The ruins were rife with danger and peril. Even with the Tongqian Sword, it would be difficult to leave safely. Therefore, they had to make long-term plans.
"Master, you are penniless. I suggest you change your clothes first," the Tongqian Sword Spirit said.
"Oh? You can help me buy clothes?" Zhou Yan was surprised. In Qian Yuan City, apart from royalty, who would dare to flaunt bank notes in public?
"Cough, cough, of course, I cannot," the Tongqian Sword Spirit coughed lightly, awkwardly touching its nose. It was a divine weapon, skilled in forging but not in selling clothes.
"However..." the Tongqian Sword Spirit hesitated for a moment, seeming uncertain. "Master, you are a member of the royal family. The management of this ruin will surely recognize you."
"You can ask them for help," the Tongqian Sword Spirit suggested.
"Hmm?" Hearing this, Zhou Yan raised an eyebrow, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.
"Since that's the case, there's no time to waste. I'll go and see now." Zhou Yan was eager to uncover the secrets of this ruin.
"Heh heh, Master, follow me." The Tongqian Sword Spirit chuckled and led Zhou Yan through several streets, stopping in front of a mansion.
"Hmm? Why is there a mansion here?" Seeing the two characters on the plaque above the gate, Zhou Yan frowned, feeling a sense of familiarity.
"This is a royal property!" the Tongqian Sword Spirit said slowly.
"Royal?" Zhou Yan was startled, then a mocking smile appeared on his lips. "Is your master's tomb located within this mansion?"
"This mansion belonged to an old friend of my master," the Tongqian Sword Spirit explained. "However, this old friend has been dead for many years, leaving behind only an old servant named Uncle Lin."
"Master, this Uncle Lin is a peak expert of the Innate realm in martial arts, only half a step away from the Grandmaster realm!"
"If you can ask him to look after you, I believe he will be happy to oblige."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Yan nodded and headed straight for the mansion gate.
"Creak!" The mansion gate was tightly shut, but it could not stop Zhou Yan's progress. After a moment, Zhou Yan pushed open the gate and stepped inside.
"Huh?" Stepping inside, Zhou Yan was stunned. Before his eyes was a spacious courtyard, lush with trees, filled with the scent of flowers and birdsong. In the depths of the courtyard stood an elegant pavilion, with rock gardens and flowing water, carved balustrades and jade stairs, all exquisitely beautiful. Looking around, the surroundings were vast and empty, with no sign of human life. Only in the distance could a faint clamor be heard.
"Master, that seems to be a gambling house," the Tongqian Sword Spirit reminded him. Zhou Yan looked up and indeed saw the gambling house. In the center of the gambling house stood a stone tablet, several feet high, inscribed with rows of small seal script.
"Gamblers love to gather here, betting their fortunes," the Tongqian Sword Spirit said. "As far as I know, the daily income here is hundreds of taels of silver."
"Hundreds of taels of silver?" Zhou Yan's heart stirred. This figure was certainly tempting. He was currently broke, a mere beggar. Not only could he not cultivate the "Azure Lotus Art," but even eating was a problem. Therefore, this fortune was something Zhou Yan was determined to obtain.
"Master, please follow me." Soon, the Tongqian Sword Spirit led Zhou Yan through the casino. In the center of the gambling house were tables, surrounded by crowds of people, bustling with activity.
"Sir, what game would you like to play, Pai Gow?" a young attendant eagerly stepped forward and asked Zhou Yan. Zhou Yan did not reply, his gaze swept over the room and he walked directly towards the nearest dice cup.
*Clatter~* Zhou Yan's large hand shot out and exerted force.
*Crack!* In an instant, the dice cup shattered, fragments flying everywhere.
"What... what kind of monster is this!" Seeing this, the attendant was scared stiff. He had intended to swindle a customer, but instead, he encountered a brute!
"Continue!" Zhou Yan's eyes narrowed, and he stared indifferently at the attendant.
"Yes, yes, sir, please wait a moment." The attendant trembled and quickly retreated, returning with a new dice cup.
"Open!" Zhou Yan threw the dice, which spun and finally settled.
"Five, six, seven!" The attendant's face turned ashen, and after a moment of stunned silence, he quickly announced.
"Heh heh, good luck." Zhou Yan smiled and pocketed the gold coins. At the same time, he flicked his right hand, tossing out two bright red banknotes.
"Thank... thank you, sir." The attendant tremblingly took the banknotes and bowed respectfully.
"Scram." Zhou Yan waved his hand, signaling the attendant to leave.
"Sir, is this young man new here?" After the attendant left, an old man suddenly appeared. This old man was hunched, his cheeks sunken, his skin dry and sallow, like an old man at the end of his life. He leaned on a cane and trembled as he approached Zhou Yan, a smile on his face. "Sir, what would you like to gamble on?"
"I am here to find the tomb of an old friend," Zhou Yan did not conceal his intentions.
"I see." The old man suddenly understood and then pointed behind him. "Sir, the owner of this mansion is your old friend."
"What you are looking for should be in his mausoleum," the old man said slowly.
"Really?" Hearing this, Zhou Yan's eyes shone with a fervent light. He then strode towards the mansion. However, as Zhou Yan stepped through the mansion gate, he was stunned once more. The vast mansion was empty, with no one in sight.
"Strange, according to the Tongqian Sword Spirit, this mansion should be where the remnants of the royal family are buried..." Zhou Yan frowned.
*Whoosh~* Just as he was about to continue his investigation, a mass of black mist suddenly appeared in the void, forming a human face.
"Heh heh heh... I didn't expect this mansion to hide an outsider. You're quite bold." The face emitted an eerie laugh.
"Ghost!" Seeing this, Zhou Yan's expression changed slightly, and he quickly retreated a distance.
"Hmph, a mere remnant soul, trying to kill me?" The next moment, Zhou Yan snorted coldly, his eyes radiating a frosty light. He charged forward, his hand transforming into a dragon's claw, and struck the face with a roar.
"Die!" At this moment, the ghost also roared. Instantly, the surrounding darkness converged madly, forming a monstrous black tide that lashed out fiercely. This black tide contained terrifying corrosive properties. Even the hard walls were corroded with holes.
"A petty trick, daring to show off?" Zhou Yan sneered and swung his arm violently. In the next moment, a black giant rod appeared out of thin air, emitting immense pressure and a rumbling sound, like Mount Tai descending. In an instant, the surging dark clouds were all scattered. Moreover, the vast power carried by the giant rod directly blasted the face into powder.
"Hiss!" Seeing this, the surrounding gamblers gasped in shock, their faces filled with horror.