"Little Uncle, is there something more to this?" Li Man'er asked, feeling utterly confused.
"My Master and the Xiao family, as well as the conflict between them and me, all began because of a treasure map," Ning Daocheng explained.
A treasure map? Li Man'er's heart skipped a beat as she recalled the half-piece of sheepskin map on Feng Jue.
"Is there a treasure in Moluo Mountain?"
Ning Daocheng nodded, his body trembling slightly. "Master didn't leave without a word. When she departed, she actually left me a letter."
Ning Daocheng's gaze was unfocused, his emotions subdued. Li Man'er could tell that Qiu Yixian was a profoundly important person to him, and her passing had devastated him. Even after all these years, he couldn't let go, and mentioning her felt like reliving a catastrophe.
"Little Uncle, if you don't wish to speak of it, then don't. Rest here, and I'll take you home when I leave Mobai. Grandfather and Grandmother will be overjoyed to know you're still alive."
Ning Daocheng gave a faint smile. "Man'er, I don't want to leave Mobai. I am like a cripple now. Returning would only bring sorrow to my aged parents. What's the point?"
What kind of peculiar logic was this? Li Man'er found his reasoning completely baffling. She reiterated, "Grandfather and Grandmother love you dearly. They will be happy to see you are alive."
"Several years ago, when the family couldn't find me and thought I was dead, they already experienced a separation of life and death. If I were to return with you, they would have to endure another great joy and sorrow, which their bodies might not withstand."
"Little Uncle, how can you think like that!" Li Man'er felt he was as stubborn as a mule, utterly resistant to reason. However, she then considered that if she were in Ning Daocheng's position, she might also not want her family to see her living such a diminished existence, physically and mentally broken.
"Man'er, you needn't worry about me. It's too early to discuss such matters now."
Indeed, it was better to first understand the Xiao family's involvement. As for Ning Daocheng, if she could heal him in the future, perhaps he would be willing to return to the Ning family.
"Little Uncle, you still haven't explained the connection between the Xiao family and your Master."
"It's not a connection, it's a curse," Ning Daocheng replied.
It turned out that Qiu Yixian, having spent years dealing with herbs, was no longer content with the properties of ordinary medicinal plants. She constantly sought to find miraculous remedies for all illnesses. To this end, she often pored over ancient texts and ventured into remote, unexplored mountains, hoping to find a miracle. She even experimented with herbs and poisons on herself, doing many things that ordinary physicians would never dare. Ultimately, Qiu Yixian's health gradually deteriorated.
It was at this point that Qiu Yixian chanced upon a clue about an elixir of immortality in an ancient text. Those few sparse words in the book brought boundless hope to Qiu Yixian.
"Master was so excited by what she read that she couldn't sleep all night. The next day, she went through all the ancient texts in her home and then set off," Ning Daocheng sighed, his voice filled with a deep melancholy. He continued, "In the letter she left me, she only mentioned that she was going to the Moluo Mountain Range to search for the tomb of the Wu tribe, stating that the elixir of immortality was within it."
Countless people throughout history had sought immortality, yet none had truly achieved it. Qiu Yixian's resolute determination clearly indicated a burgeoning inner demon.
"Master's inner demon had taken root. Naturally, she wouldn't listen to anyone's persuasion. Fearing for her safety, I immediately rushed to Mobai, even hastily finding a guide, and plunged headlong into the old forest."
The result, of course, was fruitless.
"How long after Master left did you receive that letter?" Li Man'er asked. Although she possessed the original host's memories, some minor details had escaped the host's notice, so Li Man'er didn't know much. Back when she was still in the Ning family, she only knew that her little uncle had suddenly and hastily left home for some unknown reason, without even saying goodbye to her. At that time, the original host was capricious and didn't pay much attention to the matter.
"I received news about three months after Master left. After reading her letter, I also spent more than a month on the road to Mobai. I was a bit unwell from the change in climate, which caused some delays."
Li Man'er nodded. "You searched three times, and the last time you found Qiu Yixian's remains. So, is this Wu tribe tomb real, and what is its connection to the Xiao family?"
Recalling the past still pained Ning Daocheng's heart. He said in a low voice, "Although Master's body was somewhat decayed, I could still discern her general appearance. She didn't die from poison or any accident; her fatal wound was to her head." Ning Daocheng pointed to the back of his own head. "There is an indentation here."
A blunt force trauma to the back of the head. Qiu Yixian had been murdered.
"I found no relevant clues on Master, but she had been in the Moluo Mountain Range for so long, someone must have seen her. So, I began inquiring all over Mobai. After another two months, I finally gathered some leads."
The Moluo Mountain Range was fraught with peril, but it also held many treasures. Many people risked their lives to venture into the mountains, hoping to unearth some valuable item and strike it rich.
"Not to mention the rare medicinal herbs in the mountains, it's said there are also many treasures."
"Oh?" Li Man'er's eyes sparkled. She quite enjoyed the idea of venturing into danger in search of treasure.
"I learned that Master had also collaborated with others to enter the mountains. However, I heard that very few people came out of the mountains, and among them were people from the Xiao family."
Li Man'er quickly interjected, "Little Uncle, did you question the Xiao family? What did they say?"
"I did," Ning Daocheng's tone turned cold at this point. "The Xiao family claimed they each had their own objectives and their goals were not the same. Furthermore, they never found the Wu tribe tomb, their expedition failed, and they had long since parted ways."
Meaning, they wouldn't admit to murder!
"Did you ask, Little Uncle, which member of the Xiao family went into the mountains?"
"They said it was the second master of the Xiao family, Xiao Rufeng."
Li Man'er's eyebrows shot up. "Wasn't Xiao Rufeng killed in battle a few years ago? Did he perhaps enter the mountains before his death?"
"Most likely. It was that winter, the snow was particularly heavy, and the barbarians were constantly attacking the passes. Xiao Rufeng died that winter."
Li Man'er felt something was amiss, but she couldn't quite pinpoint what it was.
"So, the Xiao family also knew about the Wu tribe tomb, and perhaps they knew about it earlier and more thoroughly."
"Yes."
Li Man'er asked, "Little Uncle, then why did they capture you?"
"The Xiao family never gave up on finding the Wu tribe tomb. In recent years, they have made some new discoveries and wish to search for the tomb again. However, to find the tomb, one must pass through an area of swamps and poisonous miasma. Without the escort of a highly skilled physician, even an immortal would struggle to get through."