It was a drumstick, crafted from ebony.
It felt slightly heavy in hand, adorned with intricate coiled dragon carvings.
Though it could be considered exquisite, in this era, it wasn't particularly remarkable.
Yet, Li Yan's heart was already struck with indescribable shock.
The moment he touched the drumstick, the substitute statue within his dantian suddenly trembled violently, generating a strange suction force.
At the same time, a power surged forth from the drumstick.
This power was warm, carrying an ineffable momentum. As soon as it entered his body, it split into thousands of strands, like spiritual serpents, slithering through his meridians.
In the end, all of it converged into his dantian, absorbed by the statue.
Li Yan immediately understood what this was.
A Heavenly Spirit Treasure!
He never imagined its true form would be a drumstick, hidden in this stable.
If not for a stroke of fate, he could have searched for years and never found it.
This Heavenly Spirit Treasure could transform into a serpent and even scheme to seize human souls, clearly having developed its own intelligence, desperately trying to escape.
Its auspicious fortune wasn't just astral energy; it also contained some unknown aura, vibrant and elusive, capable of splitting into countless forms, darting about to avoid his dantian.
Even the drumstick itself began to tremble faintly.
However, all its struggles were in vain.
Before long, its auspicious fortune was completely absorbed by the substitute statue.
Throughout the process, not a single trace of its aura leaked out to draw others' attention.
No one could have known that, in such a short time, a Heavenly Spirit Treasure, held briefly in Li Yan's hand, had been reduced to an ordinary object.
A smile crept onto Li Yan's lips.
He had uncovered yet another function of the substitute statue.
Heavenly Spirit Treasures were so rare that even treasure hunters would exhaust themselves, using esoteric techniques like the Eight Trigrams or the interplay of the Five Elements to capture them.
But for him, mere contact was enough to devour their auspicious fortune.
The raw materials for the Three Talents Demon-Suppressing Coin were also Heavenly Spirit Treasures, but the substitute statue hadn't reacted to them, indicating that only pristine, unrefined treasures were effective.
After absorbing this treasure, the substitute statue underwent a change.
Its originally worn and mottled surface began to grow smooth, and a vague message emerged: the statue's quality had improved, capable of withstanding greater damage.
Though it didn't restore his life flame, Li Yan was still thrilled.
This signified hope.
Heavenly Spirit Treasures came in many forms; surely, one could rekindle his life flame.
"Young man," Steward Lu, seeing him staring intently at the drumstick, couldn't help but chuckle. "Could it be you're fond of such things? Indeed, among the hundred arts, nothing matches the grandeur of gongs and drums. Others may prefer江南's gentle melodies, but I've always favored the majestic vigor of ceremonial drums."
"I've heard this year's competition has worthy successors. The battle for Drum King will be spectacular. If you're interested, you can witness it in Chang'an on the fifteenth of the first lunar month."
"Naturally," Li Yan replied with a smile, returning the drumstick to Steward Lu.
"This one's craftsmanship is decent enough."
Meanwhile, Sha Lifei had chosen a saddle and fitted it onto the large black horse.
"Thank you, Uncle Sha," Li Yan said, his mood buoyant. To him, Sha Lifei seemed like a harbinger of good fortune.
An unintended gain, a Heavenly Spirit Treasure—Li Yan had no regrets now. Leaving the mansion, he mounted his horse, cupped his hands, and smiled. "Priest Wang, farewell for now. I'll await you at Li Family Village."
Wang Daoxuan stroked his beard and laughed. "Naturally, this poor priest will follow shortly."
He was in good spirits too. Partnering with Li Yan could offset his own shortcomings, allowing him to take on bigger jobs. The ritual artifact he'd long coveted might soon be within reach, and perhaps he could even refurbish the ancestral altar.
Sha Lifei's eyes gleamed with calculation.
He'd just received a reward, far more lucrative than toiling as a reaper leader. If these two were striking it rich, he couldn't just stand by—he'd have to get a share.
With this in mind, he thumped his chest. "Brother Yan, go without worry. The priest's safety is on me. I'll take care of him properly."
Li Yan raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You up for it?"
Sha Lifei bristled. "Why wouldn't I be? Go ask around—when has Sha Lifei ever failed to deliver?"
"Alright, alright," Li Yan waved him off. "Just stay safe. Farewell!"
Sha Lifei's skills might be lacking, but he knew the ways of the martial world well. With Wang Daoxuan's seasoned experience, survival was assured.
With that thought, Li Yan turned the reins and galloped off.
Watching the dust fade into the distance, Wang Daoxuan turned to the small hill behind him. "Let's go. This place has gentle slopes, no geomantic dragon veins, but finding an auspicious burial site won't be an issue. Let's settle things today."
"Right!" Sha Lifei grinned, shouldering his tools and following the priest up the hill.
After they left, Steward Lu hurriedly returned to the rear courtyard.
In the side room, Master Lu sat staring blankly at his first wife.
"Master, they've all gone," Steward Lu reported.
"Mm. Everyone, leave us. Let me stay with my wife for a while."
Master Lu dismissed the servants, then glanced around before slowly kneeling, tears in his aged eyes. His voice trembled. "Princess, are you still unwilling?"
"What's the use of unwillingness? We barely escaped with our lives. Why can't you let it go? The court is full of wolves—we can't fight them. Isn't it better to live quietly, hidden away?"
"That year, you saved my life. This old servant has served you faithfully, never daring to slack, repaying your grace."
"But though the debt is paid, I've failed our ancestral bloodline. From now on, I must plan for myself. Please forgive me…"
After muttering for a while, he wiped his tears and left.
Back in the side courtyard, his two concubines rushed to attend him.
Master Lu resumed his stern demeanor, sipping tea before speaking calmly. "Well? Have you found anyone suitable these past few days?"
When the concubines remained silent, he sneered. "No need to play coy with me. You still have the chance to choose. Bear a child to carry on my line, and I'll ensure you live comfortably for life."
"Hesitating? Or do you want to be sent to the Drumstick Assembly?"
"Then it won't be up to you!"
At the mention of the Drumstick Assembly, fear flashed in the eyes of the charming red-robed concubine. She stammered, "This servant… thinks that young Li is nice."
"Heh, girls always fall for a pretty face," Master Lu said, seemingly unbothered, sipping his tea and shaking his head. "He's a man of the martial world, with phoenix eyes and dragon-like features—an extraordinary fate. He might bring trouble in the future."
"Pick someone from the reapers. I want stability."
With that, he set down his teacup and left.
After he departed, both concubines sighed in relief.
The white-robed concubine's eyes flickered. "Sister Cuilan, why didn't you mention Commander Zhao? I saw you two that night…"
"Shh!" The red-robed concubine, startled, quickly hushed her, glancing at the window before shaking her head bitterly. "You know how that old man is—says one thing, does another. He never treats us like people."
"If he found out, I wouldn't survive. Even if I bore him an heir, he'd likely kill us to keep it quiet."
The white-robed concubine's eyes gleamed. "Sister, there's an opportunity now."
"It just depends if you've got the guts…"
…
Galloping along, Li Yan's pace was swift.
He traveled by day, camping at night, and finally returned to Li Family Village at dusk three days later.
"Brother Yan, you're back?"
"Where are the others?"
The villagers of Li Family Village were busy, their wheat nearly ready for harvest.
Seeing Li Yan return early, they thought something had gone wrong.
"No worries, everyone. They've taken on a big job. They're doing fine," Li Yan explained patiently, unbothered.
In this era, communication was limited, and villages were isolated. Even a girl married to a neighboring village might need days to send word.
Though both were in Guanzhong, Xianyang was a distant place to Li Family Village.
After passing on the news, Li Yan rode home.
From afar, he saw his grandfather, Li Gui, sitting at the doorstep, holding a large pipe. In the sunset, his white hair was disheveled, his eyes cloudy.
Li Yan's heart ached. He dismounted quickly, knelt before him, and forced a smile. "Grandpa, I'm back. I told you, just a few days."
"Ah, you're back. Good, good…" Li Gui's voice was flat, but a faint tremble betrayed his emotion.
"Haven't eaten yet, have you?" Li Yan's smile brightened. "Perfect. I learned a dish on this trip. I'll cook it for you, and we'll share a drink."
"Hmph, what dish could you learn?" Li Gui grumbled.
"Just watch. If all else fails, I can always be a cook…"
…
Night fell, and Li Family Village grew silent.
In the darkness, Li Yan sat cross-legged on his bed, first regulating his breathing. Then he rubbed his palms until they warmed, massaging his scalp, temples, ears, nape, and shoulders in turn.
Preserving the spirit was a static practice, and these were preparatory steps.
The goal was to relax the mind while ensuring smooth blood circulation and heightened awareness, aligning oneself with heaven and earth, using the sun, moon, and stars as anchors.
Thus, by guarding unity and preserving truth, one could connect with the divine. With sufficient cultivation, during rituals, one could "visualize the altar," imbuing it with "momentum."
In the world, famous mountains, great rivers, and geomantic dragon veins all possessed "momentum."
Only through the interplay of astral and baleful energies could "momentum" or "formations" take shape.
And to touch these, preserving the spirit was the first step.
Li Yan closed his eyes slightly, steadied his breathing, and quietly sensed his body, visualizing his five organs, six viscera, triple burner, and the crown of his head, finally focusing on the space between his brows…
*(Chapter End)*