The Three Realms Thief Chapter 8

Before the mirror.

Xu Yuan pried open his eyelids and slowly rotated his eyeballs.

The whites of his eyes were clean.

There were no black shadows.

If it weren’t for the call records as corroboration, he would really doubt that everything just now was an illusion.

Besides that—

There was one more thing that could prove this experience was real.

That spell.

Xu Yuan felt a heavy sensation in his heart.

—He had no idea if it was friend or foe.

Yet, that black shadow had shown him a spell.

Should he learn it?

Xu Yuan recalled briefly.

The image of the bronze figure being buffeted by the wind, with “woo-woo” sounds coming from its twenty-seven holes, immediately appeared in his mind, incredibly clear.

He couldn’t even forget it if he wanted to.

…He shouldn’t learn it.

He didn’t even know what it was.

Ring-ring-ring—

His phone rang.

“Hello, Uncle Yang, are you looking for me?”

“…Okay, I’m at the hospital. We can meet at the hospital entrance in a bit.”

Xu Yuan hung up the phone.

The caller was Yang Mingfu.

He was Yang Xiaobing’s father, and he worked with Xu Yuan’s father at the Archaeological Research Institute.

Xu Yuan felt a bit confused, but when he checked the previous memory, at this time last time, Yang Mingfu had also called.

—It seems they still need to meet.

A few minutes later.

Xu Yuan met him at the hospital entrance.

“Here, this is something your dad asked me to bring back. It’s a gift for you.”

Yang Mingfu, looking travel-worn, handed over a box.

No need to guess.

It must contain a letter of recommendation.

His father was an ancient artifact expert, somewhat famous in the industry, and well-connected.

Various groups exploring ruins hoped he could join their teams.

A cultivator like him, who fought on the front lines, usually had no time to manage family matters, so he could only remotely find a cultivation guide for his son.

In Earth’s terms, it was a tutor.

But there was a problem—

“Thank you, Uncle Yang.”

Xu Yuan took the box and nodded in greeting.

“Don’t be so polite, come visit my house when you have time.”

“Okay, definitely.”

The two exchanged a few more pleasantries, Yang Mingfu patted his shoulder, and then turned and left.

After he left.

Xu Yuan stood still, opened the box, and pulled out the letter.

—A certificate of guidance and contact information for a Yuheng University professor.

Although Yuheng couldn’t compare to Nine Luminaries and Luofu, it was still a very famous key university.

With the guidance of such a high-level cultivator, generally, students’ progress would be very significant.

Xu Yuan, however, sneered, tore up the guidance certificate, and threw it into a nearby trash can.

According to the original body’s memory—

Tomorrow.

That professor from Yuheng University, during the monthly exam observation, publicly made things difficult for the original body.

This was a bit strange.

Logically speaking.

This world was different from Earth.

Although universities were called universities, they were actually more cohesive and organized than Earth’s universities.

Attending university, for cultivators, was like having a “background.”

A university was an extremely rigorous and self-perpetuating organization.

Xu Yuan even felt that—

—The word “university” could completely be changed to “sect.”

His father, Xu Chengan, was a disciple of Yuheng University. He had achieved some success in his field, and then requested the “sect” to guide his son’s cultivation, hoping that his descendant could also serve the “sect.”

This was originally a beautiful story.

Why was he being made things difficult for?

Was it because the original body hadn’t officially become a Qi Refiner?

But it was only Autumn now.

There were still more than half a year until the Gaokao!

With the original body’s grades in nine subjects, if he worked harder, there was still a lot of hope.

But none of that mattered anymore.

As long as he didn’t want to attend Yuheng University, no one could make things difficult for him.

Xu Yuan put the matter behind him, went to the bus station, and took a bus home.

The family quarters of the Archaeological Research Institute were in the South Side of the city.

He arrived home at nine in the evening.

Xu Yuan turned on the lights, put down his backpack, and changed into slippers.

He was starving.

He turned on the gas stove and range hood, then tore open a package of noodles, skillfully boiling water to cook the noodles and fry an egg.

—What was the origin of that bronze figure?

Xu Yuan stared at the bubbles rising in the boiling water, lost in thought.

The other party could plant a spell in his eyeball.

It was simply unbelievable.

But Xu Yuan was just an extremely ordinary high school student.

To go through such great lengths, using a spell of that level, specifically to lead an ordinary high school student to learn a spell?

…It was completely not worth it.

But the black shadow did so after discovering he had become a Qi Refiner.

He couldn’t understand.

Xu Yuan shook his head.

He turned off the heat, scooped out the noodles, sprinkled seasonings, and placed it on the table.

These noodles contained a faint spiritual energy. If eaten long-term, they could regulate the body’s qi and blood.

—They were specially made by Spirit Planters.

Xu Yuan quickly finished eating, washed the dishes, then returned to his bedroom, turned on the light, sat down at his desk, and began doing his homework.

On the wall hung a Spirit Chart glowing with a faint light.

In the chart, peach blossoms flew all over the sky.

A woman, dressed in a霓裳羽衣, held a jade green flute, smiling as she looked towards the camera.

—This was the Spirit Chart of the top cultivator Tang Yunyu.

She was a Golden Core Stage Late-Stage Cultivator, who cultivated the extremely rare Path of Music, and was greatly loved by teenagers.

This Spirit Chart was originally obtained by the original body with great effort, purchased online at several times the price, and it was a genuine item.

A total of 9999 copies of this Spirit Chart were released, and they were all swept away as soon as they hit the market.

It was said that one of them contained a special Voice Transmission Array.

Before the next relic exploration live broadcast began, the array would quietly activate, and then Tang Yunyu would personally teach a Cultivation Technique through the Voice Transmission Array.

That was Tang Yunyu’s unique Cultivation Technique!

—Who wouldn’t go crazy!

Xu Yuan looked at it for a while and couldn’t help but shake his head.

This was too wonderful.

If celebrities on Earth all had unique Cultivation Techniques, fans would probably be even crazier than in this world.

Alright.

No need to think about these things anymore.

It was time to study.

No matter what thrilling or terrifying things he encountered, and no matter what happened tomorrow—

Homework was always there.

Xu Yuan began to do his questions.

A few minutes later.

Suddenly, he heard a noisy sound from downstairs in the apartment building.

Xu Yuan pondered for a moment and then remembered.

Tonight.

The Investigation Bureau and Police Bureau were conducting a joint operation, carrying out surprise inspections of Old and Dangerous Houses.

They said that winter was approaching and they needed to search for illegal use of Array Disks for power and heating, to prevent spiritual energy from running rampant, causing magical backlash, and leading to building fires.

Xu Yuan continued writing his answers.

Soon after.

Footsteps sounded in the hallway outside.

His neighbor’s door was knocked on first.

Several gentle and amiable voices explained patiently the necessity of this inspection.

The neighbor didn’t say much and let them in.

Xu Yuan turned a page and continued writing.

A few more minutes passed.

These police officers and investigators would come over and knock on his door.

It was just a routine check.

That’s how it was in his memory.

Suddenly—

Xu Yuan dropped his pen, jumped up from his chair, and rushed to the window like a gust of wind, looking down.

One, two, three…

A total of seventeen police cars and Investigation Bureau cars had arrived.

Too many.

And it was almost ten o’clock at night!

This kind of inspection usually happened during the day, or before seven in the evening.

Why not work during the day, but wait until night to work overtime?

This was a closed unit family quarter.

There was no prostitution involved.

—The demonesses from the Joyous Union Sect hadn’t been to Jiangbei in a long time.

So.

The police had no reason to disturb the residents so late.

Something was wrong…

Xu Yuan paused for a breath, then turned around and hurried into his parents’ bedroom.

The bedroom was extremely minimalistic, with no unnecessary furnishings, only two futons.

When she wasn’t ill, his mother would meditate and cultivate in the room.

His father carried a storage bag with him.

When he wanted to sleep, he would conjure a bed himself.

Xu Yuan grabbed a futon.

—There was nothing under the futon.

Safe!

He rushed out, turned, and entered his own room.

Probably due to his mother’s influence.

“Xu Yuan’s” belongings were also sparse and neatly arranged.

He quickly rummaged through things with both hands, checking everything one by one.

Also no problem!

Could it be that he was overthinking things?

He returned to the living room and checked everything again.

Footsteps sounded in the hallway again.

Xu Yuan had already checked all the rooms. Just as he breathed a sigh of relief, he leaned his hands on the coffee table and slowly sat down on the sofa.

He was overthinking it.

It should be fine.

Knock, knock, knock—

A knock sounded at the door.

Please come in.

Xu Yuan was about to speak, then suddenly closed his mouth.

He had forgotten to check one more place.

The sofa.

He lay down on the floor, twisted his head, and looked into the gap under the sofa.

He saw a person lying on the floor inside the sofa.

No—

Not a person.

Judging by its condition, it should be a mummy (desiccated corpse).

The mummy’s eyes were sewn shut with red thread, its body was covered with spells written in blood, and its hands and feet were locked in shackles.

Knock, knock, knock—

The knock on the door sounded again.

Xu Yuan looked at the mummy, feeling as if time had become incredibly long.

The police were knocking outside.

And he had found a mummy inside that clearly didn’t look right.

What should he do?

A thought flashed through Xu Yuan’s mind like lightning.

That’s it.

If “Xu Yuan” was identified as a dangerous Evil Cultivator, then the sword strike he received three days later would make sense.

So this mummy was meant for him?

“Is anyone there?”

“Open the door.”

“Routine check.”

The police outside shouted.

Xu Yuan slowly lifted the sofa, pulled the mummy out, and placed it on the living room floor.

He stared at the mummy, worried.

—How to hide it?

He couldn’t hide it!

These police officers were professionals, and there must be Foundation Establishment Level cultivators among them.

If it weren’t for the Array Disk his mother had placed in the living room for anti-peeping, anti-interference, instant counterattack, and alarming, they might have already detected someone in the room!

What to do?

Sweat dripped from Xu Yuan’s forehead, but he couldn’t think of any solution.

Burn the mummy with fire?

The spiritual energy fluctuations of Dan Fire would be immediately detected.

Eat it?

Xu Yuan examined the mummy.

This was too much.

Besides, he wasn’t European (lucky enough to eat anything without ill effect).

The sound outside stopped.

A stronger voice spoke:

“Work cannot be delayed.”

“Alright, a few of you prepare to break through the array on this door, go in and take a look, then repair the array on the door for them.”

“Yes!” several responded.

—They were definitely coming in!

They were breaking down the door!