Ying Chen's eyebrows rose. His first reaction wasn't to believe the old man's words, but to look at Elder Guo and Master Gui.
The "Twelve Yuan Chen Xuan Yin Bells," supposedly created by an ancient great shaman, were unheard of in Ying Chen's era.
This meant it was highly likely a fabricated item.
In reality, it was likely created by cultivators after the Qin Dynasty.
Ying Chen knew little about this period of history and could only inquire with Elder Guo and Master Gui.
Seeing Ying Chen's gaze, the two understood what he was asking and replied, "This artifact does seem to exist. But we've only heard someone mention it in passing. We know nothing of its specific form or purpose."
"More importantly, artifacts like this either vanished into the river of history or were treasured by a powerful Xuanmen sect and never lent out."
"Finding this item might not be much simpler than finding the person who cast the curse."
Ying Chen remained silent after hearing their answers.
His gaze flickered slightly.
He was clearly contemplating something.
Seeing Ying Chen's expression, the old man couldn't help but panic.
This was his only chance of survival. If Ying Chen rejected it, he was utterly finished.
He quickly said, "Immortal Master, in my opinion, finding the Twelve Yuan Chen Xuan Yin Bells is much simpler than finding the person who cast the curse!"
"Why?" Ying Chen glanced at the old man and asked.
"Because by the time the Han太子 died, the Twelve Yuan Chen Xuan Yin Bells were almost found. Why did our ancestor of the Chi You Banner initiate the Witchcraft Rebellion? It was because they feared that once the Han太子 obtained the Twelve Yuan Chen Xuan Yin Bells, he would remove the Life-Locking Gu and retaliate against the Chi You Banner."
"Therefore, they had to strike first just before the Han太子 got his hands on the Twelve Yuan Chen Xuan Yin Bells."
"According to the records at the time, the secret agent team the Han太子 sent to search for the Twelve Yuan Chen Xuan Yin Bells ultimately went to Lei Tai!"
"What? Lei Tai!" Master Gui's eyes widened in shock upon hearing the name, and he exclaimed.
Seeing everyone look at him in confusion, he quickly explained, "Lei Tai, also known as Kun Ling. During the Western Han Dynasty, it was where the ancients sacrificed to the God of Thunder. In the Eastern Han, it became the burial place of Zhang Daoling, the founder of Taoism. It's also rumored that there's an ancient well there, inscribed with the character 'Xuan,' hence Xuan Jing. However, the local villagers don't call it that."
"The local villagers call that well 'Fu Gui Jing' (Spirit Suppressing Well)!"
"Because it's said that Zhang Daoling sealed all the demons and ghosts he subdued in his lifetime within that well. Besides a collection of artifact to suppress the demons at the wellhead, he even used his own bones as well stones to firmly suppress those demons and ghosts."
"If you press your ear to the wellhead in the dead of night, you can still hear the cries of various ghosts and spirits from within!"
"It's extremely sinister. Many tomb-robbing gangs have tried to steal the Han tomb at Lei Tai. The initial stages of the theft went smoothly, but once they reached Fu Gui Jing, they all met their doom!"
"As a result, only the front half of the Han tomb at Lei Tai has been excavated. As for the latter half, forget about excavating it; no one even dares to mention it!"
"And in reality, the excavated portion of the Han tomb at Lei Tai is not the original burial site. It's merely a new burial site that was gradually expanded upon the original one by later generations."
"The truly original burial site can only be accessed by passing through Fu Gui Jing!"
Master Gui spoke eloquently, revealing his extensive knowledge, even on obscure subjects.
"Yes, yes, yes, that's the place!" The old man nodded repeatedly, like a parrot mimicking.
"Zhang Daoling?" Ying Chen's eyebrows twitched slightly.
Ying Chen was certainly familiar with this name.
To create Taoism after the extinction of the art of sorcery proved his extraordinary talent.
If he had been born a few hundred years earlier, he might have been a formidable master of sorcery.
His choice of Lei Tai as his burial place after his death must have had a reason.
Could it truly be because of the Twelve Yuan Chen Xuan Yin Bells?
However, if it were truly for the Twelve Yuan Chen Xuan Yin Bells, why didn't he simply retrieve them and leave?
Were there hidden circumstances preventing the Twelve Yuan Chen Xuan Yin Bells from being removed?
Did he have to build his tomb there and retrieve the treasure on-site?
Ying Chen's mind was filled with questions.
Yet, there was no one to answer them.
As Master Gui had said, for so many years, no one had been able to pass through Fu Gui Jing and access the original burial site!
Furthermore, it was uncertain even in which direction the original burial site lay.
If no one had seen it, no one could answer.
Unless someone could find the original burial site and excavate it!
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck Ying Chen, and he thought of someone!
Ying Chen wasn't skilled at digging up tombs, but someone else was!
For example, Professor Li, who accidentally dug Ying Chen out – if he could unearth Ying Chen, who had been sealed for two thousand years, then excavating a Han tomb that was just over a thousand years old would be a trivial matter!
Moreover, even if this hadn't happened, Ying Chen would have sought out Professor Li sooner or later.
Because Ying Chen had a multi-billion dollar project to discuss with Professor Li!
This way, it saved trouble, and both matters could be handled simultaneously and without conflict!
With this thought, Ying Chen coldly lowered his gaze and looked at the old man, "You'd better pray that the Twelve Yuan Chen Xuan Yin Bells are indeed lying within the Han tomb at Lei Tai. Otherwise, even if they once existed but were stolen, you won't escape death!"
"..." The old man felt like a mute eating bitter herbs, unable to express his suffering.
He instinctively wanted to protest the injustice, but thinking of Ying Chen's power, he could only endure it silently.
Smiling ingratiatingly, he said, "They're definitely there, definitely there. When an Immortal Master takes action, one is worth two! No, worth a thousand, ten thousand, a hundred million!"
Ying Chen ignored the old man's flattery and turned to the Great Shaman, "Do you wish to live or die?"
The Great Shaman had long since been conquered by Ying Chen's divine abilities and had no other thoughts.
He nodded like a pecking hen, "I want to live, I want to live!"
"Living is simple. You surely remember the appearance of that group from ten years ago? Find them, and you will live."
"..." The glimmer of hope that had just ignited in the Great Shaman's heart was instantly extinguished.
What was the difference between this and being killed outright?
Oh, there was a difference.
If he were killed directly, he would die a quick death. But the task Ying Chen had assigned him was an impossible one!
Instead, it would make him live in perpetual fear and anxiety, day after day!
Until the moment of his death!
Because that group from ten years ago had all died in this Chi You Banner cave, leaving only their leader.
And that person was likely just a pawn of some powerful figure, not the true caster of the curse.
And judging by the methods of powerful figures, betraying allies and silencing witnesses afterward was exceedingly common.
Was the Great Shaman expected to go to the Underworld to find that person and then extract the name of the mastermind from him?
Both the Great Shaman and the old man of the Chi You Banner had unspeakable grievances.
If Ying Chen hadn't been present, they would have embraced each other and wept!
Ying Chen, however, paid them no mind.
With a flick of his finger, two pills were sent into their mouths.
"You have one month. By then, you will either bring me news in exchange for the antidote; or your bones will turn to powder, and you will endure forty-nine days of agony before dying."
Ying Chen said calmly.
The Great Shaman and the old man's faces turned ashen with horror, their tears threatening to fall.