Lu Zong cursed under his breath, finding the situation tedious, and fell silent.

Seeing Ma Xiong’s complexion still far from recovered, the others couldn't help but feel worried. During a break, Ma Xiong slowly recounted the hallucination he had experienced, which left everyone somewhat terrified. This vision was exceedingly strange; though a dream, it felt intensely real to Ma Xiong. Every detail of the illusion remained crystal clear in his mind, and it had struck him precisely when the Company Commander was about to touch the moss. In the vision, Ma Xiong seemed to foresee what would happen after the Company Commander made contact, giving him the distinct sensation of premonition.

If this were true, what exactly had caused Ma Xiong to develop this ability? Ma Xiong initially suspected the radiation from the Water Luminous Pearl back in the Three Lifetimes Corpse Tomb. However, the Company Commander had also been exposed to the pearl; why hadn't he developed the same ability as Ma Xiong?

After pondering for a long time without finding any satisfactory answer, Ma Xiong gave up trying to decipher the cause, only praying silently in his heart that his body wouldn't undergo any adverse changes as a result.

Fatty deliberated for a moment before addressing the group. "If we consider this a form of precognition, it’s not impossible. The concept of prophecy exists in the world, and throughout history, both ancient and modern, there have been remarkably accurate seers. From now on, none of us should go near that tree."

The Company Commander chimed in, "If this is real, that's pretty dicey. Ma Xiong almost touched that moss. Damn it, lucky break!"

Since they couldn't find a way out and dared not approach the ancient wood again, they huddled together on the left side, temporarily without any good plan.

After sitting for a while longer, impatience began to set in. Supplies were running low, and their physical stamina was slowly draining away. To prevent morale from sinking too low, Ma Xiong began chatting aimlessly with the others to lift their spirits. At first, everyone was interested, but eventually, Ma Xiong ran out of topics. Just as he was searching for a new subject, the Company Commander suddenly spoke up, "Ma Xiong said—why do I keep hearing a sound in my ear? Is it another hallucination?"

"G-good... I think I hear it too," the Company Commander added at this moment.

Ma Xiong asked, "What sound?"

Just as the Company Commander was about to reply, a sharp, piercing "chirp-chirp" sound echoed from the distance. Startled by the noise, Ma Xiong quickly shone his flashlight toward the source.

When Ma Xiong illuminated the area, he caught sight of a small creature that resembled a puppy but dragged a long, slender tail. The thing was crawling near the ancient tree, seemingly unaffected by the beam of the flashlight.

The Company Commander, with his sharp eyesight, immediately recognized it. "Look, guys, this thing looks like a giant rat!"

Lu Zong nodded too. "It does look like a big rat. Where did this thing come from? Why didn't we spot it earlier?"

Hearing this, Ma Xiong focused intently and could confirm it was indeed a rat, though significantly larger than normal. It didn't seem to notice them shining the light on it, continuing its leisurely stroll near the ancient tree. Ma Xiong wondered if perhaps this was a blind rat.

Seeing that it was just a rat, the group calmed down but remained perplexed as to where it originated.

Ma Xiong noticed the rat seemed to be up to something and immediately motioned for the others to stay quiet so as not to frighten it. He then moved the flashlight, tracking the creature's movements to observe what it was doing.

The rat truly didn't seem aware of their presence; it slowly circled the ancient tree. After a few laps, it suddenly moved away from the tree. Ma Xiong kept the flashlight trained on it. The rat darted left, then right, suddenly accelerated sharply, and vanished in a flash.

Ma Xiong was startled and quickly swept his flashlight forward, discovering with astonishment that a doorway had inexplicably appeared on the stone wall opposite them!

Upon seeing this, Fatty shouted, "There's a way out! Hurry!"

Naturally, none of them wanted to remain where they were for another second. They all rose, circled the ancient tree, and headed toward the opening. The entrance was about as tall as a person, and it was pitch black inside. Ma Xiong shone his flashlight in and saw that it led into a large room. Seeing no immediate danger, they filed in one by one.

Upon entering, Ma Xiong realized the room resembled a dormitory. It contained a table, a cabinet, and a wooden bed. There was an oil lamp on the table. Ma Xiong poured fuel into the lamp, lit it, and turned off his flashlight to conserve battery power.

Ma Xiong had added plenty of fuel, and the room quickly became illuminated. Aside from a layer of dust, the furniture was arranged very neatly.

The Company Commander spotted the large bed and immediately brightened. "I say, this place isn't bad—it even has a bed! We're pretty exhausted. How about we take turns sleeping? I'll play the cleaner today and air out the bed for everyone, but I get to sleep first!"

Saying this, the Company Commander ignored their consent, strode forward, lifted the curtain in front of the bed, and climbed in.

Ma Xiong shook his head with a wry smile and was about to walk over to the table to sit down when the Company Commander suddenly flopped out of the ** with a thud, landing hard on the floor.

Ma Xiong was shocked and rushed to look at him. The man pointed a trembling finger at the bed and stammered, "Th-this... this damn ** has a woman lying on it!"

Startled by the Company Commander’s words, the Company Commander let out a sharp cry and scrambled behind Ma Xiong. Fatty grabbed the Company Commander and pulled him over too, while Lu Zong and Fatty drew their daggers and retreated a few steps, facing the bed.

Ma Xiong pulled the Company Commander closer. "Company Commander, what woman? Tell us clearly!"

The Company Commander said, "Just a woman, detailed... lying there naked! Damn it, how could there be anyone else in this ancient tomb besides them? Ma Xiong, I think it was a ghost!"

Ma Xiong exchanged glances with the others, then cautiously stepped forward, stopping before the bed. Fatty also moved to the edge of the bed, nodded to Ma Xiong, and signaled with his hands for Ma Xiong to grab one side of the curtain while he took the other. Ma Xiong understood he wanted them to yank the curtain open together to see if someone was truly lying inside.

Lu Zong volunteered, dagger in hand, and positioned himself near the window, ready to take the lead if something emerged once the curtain was drawn.

Fatty counted down with his fingers. When he reached three, Ma Xiong pulled with all his might, ripping both curtains down. When Ma Xiong turned to look at Lu Zong, he saw him standing frozen in place. Ma Xiong took a step back to look at the ** and found nothing but a quilt and a porcelain pillow.

Seeing this, the Company Commander was immediately confused. "That's wrong. There was definitely a woman lying on the ** just now."

Fearing the Company Commander was playing a prank, Ma Xiong was about to reprimand him for fooling around at a time like this, when he noticed something sticking out from the edge of the quilt on the **. On closer inspection, Ma Xiong saw it was slender and covered in soft fur—it looked like a tail. Fatty also spotted the tail and suddenly snatched up the quilt, throwing it back.

Ma Xiong instantly saw that what was hiding beneath the covers was none other than the large rat they had seen earlier! The giant rat showed no fear when it saw them, remaining quietly where it was. Seeing that the creature seemed docile, Ma Xiong grabbed it by the tail and lifted it up.

Even when lifted, the rat didn't panic, merely kicking its legs a few times. Ma Xiong held the rat up to the Company Commander and asked with a chuckle, "Company Commander, is this the naked beauty you mentioned?" The Company Commander flinched away in fear, while the Company Commander scratched his head, his expression strangely mixed. "How is it a big rat? I definitely saw a woman just now."

Fatty grew impatient and snapped, "Enough with the scare tactics! This rat is miles away from being a woman. Do they take us for idiots?"

The Company Commander looked aggrieved and insisted to Ma Xiong, "I, I swear, I really saw a woman just now, not a rat!"

Upon hearing this voice, a chill ran down their spines, their heads buzzed, and goosebumps erupted instantly! Ma Xiong immediately loosened his grip and threw the rat onto the floor.

The sound the rat made wasn't a "chirp-chirp" but a drawn-out "Ai," sounding exactly like a mournful woman sighing softly! Ma Xiong, having grown up watching Journey to the West, instantly thought: Could this thing be a rat spirit? Everyone was startled by the feminine sigh from the large rat and retreated towards the corner of the room, putting distance between themselves and the creature on the floor. After being dropped, the rat didn't move but remained calmly crouched there. The rat's lack of panic made the atmosphere even more eerie. Fearing it truly was some kind of demon, they dared not move, only watching the rat warily.

The Company Commander declared, "Damn it, the woman Ma Xiong saw on the ** must have been transformed by this rat. That woman was completely naked, probably trying to lure Ma Xiong over to drain his yang energy! Good thing Ma Xiong has such deep resolve, or he would have been played!"

Fatty advised, "Let's not panic yet. This rat looks sluggish; it might not be that dangerous. If push comes to shove, the group of us can just rush it and take care of it. Are we really afraid it can harm us?"

Even though Fatty said that, Ma Xiong found the rat deeply unsettling. A normal rat would have bolted the moment it saw so many people; why was this one so leisurely? The rat's fur was exceptionally smooth and dark yellow. Its ears were small, but its eyes were enormous. Unlike the brown or reddish-brown eyes of other rats, these gleamed with a faint blue light!

Staring at the blue eyes, Ma Xiong felt a creeping fear; the eyes looked incredibly bewitching. He had the distinct feeling that the rat was secretly smiling at him through those pupils!

Ma Xiong dared not look at the rat’s eyes any longer and was about to shift his gaze when a piercing wail suddenly assailed his ears. With his nerves already taut, Ma Xiong was terrified half to death by the sound. It sounded like a woman weeping miserably. Ma Xiong noticed the sound seemed to originate from the left and quickly turned his head toward the source!

There, beside the table, sat a woman covering her face and sobbing! She had her back to Ma Xiong, clutching her face as she cried softly. She wore white clothes, as if in mourning...

In the lamplight, Ma Xiong saw her hair draped over her shoulders. Her fingers, covering her face, were unnaturally pale, and her nails were longer than the fingers themselves, bone-white without a hint of red!

More disturbingly, the woman under the lamp cast no shadow. The moment Ma Xiong saw this sight, he was jolted. "This time we're in deep trouble; I think we've actually seen a ghost!"

The specter paid Ma Xiong no mind, simply continuing to sob while hiding her face. Ma Xiong was truly terrified by the horrifying sound of her weeping, yet he saw no tears on her face. Moreover, the longer he listened, the more he felt the ghost might actually be laughing!

Fearing this woman was another manifestation created by the rat spirit, Ma Xiong was about to call out to the others to help him catch the rat, but when he turned around, the person who had been behind him was gone!

Seeing this, Ma Xiong concluded it was most likely the legendary 'ghost dazzling the eyes'—he had been mesmerized by this spirit! Ma Xiong could distinctly feel his body trembling uncontrollably, cold sweat breaking out all over him. The sobbing was intermittent, sounding distant yet somehow right beside him. Such pitiful wailing suggested profound resentment at the time of death; this must be a vengeful spirit! She had clouded his sight, perhaps intending to choose him as her replacement victim!

Ma Xiong stood trembling, forcing himself to stare at the ghost, terrified it might suddenly spring up and pounce. At that moment, he recalled an old story he’d heard: vengeful spirits could only perceive things directly in front of them; if one stood behind a spirit, it couldn't detect them.

Seeing the ghost facing away, Ma Xiong figured she hadn't noticed him yet, and he began to calm down. He needed to figure out how to deal with the spirit quickly, or he'd be helpless the moment she turned around! Thinking this, Ma Xiong reached for his neck, intending to retrieve the blessed ancient jade Buddha statue. He suddenly remembered that the statue was now affixed to the Seven-Aperture Treasure Box, which Fatty was holding.

Ma Xiong mentally groaned. Besides the Buddha statue, he had no protective talismans left on his person! Suppressing the fear in his heart, as he was formulating another plan, Ma Xiong suddenly saw the ghost in front of him slowly stop crying.

Ma Xiong stared fixedly at the ghost as its head silently swiveled around, fixing him with a sinister grin! Ma Xiong’s heart leaped with alarm. He thought, Damn it, this ghost can see me!

The ghost’s face was extremely pale, but her lips were the vivid red of blood. Her eyes shone with cold light, locked directly onto Ma Xiong. Seeing that the spirit had spotted him, Ma Xiong realized a desperate struggle was inevitable, though this knowledge paradoxically brought a measure of calm amid his terror.

He remembered old lore that vengeful spirits had trouble making sharp turns. With tables and chairs cluttering the room, he could at least maneuver and stall for time.

With this thought, Ma Xiong drew the dagger from his waist and took some of the remaining cinnabar—left over from his encounter with the Seventy-Two Corpse Immortals—from his pocket, smearing it onto the blade. Cinnabar was known for suppressing evil, and although he didn't know if it would work against a vengeful spirit, he had to try anything now!

The ghost stared intently at Ma Xiong, and its body slowly began to straighten up. Ma Xiong raised the dagger, holding it before his Yintang (the point between the eyebrows), which was crucial as it held the spark of life. Vengeful spirits sought to extinguish this fire. By guarding his Yintang with the dagger, he figured she couldn't harm him immediately. However, as the ghost chuckled, Ma Xiong suddenly found that his hand holding the dagger was no longer obeying him! His arm, wielding the weapon, began to swing toward his own throat. Seeing this, Ma Xiong desperately used his other hand to clutch the uncontrollable arm!

But the hand holding the dagger was too strong, slowly pressing it toward his neck! As the blade neared his throat, Ma Xiong’s courage nearly deserted him!

At that moment, Ma Xiong felt two sharp slaps across his cheek. He cursed internally, Damn this perverse ghost, she has to slap me before she kills me!

Snapping back to reality, Ma Xiong realized the Company Commander was standing in front of him.

"Ma Xiong, what the hell is wrong with you? Don't scare the brothers!" The Company Commander shook Ma Xiong’s shoulders and raised his hand as if to slap him again.

Ma Xiong quickly intercepted the incoming hand. "Stop! If you hit me again, I won't be able to see anyone!"

The Company Commander paused, realizing Ma Xiong was conscious, then abruptly shoved him away, yelling, "Are you out of your mind?!"

Only then did Ma Xiong realize everyone else was gathered around him. The Company Commander and Fatty were gripping his dagger-wielding hand tightly, while Fatty, Lu Zong, and the other person behind him were pinning his body down. Ma Xiong now understood that the preceding event was likely another illusion. Just as he was about to rise to reassure them, Ma Xiong heard a sharp scream near his ear, followed by the sound of a blade piercing flesh.

Ma Xiong was stunned and whipped his head around to look. To his horror, Lu Zong, standing beside him, had been impaled through the heart by his own dagger. Both of Lu Zong’s hands were clamped tightly around the hilt. It appeared he had plunged the blade in himself! Foaming blood trickled from the corners of his mouth, and blood spattered the floor from the wound in his chest.

"Lu Zong!" Fatty roared, rushing to support his collapsing body.

Lu Zong convulsed, gave a final kick of his legs, and was instantly dead. At this, the Company Commander burst into frightened tears and buried his face in Ma Xiong’s shoulder. Ma Xiong quickly put an arm around him, patting his shoulder while still recovering from the shock, and tried to comfort him.

The Company Commander knelt to check the pulse in Lu Zong’s neck and shook his head grimly at the others. "No hope..."

Ma Xiong turned to Fatty, who was closest to Lu Zong. "Fatty, I'm afraid Lu Zong suffered the same thing I did. Did you pay close attention to his behavior before he went berserk?"

Fatty, steadying Lu Zong's corpse, shrugged at Ma Xiong. "I'm not sure."

Fatty then asked, "Did he say anything before he lost control?"

Fatty frowned in thought for a moment, then suddenly exclaimed, "Wait, he did say one thing to Ma Xiong. He said, 'Why are the rat's eyes blue!' Ma Xiong also found it strange and was about to look at the rat's eyes when the Company Commander suddenly noticed you pulling out the dagger to kill yourself. That’s when Ma Xiong dropped Lu Zong and rushed to stop you!"

Fatty was immediately alarmed upon hearing this. "Blast it! It's the Azure Jade Demon Eyes!"

The others, hearing Fatty’s declaration, were simultaneously confused. "The Azure Jade Demon Eyes?"

Fatty nodded. "It seems you were all enchanted by the rat's eyes, causing you to lose control!"

The Company Commander cried out, "Damn it, it really is a rat spirit!"

Ma Xiong asked Fatty, "Senior, what exactly are the Azure Jade Demon Eyes?"

Fatty explained, "This rat is a Heart-Eating Rat. Heart-Eating Rats are originally common rats, but they grow to this size only after consuming the hearts of a hundred people. Furthermore, they possess these Azure Jade Demon Eyes, which have the power to hypnotize others! They become addicted to eating hearts, but being clumsy and having little offensive power, they rely entirely on these eyes to enchant victims into committing suicide so they can devour the hearts without hindrance."

Hearing Fatty’s explanation, the group was filled with lingering fear. Thankfully, besides Ma Xiong and Lu Zong, no one else had looked directly into the rat’s eyes, or they would all have died here, their hearts eaten by the monstrous rodent!

Seeing another person perish in the Ghost Palace, the mood became heavy. Fatty sighed while supporting Lu Zong's body, then carried him to the ** and covered the entire corpse with the quilt.

Fatty’s voice was solemn as he addressed the group. "Let him rest in peace here."

The atmosphere grew somber. The others quietly found places to sit and rest. The large rat had vanished without a trace; otherwise, the Company Commander would probably have caught it and roasted it. This entire ordeal had left Ma Xiong physically and mentally drained. Ma Xiong slumped over the table and drifted into a hazy sleep, during which he kept having...

While having a nightmare, Ma Xiong kept dreaming of that female ghost chasing him. When he woke up, beads of cold sweat dotted his forehead. Ma Xiong looked around at the others and noticed that they were all nodding off as well. Ma Xiong took off his shirt to cover the Company Commander next to him, rubbed his eyes, and was about to drift back to sleep when he suddenly felt a rumbling all around him. The sound wasn't loud, but Ma Xiong could clearly feel the vibration through the ground.

Fearing some treacherous change in the layout here, Ma Xiong quickly woke everyone up one by one.

The Company Commander awoke to find Ma Xiong bare-chested, his clothes draped over her. Her face instantly flushed crimson, and she lowered her head to hand the garment back to Ma Xiong. As Ma Xiong dressed, the ground vibration slowly intensified. Ma Xiong quickly urged everyone to be alert, and after a moment, the tremors gradually subsided.

Ma Xiong's first instinct was to shine his flashlight toward the doorway. Instantly, he saw that his fears were confirmed: the area outside the door had changed again. Gone was the cylindrical space they had been in; in its place was a corridor.

As soon as Fatty saw the corridor, he immediately told them, "The corridor, it's this corridor! It looks like this leads out to the central hall of the palace!"

Hearing Fatty say this, Ma Xiong quickly gestured for everyone to exit.

As the group stepped out of the room, they immediately noticed that both sides of the corridor were lined with similar doors, suggesting their current room was just one chamber along this passageway. Following the direction Fatty pointed, they walked to the end of the corridor and indeed found themselves in a grand hall. Based on its appearance, this seemed to be the central hall of the entire palace complex. They descended the stairs to the floor of the hall and realized its sheer scale was extraordinary. Thinking back, the palace was enormous, yet its internal configuration kept shifting in an orderly manner, strongly resembling the Five Elements Plum Blossom Shifting Array they had encountered in the Three Lives Blood Corpse Tomb. Recalling that Grand Array, Ma Xiong couldn't help but think of that enigmatic female nightingale, who seemed neither wholly human nor wholly spirit. He wondered if the mechanisms and shifts within this palace were the work of that Tang Dynasty nightingale.

However, it was clear that even if this was a variation of the Five Elements Plum Blossom Shifting Array, it was an improved version. The formations here were remarkably sophisticated, far more mature than the great array in the Three Lives Blood Corpse Tomb.

Ma Xiong walked to the door of the grand hall and saw that it had indeed been sealed shut with poured molten copper. Outside, he presumed, lay the large pool where the Emperor Crocodile rested. The Company Commander, seeing how magnificent the hall was, especially the throne atop the steps, cheerfully skipped over and sat down on it, proclaiming, "Heh heh, this place is comfy. I'll be a king here for a change!"

Ma Xiong chuckled, "You can't be king like that. This is a Ghost Palace, and you're human. The first condition for being king isn't met. Heh heh, when the day comes you meet the requirements, Ma Xiong will send you back here."

The Company Commander retorted, "Go to hell, Ma Xiong. I was just saying it. Even if I could rule this cursed place, I wouldn't want to."

The Company Commander added with a laugh, "I’m afraid if Brother Zhang wants to be king here, he’ll have to marry the harem first. Someone was throwing herself at him back in the room, but Brother Zhang wasn't interested."

The witty remarks brought forth hearty laughter from the group, instantly lightening the mood.

The atmosphere eased considerably, and Ma Xiong felt a surge of confidence, allowing him to begin a detailed observation of the hall.

The hall was vast; just as Fatty had predicted, its imposing grandeur was undeniable! The hall was generally square, slightly longer from front to back than side to side. Twelve massive pillars lined each side, and the center was covered by a long rug made of beast hide. This rug stretched all the way to the rear of the hall, where a few steps led up to the throne where the Company Commander was sitting. The throne stood at the highest point of the hall, clearly the seat of power for this entire complex.

Looking along the sides of the hall, they saw over a dozen bronze figures flanking each side. These bronze figures varied greatly in posture and attire. All of them were slightly stooped, facing the throne at the top of the steps in a profoundly humble posture, much like civil and military officials paying homage to an emperor. Although most of these bronze figures were heavily rusted, the overall formation still conveyed a sense of profound impact!

The ceiling of the hall was a hemispherical dome, adhering to the ancient Chinese concept of a square earth and round heaven. The dome was adorned with frescoes depicting celestial beings soaring upwards. Upon closer inspection, the immortals appeared serene, their expressions incredibly detailed, truly lifelike and vividly rendered. The entire hall possessed a majestic and imposing aura, magnificent and grand, yet the absence of color, existing only in black and white, made the scene feel inherently unnatural.

At that moment, Fatty was pacing around the bronze figures. Seeing that he couldn't glean any more information, Ma Xiong walked over and asked, "Senior, this place truly seems like someone's palace in the underworld. But why is this palace designed with a layout suggesting a struggle between two rulers?"

Fatty said, "After entering here, Ma Xiong suddenly had an idea."

Hearing this, everyone gathered around Fatty, who then stated, "Look at this hall; although it's built impressively, it lacks defining characteristics of a true palace. Firstly, a main hall should be built at the highest point of the complex, but this one is situated at the very bottom of the entire structure—this contradicts ancient concepts of hierarchy. Secondly, this palace is built within a stagnant pool of water; still water cuts off vitality. Therefore, the two stone carvings on the palace roof have lost any structural significance; their only purpose is decoration, let alone symbolizing a conflict between two lords."

The Company Commander scratched her head and asked, "Old Man Nian, if this place is wrong in that way and wrong in this way, then what exactly was it built for?"

Fatty replied, "If Ma Xiong’s guess is correct, these bizarre features that defy common sense serve two purposes. The first is deception, and the second is guardianship! In other words, the strange elements set up in this Ghost Palace are designed to mislead tomb raiders so they cannot perceive the true secret. The monsters, formations, and mechanisms serve the purpose of protection. Ma Xiong mentioned before that this place seemed built to guard something. Now it appears they are guarding this thing!"

As Fatty finished speaking, he raised the Seven Aperture Treasure Casket in his hand!

The Company Commander immediately looked puzzled, "You say the secret guarded by this entire Ghost Palace is this casket? That seems too easy to obtain, doesn't it? Besides, wouldn't ordinary treasures be displayed in the central hall?"

Ma Xiong shook his head, "While that's true, I now feel that placing the treasure casket on that pavilion was actually the safest approach. Have you all noticed how this Ghost Palace constantly emphasizes the importance of the central hall, leading everyone to believe the greatest treasure must be hidden inside? Yet, this casket was placed in one of the surrounding pavilions! This perfectly fits the saying: the most dangerous place is the safest place!" Fatty stepped forward, "But that still doesn't guarantee tomb raiders wouldn't go to the pavilion. They did go, and the casket fell into their hands."

Ma Xiong countered, "The builders of the Ghost Palace would certainly have considered that. So, have you noticed why, as soon as they found the casket, the pavilion was immediately pushed over by those monsters? Not only that, but massive stones also fell from above afterward. Simultaneously, the sounds emanating from the Four Ghosts inside the pavilion began to change pitch, starting to drive them toward the central hall—the most dangerous place."

The Company Commander slapped her head, "Damn it, now that you put it that way, Ma Xiong, it really sounds like that's what happened. It seems this casket is probably the greatest treasure here!"

Fatty nodded, "Precisely. That's what the 'Heaven's Punishment' company wants—this casket."

As the others discussed, Ma Xiong began to ponder privately. The treasure inside the casket was that crescent-shaped agate. But what was the true origin of this object? Given its ability to suppress the Earthly Chill Fireflies, it was undeniably a rare treasure. However, Ma Xiong felt this wasn't its true value. The secret probably lay only with 'Heaven's Punishment.' At this point, he deduced that the legend of the Demon Tower must also have been fabricated to conceal the truth!

Thinking of this, Ma Xiong couldn't help but recall the Three Lives Blood Corpse Tomb. The legend behind that tomb was also fabricated. But unlike the Demon Tower's legend, which aimed to keep people away from the Ghost Palace, the legend of the Three Lives Blood Corpse Tomb seemed designed to attract tomb raiders. What connection existed between these two? After Fatty and Ma Xiong jointly analyzed the situation, the others had a general understanding of the Ghost Palace. Although many mysteries remained unsolved, finding an exit was currently the most critical priority.

They deliberated and decided to first search the hall for a way out or any clues. If all else failed, they would have to find a way outside the palace and return the way Fatty and the others had come in. Though the stone door Fatty entered through was guarded by many poisonous insects, staying here and being trapped to death was a worse fate!

After a brief rest, the group split up to search the grand hall for clues. Ma Xiong surveyed the area and then turned toward the throne at the apex, adhering to the principle that the most important clues would be found in the most significant location.

The Company Commander followed closely behind Ma Xiong as they walked to the throne. Ma Xiong then remembered the time before they encountered the Seventy-Two Corpse Immortals, back in the outer hall. At that time, Ma Xiong and the Company Commander had searched beneath the throne in that hall, where they found the poem describing the Ghost Palace. Now, standing in another grand hall, he suspected there might be something hidden beneath this seat as well.

Arriving there, the first thing Ma Xiong did was crouch down to examine beneath the throne. Sure enough, he spotted the line of warning poetry again. Ma Xiong recalled pondering the phrase "forty-eight thousand zhang" the first time he saw this verse. He always felt the numbers held some secret meaning. Initially, he suspected the numbers related to the shifts in the ancient tomb's layout, but now, they seemed irrelevant.

The Company Commander murmured the verse aloud to Ma Xiong, "The more I read this line, the more hopeless it seems for us to get out. It says ordinary people who enter cannot leave, and we are all ordinary people. If it's true, then..."

Ma Xiong was about to shake his head when a flash of insight struck him, and he said to the Company Commander, "This poem means that ordinary people entering the Ghost Palace cannot escape, right?"

The Company Commander, unsure what Ma Xiong was driving at, nodded in confusion, "Yes!"

Ma Xiong asked, "Then... what if one is not an ordinary person? Could they get out then?"

The Company Commander shrugged, "Well... but aren't they all ordinary people?"

Ma Xiong replied, "To judge if someone is ordinary, you must look at their thoughts and whether their actions align with the standards of common people. If one wants to be extraordinary, they must entertain extraordinary ideas and perform extraordinary deeds!"

The Company Commander countered, "But this poem might just be a simple warning, without any deeper mechanism. If that's the case, this plan might not work."

Although the Company Commander was naturally timid as a young woman, the wisdom she displayed when no immediate danger was present was remarkable. She was right; this warning might genuinely be just a warning without hidden meaning. But Ma Xiong was betting that this verse contained substance.

With this thought, Ma Xiong called out to the group, "I have an idea, but it might not work. Are you all willing to try it with me?"

Seeing the confused looks directed his way, Ma Xiong elaborated, "I was thinking, since the poem says ordinary people who enter cannot leave, perhaps if we do something unordinary, we might forge a path out!"

The Company Commander asked, "Ma Xiong, the things ordinary people wouldn't do—do we dare to do them?"

Ma Xiong answered, "That's why it’s a gamble. We’ve seen everything and experienced every danger already; one more time won't hurt."

The Company Commander then asked Ma Xiong, "Brother Ouyang, what kind of things would an ordinary person be unwilling to do?"

Ma Xiong explained, "Given our current situation, an ordinary person generally wouldn't smash the hall door to let the water from outside in, nor would they backtrack to the corridor upstairs only to re-enter a trap."

Hearing this, the Company Commander became agitated and immediately exclaimed, "Damn it, that really isn't something an ordinary person would dare to do! If we did either of those two things, would we even survive?"

Fatty lowered his head in thought and remained silent. After hearing Ma Xiong’s proposal, Fatty also looked somewhat frightened, wanting to say something but holding back, his face showing a mixture of suspicion and apprehension, likely shocked by Ma Xiong’s audacity.

In truth, Ma Xiong was also frightened by his own words. But upon careful reflection, they had no other options left but to attempt the unknown. Ma Xiong also had a persistent feeling that some of his seemingly chance decisions were guided by an unseen hand; before making his last proposal, he had felt a strange certainty that his decision was correct.

After a long pause, no one reacted; they were clearly hesitating. Although the Ghost Palace had driven them to the brink of madness, actually performing the extraordinary acts Ma Xiong suggested required a courage they couldn't muster. Seeing that the group couldn't decide immediately, Ma Xiong didn't press the matter; instead, he sat down, intending to continue studying the poem.

At that moment, Fatty suddenly spoke up, "Ma Xiong suggests we first proceed down the corridor from the pavilion. This accomplishes two things: one, returning to the upper trap, which is definitely something an ordinary person would avoid; and two, if things go wrong, we might still have time to rush back here!"

Hearing this, Ma Xiong looked up at the others, "What does everyone else think?"

The Company Commander said, "Ma Xiong has no objections. Frankly, compared to opening the door and inviting that crocodile in, I’d rather walk back and get trapped a couple more times."

Subsequently, the Company Commander and Fatty both shook their heads, indicating they had no objections. Seeing that everyone was in agreement, Ma Xiong led the team back up the steps to the upper level. As soon as they reached the corridor, they all stopped simultaneously, worried that if they ventured too far, they might get trapped up there again.

The Company Commander asked, "Ma Xiong, should we walk further ahead?"

Ma Xiong took a deep breath and told everyone, "Walk!"

As he prepared to take a step, Ma Xiong suddenly felt the surrounding scenery spin violently. Something in his head seemed to explode with a loud boom, leaving his mind completely blank. Before Ma Xiong could utter a word, he felt his body go limp and collapsed.