CH 043 Opening The Treasure Trove

They were blessed with fine weather. As Nie Bufan hoped, there was a heavy rain every day. The poor mountain was finally unable to hold up against the plundering rain, and large swaths of mud and rocks tumbled into the pool. The clear pool soon turned into a quagmire.

But out of Nie Bufan’s expectations, the landslide caused the stairway to the treasure trove under the water pool to collapse, directly exposing a corner of the treasure trove door.

There was no need for the tian nu to say more, everyone now knew the location of the treasure.

Si Chenyu and the others surrounded the water pool, looking at the muddy treasure trove door, and exclaimed: “Such genius workmanship. How did the Duobao Sage create this treasure trove back then?”

Nie Bufan curled his lips, wondering how they could see from the pile of mud and rocks genius workmanship.

Li Huai said, “Prince, to prevent any unexpected circumstances cropping up, it is better to send someone to clear the passage as soon as possible.”

Si Chenyu nodded.

Nie Bufan said leisurely: “Actually, you don’t need to be too rushed. Even if you clean it out you still can’t get in without the key?”

They all looked at each other, it was true that while there was only one key missing, but now even Chen Muran’s key was also gone.

“The way I see it,” Nie Bufan continued, “It’s better to fill the soil back and bury the treasure trove again, so as not to be coveted by thieves.”

Bury it back? This weird idea could only be thought of by the village head.

Everyone ignored him and continued to discuss various matters regarding opening the treasure.

Nie Bufan didn’t care either, squatting down to watch brother chicken rolling in the muddy water.

“In fact, even without the key, we can dig a new passage from the side to enter the interior.” Chen Muran proposed.

Si Chenyu nodded: “This is a good idea.”

Li Yi frowned: “Duobao Sage is good at setting traps and other protective mechanism. It is likely that he already took precautions long ago. If we rush to dig it, will it cause unpredictable consequences?”

“No, it won’t.” Nie Bufan interrupted.

“How do you know?” Li Huai looked at him contemptuously.

“The chickens told me.” Nie Bufan nodded solemnly. After the perseverance of the chicken brothers, the feasibility of digging holes into the treasure trove was very high.

Everyone continued to ignore him, taking it as his usual nonsense talk.

Nie Bufan shook his head and said profoundly: “No one believes me when I tell the truth, it’s really hard to be a good person!”

In the end, after discussing it, everyone decided to clear the passage first, and then try to excavate.

Soon, Chicken Nest Village ushered in a group of strong laborers. They used their impressive digging mountains and draining river skills to clear the passage within two days. The treasure trove door finally reappeared in the world. The exquisite carvings on the door, like the work of the gods, truly took everyone’s breath away.

Si Chenyu touched the carvings on the door and praised: “As expected of Duobao Sage, even the entrance is so magnificent.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

The next step was to observe fengshui and select a site for digging.

Nie Bufan pointed with a finger, and said to the fengshui master: “This spot is suitable for excavation.”

Fengshui master arrogantly said: “Don’t talk nonsense, this spot is cold and humid, and the unlucky energy is extremely heavy. If you rashly dig here, it is easy to attract resentful spirits. If you’re lucky then you’ll only get an illness, but if not you could even die prematurely.”

Nie Bufan was about to make a long speech, but was picked up and carried away by Li Yi.

“Don’t make trouble.” Li Yi said with exasperation.

“I make trouble?” Nie Bufan stared at him, covering his chest as if he was hurt. “I wanted to help from the goodness of my heart and yet only recieved dislike. It really breaks my heart.”

Li Yi’s eyes twitched: When did you ever have a good heart? The skin was truly as thick as a wall.

“Forget it, you can do it however you want.” Nie Bufan turned his back and walked towards the village leisurely.

Under the guidance of the fengshui master, the excavation site was finally determined. The laborers once again used their impressive digging mountains and draining rivers ability to drill into the ground. In one day……two hoes were smashed——they encountered the rock wall under the mud layer, practically indestructible, and it was impossible to dig another inch.

Everyone’s unkind eyes immediately swept the arrogant fengshui master.

He pretended to be high and profound: “Duobao Sage is no ordinary human, and he very likely did the very opposite, overturning yin and yang and confusing this old man.”

Everyone was slightly reassured. In their hearts, Duobao Sage was a god-like figure, and it was normal to suffer a bit in the process of excavating his treasure.

Nie Bufan looked at the fengshui master in admiration, and whispered to the tian nu: “Did you see that? This is the demeanor of a high quality quack. You should also learn from others.”

Nineteen disdainfully said: “At his level? What kind of fengshui can he even see?”

“Since you know how to divine fengshui, why didn’t you take on the responsibility?”

“I believe I am not yet at the level of the Duobao Sage. In order to not embarrass myself it’s better to hide my clumsy skills.”

Nie Bufan gave a thumbs up and praised: “Brilliant.”

The corner of Nineteen’s mouth showed a faint smile.

After listening to the fengshui master, the laborers began to dig on the other side.

A day later, they once again encountered hard rock.

The fengshui master’s face could no longer remain arrogant, and he said viciously: “Keep digging, I don’t believe that a stone can’t be cracked!”

Nie Bufan took the initiative to hand him a sledgehammer and said sincerely: “We depend on you, master of fengshui.”

“……”

Si Chenyu and the others finally realized that this fengshui master was a complete charlatan, and all of them were furious. Everyone present were either extremely rich or extremely influential, but still they were actually fooled by a quack, wasting two days in vain.

Afterwards, what waited for the fengshui master was the cruel and inhuman capital punishment——he was mercilessly thrown into the chicken coop.

“Hahahahaha……” Nie Bufan looked at those fellows with their gloomy expressions, and laughed heartlessly. He pretended to be kindly and comforted, “Don’t be discouraged, east, south, west, north, there is always one direction right.”

No one could utter a word. Their enthusiasm had been soaring for so many days, but in the end they only caused themselves embarrassment. Was it true that the treasure trove could only be entered with the five keys?

“This prince don’t believe this!” Si Chenyu said fiercely.

Nie Bufan clapped his hands in encouragement.

The others remained speechless. Thinking about it, they had been busy for so many days anyway, and it seemed a bit of a pity to give up now, so they all agreed to Si Chenyu’s proposal and sent people to dig in shifts.

As if Nie Bufan’s words were a curse, the strange thing was that no matter where they dug they couldn’t dig down to the treasure trove at all.

The mountainside was almost dug into a funnel by them.

It wasn’t until the eighth day that a big man accidentally shoveled a spot of soil and revealed a small hole.

Everyone was overjoyed, this was obviously a hole dug by some kind of animal, so this area could be passed through.

Finally there was progress, Si, Li, Chen and the others were all in high spirits, full of pride. After studying for a few days, they worked out a plan for excavation that they believed would be foolproof.

When they came to the entrance of the treasure trove again, they happened to see Nie Bufan leading the chickens and wandering around the area.

Si Chenyu smiled and said, “Village head Nie, you will soon see the treasures of Duobao Sage. When that happens, this prince is willing to give you a few things that takes your fancy.”

“That’s right.” Li Huai said triumphantly, “I don’t mind rewarding you a few.”

“Having been in village head’s care for this many months, I should also give back.” When Chen Muran spoke the word “care”, his smile was a bit distorted.

Li Yi didn’t have any expressions. As an outsider, Zhang Junshi would naturally not say much either.

Wang Shichan said mildly: “I will give you everything except the scriptures.”

Everyone raised their eyebrows, secretly thinking that this person was indeed obssessed with Buddhism. Only Nie Bufan remained noncommittal. This person had already broken the Buddhist monastic discipline several times so what was the point of continuing to chant scriptures. If there were such disciples in the Buddhist monasteries, it was estimated that they would have abandoned their beliefs and join Christianity already.

After hearing the triumphant and self-satisfied remarks from them, Nie Bufan nodded and said, “Okay, let’s go in and explore the treasure now.”

Li Huai said contemptuously: “What’s the urgency, it will take at least several days to dig the tunnel.”

“No.” Nie Bufan waved his hand and said casually, “I have the key.”

As he said, he took out two keys from his pocket, one was Chen Muran’s black tortoise mirror, and the other was the qilin……egg.

Si Chenyu: “……”

Chen Muran: “……”

Li Yi: “……”

Li Huai: “……”

Wang Shichan: “……”

Tian nu: “……”

Zhang Junshi: “……”

The cold wind blew by, and there was only dead silence.

After a long while, Si Chenyu squeezed a sentence from his teeth: “The key was actually in your hands all along!”

The key was actually in his hands all along!

This sentence also appeared in the minds of the rest.

“You stole my key?” Chen Muran’s fingers trembled.

“Just keeping it safe for you. Seeing that you look so weak and ready to be blown over by the wind, I decided that such a precious key should be kept by a reliable person.” Nie Bufan had on an anger inducing expression that said ‘it is all for your own good’.

If you, Nie Bufan, are reliable, then the rooster can lay eggs!

If they actually said this aloud, Nie Bufan would probably reply: “Who said that a rooster can’t lay eggs, I’ll lay one for you when I get back!”

Li Huai pointed at him and said angrily: “Since you have the key, why not take it out earlier?”

Only taking it out after they had been busy for so many days! What was even more unforgivable was that it was taken out when they were finally about to finish digging the tunnel. Just how stupid did they appear!

Nie Bufan, could you be even more black-hearted?

Everyone present started to get an itch in their fingers, and there was an urge to punch someone.

Nie Bufan stooped to pick up a chicken, leaned leisurely on a tree, and said innocently while petting the chicken: “I actually alerted you guys a long time ago, but you all ignored me. There was nothing else to do but continue to dutifully be a good village head. And seeing you all in such high spirits, I really couldn’t bear to spoil the atmosphere.”

Everyone resembled ducks with their necks pinched, helpless and unable to utter a sound.

“I can’t take it anymore.” Li Huai was going mad, “I must teach this guy a lesson today.”

The others had no objection.

Li Huai rolled his sleeves and was about to step forward to make trouble for Nie Bufan, but suddenly he froze after walking a few steps. The chickens around Nie Bufan all looked at him in perfect unison, their eyes sharp and murderous, and occasionally one could see sharp gleams in their beady depths.

What was even more disturbing was that the original gurgling and clucking sounds all disappeared, and only a scalp-numbing silence remained, like a war approaching, ready to break out any moment.

Li Huai swallowed.

In an instant, everyone had an epiphany. Was it any wonder Nie Bufan brought along his chicken flock today? It turned out he had predicted such a situation and prepared in advance in case someone had inentions of teaching him a lesson!

Li Huai retreated. As a tragic figure who had suffered several losses at the claws of the chickens, he had long learned to retreat when necessary.

If Li Huai didn’t act, the others naturally also paused any evil intentions and accepted this cruel reality resignedly. At least they could finally enter the treasure trove, right? Small comforts.

Nie Bufan called enthusiastically: “Come on, come on, let’s go explore the treasure. If you see something that take your fancy, I don’t mind letting you choose.”

“……” Karmic payback came so quickly. The facts tell them that in the future, one should never act too proudly in front of Nie Bufan, because it could easily result in his ruthless revenge.