Chapter 41

After several days of not seeing the construction site, this place had become somewhat unrecognizable.

The various tools and machinery left behind had all disappeared, and there were now many setups that Chen Hao couldn’t understand.

Outside the newly dug tomb, several dressing mirrors formed a circle, reflecting the sunlight onto an exposed stone door of the tomb that was speckled with blood. The pungent smell of blood could vaguely be detected.

Several rows of large lamps the size of watermelons could also be seen. Chen Hao found this familiar. They looked like laser lights or something, probably something that was used at night.

Although he couldn’t understand this setup, Chen Hao discovered that the dark energy on the surface of the construction site had vanished completely. Clearly, the setup was truly useful, and it went to show how professional Master Long was.

He stood outside the tomb with his eyes fixed on the door.

Although the Dragon’s Door sounded magnificent, it didn’t quite live up to its name, standing at a height of only a little over one meter. There was a dragon pattern on the exterior of the stone door, but as it was buried underground over a long time, it had long since corroded from the moisture and dark energy. It had gone moldy and reeked of a stench now, and the dragon pattern was barely visible.

Too bad this Dragon’s Door was pretty well sealed, and even during the day no dark energy had seeped out, so they had no idea of knowing what was going on in there.

After going around, Chen Hao didn’t discover anything, so he returned to Bai Ru’s side and asked her about the deity figurine.

It wasn’t that Chen Hao wanted to ask, but he had looked around with his Yin Yang Eyes but didn’t see the existence of the power of incense anywhere.

It needed to be pointed out that in the case of that deity figurine not far away, the remnant power of incense was as obvious as a lightbulb to Chen Hao the first time he saw it.

Bai Ru quickly ran to her car and brought out something covered in a red cloth.

She lifted the red cloth, and a one-foot tall wooden figurine of Guan Yu, holding a sword and stroking his beard with an angry look on his face, appeared before Chen Hao’s eyes. He was dumbfounded.

Bai Ru said, clearly pleased with herself, “I paid the temple attendant a few million yuan for it. I’ve also had it appraised by an expert. Made with solid centuries-old sandalwood and carved by a renowned sculptor, it has a history of nearly three hundred years. It’s in excellent condition and absolutely lifelike. What do you think of this, Master?”

I don’t think much of it. Damn. I really don’t understand what rich people are thinking. I asked you to prepare a deity figurine, and you went to get an antique instead?

Never mind the size.

This figurine of Guan Yu does look pretty scary, but what’s the deal with the weak and nearly undetectable power of incense? What’s this thing good for?

Chen Hao remained silent.

The pleased look on Bai Ru’s face had disappeared now. She asked with trepidation, “Master, please don’t tell me this is a fake.”

Chen Hao said in a displeased manner, “I’m no expert and dare not determine whether it’s a fake or not. But I’d like to ask you this: Back then I told you to get me a deity figurine that had been worshipped by genuine and devout followers throughout the years, right?”

Bai Ru nodded her head meekly.

Chen Hao scoffed. “Then, tell me. Which famous Daoist temple did this Guan Yu figurine come from, and how many followers worship it on a daily basis?”

This!!

Bai Ru was lost for words.

According to what she knew, this Guan Yu figurine came from an ancient Guan Yu temple and was being cherished as a treasure by the temple attendants through the ages. It was said that before the catastrophe, the Guan Yu temple had good attendance. Because of this, she thought this Guan Yu figurine must have a spirituality about it.

But now looking at Chen Hao’s expression, it was clearly not the case.

“Ma-master, don’t tell me that this figurine is useless. What should we do, then? I had to ask a favor from one of my contacts to buy this. How did things turn out this way?” The anxious Bai Ru was nearly in tears.

Chen Hao had become unreliable. This deity figurine that she had pinned her hopes on had also become unreliable. How could she continue this fight?

Chen Hao said with a sigh, “You can’t exactly say it’s completely useless. This Guan Yu figurine absorbed plenty of the power of incense a long time ago. It’s just that this figurine is precious and hasn’t been worshipped by the people as much as the clay figurines. Hence, it hasn’t accumulated much power of incense. It’s just being regarded as a precious artifact. Now that the power of incense has dissipated, the effects are very weak. It might be able to protect someone, but to use it to suppress the evil spirits, hur hur.”

Bai Ru was dumbfounded. The deity figurine that she had spent a bomb on, turned out to be the same kind of thing as the jade Buddha Chen Hao had sold her? Wasn’t she duped!

She merely paid ten thousand yuan for Chen Hao’s jade Buddha, whereas this Guan Yu figurine cost several hundred times more. What was the point of buying it!

“Master, is there still enough time for me to try and buy a clay deity figurine now?” Bai Ru, who was not an ordinary person at the end of the day, asked seriously after suppressing her panic.

Chen Hao shook his head and said, “If you’re doing it to vie for the top position, then there’s no longer the need to do it. When Master Long arrives, we will enter the tomb to check out the situation. If there’s no evil spirit residing in this Dragon’s Den, that means Xue Chuang has won. It’s another story if there is an evil spirit inside. If the evil spirit isn’t strong, we might be able to settle it. If it’s too strong, we’ll have to withdraw from this place. If that turns out to be the case, you can then try to get another deity figurine. But this way, the deity figurine you need to obtain won’t be an ordinary one. It has to at least be the kind worshipped at the Shaolin Temple or the Zhenwu Temple on Mount Wutang. There won’t be as many devout worshippers in an ordinary temple. Even the temple or Daoist priest in the temple might be fake. Those worshippers perhaps went with various impure motives. How much power of incense would there be in a deity figurine worshipped by such people?”

Bai Ru felt despair.

Her efforts had gone to waste. She was so far behind Xue Chuang now, and there was basically no chance of her turning things around.

Smack!

Rage exploded in her heart. Bai Ru threw the Guan Yu figurine on the ground fiercely. She then squatted down, put her hands on her head, and suppressed her sobbing sounds from being heard.

Chen Hao’s heart went out to her.

Damn. She threw something that cost several million just like that? Even if she has money and doesn’t care, that’s a great disrespect to the deities. Isn’t she afraid of Guan Yu taking offense!

He quickly picked up the deity figurine and checked it to make sure it wasn’t damaged.

But Chen Hao discovered, to his shock, its uniqueness.

Although it didn’t have much power of incense, there was a spirituality about it—a spirituality that changed things.

For ordinary deity figurines made of clay, even if they had accumulated much power of incense, the power was only stored in the artifact like energy in a battery. No matter how much power of incense it accumulated, its very nature wouldn’t change.

That wasn’t the case for this Guan Yu figurine. The hint of spirituality it contained drew it apart from 90% of the deity figurines around.

Chen Hao carefully examined it, deep in thought.

“Alright, stop crying. There should be some use for this Guan Yu figurine that you bought. But it won’t be used for suppressing the dark energy. Mm. Let’s not be anxious. We’ll see when we enter the tomb. Perhaps, this thing can help turn things around in your favor,” Chen Hao said.

Bai Ru instantly got up, staring in disbelief at Chen Hao with her teary eyes.

“Really? You’re not lying to me?”

Chen Hao said calmly, “Up to you to believe me or not. I’ll just leave it at that for now. I need to check out the situation in the tomb before I decide if this deity figurine can be used.”

Bai Ru gritted her teeth and said, “Then… Alright. I’ll enter the tomb with you, Master. I’ll bring this deity figurine with me and obey your commands.”

Chen Hao glanced sideways at her.

Fierce. In order to climb to the top position, she’s even risking her life.

This was truly a descendant of the rich. Chen Hao bowed in defeat to her.