Chapter 230
Chapter 230
Nowhere in Mingyue Villa was there any sign of others in their line of work.
One might even say there was no sign of anyone at all.
Black Swallow was thrilled. His gaze swept around the hall, and he wished he could bundle up every valuable object and carry it away.
River-Crossing Dragon was pleased too, but did not show it. He merely said, “We need only look at these things out in the open.”
Black Swallow understood exactly what he meant.
Priceless treasures would never be left on display.
So…
“Let us try the inner courtyard.”
In their experience, wealthy families kept a dedicated treasury or private storeroom to guard against thieves. Anything truly valuable would usually be there.
After briefly considering the villa’s layout, they soon found a courtyard where a treasury might be housed.
Suddenly looking up, they saw the words “Treasure Vault,” and excitement surged through them again.
The door was locked, but that was no obstacle to Black Swallow. Skilled at picking locks and defeating mechanisms, he opened it with almost no effort.
Choking dust met them in the face. Beyond it, chests and boxes of all sizes filled the storeroom.
When they opened them, they found what seemed like mountains of gold and silver, along with countless rare and marvelous treasures.
Black Swallow’s eyes reddened at the sight.
“Brother Dragon…”
Even his voice had gone hoarse.
River-Crossing Dragon dropped his pretense too. He clapped his companion on the shoulder. “Looks like we will have nothing to worry about even in our next lives.”
Black Swallow grabbed two large gold ingots and excitedly stuffed them into his robe.
Then he turned and saw a jade disc resting on a nearby shelf, shining with a faint, cold light in the darkness.
He hurriedly called to River-Crossing Dragon. “Brother Dragon, look! Is that the Kunlun Frost Jade Disc?”
It was worth a fortune. There was only one in the world.
River-Crossing Dragon’s heart quivered. He reached it first, taking the disc in his hands to examine it.
The feel of the frost jade sent a shudder through him.
A true treasure indeed.
He murmured in admiration, “It really is… frost jade!”
Black Swallow swallowed and could not help asking, “Brother Dragon, may I touch it?”
River-Crossing Dragon hesitated, clearly beginning to entertain other intentions. But he merely tucked the disc away and said, “This is valuable. I will put it away for now. Let us see what else there is. Set your sights a little higher.”
They searched the storeroom again and soon found a pearl inside a brocade box.
River-Crossing Dragon said, “This looks like the Youth-Preserving Pearl.”
According to popular legend, the Youth-Preserving Pearl came from the Dragon Palace of the Eastern Sea. Used by the living, it could preserve beauty and restore youth.
Placed in a dead person’s mouth, it could keep the body from ever decaying.
One of the Former Dynasty Emperor’s favored consorts was said to have used it.
Black Swallow was overjoyed. “Brother Dragon, these two treasures alone would be enough!”
Indeed they would.
After seeing such rare treasures, even gold and silver seemed vulgar.
River-Crossing Dragon had never imagined the trip would go so smoothly!
He clapped Black Swallow on the shoulder again. “Brother, this journey has certainly been worthwhile.”
“See if there is anything else handy to take. Then we leave.”
Black Swallow agreed and was about to look around again.
Suddenly, the previously dark windows began to brighten, glowing with an eerie white light.
He was still wondering at it when a chill ran down his back. A moment later, something struck his head. His vision went black, and he lost consciousness.
Behind him, River-Crossing Dragon dropped his weapon, a wooden box, onto the floor. His whole body trembled uncontrollably.
“Forgive me, brother.”
Murmuring those words, he headed out with the frost jade disc and the Youth-Preserving Pearl.
The moment he stepped through the doorway, a cold gust struck his face. He looked up to see a bright moon overhead, lighting the entire villa as though it were day.
River-Crossing Dragon felt inexplicably cold. This wild mountain country was thick with yin qi, he thought. He had to leave quickly.
A thief who traveled often enough by night was bound to encounter ghosts.
But River-Crossing Dragon had his precautions. He always carried Five Emperors’ Coins to ward off evil, as well as an ancestral jade pendant that could protect him.
Clutching the Five Emperors’ Coins, he ran all the way out of Mingyue Villa.
But before he could draw a breath of relief, he sensed that something was wrong.
Snowflakes were drifting from the sky.
The ninth month had only just passed, and the summer heat had yet to fade. How could it be snowing?
River-Crossing Dragon thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. But after he had gone a little farther, he saw whiteness stretching between heaven and earth, and his scalp prickled.
He quickened his pace, running back the way he had come, but the abandoned post station never appeared…
Suddenly, his foot caught on something. He pitched into the snow and soon lost consciousness.
Through the haze, River-Crossing Dragon felt someone pat his shoulder.
He abruptly came to himself and found Black Swallow standing beside him.
“Brother Dragon, why are you staring into space? Look ahead.”
“My contact at Hanging Mirror Hall told me that Mingyue Villa is two li east of the deserted post station.”
River-Crossing Dragon instinctively followed his pointing finger, but an odd feeling stirred inside him.
Why did he feel as though he had… already been to Mingyue Villa?
Seeing his hesitation, Black Swallow could not resist a taunt. “We have come this far. You are not scared, are you?”
“Scared?” River-Crossing Dragon barely thought before replying. “Frightened of what? I am only afraid someone has played us for fools and sent us on a wasted trip.”
Then he paused again.
Vaguely, he felt that he had said those words before too…
Clearly displeased, Black Swallow leaped onto the villa’s courtyard wall without another word. Then he turned back. “If you are scared, there is still time to go back.”
River-Crossing Dragon stood frozen for a moment before slowly following.
Once inside the hall, Black Swallow was thrilled. “Brother Dragon, I think we have stumbled on a real windfall this time!”
River-Crossing Dragon’s face was grave. “Brother, I… think there is something strange about this villa. We should… go back.”
Black Swallow almost thought he had misheard. “Go back? We have come all this way, and you can bear to leave?”
“…”
Unable to explain his sense of foreboding, River-Crossing Dragon could only remain silent.
Black Swallow looked at him with open contempt. “Forget it. If you are scared, leave. I will not stop you.”
He turned to search for the treasury. After a moment’s hesitation, River-Crossing Dragon still could not help following.
Before long, they reached the storeroom.
The words “Treasure Vault” instantly enveloped River-Crossing Dragon in a chill.
Something was wrong!
Black Swallow simply went forward and picked the lock. Once inside, he was struck speechless by the roomful of gold, silver, and treasures.
River-Crossing Dragon stood in the doorway as a horrifying image flashed through his mind: he had picked up a wooden box and smashed Black Swallow’s head open.
And now, with Black Swallow’s back to him, he could clearly see a tuft of hair at the back of his head soaked with blood.
So…
River-Crossing Dragon shuddered inwardly and asked in a trembling voice, “Brother, your head… what happened to it?”