Many thoughts flashed through Lu Zechuan’s mind, but his face showed nothing. He lowered his head and walked alongside Xia Mian on the mountain path.
Ji Chenggong, after sitting in a wheelchair for so many years, suddenly being able to walk again, was very excited and tightly followed behind Xia Mian.
The three Ji family sons watched their father walk briskly, each of them dropping their jaws in shock.
Especially Ji Changxing, who widened his eyes in disbelief, knowing Xia Mian’s Taoist Techniques and Feng Shui Xiang Technique, but when did Xia Mian learn medical skills?
If it weren’t for disliking their own father’s hindrance, Xia Mian might have continued to hide his skills, right?
"Dad, slow down!" Ji Changlong followed behind Ji Chenggong, chattering, "Let me help you!"
Ji Chenggong waved his hand grandly, feeling much more confident, "No need!"
After all these years, finally experiencing the sensation of both feet on the ground again, he needed no one to hold him up!
Ji Chenggong was in high spirits, Ji Hua and Mu Keying at the back exchanged glances, seeing shock in each other’s eyes, "Miss Xia is truly impressive!"
Ji Hua decided to stick with Xia Mian in the future!
Xia ’Almighty’ Mian gained five loyal fans in just a few minutes.
"Everyone be careful underfoot, there are dense grasses in the mountains, and there might be poisonous snakes lurking." Xia Mian walked ahead, giving a considerate reminder.
Ji Chenggong followed behind Xia Mian and chuckled, "Miss Xia, in our locale, there are indeed snakes but no poisonous ones!"
The little girl was inexperienced; despite her remarkable skills, she lacked basic life knowledge. There are no poisonous snakes in the North!
Xia Mian lightly laughed, "That’s not necessarily true!"
On this journey up the mountain, Xia Mian discovered plenty of tall trees along the way, yet their path was sunny, surrounded by rocks and grasses—the favorite habitat of poisonous snakes.
Ji Chenggong laughed again; Xia Mian had just impressed him, and his admiration hadn’t faded, so he didn’t argue further with Xia Mian.
The group of eight walked slowly along the mountain path.
Afternoon sunlight filtered through the dappled shadows of the trees, illuminating the mountain road in a surreal manner.
Both sides of the mountain road were filled with lush bushes; as the group brushed past, their clothes rubbed against the shrubs, making rustling sounds.
"Didn’t you come to sweep the graves this year?" Xia Mian’s voice drifted from the front.
A trace of embarrassment flashed on Ji Chenggong’s face, "We did."
Xia Mian added, "You swept the graves but didn’t clear the path? Your ancestors in the grave aren’t angry with you; your ancestors are lenient indeed."
The Ji family members exchanged bewildered glances.
How come their ancestors need to come down the mountain after all these years?
"Miss Xia, the path ahead is even tougher; let me lead the way!" Ji Changxing said and moved to the front.
Xia Mian quietly slowed his pace, following behind Ji Changxing.
In no time, the group reached a natural cave.
"To visit your ancestors, we have to go through a cave?" Xia Mian raised an eyebrow, glancing amusingly at the Ji family men.
The Ji family’s wealth is such that, for visiting ancestral graves, one must traverse mountains; who chose such a Feng Shui treasure for them?
"Miss Xia, we’re almost there!" Ji Changxing gestured forward while introducing, catching his breath lightly.
Xia Mian said nothing, quietly following behind Ji Changxing.
The cave was quiet, its passages naturally formed; as Ji Changxing walked ahead, Mu Keying behind suddenly screamed, jumping onto Ji Hua.
With Mu Keying’s scream, it seemed like a mechanism was triggered, and rustling sounds echoed throughout the cave!
The group was shocked; using phones for light revealed a swarming mass of rats with sharp teeth in the cave!
A dark mass, as if stirred a rat’s nest!
Xia Mian’s expression darkened immediately, "Careless indeed."
The swarming rats squeaked strangely, like tides surging toward them, making Mu Keying’s face pale as paper.
Ji Hua was terrified, his legs trembling; if not for his own mother hanging onto him, he’d have collapsed!
"Rat swarm." Xia Mian pressed his lips together and, before the rats surged ahead, gently whistled.
The whistle was melodious and fluctuating, issuing a sort of command.
The rats that reached their feet froze upon hearing the whistle.
Xia Mian continued to whistle; the sound rose and fell, carrying a charm, like retreating troops, the rats receded like waves.
A rat swarm, resolved without danger by Xia Mian’s understated move.
Ji Chenggong squinted his old eyes; his gaze deepened when he looked at Xia Mian again.
"Miss Xia, is indeed a master!" Ji Chenggong sincerely praised.
Xia Mian glanced at him lightly, "We need to leave here quickly."
The cave’s space was narrow; if someone planned an ambush here, they’d hardly survive.
Ji Changxing had obviously realized this too and hurried to lead the way.
Mu Keying was frightened so badly; her legs were still weak, being carried by Ji Hua, following the group.
Fortunately, this section inside the cave wasn’t long, and no further incidents happened.
Leaving the cave, outside was a large open space, filled with pines and cypresses, with several grandly renovated graves among them.
"Miss Xia, this is my family’s ancestral tomb!" Ji Changxing pointed ahead, introducing while panting lightly.
This climb had cost him significant energy; his legs were still trembling!
Xia Mian squinted at the lush pine and cypress covered land, shaded by trees, forming the Seven Stars of Beidou, complementing and supporting one another.
The choice of this ancestral tomb location was indeed good.
Xia Mian walked two steps forward, stopping in front of a grave.
The surrounding ground had vegetation, yet in front of this tomb, there was no grass at all.
The earth in front of the tomb showed signs of disturbance, like it had been dug up.
"Your ancestral tomb has been dug." Xia Mian said confidently, with a solemn expression.
"Impossible!" Ji Changlong immediately disagreed, "This mountain belongs to our Ji family, guarded 24 hours by Ji Family members; outsiders can’t possibly come up!"
"Yes, apart from Ji Family members, outsiders can’t come up." Xia Mian squinted slightly, hinting, "But, who can guarantee that the tomb digger wasn’t a Ji family member?"
As Xia Mian said this, everyone present was stunned.
Ji Chenggong’s face looked grim, his voice returning after a while, "Miss Xia, what do you mean by that?"
Xia Mian did not answer but slowly turned to look at Ji Hua.