Xuanqing Zhenren, standing to the side, had a strange expression. He knew how much Shen Yebai and the people behind him valued this box, so he hadn't suspected anything when Shen Yebai offered to take it himself. But... he just gave it away so easily?!
Isn't this putting too much trust in Qin Moyu?
25. In Chapter Twenty-Five, only Master Xuanjing was injured after the secret was broken...
Qin Moyu took the box. The box was heavy and had a lot of weight, but when he shook it, he couldn't feel anything inside. The intricate patterns didn't seem like decorations, but rather some kind of incantation.
If you follow the raised patterns, you'll find that they eventually converge on the bellflower on the front of the box. If you turn the box over, you can also see four small characters engraved on the bottom: "Sunset over my hometown".
Qin Moyu remembered that the box that was auctioned had the character "愁" (sorrow) engraved on the bottom.
These words might be completely baffling to native cultivators, but Qin Moyu, who had transmigrated here, thought of Cui Hao's "Yellow Crane Tower".
—Where is my hometown as the sun sets? The misty waves on the river fill me with sorrow. [Note 1]
This poem was written by Cui Hao after he climbed the Yellow Crane Tower and looked out into the distance. It contains a deep longing for his hometown.
Qin Moyu once again felt Jiang Hua's obsession; even the clues he left behind spoke of his longing to go home.
He returned the box to Shen Yebai, and recalling what Xuanjing Zhenren had just said, he asked thoughtfully, "Do you all think that the box contains an inheritance? But I shook the box and didn't feel anything inside."
Shen Yebai nodded, put the box away, and said, "Senior is a master of formations, so setting up a spatial formation inside the box is not difficult."
“But,” Qin Moyu sighed softly, “I don’t think there’s anything in the box, including the spatial array.”
Before they could object, Qin Moyu continued, "If the boxes really contain inheritance, then there should be three boxes containing three portions of inheritance. But then there would be no need to collect all the boxes. The fact that you need to collect all the boxes and unlock the secret to obtain the inheritance is probably not because we are asked to open the boxes, but because the three boxes are the key to the inheritance."
Qin Moyu's words made everyone present fall into deep thought.
Yes, if the box contains the inheritance, and the inheritance has already been divided into three parts, why bother collecting all three? Moreover, even if Xiang Mei doesn't mind someone outside the Guanlan Sect obtaining the inheritance, he has been in the Guanlan Sect for so long. Master Xuanjing doesn't believe that someone who has worked so hard to set up the sect's protective formation has no feelings for the Guanlan Sect.
It's important to know that even Xiang Mei had to expend a lot of effort to maintain those formations of the Guanlan Sect that could be kept up for so long and so meticulously.
“So I think…” Qin Moyu was interrupted by Shen Yebai before she could finish speaking.
Shen Yebai frowned and muttered to himself, "The box is not a container, but a key and a map."
“That’s right.” Qin Moyu nodded in agreement. As expected of Ye Bai, he understood immediately.
But if that's the case, then what does "日暮乡关" refer to? A place name?
“But there’s no place in the Four Continents called Sunset Hometown,” Master Xuanjing said reflexively.
It seems he was curious about the box and even looked it up.
"Then... are there any rivers in the Four Continents that are shrouded in mist all year round?" Qin Moyu felt that the bottom of the remaining box was most likely engraved with the four characters "Yanbo Jiangshang" (meaning "smoke and waves on the river").
“No…that’s not right!” Xuanjing Zhenren pondered for a moment, then his eyes suddenly lit up. “There is indeed a river in Xizhou that is shrouded in mist all year round, and it is called the Misty River by the locals.”
Xuanqing stroked his beard and added, "The bottom of the remaining box is engraved with 'Yanbo River'."
Although the Guanlan Sect was too busy to collect all the boxes, it didn't mean they didn't care about the boxes. At the very least, Xuanqing, as the sect leader, knew what the three boxes looked like and what markings they had.
"As expected." Qin Moyu's lips curled up slightly.
If the location of Yanjiang is correct, then "Sunset" should indicate the time. As for the character "Sorrow," we'll probably only find out its meaning when we get there.
Qin Moyu looked at Shen Yebai, who returned his smile; the two seemed to be thinking the same thing.
"I will definitely come to find you when I have the chance," Qin Moyu secretly vowed.
He didn't crave inheritance; he simply wanted to learn more about that fellow villager from Dugu. Although he had lived in this world for over a decade and had completely integrated into it, Qin Moyu still couldn't help but feel nostalgic upon suddenly seeing familiar verses.
Although the group believed this was the secret of the box and were eager to set off immediately to obtain the inheritance, unfortunately, they only had one box at the moment. To truly obtain the inheritance, they would need to find the other two boxes.
Master Xuanjing was initially very excited, but upon seeing Shen Yebai, he remembered that he had already given the box to him, and his heart sank again.
Although the other party poses a significant potential threat to the Guanlan Sect once they obtain the inheritance, given the strength of the person behind them, if they don't give it to them, this threat might not just be potential, but immediate.
The box had been in Guanlan Sect for so long without them finding anything wrong with it, but Qin Moyu revealed the box's secret as soon as he arrived. It just so happens that at this time, fate is truly playing tricks on us.
Master Xuanjing and Master Xuanqing exchanged a glance, both seeing helplessness in each other's eyes.
"By the way, is Ye Bai going to Xizhou?" Qin Moyu suddenly thought of something. Although she didn't know who the person behind Shen Ye Bai was, she could tell from Shen Ye Bai's expression that he cared a lot about this matter. Perhaps he was about to leave for Xizhou and part ways with her, so she couldn't help but ask.
"That's right." Shen Yebai gave an affirmative answer.
Qin Moyu wasn't surprised by Shen Yebai's answer, but felt inexplicably disappointed. Shen Yebai had been with him all this way, and the other party had even confessed to him yesterday, making him almost forget that Shen Yebai might leave.
"Go ahead, go ahead, but remember to bring me back some good stuff." Qin Moyu pouted, thinking, "Men are all such jerks."
Wait, no, did I insult myself too?
Qin Moyu was taken aback.
Shen Yebai could naturally see Qin Moyu's awkward little thoughts. Qin Moyu's stubbornness despite her reluctance softened his heart, and he deliberately smiled and said, "I thought Moyu would say that she would go to Xizhou with me."
Upon hearing this, Qin Moyu turned his hands behind his back, intertwining his fingers, and snorted, "Going to the Western Continent is so far away, and it will take a long time to come back. I'm worried about leaving Master alone in the sect."
Just as Master Xuanjing was about to be moved, he heard Qin Moyu say the next sentence: "What if he gets drunk and falls off the mountain?"
"You brat! When have I ever been drunk?! I can drink a thousand cups without getting drunk, okay?!" Master Xuanjing gritted his teeth in anger.
“But…” Shen Yebai blinked, then quietly slipped his hand behind Qin Moyu’s back and hooked Qin Moyu’s finger with his little finger.