At that moment, Yu Feibai was still pressing his case: “This statue, it probably doesn't count as a dangerous item like a crossbow, right? You can’t go back on your word, sir.”

“You really want the statue?” Old Hou looked somewhat puzzled and kindly advised, “There are no mechanisms in this statue, you should reconsider, lest you regret it later.”

“No need to reconsider, I want this one.” Yu Feibai stated firmly, his demeanor suggesting he might just forcibly take it if Old Hou refused.

“If that’s the case, then just pick whatever,” Old Hou sighed, failing to understand why Yu Feibai valued what seemed like junk.

“Thank you, Old Hou.” Upon hearing this, Yu Feibai’s face lit up instantly. He grinned at Wang Guan, clutching the statue loosely as if afraid Wang Guan might snatch it away.

“What’s going on?” Just then, Yu Feibai felt something was amiss. Mainly, the moment his hand touched the statue, it began to wobble, even before he applied any real pressure.

Yu Feibai froze, quickly steadying the statue, then lifting it slightly with a small exertion, easily hoisting it overhead. For a moment, he was stunned: “The statue is too light.”

“Oh, I forgot to tell you. This statue is woven from rattan strips, only covered with a thin layer of fine clay,” Old Hou explained with a smile. “You must be careful not to use too much force, or the surface clay will shatter.”

“No way.”

Yu Feibai’s eyes widened, and he let out an incredulous cry. He then carefully raised the statue even higher, suddenly discovering it was hollow inside, with fine dust scattering out.

“What on earth…” Seeing this, Yu Feibai grew very frustrated. He casually set the statue down and angrily turned back to call out, “Wang Guan! You tricked me again!”

“Who tricked you?”

Wang Guan chuckled wryly, “I didn’t say anything. You insisted on this statue against Old Hou’s advice.”

“Who wanted this statue? No such thing happened.”

In an instant, Yu Feibai flatly denied it, then shamelessly smoothed things over: “Old Hou, I was just joking earlier, please don’t take it to heart. Actually, I decided long ago that I wanted this very item.”

As he spoke, Yu Feibai trotted back to the shelf and picked up another object. Seeing this, Wang Guan couldn’t resist teasing, “Feibai, have you gained weight recently?”

“Scram!”

Yu Feibai glared, knowing Wang Guan was mocking him for going back on his word. However, with his thick skin, he absolutely wouldn't let such minor taunts bother him.

“Haha…”

Old Hou was broad-minded and naturally didn't mind Yu Feibai backtracking. Instead, he reached out to take the item Yu Feibai offered. After a glance, he couldn't help but praise, “Excellent eye, you’ve picked a fine piece.”

“Really?” Yu Feibai became a little smug, smiling broadly, “Then Old Hou, please tell me, what mechanism does this thing have?”

At this moment, Wang Guan took the opportunity to look. What Yu Feibai had chosen was a small box, long and flat, shaped like a rectangle. The surface was engraved with the characters for Fu, Lu, and Shou (Blessing, Prosperity, Longevity), along with some decorative textures. Overall, the item looked very ancient yet exuded a sense of refinement.

“It’s a brush box…” Old Hou began, noticing Yu Feibai’s look of disappointment, then chuckled, “Listen to me finish first. This object looks like a brush box on the surface, but it actually hides a secret within.”

As he spoke, Old Hou pressed some unseen mechanism. With a kacha sound, a very concealed slit popped out from the side of the box, revealing an inner, narrow storage compartment.

“This is from the Qing Dynasty,” Old Hou smiled faintly. “It was used by officials to present gifts to their superiors. While the surface appeared to be a set of calligraphy brushes, they actually concealed bank notes in the hidden layer.”

“Now that’s a good deal.”

Wang Guan couldn't help but laugh, “Feibai, take this one! When you get back, you can use it specifically to hide your personal stash.”

“Nonsense, do I need to hide a personal stash?”

Yu Feibai shot him a sideways glance. Although still slightly disappointed, he had no intention of changing his mind again. Backtracking once was a joke; changing his mind twice would be a matter of character. Moreover, this brush box was excellent in both material and craftsmanship, and being a Qing Dynasty piece, it was hardly bad as a collectible, so he decided to stick with it.

With Yu Feibai having selected his item, Fang Mingsheng, after careful consideration, decided the Seven-Story Pagoda was better, choosing the object that could turn the Seven-Story Pagoda into a Nine-Story, or even a Twelve-Story Pagoda.

“And you?”

At that moment, Old Hou turned to Wang Guan, asking with a smile, “Haven’t you chosen something that suits your taste yet? Would you like me to offer a recommendation?”

“No need,”

Wang Guan waved his hand in refusal, hesitating for a moment before speaking, “Actually, I wanted to ask Old Hou about something.”

“Oh?”

Old Hou was slightly taken aback, curious, “What is it?”

“I’d like to know where this statue was unearthed,” Wang Guan asked softly. “This shouldn’t be confidential information, should it? If you could tell me, I would be very grateful for your guidance.”

“Why are you inquiring about this all of a sudden?”

This time, it wasn't just Old Hou who was surprised; Yu Feibai and Fang Mingsheng were equally taken aback.

“Well… I certainly have my reasons,” Wang Guan sidestepped the core issue. “Old Hou, could you please tell me the location?”

“Although I don’t know why you’re asking, I can certainly tell you the address.” Old Hou pondered for a moment but did not conceal the truth, providing Wang Guan with the detailed location, which made Wang Guan incredibly grateful.

There was no more discussion. After each securing their prize, the three men took their leave. Under Old Hou’s polite send-off, they lightly departed the research institute.

Of course, they only left the institute, not Hanzhong city itself.

Meanwhile, Yu Feibai pressed on relentlessly: “It’s so strange, why are you asking about that place? If you have a special reason, you should tell me now.”

“An artifact from the Northern and Southern Dynasties was dug up there, which means the place is likely full of good things. I plan to start digging up graves,” Wang Guan said with a smile. “Is that reason good enough?”

“Is it?” Yu Feibai blinked, seemingly accepting it, then added with interest, “That’s a good idea; count me in.”

Wang Guan nodded, then turned to ask, “Boss Fang, we plan to stay in Hanzhong for a few days, and maybe visit Xianyang and Chang’an. Do you happen to be free?”

This was a rather tactful suggestion. Fang Mingsheng naturally understood and immediately laughed, “What a coincidence, I have urgent matters to attend to; I’m afraid I can’t accompany you sightseeing.”

“No problem, there will be other chances in the future…”

After a few polite exchanges, Fang Mingsheng left with his entourage.

As for Wang Guan and Yu Feibai, they found a bustling restaurant in the city, booked a private room, ordered many Hanzhong delicacies, and began to feast heartily while chatting.

“Now that there are no outsiders, you can tell me the truth,”

At this moment, Yu Feibai was chewing on several slices of Hanzhong mianpi (cold noodles). The spicy, sour, and sweet flavor, along with the smooth texture, made him feel completely satisfied.

“Tell the truth about what?” Wang Guan replied vaguely while also eating vigorously.

“Stop playing dumb,”

After wiping the hot sweat from his brow with a napkin, Yu Feibai scoffed, “With your little tricks, who do you think you can hide them from? Inquiring about that location from Old Hou is definitely not as simple as grave-robbing.”

“A remote, impoverished area—what else would you do there if not rob graves?” Wang Guan countered.

“That’s what I want to ask,” Yu Feibai pondered, “It feels like you have a specific target in mind, searching for something.”

“Is it really that obvious?” Wang Guan blinked. “I thought I was concealing it quite well.”

“Did I guess right?” Yu Feibai became excited, “Hurry up and tell me! What exactly are you looking for? Did you find some clue on that statue?”

“You’re quite sharp,” Wang Guan smiled and admitted, “I did find something, but it’s only my speculation. Whether it’s true or not still needs verification.”

“Don’t be coy, what is this guess?” Yu Feibai urged.

“Did you notice?” Wang Guan prompted, “The broken sword on the statue. It looks a bit odd, resembling a famous sword from legends.”

“Odd?” Yu Feibai frowned, thinking deeply, then shook his head blankly after a long while, “I only glanced at it a few times; I didn’t pay attention to the broken sword’s condition, so I don’t know what’s strange about it.”

“Then why were you so eager to grab it earlier?” Wang Guan naturally seized the chance to belittle him.

“Heh heh, that’s in the past. Why bring it up? A person should look forward…” Yu Feibai casually waved his hand, then pressed again, “You still haven’t told me: how exactly is that broken sword strange, and how is it similar to that famous sword?”

Wang Guan slowly ate a strip of mianpi before softly articulating the name: “Chixiao!”

“… Seriously?”

Yu Feibai immediately lost his composure, a mixture of pleasant surprise and deep skepticism washing over him. “Don’t fool me. Don’t just assume there’s the Chixiao Sword here because we’re in Hanzhong.”

“I never said there definitely is one,” Wang Guan spread his hands. “I just said there might be.”

“So it’s a gamble,” Yu Feibai understood and nodded with some disappointment, but he was still confused. “What basis do you have for saying the statue’s broken sword resembles Chixiao?”

“Setting aside the hilt, which is inlaid with bead-like objects, the blade is coated in red,” Wang Guan analyzed. “Although the color has dimmed significantly due to a thousand years of wind and rain, a slight dark red hue still lingers. A red sword, in my recollection, seems to be only the Chixiao.”

“It sounds a bit tenuous, but it could pass as a clue,”

As he spoke, Yu Feibai became spirited, “But that doesn’t matter! As long as I’m here, I can definitely turn the impossible into the possible and successfully find the Chixiao Sword.”

Wang Guan was already used to Yu Feibai’s inexplicable surge of confidence and continued to savor the Hanzhong delicacies. The food was indeed delicious, just a bit too spicy, making him sweat constantly, which felt exhilarating.

Of course, this level of spice was merely child's play, nowhere near the heat of a dish like You Po La Zi (Chili Oil Noodles).

Not long after, the two were full and satisfied when they left the restaurant. They then rented a car and sped off toward the address Old Hou had provided…RS