Urban Martial Saint

Upon hearing these words, Ye Qing’s face instantly changed. He finally understood the meaning behind the Netherworld Taoist’s statement.

Wood is an extremely susceptible material to decay. A piece of wood, regardless of its composition, cannot be preserved for long. Over a century, it would probably have deteriorated into dust, crumbling with a mere breath.

However, this wooden box had astonishingly been preserved for nearly a thousand years and still remained so sturdy, which was nothing short of shocking.

No wonder the Netherworld Taoist’s expression changed when he mentioned the material of this box. A wooden box lasting nearly a thousand years, how could that be possible?

”A wooden box, how could it last this long?” Ye Qing furrowed his brow and said, ”Isn’t this box made of wood?”

”No, this box is indeed made of wood!” The Netherworld Taoist shook his head and said solemnly, ”However, the wood used to make this box is not ordinary. If I’m not mistaken, it should be Dragon Blood Wood. According to legend, Dragon Blood Wood is timber born from the blood drops of a Divine Dragon, incredibly precious, able to endure for ten thousand years without decay. However, such wood has only ever been found in the tomb of a sovereign from the Shang Dynasty, and none other has emerged since. The preciousness of Dragon Blood Wood is simply unimaginable. To say Dragon Blood Wood is worth a fortune is actually an insult to it; this wood is amongst the rarest of rares!”

Ye Qing hadn’t expected that a piece of wood could be so valuable. Listening to the Taoist’s words, he was equally astounded. If this truly was Dragon Blood Wood, then the value of this wooden box would far surpass that of the Gold Silk Armor.

The Netherworld Taoist, holding the wooden box, examined it once over and suddenly said, ”This wooden box, is actually a lock!”

”How do you know that?” Ye Qing was even more surprised. The Netherworld Taoist had immediately discerned that this wooden box was a lock, how was that possible?

”Isn’t it obvious? Look, this is the keyhole, and here is the lock’s end.” The Netherworld Taoist pointed to the seams at opposite corners and said, ”This wooden box was already extraordinary. Moreover, it locked up such a Gold Silk Armor; that’s quite odd. Is it possible that this armor is worth more than the wooden box?”

As he spoke, the Netherworld Taoist reached out and touched the Gold Silk Armor, seeming to feel something. After a while, he suddenly widened his eyes and said, ”This Gold Silk Armor, it has inner layers!?”

”What?” Ye Qing immediately went over to examine and feel the Gold Silk Armor carefully. Indeed, there was an inner layer. However, the layer was so thin that if not for the Taoist’s words, Ye Qing wouldn’t have sensed it at all.

”What exactly is this thing?” Ye Qing asked curiously.

”Don’t rush; let me take a look first.” The Netherworld Taoist examined both sides, but found nothing more. Finally, he reached into the box, starting to feel the writings on the walls of the box.

Ye Qing watched the Netherworld Taoist intently. Given the many special features he had already identified, maybe he could also decipher the internal texts of this box.

After feeling the box for a while, the Netherworld Taoist abruptly put it aside and, getting up to close the room door, appeared very secretive.

In fact, there was nobody outside at all; this gesture of the Taoist was completely redundant. Nevertheless, it showed how seriously he regarded the matter.

Once the door was closed tightly, the Netherworld Taoist sat down beside Ye Qing and said in a low voice, ”Kid, listen carefully. What I’m about to tell you must not be spread around.”

Ye Qing looked at Pig King sitting beside him; with three people in the room, it made sense for the Taoist to address only him?

”There’s no need to worry about Old Pig; his lips are tighter than yours!” the Netherworld Taoist reassured solemnly.

”Go ahead,” Ye Qing said, ”I won’t spread it.”

”You need to remember, if you spread this matter, it will bring you no benefit whatsoever.” The Netherworld Taoist paused and then said seriously, ”Kid, don’t you find it strange? Such a priceless piece of Dragon Blood Wood was made into a lock to secure a Gold Silk Armor valued at less than twenty million. Would you do such a thing?”

Ye Qing shook his head and replied, ”Maybe they didn’t know it was Dragon Blood Wood!”

The Netherworld Taoist looked at Ye Qing and said, ”Do you really think that’s possible?”

Ye Qing scratched his head and eventually shook it again. These people, having used Dragon Blood Wood, surely wouldn’t be ignorant. Yet they used such a valuable item to secure the Gold Silk Armor; isn’t that peculiar?

”This Gold Silk Armor is absolutely not an ordinary item!” The Netherworld Taoist said solemnly, ”When I touched the inner writings, I must say, these writings aren’t something you could recognize, which is pretty normal.”

”You can recognize them?” Ye Qing asked curiously.

”I recognize part of it,” the Netherworld Taoist replied, ”There are two types of texts in here. One is Taoist Incantation, a language unique to the Taoist Sect, which only accomplished practitioners can decipher. The other is Buddhist Texts, exclusive to the Buddhist Sect, understood only by accomplished practitioners of Buddhism!”

”What?” Ye Qing’s eyes widened. Such peculiar languages exist in the world?

”So, are you considered accomplished in Taoism or Buddhism?” Pig King asked.

”Isn’t it obvious?” The Netherworld Taoist tugged at his Taoist robe and said, ”What do you think?”

Pig King said no more, and Ye Qing looked at the Taoist, curious, ”How did the Taoist Incantation and Buddhist Texts come about?”

”Discussing this would take a long time,” the Netherworld Taoist explained, ”In essence, they are texts passed down by two sects. However, to truly learn these languages isn’t as simple as wanting to learn; one must possess a Wisdom Root to comprehend their profound meaning. It’s akin to the Buddhist Scripture; someone could spend a lifetime studying it without achieving any enlightenment. But another might achieve Buddhahood after a single reading—that’s a Wisdom Root.”

Ye Qing was more astonished, yet considering the peculiarities of both Buddhist and Taoist paths, he chose not to pursue further questioning.

”The text you recognize, it’s the Taoist Incantation?” Ye Qing asked.

”Exactly!” The Netherworld Taoist nodded, ”Inside, the text is half Taoist, half Buddhist. Evidently, the one who made this box was also cautious. Only someone who understands both texts can fully decipher the writings inside. Understanding one alone is useless.”

Ye Qing was even more shocked. The wooden box, certainly left behind by the Jin Dynasty people—with Prince Wan Yan vying for it—it was a relic from the dynasty. But what was inside that required such extreme secrecy with Taoist and Buddhist texts?

”What did the part of the Taoist Incantation you recognize say?” Ye Qing asked.

The Netherworld Taoist looked at the wooden box and said, ”The Taoist text is quite complex and intertwined with the Buddhist text. Unless combined, it’s impossible to understand the precise meaning. But it can be confirmed that this matter relates to Guiguzi and involves the Heaven Earth Man Three Gates. There’s mention of a tremendous secret, a mystery left by Guiguzi, sealed within this Gold Silk Armor!”

Ye Qing’s expression changed. He hadn’t anticipated that this wooden box and Gold Silk Armor would also relate to the Heaven Earth Man Three Gates.

Throughout Huaxia’s many years of history, since Guiguzi established the Heaven Earth Man Three Gates, these gates have nearly led historical progress themselves. Every time the gates were about to open, it would attract countless people vying for it. The Seven Keys, the Three Maps, became the critical points of contention.

But who could have imagined there would be more, a Gold Silk Armor emerging, holding a grand mystery yet to be revealed? When Tianfu told Ye Qing about the Heaven Earth Man Three Gates, he didn’t mention this Gold Silk Armor at all. Moreover, buried underground for hundreds of years, only recently unearthed by the Handsome Fatty Wang, the Golden Armor seemingly had little effect on locating the Three Gates. But what then was this tremendous secret? How does it relate to what connects to the Heaven Earth Man Three Gates?

”To uncover the whole message, you’d need someone who is fluent in Buddhist Texts,” suggested the Netherworld Taoist. ”Maybe you can find someone like that and resolve this mystery.”

”Someone fluent in Buddhist Texts?” Ye Qing frowned, ”Where would I find someone like that?”

”Don’t even think about those monks in the temples up the mountains on the outskirts now—how many of them are truly fluent in Buddhist Texts?”

”Forget about it,” the Netherworld Taoist replied, ”There aren’t many real monks out there anymore, it seems.”

Ye Qing fell silent for a moment, before suddenly asking: ”Do you know someone named Shijia?”

”Shijia!?” The Netherworld Taoist’s face changed, ”You’ve... you’ve met him?”

”Yes?” Ye Qing didn’t expect the Netherworld Taoist to hold Shijia in such high regard. But for Ye Qing, the happiness was that he finally found someone fluent in Buddhist Texts. It seemed that the next time he saw him, it would be best to translate the Buddhist texts inside the wooden box with his help.

However, this Shijia had no ties, with remarkable martial arts skills, Ye Qing had nothing to threaten him with, so finding him again was almost impossible. This man was notoriously elusive; today in the Eastern Province, tomorrow he might be in the Western Province. Finding him would indeed be no easy feat.