For Gu Gang, what had just occurred was merely a routine transaction.
While many shop owners in Panjiayuan often swindled those who didn't know the ropes, he had refrained from doing so. With the system now operational, it wouldn't be long before he would need to seek out various ancient tombs to "check in" and earn rewards. In terms of personal strength, he was full of confidence; even when facing the so-called Zhang Family Qilin, he would not feel the slightest bit intimidated—in fact, he believed he might even have the upper hand.
The real difficulty lay in finding those ancient tombs. His lingering memories from his previous life provided only rough coordinates. If he could find someone skilled in dragon-seeking and cavern-exploring to pinpoint the exact locations, it would save a great deal of trouble. Speaking of which, who could compare to the Mojin Captains of the grave-robbing underworld?
Unfortunately, the four major schools of tomb-robbing were no longer as prosperous as they had been during the Republic of China era. At present, only three people truly understood the secrets of the Mojin Captains: Sima Hui, Zhang Qiling, and Zhang Yingchuan. The first two were descendants of branches of the Mojin lineage, belonging to the heirs who wore the three necklaces, which signified top-tier technical status. Their whereabouts were unpredictable, especially Sima Hui’s, whose combat skills in the Mojin circle were incredibly formidable, rivaling those of the legendary Partridge Whistle from the Removal of Mountains school. Gu Gang had previously sent his men to track them down, but to no avail.
Zhang Qiling was the current head of the Zhang Family. He was not only a peerless fighter, arguably the best among men, but also possessed an exhaustive knowledge of all tomb-raiding techniques. Gu Gang secretly suspected that the Zhang Family might have mastered the long-lost arts of the Faju school. After all, the "two-finger exploration" technique was considered both a secret skill of the Zhang Family and the signature ability of the ancient Faju Commander.
Regardless of the truth, it mattered little to him. What mattered was that he had specifically traveled to the Ge'ermu Sanatorium to investigate. Regrettably, the entire facility had already been abandoned and was completely empty by the time he arrived. Thus, the plan to track down Zhang Qiling had ended in failure. Gu Gang ultimately had to choose Hu Bayi as his target—a suboptimal solution born of necessity.
Hu Bayi’s grandfather had studied under the "Yin-Yang Eye" Sun Guofu, and Sun Guofu was a disciple of Zhang Sanlianzi. Years ago, Zhang Sanlianzi had discovered the sixteen trigrams of the Zhou Heaven in an ancient tomb and used them to create a profound secret art: the "Sixteen-Character Yin-Yang Feng Shui Secret Technique." This method was divided into two volumes: the upper volume focused on the path of Feng Shui, while the lower volume dealt with the arts of Yin and Yang. Legend had it that when this technique was perfected, the heavens and earth would change color, but Zhang Sanlianzi had suffered a massive backlash because of it. To avoid greater risks, he destroyed the lower volume, declaring the art too contrary to the laws of nature and liable to shorten one's lifespan.
Even so, the surviving upper volume of Feng Shui was considered peerless. It contained not only sophisticated Feng Shui techniques but also detailed explanations of the designs, structures, and layouts of ancient tombs throughout history. Mastering this half of the secret technique was enough to explore the vast majority of ancient burial sites. Now, this long-lost upper volume was in the possession of Hu Bayi. Although Hu Bayi would eventually become a legend among the Mojin Captains, he was currently just an entry-level novice tomb-raider. Thus, Gu Gang’s choice to cooperate with him was merely a compromise.
"Hu Bayi!"
Gu Gang narrowed his eyes, a flicker of sharp, subtle intensity in his gaze. He figured that since Wang Fatty was about to head to Niuxin Mountain to search for the Gangyingzi tomb, it wouldn't be long before Hu Bayi followed him. As for the exact location of "Gangyingzi," it remained an unknown for now, but he was certain it lay somewhere between the Greater Khingan Range and the grasslands. Rather than wasting time searching himself, it was better to wait and leverage the intelligence of Hu Bayi and Wang Fatty, making his move once they had pinpointed the destination.
Shaking off these stray thoughts, Gu Gang smiled at Qi Yuanfu beside him. "Uncle Yuanfu, you go ahead with your work; I shall take my leave."
After saying this, he glanced at Gu San, who was standing to the side, his tone laced with impatience. "Gu San, you are to stay here and properly assist Uncle Yuanfu. Do not embarrass me."
"Yes, Master," Gu San replied with a resigned nod.
"Gang, if there is nothing else, you should head back," Qi Yuanfu said with a smiling nod.
"Are we heading straight back to the mansion now, or...?" Gu Yi asked after they left the antique shop.
Watching the sky grow dim but not yet completely dark, and considering he had already completed the check-in task at Panjiayuan, Gu Gang decided to linger a while longer to handle another outstanding objective.
"It is still early, why the rush to go home?" He mused before suggesting, "I hear the food at that Xinyue Hotel in the Capital is excellent, and I haven't tried it in all these years. We might as well pay a visit."
Upon hearing this, Gu Yi bowed respectfully. "It is quite a distance from here, Master. Please wait; I shall arrange the vehicle immediately." He turned and ran toward the back to make the preparations.
As the manager of Gujin Pavilion, a man of immense wealth and hidden status, Gu Gang naturally had all manner of luxury cars at his disposal. Within minutes, a high-end off-road vehicle pulled up, drawing the attention of many onlookers—in an era where cars were not yet widespread, such a vehicle was particularly eye-catching.
"Master, please board!" Gu Yi stepped out of the driver's seat and quickly opened the rear door for Gu Gang.
Once they were inside, the vehicle slowly pulled away from the Panjiayuan area, turned onto the main road, and sped toward the Xinyue Hotel.
A short time later—
"Master, we have arrived."
Standing in front of the Xinyue Hotel in the Capital, Gu Gang stepped out of the luxury car and looked up at the historic restaurant.
"No wonder it has stood for a century; the architecture truly has an imposing air," Gu Gang whispered in admiration. His gaze swept over the exterior: it was situated in a bustling city center, impressive in scale, with a grand flight of stone steps leading up to the entrance. The main structure of the Xinyue Hotel was built of wood; though simple in appearance, it lacked nothing in style and possessed a rich, traditional atmosphere. Outside the door stood four young men in black Zhongshan suits, looking exceptionally professional and reliable.
"As far as I know, Master, there are rumors in the streets that this place, while appearing to be an ordinary restaurant, is actually one of the largest underground auction houses in the antique world. Is there any truth to this?" Gu Yi leaned in and whispered, testing the waters.
"The rumors are not unfounded; what you say is true. Ever since the late Qing Dynasty, this place has been..."
Whenever the Xinyue Hotel held an auction, it wasn't just the antique collection circle or the underground treasure-hunting industry that attended—even forces from various fringe trades would show up. Hearing this, Gu Yi shed his relaxed demeanor and became cautious. As the nation’s premier venue for the trade of antiques and burial artifacts, situated right here in the Capital, it was clear that this hotel possessed unimaginable backing.
"Let’s go."
"It's just an auction house, what could that possibly have to do with us?" Noticing Gu Yi’s contemplative expression, Gu Gang shook his head with a calm smile and walked straight toward the Xinyue Hotel.
He had come today to enjoy the food, but more importantly, to complete a check-in task. Everything else was irrelevant. Even if the Xinyue Hotel’s influence was vast, it was nothing but a passing cloud to him. He had awakened the Heavens Martial Arts System; he would eventually transcend the mortal coil and embark on the eternal path of the divine martial arts. The Xinyue Hotel, for all its power, was ultimately a world for mortals.
Ascending the twenty-nine stone steps, the two men entered the lobby. The four bodyguards in black did not block them—unless an auction was in progress, which required an invitation, the Xinyue Hotel welcomed diners of all kinds.