Ma Xiong scratched his head, his mind completely short-circuiting. He finally cursed, “Damn it, whatever it is, let’s just move this stone and see what the heck is underneath. I’ve had enough of this, what in the hell is this thing?” With that, he immediately moved his hands to try and shift the object.

However, the moment his hands touched the stone, it suddenly let out a creaking sound. Their eyes met, and a wave of intense curiosity washed over them, leaving them unsure of what to do. Ma Xiong, especially, looked down at his hands and said, “What in the world is going on? I didn’t move this stone. My hands hadn't even touched it, and it started moving. Look, there’s not even any dust on my hands.” He then held his hands out, waving them in front of everyone. Ge Mei and Lu Zong’s eyes lingered curiously on his hands for a moment. Indeed, they saw nothing unusual, no dust whatsoever. Their mouths dropped wide open in astonishment, releasing the surge of curiosity within them.

Ma Xiong decided that since he couldn't figure it out now, he wouldn't waste any more thought on it, but he desperately wanted to know why the stone was moving. Then it occurred to him: they were inside an ancient tomb, and caution was paramount. That stone might very well be a trap mechanism. In ancient times, people placed immense importance on their final resting places; not just a small stone, but even an inconspicuous brick could conceal a hidden trigger. Instantly, Ma Xiong covered the others with his hands and retreated backward.

But contrary to what Ma Xiong and the others expected, the stone didn't shoot out poison darts or anything else. Ma Xiong paused, and Lu Zong suddenly spoke up, “Ma Xiong, I think you’ve let this thing scare you silly. We’ve been through enough life-and-death situations on this journey that I’m long past being unnerved. Look, even if ancient science and technology were advanced for their time, could they compare to what we have now? And you know the quality of things people manufacture today—many items break down and die shortly after use. Are you expecting something made two thousand years ago to still be functional? Is your brain fried? I think the stone was simply disturbed by us just now, and being in this place for so long, weathering the elements, it’s slowly oxidized. Let’s not be so high-strung.” Saying this, he laughed heartily and strode forward, eager to see what was beneath.

But as soon as he reached the front of the stone—perhaps the moment his gaze made contact with its surface—he froze stiff, muttering, “Ah, impossible, how can this be?”

Below, Ma Xiong and Ge Mei exchanged glances. They had weathered countless storms together, but seeing Lu Zong so utterly shocked suggested that whatever he saw must be extraordinary—perhaps a hidden chamber or grotto. The two of them rushed forward anxiously, both eager to see what had astonished Lu Zong so much.

But when their eyes met the sight, they too stood dumbfounded, unable to articulate the sheer joy they felt. For what they saw was not some threatening mechanism or cavern. It was a sumptuously decorated storage vault. And what lay within? It was an astonishing, glittering array of gold, silver, jewels, and ornaments. They stared at the treasures for so long that they barely registered their surroundings. Ge Mei, especially, felt the irresistible pull of the gold and jade; she completely forgot her ladylike composure, and a string of drool actually trickled from the corner of her mouth. But no one noticed at that moment, as everyone was fixated on the small treasury before them. Every eye was wide open, seemingly trying to absorb every piece of the contents into their vision to carry it away.