Then, if all the strong had died off, why did the weak common folk survive? After all, if the populace had perished, the modern people of Great Xia wouldn't exist.
He pinched his brow, "Could it be that an ancient disaster occurred, one that targeted only the Qi Refiners, ultimately leading to their extinction."
"But why is there no record of it left behind?"
"Who tampered with the truth?"
"Who could have the capability to cover it all up?"
The more Luo Yu thought, the bigger his headache grew.
Having fallen silent for so many years, what does it mean now that this era allows for the pursuit of cultivation once again?
With the invasion of ferocious beasts, the descent of the Red Moon, and the resurgence of gods, what is the connection between these events?
"It's too complicated."
Luo Yu shook his head, deciding not to think about it any longer. It was meaningless to do so now, but as he gradually came into contact with the Power of Heaven and Earth and felt its limit on his strength, he believed the truth would sooner or later reveal itself.
If he had the chance, he might catch a Divine Spirit that had awakened beyond the bounds and inquire; they, having survived until now, must surely know some secrets.
Noticing Luo Yu deep in thought, Zhen Fu'er smiled softly without disturbing him, while Bai Xiao'e sat with her black-stockinged beautiful legs crossed on the sofa, seemingly correcting the scrunched material at her toes with her delicate fingers.
Noticing Luo Yu's gaze returning to clarity, Zhen Fu'er asked:
"Does Gongzi have anything else he wishes to inquire about?"
Luo Yu said, "In ancient times, Zhen Ji was the queen of the Cao Family. I wonder if Miss also shares the same fate as the legend?"
At this, Zhen Fu'er's face flushed with color—not from shyness, but from a rising temper.
"I don't know what sort of scoundrel passed down such a legend."
"Back in the Late Han Dynasty, the Cao Clan was indeed a family of repute, and Prime Minister Cao himself harbored ambitions of a hero. His progeny all pursued me, but I was solely committed to the path of Qi refining and moreover, I greatly disliked their family's customs, so I never paid them any heed."
"My Zhen family eventually fell from grace, and that's when the Cao Clan imprisoned me. They didn't dare to coerce me, and for reasons unknown, I fell into a coma until now."
"Benefactor, you aren't inquiring about my Sister Zhen with ulterior motives, are you?" Bai Xiao'e teased with a chuckle.
Luo Yu shook his head, speaking righteously, "Miss Zhen is naturally beautiful with a noble disposition. I hold only admiration, and would never harbor any vile thoughts of possession."
"Don't listen to this girl's nonsense, Luo Gongzi."
Suddenly, the air grew still.
Luo Yu and the two beauties looked at each other, finding themselves momentarily at a loss for words. The atmosphere subtly shifted, becoming somewhat awkward.
As a man, naturally, he mulled over what topic to broach next. Sitting in silence was out of the question.
His eyes lit up.
"Since Miss Zhen hails from the Late Han Dynasty, have you by any chance heard of the Tiger Talisman?"
Zhen Fu'er nodded, "To mobilize the troops, one would need both halves of the Tiger Talisman, from the emperor and the general. Naturally, I've heard of it."
A light flashed in Luo Yu's hand.
"Swoosh!"
A dark brown half of the Tiger Talisman appeared; when not activated with Spiritual Power, it was dull and unassuming, like a wooden knick-knack.
"Have you ever seen or heard of this object?"
Zhen Fu'er shook her head with a wry smile, "I have only heard of the Tiger Talisman, how could I have had the chance to see it with my own eyes."
Luo Yu nodded, unsurprised. He had brought out the Tiger Talisman mainly to avoid a lull in conversation, merely looking for a topic to discuss.
"Wait!"
Just as Luo Yu was about to put away the Tiger Talisman, Zhen Fu'er suddenly interjected to stop him.
"Hmm?"
Zhen Fu'er hesitated, "I... I think I've seen this object."
Luo Yu was surprised, not expecting that she would have truly seen it. What a coincidence?
"Did you see it in a painting or the actual object?"
Zhen Fu'er's gaze floated as if she were reminiscing something in her mind.
"The actual object."
"I've seen the actual object, but it was only half. "
"This..." Luo Yu was astonished, not expecting to inadvertently stumble upon a dead mouse as a blind cat. Had Zhen Fu'er actually seen it? "Where did you see it?"
"At the Cao Family home. Prime Minister Cao once played with this object." Zhen Fu'er recalled with furrowed brows, "Back then, he seemed to lament that the other half could not be found—without the complete piece, this half was useless, no different from broken copper and iron."
Prime Minister Cao.
Wasn't that the clever statesman and hero of chaotic times himself, Prime Minister Cao?
It was rumored he was also the Number One Tomb Raider of the time, having excavated countless graves and stolen numerous treasures of gold and silver. If he had acquired the Tiger Talisman through such means, it was not beyond the realm of possibility.
The half I possess was acquired from the Tiger-Dwelling Mountain Secret Realm, where Emperor Qin Shi Huang suppressed Lord Black Tiger. It must have been undiscovered by Prime Minister Cao.
Therefore, the half that Prime Minister Cao possessed must be the other half of the Tiger Talisman I was looking for.
"Ah."
Luo Yu let out a long sigh, "If only the young lady knew where Prime Minister Cao took this half of the Tiger Talisman."
Zhen Fu'er's face showed apology.
"That I do not know."
"Hahaha." Luo Yu laughed freely, "What is predestined will eventually come; what is not predestined should not be forced – it's fine."
Seeing Luo Yu's carefree attitude and lack of obsession over the treasure, Zhen Fu'er silently praised the Da Xia Godson as truly deserving of his reputation.
Both in strength and temperament, he was indeed impeccable.
"Big Brother Luo Yu, my Sister Zhen has heard that your beauty is unmatched in this world, and she has always been curious. I wonder if you might reveal your true face for us to see," Bai Xiao'e said with a light smile.
"It's you who wants to see, using Miss Zhen's name as an excuse."
Luo Yu's eyes seemed to see through everything, making Bai Xiao'e's cheeks flush red and her gaze shift evasively.
At this moment, Zhen Fu'er came to Bai Xiao'e's rescue, "To tell the truth, Fu'er is also very curious about the young master's appearance."
Luo Yu did not put on any airs.
He reached up and swept his hand across his face.
A stunningly handsome visage was revealed, carefree and otherworldly, extraordinarily suave as if a Banished Immortal had descended to the mortal realm, exuding an astonishing charm.
"So handsome." Bai Xiao'e had seen him in a projection but found that, in person, he was many times handsomer than his image.
Even Zhen Fu'er, with her disposition, was momentarily lost in thought.
"A man as jade on the roadside; a young master without parallel in this world."
"With looks like Luo Gongzi's, I fear all men would lose their lustre in your presence."
"You flatter me." Luo Yu said modestly, "Graceful as an alarmed swan, gentle as a gliding dragon; hair piled high like clouds, teeth white within their freshness."
"I think Miss Zhen is the true beauty of the human world, comparable to the ancient Luo Shen, with a charming and graceful bearing."
Zhen Fu'er looked at that Banished Immortal's face, lost in his pure, appreciative dark eyes, and her heart inevitably stirred slightly.
The two of them locked gazes, which made Bai Xiao'e feel involuntarily out of place.
It was she who knew Luo Yu first, she who encountered him before anyone else.
Yet there was Sister Zhen, locking eyes with him.
"Hmph!"
A light snort interrupted the man and woman.
"Stop with the mutual flattery," she said.
With a serious tone, Luo Yu said, "No one visits without a reason. There must be something else you wish to speak to me about since you've come here."
Bai Xiao'e's mouth gaped slightly in surprise.
"You've seen through that too?"
"Incredible."
Luo Yu was speechless; he had just made a casual remark. Whether it was true or not, he wasn't afraid of the awkwardness.
Zhen Fu'er smiled and said, "Luo Gongzi is truly perceptive. Our visit is firstly to express our thanks, and secondly, to seek assistance with an important matter."
Luo Yu rolled his eyes. Who would come to express gratitude without a gift unless they had another matter in mind?
"Miss Zhen, could you first tell me what the matter is, then allow me to consider whether I can help or not?"
He wasn't the sort who thought with his lust, dolefully offering help just because someone was pretty. If there was any risk involved, he wouldn't do it even if it killed him.
Zhen Fu'er nodded.
"I want to recover my lost memories and find out why I have been asleep for a thousand years."
Luo Yu gave a wry smile, "I'm afraid I can't help with that."
Zhen Fu'er said, "Do you remember, I said earlier that I awoke from a crystal coffin?"
"Yes."
Zhen Fu'er continued, "The place where the crystal coffin was located is a side chamber of a tomb; the side chamber isn't dangerous, merely hidden. It requires a special method to discover, and I have gone back several times to look for clues but found nothing."
"So, I thought about heading to the main chamber, but the main chamber of the tomb is filled with danger, and Xiao'e and I simply cannot enter."
"Asking others for help, the weak are of no use, and those who are strong – we don't trust. Thus, we hope you would lend us a hand."
Luo Yu was shocked; he hadn't expected this sort of predicament – this tomb that Zhen Fu'er frequented must be a grand tomb passed down from the Han Dynasty.
And if a character like Zhen Ji had sprung from the side chamber, then what strange things might the main chamber hold?
"Do you know the owner of the tomb?"
Zhen Fu'er shook her head, "I don't know. It's very dangerous there. Even just setting foot in the tomb's entrance, anyone below the First Grade would undoubtedly face certain death."
Luo Yu did not agree immediately, falling into deep thought.
"Then how did you and Bai Xiao'e come to know each other?"