Professor Sun said that a complete plan was necessary for disturbing the coffin and skeletal remains of an Earthly Immortal; if the Guixu Ancient Mirror proved useless, they would have to resort to burning the remains with lamp oil. However, if the corpse of Feng Shigu had truly been possessed by a Corpse Immortal, they might be ill-equipped to handle it, necessitating preparation for the worst. Having the Immortal-Binding Rope would significantly increase their chances. I knew that tomb raiding employed the Corpse-Binding Snare—a single rope with a slipknot at each end. One end would be tied to the raider’s chest, the other looped around the neck of the corpse in the coffin, allowing them to pull the body upright to search the clothing and retrieve artifacts cleanly. But the Immortal-Binding Rope was a noose for binding walking corpses and flying zombies. It was also a single rope, but it possessed sixteen self-tightening loops, spreading out like a vast net that even a Grand Unity Golden Immortal could not evade. Yet, those unskilled in ropemaking could never manage the complex knots of the Immortal-Binding Rope. Many unique skills of the Tomb Robbing School had been lost by our generation; I had only ever heard of it by name.

Old Man Sun Nine remarked, "I never expected you to know it. Earlier, I noticed the deerskin pouch Young Sister Yao wore around her waist had nine knots and seven loops—certainly not the work of an ordinary person. I asked her about the Immortal-Binding Rope, and sure enough, this technique exists in Honeycomb Mountain, though they call it the Daxiaoji Qi'er Rope instead." Since ancient times, there has been the saying, "Seventy-two trades, one hundred and eight mountains." Within these traditional professions, nearly every craftsman possessed unique skills that often overlapped and influenced one another. For instance, the spatial shifting and object substitution mechanisms used in the Moon Gate’s magic lantern shows largely derived from Honeycomb Mountain. Therefore, it was not surprising that the Immortal-Binding Rope of the tomb raiding profession evolved from the Xiaoqi'er Rope.

Having endured many hardships and dangers since entering the mountain, my confidence in Young Sister Yao's skills grew. I immediately gathered the remaining climbing ropes from everyone and handed them to her to tie the necessary knots. Old Man Sun Nine then smeared the pitch-black, foul-smelling grease from his canteen onto the ropes. Whether Feng Shigu in the tomb was a reanimated corpse or had transformed into an immortal, once bound by these ropes, escape would be impossible.

Though I wasn't as superstitious as Old Man Sun Nine, I was acutely aware that meeting an Earthly Immortal within Coffin Mountain was an act fraught with extreme danger. Having an extra measure of caution was akin to preserving a path to survival, so I could not afford any carelessness. Seeing that everyone was prepared, I stealthily moved to examine the section of the tomb chamber known as the Spirit Star Rock Chamber. I saw that the rock walls here were all carved with demonic constellations such as Hui (Obscurity), Xue (Blood), Xuan (Suspension), and Wang (Perish). In truth, these ominous stars did not exist in the actual heavens; they were merely legends within ancient celestial cartomancy. It was said that when a demonic star rose, its rays could obscure the moonlight, signaling portents of corpse-laden mountains and seas of blood.

These ominous, ancient astral carvings made the already intensely gloomy and silent city of tombs even more chilling, instilling a sense that the present situation was overwhelmingly difficult to manage. By deciphering the dedication stele and reading the notes left by the Earthly Immortal, we could confirm that Coffin Gorge, in ancient times, was a place where divination and star-reading rituals flourished. This Pangu Vein of Coffin Mountain was originally a site for shamanic sacrifices to the dead. The Jade City served as a repository for sacrificial implements, and Feng Shigu had constructed this mountain as an Yin residence, using secret geomancy arts to restore the spiritual energy of the earth-vein, intending to bring about the reappearance of the Corpse Immortal, who had vanished for millennia, and to elevate the deceased residents of the Earthly Immortal Village to godhood. The Lingxing Hall beneath the Pangu Vein's Jade Palace contained no fewer than ten thousand tombs. If the Earthly Immortal’s calculations proved true and the zombies swarmed out of the mountain, who could possibly stop them? After careful consideration, I realized that only by disregarding life and death, destroying Feng Shigu's physical form first, and then thoroughly breaking the vital energy of the Pangu Corpse Vein within Coffin Mountain could we hope to salvage the situation.

The five of us searched several nearby chambers and found that most contained a single corpse each, with no coffins or artifacts. The deceased held withered lamps, and their faces were covered with masks inscribed with outlines of noses, mouths, and brows. The eyes were open, and when illuminated by our lights in the darkness, these masks appeared extraordinarily bizarre. However, the Spirit Star Rock Chamber was small and low-ceilinged, suggesting it was unlikely to be where the Earthly Immortal was hidden.

Shirley Yang discovered a subtle triangular rock fissure behind a corpse in an inconspicuous alcove. Shining her wolf-eye flashlight inside, she saw that there seemed to be space deeper within. I crouched down and squeezed through the fissure, navigating a few meters of narrow passage before emerging into another Spirit Star Rock Chamber, about twenty square meters in size. The rock walls were smooth, and the walls were adorned with murals. In the center rested a gold sarcophagus inlaid with turquoise, gleaming brilliantly. Its shape was unsettling, almost resembling artifacts from the distant Western Regions. I suspected this was likely the main burial chamber and called back to the others to follow me into the room. Fatty swept his searchlight around, his gaze landing on the golden sarcophagus. With an exclamation of awe, he started moving forward, but Old Man Sun Nine stopped him, advising patience: "Hold on, let's learn a lesson first, and make sure we see clearly, lest we fall into another trap set by the Earthly Immortal."

We all hunkered down in a corner of the chamber, cautiously surveying the scene. This time, I circled the room for a closer look, and the more I observed, the stranger it became. The murals on the tomb walls depicted nothing but peach orchards—lush with foliage and heavy with ripe fruit, intertwined with swirling mist amidst the vibrant red of the blossoms and green of the leaves. The colors in the mural were deep and vivid; up close, it almost felt immersive, as if peach trees surrounded us on all sides. The gold sarcophagus stood nestled within this brilliant tapestry of the peach orchard mural. Except for the base, which was obscured, the other sides were cast with many strangely shaped figures, fish, and beasts, their eyes also inlaid with turquoise, radiating a faint, eerie aura that drifted in the silent, cold air. At the rear of the stone chamber were two smaller burial rooms. One connected to the entrance used for human burial and contained a jade door carved with Phoenixes, Qilins, Dragons, and Tortoises. Identifying the inscription, it read: "Lingxing Hall Earthly Immortal Tomb." The other room was blocked by a stone door, likely a satellite burial chamber, though we couldn't confirm its contents from the outside—what kind of artifacts the Earthly Immortal had interred within.

Seeing the chamber's peculiar layout, unlike any Earthly Immortal tomb I had imagined, I couldn't help but wonder if Feng Shigu’s remains were actually inside the golden sarcophagus. Fatty was equally perplexed: "Why does this feel like we've stumbled into a peach farm? Did this old landlord's ancestors make their fortune selling peaches? Only this coffin looks legitimate and presentable." Shirley Yang noted that the peach forest in the murals was filled with ethereal clouds, and in the distance were pavilions and towers, resembling a heavenly scene, perhaps depicting an ethereal Peach Garden retreat.

Professor Sun told her, "You’ve hit the nail on the head. What the mural depicts is indeed not the mortal realm. Legend says Feng Shigu dreamed of becoming an immortal in life. This chamber, covered in peach orchards, is subtly hinting that he was once a member of that ancient assembly. Judging by the arrangement here, the Earthly Immortal must certainly be inside that golden coffin."

Young Sister Yao asked Old Man Sun Nine, "What is the 'ancient assembly'? What kind of gathering did the Earthly Immortal attend?" Before Professor Sun could answer, Fatty chimed in with unwarranted confidence: "It definitely wasn't a People's Congress. Probably a gathering of landlord representatives discussing how to exploit the working masses." Having heard Old Man Sun Nine's explanation, I now understood his meaning.

In ancient times, those superstitious about achieving immortality believed they had participated in the Queen Mother of the West’s Peach Banquet in a previous life; only immortals could attend such an event. Thus, many itinerant practitioners and alchemists claimed to have been immortals at that very banquet. Feng Shigu’s tomb arrangement was a subtle assertion of his status as a true immortal. Old Man Sun Nine ignored Fatty and asked me, "Now that we’ve found the Earthly Immortal's tomb chamber and coffin, the next steps depend on your plan."

I observed the expressions of the other four: they were exhausted and suppressed by despair. Only Fatty and I retained a sliver of the excitement that comes from stirring up trouble, but at this critical juncture, we needed to pull ourselves together. I addressed the group, "Comrades, you all know the current state of Coffin Mountain; I won't elaborate. As for whether opening the Earthly Immortal’s golden sarcophagus will proceed without incident—throw that pathetic thought into the Pacific Ocean immediately. Don't forget, only by facing death can one find new life. As long as we remain calm and fully utilize the techniques of the Tomb Robbing School to raise and extract the coffin, there's no tomb we can't conquer."

The tremors from beneath Coffin Mountain were intermittent but growing in intensity. To avoid any unforeseen complications, we immediately began preparations for opening the coffin. I first took out a candle and asked Old Man Sun Nine to light it in the southeast corner of the chamber. I assigned this task to him because I had a persistent feeling that his body was showing signs of reanimation. Strangest of all, the life-light candle used by Tomb Robbers to divine fortune and misfortune showed no reaction toward him—proving he was not a ghost. Yet, a living person should never bear traces of corpse-worms gnawing at them. Ever since entering King Wuyang's underground palace, I felt an unnerving lack of living presence around him.

Although the truth and consequences of this matter had yet to manifest, the latent threat far surpassed the Earthly Immortal in the golden sarcophagus, and we could not afford to be unprepared. Old Man Sun Nine lit the candle as instructed. The candlelight illuminated his face, which was as ashen as a corpse, and his eyes held a particularly muddy glaze that sent a chill down my spine. However, he had sworn oaths earlier, insisting he didn't know what was happening to him. Fortunately, everything he had done since entering the Cannon God Temple in Coffin Mountain was still rational, and he seemed to have disclosed everything he could. By his own admission, the five of us had our fates intertwined; escaping the Earthly Immortal Village might be impossible without him. Though everyone found him increasingly frightening, they ultimately held their peace.

The Earthly Immortal’s tomb was the source of the Pangu Vein’s vital energy in Coffin Mountain. The candle burned without any anomaly. I subtly gestured to Shirley Yang, signaling her to retreat with Young Sister Yao to secure the chamber exit. Most importantly, they were to observe Old Man Sun Nine’s every move behind us, lest he try to interfere while Fatty and I opened the coffin.

Next, Fatty, Old Man Sun Nine, and I gathered around the golden sarcophagus, carefully looking for a point of leverage. Opening a coffin has always been the most perilous phase of tomb raiding, so even Fatty was exceptionally cautious. We initially intended to find a seam in the golden sarcophagus and use our entrenching tools to pry open the lid. To our surprise, after searching all around, we found no seams on the sides of the Earthly Immortal’s golden coffin. Instead, the lid bore two intricately carved, openwork doors, completely lacking locks or nails—they could be opened with a mere touch, effortlessly.

Although we had already anticipated that the tomb of the Earthly Immortal Feng Shigu would be vastly different from other famous mausoleums, discovering that the master's coffin seemed almost decorative still caused a degree of shock. I dared not lift the lid rashly. I climbed onto the golden sarcophagus first and shone the searchlight through the openwork carvings. I saw a faint, dark green reflection inside, but through the thick gold lid, it was impossible to discern if it was another nested coffin or something else. A potent stench of advanced decay wafted out.

Seeing such a massive golden sarcophagus, Fatty was filled with avarice, wishing he could airlift the entire thing out. He couldn't stop running his hands over the gold. He impatiently asked me, "Old Hu, what's inside the coffin?"

Old Man Sun Nine also inquired, "Is the Earthly Immortal in the coffin?"

I scoffed, "What Earthly Immortal? It smells like rancid cheese; it’s probably completely rotted. Looks like we worried for nothing. If this old zombie Feng Shigu has decomposed this badly, he probably can't even manage to shamble back to life."

Old Man Sun Nine said, "If his body is highly decomposed, he certainly can't be refined into a Corpse Immortal. But don't let your guard down; quickly get the lamp oil out."

I still held onto the faint hope of finding a golden elixir inside the corpse, though all signs suggested this hope was slim. Still unwilling to resort to immediate incineration, I took out the container of lamp oil and handed it to Fatty, telling him to wait for my explicit signal before destroying the Earthly Immortal's remains with fire.

Fatty eagerly volunteered, "Leave the fire to me. Let’s quickly lift the lid and see what treasures are inside..." Before he finished speaking, a strange sound suddenly emanated from within the sarcophagus—it sounded like a heavy body struggling and writhing inside. I quickly rolled off the golden sarcophagus. Old Man Sun Nine and Fatty also retreated a couple of steps. I glanced behind me; Shirley Yang and Young Sister Yao in the back of the chamber had also heard the noise. Concerned for my safety, Shirley Yang threw her Vajra Umbrella toward me.

I caught the umbrella and wondered if the decaying corpse inside was moving. I then noticed the candle in the corner of the chamber was still burning, suggesting that the strong smell of decay nearby had no effect on it. Fire meant oxygen, and since there was no immediate danger in the tomb, I signaled to Old Man Sun Nine and Fatty. The three of us donned gloves and approached the golden sarcophagus again, using our entrenching tools to slightly pry open a gap in the lid. I felt something inside moving, and the gap in the lid seemed to be grasped by something, preventing it from opening further.

In a cursed place like the Earthly Immortal's tomb, I dared not be careless. I immediately told Fatty to prepare his gear and shoot a few arrows into the coffin first. Without seeing clearly what was inside the golden sarcophagus, he instantly aimed the mechanism of his Repeating Crossbow and fired a volley of quarrels into the gap.

The remaining dozens of arrows in the Honeycomb Crossbow were instantly discharged into the coffin. Fatty tossed aside the empty bow, declaring, "It must be riddled like a porcupine! Let's open it quickly and see."

I knew the crossbows from Honeycomb Mountain were incredibly powerful; whatever tough-skinned creature was inside couldn't withstand that volley of arrows. I immediately grabbed the edge of the lid's opening, but it refused to budge further. Something inside seemed to be gripping it fiercely, with immense strength. Old Man Sun Nine and Fatty, standing nearby, helped me try to lift the golden lid, but even with our combined strength, we couldn't move it an inch. In fact, the gap we had created by opening the lid began to narrow, slowly closing back up. I quickly jammed the Vajra Umbrella into the opening to prevent the golden sarcophagus from sealing completely.

I was deeply perplexed and about to peer through the lid's gap to see what was inside when I heard Shirley Yang cry out, "Old Hu, look at the candle!" I looked up at the candle in the southeast corner. Sometime in the past moment, the flame had transformed into a chilling, eerie green spectral fire. The candlelight flickered indistinctly, casting the wall murals of the celestial scene as if they were images from the underworld. Old Man Sun Nine was so terrified his soul nearly fled his body; he stumbled, exclaiming, "This is bad! Feng Shigu has truly become a Corpse Immortal!"