Yang Guo: I defied death and reached the heavens in The Return of the Condor Heroes

Inside the Tomb of the Living Dead.

The walls of the stone chamber are inlaid with mechanisms left by our ancestors.

Anyone who approaches the tomb entrance or trespasses into the forbidden area in the back mountain area without authorization is strictly prohibited from entering.

This would trigger the underground wires, causing the tiny copper bells in the stone walls to vibrate slightly.

At the same time, the dark patterns on the bluestone slab next to it will shift, indicating a warning.

Tonight, as usual, Granny Sun inspected the various mechanisms in the tomb to see if they were functioning properly.

As soon as I stepped into the stone chamber, I suddenly heard a few soft bell sounds.

A chill ran through her. She quickly stepped forward, raised her hand to press the copper bell, and then bent down to look at the stone plate. She saw that the originally straight and aligned patterns had long since become crooked and misaligned.

As her fingertips traced the cool stone surface, she knew it was definitely not caused by the mountain wind or birds and beasts.

It was clear that someone had deliberately entered the forbidden area behind the mountain and headed straight for the gate of the ancient tomb, which triggered the perimeter security measures.

Granny Sun's face darkened; things hadn't been peaceful outside the ancient tomb lately.

Previously, Li Mochou had stormed into the back mountain and forced her way in, but was driven back by Xiaolongnu.

At that moment, the alarm rang again, and Granny Sun's first thought was that Li Mochou was still up to her old tricks and had come back to covet the "Jade Maiden Heart Sutra" again.

She dared not delay, and walked through the deep, winding passageway straight toward Xiaolongnu's quiet room.

Deep within the ancient tomb, in a cold stone chamber, Xiaolongnu sat cross-legged on a jade bed, her eyes gently closed.

Wisps of white mist emanated from the jade bed, blending with the perpetual chill of the ancient tomb, making her white dress appear even more aloof and frosty.

Grandma Sun stopped outside the door and called softly:

"Miss Dragon".

Xiaolongnu slowly opened her eyes, her gaze clear and pure, untouched by the dust of the world.

She didn't speak, but simply gazed quietly at the person outside the door.

Grandma Sun, who knew her of her quiet and reserved nature, spoke directly without waiting for her to be asked:

"The security mechanisms in the tomb have been triggered, and outsiders have broken into the back mountain. It seems that Li Mochou has returned to steal the Heart Sutra."

"I've come specifically to report this; I wonder what your plan is, young lady?"

After listening, Xiaolongnu's expression remained unchanged; she merely nodded slightly, her voice as indifferent as if it were casual conversation.

"Master left a dying wish that the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra should not be passed on to Senior Sister."

"The stone door of the ancient tomb weighs over a thousand pounds, and the internal mechanisms have long been altered. My senior sister tried to open it but couldn't. At most, she'll curse a few words outside the door and then leave on her own. There's no need to pay her any attention."

Grandma Sun hesitated upon hearing this, wanting to speak but stopping herself.

She knew that what Xiaolongnu said was true, but she still felt uneasy.

Li Mochou is extreme and ruthless. The last time she came back, she harassed and cursed outside the door for a long time.

And a Taoist priest from the Quanzhen School was also dragged into this for no reason.

A few days ago, I ran into that Quanzhen Taoist priest again in the back mountain.

He was only sent away after being reprimanded, and was never seen again after that.

Li Mochou is back tonight, and we don't know what she has to rely on.

What if she leads other villains to set up an ambush...?

After some deliberation, she said no more, bowed and took her leave, secretly resolving to explore the tomb alone.

Grandma Sun, leaning on her ebony cane, followed the dark passageway to the tomb entrance.

She listened intently and faintly heard soft noises coming from outside the thick stone wall.

It sounded like someone was speaking in hushed tones, or like footsteps crunching over gravel, occasionally punctuated by the soft clash of weapons.

The sound was muffled and difficult to discern, but it was enough to determine that someone had been lingering outside the door for some time.

She reached out and activated the mechanism on the inside of the stone wall.

The dull sound of the stone axle grinding slowly spread out, and a narrow crack gradually appeared in the heavy stone door.

Granny Sun darted out of the tomb and gently closed the stone door behind her.

Using the shadows of the mountain wall to conceal herself, she stealthily made her way towards the source of the noise.

Before a cup of tea was finished, the Four Fiends of Zhongnan had already reached the rocky outcrop outside the ancient tomb.

Four dark figures lay hidden, holding their breath and not igniting a spark, like four wild wolves that had caught the scent of blood, silently scattering among the rocks.

Shi Mang crouched behind the largest boulder, unwrapping the cloth binding his machete, the cold blade gleaming eerily in the darkness.

He slowly peeked out, his gaze as sharp as a hawk's, fixed firmly on the tightly closed stone door.

The moonlight was obscured by clouds, and the four ancient seal characters "Tomb of the Living Dead" on the lintel appeared faintly in the dim light.

"Is this the ancient tomb?"

Shi Mang whispered.

"It can't be wrong."

"Judging by the height of this stone gate, it must weigh at least a thousand kilograms."

"You can't break through it by pushing it head-on; you have to find a mechanism."

Liu Er squinted as he examined the stone gate, his tone resolute.

Upon hearing this, Chen Cunding was overjoyed, his heart brimming with a simple, clumsy excitement:

"Hehe, second brother, I learned lock picking from Old Wu in the village, let me try it out—"

Before he could finish speaking, Liu Erxi covered his mouth.

Hu Xizu raised his right hand at the same time, signaling everyone to be quiet.

The four of them lowered their bodies and held their breath.

A soft rustling sound came from the pine forest behind us.

Shi Mang gripped the hilt of his knife tightly, Liu Erxi reached into the dart pouch, and Hu Xizu wrapped the nine-section whip around his wrist.

Chen Cunding instantly lost his playful demeanor, his eyes flashing with a sharp light in the darkness.

The four exchanged glances, then crouched down and disappeared into the shadows of the rocks, waiting for the newcomer.

The sound of footsteps grew louder as they approached.

A tall, slender figure emerged from the shadows of the pine forest, his steps light and hurried—it was Yin Zhiping.

Having come here secretly tonight, Yin Zhiping hoped that he could, like before, have a chance encounter with that beautiful figure in white.

He stepped out of the pine forest and stood at the edge of the rocky hill, his gaze habitually sweeping forward.

The surrounding area was full of jagged rocks and overgrown with weeds, just as desolate as ever.

He was about to move forward when he suddenly stopped.

wrong.

He couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong, but a sense of unease inexplicably crept into his mind.

He did not catch any clear sound or figure.

Yet, there was a vague feeling that something in the darkness ahead seemed out of place in this mountain wilderness.

It was a very subtle sense of disharmony.

The shadowy outline of what looked like a boulder was slightly more bulky than he remembered.

It was as if there was a faint, almost imperceptible scent of a stranger in the air.

Yin Zhiping paused, his gaze slowly sweeping over the surrounding piles of rocks.

But no concrete clues were found, and the unease in my heart grew stronger.

After a moment's hesitation, he decided to test the waters, and said in a deep voice:

"Who goes there? What brings you here so late at night?"

The night was desolate, and the shout carried far, yet the rocky hill remained deathly silent.

Shi Mang lay hidden behind the boulder, secretly astonished.

He didn't know if the other party had actually discovered them or was just making a casual remark to test them.

He held his breath and remained still, intending to wait for the other person to leave on their own.

But Yin Zhiping remained standing there, unmoved.

His gaze was fixed on the location of the boulder where Shi Mang was hiding, as still as a stone sculpture.

The two remained locked in this stalemate for several breaths.

Shi Mang quickly calculated in his mind: Since this person stopped to ask questions, it means that he has become suspicious.

If I keep hiding, he might conduct further searches, which would put me in a passive position.

It would be better to take the initiative to show yourself and test the other party's strengths and weaknesses.

He gave Liu Erxi beside him a hand signal to improvise, and then slowly stood up from behind the boulder.