26 Results in the "Nine Rings" category


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      Nine Rings C09

      Nine Rings C09 Cover
      by MarineTL Chapter 9: Five Masters Our family doesn't have any genealogical records. The origins of my grandfather's craft have only been passed down orally through generations. According to my grandfather, our ancestors were once part of an immense family, as prosperous as the Ningguo Mansion in "Dream of the Red Chamber" at its peak. The exact years of these past events are now impossible to verify. Moreover, it seems their work was somewhat related to imperial tombs. They needed not only to master the I Ching…
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      Nine Rings C08

      Nine Rings C08 Cover
      by MarineTL Chapter 8: Granny Yin I thought Tian Yuqing would arrange for me to ride in the same car as him, but to my surprise, he put me in the second car while he got into the first one. Squinting, I peered into the first car and saw an elderly man with a grizzled beard sitting in the backseat. I found it odd that there was such an elderly person in the group. At his age, enduring such a bumpy journey seemed rather inhumane. I wondered what the rules were. Reluctantly, I climbed into the backseat of the second…
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      Nine Rings C07

      Nine Rings C07 Cover
      by MarineTL Chapter 7: The Strange Team With Fourth Brother not around, I locked the door from the inside and lay down on the bed, reflecting on everything that had happened today, especially that Nine-Ring Jade Casket. When Tian Yuqing asked me to take a closer look the second time, I did notice something I hadn't seen before. On the right side of the casket, there was a faint painting applied with a special kind of paint, which I hadn't noticed at first. I guessed it must be a unique paint that only becomes…
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      Nine Rings C06

      Nine Rings C06 Cover
      by MarineTL Chapter 6: The Beginning of Turmoil After Tan Qiu left, Fourth Brother handed me fifty yuan and sent me off as well. Of course, I was more than happy to take the money. I quickly ran to the street corner stall to enjoy a bowl of cold jelly, and then headed to the supermarket to buy a few toothbrushes. On my way back from the supermarket, I saw the entire production street lined with mobile stalls selling New Year prints and couplets. If there's one thing Henan never lacks, it's people. Every year, the…
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      Nine Rings C05

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      by MarineTL Chapter 5: No Solution I'm a low-key person. Even without Fourth Brother's reminders, I would naturally avoid discussing it. The Outer Eight Trades desperately lack experts in mechanisms. Even a superficial understanding often gets one called upon for tasks, let alone someone like me who has studied for over a decade. Both my grandfather and Fourth Brother are in complete agreement about whether I should enter this field. I tend to oversimplify certain issues, and my grandfather believes I sometimes…
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      Nine Rings C04

      Nine Rings C04 Cover
      by MarineTL Chapter 4: Several Theories Generally speaking, items that are locked tend to be of considerable value. At the time, I had several basic theories, which I will outline here to aid in understanding later on. The first possibility is that the owner of the Jade Casket never intended for anyone to open it a hundred years later, hence the nine silver ring locks. The Nine Rings are locked tightly inside the casket, forming a deadlock. However, there's a glaring flaw in this line of thinking. If the item is…
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      Nine Rings C03

      Nine Rings C03 Cover
      by MarineTL Chapter 3: Nine-Ring Jade Casket The woman's presence was intimidating. As she took her seat, Rogue Tan across from her dared not curse further. Yet his sharp tongue couldn't resist sarcasm: "Oh, Yu Jingzi, tread carefully. While the Central Plains Ying Gan Hall is a fine place, Chen Si might not be inclined to have a candlelit chat with you." His words were laden with meaning, and I understood them well. Reflecting on the situation, something indeed seemed odd. Chen Si and I grew up together, and I…
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      Nine Rings C02

      Nine Rings C02 Cover
      by MarineTL Chapter 2: Fourth Brother's Guest Inside a courtyard on Longshan Road in Langling, Henan, I sat on a long bench, having waited for over an hour. The half cup of tea in my hand had been refilled and cooled numerous times. I checked my watch for the 32nd time, thinking that if no one showed up in ten minutes, I'd buy a train ticket for the afternoon and leave. This private residence was left by my grandfather. It was kept very clean, with a spirit tablet and incense burner on the altar. My grandfather's…
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