Chapter 140
Behind a table covered with a red cloth, a young man wearing a black coat and round-framed black sunglasses was nodding and shaking his head from time to time with a serious look on his face.
An old man sitting opposite the young man also had his mood changing constantly with the young man's movements. Sometimes his face was relaxed, and sometimes all the wrinkles on his face were squeezed together bitterly, as if he was crushed by life in an instant.
The blond bodyguard who was hiding behind a tree not far away and observing quietly couldn't help but swallow his saliva.
The old man opposite the young man in the black coat seemed to finally be unable to bear the pressure anymore and asked cautiously, "Divine Doctor, please tell me, is my illness...can it be cured?"
The young man in the black coat raised his hand to touch the nonexistent beard on his chin. His fingers then fumbled around the old man's wrist to feel his pulse. He then said thoughtfully, "Old sir, when your illness strikes, it's like a thousand ants gnawing at your heart. You've probably consulted many famous doctors, but they've only been able to contain it a little, never to cure it."
"Yes, yes, young sir, you're absolutely right. I had already given up on treatment, but after hearing about your expertise through recommendations, I decided to give it one last try. Otherwise, I'd just have to wait... Alas."
What are you waiting for? Waiting to die? John, who was peeping from behind the tree, thought of this possibility, and his eyes dimmed for a moment. Even his heart of steel couldn't help but feel some empathy. His father also had an incurable disease and passed away early.
"I know. You said you were introduced by Mr. Li. Mr. Li is a regular customer of mine. Otherwise, I really wouldn't want to take your order."
The black-robed young man's tone suddenly became more serious: "To go against the will of heaven and change my fate will cost me my cultivation."
However, Uncle Zhao heard that there seemed to be room for discussion in the young man's words. He did not directly sentence him to death, but his eyes lit up: "Young master can really help me."
"It's difficult, very difficult, as difficult as climbing to the sky, but... it's not completely impossible."
As he spoke, the young man in the black coat sighed again, took his hand off Grandpa Zhao's pulse, flipped it upwards and made a twisting motion, repeating, "If you weren't introduced by Uncle Li, I really wouldn't want to take your order."
Uncle Zhao immediately understood the young man's gesture and took out his wallet. He stuffed the red bills into the young man's palm and said generously, "Don't worry, young sir. As long as you can cure your illness, any amount is fine. I'm really fed up with this disease. It's too torturous and keeps me awake at night. I'll give you all my pension."
The young man quickly stuffed the money into his pocket, but continued to say, "That's vulgar. The cost of the raw materials is not low. I had to go to Kunlun and the Forbidden Land myself, risking my life to collect this little bit of herbs. I also used my master's techniques to make this little bit of medicinal powder."
"Look at me, I said the wrong thing again. I know it's a free clinic, it's all free clinics, and you are a truly kind person. You never take money from us old people. You saved us just to accumulate merit. Don't worry, when the time comes, I will definitely spread your kindness among my old friends and prepare the best banner for you."
"Just say it casually, forget about the banner. It's not good to be too high-profile."
"Yes, yes, you are right."
"Grandpa, please take it."
Uncle Zhao took the small paper bag that the young man handed to him from under the table and quickly turned around and left. However, he had not walked far when he looked warily at the tall foreigner standing in front of him.
Uncle Zhao took a step back cautiously, protecting the small paper bag in his arms, his heart pounding. "You, what are you doing, robbing? Forget it, I won't give you the magic medicine. Young man, I also advise you to put down your butcher knife. This is not the outside world, and certainly not the place for you to run wild."
The blond bodyguard's lips twitched as he quickly explained in accented Chinese, "You misunderstood. I wanted to ask you about that. I also want to buy some miracle medicine to bring back for my mother. My mother is old, and I hope she can stay healthy."
"Ah!" He turned out to be a filial child. Uncle Zhao's eyes immediately became kind, and he pulled John to a corner: "Looking at your handsome features and filial piety, it's not impossible for me to tell you. Alas, poor little sister, at such an old age, you have contracted this stubborn disease of athlete's foot. What a sin."
John: “???” What kind of foot ailment is this? What disease is this? Please tell me again if you have the guts.
Uncle Zhao: "It's just athlete's foot. It's not a disease that itches but can kill you."
After Uncle Zhao finished sharing the news, John looked innocently at the young boss who had been standing nearby.
John: "Little Boss, how do you think we can test each other next? How about I go and buy some magic medicine for you?"
Fu Yan: ...
Fu Yan: "No need to thank me."
John touched his head, then followed Fu Yan to the stall of the young man in the black coat.
Fu Yan pulled out a chair and sat down in front of the table. The young man in the black coat looked up at the direction of the sun and said with a smile, "Today is a good day. Wealth is booming. Look, business is pouring in."
"Sir, do you want fortune-telling or treatment?"
Fu Yan's voice was slightly cold, and he said simply, "What's the difference?"
"Oh, that's simple. If you want to treat illnesses, sir, then you've come to the right place. See?" The young man pointed to the white cloth flying in the dusty wind behind him, on which were printed four large characters - Miraculous Doctor Brings Back the Dead.
"What if I were to tell fortunes?"
"Fortune telling is fine too." The young man pushed his feet against the ground, tilted the chair slightly backwards, turned the bamboo pole with his backhand, revealing the other side of the white cloth.
"The guest has come to the right place. See? People from all over the place call me Diviner. I am Ji Banxian."
John slapped his head and said: Yes, that's what's wrong. They said in the car before that the person they were looking for was a "yin and yang master". At first, when they saw him selling miracle medicine here, they thought they had found the wrong person.
So, could it be that the Yin-Yang masters of the Xia Kingdom also treat illnesses?
John, who was obviously unfamiliar with Xiaguo's metaphysics, didn't quite understand the situation. Fu Yan, sitting in his seat, chuckled softly with a neutral tone. One could say he was praising or mocking:
"Mr. Ji is truly a man of both civil and military talents."
"Thank you so much, hahaha." Ji Qiaoyu thought that the guest was praising him.
"This patient doesn't look like he's here for medical treatment, so he must be here for fortune-telling, perhaps to predict wealth, marriage, or something else?"
Fu Yan didn't respond, but took out a folded note from his pocket and placed it on the table with his slender fingers.
Just as Ji Qiaoyu was about to take it, John, who was standing behind Fu Yan, took the initiative.
"Wait a minute."
As soon as Fu Yan finished speaking, John placed the suitcase he had been holding on the table. With a muffled sound, the suitcase opened towards Ji Qiaoyu for a moment and then quickly closed.
Ji Qiaoyu narrowed his eyes quickly under his sunglasses, and dazzling gold flashed across his eyes. Ji Qiaoyu's hand paused in the air for a moment, then he put his index finger and middle finger together, and exerted a little force to pull the paper out from Fu Yan's hand.
When Ji Qiaoyu spoke again, he still had a smile on his face, but his voice was no longer as nonchalant as before. He asked, "Would you like to calculate wealth, career, and marriage, sir?"
Fu Yan fell silent again, while Ji Qiaoyu opened the paper, looked at the eight-character pattern on it, twisted his fingers for a moment, and then froze again.
Her hair swayed slightly as Ji Qiaoyu placed the paper back on the table, slightly pushing it in Fu Yan's direction and whispering, "My condolences."
Fu Yan's pale pupils flickered slightly, and a number of complex emotions flashed across his eyes for a brief moment, and finally returned to a trace of undisguised sarcasm: "Death... is also good."
He finally told Ji Qiaoyu what he wanted him to calculate.
"Is the trip going smoothly?"
"Oh, that's two questions. Forget it. Since I'm in a good mood today, let's draw a lot."
John immediately asked after hearing this: "Young boss, do you want me to come?"
Ji Qiaoyu shook his finger and said, "Nonono, only I can tell you for sure. But you can come and ask me for another divination later. I think there are dark clouds over your head. I'm afraid there will be a bloody disaster in the near future. Since you came with this young boss, I can give you a 20% discount on your second order."
Fu Yan shook the stick box and a stick fell out. Ji Qiaoyu saw that Fu Yan didn't care, but said nothing. He was still very professional. After all, the boss was the one who paid the money, so why did he care about the boss's attitude?
"let me see."
"Um."
"Um…"
"Um……"
Ji Qiaoyu just said "hmm" and nothing else. Ji Qiaoyu was not in a hurry and Fu Yan was not in a hurry either, but John couldn't help it.
"Well, how's the calculation?"
Ji Qiaoyu narrowed his eyes, and the three words covered by his fingers were exactly a bad sign.
"Gen on the bottom and Qian on the top, Qian represents the sky and Gen represents the mountain. There are mountains under the heavens. When the mountains are high, the sky recedes. Yin grows and Yang fades. When villains gain power, gentlemen retreat, protect themselves wisely, and wait for an opportunity to save the world."
"Here's a message for you two: the thick clouds obscure the sun, and it's not bright. I advise you not to travel far."
Obviously, John could understand most of Ji Qiaoyu's two sentences, which consisted of dozens of words, when listened to separately, but he could not understand them when listened to them together. However, he could still barely understand the second half of the sentence.
"Young boss, you're amazing! You actually figured out that we need to 'get out'."
Ji Qiaoyu: ...
Fu Yan: ...
Neither of them paid any attention to John at this moment. Fu Yan's gaze seemed to be able to penetrate Ji Qiaoyu's gray lenses and directly meet the other's black and white eyes.
He asked, “Is there a solution?”
Ji Qiaoyu looked back at Fu Yan. The two of them stared at each other for a moment, then spread their hands. Ji Qiaoyu softened and slumped back into his chair. He weakly turned the flag behind him again.
"Okay, let's be honest. Do you know why I'm only called a Half-Immortal and not a True Immortal? Because I'm just a fortune teller, not a fortune-teller. If someone wants to be reborn, even as a Half-Immortal, I can't do anything about it."
Listening to Ji Qiaoyu's venomous remarks, Fu Yan was not angry, but continued his elite style, pushing the box full of small yellow croakers forward with a calm expression.
"I do have an idea. I wonder if this money can persuade a half-immortal to accompany me."
As soon as Fu Yan finished speaking, Ji Qiaoyu immediately stepped back several steps, along with the chair, and raised his hands, hugging his thin self tightly, shouting:
"I am a half-immortal who can tell fortunes, but I don't sell my life. Forget it, forget it. Please go back. Just consider the divination I just gave as a gift. I won't take a penny."
Then Ji Qiaoyu muttered to his tattered flag, "What the hell, I miscalculated. Today is not a good day at all. It's unlucky. I'm closing the shop."
He didn't even care about the table. While talking to Ji Qiaoyu, he carried the bamboo pole, greased his feet and ran away. His smooth operation left John dumbfounded.
"Young Boss, this..."
Fu Yan looked at Ji Qiaoyu's back and said calmly, "Go back first."
Half a month later, a well-equipped archaeological team took a special plane from Haicheng to the city airport near the entrance of the Qinling Mountains, the dragon vein of Daxia.
This time, the archaeological team was nominated and formed by the well-known domestic archaeology professor Academician Miao Aiyan. The patriotic overseas Chinese Mr. Fu Yan provided clues and donated the most advanced exploration equipment and some elite teams.
The destination is most likely the tomb of King Ling, who is said to be rich enough to rival a country and where the Ganoderma lucidum that countless people desire is located.
In addition, with the recommendation of Professor Miao, the team also hired a special geography expert, Mr. Ji Qiaoyu, at a high salary.
Mr. John, who was acting as a temporary flight attendant, looked at the miraculous doctor Ji who greeted him with a smile, and opened his mouth slightly. He didn't understand why this man got on the plane with the boss when he had rejected the boss's invitation.
Ji Qiaoyu clapped his hands: "There's nothing I can do. Your boss gave you too much."
Money makes the world go round. A box of small yellow croakers cannot buy Ji Banxian's life, but three boxes of small yellow croakers can make Captain Ji bow down for a few pieces of silver.
Before John could decide whether to call this young gentleman "Divine Doctor" or "Demigod", Ji Qiaoyu raised his hand and patted the foreigner's shoulder. Then he took out a compass and a gold medal from somewhere and winked at him.
"Let me introduce myself again. I'm Ji Qiaoyu from the tomb-raiding sect under Cao Gong. You can call me Captain Ji or just Little Ji. Now that I've entered the tomb, I need the help of Brother John to take care of my thin arms and legs."
As he spoke, Ji Qiaoyu secretly handed John a small medicine bag, which looked similar to the one he gave to Mr. Zhao.
John: ...He doesn't have athlete's foot, and neither does his mother.
Ji Qiaoyu lowered his voice: "It's not for treating athlete's foot, it's for growing hair."
John silently put the magic medicine into his arms, and patted his chest enthusiastically towards Ji Qiaoyu: "After we go down, brother Ji, just stand behind me."
Ji Qiaoyu showed his small white teeth: "Brother Yue is a righteous man, it's settled."
After returning to her seat, Professor Miao pushed her glasses up. It was obvious that she had seen everything Ji Qiaoyu had done when bribing John. Grandma Miao sighed.
"Xiaoyu, it's still not too late to go back now."
"What are you talking about? I've already sold the yellow croaker. If I dare to run away, Boss Fu will definitely catch me back. But you, at my age, should go home and play with my grandson."
"You kid..."
"I'm not a child anymore, and I'm serious. Your legs aren't very handy, and if something happens, should we just leave you behind? Why not just let Brother John carry you down before the plane takes off? Hey, why are you hitting me when I'm talking?"
"You little brat, stop talking nonsense. I'm old enough to be afraid of nothing. If we can really find the location of Prince Ling's tomb, even if I'm trapped inside, as long as Xiao Fu and the others can get the information out, I'll be considered sacrificing my life for the country. You..."
"I also want to contribute to the organization." As he said that, Ji Qiaoyu took out a small red seal from somewhere, blew it like a treasure, and pinned it on his chest.
Professor Miao looked up at Ji Qiaoyu. Ji Qiaoyu showed him a mouthful of white teeth. Professor Miao sighed and said, "Forget it. I knew I couldn't persuade you."
Ji Qiaoyu laughed foolishly: "Hehe."
Professor Miao looked out the window and thought of an old friend. That old friend was also like Ji Qiaoyu, who was the best at pretending to be stupid and looked unreliable, but Professor Miao knew that the other party was the most reliable.
At that time, he went into the tomb as a specially invited expert with their Haicheng archaeological team. They not only encountered dangers, but also encountered strange things. It was that old friend who used his knowledge to lead them out of danger. Their team also became a famous archaeological team at home and abroad because of several major discoveries.
That old friend also had the surname Ji, and Ji Nanguo was his master, Ji Qiaoyu.
She still remembered that one day twenty years ago, Ji Nanguo found her, entrusted Xiao Ji to her care, and excitedly told her: an old friend contacted him, and they might have found the existence of King Ling's curtain.
That time, it was also a grand occasion. A group of people set out in a mighty group to look for the very memorable tomb. She should have joined the group, but she had just had an operation not long ago and missed the opportunity.
It was also during that time that she lost many of her companions. To be more precise, that operation dealt a heavy blow to the Haicheng archaeological team.
All members who went to search for Prince Ling's tomb, including experts like Ji Nanguo, lost contact after seven days of going deep into the dragon vein.
To this day, none of them are still found alive. Back then, they were all presumed to have been sacrificed.
Now she is almost at the end of her life. She was unable to go into the mountains with her companions back then. Even though she knows that death may be waiting for her, she must go. She wants to bring her teammates home.
Of course, Professor Miao is not really going to die. With the advancement of technology, the archaeological work that could not be completed more than 20 years ago may be completed with the assistance of more advanced equipment.
Moreover, their main mission on this trip was to find and confirm the traces of the tomb, and they didn't even have to go in this time.
Ji Qiaoyu also wanted to find his master, so Professor Miao knew when Ji Qiaoyu contacted her at the beginning that Ji Qiaoyu was not there because of the three boxes of goldfish. Just like she didn't know Fu Yan's identity at the beginning, Ji Qiaoyu directly refused Fu Yan's invitation with hidden meaning.
They all have missions to accomplish, and they can't be persuaded... but they still have to persuade them.
Amidst the roar, the plane carrying the joint archaeological team slowly took off from the runway, its tail trailing a long, comet-like trail through the air. On board, some people looked calm, some excited, and some stared out the window, unsure of what to think...
A few days later, deep in the Qinling Mountains, a group of less than 30 people set up camp in the forest.
Of course, not everyone in the team will enter the tomb. Some people are logistical support, and some are brought by Fu Yan to be responsible for ground exploration.
Learning from the experience of the archaeological excavation 20 years ago, if the expedition team deep underground loses contact, the people on the ground will also have the responsibility to bring the news out.
In the main tent of the camp, Fu Yan, Professor Miao and her deputy, specially appointed expert Ji Qiaoyu, security team captain John and several other important members of the team sat around the table.
On the desk, Fu Yan showed everyone a roll of handwritten notes that he had compiled. The owner of the notes was Fu Gang, and his relationship with Fu Yan could be seen from his surname.
At the same time, Fu Gang was also a tomb raider like Ji Qiaoyu. It was he who brought the news back to Haicheng and invited Ji Nanguo and the archaeological team to search for the tomb of King Ling together.
Even Professor Miao couldn't help but sigh. In this fateful reunion, she has grown old, while her two old friends have grown up. If possible, she really doesn't want to let the young people go on the adventure with her.
Of course, since Fu Yan and Ji Qiaoyu appeared here, it already showed their awareness.
Fu Yan's fingers slid across several nodes on the map, and then compared them with the notes left by the man on the table on the other side, and said to the people present:
"According to the description of the local who led the team, there is an Echo Valley two kilometers ahead. It is also called Ghost Valley by the locals. It corresponds exactly to coordinate 3 on the map. We are heading in the right direction."
"If everything goes well, we'll be able to reach the underground tomb in two days."
"But according to the notes, there's a valley outside the entrance. Due to the unique terrain and climate, it's always shrouded in thick fog. I asked a local, but he was vague. Sometimes he said the strange fog was a demon eating people, sometimes he said it was inhabited by man-eating beasts and wild men. The best he could do was lead us out of the valley."
"Anyway, everyone, make preparations in advance. If you want to quit, there's still time to come to me before tonight."
Everyone present looked at each other. Some of them joined the team to seek knowledge, some for money, and some to bring back their comrades who had forgotten the way home.
In any case, at this point, even if Fu Yan said they quit now, he would not hold them responsible. However, in the early morning of the next day, except for the guide, no one else in the team left.
His gaze swept across the faces of the team members. Fu Yan's cold eyes were devoid of emotion. He closed the map and said calmly, "If that's the case, let's set off."
Outside the Black Pine Valley, the guide once again tried to dissuade them: "There really are man-eating monsters in the valley. I've never seen anything alive come out of it. Listen to my advice and go back."
"Thank you for your kindness, brother. However, we are now in a technological society. As you can see, the instruments in our team are nothing but paper tigers in front of the red flag and scientific instruments."
Ji Qiaoyu enthusiastically waved to his fellow villager, "Just wait for our good news."
[Echo Valley is fine, but why does the Man-Eating Mist sound so terrifying?]
[I'm not saying that those who eat people are wild beasts or savages. Uh, savages who eat people seem pretty scary too.]
I think we should still approach this from a scientific perspective, as Xiaoji said. Anyone who has experienced wilderness life knows that nature shouldn't be underestimated. Its beauty also carries deadly dangers. The foggy terrain created by its unique landforms creates a high probability of danger for those lost there.
When I saw Xiaoji, a demigod who specializes in metaphysics, talking about science, I thought, this is the biggest unscientific thing. I laughed and cried.
[Ahhh, do I have to go in? I feel creepy, a bad feeling.]
[Of course I have to go in. I can already guess that an accident will happen, otherwise how will the plot develop later? This is the kind of excitement we want. I am looking forward to it. Of course, I believe that under the leadership of Fu Yan and Banxian, we will be able to overcome the danger.]
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