This shout stunned both Jian Xingzhi and Qin Wanwan.

Nanfeng looked at the two people embracing each other and froze: “What are you doing?”

“Yes,” Cuilu also looked at the two, pressing: “What are you doing?”

Xie Gutang didn’t ask, but his eyes were full of question marks.

Qin Wanwan was the first to react. She quickly pushed Jian Xingzhi away with a guilty conscience and stood up, brushing off dust as she stammered: “You… how did you get here?”

Being pushed like this, Jian Xingzhi felt both embarrassed and annoyed. Fortunately, he adjusted extremely quickly. He stood up and brushed off dust, listening as Xie Gutang explained: “Nanfeng came to find us, saying you were in trouble. He sensed your location and brought us to find you. Lord Cuilu detected a teleportation formation. After we entered the formation, Nanfeng led us all the way here. This door can only be opened by Divine Transformation stage and above. Fortunately Cuilu was here, otherwise I’d have no solution.”

As Xie Gutang spoke, he didn’t forget to praise Cuilu’s contribution. Qin Wanwan quickly reacted and thanked Cuilu: “Thank you, Sister Cuilu.”

“Hmph.”

Cuilu turned her head with a light snort: “Always causing me trouble.”

As everyone spoke, Jian Xingzhi stood behind Qin Wanwan, organized his thoughts, determined what he needed to do, then came back to his senses.

“Stop talking,” Jian Xingzhi glanced at the collapsed wall. Seeing everyone still chatting, he urged them: “Let’s get out quickly.”

“Getting out isn’t impossible,” Cuilu waved her fan, looking at Jian Xingzhi, “but the problem is after you get out, you’re still being hunted. Why are you so eager to leave?”

“We can’t stay here forever either.” Xie Gutang frowned. “First let them out. Wanwan can participate in the finals. We’ll find a way to prove Senior’s innocence…”

“Even if we prove innocence, what then?”

Cuilu turned to look at Qin Wanwan: “The Ning family aren’t fools. Based on just a teapot and a servant’s testimony, they made such a big fuss and wanted to kill you on the spot. This is fabricating charges—where there’s a will to condemn, one can always trump up a charge.”

“But they…” Xie Gutang didn’t understand. “Why do they want to kill Senior?”

“Because they fear Lin Yanzhi.”

Qin Wanwan told Xie Gutang what she’d reasoned out earlier: “A hundred years ago, Lin Yanzhi’s brother-in-law Yan Wushuang forced his way into two families. Afterward, Lin Yanzhi died at the Ning clan. Not long after, the Ning clan’s ancestor contracted a curse. Ten years later, Ning Huihe died from illness. Do you all think these are all coincidences?”

Everyone fell silent. Cuilu’s face darkened, and she only said: “Continue.”

“I suspect that back then, Lin Yanzhi encountered something at the Ning clan. Ning Huihe was at the Ning clan, so Yan Wushuang forced his way into the Ning family and took Ning Huihe away. But Ning Huihe was severely injured at the Ning clan, which is why she died ten years later. If Ning Huihe was injured at the Ning family, could Lin Yanzhi’s days back then have been any better?”

“You suspect the Ning family killed the City Lord.” Cuilu spoke coldly.

For things she couldn’t be certain of, Qin Wanwan didn’t dare speculate rashly. She only said: “Assuming the Ning family is connected to Lin Yanzhi’s death—given Lin Yanzhi’s strength back then, how easy would it be for the Ning clan to completely destroy his soul? Now seeing a junior who looks almost identical to Lin Yanzhi, they’d probably be scared out of their wits immediately.”

“Then why didn’t they act from the beginning?”

Xie Gutang didn’t understand. Cuilu explained calmly: “Back then, only those old fellows knew the City Lord’s appearance. The younger generation of the Ning family were all still in closed-door cultivation in the snowy mountains over a hundred years ago.”

“So actually, last night’s whole show of framing someone—the real purpose was just to lead Jian Xingzhi before Ning Wenxu. As long as Ning Wenxu saw him, he’d want to kill him.”

Listening to Cuilu’s explanation, Qin Wanwan continued analyzing.

Jian Xingzhi didn’t understand and frowned: “So you’re saying the person who framed me last night wasn’t Ning Wenxu. Then why would the person who framed me want to kill me?”

Everyone fell silent. Qin Wanwan pondered: “This depends on who the person who framed you was.”

With that, Qin Wanwan began recalling all the clues: “That teapot was a guest room teapot with your fingerprints on it—you must have touched it. That night, you first put the teapot in my room, then Nameless ran in and stole the teapot.”

“You were awake then?”

“It was Nameless?”

Jian Xingzhi and the other three spoke simultaneously.

The other three looked over. Jian Xingzhi realized this focus wasn’t quite right and raised his hand: “Continue.”

“Nameless stole the teapot. After a while, Yan Wushuang came and put the teapot down. So that night, there were two people who could take the teapot you touched—Nameless and Yan Wushuang.”

Qin Wanwan looked at Jian Xingzhi. Jian Xingzhi frowned as he listened to her analyze: “If the person who wants to harm you is Nameless, I can’t understand his motive.”

“Oh, I understand that one.”

Jian Xingzhi nodded. Qin Wanwan asked curiously: “What?”

“He doesn’t just want to kill me—he also wants to kill Xie Gutang. He’s been urging me to kill Xie Gutang for a long time. This medicine was what he gave me, telling me to knock out Xie Gutang and kill him.”

Jian Xingzhi explained. Xie Gutang frowned in confusion: “Why does he want to kill me?”

Jian Xingzhi was about to speak but suddenly thought of something and only said: “I’ll tell Wanwan separately later.”

Xie Gutang was somewhat curious but didn’t feel comfortable asking further. He turned to inquire: “Then why does he want to kill you?”

“The reason is simple,” Jian Xingzhi raised his hand to fold his arms across his chest, quite proud. “He likes Wanwan and is jealous of me!”

Favorability of 70—it couldn’t escape his discerning eye.

Hearing this, everyone fell silent. After a moment, Cuilu’s eyes were full of disgust: “That old man’s ambition is really big.”

Though Qin Wanwan was the person involved, she still pretended to be composed: “Mm, so if he wants to kill you, it’s a crime of passion. But he’s a servant who just followed us to Desolate City—how would he know such secrets between Ning Wenxu and Lin Yanzhi? So I’m more inclined toward the second possibility.” Qin Wanwan’s eyes held some coldness. “It’s Yan Wushuang.”

“What would be his reason?”

“Think about it—if my master were killed by Ning Wenxu, or imprisoned, what would the result be?”

“What would it be?” Everyone asked together.

Qin Wanwan was bewildered by this group’s unwillingness to think. She coughed lightly and reminded them: “I couldn’t participate in the competition.”

“So what?” Cuilu didn’t understand. “What does that matter?”

“If I can’t participate in the competition and can’t win Gentleman’s Sword, I can’t meet Young Master Wuyou. Why do we want to meet Young Master Wuyou?”

“To break the curse on the Ning clan’s ancestor.”

Jian Xingzhi suddenly reacted: “A hundred years ago, Lin Yanzhi died, Ning Huihe died from illness, and the Ning clan’s ancestor was cursed. Yan Wushuang is Ning Huihe’s husband. If Ning Huihe’s death is related to the Ning family’s ancestor, Yan Wushuang couldn’t possibly let the Ning clan’s ancestor go. So that curse—”

“Was very likely Yan Wushuang.”

Reaching this point, everyone understood.

Yan Wushuang cursed the Ning clan’s ancestor, so he had to spare no effort to block Qin Wanwan and Jian Xingzhi from investigating. He knew Dream Without Waking was deadly poison for the Ning clan’s ancestor, so he simply killed two birds with one stone—poisoning and murdering the Ning clan’s ancestor, then framing Jian Xingzhi.

He knew Jian Xingzhi’s appearance would shock Ning Wenxu, so even if the method was crude, he didn’t care.

This move not only safely killed the Ning clan’s ancestor but also blocked Qin Wanwan from investigating. If possible, it might even kill Jian Xingzhi who could break the Ning clan ancestor’s curse. It was truly killing three birds with one stone.

“But…” Nanfeng murmured, “If that’s the case, doesn’t Daojun Jian look very much like his brother-in-law? Seeing Daojun, wouldn’t he suspect like Ning Wenxu that Daojun Jian is a reincarnation?”

“There are two possibilities,” Cuilu spoke up to continue. “Either Yan Wushuang has some way to be certain Jian Xingzhi isn’t the City Lord, or Yan Wushuang actually just wanted to delay Qin Wanwan. After all, investigating a case takes several days, and the Gentleman’s Sword competition would be over. He never expected Ning Wenxu would actually kill someone.”

“There’s still another question,” Xie Gutang suddenly spoke. Everyone looked over and heard him frown and ask: “If he has the ability to poison the Ning clan’s ancestor to death in one go, why did he use a curse method to drag it out for a hundred years?”

Everyone fell silent. Jian Xingzhi thought for a moment and only said: “Actually, we still need to figure out what exactly happened back then. Otherwise, we’ll never be able to guess what Yan Wushuang wants to do.”

“Exactly.” Cuilu gripped her fan tightly. “I must find out how the City Lord died. If the Ning clan killed him, I’ll never forgive them!”

“Then let’s go out first.”

Qin Wanwan thought for a moment: “Let’s go out first, then plan carefully.”

After Qin Wanwan made her decision, she turned to look at where Nanfeng and the others came from: “Can we get through this way?”

“This type of great cultivator’s tomb usually has one-way passages.” Jian Xingzhi explained to Qin Wanwan. “The exit is generally in the tomb master’s chamber. The path they came by probably won’t let us out.”

“That’s right.” Xie Gutang agreed with Jian Xingzhi’s words. “After we fell down, the teleportation formation disappeared. We can’t go back.”

“Then we can only go forward.” Cuilu nodded, then looked at the wall beside them. “How do we proceed?”

Everyone said nothing, only looking at her.

Cuilu froze, not quite understanding. Qin Wanwan stepped forward and took Cuilu’s arm: “Sister Cuilu, this room’s wall is the door. Only Divine Transformation stage and above can open it. You’re the most powerful one here, so…”

With that, Qin Wanwan raised her hand pointing at the wall ahead: “Could you blast it?”

Hearing this, Cuilu froze even more. Usually others opened the way for her—this was her first time opening the way for others.

But what Qin Wanwan said wasn’t without reason. She hesitated for a moment, then finally waved her hand: “Fine, fine, you’re all so troublesome.”

With that, she walked forward and blasted her fan at the wall.

Before the wall had completely collapsed, she blasted two more palms at the two adjacent walls.

In a moment, all four walls of this sealed chamber had collapsed, leaving only the dome overhead still floating in the air.

There were four paths around them. Everyone looked toward Qin Wanwan: “Which way?”

Everyone instinctively seemed to feel that for this kind of wayfinding task, she was more reliable.

Qin Wanwan pondered for a moment and pulled a compass from her cosmos pouch.

“Seeking dragons, dividing gold, examining mountain coils—each coil is one barrier.” Qin Wanwan murmured over the compass. Everyone immediately gained confidence.

Jian Xingzhi glanced around, remembering the romance strategy guides he’d read.

His heart was set. Now he should take action.

He needed to learn to pursue Qin Wanwan!

He thought about it. The books said that for girls, spare no effort in praising—praise hard!

The opportunity was perfect now. He quickly spoke well of her: “Professional! Look at Wanwan, how smart, how professional!”

“I was just reciting.” Qin Wanwan turned to glance at Jian Xingzhi. “No other meaning. I don’t understand either.”

With that, Qin Wanwan pointed in the direction the compass indicated: “Let’s go, this way.”

“Um…” Hearing Qin Wanwan say this, Xie Gutang immediately felt uneasy. “Among us, who has been to the most ancient tombs? We should listen to someone with experience. I’ve been to ten.”

Xie Gutang first reported his number.

“I’ve been to twelve.” Cuilu frowned.

Jian Xingzhi answered proudly: “I’ve been to one hundred thirty-four!”

Everyone looked over in shock. Qin Wanwan’s first reaction: “Where did you find so many ancient tombs to raid?”

For ordinary cultivators, encountering one great cultivator’s ancient tomb was already rare. Where would such good luck come from?

“My luck is a bit better.” Jian Xingzhi smiled embarrassedly. “When I was young, I picked up a Heaven-grade Golden Money Rat. It loved finding these kinds of ancient tombs. I’d chase after it and easily end up in tombs.”

Why was he so skilled at digging tunnels?

Everything in this world has a reason.

Qin Wanwan was speechless for a moment.

Then she expressed understanding.

This kind of protagonist setup—she’d read about it many times in novels.

Cuilu and Xie Gutang looked at Jian Xingzhi, their gazes faintly showing jealousy and anger.

“Then,” fortunately Xie Gutang still had reason, and asked: “Which way does Senior think we should go?”

“Just go anywhere,” Jian Xingzhi said, immediately remembering Qin Wanwan’s direction. He raised his hand pointing in the direction Qin Wanwan had looked, “Here, let’s go.”

Everyone was half-believing, but having no other choice, they followed Jian Xingzhi forward.

Not long after walking down the path, increasingly tall stone walls appeared on both sides. Seeing these stone walls, Jian Xingzhi immediately said: “Run fast!”

With that, he took the lead and ran forward.

Everyone didn’t understand what was happening, but seeing Jian Xingzhi sprinting ahead, they sprinted too.

Qin Wanwan chased behind Jian Xingzhi, shouting loudly: “Why run?”

“In ancient tombs, once there are two walls beside you, you must pass quickly, because these two walls are about to come together!”

Jian Xingzhi shared his experience.

As he spoke, the ground began gradually rising, forming an upward slope.

Jian Xingzhi immediately turned back and called to Cuilu: “Cuilu, move to the front!”

Cuilu didn’t understand what was happening and moved forward in confusion. Jian Xingzhi blocked in front of Qin Wanwan. The surrounding walls began contracting inward. The narrow space made the five people run in single file. The ground began rumbling and shaking.

Cuilu was about to ask what was happening when she saw a flaming stone ball rolling down from above!

Cuilu’s eyes widened. She heard Jian Xingzhi roar behind her: “Smash it!”

With that, the fireball rolled before Cuilu. Without hesitation, she punched it!

The fireball shattered into pieces. Jian Xingzhi raised his sleeve to block the flying stone debris. After the fire stones finished exploding, Jian Xingzhi lowered the sleeve that had been blocking Qin Wanwan’s view. Qin Wanwan saw Cuilu’s face covered in stone debris, her hair blown into a mess.

“Jian Xingzhi!”

Cuilu shouted. Jian Xingzhi grabbed Qin Wanwan and sprinted forward, only yelling: “Run fast!”

The group followed Jian Xingzhi sprinting, encountering poison arrows, flying knives, sulfuric acid, illusions along the way…

All imaginable mechanisms were tried. Until finally, the moment before the two walls closed, Jian Xingzhi snatched Yuan Ning from Qin Wanwan’s hand and wedged it against the wall, shouting: “Charge!”

Everyone stepped on Jian Xingzhi’s shoulder and leaped over. After the last one, Nanfeng, jumped out, Jian Xingzhi instantly withdrew the sword and skillfully rolled out in the blink of an eye.

After rolling out, everyone discovered they’d reached a cliff. Everyone was exhausted and sat on the grass, not wanting to move.

Xie Gutang gasped and asked Jian Xingzhi in puzzlement: “Senior, are ancient tombs all this difficult?”

“Ah,” Jian Xingzhi nodded, feeling somewhat guilty. “They’re all like this.”

“Among four paths, this is already the simplest one?” Nanfeng was bewildered from running, unable to believe it.

Jian Xingzhi wasn’t good at lying, so he simply kept quiet.

Qin Wanwan noticed something wrong and turned to look at him: “Master, they’re asking you a question.”

“Don’t call me master anymore.”

Hearing this “master,” Jian Xingzhi suddenly reacted, unusually serious: “You’ve already been expelled from my tutelage.”

Qin Wanwan froze. Everyone’s expressions were subtle. Jian Xingzhi pretended to be composed and turned to explain: “Actually, there’s usually one safe path.”

“Yes,” Cuilu was also recalling. “There are all safe paths. Why was this safe path so dangerous?”

“Because,” Jian Xingzhi brazenly continued, “it wasn’t the safe path.”

Everyone said nothing. Qin Wanwan reacted fastest and hurried to comfort Jian Xingzhi: “Making mistakes is fine, no need to mind it.”

“It’s not really a mistake,” Jian Xingzhi answered honestly. “I’ve always entered ancient tombs this way before. The mechanisms in ancient tombs are all similar anyway. Today’s was the most difficult.”

Hearing this, everyone fell silent. Jian Xingzhi tried to save face for himself, spreading his hands: “Just this little thing, very simple, right?”

Everyone said nothing. Cuilu’s hair was blown dry, Xie Gutang’s clothes were in tatters like a beggar’s, Qin Wanwan was dusty and dirty, and Nanfeng had been blasted black.

Everyone quietly looked at Jian Xingzhi who was still the same as when they entered—white robes and jade crown, face clean—and didn’t say a word.

Jian Xingzhi coughed lightly, not daring to meet everyone’s eyes. He only turned to look at Qin Wanwan and started chatting: “Wanwan, don’t call me master anymore. Just call me by my name, call me Xingzhi, how about it?”

Qin Wanwan’s face was dirty, her gaze cold.

Jian Xingzhi smiled and continued forcibly flirting, recalling all the romance guides he’d read before: “If you don’t like that, or like Xie Gutang, call me brother… oh no,” Jian Xingzhi thought about it and invented a form of address for himself, “call me gege, Jian-gege, how about it?”

Hearing this form of address, Qin Wanwan smiled.

She coldly spat out one word: “Scram.”

—

**Author’s Notes:**

[Mini Theater]

Jian Xingzhi: “I’ve read many books, thought about many things, seen many people. When I fall in love with someone, I must let her see all my charm! Come, Wanwan, call me gege.”

Qin Wanwan: “Sisters, hurry into my livestream—click to watch a corny straight man awkwardly flirt online!”