No one has ventured into the Chaoxian Tomb, and they are unaware of the sacrifices my father and second uncle made behind the scenes in pursuit of the "truth." Only I know how crucial the clues from this small porcelain bottle are, finally exposing the person who has been hidden behind the scenes.
Big Head looked at the strand of hair, curious, and asked, "Is this necromancy truly so malevolent?"
I replied, "Necromancy has many schools, especially prevalent in Nanyang. There's a folklore about Tang Dynasty monk Sanzang seeking scriptures in India. When passing through the territory of Annam, he was carried into the river by a giant turtle spirit. While they managed to retrieve much, only the 'Great Vehicle Sutras' were recovered, while another part, known as the 'Oracles' or 'Lesser Vehicle Sutras,' floated away with the water. It's said that this 'Oracles' is what we now know as necromancy."
Zhao Min questioned, "Are you saying that the scriptures Sanzang retrieved contained necromancy?"
I said, "It's all legend; I can't say for certain. However, I also know another explanation, heard from an old master specializing in this history in the Qin Han Hall. During the Qin Dynasty, after Emperor Qin Shi Huang unified the world, he ordered sorcerers to contribute the secret of immortality. We know that the Bashu region has a long tradition of Daoism. Previously, it was not Daoism but 'Guishan' that flourished there. Even now, some ancient texts mention that Bashu was the birthplace of ancient witchcraft. Among the local Qiang people, the sorcerers who drove away ghosts and demons held great power. How 'Guishan' transformed into 'Daoism,' I don't know, but regardless of the path, as long as it gained fame, seekers pursued it. Through the dissemination of these people, witchcraft evolved into the necromancy we know today."
Big Head grimaced, saying, "The more you talk, the more mysterious it gets. It might even involve the Jade Emperor. In my opinion, regardless of its origin, it's just a harmful thing."
I interrupted him, "Enough. We haven't encountered anything supernatural, have we? Let's focus on finding a way out of this tomb."
As we explored, Zhao Jun asked about our next move, and I, feeling increasingly vexed by the maze of "beehive" chambers, pointed in a direction, gritting my teeth, "Let's walk in a single direction; I refuse to believe we won't find a way out."
After running for more than ten minutes, just as we were on the brink of despair, we entered a chamber that was different. On the floor lay scattered coffins, along with some objects like hemp ropes and wine flasks.
I exchanged glances with Big Head, signaling that we had found it. This was probably the place where Yushan's team had made their final retreat, encountering something here that prevented them from moving forward.
Approaching the coffins, we discovered something peculiar. Although they followed the traditional structure of wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, higher at the head and lower at the feet, each coffin was seamlessly crafted, forming a perfect unity.
Seeing Zhao Min looking over, I pretended to ponder for a moment, shaking my head, "I can't determine what this is. Big Head, have you encountered something like this before?"
He couldn't figure it out either, saying, "This thing is quite strange. If not for its shape, I would have thought it was a weight."
I jokingly said, "Then ask the owner inside. Can't your 'corpse summoner' communicate with spirits and inquire about Yin and Yang?"
This was an old saying. It was rumored that corpse summoners, who dealt with the dead since childhood and possessed Yin-Yang eyes, had to rectify injustices for the deceased, ensuring they could rest in peace.
Big Head rubbed the ring on his hand, saying, "Don't underestimate it. This ring has been passed down for generations in our family. It was said to be as white as snow originally, but after many exhumations and exposure to corpse energy, the bead on top turned black."
"Actually, only pure black can be called the 'Coffin Ring' or 'Ghost Eye.' There are probably not many genuine ones on the market. Our boss searched for a long time back then," Zhao Min added.
Big Head unexpectedly said, "Experts indeed. I used to know someone with a Ghost Eye. After a few years of exhuming corpses in Hong Kong, when he returned, he went crazy. It's said that disturbing graves damages Yin virtue, and those who do it don't have a good ending. But when I went to see him, I found that his Ghost Eye had turned red. It was definitely a sign of encountering an ominous coffin."
I found his story a bit exaggerated but urged him, "Enough with the talk; ask the owner inside what the deal is."
Big Head, being provoked, patted his chest and said, "Today, I'll open your eyes, my friends."
In an unusual solemn expression, Big Head approached the coffins, clasped his hands together, and chanted something. Then, he used his left hand, with the Ghost Eye, to lightly tap the coffin lid three times.
"Dang, dang, dang."
Everyone quieted down, observing the ancient ritual of questioning corpses. I felt a bit nervous, silently hoping there would be no response. But at the same time, I was eager to witness the legendary questioning of the dead.
Big Head, holding his breath, stared at the coffin. Fortunately, there was silence, and after a while, he exhaled, his face reddened, "Phew, nothing unusual in the coffin. We can take its wealth."
I rolled my eyes, mocking him, "Oh, impressive. Such a vigorous performance, but it's too difficult to learn. Your skill is truly unparalleled."
Big Head, sensing my sarcasm, was about to retort when suddenly, the coffin behind him made a "thud" sound.
Listening to this, my whole body stiffened, and damn, Big Head had actually awakened the occupant of the coffin. Even he looked nervous, standing there and whispering, "Did I mishear something?"
As if responding to him, the coffin emitted several more "thud" sounds, and simultaneously, several wrist-thick square timbers shot out from all sides of the coffin, creating a gap of about one centimeter on the previously seamless lid. The interior also fell silent.
We all took a step back, and Zhao Jun swiftly drew the short knife from his waist. Big Head, not holding back, took out a black donkey hoof from his bag, spat on it twice, and said, "It seems that the heavens are determined to give us some wealth today. Whether it's black or white, let's take it down first."
The cave became extremely quiet as Zhao Jun kept his eyes on the coffin, saying, "Should we strike first to gain the upper hand?"
Just as he spoke, the coffin board made a sharp "creak
" sound, being pushed open slowly. I broke out in a cold sweat, realizing that this ancient corpse was almost identical to the one we had encountered outside earlier, including the tattered armor. Back then, it was this type of armor that blocked the burst of arrows aimed at Big Head.
"Corpse soldiers!" I suddenly blurted out these two words. This tomb certainly held the immortal army of the Fox Barbarian King.
Moreover, I understood. If Big Head truly awakened the corpse soldiers, Yushan's team wouldn't have needed to go through the trouble of moving everything. I believed that they initially faced a situation similar to ours, so they sealed these corpse soldiers in the iron statues. Coupled with the mechanism coffin that opens from the inside, I was certain these corpse soldiers were prepared for intruders like us.
Regardless of who it was, anyone attempting to enter the Fox Barbarian King's Spirit Platform had to overcome these corpse soldiers. Now, the only mystery was, under what conditions did these corpse soldiers revive?
In my momentary daze, Big Head had already rushed past me, "What are you standing still for? Waiting for them to shut our eyes permanently?"
Due to my brief lapse, I became the last one, and the ancient corpse had already stepped out of the coffin, less than five steps away from me. That indescribable smell enveloped my lungs.