Chapter 003: The Pearl of Dawn

Recalling that these were all debauched priests, Bei Hai couldn't help but stretch his neck to look around again, muttering as he did so: "These shameless fellows even drink wine; they must have amassed wealth to the point of losing all sense of shame. There must be a lot of ill-gotten gains hidden here!" As he spoke, he reached out to feel the walls around him, trying to find a secret passage.

Turning her head slightly, Bei Hai couldn't help but smile. Just a step away from her hand, there was a torch on the wall. Although she wasn't sure if it would still be usable after such a long time, it was still a good omen, wasn't it

Upon looking at the cave entrance, Bei Hai immediately reached out to try to pry the surrounding blue bricks. To his surprise, he found that the blue bricks were extremely brittle; with just a little force, they immediately shattered.

After talking for a while, Bei Hai found a pine branch that looked sufficiently dry, intending to use it to light a fire before going into the wine cellar to fetch the luminous pearl. However, this pine branch proved to be unreliable; although it appeared dry, it was still wet. Just after he lit the fire, it extinguished on its own shortly thereafter

This thing is sure to sell for a good price! Just as Bei Hai had this thought, he suddenly felt a flash of light before his eyes, as if he had been hit by a flashbang in a game of CS, his mind went completely blank, and at the same time, his body went limp and fell to the ground.

Bei Hai dreamed that he had a large house in the United States, one that was quite spacious, measuring at least two to three hundred square meters (a person of modest means wouldn't dare to imagine anything larger, thinking that even Gates' house is only about four to five hundred square meters). His parents were in the house, happily watching the three little ones running around.

What is this! Beihai is touching the wall and doesn't realize he has stepped on something with his foot

In addition to this, there are indeed a few small golden ingots, but they are not thrown on the ground; rather, they are placed in a small wooden tray. The tray is almost completely worn out, leaving only its shape. The number of small ingots is not many; including the one that the fox gave to Bei Hai, there are only five. The rest are individual jars, each about several dozen centimeters in height.

Sitting at the dining table, enjoying breakfast while flipping through the newspaper, there is also a stunningly beautiful wife beside him. At first glance, she resembles Megan Fox; upon closer inspection, she bears a resemblance to Lin Chi-ling, and with further scrutiny, she even evokes a hint of Fan Bingbing. The entire scene in his mind perfectly embodies the dream of his life.

Bei Hai brought the torch closer to that object, only to realize that what he had stepped on was a sword held in the skeletal hand of the leather bag.

Thanks to you, I have struck it rich! After finishing his performance, Bei Haizile reached out to touch the fox and praised it.

In this way, you will follow me, and from now on, whenever I eat meat, I will not make you drink soup. If you are willing to go to America with me, I will find you a foreign girl then..." Bei Hai said to the fox, expressing his gratitude.

Feeling the object in hand, Bei Hai was momentarily stunned

"The old master still has a luminous pearl?" Bei Hai couldn't help but exclaim, "This is truly a windfall!"

Bei Hai muttered to himself, "What should I do? This bead is sometimes bright and sometimes not. Should I bring a flashlight tomorrow and come back?"

It was only then that I noticed a small semicircular opening against the wall, surrounded by mountain vines. If I hadn't seen the fox disappear from here, I truly would not have discovered this place

Upon seeing these jars, Bei Hai understood why this fox enjoyed fine wine; these are clearly wine jars, and this is evidently the wine cellar of the Taoist temple. It is truly outrageous that these so-called masters are secretly drinking wine.

Upon discovering this shell, it began to stir vigorously, waiting for the entrance to widen a bit more, allowing even more sunlight to pour in. The shell then spotted several rusted copper coins, which were scattered haphazardly across the green brick path inside.

With a sound of the sword returning to its sheath, Bei Haidun suddenly felt a sense of gallantry, and his heart was filled with indescribable joy

Upon thinking of this, I opened the bottle cap and took a few swigs. Immediately, I quickened my pace, for if I did not catch up soon, the swaying fox would soon vanish from sight

Regrettably, after the fire, what remains before us are these broken bricks and tiles, along with the weeds and withered vines growing on them

Bei Hai couldn't help but rub his eyes, quickly taking a couple of steps to the wall, carefully observing and using a stick to poke around for three to four minutes

Having acquired a new sword, Bei Hai also placed several small ingots into his pocket and then set off on the path he had come from. After taking a couple of steps, he paused to reflect and then returned, retrieving three small ingots and placing them back in their original position

Although I know in my heart that this is false, standing here still makes me feel uneasy, with a strange discomfort throughout my body

At this moment, Bei Hai's mind began to contemplate the realization of the dream he had just experienced

Knowing that this is the old site of Tianyuan Temple, Bei Hai couldn't help but feel a bit chilly inside. It might be due to the low temperature in the mountains, or perhaps a slight sense of fear. So many people have died here; it is not uncommon to stumble upon human bones from time to time.

Upon reaching this point, Bei Hai immediately prepared to turn back and retrieve this treasure. In Bei Hai's eyes, this night-and-day pearl was akin to winning a million-dollar lottery. If he could find a good buyer, he could at least exchange it for a small house and a car. With that, he could resume his new job and live a stable life for the rest of his days

There must be a hidden door here, and inside there is either treasure or unparalleled martial arts, as portrayed in the movies!

As for the sword, of course, it should be kept for oneself. It is quite exhilarating to take it out and play with it when there is nothing else to do. What man does not like a sword, especially one of such exceptional quality that remains rust-free for decades

Reaching out to try, the originally dilapidated half-open wooden door was pushed open. Bringing the torch closer, Bei Hai immediately saw a drunken fox curled up, its tail resting on its nose, soundly asleep on a nest made of grass.

He extended the lighter, and the flame on the torch immediately ignited, a strong smell of tung oil quickly wafting into Bei Hai's nose. The presence of fire indicated the existence of air! Bei Hai felt incredibly fortunate.

Upon realizing this, Bei Hai regained his composure and looked at the sunlight filtering through the gaps in the trees. He steeled himself, saying to himself: The sun is still so bright, what is there to fear? Even if a ghost were to appear at this moment, it couldn't harm you. As a young man full of vitality, why should I be afraid of ghosts?

He lowered his head and lightly kicked with his foot, causing the object beneath to emit a clanging metallic sound. Bei Hai immediately bent down and brought the torch closer, startling himself in the process

The light outside was much better, and once his eyes adjusted to the brightness, Bei Hai eagerly began to examine the sword in his hand. Upon closer inspection, Bei Hai felt even more satisfied.

As it walked along the edge of a crumbling wall that was less than half a meter above the ground, the fox's figure vanished in an instant.

After being stunned for more than a minute, Bei Hai finally remembered where he was. Once he recalled his location and purpose, he calmed down a bit and turned his head to see a faint light coming from the end of the corridor

Holding the sword in hand, he carefully examined the blade against the torchlight. As he positioned the sword horizontally before his eyes, Bei Hai felt a subtle chill emanating from the blade

Looking at the stone pedestal and its foundation, which covers an area of nearly several hundred meters along the slope, one can only imagine how magnificent this Taoist temple would have been if it had been preserved.

The dream was delightful; in the dream, I had finished my meal and was about to head to work with my briefcase in hand, just ready to share a farewell kiss with my wife. Then I woke up! Consciousness returned once again to my body.

He took out the lighter, intending to relight the torch; however, unfortunately, the fire had burned itself out. The small flame from the lighter was of little help when it reached the kiln.

The joy in Bei Hai's heart is beyond description; all the little self-restraint he usually possesses has been cast aside in Java. His mind, not functioning normally, recklessly hacked at the surrounding branches and wild vines, turning everything he encountered into two pieces with a single stroke.

Bei Hai was quite certain that there was no such brightness just now, and this brightness is now becoming increasingly intense, transforming from the glow of fireflies to the brightness of an LED bulb. Although this light is not blinding, it is indeed very conspicuous in such a dark place

Having felt that I had gathered enough here at Beihai, I was about to lift my foot and leave. Just as I was about to take a step, a glimmer of light among the pile of clothes immediately caught my attention

When I was young, I often heard the elders in the village say that countless vengeful spirits emerge here at night. Some say they are the Taoist priests who died unjustly in the old temple, while others claim they are the Red Guards who were killed. There are even those who straightforwardly assert that both the priests and the Red Guards are present, and at night, this place becomes a battleground for two groups of ghosts

Extinguished the light, lit it again, searched for half a day inside but could not find the luminous pearl

Bei Hai, unwilling to accept his fate, stretched his neck in search of ill-gotten gains, not considering that in that era, some individuals were far more organized and strategic in amassing wealth than this naive young man. Even if the Tianyuan Temple had indeed accumulated illicit funds, it was certainly not someone like Bei Hai who would be able to seek them out

After feeling around for a moment, he quickly found his treasured sword. Bei Hai waited for two or three minutes with the sword in hand, allowing his eyes to adjust to the surroundings before exiting the passage.

Bei Hai thought of the fox, which was currently burying its head in its tail and sleeping soundly, feeling a bit guilty. Taking away all the good things without a word was rather inconsiderate; one ought to leave the fox some resources as a matter of decency.

He rummaged through his pockets and patted himself down, feeling that he probably hadn't brought this item with him

The home of the fox is indeed not far, and Beihai had visited this place during childhood. Looking around at the crumbling walls and the occasional old tiles scattered on the ground, one can easily deduce that this was once the site of the Tianyuan Temple.

However, when the sword was drawn from its sheath, the gleaming blade, along with the finely arranged patterns resembling fish scales on its surface, made even a sword novice like Bei Hai realize that he was holding a true treasure

After lying on the ground for a short while, a smile appeared at the corners of Bei Hai's mouth, occasionally accompanied by a mischievous chuckle, clearly lost in a beautiful dream

With a gentle gesture of his finger, Bei Hai grasped the object in his palm. As soon as the object was in his hand, he immediately felt a cool and smooth sensation in his palm

"Go away!" Instinctively, I reached out to push something, feeling my hand touch a fluffy object. Bei Hai immediately opened his eyes, but upon doing so, he saw nothing. This made Bei Hai a bit anxious; while rubbing his eyes, he shouted, "My eyes!"

Around here, there are some blue bricks laid on the ground, revealing an opening that resembles a city sewer. Currently, it can only accommodate animals like foxes. A few old vines are also covering it, making it unlikely for a person to enter.

The exterior of the scabbard appears plain and unremarkable, presenting an entirely black appearance, as if made from a type of fish skin. Not only is the scabbard unassuming, but the sword handle and guard are also quite inconspicuous. The round sword tip and the oval sword guard are devoid of any embellishments, exuding a very simple and unadorned quality

This is a subconscious action of Bei Hai when he is happy. Generally speaking, it is unlikely to touch a wild fox; however, this time it was strange, as the fox did not shy away.

This is not right! After thinking for a few minutes, Bei Hai began to feel something was off: because he had never had the habit of wearing a necklace! What is hanging around his neck?

It is evident that this is a corridor, not very wide, allowing only two people to walk side by side, and it is not particularly long either. A small door can be faintly seen at the end, but it is too far away to discern what material it is made of. From this vantage point, it appears that the corridor is not far from the ground, and it seems that no one has discovered it, likely because the entrance has been sealed. If it weren't for the fox leading me here, it would have been quite difficult to find this place.

After taking two steps at the bottom of the cave, I gradually adapted to the darkness within. I fished out the lighter I had just used to burn the paper money from my pocket, and then I began to survey my surroundings.

Before even opening my eyes, I felt something rubbing against my face, warm, moist, and slightly sticky, which made me quite uncomfortable

What initially appeared to be a pile of clothes was not a pile of clothes at all, but rather a person! However, now only a skeleton remains. To call it a skeleton is not entirely accurate; it is more like a corpse that is nothing but skin and bones.

The swordplay became exhilarating and chaotic, and it was not until he was out of breath that Bei Hai finally remembered the luminous pearl.

After rubbing his eyes a couple of times and turning his head, he realized that his eyesight was not impaired, for he saw a pair of bright little eyes staring at him from the side

Waiting to see the situation clearly inside, Bei Hai determined that this was not a small hole that a fox could dig; it was entirely an artificial underground structure. Bei Hai had already seen the blue brick steps below

The only thought in Bei Hai's mind was: I want to go in and take a look! It was unclear whether his mind had suddenly gone blank or what, but he didn't think about any safety concerns, not even fearing ghosts; all that occupied his mind was the single thought: I want to go in and take a look

When he emerged from the hole once again, Bei Hai let out a slight sigh and sat on the crumbling wall, lost in thought

After a minute of satisfaction, Bei Hai lowered his head, picked up a small stick, and began to search for the sword sheath on the body of the "tattered cloth" Taoist. Soon, as Bei Hai had anticipated, the sword sheath was indeed beneath the tattered cloth Taoist.

After muttering to himself, Bei Hai immediately walked over with a torch, using the scabbard of his sword to pry open the tattered cloth, and soon saw something shining—a white pendant hanging from a rib.

With a swift motion, he swung the sword towards an old vine, as thick as a wrist, and it was instantly severed in two, with an exceptionally smooth cut at the break.

This is quite good! Bei Hai immediately took the sword in hand and played with it for a moment. After finishing, he noticed that the skull in front of him still had hair and a hairpin on top, indicating that this person was most likely a Taoist priest. Since this Taoist had been dead for several decades, and after all these years, the sword still gleamed with a cold light when illuminated by the torch, it must be a treasure.

Holding the torch, Bei Hai cautiously approached the door ahead. Initially, he thought there might be some mechanism, but upon reaching the door, he found no abnormalities.

With his foot, he kicked a few times to enlarge the opening. After a few kicks, the opening was large enough to easily accommodate a person. He then crawled into the hole and slowly slid down along the solid wall inside.

Stretching his head in, he casually searched around, which inevitably left Bei Hai greatly disappointed. Apart from the four walls and a pile of what seemed to be rags in the corner, as well as about ten jars, everything else was clear at a glance, consisting solely of bare brick walls

As Bei Hai thought more and more about these little days, he directly sat on a section of the wall and began to laugh foolishly. This made the fox, who had followed Bei Hai out and then watched him go a bit crazy, now appear as a pair of silly fools, looking astonished. It raised its head to gaze at the scene before it, with a look of confusion in its two small fox eyes.

As soon as this tension eased, I felt something happen on my neck. I reached out and grasped this object in my hand (it was the first time something was hanging from my neck, and I felt a bit unaccustomed; this was a subconscious action of Bei Hai)

Upon thinking of this, Bei Hai felt a bit conflicted; after all, this is a treasure! It was better not to see it, but now that he has, how can he feel at ease leaving it here? What if, because of this one night, the treasure gets picked up by someone else? Wouldn't he regret it deeply?