"A woman?"

Old Liu was taken aback at first, then he chuckled with a hint of amusement: "Master Kui, I didn't expect you to have a close confidante in Qingzhou."

Zhang Kui was mainly worried about Gu Ziqing and her disciple showing up simultaneously, but seeing Old Liu's demeanor made it clear it wasn't them, so he casually laughed it off.

"As a Daoist, experiencing the worldly matters is quite normal."

The visitor was Yin Bai.

Handsome and coldly solemn, he stood silently in the snow, draped in a black robe. Beside him, a subordinate carried gifts covered in a blue cloth, the contents unknown.

"Eunuch Yin, there's no need to bring gifts when you come." Zhang Kui laughed heartily, ushering him into the manor.

Since they had worked well together in Qingzhou, Zhang Kui had a pretty good impression of Eunuch Yin.

Eunuch Yin smiled slightly: "Back in Qingzhou, you took good care of me, Daoist Zhang. Here are some palace pastries and meat jerky, as the New Year's approaching, I came to visit."

"Eunuch Yin, you're thoughtful."

Zhang Kui shook his head with a laugh, "I suppose my reputation for gluttony has spread. Are you returning to the Capital City to report for duty, Eunuch Yin?"

Eunuch Yin shook his head with a bitter smile, "I don't mind Daoist Zhang laughing at me, but this time I've really stumbled..."

It turned out that during the Qingzhou turmoil, Eunuch Yin was somewhat reluctantly thrust into the situation, but unexpectedly stabilized the situation in one fell swoop.

The Astronomical Bureau's branches in each region held considerable power. After three years, returning to the Capital City would surely result in promotion. Since Eunuch Yin was merely a martial artist without a backer like Wu Siyuan, someone else reaped the benefits.

Eunuch Yin sighed:

"But Eunuch Wang didn't go too far; I've been transferred back to the Capital to serve as the Deputy Commander of the Black-clothed Profound Guards."

"Hehe, that's not bad at all."

Zhang Kui responded nonchalantly, finding the whole situation quite amusing; it seemed Eunuch Yin had offered goodwill to the wrong person.

He could tell that Eunuch Yin was trying to be amicable, but after his time with the Qian Court, he held no positive regard, and even if he had the capability in the future, he might not want to become a National Guardian True Man.

After sitting and chatting for a while, Eunuch Yin stood up to take his leave, "Daoist Zhang, I've just returned to the Capital City, and there are piles of things at the Astronomical Bureau; I'll visit again another day."

Zhang Kui rose to his feet as well,

"Haha, I happen to have some business myself, let's go together."

He wanted to exchange that ancient artifact coffin as soon as possible.

When they reached the Grand Profound Lake, it was already nearing dusk, patrols were bustling back and forth, and a tense atmosphere was palpable in the air.

Zhang Kui frowned, "Has something happened here?"

Eunuch Yin nodded slightly, speaking in a low voice, "Yesterday, someone infiltrated the Dissection Workshop, none of the workers survived, and even those demon corpses were completely destroyed."

Since he was an outsider, Zhang Kui nodded but refrained from asking further questions. After parting ways with Eunuch Yin, he immediately headed to the Inner Treasury and found Fatty Liu.

"Found two so quickly?"

Fatty Liu looked surprised, shaking his head and clicking his tongue in admiration, "Daoist Zhang, your luck is extraordinary. Come with me."

In the underground warehouse, before the strange door, it was the same process. Zhang Kui used the Bloodstained Clay Basin and the Ghost Bronze Gong to exchange for that coffin.

Boom!

The stone coffin fell heavily to the ground, and Zhang Kui leaned over to examine it closely.

The stone coffin was about three meters long, and its material was peculiar, resembling ancient sandstone mixed with crushed precious ores, where even grains of Fallen Crystal and Dragon Blood Stone were visible.

Although the outer walls had ancient patterns, they were now blurred. If not for the black mist inside stirring like water, it would certainly resemble a horse trough from an inn.

Fatty Liu seemed a bit perplexed, "Such a clunky ancient artifact, no one knows what it could be used for, and it's not easy for ordinary people to handle."

"How about this, Daoist Zhang, you acknowledge the artifact here, and then I'll call a carriage for you?"

Zhang Kui looked around, "Is it convenient?"

Fatty Liu chuckled, "Daoist Zhang, didn't you notice that there are very few guards here? That door, even a National Guardian True Man couldn't open it."

Zhang Kui nodded, thinking for a moment,

"Alright, let's do that!"

After Fatty Liu left, the cave fell into complete silence. Zhang Kui placed his hand on the stone coffin, and his mana rushed out like a tide.

Just as he was about to run out of mana, a warm flow suddenly surged within him, gradually replenishing his mana.

Zhang Kui's eyes lit up; it was the lingering efficacy of the Yellow Jade Pill. He didn't expect artifact acknowledgment could be like this!

Without any hesitation, he took out a Yellow Jade Pill and placed it in his mouth, closing his eyes to meditate.

Perhaps because the large amount of mana being absorbed by the coffin stimulated its potential, even the Yellow Jade Pill's absorption rate increased quickly.

Two pills, three pills... Zhang Kui even hoped the acknowledgment process would take longer so that he could save time on refining pills.

However, after using five Yellow Jade Pills, the coffin artifact was finally refined and subdued.

Zhang Kui's expression was a bit peculiar; he hadn't expected this stone coffin to have such a function...

Generally, acknowledging an ancient artifact takes a long time. Since Fatty Liu hadn't returned yet, Zhang Kui curiously laid himself into the stone coffin.

The black mist inside the coffin enveloped him, and at the same time, a faint black mist started outside, and the coffin eerily began sinking into the ground.

Soon,

the cave was empty, eerily quiet...

Zhang Kui felt strangely mysterious at this moment; surrounded by darkness, the complex spirit veins beneath the Astronomical Bureau emitted faint glows, as if he stood alone in the galaxy.

This stone coffin artifact was actually a vehicle!

Its function was to transport people underground, akin to Earth Escape, but its speed was astonishingly fast, and its defense remarkably strong.

The surrounding darkness was none other than soil and rocks.

Experiencing the underground for the first time, Zhang Kui's curiosity surged; he maneuvered the stone coffin slightly, then his pupils contracted, feeling a chill run down his spine.

Behind him was a thirty-meter-tall beast; it resembled a toad, but its body was covered in petrified scale armor, quietly lying underground, head eyeless, and its mouth was actually that ancient artifact warehouse's iron door.

What the hell is this thing?

Zhang Kui took a sharp breath, refraining from provoking it, steering the stone coffin in another direction.

In the darkness, he could see both underground anomalies and the scenery on the surface, but there was no sound.

Zhang Kui observed people from the Astronomical Bureau walking to and fro on the surface, with tree roots deeply embedded underground, and thick layers of snow melting, seeping downward.

Of course, the underground was the most intriguing.

The underground spirit veins beneath the Astronomical Bureau were complex and intricate, seemingly arranged by a master, forming a colossal array that enveloped the entire Capital City.

This kind of scale...

Zhang Kui was secretly astonished, realizing that Haojing City was far from simple!

To avoid being discovered by Fatty Liu, Zhang Kui didn't linger, and headed back towards the Inner Treasury.

But passing by a certain building, a casual glance made him halt.

Inside a room, a seemingly ordinary black-clothed Profound Guard was muttering something to a skull with green flames in its eyes.

More intriguingly, the person was sprawled awkwardly on the floor, occasionally opening his mouth wide, revealing sharp fangs.

Interesting...

Zhang Kui pondered thoughtfully.

Who would have thought that within the Astronomical Bureau, known for the National Guardian and Exorcism, there were demon infiltrations, unnoticed by the National Guardian True Men?

Had the incidents at the Dissection Workshop yesterday been this fellow's doing?

After his murmurs, the person hid the skull in a secret compartment under the bed, shook his head, and left as if nothing was amiss.

Zhang Kui squinted, maneuvering the stone coffin swiftly back to the cave.

Hardly had he emerged before Fatty Liu entered, visibly startled, "Daoist Zhang, that was quick?"

Zhang Kui laughed heartily, "The coffin isn't very powerful, so it was relatively easy."

"Oh, as long as it works..."

Fatty Liu chuckled with amusement, clearly not buying Zhang Kui's words, yet knowing that the true use of an artifact is only known to its owner.

"I've arranged for a carriage, Daoist Zhang, please..."

"Alright."

The stone coffin was heavy, but luckily Zhang Kui possessed extraordinary strength and carried it out of the Inner Treasury onto the carriage.

Zhang Kui shook his head slightly, thinking that if he didn't need to enter the Grain Avoidance Realm so soon, he would have expanded his Personal Space.

The carriage slowly made its way down the forest path.

At this moment, Yin Bai, leading a group, was heading to Lake Heart Island. Upon seeing Zhang Kui, he simply nodded from afar.

"Eunuch Yin, hold on a moment!"

Zhang Kui smiled, waving his hand.

Among the subordinates following Eunuch Yin, there indeed was that demon from earlier...

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