thus, he refused to leave and sought to kill anyone who entered the tomb.

But such a large tomb, belonging to a royal ruler from six or seven millennia ago, holds enough value to shock the world. Moreover, since the tomb has been opened and air is circulating, the artifacts inside will oxidize and decay if not promptly removed and preserved.

Yan Beisheng wasn't known for his patience. If they resisted, he would fight. After all, they had the numbers, and they employed a relentless strategy to subdue the Ghost King and send it away. Once that was done, their mission was complete.

Ji Nanxing pursed his lips. He grasped the tomb's significance for the country and society—it was proof of history and a cultural heritage.

But from the ghost's perspective, it merely sought to protect its master's tomb, hoping its master would remain undisturbed in death.

Yan Beisheng called out, "My beloved disciple."

Ji Yuanting didn't turn around; he knew his master wasn't calling him.

Ji Nanxing turned to look at his master and then received a flick on the forehead.

Ji Nanxing blinked and rubbed his forehead, "Master?"

Yan Beisheng smiled and said, "The cycle of yin and yang follows its own order. Sometimes, you can't just do as you please."

Ji Nanxing whispered, "I didn't say anything."

Yan Beisheng: "I know what you're thinking just by the look in your eyes. Do you know why he finally agreed to leave?"

Ji Nanxing: "Because he couldn't win, he had to leave?"

Yan Beisheng smiled and pinched his face: "Have you ever seen a lingering ghost with an unrelenting obsession that would give up just because it can't win? If it becomes an obsession, there's no possibility of compromise."

Ji Nanxing thought of those lingering ghosts who would rather risk their souls dissipating than enter the cycle of reincarnation, their obsessions unfulfilled, and found it strange: "Then why did he leave?"

Yan Beisheng: "Because the person he was guarding has actually been waiting for him in the underworld the whole time."

Fortunately, they now have some communication with the Yin Officers; otherwise, with the Ghost King in the tomb, sending him away would have been an endless struggle.

Ji Yuanting exclaimed: "A two-way journey!"

Thousands of years, one guarding the mortal world, the other waiting in the underworld—it's hard to tell if they missed each other or if it was worth it.

Hearing that the Ghost King left voluntarily, Ji Nanxing felt it wasn't so bad: "Master, what did you call us here to see?"

Yan Beisheng: "To expand your knowledge. A tomb dating back thousands of years is a rare discovery. There are many small things down here, and it's also a chance for you to practice. Also, as one of the first batch of consultants on duty, by the time I get back, you'll probably be in college, so I can take this family leave. And,"

Ji Nanxing: "And what?"

Yan Beisheng: "The government subsidy has to be deposited into your account. If it goes directly into mine, I'll be in big trouble."

Yan Beisheng sighed heavily. A life that lacks many things but not life itself isn't easy.

But luckily, his tough fate can withstand his disciple's destiny, and with a disciple who brings wealth, life can just about manage.

After driving for several hours, they arrived at the camp. Although the archaeological camp was in the desert, the tents were sturdy and large, and inside was clean without a trace of sand.

After checking the living conditions, Ji Nanxing contacted the pre-arranged personnel and obtained permission from the camp leader. A batch of living supplies would soon arrive.

Previously, this place was kept secret, and he didn't even know the specific address, so he couldn't send anything over.

Now that the most supernatural presence had been dealt with, the remaining task was archaeological excavation, and the secrecy level was reduced. Getting supplies over was no longer an issue.

Yan Beisheng dropped his two disciples off at the arranged tent and dragged a pile of snacks to repay debts. Passing by the old-timers in the Management Bureau, they teased: "Oh, your little cash cow has arrived, you've hit the jackpot."

Yan Beisheng casually took two boxes of tea from the cart and threw them over, snorted, and left. He went to play with the archaeology students, not these old-timers.

The big shots from the Management Bureau carried the tea to their tents. A Taoist who wasn't very familiar with the Yulan City Management Bureau curiously said: "Master Yan really dotes on his disciple. Even for just a few days' leave, he had to call his disciple over to meet."

A Taoist who was more familiar with Yan Beisheng just smiled without saying a word. A disciple like that could match an entire sect. Such a disciple is a treasure wherever he is.

And calling him over wasn't just for a simple meeting. There were many lingering ghosts in the tomb that needed to be exorcised. Yan Beisheng, that shameless guy, desperately stopped anyone from doing it, insisting on leaving it for his precious disciple. Exorcising ghosts earns merit.

Ji Nanxing didn't know how much merit his master had left for him to handle. Right after unpacking, he texted Xiao Ye to let him know he was safe.

Soon, Xiao Ye called back with a video. Seeing Ji Nanxing in a tent, he quickly asked: "You're not staying in a hotel? Is it safe to stay in a tent? Could there be snakes, centipedes, or desert army ants?"

Ji Nanxing placed the phone on the table, leaning against a water cup to keep it steady, while unpacking his luggage: "No, each tent has an insect-repelling talisman."

Xiao Ye exclaimed: "An insect-repelling talisman? I haven't seen it in the talisman encyclopedia."

Ji Nanxing: "This is a custom-made insect-repelling talisman from Huiyang Temple. It uses specially made medicinal liquid to draw the runes, creating a magnetic field that insects dislike, achieving the effect of repelling insects."

Xiao Ye: "It can be like that? Snap a photo of the rune for me, so I can try to replicate it."

If possible, he could carry it for Ji Naonao in the summer. His little deskmate has fair and tender skin, mosquitoes must love him, so it's better to prevent it early.

Ji Nanxing: "The rune is easy to copy, but the medicinal liquid for drawing it is probably not shared. Just drawing the rune won't work. Where are you? Have you returned to your hometown?"

Xiao Ye showed Ji Nanxing his surroundings with the phone: "Didn't I tell you about a friend surnamed Lin? He was nailed in a coffin by a dream ghost. I found Wu Yang and a feng shui master to help solve the problem. We're at the Lin family's ancestral grave, waiting for someone to dig it up."

Ji Nanxing stopped what he was doing and looked closely at the screen: "Ghost Nail Coffin? Do you know how many nails?"

Xiao Ye: "Wu Yang said it might be seven nails."

Seven nails, also known as the Death Door Nails, are not easy to remove.

Ji Nanxing asked Xiao Ye to use his phone to take a look around the environment. Lin Chengyi, who was standing next to his older sister, couldn’t help but say, "Brother Ye, you’re still in the mood to take pictures of the scenery? Can you consider my feelings when my life is hanging by a thread?"

Xiao Ye gave him a smirk and then uttered two extremely cold words: "Nope."

Lin Chengyi almost burst into tears.

Lin Chengyi, who had been on the mountain earlier, looked uneasy after he pointed at the grave mound and exclaimed that this was the place he had seen in his dream.

She already believed in the Ghost Nail Coffin situation. Although her brother was unreliable, he was definitely not someone who would make things up. More importantly, when they arrived at the Lin family’s ancestral grave, the Taoist named Wu Yang just casually kicked away a stone on the grave mound, and a foul smell immediately emanated from the soil.

With all these strange occurrences combined, it was hard not to believe.

Seeing Lin Chengyi hiding behind Lin Chengyi, shivering, whether from fear or cold, Fengshui Cheng asked, puzzled, "Don’t you visit your ancestors every year? How come you didn’t recognize your own grave in your dream?"

If he had recognized it earlier, the matter would have been resolved long ago.

Lin Chengyi said with a mournful face, "Everything was pitch black in the dream, and this isn’t a big cemetery, just a series of grave mounds on a barren mountain. I didn’t see any tombstones, how could I recognize it?"

Even if he had recognized it, he’d have forgotten the dream upon waking, so recognizing it would have been useless.

Fengshui Cheng looked around and said, "Your family’s grave site is both good and bad."

He pointed at one spot: "Just a line apart, it’s a world of difference. If the coffin had been buried just a little further over here, the Lin family wouldn’t have the wealth they have now. But over here, there’s abundant vitality. Look at the plants in front of the tombstone, the soil is moist. There’s a saying that water gathering in the bright hall brings riches, which is exactly your family’s fortune."

Lin Chengyi: "Then what’s the bad part?"

Fengshui Cheng: "It’s all about the water. As the saying goes, dry for a thousand years, wet for ten thousand years, but neither dry nor wet only lasts half a year. Moist soil can attract feng shui, but it can also rot the coffin. Once the grave is opened, the coffin inside must have already rotted. It’s probably because the coffin was corroded that someone thought of using the Death Door Nails."

If the coffin was intact, nailing the Ghost Nail Coffin wouldn’t be easy.

Lin Chengyi was curious: "Master, over there the soil is drier. Would it be better if we were buried there?"

Fengshui Cheng laughed: "That spot’s even worse. Just a line apart, the moisture levels are completely different. Over there, the moisture is completely gone. Look at the yellowed grass, you can tell that the land lacks vitality. Over here, the grass is too tall, go crouch over there and take a look."

Lin Chengyi was puzzled but obediently crouched over there. As long as everyone was around, he wasn’t as scared.

Fengshui Cheng asked: "What do you see?"

Lin Chengyi looked around: "All I see is grass as tall as three meters, I can’t see anything."

Fengshui Cheng: "Exactly, graves are most taboo when they’re small at the base, like looking at the sky from the bottom of a well. Such ancestral graves will only hinder future generations’ success."

Lin Chengyi quickly stood up. He hadn’t expected there to be so many intricacies with graves. He originally thought his family’s ancestral grave was quite simple, just a mountain with a few grave mounds and markers, unlike other families who rebuilt their ancestral graves after becoming wealthy, directly building a cemetery on the mountain, which were quite grand.

Lin Chengyi looked at Fengshui Cheng: "Master, where can we choose for the new grave location?"

Fengshui Cheng looked around and said to them: "The feng shui here has reached its end. I suggest you move into a cemetery, because one mountain cannot accommodate two tigers. If it weren’t for some ancestral marital ties, the ancestral grave of the family above might not have tolerated you."

Following Fengshui Cheng’s words, everyone looked up a bit higher, and the family above was none other than the Xiao Family.

The ancestors of both families came from the same village, back in their great-grandfather’s generation. They went out to make a living together, lived in the same alley as neighbors, and helped each other out. That’s why the old man of the Xiao Family and the old man of the Lin Family had a childhood friendship.

Lin Chengyi asked the master which cemetery had better feng shui, planning to make preparations first. After opening the coffin and seeing the specific situation inside, she would explain it clearly to her grandfather. Otherwise, directly suggesting to move the ancestral grave into a cemetery might not be easily agreed upon by her grandfather.

The villagers who were quickly summoned to dig the grave arrived with their tools. Wu Yang looked at the crowd and said, "Those born after the start of spring in the Year of the Dog should not disturb the grave this year. If anyone is a Dog, please step aside, otherwise it will ruin your own fortune for the year."

Before inviting the villagers to dig the grave, Wu Yang had already explained the taboos. He was just reminding them. Everyone who came had confirmed they were not affected. While digging a grave might seem like simple work, ignoring the taboos can bring trouble, so everyone was quite cautious.

After confirming there were no Dogs among them, Wu Yang led the group over.

At that moment, Xiao Ye walked over with a video call from Ji Nanxing: "Hold on, Nanxing has something to say to you."

Wu Yang took the phone and looked at the person on the other end: "What's up?"

Ji Nanxing: "Don't touch the grave yet. First, turn over the soil within three zhang (about 10 meters) centered on the tombstone. Make sure there's nothing there before opening the grave."

Wu Yang nodded directly after hearing this, without asking why.

However, some villagers felt that the workload was a bit excessive. Turning over the soil within a ten-meter radius and then digging the grave would take all day.

Lin Chengyi said, "We really appreciate your help. I will double the promised reward. Please try to finish by midnight."

Midnight was the deadline for the ghost nail, a ritual object believed to trap spirits. The nail in the coffin had to be pulled out before midnight.

As for why they suddenly needed to turn over the soil, Lin Chengyi asked Wu Yang after everyone started working.

Wu Yang said, "They might be concerned something’s buried nearby. It’s better to be safe than sorry."

Lin Chengyi also thought it was safer to be prepared. But now with an additional task, she was worried they might not finish by midnight. She quickly called her assistant waiting at the mountain’s base, asking them to bring more people up.

Not long after, a scream of terror rang out. Those who were turning the soil instinctively looked towards the sound and then backed away in fright.

Someone had unearthed a dead cat from the soil.