Xu Sanhu also frowned, "This is also what I don't understand. If it was truly my father, how could he appear in broad daylight? Moreover, my father has never returned all these years, not even to visit me in a dream."
"Besides, when my father was alive, he was upright and respected by everyone in the three villages. How could he have become a lingering vengeful spirit?"
It was difficult to explain this matter clearly. No matter what, the old man had indeed appeared. Whether he was human or ghost could not be confirmed.
Ye Fan turned to look at Xu Sanhu, "Village Chief Xu, may I ask how you knew we were coming here now?"
When they were at the village entrance, Ye Fan had asked him this question, but he had brushed it off. Now, he was asking again, and there were no outsiders here. It was absolutely safe. Even if Xu Sanhu wanted to conceal it, he had no excuse.
As expected, upon hearing Ye Fan's question, Xu Sanhu gave a wry smile, his face showing difficulty.
"Brother Ye, you are truly putting me in a difficult position."
But Ye Fan continued to stare at him, giving the impression that he would not rest until he knew the truth.
Besides Ye Fan, Shen Tianyin, Old Lei, and others were also staring at him, waiting for his answer.
This time, Xu Sanhu was completely speechless. He could only blame his bad luck for encountering these people.
After all, all masters in the antique circle had one thing in common: they wouldn't give up until they achieved their goals, digging to the bottom of things. This was considered a kind of occupational hazard for them.
"Fine. Since I consider you all as family, there's nothing to hide. It won't hurt to tell you."
Saying this, Xu Sanhu slowly stood up and took out a few copper coins from his pocket.
"Zhu Mu Da Qian?"
Upon seeing these large coins, Ye Fan was stunned.
"Ye Fan, what is Zhu Mu Da Qian?" Shen Tianyin asked, confused.
Ye Fan withdrew his gaze from his shock and sighed.
"Zhu Mu Da Qian, as they are called, were ancient imperial templates for minting new coins, distributed to various provinces. Since there was only one per province, and only about a dozen nationwide, they are extremely precious. Moreover, Zhu Mu Da Qian are said to possess great spiritual power, making them rare finds."
When he was a tomb keeper in his past life, Ye Fan had been fortunate enough to obtain a Zhu Mu Da Qian. However, he later perished in a sea of flames, and the treasures he carried with him also melted into the inferno, not accompanying him to this life.
Now, seeing Zhu Mu Da Qian again, he couldn't help but be shocked.
"Brother Ye has sharp eyes. I went to great lengths to acquire these Zhu Mu Da Qian, almost losing my life in the process. Furthermore, I have been nourishing them with my own blood every day, which is why these coins are so spiritually potent."
Saying this, Xu Sanhu tossed the coins into the air, and they landed freely on the tabletop.
Soon, the coins stopped moving, and Xu Sanhu stared intently at them on the table with a solemn expression.
"This hexagram is 'Dragon Enters the Sea, Cutting Through Thorns.' The omen indicates that distinguished guests are arriving and success will be achieved in endeavors. That's why we were so eager to go out and welcome you."
After putting away the coins, Xu Sanhu smiled.
"I didn't expect Village Chief Xu to also understand the art of Zhu Rong. You are truly impressive. May I ask if Village Chief Xu has cast a hexagram for your village? Have you divined the village's fortune?"
The art of Qimen Bagua has existed since ancient times, and Ye Fan believed in it. However, he didn't blindly believe; he believed selectively.
Xu Sanhu faltered slightly, his gaze towards Ye Fan becoming less friendly.
Clearly, Ye Fan's repeated pointed questioning had angered him.
"Brother Xu, it seems you are indeed very tired. Perhaps you should go back to your room to rest. I will have dinner prepared later and then call everyone, how about that?"
Clearly, Xu Sanhu was asking them to leave.
Ye Fan slowly stood up and looked at Xu Sanhu, letting out a cold snort, "Since Village Chief Xu says so, we will naturally comply. However, I have something to tell Village Chief Xu."
Ye Fan leaned his head closer and said, "There are gods three feet above your head. Heaven watches all your actions. Those who do too much injustice will surely perish."
With that, he left leisurely amidst Xu Sanhu's anger.
Seeing this, Old Lei and Ji Nanshan cupped their fists towards Xu Sanhu and quickly followed Ye Fan's footsteps.
"Little friend Ye, this is Dong Village. Why did you offend that Xu Sanhu? Don't you know he is already enraged and preparing to deal with us?"
After leaving the living room and walking on the small village path, Old Lei couldn't help but ask anxiously.
According to Ye Fan's usual behavior, he shouldn't have been so reckless!
Being so arrogant and constantly targeting someone on their territory was no different from making an enemy.
Ye Fan, however, smiled without speaking, his smile very mysterious.
At this moment, Shen Tianyin exclaimed, "Where is Xue Tao? I haven't seen him at all!"
When they first entered the village, Xue Tao had been at the forefront, being the first to enter.
Afterward, Ye Fan had been constantly questioning Xu Sanhu, so much so that this matter had been forgotten, and no one had paid attention to whether anyone was missing.
"Did any of you see Xue Tao leave?" Old Lei asked with a frown.
Here, he had the best seniority and the highest status, so it was natural for him to ask.
The members of the antique association all shook their heads, stating they didn't know when Xue Tao had left.
Seeing this, an ominous premonition surfaced in his heart, and Old Lei lost his usual composure.
"Everyone, hurry and search. Split up and look for him. Whoever finds Zhan Zhao must shout loudly immediately. This way, we can ensure smooth communication."
Ye Fan instructed solemnly, and then the crowd dispersed to search for Xue Tao.
A living person had vanished without a trace. Who could accept this?
Holding Shen Tianyin's hand, Ye Fan didn't go too far, only searching the vicinity.
"Why aren't you looking outside?" Shen Tianyin asked, confused, as Ye Fan kept searching around Xu Sanhu's house.
Ye Fan frowned, his expression grave.
"Xue Tao is a living person. If nothing unexpected happened, he must have gone somewhere to rest. Even if I search further, I might not find him, so there's no need to waste more time."
Ye Fan's ability to remain so clear-headed always earned Shen Tianyin's admiration.
After all, when people encounter unexpected events, they tend to panic, and once they do, they lose their rationality for a short period. At this time, it is also easiest for them to be exploited.
Therefore, Ye Fan's actions were truly rare.
"I have a feeling that this Dong Village has a problem, and this Village Chief Xu also has a big problem. However, I can't quite pinpoint what the problem is. I can only look around here to see if there are any valuable clues."
As a professional appraiser, one's eyesight must be outstanding, and when one reaches Ye Fan's level, they cannot tolerate even the slightest imperfection.