If talking about the stories of the Queen Mother of the West brought longing and yearning to Tulu's face, then the Jingjue Ancient City brought fear.
And evasion, as if he didn't want to bring it up at all.
It was clear that this guy knew some clues about the ancient city.
Zhang Tian looked at Tulu, a smile on his face.
Tulu quickly waved his hands.
"I have principles. I don't make money from anything. Some things are better left unknown. Besides, if you want to go looking for that thing, I suggest you don't."
"Over the years, how many people have died in the desert? I think you are good people, which is why I'm telling you so much."
Tulu said, his mustache twitching, a hint of pride on his dark face, and he said no more.
Zhang Tian raised an eyebrow. It seemed this guy knew quite a bit.
His gaze fell on Shirley Yang, who was rummaging through something in her backpack.
Finally, she found a notebook in her bag.
It was a journal, clearly her father's diary.
"According to the diary, there is a Zaghlama Valley in the desert. If you pass through this valley, you will find clues to the ancient city. I wonder if there are any traces of a valley here."
Shirley Yang said, pointing to a drawing in the notebook.
Zhang Tian and the others had not gone into the tomb of Prince Gu Mo, so they had not seen the murals in the tomb.
Zhang Tian and the group had, in effect, bypassed Prince Gu Mo's Kunlun Mountains and gone straight to the desert.
"Zaghlama Valley, that's a valley of death."
Suddenly, Tulu spoke, his voice tinged with more fear.
"Boss, why is this guy so jumpy? Does he want to eat a black donkey hoof?"
Fatty couldn't help but say, pulling out a black donkey hoof from his backpack. This completely stunned Tulu.
Good heavens, what exactly was in this fatty's backpack?
And why were they carrying black donkey hooves on their journey? Were they a superstitious group of tomb raiders?
The thought of these people charging into the tomb with black donkey hooves each, offering them to Queen Jingjue, made Tulu inexplicably want to laugh.
This wasn't tomb raiding; it was comedy.
"Well, although it's true that there's talk of a curse in the ancient city, these are just legends. What are you doing with a donkey hoof?"
Tulu couldn't help but ask.
He originally didn't want to say anything, not wanting to get into trouble.
However, having been educated by the entire village and having studied in Shanghai, his advanced cultural exposure made him believe in some of the legends of Xinjiang.
For instance, he had always emphasized that the story of the Queen Mother of the West was just a legend.
Seeing this, Zhang Tian's eyes lit up, and he quickly said,
"Before we came, the locals told us that there were monsters in the Jingjue Ancient City, and only black donkey hooves could subdue them."
As Zhang Tian spoke, Tulu waved his hands with a smile.
"What monsters? It's all nonsense. None of that is useful. The most important things for going to the ancient city are sandstorms and the constantly changing weather."
"Besides these, there's the problem of survival in the desert. Only when these are guaranteed can you successfully find the ancient city. In my opinion, nothing is more dangerous than nature itself."
Tulu said, clearly knowledgeable about the terrain.
"Brother Tulu, can you elaborate? We are actually from the Xia Country Archaeological Bureau, carrying out a secret mission to prevent our Xia Country's cultural relics from being stolen by foreigners."
"That's why we've come here, to search for the lost Jingjue Ancient City."
Zhang Tian said with a serious expression.
Tulu curled his lips.
"Everyone who comes here says the same thing. I've met no less than ten 'experts' like you. Have you ever seen an expert carrying black donkey hooves?"
As Tulu spoke, Fatty quietly put the black donkey hoof back.
This time, Zhang Tian had prepared extremely thoroughly, for fear of missing anything.
Just as Tulu finished speaking, Shirley Yang took out an identification card from her bag and handed it over.
"We are indeed archaeologists, and we have the Xia Country seal."
She said, handing the document over.
As someone with a higher education, Tulu immediately realized that this could not be faked.
Never mind the ink, even the seal itself couldn't be replicated.
"So you really are from the expert team. I apologize. I cannot accept your money."
Tulu said, taking out the translation fee.
"Why? It's yours by right."
"Xia Country has done so much for its people, and it liberated Xia Country and Xinjiang. We were dealing with the Soviet Union back then, and now that we're back home, I'm very grateful."
"Since I can contribute to Xia Country, why not?"
Tulu said, suddenly becoming enthusiastic.
His perspective had broadened significantly.
Even Zhang Tian hadn't expected this guy's perspective to elevate so much.
At this moment, Hu Bayi seemed to have met a kindred spirit; his face showed admiration.
Indeed, they were all comrades.
Comrades' eyes welled up with tears of camaraderie.
"No, we all need to live. This is yours by right, so take it. Tell us about the ancient city, so we can be prepared."
Zhang Tian said, and this time Tulu didn't say much, taking the money back.
He looked at Zhang Tian and the others.
"Since I can contribute, I'll tell you."
"I grew up on the border of Xinjiang. I've heard adults talk about the Jingjue Ancient City and the Loulan Ancient City since I was a child. I'm tired of it."
"It is said that the Jingjue Ancient City has a queen who is very terrifying. Anyone she sees will disappear into thin air, and it is rumored that she is a monster transformed."
Tulu said, then thought for a moment and added,
"When entering the Jingjue Ancient City, there is a large beast, which people call a demon beast. In reality, it's just fictional, a scorpion and a snake."
"Most likely false."
Tulu said, and Fatty thought of Tuantuan.
If Tuantuan could transform into a human, why couldn't the queen?
Thinking of this, Fatty also thought of the princess.
"Alas, fortunately, I am still a believer in the divine religion."
Fatty thought to himself, while Tulu continued without pause.
"The Jingjue Ancient City is said to be located between two magnetic mountains. I don't know anything else."
After Tulu finished speaking, he had revealed everything he knew.
Zhang Tian, however, had captured an important clue: the Loulan Ancient City!
There was never any mention of the Loulan Ancient City in the "Ghost Lantern." Could this be another derivative?
Or was the Loulan Ancient City the same as the Jingjue Ancient City?
Zhang Tian recalled the Jin Kingdom prince from before, whose tomb was found in the Guandong Army fortress.
Zhang Tian had a feeling that something was not right. If nothing unexpected happened, something unexpected was likely to happen.
"Brother Tulu, what you mentioned about the Loulan Ancient City, does it have any connection to the Jingjue Ancient City?"
Zhang Tian couldn't help but ask.
Upon hearing Zhang Tian mention the Loulan Ancient City, Tulu seemed to recall something.
His thoughts seemed to drift north.
"It is said that the Loulan Kingdom was a magical and mysterious country, and there was a Loulan princess within it whose beauty was not inferior to that of the queen."
"At that time, she was the dream goddess of countless people."
"And the Loulan Ancient City and the Jingjue Ancient City are not related; they are two separate cities."
He said, as if recalling the stories his grandfather had told him.
Zhang Tian's face darkened. He knew something unexpected was bound to happen.