For a month's time, it was fundamentally impossible for them to find the group from ten years ago!
Let alone a month; even if Ying Chen gave them ten times the time, the hope would be slim!
However, with one party holding the knife and the other the fish, the two had no choice but to accept Ying Chen's task with trepidation.
"I have high hopes for you," Ying Chen said, patting the elder and the Grand Priest on the shoulder.
Then he turned and left.
The elder and the Grand Priest were left to exchange glances, feeling as though they had one foot in the grave, their future filled with darkness.
If it were anyone else, they might have tried to detoxify themselves.
But with Ying Chen, they harbored no such thoughts.
What was Ying Chen's cultivation realm? It would be a miracle if the poison he produced could be dispelled by them!
After a long sigh, the two finally chose to accept their fate.
They began to reconstruct the portrait of the leader from ten years ago from their memories.
On the way out.
Elder Guo, filled with questions, asked Ying Chen, "Immortal Master Ying, do you truly believe those two are capable of finding the one who administered the curse?"
Master Gui, who had been curious for a long time, quickly followed up, "Yes, those two are utterly incompetent! They were completely subdued ten years ago, and now they are old and frail, making them even more susceptible to manipulation."
"In fact, I doubt they even have the qualifications to be manipulated. It's very likely they won't even be able to uncover the other party's true identity!"
Master Gui held a deep disdain for the pair.
Ying Chen merely let out a slight smile and said, "They need something to do, don't they? Otherwise, we'd just let them go?"
Elder Guo and Master Gui suddenly understood.
So, Ying Chen was merely punishing the two intentionally!
Ying Chen hadn't actually expected them to find the curser.
As for the poison Ying Chen had given them, it was merely mud pellets he had scraped from the rock face.
At any other time, the two might have immediately noticed the odd taste, but in that situation, they were like startled birds, easily frightened by the slightest disturbance. Who would have had the leisure to discern the taste?
"Alas, it suddenly reminds me of how ancient emperors played with people's minds. It's nothing more than that. Everyone thinks emperors need immense power and intelligence to manipulate generations of renowned ministers and generals. In reality, it's not so. Because emperors hold the power of life and death, an emperor only needs to utter a word to make renowned ministers and generals fall into a trap like birds, knowing it's a snare yet unable to escape!"
"This is what is called the power of divine ability! It's just that the divine ability of emperors lies in the armies and nations they control!"
Master Gui couldn't help but sigh.
Ying Chen looked at Master Gui with surprise.
Master Gui's words had hit the nail on the head.
Ying Chen's methods were indeed learned from the First Emperor!
The First Emperor had once galloped on his horse, pointing at the vast landscape and said to Ying Chen, "See? This is my territory. As long as you are within it, you cannot escape my control. Because what I represent is a national system that is like a net!"
"If I wish you dead, countless people will act on my behalf to kill you; if I don't wish you dead, countless people will rush forward to protect you with their lives."
"Little Ying Chen, do you know why I'm telling you this? Never mind, you understand if you understand, and if you don't, pretend I never said it."
After saying this, the First Emperor rode away.
Ying Chen, who was only eighteen at the time and had just helped the First Emperor win a decisive battle, watched the First Emperor's receding back in a daze, feeling only a sense of profound mystery.
It was only many years later that Ying Chen finally understood that the First Emperor had already seen that Ying Chen's ambitions extended beyond this.
He was warning Ying Chen: either strive for cultivation and break free from the confines of heaven and earth, thus remaining under no one's control; or honestly be a docile bird within the cage of heaven and earth, chirping sweetly to please others.
Unfortunately, Ying Chen comprehended it a little too late and was ultimately suppressed by the combined efforts of the First Emperor and his master, lying at the bottom of the earth for two thousand years.
"Immortal Master Ying, shall we head directly to the Leitai Han Tomb next?" Elder Guo, with fewer philosophical musings than Master Gui, simply asked.
Ying Chen glanced at Elder Guo and retorted, "Do you know the exact location of the original site of the Leitai Han Tomb?"
Elder Guo paused and shook his head, "No."
"Old Guo, you're out of your depth! For tombs like the Leitai Han Tomb, the new site and the old site may not be one hundred percent connected. Many tombs have experienced wars and migrations, and their new sites after reconstruction can be vastly different from their old sites. Therefore, the original site of the Leitai Han Tomb needs to be surveyed to be determined."
"And when it comes to surveying, do you understand feng shui or archaeology?"
Master Gui asked with a sneer.
Elder Guo shook his head again, "Neither."
"Then that settles it! Since neither of us understands, we must find someone who does! Like me!"
Master Gui unblushingly recommended himself.
After speaking, Master Gui looked at Ying Chen with anticipation, awaiting his approval.
To his surprise, Ying Chen didn't even look at Master Gui and extinguished Master Gui's burning enthusiasm with a single sentence.
"I have already decided on the candidate. But it's not you."
"What about me? Although I am a doctor on the surface, in reality, I have read extensively over the years and am knowledgeable about ancient matters. I am quite proficient in feng shui, geomancy, and archaeological excavation. To put it modestly, most archaeologists in Long Country might not be my match! I'm just lacking the title of archaeology professor!"
Master Gui said indignantly.
Ying Chen glanced at Master Gui sideways, a half-smile playing on his lips, "Most archaeologists in Long Country are not as good as you? Does that include Professor Li?"
Master Gui was startled, "Which Professor Li?"
"Who else could it be but Professor Li, the one who dug up Bai Qi's true tomb and found the Youxi Sword!"
Boom!
Master Gui was instantly struck as if by lightning, standing frozen in place.
Even with his confidence, he wouldn't dare compare himself to the currently prominent Professor Li in the archaeological community!
He was the undisputed top figure in archaeology today!
And he had even received praise from Long Country's highest newspaper!
If Ying Chen's chosen candidate was Professor Li, then Master Gui truly had no room for complaint!
"So it's Professor Li, then I have nothing more to say..." Master Gui said sheepishly.
He no longer insisted on recommending himself.
What Master Gui didn't know was that there was another reason why Ying Chen chose Professor Li.
That reason was that Professor Li was one of Ying Chen's seeds!
Ying Chen had helped Professor Li resolve his worries and elevated him to his current position. Now it was time for Professor Li to reciprocate Ying Chen's favor!
......
In Yanjing, at an important archaeological academic conference.
Professor Li was giving a speech.
The audience was filled with leaders and industry bigwigs, all of whom had come out of respect for Professor Li.
Just then, Professor Li's phone rang. He instinctively frowned, cursing himself for his carelessness in not turning off his phone during the meeting.
He was about to turn it off, but upon seeing the caller ID, he instantly perked up and, without a second thought, ran out with his phone!
Leaving the leaders and industry bigwigs in the audience behind!
"What happened to Professor Li?"
"Isn't it a bit disrespectful for Old Li to act like this?"
"Even if he had to take a call, he should have said something. Leaving without a word, Old Li truly doesn't understand social graces."
The crowd below began to murmur, their faces filled with dissatisfaction.
One leader even stood up in anger and turned to leave.
As he departed, he left behind a parting shot: "Professor Li's project funding will be temporarily suspended until we thoroughly review it before approval!"
Suddenly, the entire venue erupted in an uproar.
There were those who gloated, those who sympathized, and even more who watched from the sidelines.