"This style is also from the Chu region, right..."

"That's definitely the case."

"Wait, this style looks familiar. I thought it was a bit small earlier and didn't think of it." A scholar at the same table said with chopsticks in his mouth, "Wow, did you get this 'Yin Soldier' from Mount Qiong?!"

Yin Soldier?!

When these two words came out, Zhao Qishan almost fainted.

But that scholar was completely unconcerned and tapped the table, saying, "Outsiders may not know about this Mount Qiong, but those present definitely have an impression. The local villagers commonly refer to this mountain as Yin Soldier Mountain or Ghost Baby Mountain. It's covered with stone figurines, numbering in the tens of thousands, and most are warriors.

"The local legend is that they are the images of yin soldiers. In the local dialect, they're called ghost babies. By day they are stone, by night they are generals. At night, the silhouettes of yin soldiers marching and drilling can be seen on the mountain. They can bring fortune to people's lives and deaths, so the locals don't dare to casually go up the mountain unless it's to make offerings.

"Each time offerings are made, red scarves are tied on like this as battle robes. And if anyone has wicked thoughts and dares to move the stone figurines, they will suffer misfortune. Such legends are not uncommon."

"Ah ah ah ah, yin soldiers!! Yin soldiers!! Moved away!" Hearing this, Zhao Qishan was about to go crazy. Clutching his head, he thought about how he was carried by yin soldiers to Mount Qiyun at night, his eyes rolling back.

The scholar across from them said impatiently: "Who is it? Can you stop making a scene here? As I said, this is just a local legend!"

Zhao Qishan: "..."

He looked at Tan Xiao in despair.

Tan Xiao nodded: "Experts have their own views. Let him finish."

"It was probably ten or twenty years ago when our organization conducted an archaeological study and confirmed these stone figures. The small ones are about this size, while the large ones are one meter or more. They were made in different eras, from ancient times to the Qin, Han, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. There was a period of abandonment in between, until they were washed out by rain again and became a local legend. Later generations no longer knew their origins.

"As you said, these were used for worship. As for the object of worship - I think if you check the map, you'll know that this mountain is located near Jiuyi Mountain. Legend has it that Emperor Shun was buried in Jiuyi, so it's reasonable to speculate that this is related to the worship of Emperor Shun. So it's not wrong to say they are underworld soldiers. These may have been the soldiers and horses offered to Emperor Shun by the ancients."

Just as Emperor Qin Shihuang had the Terracotta Warriors, it was normal for the ancients to offer some human figures to Emperor Shun.

"After we dispelled the superstitions, the local area also applied for the site to be designated as a protected cultural relic. There are so many stone figures, and some have flowed out over the years. As for yours now, who knows what the situation is. Anyway, it should have become a scenic spot now, and the locals are no longer afraid to go up the mountain like before."

After saying this in one breath, the scholar looked at Zhao Qishan helplessly: "Not scared anymore now, right?"

Zhao Qishan shed two lines of clear tears: Thank you, I'm even more scared now.

The scholar was speechless seeing this. He wanted to say something more but was persuaded away by Old Ji who had some understanding. "Anyway, that's the origin. Let's finish eating and get back to work. You all go about your business too."

Tan Xiao ended the video call with Old Ji's side and said to the crying Zhao Qishan, "Uncle, now that we've found the source, you actually don't need to be afraid anymore. We'll help you deal with it."

That's right. Zhao Qishan went to hold Barry's hand. He now knew that Barry, who took the initiative to talk to him and endured misunderstandings to persuade him, was a great person.

"Well, I can't thank you enough. Please, you must help me! I'm so wronged. Why doesn't it go find the people who stole and sold it? I didn't pay any money or make any effort. I'm really wronged to death!"

"I know. It's just that we still have some things to take care of. If we finish, we'll go to your house to take a look at that ghost doll." Barry was unhurried this time. That's right, he still had unfinished business in Qiyun Ridge.

Zhao Qishan was so anxious that he wished they could take action right now, but there was nothing he could do if Barry was unwilling. He could only wait here himself, and then let his wife and children hurry to close the store first and not stay at home. They should hide at the children's maternal grandmother's house before it was dealt with.

"Why is it targeting me?" Zhao Qishan still couldn't quite understand.

"The thoughts of these things are different from ours. I'll ask it when I see it later." Before the truth was revealed, Zhao Qishan seemed quite energetic in Barry's eyes.

...Even ask it. Zhao Qishan never thought he would experience such a conversation. He couldn't help but smoke and sigh, "Ah!"

......

"Hey, where's Sister Mu?" Tan Xiao asked. When he arrived, he was surprised. The Bureau 404 couldn't have only sent Barry. There should have been a car full of people, right?

"Celestial Master Mu arrived early. They all said they were going to order more dishes. They're at the pond in the back. It's just me chatting with Master Ba." Pan Longxiang explained. Because Barry had to choose an auspicious time for feng shui, Mu Fei and the others took the opportunity to go fishing.

"I'll take you to call her." Barry led Tan Xiao out the door. On the way, he also asked Tan Xiao if he wanted to take the civil service exam in the future.

Because Tan Xiao became famous in the battle of Qiyun Ridge, there were many more fishing enthusiasts coming to Qiyun Ridge, and naturally, there were also more people running fishing ponds, not just at the village entrance.

Tan Xiao ran to the back and saw that Mu Fei was fishing here. A circle of people surrounded her, and Mr. Xu and the others were also beside her. The bucket at her feet was already full of fish. At this moment, she caught another one. "Hahaha!"

The old men from the air force next to her exclaimed, "How come another one!"

Everyone was fishing here. Mu Fei had only been here for a short while, and she wasn't familiar with the method of baiting or her technique, but she kept catching fish one after another. Could this be the legendary novice's protection period?

Mu Fei: "Wahaha!"

Mr. Xu saw them and walked over. "Oh, you've already recognized each other?"

Barry nodded with a smile.

Mr. Xu laughed, "Then I don't need to bother with more introductions."

"There is one point that really needs to be introduced." Tan Xiao asked curiously, "It's about Mr. Ba's original form. Everyone heard before you came that you are also a technological product. Can this be said?"

After all, some monsters have taboos. They are afraid that if people know their roots, they will find ways to target them, so they choose to keep it secret.

A trace of complexity appeared on Barry's face. "There's nothing that can't be said."

It is said that there are also drones in Qi Province that can fly, but Mr. Ba doesn't seem to be like that.

"Mr. Ba is good at divination." Tan Xiao remembered what Barry said before. "To be honest, from appearance, ability, name... in various aspects, it's very difficult for me to guess your true form, because artifact spirits often take their habits as their specialties, but I really couldn't guess what high-tech product would be good at divination. It couldn't be a divination app, right? I even asked the Great God to take a look, but he said he couldn't recognize it."

If even Kong Xuan couldn't recognize it, it means it's not common. What kind of high-end product is it?

"Because these things have nothing to do with Barry's original form. It's purely personal development and interest. Barry doesn't really use the skills that came with his original form now." Mr. Xu, who knew the inside story from his business trip to Qi Province, coughed and said euphemistically, "Mr. Barry was indeed high-tech before."

Barry waved his hand, not without vicissitudes, and said, "...Hey, I'm a BP device."

Kong Xuan had a confused look on his face. Even after hearing the name, he still didn't know what it was. "What's this?"

He habitually looked at his spirit shaman, hoping that Tan Xiao, as a native of the human world, would explain it to him.

Rarely, a confusion even thicker than his appeared on Tan Xiao's face, "What is it?"

Barry: "..."

Mr. Xu: "..."

Barry almost spat out three liters of blood, feeling extremely sad, "So annoying, I used to be watched by all kinds of people in the office too, ah!" He was truly fashionable back then!! His innate skills were also very useful, rendering meritorious service to 404!

... Later, as technology advanced, he had no choice but to learn more skills to keep up.

Mr. Xu also looked quite weathered, seeing a deep generation gap in Tan Xiao.

"Ah wait, is it a pager? I got it!" Tan Xiao finally dug out a hint of impression from his memory, thinking no wonder Master Ba doesn't like to use mobile phones.

Although Tan Xiao seemed to remember, Barry didn't feel comforted at all.

And Kong Xuan still didn't know, so he asked, "So what exactly is that thing?"

"It's something used for communication in the past." Tan Xiao gave Kong Xuan a simple explanation.

Kong Xuan thought for a moment, "In the past? Then how come you humans are regressing in development, evolving from something so small to the current inconvenient mobile phones that are easily discovered at school..."

Tan Xiao: "..."

You can also choose a smartwatch phone.

Barry wiped his sweat, thank you for speaking up for me but it doesn't seem very necessary...!

There was a commotion beside them. With a look, in just two minutes, Mu Fei had another fish on the hook.

"Sister Mu?" Tan Xiao walked over. Mu Fei really had a lot of fish, not particularly large in size, but the quantity was astonishing, including crucian carp and grass carp.

As he showed up, the anglers here also recognized him. Seeing that he knew Mu Fei, they continued to exclaim, "Oh man, you two are from the same school, right!"

"Yes, yes, he is my master." Mu Fei pointed at Tan Xiao.

"What the heck." Tan Xiao of course knew what was going on with his own fish, but he really didn't know how Mu Fei did it, what magic she used.

"I'm so jealous." An old man with his hands behind his back grumbled, "It's like someone is underwater, hanging fish on your hook."

Tan Xiao: "!!"

Wait, Tan Xiao looked at Mu Fei, no way...

Mu Fei slightly nodded.

Tan Xiao stared at the bottom of the water. Fang Zhu, is this your way of recuperating from the pregnancy? You really shouldn't be so outrageous!