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Is this the wild Warlock Qian You was talking about?

He seemed to realize that Zhong Li was also Warlock, so he must know that Zhong Li was from the Bureau of Astronomy. After all, wild Warlock are as rare as giant pandas, and it's impossible for two to appear near Xiangcheng at the same time.

Xu Qi'an thought to himself.

"The owner of this tomb is no ordinary person. Hehe, it wouldn't be good to see things we shouldn't. This is the old man's experience in tomb raiding over the years. Your Warlock from the Bureau of Astronomy disdain this kind of work; they lack experience," Gongyang Su laughed.

Warlock from the Bureau of Astronomy?!

The members of the Houtu Gang looked at Zhong Li with astonishment on their faces, as if they had been shocked.

It turns out she was a master of True Person; she was actually Warlock from the Bureau of Astronomy. Indeed, those who keep a low profile are often among the key figures.

The sick man helped the leader think to himself.

He looked at Xu Qi'an again and felt even more strongly that this person had the lowest status.

Firstly, it's difficult for a martial artist to become a core member of such a team. Secondly, when the evil creature was killed, this person's role was that of a shield.

His role is clearly and intuitively demonstrated.

"Mmm." Zhong Li nodded, indicating that she understood.

She will never cast any Law Technique, and she will never participate in any battles; this is the experience summarized by a seasoned prophet.

Chu Yuanzhen remained silent, his gaze sometimes scrutinizing Xu Qi'an, sometimes taking in the Golden Lotus Daoist.

Xu Ningyan is strange; he is far more complex than he appears on the surface.

There are only two possibilities for why Xu Ningyan has come to this side room three times: either he did it on purpose, or there is some special reason that makes him keep returning to this place.

"What secrets is Xu Ningyan hiding? Hiss, Number Three is connected to the soaring spirit of the Cloud Deer Academy, and Number Three is Confucian School disciple. And his cousin has another secret. Daoist, you've hidden it very well."

With heavy hearts, the group entered the side room, at the end of which was a passageway leading to the depths of the location.

"Um, Daoist Master, why don't you go first? I'm still just a child." Xu Qi'an stood at the entrance of the passageway, looking at the darkness ahead, somewhat hesitant.

"Have you sensed danger?" Master Jinlian's expression turned solemn.

No, it's just that I'm a little scared. It brought back the childhood trauma of watching horror movies. Xu Qi'an answered in his heart, took a deep breath, and entered the tunnel with the torch in hand.

The passageway is long and narrow, with traces of human carving on the stone walls on both sides, which are tinged with an orange glow.

Their footsteps echoed in the silent passageway; no one spoke, highlighting the tension in everyone's hearts.

At the end of the passageway was a tall stone gate, tightly closed, and no one had visited it yet.

Xu Qi'an stopped in front of the stone gate, placing his hands on it. He tried to exert force, but didn't actually use any. He remained silent for a few seconds, without receiving any warning from his divine sense.

He withdrew his hand and nodded to Daoist Jinlian: "There's no danger, at least I didn't sense any."

"Open the door," said Master Jinlian.

Tie!

With a rough, heavy scraping sound, the stone door slowly opened behind it.

The torchlight could only illuminate a distance of a few feet before being swallowed by darkness.

Xu Qi'an noticed the torch dimming slightly and quickly said, "Wait a little longer, there's no air inside."

Then he instructed Zhong Li, "Do you have any antidote pills? Give some to the brothers of the Houtu Gang."

The white-robed, filthy Gongyang said, "No need to be polite, we've already taken the antidote pills."

After waiting outside for a quarter of an hour, Xu Qi'an stepped halfway into the tomb chamber. There were no warning signs of danger, and the torches hadn't dimmed, which relieved him. He said:

"I'll go first, you all follow behind. Remember, don't do anything unnecessary."

The members of the Houtu Gang nodded vigorously.

By now, not only the sick gang leader, but even the ordinary members have realized Xu Qi'an's low status.

They scout ahead, using danger as a shield.

Such a crude and vulgar person is.

"I've really made a name for myself with this move, and I've been the most effective. The Daoist priest and the others will all have to rely on me. "Xu Qi'an's lips curled slightly.

At the same time, Xu Qi'an recalled details he hadn't paid attention to before.

"As expected, Master Jinlian is a remnant soul. I remember now, during the Sangbo case, we infiltrated the Pingyuan Earl's mansion and encountered Heng Hui, who was possessed by Shen Shu. The Master's action at that time was to rush in with his Primordial Spirit."

"Back then, my education level wasn't high, so I didn't realize anything was wrong. Looking back now, it's really strange. Where are the Law Treasure? Where are the Law Technique? Where are the Golden Core?"

"Rushing in with your Primordial Spirit is like taking off your pants and using a gun made of flesh to fight someone else's iron gun head-on. It's pure suicide."

"If the Daoist priest is a remnant soul, then everything can be explained. Even his fondness for cats can be explained, since neither people nor cats are his physical bodies."

"However, a remnant soul can live for so long? The Daoist School truly lives up to its reputation as professionals at dealing with ghosts."

Although he had a rich inner world, Xu Qi'an did not overlook the potential crises in his surroundings.

Upon entering the main tomb, five torches dispelled most of the darkness, gradually revealing the scene inside the tomb.

The main tomb is vast. If we compare it to a room, Xu Qi'an and the others are currently in the entrance hall. But even in the entrance hall, it already gives people the illusion of entering a temple.

Pillars that would take several people to encircle support the dome whose height is invisible. The distance between the walls on both sides is initially estimated to be twenty zhang (60 meters), meaning that the width of this main tomb is twenty zhang (60 meters).

Its depth is unknown and awaits exploration.

"Based on the layout of the tomb, the coffin of the tomb's occupant must be in the center. I suggest we don't go there yet. Instead, we should feel around the walls to estimate the size of the pattern and see if we can find any valuable information."

The sickly gang leader walked up to the Golden Lotus Daoist priest and offered his advice.

He's an old tomb raider. But I'm the leader, so why didn't he consult me? Xu Qi'an thought to himself.

"That makes sense." Master Jinlian nodded.

Xu Qi'an led the group to explore to the left, moving cautiously until they saw a huge mural.

Before the advent of writing, murals were the only way to record events, and even now, the tradition of "mural recording" is still prevalent.

Xu Qi'an and Chu Yuanzhen, one in front and one behind, held up torches to illuminate the murals.

The mural depicts a terrifying giant serpent that has invaded a human city. When it coils up, its body is taller than the city wall. Its pupils glow crimson, making it look ferocious and terrifying.

At this moment, a Daoist priest riding a flying sword descended from the sky and killed the giant snake.

The emperor and his ministers came out of the city to greet the Daoist priest, kowtowing and bowing to him. The Daoist priest stood on a flying sword, hovering in mid-air, looking down at the emperor and his ministers below.

"Such a large snake, is it Demon Race?" Hengyuan frowned.

Chu Yuanzhen shook his head, indicating that he did not know. Although he traveled around, since the Sixty-Year Demon Purge, great demons had gradually disappeared. However, during the Battle of Shanhai Pass twenty years ago, some Demon Race did appear, but Chu Yuanzhen was still a child at the time.

As for Xu Qi'an, he and everyone else looked at Master Jinlian.

"There are indeed some exceptionally talented Demon Race who are enormous in size. But it's not this exaggerated. Besides, if you knew that Demon Race at the fifth rank can condense a demon core, you wouldn't think that the snake in the mural is Demon Race."

Master Jinlian stood with her hands behind her back, exuding the air of a highly accomplished Daoist master.

The three had different ideas.

Xu Qi'an was thinking that the fifth-grade Demon Race condensed demon cores. According to the Daoist's words, their body size would shrink after condensing demon cores? Or was it that the path of Demon Race cultivation was not about increasing body size?

Chu Yuanzhen wondered, if it wasn't Demon Race, then what was this snake? He had a vague guess in his mind.

Hengyuan's thinking was relatively simple: he couldn't defeat this snake; it was a demon that Buddhism couldn't subdue for the time being.

Master Jinlian didn't keep them in suspense and said, "Being large in size is not a good thing. Although it may bring an increase in strength, it will also expose many weaknesses. In this world, those who are known for their large size and great strength are the ancient Gods and Devils."

"However, during the era when ancient Gods and Devils were active, humanity was still in a primitive, tribal stage. Therefore, the snake in the mural should be a descendant of ancient Gods and Devils, not a true Gods and Devils."

Chu Yuanzhen nodded slightly; what the Daoist priest said was exactly what he had thought.

"Even so, this Daoist priest was able to slay the giant snake, so his strength is probably extraordinary," said Scholar Chu.

The entire wall resembled a scroll painting, and as they talked and walked, they saw what followed.

To thank the Daoist priest, the emperor built a high platform for him and led all the civil and military officials to worship him.

"Isn't this the mural we saw before?" Xu Qi'an said.

The scene of courtiers worshipping on the high platform is exactly the same as the mural outside.

The next scene in the mural shocked everyone: the indistinct Daoist priest wielded a sword and killed the emperor, then donned a dragon robe and a crown, and usurped the throne.

This was such an incredible plot twist! Xu Qi'an was speechless.

Chu Yuanzhen opened his mouth, equally shocked by the Daoist priest's actions.

Master Jinlian frowned deeply.

Master Hengyuan frowned and said, "Such a highly accomplished person shouldn't be so attached to power. What meaning would it mean for him to become emperor?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Qi'an and Chu Yuanzhen both chuckled.

They exchanged a knowing smile, knowing that the other, like themselves, had thought of Emperor Yuanjing.

Next, the mural depicts war, with black-armored and white-armored armies clashing, and behind the white-armored army stands a giant emperor—the usurper Daoist.

The area behind the black-armored army was empty.

The emperor's army quelled the rebellion, but he seemed to have no intention of being a good emperor.

The emperor held his throne high, with a naked woman sitting in his lap, and other naked women surrounding him.

Later, the number of men and women gradually increased, forming countless couples.

"Isn't this the mural we saw outside?" Xu Qi'an said, feeling a strange familiarity with his words.

This mural is the same as the one outside, except it lacks the diagram of Qi circulation and meridians. The message this mural conveys is that the emperor later became obsessed with dual cultivation, becoming a fanatical worshipper of Daoist School dual cultivation techniques, and indulging in debauchery and immorality.

No, he was originally a Daoist priest who usurped the throne and became emperor!

Many thoughts flashed through Xu Qi'an's mind, then he heard Chu Yuanzhen say in a low voice, "Daoist Master, this emperor has a great connection with the Daoist School dual cultivation school."

What he really wanted to say was, could this Daoist priest be the founder of that school of thought?

"Is Scholar Chu really that smart? I think so too, "Xu Qi'an nodded, glancing at Daoist Jinlian.

"I don't know," Master Jinlian replied succinctly.

The group walked slowly, continuing to look at the murals.

Perhaps even Heaven disapproved of the emperor's incompetent behavior, for one day dark clouds suddenly gathered, and lightning struck him down, killing him instantly. The emperor had passed away.

"The Daoist priest usurped the throne and indulged in debauchery, so heaven sent down lightning to strike him dead. Isn't that a bit too much like a brothel?" The sickly gang leader shook his head and gave his assessment.

"Tai Gou Lan" means similar to "dramatic". The operas of this era are generally in Gou Lan.

The members of the Heaven and Earth Society had extremely strange expressions, because they were connecting the dots to something else entirely.

Xu Qi'an analyzed from a rational perspective. "Strange, some parts don't make sense."

Jinlian, Chu Yuanzhen, and the others knew that Xu Qi'an had an extraordinary talent for solving cases, so they suppressed their wandering thoughts and listened to him speak.

"If the owner of this tomb is the emperor depicted in the mural, who is also a Daoist priest, then this mural is very strange," Xu Qi'an said in a deep voice.

"Even our Great Feng knew to revise history books to cover up his own flaws. And this mural, painted so blatantly here, is it an irony?"

His wise and mighty Majesty rewrote the history books to cover up his own stains. Xu Ningyan is far too cautious; even in such a setting, he doesn't leave any grounds for "great disrespect."

Chu Yuanzhen thought to himself.

"He was struck dead by lightning, so this tomb must have been built by his subjects and descendants. Isn't it normal to criticize him?" Hengyuan said.

"Master, you might build a tomb for your enemy, but others might not," Xu Qi'an shook his head and said.

"If later generations hated him, they wouldn't have built such a grand tomb. Conversely, they wouldn't have painted such murals, unless the content of the murals was absolutely true."

Everyone nodded, accepting his explanation. Chu Yuanzhen said in a deep voice, "With the Daoist's strength, ordinary lightning couldn't kill him. Does this lightning have some other meaning?"

At this moment, Daoist Jinlian spoke, enunciating each word clearly and in a deep voice. "It is a heavenly tribulation."

"Heavenly Tribulation?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Qi'an and the others looked at Daoist Jinlian, a term they found unfamiliar.

Master Jinlian nodded slowly. "In the Daoist School system, the second rank is called 'Tribulation Crossing.' Once you pass the Heavenly Tribulation, you can become a first-rank terrestrial immortal. Hehe, this is far superior to the divine punishment from the Bureau of Astronomy Bureau's prophets. The previous leader of the Human Sect was reduced to ashes during the Heavenly Tribulation."

It turns out that the second rank in Daoist School is called "Crossing Tribulation," and the first rank is called "Land Immortal." The members of the Heaven and Earth Society happily wrote this down.

Xu Qi'an slapped his forehead and said, "I remember now, Daoist Master, you said that the damned leader of the Earth Sect failed his tribulation and was thus corrupted by demonic nature, falling into the path of a demon."

After killing Zi Lian, Daoist Jin Lian sneaked into Xu Qi'an's room at night and had a frank and open conversation with him.

"In other words, this emperor is a second-rank Daoist School, and at the peak of the second rank, only one step away from the realm of a terrestrial immortal," Chu Yuanzhen said.

Master Jinlian suddenly breathed a sigh of relief, "Died in a heavenly tribulation, reduced to ashes, this tomb is likely a cenotaph. There shouldn't be any great danger."

The others breathed a sigh of relief, and Xu Qi'an jokingly remarked, "Daoist Master, overly certain judgments often lead to the opposite of what you intend."

Daoist priest, don't plant your flags randomly.

Led by Xu Qi'an, they arrived at the other side of the main tomb, only to be disappointed to find that there were no murals.

The exploration around the main tomb came to an end. Xu Qi'an, holding a torch, led the group around to the center, where they saw a wide, black passage.

The passage leads straight to the central platform, with shallow puddles on both sides, the water of which is murky.

There were candles on both sides.

Xu Qi'an moved the torch, and its orange light illuminated the edge of the passage. Every ten steps, a candlestick as tall as a person was erected, stretching all the way to the high platform.

On the candlestick lay an unburnt candle, its red color like blood, yet crystal clear, like a ruby.

"This seems to be oil extracted from the body of the Red Dragon of the East Sea. This candle can burn for decades without going out." Master Jinlian sniffed it and identified the material of the candle.

As they spoke, Xu Qi'an and Chu Yuanzhen lit candles, and clusters of candlelight burned quietly, bringing more light to the spacious main tomb.

Xu Qi'an instructed his men to keep an eye on the pools on both sides to prevent any evil spirits from lurking in the water, while simultaneously lighting the candlesticks along the edge of the passageway.

Torches cannot last long and will eventually go out, so we must replace them with something else to provide light before they burn out completely.

As they approached the high platform, Xu Qi'an suddenly stopped, for two rows of soldiers stood silently watching the uninvited guests on the steps leading to the platform.

"Damn it, that scared the hell out of me." Xu Qi'an cursed as he walked over, first listening to make sure there was no heartbeat, then observing the mummies.

"It's just a dried corpse, everyone please don't touch it. Stay behind me."

After giving him a word of advice, he climbed the ninety-nine steps and reached the high platform.

The scenery on the high platform was the first thing that caught Xu Qi'an's eye. In the center was a huge bronze coffin, and at the four corners of the platform stood four tall figures.

These figures, each wielding a different weapon, stood silently for thousands of years, unyielding and steadfast.

Master Jinlian glanced at the bronze coffin, then looked away and walked to the edge of the platform, examining the nearest mummified corpse.

The mummified corpse was dressed in fish-scale armor, wielding a purple-gold hammer, and wearing a bronze mask, revealing only its eyes.

The armor, made of fish scales, was strung together with red thread. Strange runes were engraved on each scale, making it both eerie and exquisite.

"This seems to be Daoist School artifact?" Chu Yuanzhen was also observing the mummified corpse, but the one he was looking at was holding a rusty bronze sword.

After examining the four mummies and observing their armor, Master Jinlian pondered and said:

"There are indeed traces of Daoist School, but I can only make a guess at these High Antiquity runes. The one to the west represents metal, while the ones to the north, south, and east represent fire, water, and wood respectively."

"Where's the soil?" Xu Qi'an asked.

Master Jinlian did not answer, but instead looked at the bronze coffin placed in the center.

"The central government controls the land!" Chu Yuanzhen whispered, "What does this arrangement mean?"

"Is it rebirth?" The wild Warlock Gongyang Su looked at Zhong Li.

Zhong Li nodded and said, "All things in heaven and earth are manifestations of the five elements. Ancient people believed that after a person dies, they are buried in a tomb. The tomb is in the earth. If a five-element array can be set up in the tomb, the deceased will one day be reborn from the earth."

Everyone listened with great interest, but Xu Qi'an suddenly felt a chill run down his spine and said:

"That's not right, Daoist Master. Didn't you say that you died in the Heavenly Tribulation and were reduced to ashes? If nothing is left, how can you be reborn? What use is this Five Elements Formation then?"

Master Jinlian was taken aback at first, then her pupils contracted slightly, and she said in a deep voice, "Let's go. We've explored the main tomb; there's no need to linger."

Xu Qi'an nodded, about to announce the retreat, when he suddenly heard a sigh coming from the bronze coffin:

"You're here!"

A chill ran up his tailbone and down to his scalp. Xu Qi'an swallowed hard and turned to look at the crowd. He found that although their expressions were serious, they were not afraid.

Noticing Xu Qi'an's extremely pale face, Master Jinlian asked, "What's wrong?"

"I heard it, from inside the coffin," Xu Qi'an murmured, uttering each word through clenched teeth:

Someone is talking.

A chill ran down everyone's spine, and their scalps tingled instantly.

Zhong Li shivered slightly, almost unable to carry Lina on her back.

Chu Yuanzhen's face was ashen, and his voice was low and urgent. "Go, leave the main tomb, leave quickly."

At that moment, everyone displayed a strong will to survive; without saying a word, they turned and left.

Tie!

Just then, everyone heard a rough and heavy friction sound coming from behind them.

That was the sound of the bronze coffin being opened.

P. S.: I want to say something, but I don't know what to say. Well, then I'll ask for a monthly vote.