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Earth's Redemption

Earth’s Redemption: Chapter 29

Chapter 29: Feng Shui Treasure Cave (5)

The dog still has to be saved. Can I really just watch it get killed and bled?

Ning Buwen found an opportunity to speak with the dog vendor and used money to redeem Xiao Xin, giving a very reasonable explanation: “I heard that the eyes of cats and dogs can see unclean things and protect their owners. I’m buying one for myself.”

This reasoning seemed normal, and the dog vendor, happy to earn more money, quickly agreed, planning to deliver another black dog later.

With Ning Buwen taking the lead, other servants also generously pitched in, some buying roosters and others buying dogs. It was clear that the vendor would need to make several more trips.

“I’m a player. It’s one thing for me to transmigrate. But how did you, a Shiba Inu, transmigrate into a Chinese rural dog?” Ning Buwen held the leash as he walked Xiao Xin away. Looking at its slender body, he couldn’t help but comment, “If only you were this slim in real life.”

“Woof.” Xiao Xin didn’t understand what his owner was saying, but knew he was free, barking happily.

How can this dumb dog’s luck stat be so high? 

Even with its appearance changed, he still managed to recognize it? 

Of course, it was also because this dumb dog wagged its tail so enthusiastically that forgetting it would’ve been hard.

“Alright, stop wagging. Follow me.” Ning Buwen led Xiao Xin toward his room, where he happened to run into the granny coming to find him.

“Xiao Er, where did you go?” The granny looked at him angrily, then noticed Xiao Xin beside him and frowned even more.

“Granny, I went to buy a dog.” Ning Buwen quickly apologized. “Recently, the things everyone has been saying have scared me a little. Since I live alone, I thought having a dog would make things livelier. Don’t worry, this dog doesn’t bite. I won’t let it out casually.”

“Those are just the idle words of servants. How could you believe them too?” The granny seemed angry. “Forget it, forget it. If you want to keep it, then keep it. The young lady is looking for you.”

“The young lady is looking for me?” Ning Buwen was surprised. “Granny, why is the young lady looking for me?”

“Probably to give you some instructions. Don’t ask so much, just come with me.”

“Yes.”

Ning Buwen brought the dog directly to see Xing Fangfang.  

At first, the granny disagreed, worried the dog might hurt Xing Fangfang. But Ning Buwen’s reasoning was more practical: “The young lady is always alone, chanting Buddhist scriptures every day. Perhaps playing with a dog might improve her mood.”

What Ning Buwen said made sense, so the granny reluctantly agreed.

Xing Fangfang looked older than she had a few days ago, and when Ning Buwen and the granny arrived, they noticed several people were already with her. 

One was Xing Tianyou, whom Ning Buwen had met once before, and the other was a short girl, probably Xing Fangfang’s younger sister, Xing Yuyu.  

“Tang Jie 1, Uncle has chosen a good match for you this time. He’s educated, healthy, and his older brother is even a deputy commander. He only has one concubine and nothing else. So many unmarried girls outside are eyeing such conditions.” Xing Tianyou earnestly persuaded, “You’re still so young. Do you really plan to spend your life in this Buddha hall?”

“Jiejie, Gege is right.” Xing Yuyu, although not fully understanding her elder sister’s hesitations, could tell that their cousin genuinely meant well.

“Tianyou, why did you bring Yuyu here to persuade me? What does Yuyu know?” Xing Fangfang’s face darkened.

“It’s precisely because she doesn’t understand that she needs to be taught well.” Xing Tianyou seemed upset. “Back then, everyone advised you not to marry, but you insisted. If that man had treated you well, it’d have been fine. But he lived off you, used you, and still went out chasing women. A man like that deserved to die. And yet, after he died, you’re still holding onto his memory. You’ve wasted all those years of education! Yuyu can’t follow your path. It’s good for her to see and learn now.”

Huh?

Didn’t the granny say that Xing Fangfang and her husband had a good relationship? But now, Xing Tianyou’s words suggest their relationship was terrible.

The two accounts don’t match. How odd.

“Enough.” Xing Fangfang was so angry that her hands were trembling. “Both of you get out. I won’t remarry.”

“Uncle said, if you don’t marry, the Buddha hall will be torn down, and you won’t get a single cent of your dowry. He’ll pretend you don’t exist as a daughter anymore.” Xing Tianyou spoke harshly. “Jiejie, wake up. Did that man really put a spell on you to make you so devoted to him?”

“Get out.”

“Fine, I’ll leave. Jiejie, don’t regret this later. Yuyu, let’s go. Don’t learn from your Jiejie and embarrass the family.” Xing Tianyou dragged Xing Yuyu out, not even sparing a glance at the granny or Ning Buwen as they passed.

“Young Lady.” The granny stood at the door, unsure whether to enter or leave. “The young master and little young lady were just trying to help you.”

“I know.” Xing Fangfang’s tears fell suddenly. “But they don’t understand. No matter who I marry, I won’t be happy.”

“Young Lady, please don’t say such things.” The granny quickly went up to comfort her. “It’s not your fault. It’s the young master’s short life. The fortune-teller said you have a noble fate, destined for a long life with children and grandchildren.”

The two of them cried together while Ning Buwen awkwardly stood to the side, holding Xiao Xin.

Frankly, if Xing Fangfang were to remarry, her husband would have to deal with not just her but also a ghost and an evil god. It would be like having the worst luck ever. Her not marrying only causes trouble for the Xing family, but her marrying would bring even more disaster. 

Ning Buwen had no desire to follow Xing Fangfang to a new family and start over. He just wanted to clear this level as soon as possible.

After Xing Fangfang finished crying, she wiped her tears and turned to Ning Buwen. “Xiao Er, don’t laugh at me.”

“Young Lady, you’re joking.” Ning Buwen lowered his head. “Young Lady, if you need anything, just let me know.”

“Right, I almost forgot.” Xing Fangfang seemed to remember something and forced a smile. “Before I got married, I left an Eternal Fire 2 at Wuyang Temple. Please help me retrieve it.”

“Eternal Fire?” Ning Buwen recognized this as a likely-to-be key item, but didn’t immediately agree. Instead, he looked worried and said, “Young Lady, forgive me for speaking out of turn, but an Eternal Fire is best kept at a temple for worship. How could you take it back?”

“Yes.” Granny also felt that not taking it out would be better when she heard Ning Buwen say this. “I’ve only heard of lighting a Eternal Fire, never about taking it out. Young Lady, don’t let your anger cloud your judgment.”

Xing Fangfang’s smile remained unchanged. “I’ve been dreaming of Xuping a lot recently, so I want to move my Eternal Fire to our family’s Buddha hall, as if keeping him company. Xiao Er, my mind is made up. Go fetch it for me.”

“Understood.” This time, Ning Buwen did not try to persuade her further.

As he was leaving, the granny called him back, and secretly slipped a few silver dollars into his hand.

“Granny, what are you doing?” Ning Buwen was shocked.

“Don’t take the young lady’s Eternal Fire; leave it at the Wuyang Temple,” the granny whispered mysteriously.

“Granny, how am I supposed to explain that?”

“Fool, can’t you just light a new Eternal Fire for her and bring that back?” Granny knocked on Ning Buwen’s head. “Got it? This money is more than enough to buy ten Eternal Fires. Keep the rest for yourself. Understand?”

“Understood, understood.” Ning Buwen shrank his head and quickly ran off. “Granny, please keep an eye on my dog for me.”

“Don’t worry,” Granny waved her hand.

Walking down the road, Ning Buwen looked at the bustling crowd, his mind pondering the purpose of the Eternal Fire.

It was evident that Xing Fangfang wanted the lamp because of his earlier intrusion. In a world involving gods and ghosts, objects like Eternal Fires must hold special significance.

The name Wuyang Temple also wasn’t new.

In a game world, nothing was without purpose.

This time, being able to head to Wuyang Temple so openly was a blessing from the heavens.

On his way to Wuyang Temple, Ning Buwen encountered quite a few returning worshippers. After asking around, they all praised the temple’s abbot as a reclusive sage, incredibly effective, with hardly any complaints.

Such a good reputation was indeed admirable.

Wuyang Temple was located halfway up the mountain. Even though Ning Buwen walked non-stop, by the time he reached the temple gates, it was already nighttime.

At night, there weren’t many worshippers, only some young Taoists cleaning the temple entrance. When they saw Ning Buwen approaching, they came forward to inquire.

After Ning Buwen explained his purpose, a young Taoist led him to see the abbot.

The abbot of Wuyang Temple was a kind-looking Taoist priest exuding an ethereal aura, quite fitting for the image of a sage.

“The Xing family’s eldest daughter’s Eternal Fire has always been kept with the Xing family’s other lamps,” the abbot thought for a moment and said. “Since the Young Lady wants to take it, then let her take it. A Qiu, take this young man to retrieve the Eternal Fire.”

“Yes.” A young Taoist entered from the side and responded softly.

This young Taoist looked only about eleven or twelve years old, with rosy lips and white teeth, a very cute appearance, though he walked with a hint of shyness.

“This way, benefactor.” The young Taoist smiled at Ning Buwen.

“Thank you.” Ning Buwen followed behind the young Taoist, casually observing the interior of Wuyang Temple.

If something really went wrong during the ancestral rites, he wondered whether the Taoists here could turn the situation around.

“Young man, do you serve the Eldest Young Lady?” The young Taoist became chatty once they left the hall.

“If the Eldest Young Lady just sent word, Master could bring the Eternal Fire when we visit the Xing family for the ritual,” the young Taoist added.

“Well, I wouldn’t know about that,” Ning Buwen replied with a simple, honest smile. “I just do as the Young Lady says.”

“Oh, I see.” The young Taoist paused for a moment before continuing, “So what’s with the rumors about the Xing family lately? This is my first time going with Master for a ritual, and I’m a bit curious.”

Seeing the young Taoist trying different ways to inquire about the Xing family’s affairs, and noticing his peculiar way of walking, Ning Buwen had a suspicion. He tentatively asked, “Cao Qiu?”  

The young Taoist froze for a moment. “You… who are you?”  

“Ning Buwen.”  

“It’s you!” The young Taoist, who was indeed Cao Qiu, immediately let out a sigh of relief. “I finally found a companion. I’ve had such bad luck—shrinking in size, even my gender got switched.”  

It turned out Cao Qiu was at Wuyang Temple. No wonder he and Liang Fei couldn’t find her no matter how hard they looked. She wasn’t in the Xing family at all.  

Now that they had recognized each other, exchanging information became much easier.  

Ning Buwen briefly shared the information he and Liang Fei had uncovered. Cao Qiu also began to disclose what she knew.  

“The Wuyang Temple I’m staying in was established around the same time the Xing family rose to prominence,” Cao Qiu said, clearly not idle during her stay. “I suspect the people from Wuyang Temple were the ones who modified the Xing family’s feng shui back then. Later, when the Xing family prospered, they built this temple for the feng shui master. Since then, the Xing family has always come to Wuyang Temple for anything important.”  

“Do you think there’s anything unusual about Wuyang Temple?”  

“Yes, a lot.” Cao Qiu glanced around cautiously and lowered her voice. “Wuyang Temple plays both sides.”  

“What do you mean?” Ning Buwen was momentarily confused.  

“The current abbot of Wuyang Temple is an old fox. While he knows some Taoist practices, I’d say it’s only at the level of catching minor ghosts—not even as good as the disciple of the Taoist master in a zombie world I stayed in before. I heard his rise to power wasn’t exactly clean. He had a senior brother who was supposed to be the next abbot, but he drove him away. Now, he takes offerings from the Xing family while also being involved with the warlords.”  

“Warlords?”  

“Isn’t the Xing family’s Eldest Young Lady recently considering a match?” Cao Qiu sneered. “It’s the younger brother of one of the warlord’s subordinates. The abbot of Wuyang Temple was the one who matched their eight characters. I overheard with my abilities that they plan to use the Eldest Young Lady’s remarriage as an opportunity to locate the Xing family’s feng shui treasure cave and claim it for themselves.”  

“There’s something in the feng shui treasure cave?” Ning Buwen knew Wuyang Temple wasn’t short on money. Judging by its bustling incense offerings, a little wealth wouldn’t be enough for the Wuyang Temple abbot to ask a tiger for its skin 3.  

“How did you know?” Cao Qiu was a bit surprised. “I heard that the first-generation feng shui master placed many magical artifacts there, which is why the Xing family’s feng shui is so good. The abbot’s Taoist skills are lacking, so he wants to use those artifacts to enhance his own power. But only the Xing family’s patriarch knows the exact location of the treasure cave. The abbot seems to have a vague idea, which is why he teamed up with the warlords’ leader and arranged this marriage. The Xing family’s patriarch doesn’t suspect a thing.”  

“Maybe he does suspect something, but is going along with it,” Ning Buwen shook his head. “If the Xing family’s patriarch had no cunning, the Xing family would’ve been swallowed up long ago. How else would they still be living so freely?”  

“Now things are much clearer.” Ning Buwen gradually pieced together a clearer picture in his mind. It was just too difficult to gather so much information while staying at the Xing family. Even if there was an opportunity to investigate Wuyang Temple, it wouldn’t be as convenient as Cao Qiu’s position.  

The game is balanced.  

If an instance was challenging, it would place players in the corresponding story points. As long as everyone worked together, they would uncover the truth behind the Xing family.  

What about An Buli?  

Ning Buwen was a servant of the Xing family, Liang Fei could barely count as a relative of the Xing family, and Cao Qiu was a young Taoist at Wuyang Temple. That meant An Buli was likely with the warlord faction.  

Wait, isn’t there still one missing?  

“Do you know anything about Wen Duoduo?” Ning Buwen asked another question.  

“I don’t know. You’re the first companion I’ve seen,” Cao Qiu shook her head and continued. “We’re not very familiar with Wen Duoduo. He only joined our Legion recently, but the Legion leader seems to value him a lot.”

“If my guess is correct, the place where Wen Duoduo is located must be able to fill the gaps in our current clues.” Ning Buwen sighed softly. “Just the Xing family alone is already entangled with many forces. On the surface, there’s the involvement of Wuyang Temple and the warlords. If we know where Wen Duoduo is, we can find out who else is waiting here.”  

“They’ll show up eventually. Don’t rush.” Cao Qiu, being more experienced, said, “You can’t eat hot tofu in a hurry. There’s still some time before the ancestral rites. You need to get used to it. Some especially difficult plot-based instances take a year to clear. Since the time flow is different, let Pandora play however it wants.”  

That makes sense. I’m being too impatient.  

“We’re here. This is the place where the Eternal Fires are kept.” Cao Qiu led Ning Buwen to a room. “This is the area reserved for the Xing family. The lamps inside all belong to Xing family members.”  

Ning Buwen quickly found the Eternal Fire engraved with the name Xing Fangfang.  

This is it.  

Ning Buwen wanted to reach out to take it, but the corner of his eye caught sight of a small life plaque under Xing Fangfang’s Eternal Fire.  

“What’s this?” Ning Buwen pointed at the life plaque and asked.  

“Oh, it’s a bonus.” Cao Qiu glanced at it and said, “Sometimes, the Xing family has loyal servants, right? To commend their loyalty, they place a life plaque under their Eternal Fire. Connected like this, the servants can also receive some protection.”  

Ning Buwen reached out and flipped over the life plaque. Clearly written on it were two characters: “A-Liang.”

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Translator Notes
  1. older female patrilineal cousin[]
  2. Altar lamp burning day and night. Based on Bodhidharma’s Breakthrough Teaching: Shastra on Eradicating Appearances. []
  3. 与虎谋皮: Idiom(ask a tiger for its skin – Quoted from Zuo Qiuming, the author of Master Zuo’s Spring and Autumn Annals. Originally it was 與狐謀皮(ask a fox for it’s skin) but fox was later replaced with tiger since a tiger is ferocious and the meaning could stand out more. Also the characters for foc and tiger are similar in pronunciation. To request others (usually bad people) for something against their interests (which is impossible) []
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