The Ma siblings were tomb raiders, and bringing items out of tombs was their livelihood.
Thus, when Ma Jinxuan first mentioned taking something out of Qin Shi Huang’s tomb, Yan Shouyi didn’t find it strange.
However, when Ma Jinxuan revealed what she had taken, Yan Shouyi couldn't remain seated.
"What we brought out… was the Ancestral Dragon Sword."
Yan Shouyi was too stunned to speak, but Long Feicheng beside him didn't understand what the Ancestral Dragon Sword was.
He curiously asked, "What is the Ancestral Dragon Sword, is it valuable? Have you sold it yet?"
Yan Shouyi explained with a mournful tone, "The Ancestral Dragon is Qin Shi Huang. What do you think the Ancestral Dragon Sword is?"
Long Feicheng took a deep breath and nearly fainted. He supported Yan Shouyi and asked,
"You, you stole Qin Shi Huang's sword?! I… damn it!"
Qin Shi Huang lived over two thousand years ago, far longer than the ghost kings they had encountered, who were hundreds of years old. He was completely beyond Long Feicheng's comprehension.
He only knew that the sword Ma Jinxuan brought out was absolutely priceless!
Yan Shouyi said,
"Legend has it that the Ancestral Dragon Sword was forged in Longquan, Xiping. The 'Records of the Grand Historian' states: Xiping had Longquan water, which could temper blades and swords, making them exceptionally strong and sharp. Hence, the swords of Longquan, the treasures of Chu. 'Taikang Geography' also mentions that the divine swords Gan Jiang and Mo Ye originated from Xiping."
"After Qin Shi Huang established the Great Qin Empire, he summoned the most skilled sword-makers from across the land. It took three years to forge the 'Ding Qin' treasure sword. Qin Shi Huang ordered Li Si to engrave the characters 'Ding Qin' on the sword, signifying the great achievement of unifying the empire."
"There were two Ding Qin swords: one was the Afang Ding Qin Sword, and the other was the Guantai Ding Qin Sword. The Afang Ding Qin Sword, as a symbol of national treasure, was buried beneath the Afang Palace. The other, the Guantai Ding Qin Sword, served as Qin Shi Huang's personal sword, used to command the empire, popularly known as the Ancestral Dragon Sword!"
"The two Ding Qin swords pioneered the history of imperial swords, becoming symbols of power, status, justice, and strength. The Ancestral Dragon Sword, in particular, embodied the highest sword-making techniques of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. As the sword of an emperor, it was later hailed as – the foremost sword under heaven!"
Hearing Yan Shouyi's explanation of the Ancestral Dragon Sword’s origins, Long Feicheng's mouth gaped in astonishment.
Then he asked, "Did you sell it? How much did you get?"
Ma Jinxuan shook her head helplessly, "How could such a peerless treasure be easily sold… And the trouble I'm in is precisely because of the Ancestral Dragon Sword."
Yan Shouyi did not rush to ask to see the Ancestral Dragon Sword. Instead, he seriously inquired about the whole story from Ma Jinxuan, while also asking about the whereabouts of Ma Xingping.
Upon mentioning Ma Xingping, Ma Jinxuan's expression grew even more somber.
She sighed and slowly narrated the cause and effect of the events.
After the brother and sister arrived at the northern foot of Mount Li, they exhausted all their strength and finally passed through the mercury traps set by Qin Shi Huang in the tomb, reaching the legendary tomb of Qin Shi Huang.
Inside the tomb, they encountered magnificent palaces never before heard of or seen. The palaces contained countless human figures, crafted with the same artistry as the Terracotta Army, except these figures were not all soldiers.
The figures included court officials, eunuchs, and imperial consorts and palace maids.
These figures were distributed throughout the palace in various poses, making the entire palace seem to have captured a moment in time from the Xianyang Palace. These figures appeared as if living people had instantly turned into clay figures.
The Ma siblings wandered in the tomb for a long time, eventually reaching the imperial court. There, they saw a figure resembling Qin Shi Huang seated on the throne, with the Ancestral Dragon Sword at his waist.
Although Ma Xingping had always been honest, he couldn't resist the temptation at that moment and touched the Ancestral Dragon Sword. Unexpectedly, this touch led to great trouble.
The Qin Shi Huang figure suddenly awakened, grabbed Ma Xingping, and shouted that he was an assassin. The entire Xianyang Palace seemed to come alive in an instant, with countless terracotta warriors and figures flooding into the palace, pursuing the two of them!
In his desperation, Ma Xingping snatched the Ancestral Dragon Sword for self-defense. The siblings worked together and barely managed to escape.
However, at the last moment, Ma Xingping handed the Ancestral Dragon Sword to Ma Jinxuan, turned back into the tomb himself, and even deliberately blocked the tunnel they had dug, preventing Ma Jinxuan from returning.
With the Ancestral Dragon Sword in hand, Ma Jinxuan tried to return to the tomb several times but could not find a way.
Meanwhile, she began to be attacked by various unknown evil spirits. Not being skilled in ghost-catching, Ma Jinxuan could only flee for her life. While fleeing, she encountered Weng Qianxiang and Wang Jiwang…
Which led to the present scene.
"I suspect those evil spirits were attracted by the Ancestral Dragon Sword, coming to seize it," Ma Jinxuan sighed. "But my brother is still in the tomb, alive or dead. I absolutely cannot hand over the Ancestral Dragon Sword to those evil spirits. I thought the Ancestral Dragon Sword might be useful in rescuing my brother."
"You did the right thing," Yan Shouyi comforted her. "The Ancestral Dragon Sword has been in the tomb for two thousand years, imbued with the emperor's dragon qi. It's natural for it to become a delicacy in the eyes of evil spirits. Fortunately, now that we are here, you no longer need to fear."
"That's right, Miss Ma, we will protect you!" Long Feicheng vowed, patting his chest.
As if a burden had been lifted from her heart, Ma Jinxuan showed a hint of exhaustion. "Thank you."
She led Yan Shouyi and the others back to the off-road vehicle, took out a long sword scabbard from the trunk, and handed it to Yan Shouyi, saying,
"This is the Ancestral Dragon Sword. I trust no one but you, Yan Shouyi. Will you protect it for me?"
Actually, Ma Jinxuan also trusted Long Feicheng. She didn't give the Ancestral Dragon Sword to Long Feicheng simply because she felt he couldn't protect it.
Yan Shouyi took the sword scabbard and felt its unusual weight.
After accomplishing this, Ma Jinxuan yawned and, before she could even get into the car, fell asleep.
Yan Shouyi, holding the sword scabbard in one hand and supporting Ma Jinxuan with the other, quickly called for Long Feicheng's help to lift Ma Jinxuan into the car and lay her down.
Wang Jiwang said, "Miss Ma has been on the run from evil spirits for a week without sleep. Before she saw you, she didn't let her guard down, even with us by her side."
Yan Shouyi sighed, "She is cautious. You should understand."
Wang Jiwang and Weng Qianxiang indicated they wouldn't take it to heart.
The heavy sword scabbard was now in Yan Shouyi's arms. As long as he wished, he could open it and behold the Ancestral Dragon Sword.
But Yan Shouyi suppressed his desire to open the scabbard, slung it onto his back instead, and said to everyone,
"Let's wait until Miss Ma wakes up to look at the Ancestral Dragon Sword together. We still have many things to deal with."
After speaking, Yan Shouyi looked towards the people at the crematorium.
Shen Shuzhen had passed away, and everyone had not yet emerged from their grief.
Yan Shouyi decided to stay in Qiantang for a few more days, at least until Shen Shuzhen’s seven-day memorial period was over.
This was his respect as a descendant of Lu Ban for a senior figure in folk traditions.