After appraising the situation for a moment, Wang Guan couldn't help but pinch the bridge of his nose, striving to settle his mind...

This thing was truly beyond the grasp of ordinary people. The mere existence of the Jiugong (Nine Palaces) matrix was enough to occupy a common person for a lifetime, and even then, they might never fully unravel its subtleties.

It was fortunate that this only involved cracking a mechanical lock, rather than requiring Wang Guan to expound upon the meaning of the Jiugong. Otherwise, he would have certainly turned tail and left, not lingering for a second longer.

"Wang Guan, how is it going? Any leads?" Meanwhile, Elder Hou asked with concern, "Don't rush. You can explore it slowly, taking it step by step."

Hearing this, it was clear that Elder Hou intended to stall for time. Professor Wen, fully aware of this, didn't press the matter. He had already decided that he would allow at most half a day; if Wang Guan made no progress by evening, he would bypass Elder Hou and proceed to solve the mechanism door using his own methods.

"Hmm, let me take another look."

At this moment, Wang Guan wore an expression of deep contemplation, but in reality, he hadn't the faintest clue; he was even fuzzy on how to operate the mechanism to unlock it, unsure where to even begin.

Fortunately, Yu Feibai shared the urgency, directly asking, "Elder Hou, there are so many keys on the lock disk—how do we know it's unlocked? Is it like entering a password, pressing the keys, or is it like a jigsaw puzzle, reassembling the scattered pieces?"

"Reassembly."

Elder Hou gestured, "Any lock disk based on a diagram generally adheres to the principle of the Great Elongation, fifty is the number, forty-nine are used, meaning there will usually be one movable square. This square is the 'Flying Star,' whose trajectory begins at the central palace and then shifts according to the sequence of the Luoshu numbers. Once it forms the pre-set combination, it unlocks."

"That sounds incredibly complex," Yu Feibai couldn't help but sigh, then clapped Wang Guan on the shoulder, saying earnestly, "This arduous task is now yours. Show us your true abilities; don't disappoint everyone."

As he spoke, Yu Feibai shifted his tone, "But don't feel too much pressure. If the conventional methods don't work, there are always unconventional ones. We will definitely open the great door and see the situation inside the underground palace..."

"Saying that only puts more pressure on me," Wang Guan mumbled. After all, he was invited by Elder Hou, so he needed to be considerate of the Elder's feelings. Moreover, if he truly couldn't open the lock, that was one thing—having tried his best and lacking the skill would at least leave his conscience clear. The problem was, if he could open it but chose not to act, he would certainly feel a sense of guilt.

Thinking this, Wang Guan decided not to hold back. He unleashed his full abilities, sending wisps of qi permeating the interior of the lock disk, simultaneously examining the detailed mechanical structure and casually manipulating the keys to search for patterns.

It had to be admitted, this Jiugong Flying Star lock was indeed far more complicated than the mechanical locks on the Jin Ni structure. At least this lock disk was large enough, and the internal mechanism was more intricate, making the underlying principles difficult to grasp.

Time ticked by, and fine beads of sweat gradually appeared on Wang Guan's forehead. Seeing his focused intensity, the others held their breath, afraid to utter a sound and disturb him.

However, after watching intently for a long time, one person couldn't resist tugging quietly at Xiao Qin's sleeve, whispering, "Can he actually do it? All the keys are scrambled; putting them back is a huge hassle..."

"Whether he can or not, we’ll only know once he tries," Xiao Qin whispered back. "You don't know, this guy is almost supernatural. There was a lock our unit studied for years without cracking it, but in his hands, it yielded in less than ten minutes."

"...Isn't that an exaggeration?" The other man was highly skeptical.

"Hush, he has excellent hearing," Xiao Qin cautioned. "He can hear the sounds of the mechanisms engaging and pulling."

"...Impossible!" The man's first reaction was disbelief. Such a mystical event was unbelievable to any normal person.

Kacha!

Yet, the world sometimes provided lessons in humility. Just as the man shook his head in doubt, a sound of a bolt retracting echoed from within the mechanism door. This sound was starkly audible in the quiet space and naturally drew everyone's attention.

"The door opened?" In an instant, Yu Feibai reacted first, his face alight with joyous surprise. "I knew you could do it."

It wasn't just Yu Feibai; Elder Hou and the others were filled with a mixture of delight and shock, even tinged with disbelief. After all, in their imaginations, Wang Guan might solve the lock, but surely not this swiftly...

"You're celebrating too early."

At this moment, Wang Guan poured a bucket of cold water over everyone. He wiped the sweat from his brow, forcing a wry smile. "Elder Hou, you were right. There are indeed thirteen iron bolts inside the door, and we've only released one so far."

"What do you mean?" Elder Hou started, then suddenly realized, crying out in alarm, "Could this be the Thirteen Interlocking Rings?!"

"What are the Thirteen Interlocking Rings?" Everyone else was momentarily stunned, vaguely grasping the implication but hoping Elder Hou would explain clearly.

"The Thirteen Interlocking Rings, as the name suggests, means there are thirteen layers of mechanisms set within the lock," Elder Hou said ruefully. "They must be opened layer by layer, and in the correct sequence. If you mess up the order, you might open the next layer, but the previous layer could relock itself. They are interconnected in this way, making it extremely difficult to crack."

"That sounds incredibly complicated," Yu Feibai frowned. "It's just a tomb, why go to such elaborate lengths?"

The speaker meant no offense, but the listener took heed. Instantly, Elder Hou and Professor Wen exchanged a look, their faces thoughtful.

"It doesn't matter, though," Yu Feibai added with a grin. "Since Wang Guan could open the first layer, the remaining twelve mechanisms certainly won't stump him..."

"That's right." Suddenly, everyone else agreed wholeheartedly. Especially the man who had doubted him earlier; he now looked at Wang Guan as if worshipping a deity. This single mechanical door had vexed them for days. Twenty-four hours a day, they spent at least twenty hours trying to figure out how to crack it, yet they remained clueless. But Wang Guan had only been here for ten minutes, and he had already solved the first layer! Such speed and profound ability were surely worthy of awe.

Technical personnel generally share a common trait: their minds are relatively pure. Towards those whose abilities surpass their own, they genuinely submit, humbly seeking guidance, without any trace of jealousy.

"You say that easily enough." However, Wang Guan was not as optimistic. "The mechanism is too complex; it will require time to research..."

The others could discern that Wang Guan was merely stating he needed time, not that he was incapable or couldn't solve it. Furthermore, with the first layer cracked providing a foundation, their trust in him soared, and naturally, they wouldn't doubt his capability.

However, just as Elder Hou urged Wang Guan to continue cracking the mechanism, Professor Wen suddenly spoke up. "Since it requires time, let's take it slowly, no need to rush. It’s noon now; everyone should go eat first."

"We're not hungry..."

"You might not be hungry, but our guest is," Professor Wen smiled. "Even the Emperor doesn't starve his soldiers. We are asking him for a favor; we can't let him go without a good meal. Only when well-fed can he concentrate on breaking the mechanism."

The logic held, and the others didn't dwell on it. Following Professor Wen's invitation, they cheerfully headed out. With hope restored for cracking the lock, their moods were naturally much lighter.

Exiting the tunnel and climbing out of the deep pit, they saw that lunch had indeed been prepared at the camp. The aroma of food drifted on the wind, immediately stirring their appetites, and everyone naturally hastened toward the camp.

The camp's food was excellent—plenty of meat and vegetables, very hearty. It was served buffet-style; everyone took their own plates and helped themselves to whatever they wanted. Wang Guan and the others were not overly fussy; they filled their plates and went to a tent to eat together.

"Where did Elder Hou and Professor Wen go?" Yu Feibai looked around the tent, somewhat perplexed. "They were just here a moment ago; where did they vanish to?"

"They have business; don't ask too many questions," Wang Guan said casually. "Don't you know curiosity killed the cat?"

"Hey!" Wang Guan's remark, instead of dissuading him, made Yu Feibai sense something amiss, and he pressed further curiously, "Do you know some inside story?"

"What inside story? Can't people be busy with other things? Stop guessing; won't a big bowl of food stuff your mouth enough?" Wang Guan replied calmly, then picked up a piece of pig's head skin, chewing it thoughtfully; it was springy and flavorful.

"Who says there's no inside story?" Yu Feibai pouted. "The underground palace below—what is it if not an inner tomb?"

"How do you know it's definitely a tomb..." Wang Guan replied absently.

"What?" Yu Feibai was very sharp, or perhaps he already harbored some suspicion. Hearing this, his certainty grew, and he quickly lowered his voice, "Are you sure about that?"

"Sure about what?" Wang Guan asked, confused.

"Stop playing dumb." Yu Feibai scoffed. "The moment I saw the mechanism door, I knew something was off. A regular tomb—a place for the dead—why would they go to the trouble of installing a movable mechanism door? And the lock is on the outside. Even if the person inside the tomb wished to resurrect themselves, they should have locked it from the inside, right?"

"Think about it: when you lock your door to sleep, do you lock it from the outside or the inside?" By stating this, Yu Feibai became utterly convinced. "But the lock is on the outside, clearly designed to facilitate entry for people on the outside. This is such an obvious flaw; I don't believe you couldn't see it. Therefore, I’m certain this underground palace is hiding something; it’s not just a simple tomb. Tell me, what exactly is going on down there?"

"Since you put it that way, why ask me?" Wang Guan spread his hands. "Besides, I didn't build the underground palace; how could I possibly know what's inside?"

"Tch, I’m just asking you to guess, to make a connection, that's all," Yu Feibai mused. "I reckon it must be where that rich magnate from back then buried his gold and treasures..." (To be continued)