Chapter 105 – Arrangements

It was said that they would arrive in the afternoon, but by the time Uncle Qi returned, it was already dark. Besides the ancient book, he also brought some news.

“What? Old Jiang is in the hospital too?!” After a full day of bed rest, Old Yao had recovered quite well and was now able to get out of bed. Apart from some lingering stiffness in his legs, there were no signs of his previous soul-loss symptoms.

“That’s right. Apparently, it was also a home invasion. Not only was his house completely trashed, but he was also injured. However, from what his wife said, things might not be that simple.” Uncle Qi’s expression was grim, clearly not expecting such an incident.

Wei Yang, who was standing nearby, frowned and interjected, “Does this Old Jiang know about the manuscript too?”

Old Yao and Uncle Qi both nodded. Perhaps sensing his old friend’s distress, Uncle Qi was the first to answer, “In the circle of Water Script collectors, Old Jiang actually has more pieces than Old Yao. Plus, he’s always been active in the market, making him more of a transactional collector.”

A transactional collector is someone who sustains their collection by selling pieces, relying on their expertise to find hidden gems and then selling them through various channels. With the right connections and skills, one could even make a fortune this way. Such individuals have extensive networks and are often the “informants” of the circle. Old Jiang was exactly this type, and he was also very close to Old Yao. He was one of the first to know about the ancient book Old Yao had acquired from the countryside.

“Is he usually tight-lipped? And what does he know about the Bone Formation?” Wei Yang had to ask. At this point, the Bone Formation was more important than the manuscript. If something went wrong, even Uncle Qi could be implicated.

“No, I’m not very close to Old Jiang, and this time I only contacted people who are genuinely researching this. He doesn’t know about the Bone Formation.” Uncle Qi denied it outright, then sighed. “To be honest, Old Jiang’s lips are usually sealed. As an informant, he has to communicate with both sides before making a deal. Otherwise, with all the bullying in the antique circle, who would dare to work with him? This time, his injury is quite suspicious, and his house was ransacked. It’s likely the work of those people.”

Having money isn’t everything, but being able to use such sinister techniques would make those individuals far more brazen than your average tycoon.

Wei Yang sighed softly, “It seems they won’t stop until they get what they want. If that’s the case, Old Yao, you should probably stay in the hospital for a while longer. This is a public place, so it’s harder for them to act, and we’ll also be here for some time. We can look out for each other.”

Old Yao didn’t dare to ignore this advice and nodded nervously. He then turned to Uncle Qi and asked, “Liu Qi, have you had a closer look at this book?”

Previously, the matter of the book’s cover hadn’t been disclosed, as it was meant to be a surprise between old friends. But now, there was no time for such games. He directly revealed the doubts surrounding the manuscript. Uncle Qi also nodded, “It does seem like it’s been tampered with, and by a true expert.”

As he spoke, he took the book out of his pocket and placed it in front of the two men. He flipped to the back cover and, with gloved fingers, gently slid them across the fragile pages, allowing Wei Yang to see the cuts.

“This is a hidden cutting technique, designed to conceal a thin object within the pages. It’s likely something left by the book’s original owner, which was later taken out by someone else. That’s why the manuscript itself was discarded so carelessly. However, the person who took it was also a master, as there’s no trace left on the book itself. It’s impossible to tell what was originally hidden inside.”

Uncle Qi’s tone was tinged with regret. For collectors like them, such hidden treasures were rare and valuable. Even without knowing what was concealed, the technique alone was worth studying and analyzing. But now that the contents were gone, the book had lost much of its significance.

Old Yao also sighed, “So you think the same as I do. It’s a shame we didn’t get to see what was inside.”

Wei Yang, however, let out a bitter laugh, “Let’s not dwell on regrets. Just the book alone has caused so much trouble. If we had actually found some kind of treasure map, it would drive people mad. Right now, we need to focus on finding those enemies or making them give up on this book.”

With Wei Yang’s words, Old Yao quickly set aside his regrets and said, “Why don’t you take the book? I already have a photocopy, which is enough for my research. Keeping it at home is just asking for trouble. It’s just that those people don’t know the book is in your hands…”

He spoke hesitantly, as releasing the news of the transfer would essentially be pushing Wei Yang and his group into danger. Wasn’t that harming his saviors? But Wei Yang simply smiled calmly, “It’s best if you’re willing to let it go. As for the news, we’ll find a way to divert their attention. For now, please rest assured and stay in the hospital for a few more days. Once we’ve made the necessary preparations, we’ll deal with this issue.”

This wasn’t something Wei Yang could decide alone, but he could tell that Master Zeng genuinely wanted to resolve this problem. Rather than letting the enemy attack from the shadows, it was better to lure them out with bait. The Jiangtou Master who had escaped that day still hadn’t been found, and leaving him out there was like a ticking time bomb.

After reaching an agreement with the two men and carefully advising Old Yao, Wei Yang took the book and returned to the VIP ward upstairs. Master Zeng had been up for some time now. Although his internal injuries hadn’t fully healed, his complexion was much better than it had been at noon, and even the Little Celestial Master’s expression had softened. When he saw Wei Yang, his eyes lit up as if he had seen his caretaker. If he had a tail, it would probably be wagging gently. Wei Yang felt a warmth in his heart but kept his expression neutral, simply handing the book over to Master Zeng.

“I never thought Sun Yunhe’s manuscript would actually survive…” Master Zeng’s face showed a trace of emotion as he looked at the ancient book. Sun Yunhe was truly a legendary figure. If not for his betrayal, he could have become the next leader of the Mao Mountain Sect and even left a significant mark in history. But due to twists of fate, he ended his life in bitterness.

“Have you heard about what Master Sun might have hidden?” Wei Yang relayed the opinions of the two experts to Master Zeng.

Master Zeng, however, smiled wryly, “There’s actually not much information about Sun Yunhe within the Daoist community. Given his special status, he wasn’t accepted by Mao Mountain. But in the realm of Jiangtou and other unorthodox practices, he’s quite famous. It’s said that most of the deadliest techniques in Jiangtou were developed by him. However, the most famous is the legend of the ‘Soul Returning Technique.’ After falling into darkness, he supposedly tried to bring someone back to life. Many of his formations are related to soul binding. But after this technique was corrupted, it became a method to take lives and extend one’s own lifespan. It’s said that Sun Yunhe himself lived to be over 170 years old, using Jiangtou throughout his life without suffering any shortening of his life span, narrowly escaping heavenly punishment.”

Hearing this, Wei Yang suddenly had a thought, “Master Zeng, I just remembered something. That Jiangtou Master we encountered in the county, before he died, he said something about his master being the ‘Myriad Sects True Body’ and having achieved immortality. Could that be related to Master Sun’s Soul Returning Technique?”

“That person has cultivated the ‘Myriad Sects True Body’?” Master Zeng’s expression darkened. The term “Myriad Sects True Body” wasn’t typically used to describe humans but rather powerful beasts or spirits. It was said that with such a body, one could attain abilities comparable to deities, with lifespans or powers beyond human imagination. But he had never heard of anyone using this term to describe themselves, nor could he imagine how they had achieved it.

After a moment, Master Zeng finally sighed softly, “Whether or not that person truly has the Myriad Sects True Body, he must know a lot about Sun Yunhe’s legends. What’s hidden in this book is likely related to the ultimate results of the Soul Returning Technique. But no matter what’s inside, we can’t let him get his hands on it.”

The thought of an evil individual gaining immortality was terrifying. Wei Yang nodded firmly, “Of course! So how should we handle this book?”

Master Zeng glanced at the Little Celestial Master standing nearby and smiled bitterly, “We might have to take some risks…”

The implication was clear. Seeing the slight frown on Master Zeng’s brow, Wei Yang felt a pang of sympathy. Given how much Master Zeng cared for Zhang Xiuqi, it must have been difficult for him to say such a thing. Coughing lightly, Wei Yang said in a low voice, “Maybe there’s a better way. Those people are still in the shadows, but if we reveal the bait, they’ll have to come out into the open. Our chances might not be as slim as you think. Master Zeng, don’t worry too much. For now, focus on recovering. We’ll get through this buffer period.”

His words were meant more to encourage than anything else, and Master Zeng could tell. He smiled slightly and changed the subject, “By the way, Wei Yang, have you remembered some things from your childhood? Those events might be related to what happened to Xiao Qi. Could you tell me about them?”

Although Wei Yang had been open about many things, he had never mentioned what happened in Wang Village. For him, that was a bloody scar that no one would casually touch. But faced with this question, Wei Yang answered honestly, “Back then, someone set up a formation in the village and cast a spell. Accidentally, I activated a Bone Formation, which reversed the spell. The power… it killed my parents… It just so happened that Xiao Qi and his father were passing by and saved me…”

Wei Yang spoke slowly, but his voice was steady, as if he were recounting an ordinary past event. Zhang Xiuqi, standing beside him, suddenly frowned and reached out to hold Wei Yang’s hand, gently stroking the back of it with his fingers. The gesture was almost intimate, but Wei Yang couldn’t bring himself to pull away.

Sensing Wei Yang’s emotional state, Master Zeng said softly, “I’m sorry to bring this up, but what happened back then might also be related to my brother-in-law’s experiences. You said the incident was triggered by a Bone Formation. What happened to that formation?”

“Master Zhang took it,” Wei Yang replied firmly.

Master Zeng glanced at the other two Bone Formations hanging from the leather cord and felt a pang of pain in his heart. On their own, these formations didn’t look much like Witch Bones. Perhaps his brother-in-law had never realized what he had obtained. When he found his brother-in-law’s body, there was no Bone Formation on it.

In just twenty years, the Witch Bones had resurfaced. If there was no connection to this, he would never believe it. It seemed his search had been on the right track all along. The only regret was his own lack of power. With a self-deprecating smile, Master Zeng handed the Bone Formation back, “Since you have the Wu Family bloodline, this shouldn’t leave your side. Keep it with you. We might find a way to use the Bone Formation.”

Wei Yang didn’t hesitate and took the leather cord, putting it back around his neck.

Seeing his expression, Master Zeng smiled faintly. No matter what, this young man had his merits, and he hadn’t misplaced his trust in entrusting Zhang Xiuqi to him. Glancing at the clock, Master Zeng said to Wei Yang, “Those people probably won’t come too quickly. You should rest well tonight. We’ll discuss our next steps tomorrow at the hospital.”

Wei Yang immediately shook his head, “Master Zeng, you’re injured and can’t move around easily. You’ll need someone to take care of you. Xiao Qi will be meditating tonight, so let me stay here. It’ll be better to have someone around.”

This surprised Master Zeng. The fact that Zhang Xiuqi needed to stabilize his soul every night was known to only a handful of people. How had this young man figured it out? His gaze fell on their still-connected hands, and he frowned slightly. Looking at Zhang Xiuqi’s expression, he finally said lightly, “Very well. Thank you.”

“It’s no trouble at all, Master Zeng. Please don’t stand on ceremony.” Wei Yang was observant. Once the sadness had passed, he immediately realized that his interaction with Zhang Xiuqi might have been a bit too intimate. But leaving the two of them alone in the hospital was something he couldn’t bring himself to do. Forcing a calm smile, he patted Zhang Xiuqi’s hand and said, “Xiao Qi, wait here. I’ll go ask the nurse to arrange a bed.”

With that, he smiled at Master Zeng and quickly left to arrange accommodations. Zhang Xiuqi seemed to know Wei Yang would return and didn’t follow this time, simply watching his retreating figure. On the other side, Master Zeng silently observed his nephew, feeling a mix of emotions.

That night, both of them ended up staying in the VIP ward. Since it was a high-end single room, there was a bed for a caretaker, and the Little Celestial Master obediently slept on the single bed. Wei Yang took over the sofa nearby, playing the role of a dutiful caretaker. One was recovering from serious injuries, and the other was stabilizing his soul. The uncle and nephew quickly fell into a deep sleep, but Wei Yang found it hard to sleep. He glanced at one, then the other, feeling conflicted.

If possible, he wished he could be completely honest with Master Zeng. After all, he was Zhang Xiuqi’s beloved uncle, and Wei Yang naturally wanted to stand openly in front of him. But with the issue of the missing Heavenly Soul between them, Wei Yang couldn’t even be sure if Zhang Xiuqi would still care for him once he regained his soul. How could he earn Master Zeng’s trust and approval?

Listening to the calm, steady breathing of the two, Wei Yang finally sighed and curled up on the sofa.