Chapter 18 — As soon as I got married as a stepchild, the child hugged my leg and called me his wife

“This is the place.” Pho Dinh Uyen put me down, he took out a coin wrapped in silver thread.

Coin in my hand, wrapped in red thread. Pho Dinh Uyen wrapped the coin in silver thread and gently pressed it into the center of the sculpted lotus. The coin wrapped in red thread in my hand was also placed in the corresponding relief position next to it.

“Crack” a soft sound rang out.

The sculpted lotus flower slowly rotates. The large iron door also opened inwards. A faint stream of fragrance drifted out from the door. That scent is not an ordinary floral scent, but a special medicinal scent, smelling it calms the mind.

“Come in.” Pho Dinh Uyen said, his voice carrying a trace of trepidation.

We enter the monastery. Inside the monastery is decorated extremely elegantly. It doesn't look as dark and sinister as imagined. Imitation mountains, water streams, pavilions and floors. It's like a place to escape from life. The only unusual point is that this place does not have any living creatures. Not even the sounds of insects or birds singing were there. Pho Dinh Uyen led me straight into a study room deep in the monastery. The study room door is made of wood, with a flower of Man Chau Sa Hoa in full bloom carved on it. Man Chau Sa Hoa is a flower in the legend of the underworld, flowers and leaves never meet.

“This is what she did.” Pho Dinh Uyen's fingertips gently stroked the carved pattern.

"She said, her life is Man Chau Sa Hoa, forever with me, flowers and leaves will not be seen."

I looked at his face sideways, his eyes filled with nostalgia and pain. I understand, this place is a place full of memories for him. He pushed open the study door. The door slowly opened. The inside of the study room is simply furnished, but filled with the atmosphere of books. The most prominent thing is that in the center of the study room, there is an extremely large stone monument. The stone platform is full of strange herbs, minerals, and tools that we have never seen before. Behind the stone platform are rows of bookshelves. The bookshelf is filled with books. There are medical books and pharmacopoeia, geographical ornithology, and even ancient texts. This is To Tinh Lien's real secret base. I limped over to the bookshelf. Handily took down a notebook. It contains densely written notes. It's all an investigation into the organization "Thien Diep". She meticulously recorded the actions of "Thien Diep", the distribution of their bases, and the types of ancient poisons they used. She also recorded her grandmother's background. My grandmother was not born like that. She was originally a physician in the southwest border region. Her mother is a strange person who is skilled in the ancient art of Miao Cuong. From a young age, my grandmother was imbued with ancient techniques and learned powerful ancient techniques. Later, her tribe was bloodbathed by the organization "Thien Diep". Her family, including her mother, were all brutally murdered by "Thien Diep". She was the only one taken away and forced to make ancient poison for them. And her mother, before she died, left behind that coin. The same set of ancient secrets, hidden in this secret monastery in the middle of a mountain valley.

“She is out to avenge her servants.” I said softly, "She was forced to practice Gu for 'Thien Diep', but she never gave in in her heart."

Pho Dinh Uyen walked to the stone platform and picked up a delicate wooden box. The box opened, inside Place a small jade vase. The jade bottle contains a milky white liquid.

“This is the ancient prize that my grandmother's mother left behind.” Pho Dinh Uyen said, "It can neutralize the ancient poison of 'Thien Diep'."

“Lady Fu is using this to threaten her?” I asked.

Pho Dinh Uyen nodded: "'Thien Diep' is not a block of iron, they also have internal struggles, but old lady Pho just grabbed an opportunity, she stole this jade vase, took it as a hostage, forcing her grandmother to obey."

“So, Mrs. Pho is the real one behind it, she is taking advantage of the power of ‘Thien Diep’ for her own gain?”

“She thinks that the Pho family has made too many enemies at court and needs a secret power to maintain it.”

“She wants to borrow ‘Thien Diep’ to strengthen the position of the Pho family.”

“Even… wanted to let the Pho family become a puppet of ‘Thien Diep’ at court.”

Pho Dinh Uyen's voice carried disappointment that was hard to put into words. He was completely hopeless towards his mother.

"So why didn't Gu's mother leave the jade bottle directly, but instead left the coin and the secret technique?" I asked.

"Because she knows, if the jade bottle falls into the hands of 'Thien Diep', the consequences will be unimaginable."

"She split the secret to solving the ancient poison. Only when fully known can one truly solve the ancient poison."

“Coin, is the key to this place.”

"The secret technique is in her handwriting."

Pho Dinh Uyen pointed to an old notebook on the bookshelf. I walked over and opened the folder. It records all kinds of strange remedies and methods for refining ancient poison. On the last page of the manuscript, use special cinnabar to draw a complex rune. Next to the rune, there is a line of small letters.

“This is the Tinh Tam Talisman, which can neutralize the effect of ‘Eating Soul Gu’. It needs to be guided by close bloodlines and combined with That Diep Thao, on the day of the solstice to be able to practice it.”

The blood of a loved one? I looked towards Pho Dinh Uyen.