I Cultivated Too Long and Got Isekai'd Into a Game-Chapter 208: Favors and Footprints

Zetian’s name being included in this world’s records wasn’t a simple matter.

Xu Tao frowned, eyeing the row of books before him as he pondered. After reading all the books here, he had touched on the shallow history of this world. And from it, he was able to surmise that...

"Searching for the place where your past life’s body is entombed wouldn’t be an easy matter."

Even with all the information he read, not a single one of it hinted at the location, after all.

Of course, Xu Tao had already searched the entire planet with his Divine Sense. However, as he expected, he found nothing. This led him to only two conclusions: either there was no lingering Qi or traces for him to glean to hint at the location, or the tombs were protected by a veil that prevented his senses from seeing beyond it.

"U-Uhm... Excuse me..."

But all of a sudden, a fearful voice interrupted his train of thought. Looking over his shoulder, past Zetian who was still reading the books he gave her, was a familiar woman. She was the receptionist who Xu Tao had talked to upon entry.

"Yes?" he asked casually. "What’s the matter?"

"Ah, actually... Y-You have a call, Sir Xu Tao..." she said, hands trembling as she extended her hand holding a smartphone.

Xu Tao had seen that device before. However, it was, of course, his first time touching one. You might think he’d fail to understand the purpose of the device but... thankfully, he had seen hundreds, if not thousands, of people using this device around him.

He was quite sure how to use it, especially since it was a "call" coming from someone.

He carefully took the phone, touch as light as a feather to not accidentally snap it in half—and brought the device near his ear.

"Hello?" he asked, parroting the same phrase everyone used in this situation.

[Ah, my friend! Looks like you’ve made quite a mess in the library...]

"Hmm?" Xu Tao furrowed his brows, thinking.

The voice sounded weird since it was coming out of the phone’s speaker. As such, he couldn’t figure out the other party’s identity at once... but the words he used and his tone did give a large hint.

"Is this Alexis?" he asked.

[Of course, it’s me. Who else?]

The other party answered, scoffing at the "joke."

"I see... But how did you know I was here?" Xu Tao asked, curious.

He had left the hotel alone earlier. Although Zetian was able to follow him, it was strictly due to him being nearby and within the range of her Divine Sense. However, Xu Tao was sure Alexis’s senses wouldn’t be able to glean his location so easily.

[Hahaha! You used the VIP Card, didn’t you? Whenever it’s used, I am notified about it.] Alexis explained casually. [I didn’t think you’d use it on a library of all places though!]

From his words, apart from the VIP Card’s usage notification, he was also aware of all the happenings within the entire city. That included the "Poltergeist Incident" that had just happened in the library.

Since he knew Xu Tao was there, and that a poltergeist appeared (apparently), he quickly figured out the truth behind the matter—as easy as one plus one.

"I see..." Xu Tao nodded.

Then, his lips slowly curled up into a thin smile. "Looks like you’ve got quite the information network, huh?"

[Of course, I do! Even like this, excluding you, my friend, and the two beauties with you, I’m the strongest Cultivator in the world, after all!]

"Good, good. Then, can you help me find something?"

[Not to brag, but there’s nothing in this world that I can’t find, my friend!]

Xu Tao nodded, as if the other person could see him. "Then, help me find a tomb."

[...Huh?]

Searching for a tomb shouldn’t be a hard task.

Alexis thought that way at first... until he heard that the tomb Xu Tao was looking for wasn’t just anyone’s grave. It was the first Empress of Shenzhou—Wu Zetian’s tomb!

As soon as he dropped the call, he turned toward the people present before him.

"Alright, everyone. You all should’ve heard what I need."

Standing across from his work table, lined up in a neat row, their expressions were firm and professional, regardless of age or gender.

Despite their wide demographics, they all possessed one similarity: all of them were experts in information gathering!

"I want exact information on the location of Wu Zetian’s tomb! I don’t want uncertain info, only cold hard facts!" Alexis raised a finger and commanded. "I’m giving you all one day to complete the task. Don’t mind the expenses and use as much budget as you need."

"Yes, sir!"

All of them saluted, not even questioning Alexis further about their task. After all, they already got the information they needed from him—their task, their time limit, and allowance.

Within moments, all of them rushed out of the door, leaving Alexis behind. They all went to do their jobs as soon as possible. After all, one day to search for an ancient tomb definitely wouldn’t be an easy task.

"Phew..." Alexis let out a soft breath, crossing his arms behind his head while staring out of the glass panel walls beside him. "Still, I wonder... why is he searching for an ancient tomb?"

Curiosity gnawed at him, but he carefully shook his head.

"No, I’d rather not think about it," he muttered. "If my friend is willing, then he’ll surely tell me about it."

Alexis stood up and walked out of his room. Although Henrietta’s party was canceled, it wasn’t like he was any less busy than any day, after all.

He threw the thought about the tomb out of his head, fully entrusting it all to the informants he commanded.

Sooner or later, Xu Tao should get the information he’s looking for.

🔷🔷🔷

After finishing his library visit, Xu Tao returned to the hotel where the girls were left behind. Of course, Zetian was with him when they went back—there was no point leaving her behind if they were going toward the same place, anyway.

"Ah!" Jehanne, seeing them appear out of thin air, gasped with a finger pointed. "You two, where did you go? You weren’t up to no good, were you?!"

Xu Tao walked forward, ignoring her voice for a moment. His destination was the bedside, checking up on the still sleeping Henrietta.

Seeing that she was in a stable state, he felt relieved.

"It’s nothing much," Xu Tao finally replied. "I was just out to gather knowledge about this world. After all, we will be staying here for a good while."

Jehanne raised a brow, dubious. "Information?"

"Yes. That’s why I went to the library nearby and read all the books stored there."

"Really...?" she asked one last time, stretching the last syllable in doubt. "You weren’t doing anything ungodly, were you?"

"Hmm? Like what?"

"Huh?"

Suddenly having the ball returned to her, Jehanne’s mind churned. "This" and "that" flashed in her mind, along with the lessons the dark elves gave her long ago. Such vivid memories naturally made her cheeks blush, her eyes turning to the side in awkward silence.

"My Emperor isn’t like a dog in heat who’ll get laid at every block, little girl." Zetian chuckled, covering her mouth with her black folding fan. "Though of course, I would never refuse if he ever lusts for my body."

"That’s not gonna happen."

Xu Tao quickly declared, stopping them before they even started to fight.

"Anyway, I truly was at the library. Zetian was there, and even Alexis knew about it." He continued explaining. "But more than that, I actually found some interesting information."

"Interesting information?" Jehanne parroted his words, pushing aside her doubt for now.

"Yes," Xu Tao nodded. "Although it’s too early to tell, there’s a chance this world is actually where Zetian lived her entire past life."

"What...?"

Of course, Zetian’s story was no stranger to Jehanne. After all, they had already shared snippets of their pasts with each other. Thus, Jehanne was aware of how Zetian once died and reincarnated into the cultivation world, before coming to Alkryon through the Lost System’s gacha.

But more than that...

’Doesn’t that mean this is also Sir Tao’s past life world?!’

Although it bugged her, she couldn’t completely deny Zetian’s claims about Xu Tao being the Emperor—Zetian’s husband—in their past life. After all, she had seen memories of Xu Tao’s past lives during the trials at the Tower of Broken Languages.

This piece of news instantly made her interested in the topic.

"That’s amazing!" Jehanne exclaimed. "Then, what are you planning next? Visit the place you stayed in your past life?"

Xu Tao shook his head gently. "That, we don’t know yet. Although Alexis is helping me with finding the location of Zetian’s crypt, since there’s something I want to confirm there..."

"Sir Tao..."

Of course, the thing he wanted to confirm was... his own remains.

Past life or not, as long as it was the body that contained his soul before, he should be able to find something out from it.

Whether it be the memories of his past life, or something else, he had no way of knowing just yet.