Chapter 52: The Tomb Constructed with Yellow Heartwood

"Making a fuss over nothing—I thought it was something serious," Wu Hao grumbled, cursing as he understood the situation. "Interrupting our drinking. Let's go, keep at it!"

The others gradually emerged from the small building as well, and soon the courtyard was bustling once more.

"Thank you for earlier."

While Bai Xian was lost in thought, Gu Xiaohan led Meng Dejun over to her.

"Are you... are you alright?" she asked. After all, she had seen Bai Xian leap from the third-floor eaves with her own eyes. Even if the ground behind the house was not paved, an ordinary person would likely have broken a leg from that height.

She had assumed this little Miss Bai was just here for a sponsored holiday, but now it seemed she truly had the strength to protect them. Recalling Bai Xian’s swift, decisive movements upstairs, Gu Xiaohan’s ears flushed for no reason. Though she looked cute, her actions and demeanor at times were startlingly boyish.

Bai Xian shook her head. "I'm fine." She brushed off the gratitude with a few words and, having lost her appetite for barbecue, found an excuse to return to the small building.

After showering, Bai Xian lay on her bed in a loose T-shirt and shorts, letting the old electric fan sweep over her still-damp feet. She took out her phone and sent a report of the day's events to Gao Sheng via WeChat.

There was something definitely strange about this place. Whether it was the moldy smell she’d noticed during the day or that masked monkey from earlier, everything exuded an air of eeriness. She was not one to make mountains out of molehills, but she also never ignored clearly suspicious details.

Unfortunately, the Dragon-Slaying Sword contained magical power and couldn’t be stored in her “little treasury,” so she hadn’t brought it along—carrying it on a plane would be far too troublesome. Otherwise, she could have used its warning abilities to determine whether these things were truly supernatural.

Though it was already late, Gao Sheng replied quickly.

Gao Sheng: Got it. I’ll report this to the Special Investigation Division in Sichuan first thing at work tomorrow and have them send someone to check it out.

Gao Sheng: Stay alert and keep a close watch in the meantime, just in case anything happens.

Bai Xian: Okay.

With his reply, Bai Xian finally felt at ease. She closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

The night passed uneventfully.

The next day, the archaeological excavation continued to progress smoothly. With the combined efforts of machinery and manpower, the general outline of the tomb was gradually revealed.

When the tomb entrance was finally cleared, Guan Xingbang could no longer contain his excitement and leapt into the burial pit.

“Hahaha! It’s actually a Huangchang Ticou tomb!”

Guan Xingbang’s voice trembled with excitement, his expression alight as though he’d discovered a priceless treasure.

“What’s a Huangchang Ticou tomb?” Bai Xian ambled over, curiosity piqued. She was a complete outsider and naturally didn’t know the term.

Gu Xiaohan chimed in softly, “Huangchang refers to yellow cypress wood, and Ticou means placing the logs with their heads inward. The structure includes an antechamber, main chamber, side rooms, coffin, compartments, and corridors. In the Qin dynasty, only the royal family could use this burial style, and it was gradually allowed to nobles after the Western Han. Only princes and lords could afford such tombs, so it’s of immense archaeological value. That’s why Professor Guan is so excited.”

Bai Xian gave a noncommittal “oh,” not paying much attention to Gu Xiaohan’s explanation. She had no interest in antiques, and archaeology felt far removed from her world. The words went in one ear and out the other.

Under the guidance of the archaeological team, two excavators quickly cleared the sand and stones on either side of the tomb entrance. At a collective shout, the two stone doors were slowly pushed open, revealing a narrow passage just wide enough for one person to pass through.

Suddenly, a strange animal shriek echoed from the distant mountain woods. Through the shadows, figures could be seen leaping among the trees.

“Those damned monkeys are coming down the mountain to scavenge again.”

“There goes the corn at home…”

“Guess I’ll have to take a day off tomorrow to guard the fields.”

“Sounds good.”

The local laborers, accustomed to such occurrences, chatted in dialect and all requested leave for the next day. Guan Xingbang, his mind wholly on the tomb, approved them all without a second thought.

They tried to open the stone doors wider, but for some reason—despite the help of two excavators—they wouldn’t budge further, as if this was the natural limit to how much they could open.

Left with no choice, everyone had to continue working through the narrow gap.

They set up ventilation equipment and waited for the air inside to circulate.

Ma Yu took out the air detector. “Professor Guan, the air inside is fine, and everyone’s got their recording devices on.”

“Good!” said Guan Xingbang. “Let’s go in!”

This time, it wasn’t Guan Xingbang who led the way but Ma Yu, who squeezed through the gap first. The others followed one after another, leaving only Diao Tingting, the sole female, outside to monitor the equipment.

As the nominal “security escort”—and with Gao Sheng’s special reminder last night—Bai Xian naturally joined the descent into the tomb.

She slipped easily through the crevice, and darkness enveloped her sight. That familiar moldy smell filled her nostrils, just like what she’d faintly detected on the surface the day before.

Yet outside the tomb, there had been no trace of it; only after passing through the crack did it become so overwhelming.

She fumbled to switch on her miner’s lamp, and the scene ahead lit up.

It was a narrow corridor, one end connected to the tomb entrance, the other presumably leading to the burial chamber.

At that moment, she heard Guan Xingbang’s ecstatic cry in her ear. “Murals! There are murals on the corridor walls! Quick, take photos—hurry!”

Tombs that had been sealed for centuries had preserved some ancient mineral pigments, but once exposed to air, many would oxidize and lose their color within a short time.

The archaeological team hurriedly switched on their cameras. In the tight, dim corridor, flashes went off in rapid succession.

Bai Xian tilted her head to study the murals. Though she had little artistic sensibility, even she could see how exquisite they were. Distant mountains and rivers were rendered with a few deft strokes, capturing their spirit; the figures in the foreground were meticulously detailed, vivid down to the bone.

There were six murals in total, arranged from the outermost wall to the innermost, together illustrating a continuous story.

Noticing Bai Xian’s interest, Ma Yu, who was photographing the murals, spoke up. “Judging by the style, these were painted in the Sixteen Kingdoms period, influenced by the Eastern Han and Wei-Jin dynasties—delicate lines and rich colors.”

Click.

Ma Yu pressed the shutter on his digital camera, checking the image as he continued, “The first mural depicts foreign cavalry passing through the Great Wall during the Sixteen Kingdoms, massacring border residents.”

Bai Xian looked where he indicated.

The mural, with its vivid hues, portrayed a scene of shattered frontiers. Countless barbarian horsemen had beheaded Jin soldiers, stacking their heads into a grisly mound.

“The second shows commoners displaced from their homes, wandering as refugees.”

“The third: unbearable cold, rampant plague, even parents forced to eat their own children…”

“The fourth: the refugees reach Bodaodao, finding a place to settle in the mountains—isolated from the world, safe from war, and even blessed with a jade mine.”

“The fifth: the refugees develop the mine, and then…” At this point, Ma Yu’s voice grew agitated, his hands trembling as he held his camera, excitement painting his face.

“…and then, they discover the ‘Jade of Wishes.’ The jade holds the power of heaven and earth and can grant any request—food, gold, beauties… even the resurrection of the dead!”

“So what about the sixth mural?”