NOVEL NEXT Chapter 320: Utterly Wronged!!!
Yun Ran glanced at Xuan Chu heading in the direction of the archaeological campsite, nodded to Xie Xuzhi, and then followed suit.
The other unconscious people were all lying on the ground, taken care of by Ginsengfruit and Little Papermen.
Xuan Chu randomly picked a tent by the roadside and walked in as if he were familiar with it.
Yun Ran and Xie Xuzhi followed him in; everyone else had fainted, and there were no guards standing watch at the moment.
But with Yun Ran and Xuan Chu here, not even a fly would dare to come over and eavesdrop.
The tent was fully furnished, and after Xuan Chu ignited the hot porcelain stove to boil water, he was clearly exhausted from the haste of the journey.
In a short while, the temperature inside the tent rose. Although the chill of the Northwest night did not affect him much, it was still somewhat uncomfortable.
All three of them were patient individuals; none took the initiative to speak until the water boiled.
Xuan Chu then looked at Xie Xuzhi and took out an ancient wooden token from his bosom and placed it in front of him.
"Director Xie, I am Xuan Chu from Heavenly Dao Village, and according to the agreement, I can request a convenient identity from the Special Administration Bureau to travel abroad."
Yun Ran looked at Xuan Chu and then at Xie Xuzhi before slowly pouring herself a cup of hot water to drink.
She had nothing to do with this type of secret sign encounter.
Xie Xuzhi took the wooden token and confirmed that it was indeed an item from the encrypted records kept by the Special Administration Bureau.
"There's no problem with the Special Administration Bureau arranging an identity for you. However, it has been over a hundred years since people from Heavenly Dao Village have been involved in the world. I need to know who your target is this time?"
Xuan Chu's gaze was fixed on Yun Ran. Although he didn't utter a word, his eyes said everything.
Yun Ran: ...
Good Lord Qing Tang, what a huge misunderstanding!!!
Xie Xuzhi furrowed his brows, but when he looked at Yun Ran next to him, she did not seem guilty at all, even rolling her eyes.
With her attitude, as if the words 'speechless' were etched on her forehead, Xie Xuzhi really couldn't see how Yun Ran had the potential to become the source of a major calamity.
Xie Xuzhi placed the wooden token back on the table and pushed it back.
His tone carried an unintended hint of protection: "According to the Special Administration Bureau's records, the Tian Dao Village People only appear during catastrophic disasters. Are you sure you haven't mistaken your target?"
Xuan Chu nodded: "There's no mistake, she's far more formidable and dangerous than you imagine."
Yun Ran had been trying her best to pretend she couldn't hear, acting quietly as a mere background figure, but not anymore.
To be directly slandered as a dangerous person in front of her Golden Master, how could she bear it?
She immediately put down her cup and spoke with a strange, mocking tone: "Yes, yes, yes, you people from Heavenly Dao Village are so impressive; whoever you say is a scourge, is a scourge.
With such prowess, why hide? Why not just come out and be Lord Qing Tang? With you administering justice, there would be no evil people, and the world would already be at peace~"
Xuan Chu, having long been accustomed to Yun Ran's sharp tongue, was not annoyed by the sarcasm and said calmly: "The signs are thus. They do not shift according to my will."
Yun Ran snorted coldly. It was just because she had a good temper; otherwise, someone like her, who had an impeccable background, would have already become violent if suspected to be a menace.
"Enough talk, tell us about the General!"
Xuan Chu paused, recalling that the 'menaces' watched by their ancestors would act like rats seeing a cat in the presence of someone from Heavenly Dao Village.
But with Yun Ran's current attitude, Xuan Chu felt more like an unwelcome bad character.
Xuan Chu shook his head, dismissing these weird thoughts.
Only then did he continue: "According to records from the Book Collection Tower of Heavenly Dao Village, the owner of that tomb should be Wuzi Changli, the High Priest of the Witch Clan who, a thousand years ago, sealed an Outer Heaven Object inside his body."
Xuan Chu emphasized the words 'Outer Heaven Object,' clearly signaling Yun Ran.
However, Yun Ran didn't feel guilty at all. She had been struck by Heavenly Dao several times and yet had been unharmed; as long as she didn't die, she would stand tall and proud!
Yun Ran acted as if nothing had happened, while Xie Xuzhi was an excellent listener, so Xuan Chu's insinuations went in vain.
He could only continue: "The Outer Heaven Object is both righteous and wicked. When it's in a good mood, it brings justice for the innocent; when it is not, it could destroy an entire city.
Back then, Heavenly Dao Village was not as reclusive as it is now and realized the apocalyptic threat posed by the Outer Heaven Object.
They joined forces with many revered Xuanmen people to seal the entity.
In that era, Xuan Sect was filled with unparalleled talents. Logically, their attempt to seal the Outer Heaven Object should have been successful.
But nobody knew that the Outer Heaven Object could see through everyone's thoughts. In that battle, all the Xuanmen people who participated in the Sealing perished.
Later on, that High Priest, who was considered to have the highest Talent in the history of the Witch Clan and the Outer Heaven Object, both disappeared.
Some speculated that he stole the Outer Heaven Object, while others said that both perished together.
Through years of effort and depleting their entire cultivation, the Clan Elders of Heavenly Dao Village calculated their whereabouts and discovered that Wuzi Changli had sealed the Outer Heaven Object within himself.
He became an entity neither human nor ghost, undying and trapped in darkness.
Unless someone else can replace him to seal the Outer Heaven Object again, he will never come out, nor can he."
A few short sentences encapsulated one person's entire life.
For some reason, Yun Ran inexplicably felt that this individual named Wuzi Changli was enveloped in tragedy.
"Does Heavenly Dao allow his existence?"
Logically, such undying beings should not be allowed by Heavenly Dao.
But she had clearly seen that person earlier without being locked by Heavenly Dao.
"He has merged with the Outer Heaven Object and formed his own realm; he can't come out, and Heavenly Dao can't detect his existence."
Yun Ran lowered her eyes, recalling how she had been grabbed into the black void by the tentacles behind the General, and she lost touch with Ginsengfruit.
Furthermore, during a mission with the Northwest Branch, she had also lost contact with Ginsengfruit in the Illusion.
She thought it was only an accident, but now it seemed there must be a connection.
With an artifact stolen from an Ancient Country in front of her and an Outer Heaven Object sealed by the General behind, something was on the verge of emerging in Yun Ran's mind.
Xuan Chu felt his mission here was accomplished. After finishing the water in his cup, he stood up.
With his gaze falling on Yun Ran once again, he half warned, half reminded her: "You are half-blood of the Witch Clan, don't get close to him!"