Sun Jiuye’s sneer lasted only a moment; he seemed to realize his lapse in composure and quickly tightened his expression, letting out a couple of dry coughs to cover it up. He then said to me, “Don’t be anxious. Haste makes waste; a cornered cat won't catch a mouse. Listen to me finish first. We are in dangerous territory now, and the situation is still unclear. If what I’m about to say wasn’t necessary, I wouldn’t say it, but things have come to this pass, I have to speak. Don’t blame me for criticizing you. I know you’ve always been suspicious, but you can’t just conjure things out of thin air and start thinking wildly. What do you need black donkey hooves for? Do you think I’m some thousand-year-old refined zombie? That’s utter nonsense!”

No matter what Sun Jiuye said now, I believed it was all a pretense. While I didn't know exactly what he was trying to hide, the sudden change in his expression was enough to confirm—this man was certainly harboring evil intentions. Why was he afraid of "black donkey hooves"? What happened to him during the time he was alone in the South Dipper tomb chamber? Only he could understand the ghostly sounds made by the "Ancient Tomb Belly Immortal," and how could anyone easily trust that sense of the Guan Shan Zhi Mi Fu felt under conditions bordering on hallucination?

Questions flooded my mind, deepening my suspicion that Professor Sun was a monster who had crawled out of the ancient tomb; otherwise, why would "corpse worms" keep appearing on him? Thinking of this, I secretly gripped the wooden handle of the entrenching tool, ready to swing down with one chop if his movements showed the slightest anomaly.

At this moment, besides Shirley Yang and me, Fatty and Yaomeizi were completely in the dark, unaware of why the atmosphere had suddenly grown so tense. For a moment, no one spoke; everyone stood motionless on the stone steps of the tomb passage. These few seconds of stalemate stretched out inordinately, as if even the air around us had solidified.

Professor Sun stared at me for a moment, then continued, “Alright, it’s not the first time you’ve doubted me. I admit I used you before, but with such a major event at hand, I’ve come risking my reputation and even my life to search for the Ancient Tomb of Dixian Village with you. We all have our own aims; we are grasshoppers tied to the same rope. What is there I can’t be frank about with you now? As for why there are corpse worms on me, it’s not strange. The tomb chamber and passage are heavy with corpse qi, and there's an underground spring nearby, so the appearance of corpse flies and maggots is quite normal. I have them, and you might too. Can those who open tombs afford to care about such things? The corpse worms won't kill anyone anyway. Now, I, Sun Xuewu, will swear a solemn oath: regarding what happened in Coffin Gorge, if I hide the slightest thing from you, may I shoulder the blame for the rest of my life, never to rise above my station in this life or the next.”

I had no concrete evidence, and since the conversation had reached this point, it was difficult for me to use other tactics against him, but my vigilance did not lessen in the slightest. This couldn't be blamed on my lack of trust; after learning the truth about the Qin Wang Zhao Gu Jing, Professor Sun had long been struck off my list of trustworthy individuals.

However, as Professor Sun also said, both sides currently needed to rely on each other to overcome the numerous obstacles and find the Ancient Tomb of Dixian Village. As for his deeply concealed true intentions, I could not fathom them, but I was certain he held some unspeakable secrets. For a man like Sun Jiuye, who lacked any formal beliefs, even a public oath sounded lighter than a feather.

Sun Jiuye’s speech was enough to fool Shirley Yang. Although Shirley Yang was intelligent and quick-witted, she was not adept at cunning or deception; she tended to view people and events in the best possible light. But I had been tempered into steel through class struggle. If he couldn't maintain a perfect facade in front of me, even the slightest crack would not escape my watchful eyes. How could I fall for his flowery words? I secretly decided to remain silent for now and deal with the matter after we found the Ancient Tomb of Dixian Village.

Having made up my mind, I said to Professor Sun, “The danger in everything is subjective prejudice. Even a sage, if biased in his heart, will surely err in judging people and events, mistaking good for evil. I admit I had some misgivings about Master Jiu before, but thinking about it now, it must have been my overthinking. As long as there are no signs of rigor mortis on you, let’s drop this matter. Shall we go to the ancient tomb’s underground spring now to see the scale of the Wuhou Zang Bing Tu?”

Professor Sun said, “Now that sounds like a sensible person talking.” With that, he strode forward, and I had no choice but to follow. We followed the winding, long tomb passage to a chamber situated at a higher elevation. This room was only slightly smaller than the main coffin hall, built in the shape of a ‘round heaven over a square earth.’ The murals on the walls were well-preserved, seemingly undamaged. The figures in the murals had slender waists, long bodies, and strange attire, appearing much taller than ordinary people. Hundreds of pine-bark coffins were spread out, their planks scattered, revealing skeletal remains within—the funerary objects left after looting. All the remains in the coffins were female, likely the numerous wives of the ‘Yishan Wuling King.’

Behind the hall, a sheer cliff face dropped into the ground, pierced by several ancient stone conduits carved like coiled dragons. Dark spring water surged through them, channeling groundwater toward the tomb's periphery. The spring water rushed with considerable force. Behind the conduits where the azure dragons spewed water was a cave, excavated along the water vein, winding and undulating, with the sound of rushing water echoing from both sides of the walls.

Seeing no 'mechanical traps' in the tomb passage, we figured the 'Myriad Dragons Spitting Water' must be at a place where the water veins converged. We had no choice but to enter the tunnel behind the back wall to trace the source of the water.

This tunnel extended nearly dozens of meters, ending at an open stone door. Beyond the door, we found a rift valley between the underground rock strata, about thirty meters wide, with a smooth, level floor. The ancient walls of the tunnel rose steeply on both sides, occasionally flickering with phosphorescent light. Above them were numerous mine shafts and caves resembling ape nests, densely packed beyond imagination—countless thousands upon thousands. Since we lacked a 'powerful searchlight,' we couldn't see the depths of the underground valley from the stone door.

Judging by the ancient tomb's layout, this underground rift valley might be the main entrance to the 'Wuyang King Ancient Tomb.' Our entry through the 'Mass Grave Cave' was effectively using the back door. However, I hadn't expected the passage leading to the underground palace to be so imposing. Although most of it relied on natural features, a massive amount of labor was still needed for modification. This project would be unimaginable even today. Compared to this, the 'Qingxi Air-Raid Shelter' reconstructed using mine shafts seemed overly simple.

Seeing the depths of the rift valley shrouded in silent darkness, with only the faint, unending sound of water flowing through the mountain, I paused, worried about what dangers lay ahead if we proceeded further. Holding up my 'wolf-eye' light, I swept it around and sucked in a sharp breath when my gaze reached the higher reaches.

Suspended between the towering walls was a massive, thick 'Dragon-Severing Sluice Gate,' about ten meters above the ground. It looked like it could crash down at any moment. Even an armored vehicle in the tunnel would be crushed beneath it, let alone five living people of flesh and blood.

I quickly signaled everyone to step back a couple of paces. Fortunately, we hadn't continued forward; otherwise, if we had triggered a 'mechanism,' the gate falling would not only crush us but also cut off our retreat. If trapped in the tunnel, who knew what peril we would face next?

Yaomeizi noticed a trigram mark on the giant gate and informed me that this gate represented 'Kong Wang' (Void/Emptiness). According to the ancient lore passed down in 'Honeycomb Mountain,' this was one of the Eight Gates of Wuhou. Passing through this gate might trigger the mechanisms of the Wuhou Zang Bing Tu within the formation, unleashing a continuous stream of deadly traps.

I asked Yaomeizi, “Can you be one hundred percent certain? Can you declare that the Wuhou Zang Bing Tu deployment exists in the gorge based on this single gate alone? We are all amateurs when it comes to mechanisms and springs. At this point, we can only trust the inheritor of Honeycomb Mountain, but please don't mislead us; even a slight error could cost lives.”

Yaomeizi retorted, “Don't assume I’m simple-minded just because I’m from the mountains and haven't drunk tap water since childhood. Nine out of ten hidden weapons made in Honeycomb Mountain are fatal. How could I not know their lethality?”

I replied, “I would never look down on you. Tell me first how these mechanisms are arranged?” Yaomeizi took out a highly complex wooden frame from her backpack, from which many small copper plaques hung, marked with symbols like 'Wind Corner,' 'False Solitude,' and 'Kong Wang.' The delicate structure of the frame could be rotated and disassembled, incredibly ingenious, resembling a three-dimensional model used to deduce changes in generation and restraint. By assembling it according to the charts, one could estimate the general layout of this armory gorge. She then used this model to illustrate the positions for everyone.

“The Wuhou Zang Bing Tu is the ancestor of ancient mechanisms. The mechanism well requires irrigation power to activate. The Qin Dynasty used mercury; the Tang Dynasty used wind-powered wood; and during the Song Dynasty, underground rivers were used. Since there are dark rivers on both sides of the valley, it's certain that rolling blades or rotating screws are laid out, driven by the water flow—in plain terms, there must be a 'water wheel' in the subterranean dark river and spring.

If we enter from the bottom of the gate at the 'Kong Wang' position, we are sure to quickly encounter a 'mechanism' that must be triggered. Once this mechanism moves, the Dragon-Severing Sluice Gate will close. Unless you find the 'Sea Eye' within the gorge, you will lose your life to wave after wave of hidden weapons. As for what killing mechanisms are hidden in the valley, they are infinitely varied and hard to predict.”

Shirley Yang said, “Even so, we could try to sever the underground spring from the outside. If those mechanisms and springs lose their irrigation power, they become useless.”

Professor Sun declared this plan absolutely infeasible. What we could think of, the 'Guanshan Taibao' must have already foreseen. According to the Guan Shan Zhi Mi Fu, this tunnel must contain the map of 'Dixian Village.' If the mechanisms stopped, that map would likely be destroyed. There's no time for other thoughts; we must risk entering to find the 'Life Gate' and break the mechanisms. Yaomeizi understands the Eight Gates formation of Wuhou; with her leading us, breaking through the Armory Gorge shouldn't be too difficult. Aren’t her insights all quite on point? But what does that phrase, 'The Life Gate connects, one end to the head, the other to the tail; twenty-four thousand, one hundred and seven,' really mean?”

Yaomeizi replied, “How would I know? The deduction of the life and restraint cycles of the Eight Gates and Five Elements is an innate skill of Honeycomb Mountain, but the Wuhou Zang Bing Tu has been lost for ages. It’s like a treasure chest; Honeycomb Mountain roughly knows the size and dimensions of this box, but we know nothing about what's inside. However, one thing Master Sun just said is correct: if you want to obtain the treasure stored in the valley, you cannot start from the periphery. If the Dragon-Severing Sluice Gate and the underground spring are broken, they will definitely trigger mechanisms like hidden fire, quicksand, or black water. Whatever is in the gorge, all of it will be destroyed at once.”

Hearing this, Professor Sun trembled with agitation, having performed eighty-one bows but missing this last shudder. He had read tens of thousands of books, traveled tens of thousands of miles, endured countless hardships, and suffered myriad suffering in his life. By rights, his knowledge and experience were not shallow; he had even deciphered the ancient cryptic writing carved on dragon bones. Yet, the hidden meaning of "twenty-four thousand, one hundred and seven" stumped him completely; he couldn't figure it out even after racking his brains and banging his head.

Shirley Yang guessed it might be a code, but it didn't feel logical; she made several assumptions but found no clue.

As for this last part of the Guan Shan Zhi Mi Fu, I couldn't tell if it was true or false. While its contents stumped both Sun Jiuye and Shirley Yang, a sudden inspiration struck me: could "twenty-four thousand, one hundred and seven" be referring to something specific? That group of 'Great Ming Guanshan Taibao' certainly loved being mysterious. Perhaps Sun Jiuye and Shirley Yang were overcomplicating things, thus failing to grasp it. But this was something others might overlook, except for me. If my guess was correct, it really proved the old saying—"What is difficult for the unskilled is easy for the skilled."

So, I said, “The depths of this rift valley are dark and pitch-black inside; who knows how it’s arranged? A timid person cannot be a general; you can't catch a wolf without letting go of your child. We might as well take a risky move and go straight in. If the Life Gate of the Wuhou Zang Bing Tu truly corresponds to 'twenty-four thousand, one hundred and seven,' I am confident I can find the 'Sea Eye.' But this dragon’s pool and tiger’s den clearly isn't an ordinary place. If anything goes wrong, we won't be coming back.”

Therefore, I suggested that only Fatty and I should go in; it should be enough for us to handle. The two women should wait outside the tomb gate. If we hadn't returned after three hours, don't bother collecting our bodies. You all should go back the way you came, hold a memorial service, and just burn some spirit money and winter clothes for us two around the Qingming or Winter Solstice.

Fatty said, “Commander Hu, you’re being too heartless! You’re sending yourself to your death and trying to drag me along as your cushion. I can go, but there's one condition: Old Man Sun Jiu must go with us. Otherwise, if I think about the fact that this old man still owes me a Manchu-Han Imperial Feast right before I die, I won’t be able to close my eyes!”

I agreed, “Yes, we must take him.” Just as Fatty signaled he was ready to move, Shirley Yang grabbed me, saying, “Are you trying to run wild again? You always say such reckless things. The mechanisms in ancient tombs are the most vicious; how can you just charge in to commit suicide?”

Professor Sun also chimed in, “Hu Bayi, Wang Fatty, it doesn’t matter if you want to drag me to die with you; my life is worth what? And what are your lives worth? But this concerns the age-old mysteries of Dixian Village, and I cannot allow you two youngsters to act so rashly. On this matter, you must listen to me, not you two.” He added, “Wang Fatty, you are something else too! Why do you follow Hu Bayi’s lead in everything he does? You seem like a man of spirit; why do you always listen to him? This time, you must listen to me and not act blindly on impulse.”

Fatty laughed, “Stop trying to sow discord! Who says I listen to Old Hu in everything? It’s just that our great minds often coincide, so we think alike and work towards the same goal. Besides, do I look like a rash and coarse person? I don't trust much, but I only trust the truth. It’s not impossible for me to listen to you, Old Sun Jiu, but you need to show some extraordinary ability. I think your skill level is even lower than Old Hu’s, let alone compared to Fatty’s! So, it's more appropriate for you to listen to me. Don't try to usurp authority; hasn't the lesson of your failure at Uliastai taught you enough?”

Professor Sun said resentfully, “I may not have many skills, but you two clods, apart from tomb-robbing techniques, may not have any abilities superior to mine. Who listens to whom on a normal day is irrelevant, and I don’t care to contend with you. But this time the matter is crucial; you must listen to my advice. Before we have absolute certainty, we must never easily trigger the mechanisms of the Wuhou Zang Bing Tu.”

Fatty scoffed, “Master Sun Jiu, you talk a big game. Besides tomb-robbing skills, I suspect there’s nothing you excel at. We brothers are masters of all eighteen martial arts. I can name one skill that you won’t be able to pull off in your next life.”

Professor Sun, who had prided himself on surviving numerous hardships throughout his life, often feeling his talents were unrecognized, was provoked now that the conversation had turned adversarial and refused to concede. He asked Fatty what skill, besides tomb-robbing, he possessed that he couldn't accomplish even in his next life.

Fatty pointed at me and said to Professor Sun, “See him? This Master Hu has killed people, living people, and not just one or two. What has he said? Hasn’t he just endured it? Have you ever killed anyone to dare boast in front of our Commander Hu?”

Professor Sun’s expression instantly froze. He never expected such a deed to be mentioned. He stammered in shock, “What? You—you killed people?”

Yaomeizi was also surprised, “Senior Brother, you’ve really killed people? Who was it?”

Being stared at by everyone made my skin crawl, so I had to explain, “It’s absolutely not the kind of murder you’re imagining. When I was on the front lines, fighting battle after battle under a hail of bullets and real swords, how could I not have taken down three or five enemies under enemy fire? If I had been soft-hearted and refused to kill on the battlefield, my comrades and I might have already achieved eternal renown.”

I know what death is; I feel neither fear nor excitement. The baptism of blood and fire taught me to respect death and life more. Therefore, I never want to deliberately seek death, but if the 'Alchemy Cauldron' hidden in Dixian Village isn't retrieved, the South Sea villagers will only face doom. Now, I have no choice but to risk my life, treating it as borrowed, planning to brave the danger to find the 'Life Gate' of the Wuhou Zang Bing Tu.

Professor Sun said, “Good. Since you are confident, let’s go all out. I will go in with you and have these two young ladies wait by the tomb entrance.”

I nodded, about to tell him and Fatty what preparations were needed before entering 'Kong Wang,' when Shirley Yang suddenly stepped forward and asked, “Professor, why are there corpse spots on your face?”

Note: Sea Eye—secret, confidential; implies underlying details that outsiders would never know.

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