bookbashuk Chapter 124 New Museum Collection: The Qiankun Seal and the Space Ring
Chapter 124 New Museum Collection: The Qiankun Seal and the Space Ring
Xiao Qi shrank back after being yelled at by Shen Zui, and quickly ran over, giving Chen Anran an apologetic smile: "Master Chen, this way please, I'll take you there."
Chen Anran looked at Shen Zui, "Contact me anytime if there's any progress."
Shen Zui nodded, then suddenly remembered something and said, "Invite your senior sister tonight, I'll treat you to dinner."
"Okay, then I'll leave it to Section Chief Shen."
Chen Anran knew exactly what Shen Zui was thinking: he just wanted to recruit as many combatants as possible.
"Xiao Qi, take good care of Master Chen." Shen Zui waved his hand, sat back on the sofa, and refocused his gaze on the map on the tablet, clearly his mind was now completely back on the case.
"Master Chen, please come with me." Xiao Qi respectfully led Chen Anran downstairs and away from the temporary stronghold.
The two left the dimly lit old house and returned to the sun-drenched, sweltering alley. Xiao Qi was a man of few words, but very attentive, explaining the surroundings to Chen Anran as they walked.
"This is the old town area, with a strong local atmosphere and lots of food options, but the roads are a bit winding. The hotel is just a short walk away; turn right at the intersection ahead and cross two traffic lights. It's very convenient."
Sure enough, less than a ten-minute walk later, a clean and tidy-looking business hotel came into view.
After Xiao Qi finished checking in, he handed the room key to Chen Anran: "Master Chen, this is your room key. Your room is on the 8th floor. Shen Ke said that I will pick you and Master Wei up around 7 pm to go out for dinner. I will send you the location to your phone later."
"Thank you for your trouble." Chen Anran took the room key.
"You're too kind! You should rest first, I'll head back now, Shen Ke might still have something to tell me." After saying that, Xiao Qi hurriedly took his leave.
Chen Anran carried her luggage into the room. The hotel room wasn't large, but it was clean and tidy. Chen Anran put her luggage in the corner and walked to the window.
Outside the window is a stretch of rooftops in the old city of Guangzhou, with gray tiles extending one after another. Occasionally, a few tall banyan trees peek out from their canopies, while further away, rows of new buildings cut through the sky.
The clamor of the city sounds, separated by glass, becomes dull and distant.
He took out his phone and sent a message to Wei Qingyi, informing her that he had settled in and conveying Shen Zui's invitation to dinner that evening.
Not long after, Wei Qingyi replied, saying that she had arrived at the school and that dinner would be fine, and reminded him again to be careful.
After dealing with these matters, Chen Anran sat down by the bed. Instead of immediately starting his cultivation, he focused his mind on the Museum of Evolution.
Inside the museum, seven display cases are quietly on display.
The first display case was still filled with various spirit rice, spirit vegetables and spirit fruits, but Chen Anran emptied it out to use for evolving the next magic weapon.
The remaining time for the second display case, [Vajra Relic (Embodiment)], has been reduced to [1480 hours].
The third Mirror of Enlightenment has also evolved and has been taken out.
In the fourth, fifth, and sixth display cases, three bronze swords are emitting a faint light, undergoing a long evolution towards the "Xuanyuan Sword (Chinese Replica)".
The seventh item on the shelf was still that jade pendant covered in question marks.
Chen Anran desperately wanted to take it out and put something else inside. But after countless attempts, she couldn't remove it; it was as if it were welded shut inside.
"What exactly is this...?"
Chen Anran muttered to himself as he walked through the pile of "junk" to select new evolution items.
Before long, Chen Anran had chosen two items.
"Item: Fragment of the Spiritually Damaged Mountain and River Seal"
Status: Evolving
"Evolution Path: Lesser Universe Seal (Estimated Time: 1080 hours)"
"Effect: Can temporarily suppress the spiritual energy of a region."
…………
Item: Storage Ring (Damaged)
Status: Evolving
"Evolutionary Path: Space Ring (Small) (Estimated Time: 360 hours)"
Effect: Can store everything.
…………
"It can hold everything... So that means living things too? That's like a small world, I just wonder how big it is."
Chen Anran muttered something to himself and then left the Museum of Evolution.
As dusk approached outside the window, the afterglow of the setting sun bathed the rooftops of Guangzhou's old town in a warm golden light. The city's hustle and bustle seemed to intensify, carrying the characteristic busy atmosphere of the evening rush hour.
My phone vibrated. It was a message from Xiao Qi, informing me of the address and time for dinner that evening, and saying that he would pick me up downstairs at the hotel at 7 p.m. sharp.
After Chen Anran confirmed the message, she also forwarded it to Wei Qingyi.
With more than an hour to go before the agreed time, Chen Anran did not waste any time. He sat cross-legged on the bed and began to circulate the "Samadhi Pure Yang Foundation Building Experience," guiding the spiritual energy in his body to slowly flow through his body.
When he opened his eyes again, the city lights were already on outside the window. The city's neon lights replaced the sunset, outlining a night scene completely different from that of Yunyin Mountain.
After a quick wash and tidying up, Chen Anran went downstairs to the hotel lobby. At seven o'clock sharp, Xiao Qi's slightly old official car pulled up at the entrance.
"Master Chen, over here!" Xiao Qi called out, rolling down the car window.
Chen Anran opened the car door and sat in the passenger seat.
The car weaved through the evening rush hour traffic and finally stopped in front of a private restaurant located deep in the old town, with a storefront that had been around for quite some time.
Wei Qingyi was already waiting at the door. She had changed into a light blue dress, which, under the neon lights of the city, made her look less ethereal like she was in the mountains and more quiet and elegant.
Chen Anran stepped forward. "How long have we been here?"
Wei Qingyi smiled and replied, "I just arrived a little while ago."
"Let's go in then."
The restaurant's facade is small, but once you push open the door, you'll find a hidden world inside. The courtyard is deep and secluded, with swaying bamboo shadows, isolating you from the outside noise. Only the faint sounds of traditional Chinese instruments and the gentle murmur of flowing water can be heard.
The waiter clearly recognized Xiao Qi. Upon seeing him, he didn't ask any questions and familiarly led them to a quiet private room.
Shen Zui was already waiting in the private room, the teacup in front of him steaming. He had changed into clean casual clothes, but the fatigue between his brows was still undeniable. When Chen Anran and Wei Qingyi entered, he stood up to greet them.
"Fellow Daoist Wei, we meet again." Shen Zui bowed to Wei Qingyi, his attitude even more polite than when they met at Yunyin Mountain.
"Section Chief Shen," Wei Qingyi returned the greeting.
The four of them sat down, and soon the waiter began to serve dishes, all of which were exquisite Cantonese specialties: poached chicken, steamed fish, and slow-cooked soup. The aroma was irresistible, and although they were not gourmet dishes, they were still very tempting.
Shen Zui seemed to have temporarily put aside the troubles of the case. As the host, he briefly introduced the origins and ways to eat several local specialties.
"This shop has been open for decades. The master chef's skills are passed down through his family, and the taste is quite authentic. Fellow Daoist Wei studied in Guangzhou, so you must have tried a lot of local delicacies. I wonder if they suit your taste?" Shen Zui looked at Wei Qingyi.
Wei Qingyi carefully savored a bite of the steamed grouper. The fish was tender, and the soy sauce enhanced its flavor perfectly. She smiled and nodded, "It tastes very good, a true gem in its simplicity. I mostly eat fast food and simple meals near the school, so I don't eat this kind of authentic traditional cuisine very often."
"While cultivators don't need to strictly abstain from their appetites, such exquisite cooking should only be enjoyed occasionally," Shen Zui said, turning his gaze to Chen Anran. "What does Fellow Daoist Chen think?"
Chen Anran was never picky about food; the spiritual rice and vegetables on the mountain were enough for him. He simply nodded and said, "Very good, thank you for your hospitality, Section Chief Shen."
During the gathering, the conversation naturally turned to cultivation. Shen Zui, a direct disciple of Maoshan, Wei Qingyi, from Yunyin Sect, and Chen Anran, who was proficient in several schools, shared the same fundamental principles despite their different sects, and their exchanges resonated with each other. They discussed the recent resurgence of spiritual energy and its impact on the spiritual energy channels in various regions, as well as some subtle insights they had gained in their cultivation. They avoided discussing specific techniques and secret methods, and their conversation was quite pleasant.