"Alright, alright, I give up."
Qin Jie raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.
"Let's talk about a topic that interests you. The number eighteen—what comes to mind when you think about recent events?"
Qin Jie deliberately threw out the bait, and felt relieved after seeing that he had successfully caught Qin Tan's gaze.
"You've probably heard of the term 'Eighteen Arhats' before."
There are quite a few people in the Federation who study the past history, and the Eighteen Arhats are a well-known point in Buddhist culture.
Qin Tan nodded.
She has also recently looked up a lot about the special meanings of the word "eighteen".
For example, the eighteen levels of hell symbolize death.
The Eighteen Arhats are also among them, but comparing this to the eighteen clay sculptures seems more plausible.
"The legend of the Eighteen Arhats is that they can ward off evil spirits."
“Some people once gilded the bodies of the Eighteen Arhats to make offerings to gods and Buddhas.”
"But according to existing literature, the Eighteen Arhats and the Abyss are two opposing forces."
Arhats represent light and protection.
Qin Tan nodded in agreement.
She couldn't understand this point.
“We’ve received some information about this matter. We assure you that if you like it, we can give you the jade pendant, but you need to promise us one thing.”
Seeing Qin Tan's urging look, Qin Jie changed the subject again.
If you scatter too much bait at once, the fish will get full and run away.
"What is it?"
Qin Tan looked at the jade pendant that the other party was playing with.
Needless to say, the item was incredibly valuable, and Qin Tan couldn't possibly agree to let it go in a trade so readily.
"Come with me."
The painter stood up, gesturing for Qin Tan to follow, and Qin Jie shrugged.
"Don't worry, they won't sell you."
Qin Jie's joke earned him a look from Black Crow.
A pair of ruby-like eyes were set in a body as black as ink, which was a little creepy.
Not wanting to be cursed, Qin Jie closed his mouth and fell silent.
As Qin Tan left the bookstore from the back, an eye mask was handed to her.
Qin Tan didn't answer; instead, she stared at the two people opposite her as if they were idiots.
Even blindfolded, you can figure out the route.
"Ahem, let's go through the formalities."
The painter smiled awkwardly.
Qin Tan has too many tricks up her sleeve, there's nothing they can do, so they're just looking for some psychological comfort.
Qin Tan silently took the things, then patted the princess and the black crow.
The two little figures disappeared.
Qin Tan put on the blindfold, restraining herself from using her eyes, and listened to the traffic flowing by as she moved forward.
Since Qin Tan showed his sincerity, the painter did not deliberately take a detour.
About half an hour later, the vehicle stopped.
"I'll help you."
The painter helped Qin Tan into a building. Qin Tan couldn't see him; his body was tense and on guard, but he didn't make a move immediately.
Qin Tan heard the sound of someone passing by.
Many gazes fell upon her, mostly out of curiosity, but some were wary and hostile.
He remained silent the whole way, and after a moment, the mask was removed.
Qin Tan realized that this place seemed to be a hospital, with medical equipment everywhere and the air filled with the smell of disinfectant.
But what is most eye-catching is the square, transparent glass room in the center of the room.
There were two people in that room.
A man was lying in a hospital bed, connected to a ventilator, the sound faint.
There was another woman sitting on the edge of the bed, reading a book.
She looked to be in her forties, with a serene and tranquil demeanor.
When someone entered the room, she looked up and greeted Qin Tan, a stranger she was meeting for the first time, with a smile.
After Qin Tan nodded to him, she focused her attention on the man on the hospital bed.
The other person appeared unharmed, about the same age as a woman, but was emaciated.
Very thin, skin and bones.
His chest rose and fell slightly, revealing his ribs.
The knuckles of the fingers are prominent, and thick calluses are visible.
He was connected to many instruments, and the IV bag contained a green liquid.
A golden light flashed in Qin Tan's eyes.
That liquid gave Qin Tan a very strong life force.
But that man...
"He's dying."
The one speaking is the painter.
He gestured for Qin Tan to come closer, and once they reached the glass room, they pressed a button, which enabled them to communicate with each other.
"They are our teachers and our companions."
"They are also the dancers and sculptors you are looking for."
The Fire of the Spirit Society is even more mysterious than the Church of the Abyss. Many of its members have made public appearances, and the painter was the first person Qin Tan came into contact with.
Li Mingshu also investigated and found that before Qin Jie took the initiative to appear, he knew very little about the other three families.
But now it seems there are reasons why the other two haven't been active outside.
"Qin Tan, nice to meet you."
The dancer smiled at Qin Tan: "This is my lover, the sculptor. He just fell asleep, so I'm sorry he couldn't greet you."
The dancer was very polite.
She got up and walked towards the glass.
In just a few steps, Qin Tan saw in the other person a tangible embodiment of graceful elegance and lotus-like steps.
Every step she takes is like dancing, with a unique rhythm that draws you in.
"Hello, I'm Qin Tan, nice to meet you."
Qin Tan continued, and then added.
"If you want me to save him, I can't do it."
Black Crow's ability is to break curses, but the other party is not cursed; rather, it's more like they are suffering from a disease that is causing them to decline.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
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