Put away your magical powers now!.

Chapter 196 [It is alive] (6000)

Chapter 190 [It's Alive] (6000 words)

Chen Yan laughed; "What did you find out?"

“You have some money, live in a villa, drive luxury cars, and own some houses and shops in the university town,” Lu Xiuting said coldly. “But I’ve investigated your family background… You’re just an ordinary family, both your parents are deceased, and your only grandmother has also passed away. You don’t have any job, no business of your own, and no company.”

Your money should have been inherited from your family, but I want to tell you something, young man...

He only has some disposable income; he's not a rich person at all!
"Without control of the means of production and social resources, you're nothing more than a fat sheep in the eyes of the truly wealthy and powerful."

“I think…you’re right,” Chen Yan said with a smile.

"Huh?" Lu Xiuting was taken aback.

"I'm telling the truth," Chen Yan said with a smile. "I also went to university, Aunt Lu. I've also studied socioeconomics. People who don't own the means of production, who only have some money in their hands, can only be considered wealthy in the consumer sector. They're really easy targets."

The real big shots are those who control the means of production and social resources.

For example, your husband, Lu Sisi's father, the Yang family's business, although not large in Jinling Prefecture, still has several factories with thousands of workers.

Including the upstream and downstream industrial chains, it directly and indirectly affects the employment of tens of thousands of people, which in turn affects the stability of tens of thousands of families.

Although I may have more cash than your husband, in terms of social influence, I can't compare to him.

For example, if your husband has any problems, he can make a phone call to the top official in charge.

As for me, a nouveau riche with a little cash on hand, a freeloader who collects rent, I don't even have the right to meet him.

Is that what you meant?

As Chen Yan spoke, he looked at Lu Xiuting and said, "If I really am just an ordinary nouveau riche, then what you said is actually correct."

Unfortunately, I'm not.

Lu Xiuting narrowed her eyes.

"Wasn't I clear enough just now? Or did you overlook the details in what I said?" Chen Yan laughed. "I told you, I was the one who collected Lu Ding's body for you!"

Lu Xiuting's expression suddenly changed: "You...you really went to that place?!"

“Yeah, you thought I was bragging?” Chen Yan laughed.

Lu Xiuting's face turned ashen: "You, how could you..."

Chen Yan calmly took out his phone, opened a map app, set a location coordinate, and pushed the phone in front of Lu Xiuting.

Lu Xiuting glanced at her location on the map app, and her expression changed drastically!
"You...you really know!" Lu Xiuting's voice was panicked. "You really went there?!"

"You think I'm bluffing you?" Chen Yan took back his phone.

Having said that, he felt the time was right, so he dropped his arrogance and feigned indifference, and slowly said, "Aunt Lu, you are Lu Sisi's mother. So, unless absolutely necessary, I don't want to break ties with you or hurt you. After all, that would hurt Lu Sisi and put her in a very difficult situation. So..."

Lu Xiuting's expression changed several times in an instant: "So, what exactly do you want to do?"

"It's nothing. Let's talk about the story I just told, and the part of the story that I haven't figured out yet."

The treasures in the ancient tomb must be in your hands, right? What I'm curious about is, did your father secretly bring them back and give them to you without telling your cousin, or did you retrieve them from the tomb yourself while your cousin was in jail?

Lu Xiuting remained silent, only staring coldly at Chen Yan.

Chen Yan thought for a moment and said, "Actually, I understand your concerns... You don't believe I can really threaten you. You think that the things I say to threaten you are just empty words to scare you, right?"

As he spoke, he stared at Lu Xiuting, then smirked, "You recognize Chu Keqing, right?"

Lu Xiuting's expression shifted: "In the cultivation world of Jinling Prefecture, who doesn't know the famous Elder Zi?"

"Yes, you recognize her." Chen Yan laughed and pointed at Lu Xiuting: "Moreover, it's obvious that you're quite envious of her, right? That's why your clothes and style are all imitating Chu Keqing."

Lu Xiuting looked somewhat embarrassed and shook her head, saying, "Elder Zi is renowned and well-connected among the powerful and wealthy. Many high-ranking officials treat her as an honored guest. Moreover, as a woman, she has accomplished such a great feat. It's not surprising that I have some respect for her."

After a pause, Lu Xiuting glanced at Chen Yan: "Elder Zi is a truly extraordinary person with profound cultivation! Chen Yan, you'd better show her some respect in your words. You young people don't understand, thinking that there are no such extraordinary powers in this world. Actually, you don't know, Elder Zi... um?!"

Lu Xiuting's expression suddenly changed as she said this!
Before he could finish speaking, Chen Yan had already silently reached out and gently touched the teapot placed between the two of them on the table.

The teapot vanished without a trace!

The next instant, Chen Yan waved his hand, and the teapot reappeared on the table!

"You?!" Lu Xiuting stared at Chen Yan with wide eyes.

Chen Yan spread his hands: "I've already told you, I'm not an ordinary person."

Lu Xiuting stared wide-eyed at the teapot on the table!
Such a large teapot just vanished and reappeared right before her eyes!
In Lu Xiuting's opinion, this was definitely not a magic trick!

Chen Yan smiled and said, "Since you know Chu Keqing, do you recognize her? Do you have her contact information? Her phone number? Her WeChat?"

Lu Xiuting took a deep breath, her face showing some panic and confusion: "I, no... I've just had some business dealings with Elder Zi over the past few years, but I've only contacted her assistants..."

"Oh, Assistant Cai, right?" Chen Yan asked with a smile. "What kind of business?"

“Some things that my father secretly kept back then.”

I understand, they are stolen antiques and funerary objects obtained from tomb raiding.

"Chu Keqing is doing this kind of business?" Chen Yan was somewhat skeptical—Chu Keqing was a cultivator, she should understand that money earned through illicit means would affect one's fortune and destiny.

“Old Zi does some antique business, but she doesn’t accept funerary objects.” Lu Xiuting shook her head and said, “However, the good things I have are not only funerary objects.”

My father and cousin used to run a soil-turning business. They didn't just sell funerary objects; they also collected genuine antiques as a front to cover up their business.

Later, my father died, my cousin was arrested, and the funerary objects were confiscated by the police. But some of the legitimate antiques that my father had secretly collected as a cover were still left behind and were not seized.

So, back then, I made some money by selling those things, which was enough to support me until I graduated from university.

Later, as I did more of it, after I got married, I also did some antique collecting and trading. Sisi's father thought it was my hobby and didn't interfere with me. He would also give me some financial support.

Master Zi is a highly accomplished cultivator, and he occasionally organizes exchanges on antique collecting, which is how I... had the good fortune to enter that circle.

Chen Yan knew that this woman was not telling the truth.

It's possible that she engaged in formal antique collecting exchanges and entered Chu Keqing's circle.

But she must have secretly sold funerary items as well!

This can be determined from the deathly aura emanating from her and the fact that it has entangled her destiny.

"Didn't you ever think about getting to know Chu Keqing?" Chen Yan asked with a smile.

Lu Xiuting shook her head: "I spoke with Mr. Zi at an antique collection exchange meeting, but... she didn't seem to like dealing with me very much. After exchanging a few polite words, she walked away—I felt that she kept her distance from me."

Chen Yan understood.

Chu Keqing also knows the art of observing qi! As long as one knows the art of observing qi, one can naturally see the death aura surrounding Lu Xiuting at a glance. With Chu Keqing's intelligence, she can figure out the reason after a little thought.

Naturally, no one would want to get close to a guy who sells funerary objects.

but……

This Lu Xiuting seems to have a real fan mentality towards Chu Keqing.

Thinking of this, Chen Yan picked up his phone and called Chu Keqing—and even put it on speakerphone.

The call was quickly answered.

"Senior Chen Yan~" Chu Keqing's voice carried a hint of coquettishness: "What are your orders?"

Chen Yan coughed and said, "Um, Xiao Chu, could you help me..."

"I've said it so many times, senior, call me Keqing." Chu Keqing's tone was undisguisedly coquettish: "Does senior dislike Keqing so much that you have to be so clear about how you address me?"

"Cough cough cough!" Chen Yan quickly coughed a few times.

Damn it! What a blunder!

He originally only wanted to use Chu Keqing's identity to endorse himself, but this woman started acting coquettishly towards him on the phone!

If it were anyone else, it wouldn't matter, but the person listening nearby was Lu Xiuting—his girlfriend's own mother!
In front of his girlfriend's mother, another woman was acting cute towards him?
"Xiao Chu, don't joke around. I'm with Aunt Lu," Chen Yan quickly said solemnly.

After a moment of silence, Chu Keqing's tone became much more serious: "Yes, it's Ms. Lu here. Senior Chen Yan, what are your instructions?"

"Well, it's nothing particularly important. Aunt Lu told me that she attended your antique collection exchange and was very interested in it, so..."

Chu Keqing immediately understood and smiled, "Since Senior Chen Yan has given the order, I will naturally comply. I will be holding a collection exchange at the academy next month, and I will have Xiao Cai send an invitation to Ms. Lu."

After agreeing, Chen Yan quickly hung up the phone.

I dare not refuse! Otherwise, I don't know what Chu Keqing might say.

What if I mention the night I went to the hot springs in Hokkaido...

After hanging up the phone, Chen Yan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but his face remained calm as he looked at Lu Xiuting and asked, "Aunt Lu, do you believe me now?"

Lu Xiuting looked a little confused. She paused for a moment before asking, "Zi, Elder Zi, she calls you 'senior'?"

"That's not important." Chen Yan waved his hand. "Now, can you tell me the truth? What I'm really curious about is, what kind of treasure is in that ancient tomb?"
And... what I really want to know is, why are you so determined to send Lu Sisi abroad and not let her stay in Jinling Prefecture!

Lu Xiuting's expression tightened.

However, Chen Yan quickly pulled out a [True Word Talisman] from his pocket, flicked it, and after the talisman burned, a wisp of green smoke drifted onto Lu Xiuting.

Lu Xiuting's expression changed: "What, what are you doing?"

"A little trick to make sure you're telling me the truth," Chen Yan said calmly.

Lu Xiuting's face seemed to darken: "I believe you're not an ordinary person, but that doesn't necessarily mean I have to tell you all this..."

As he spoke, seeing that Lu Xiuting seemed about to get up and leave, Chen Yan suddenly said coldly, "Aren't you afraid of the trouble that will follow?"

With me here, you won't be able to get Lu Sisi out of Jinling Prefecture!
You must want to send Lu Sisi far away abroad. I guess you'll be in big trouble if you don't!
You can leave now! But if you encounter any trouble later, can you handle it?
Tell me now, and maybe I can help you out of consideration for Lu Sisi.

Lu Xiuting's body trembled!
Chen Yan pointed to the door: "The door is right there, Aunt Lu. I won't stop you if you want to leave, but you'll have to bear any trouble yourself in the future."

After her expression changed several times, Lu Xiuting finally gritted her teeth and slowly sat back down.

The woman's face turned pale and then flushed. She quickly opened her bag, took out a pack of women's cigarettes, and lit one for herself.

Lu Xiuting's fingers trembled as she lit a cigarette.

After taking a drag of her cigarette, her emotions seemed to calm down a bit.

“Chen Yan… Now I know you’re no ordinary person. Even a Xuan cultivation master like Elder Zi treats you with great respect. But… my story is probably too bizarre, even for someone like you who practices Xuan cultivation.”

Chen Yan felt relieved and quietly refilled Lu Xiuting's teacup, saying with a smile, "Whether it's strange or not, why don't you tell me first?"

After taking two more puffs of her cigarette, Lu Xiuting slowly said, "There were indeed things in that ancient tomb, but I didn't retrieve them by going down into the cave alone—I don't have the ability to go down into caves."

When I was a child, I worked with my father and cousin doing soil-turning, but I was just an assistant, keeping watch outside or preparing equipment at home. Later, I also learned to clean some antiques and cultural relics—but my father and cousin never taught me skills like digging holes and setting up pits.

My father always told me that he had already wronged me by letting me participate in this business. I am a girl, and I will eventually get married and start my own family. He didn't want me to be involved too much because he didn't want me to have too much bad karma.

Chen Yan nodded.

This time, he believed that Lu Xiuting was telling the truth—under the [Truth Talisman], ordinary mortals like Lu Xiuting had no power to resist.

"That year, my father and cousin found an ancient tomb. When they went down into the tomb, I was outside keeping watch. I don't know what happened underground afterward. I only heard my cousin calling my name from below, and then he and my father climbed up together."

When he came up, my father was vomiting blood, and it wasn't just ordinary vomiting blood; he was bleeding from all seven orifices.

Blood was seeping from his mouth, nose, ears, and eyes. The scene was horrifying.

I was young at the time, and I was so scared that all I knew was fear. I don't remember many of the things that happened.

All I remember is my cousin leading my father and me out of the house, and then driving us home.

The car drove all night, and when we got home, my father was already very weak. The clothes he was wearing were stained red with the blood he had vomited.

After arriving home, my cousin went to find a doctor that very night, thinking that my father had been hit by something heavy down there and suffered internal injuries.

After my cousin left, I stayed by my father's side at home, but he suddenly woke up..."

Lu Xiuting paused for a moment, then slowly said, "He took something out of his pocket and handed it to me, telling me to keep it safe and... not to let my cousin know."

Upon hearing this, Chen Yan twitched the corner of his mouth.

This family, a band of tomb raiders, are actually uncle and nephew, yet they are cunning and scheming against each other.

"That thing must have been what my father found inside the cave after he went down. He had ulterior motives and didn't want my cousin to know."

Lu Xiuting said in a complicated tone, "At the time, my father probably didn't know he was going to die. He thought he could pull through, so he just wanted me to hide the things first, and then he could secretly dispose of or sell them behind my cousin's back after he recovered."

But unexpectedly, he died before dawn.

"Yes," Chen Yan nodded.

This explanation makes more sense. Otherwise, if the father knew he was going to die, there would be no reason for him to entrust a treasure to his young orphan girl—the principle that "a common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime" is something an old tomb raider couldn't possibly be unaware of.

Leaving a precious child to a helpless orphan is not a good thing for her, but rather a recipe for disaster.

"Later, because my father died, and his death was very suspicious, the police came to our door, visited the village, found some clues, and finally arrested my cousin."

My cousin was imprisoned for stealing and selling cultural relics. Only then did the villagers realize that my family had always been in that kind of business. Now, I can no longer make a living in the village.

Originally, my family was well-liked in the village. Even after my father died, most villagers would still help me out because they felt sorry for me as an orphan.

But when I found out that my cousin had been imprisoned for stealing and selling cultural relics... people in the countryside are particularly averse to this kind of thing. Grave robbing is actually equivalent to digging up someone's ancestral graves.

As a result, I was also looked down upon in the village, so I simply secretly took some of the things my father had hidden and sold them.

I was young at the time, and I had no way of knowing about the channels my father used for reselling those products over the years, nor would he have taught me.

I could only take my things and go to the black market for antiques in the city to sell them, but I was sure I would get ripped off and cheated.

But at that time I had no choice; I had to sell it even if it was cheap. So I made some money, maybe thirty to fifty thousand. After bringing the money back, I paid my tuition, went to boarding school, and left the village. Later, I was admitted to university.

Chen Yan listened without interrupting the woman's story, and even refilled her tea when she stopped to drink.

"After entering university, the problem I faced was money! The 30,000 to 50,000 yuan was not enough for my tuition and living expenses for four years of university."

So after much deliberation, I realized I had no other choice but to sell the things my father had given me the night before he died.

I kept that thing and didn't sell it because I thought that since it was something my father had risked his life to bring back, it was probably more valuable, and I shouldn't sell it cheaply unless absolutely necessary.

I always carried that thing with me, hiding it away, even when I went to university.

Chen Yan frowned and asked, "What...what is that?"

"A piece of jade."

Lu Xiuting's answer was very simple.

However, she quickly added: "It's about half the size of a palm, not thick, and irregularly shaped. It's the kind of uncarved jade, raw jade."

As she spoke, her expression was somewhat strange, and her tone seemed to carry a hint of uncertainty: "However... it's a bit odd."

"Are you still here? Can I take a look?" Chen Yan made a request.

“The thing is gone.” Lu Xiuting shook her head: “I’m not lying to you, the thing is really gone.”

"You said it's a bit strange, but what exactly is strange about it?"

Lu Xiuting pondered and recalled, then whispered, "There's a seal on it."

"seal?"

Chen Yan was stunned.

"Hmm, I'm not sure, but it looks like it has a stamped mark."

As she spoke, Lu Xiuting suddenly picked up her bag, took out a pen, and quickly began to draw on the paper.

A moment later, she pushed the paper in front of Chen Yan.

"I studied this mark many times back then, drew it, and had it seen by my classical Chinese teacher at school. Later, I also asked someone to see it by some cultural relics experts in museums."

But no one could identify what the mark actually was.

To be honest, my real intention was to figure out which dynasty the seal appeared to be from, so I could determine its age and potential value... but unfortunately, after asking many experts, no one could identify it.

Chen Yan could understand this mentality.

He picked up the paper, glanced at it twice, and then his eyes flickered.

It was an oval-shaped mark with some strange patterns drawn on it by Lu Xiuting.

It appears to be some kind of script, but I don't recognize it at all.

However, when Chen Yan looked at the patterns on the mark, they seemed to form some kind of characters, and he felt a sense of familiarity with them!

A few seconds later, he suddenly realized!

These characters are similar to the characters on the black stone he obtained before that opened the mirror world...

Very similar!
When Chen Yan first obtained the black stone, he tried to complete the missing characters on it. Later, by chance, he actually completed it correctly, thus unlocking the method of entering and exiting the mirror world.

The character drawn by Lu Xiuting is different from the characters in the mirror world, but in terms of writing style, they are very similar and should be the same kind of writing.

After a moment's thought, Chen Yan put the paper away and tucked it into his pocket before looking at Lu Xiuting and asking, "What do you mean by saying the jade is gone? Did you sell it?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Xiuting's expression became even stranger, and her eyes became very complicated.

She remained silent, as if deep in thought, struggling with something and weighing her options.

Finally, as if she had made up her mind, Lu Xiuting raised her head, her tone somewhat absurd.

"If I told you that the jade is alive, would you believe me?"

(End of this chapter)