Volume Two: The General's Tomb Chapter Twenty-Three: The Origins of the Dragon-Seeking Celestial Master

We headed straight to the third floor. I raised my hand and knocked three times on the door, after which footsteps echoed from within. The door slowly opened, and Xu Tian stood in the doorway. Upon seeing us—Li Kun and myself—Xu Tian greeted us with a smile, “Old Liu, Old Li, come in.”

I nodded, following Xu Tian inside and taking a seat on a chair. Xu Tian poured tea for the two of us and said, “Old Liu, everything’s prepared. When are you planning to set out?”

I touched the ring on my finger and replied, “We’re about to depart for Flowing Heart Ravine.”

Xu Tian noticed my gesture and glanced down; upon seeing the ring, he asked curiously, “Old Liu, what’s the story with that ring?”

Li Kun hurriedly leaned in, lifting his head with an air of pride. “This is something special, Old Xu. Have you heard of the Dragon-Seeking Master?”

Xu Tian was visibly surprised. “You have that ring as well?”

Li Kun smiled, “Of course. Thanks to Old Liu, I am now a Dragon-Seeking Master myself. Haha.”

Xu Tian inquired, “Old Li, did you encounter some great opportunity on this trip? You return and suddenly become a Dragon-Seeking Master—quite the reputation, you know.”

I asked, “Old Xu, you know the title Dragon-Seeking Master?”

Xu Tian slapped his thigh, “Know it? Who in the field doesn’t? The Dragon-Seeking Masters of thousands of years ago were all legendary figures.”

Li Kun and I exchanged glances, then looked at Xu Tian. I asked, “Old Xu, tell us—what is the origin of the Dragon-Seeking Master?”

Xu Tian explained, “It’s said that thousands of years ago, three Dragon-Seeking Masters robbed an emperor’s tomb.”

I exclaimed, “An emperor’s tomb?”

Li Kun turned to me, “It’s just an emperor’s tomb; what’s the big deal?”

I shook my head, “Old Li, an emperor’s tomb is vastly different from those of generals or regional governors. The layout is like a maze, and traps are everywhere. One careless step and you’re buried forever, let alone bringing out treasures or funerary artifacts.”

Li Kun swallowed, “Are imperial tombs really that sinister?”

Xu Tian nodded, “Absolutely. Even if the emperor didn’t reign long, every emperor starts planning his tomb as soon as he ascends the throne. Take the First Emperor of Qin, for example; he had tombs built everywhere right after his coronation, filled with countless traps and unimaginable resources.”

“Every emperor’s tomb is extraordinary. For ordinary folks, even finding such a feng shui site is near impossible, let alone entering to retrieve treasures.”

“In those days, the three Dragon-Seeking Masters were at the height of their fame. All the treasures they obtained from tombs were converted to wealth, and remarkably, they used all that wealth to aid famine-stricken people.”

“From then on, the title Dragon-Seeking Master spread far and wide, becoming a name of honor throughout the ages.”

“Later generations learned that the Dragon-Seeking Masters had a rule: from all the tomb’s spoils, only two-tenths could be kept, the rest—eight-tenths—were given away to help the poor or support local communities. That’s why the Dragon-Seeking Master’s name is so well known.”

I nodded in understanding; had Xu Tian not told us, we’d never have known about the Dragon-Seeking Masters’ renown, nor why Qiu Longshan never mentioned it to Li Kun and me.

Li Kun suddenly realized, “Wait, doesn’t this mean trouble?”

Xu Tian and I looked at Li Kun, puzzled. He explained, “Look, the Dragon-Seeking Masters set a rule thousands of years ago: only keep two-tenths, the rest must help the people. Doesn’t that mean we’ll lose out?”

He reclined in his chair, grumbling, “If I’d known, I wouldn’t have joined this Dragon-Seeking Master business. Old Liu, we’re going to be shortchanged.”

Xu Tian and I rolled our eyes. I said, “Old Li, stop whining like a housewife. That rule was set ages ago. Rules are dead, people are alive. Don’t forget, I’m the head of the Dragon-Seeking Masters now. I make the rules.”

Hearing this, Li Kun immediately sat up, clapping his hands, “Right! You’re the leader now. It’s up to you. Haha, that’s wonderful.”

Xu Tian smiled, “Old Liu, even though you’re now the leader, everyone knows what kind of people Dragon-Seeking Masters are. I think the rule shouldn’t be broken; it’s a tradition thousands of years old. If you break it, wouldn’t your ancestors come looking for you?” The last remark was aimed at Li Kun.

Li Kun reclined again, sighing, “Great, another false hope.”

I said, “Enough, let’s leave these matters aside for now. Our first priority is to see what Flowing Heart Ravine is all about.”

I turned to Xu Tian, “By the way, Old Xu, are you coming with us to Flowing Heart Mountain?”

Xu Tian shook his head, “I’d planned to, especially since you might not recognize some treasures. But I can’t this time; this afternoon I have to return home—my grandfather needs me for something. Next time, though.”

I nodded, stood up, “Alright, next time. Old Li, let’s set off now. Wait for our news.”

Xu Tian stood up as well, offering a respectful gesture, “Very well, I wish you both great success. When you return, I’ll treat you both—Dragon-Seeking Masters—to a drink.”

I laughed, “Old Li and I won’t miss that drink. Haha.”

The three of us walked to the shop’s entrance. Xu Tian said, “Safe travels; I’ll await your return.”

I nodded and said to Li Kun, “Old Li, get in. Let’s go see Flowing Heart Mountain.”

Li Kun opened the passenger door and climbed in. I settled into the driver’s seat, waved to Xu Tian, and started the car, slowly cruising down the road.

Beside me, Li Kun lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and said, “Old Liu, do you think there’ll be big bugs in the general’s tomb at Flowing Heart Mountain? The thought gives me the creeps.”

I replied, “Didn’t you buy insecticide? No need to worry; just spray anything you see, and that’ll be the end of it.”

Li Kun nodded, “True. No matter how clever ancient people were, they couldn’t imagine we’d have insecticide. One spray from Master Li, and all those bugs will have to submit.”

I laughed, “You sure have plenty of ideas. Sit tight, we’ll be on mountain roads soon. Buckle up, so you don’t go flying off the cliff.”

Li Kun shot me a look, “This lousy mountain road is hard enough as it is, and you’re jinxing it. Can’t you say something nice?” I chuckled and gripped the steering wheel.

The mountain road truly was difficult—a narrow path barely wide enough for our van. Only two tire tracks marked the way, as if made by donkey carts. Clearly, Flowing Heart Ravine was a place of great poverty.

Driving along the mountain road, Li Kun in the passenger seat was sweating bullets. To our right was a deep ravine; if we fell in, the car would be smashed to pieces.

I slowed down, despite my confidence in my driving skills, for this stretch made me uneasy.

Luckily, the treacherous section wasn’t long. After about ten minutes, we reached a broader dirt road, and I finally relaxed.

Li Kun breathed a long sigh, “This wretched place—one visit is enough. If the wheels slip, we’re done for. If we fell, turning to mince would be a blessing; more likely, we’d be pulp.”

I said, “Enough whining. I reckon we’ll be in the village soon. Remember, we’re outsiders, and judging by this place, it’s probably an ethnic minority area. As soon as we enter, people will notice us. Keep a low profile; don’t attract attention.”

I turned to Li Kun. After my words, he lowered his head slightly, eyes darting outside, looking for all the world like a bandit turned thief.

Seeing him like that, I reached over and slapped him, “No need to be so sneaky. With those shifty eyes, you’ll surely arouse suspicion. Just act normal.”

Li Kun retorted, “You’re the one who looks like a thief. This is what I call caution.”

I said, “Caution my foot. Wait, what did you just say? Master Li? You rascal, trying to take advantage of me.”

Laughing and bantering, we drove on. After about twenty minutes, a distinctive sight appeared ahead.