As I closed the book's pages, my breathing grew heavier.
Although just a casual glance, I managed to remember a whole series of things, which kept repeating in front of my eyes.
"Way of listing three realms and countless heavens, outside the three realms there is the realm of four persons, outside the realm of four persons there is the realm of three purity… Heaven round twelve lines, runguan 360 for a circle, heavenly year 3,600 weeks for a week, heavenly year 3,600 weeks for a positive shooting star…" The corner of my lips moved slightly as I recited this passage. I felt somewhat comforted in my heart and my breathing became smooth.
I pressed my hand on the book cover and looked at Mao Yousan.
Mao You San furrowed his brow and nodded, "The talent is indeed excellent. No wonder Sun Zhuo can continue the legacy; even in just ten short years, he has reached that level."
"I didn't ask you to learn anything right now. I just wanted to see if you could understand it. What you see now is not just understanding."
"Two books, please accept them. Find a safe and quiet place, and go to explore them slowly."
"These Four Rules Mirror, many people saw them a few days ago, but most didn't recognize them. Han Zaozi didn't pay attention without intent. If truly noticed by someone with intention, there would be quite a lot of trouble."
I made no sound, quietly listening to Mao You San's instructions.
"The other weapons of the Four Rules Real Person cannot be given to you. He keeps them on himself, and I am useful for it. I think with your talent, you can either learn and make them yourself or buy or borrow them. Whatever you can get your hands on, you will be able to obtain it."
"My suggestion is to leave Jin Yang."
"Contact me again when you can ascend to the Four Rules Mountain." After Mao You San spoke, his gaze became even deeper.
Silence for a few seconds, I bowed once more and made a bow towards Mao You San.
Mao You San threw a small paper ball towards me, which I caught and opened it to find a series of phone numbers written inside.
I silently recited it once and memorized it.
I kept the paper ball close to my body, planning to save it as a backup on my phone later.
Giving me the contact information avoids me needing to enter Jin Yang again; Mao You San has thought it through thoroughly.
"Leave as soon as possible, don't linger, and don't meddle in unrelated matters here."
"I have one more piece of advice for you. There are many things you wish to do, but once you have the strength, everything will be solved effortlessly, and things will happen naturally."
"I have stayed here for a long time and should go home to check on things."
"It is necessary for the bodies to turn to dust, and I need to wash them clean."
After saying these words, Mao You San turned and walked down the stairs.
I originally intended to chase after him.
I lifted my leg but then stopped.
To catch up, to say goodbye?
Mao You San's words already served as a farewell; any further words I would say would have the same significance.
I will still be responding to Mao You San's words.
Indecisive.
The sound of footsteps gradually faded away and eventually disappeared from earshot.
Closed my eyes, took deep breaths, and after a few seconds, my thoughts calmed down.
I didn't go through the book again, placing all my things on me carefully, including Lao Gong's night pot tied around my waist.
The two books were too thick to carry on my body, so I had to tear off a bit of the bedsheet, roll them up into a small bundle, and hang it over my shoulder.
When I returned to the third floor and found Huāyíng and Yu Xiu crouching on either side of the door, both looking towards this side of the hallway.
My appearance made them both stand up at the same time.
Yu Xiu was dumbfounded, showing little reaction, while Huāyíng hurried to my side, appearing slightly uneasy and tense.
"What did Mr. Mao say?"
"Old Mao left." I narrated the previous events.
Huāyíng murmured, "That's right. You need to leave as soon as possible; otherwise, there will be many problems. Without Mr. Mao, with your current fate number, you might not be able to use many techniques."
I nodded.
"Killing techniques, the Drunken Soul Drums, should be useless. Including the Ghost Razor, all the things that can be completed by those with an undead soul are not applicable now."
However, when it comes to martial arts skills, these are considered memories engraved in muscles and should not be affected.
"Yōngháng Jū knows... They know where your parents went back then..." Huāyíng mentioned.
"No, there's another person who knows," I said.
"Another person?" Huāyíng looked puzzled.
I remained silent for a few seconds, and then I smiled and sighed softly, "In the past, these things were all stored in my mind, known as known, but not connected. Now I can understand many things. The other person is Yang Guojin. Have you forgotten? When I told you this at the time, I said that when Yang Manage said those words, he had said that his brother knew a lot about them. However, Yang Guojin went mad."
Huāyíng suddenly understood and nodded, saying, "Yes, Yang Guojin! But... extracting anything from a madman's mouth might not be easy."
"Crazy is relative, it can only be said that no one can make him sober. If Yang Guojin can become sober, that would be great."
"Therefore, the opportunity is not just at Yōngháng Jū."
"The leader is dead, the department of divine beings is leaderless, and Mr. Yang should have some troubles."
Huāyíng nodded again and said, "The department of divine beings is all based on strength, the new leader will be inevitable. As long as Mr. Yang knows how to follow the trend and attach himself to the rich and powerful, it won't be a big problem."
"You mean to call Mr. Yang and join us in leaving? And have him take along Yang Guojin?" Huāyíng asked again.
"Wait for the right time to contact Mr. Yang. Old Mao instructed me to stay quiet and safe, and we four are enough."
"Four people?"
"Tang Shu."
Huāyíng pursed her lips and met my gaze for two seconds before whispering, "You were actually very smart and shrewd before. But now, it feels like you've changed. You're still the same person, but you seem deeper and taller, making it hard to see through you. There are things where being an insider is a disadvantage. You're an insider, but it feels like you're an outsider observing everything?"
"Insight?" I replied.
Huāyíng paused for a moment before nodding.
"Now?" She asked again.
"You and Xiu Xiu, go downstairs to wait for me. Old Qin might have left something for me," I said.
Huāyíng's pupils contracted slightly, asking no more questions. She pulled up Yu Xiu and whispered that it was time to go.
The two women went downstairs.
I went to another room on the third floor that had been broken into.
Upon entering the room, my eyes fell upon a large wooden desk, with some cabinets on either side.
At a glance, everything seemed empty; all that should have been taken was gone.
On a closer look, nothing seemed particularly different.
The sensation of a racing heartbeat did not occur, as if the earlier feeling was just an illusion.
Furrowing my brow, I stood quietly at the door.
After standing there for a while, I finally noticed something suspicious.
There are some problems with the arrangement of the cabinet doors on the right side.
Upon closer inspection, the wood showed variations in brightness and darkness, resembling a displayed character.
I walked closer to the cabinet and noticed that one piece of wood had been soaked in dog blood, making it slightly darker.
Opening that cabinet door, I found it empty, with nothing inside.
Putting my hand on the bottom of the cabinet, I pushed it inward with force.
A dull creaking sound came, and the cabinet began to move. I moved along with the cabinet's rotation.
The cabinet was rotating around a central point.
As I moved with the cabinet, it turned completely away, and I entered a narrow room.
The room is less than 8 square meters, very compact.
There was only a desk in the middle, but there was a letter on it!
