Chapter 5

The sky was gloomy and cold, and a chilling wind swept over the rocky hill. There were no signs of life here, and naturally, there was no light. Only the eerie cries of birds and beasts on the cliff occasionally broke the silence, sending shivers down one's spine.

Under the dim night sky, a thin figure crouched low, like a ghost rising at midnight, using the faint moonlight to search among the simple graves made of earth and stones.

"Damn, this wind is too eerie. I must never bury anything here again." The chilling wind swept through the wilderness, as if carrying the wails of lost souls. Another gust of wind sent goosebumps down his spine. He stepped on a dry twig, which snapped with a loud crack, startling Xunqiu, who hurriedly patted his chest.

If he had no interest in cultivation and learning, the young master was very keen on eating, drinking, and other vices. His experiences over the years had taught him that keeping some private money outside could always come in handy in times of need.

Although it was a prosperous era, and the Kaiping Empire had enjoyed peace for over twenty years, the gap between different social classes was still evident in every corner of the empire. This rocky hill was the largest wasteland outside the city, where the poor were buried. It was rarely visited, even by stray dogs, making it a relatively safe place to hide private money.

Xunqiu entered the rocky hill in the dark and stopped in front of a crooked tree about ten zhang from the entrance. He then faced south, counting his steps as he moved forward.

"One step, two steps, three..."

"Ten steps, yes, it should be around here." Xunqiu clapped his hands and stopped in front of a half-collapsed grave. He then took out a crystal-clear jade piece from his chest and knelt down to start digging.

It had just rained in Linjing City, and the ground was still damp. Xunqiu didn't need much effort to dig a two-foot-deep hole, which led directly to the hollow interior of the grave.

"Ancestors and spirits, this thing originally belongs to me. Taking it now doesn't count as stealing. Please don't come for me at night."

Xunqiu knelt carefully in front of the grave and knocked his head nine times. Coming to such a place at night was already inauspicious, especially for someone as timid as him.

"Please wait a moment. I'll take it and leave immediately, right away." As if afraid his words weren't enough, Xunqiu stretched his arm into the grave, mumbling nervously, fearing something might suddenly sit up and bite his neck.

"Strange, why can't I find it? This is really bizarre." After searching for a long time, he found nothing. Xunqiu felt something was off. His years of experience in hiding things from his father made him an expert, and it was impossible for the item to just disappear.

Unconsciously, the thick clouds in the sky dissipated, and the crescent moon reappeared. The pale silver moonlight illuminated the rocky hill, making it less dark and more mysterious.

"My precious, don't hide anymore. What will I eat and sleep on tonight?" He searched back and forth at least ten times, and beads of sweat formed on his forehead. Tonight felt strange, especially kneeling here, as he felt a pair of eyes watching him from the darkness.

"Hehe, little rascal, it looks like your plans for tonight are ruined." Suddenly, a chilling voice sounded in Xunqiu's ear. "But don't be afraid, or you might fall down." The somewhat hoarse voice came from behind him, and Xunqiu, kneeling on the ground, shivered.

"Mommy!"

Turning around abruptly, Xunqiu felt his blood freeze, as if a thunderclap had exploded inside him, making his hair stand on end.

Stumbling backward, he tripped over a grave and fell, rolling down the slope.

On the other side of the grave, a person had suddenly appeared.

Looking closely, the person was about sixty years old but had a bizarre appearance that was hard to believe.

He had a round face with small eyes, a ruddy complexion with a golden glow, and a tattered monk's robe. His head was parted in the middle, with two-foot-long hair on the left side, braided and tied back, and the right side shaved bright and shiny.

The old man's small eyes were squinted into slits, and he stared at Xunqiu with a comical expression.

"Please spare me, Grandfather Ghost. I didn't mean to disturb you." Xunqiu quickly knelt down, closing his eyes tightly and banging his head on the ground like a madman, trembling all over, almost fainting from fear.

"Don't be afraid, boy..."

"Ah! Please don't eat me. I've done many bad things, and my flesh is dirty, sour, and stinky. Even a ghost would suffer if they ate me!"

"You can rest assured, I..."

"I know what you want. I'll burn a lot of money for you tomorrow. If the market is tight, I'll burn some women for you."

"Actually, I..."

"Please, I beg you, spare me." Xunqiu continued, kneeling on the ground, his head banging against the ground non-stop.

"Enough! I'll eat you right now if you keep talking!!!" The old man, frustrated, shouted, then cleared his throat in pain, almost hoarse from the effort.

"Huh?" Hearing the shout, Xunqiu stopped his wailing, trembling as he stood up and carefully examined the bizarre old man.

"You... you're not a ghost."

"Really not!" The old man looked helpless, then shook his head seriously.

Xunqiu let out a long breath, his tense nerves finally relaxing. The commotion had made him break out in a cold sweat and almost wet his pants.

"Tch! What a bore!" Xunqiu glared at the old man, ignoring him and kneeling down again, reaching into the grave. Finding the treasure was his top priority now.

"Little brother..." The old man patted Xunqiu's shoulder, but was interrupted.

"What now?!" The boy shook his shoulder, his face full of impatience.

"Are you interested in cultivation?"

"No!" Xunqiu refused without hesitation. If he wanted to cultivate, he would have done it long ago. Why would he listen to a random old man at midnight?

"Young man, think carefully. I see that you have a remarkable bone structure..."

"You see that I have a remarkable bone structure, one in ten thousand, a rare talent for cultivation. Today, we meet by chance, and I am willing to take you as my disciple and teach you supreme cultivation. The future of the sect will be in your hands." Xunqiu recited fluently, then shook his head helplessly, looking at the old man with disdain. "Is that it?"

The old man, unaccustomed to such eloquence, was stunned and replied woodenly, "Yes, exactly!"

"Hmph, boring trick, not fun at all!"

"Little brother, you must believe me. I'm not just any ordinary cultivator. Here are some books. After you read them, you'll believe what I say." Xunqiu's straightforward refusal left the old man puzzled. Being accepted as a disciple would be a great honor, even for the leaders of various sects, let alone a rascal like him.

"No need. Don't tell me you have some rare cultivation manuals, and the responsibility to maintain world peace will fall on me, and then you'll trick me into buying them." Xunqiu lazily waved his hand, then looked up and said firmly, "I won't buy them because what I lack most right now is money!"

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