In the desolate and dark expanse of space, nine massive dragon corpses lay scattered, their bronze coffins ancient and grand, as if they had existed since the dawn of the universe.
Several days had passed, but the mysterious signals embedded in the bronze patterns remained indecipherable. There was still no reliable way to "retrieve" the coffins and bring them back to Earth.
"It's moving!"
"It's deviating from its orbit, sinking!"
At that moment, several astronauts aboard the International Space Station saw the dragon coffins slowly begin to descend, their pupils narrowing in shock. The Nine Dragons' Coffins were drifting off course and descending slowly.
Mount Tai, majestic and profound, stands as the highest of the Five Great Mountains, renowned as the number one mountain in the world.
Since ancient times, Mount Tai has been regarded as a sacred symbol. Located in the easternmost part of the ancient Central Plains, surrounded by the Yellow River and the Wen River, it was once seen as the birthplace of the sun and the nurturing ground for all living things.
No mountain is greater, no history more ancient!
Mount Tai's grandeur is profound, with a history dating back to the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. It is a place of great reverence, close to the divine.
"To approach heaven's heights, a sacrificial rite is performed on Mount Tai to worship the gods," said ancient texts.
The powerful Qin Emperor, Qin Shi Huang, and the great strategist Emperor Wu of the Han dynasty both held grand sacrificial ceremonies on Mount Tai.
Before them, in the pre-Qin era, seventy-two emperors had also performed sacrificial rites on Mount Tai.
In the ancient text Guanzi: The Sacrifices to Mount Tai, it is written: "In ancient times, Emperor Wu of the Huai clan sacrificed on Mount Tai, as did Fu Xi, Shennong, the Yellow Emperor, Emperor Yao, and Emperor Yu..."
For countless ancient sages and emperors, Mount Tai was a sacred place to perform rites, shrouding it in mystery and an eternal aura.
During the Spring and Autumn period, Confucius traveled frequently to Mount Tai in search of ancient sacrificial relics, yet he left with regrets, unable to find any answers. When his disciples inquired, he was left speechless.
Later generations made some discoveries.
In the 20th year of the Republic of China, General Ma Hongkui led his troops to camp at the foot of Mount Tai and accidentally uncovered a five-colored earthen altar, inside which were two jade tablets sealed with "stone mud and golden ropes," hidden underground.
The reason ancient emperors performed sacrifices here remains a mystery to this day, one that may never be solved.
After resting for a night at a hotel, Ye Fan and his group began their ascent of Mount Tai.
Among them, many were visiting for the first time, and only by coming to the mountain could one truly feel its vastness and grandeur.
The mountain has a three-tiered stepped geological structure, resembling a stairway to the heavens, facing south, with a mountain body that stretches open, a ten-kilometer-long path leading to the peak.
Whether viewed from afar or up close, one can feel the immense power and grandeur, stirring the heart.
In the face of Mount Tai's vastness, there's a strange illusion that one is but an insignificant speck, even the sun, moon, and stars seem inconsequential.
It's a breathtaking feeling, a reverberation deep within the soul.
As the tour guide spoke about the ancient sacrificial rites, people's thoughts wandered, for humanity has always been drawn to the unknown and the mysterious.
Li Xiaoman and Cade walked side by side, continuously translating and explaining, which made the young American Cade even more amazed by Mount Tai, asking questions without end.
Liu Yunzhi glanced at Ye Fan, then at the two ahead, his expression somewhat disappointed, as Ye Fan seemed to completely ignore him.
In truth, Ye Fan hadn't even noticed him, and he remained calm.
Ye Fan had just finished reading the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon and, pondering on the ancient emperors who once performed sacrificial rites on this mountain, he suddenly entertained an absurd thought. Could it be that an ancient civilization had vanished? If so, Mount Tai would certainly have been a sacred site during that time.
But he quickly shook his head, dismissing the thought. He realized that it had been too dull lately, which led to such a wild idea.
Mount Tai's ancient pines were lush, and numerous springs and waterfalls adorned the landscape. The mountain was grand yet filled with delicate beauty, shrouded in mist, adding a layer of mystery and depth.
As they ascended, the group passed countless famous landmarks and inscriptions, all of which were awe-inspiring.
From the sacrificial grounds and the imperial palace at Dai Temple to the Jade Emperor's summit, a ten-kilometer axis was formed, connecting the underworld, the human realm, and heaven.
By evening, the group finally reached the peak of Mount Tai—the Jade Emperor's Summit—where they looked down upon the mountains below and gazed toward the Yellow River, fully understanding the meaning behind Confucius's words, "Climbing Mount Tai makes all other mountains look small."
"To stand on the highest peak and survey the world!" The poet left behind this timeless verse.
At that moment, the setting sun cast golden edges on the peaks, shimmering like precious treasures.
Such a scene was intoxicating.
Suddenly, several dark dots appeared in the sky, gradually growing larger, accompanied by the sound of thunder and wind.
Nine enormous creatures descended from the heavens, like nine black rivers falling, and at that moment, everyone on Mount Tai froze, their expressions frozen in shock.
It was the corpses of nine massive dragons, pulling a bronze coffin toward the peak of Mount Tai.
Dragons, mythical beings that stand alongside gods, defy the laws of nature. But with scientific progress, who would still believe that dragons really existed?
The tourists on the mountain, stunned, held their breath and even forgot to scream.
There was a brief silence, followed by a surge of chaos as everyone on Mount Tai panicked, rushing in all directions to avoid the approaching dragon corpses.
It was a stunning sight—a scene of awe and terror—against the backdrop of a blood-red sunset, the Nine Dragons pulling a coffin toward Mount Tai!
The terrified screams, the cries of helplessness, filled the air as people fled in panic.
The Nine Dragons' Coffins did not fall with incredible speed, but when they hit the ground, they still caused a tremendous shake at the summit of Mount Tai.
"Boom!"
The nine massive bodies crashed down like nine mountain ranges, causing the Jade Emperor's Summit to crack, with rocks flying and dust filling the air.
The bronze coffin hit the ground with a loud clang, shaking the mountain as if an earthquake had occurred. Many rocks tumbled down the mountain, creating a deafening sound like an army on the march.
Many people were struck by falling rocks, their bodies mangled, tumbling down the mountain, their terrified cries echoing through the chaos.
When the shaking subsided, the mountain quickly returned to calm, but Mount Tai was already in disarray. Many people had fallen during their flight, the scene was chaotic, and many were bloodied, fleeing in panic.
The nine dragon corpses, each a hundred meters long, lay quietly across the peak, half their bodies hanging over the cliffs, like a black steel wall, imposing and visually striking.
The summit of Mount Tai had been shattered, the ground marked with terrifying cracks.
The twenty-meter-long bronze coffin, ancient and unadorned, was covered in faint, ancient patterns, exuding a sense of time's passage, with a mysterious aura swirling around it.