Chapter 115: The Southern Guardian Marquis

The strange beast pulling the war chariot was especially striking, as such creatures were exceedingly rare.

Suddenly, Granny Chang spoke up, “That’s a

green-scaled beast

. It resembles a horse, possesses immense strength, and feeds on humans. It’s said that the green-scaled beast carries the bloodline of the

pixiu

[1], and it’s a rare and exotic creature. But it went extinct by the mid-period of the Great Xia dynasty.”

As she spoke, her gaze landed on Li Yanchu.

Li Yanchu smiled faintly. “Senior, your knowledge truly commands respect.”

The wrinkles on Granny Chang’s face bunched together with her pleased smile; she clearly enjoyed the compliment.

“Ah, the youth sure have a way with words that makes them so likable.”

Li Yanchu added, “I’ve never heard of a green-scaled beast before, but judging from this, the owner of the tomb must be from the Great Xia era.”

Granny Chang nodded with a smile. “I have a guess about who he might be.”

“Oh?” Li Yanchu paused in surprise. “Senior, you do?”

Not just him, Bai Hongtu, who was standing behind, also leaned in with keen interest. Around the chamber, many of the other cultivators also turned their attention toward her.

Granny Chang slowly said, “There was once a

Southern Guardian Marquis

during the Great Xia dynasty. His surname was Li. He inherited the marquisate at a young age. But he was known for being indulgent, lustful, unmotivated, and he was a complete and utter wastrel.”

A wastrel...

Li Yanchu raised an eyebrow slightly.

Granny Chang continued, “The Southern Guardian Marquis was a high-ranking noble in the Great Xia court, commanding a powerful army to suppress the Nanyue[2] barbarians. For generations, the title was passed down through men of great courage, versed in military strategy. But this one... was a true disgrace, and his succession stirred great controversy.”

“The previous Marquis had four sons. The other three were brilliant; they were talented and full of promise. But in the end, the title went to the youngest.”

Master Huizhen walked over and suddenly spoke, “Senior, are you referring to the so-called playboy marquis, Li Xun, Southern Guardian Marquis from the Great Xia?”

Huizhen had become a monk late in life. Before the age of sixteen, he’d been a renowned scholar in Xuzhou, widely read and knowledgeable in Great Xia history.

The records on Li Xun, Southern Guardian Marquis, were sparse in official history. Compared to his ancestors, he was considered extremely mediocre, leaving behind no notable achievements during his reign. He had neither matched the merits of his father nor surpassed his descendants, who were far more decorated in battle.

However, in unofficial histories and folklore, there were many accounts of his amorous escapades, in countless variations. Not just with beauties and noblewomen, even fox spirits and seductive ghosts were said to have been entangled with this flamboyant marquis.

To this day, stories about the amorous Marquis Li Xun and his liaisons with beauties still circulated. Many featured illustrated editions with elaborate artwork.

Of course, these tales rarely mentioned the title “Southern Guardian Marquis,” as Li Xun himself was unworthy of the honor of guarding the empire’s southwest frontier.

“That’s right,” Granny Chang nodded and smiled. “It’s that Marquis Li. He held the title for thirty years. Though mediocre, during his tenure, the Nanyue tribes never launched a large-scale invasion into Great Xia territory. Aside from his romantic indulgences, he never caused trouble for the common folk.”

Master Huizhen gave a slight nod.

Meanwhile, Li Yanchu glanced at him but said nothing. He didn’t know much about Marquis Li Xun, but he definitely knew the storybook titled

The Amorous Marquis and the Beauties

.

Daoist Master Xuancheng, Li Yanchu’s teacher, kept an old manuscript at the bottom of his personal collection. The artwork in it was exquisitely done, and the story itself was full of twists and turns, never falling into cliché. It was truly a collector’s item.

Li Yanchu frowned in confusion. “But the murals show intense battlefield scenes, filled with the solemn air of war. How could the owner of this tomb be some lustful and frivolous marquis?”

Granny Chang snorted. “He’s probably just tooting his own horn. That Marquis Li? Oh, he was exactly the kind of man who’d do something like that.”

Every cultivator present fell speechless at her words. Indeed, when building a tomb or writing a posthumous biography, it was common practice to embellish the truth.

But if the tomb’s owner was really Li Xun, Southern Guardian Marquis, the same marquis who was useless in battle and had never commanded troops in his entire life... Then this mural... really was a bit too much.

Li Yanchu looked again at the murals on the left, the vivid scenes of brutal warfare, and couldn’t help but twitch at the corner of his mouth.

Such grand depictions of war... such a stern, imposing young general... And now you’re telling me that it’s all fake?! Even the execution of prisoners depicted was drawn just like something out of a general’s heroic chronicle. It was all made up!?

Granny Chang smiled. “During the Great Xia Dynasty, noble titles were highly valued. Aside from the royal family’s dukedoms, there were only four marquisates, and each one was granted to legendary generals with tremendous military merit. This Marquis Li held a position of great prestige. Though he never led an army in his life, he wasn’t as useless as the rumors suggest.”

She paused, then continued, “He himself was actually a

Qi Cultivator

, and his cultivation reached an extremely profound level. Among the Qi Cultivators of his era, he could be considered a

grandmaster

.”

“Eh!?” Li Yanchu’s eyes widened. “A Qi Cultivator!?”

He hadn’t expected this twist.

The man was a Qi Cultivator grandmaster!?

“To be called a grandmaster means one must’ve reached a certain realm. Marquis Li may not have had fame, but his strength was undeniably that of a true grandmaster,” Granny Chang said calmly.

Though she presented herself to the outside world as a humble country spirit medium, merely skilled in curing illnesses, exorcising spirits, retrieving lost souls, and finding missing objects, Granny Chang’s true status was clearly far from ordinary.

The respect shown to her by everyone present said as much. She was no ordinary village mystic, but a mysterious and powerful figure with deep roots. And the things she said carried tremendous credibility.

None of the others present, be it Master Shenshan, Daoist Master Yuanyi, the Old Ghost Wu, or Mr. Ma, voiced any disagreement.

Li Yanchu quietly took all this in, and his curiosity toward Granny Chang’s true identity deepened once again.

Granny Chang, clearly holding Li Yanchu in high regard, smiled and said, “You share the same surname, Li. Perhaps entering Marquis Li’s tomb this time will bring you a unique opportunity or fated encounter.”

In response, Li Yanchu's mouth twitched slightly, and he offered a polite smile in return. “Thank you, Senior, for your kind words.”

But then, a thought suddenly struck him. Ever since arriving at the Exorcism Assembly, he had never once revealed his full name. Even Master Huizhen had only addressed him as Daoist Master Yanchu, never once mentioning his surname. So how did Granny Chang know? Did she hear it from someone else, or did she possess some special ability?

Granny Chang continued slowly, “Still, since this is the tomb of the Southern Guardian Marquis, the dangers hidden within are likely far worse than those in ordinary royal or noble tombs.”

Her words echoed what many of the cultivators were already thinking.

The tomb of a first-rate Qi Cultivator from the Great Xia era possessing the power of a grandmaster would surely contain no shortage of treasures, but the dangers would be just as numerous and terrifying.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through Li Yanchu’s mind. He asked, “Senior, since this Marquis Li was a Qi Cultivator, he should have had a long lifespan. So why is he so obscure in history?”

After all, the pursuit of longevity had always been one of the greatest temptations for cultivators throughout history.

If a nobleman had achieved an unusually long life, it would certainly have been recorded and widely known.

1. In Chinese culture, Pixiu (貔貅) is a mythical creature often depicted as a strong, winged lion with the head of a dragon. It's a powerful symbol of wealth, good fortune, and protection, particularly attracting and safeguarding wealth. Pixiu are also believed to ward off evil spirits and protect their owners from harm. ☜

2. Nanyue was an ancient kingdom that consisted of parts of the modern southern China and much of modern northern Vietnam. ☜