Volume One – The Hundred Coffin Tomb Chapter Nineteen – The Antique Shop

Li Kun and I each carried a pheasant and made our way down the mountain. When we found the old bicycle, Li Kun said to me, "Liu, let me ride this time. You just hold the pheasant and sit in the back."

I chuckled, "You really know how to adapt!"

Li Kun rolled his eyes, "If I wasn't worried you got knocked silly back there, I'd still let you ride."

We both laughed heartily and hopped onto the bicycle, heading straight home.

When we arrived, the old man had already boiled water. Seeing us return with the pheasants, his face broke into a wide grin. "Well now! I thought you'd only catch a rabbit, but you did better than I expected, ha!"

I laughed, "Of course. You should know whose son I am."

He chuckled, clearly pleased with my flattery, and stepped forward to take the birds from us. "Alright, you two go in and rest. Leave these to me."

Li Kun stepped forward, "Uncle, don't you need any help?"

The old man waved him off, "There's nothing you can help with. Dinner will be ready in half an hour." With that, he turned and headed to the kitchen.

I said to Li Kun, "Let's go back to the room and relax for a bit." He nodded, and we both went inside.

Once we were in the room, neither of us spoke; we were each lost in our own thoughts. But Li Kun, ever impatient, broke the silence. "Liu, what do you think we'll find in that tomb? Are there ghosts?"

I was silent for a few seconds, then turned to look at him. "Li, are you afraid of ghosts?"

He turned to me and saw my serious expression. He nodded, then shook his head, "Afraid, but not really."

I was puzzled, "Oh? Why's that?"

He replied, "I'm afraid because people always say ghosts and monsters look terrifying, and you can't see them with your eyes, so that makes me scared."

"And what do you mean by 'not really afraid'?"

Li Kun lay on the heated brick bed, staring at the ceiling. "I'm not afraid because I've never seen one. I don't believe they exist, so I'm not afraid. But if there really are dirty things in the world, as long as I can see them, I won't fear them."

I smiled and steered the conversation away. "Let's hope nothing goes wrong when we enter the tomb. It's our first time, after all."

Li Kun nodded. Then I said, "Let's sleep early tonight. Tomorrow, we'll go see Xu Tian first, then check out the terrain up in the mountain."

He agreed, and we began to chat idly.

Before long, the old man came into the room, finding us chatting and munching sunflower seeds on the heated brick bed. "Alright, come eat! Xiao Li, praise my cooking!"

Li Kun leapt off the bed, "I can hardly resist the smell. I have to eat extra tonight!"

The old man laughed, "Eat as much as you want! If that's not enough, I'll cook the other pheasant another day."

The old man's cooking was indeed superb, and the three of us ate heartily and happily.

After dinner and a few drinks, Li Kun and I returned to our room. It was already past seven, and the winter night had fallen completely. We didn't chat any further, since Li Kun had drunk with the old man and soon fell asleep.

I lay on the heated bed, unable to sleep. As soon as I closed my eyes, all I could see was the Dragon-Seeking Disc. I don't know how long I lay awake before finally drifting into sleep.

The winter mornings in the northeast are bitterly cold; the wind feels like knives against your skin. The old man always rises early, sleeping less as he ages.

Last night, I had told him not to prepare breakfast—we had things to do and would be going out early. So the old man had already gone out to stroll around town.

Li Kun and I were awakened by the crowing of roosters. Groggy, Li Kun opened his eyes and said, "Another new day. That was a great night's sleep."

I said, "Alright, hurry and wash up. I'll call Xu Tian." Li Kun nodded and went to the outer room.

I took out my phone and dialed Xu Tian. When he answered, he was breathing heavily. "Liu, what's up?"

Hearing his breathless voice, I was surprised, "Xu, what are you doing so early?"

He said, "Morning exercise, running now."

I nodded, "I have something to consult you about. Do you have time later?"

He stopped abruptly, "Liu, what's this about?"

"I'm preparing to go into the pit."

He replied eagerly, "I've been waiting for you to say that. I'll head back now, should be there in half an hour."

"Alright, let's meet at your antique shop."

"Good, see you soon."

After hanging up, Li Kun came over. I put down my phone and said, "We'll go straight to Xu Tian's shop later. I'll wash my face first."

Once everything was ready, Li Kun and I left my house together.

As we walked, we were both deep in thought. We could see a path opening ahead—though it was fraught with danger, risk always comes with opportunity. If we survived this, our fate might change.

Xu Tian's shop wasn't far from my house. By bicycle, it was five minutes; walking, more than ten. We stopped at a breakfast stall and ate a bit before heading straight to the antique shop.

When we arrived at Xu Tian's door, I looked up at the neighboring antique shop. When I worked there, it had plenty of equipment and porcelain, but now the heavy wooden doors were shut, with a white paper pasted in the center—just two words: For Sale.

I shook my head. In this business, unless you have money or connections, someone willing to spend, you can't make it. Otherwise, it's nearly impossible to succeed.

Pointing at the closed door, I said to Li Kun, "That's the antique shop where I used to work. The one next door is Xu Tian's."

Li Kun paused, then asked, "Why is Xu Tian's shop thriving, while this one went under?"

I chuckled, "Because the owner here wasn't bold enough—so he closed up."

Li Kun pondered silently, wondering just who Xu Tian really was.

Seeing him lost in thought, I nudged him, "Alright, stop daydreaming. Let's go find Xu Tian—he's probably inside."

Li Kun nodded, and I stepped toward the neighboring shop.

As soon as we entered, we saw a thin young man, twenty-one or so, tidying up the trash. When he saw us, he put down his broom and trotted over, his face wearing a fawning smile. "Hey, gentlemen! Are you here to buy treasures or sell them?"

I glanced around. The layout was much like the shop where I used to work.

But this shop’s antiques and porcelain were more than double what the other had. There were several more display racks, each filled with paintings or ceramics. In the center, the counter displayed a two-meter-long guzheng. Li Kun and I both fixed our eyes on the beautiful instrument.

I marveled at the arrangement—even the placement was determined by a professional feng shui master. Xu Tian was truly extravagant.

The clerk saw us staring, his eyes flashed with disdain, and he muttered under his breath, "Hmph, two country bumpkins who've never seen the world. Not buying or selling, what are they doing here? Must have nothing better to do."

Hearing this, I snapped out of it. Li Kun, hearing the clerk's words, flared up instantly. He strode forward, grabbed the clerk by the shirt, and with a slight flex of his arm, lifted the thin youth off the ground. Li Kun barked, "Damn it, kid, what did you just say? Didn’t catch that—say it again!"