What do you mean by saying that the corpses I sew are all ominous creatures?

Zhang Xuanqing sighed, picked up the slightly cooled tea, and drank it all in one gulp.

"During the pursuit and retreat, I was caught off guard and fell into a natural miasma poison array that they had set up in advance."

That formation was very strange; it could not only block signals but also disrupt a person's sense of direction.

I was trapped inside for ten whole days, exhausting all the antidotes I carried with me, before I finally managed to find the core of the formation and break free.

So that's why Zhang Xuanqing went missing.

"After escaping your predicament, you came straight to the capital?"

I followed up with his question.

"right."

Zhang Xuanqing nodded, his expression returning to the solemnity of a high-ranking Taoist master.

"This matter involves too many people."

The surviving member of the Sang family is still alive, and is entangled with a powerful and mysterious force.

"The evil creatures in that ancient tomb, the loose seals, and all of that combined are definitely not something I can handle alone."

"I came to Beijing for two reasons. First, to report the seriousness of this matter to the senior management of the General Administration and to request their support."

Secondly, it was to utilize my authority at Longhu Mountain to access the General Administration's Class A archives to review some top-secret files from that year regarding the Sang family massacre.

Zhang Xuanqing looked at me intently.

"What happened thirty years ago was definitely not as simple as it seems on the surface."

How exactly did the Sang family perish? And why did he end up like this?

I must find out the truth.

I understand.

Zhang Xuanqing is a person who values ​​relationships and loyalty.

He's no longer just trying to resolve the hidden dangers left by Yan Shouyi.

He also wanted to find out what the boy who was his friend back then had gone through and why he had become the cold-blooded killer he was today.

Looking at the Taoist master opposite me, and seeing the hint of regret and determination in his eyes, I could completely understand his thoughts.

Those who cultivate the Tao emphasize following the way of Heaven, but also emphasize having clear and unobstructed thoughts.

When old friends reunite but turn against each other with swords drawn, anyone would feel a knot in their heart that they can never untie.

The sandalwood incense in the private room was still burning quietly, its wisps of smoke adding a somewhat heavy atmosphere to the space between us.

I picked up the teapot, refilled Zhang Xuanqing's cup with hot water, and watched the tea leaves unfurl and swirl in the boiling water before speaking in a calm tone.

"Master, now that you've come to the capital and visited the General Administration's Class A archives..."

Regarding the massacre of the Sang family thirty years ago, have you found any useful clues?

Can we be certain that the Sang family was targeted by a coalition of forces because of the Tianyi Strategy incident?

Zhang Xuanqing looked at the rising steam from the water glass, gently shook his head, and frowned slightly, showing a hint of helplessness.

"The matter of Tianyi Strategy is an unspoken deduction by those in Longhu Mountain, or rather, by those who know about it."

Unfortunately, the records from the Folklore Bureau did not yield much of value.

He sighed, his voice sounding somewhat low.

"I went through all the top-secret files from the southern Xinjiang region back then, but the records about the destruction of the Sang family were very vague."

The text is vague and ambiguous, with many crucial points only mentioned briefly.

"How could this happen?"

I asked, puzzled.

"The General Administration's intelligence network covers the entire country. Logically speaking, such a big event in the Southern Frontier, where several top forces joined forces to wipe out a cultivation family, should have caused quite a stir."

How could the authorities not have detailed records?

Zhang Xuanqing gave a wry smile and explained, "Brother Chen, you don't know this."

The situation of the Chinese Buddhist community thirty years ago was very different from that of today.

At that time, the Folklore Bureau itself was in a stage of reorganization and exploration, and was severely understaffed.

Moreover, their main focus was on maintaining stability in the Central Plains and major cities.

He paused for a moment, looking out the window at the bustling streets of the capital, as if recalling the scenes of that era.

"The mountains of southern Xinjiang have been a desolate and treacherous place since ancient times, shrouded in miasma."

The ethnic minority tribes and legal reform groups there are extremely xenophobic, and are almost in a semi-closed state of autonomy.

As long as they don't make a scene in the outside world, the folk customs bureau often has no choice but to turn a blind eye.

Therefore, the Bureau of Folklore did not directly send anyone to participate in the investigation of the Sang family's tragedy thirty years ago.

They only collected and archived some fragmented intelligence through peripheral informants.

Hearing this, I shook my head inwardly.

With the emperor far away and the country out of reach, it's indeed difficult for the authorities to stop the feuds among the local communities in the remote mountains of southern Xinjiang in a timely manner.

Perhaps this is one of the reasons why the Folklore Bureau established its ninth division.

"but……"

Zhang Xuanqing's tone suddenly changed, his eyes sharpened again, and he sat up slightly.

"Regarding the old score from thirty years ago, although nothing could be found, the higher-ups at the General Administration showed great concern for my experience in that ancient tomb."

I put down my teacup and listened quietly.

"I told you about the mastermind behind the scenes, the location of the ancient tomb, and the stone coffin on the altar that was being suppressed."

And the mysterious organization led by that orphan of the Sang family, all were reported to their superiors in detail.

Zhang Xuanqing's tone became very serious.

"After listening to my report, several high-ranking officials from the General Administration immediately convened an emergency meeting."

"The top leadership unanimously agreed that the existence of such an uncontrolled and ruthless mysterious organization in western Hunan was itself a huge hidden danger."

What's more, that ancient tomb also contains a powerful evil creature that even I find terrifying.

Once the seal is completely broken, or if that mysterious organization uses it to release what's inside...

This could very well trigger an unimaginable disaster within western Hunan and throughout the entire province.

Zhang Xuanqing looked at me and said, word by word, "So, the General Administration has already issued the order."

We plan to form an elite special team soon to secretly travel to western Hunan to deal with the ancient tomb and the sealed evil entity.

At the same time, we also need to find out the details of that mysterious organization.

As the person who discovered the clues, I will participate in the entire operation.

I nodded slightly; this was indeed the consistent style of the authorities.

Prevention is better than cure; nip danger in the bud.

Just then, Zhang Xuanqing's gaze became unusually sincere. He looked into my eyes and spoke solemnly.

"Young friend Chen, I specifically asked to meet you today not only to share this information with you, but also because I have another request."

He clasped his hands together and gave a slight bow.

"On behalf of the team for this operation, I would like to formally invite you to join us on our trip to western Hunan."

I didn't answer immediately, but just looked at him quietly, waiting for him to continue.

Zhang Xuanqing lowered his hands and analyzed the situation sincerely:

"I know you've just been through a series of battles in Jiangcheng, and you may still be injured. Now is the time for you to rest and recuperate."

However, the situation inside that ancient tomb was far too unusual.

The sealed aura on the stone platform and the malevolent energy emanating from you share the same origin; this is no coincidence.