The following passage is quite baffling; I find it hard to believe its authenticity. He claimed to have utilized the language of beasts to communicate with the Hui (Serpent Dragon), persuading it to serve the Great Tang. This Hui performed great deeds in battles against the Western Regions and was subsequently bestowed with the name Wujin Shenjiao (Dark Gold Divine Dragon).

Liang Yeba performed numerous meritorious deeds for the Great Tang, and his status grew increasingly high, largely due to the immense utility of his two treasures: the Candle God and the Giant Hui. The people of Wei Guo possessed extraordinarily long lifespans; even at sixty, they appeared like youths, which inevitably sparked considerable criticism from the court. Coupled with ostracization and slander from other officials, Liang Yeba was eventually granted silks and honors before being sent back to his ancestral home.

However, because Liang Yeba's two treasures were too formidable, Emperor Taizong of Tang, fearing rebellion, detained the Candle God and commanded him to "ride the Hui along the river back to Shu," the river referring to the Yellow River.

Having served as an official for many years, Liang Yeba had absorbed much of the art of governance from the Great Tang. Upon returning to his clan, he governed diligently, doubling the population. Furthermore, leveraging the might of the Giant Hui, he launched punitive campaigns against the surrounding barbarian tribes, who submitted and offered tribute. Even the neighboring powerful nation of Tuyuhun treated him with deference.

Thirteen years later, in the twenty-third year of the Zhenguan era, when Emperor Taizong passed away, a celestial fire fell near the Wei Guo settlement. A mountain blaze erupted, incinerating countless livestock and tribesmen, leaving behind a giant crater a hundred meters wide that burned without extinguishing for three days and three nights.

Later, Liang Yeba spent three years constructing an Ice Palace beneath the earth in Heizhugou (Black Bamboo Ravine). The entire clan moved underground. During the day, the men climbed to the surface via massive ceiling shafts to hunt and till the land; the women fished by cutting ice on the subterranean lake.

Yet, the lives of the Wei Guo people were far from peaceful. Behind the Ice Palace, on the mountain face, was a natural ancient cavern from which spectral wails often emanated at night. Unidentified phantom shapes frequently lingered near the entrance, and any person or beast approaching the mouth of the cave was inexplicably swallowed whole. Liang Yeba dispatched his strongest warriors to investigate the cavern multiple times, but none ever returned.

A year later, the Candle God was returned to Liang Yeba by Emperor Gaozong of Tang. Liang Yeba was overjoyed. Harnessing the power of the Candle God, he ventured deep into the ghost cave himself. What he encountered within is not detailed here. At the bottom of the cave was a natural stone well of extreme cold. According to the original text on the silk manuscript: "Hair turned white swiftly; fire offered no warmth; wrapped in three layers of fur, the bones froze; a chilling unparalleled."

Afterward, Liang Yeba circled the well opening several times before deciding to enter the shaft with the Candle God to investigate.

As the writing reached this point, the subsequent characters were inexplicably blotted out by Liang Yeba with a single stroke. What occurred in the middle remains unknown. The very last section follows, described with great intensity.

I surmise that they must have unlocked something called the "Ghost Eye" within that ancient well, because Liang Yeba wrote: "The Ghost Eye opened, and swarms of Nether Flames emerged, instantly searing those who approached, burning flesh and bone to ash. The doom of Wei Guo was sealed. My slaughter was immense. I built the Ice Palace, yet the will of Heaven could not be defied. The Candle God expended all its magical power to imprison the Nether Flames. I killed my entire clan as a blood sacrifice, then used Duke Chunfeng’s 'Demon Map' to seal the Ghost Eye, before consuming the Nether Flames myself and perishing here. I leave this book only to inform posterity."

I observed that his final script was extremely hurried, clearly written in a moment of desperation, perhaps when his life was hanging by a thread. Otherwise, he would have rewritten the omitted section instead of merely scribbling over it, for he simply wouldn't have had the time.

Setting down the silk manuscript, I switched off the flashlight. Darkness reclaimed everything around me. I took a deep breath; the air still carried the acrid stench of the recent burning.

The content of this silk manuscript was extremely brief, with large portions deleted, and the narrative wildly improbable, leaving many questions unanswered. I suspect the Candle God might be that massive bronze disc, as I once witnessed its manifestation in the ice carvings outside.

Could the Nether Flames be the insects inside those smaller bronze discs? And what exactly were those strands of hair? Moreover, why was the Giant Hui sleeping in the ice lake, cradling the Candle God?

When the people of Wei Guo first discovered the cave, it was a natural formation. Now, however, there were corridors and secret chambers, clearly indicating they had been excavated by someone who also set up an extremely intricate maze here.

Liang Yeba claimed to have executed his entire clan, but who prepared his sarcophagus? I believe the person who constructed the maze and built the coffin must be the same individual, and this must have happened after Liang Yeba's death. Since Liang Yeba left a record for future generations, he would have had no reason to arrange for his own demise in such a manner, yet the manuscript fails to mention how to navigate this labyrinth.

The thought of being trapped in this maze for an unknown duration dampened my spirits. I heard the snoring of Da Xiong and Xie Yuting, and finally, I could hold on no longer. I carefully tucked away the silk manuscript, leaned against the cold wall, and lay down to sleep.

I was utterly exhausted, never feeling such weariness while conscious. Once I lay down, my awareness blurred immediately. I estimated this sleep would last for three days and three nights.

The sleep was restless and confusing. The floor of the chamber was icy, and the air damp. I felt nothing but widespread soreness, certainly no refreshing rest.

After an indeterminate amount of time, in my semi-conscious state, I vaguely perceived several dark silhouettes entering the doorway.

I instantly became alert, trying desperately to struggle free, only to find my body paralyzed, completely unable to move. I knew this was sleep paralysis.

During sleep, all human muscles relax, and consciousness is semi-blurred, leading to hallucinations—the feeling that someone is nearby—but the brain maintains the instruction for sleep, preventing muscle response, hence the inability to move.

The sensation of a presence that accompanies sleep paralysis is usually illusory, so I secretly told myself not to be afraid.

After resting for a while longer, I sensed something was wrong. My consciousness was not blurred; I could clearly perceive those figures slowly walking to a position directly above my head, stopping motionless there, staring down at me as if they were a row of puppets.

I wonder if anyone else has experienced that sensation when sleeping—suddenly feeling someone standing motionless right beside you, staring. Even if you could move in that moment, you'd be paralyzed with terror, afraid to turn your head and see a pale face.

That was precisely how I felt now. Though I knew it might be a hallucination, a cold sweat instantly drenched my shirt.

I glanced sideways at Da Xiong and Xie Yuting, discovering they had vanished sometime in the interim.

The figures stirred then, seemingly whispering amongst themselves. Before I could discern their words, a spark of fire illuminated the scene, and an extremely terrifying face appeared directly before my eyes.

It was Old Huang, the man tortured to death by the Ku Rong (Bitter Leech) near the stone gate. Half his face and neck bore deep, bloody gashes—scratches inflicted during his poisoning. He was staring at me with wide, venomous eyes, and black blood seeping from his sockets dripped down his cheek onto my face. An icy, viscous, foul odor made the hair on my scalp stand on end.

I was so frightened I nearly suffocated, my breathing instantly obstructed. A gurgling sound escaped my throat, my eyes rolled back, and I fainted.

After an unknown period, when I awoke, the first thing I saw was firelight.

A blazing bonfire burned before me, surrounded by several men clad in tattered military uniforms.

The flickering firelight illuminated their faces, casting shadows upon expressions of utter blankness. Each face bore scratches, large or small, so dirty they were almost unrecognizable, but I could sense an underlying disquiet in all of them.

I recognized these men as the subordinates of Old Huang, the man who entered the cave with us. It seemed this international gang of thieves still had survivors.

I tried to move slightly, only to discover my hands and feet were bound. The slightest movement sent a sharp, fiery pain through my wrists.

I frowned and spoke to the men, "Comrades of the PLA, what is the meaning of this? We are one family, why bind your own kin?"