Chapter 194: The Five Emperors Coins and a Peculiar Anomaly

As the anomaly manifested, Yi Zhiqiu immediately stood up, his face etched with seriousness.

We were no longer in the school’s small grove. Instead, we found ourselves within an independent, anomalous space.

“So this is an anomaly based on something like *Alice in Wonderland*?” Yi Zhiqiu mused, observing the dreamlike garden scenery around us.

Despite the towering trees that blotted out the sky, the light here remained soft and gentle. Even the canopies and dangling vines shimmered with faint points of luminescence, creating an undeniably beautiful and fantastical atmosphere.

It felt distinctly different from the other anomalies I had encountered, entirely devoid of any sense of dread.

“Stay here and don’t move. I’ll go scout the surroundings,” Yi Zhiqiu instructed.

“Here, take this. If there’s any danger, it will protect you, and I’ll sense it and return to your aid.”

He then unfastened a string of copper coins from his waist and handed them to me.

The copper coins were strung together with a red cord, tied with a lucky knot at the top. Below, a gourd carved with a Taiji Bagua symbol hung, while five bronze square coins were threaded through the middle.

Each coin was inscribed with one of the characters: Green Emperor Fuxi, Red Emperor Shennong, Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan, White Emperor Shaohao, and Black Emperor Zhuanxu. Every single coin, including the lucky knot and the gourd, pulsed with a spiritual radiance no less potent than my own jade pendant.

Their combined auras resonated and nourished one another, far surpassing any top-tier magical artifact I had ever seen in a feng shui shop.

“Are these the Five Emperors Coins? But shouldn’t the Five Emperors Coins be made from the founding currencies of five unified dynasties, or the imperial coins issued by five consecutive emperors during a prosperous era?” I inquired.

The Five Emperors Coins are considered one of the most fundamental magical artifacts in feng shui. Even ordinary people, unable to perceive spiritual energy, could achieve an effect by stringing the copper coins in the correct order.

I had already learned the basics from my studies. However, the Five Emperors Coins described in my books were explicitly basic artifacts, their effects limited to generating wealth and dispelling evil.

The artifact Yi Zhiqiu had given me, however, was a true top-tier artifact—the most powerful I had ever witnessed, without exception.

“Yes, the ‘two types’ you mentioned are the Greater Five Emperors Coins and the Lesser Five Emperors Coins,” Yi Zhiqiu explained.

“This particular artifact was refined by a Daoist sect. The five copper coins were forged to correspond with the Five Heavenly Emperors. My master gifted this to me when I completed my apprenticeship.”

“That’s your sect’s heirloom, then. Are you really comfortable lending it to me?” I asked, a hint of surprise in my voice.

By my estimation, this small artifact was worth at least several million, not to mention its significance as a gift from his master. Typically, a few Daoist talismans would have sufficed.

“It’s fine,” Yi Zhiqiu replied. “An artifact’s value is only realized when it’s used. Besides, without this level of protection, I wouldn’t be at ease leaving you here alone.”

“Thank you, then. Go on,” I said, gripping the Five Emperors Coins. “I’ll wait here diligently for your return.”

Yi Zhiqiu nodded, turned, and vanished instantly with incredible speed.

In truth, I knew I wouldn’t be in any mortal danger, even without protection. Mo Qingyan had thoroughly explained the anomaly’s structure to me, including its activation conditions, what would happen inside, how to activate it, and even how to exit.

At most, I would suffer a little hardship within this anomaly; my life wouldn’t be threatened. After all, this anomaly was originally created for lovers’ trysts and posed no actual harm.

That’s why I hadn’t brought my Gu worms or Mo Qingyan’s life-saving talisman, to avoid Yi Zhiqiu discovering them. Mo Qingyan herself only carried two magical artifacts.

I wasn’t even in a hurry to leave. I checked my phone—music class was only an hour away. Even if I were trapped here for two or three hours, it wouldn’t matter; it would simply provide an alibi.

The only thing that puzzled me was Mo Qingyan’s assertion that this anomaly was incomplete. She claimed it was merely a ‘half-finished product’ because too few people visited, making its efficiency too low, and thus it could be sacrificed for Yi Zhiqiu to resolve.

Yet, to me, this anomaly seemed remarkably complete. It could independently form its own space, requiring extremely stringent conditions to exit.

Did Mo Qingyan truly believe an anomaly capable of trapping someone like Yi Zhiqiu was still only a ‘half-finished product’? And what exactly did she mean by ‘efficiency’?

What was Liang Xuezhang’s original purpose in creating this anomaly? Yi Zhiqiu also mentioned that these anomalies possessed functionality. What was their true purpose?

I had subtly questioned both Mo Qingyan and Bai Yue, but neither had told me. I could only make wild guesses based on the anomalies I had encountered.

Just then, Yi Zhiqiu, who had departed not long ago, suddenly reappeared before me. He frowned, then turned towards another direction, dashing off again, clearly still probing.

I picked up the Five Emperors Coins he had lent me and began to study them. Each individual accessory on this artifact was already a high-grade artifact, and when combined, their effects amplified, achieving a synergy greater than the sum of their parts.

With seven components mutually reinforcing each other, the overall effect was even greater than ten. I wanted to understand the underlying principle.

I could only discern that despite their differing auras, they harbored no conflict. Instead, they complemented and enhanced the spiritual radiance of each other’s components. Why was this so?

Yi Zhiqiu had returned to the center of the garden. It seemed he still hadn’t found a way to forcibly break out of the anomaly. Mo Qingyan’s confidence in this anomaly wasn’t unfounded.

Yi Zhiqiu then sat cross-legged, his hands pressed to the ground. I watched as his spiritual energy continuously poured into the earth. It appeared he intended to analyze this anomaly. I wondered if he could unravel its secrets.

“Hmm, it truly is a bit peculiar. This anomaly isn’t harmful at all; it’s more like a legendary dating spot, the kind whispered about among couples.”

Yi Zhiqiu said, a hint of awkwardness on his face.

“You actually meant a trysting spot, didn’t you? Like the gym equipment room, the school rooftop, or the swimming pool changing rooms?” I asked with a smile. I had found it quite ridiculous when Mo Qingyan first told me.

“Ahem, something like that. It’s essentially a place that provides such a setting,” Yi Zhiqiu replied, still embarrassed. “I never imagined this school would have an anomaly like this, especially in such a secluded spot. Do many students enjoy coming to this little grove to talk about love?”

“So, Teacher Yi, you’ve encountered this type of anomaly before?” I inquired. From his reaction, he certainly seemed to have quickly grasped the nature of this anomaly.

“You could say so, yes. I’ve seen similar ones in other schools. Why are young people nowadays so open-minded?” Yi Zhiqiu grumbled, sounding vexed.

“You say that as if you’re so much older,” I retorted. “So, Teacher Yi, have you found a way out?” I asked again.

“This… a normal method has indeed been found, but how should I put it… it’s a bit dangerous. It wouldn’t be good to have you use that method. I’ll search for other ways,” Yi Zhiqiu said evasively.

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