The space was profoundly dim until Young Master Liu clicked on his flashlight and stepped forward. On the wall, densely packed characters were carved from top to bottom. Zhang Enpu read them line by line, growing more astonished with every word. The hand holding the tinder stick trembled almost involuntarily. Young Master Liu, feeling puzzled, approached and saw the large inscription at the very top of the wall: "This humble Taoist roamed across China for decades, yet I ultimately perished here. It was the time, it was the destiny, it was the fate. What more is there to say?" The calligraphy was vigorous, ancient, and powerful, yet the sheer bitterness within seemed poised to burst through the stone.

Below it, smaller characters read: "This humble Taoist, Li Lishan, was born during the chaotic years of the Republic of China. I sought not the arts of Dragon and Tiger, but through fortuitous encounters, achieved minor success. In middle age, guided by an unnamed Taoist master of the Quanzhen School, I began to realize that life in this world is full of unsolved mysteries, and that the sayings about Feng Shui are not idle talk. I became deeply immersed, studying ceaselessly for years. I later vowed to travel across the Nine Provinces to search for dragon veins and auspicious spots, to question the spirits of the dead and the divine, and compile it all into Taoist texts for the reference of future generations."

"One day, while visiting this area, my funds were depleted. I was taken in by a kind family who shared all their possessions without reservation. I used what they offered, for which I remain eternally grateful. Coincidentally, they had just welcomed a newborn son. The child cried nightly. Upon observing him, I saw the signs of naturally occurring Yin Eyes, afflicted by spectral entanglement. As the ancients said: A drop of kindness should be repaid with a gushing spring. I performed a spell to temporarily protect him, yet fearing future trouble, I gifted him the jade pendant passed down by my master, thus concluding a worldly affair."

"However, less than a hundred paces after leaving, I was startled to realize that the malevolent energy and demonic presence here were hundreds, if not thousands, of times stronger than anywhere else. Astonished, I searched high and low, finally discovering the source of the calamity: the lake north of the village. Yin energy coiled there, amplifying itself, containing tens of thousands of spirits, with more than ten Piles of Yin gathered, large and small. This was not merely terrifying; it was the greatest spectacle I had ever witnessed in my life—my heart nearly split in terror! In my haste, I laid several Triple Malefic Dragon Confinement Formations along the riverbank to disperse the force. After several days of probing, I discovered that this lake held many secrets, seemingly concealing a marvelous hidden river beneath the surface. Thus, I risked my life, entering the lake alone, intending to subdue this latent evil with my remaining strength."

"Once in the water, I discovered this was the tomb of Emperor Zhu Youjiao of the Ming Dynasty's Xizong era. He was not interred with the imperial family but buried beneath the lake in an underground palace—a strange and bizarre finding. The tomb was densely covered with star plates, scattering myriad phenomena; it was truly the source of the malevolent energy that nurtured the corpses. To eliminate this hidden danger, this tomb had to be destroyed."

"From childhood, I intensely practiced Taoist arts, yet within this tomb, I was caught completely unprepared. The malevolent energy rebounded, causing my death here—it was my fate. I only managed a desperate struggle, using my True Martial Ancient Sword to suppress it, hoping that a capable person might forever remove this threat. I inscribe this now on the stone wall; may any fated person who reads this complete what I could not. In the netherworld, I will not have failed my ancestors."

"One more thing: this is the mausoleum of a Ming Emperor, modeled after the Underworld, twisting and turning back on itself. What the people think, I cannot fathom. Be exceedingly cautious in all matters; plan before you act. Remember this, remember this."

The handwriting became increasingly sloppy toward the end, some strokes incomplete. It seemed Li Lishan had only his last breath left, and the inscription was unfinished, but none of that mattered now. All the strange occurrences that had plagued Xiushui Village—events that had seemed independent—now felt like scattered pearls glowing with an eerie color, yet somehow intimately connected. At this moment, Li Lishan's words were the thread that strung all these pearls together, revealing the entire cause and effect, bringing sudden clarity to Zhang Enpu and Young Master Liu: the reason the malevolent energy here was so intense was that its source lay right here.

Young Master Liu's eyes reddened slightly. He knew now. He knew that the blind old man who had saved his life without ever meeting him was the person before him. He knew that the Triple Malefic Dragon Confinement Formation mentioned by Granny Fan—those randomly arranged old poplar stumps—was the work of this man. He also knew that this very man had traded his life for over a decade of peace in Xiushui Village.

Young Master Liu approached the skeleton. Its bones were blackened, and a faint black vapor seemed to emanate from the white structure. The hands, now mere skeletal frames, were still loosely clenched. Not far away, a broken stone sword lay scattered—a scene of profound sorrow and desolation.

His breathing grew ragged. Young Master Liu felt his eyes welling up, a sudden urge to weep overtaking him. He didn't understand why he cried; he simply felt the need to.

"Brother Lishan!" Over there, Zhang Enpu slowly closed his eyes, clasping his hands together, and bowed deeply three times to the remains, his expression showing deep grief. Finally, his lips trembling, he murmured to himself, "I never imagined that after struggling for twenty years, I would ultimately fall short of you."

Seeing his reaction, it was as if he knew the deceased Taoist, so the curious Tian Guoqiang quickly tugged at Zhang Enpu's sleeve, asking what was going on. Zhang Enpu pondered for a long moment before beginning to recount the story in detail.

It turned out that Li Lishan had been a highly renowned figure in those times, bearing the Dharma title Zidong, and was a leading figure in the Northern School of the Quanzhen Sect.

When the Anti-Japanese War broke out in 1937, the Japanese invaders aggressively swept into China's sacred land, brutally massacring the Chinese people. Soon after, Hangzhou fell under the iron heel of the Japanese occupation. Li Lishan witnessed the Japanese burning homes, murdering, raping, and looting. The area around Nanxing Bridge by the Qiantang River was completely razed, leaving only ruins. The common folk along the river, without clothing or food, huddled together with the elderly and children, struggling on the brink of death, fleeing in streams of refugees. It was a scene of widespread misery and smoke plumes everywhere. Taoist Master Li Lishan was filled with righteous indignation and boiling patriotic fervor; he could no longer remain in secluded meditation. Driven by national pride and patriotic sentiment, he resolutely decided to cease religious activities at the temple and led his disciples to fully engage in the effort to resist Japan and save the nation. He opened the Zilailong Cave Abbey, sheltering over 1,700 refugees who had fled to the mountain. Fearing overcrowding, he mobilized over a hundred Taoist and lay followers to cut down the mountain's bamboo and trees, hastily constructing dozens of thatched huts to provide stable shelter for the refugees.

The daily provision of three meals for so many refugees required vast amounts of grain. As reserves dwindled, the provisions on Jade Emperor Mountain soon ran out. Li Lishan, undeterred by the danger, ventured down the mountain. He passed through multiple layers of Japanese blockades, killing several Japanese soldiers, to reach the 'International Red Cross' charity organization in Hangzhou to request aid. The organization sent personnel to assess the difficult situation on the mountain and agreed to supply grain. Li Lishan then organized manpower to transport the grain down the mountain. Passing through Japanese sentry posts and checkpoints was fraught with peril. Sometimes, when caught, the Japanese claimed they were smuggling grain to anti-Japanese guerrillas in the mountains; the men were tortured, and the grain was confiscated. Li Lishan had to arrange for the 'Red Cross' to intervene, provide documentation, and employ clever disguises just to get the relief grain up the mountain. Sometimes, the grain reached the mountain, but he returned to the abbey on an empty stomach. Despite such hardship and danger, he still considered it his undeniable responsibility.

With temple incense services halted, the income from donations ceased. The living expenses for nearly two thousand refugees became increasingly difficult to sustain. Taoist Master Li Lishan dispatched his disciple, Lü Zongan, to Shanghai, utilizing the precarious safety of the 'International Settlement' to establish the Shanghai branch of the Jade Emperor Mountain Fuxing Temple on Wuding Road. By chance, the temple flourished, and the religious income generated was sent back to Hangzhou to cover the living costs of the refugees on the mountain. This arrangement lasted for over a year. Later, the fighting in Hangzhou gradually subsided, and the refugees began descending the mountain to seek livelihoods, their numbers slowly diminishing. The refugee shelter at Jade Emperor Mountain finally came to an end. During this period, Taoist Master Li Lishan's noble character of loving his country and his people, and assisting those in dire straits, shone with exceptional clarity, earning him even greater respect within the Taoist community and among the common people.

Zhang Enpu recounted that many in the Taoist world described Li Lishan as the 'Martial Righteousness of Jiangnan.' They said he feared no authority, was generously righteous, and possessed unparalleled martial arts skills. In his monastic life, he was strict with himself and equally strict with others; the disciples diligently recited scriptures and practiced martial arts, never permitted to deviate from the established norms. In the Jiangnan Taoist world, he and Zhang Enpu were the leading figures of the Quanzhen and Zhengyi sects, respectively. Before the Liberation, the two had repeatedly tried to form a unified, national Taoist organization, but it never materialized due to the volatile political climate and disagreements between the two factions. Nevertheless, the contributions of this titan figure to Chinese Taoism were undeniable.

Hearing Zhang Enpu's words, everyone present sighed with emotion, unexpectedly developing a newfound respect for Li Lishan. Zhang Enpu took the lead, while Bai Er Laizi and Young Master Liu grabbed whatever suitable tools they could find, and located a patch of soft earth nearby. They dug a small grave for Li Lishan, placed the remains inside, and covered him with a handful of earth each, burying him on the spot so the Taoist might finally rest in peace.

"Senior, regardless, thank you," Young Master Liu said, placing a slice of eel meat on the grave mound. "We juniors aren't wearing anything nice. I'll make proper offerings when we return! This is fresh eel meat, just killed, for you to savor. Protect us so we can return safely—and better yet, destroy this cursed tomb completely, avenge you, and bring vengeance for the villagers who died!"

Zhang Enpu coughed lightly. "Young man, Daoist Li was a Quanzhen Daoist; he doesn't eat meat."

"If he was a Taoist alive, he’s still some kind of Taoist dead. If there’s meat, eat it; if there’s wine, drink it. What can the King of Hell do? This Elder Li was too good; I’m too moved. I plan to burn him a couple of maids and a few concubines when we get back to compensate him properly," Bai Er Laizi argued defiantly, making Zhang Enpu break out in a cold sweat. He knew arguing with these three was pointless, so the wise man decided to simply keep quiet. It wasn't his business; he wouldn't interfere.

While Bai Er Laizi was putting on a show, Young Master Liu was worried. The problem was figured out, the man was buried, but now that they were sucked into this underground river, how were they supposed to get out? He voiced this concern to Zhang Enpu and the others. Everyone nodded repeatedly, but this underground river, deep underground, felt like another small world separated from the surface. Coming down was easy, but figuring out the exit was a massive headache. Finally, unable to just sit and wait for death, they decided to follow Zhang Enpu's suggestion: take it one step at a time. Since the main culprit lay within this tomb, they would venture inside, hoping for a way out of their desperate situation.

"Damn the Ming Emperor or the Qing Emperor! If I dare to tear down the Emperor, I’ll tear him down!" Young Master Liu, true to his word, spat twice into his palms, hefted his rifle butt, and smashed it against the dark door. With a loud boom, a blast of cold air rushed toward him, and he instantly felt his breathing clear. He shivered, clicked his flashlight forward, and saw that the door had opened. Inside was a vast, shadowy palace, so dark that even the flashlight couldn't illuminate its edges.

Young Master Liu shouted out in pleasant surprise: "Everyone, come look!"

Hearing his cry, everyone gathered around. Young Master Liu held the flashlight toward the cavern opposite them. "Look!"

Zhang Enpu said with some disappointment, "I thought we'd found the way out; it turns out it's just a bigger cave."

Tian Guoqiang patted Zhang Enpu’s shoulder with mock seriousness. "Master Zhang, this kind of pessimism will affect revolutionary morale. Since there is a new cavern, there will be a new way out! Let's go take a look!"

The group worked together, digging the opening to the opposite cavern until it was about half a person high, then one by one, they climbed into the larger space on the other side.