Chapter 51: The Hidden Key

Tang Xiu held the jade token in his hand, its faint glow pulsing like a heartbeat. The chanting villagers stared at him in fear, too afraid to move after witnessing his overwhelming strength.

The leader of the group, clutching his broken wrist, gritted his teeth. "You don't understand what you're meddling with. That token isn't something you should take lightly."

Tang Xiu turned his gaze to the man, his expression calm but cold. "And yet, here it is, in your hands, surrounded by a group of amateurs performing half-baked rituals. Care to explain why?"

The man hesitated, sweat dripping down his face. His bravado from earlier had been completely crushed, and now he seemed torn between defiance and self-preservation.

Finally, one of the other villagers, a frail-looking old man, stepped forward. "Please, spare us. We found the token buried near the village shrine a few years ago. We thought it was a relic from the old times, so we kept it and treated it with respect."

Tang Xiu studied the old man carefully. There was no deceit in his words, but his explanation raised more questions than answers.

"Buried, you say?" Tang Xiu asked. "Did you notice anything unusual when you dug it up? Any signs of an array or a formation nearby?"

The old man shook his head. "No, nothing like that. Just the token, wrapped in an old piece of cloth. We didn't dare investigate further, afraid it might bring bad luck."

Tang Xiu frowned. The faint qi emanating from the token wasn't random—it had a distinct pattern, like it was connected to something greater.

He looked back at the group. "You've been using this token for rituals, but you have no idea what it truly is. Do you realize how reckless that is?"

The leader, still clutching his wrist, glared at him. "We were just trying to protect the village! Strange things started happening after we found it—people falling ill, crops failing. We thought the token might be cursed, so we performed these rituals to appease whatever spirits were tied to it."

Tang Xiu's eyes narrowed. The symptoms they described weren't the result of a curse; they sounded more like the effects of a broken spiritual array leaking unstable energy into the surroundings.

"You were meddling with forces beyond your understanding," Tang Xiu said, his tone sharp. "If I hadn't come along, your rituals would have eventually caused more harm than good."

The villagers hung their heads, too ashamed to argue.

Tang Xiu sighed and pocketed the token. "I'll take this with me. It's safer in my hands than yours. If any of you feel tempted to pursue it, I suggest you think twice. The consequences won't be pleasant."

The villagers nodded hurriedly, their fear of Tang Xiu outweighing their attachment to the token.

Back at the inn, Xu Liang and Lei Xian were waiting anxiously.

"Where have you been?" Lei Xian demanded the moment Tang Xiu walked through the door. "You disappear without a word, and we're left here wondering if you're fighting off another group of assassins!"

Tang Xiu tossed the jade token onto the table. "I found this."

Xu Liang picked up the token, his brow furrowing as he examined it. "This… This isn't just any relic. The patterns on it look ancient, and I can feel a faint trace of qi."

Lei Xian leaned in for a closer look. "What is it? Some kind of treasure?"

"Possibly," Tang Xiu said. "But more importantly, it's a key. To what, I don't know yet. But the villagers found it buried near their shrine. They've been using it for rituals without understanding its true nature."

Xu Liang's expression turned serious. "If it's a key, then it must open something. Do you think it's connected to the old cultivation world?"

Tang Xiu nodded. "Most likely. The energy signature is weak, but it's there. Someone went to great lengths to hide it, which means whatever it unlocks is important."

Lei Xian sat back in his chair, his arms crossed. "So what's the plan? Are we going to investigate this shrine?"

Tang Xiu shook his head. "The shrine is empty. If there was a formation there, it's long since decayed. But the token itself is a clue. We need to find someone who can decode the patterns on it—someone with knowledge of ancient formations."

Xu Liang's eyes lit up. "There's an elder in the capital who specializes in ancient relics. He's a bit eccentric, but if anyone can help, it's him."

"Then we head to the capital," Tang Xiu said decisively. "The sooner we understand this token, the better."

The next morning, the trio set out for the capital, the token safely tucked away in Tang Xiu's belongings. The journey was uneventful at first, the road winding through forests and small towns.

But as they drew closer to the city, Tang Xiu's sharp senses picked up on something unusual. A faint but distinct killing intent lingered in the air, growing stronger with each passing mile.

"Someone's following us," Tang Xiu said quietly, his voice calm but firm.

Xu Liang and Lei Xian tensed, their hands instinctively reaching for their weapons.

"Who?" Xu Liang whispered.

Tang Xiu glanced over his shoulder, his eyes scanning the dense forest lining the road. "Not sure yet. But they're skilled. Their presence is faint, almost undetectable. If I weren't sensitive to such things, we might not have noticed at all."

Lei Xian cursed under his breath. "Why does trouble follow us everywhere we go?"

Tang Xiu smirked. "Because we have something they want."

The three of them slowed their pace, their eyes and ears alert for any sign of movement.

A sudden rustling in the bushes to their left was the only warning they had before a group of masked figures leapt out, weapons gleaming in the sunlight.

"Hand over the token!" one of them barked, his voice muffled by his mask.

Tang Xiu stepped forward, his expression unbothered. "You're making a mistake."

The leader of the group laughed. "The mistake was yours, thinking you could travel so openly with a treasure like that. We've been watching you since the village."

Tang Xiu's eyes narrowed. "Then you should have stayed hidden. Now, you've sealed your fate."

Without another word, he surged forward, his movements a blur. The battle had begun.