The change in the blue and white porcelain bowl made Zhao Yitian see Long Xiao in a new light.
To him, Long Xiao was now filled with mystery, no longer just an ordinary young man.
Xiao Ming kept staring at the big bowl. At first, it was shrouded in black mist. After the 'Crimson Flame Worm' absorbed all the yin and sha energy, the black mist completely vanished.
"Brother Long, so this is yin and sha energy," Xiao Ming said happily.
Long Xiao was surprised by Xiao Ming's rapid progress. He patted his shoulder with delight and said, "Smart. Yes, this is yin and sha energy."
Long Xiao then gave the blue and white porcelain bowl to Zhao Yitian, telling him to sell it for as much as he could with his own skills.
After leaving the antique shop, Long Xiao and the other two wandered the streets for a while longer, but with no success, they returned to their car in the parking lot.
As soon as they got in, Ji Yuelan asked, "Brother Long, are you planning to go to an ancient tomb?"
Long Xiao nodded. Ji Yuelan then said, "Brother Long, I'll go with you."
"What are you going for? It's a long journey, and it will be very tiring."
"I'm an archaeology major. Finding ancient tombs is my forte, I can help you," Ji Yuelan said, glancing at Long Xiao.
Xiao Ming chuckled and said, "Brother Long, let Sister Yuelan come. I can protect her."
Long Xiao hesitated for a moment, but then agreed to Ji Yuelan's request.
Long Xiao and Ji Yuelan agreed to set off the next day, and they spent today buying some necessary items.
Long Xiao had little experience in such matters, so everything they bought was decided by Ji Yuelan.
The three of them spent the afternoon buying two large bags of things, and Xiao Ming's backpack was also stuffed with snacks.
In the evening, the three of them went to Xinglin Caotang to get some detoxification and healing pills.
Early the next morning, Ji Yuelan arrived at the entrance of Mangshan No. 1, waiting for Long Xiao.
Dressed in a denim outfit, military boots, and driving a Hummer, Ji Yuelan looked heroic and spirited.
Long Xiao was afraid that Lin Xuan would be unhappy if she saw Ji Yuelan coming to find him every day. Therefore, as soon as he saw Ji Yuelan from the window, he immediately called Xiao Ming and went downstairs.
"Long Xiao, what are you rushing off for?" Nangong Yue asked when she saw Long Xiao and Xiao Ming about to leave.
"Mom, I'm going to Zhe Dong for a couple of days."
Watching Xiao Ming and Long Xiao leave, Nangong Yue became suspicious and secretly followed them to observe.
Soon, Nangong Yue saw Ji Yuelan waiting for Long Xiao with a smile.
"You good-for-nothing Long Xiao, daring to flirt with other women. You'll pay when you get back."
"Mom, what are you looking at?" Lin Xuan asked when she came downstairs and saw Nangong Yue peeking outside.
Long Xiao and the others had already gotten into the car and left. Nangong Yue pointed at the villa's main door and said, "You don't even manage your man. He left with another woman."
"Mom, Long Xiao is busy with his own affairs every day. It's normal for him to know a few women."
"Normal? You brainless thing. A man like Long Xiao who can make money is a hot commodity. If you don't keep a close eye on him, he'll be snatched away by other women sooner or later," Nangong Yue said indignantly.
At this moment, Lin Hao, who had just come downstairs, also chimed in, "Sister, Mom is right. You have to keep a close eye on men..."
"Do all you men need to be watched closely, or you'll cheat?" Lin Xuan asked, widening her eyes and glaring at Lin Hao.
"Sister, don't include me in what you're saying. I'm a good man, unlike your brother-in-law."
"What's wrong with your brother-in-law? What's not good about him?"
"He's good in every way. Anyway, keep a close eye on him, or he might elope with someone. Don't say I didn't warn you."
After saying that, Lin Hao ran out with a smile and drove away.
Lin Xuan looked at her mother and felt that she had a point this time. "Mom, I'll pay attention to him, you can rest assured."
Lin Xuan was about to go to work, but stopped after a few steps and said, "Mom, ask Dad to resign from his job. I'll start a company for him, and you'll have money to spend then."
Nangong Yue had Lin Shijie completely under her thumb, but Lin Shijie had no money, so she couldn't do anything.
Now, hearing Lin Xuan suggest starting a company for Lin Shijie, she immediately became happy. "My daughter is the best, his little padded jacket. Okay, I'll handle this. If he dares not to resign, I'll kick him out."
Seeing Nangong Yue's delighted expression, Lin Xuan wondered if her decision to acquire Lin's Group and let her father take control was a mistake.
Long Xiao and his group took the expressway from Donghai southward. The two of them took turns driving, and by the time it was almost dark, they had entered the mountainous area of Zhe Dong.
After driving along the national highway for several hours, the Hummer entered a small town.
The ancient tomb was more than three hundred li away from this town. Long Xiao and the others decided to stay in the town for the night and continue their journey tomorrow.
They found a small inn and booked two rooms. After dinner, they were preparing to rest when Xiao Ming suddenly said, "Brother Long, do you smell anything?"
Long Xiao sniffed and said, "No?"
Xiao Ming pointed to the room next to theirs and whispered, "There are precious herbs in this room. I can smell the medicinal fragrance."
Xiao Ming had grown up eating herbs, so his nose was very sensitive to them.
Long Xiao walked to the door of that room and sniffed carefully. Indeed, he smelled a faint medicinal aroma.
"It's ginseng, and it's quite old," Long Xiao whispered.
Ji Yuelan pulled Long Xiao's arm and said, "Brother Long, don't sniff around someone's door like this, it's not good to be seen."
Xiao Ming also whispered, "Brother Long, there's a perfume scent mixed with the medicinal fragrance. There might be a big sister living in the room. If someone sees you, they might think you're up to no good with her."
Long Xiao was startled and quickly stepped back. Ji Yuelan returned to her room. Just as Long Xiao was about to open the door and return to his room with Xiao Ming, the door next to them creaked open.
A woman in her thirties, wearing a leather outfit, came out. She glanced at Long Xiao and Xiao Ming, then turned and walked out of the inn.
Long Xiao and Xiao Ming returned to their room. Xiao Ming whispered, "Brother Long, that woman is not ordinary."
Long Xiao also felt that the woman was a bit unusual, but he couldn't tell what was different about her from an ordinary person.
"Let's sleep. We have to hit the road tomorrow. If it's not our business, let's not interfere," Long Xiao said.
The next morning, they got up early. As Long Xiao and his group were at the front desk of the inn to check out and leave, they saw a man and a woman coming out of the adjacent room, carrying suitcases, and also checking out.
The couple walked past them. Xiao Ming sniffed and whispered, "Brother Long, I smell it..."
Long Xiao quickly waved his hand, signaling Xiao Ming not to speak, lest the couple overhear.
After the couple got into their car and drove away, Xiao Ming said, "Brother Long, in that suitcase, there are at least two hundred-year-old wild ginsengs, and a snow lotus."
Long Xiao nodded and said, "If I'm not mistaken, there's also Fo-ti-tieng, kudzu root, and white peony."
After Ji Yuelan paid, she overheard them discussing medicinal ingredients and said, "Don't ponder over it. If you want to buy medicinal herbs, when we return, we can detour to Lingcheng. That place is the distribution center for medicinal herbs in the Zhe Dong region."