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Chapter 957: The Ancient Cave's Dark Ritual
Chapter 957: The Ancient Cave's Dark Ritual
At Xu Shaoye's command, a group of over three hundred people, including the original tour group and the additional security team, eagerly made their way inside. With their financial resources, they were well-equipped with combat creatures and advanced weapons, making the rich disciples among them not only fearless but also unusually excited.
Xu Shaoye, in particular, was full of energy. He wasn't interested in the treasures hidden within the secret treasury; he purely wanted to venture inside for the thrill of it.
Exploring a secret treasury is the most exhilarating activity in the world. It's not just about watching others fight; you might even lose your life in the process.
If he could venture into this secret treasury, which had never been entered before, and record the entire journey on video, it would create a sensation within the entire circle. It wouldn't be surprising if news of it spread abroad, making it a matter of great prestige.
After crossing a section of the suspended bridge, they found another section ahead, with several missing planks, and the hanging ropes looked rather unreliable. The security team immediately dispatched a few members to reinforce the bridge.
Xu Shaoye, holding a flashlight, shone it on the mountain wall, which was already brightly lit by spotlights. "Mr. Fan," he asked, "how is it that we've found the way today?"
Mr. Fan, a bespectacled man in his fifties, looked like a professor from a prestigious university.
He smiled and said, "Mr. Xu, the only explanation for this is that the ritual covering the entire secret treasury has changed. Either the geographical environment has shifted, or someone has tampered with a critical area. It's possible that someone entered before us."
Xu Shaoye was taken aback. "Someone has already gone inside?"
Mr. Fan smiled and said, "That's not surprising. Over a thousand years, countless people have explored this area, and many have ventured in. What's uncertain is whether they made it out safely. But there must be some who have specific clues."
He added meaningfully, "Those who have the clues and still dare to venture in are not ordinary."
Xu Shaoye thought about it and found the logic compelling. If even his influential family wasn't aware of the specific details of this place, how could anyone else know?
He immediately instructed the security officer beside him, "Old Lai, when we encounter anyone, don't be impulsive. Greet them if possible, make friends if we can. We're all here to have fun, so let's not cause any unpleasantness."
Old Lai didn't waste words and replied, "Yes, young master. We'll follow your instructions and greet them first."
"Roger that!"
Just then, a shout came from the front, announcing that the bridge had been reinforced. Led by Xu Shaoye, the group excitedly rushed forward.
Meanwhile, Chen Chuan followed a long road to its end, where he found a narrow ascending stairway.
Standing there, he looked back and around. This direction led to the mountain ridge, which he had specifically visited during the day, finding nothing but a barren slope.
But now, as he walked, the ground beneath his feet was surprisingly smooth, with bricks and stairs. In the distance, he could even see some majestic stone figures and horses.
Upon reaching this point, the sky above seemed to glow faintly, resembling the twilight sky. It was hard to believe that he had entered at midnight.
This situation...
He pondered, thinking that perhaps the entire secret treasury was connected to a rift.
Every year, at this particular time, the rift might intersect with the real world, creating a passage. But there was another possibility...
He glanced at his Second Self, which showed no signs of virtualization, indicating that what he was seeing was absolutely real.
Turning his attention back to the front, he decided to put aside the mystery for now and explore further.
At that moment, he called out, and Chao Ming, who had been flying above, descended to join him.
As he climbed the stone steps, they were initially narrow, allowing only two people to walk side by side. But after a hundred steps or so, the stairs gradually widened until he reached a larger landing with resting pavilions on both sides.
Just then, the stone tablet in his cloak pocket trembled slightly, and the lynx from the monster tale jumped out. Its body, which had been ethereal, now seemed more solid as it landed and began gnawing at the ground.
Chen Chuan hadn't paid much attention until he noticed the floor tiles glimmering with golden light. He realized that it was... Six Yang Gold powder?
He followed the trail of powder with his eyes and saw that, except for the area obscured by mist, almost all the floor tiles were made of this material. He couldn't help but be amazed.
Aside from the difficulty of collecting Six Yang Gold, the process of melting and incorporating it into the bricks would undoubtedly require the assistance of numerous high-level martial artists.
Not only did this endeavor consume vast resources and manpower, but it also involved a special technique. If all this was merely for the sake of extravagance and grandeur, the power behind it was almost unimaginable.
But after further thought, historical records depict the Ying Emperor as someone who was prone to boasting and seeking glory. It wouldn't be surprising if he did something like this.
And if this place is just the outer area of the realm, one can only imagine the value of what's hidden within, considering the abundance of Six Yang Gold used here.
However, this place is ultimately a secret imperial treasury, and its contents won't be easily taken. There must be arrangements and defenses in place, even after a thousand years. The fact that the ceremony outside remains unchanged is a clear indication, so caution is still necessary.
As they continued upward, Chao Ming was very clever and stayed close to Chen Chuan. If Chen Chuan didn't indicate otherwise, he wouldn't move forward. Meanwhile, the lynx was scampering around, but it seemed to know not to stray too far from Chen Chuan, always maintaining a distance of twenty or so meters ahead.
Chen Chuan let it be, and it could also help scout the way for him.
After walking around a cornered stairway, he reached a plaza, and the mist ahead still shrouded it in a hazy, dreamlike veil.
The lynx stopped here and didn't continue forward. Instead, it lay down, emitting a low hissing sound.
It must have sensed some kind of threat.
Chen Chuan took a glance but didn't rush in. Even as a fighter, he didn't think he could handle any situation effortlessly.
This place didn't seem ordinary, and he didn't know if there would be any danger ahead. So, he wouldn't waste energy unnecessarily.
He put down his suitcase, opened it, and took out a tubular object with holes. With a light flick of his wrist, the object shattered instantly, and a swarm of bee-like insects flew out with a buzzing sound.
These were small modified creatures, usually used in combat to harass the enemy. Due to their speed and agility, they were particularly useful for reconnaissance.
He made a hand gesture, and the bees immediately scattered, flying in all directions.
These creatures could enter many small spaces, and if they encountered danger, they would burst into flames, emitting a loud sound. This way, he would immediately notice any anomalies.
The bees flew around outside for several minutes, and not a single one malfunctioned.
He didn't recall these creatures, letting them fly freely while he stepped forward. After walking fifty or sixty meters, he saw stone pillars ahead, each adorned with intricate carvings of intertwining dragons and snakes.
He had done his research; the Ying Emperor referred to himself as the Dragon and his brother as the Snake. Thus, these sculptures all depicted the dragon and snake in various forms.
As he approached, the dragon and snake carvings seemed to move slightly, but when his gaze swept past, they returned to stillness as if they had never moved.
He didn't investigate further, withdrawing his gaze and walking through the dragon and snake stone pillars. As the mist ahead dissipated, a group of black iron trees with branching limbs came into view, each about two zhang tall, adorned with strings of human and animal bones.
Chen Chuan immediately recognized this as the "Iron Thorn Grove," a famous sacrificial pillar from ancient times, often used in rituals during the medieval era.
Live sacrifices were hung on these pillars, and a fire was lit beneath them, burning the offerings alive until they were charred and dry. The sacrificial pillars would be covered in layers of scorched flesh and blood, eventually forming the unique dark brown color seen here.
The Ying Emperor was from Dong Lu, but by then, they had experienced two to three hundred years of Beirong invasions, blending the farming and nomadic cultures. As a result, they had absorbed some of the Northern Shamanic rituals' wild and barbaric styles.
The objects of these sacrificial rituals were often deities or beings from the Convergence Zone, and the offerings were usually slaves and captives of war—far from the rituals fit for an emperor.
So, judging from this, this area was likely still on the outskirts of the secret treasury. Taking advantage of the dissipating mist, he looked up and saw a palace complex in the distance, which must be the heart of the secret treasury.
However, he didn't rush there. Instead, he went to the center of the ritual area and saw a one-foot-tall statue of a dragon and snake on the pivot column. The statue was exquisitely carved, lifelike, and shaped like a cylindrical pillar.
As long as this statue existed here and there were sufficient offerings, the ritual could still be activated.
Chen Chuan shook his head. Let this overly bloody ritual remain in the annals of history; there was no need to reactivate it.
He reached out to take the statue down.
Without this statue, even with the ritual pillars outside, the ceremony couldn't be reactivated.
But as soon as he touched it, the entire statue shattered with a crack, and something seemed to fall from the debris—a crimson egg.
He took a look and seemed to realize something. After a moment's thought, he picked up the egg, placed it in his suitcase, and looked up again. The swarm of bees had flown deeper into the palace complex, so he quickened his pace and headed towards it.
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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