Seeing the decline of the world and the tyranny of the current Emperor, Feng Shigu, in a fit of pique, used illness as an excuse to return to his ancestral home. Two hundred years passed, and the court had long since stopped paying much attention to the old affairs of the "Hongwu era," so Feng Shigu was permitted to return to his native soil.

The Feng family's establishment in Wushan remained, their income derived mainly from mining the Wuyan salt veins. However, Feng Shigu cared nothing for wealth. After returning home, besides using fire to refine medicine and deduce hexagrams from past events, he often used the guise of wandering the four seas. He would lead his subordinates to raid ancient tombs across various regions, utterly absorbed in collecting the rare treasures and mystical artifacts buried alongside the deceased.

One year, Feng Shigu suddenly recalled an ancestral instruction that warned his descendants: the Feng family had built their fortune and become a prominent clan by raiding tombs in "Coffin Gorge" and stealing the "Dunjia Heavenly Scroll" from the hanging coffins. Yet, how many thousands of coffins, both overtly displayed and secretly hidden, lay within that "Coffin Gorge"? Deep within those mountains slumbered a vast mausoleum, one that absolutely must not be touched, lest it invite the destruction of the entire clan, for within it lay the "Corpse Immortal."

Feng Shigu was afflicted with the "addiction of grave robbing" and constantly pursued the "obsession with seeking immortality." Once this idea took root, not even ten thousand Vajra Arhats could subdue him. The thought that a mysterious, ancient tomb of the Wuyang King lay right at his doorstep made him cast his ancestor's warnings to the wind. He immediately led his retinue into the mountains to plunder the tomb. Unexpectedly, within the "Wuyang King Ancient Tomb," he encountered things he could never have dreamed of.

The Qingxi Feng clan all knew that Feng Shigu had seen something profoundly mysterious inside the "Wuyang King Ancient Tomb"—something rumored to be of the most ancient provenance. But the true situation remained unknown to anyone for centuries, save for Feng Shigu himself; even those closest to him knew nothing.

According to the legends passed down through generations of the Feng family, after Feng Shigu successfully plundered the ancient tomb in "Coffin Gorge," he returned home and sealed himself away. Three months later, he suddenly proclaimed that he had attained the "Great Dao" and declared that a vast catastrophe was impending for the world. He claimed that within "Coffin Gorge" lay a place one could obtain, comparable to the "Peach Blossom Spring" where the Qin people took refuge from chaos—a veritable "Immortal's Dwelling."

Feng Shigu declared himself an "Earth Immortal" and resolved to widely save the mortals of the world. He employed every artifice and ingenuity, undertaking massive construction deep in the mountains to build the "Earth Immortal's Yin Abode," into which he deposited every treasure plundered from his ancestors' tomb raids. After more than a decade, the endeavor was complete. He then informed the populace that to gain a "body of wind and bones of cloud, capable of entering and exiting without existence, ethereal and tranquil," they must first renounce their mortal, "fleshly and heavy" bodies. Only those willing to be "buried alive" within the tomb could achieve immortality. They were promised that after several centuries of attaining the Dao, they could return to the world with the Earth Immortal and save everyone, achieving a monumental merit.

At that time, the Guanshan Taibao held immense prestige in the Wushan Qingxi area, having been officially appointed by the Royal Court. Especially since Feng Shigu was adept at witchcraft and sorcery, nine and a half out of ten households believed him. Foolish men and women were eager to learn the art of "Guanshan Deciphering the Maze" from him. Those who studied this art of illusion and obfuscation faced many taboos: first, they feared black dog's blood; second, they feared black donkey hooves; and third, they feared cinnabar. Upon encountering these substances, the true practitioners would find "their movements exposed, their courage utterly shattered."

Although "Guanshan Deciphering the Maze" appeared profound, it was nothing more than techniques like "swallowing talismans to command water, and paper soldiers for armor and chariots." Most of these methods were derived by Feng Shigu's ancestors from the Dragon Bone Heavenly Scroll found in the hanging coffins of "Coffin Gorge." Nicely put, they were ancient occult arts; plainly spoken, they were "evil sorceries used to deceive the masses."

But in that era, the more "heretical" the practices, the more effectively they could "bewitch the populace." Thus, when Feng Shigu announced his intention to save people and grant them passage, followers flocked to him—some seeking immortality, others seeking refuge from disaster. Most of the local men, women, and children followed him into the "Earth Immortal Village."

A smaller faction of the Feng family refused to "seek immortality," and the "Earth Immortal Feng Shigu" did not coerce them. He merely instructed them to guard the entrance to the ancient tomb and leave behind the "Guanshan Deciphering the Maze Ode" for future descendants, strictly forbidding them to reveal the secrets, especially to the "Mojin Xiaowei." Leaving behind this unique "secret path" was a contingency, should future Feng descendants fall into trouble, allowing them to gather mortals and seek refuge in the "Immortal's Dwelling" within Coffin Mountain. If only they had destroyed the Mojin Talismans back then, they wouldn't have to go through such trouble now.

Feng Shigu's planning was meticulous. Although the mists of Coffin Gorge locked the dragon (ley lines), making observation by the "Wang" (gaze) technique difficult, he still left behind the obscure and challenging "Guanshan Deciphering the Maze Ode." Even so, he was not entirely at ease. He also laid out the "Nine Deaths Startling Ridge Armor" in the vicinity—a strange and unpredictable esoteric art obtained by Feng ancestors during their "Guanshan tomb raiding." Most descendants did not know of it. Those who usually attempted to approach the "Earth Immortal Village Yin Abode" were trapped and killed by the "Nine Deaths Startling Ridge Armor." This armor was arranged according to the secret cycles of the Earthly Branches; its "Gate of Life" opened for only three days in a specific month of the Rat Year, every twelve years (or Ji). The corresponding dates and months of the cycle shifted continuously, making it impossible for outsiders to deduce. It was specifically designed to counter the "Mojin Xiaowei" who searched for tombs and tracked dragons.

Among those who ultimately did not enter the "Earth Immortal Village Ancient Tomb" were Feng Shigu's own paternal uncles and brothers. According to the family tree’s generational ranking, both he and Feng Shigu belonged to the "Shi" (Master) generation; his name was "Feng Shiqi." The "Guanshan Waist Tally" bestowed by Emperor Hongwu was passed down to the "Shi" generation, and he possessed one.

Feng Shiqi's branch line remained outside the mountains because he believed the "ancestral precepts" must not be violated. He felt that rashly entering the Yin Abode of Coffin Mountain would inevitably lead to a cataclysmic disaster sooner or later, so he moved his entire family away from Sichuan.

Feng Shiqi was also a highly discerning master. Before his death, he personally told his descendants that Coffin Gorge indeed harbored a Corpse Immortal. Within the mountain belly, there were two sites of excellent Feng Shui. One, smaller one, resembled a "human head." In ancient times, it had been built into a subterranean palace for burial by the "Mountain-Shifting Prince Wuling."

According to the principles of Business Feng Shui, this dragon pulse shaped like a human head was a "place of fierce malevolence," suited for burying tyrants. To purge the accumulated fierce energy from the earth veins, an extremely large number of living people had to be buried alive. Hence, the bodies of those sacrificed in the ancient tomb were stacked layer upon layer, and the surrounding burial area was densely populated with hanging coffins. The exact number was now impossible to gauge. It could be said that every brick, every inch of soil within the tomb, was saturated with the essence of death.

After that tomb was plundered by the "Earth Immortal Feng Shigu," the murderous aura within the tomb was broken. However, Feng Shigu discovered numerous bronze ritual vessels among the burial goods, realizing there was an even larger, superior Feng Shui site within "Coffin Gorge." This site was buried deep in the mountains, shaped like a colossal, lidless sarcophagus. Curiously, the stone walls surrounding the interior, resembling coffin planks, were adorned with dragons and phoenixes, yet these were not artificial carvings but formations created by natural weathering and erosion. Inside this canyon-like stone coffin, the terrain rose and fell, covered in strange flowers and exotic grasses. Stranger still, within this area that resembled a stone coffin, lay a "headless corpse," corresponding across the distance to the "head" buried beneath the earth.

This "Coffin Mountain" had existed since the separation of "Heaven and Earth," present in the world for eons. At the time of primal chaos, when the world was first divided, there were no people in existence! Let alone a coffin. Therefore, that deep-buried "Coffin Mountain" and the "headless corpse" could not have been the work of human hands but were achievements of "supernatural craftsmanship"—naturally formed and self-contained, embodying the wonders of Heaven and Earth's creation.

Considering that the land of "Wu Gorge Bashan" had revered the "Witchcraft Cult" since ancient times, the "Coffin Mountain" hidden beneath the earth was discovered very early on. This led to the persistent custom in the vicinity of "burying coffins to dispel evil," causing the mountain to become heavily imbued with the miasma of death. By the Sui and Tang dynasties, local rumors even claimed a "Corpse Immortal" was buried in Coffin Mountain, though no one had ever actually seen what this "Corpse Immortal" was.

Feng Shiqi believed until his death that the "Immortal Way" was ultimately ethereal and illusory. Even if true immortals existed, an ancient corpse could never transform into one. A zombie was merely an object that remained un-decayed after death in the mortal realm. The things in Coffin Mountain were either demons or devils, certainly not "true immortals." But the leader of the Guanshan Taibao, Feng Shigu, was determined to build his Yin Abode within Coffin Mountain to search for the "Corpse Immortal," leaving no room for his sound advice.

Feng Shiqi suspected that Feng Shigu's staunch conviction was because his mind had been ensnared by spirits after plundering the "Wuyang King Ancient Tomb"; he had likely fallen into a demonic delusion. Furthermore, Feng Shigu’s demeanor and actions were already drastically different from those of a living person; the color of his complexion was practically that of an ancient tomb zombie. When his earnest persuasion failed, Feng Shiqi could only choose self-preservation, leading the remaining people to leave their homeland. Before dying, he left a will instructing his descendants to seize an opportunity, following the "Guanshan Deciphering the Maze Ode," to secretly enter the "Earth Immortal Village Ancient Tomb" and ascertain the truth. If Feng Shigu had indeed transformed into a demonic entity, they absolutely had to find a way to eradicate him. Otherwise, although the terrain of "Coffin Gorge" was remote and hidden, sooner or later people would excavate it from the deep mountains. If there truly was a "Corpse Immortal" within that tomb, its entry into the world would bring endless future calamities.

Feng Shiqi was inherently an unusual person with certain skills; he had even participated in the construction of the "Earth Immortal Village." When he moved his entire family from "Qingxi," it coincided with a period of widespread banditry across the realm, making everywhere unsettled. Soon after, he contracted a severe illness, so he never returned to "Coffin Gorge" in Qingxi before his death. He only left behind the instruction that Feng Shigu's actions had dragged the pride of the "Great Ming Guanshan Taibao" into a state of eternal damnation. Unless the descendants of the Feng family eradicated the "Corpse Immortal," the spirits of their ancestors in heaven would never rest in peace.

After Feng Shiqi's passing, his descendants’ fortunes declined. Every time the "Rat Year" arrived, signaling the period when one could enter the "Earth Immortal Yin Abode," they were thwarted—either by turbulent times or family calamities—and never gained the opportunity to enter. Moreover, the history of modern China was earth-shattering. Following these vicissitudes, his line of descendants dwindled and scattered, gradually losing seven or eight-tenths of the skills passed down by their ancestors. While they still remembered the entire seventy-two lines of the "Guanshan Deciphering the Maze Ode," and possessed the map of the "Earth Immortal Village" left by Feng Shiqi, interpreting the Ode required knowledge of "Qimen Wuxing" (Mysterious Doors and Five Elements) and "Feng Shui Secret Arts." The Feng descendants only understood the superficial aspects of these techniques.

By the Republican era, Feng Shiqi’s descendant was "Feng Sibei." He spent his life reading Daoist canons and became a Taoist priest on Qingcheng Mountain in his middle years, yet he constantly remembered his ancestor's mandate. He repeatedly entered "Coffin Gorge" but failed to find the proper method of entry. Eventually, he passed away in a tunnel, instructing his two sons that unless the Feng descendants eliminated the "Corpse Immortal," they were not to collect his bones for burial; he wished to lie exposed here, personally witnessing someone discover the entrance to the "Earth Immortal Village Ancient Tomb." The tunnel at the end of the "Hundred Step Bird Path" held a corpse near the tombstone—that was him.

"Feng Sibei" had two sons. According to the sequence in the Genealogy—"Si, Xue, Yan, Dao"—both belonged to the "Xue" (Study) generation: one was "Feng Xuewen," and the other was "Feng Xuewu." The brothers were six years apart. After their father died, they had no other relatives and drifted in the world, relying on each other.

Because they were in a time of war and struggling to survive, they temporarily couldn't attend to their ancestral entrustment. The elder brother, Feng Xuewen, planned to go into the mountains to become an "outlaw," carving out a livelihood in the Green Forest. Before leaving, he arranged to have his brother adopted by a wealthy family named Sun, changing his name to "Sun Xuewu," who later became Professor Sun.

From then on, the brothers lost contact. Due to the war, the Sun family also fled their homeland, and the brothers lost touch. Sun Xuewu’s subsequent experiences were largely as he described. Because his ancestry involved "Coffin Mountain bone-robbing," he recognized some archaic script and obscure characters from a young age. Coupled with his later education, he became involved in deciphering archaic documents and ancient secret codes in archaeology. He only re-encountered his elder brother, "Feng Xuewen," who had also been sent down for "labor reform" to the "Orchard Gully."

The two brothers lamented how fate toys with men, never expecting to meet again in such circumstances. It turned out that Commander Feng had indeed entered the outlaw life. Because he understood the family's inherited art of "Guanshan Tomb Robbing," he concealed his identity and became a sworn brother—a "Xieling Outlaw"—in the Changsheng Mountains.

However, the bandits of Changsheng Mountain soon disappeared without a trace. Within a few years, the Xieling collective of bandits, which dated back to the Han Dynasty, completely "crumbled." Commander Feng, though named "Xuewen," disliked studying the most and refused to return to farming. It was during his time among the Xieling bandits that he met two comrades from the Northwest, also brothers, one named Old Sheepskin and the younger named Yang Erdan.

Old Sheepskin lived a miserable life, timid as a mouse, but his brother Yang Erdan was ambitious. After Changsheng Mountain dissolved, Yang Erdan gathered a group of men and planned to establish a society beyond the Shanhai Pass in the three northeastern provinces, continuing the business of "tomb raiding."

Commander Feng was still young then and felt that being an "outlaw" was quite good—having food, drink, and the freedom to sleep with women. If he disliked some wealthy landlord, he could just charge in with knives and guns to rob him. A real man living in this world should enjoy himself like this. So, steeling himself, he followed them to the Northeast.

Once in Manchuria, he discovered that although Yang Erdan had become the manager of the tomb-robbing gang known as the "Ni'er Society," he held little real power. Furthermore, this entire group had been bought out by the Japanese Kwantung Army. All their "grave-digging" operations were conducted in service to the Kwantung Army, and it seemed they were secretly plotting to find a tomb where a "Yellow Great Immortal" was interred.

The Feng ancestors, the Guanshan Taibao, had once plundered a demonic tomb from the Tang Dynasty. This tomb was known as the "Belly Immortal Grave," said to belong to a heretical sect that worshipped fox spirits during the Tang period. The tomb contained a strange book detailing various "demonic illusions and sorceries," and a gilded chest among the burial goods held numerous artifacts for casting dazzling illusions. Among them were several demonic tendons extracted from fox spirits, which, when mixed with bone ash and burned, produced the marvelous effect of "radiant light" (Yuangguang). However, this could not be used lightly; one first had to see the mural from the Belly Immortal Ancient Tomb, then burn the corpse to witness the "Belly Immortal" manifest, and hear the auditory hallucination of "ghostly sounds." Feng Shigu had placed murals stolen from the Tang Dynasty demonic tomb inside the "Wuyang King Earth Palace." Besides the seventy-two lines, the "Guanshan Deciphering the Maze Ode" held one final, most secret, and most crucial passage, hidden within the chambers of the "Wuyang King Ancient Tomb." Burning the corpse to achieve Yuangguang must not be forgotten.