Infinite Puzzle City

Chapter 779 Don't be afraid, Grandpa will stand up for you.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the next stop on the train is Bijie Station. Please prepare your luggage in advance and pay attention to safety."

"Oh, we've arrived in Bijie." Li Qing rubbed his eyes and stood up. "Let's go, get off the bus."

"Huh?" Zhou Shang was taken aback, then asked, "Why are you getting off the bus at this time?"

"I don't know, Xiao Laosi means we should get off at this stop."

"I do not know how?"

Li Qing rolled his eyes at Zhou Shang: "Nonsense, I carried these two jars all the way. You were swaggering ahead. What did he say to you? Stop talking nonsense and hurry up, we'll be driving soon."

As they talked, the two picked up their backpacks and swayed as they got off the bus.

After getting off the train, Zhou Shang took a deep breath of the humid air and eagerly scanned his surroundings, trying to find a familiar trace in the hustle and bustle of the Bijie station.

The mottled paint on the walls and the scenes of vendors hawking roasted potatoes next to the wooden benches are long gone.

Now, the railings are gleaming stainless steel, the road surface is concrete, and train information scrolls across electronic displays.

"Let's go, what are you daydreaming about?" Li Qing urged from the side.

Zhou Shang nodded and followed Li Qing out of the station.

As he walked, Zhou Shang suddenly stopped and glanced at the inconspicuous crooked tree at the corner of the station.

"What's wrong?" Li Qing turned around in confusion.

But Zhou Shang didn't say anything, instead he walked quickly towards the crooked tree.

"Ugh, you!!"

Seeing this, Li Qing was stunned, and could only pout as he followed.

Arriving at the tree, Zhou Shang looked at it from left to right, then looked up and smiled.

"Hey, look."

Li Qing looked up and saw an inconspicuous pit and six holes in the tree.

It looks insignificant, and if someone walks by and glances at it, they probably won't pay it any mind.

But Li Qing immediately remembered.

Grinning, he said, "This is the same tree from back then. So many years have passed, I never imagined it would grow so big."

"Yes, Xie Laowu really stole the show under that tree that day."

Zhou Shang stroked the tree and couldn't help but sigh.

When Xie Laowu was mentioned, Li Qing's eyes became misty: "It's a pity about Laowu."

During the trip to Gu Xuan's tomb, Xie Laowu lost an arm and never recovered. He did not pass on the Xie family's unique hidden weapon techniques, but instead taught them to Li Qing.

Li Qing's gaze fell on the six holes in the tree, and his eyes became unfocused.

He remembered the day they got off the train that year.

The station was bustling with people, carrying a smell of damp earth and coal ash. Only the aroma of roasted potatoes lingered on the cold concrete platform, like a faint shadow of bygone days.

Zhou Shang, Li Qing, Xiao Zhenye, Xie Yutang, Sun Miao, and Yang Fengchui stood under the crooked tree with Zhao Qingming.

Their expressions were calm, even showing a hint of relaxation from the fatigue of their journey, but their eyes occasionally swept around, taking in the unfamiliar platform and the passersby.

Not far away, Cat Four and his gang followed behind, carrying messy suitcases.

Cat Four frowned, still reprimanding a few troublemakers in a low voice. Although it was hard to hear what he was saying from a distance, you could see the veins on his forehead throbbing slightly. The guys were being scolded mercilessly, but they still looked somewhat unconvinced.

Especially the one whose hand had been hit by Xie Yutang's glass ball in the car earlier, his face was full of arrogance and resentment, and his eyes kept glancing towards Zhao Qingming and the others.
This is not surprising.

Tomb raiding and wandering the martial arts world are not contradictory, but since ancient times, it has always been a situation where you walk your narrow path and I walk my broad road.

Tomb raiders don't easily associate with江湖人 (jianghu people, people from the martial arts world).

They even dare not touch it.

At best, you'll be laughed at, but if you encounter a ruthless person, well, they might just double-cross you.

After all, killing a few tomb raiders brings too many benefits.

They could either leave it with the government and receive a reward, or they could establish a relationship with the government.

They could either kill and rob directly, without any psychological burden or worry about anyone reporting them to the authorities for revenge, and still make a fortune.

In a sense, the status of tomb raiders in the martial arts world is equivalent to that of rare monsters in a game, the kind that drop treasures when killed.

Cat Four is lucky; his family lives in Los Angeles, and everyone knows about Cat Four's family situation, so they turn a blind eye to it, since they might need it sometimes.

The men around Mao Si were a different story. These men didn't understand the ways of the world; they were all laborers who dug tunnels in tomb raiding. Although they had heard of Paper Doll Zhou and Musical Instrument Yang, they didn't really take Zhao Qingming and his group of young men seriously, which made them somewhat resentful.

Zhao Qingming and his group saw this, but ignored it.

The group arrived under the tree and waited for a while before Wang Shen and his entourage also came over.

The expressions of Cat Four and the others immediately turned serious.

As the saying goes, the layman watches the spectacle, while the expert sees the details.

Cat Four and the others could tell at a glance that Wang Shen and his group were no ordinary people; each of them was a master tomb raider.

This can be identified from the height, condition, and even the smell of the group of people.

"Brothers, you've been waiting for a while."

Wang Shen walked forward with a smile and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Zhao Qingming.

Zhao Qingming and his brothers smiled and nodded, then clasped their hands in response.

The group sat under the tree.

Zhao Qingming took out a fan and, while fanning himself, told Li Jingqi about his search for an ancient tomb.

Cat Four then revealed all the information they knew.

However, there wasn't much information. All that was known was that the tomb was located deep in the mountains of Luodian, Yunnan and Guizhou. Li Jingqi and his group had already found it, but the tomb was very special, and they couldn't go down into it.

Luodian.

Upon hearing the name, Wang Shen and the others frowned: "That place is no good; it's very troublesome."

Wang Shen then gave a brief introduction to the environment of Luodian.

Simply put, that place is extremely isolated, with a fierce local culture, and bandits are inevitable in the mountains. It is said that some retired gangsters hide there and are extremely hostile to outsiders.

If they were to go to Jiaoluodian, they would need to buy mules and horses; otherwise, they would have to carry their luggage in on their backs, which was not a good job.

“It seems Brother Wang is quite familiar with Luodian,” Zhao Qingming said, looking at Wang Shen.

Wang Shen did not deny it. He nodded and said, "I served as a reconnaissance soldier for a few years. I got lost during the bandit suppression campaign and lived in Luodian for a long time."

"Then we'll have to trouble Brother Wang to lead the way." Zhao Qingming naturally didn't believe Wang Shen's words, but since the other party knew the route, it saved them some trouble.

As everyone was talking, the dark-faced man following behind Wang Shen darted around with his eyes, stood up, clasped his hands in a fist salute to everyone, and said, "My name is Ye Jun, from Shandong. I've heard that you gentlemen are all very skilled, and I'm itching to learn from you."

"Ye Jun!!"

Wang Shen's expression changed drastically. He stood up and grabbed Ye Jun's arm: "What's wrong with you? Do you even have a place to talk here?"

After saying that, Wang Shen turned around and cupped his hands towards Zhao Qingming and the others: "I'm sorry, my brother here is a reckless fellow who doesn't know the rules."

"Brother, in Luodian, without someone to guide them, they can't even get in the door. Why should we, who contributed both manpower and effort, only get 30%? I'm not satisfied!"

Ye Jun not only didn't back down, but instead raised his head and shouted loudly.

"Asshole!!"

Wang Shen's face darkened immediately, and he pointed at Ye Jun, about to unleash a torrent of abuse.

But at this moment, Zhao Qingming and his brothers exchanged glances. Except for the naive Yang Fengchui, they all understood that this was a charade put on by Wang Shen and Ye Jun.

It seems that Wang Shen had previously suffered a silent loss at Zhao Qingming's hands, and was resentful, so he took this opportunity to make trouble.

Before Zhao Qingming could speak, Xie Yutang stood up and said with a smile, "That's great, Brother Wang. I've been sitting on the train for so many days, my butt is almost raw. I'd love for Brother Ye to keep me company and stretch my legs."

"Brother, this...this brute is strong and heavy. I'm afraid he might hurt you and disrupt the harmony among us brothers."

Wang Shen immediately transformed into a peacemaker.

But the implication was more like a clear statement: if I hurt you, you can't turn against me.

"Ha ha ha ha."

Xie Yutang grinned: "I'm not even afraid of Li Jingqi, so why would I care about this?"

After speaking, Xie Yutang took three steps forward, arrived at the open space in front of the tree, and cupped his hands in greeting to Ye Jun: "Xie Yutang of the Xie family of Luo City, please!"

Upon hearing this, Ye Jun looked up and sized Xie Yutang up and down.

Xie Yutang wasn't short, but he was still young. Ye Jun, on the other hand, was a burly man in his thirties, a native of Shandong, a true Shandong giant, with broad shoulders, a thick waist, and dark skin, looking like a bear.

In comparison, Ye Jun had the upper hand over Xie Yutang in terms of presence.

With a fist the size of a clay pot, he cupped his hands and said, "Dongying, Shenfeng Hall, Ye Jun!"

When Ye Jun introduced himself, Zhao Qingming and the others frowned slightly.

Shenfeng Hall.

Zhao Qingming and his group had never heard of this name, but the name Dongying was very famous.

I won't go into the specific reasons. (You can search for them yourself if you're interested.)

But those who emerge from here are all ruthless and vicious individuals.

After the two introduced themselves, Ye Jun roared and disregarded all the rules and etiquette of martial arts duels. His burly figure descended like a tiger, and his fists, as big as casserole dishes, came straight for Xie Yutang's face and chest with a dull thud!

The calluses on his fists were layered and shiny black, clearly marks left by years of hard training and fighting.

The moves were fierce and powerful, with wide and sweeping movements, carrying a strong force. Even before the fist arrived, you could feel a gust of wind hitting your body.

"Six Harmonies Fist!"

Zhao Qingming and the others then stood up as well.

Xie Yutang's heart skipped a beat, but his feet remained steady. His body swayed like a willow in the wind, and taking advantage of Ye Jun's momentum, he twisted his waist sharply, narrowly dodging the swift first attack.

"Bah!"

Ye Jun's attack missed, but his moves continued without hesitation. His left fist followed like a shadow, with an even greater arc, sweeping across the battlefield with immense force as he moved with his waist and stance in perfect harmony, aiming for Xie Yutang's waist and ribs!
As the saying goes, "the fist strikes in six directions, and its power flows in all directions," which is the essence of Liuhequan (Six Harmonies Fist). Nowadays, there are very few people in the martial arts world who can truly master this style of boxing.

Xie Yutang did not take the blows head-on. His footwork was as nimble as a butterfly flitting among flowers, sometimes sliding to the side, sometimes crouching low. He looked disheveled but was actually quite at ease.

Three moves passed in the blink of an eye. Ye Jun, unable to gain the upper hand, became furious. He suddenly changed his moves, lunged sideways, and his thick arm shot out like a steel hoop, aiming straight for Xie Yutang's shoulder and neck.

Xie Yutang, who had been maneuvering with agility, not only did not dodge upon seeing this, but suddenly stopped.

Just as Ye Jun's hands barely touched his clothes, Xie Yutang's upper body slumped backward in an extremely flexible arc, like a willow swaying in the wind. At the same time, his hands coiled and grasped Ye Jun's thick wrists like nimble snakes!
Ye Jun felt two strange forces coming from his wrist. One force slammed downwards as if it were a heavy weight, while the other lifted upwards and deflected his direction.

His powerful strength vanished as if he had sunk into the sea; his fingers, which were gripping Xie Yutang's clothes, slipped away without leaving a trace, leaving him with nowhere to hold on!
This is a secret technique passed down in the Xie family, a close-quarters combat skill that uses finesse to overcome brute force.

Eighteen Falling Techniques for Clothes!
"go!"

With a low shout, Xie Yutang twisted his waist and back, pushed off the ground with his feet, and suddenly unleashed a skillful lifting force, which, combined with Ye Jun's forward momentum, pushed him backward.

"Hu~~"

Ye Jun was thrown out by a huge centrifugal force, still in the punching posture, and crashed heavily into the big tree behind him, his huge fist slamming into the trunk.

"boom!!!"

A dull thud, accompanied by the painful creaking of the tree trunk, caused the old tree, as thick as a bowl, to shake violently, its leaves falling like leaves caught in a hurricane.

Ye Jun felt a burning, dull pain in his fist. Before he could even react, he heard a whooshing sound.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!!"

Ye Jun instinctively shrank his neck, feeling something whistling past him almost grazing his scalp!

Six muffled thuds, almost simultaneously, left six holes in a straight line on the tree trunk in front of Ye Jun. Ye Jun froze on the spot, cold sweat rolling down his forehead.

Clearly, the other party showed mercy; otherwise, if those six holes had been a little lower, they would have hit the back of his head.

Ye Jun didn't think the back of his head was any sturdier than this tree.

A deathly silence fell instantly. The rustling of leaves in the wind and the distant whistle of a train seemed to be shut out by the stagnant air.

Only Ye Jun's violent heartbeat and his heavy, bellows-like breathing were exceptionally clear in the silence.

"Brother Ye's Six Harmonies Fist is amazing, I admire you."

Xie Yutang grinned, cupped his hands in greeting to Ye Jun, and glanced sideways at Mao Si's group.

The few troublemakers who had been so defiant just moments before suddenly felt a chill run down their spines. This wasn't just a beating of Ye Jun; it was clearly a provocation directed at them.

The six holes correspond exactly to the six people besides Cat Four.

One per person.

The few cats that Cat Four couldn't discipline before immediately became obedient.

Seeing that they all lowered their heads and dared not speak again, Xie Yutang smiled with satisfaction and turned back to Zhao Qingming and the others with a flourish.

The images in my memory are gradually becoming clearer.

But then, Zhou Shang slapped Li Qing on the shoulder, snapping him out of his reverie.

"What are you thinking about? Hurry up and let Lao Si and the others out. Why are you making us get off here?"

Hearing Zhou Shang's urging, Li Qing curled his lip: "Go away, go away, it's sunny here, are you planning to make Lao Si's soul disappear?"

After saying that, Zhou Shang took out a black umbrella from his backpack and opened it.

Then he opened the fourth brother's pickled vegetable jar.

After a moment, Xiao Zhenye's figure gradually became clear in the shadow of the black umbrella: "We've arrived."

Seeing the old tree beside him, Xiao Zhenye nodded with a melancholy expression and then said, "Let's go then."

"Where are you going? This is still far from Anshun."

Zhou Shang pressed for an answer.

Xiao Zhenye turned around and rummaged around in his pickle jar for a while, eventually pulling out a dark hairpin.

The hairpin was originally made of silver, but it had oxidized over time and looked a bit dirty.

However, this cannot overshadow the exquisite craftsmanship of the hairpin and the texture brought by the emerald green crystal inlaid on it.

Xiao Zhenye fiddled with the hairpin, lost in thought, and without answering Zhou Shang, he simply walked out.

Seeing this, Zhou Shang couldn't help but complain, "This Xiao Laosi, the older he gets, the weirder his temper becomes."

After the two men and the ghost left the station, Xiao Zhenye pointed to a three-wheeled motorcycle taxi outside the station.

When the old man pulling the rickshaw saw a customer arrive, a smile immediately appeared on his face, and he asked in a strong Bijie dialect, "Where do you want to go?"

Xiao Zhenye stepped forward and sat directly in the car.

The old man shivered and suddenly felt a chill.

Only after Zhou Shang and Li Qing got into the car did Xiao Zhenye speak up, saying, "Brother, my family is coming to Yanzikou."

The old man found Xiao Zhenye's accent unfamiliar, but he was speaking the Bijie dialect.

Thinking about the three people returning to their hometown, he quickly replied, "Okay!"

The old man on the road was very talkative, chattering away with Xiao Zhenye, asking how things were outside now, and talking about the changes that had taken place in his hometown.

The old man drove his tricycle while chatting: "Yanzikou is such a wonderful place! The mountains are green and the water is clear, it's so refreshing! Ever since we came down from the Lost City, we've been living a very peaceful life here, without any worries. Every month, the High Priest comes down from the mountain to bestow blessings and distribute them to everyone."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Zhenye frowned slightly and blurted out, "High Priest! Is it that girl from the Zhu family?"

The old man was taken aback, then quickly turned his head and stared at Xiao Zhenye with wide eyes, asking, "You know the High Priest? Which family do you come from?"

Xiao Zhenye simply sighed and did not reply.

Although the old man was puzzled, seeing his distressed look, he didn't ask any further questions, but still reminded him, "When you go back, don't say anything carelessly. The High Priest is not a figure of the past anymore."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Zhenye frowned even more deeply.

The car drove uphill for about half an hour and arrived at Swallow's Mouth.

This Swallow's Mouth is also known as the Miao Village of Dananshan.

Now, there is a wide cement road at the entrance of the village, with ample streetlights on both sides. The environment is so much better than before.

Zhou Shang took out the money and handed it to the old man. It was three 100-yuan bills. The money could still be used here, but its value was getting smaller and smaller. Three 100-yuan bills could only buy the same amount of goods that used to cost more than 20 yuan.

But this was already quite good for the old man; it was enough to buy some rice and flour, and with the vegetable garden he grew in front of his house, he could live comfortably no matter how things changed outside.

After the old man left, Zhou Shangcai spoke again: "Why did you bring us here?"

Xiao Zhenye glanced back at Zhou Shang: "Have you forgotten about those Gu worms in Gu Xuan's tomb?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Shang suddenly realized that the messy things in Gu Xuan's tomb back then had caused them a lot of trouble.

If it weren't for the Phoenix Hammer, which understands animal language and can control those vampire bats to help them hold off for a while, they would probably have been wiped out long ago.

And those Gu worms, each one more powerful than the last.

Clearly, Xiao Zhenye brought them here to find a way to deal with the Gu worms.

The three walked along the village road. Many of the buildings in the village had been replaced with modern cement houses, each one very unique and exquisite.

Unlike the famous Miao Village, this is a genuine Miao village, mostly inhabited by local Miao people, with only a small number of Han people.

Several elderly people were sitting at the village entrance. When they saw Xiao Zhenye and his two companions, three strangers, they immediately became wary.

After the three people walked away, the old men whispered among themselves for a while, then carried their stools and went home.

I believe it won't be long before the whole village knows that three strangers have arrived.

But Xiao Zhenye and his group didn't care about any of that.

He followed the route he remembered and arrived at a farmer's house.

This house is located at the southernmost part of the village, with trees and a yard, but it is the only one of its kind.

"Great feng shui!"

Zhou Shang observed the surroundings. The village faced south and was situated on a hilltop, which, according to feng shui, is called "standing out from the crowd."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Zhenye chuckled: "A latecomer to the profession."

"What, am I wrong?" Zhou Shang turned to look at Xiao Zhenye.

"Hey, you'll find out when you send your brother out."

Xiao Zhenye didn't argue with Zhou Shang and told Li Qing to release Zhao Qingming.

After Zhao Qingming emerged from the pickle jar, he glanced around and frowned, saying, "This is bad."

"Huh? Isn't this being the best of the best?"

Over the years, Zhou Shang has also studied feng shui. He wouldn't dare say he has profound expertise, but he's basically infallible.

But I never expected to be so mistaken here.

Zhao Qingming shook his head, his fingers forming hand seals, his knuckles rapidly changing several hand gestures, while his lips moved slightly, silently reciting a few obscure and difficult-to-understand incantations.

Then, his deep gaze swept over the surrounding mountains and rivers, as if caressing invisible threads, and he slowly spoke:
"Second brother, at first glance, this formation looks like a 'top dog's head, overlooking the surrounding area from the top of the hill. But that's a huge misconception!"
Look at that lone tree, standing upright in the very center of the house, like a nail driven into the mountain, piercing the vital ridge! This is called a "penetrating evil," where vital energy scatters and cannot gather; its form appears auspicious, but its true nature is inauspicious.

He paused, then pointed slightly to the faint traces of flowing water visible down the slope and the faint dampness along the edges of the houses:
"Looking at the water features again, although the surrounding mountains behind the slope have an embracing effect, the water vapor cannot rise and instead becomes damp and stagnant. The auspicious water that should be like a jade belt around the waist has become a cutting-foot water in this place."

In Feng Shui terms, this indicates an unstable lower body, dampness entering the body, and that the water is not nourishing water for wealth and prosperity, but rather water accumulating negative energy.

As the saying goes, where water gathers, wind arises; where qi stagnates, evil arises. This damp and stagnant place is most prone to accumulating the five poisonous creatures, and breeds snakes, insects, rats, and ants. Insect plagues and malevolent spirits especially love to reside there.

Zhao Qingming's words made the old man Zhou Shang blush deeply.

Xiao Zhenye chuckled, "See? I was right."

Xiao Zhenye wasn't actually an expert in feng shui, but being a ghost, he was most sensitive to changes in the atmosphere of the place.

If it were truly an auspicious place, Xiao Zhenye would probably have fled long ago.

The four people were talking loudly. Soon after, footsteps could be heard in the courtyard. Then, the door was opened a crack, and a woman in her early forties peeked out with a frown.

The woman's face darkened, and she was about to start cursing.

After all, no one would be happy if you said someone's feng shui was bad from their own doorstep.

But when she looked up and saw that there were four elderly people with white hair at the door, the woman swallowed back the curse that was about to come out of her mouth.

He looked at them with a puzzled expression and asked, "Gentlemen, who are you looking for?"

Xiao Laosi turned around and walked up to the woman. He looked her over carefully, a complex smile on his face that was both wistful and hard to describe. His voice was deep and clear: "Amei? Do you still recognize me? You've grown so much in the blink of an eye."

The woman was taken aback upon hearing this and looked at Xiao Laosi in front of her with suspicion.

After carefully recognizing the face, she covered her mouth in disbelief, her voice trembling slightly: "You are...Grandpa Xiao?"

Amei's eyes widened, feeling increasingly incredulous.

She was only eleven or twelve years old at the time. She clearly remembers that when the old man came to her house, her grandmother treated him as an honored guest, and she often pestered him to tell her stories.

But that was more than 30 years ago.

This struck her as incredible.

Seeing this, Xiao Laosi took out the hairpin.

Upon seeing the hairpin, Amei's pupils constricted sharply. She might not recognize anything else, but how could she not recognize this hairpin?

His expression immediately became excited, and he subconsciously reached out to grab Xiao Zhenye's arm.

But when her hand touched Xiao Zhenye, she felt an icy chill, which startled her.

Xiao Zhenye's smile remained unchanged as he said, "Little brat, you're still so impetuous after all these years."

After he finished speaking, he turned around and introduced Zhou Shang, Li Qing, and even Zhao Qingming.

He then introduced the girl he called "Mao Yatou".

Amei realized what was happening and quickly opened the door to invite Xiao Zhenye and the other three in.

The house had a strong musty smell. Just as Zhao Qingming had said before, this was indeed not a place for people to live. He didn't understand why this young woman would build her house here.

The room was furnished simply, and a black and white photograph of an old lady hung on the wall.

"Grandpa, please sit down, I'll make you some tea."

"Oh, no need to trouble yourself."

Xiao Zhenye waved his hand and handed the hairpin to Amei: "Your grandmother promised me that if I ever needed to go into the mountains and needed a guide, I would come to you. I can't find anyone else for this, so I have to shamelessly come to you today to ask for this favor."

Amei took the hairpin. Her grandmother had told her about it more than once, but as time had passed, Amei had almost forgotten about it.

But looking at the hairpin in her hand, Ah Mei was in a dilemma. After a moment, Ah Mei finally spoke: "Grandpa, I'm afraid I can't help you with this matter."

Xiao Zhenye was not angry when he heard this. Instead, he asked with concern, "When I came here, I heard that there was a high priest here who was no longer from the Zhu family. What happened? Who bullied you?"

Amei was stunned for a moment. Looking at the concerned eyes in front of her, a wave of sadness washed over her, and her eyes immediately welled up with tears. The grievances in her heart suddenly surged out uncontrollably.

"Grandma!"

Upon hearing the cry of "Grandpa," the woman in her forties finally broke down in tears.

Xiao Zhenye reached out and patted Amei, his smile still kind: "Don't be afraid, tell your grandfather, and your grandfather will stand up for you."

(End of this chapter)