Chapter 2: The Night Falls

Gu Zheng understood the importance of this ancient sword, so he carefully concealed it inside his clothing. He felt it thoroughly, nodded with reassurance, and glanced around. After taking out his master's notebook, he secured his bundle and strapped it to his back. He patted it down to ensure it was very sturdy, and only then did he smile with satisfaction

Master, tonight is my first time acting alone. Please protect me from above, so that I may achieve success and not bring shame to your esteemed name. Gu Zheng murmured a prayer, his face filled with sincerity

If Sun Yan were to see this notebook, he would certainly revise his previous impression of Master Gu Zheng. This knowledge is not something an ordinary feng shui master can possess. With Master Gu Zheng's expertise, he could at least be regarded as a learned master in the country; after all, the title of master is becoming increasingly devalued these days

"Gu Zheng, come back for dinner..." Sun Yan's booming voice echoed through the valley. Sun Yan's voice is as impressive as his physique.

Gu Zheng immersed his feet in the crystal-clear spring water, and a refreshing sensation instantly spread from the soles of his feet throughout his entire body. "Ah... how comfortable," Gu Zheng said, closing his eyes with a look of enjoyment. After two consecutive days of travel, even the robust Gu Zheng was feeling a bit worn out, and the soles of his feet had already developed a thick callus.

Oh... Gu Zheng quickly stuffed the notebook he was holding into his bag and hurried towards the already set up campsite

Gu Zheng reached out again towards the neatly stacked clothes. What he touched was hard and unyielding. Upon feeling the rigid object, Gu Zheng's heart surged with excitement and tension. This was an ancient sword left behind by his master, said to possess immense power. His master usually kept it enshrined, rarely allowing Gu Zheng to touch it.

When Sun Yan heard that there was actually a Taoist temple more than thirty kilometers ahead, he couldn't help but furrow his brows. He pondered for a long time, yet he said nothing.

After a while, Gu Zheng finally opened his eyes. He turned his head cautiously to look at the camp not far behind him before unfastening the tattered bundle he had been carrying.

During dinner, Gu Zheng had a good appetite, consuming a whole venison leg by himself, along with a white loaf of bread and a can of meat. After finishing dinner, Sun Yan inquired about some information regarding the journey ahead, and Gu Zheng, with complete candor, recounted everything he knew in detail.

Gu Zheng first encountered this ancient sword just before his master passed away. In his final moments, the master used the last of his life force to recount the origins of this ancient blade. He ultimately entrusted Gu Zheng with an ancient text passed down through generations and a notebook documenting the master's life history. It was only after Gu Zheng engaged with this notebook that he truly gained a profound understanding of his master's life.

The content of this notebook is extremely complex, essentially documenting the many experiences, observations, and insights of the master throughout his life. However, when Gu Zheng reads the master's notes, he finds it quite challenging. In addition to the traditional and simplified Chinese characters that Gu Zheng is proficient in, the notes occasionally contain some ancient seal script and oracle bone script symbols, which are particularly difficult. Yet, these are not the main source of Gu Zheng's frustration. What truly overwhelms him is the presence of ancient Latin and other pictographic symbols in the notes. It can be said that many languages that have become extinct or are rarely mastered, despite not being completely lost, can be found in this notebook.

Gu Zheng looked at the intricate characters and couldn't help but feel a surge of frustration. When his master taught him various ancient scripts, he was genuinely uninterested and did not put in much effort to learn. Thus, he harbored doubts about whether his master was deliberately toying with him, intentionally leaving behind a notebook filled with nearly ten different scripts, as if forcing him to laboriously study those tedious symbols. This behavior of his master was indeed quite shameless. However, Gu Zheng had no choice but to earnestly read every character his master had left behind, for hidden behind these characters were secrets and powers unknown to others. Consequently, Gu Zheng inevitably endured immense pain as he diligently worked to decipher the notes left by his master, yet after grasping each power, he always felt an extraordinary excitement and thrill within. Gu Zheng described his experience as one of pain intertwined with joy. Thus, Gu Zheng inevitably endured immense pain as he diligently worked to decipher the notes left by his master, yet after grasping each power, he always felt an extraordinary excitement and thrill within. Gu Zheng described his experience as one of pain intertwined with joy.

In addition to these few conspicuous items, there were quite a few other odds and ends in the bundle. Three oil paper packages were bulging; one was marked with vermilion ink as "cinnabar," while the other two were labeled with "blue salt" and "glutinous rice," though their purposes were unknown. Besides these, there was a bottle of ink and a ink line; a compass, no larger than a watch, was inconspicuously pressed beneath the other items. Gu Zheng unfolded the contents of the bundle and finally found it. Upon seeing these items, Gu Zheng's expression became somewhat serious.

In the camp, several bonfires have already been lit at this moment. In these mountains, there is no shortage of game. The wild rabbits and deer that the team members hunted during the day have been thoroughly cleaned and are now resting above the bonfire. Drops of fat are oozing from their golden skins, and the aroma quickly fills the entire camp.

There is not much inside the bundle. A set of half-worn clothes is neatly folded, a notebook that appears quite tattered, and a thick thread-bound book. The edges of the paper in the thread-bound book are curled up, and the cover looks very worn. There is a line of handwritten text on the cover, but the characters appear exceedingly strange, making it difficult for an ordinary person to discern what they are.

Opening the master's notebook, Gu Zheng carefully turned the pages. This notebook has accompanied the master for many years, along with the illustrations. The pages have become quite loose, and if too much force is applied while turning them, the notebook could easily turn into a pile of shredded paper.

After a long day of travel, everyone was utterly exhausted. The team members, having eaten and drunk their fill, all crawled into their sleeping bags in the tent, except for those on duty. Before entering the tent, Gu Zheng hung a string of small bells outside. He looked at the bells and murmured, "I truly hope tonight will be peaceful..."

"Wait for me to return from Lijia Yu, and I will burn some paper money and bring you two beautiful young ladies, or perhaps three would be fine," Gu Zheng said with a cheerful smile. After a moment of thought, he continued, "Forget it, I already burned two last time, and you didn't send me a dream to let me know if you were satisfied. Are you in good health? The quality of the items from Hu Mazi's paper figure and horse shop is quite good, but this fellow has been rather unscrupulous lately, with prices soaring. My life isn't easy either, and I don't know the password to the savings book you left behind. Perhaps it would be better to sacrifice a wild chicken in your honor instead." Gu Zheng spoke very earnestly. He wondered if his master, knowing from the afterlife, would be upset enough to break the coffin lid.