I am about to die of old age, and I have awakened the character of longevity.

Chapter 56 Promotion
While rushing on the road, Xie An combined the information he had obtained and reviewed and analyzed the matter:

First: This masked man must be the Plum Blossom Monster. So the previous analysis of the Plum Blossom Monster's killing logic is wrong.

The Plum Blossom Monster came here for the fairy treasure.

Previously, the bearded hunter and the fat medicine seller had been secretly selling the same batch of antiques as the chamber pot boy at their stalls. These items were probably from the Chen family mansion, unearthed from the ancestral tomb of the corpse refining hall dug by the Chen family.

Second: Previously, the bandits from Dayin Mountain came down the mountain to rob the Chen Mansion in Shuideng Town. I am afraid that they were doing it under the guise of robbery, but in fact they were after the magic treasure.

Third: Wei Dian was sent by the Tiger and Wolf Sect to the Chen Mansion to help fight bandits, but he was severely injured by the Plum Blossom Monster. It's likely that Wei Dian and the higher-ups at the White Feather Hall also knew about the existence of a magical treasure in the Chen Mansion. Otherwise, Wei Dian, such a cautious person, wouldn't have risked such a risk for a small gift of money.

According to this analysis, the top leaders of the Tiger and Wolf Sect are also investigating the magic treasure and want to get it in their hands.

hiss!
The thought was so terrifying that Xie An's scalp felt numb.

He had lived in Wuqiao Town near Dayin Mountain for thirty years and knew very well how powerful the bandits in Dayin Mountain were.

During the autumn and winter food shortages, bandits from Dayin Mountain would descend en masse to plunder villages and towns, severely impacting public security in the surrounding area. Repeated attempts by the county government and military garrisons to suppress the bandits were unsuccessful.

The most serious incident happened more than ten years ago. The garrison dispatched thousands of soldiers to suppress the bandits, but suffered heavy casualties and two deputy captains were killed.

From then on, the county government stopped mentioning the issue of suppressing bandits. Instead, it strongly supported the Tiger and Wolf Sect to open the White Feather Hall at the foot of Dayin Mountain, trying to use the power of the White Feather Hall to check and balance the Dayin Mountain bandits.

This immortal treasure is coveted by both the Tiger and Wolf Sect and the Corpse Refining Hall, and it was dug out from the ancestral tomb of the Corpse Refining Hall... It must be a rare treasure.

Thinking of this, Xie An became more and more expectant.

Relying on his previous memory, Xie An came all the way to the place where the chamber pot boy was pooping.

I thought it would smell something unpleasant, but it didn't...

"Sure enough, that guy's shit is fake..."

Xie An became more and more certain of his idea and came under the ancient locust tree.

The yellow earth ground was covered with fallen leaves in autumn. Some of the leaves had already rotted, giving off a pungent musty smell.

The early morning sunlight shines through the gaps between the leaves, forming round spots on the ground.

Xie An walked around the ancient locust tree and finally saw a place with traces of digging.

"It should be right here."

Xie An immediately swept away the leaves with his hands, and indeed saw that the soil underneath had been excavated, and the newly covered soil had shoe prints left behind.

Because the soil had been frozen hard and had been trampled on, it was difficult to dig with hands. Xie An found a sturdy hardwood and dug the soil again bit by bit.

The reason why a big knife is not used is because of the fear of damaging the magic treasure.

"It was still dark and the light was poor. I actually thought the Chamber Pot guy was here to vent his anger... but I didn't expect him to be quite cunning. I guess he felt threatened after his previous encounter with the Bearded Hunter, so he hid the treasure."

Xie An became more and more excited and quickened his pace.

As the hard yellow mud was dug up layer by layer, Xie An saw that there was indeed something underneath.

It was a sackcloth bag, quite large, about the size of two adult's fists.

After a lot of effort, Xie An finally pulled the rag bag out. He glanced around cautiously, and after finding no one, he swept away the dirt on the rag bag and slowly opened the bag.

hiss!
After seeing what was inside, Xie An took a deep breath.

Red square box.

"It really is the magical treasure that the Plum Blossom Monster mentioned..."

Xie An was filled with surprise and a bit of disbelief. The immortal treasure that both the Tiger and Wolf Sect and the Corpse Refining Hall had been searching for, even going to great lengths to fight for it...had actually fallen into his hands?

This was dug out by the Chen family from their ancestral tomb in the Corpse Refining Hall.

Or is it the ancestral tomb that the Corpse Refining Hall itself couldn't find...

As for how such a treasure ended up in the possession of a servant in the Chen family mansion, Xie An suspected that the servant had accidentally stolen it. But the servant probably didn't know it was a fairy treasure, and simply thought it was a good thing because the box was beautiful. That's why he deliberately hid it.

Xie An suppressed his excitement and began to study the wooden box.

First of all, this box is heavy!

Even such a large piece of iron would not be as heavy as this.

Xie An estimated that the two fist-sized boxes weighed at least 17 or 18 kilograms.

No one knew what kind of wood was so heavy. At least Xie An had never seen such wood, or even heard of it.

The box was locked, with a keyhole the size of a little finger, and required a key to open it.

Xie An examined it carefully for a moment, noticing that the box was perfectly made, not like it had been pieced together, but rather cut from a single piece. The workmanship was exquisite, a skill not possessed by ordinary craftsmen.

"Let me see what's in the box."

Xie An tried to pry the lock with his sword, but it was useless.

The last blow of the knife struck the box with a loud clang, and Xie An's palms felt numb from the shock. He looked down and saw that the broadsword had been chipped, but the box was completely unscathed, without even a scratch.

"What a hard box! What kind of wood is so strong? It really is a magical treasure."

Xie An was not disappointed because he couldn't open the box. Instead, he became more convinced that this was a good thing.

"Put it away first and study it slowly. Go back and learn more about the Chen family mansion... maybe we can find a way to open the box." Xie An stuffed the box into the quiver on his back and covered it with arrows to hide it. After making sure there was nothing unusual on the surface, he turned and left.

"Since the Night Pot boy really has a magical treasure on him, then his body needs to be dealt with... Otherwise, it will inevitably be discovered by Wei Dian and his patrols. As for the Plum Blossom Monster, it probably won't come back after killing someone."

Xie An returned, found the body of the chamber pot boy, dug a pit in the nearby dense forest and buried it. He then covered it with leaves and other things to ensure that no trace was left, and then left.

As they approached the black market, Xie An still felt uneasy. Perhaps Wei Dian knew about the immortal treasure...

To be on the safe side, Xie An simply followed the example of the chamber pot boy, found an ancient locust tree in a deserted place nearby, dug a hole and buried the box, and then returned to the black market.

Sure enough, as soon as I walked to the gate of the villa, I saw Wei Dian, Lin Yun, Zhang Lin and others waiting at the gate.

"Brother, you're finally back." Zhang Lin greeted him warmly, "I just told the incense master and the chief deacon about your situation. Everyone is worried about you."

Xie An pretended to be exhausted and threw his quiver and other belongings on the ground, leaving no trace of him bringing anything back. He then bowed to Wei Dian and said, "Thank you, Master Xiang, for your concern. I followed that young man all the way and saw him walk quite far. He didn't encounter any accidents. Perhaps Zhang Lin and I were overthinking it; this person isn't a Plum Blossom Monster."

While speaking, Xie An paid special attention to Wei Dian out of the corner of his eye.

Sure enough, Wei Dian glanced at Xie An's quiver and other items, and when he saw nothing, he withdrew his gaze and said, "Glad you're back safely. It seems the Plum Blossom Monster didn't make a move today."

After saying this, Wei Dian gave Lin Yun a look, and the latter said, "You have shown wisdom and bravery this time, and the Xiangzhu has seen it. From now on, the amount of medicinal supplements you need will be doubled. The monthly salary will also be increased by 20 taels. If you need anything else in martial arts training, you can come to me at any time. You will also take on the position of Second Deacon of this branch. Lead Zhang Lin well in the future and manage the black market."

Xie An was very surprised by this sudden promotion, but he soon realized that Wei Dian was really about to fail and was desperate to hire someone, so he gave him the opportunity. In addition, Wei Dian believed that he was Tang Qingyun's man, so he took extra care of him.

After figuring it out, Xie An bowed and thanked: "Thank you, Master Wei Xiang, and thank you, Chief Deacon."

"If you have any more information about the Plum Blossom Monster, please come to the hall and report it to me anytime." Wei Dian left a word and walked away. Lin Yun followed suit.

After seeing them off, Zhang Lin took the initiative to come forward and bowed, saying, "Congratulations, old brother, on your promotion to second deacon. I'll go to Cuihua Tower tonight and set up a table to celebrate your success."

(End of this chapter)