Li Tianqing and the old man arrived at Chen Shi’s home, where they saw Chen Shi’s grandfather and the big black dog. Li Tianqing caught a glimpse of the Red Barbarian cannon standing in the corner of the wall and the black iron bullets in the dog’s kennel. His heart skipped a beat, and with a cough, he said, "Grandfather, let’s not trouble these people anymore. We can just spend the night under my godmother’s tree."
The old man did not look toward the corner, instead, he smiled and said, "Since we have come to someone’s home as guests, how could we possibly move out again? Older brother, I am Li Jindou from Quanzhou, and I apologize for the disturbance."
Chen Shi’s grandfather quickly returned the courtesy and said, "I am Chen Yindou from Qianyang Mountain. My home is humble, but we still have two vacant rooms suitable for resting, just afraid of neglecting you both."
Li Jindou, seeing that his manner of speaking was refined, felt delighted in his heart and smiled, "You are too kind."
Li Tianqing quickly tugged on his sleeve. Li Jindou, puzzled, followed Li Tianqing’s gesture toward the corner of the wall, and only then did he notice the Red Barbarian cannon. A chill ran through his heart.
Li Tianqing also discreetly pointed toward the main house. Li Jindou looked and saw that the main hall had a spirit altar set up, with lit candles and incense, and there was also a memorial tablet with a name written on it.
"What did that older brother just say his name was?"
Li Jindou’s heart skipped a beat; the name written on the memorial tablet was clearly Chen Yindou!
"It must just be a rural custom... no, that’s wrong, Chen Yindou has the scent of a corpse on him!"
A chill went through his heart. It was the distinctive smell emitted by a human body after death.
This kind of smell, once smelled, would never be forgotten!
"This man’s body should be dead, yet he is still alive! He’s not an evil spirit but is transforming into one. What secret technique could this be?"
His mind spun rapidly, searching through all the books he had seen and heard of for any such secret technique, yet he found nothing!
"Could it be that within this humble village lies such a personage, and they, grandfather and grandson, are also here for the True King’s Tomb? Could Li Kefa’s death be connected to him?"
Li Jindou, with these thoughts, smiled and said, "Older Brother Chen, we cannot stay for free; please accept this small token of appreciation."
He took out a small ingot of silver, weighing roughly three taels.
Chen Yindou, looking at the silver in his palm, showed a hint of a smile on his pallid face and said, "You are too polite, younger brother." With that, he accepted the silver.
The instant their palms touched, a strange wind suddenly gusted from the ground, rising up and causing a wild whistling in the air above the Chen Family’s courtyard, blowing high into the sky!
Above, a cloud suddenly melted like ice and snow, dissipating in the wind, no longer existent.
The fierce wind came quickly and left just as swiftly; in the blink of an eye, it ceased, and calm was restored.
Inside the courtyard, all was peaceful, with no sign of anything amiss. Chen Shi and Li Tianqing only heard the strange howling wind above, but felt nothing else.
The two looked up but saw nothing unusual.
Li Jindou’s complexion changed slightly, and with a laugh, said, "There are extraordinary people hidden in these mountains and forests; Older Brother’s courage and spirit command respect."
Just now, his palm’s touch with Chen Yindou seemed like a mere exchange of silver coins, but in reality, he was probing the other’s abilities, hence causing the sudden wind.
However, this probe did not reveal the extent of the other’s capabilities.
His eyes flickered, having thought that Chen Yindou’s hand would surely be ice-cold and bone-chilling. Instead, it was warm, further piquing his curiosity.
"He has a heartbeat, his qi-blood circulates; he looks like a corpse but is not one. Strange, strange, what secret technique could refine an old dying man’s body to such a state?"
"I must find another opportunity to probe him!"
As noon approached, Chen Yindou said, "Younger Brother Li, humble villages don’t have much to offer in terms of hospitality. I have no sense of taste, so I dare not cook; please help yourself."
Li Jindou quickly clasped his hands and bowed deeply, saying, "Not at all, not at all. Older Brother is busy; my grandson and I have brought some spirit furu to make do."
The moment he bowed, a sound like thunder boomed throughout the courtyard, with a loud crack, and Li Jindou’s body shook violently. Without his control, a dazzling divine light appeared behind him, casting Huangpo Village in a blinding white swath!
Within the light stood an enormous Primordial Spirit, three to four zhang tall, vanishing in the blink of an eye.
After a slight sway, Li Jindou steadied himself and laughed, "Older Brother, I’ll go out for a walk."
Chen Yindou replied, "Please feel free."
Li Jindou went outside to an old tree and could no longer hold back; he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, quickly taking out a Spirit Pill and swallowing it.
After a moment, he felt slightly better.
But his complexion still didn’t look good.
He had not managed to fathom the depth of this man named Chen Yindou, but his own depths had been probed.
Chen Shi prepared the west wing for the grandfather and grandson, cleaning it thoroughly before taking Li Tianqing to admire his Red Barbarian cannon.
When meeting a peer, how could he not show off his most prized possession? Wouldn’t it be like a white dragon parading in embroidered clothes under the cover of night?
Li Tianqing stroked the Red Barbarian cannon and suddenly said, "I’ve heard that Xiao Wangsun stole the West King Jade Seal, was chased by the Divine Mechanism Camp, who used eighty-nine Red Barbarian cannons, eight hundred and ninety soldiers, one Governor Inner Minister, and one Military Officer, with a strong force from the vanguard, left flank, and right flank. They bombarded Qianyang Mountain yet suffered heavy casualties. The barrel of this cannon still has fresh marks from the burning gunpowder, was it brought here from the battlefield?"
Standing by his side, Chen Shi smiled and said, "Tianqing, you have a keen eye for detail. When Xiao Wangsun was talking with Jin Hongying, I sat at the same table with them. After the battle, I saved Xiao Wangsun, and hefted away this relatively intact Red Barbarian cannon."
Li Tianqing’s heart skipped a beat; he sat at the same table as Xiao Wangsun?