I quickly pulled the Fatty back, whispering urgently, "What the hell are you spouting nonsense for? Didn't we agree not to touch anything here?"

The Fatty froze for a moment before snapping back to reality. "Damn, that's weird. My right hand was completely out of my control just now. I was screaming inside my head, Don't touch it, don't touch it, but I couldn't stop my own hand."

"Stop making excuses. I think you were just greedy seeing the treasure," I said, pushing him forward. "Don't stand here, hurry up and move on." As I spoke, I glanced back at Shirley Yang. She and Chu Jian were busy helping the Professor climb down the rope ladder, having missed the Fatty's earlier action.

"Why are you down here too, Chu Jian?" I asked him. "Weren't you supposed to be watching Ye Yixin on the platform?"

Chu Jian replied, "Big Brother, I just wanted a quick peek at this ancient tomb below. Just one look and I'll go right back."

It wasn't just him; every single person present was desperate to see the legendary sarcophagus of the Jingjue Queen. The legends surrounding it were fantastical, and despite the potential danger, now that they were here, no one could suppress their curiosity—especially those who made archaeology their profession.

Professor Chen, having just struggled down the rope ladder, was panting heavily. He said to me, "Let them look. This is a rare learning opportunity, good for broadening horizons. No matter how powerful that Queen was, she's been dead for two thousand years, and her kingdom fell to slaves shortly after her death. It shouldn't be dangerous, provided everyone strictly adheres to the principles of archaeology and absolutely refrains from damaging anything here."

I conceded that he had a point. The Queen was long dead; whatever dark magic she possessed couldn't be used now. The people who met danger in this tomb before were likely victims of their own obsession with the treasures, which is why they never escaped. It seemed these burial artifacts were the greatest trap—one could only resist their greed by trying their best not to look.

The Jingjue Queen, surrounded by so many legends in life, wielding immense power across the Western Regions, ultimately could not escape death. It showed that worldly affairs are like a constantly shifting chess game; rise and fall are decided by fate. No matter her power, she could not evade the natural laws.

Just then, Ye Yixin, with the assistance of Sa Dipeng, also descended the rope ladder. The group moved forward tentatively, navigating the pitch-black, rocky surroundings. From the look of it, had they reached the very core of Mount Zaglamah?

The space within this massive cavern was too vast to clearly discern the surrounding terrain. In such a situation, the high-powered lighting equipment we had been hesitant to use finally became essential.

It was a portable spotlight assembly weighing eight kilograms, utilizing an ultra-high-pressure spherical xenon lamp and a pure platinum-nickel reflector. In a medium-free environment, its illumination range could reach 2.5 kilometers. However, it consumed enormous power, forbidding long-term use, which is why we had saved it. Now, it was time for it to make its debut.

I assembled the spotlight. Fatty removed his belt battery and inserted it into the compartment behind the lamp. Sa Dipeng, with his severe myopia, leaned in curiously toward the lens. Shirley Yang quickly pulled him back. "Careful! This light is incredibly intense; within a hundred meters, it can cause instant, permanent blindness. Don't look at it from the front."

I quickly put the high-intensity spotlight together, had everyone position themselves behind it, and flipped the switch. A beam of light, solid and unwavering, shot out. Sweeping it around, the surrounding conditions became perfectly clear.

This was indeed the base of Mount Zaglamah. The ceiling and walls were composed of black rock. The area piled high with burial jewels was a natural cliff face. On that precipice, in addition to the sacrificial offerings, stood countless tall, imposing stone statues with enormous eyes. Below the cliff was a vast, circular pit.

It matched exactly what was depicted in the murals of the temple passage: a pit nearly a kilometer in diameter, clearly impossible for ancient people to have excavated by hand. Surrounding this unfathomable abyss, a spiral staircase had been built, winding downward along the cavern wall.

Illuminated by the powerful beam, the steps wrapped around the pit several times before abruptly ending. Human effort had clearly reached its limit; they could only descend that far. Shining the spotlight further down proved futile—the bottom was lost in darkness. A cold wind whistled up from the depths, and a massive, oppressive darkness made one afraid to look any lower. To stare down further risked a mental slip, compelling one to jump into the void.

Shirley Yang murmured, "This must be the holy land of the Jingjue Kingdom. Perhaps the name 'Ghost Cave Tribe' originated from here. Ghost Cave... Ghost Cave... where does it lead below?"

Seeing such a monumental chasm, a chill crept into my own heart. "The Ghost Cave might connect to Hell. Damn it, it really makes one dizzy just looking."

Professor Chen interjected, "Hey, Brother Hu, you were a soldier. How can you still believe in ghosts and gods? I believe this huge pit is a natural wonder—truly the work of divine craftsmanship. Two thousand years ago, the ancients must have seen it as a divine miracle."

I was about to argue with the Professor that some things in this world cannot be viewed strictly through absolute materialism, mentioning my own encounters that defied scientific explanation. Before I could speak, the Fatty interrupted.

The Fatty shone the spotlight onto a specific spot and yelled for us to look quickly. The beam settled in the center of the massive hole, illuminating a stone beam suspended in mid-air. The beam was slender and long, jutting out from the cliff face, extending precisely to hover over the center of the cavern pit.

The most critical feature was what rested at the end of the stone beam: a huge section of wood. This timber was over two meters in diameter, appearing as if a massive tree trunk had been cleanly severed. It was utterly unprocessed; branches and even some green leaves remained attached to the trunk section.

Over a dozen thick iron chains were wrapped around the log, connecting it to the stone beam, fastening the giant piece of wood securely in place. Even more bizarrely, growing from this log was a gigantic, green flowering plant. The flower itself was the size of a large bucket, narrow at the opening and bulbous at the base. Its petals were curled inward, entirely emerald green, surrounded by a wide border of blood-red leaves rooted in the wood. Its vines clung tightly to the log, entangled with the heavy iron chains.

I gasped in shock. "That wood... that's the Kunlun Sacred Tree. I heard my grandfather mention it; the best wood for a coffin was coffin-cured Yin Chen wood. But there was another type, a supreme, divine wood rarely seen, recorded only in ancient texts: the Kunlun Sacred Tree. Legend says that even a mere section of Kunlun wood, removed from soil, water, and sunlight, will never dry out. Though it ceases to grow, it retains its original form forever. If a corpse is placed inside Kunlun Sacred Wood, it will remain incorruptible for ten thousand years. Could the body of the Jingjue Queen truly be inside this Kunlun Sacred Wood?"

Shirley Yang's voice also wavered slightly. "It must be. This is a sarcophagus made from the Kunlun Sacred Tree. Ancient records say this tree is as old as Kunlun Mountain itself. Even Qin Shi Huang sought Kunlun wood for his coffin. I never imagined the Jingjue Queen was so extraordinary; perhaps no one in history has ever possessed a more precious coffin."

The crowd could barely contain their excitement and moved to approach for a closer look. Professor Chen tried to stop them, appearing to have something urgent to say, but in his haste, his foot slipped on a loose piece of stone, twisting his ankle severely.

We had to return and help the Professor up. The sprain was serious; he could no longer walk and had to sit on the ground to speak. "Do not go over there carelessly and destroy anything! Haven't you seen that strange flower growing on the coffin?"

The Fatty said, "Old Man Chen, you say that's a flower? It looks so weird; I thought it was a giant taro root. Why would a plant grow on a coffin? Did they bury the Queen like a seed, hoping she'd sprout and bloom?"

Professor Chen massaged his injured ankle. "Yes, it certainly resembles one. Do you know the scientific name for this flower? It's called the Corpse Fragrance Arum Lily—an extremely rare plant. There is likely only this single specimen left in the world, and this plant is highly dangerous."

"Corpse Fragrance Arum Lily"—hearing this, a shiver ran down our spines. Including Shirley Yang, this was the first time anyone had heard of this strange flower. The name itself was striking, so we asked Professor Chen to explain further.

The Professor said, "When I researched ancient Western Regions civilization, I saw references in surviving murals and historical materials. The Corpse Fragrance Arum Lily originally grew in the Late Moon Fields Kingdom and entered the Central Plains via the Silk Road. It eventually died out there due to unsuitable climate and soil conditions. This flower can grow in ancient tombs; rumor has it that it preserves the corpse from decay and makes it emit a fragrance, making it incredibly valuable. Ancient Western Regions civilization is steeped in mysticism, with complex religions where mythology and fact are difficult to separate. I once dismissed these accounts as ancient legends, not to be trusted."

Shirley Yang looked at the strange flower on the distant stone beam and asked the Professor, "Since it is such a miraculous flower, why did you say it is dangerous?"

Professor Chen explained, "What I said earlier is only part of its nature. Legend claims that evil spirits reside within the Corpse Fragrance Arum Lily. Once it fully blooms, living people must never approach it. It is only because of the Kunlun Sacred Wood coffin that the ancient demonic flower, the Corpse Fragrance Arum Lily, can thrive here."

I have lived through many bizarre and strange things, but I have never encountered a coffin and a demonic flower this miraculous and eerie. I told Professor Chen, "This is truly strange. Growing a plant inside the belly of Mount Zaglamah with no light or photosynthesis—these mysterious elements truly match the Queen's identity. They are all monsters that defy the laws of nature."