In 1934, at Liulichang in Beiping, eighteen-year-old Lin Xiao'an rescues the mysterious old man Hu Wanshan from an ancient tomb's traps late at night. In doing so, he unexpectedly reveals a rare gift: he can understand the “voices” of ancient artifacts.
Hu Wanshan is stunned. This is a once-in-a-million hereditary gift from the Mojin Xiaowei lineage!
His master has been afflicted by a mysterious muteness and can speak only at a quarter past midnight. Silent as a stone during the day, he teaches Lin Xiao'an an ancient craft known as “the trade” deep into the night. Lin Xiao'an thinks he's simply learning the art of tomb raiding, unaware that he has been drawn into a vast and dangerous world.
The circumstances surrounding his father Lin Zhiyuan's death nine years ago remain a mystery. His master Hu Wanshan's true identity is shrouded in uncertainty. The mysterious Nine Gates organization watches from the shadows, while foreign powers plunder China's ancient tombs with abandon. And the man in black, Yue Wuhen, who always appears in moments of danger and vanishes after saying just two words: is he friend or foe?
When Lin Xiao'an enters his first ancient tomb, when the power in his bloodline begins to awaken, and when an ancient being stirs beneath a thousand-year-old seal, he finally understands:
The trade passed down by the founding master is about far more than tomb raiding.
This is a tale of inheritance, secrets, and guardianship in the martial world, and a coming-of-age story of awakening bloodlines and deep bonds between master and student. In this turbulent age, young Lin Xiao'an's adventure is only just beginning...
A legendary tomb-raiding tale set in Republican-era China: the master-and-student bloodline legacy, and the last heir of the Mojin Xiaowei, makes his appearance!
