The Amusing Adventures of a Directionally Challenged Dad and Daughter-Chapter 124

Chang'an absentmindedly counted the steps—three hundred in total. Was this damn staircase trying to connect to hell?

As they descended, the sound of an underground river reached their ears.

A narrow path led forward, and exiting the cave mouth revealed a cliff. The rushing water came from below, where a crystal-clear stream shimmered, small fish darting playfully through it.

Updat𝒆d fr𝑜m freewebnøvel.com.

The cliff wasn’t too high—at least a fall wouldn’t be fatal, nor would it cause amnesia.

On the opposite shore, another staircase stretched skyward, its end invisible from here.

A swaying iron-chain bridge, sturdy wooden planks laid across it, connected the two sides. They crossed carefully, the bridge creaking underfoot.

This endless staircase—even the steps to an emperor’s throne couldn’t possibly be this many.

They’d just come down, and now they were expected to climb back up? Whoever designed this underground palace must’ve been out of their mind.

At least this ascent wasn’t as brutal as the descent. True to its reputation as the hardest treasure to find, the place concealed a breathtakingly opulent palace.

Winding corridors, carved beams, and painted rafters—every inch was a masterpiece.

How had they managed to keep the place so brilliantly lit?

Seriously, what were the Yuans thinking? Spending fortunes to build a palace underground—what was the point?

Even storing treasures didn’t justify this extravagance. Were they planning for descendants to live down here? Wouldn’t leaving behind wealth be more practical than this underground labyrinth?

"Dad, maybe we should just stay. It’d be a shame to let such a beautiful place go to waste," Chang'an suggested.

"No way. Down here, you can’t even tell day from night. We’re here for treasure, not real estate. Stay focused, kid."

Old Gu Six grabbed Chang'an and shook her, as if trying to rattle some sense into her.

"Dad, if you don’t stop, don’t blame me for sending you into my space early."

The threat was serious enough to make Old Gu Six freeze. He set her down immediately and got back to searching. "With so many rooms and courtyards, this won’t be easy."

"Little Yin, it’s all up to you now," Chang'an said, placing her hopes on the silver wolf.

She plopped onto the steps, waving at Old Gu Six and the wolf. "You two go ahead. Call me when you find something."

Old Gu Six sat beside her, realizing that coming back later would mean retracing their steps. Better to let the wolf scout first.

"Little Yin, you’re our family’s last hope."

Grumbling, the wolf trotted off to work.

Chang'an eyed the flowers in the garden curiously. "Dad, are these real?"

"They are," Old Gu Six replied, his gaze darkening as he studied the vibrant blooms, his expression unreadable.

"But how do they survive without sunlight?" Plants needed photosynthesis—without light, shouldn’t they wither?

"There’s spiritual energy here. The garden has an array." Beneath the stems lay bones, nourished by blood.

Chang'an yawned. All the climbing had drained her. Since the wolf hadn’t found anything yet, she might as well nap.

Leaning against the railing, she drifted off, still wondering how Old Gu Six had spotted the array.

Before she could figure it out, she was out cold.

Old Gu Six carried her into the palace, settling her on a divan and draping his outer robe over her. Before leaving, he tapped her forehead lightly.

In her dream, Chang'an found herself chased by an old man whose face she couldn’t see.

Why was she running?

No idea.

Dream-her was shorter than a winter melon, stubby limbs no match for the old man’s speed.

Damn it, he was catching up! Who the hell made her shrink in her own dream just to get hunted?

Old Gu Six watched his daughter flail in her sleep.

I meant to give you sweet dreams, not a brawl. You’ll wake up exhausted.

He adjusted the robe over her and strode out.

Circling the garden twice, he picked up pebbles and tossed them in different directions.

On the third throw, he paused. Wait, where had he thrown the last one?

South?

No.

North?

Who designed this damn array? Why complicate things with directions? Couldn’t it just be front, back, left, right?

Whatever. Toss pebbles at all four corners. Whether it worked depended on the trapped souls’ luck.

As ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‍the last pebble landed, the garden plunged into darkness. Wails erupted from the array.

Old Gu Six pricked his finger, drawing a golden sigil in the air. With a flick, it sank into the garden.

Light returned. The wailing ceased.

Transparent, fading figures drifted out, confusion etched on their faces.

Old Gu Six clasped his hands and shouted, "Open!"

A chasm-like portal yawned above the souls. He herded them in unceremoniously and slammed the heavy gate shut.

The black gate vanished. The garden’s flowers withered instantly.

He hesitated, then pricked his finger again, sketching another sigil. The blooms revived as if nothing had happened.

Chang'an jolted awake, heart pounding. The old man in her dream had morphed into a monster and swallowed her whole.

"Died at twelve. The end."

Old Gu Six returned to find his daughter wide-eyed and dazed.

What did she dream about? Wetting the bed? Losing to a monster?

Little Yin bounded in, tugging excitedly at his sleeve.

Old Gu Six scooped up Chang'an, grabbed his robe, and followed the wolf.

On the way, he shook her gently. "Wake up, kid. Little Yin found the treasure."

Passing the garden, he glanced at her, then the seemingly normal flowers, and quickened his pace.

Chang'an let herself be carried, too lazy to walk after just waking.

Something felt off. Why had she slept so deeply? And that dream…

Was the palace messing with their minds? That’s creepy.

Better find the treasure and leave before they all lost it.

Of course, she blamed the palace, not her dad.

The treasure was stored in a seven-story pagoda. The first floor was empty. The second held gold, silver, and jewels.

At the sight, Chang'an perked up.

"Dad, put me down!"

The moment her feet touched the ground, she dashed to a box, lifting it to reveal a deep-blue pearl glowing softly.

Old Gu Six opened his mouth, then shut it.

He picked up another box. "These are mermaid tears—medicinal. Keep them and the pearl separate."

"Why would these things be here?" Weren’t these supposed to exist in cultivation worlds?

"Once, this world was a place where one could cultivate immortality, but later, due to certain reasons, the spiritual energy vanished, turning it into an ordinary world.

Humans gradually forgot the memories of cultivation, and spiritual roots and innate talents disappeared without a trace.

A century ago, the Yuan clan must have been an immortal cultivation family, and these artifacts were likely passed down through generations.

As for why their lineage persisted until a hundred years ago before abruptly ending—only the heavens know."

Only these two items were special; the rest were ordinary gold and silver treasures.

Chang'an guessed that the Yuan clan was probably the last of this world’s cultivators, but their arrogance led to divine retribution from the heavens.

She stored everything in her spatial warehouse, filling another half of the remaining space.

They moved to the third floor, which was entirely dedicated to swords—long swords, short swords, flexible swords, every kind imaginable.

Chang'an collected them all into her spatial garage. To her, they were nothing more than scrap metal, but she still asked Old Gu Six for his opinion.

"Dad, do you see any you like?"

"Nope," he shook his head, sharing her view that they were just a pile of useless iron.

Without lingering on the third floor, they proceeded to the fourth, where a single cauldron stood in the center of the room.

"Sweetie, let me have this one—it’ll be perfect for hot pot."