Chapter Seventy-Eight: The Old Li Family

This deadlock was actually resolved the moment Qin Feng finished speaking. I couldn't help but stare at him in astonishment, thinking, damn, you're incredible. Such a thing could only be done by someone as resolute as Qin Feng.

Later, I learned that Old Shun was a notorious bully from a county in Shanxi, originally not on the same path as my father. But seven years ago, Old Shun suddenly became closely associated with "Li Family Village" in Shanxi. With their covert support, he began to thrive in the tomb raiding business.

Li Family Village is actually a term referring to the Old Li Family, one of the three major factions in the northern branch. It's said this family has been tomb raiders for several generations, already prominent by the end of the Qing Dynasty. After years of ups and downs, the Li Family now rarely gets their hands dirty themselves, instead recruiting capable people to work for them. Old Shun was one such recruit.

This time, news of the Blue-Blooded Dragon Pattern spread like wildfire in the circles, and the Li Family, unusually decisive, immediately dispatched Old Shun and his men from Shanxi. However, the Li Family is also shrewd—they knew our Old Yuan Family was not to be trifled with, so they didn’t send their own kin, only let Old Shun bring this motley crew to scout things out. That’s why their casualties in the ancient tomb were so heavy.

Our family is also one of the old clans in the business. Unlike the major factions of the north and south, everyone in the Yuan Family are internal members or locals, bound by blood relations. Though our influence isn’t as great, everyone stands together as one, with no conflicts of interest. Any profits from tomb raiding are shared, so we rise and fall together. When trouble comes, our people are willing to risk their lives. Because of this, outsiders rarely dare provoke my father and his crew.

But Old Shun didn’t understand these dynamics. After entering the business, he thought highly of himself, as if everyone feared him. His underlings were even more reckless, and today, Qin Feng gave them a lesson they wouldn’t soon forget.

Tomb raiding is a profession where survival is sought amid humiliation, and fortune in peril. Usually, unless you push tomb raiders to the brink, most people won’t react much to bullying—they avoid trouble whenever possible. But if you corner someone like my father, then sorry, you’ll have to fight for your life.

This time, I experienced firsthand the despairing environment of the ancient tomb, and anyone who survives from such a place naturally grows ruthless. If you want to go all out with someone like Qin Feng, you’d better size up your own abilities first. If you’re qualified, you can face him; if not, there’s no good ending.

My father was steady enough and didn’t want to break with the Li Family. If he’d been a bit more ruthless, in these wild mountains, the deaths of Old Shun’s group would have been nothing strange.

Now, Old Shun couldn’t even stand up for fear. Qin Feng stood there, and no one dared approach. Old Shun probably hadn’t encountered such a scene before; after groaning for a while, he turned his head and glared fiercely at Qin Feng.

“Qin, remember this—someday…”

He’d barely started his threat when Qin Feng suddenly raised his dagger and stabbed down hard. The force and ferocity made my eyelids twitch.

In an instant, the dagger was driven into Old Shun’s left palm, nailing his hand to the ground like an iron spike.

“Ah!” Old Shun’s scream echoed through the valley, sending chills through everyone. His men began to back away in terror.

Then, Qin Feng pulled out the dagger and asked coldly, “Have you thought it through?”

Old Shun rolled over, his arms limp, crawling backward desperately. “I’ll leave, I—I’ll leave, ah…”

Finally, two of his men regained their senses and hurried forward to help Old Shun up. The whole group looked at Qin Feng with fear, then began to retreat cautiously.

“Wait…” My father suddenly lifted his head.

Old Shun’s back shuddered, and it took a long moment before he turned around again. “Sixth Master, do you have… any other instructions?”

My father spoke slowly, “Did the Li Family give you any other orders?”

One of Old Shun’s men whispered something in his ear, and Old Shun seemed to remember, “Oh, yes, yes—Sanlang said if Sixth Master gets the treasure and refuses to hand it over, then I’m to give you something.”

With that, Old Shun kicked one of his men hard, who then pulled an item from his chest and tremblingly handed it to Qin Feng.

Qin Feng brought the item to my father. We saw it was a black cloth bundle, seemingly ordinary and limp, as if nothing much was inside.

My father looked it over, said nothing, and closed his eyes.

“You may leave,” Second Fool said immediately.

As soon as he finished, the group quickly carried Old Shun away.

Once they were gone, Second Uncle said, “Big Brother can’t hold on much longer—we must hurry.”

Everyone stopped lingering and quickly headed toward the road above the creek.

Luckily, it wasn’t nighttime. Second Fool carried my father and ran like the wind, and apart from Qin Feng, no one could keep up. Fatty and I fell to the back of the group. I was short on stamina, and Fatty wanted to ask why I’d given him the wooden box.

I couldn’t really explain—it was just that, in that instant, it felt necessary, so I couldn’t answer Fatty.

“Are you planning to investigate this yourself?” Fatty continued.

Panting, I replied, “Isn’t it because of what you said earlier? You got me all anxious and confused. Anyway, once my father’s settled and we’ve looked inside the box, we’ll talk.”

After saying that, I suddenly sensed something was wrong. Damn, if the item in the box is the Blue-Blooded Dragon Pattern, and I’ve given it to Fatty, would he just run off with it? Remembering Fatty’s expression when he saw those burial artifacts, it seemed entirely possible.

But turning to look at Fatty’s face, I felt he wasn’t that kind of person. And if I asked for it back now, it would be like saying, “I suspect you,” and with Fatty’s temper, he’d not only refuse, he might even give me a beating.

Tsk! Damn, looks like I’ll have to wait until we’re back in Gulin to sort this out.