Chapter 123

World 4 【9】

“Captain, the mission target went to that village for a photoshoot a month ago, staying for a total of three days and two nights. Currently, the target is resting in their hotel. Our people have confirmed with the front desk that the target has not left the hotel,” another team member added.

“Consultant Wen, should we go to the village first, head directly to the Ancient Tomb, or split up?” Captain Cheng asked.

In terms of rank, a Specially-Appointed Advisor was on the same level as a branch Deputy Director or a Captain, which was half a rank higher than Captain Cheng, a mere team leader.

“I think it’s the Ancient Tomb. The village is already exposed to public view, so it’s not a suitable hiding place,” Wen Ruyue quickly gave her answer.

“Alright. Then Consultant Wen and I will head to the Ancient Tomb. The other five members of the team will go to the village to investigate and stand by to provide support,” Captain Cheng immediately assigned the tasks.

The arrangement was impeccable. Wen Ruyue, carrying little cat Jing Ke, got into the passenger seat of the off-road vehicle. Accompanied by the engine’s roar, the vehicle sped off towards the Ancient Tomb.

After driving for about six kilometers, the solid concrete road disappeared. Captain Cheng drove the off-road vehicle directly onto a three-meter-wide gravel path.

This final stretch had originally been a dirt road. Because of the discovery of the Ancient Tomb, it had been hastily widened to accommodate vehicle traffic.

After navigating the winding, slightly bumpy path, police cordon tape came into view for the two people and one cat.

Captain Cheng hit the brakes, stopping the car outside the cordon line.

Although the Ancient Tomb had been temporarily cordoned off, the professional archaeological team had not yet arrived. Currently, only two auxiliary police officers were guarding the entrance.

Seeing a car suddenly rush towards them, the two officers’ wariness immediately spiked. They sternly demanded to know who the two people were and what business they had there.

“Special Administration Bureau business. You can call your superiors,” Captain Cheng said, pressing her prepared credentials into the officer’s hand.

Wen Ruyue, slightly slower, also opened her own credentials, bearing the national emblem’s embossed seal, so the two officers could see them clearly.

The two auxiliary officers didn’t know the exact responsibilities of the Special Administration Bureau, but they had heard of this department during their training.

They more or less knew it was a highly unique department under central authority, with executive power exceeding even their own law enforcement agencies. When necessary, all city-level and lower departments were required to cooperate with them.

After confirming the credentials were genuine, the two officers stood at attention with a salute and led Captain Cheng and Wen Ruyue to the entrance of the Ancient Tomb.

“Currently, only the oxygen level at the entrance has been confirmed as sufficient. The conditions inside have yet to be explored by the archaeological team, so we haven’t entered either. Comrades, please be sure to exercise caution when you go in to handle your business,” the slightly older officer, clearly more experienced in dealing with such situations, advised.

He didn’t pry into why Captain Cheng and Wen Ruyue were there, nor did he even question why Wen Ruyue was carrying a cat. He simply guided them professionally and concisely introduced the situation of the Ancient Tomb.

“Good, thank you. Some of our colleagues might arrive later. We’d appreciate it if you two could cooperate with them then,” Captain Cheng said politely before turning on the powerful flashlight on her shoulder and jumping down.

“Thank you,” Wen Ruyue offered a simple thanks and followed suit, still carrying little cat Jing Ke.

“A very strong fox smell. I can’t smell your Junior Sister’s scent, but I can confirm that Foundation Establishment fox is definitely inside,” Jing Ke stated.

Wen Ruyue nodded, relaying Jing Ke’s words in simpler terms for Captain Cheng.

Captain Cheng’s clearance level wasn’t high enough to know Jing Ke’s identity, so she assumed Jing Ke was merely a Spirit Beast with special abilities.

“Alright. I broke through to the Foundation Establishment Stage two years ago. If it’s a mid-stage Foundation Establishment Demon Beast, I should be able to help,” Captain Cheng said.

Captain Cheng’s Spiritual Root and talent were both quite ordinary. She had only managed to reach the Foundation Establishment Stage through sheer effort and risking her life, breaking through her talent limitations by battling powerful spirits and monsters to become a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

“Then I’ll be counting on Captain Cheng to fight alongside me,” Wen Ruyue said, retrieving her weapon from her Storage Bag. Holding the scabbard, she slowly advanced.

Wen Ruyue didn’t perceive any changes in the ambient spiritual power density, so she temporarily ruled out the possibility that the Ancient Tomb was another Secret Realm.

Judging by the layout of the Ancient Tomb, the person buried here was definitely not an ordinary wealthy individual. In the dynasty of that era, they would have been a high-ranking official of at least the fourth rank or above, perhaps even receiving a posthumous promotion. It seemed to be a general’s tomb.

“The fox smell is getting stronger. Be aware of your surroundings; foxes are very adept at Illusion Arts,” Jing Ke warned, extending a paw and waving it forward.

“Captain Cheng, this is a Concentration Pacifying Pill. As a precaution, you should take one first,” Wen Ruyue didn’t hesitate, immediately producing the necessary pill.

“Many thanks.” Captain Cheng wasn’t coy either. After briefly sniffing the pill, she swallowed it.

The Ancient Tomb was quite expansive. The deeper they went, the thinner the air became, until it felt almost suffocating.

Fortunately, they were both Foundation Establishment cultivators. After adapting for five or six minutes, their breathing and heartbeats returned to normal.

“Left side. The fox’s scent is denser on the left,” Jing Ke, still lying in Wen Ruyue’s arms, couldn’t help but stand up, warily eyeing the left front corridor as they entered the deeper chambers.

“Over here, Captain Cheng,” Wen Ruyue pointed left with her free hand, then raised her arm so little cat Jing Ke could hop back into her hood.

Jing Ke stepped onto Wen Ruyue’s shoulder, but instead of entering the hood, she hopped onto a nearby protruding stone.

“There’s lamp oil here. It can be lit,” Jing Ke said, casually swiping a paw at a candle holder, creating Spontaneous Fire Creation.

After one candle holder was lit, over a dozen nearby holders spontaneously combusted as well, driving the darkness from the Main Tomb Chamber, which was about fifty square meters in size.

Seeing this, Captain Cheng couldn’t help but take an extra glance at the little cat. This Spirit Beast cat knew a lot of things. Not only could it identify a monster’s scent and track it, it could even use a Fire-type Minor Spell.

Before Captain Cheng could finish her silent praise, the sound of shifting stone echoed through the chamber.

Tsk—

A sound belonging to neither of the two humans nor the cat came from further away. As a woman in an ancient-style red dress appeared, the original wall lamps became noticeably brighter.

“Why are humans so obsessed with digging up the graves of their predecessors? How is what you’re doing any different from grave robbers?” An ethereal yet alluring voice drifted towards them.

“That is a private matter for us humans, none of your concern,” Captain Cheng replied, directly drawing her saber and pointing it at the woman in red.

“You’ve captured my Junior Sister and Junior Brother,” Wen Ruyue stated, expanding her spiritual perception outward as she drew her blade. “If you return them to me now, this battle can be avoided. Perhaps we could calmly sit down and talk.”

“Return them to you? Then who do I settle my accounts with? I simply took a little jaunt to the human world, and your fellow disciples arrogantly sought to kill me.” The woman in red let out another scoff.

“Those words should be mine to speak. If you leave my territory now, I can overlook your intrusion. But if you insist on staying, don’t blame me for being merciless.”

As the woman in red finished speaking, a folding fan with an emerald frame appeared in her hand. This was clearly her weapon, identifying the woman in red as the Great Demon fox.

If negotiation failed, what was left? Only fighting.

After using her peripheral vision to confirm Jing Ke was in a safe spot, Wen Ruyue and Captain Cheng launched their attack simultaneously, charging at the woman in red from the left and right.

The woman in red still wore a disdainful expression, but her eyes held no sign of carelessness. Facing an attack from two Foundation Establishment cultivators, even if this was her home turf, she had to be cautious.

Jing Ke surveyed the battlefield from her high vantage point. After confirming that her feeder and Captain Cheng could withstand the opponent’s assault, she cloaked her form and slipped away in the direction from which the woman in red had come.

Wen Ruyue, who had kept part of her attention on little cat Jing Ke’s movements, instinctively tightened her grip on her saber. Realizing what Jing Ke was off to do, Wen Ruyue shifted her approach from offense to defense, focusing on stalling the woman in red for as long as possible.

–

After running roughly a hundred meters further down the passage, Jing Ke finally detected Zhu Qiuyu’s scent amidst the overwhelming fox smell. Easily breaking through an Illusion with a swipe of her paw, she found the two of them in a corner, tied up like zongzi.

Jing Ke cautiously scanned the surroundings. Only after confirming that no one would suddenly jump out did she approach Zhu Qiuyu with light, silent pawsteps.

Seeing Zhu Qiuyu unconscious, Jing Ke directly stepped on her face, hard, with her paw pads. Then on her neck, then her nose, until Zhu Qiuyu groaned and began to stir awake.

“Little White Tiger!” Awakening, Zhu Qiuyu immediately recognized the little cat before her and cried out with great excitement.

The little cat, maintaining her Mimicry form, placed a paw on Zhu Qiuyu’s mouth, signaling her to be quiet and stop talking, lest they alert the woman in red in the Main Tomb Chamber.

Zhu Qiuyu reacted quickly, shutting her mouth tightly and conveying her understanding with an intensely determined look.

Don’t worry, Little White Tiger, I’ve shut up. I definitely won’t make another sound.

Jing Ke glanced over at the similarly unconscious Qin Guang. She chose to use her claws to slice through the ropes binding Zhu Qiuyu first, then sat aside to watch the show.

Freed from her restraints, Zhu Qiuyu immediately scrambled up. After hastily checking the contents of her Storage Bag, she promptly retrieved two Pills and swallowed them.

After sitting down to regulate her breath for a moment, she used a dagger to cut the ropes on Qin Guang, then grabbed his shoulders and shook him violently.

“Lit…” Before the newly conscious Qin Guang could utter his first word, Zhu Qiuyu’s hand was clamped over his mouth, her index finger pressed to her own lips in a gesture for silence.

Only after seeing her Junior Brother nod vigorously did Zhu Qiuyu remove her hand. She then looked eagerly at Jing Ke, awaiting further instructions.

Jing Ke flicked her tail meaningfully. After casting a glance at Zhu Qiuyu, she turned and darted down a different passageway. Zhu Qiuyu instantly understood Jing Ke’s intent. She gestured for Qin Guang to follow, and with silent footsteps, they trailed after little cat Jing Ke.

Qin Guang focused his gaze on the little cat Jing Ke leading the way. A profoundly dark thought sprouted uncontrollably in his heart.

If only Wen Ruyue could perish in this battle against the Seven-Tailed Fox, then he could take advantage of the situation and naturally gain the Divine Beast White Tiger’s favor.

He was clearly the chosen Transmigrator, and someone with such an outstanding physique. He should be the protagonist of this world!

At this thought, a dark gleam involuntarily flashed through Qin Guang’s eyes.

He didn’t think his thoughts were wrong in the slightest, because in Qin Guang’s view, he was the Chosen One who knew the future fate of everyone.

He even knew the original Qin Guang’s ending. In his eyes, the original Qin Guang had been an utter fool.

Not only did he fail to cultivate with all his might despite such great talent, but he was also so eager to be the Eldest Senior Sister’s lackey. In the end, he barely escaped with his life, settled for the position of a Leisure Elder, and his Cultivation Base stagnated forever at the Foundation Establishment Stage.

As for Zhu Qiuyu and the other two, they were all fools too. Why else would they sacrifice their own lives to help Wen Ruyue withstand the Lightning Tribulation? In the end, their cultivation was completely crippled, turning them into ordinary mortals with only a meager hundred-year lifespan.

The only one Qin Guang could ever respect was the current Eldest Senior Sister, Wen Ruyue. Her talent was extraordinary. Despite her poor communication skills, she managed to attract many followers who, as her Junior Brothers and Sisters, devoted everything to her.

And that Little White Tiger! If not for his arrival causing the Secret Realm to be discovered early, that Little White Tiger would have met its predetermined fate, already dead by the time anyone found it.

It was his arrival that had allowed the Little White Tiger to awaken early and cling to life. She should be signing a Contract with him!

The scent of a fox inherently amplified one’s innermost desires. Unlike Zhu Qiuyu, Qin Guang hadn’t immediately taken any Pills to regulate his condition upon waking. So, as time passed, he found it increasingly difficult to control the darkness within him.

Zhu Qiuyu, walking ahead of him, didn’t notice anything amiss with her Junior Brother. She was solely focused on keeping up with Jing Ke.

As for little cat Jing Ke herself, her perception of the external world was naturally very sharp. Glancing back, she immediately noticed that Qin Guang’s body was entangled by an ominous Black Qi, showing early signs of demonic obsession.

Jing Ke hesitated for a moment. Only after she had led the two to a safer location did she suddenly pounce like a leaping tiger, swiping a claw directly onto Qin Guang’s forehead.

With a pained cry, the Black Qi swirling around Qin Guang thinned somewhat. In a fleeting instant, the sinister expression on his face was replaced by one of confusion and bewilderment.