Chapter 9: The Ghost Seal, An Unexpected Gain

"The capabilities of our Treasure Pavilion—are you still unsure about them, Mr. Lu?" Manager Lin smiled. "Rest assured, everything has been handled." As he spoke, he gestured politely, inviting Lu Yuan to take a seat.

Lu Yuan nodded and chose a spot near the edge, secluded and private. Manager Lin ordered tea to be served and then excused himself, clearly to retrieve the item Lu Yuan required.

Seeing this, Lu Yuan felt no urgency. He sipped his tea lightly. The flavor was mild, leaving a lingering fragrance in his mouth. Though he knew little about tea, he could tell it was costly—far beyond the reach of ordinary families. This was only natural. Anyone who reached the sixth floor was either wealthy or influential; the Treasure Pavilion would naturally offer the finest hospitality.

"Mr. Lu, sorry to have kept you waiting." Manager Lin soon returned, holding a tray covered with a red cloth. "Here is the item you requested. The seller was quite straightforward."

Lu Yuan nodded without speaking and lifted the red cloth.

On the tray rested a square seal, no bigger than ten inches. Its entire body was dark and ancient, emanating a sense of antiquity. At the top, an unknown fierce beast was carved, its gaze seemingly fixed upon any onlooker, exuding an air of ominous foreboding.

"Yes, this is the one." Lu Yuan glanced at it, satisfied. The seal matched exactly what he had seen in his past life—every detail was flawless. There could be no doubt.

"Excellent." Manager Lin smiled. "Once the payment is settled, this item will belong to you, Mr. Lu."

"Of course." Lu Yuan took out his phone and, with a few taps, transferred the remaining ten million directly to the Treasure Pavilion’s account.

Seeing this, Manager Lin poured him another cup of tea and continued, "Mr. Lu, forgive me for speaking frankly, but this item has an air of evil about it. Most collectors would not be interested at all. To spend fifteen million on it seems rather unwise."

His words, though perhaps a bit forward, were spoken from the standpoint of a friend. Manager Lin, after all, was not an ordinary person—his position required both tact and insight. He was simply trying to draw closer to Lu Yuan, for only friends would speak so candidly.

An air of evil? That was precisely what made it valuable.

This was no ordinary object for the living. Lu Yuan smiled quietly to himself, aware that only he truly understood its significance. This was the Ghost Seal—seemingly nothing special, merely an ancient relic, but in truth, its origins were extraordinary. It was intimately connected to the Mausoleum of the First Emperor of Qin. Had he not participated in events in his previous life, he would never have known what the Ghost Seal truly was.

If it must be said, this item was one of the key artifacts required to unlock the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang.

Fifteen million. To purchase this Ghost Seal was a bargain—guaranteed profit, though to the ignorant, it would seem a foolish expense.

As for the Mausoleum of the First Emperor, legends surrounding it had never ceased. It was arguably the most mysterious place in all of China. Yet no one had ever explored its depths.

The reason was simple: outsiders could not enter. Not even blueprints would suffice—only by gathering all the keys could one gain access. Any rash attempt would spell certain death.

But now, with the Ghost Seal in hand, Lu Yuan possessed two keys. The other was Chen Song’s ancestral small cauldron.

Naturally, he offered no explanation for these matters, merely smiling and sipping his tea. "Thank you for the reminder, Manager Lin. Everyone has their own preferences. By the way, have there been any other unusual items on the sixth floor recently?"

Lu Yuan mused that the Treasure Pavilion gathered countless untradeable relics from across the country. The Ghost Seal had been discovered here, so it was worth trying his luck again.

Of course, he did not hold great expectations. Even after the global transformation, divine artifacts remained exceedingly rare. Not every ancient relic was extraordinary.

Otherwise, he could abandon all other pursuits and simply collect antiques.

"Certainly." Manager Lin’s eyes brightened, sensing another opportunity for business. He produced a catalog from his jacket, already prepared. "They’re all here. Please take your time, Mr. Lu. Let me know if anything catches your eye—I’ll make sure to arrange it for you."

Every transaction on the sixth floor earned the manager a commission. Naturally, Manager Lin was eager to assist.

Lu Yuan nodded and opened the catalog.

Just as he expected, it was filled with various ancient artifacts. The Treasure Pavilion’s reputation ensured everything was genuine. Yet, after flipping through it for quite some time, he found nothing that interested him.

After a while, Lu Yuan paused, about to return the catalog, when his gaze suddenly changed. On the final page, there was a small pagoda.

The pagoda had eleven levels. Though time had worn it, the high-resolution photo revealed it was perfectly preserved, without the slightest damage.

It was this pagoda that drew Lu Yuan into a reverie—a memory of a battle so fierce it altered the very landscape, a battle he had witnessed from afar. Among the combatants, one person, when unleashing their power, revealed an anomaly from within—a vision almost identical to the pagoda.

It must be noted: even after the global transformation, that person had been one of the world’s most formidable.

Now, he saw the artifact again.

His thoughts collected, Lu Yuan raised his head and asked directly, "Manager Lin, what is this?"

"Ah, that one." Manager Lin glanced at the photo, pondered briefly, and replied, "This item is called the Eleven-Level Blood Pagoda. According to the seller, it was blood-red when unearthed, and nearby, the remains of a high-ranking monk from ancient times were found. Our appraisal suggests it’s nearly two thousand years old. Are you interested?"

In Buddhist terminology, a pagoda is also known as a stupa. Monks often say, ‘To save a life is greater than building a seven-level stupa’—referring to a seven-tiered tower.

"Yes," Lu Yuan nodded. "Could you help me contact the seller? The price is negotiable."

"I am well aware of your capabilities, but this seller is tricky," Manager Lin explained, frowning slightly. "He’s a real estate developer. He used to be quite wealthy, but ran into financial trouble and wanted to sell the pagoda for cash flow—asking twenty million. Recently, though, he secured a bank loan."

"So yesterday, he called to say the Eleven-Level Blood Pagoda is no longer for sale—he wants to keep it as a collectible."

"Is that so?" Lu Yuan’s heart sank.

He examined the photo again, confirming the artifact matched the anomaly displayed by that formidable individual.

After that great battle, Lu Yuan had investigated and learned that the anomaly came from fusing a divine artifact into one’s organs, unlocking the body’s treasures and potential, and making the internal organs as indestructible as divine metal.

Moreover, the Eleven-Level Blood Pagoda corresponded exactly to the five viscera and six bowels.

There could be no mistake—this was indeed the item.

Lu Yuan had lamented back then, wondering why fate had not granted him such fortune.

Now, the artifact was right before his eyes.

Was he to let it slip away?