“Three years ago, although my brother and I tried our best to keep a low profile, we still gained some minor reputation on the path we walked. One day, a masked man approached us, saying that there was a major job that required our skills.”
Liu Na’s words carried a hint of regret and helplessness, his eyes gazing blankly into the distance. “Looking back now, that man exuded a sinister aura, but since he was introduced by a senior, we didn’t pay much attention. At the time, I strongly opposed the idea, but the man said that within the warehouse they were targeting, there were all kinds of porcelain treasures. He only needed to take two chests of items, and the rest of the porcelain treasures were all ours to do with as we pleased.”
“At that, my younger brother’s eyes lit up, and he agreed to the man’s request without hesitation. Since that was the case, I had no choice but to go along. I couldn’t just let my brother risk his life while I turned a blind eye. Sigh…”
Liu Na sighed deeply, perhaps lamenting his brother’s stubbornness at the time or his own regret at agreeing to the task.
After listening, Mei Qing shook his head repeatedly. Liu Qu’s actions seemed as if he had fallen into a kind of madness. Although those treasures had no practical use, they were cultural relics passed down from ancestors, and destroying them through theft was excessive.
Since Liu Na mentioned this major job three years ago, Mei Qing naturally understood that the masked man must have been planning to steal treasures from the palace. He further realized that the two chests the masked man wanted were likely the Daoist scriptures. As for Liu Qu naturally obtaining a batch of superior porcelain treasures during the theft, why he hadn’t destroyed all the porcelain remained a mystery.
Liu Na spoke with a dazed look in his eyes: “I always tried to persuade my brother that although these porcelains were useless, they were left behind by our ancestors. Surviving centuries of warfare and chaos, destroying them now would surely be a reversal of right and wrong, likely inviting divine retribution and misfortune upon ourselves. My younger brother, however, said, ‘Where is heaven? Where is reason? If heaven truly had eyes to see and justice to enforce, how could there be so much disorder in the world? Besides, these porcelains are inherently harmful. If heaven had eyes, it would destroy them itself. If heaven won’t take them, then I will; if heaven won’t claim them, then I will. Thinking about it, I also felt a surge of anger within, so I never truly tried to dissuade him. Now, thinking back, it’s always through porcelain that we meet our downfall. If this isn’t retribution, then what is it? Alas, retribution, retribution…”
Liu Na shook his head in lament for a long time before bitterly smiling and saying, “I’m ashamed. When a person is about to die, their words are kind. Usually, I don’t believe in anything, but now that I’m near death, I start to dwell on these things. Please don’t laugh at me, young master Mei. Although we didn’t know beforehand where the treasure vault was, my brother and I could sense that it was no ordinary warehouse. I remember it was the first month of the eighteenth year of Jiajing’s reign. Not long after the New Year, the weather was still very cold. Normally, that season wouldn’t be a good time for such work, with the bitter cold. But that masked man seemed impatient. We brothers made thorough preparations and brought our tools to the designated location.”
At this point, Liu Na’s eyes showed a hint of fear as he continued, “Unexpectedly, there was no one at the place. We waited for most of the day before a child finally came, saying he would lead us to the master. We asked him who the master was, but the child… seemed to not know how to respond, only foolishly smiling and leading us forward.”
“When we arrived, we found it was an old house at the outskirts of the capital. As soon as we entered, the child who led us collapsed to the ground and didn’t move. We had seen many scenes on the path we walked, and at the time, we were bold and fearless, so we went inside.”
“Once inside the house, the masked man who had approached us earlier was alone. For some reason, I felt that he seemed much more hunched and lacked energy, not speaking much. After a while, several more people were brought in. Among them, we recognized a few; they were all experts in breaking into places and dealing with traps. We couldn’t figure out how the masked man had managed to gather us all together.”
“Although we all knew each other by name, we had never worked together before. Moreover, according to the rules of our trade, how could a single job involve multiple groups? Therefore, everyone’s expressions changed at the time. Especially one fellow who had a rather poor reputation, upon seeing the large number of people, immediately started cursing and complaining that the masked man didn’t understand the rules and was acting recklessly. I remember him clearly; that fellow surnamed Hu, and his nickname was ‘Flying Heaven Fox.’ His reputation on the path was very bad. People said that one should either steal wealth or commit indecent acts, but not both. Although indecent acts were despicable, there were still rules to follow. This ‘Flying Heaven Fox’ was said to be someone who took both wealth and indecent acts, so no one liked him, and it was also said that he had several enemies. Probably because he had his own issues, as soon as he saw us, he started causing trouble and wanted to leave.”
“Actually, even we felt dissatisfied. In our line of work, unless it was a senior from the path overseeing things, how could everyone work together? Since the ‘Flying Heaven Fox’ started causing trouble first, we might as well just disband.”
“As I was thinking this and hadn’t yet spoken, I saw the ‘Flying Heaven Fox’ already saying, ‘Mr. Mu, since you don’t understand the rules, I’m not going to bother playing with you anymore. Whoever wants to serve you can do so; I’m leaving first!’ Saying that, he turned to leave.”
“The ‘Flying Heaven Fox’ referred to Mr. Mu, the masked man. Previously, we had all called him Master Mu. When Master Mu saw the ‘Flying Heaven Fox’ trying to leave, he merely snorted and then muttered something, after which we saw the ‘Flying Heaven Fox’ suddenly freeze in place.”
“Three years ago, although my brother and I tried our best to keep a low profile, we had already gained a bit of a reputation in the underworld. One day, a masked man approached us, saying he had a big deal that required our expertise.”
Liu Na’s words carried a hint of regret and helplessness, his eyes wandering aimlessly: “Looking back now, that man exuded an eerie aura, but since he was introduced by a senior, we didn’t pay much attention. At the time, I strongly opposed the idea, but the man said: ‘In the vault we’re targeting, there are all kinds of porcelain treasures. I only want two boxes; the rest are yours to do with as you please.'”
“Upon hearing this, my brother’s eyes lit up, and he agreed without hesitation. Since it had come to that, I had no choice. I couldn’t let my brother risk his life while I stood by and did nothing. Sigh…”
Liu Na let out a long sigh, unsure whether it was for his brother’s stubbornness or his own regret for agreeing to the deal.
Mei Qing shook his head repeatedly. Liu Qu’s actions seemed almost demonic. Although those treasures had no practical use, they were part of our cultural heritage, passed down through generations. To steal and destroy them like this was going too far.
Hearing Liu Na speak of the big deal three years ago, Mei Qing naturally understood that the masked man must have been planning to steal from the palace. He further speculated that what the masked man wanted to steal was likely those two boxes of Taoist scriptures. And Liu Qu must have obtained those exquisite porcelain treasures during the heist. What puzzled Mei Qing was why Liu Qu hadn’t destroyed all the porcelain this time.
Liu Na’s eyes were distant as he spoke: “I always advised my brother that although those porcelains were useless, they were left to us by our ancestors. They survived centuries of war and chaos. Now that we’ve taken and destroyed them, it feels like we’re going against the natural order. I fear we might incur divine retribution, which would be inauspicious for us. But my brother said, ‘What heaven? What justice? If heaven truly had eyes to see and justice to enforce, how could the world be so upside down? Besides, these porcelains are a curse. If heaven had eyes, it would have destroyed them itself. If heaven won’t do it, I will.’ I thought he had a point, and I was also somewhat resentful, so I didn’t truly try to dissuade him. Now, looking back, it seems we were doomed by the porcelains. Isn’t that retribution? Sigh… Retribution, retribution indeed…”
Liu Na shook his head and sighed for a long time before forcing a bitter smile: “I feel ashamed. When a man is about to die, his words are kind. I never believed in anything before, but now that I’m nearing death, I’m suddenly concerned about such things. Please don’t laugh at me, Master Mei. Although we didn’t know which vault we were targeting beforehand, my brother and I could tell it was no ordinary place. I remember it was the first month of the 18th year of the Jiajing era, shortly after the New Year, and it was still very cold. It wasn’t the best time for such work, with the freezing weather. But the masked man seemed impatient. We prepared thoroughly and brought our tools to the location he specified.”
At this point, Liu Na’s eyes showed a hint of fear: “To our surprise, there was no one at the location. We waited for most of the day before a child came, saying he would take us to his master. When we asked who his master was, the child… seemed unable to answer, just giggling and leading us away.”
“When we arrived, we found it was an old mansion near the capital. As soon as we entered, the child who led us collapsed to the ground, motionless. We were seasoned in the underworld and had seen all kinds of scenes, but at that moment, we were bold and entered the house.”
“Inside the house, only the masked man who had approached us was there. For some reason, it seemed like not much time had passed, but the man’s back was much more hunched, and he seemed listless, speaking little. After a while, several others were brought in. Some of them we recognized—they were experts in traps and tunneling. We had no idea how the masked man had gathered us all together.”
“Although we knew each other by reputation, we had never worked together before. Moreover, the rules of the underworld dictated that you didn’t hire multiple groups for one job. So, everyone’s expressions changed. Especially one guy with a bad reputation—he started cursing as soon as he saw the crowd, saying the masked man didn’t know the rules and was messing things up.”
“I remember clearly, that guy’s surname was Hu, and he had the nickname ‘Flying Fox.’ His reputation in the underworld was terrible. People say, ‘Take wealth, not flowers; take flowers, not wealth.’ Although flower thieves are lowlifes, they should at least follow some basic rules. But this Flying Fox was said to take both wealth and women, so no one liked him, and he had quite a few enemies. He probably had some issues himself, so when he saw us, he started making a scene and wanted to leave.”
“Even we felt uneasy. In this line of work, unless a senior in the underworld vouched for it, you never worked with multiple groups. Since the Flying Fox was making a fuss, we thought it would be best to just call it off.”
“Before I could say anything, the Flying Fox spoke up: ‘Mr. Mu, since you don’t know the rules, we’re not going to play along. Whoever wants to serve you can do so; I’m out of here!’ With that, he turned to leave.”
“The Flying Fox referred to the masked man as ‘Mr. Mu,’ which was what we had been calling him. When Mr. Mu saw the Flying Fox leaving, he just snorted and muttered something under his breath. Then, we saw the Flying Fox suddenly freeze in place.”
At this point, Liu Na’s expression turned extremely fearful, and his voice trembled: “What happened next, I will never forget. The Flying Fox stood at the door, and suddenly, flames erupted from his facial features!”
“The flames were like hellfire, a purplish-blue color, streaming out from his eyes, nose, and mouth. His entire body looked like a torch, with the purple flames engulfing his head, burning his hair and beard. Despite the intense flames, the Flying Fox’s body twisted and contorted like a skinned beast, but not a single sound escaped him.”
“Looking back now, it wasn’t that the Flying Fox was tough; it was that Mr. Mu had used some kind of spell to silence him. We watched in horror as he burned for what felt like an eternity, until he was reduced to a charred skeleton. Everyone was petrified, the air filled with the nauseating stench of burning flesh. Some couldn’t hold it in and vomited in the corners. But when Mr. Mu snorted again, no one dared to move or make a sound. He finally said: ‘I won’t repeat myself. You have your rules; I have mine. Just do the job, and I’ll keep my promise. But if anyone causes trouble, this is what will happen.’ As the saying goes, ‘When under someone else’s roof, you have to bow your head.’ Although none of us were saints, at that moment, we had no choice but to resign ourselves to fate.”
As Liu Na recounted the events, his face still bore traces of fear. Imagining the strange guest in the old mansion, who with a mere gesture could burn a man alive, was indeed bone-chilling. Mei Qing further speculated that Mr. Mu was no ordinary underworld figure but likely a practitioner of the mystical arts. However, practitioners of the mystical arts had their own rules, so why would he use such a spell to kill others was hard to fathom.
Hearing Liu Na’s account, Hou Shen, who was sitting nearby, also couldn’t help but show a change in expression. After a moment of thought, he couldn’t resist asking: “Brother Liu, since Mr. Mu was so ruthless, he must have had grand ambitions. With his abilities, it’s not something we ordinary people could resist. Even if you followed his orders and stole the treasures, he would likely silence you afterward. Didn’t anyone think of escaping at the time?”
Liu Na forced a bitter smile: “Whether we stuck our necks out or kept them in, it was the same. We understood that. But I also thought that since he had such abilities yet still needed us for the heist, there must be limits to his powers. Perhaps there was still a chance for us later. Since refusing meant certain death, we had no choice but to take it one step at a time.”
Mei Qing nodded in agreement. Although the abilities of practitioners of the mystical arts seemed miraculous to ordinary people, they too had their limitations. For instance, the vaults of the Imperial Guards were impenetrable even to practitioners, yet Hou Shen could come and go as he pleased. This showed that practitioners were not omnipotent.
Liu Na continued: “Once the decision was made, we began planning the heist. Mr. Mu took out a map, showing the location and layout of the vault. Among us, I had some reputation in architecture, so the group pushed me forward. Mr. Mu said nothing, just handed the map to me.”
“When I looked at it, I was shocked. As I mentioned earlier, my ancestors were craftsmen, so I knew a bit about architecture. The map Mr. Mu showed was no ordinary household—it was beyond even the mansions of nobles. Considering he had gathered us in the capital, this job was likely extremely dangerous. The vault was probably a royal one.”
“The flames were like hellish infernos, appearing in a purple-green hue, spewing out from his eyes, mouth, and nose. His entire body was like a torch stuck there, with his head enveloped in purple flames, his hair and beard all ablaze. Despite the raging fire, the ‘Flying Heaven Fox’ twisted his body in agony like a wild beast being flayed alive, yet not a single sound was heard throughout.”
“Thinking back now, it must not have been because the ‘Flying Heaven Fox’ was so tough, but because Master Mu had used some sort of magic to silence him. Witnessing his excruciating pain, he burned for two or three quarters of an hour until his entire body melted into a skeleton. At that time, everyone was so frightened they were stunned, the air filled with the nauseating stench of the burning human figure. Several people couldn’t bear it anymore and crouched in the corner, vomiting violently. However, Master Mu snorted again, and no one dared to move or utter a sound. Finally, Master Mu said, ‘I won’t repeat myself. You have your rules on the path, and I have mine. Just get on with the work. After the task is completed, I will not go back on my promise. But if anyone causes trouble again, this person here is the example.’ As the saying goes, when one is under someone else’s eaves, one has to bow their head. Although none of us were kind-hearted people, at that moment, we had no choice but to leave our fates to heaven.”
As Liu Na recounted the events of that time, the horror was still evident on his face. Imagining the eerie guests in the ancient house, who could kill a martial artist with a mere wave of their hand, was indeed hair-raising. Mei Qing further realized that Master Mu was certainly not an ordinary martial artist but should be a cultivator. However, cultivators had their own rules; why would he use magic to burn and kill others, making it difficult to fathom.
Hou Shen, who was listening nearby, couldn’t help but change his expression upon hearing Liu Na’s account. After a moment’s thought, he couldn’t help but ask, “Brother Liu, given that Master Mu was so ruthless, I’m afraid his ambitions were not small. Coupled with his abilities, it’s likely beyond what ordinary people can resist. If that’s the case, even if you followed his instructions to steal the treasures, I’m afraid he would kill you afterward to silence you. At that time, didn’t anyone think of escaping?”
Liu Na bitterly smiled and said, “Whether you stick your head out or pull it back, it’s just a matter of time before the knife falls. How could we not understand that? But I also thought that if this person was so capable, yet still needed us to break into the vault, it showed that his abilities had their limits. Thinking this way, perhaps there would be an opportunity later. Since refusing was definitely a death sentence, we had no choice but to take it one step at a time.”
After listening, Mei Qing couldn’t help but nod. Although the techniques of cultivators were seen as miraculous in the eyes of ordinary people, there were still places where their powers couldn’t reach. Leaving aside other things, the warehouse of the Embroidered Uniform Guard was something even cultivators couldn’t handle, yet Hou Shen could come and go as he pleased. This shows that cultivators are not omnipotent.
Liu Na continued, “Once the matter was decided, we began to discuss the plan. Master Mu took out a map and said it showed the location and terrain of the treasure vault. Among the group, I was somewhat famous for construction and architecture, so everyone pushed me forward. Master Mu didn’t say anything, just quietly handing me the map.”
“When I looked at it, I was greatly shocked. As I mentioned earlier, my ancestors were craftsmen, and although I never studied construction seriously, I still knew something about it. The map of the treasure vault that Master Mu presented was clearly not from an ordinary household; even the nobility and aristocracy wouldn’t have such a layout. Considering that he had gathered us all in the capital city, this job was likely to be very troublesome, and the vault was probably the imperial palace.”
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