As Ying Caihong was about to approach, a strange voice interrupted.
"Master, wait a moment; the stone bench is dirty."
Yoko stepped forward first, walked to the stone bench, pulled out a napkin from a tissue pack, and disdainfully wiped the bench before stepping aside.
Seeing this, Ying Caihong smiled warmly. She was from a rural area in Sichuan Province and had been regarded as an omen by the villagers since childhood because of her yin-yang eyes. At eighteen, a wealthy businessman from Neon Country, who was traveling in Sichuan, discovered her and took her back to Neon Country. From then on, she became the businessman's mistress. Both the businessman and his wife had poor health and passed away in their thirties, leaving behind a two-year-old daughter, Yoko. Without a daughter of her own, she treated Yoko very well, and their relationship was even closer than that of an average mother and daughter.
Once seated, Ying Caihong calmly said, "Not long ago, I invested in an iron mine in the northwest. During the development process, I encountered some feng shui issues and needed an expert in this field. Daoist Priest Qian recommended Daoist Priest Cao to me."
What a feng shui issue!
Cao Yi chuckled lightly and shifted his gaze back to the otherworldly *Yellow Court Scripture*.
Noticing this, Ying Caihong remained silent, her expression thoughtful.
The atmosphere fell into an eerie calm.
After a while, Ying Caihong frowned slightly and said, "It seems that Daoist Priest has already received the news. Indeed, my purpose for this trip is the Tomb of the Divine Maiden. According to the information I have, there is a flower inside the tomb with extraordinary abilities."
Extraordinary abilities.
Still only halfway through!
This Ying Caihong.
Cao Yi sighed inwardly, turning his gaze away from the book and said, "It's also very dangerous inside!"
Ying Caihong glanced at Cao Yi and nodded, "Indeed."
She then added, "Money is not a problem."
Money is not a problem?
Why did they mention money so soon?
Cao Yi quickly realized that she thought he was raising the danger to squeeze more money out of them.
Beside them, Yoko snorted disdainfully.
"Yoko."
Ying Caihong turned sharply to glare at Yoko, but when she turned back, her expression had softened to one of mildness.
The speed of her mood change was almost magical.
Cao Yi, enhanced by the Golden Core and keenly observant, clearly saw a flash of murderous intent in her eyes!
"Fifty thousand US dollars; that price is not low in New York."
Ying Caihong continued in a gentle tone.
Fifty thousand US dollars is just five hundred thousand! Even if I bring it back to modern times, it would be useless!
Cao Yi grumbled inwardly but kept his face neutral: "Money is a good thing, but one also needs a life to spend it. The Corpse Flower is a dangerous thing. I'm afraid we might fall into an illusion and end up harming each other before we even reach it."
Knowing only a little about the Corpse Flower, Ying Caihong pressed excitedly, "How much do you know about the Corpse Flower, Daoist Priest?"
"I read about it in ancient texts. The Corpse Flower grows in places of extreme yin, and those about to die can be revived by swallowing it when it blooms. Since ancient times, countless people have coveted the Corpse Flower, but unfortunately, most never reach it before falling into a trance, unable to escape."
Cao Yi improvised according to the characteristics of the Corpse Flower.
A glint of excitement flashed in Ying Caihong's eyes.
"You two have traveled from afar and talked so much; you must be thirsty. I'll brew you some tea."
Cao Yi stood up and went into the kitchen.
Yoko scoffed, "Master, don't believe this scoundrel Daoist's nonsense; he's just trying to extort more money from us by exaggerating the dangers of the Corpse Flower!"
"Don't talk nonsense."
Ying Caihong scolded and glanced at the busy Cao Yi in the kitchen, a hint of coldness on her lips.
In less than two minutes, Cao Yi returned with a small tray holding four cups of Biluochun tea—one for Ying Caihong, one for Yoko, one on the table, and one for himself. He picked up the small tray and headed back to the kitchen.
"Why did he pour four cups?"
Yoko asked after taking a sip of the tea, puzzled.
"Probably for preparation," Ying Caihong casually replied, holding her cup.
"One for each of us," Cao Yi's voice came from the kitchen.
Ying Caihong and Yoko exchanged confused glances.
At that moment, an urgent voice rang out.
Ying Caihong pulled out a red mobile phone from her handbag.
She turned it on.
"Hello?"
"Master, Yoko left her mobile phone in the dining room. I brought it, but I can't find the location of Jade Void Temple."
"What buildings are near you?"
"There are no buildings. Hmm, about twenty to thirty meters to the east, there's a phone booth."
"A phone booth? Jade Void Temple is… well, never mind. I'll have Yoko go get it herself."
After hanging up the phone, Ying Caihong turned to Yoko and said, "Mark brought your phone. He can't find the place. You go get it and tell him not to come here; just go find Big Golden Tooth."
Yoko nodded and quickly left the Daoist temple.
Ying Caihong put the phone back in her handbag and casually glanced at the untouched Biluochun on the table, her expression freezing.
One cup each, one cup each...
Cao Yi's earlier words echoed in her mind like a curse.
Impossible!
Absolutely impossible!
Ying Caihong suddenly stood up.
The phone booth is at least a hundred and fifty meters away, separated by dense woods. Unless Daoist Priest Cao is a deity, he wouldn't be able to see Mark.
With a snap, a string of beads on Ying Caihong's wrist hit the stone table and broke, scattering beads everywhere.
Beads!
Ying Caihong hurriedly bent down to pick them up. These beads were the only thing her late mother had left her.
To her, they were more precious than gold.
One, two, three...
Why are there only five?
Having only picked up five, Ying Caihong glanced around and finally spotted the last bead stuck in the gap at the base of the stone table; it must have rolled in there.
Ying Caihong reached in with her finger, trying to hook it out, but couldn't grasp anything. Frowning slightly, she prepared to get up and find a twig.
"What are you looking for?"
Cao Yi's voice sounded.
Ying Caihong withdrew her hand and raised her head, saying, "One of my beads rolled in there."
"The bead rolled underneath!"
Cao Yi instinctively reached to lift the stone table, forgetting that it was a solid piece weighing at least four hundred pounds.
With a light sound, the stone table—at least four hundred pounds—seemed like a toy as it was effortlessly lifted by Cao Yi with one hand.
Ying Caihong was stunned!
Something weighing hundreds of pounds was just lifted as if it were nothing.
"Why aren't you picking it up?"
Cao Yi said normally, showing no signs of breathlessness.
Ying Caihong snapped back to reality and reached to pick up the bead.
Boom!
A heavy sound echoed as the table landed.
Cao Yi's expression froze.
He had just easily lifted the stone table, which weighed at least four hundred pounds, with one hand.