Under the shade of the mountain, the warlord chief Luo Laowai led his troops to transport the treasures. A procession of thousands gathered at the base of the mountain. The terrain there was rugged; even if they perceived the mountain mass above them collapsing, they would certainly struggle to escape completely within a mere moment. The colossal rock, weighing millions of jun, dropped from the bottleneck, its descent accompanied by an overwhelming force that pulverized even towering ancient trees to dust. It was likely that the vast majority below perished instantly.

Hanging suspended in mid-air, Zhezegu raised his head upon hearing Hong Guniang’s words, then looked down. Though he himself had escaped death, his heart was filled with sorrow, realizing how many lives had been extinguished in an instant.

Zhezegu felt a growing numbness in his arm, making it impossible to linger at the edge of the cliff. He hurriedly gestured for Hong Guniang to cling tightly to his back, then deployed the Climbing Armored Worm, adhering to the hundred-ren precipice like a gecko scaling a wall, climbing upward.

Hong Guniang dared not look down any further, simply closing her eyes. All she perceived was the whistling rush of wind past her ears, treading the void, clouds forming beneath her feet, as if ragged mist and fog swept past her in waves, yet her ascent was remarkably steady. She mused that in all her encounters, she had never faced such a perilous and strange situation, and she couldn't help but marvel at Zhezegu’s skill and courage.

The two climbed up the cliff face. As they neared the breach leading into the rear hall of the Dan Palace, members of the Xieling Bandits, using a Centipede Hanging Mountain Ladder, came to receive them. By this time, the survivors, including Chen Xiazi, had already reached the rear hall. The group reassembled, each expressing profound astonishment, having presumed Zhezegu had fallen to his death. This Master of the Earthly Moving Sect truly possessed a formidable destiny.

Seeing the Yuan Dynasty ancient tomb hidden atop the peak, it seemed as if the tomb itself possessed a supernatural intuition: once discovered by tomb raiders, the tomb structure collapsed and fractured from the mountainside, crushing many Xieling bandits. The multitude of thieves speculated about the incident from a superstitious angle, failing to consider that the mountain’s fracture was, in fact, the result of explosive detonation.

Concerned about the casualties among their brothers at the base, they hurriedly turned back out of Bottle Mountain. Upon viewing the shaded side of the mountain, the devastation was undeniable: heavy losses and countless men crushed into flesh patties by the massive stones. Many others suffered grievous injuries, bleeding profusely. Even the formidable warlord Luo Laowai, who held sway over Xiangyin, met his end on the spot, utterly pulverized.

The giant rock from the bottleneck rolled down the slope into a dense forest, far from the shaded mountain area. In the massive crater smashed into the ground, trees, stones, human flesh and blood, along with mules and horses, were mixed into a single, wretched ruin. Those who miraculously survived were all ashen-faced and stunned, showing no reaction even if slapped hard.

Chen Xiazi’s heart sank when he saw the scene, thinking grimly, "Heaven truly intends to destroy me!" The situation he had painstakingly managed for many years seemed to have shattered along with Bottle Mountain. The loss of several hundred men was not negligible, but local warlords were inherently a motley crew; now that Luo Laowai was dead, his tens of thousands of troops were instantly left leaderless. Xiangyin was the stronghold of the Xieling bandits; the gravity of this event was now incalculable. Furthermore, this was the third time raiding Bottle Mountain, with losses accumulating each time. The prestige of the Chief of the Evergreen Mountain Branch was utterly ruined; unless they succeeded in robbing a dozen more great tombs, this deficit could never be recouped.

Truly, it was as the saying goes: "Though the waters of the Xiang River are all drunk dry, they cannot wash away the shame on one’s face." Chen Xiazi was utterly dejected, feeling that his entire life's endeavor and ambition had been utterly wasted in this single day. Success and failure are fleeting; in the blink of an eye, Mount Tai transformed into an iceberg. Contemplating this, a rush of intense anger overwhelmed him, nearly causing him to spit blood.

His subordinates quickly helped him aside to sit, each trying to console him: "Chief Chen’s insight is peerless. Although we suffered a major setback this time, the foundation of Evergreen Mountain remains unshaken; there will surely be a time for a comeback. Didn't the leader always teach us that military success and failure cannot be predicted? Although Marshal Luo has passed on, and his death was tragic, one might say his fierce spirit remains even in death, like Xingtian dancing with shield and axe. It is better for heroes to live than to die, and if they must die, they should die for a great cause and to achieve great fame. As long as the Chief of the Evergreen Mountain Branch is safe, we are merely keeping the green hills, ensuring we have firewood for later."

Chen Xiazi was even more frustrated, seeing that his subordinates were only spouting meaningless platitudes, offering no truly useful advice. He waved them away, inviting only Zhezegu closer. He sighed and spoke to him, "Brother, we swore brotherhood and never failed in loyalty. Now, I am utterly lost and do not know what to do; only you can help me decide."

Zhezegu was a man of supreme intelligence and naturally understood Chen Xiazi’s predicament. The golden chair of the Xieling Bandit Chief was likely unstable now. The best course of action was damage control. In the world of greenwood outlaws, it has always been a matter of rowing upstream; cease progress, and you retreat—turning back is nearly impossible.

The immediate priority was to stabilize the morale of the troops and prevent Luo Laowai’s forces from mutinying and dispersing. The battles between various warlords over territory were fierce; if the troops were not secured, a large-scale desertion might invite neighboring powers, large and small, to exploit the weakness, rendering the Xieling bandits unable to hold their ground in Xiangyin.

Secondly, they had to rob the Bottle Mountain tomb again. Now that the tomb chamber on the peak had collapsed into the dense woods below, it was uncertain if the coffins and funerary objects had been smashed to smithereens. But if this ancient tomb was not emptied, Chen Xiazi would have even less face to show.

Zhezegu agreed to venture alone into the woods to raid the tomb, while Chen Xiazi should direct his subordinates to gather the remnants, comfort the wounded, collect the dead, and dispatch riders overnight to Xiangyin to find the second-in-command of Luo Laowai’s military unit, using certain means to secure his allegiance to Evergreen Mountain, thus stabilizing the situation quickly.

Chen Xiazi responded, "This is a flawless strategy, but that ancient tomb is now completely destabilized. It is too dangerous for my worthy brother to go alone. As the saying goes, a single palm cannot clap; assistance is necessary."

Zhezegu was reluctant to have others accompany him. The methods of the Earthly Moving Sect differed from the Xieling; they never relied on large numbers. For the Earthly Moving Masters, having too many people often hampered their abilities. However, he could not outright refuse Chen Xiazi. In the end, after discussion, they decided only Hong Guniang and the Miao guide would accompany him. Should danger arise, they could fire a signal flare, and the bandits nearby settling the aftermath would immediately rush to their aid.

Hong Guniang was an expert from the Moon Gate sect, possessing exceptional skill in breaking locks and mechanisms, alongside the lethal arts of throwing knives and sleeve darts. Moreover, unlike common bandits driven by immediate gain, she was a capable aide to have nearby. The Miao man, though cowardly as a mouse, was a local native familiar with the terrain, flora, fauna, and lore of Old Bear Ridge. Entering the mountains and traversing the woods depended on him. Motivated by the extra ounces of opium Chen Xiazi had promised him, he immediately risked his life to follow the Earthly Moving Master to the tomb.

Once arrangements were settled and they had consumed some dry rations, night had fallen. Zhezegu and Hong Guniang changed into their black night-crawling attire. The guide brought along a Centipede Hanging Mountain Ladder, and the three strapped bamboo baskets on their backs, containing the Rage Bright Chicken and two other roosters. Seeing the pale moon beginning to rise, casting light as bright as day, they immediately set off.

The fractured mountain mass had rolled all the way to the valley floor, crushing many trees along its path, leaving a landscape entirely of bloodied fragments and no level ground for travel. They had no choice but to detour through the forest on the opposite side. The moonlight that night was as clear as water, so they did not light any lamps, simply extinguishing their horse lanterns and clipping them to their belts. Passing through the forest, the atmosphere was one of deep, profound quiet. After entering the ravine and proceeding a short distance, the sounds of the Xieling bandits gathering corpses and reforming ranks behind them faded away.

On the journey, the three discussed the Bottle Mountain tomb. Hong Guniang took the opportunity to thank Zhezegu for saving her life during the day. Zhezegu dismissed it, feeling it was a minor matter, hardly worth mentioning.

Hong Guniang insisted that saving a life was no small thing. Although she was temporarily taking refuge among the outlaws to escape trouble, following the Chief in lawless pursuits, she had not forgotten the principle of repaying a drop of kindness with a gushing spring in life’s dealings. The Earthly Moving Master had lost two men that day as well, and seeing Zhezegu without any other helpers, she declared her willingness to leave Evergreen Mountain and follow him to various places for tomb raiding, promising that though her strength was modest, she would unflinchingly risk her life to assist.

Zhezegu, being so perceptive, knew from Hong Guniang’s words that she intended to offer herself to him. He felt compelled to state things clearly to avoid unnecessary complications arising from entangled emotions later. Although Earthly Moving Masters sometimes married outsiders, every member of their lineage was afflicted by the evil curse of the Ghost Cave, resulting in very short lifespans.

Hong Guniang felt her face flush as her intentions were seen through. Fortunately, the moonlight obscured it, making it difficult for the irrelevant Miao youth to notice. She quickly steered the conversation to other matters. She cared little for worldly gains or failures, but when it came to hardship, the Moon Gate sect had always been at the bottom of society, subjected to endless exploitation and bullying. Had not many of their performing artists died young, just as the Earthly Moving Masters suffered from the curse? Hong Guniang’s junior sister, Hei Yatou, had died at sixteen. Her entire family of seven, old and young, had been driven to death by the officials. Recalling this brought tears to her eyes uncontrollably.

Zhezegu had no desire to dwell on the harshness of the world, as it was bound to cause despair. He only found it strange that Hong Guniang’s junior sister was named Hei Yatou (Black Girl). The stage names in the Moon Gate seemed oddly based on colors. The Righteous Village near Bottle Mountain was originally a "Grandmother Temple," enshrining Old Lady White. Could that old fox spirit also hail from the Moon Gate? No wonder it could wield illusionary arts.

As they spoke, it was nearing the third watch, the moon high overhead, cloaked in swirling mist, lending an eerie, hazy atmosphere to the dense woods. Zhezegu stopped the other two, leaped up a tall tree to survey his surroundings, locating the position of the giant rock within the forest, all enveloped in a bizarre, thin fog. After observing, he slid down and meticulously questioned the Miao man about the terrain behind the mountain.

The Dong Manzi hastily replied, "May this Brother Mo be informed, beyond the mountain, the forests and valleys overlap, all desolate areas where no people dwell. The naturally formed stone pillars and stalagmites surrounding us are what our Dong people call Huyan (Scepter Rocks). The dense forest area of the Huyan is precisely the Anger Bright Hollow, shaped like a phoenix spreading its wings. The deepest part is said to have been the ancestral cave of the Seventy-two Caves long ago. It seems there are still remnants of stone carvings of Black Birds and Black Bears there; it has been abandoned for a long time, and local people don't pay much attention to this place now." His initial impression of Zhezegu led him to believe this man was the Mo Shigezi (Master Carpenter) Chen Xiazi had invited to assist in tomb raiding. Furthermore, since the local cave dwellers held carpenters in high regard, he continued to address him as Mo Shi.

Zhezegu nodded inwardly, thinking that the Bottle Mountain ancient tomb indeed employed the art of Yansheng (apothecary suppression)—using the Yin energy of the suspended tomb to suppress the auspicious energy of the Yi people's ancestral cave. The Yuan Dynasty's methods of suppression were not uncommon. After the Yuan dynasty overthrew the Southern Song, Yang Lianzhenjia, the Grand Supervisor of Buddhist Affairs in Jiangnan, had completely excavated the imperial tombs of the Southern Song emperors, grinding the bones of several Southern Song emperors into powder, mixing them with the bones of pigs and dogs, burying them in a large pit, and then erecting the Suppressing South Pagoda atop it to suppress the rising spirit of the southern people. This method was a classic example of Yansheng. He also mused, "I wonder if the Yi ancestral cave truly holds any significance. Seeing this thin mist in the forest does not dissipate, I suspect it is not a peaceful place; precaution is necessary."

With this in mind, he motioned for Hong Guniang and the Miao man to tread lightly, slipping through the shadows beneath the trees where the moonlight could not reach. Just then, they heard a chorus of weeping rising from the depths of the woods—a mournful, plaintive crying, like funeral dirges for the dead. Heard in the dense forest at midnight, it was chillingly desolate, raising the hairs on the back of the neck.

The Miao man knew there was absolutely no one else in these mountains; how could there be so much crying? He wondered if the wronged spirits of the ancestors in the ancestral cave were venting their grievances at night. Thinking this, he trembled violently, the hairs on his scalp standing on end, his feet feeling unsteady as if treading on cotton wadding; he was on the verge of collapsing onto the ground.

Zhezegu reached out, grabbed the back of his collar, preventing him from making noise by sitting down, and made a gesture for silence to the other two. He led the way, covering his mouth and nose with a black gauze mask to conceal the breath of the living, then drew his German-made mirrored box-gun, placing his finger near the trigger, keeping it ready to fire at any moment. He gestured the direction to Hong Guniang and the Miao man, signaling them to follow closely behind, and then he stealthily led the way, moving cautiously toward the source of the miserable wails in the woods.