An Moxue calmed herself down for a while, pressing down her pounding heart, before opening the second oil seal. It was a complete set of drum skins, seven sets in total, ranging in size from the smallest disc to the largest millstone. The patterns were already drawn, and there were also small fox totems on the edges. These were the divine drum skins used in shamanic rituals.

One could be an accident, but could two be accidents?

Unsure, An Moxue opened the third oil seal. The drumstick, staff, and sword were wrapped in animal hide. An Moxue carefully examined each of the magical artifacts. From their size and specifications to their patterns and materials, everything matched the records in the historical books, and all of them had small fox totems.

Now An Moxue was certain that these were items belonging to the Nalan family. She was immediately a little disappointed. Finding something that belonged to her own family meant it wasn't a windfall, which made her a little depressed!

What could be inside the remaining two oil seals?

Could it all be related to shamans? If so, An Moxue became interested again. The mysterious ancestor of priests and the mysterious sacrificial activities were something An Moxue was very curious about.

As soon as the fourth oil seal was removed, An Moxue had a feeling that she had expected it. There were two strings of waist bells, one for men and one for women. The copper waist bells, paired with brightly colored cloth strips, were eye-catching.

An Moxue tied the women's waist bell around her waist and shook it. She quite liked the sound; it was passionate and intense.

She fiddled with it for a while, took off the waist bell and put it aside, then removed the last oil seal. It was a complete set of male priest's clothing, from head to toe. The difference was that this set of clothes had larger and more protective goggles than the female priest's clothing, especially on the front and back chest and the hat. She also found small fox totems in hidden places.

After several wars, the country finally established a new government and ended the days of humiliation and oppression. An Moxue thought that the sacrificial items would also disappear over time.

Who were these people, when, and under what circumstances did they appear in the cave?

If it was hidden beforehand, the cave shouldn't be so rudimentary.

But if they were hastily hidden, these dozen or so packages wouldn't have been sealed with both oil and medicine; that couldn't have been done in a hurry.

But what if the situation was bad from the start, and they were preparing to hide, but then an unexpected event occurred, forcing them to urgently move the items away? If the situation was bad, and it was only a temporary hiding place, and the people who came later couldn't return, then that's why An Moxue found these things in the place she is now.

An Moxue felt that this was more likely, but these things were very important to the shaman priests, and those batches of fine cloth might all be used for sacrificial purposes.

However, An Moxue never thought these things would be of any use to ordinary people. The fact that the external enemies valued the Nalan family so much could be because, in addition to coveting the Nalan family's enormous wealth, they might also be after the Nalan family's unpredictable sacrificial abilities. After all, the Nalan family members were known to be very long-lived, which would inevitably make those in power envious.

Could these things also contain secrets that An Moxue is currently unaware of?

After tidying up, An Moxue had many questions, all related to the Nalan family, but who could she ask?

An Moxue recalled the old man's cautiousness when he talked about the Nalan family, which told her that there were still people in the Nalan family spying on them and searching for something.

This was all under the condition that outsiders knew the Nalan family was extinct, so Uncle Ma and Aunt Ma didn't even tell their own children that An Moxue was the only heir of the Nalan family.

An Moxue was in a state of confusion and couldn't make sense of it. She left the space and went to Old Ma's house to find him.

Upon entering the courtyard, Old Ma was picking vegetables. Seeing An Moxue arrive, he asked, "Girl, why are you back so early today?"

"Uncle Ma, I want to ask you something?" An Moxue had been thinking about all sorts of things on her way here, but now she didn't know where to begin.

"What is it?" Old Ma asked.

"Hmm...where should I even begin?"

Seeing the confusion and anxiety in her eyes, Old Ma asked, "Girl, don't worry, what do you want to ask?"

"Uncle Ma, I want to ask about the Nalan family. Regarding the shaman priests, do you know where those ritual vessels, priestly robes, and ritual implements went?"

"I'm just guessing based on custom. In the past, the priests kept the clothing and ritual implements themselves or enshrined them in the ancestral hall. In particular, the ritual implements were passed down from the old priest to the priest's successor after the old priest passed away. If there was no successor, they would most likely be sealed and properly stored."

"What about the Nalan family's belongings?" An Moxue looked at Old Ma, eagerly hoping to get valuable clues from him.

"I don't know." After saying that, Old Ma thought for a moment and then said, "I remember when I was very young, the Nalan family stopped producing priests, and there were no more priests performing sacrifices on various festivals. The patriarch presided over the sacrifices, but the rituals were still much more elaborate and solemn than those of ordinary families. But I don't know about those things, and I've never heard anyone mention them. Later, all the members of the Nalan family died in battle, and I never found those things. I have no recollection of when they disappeared."

"Then do you know why those people have been so persistent in targeting the Nalan family all these years?"

“Back then, they arrested and tortured some people, asking them about the Nalan family’s treasures, but I think it shouldn’t have been just that; there must have been other things.”

"Is it about immortality or the unfathomable abilities of priests?" An Moxue lowered her voice.

"Probably. I think they're looking for something mysterious. Or maybe we should say that the Nalan family's ancestral graves are inexplicable."

"Tell me, were those things hidden by my ancestors or stolen by someone?" An Moxue thought that Old Ma had spent the first half of his life in the Nalan family, so his judgment should be more reliable.

"There's a high chance it's been hidden by the Nalan family. You don't know, the Nalan family likes to plan ahead and has multiple backup plans," Old Ma said with a confident expression.

An Moxue experienced this firsthand, without a doubt. To this day, she still has a mysterious map that she hasn't deciphered, and Old Ma has something left for her mother and her.

"So you also know who's keeping an eye on the Nalan family?"

"Back then, who knew about the Izumi family? Have you heard of them? Who are they now? I'm not sure."

An Moxue shook her head and said, "I don't know. But why?"

"Because so many years have passed, who knows who else might be eyeing it now."

"How can they be so sure that the Nalan family has what they want?"

"A swallow leaves its cry as it flies by, and a person leaves their name as they pass by. What you do can never be hidden from those who are interested."

An Moxue understood. Those people had traced the source from the very beginning and then slowly found out the truth bit by bit.

The Nalan family moved several times back then, trying to avoid certain people and events, but they were eventually found!

Do these things hold any secrets?