The crowd couldn't help but startle, quickly scattering in all directions. The colossal python dropped abruptly onto the very spot where they had just been standing. Its vibrantly colored, mottled body seemed marred by numerous fresh scratches, from which blood began to seep.

Landing on the ground, the great serpent reared its head, its blood-red eyes fixed intently on the massive tree where it had fallen. Its body coiled and uncoiled, its immense jaws gaping wide as its long tongue flickered out with urgent, hissing sounds. Then, the group witnessed a pair of extraordinary, enormous birds emerge from the shade of the sky-obscuring canopy. With a piercing cry, they spread their wings and descended from the branches with breathtaking grace.

As the two colossal birds maneuvered through the air, Jia Zhuangyuan involuntarily gasped, "Phoenixes! They really are Phoenixes!"

Approaching the ground, the two magnificent birds gently folded their beautiful wings and settled not far from the giant python. At this moment, the crowd could hardly suppress their excitement, momentarily forgetting their perilous situation as they stared, transfixed, at these two creatures most magical of ancient Chinese mythology.

One of the grand birds was slightly smaller, standing about six chi tall; the other was somewhat larger, reaching nearly ten chi. Both possessed long, slender necks, with backs arched as if bearing a tortoise shell. Their beaks were long, sharp, and golden-yellow. Their entire plumage blazed with an eye-searing red, fluffing up like living flames, interspersed with streaks of iridescent, multicolored feathers. Their tails were held high, forked like a fish’s, long and elegant like a peacock's, painted in vivid hues dominated by deep violet, also interwoven with seven-colored strands. Their legs were long, their posture resembling that of a crane. As they walked toward the python, their gait was proud and imperious; heads held high, they exuded an air of profound nobility. Their feathers constantly shimmered, resembling a mystical fire from which bursts of seven-colored light emanated—utterly miraculous.

The two Phoenixes, with their narrow, beautiful eyes, paid no heed to the onlookers but focused intently on the enormous python before them. They opened their slender beaks in unison, issuing a resonant "Qiang! Qiang!" sound, advancing step by measured step toward the serpent. The python responded by rapidly flicking its tongue, its body drawn taut like a bowstring ready to snap. Its two blood-red eyes widened to immense proportions, seeming ready to weep actual blood.

As a spectacular battle between the bizarrely colored python and the marvelous Phoenixes seemed imminent, Jia Zhuangyuan quietly warned the group, "While these divine birds are dealing with the python, we should use this chance to leave immediately. Though these are legendary divine birds, it doesn't mean they won't turn against us. It’s best to grease our soles and slip away while we can."

Although everyone longed to witness how the magical Phoenixes would handle the python, they all knew Jia Zhuangyuan spoke sense. Reluctantly, they cast one last longing look at the two magnificent and noble divine Phoenixes, then silently retreated, circled the great tree, and vacated the dangerous area.

Along the way, the group chattered animatedly, discussing the Qinglong and the Phoenix—these two mythical, marvelous creatures—marveling at their existence. Only Jia Zhuangyuan seemed unconvinced, appearing preoccupied and downcast throughout the journey. He spoke little, and whenever he did, it was only to urge them all to hurry their pace.

Liu Dashao noticed his mood, deliberately quickened his steps, and caught up to the older man leading the way. He drew his dagger and walked alongside Jia Zhuangyuan, lightly slashing at the undergrowth ahead to clear a path. He asked in a low voice, "Senior Jia, you’ve seemed troubled since we saw the Phoenixes. Could you share what weighs on your mind?" Jia Zhuangyuan’s expression grew shadowed. He silently continued swinging the engineer’s shovel he had borrowed from Fan Debiao, testing the grass ahead with his boot.

Feeling he was being intrusive, Liu Dashao fell silent, merely walking beside him.

Suddenly, Jia Zhuangyuan murmured to Liu Dashao, "Dashao, do you truly believe the Dragon and Phoenix actually existed on Earth in the ancient age?"

Liu Dashao paused, then replied, "I certainly think they must have existed, haven't we? Otherwise, how could ancient records describe them in such exhaustive detail?"

Jia Zhuangyuan pondered this thoughtfully for a moment, then asked again, "Then, do you believe the Dragon and Phoenix we see now are the divine beasts and birds recorded in those ancient texts?"

Liu Dashao looked at him with confusion. "They should be, right? The Dragon and Phoenix we saw match the ancient records exactly."

Jia Zhuangyuan nodded. "I know that. What I mean is, are we standing at the Earth's core, or have we crossed into an alternate dimension? Could these Dragons and Phoenixes be creatures from another spacetime?"

Liu Dashao stared at Jia Zhuangyuan, bewildered. He thought, hadn’t Jia Zhuangyuan already accepted the reality of alternate dimensions? Why this sudden line of questioning? He replied, somewhat helplessly, "Senior Jia, I still don't grasp your meaning."

Jia Zhuangyuan continued, "The Dragon and Phoenix, as artifacts of the distant past, were never truly believed in by modern humans; they were mostly dismissed as combinations of various ancient animals and birds. Yet, today we have witnessed genuine, physical Dragons and Phoenixes. For some reason, I feel there is something fundamentally wrong here. Who is the master or creator of these Ninety-Nine Heavens? Is this place Earth, or a separate dimension? And are the Dragon and Phoenix we see real biological entities, or constructs created by the master of the Ninety-Nine Heavens?"

Liu Dashao stared back, finding the suggestion almost unbelievable, especially his final hypothesis. He stammered, "Senior Jia, you... you mean the Dragon and Phoenix were artificially manufactured?"

Jia Zhuangyuan managed a wry smile. "I am only speculating. Think about it: records of the Dragon and Phoenix have been passed down since the time of the Yellow Emperor, yet no single, unified description of their appearance has ever been agreed upon. Take the Phoenix, for example: they say it has the head of a rooster and a red crown, the neck of a snake, the body of a crane, the back of a tortoise, the tail of a sparrow, the male cries 'Ji! Ji!', the female cries 'Zu! Zu!', and together they cry 'Qiang! Qiang!'. Modern people believe this legend arose because the ancients combined the features of many birds and beasts to create the image of the Phoenix. But the Phoenix we saw today perfectly matches that description. How can that be explained? There are two possibilities: First, the Phoenix truly existed in ancient times, whether it came from another dimension or originally resided on Earth. Second, the Dragon and Phoenix we see today were manufactured artificially based on descriptions in ancient Earth texts. For instance, the manufacturer might be Zhang Daoling himself—a being from another dimension who founded Taoism, established the Taoist concept of the Ninety-Nine Heavens, and perhaps even engineered these Dragons and Phoenixes."

Liu Dashao found Jia Zhuangyuan's words difficult to assimilate.

Jia Zhuangyuan smiled, looking at Liu Dashao's confused face, and chuckled with self-mockery. "Don't assume my view is either right or wrong. Look at my current body, Dashao. I used to be taller, even more handsome than you, but someone altered every aspect of my physical form. Therefore, I am not at all surprised that someone could manufacture any creature based on a description."

Saying this, he continued walking forward, swinging his engineer's shovel to clear the weeds. Liu Dashao stared blankly at his receding back, suddenly sensing that Jia Zhuangyuan must have experienced events far stranger than those surrounding his own Golden Ancient City.

Just then, Cai Qingchong tapped Liu Dashao on the shoulder from behind. "Dashao, what are you thinking about? Why did you stop? Did you sense something amiss again?"

Liu Dashao snapped back to attention, shook his head, and smiled. "No, I wasn't thinking of anything, nor did I feel anything wrong. I just slightly twisted my ankle. I’m fine." With that, he quickly moved to catch up with Jia Zhuangyuan, resuming his place beside him at the front. Jia Zhuangyuan glanced back to see Liu Dashao following, but remained silent.

Liu Dashao persisted, unable to let the matter go. "Senior Jia, could you tell me about that experience of yours? If, based on your judgment, the Dragon and Phoenix were artificially created, do you think that implies any complications for our current mission?"

Jia Zhuangyuan did not look at him, but rather stared into the grass ahead, his eyes distant as he quietly asked me, "Have you ever heard of the Warring States period tomb complex at Jiuliandun in Xiangfan, Hubei?"

Liu Dashao blinked, then quickly answered, "I have heard of it. It's rumored to be the tomb of a general from the State of Chu during the Warring States period." The Jiuliandun tombs are situated between the Daling Mountains and the Tongbai Mountains in northern Hubei Province, along an ancient traffic route known as the "Sui-Zao Corridor." Between this corridor and Zaoyang City to the north lies a north-south trending low ridge. On this 3,000-meter-long ridge are nine massive, mound-shaped earth piles, called "Jiuliandun" by local villagers. For generations, a fascinating local story circulated: Legend held that a supremely brave general of Chu, invincible and decorated with countless merits, was mistakenly executed by the King of Chu due to a fleeting rumor of military conspiracy. When the truth was revealed, the King was consumed by regret. To atone for his error, the King ordered the construction of nine burial mounds overnight, placing the general's golden head in one of them to mislead grave robbers and hide the true resting place. For many years, the Jiuliandun tombs were a topic of keen interest for domestic archaeological experts. From an archaeological perspective, artificially piled earth mounds on a natural ridge could indeed be the fengtu (burial mounds) of ancient tombs. The sheer scale and number of the Jiuliandun mounds suggested they might mark the graves of particularly important, high-ranking nobles. However, all this remained theoretical speculation based on ancient lore, as blind excavation was prohibited; thus, the true nature of these strangely shaped hills remained undetermined. It wasn't until 2002, when construction began on a highway connecting Xiaogan and Xiangfan, that the municipal archaeology team, needing accurate cultural heritage data, obtained approval from provincial and national authorities. They brought in professional archaeologists to conduct an on-site survey of one mound colloquially known as "Yingzibao," gathering detailed information about the ancient tomb, which ultimately led to a rescue excavation. The findings naturally shocked the world, revealing countless cultural relics from the Warring States period. Yet, the identity of the tomb's occupant remains an unsolved mystery to this day, leaving the world with endless speculation and wonder.

Jia Zhuangyuan nodded dully. "That tomb complex will be unearthed by the state sooner or later. When it is, the world will be astonished."