Ya She

Chapter 65 The Tower of Shadows

Part One: Tian Guang Xu

"Young Master Tang is here!"

In the once quiet Tian Guang Market, someone shouted loudly, and most people immediately ran towards the source of the sound. The stall owners put down what they were doing, and even the people in the shops on both sides of the street came out after hearing the sound, showing how powerful the commotion was.

Guo Fengxiao waved his folding fan, looking at the suddenly bustling Tianguang Market, and sighed: "This kid, isn't he afraid of attracting attention when he's successful? He might get ambushed and not even know it."

Standing next to him, Yue Fu wiped his sword and said nonchalantly, "Madam Shi likes him, the Lord of the Ruins protects him, and everyone is watching over him. Don't worry."

"I'm not worried about him at all," Guo Fengxiao said with a forced sneer. He was a master strategist and naturally knew why Tang Yuan was so confident.

With the token given to him by Madam Shi and the opening hours of the Heavenly Light Market calculated for him by the Market Master, Tang Yuan repeatedly and openly entered and exited the Heavenly Light Market, exchanging all sorts of candies, chocolates, and strange modern products for antiques. It was obvious that he was being protected by the Market Master.

Tang Yuan was still a child, so adults naturally tolerated him. Plus, the things he brought were always delicious and fun, so most people in Tian Guang Market eagerly awaited his arrival. Regardless of what they were really thinking, if anyone dared to harm Tang Yuan, everyone would immediately grab their weapons.

However, Guo Fengxiao just couldn't stand Tang Yuan's self-serving act. He'd thought Tang Yuan was a naive and innocent kid, but it turned out he was a real softie. Madam Shi was almost swayed by him to the point of wanting to adopt him as her godson. What was even more infuriating was that this kid, with such advantages, such powerful connections, and such good fortune, was only involved in small-scale buying and selling—it was infuriating! If it were him… if it were him…

Yue Fu glanced at his friend, whose fanning speed had suddenly increased, and knew that this young master was probably up to something again. He was too lazy to guess, and besides, he couldn't guess anyway, so he simply continued to calmly wipe the sword in his hand.

Within the encirclement not far away, Tang Yuan, beaming with pride, took his bulging backpack off his shoulder and began his expert sales pitch: "This time we have ballpoint pens even more amazing than the pencils we had last time! No need to sharpen them, and they come in all colors, but you can't erase the writing with an eraser. We also have binoculars; you can see very, very far with this. Don't believe me? Try it! I'm not afraid you'll snatch it, so feel free to take it and try it! Oh, and we also have these plush toys. Tsk, don't underestimate this toy; this cat can repeat what you say, it's really interesting, but it needs batteries. Oh, the batteries are its power source and need to be purchased separately. Not included!"

As he spoke, he pressed the switch, and the cat toy next to him began to shake its head and repeat his words: "...Not included! Not included!"

"Wow! It's talking! Is it sentient?" "Wow! It's talking! Is it sentient?" "It's actually repeating what I said!" "It's actually repeating what I said!"

Everyone was amazed.

To be honest, Tang Yuan always brings novel and interesting things. Even if the people at Tian Guang Market don't intend to barter, they still like to gather around and watch the excitement. Besides, Tang Yuan doesn't ask for high prices; he can usually get very ordinary items in exchange.

After introducing what he had brought, Tang Yuan began exchanging items with the uncles, aunts, brothers, and sisters. He couldn't help it; he was just too greedy. The allowance the doctor gave him wasn't enough for his gluttonous eating, and the doctor wouldn't allow him to go out and work, so he had to find ways to earn extra money himself.

Tang Yuan met the museum curator the first time he came to Tian Guang Market. After that, he had the opportunity to freely enter and exit Tian Guang Market and began to resell all kinds of trinkets.

However, the items taken from Tianguangxu remained frozen in time, showing no signs of the passage of time. For example, the owner of the study gave him a jade clasp in exchange for a pencil. This jade clasp should theoretically have originated in the Qin Dynasty.
It was the late Han Dynasty and early Han Dynasty, but this jade buckle was only carved a little over a decade ago, not more than two thousand years ago, when it was unearthed at Tianguangxu. Fortunately, the jade buckle was of fine quality and had a simple and beautiful shape, so Tang Yuan still managed to exchange it for a considerable amount of pocket money from the curator.

That's enough for Tang Yuan. If he always took out antiques, people would become suspicious! Besides, he couldn't possibly spend that much money on snacks.

He wasn't afraid that things from beyond his time would be taken to other eras by the people of Tian Guang Xu, because Tian Guang Xu would automatically judge that any items that exceeded the era's mark would be directly reduced to dust once they were taken out of Tian Guang Xu.

So the small business went smoothly, and the things Tang Yuan brought were quickly snapped up by those who wanted them. When everyone saw that Tang Yuan was no longer taking anything out of his backpack, they all tactfully left.

What? There's clearly something else in that backpack? How could you be so stupid! That's obviously a gift that Young Master Tang brought for the Lord of the Ruins and Madam Shi!
Tang Yuan happily stuffed the items he had exchanged into his backpack. When he looked up, he saw a young man in purple clothes squatting in front of him, staring longingly at his backpack.

Tang Yuan wasn't surprised. Aside from Guo Fengxiao and Yue Fu, whom he'd made at the beginning of Tian Guang Market, this young man in purple was his third friend there. His name was Ying. What could he do? They were both foodies; they had something in common!
"Tangtang, do you still have those chocolate balls from last time? I like the kind with nuts inside. Did you bring them? Did you bring them?" The young man in purple clasped his hands together and looked at Tang Yuan expectantly.

"How many times have I told you, don't call me Tangtang!" Tang Yuan awkwardly corrected him. Tangtang sounds so girly. "It sounds a lot like Tangtang, that's nice," Ying secretly swallowed. No wonder he was so flustered; heaven...

The Light Ruins have everything except food. He has been trapped in the Light Ruins for so long. Although he doesn’t feel hungry, he can’t bear the mental anguish!
Tang Yuan felt the same way; if he were in that situation, he would have gone crazy long ago.

"Here, these are the snacks for today. These are sandwich cookies called 'White Lover,' they're especially delicious. What are you going to trade for them this time?"

Despite my sympathy, the proper procedures still need to be followed. The rules of Tian Guang Market are: bartering and fair trade.

Ying knew that Tang Yuan took special care of him; basically, whenever he brought something, Tang Yuan would replace it for him, regardless of its value. Looking at the box of cookies in front of him, Ying took something out of his pocket and handed it to Tang Yuan.

Upon handling the item, which felt like a piece of jade, Tang Yuan's lips curled into a smile. Jade is the easiest thing to sell, and Ying wasn't one to take advantage of him for nothing; next time, he could bring him more treats.

After exchanging the cookies, Tang Yuan looked down and examined the piece closely, discovering it was a rectangular white jade artifact with a smooth surface.
It looked remarkably like an uncarved seal. But when he turned the jade over, he was shocked and his eyes widened – on the surface of the jade, three large characters had been written in cinnabar: Lu Zigang.

"What is this?" Tang Yuan was shocked. Of course he knew who Lu Zigang was; he was the one who had mistakenly entered Tian Guang Xu with him that night, and now his second senior brother's mute abode was being looked after by Lu Zigang.

The question is, why is there a jade piece with his name on it in Tian Guang Xu?!

The baby had already torn open the packaging and popped a White Lover cookie into his mouth. The sweet taste made him squint his eyes in satisfaction. What a straightforward name for this cookie! Does eating it remind you of a sweet lover?
Upon hearing Tang Yuan's question, he replied casually, "These are pieces from Liubo. Haven't you ever played Liubo?"

"Liubo? Uh, I've heard of it, but I've never played it." Tang Yuan scratched his head. He had heard his master mention it once, and he had even clamored to play it, but his master had interrupted him and he had let it go.

"You've never played such a fun game of chess before?" Ying looked at him with pity.

Tang Yuan gritted his teeth secretly, deciding to bring chess, international chess, checkers, Ludo, and Monopoly for Ying to play next time! He took a deep breath, pulled back to the main point, and asked, "Why are there people's names written on the Liubo chess pieces, and they're people I know?"

The baby swallowed the biscuit in its mouth, blinked in surprise, and said, "I have no idea about that. This is something I traded at the Heavenly Light Market. It has already passed through several hands."

Tang Yuan examined the chess piece in his hand several times, but couldn't figure out what it was. It looked like an ordinary chess piece. "Is this the only chess piece? Do you have any other chess pieces?"

The baby licked the crumbs of biscuits from his fingers and said with a smile, "Of course! Bartering, fair trade." Tang Yuan remained silent. How could he have felt sorry for this kid before!

"There are eleven chess pieces, a chessboard, and a chess box left. Remember, the snacks you exchange can't be duplicates! Here, but you can have another box of these cookies." Ying smacked his lips, counting on his fingers. He was worried that this young master Tang wouldn't be interested in Liubo, otherwise the remaining eleven pieces wouldn't be a complete set and would be wasted. Fortunately, this young master Tang seemed to care quite a bit, so it wasn't for nothing that he specially chose this piece with a name on it.

Tang Yuan was quite impressed by this ruthless foodie spirit. Fortunately, snacks were easy for him to buy, so he resignedly sighed, "Okay, okay, I'll take them all. Do the other chess pieces have names on them too?"

“Only the other one has it.” Ying remembered the name on the chess piece, her face darkened, and without saying anything more, she waved the cookie box in her hand and turned to leave.

I really want to know whose name is written on the other Liubo chess piece! Tang Yuan stomped his feet angrily, but there was nothing he could do.

He usually sneaks out to Tian Guang Market while the doctor is on night shift. But today, after what happened at Qing Shi Jie, his senior apprentice came to his house and unexpectedly ran into the doctor. He doesn't know what got into the doctor, but he insisted on confronting his senior apprentice and hasn't returned all night, and it looks like he won't be back anytime soon. He couldn't sleep, so he ran out to Tian Guang Market to sell things, and he can't stay there for long as usual.

Tang Yuan had no choice but to carefully put the Liubo chess piece in his hand away, pick up his backpack and walk towards Guo Fengxiao and Yue Fu, who were standing to the side: "Brothers, this is the book for this time. Are you satisfied with it?"

As friends Tang Yuan made on his first visit to Tian Guang Market, Guo Fengxiao and Yue Fu initially harbored ill intentions towards him, but the outcome was ultimately positive. Moreover, Yue Fu felt guilty for having entertained wicked thoughts and later helped Tang Yuan a lot at Tian Guang Market—initially, many people wanted to bully Tang Yuan because of his young age.

Tang Yuan always brought them books tailored to their needs—Guo Fengxiao preferred books on strategy, while Yue Fu favored works on geography and landscapes. Initially, both complained about the simplified Chinese characters and the left-to-right reading style, but they gradually got used to it. Guo Fengxiao, with his extensive knowledge, could even exchange books with the owner of a bookstore in Tian Guang Xu, which somewhat eased their tense relationship.

Yue Fu was a soldier in charge of maintaining order in Tian Guang Xu, and Guo Fengxiao had various channels. In addition, they stayed in Tian Guang Xu for quite a long time, so the two of them might be the most well-informed people in Tian Guang Xu.

So what they exchanged with Tang Yuan was information about Tian Guang Xu. What happened while Tang Yuan was away, who wanted what most, who couldn't wait to leave Tian Guang Xu... such information was more like gossip than intelligence.

Tang Yuan's expression twisted as he listened, because many people in Tian Guang Xu were historical figures, and it took him a while to calmly accept the gossip and anecdotes they spread.

Yue Fu took the book, exchanged a few pieces of gossip for it, and then couldn't wait to find a quiet place to read. Only Guo Fengxiao remained, accompanying Tang Yuan to the embroidery workshop where Madam Shi worked.

"By the way, I heard that Helian recently got his hands on a pen with the ability to restore anything and rewrite any calligraphy or painting." Guo Fengxiao tapped his palm with his fan, looking envious. "Little Tangyuan, think about what you can bring next time and trade it for that Bai Ze pen."

"The Bai Ze Brush?" Tang Yuan's expression turned slightly serious. He had heard of this antique from his master. "Where did Helian obtain this Bai Ze Brush?"

"It's said to have been exchanged from a newcomer who recently came to Tianguang Market, before you arrived." Guo Fengxiao opened his fan and slowly fanned himself. "What, you know about the Bai Ze Brush?"

"I've heard of it." Tang Yuan only said three words before falling silent.

The Heavenly Light Market appears to have no flow of time, but in reality, time does exist. This is because the people who arrive at the Heavenly Light Market do so in a specific order. It can only be said that the flow of time in the Heavenly Light Market is extremely slow and independent of real spacetime.

This Tian Guang Market is home to people from all dynasties, but despite Tang Yuan's many trips back and forth, he has never encountered anyone from a time more "future" than his current one.

What does this mean? Does it mean that Tianguangxu will one day be destroyed? And that there is not much time left? He dared not think too deeply about it.

The Bai Ze Brush had always been in Zhao Gao's possession, and Tang Yuan wasn't sure if it was still in his hands later. Coupled with the Liubo chess piece he had just received that bore Lu Zigang's name, Tang Yuan felt there must be some clue hidden within.

"Alright, if you want to know anything, I'll find out for you. You're so young, it's not appropriate for you to frown so much." Guo Fengxiao closed his fan, tapped Tang Yuan's brow with the tip, and said with a smile.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, big brother! I'll bring you a few more books next time!" Tang Yuan perked up and voiced the doubts he had just had.

As Guo Fengxiao listened, he narrowed his eyes slightly.

Part Two: The Pavilion in the Center of West Lake

A cold wind swept fiercely across West Lake, rippling the surface and splashing the water against the shore. Withered yellow leaves were blown from the branches, drawing circles in the air before fluttering down onto the lake and drifting gently on the ripples.

Suddenly, the fallen leaves on the lake began to spin counterclockwise, instantly forming a huge whirlpool, causing the water to churn. A tall, slender figure emerged from the whirlpool, his clothes completely dry. In his hand, he held a small pavilion, no bigger than the palm of his hand.

If the doctor had noticed this scene, he would have recognized the young man who emerged from the lake as the owner of the Silent Inn he had been searching for all night. And what the owner was holding was the Zhenlu Pavilion model that he had taken from the Silent Inn.

The boss came here today to pick up something from Xiyong Village.

Zhao Gao wanted to play a game of chess with his life on the line, and for his master's sake, he had no choice but to accept. He didn't know where to find the other four players, but he could at least gather the five antiques that would serve as the pieces.

To rival the evil antiques collected by Zhao Gao, he certainly couldn't choose antiques from the Silent Shop. Most of the antiques in the Silent Shop were objects imbued with obsession, extremely fragile, unable to withstand the slightest setback, let alone compete with other objects.

They could only choose from the treasure vaults—the sect my master belonged to favored collecting ancient artifacts left behind by heaven and earth. After the legendary era of Emperor Yan, Emperor Huang, Yao, Shun, and Yu, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth dissipated, and the artifacts left behind would have a great influence on mortals. Therefore, our ancestors established several treasure vaults in various parts of the Central Plains, sealing these artifacts one by one within them. Of course, these artifacts only constituted a small part; most were objects that had been imbued with spirits or had developed their own sentience.

The jade pendant left to him by his master was the key to unlocking these treasure vaults. However, ever since the jade pendant was accidentally bound to Fusu by blood, he could only go there with Fusu. After Fusu's death, if he had to go to a certain treasure vault, he could only take the reincarnation of Fusu with him.

Fusu was mentioned by Zhao Gao before, and he has probably already fallen into Zhao Gao's hands. Otherwise, the latter would not be so fearless and not afraid that Fusu would not submit.

So, his only option now is to see a doctor...

The doctor had lost his memories of him, and he wanted to keep the doctor away from this mess, naturally creating distance between them, since the doctor had no responsibility or obligation to get involved in all of this.

So he never thought about restoring the doctor's memories.

This is his own business, and he can handle it alone.

Xiyong is also one of the treasure vaults, containing not only the rare treasures left behind by the Shang people, but also many other rare artifacts sunk to the bottom of the water. There are also some people who drowned there. Many, many years ago, two people who left Xiyong returned to the mortal world, causing great chaos and ultimately leading to countless deaths. It was then that he decided to reclaim Zhenlu Pavilion, the entrance to Xiyong, and completely seal it away. It wasn't until the doctor first entered the Silent House, glanced at it, picked up the model of Zhenlu Pavilion, and accidentally fell into Xiyong that he reopened the treasure vault. Years ago, he found the doctor, but due to a momentary lapse of judgment, he didn't reclaim Zhenlu Pavilion. Now, he can freely enter and exit using the Jade Pivot, perhaps it was all preordained.

The owner returned to Xiyong today to find antiques suitable for use in chess games. He eventually selected a few and brought them with him.

As he was leaving, Du Shiniang mentioned that in recent years, apart from the doctor who had visited Xiyong, no new people had come. However, two men left Xiyong after the doctor left.

The shopkeeper pondered for a moment, but didn't ask about the two men's identities—since they had been in modern society for several years without making a sound, they should have adapted well, and he didn't need to investigate. However, it was inevitable that someone within Xiyong might imitate this, causing another tragedy like the one long ago. To reduce instability, the shopkeeper took the Zhenlu Pavilion with him before leaving.

Du Shiniang urged him to hurry up and retrieve it, saying that as long as Zhenlu Pavilion existed, the girls in Xiyong would be restless, always wanting to find an opportunity to disembark and stroll around under the pavilion. This was all because of the legend of Zhenlu Pavilion: it was said that one could meet the person they longed to see under the pavilion, and many long-separated people would arrange to meet there…

The boss stepped ashore, rubbing and playing with the Zhenluting teapot in his hand a few times as he walked, before putting it into his trench coat pocket. Just as he looked up, he saw the doctor sitting on the steps with his knees drawn up to his chest.

The boss gripped Zhenluting's hand tightly.

The doctor stared blankly up at the antique shop owner as he slowly approached. The wind whipped the owner's trench coat, revealing a black shirt embroidered with a crimson dragon. The crimson dragon coiled around his waist was incredibly lifelike, one claw gripping his heart, while its fangs were pointed at his neck, as if it were about to strike at any moment.

The doctor felt that the owner's clothes weren't like this in his memory. Yes, in Black Jade Ball's memory, the owner of the Silent Shop wore a Tang suit, not a shirt.

Look, although this red dragon looks the same, the embroidery is placed in a slightly different position.

Seeing the other person walking towards him, the doctor quickly stood up, only to see the antique shop owner, dressed in a red dragon robe, brush past him without changing his expression.

The doctor instinctively reached out and grabbed the other person's wrist, stopping him from moving forward.

The boss stopped, but didn't react at all. He didn't turn around, didn't speak, and didn't even flinch.

The doctor stared intently at the other person, hesitated for a moment before finding his voice, "We...have we known each other before?"

"No, you've mistaken me for someone else," the owner of the Silent Inn said calmly, his tone carrying an indescribable sense of detachment.

The doctor wasn't surprised the other person denied it; if they really knew each other, the other person would have said so when they met last night. He felt the skin his palm touched was icy cold, and he couldn't even detect a pulse... He could hardly feel it! The doctor's eyes widened, and he prepared to lift the other person's wrist to examine it more closely.

But the boss didn't give him that chance. Instead, following his movements, he somehow managed to move his wrist and break free from his control, taking a step back to create distance between them.

The doctor realized he might have been too rude and quickly withdrew his hand. How could this person, standing right in front of him, have no pulse? His fingers must have been frozen stiff and he couldn't feel them anymore.

The two stood facing each other under the pavilion in the middle of the lake, silent.

"Why...why are you here?" The boss stared at the doctor for a long time before finally breaking the silence.

"Uh...isn't this a park? Can't you just buy a ticket to get in?" Faced with the shopkeeper's question, the doctor tried to remain calm and explained, but subconsciously put his hand into his pocket.

Following his movements, the shopkeeper noticed his bulging pockets and could vaguely see a black jade ball between his fingers. The shopkeeper's eyes narrowed slightly, a faint frown appearing between his brows, which then relaxed and smoothed out after a moment.

The doctor had a lot of questions, but when he actually faced his boss's gaze, his mind went blank, and he had no idea what to ask.

The person with that expression must be feeling very conflicted, but doesn't want others to notice, so they're pretending nothing's wrong...

No, why would he think that?

The doctor squeezed the black jade ball in his palm.

They must have known each other before, and... and they were probably very good friends.

"Although I don't know why you're here, I advise you, for your own safety, please stay as far away from me as possible." The boss said this expressionlessly, then brushed off non-existent dust from his body, walked around the doctor blocking his way, and continued walking.

Look! That distant tone again, but he's definitely saying the opposite of what he means!

The doctor seemed to have some kind of confidence in knowing this boss, who was supposed to be a stranger to him.

He watched his boss stride away, but he wasn't in a hurry. Instead, he raised his wrist to check his watch and leisurely strolled after him.

The Mid-Lake Pavilion is a small island in the center of West Lake, and you need to take a rowboat to get on and off. But there's still a long time before the next rowboat departs. Even if the owner avoids him, the Mid-Lake Pavilion is only so big; where else can he go?
In other words, this is the best place, absolutely perfect for chatting and heart-to-heart talks.

Knowing the boss couldn't possibly have escaped, the doctor began to regroup, vowing to get to the bottom of things today. But when he casually glanced up, he discovered the boss had disappeared behind a willow tree.

The doctor moved a few steps to the side, around the willow tree that was blocking his view, and saw the boss take a bright yellow cloth out of his pocket, and the cloth was gleaming with an eerie golden light.

The doctor swore that the light was definitely not reflected sunlight.

Subconsciously sensing that the boss was about to slip away, the doctor unleashed an unprecedented burst of strength, strode over, and in the instant the golden light spread, reached out and grabbed the other end of the yellow cloth.

The area under the tree where the two had been standing was now empty, with only a few withered leaves floating in the air, spinning a few times before gracefully landing.

Part Three: The Pagoda of Prosperity

The moment the doctor grabbed the yellow cloth, he felt dizzy and saw snowflakes in front of his eyes, forcing him to close them tightly.

Is this... a symptom of low blood sugar? No way! He ate a basket of steamed buns and drank a bowl of porridge at Old Zhang's place this morning! The doctor didn't even have time to reach into his pocket for the chocolate he had prepared for Tang Yuan. He felt like he was walking on cotton, so he had to try his best to maintain his balance and not fall.

Perhaps because he was in such a precarious state, a hand reached out and supported his elbow to prevent him from actually falling to the ground.

The dizziness only lasted for a second or two. The doctor quickly felt his feet on solid ground, and the moment he opened his eyes, the hand that was supporting his body also withdrew.

The doctor looked in the direction the hand had retracted and saw the boss's brows furrow slightly. Had his unauthorized actions caused trouble for the other party?
The shopkeeper snatched Zhang Jiao's golden handkerchief from the doctor's hand and put it back in his coat pocket. This golden handkerchief, originally belonging to Zhang Jiao, the leader of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, was one of the antiques presented to Hu Hai after his reunion with Fusu. Because it was so convenient to use, saving the time of traveling by plane or high-speed rail, Fusu accepted it and then insisted on putting it in his hand.

The shopkeeper gave a self-deprecating smile. He had been distracted and, unable to wait for the rowboat to reach the shore, had intended to use the golden scarf to make a quick getaway. Who would have thought the doctor would follow him? The golden scarf couldn't be used again for half an hour; this time, he had truly brought this upon himself.

The doctor looked around and was shocked to find that he was no longer at the pavilion in the middle of West Lake. Instead of the boundless lake, he was surrounded by lush trees, and right in front of him stood a strange brick tower.

It was strange because he had never seen a brick tower of this style before.

This hexagonal brick tower has only three stories at the bottom, and at first glance it looks as if the upper stories were cut off out of thin air. At the very center of the top of the third story, several smaller towers sit, making the proportions of the entire brick tower extremely distorted, like a huge chime bell with the smaller towers on top resembling the handles of the bell.

Each brick that made up this brick tower has a concave circular niche containing a raised Buddha image. Each brick has a Buddha, with different expressions and postures. These Buddha images have been exposed to wind, sun, rain, and frost, and many have even become blurred. You can feel the heavy sense of historical vicissitudes at a glance.

The doctor looked around; as he expected, the place was deserted. However, he noticed the familiar railings and trash cans, suggesting this was a park. The doctor quietly breathed a sigh of relief, but he wasn't naive enough to think he was still in Hangzhou: "Where are we?"

He only realized how cold it was when he opened his mouth, and his breath was all white vapor.

Because the boss was expressionless and silent, the doctor didn't expect him to answer the questions. He subconsciously took out his phone and opened the map, which was surprisingly still working!

Huh? Why does he find it strange that it works... Could it be a lingering trauma from when his phone couldn't be used in Xiyong? The doctor shook his head, dismissing the strange thought, and focused on the location displayed on the map.

"Are we in Kaifeng now? And this is... Fanta Pagoda?"

"Fan is not pronounced 'fán', but 'pó'. This is Fan Tower," the shopkeeper said casually.

The doctor secretly opened Baidu Encyclopedia and quickly browsed through it.

The Fan Pagoda, originally built in 974 AD, is the oldest existing Buddhist pagoda in Kaifeng. Its beauty, known as "Fantai Spring Scenery," was one of the famous Eight Scenic Spots of Bianjing (Kaifeng). The pagoda originally had nine stories and was over eighty meters tall. Two stories were destroyed by lightning during the Yuan Dynasty, and further destruction occurred in the early Ming Dynasty due to the "suppression of imperial aura," leaving only the three stories below. In the early Qing Dynasty, a six-story pagoda was added to the platform at the top of the third story, sealing off the top – this is the Fan Pagoda as we know it today.

The doctor browsed the webpage, then looked up at the magnificent Fan Pagoda before him. While its shape was somewhat peculiar, there was nothing particularly unusual about it. This was a tourist area, and although it wasn't peak season, a few groups of tourists could still be seen if one looked closely. The doctor figured the owner wouldn't have chosen this place as a destination without a reason; if Zhenlu Pavilion's memories were real, then this place should be equivalent to Xiyong Village.

Well, his deduction is very likely correct. After all, he arrived here instantly, not by high-speed rail!
The doctor glanced at the boss, who stood to the side with a cold expression, and knew that he couldn't expect the man to explain things to him on his own; he would have to figure it out himself.

Of course, the most suspicious one is this Fan Tower.

Just then, a tour group walked by, and the doctor confidently followed them up the steps, listening as the tour guide exaggeratedly recounted the "eradication of imperial aura" in the early Ming Dynasty. Legend has it that Zhu Yuanzhang went to great lengths to ensure his eldest grandson, Zhu Yunwen, smoothly inherited the throne. He climbed to a high vantage point and observed auspicious clouds swirling around Kaifeng, resembling a dragon's rise. He then ordered four stories of the Fan Pagoda to be removed, hoping to eliminate the imperial aura.

As the doctor listened to the tour guide's introduction, he followed the tour group into the Fanta Pagoda. The moment he stepped into the pagoda, he couldn't help but glance back at the owner, who was still standing at the bottom of the steps. Seeing that the owner was calmly watching him go, he knew that there was definitely nothing unusual inside the Fanta Pagoda.

The tour guide explained that the pagoda has stone staircases that wind their way up, but this only goes directly from the first to the third floor. To reach the second floor, one must exit the pagoda via the staircase and enter along the outer wall, which is quite dangerous. Therefore, normal tours go directly to the third floor; the second floor is generally not shown to visitors. However, judging from the owner's calm expression, the problem probably isn't with the second floor.

Fearing the boss might slip away while he was inside the Tower of Prosperity, the doctor made a token stroll around and then came out. By then, the boss had already climbed the steps and arrived at the platform where the Tower of Prosperity was located.

Seeing that the other party still showed no intention of speaking, the doctor aimlessly began circling the tower. To his surprise, the boss's calm expression changed, even showing a hint of nervousness.

Really? The interior of the Fanta Pagoda is fine, but the surrounding area is the problem?
The doctor carefully looked around but found nothing unusual. Several tourists were taking photos in the sun not far away. Reassured, the doctor continued walking around the Fan Pagoda.

The boss's footsteps and his deliberately hushed voice came from behind: "Stop right now!"

"Why should I stop? Because I didn't buy a ticket? I'll buy one when I go out later." The doctor had been holding back for a while.

He spoke with a fiery temper, almost defiantly. Anyone would be angry to be kept in the dark for so long, and to have seemingly lost a significant portion of their memory; he was considered to have a good temper!
"We can't go any further." The shopkeeper looked up at the sun, calculated the time, and frowned. "Why can't we go any further? Tell me why, and I'll stop," the doctor said earnestly. He slowed down...
They took steps, but still did not stop.

The boss seemed about to say something, but said nothing, instead grabbing the doctor's wrist. He only breathed a silent sigh of relief when he was certain he had successfully stopped the doctor's foot from stepping into the shadows of the Tower of Prosperity. The doctor turned to argue, but seeing the doctor's relaxed expression, guessed, "Ahead... is..."
"Isn't there danger?"

The boss nodded slowly. "Is it an unspeakable danger?"

Seeing the boss slowly nod again, the doctor began to hesitate. Although the boss wasn't telling him the truth, he clearly didn't intend to harm him, so why should he invite trouble upon himself?
But... he wasn't willing to just pretend nothing had happened!
The two remained locked in this stalemate for a while, neither noticing that the shadow of the pagoda was getting closer and closer to the doctor's feet as the sun moved. Just as the shadow overlapped with the sole of the shoe, as if in an instant, that shadow, like a giant net, enveloped everything.

The doctor felt his footing give way and he fell to the ground. His wrist was held tightly by his boss, but he couldn't hold on for long, and it seemed that his boss also fell down with him.

Two girls who were taking a selfie cheek-to-cheek on the other side of the Fan Tower vaguely heard someone shouting for help. Their hands hesitated for a moment before pressing the shutter. They put down their phones, walked around the Fan Tower, but found nothing.

"Did we hear wrong? Maybe someone is watching TikTok or something." "Yes! The tour guide just counted, and everyone in our group is here."

That's right, it's broad daylight, how could anything happen!
(End of this chapter)