In Lao Chu's perception, the abnormality of Yang Guijin was merely due to the few strands of soul in his brain. As long as they were in the right place, those strands of soul would naturally go out. He had never considered the issue to be related to the scar on Yang Guijin's chest.
Even though Xie Chaoyu had said that it was a talisman, Yang Guijin's abnormality may still be related to the talisman. He had not trusted it.
My emphasis on this sentence immediately made Lao Chu's face look even more unpleasant.
"That Taoist didn't provide a reasonable explanation; he just said it was a talisman, and it's normal for Brother Dada to be injured by one." Lao Chu said with a melancholy tone.
"No matter how you argue, facts sometimes teach people to behave appropriately. I just think that since we are collaborating, we should cooperate well."
"Many of you have told me that my father and Yang Guijin were close friends. I believe that Senior Yang Guijin has come to his senses and will also want to find out where my father went. Moreover, don't you want to know what happened in that tomb?" I countered Lao Chu.
"I don't want to know what happened there," Lao Chu's voice remained cold, and he did not deny my previous statement.
"I have a hunch that the talisman on Senior Yang Guijin's chest might be related to Dou E Tao Guan. It's just that Xie Yao doesn't have some information, so he hasn't connected some dots. If he were to inform the supervisor or deputy supervisor of Dou E Tao Guan, perhaps the truth would come to light."
"Digging the tomb of a Taoist, getting injured by the talisman, does it really not need to be taken seriously?"
"Even if the talisman really won't cause any more harm, what about the person who wakes up in that place? What happens next? Will there be Taoists chasing after you?"
"Whatever was stolen from the tomb, whether it's a body or a ritual tool, they will come to you to demand it back!"
These few sentences, I spoke with absolute certainty.
Lao Chu's face changed dramatically.
"Did you deliberately let the Taoist see my brother?!" he questioned me.
"How could there be any intentional action? I didn't know about that scar before," I shook my head to deny it.
Staring at me intensely, Lao Chu didn't say another word.
The high-speed train moves quickly, and the scenery outside the window passes by like a blur.
The anger of Chuan Ying has improved a lot, but the way she looks at Lao Chu carries a hint of coldness and caution.
"It was the Luo family who did this," Lao Chu spoke again.
"In the eyes of the Taoists from the lineage that had their graves desecrated, the Luo family and the other men are one and the same. Even if it's not Dou E Tao Guan, there must be another Taoist sect involved," I replied.
"You're threatening me?" Lao Chu's eyes hardened.
"I also saved you." I added.
The carriage fell silent completely.
For a long time, Lao Chu didn't say another word, simply maintaining his gaze on me.
I put aside my extra thoughts, took out a piece of redwood magic weapon from my waist, and played with it in my hand.
The train stopped several times in the middle of the journey, and the attendant also came in to ask if we needed anything.
I and Chuan Ying ordered some food, also asking for some for Lao Chu and Yang Guijin. However, Lao Chu grumbled and said he wanted beer.
The taste of the boxed meal was truly unpalatable. While feeding Yang Guijin his food, Lao Chu ate his own meals with one drink after another, as if he were a mute marionette.
Langjing City is further than I had imagined. The high-speed train journey takes exactly seven hours, crossing provinces and more.
My inner thoughts couldn't help but sway again.
That talisman... could it really be related to Dou E Tao Guan?
Perhaps, it was other Taoist sects who did it? Xie Yao noticed some clues?
After all, Xie Yao suddenly changed his story, and it's definitely related to the talisman.
When the train arrived, Lao Chu finally spoke after we stepped out.
He meant that as long as it doesn't endanger the lives of Yang Guijin and himself, I can arrange the affairs of this incident. However, he does not want to delve into that tomb, nor does Yang Guijin; he certainly wouldn't want to go in after waking up, as there are too many dangers inside.
If I truly consider Yang Guijin as my father's close friend, I shouldn't put him in danger again.
As for information, as long as Yang Guijin can remember during that time, he will definitely tell me.
With this matter concluded, I cannot allow any Taoist to keep their gaze on them.
All past matters, deleted with a stroke.
I nodded in agreement.
Lao Chu's expression finally improved, and he gave out another address.
Shanglao Village.
Chuan Ying immediately searched for the address of this village and found that it couldn't be found on the map.
Lao Chu's meaning was that he also didn't know the exact location, as my father and the personnel from Huang Si left secretly. Langjing City, Shanglao Village, is the address that Yang Guijin sometimes wrote on the ground, which must be correct.
In such a large city, finding a village that isn't on the map or in navigation is something I find as difficult as climbing a mountain.
Just then, Chuan Ying suddenly said, "There's a way."
She stopped a car and we all got on board. Then, we asked the driver to take us to the local train station.
By the time we arrived at the station, around 4:30 p.m., the crowds were flowing incessantly. As soon as we reached the entrance of the station, people surged towards us, asking if we were looking for a hotel or needed a ride.
Chuan Ying then spoke to the person, telling them that we wanted to go to Shanglao Village.
The person hesitated for a moment, as if he hadn't been able to understand what Shanglao Village was for a while. He took out his phone and fumbled with it before turning around and walking away.
However, Chuan Ying didn't give up. She walked towards another person who was chasing after someone to ask if they needed a ride.
I finally understood Chuan Ying's intention.
The train station is a place filled with all sorts of people. The passengers are often from various towns and villages, so the Shanglao Village, which isn't on the map, might be known by the local underworld figures.
After about half an hour, I was beginning to feel that there was no hope. Chuan Ying, with her lips pressed tightly together, seemed equally anxious and frustrated.
At this moment, a thin and tiny man with dark skin approached us and tentatively asked, "Are you going to Shanglao Village?"
Chuan Ying's eyes lit up immediately, and she nodded, saying, "Yes."
The man lit a cigarette, squinted his eyes, and blew out a long breath, saying, "Eight hundred."
"You don't go to steal?" Lao Chu turned and gave the man a stern look before we could even respond.
The man didn't show any signs of anger and added, "Sir, the place you're heading to is Shanglao Village. I heard it from the group chat. No one can find it, but I happen to know about it. The road to that village is hard to walk on. If I don't take you there, it will be dark soon. You'll have to spend the night waiting for a ride, which might cost you extra money for a hotel."
The mole by Lao Chu's mouth quivered slightly, and he grumbled, "Who are you calling an old man?"
"You," the man said, handing Lao Chu a cigarette box and pulling out a cigarette.
"Let's go," I opened my mouth.
The man's eyes lit up with surprise, and he extended the cigarette box towards me.
Lao Chu had clearly reached out, but he took an empty one.
We got into a locally made business car covered in mud on the roadside. As the car drove on the road, it felt like everything was making noise except for the horn.
We learned that the man's name was Cai Qing. It turned out that no one knew where we were going because the village of Shanglao had been gone for over a hundred years.
The place is now called Heini Village.
He knew about Shanglao Village because, about ten years ago, there was an earthquake. At the time, he was just sleeping at home and hurriedly ran out of the house when the ground split open, revealing a stone tablet with the words "Shanglao Village" carved on it.
Not long after, the stone tablet was collected by the relevant authorities for research.
Sometimes he regrets not hiding it earlier, as it was a valuable treasure. It was definitely an antique.
He ended up giving away something that could be a treasure, receiving a flag of silk, but it wasn't worth anything.
My pupils narrowed. Shanglao Village has this origin?
I don't know if this is fate or mere coincidence that we would encounter Cai Qing, who knows about Shanglao Village...
My heart rate increased slightly. At this time, Cai Qing asked us where we had heard about Shanglao Village. This was quite surprising.
Chuan Ying, however, changed the subject lightly and said, "What about before the earthquake? Were there many people who had been to your Heini Village?"
Cai Qing shook his head and said, "This is a difficult question for me, sister. Heini Village is very famous, with many people visiting every day. If you just mention Heini Village, it's much easier to find it; you would have arrived much sooner."
From this point on, Cai Qing seemed to realize he had said something wrong and fell silent, focusing on driving.
Lao Chu looked at Cai Qing again.
It was only when we arrived at Heini Village that we understood why Cai Qing had said that.
The village was well-built and quite large. There were several agritainment establishments at the entrance, with many travelers and visitors coming and going in small groups, clustering together.
Cai Qing parked the car on the roadside, smiled awkwardly, and said that four hundred yuan was fine; it wasn't a high price, it was reasonable.
Chuan Ying scanned Qian Qian's code and said, "Give him a thousand yuan."
Cai Qing was taken aback. Lao Chu stared at Chuan Ying as if she were an idiot, giving her a look that almost suggested she was wasting her money.
"Can we go to your house to take a look?" Chuan Ying asked softly, "Just to see the place where you said the stone tablet with Shanglao Village appeared during the earthquake."
