The cock crowed and the lamp extinguished, the retrieving of the burial shroud completed almost simultaneously; it was hard to tell which action preceded the other. "Zhegu Shao" ripped the black cloth from over his mouth, revealing the hungry wild cats clawing and biting at the body of the Southern Song Dynasty woman. Several others were already tearing at the carcasses of the cats they had killed earlier at the far end of the tomb chamber. "Zhegu Shao" watched, a cold dread creeping into his heart—these creatures looked less like cats and more like a pack of famished specters.

Both dogs and pigs will resort to cannibalism when starved to this extent. Now that the rooster had crowed three times, no further corpse animation would occur. This female corpse within the ancient tomb held a 'Corpse-Stabilizing Pellet' in her mouth, suppressing the inherent toxins, forcing the venom to accumulate internally instead of spreading outward, which was why the body remained so well preserved. The starved cats, having consumed her flesh, were certain to die from the corpse poison.

"Zhegu Shao" reflected that this arrangement was perhaps for the best. This Southern Song woman’s corpse, with its accumulated venom, had been held in check by the 'Corpse-Stabilizing Pellet' and the 'Bronze-Horned Golden Coffin.' Had she remained buried deep within the tomb, she would inevitably have become a great menace to the region sooner or later. Letting these damned wild cats devour her completely, resulting in mutual destruction, saved a great deal of trouble.

Thus, "Zhegu Shao" folded the retrieved shroud, picked up the lantern left on the coffin lid, and squeezed out through the tomb shaft. Though the cock had crowed, the sky was still pitch black. Taking advantage of the darkness, "Zhegu Shao" refilled the shaft, sealing the wild cats and everything else in the tomb within. He then replaced the half-broken, inscriptionless stele exactly as it was; upon inspection, there was no trace of disturbance.

Only then did he return to "Wuku Temple" and meet Elder Chen, presenting the shroud and recounting the entire night's events without omission. Finally, he addressed Elder Chen: "The burial shroud was secured precisely as the cock crowed and the lamp extinguished. I cannot discern which event preceded the other, and I dare not assert that I have not violated the established protocols. Perhaps I am not destined to receive my Master’s instruction. Should I live long enough, I shall return to listen to your Buddhist teachings. I currently have urgent matters to attend to, and I must now take my leave."

Elder Chen had also wandered the martial world for many years, once being a truly exceptional figure among the Mojin Xiaowei, rising above the rest. Hearing "Zhegu Shao’s" words, how could he not grasp his true meaning? He knew "Zhegu Shao" was a renowned figure in tomb raiding; his words were a strategic retreat.

Elder Chen looked at "Zhegu Shao," kneeling on the ground, and saw a reflection of himself in his own youth—almost identical to the young man before him.

Ever since learning the reason why "Zhegu Shao" became a "Banshan Daoist," Elder Chen had made up his mind. Firstly, rescuing people from suffering is the fundamental tenet of Buddhism. Since he knew the secret of the Zagelama Tribe, he could not stand idly by. Secondly, he valued the young man's exceptional skill and forthright nature; he had hidden nothing about securing the shroud exactly when the lamp died and the cock crowed. In this age where integrity is rare, such candor was truly precious. He felt that the secret techniques of Fenjin Dingxue (divining the perfect location) were worth passing on to him.

Elder Chen helped "Zhegu Shao" up from the ground and said to him, "Rise quickly. Even though you secured the shroud precisely when the cock crowed and the lamp went out, it does not technically violate the Mojin protocol. The Ancestor Master only forbade touching the coffin after the cock crowed and the lamp went out; he never specified the simultaneous action."

Upon hearing this, "Zhegu Shao" was overjoyed. He immediately prostrated himself, intending to perform the formal rite of acceptance as a disciple: "I am profoundly indebted for your gracious acceptance into your lineage. Honored Master, please accept your disciple's three bows."

Elder Chen quickly stopped him: "There is no need for such grand ceremony. The Mojin Xiaowei have always been known as peers; there has never been a master-disciple succession like the Banshan or Xieling schools, passed down from master to apprentice through generations. Anyone who uses Mojin Xiaowei methods to raid tombs and observes the Mojin protocols is considered a peer. My teaching you these secret arts is due to a bond between us—a fellow fraternity, perhaps—but not the status of Master and Disciple."

Although Elder Chen tried to dissuade him, "Zhegu Shao" persisted, completing the grand obeisance. He then stood respectfully, awaiting Elder Chen’s instruction. Elder Chen was extremely satisfied with the events of "Zhegu Shao's" recent raid. Later, he would incinerate the shroud of the Southern Song woman and chant mantras for the repose of the deceased, allowing her spirit to reach the Pure Land.

Elder Chen only felt that "Zhegu Shao" had been unnecessarily harsh in kicking the wild cats to death; it was, after all, a rather extreme act. He spoke at length to "Zhegu Shao" about Buddhist philosophy, advising him to always try to leave an escape route for others when forced to conflict, not to pursue matters to the point of utter annihilation, as doing so would accrue positive karma for himself.

"Zhegu Shao" held Elder Chen in the highest regard, but felt the old monk had become somewhat fussy since taking vows. He felt killing a few cats hardly warranted such a fuss. "Zhegu Shao" was unconvinced: "I have killed countless people in my life; what is the significance of dispatching a couple of bothersome wild cats?" Yet, he dared not argue and forced himself to patiently listen as Elder Chen discoursed on causality.

Finally, when Elder Chen’s flowery, lotus-like wisdom concluded, he began to detail the Mojin Xiaowei protocols, techniques, taboos, and various transmissions to "Zhegu Shao" once more. The previous explanation had been brief; this time, he was meticulously thorough, explaining every single item clearly:

Tomb raiders, he said, were less like men and more like half-ghosts. They only entered ancient tombs under the cover of night when ordinary people were sound asleep. If the digging of the shaft couldn't be finished in one day, it could be spread over ten. But there was one inviolable rule: once inside the tomb chamber, one must not touch the coffin after the cock crows, because every world has its own laws. The world after dawn belongs to Yang (light/active), and the Yin (dark/passive) of the night must retreat. This is known as: "When the Yang travel, the Yin retreat; do not raid when the rooster crows." The world after the golden rooster announces the dawn no longer belongs to the grave robber. Violate this rule, and the Ancestor Master will surely bring divine punishment. One must believe these things, or one will surely face ruin.

After entering the tomb's inner sanctum, before opening the coffin, a lit candle must be placed in the southeast corner. This serves two purposes: first, to guard against a sudden surge of poisonous gas within the chamber; second, it is a tacit agreement between the living and the dead, passed down from the Ancestor Master thousands of years ago. If the candle extinguishes, it means the funerary objects (Mingqi) within the chamber cannot be taken. If one insists on taking them, they do so at their own peril. As long as one's destiny is strong enough, one might carry the objects out after the light dies, but doing so is extremely dangerous—virtually a nine-out-of-ten chance of death. The purpose of Daodou Mojin is to acquire wealth and Mingqi, not to desecrate ancestral graves. There are countless tombs containing great Mingqi across the world; risking one’s life fighting for them is unnecessary. Therefore, the rule most valued by the Mojin Xiaowei—"Do not raid when the candle is out"—should ideally be strictly observed. Furthermore, the flickering or extinguishing of the candle flame can predict whether corpse animation will occur or if malicious talismans have been laid within the tomb. Thus, it is no exaggeration to say the candle's light is the lifeline of the Mojin Xiaowei. Lighting a candle is the greatest distinction between a Mojin Xiaowei and other grave robbers.

Elder Chen explained every protocol, every technique, every mnemonic phrase, and the use of special instruments in full detail. "Zhegu Shao" committed everything to memory. From this moment on, he would bid farewell to his identity as a "Banshan Daoist" and assume the mantle of a "Mojin Xiaowei."

Elder Chen took two 'Mojin Talismans' from his robe and said to "Zhegu Shao," "These talismans are millennium-old artifacts. Learning the techniques of a Mojin Xiaowei only makes you half of one; only by wearing a Mojin Talisman can one be considered an authentic Mojin Xiaowei. These two talismans belonged to a colleague of mine from many years ago. We raided many grand tombs together. Sadly, twenty years ago, he fell victim to a 'Shattering Bone Soul-Snatching Nail' mechanism in an ancient tomb in Luoyang. Ah... that old history is best left unmentioned. This Mojin Talisman of mine now belongs to you. I only hope that in all your future raids, you never violate the protocols and always uphold the honor of the Mojin Xiaowei title."

"Zhegu Shao" eagerly took the 'Mojin Talismans' with both hands, reverently placing them around his neck, tucking them close to his skin, and bowed again to thank Elder Chen.

Elder Chen then inquired in detail about several matters concerning the ancient tribe, the connection between the 'Ghost Cave' and the 'Muchen Pearl.' He also asked about the Western Xia Treasure Cave.

After "Zhegu Shao" explained, Elder Chen nodded slowly: "I have heard fragments of the legend of the Muchen Pearl, also known as the Phoenix Gallbladder. Some say it was left behind when the Yellow Emperor achieved immortality; others claim it was found a thousand zhang underground, formed from the essence of the Earth Mother as ten-thousand-year-old jade; still others say it is condensed phoenix spiritual energy. The legends are inconsistent. Its shape closely resembles a human eyeball, making it the world's foremost wonder. It was originally interred with the Mao Mausoleum, but when the Red Eyebrows Army launched massive excavations, the treasures of the Mao Mausoleum scattered among the populace, eventually falling into the hands of the Western Xia royalty."

"Zhegu Shao" told Elder Chen: "Many of my kinsmen are afflicted by the ancient curse of the Ghost Cave; their deaths are indescribably agonizing. Generations of my ancestors passed down the story that this disaster was caused by the Great Ritualist of our tribe, who, unaware of what the Muchen Pearl truly was, only knew through divine oracle that an eye-shaped ancient jade could reveal the secrets of the Ghost Cave. He thus created a fake Muchen Pearl to spy on the cave's secrets, triggering this endless calamity. Later, when our people migrated to the Central Plains, we learned of this divine object; only by finding the true Muchen Pearl can we find a way to dispel the Ghost Cave curse. Since then, every member of the tribe has made finding the Muchen Pearl their mission, exhausting countless efforts, yet achieving nothing. Years ago, I learned that during the Song Dynasty, the Muchen Pearl passed into the hands of the Western Xia. The Mongols also searched extensively through the Western Xia royal treasures, but the most valuable court relics were hidden with extreme secrecy and never found by them. Legend says there was a besieged city in Western Xia called Blackwater City, later abandoned. Near Blackwater City lies a temple named the Blackwater River Tongtian Great Buddha Temple. The temple was originally an outpost converted from a fortification outside Blackwater City. At that time, there was a minister in Western Xia who was omniscient, named Yeli Huteng, a descendant of Yeli Renrong. While patrolling the city walls late one night, Yeli Huteng observed three stars shining above the outer earthworks ten li from the city, with purple energy shooting towards the heavens. He therefore undertook massive construction to convert that location into the Tongtian Great Buddha Temple, hoping to be buried there after his death. However, this minister was later executed by the Li Dynasty, and the mausoleum built beneath the temple remained empty. Later, the course of the Blackwater River changed, swallowing more than half of Blackwater City, turning it into an abandoned ruin. The last emperor, Lizong Li Dewang, upon the fall of his kingdom, ordered the kingdom’s rarest treasures to be hidden in that empty tomb near Blackwater City. The Muchen Pearl is highly likely to be among them. The surface structures there have long been destroyed, and the tomb has been buried for ages. Without the secret art of Fenjin Dingxue, finding the exact location is impossible."

Elder Chen listened and then said to "Zhegu Shao": "Blackwater City lies between the Yellow River and the Helan Mountains, resting its head on green mountains and its feet on a jade belt—truly a blessed location of Feng Shui. The Western Xia noble mausoleums absorbed the best elements of the Qin, Han, and Li Tang dynasties' burial techniques; their scale was grand, and their layout orderly. Furthermore, the Western Xia people devoutly believed in Buddhism, being deeply influenced by it, while retaining their nomadic characteristics. Therefore, their tomb structures are unique, baffling to later generations, much like the long-lost Western Xia script—each stroke seems derived from Central Plains characters, yet they are far more complex."

"Zhegu Shao" responded: "Precisely so. Years ago, a large group of foreigners collaborated with bandits to plunder artifacts from Blackwater City, excavating seven pagodas and stealing countless treasures within. Among them were many documents written in the Western Xia language. Perhaps they contained records about the Muchen Pearl. It is a pity they have all flowed overseas and cannot be traced. If we could find Western Xia texts recording the location of the tomb within the Blackwater Tongtian Great Buddha Temple, it would save us much trouble."

Elder Chen told "Zhegu Shao": "The Western Xia script has been lost for ages; no one today can decipher it. Even with clear records, translation would be impossible. However, a place illuminated by three stars and suffused with purple heavenly energy must be a Dragon Tower Palace. With the Fenjin Dingxue secret art of the Mojin Xiaowei, even if no surface traces remain, that ancient tomb's treasure vault can be located with absolute precision."

Fenjin Dingxue is a branch of Celestial Star Feng Shui and the most difficult discipline, requiring mastery of astronomy above and geography below to read the earth's veins and branches based on the movements of the sun, moon, and stars. To learn Fenjin Dingxue, one must first gradually study the most fundamental Feng Shui arts. The art of Feng Shui is complex and profound, impossible to grasp overnight; it requires a minimum of five or six years of study.

Elder Chen understood "Zhegu Shao's" desperate urgency and decided to first accompany him to Blackwater City at the foot of the Helan Mountains, secure the 'Muchen Pearl,' and then slowly teach him the Fenjin Dingxue secret art.

"Zhegu Shao" was overwhelmingly grateful that Elder Chen offered his assistance. The two prepared briefly and set off. Elder Chen, being a monastic, maintained the disguise of a traveling monk collecting alms along the journey. "Zhegu Shao" consistently posed as a Daoist. However, the pairing of a monk and a Daoist traveling together was bound to attract attention, so "Zhegu Shao" changed into lay attire and took meticulous care of Elder Chen throughout the journey.

Traveling from Zhejiang to the Helan Mountains was a vast distance across towering peaks and wide rivers. Fortunately, Elder Chen had been a master of dragon-seeking and tomb-raiding in his youth; though advanced in age, his legs remained spry. One day, upon reaching Huangyang Bay, they decided to abandon the cart for a boat to cross the Yellow River, planning to disembark at Wuxiang Fortress, which was not far from Blackwater City at the base of the Helan Mountains.

While waiting for the ferry at Huangyang Bay, they gazed at the distant, winding Yellow River, snaking like a jade belt—a sight that stirred deep emotion. Elder Chen and "Zhegu Shao" chatted about local customs and people, and Elder Chen took the opportunity to recount an experience he had here in the past.

Before becoming a monk, Elder Chen was a top-tier Mojin Xiaowei, nicknamed "Flying-Heaven Flasher." When raiding tombs in various locales, he once needed to cross the Bronze Gorge to reach the One Hundred and Eight Pagodas further north. Locals rumored that the River God of the Yellow River was extremely efficacious, and passing boats were required to sacrifice some of their cargo to ensure a safe passage.

However, the boat Elder Chen boarded was a private vessel smuggling Xuntu (a fragrant earth used in high-grade coffins). Having never traveled this stretch of river before, the boat captain was a notorious salt smuggler, extremely stingy. When a boatman urged him to make an offering to the River God, the captain refused to toss a single bag of Xuntu into the river, contenting himself with scattering a handful of coarse salt grains.

That night, while anchored near Bronze Gorge, an old man arrived wearing a cap adorned with green knobs—normally, the spikes on hats were red, making this man's green attire conspicuously jarring. The old man held a ladle and asked the captain for a scoop of Xuntu. Since Xuntu was a very valuable spice, the captain refused to give it away freely, driving the old man off with a mixture of cajoling and threats.

Elder Chen, young and kind-hearted, took pity on the elder. He took out money and bought a ladle of Xuntu from the captain. This earth could be used to line the bottom of a coffin instead of quicklime, possessing a dry and lasting exotic fragrance. At the time, Elder Chen didn't ask the old man what he needed the Xuntu for; he simply gave the ladleful to the old man with the green-knobbed hat. The old man offered profuse thanks and departed.

The next day, as they continued their journey, they reached Bronze Gorge. Disaster struck: a giant soft-shelled turtle, large enough to encompass seven or eight connected rooms, suddenly erupted from the river and charged toward the boat. It only stopped after capsizing the entire vessel. All the cargo sank into the river, yet not a single person aboard died; the current washed them all ashore. Later, people claimed they were spared because Elder Chen had generously given away that ladle of Xuntu, placating the ancestor of the River God.

"Zhegu Shao" listened, his heart pounding. No matter one's skill, it was useless against the raging currents of the Yellow River. This proved that in dealing with the world, one must always leave room for maneuver. Suddenly remembering something, he asked Elder Chen: "I have heard people say that traveling by boat on rivers, lakes, and seas involves many taboos—for instance, one must not utter words like 'capsize,' 'overturn,' or 'sink,' lest the boat meets disaster. The various prohibitions for sailing on water, if fully enumerated, might not be any fewer than the Mojin Xiaowei's protocols."

Elder Chen was about to reply when the crowd waiting for the boat surged forward—the ferry was arriving. Thus, the two fell silent. "Zhegu Shao" helped Elder Chen board with the crowd.

The sky was perfectly clear, the sun scorching, and the river surface calm and waveless; the boat moved with great steadiness. There were many passengers. "Zhegu Shao" and Elder Chen disliked crowds, so they found a less populated spot near the railing. They quietly observed the scenery along the Yellow River banks, occasionally pointing out formations of Feng Shui, finding a quiet contentment.

As they spoke, "Zhegu Shao" suddenly lowered his voice and said to Elder Chen: "There is a ghost on this boat."