At that moment, the sound of intense gunfire echoed in his ears. It seemed their companions on the shore had spotted the dangerous creature trailing behind them and had opened fire.
Liu Dashao and Fan Debiao struggled to climb out of the water, and Yang Weidong quickly pulled them ashore.
When they turned to look back, they were shocked to see a black, spindle-shaped aquatic creature, screeching pitifully as it was struck by bullets and sank into the depths. It sank so quickly that Liu Dashao didn’t get a clear look at what it was. Everyone watched as it disappeared into the water, leaving no trace, and then began to survey their surroundings.
The place where they emerged was a massive circular pool, resembling a well. The area they stood in was like a courtyard, surrounded by walls several meters high. Beyond the walls, the beam of their flashlights revealed an open, empty space.
To their astonishment, directly ahead on the wall was a black door, likely the exit of this courtyard. On either side grew two thick trees. When they turned to look behind them, a small white building stood prominently in the depths of the courtyard. Fan Debiao muttered, “Good heavens, where is this place? It feels like we’ve wandered into someone’s backyard. How could such a place exist a thousand meters underground?”
Jia Zhuangyuan sneered, “The ancients believed in treating death as life, especially the wealthy or those in power. They would build their tombs to resemble the places they lived in during their lifetimes. Some emperors even replicated their entire palaces underground, like Qin Shi Huang. Seeing a small courtyard here is nothing unusual.”
Fan Debiao nodded, “That’s true, but how do these trees grow without photosynthesis?”
Jia Zhuangyuan replied ominously, “Go take a closer look, and you’ll find out.”
Fan Debiao grabbed Yang Weidong and said, “Dongzi, let’s go check it out. This place feels eerie, and I need you to come with me.”
Yang Weidong, being carefree and straightforward, accompanied Fan Debiao as they slowly approached the trees. As soon as they got close, the two let out a cry and ran back, muttering, “Good heavens, there are so many heads!”
Seeing their pale, terrified faces, Jia Zhuangyuan chuckled, “Did you see what those trees really are?”
Fan Debiao and Yang Weidong shook their heads, “We don’t know. We didn’t get a good look, but there were many round heads hanging from the tree. It was terrifying.”
Jia Zhuangyuan explained, “In the study of feng shui and burial practices, this place is called a ‘yin residence,’ and the two symmetrical trees are called ‘yin trees.’ These yin trees aren’t ordinary trees but are made from extremely hard materials like iron or copper, shaped to resemble trees in a living person’s courtyard. Some extremely wealthy individuals even use rare ‘yin wood’ to create these trees.”
Fan Debiao asked, “What is yin wood? And why are there heads hanging from these yin trees?”
Jia Zhuangyuan replied, “Yin wood is said to be a long-extinct tree. Some say it grows in the underworld, while others claim it grows in the depths of the Kunlun Mountains, where sunlight never reaches. Legend has it that yin wood grows only a few centimeters every ten thousand years. It’s incredibly hard and heavy, and its value is said to be equivalent to its weight in gold. The round objects hanging from the yin trees aren’t actual heads but are instead spherical carvings made from some material.”
Seeing Fan Debiao about to ask more questions, Jia Zhuangyuan waved his hand and said, “Alright, we don’t have time to delve into the intricacies of feng shui and burial practices. This yin residence is likely someone’s underworld resting place, and it’s best we don’t enter. Let’s open the courtyard gate and find our way out.”
Everyone agreed and headed toward the black courtyard gate.
Suddenly, Jia Zhuangyuan called out, “Wait, everyone. Something feels off.”
They turned to look at him, puzzled. He stood there, frowning, as if deep in thought. After a moment, he looked up, his gaze distant, and said, “A yin residence appearing in the entrance passage of the Wuji Demon Vault doesn’t align with typical burial practices. What’s going on here? Could my judgment be wrong?” It seemed he was beginning to doubt the expertise he had relied on for over twenty years, even feeling a sense of confusion.
Liu Dashao stepped forward and stood in front of Jia Zhuangyuan, saying, “Senior Jia, the Wuji Demon Vault is just a legend. We can’t explain it with our current knowledge and experience. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Finding the entrance through the volcanic lake already proves your judgment and experience were crucial. Now, we’re likely facing a realm no one has ever entered before. We should work together to unravel this ancient mystery.”
Jia Zhuangyuan looked up at Liu Dashao, took a deep breath, and smiled. “Young Liu, you’re right. Whether this is the Wuji Demon Vault or not, it’s at least one of the three great secret vaults. I think the Wuji Demon Vault might be right before us.” With that, he signaled for everyone to open the courtyard gate. The person at the front, Cai Qingchong, placed his hand on the black door and turned to say, “For safety, everyone step to the sides. I’ll open the door.”
Everyone nodded and stood on either side of the door. Cai Qingchong pulled the ring on the door, and a low, eerie creak echoed as the door slowly opened. Outside, there was complete silence.
Just as everyone prepared to step out of the courtyard, a sudden gust of wind swept through, and the black door creaked again, slamming shut on its own. Everyone immediately felt a strange, ominous energy slowly seeping out from the yin residence.
Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “This is bad!” Before he could finish, the red doors and windows of the white building slowly opened in the wind. The two yin trees began to rustle like ordinary trees.
Everyone huddled together, leaning against the sides of the courtyard gate, weapons at the ready, nervously watching for any sudden changes in the yin residence.
The wind grew stronger, and suddenly, a clear, childlike cry came from the white building. In this eerie environment, it sent a chill down everyone’s spine.
Suddenly, the crying seemed to grow closer. Two children, a boy and a girl, emerged from the red door of the building, holding hands. The girl wore red, and the boy wore green, their faces pale as they hopped and wailed, moving toward the group.
Jia Zhuangyuan gritted his teeth and cursed, “What heartless person would use two little ghosts to guard a yin residence?”
At that moment, the round, head-like objects hanging from the trees began to fall, rolling across the courtyard.
The two little ghosts suddenly stopped crying, bent down, and each picked up a black, round object, shoving it into their mouths.
Everyone watched in shock as the two ghosts revealed sharp, white teeth, gnawing on the head-like objects. Dark red liquid dripped from the corners of their mouths.
Jia Zhuangyuan suddenly shouted, “Shoot! Don’t let them finish eating, or we’re in danger!”
Panicked, everyone raised their guns and opened fire on the two little ghosts.
The two ghosts, likely ancient beings, seemed unprepared for modern weapons. They were instantly knocked to the ground by the barrage of bullets, dark red liquid oozing from their bodies.
Just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief, thinking the ghosts had been defeated, the two children suddenly sprang up, shoving the remaining round objects into their mouths and swallowing them. Despite the bullet holes oozing dark red liquid, they continued to wail and move toward the group.
Everyone was at a loss. These little ghosts couldn’t be killed—what was going on? The guns fired again, but this time, the ghosts weren’t knocked down by the bullets. They merely staggered slightly before continuing their advance. Everyone was stunned.
Jia Zhuangyuan shook his head and said, “I didn’t expect these two little ghosts to be sated by just one yin fruit. It seems I’m really out of luck. Well, I’ll have to handle this myself.”
With that, he pulled a black, round object from his bag with his left hand and a whip-like rope with his right, stepping forward to confront the two ghosts.
The two ghosts continued to wail, their white teeth stained with dark red blood, extending their four small hands toward Jia Zhuangyuan as if asking to be held. Suddenly, everyone noticed the children’s hands slowly curling into claws, their nails rapidly growing, reaching seven or eight centimeters in the blink of an eye.
Everyone watched this bizarre scene nervously, unsure what would happen next, deeply concerned for Jia Zhuangyuan.
Jia Zhuangyuan stopped about a meter and a half away from the ghosts and let out a cold laugh. “Little ghosts, are you trying to transform? Old Jia specializes in capturing little ghosts.”
With that, he swung the whip-like rope in a circle, accurately looping it around the neck of the girl in red. He quickly pulled her toward him and shoved the black, round object into her open mouth.
The girl’s wails turned into muffled sobs as her mouth was sealed. Jia Zhuangyuan swiftly pulled her back, shouting, “Shoot the boy! Don’t let him join hands with the girl again!”
Yang Weidong and Fan Debiao immediately raised their guns and opened fire on the boy in green. The girl, now restrained by Jia Zhuangyuan’s whip and with her mouth stuffed, began to stagger. Her body also underwent a noticeable change—her pale skin turned black and purple, starting from her face and neck and spreading downward.
She struggled desperately, her small hands gripping the whip around her neck, shaking her head to break free. The little ghost’s strength was astonishing, forcing Jia Zhuangyuan to exert all his strength, sweating profusely as he struggled to hold her.
Meanwhile, the boy in green bared his teeth, waving his two small hands—now more like claws—and let out a hissing cry as he charged toward Jia Zhuangyuan with incredible speed. The barrage of bullets only slightly hindered his movement.
As he neared the girl in red, Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Find a way to stop him! If the two ghosts join hands, all my efforts will be wasted!”
At that moment, Cai Qingchong darted forward with a dagger, aiming for the boy in green. The dagger gleamed with an unusual light as he struck toward the ghost’s head.
The boy swiftly dodged, then bared his teeth and reached out with his claws, grabbing the dagger with surprising speed. He let out a shrill cry, pulling the dagger toward his chest and extending his head to bite Cai Qingchong’s hand.
Cai Qingchong, startled, tried to pull the dagger free, but it didn’t budge. The boy’s sharp teeth were already at his hand. Terrified, Cai Qingchong let go of the dagger.
The boy in green seemed pleased, tossing the dagger to the ground. He let out another shrill cry, his blood-red eyes glaring at Jia Zhuangyuan as he spread his arms and charged again.
At that moment, Liu Dashao let out a clear shout, leaping into the air and landing between the boy in green and Jia Zhuangyuan. He shouted, “Evil creature, cease your rampage!” With that, he raised a talisman he had just drawn, and a surge of Daoist energy erupted from him. The talisman straightened, emitting a hissing sound.
The boy seemed to recognize the Daoist energy—after all, Daoists were known for exorcising demons and ghosts. The boy performed a graceful backflip, dodging Liu Dashao’s lightning-fast strike.
Upon landing, the boy began to cry again, but this time, the sound was different—less shrill but more unsettling. As the crying began, a fierce wind swept through the courtyard, and the round, head-like objects on the ground suddenly rose into the air, revealing grotesque faces as they flew toward the group like a storm.
Liu Dashao snorted, raised his hands, and chanted a long incantation. Instantly, all the heads lost their power and fell to the ground around the group.
Liu Dashao then turned to face the boy in green, who, for some reason, began to whimper and slowly back away, as if terrified of Liu Dashao.
Liu Dashao watched as the boy retreated into the white building before walking over to where Jia Zhuangyuan and the girl in red were still struggling. He said to Jia Zhuangyuan, “Senior, let her go. These two little ghosts are pitiful.”
Jia Zhuangyuan hesitated but released the whip. The girl in red glared at Liu Dashao with blood-red eyes, tore the whip from her neck, and ran toward the white building, still clutching the black, round object in her mouth.
At that moment, the doors and windows of the white building silently closed, and the wind in the courtyard ceased. Except for the scattered, head-like objects on the ground, it was as if nothing had happened.
Jia Zhuangyuan silently shook his head, bent down to pick up the whip and Cai Qingchong’s dagger, and handed the dagger back to him. He then said to the group, “Those two little ghosts won’t stop us anymore. Let’s leave the yin residence and continue our journey.”
Cai Qingchong walked to the door and gently pulled it open again.
Beyond the door, they saw a long street paved with rectangular stones, flanked by ancient houses of varying heights.
Everyone filed out of the yin residence, and the black door silently closed behind them. Standing on the long stone street, they realized they had entered a dead end, surrounded by uniform brick walls painted blue. In one corner stood a thick stone door.
“Does anyone here understand mechanisms? This stone door has some secrets! If we can’t open it, we’ll be trapped here,” Jia Zhuangyuan said after a moment of contemplation.
No one in the group had any knowledge of ancient underground structures, so they remained silent.
Jia Zhuangyuan looked at them helplessly and shook his head. “It seems I’ll have to solve this mystery on my own. You’re no help at all.” With that, he walked to the bare stone door and began examining it closely.
Everyone stood behind him, exchanging glances, feeling utterly useless. None of them had any experience with ancient underground structures and couldn’t offer any valuable advice.
After inspecting the door for a while, Jia Zhuangyuan turned to the group and said, “Whoever installed this door was a master. Opening it will likely require finding a mechanism—a very intricate and dangerous one.”
He then asked everyone to shine their flashlights on the stone walls beside the door as he slowly ran his hands over them.
After a moment, he exclaimed, “Found it!”
Everyone gathered around, eager to see how the ancients had designed a mechanism capable of opening a door weighing thousands of pounds.
Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Focus all the flashlights on where my hand is!”
Liu Dashao and Fan Debiao struggled to pull themselves up to the water’s surface, and Yang Weidong quickly yanked them onto the shore.
Turning around, the two were shocked to see a black, spindle-shaped aquatic creature shrieking in agony as bullets struck its body, sinking rapidly into the depths. Because it disappeared so quickly, Liu Dashao barely got a clear look at its appearance. After watching the creature vanish into the water, everyone finally turned their attention to their current surroundings.
The place where they emerged was a large, circular pool resembling a well opening. The area they stood in resembled a courtyard, surrounded by walls several meters high. Beyond the walls, illuminated by flashlight beams, appeared to be an open space.
Even more startling was the sight directly in front of them: a black door embedded in the wall, likely the courtyard’s exit. On either side of the door stood a thick, towering tree. Looking back, they saw a white, two-story house standing eerily at the far end of the courtyard.
Fan Debiao whispered in awe, “Good Lord, where are we? It feels like we’ve entered someone’s private yard. How could something like this exist a kilometer underground?”
Jia Zhuangyuan snorted coldly and said, “Ancient people believed in treating death like life. Especially the wealthy or those in power, they often built their tombs to mirror their earthly homes. Some emperors even replicated entire palaces underground—take Emperor Qin Shi Huang, for example. So discovering a small courtyard like this is nothing unusual.”
Fan Debiao nodded thoughtfully and asked, “That makes sense, but how are these trees growing without sunlight or photosynthesis?”
Jia Zhuangyuan replied ominously, “Go take a closer look if you want.”
Fan Debiao tugged Yang Weidong’s sleeve and said, “Dongzi, let’s go together. I feel like this place is creepy. Come with me.”
Yang Weidong, being a straightforward and simple-minded person, readily accompanied Fan Debiao toward the trees. As they approached, both men suddenly screamed and turned back, running in terror. They muttered, “Oh my God, there are so many human heads!”
Seeing their pale, terrified faces, Jia Zhuangyuan chuckled and asked, “Did you get a good look at what those trees really are?”
Still panting, Fan and Yang shook their heads. “No, we couldn’t see clearly. We just saw a bunch of round objects hanging on the trees that looked like human heads. It scared the hell out of us!”
At that moment, the sound of intense gunfire erupted in his ears. It seemed their companions on the shore had spotted the dangerous creature trailing behind them and had opened fire.
Liu Dashao and Fan Debiao struggled to climb out of the water, and Yang Weidong quickly pulled them ashore.
When they turned to look back, they were shocked to see a black, spindle-shaped aquatic creature, screeching in agony as bullets struck it, sinking rapidly into the depths. Its swift descent prevented Liu Dashao from getting a clear look at its appearance. Only after it disappeared into the abyss did they take a moment to survey their surroundings.
The place where they emerged was a massive circular pool, resembling a well. The area they stood in resembled a courtyard, surrounded by walls several meters high. Beyond the walls, the beam of their flashlights revealed an open, empty space.
To their astonishment, directly ahead on the wall was a black door, presumably the exit of this courtyard. On either side grew two thick trees. Turning around, they saw a small white building standing abruptly in the depths of the courtyard. Fan Debiao muttered, “Good heavens, where is this place? It feels like we’ve stumbled into someone’s backyard. How could such a place exist a thousand meters underground?”
Jia Zhuangyuan snorted coldly, “The ancients believed in treating death as life, especially the wealthy or those in power. They would construct their tombs to resemble their living quarters. Some emperors even replicated entire palaces underground, like Qin Shi Huang. Seeing a small courtyard like this is nothing extraordinary.”
Fan Debiao nodded, “True, but how do these trees grow without photosynthesis?”
Jia Zhuangyuan replied ominously, “Go take a closer look, and you’ll find out.”
Fan Debiao tugged at Yang Weidong, “Dongzi, let’s go check it out. This place gives me the creeps. Come with me.”
Yang Weidong, being straightforward, accompanied Fan Debiao as they slowly approached the tree. As soon as they got close, they let out a startled cry and ran back, muttering, “Good heavens, so many heads!”
Seeing their pale, terrified faces, Jia Zhuangyuan chuckled, “Did you see what those trees really are?”
Fan Debiao and Yang Weidong shook their heads, “No, we didn’t get a clear look. We just saw many round heads hanging from the tree. It was terrifying.”
Jia Zhuangyuan explained, “In the study of feng shui and burial practices, this place is called a ‘yin residence,’ and these two symmetrical trees are known as ‘yin trees.’ These yin trees aren’t earthly plants but are made from extremely hard materials like iron or copper, shaped to resemble trees in a courtyard. Some extremely wealthy individuals even used rare ‘yin wood’ to craft these trees.”
Fan Debiao asked, “What is yin wood? And why are there heads hanging from these yin trees?”
Jia Zhuangyuan replied, “Yin wood is said to be a long-extinct tree. Some claim it grows in the underworld, while others say it thrives in the dark valleys of Kunlun Mountain. Legend has it that yin wood grows only a few centimeters every ten thousand years. Its wood is incredibly hard and heavy, so precious that it’s said to be worth its weight in gold. The round objects hanging from the yin trees aren’t actual heads but rather spherical carvings made from some material.”
Seeing Fan Debiao about to press further, Jia Zhuangyuan waved his hand, “Enough. We don’t have time to delve into feng shui and burial theories. This yin residence is likely someone’s underworld resting place. It’s best we don’t enter. Let’s open the courtyard gate and find our way out.”
Everyone agreed and headed toward the black gate.
Suddenly, Jia Zhuangyuan called out, “Wait, everyone. Something feels off.”
They turned to look at him, puzzled. He stood there, frowning, seemingly deep in thought. After a moment, he looked up, his gaze distant, and said, “A yin residence appearing in the passage to the entrance of the Wuji Demon Vault doesn’t align with typical burial practices. What’s going on here? Could my judgment be wrong?” It seemed he was beginning to doubt the expertise he had held for over two decades, even feeling a hint of confusion.
Liu Dashao stepped forward, standing in front of Jia Zhuangyuan, and said, “Senior Jia, the Wuji Dao Vault is just a legend. We can’t explain it with our current knowledge and experience. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Finding the entrance through the volcanic lake already proves your judgment and experience were crucial. Now, we might be facing a realm no one has ever entered. We should work together to unravel this ancient mystery.”
Jia Zhuangyuan looked at Liu Dashao, took a deep breath, and smiled, “Young Liu, you’re right. Whether this is the Wuji Demon Vault or not, it’s at least one of the three great secret vaults. I believe the Wuji Dao Vault might be right before us.” With that, he signaled everyone to open the courtyard gate. The person at the front, Cai Qingchong, placed his hand on the black door and turned to say, “For safety, everyone step to the sides. I’ll open the door.”
Everyone nodded and stood on either side of the door. Cai Qingchong pulled the ring on the door, and a low, eerie creak echoed as the door slowly opened, revealing a silent void beyond.
Just as they were about to step out of the courtyard, a sudden gust of cold wind swept through, and the black gate creaked again, slamming shut on its own. An eerie aura began to seep out from the yin residence.
Jia Zhuangyuan exclaimed, “Not good!” Before he could finish, the vermilion doors and windows of the white building slowly opened in the cold wind. The two yin trees began to rustle like earthly trees.
Everyone huddled together, pressing against the sides of the gate, weapons at the ready, nervously watching for any sudden changes within the yin residence.
The cold wind grew stronger, and suddenly, a clear, childlike cry emanated from the white building. In this eerie environment, it sent chills down everyone’s spines.
Suddenly, the crying seemed to grow closer. Two children, a boy and a girl, emerged from the red door of the building, holding hands. The girl wore red, the boy wore green, their faces pale, hopping and wailing as they approached.
Jia Zhuangyuan cursed under his breath, “Whoever created this place has no conscience, using two little ghosts to guard the yin residence.”
At that moment, the round, head-like objects on the trees began to fall, rolling across the courtyard.
The two little ghosts stopped crying, bent down, and each picked up a black sphere, shoving them into their mouths.
Everyone watched in horror as the two ghosts revealed sharp, white teeth, gnawing on the head-like spheres, dark red liquid dripping from their mouths.
Suddenly, Jia Zhuangyuan shouted as if waking from a dream, “Shoot! Don’t let them finish eating, or we’re in grave danger!”
Panic set in as everyone raised their guns and opened fire on the two little ghosts.
The ghosts, likely from ancient times, were unprepared for modern weapons. They were quickly struck down by the barrage of bullets, dark red liquid oozing from their bodies.
Just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief, thinking the ghosts were defeated, the two children suddenly sprang up, shoving the remaining spheres into their mouths and swallowing them. Despite the bullet holes oozing dark red liquid, they continued to wail and advance.
Everyone was at a loss. These ghosts couldn’t be killed? They fired again, but this time, the ghosts only staggered slightly before continuing their approach. Everyone was stunned.
Jia Zhuangyuan shook his head, “I didn’t expect these two little ghosts to be satiated by just one yin fruit. It seems I’m out of luck. Well, I’ll have to handle this myself.”
With that, he pulled a black, round object from his backpack with his left hand and a whip-like rope with his right, stepping toward the two ghosts.
The ghosts continued to wail, their sharp, blood-stained teeth bared, reaching out with their small hands as if asking to be held. Suddenly, their hands began to twist into claws, their nails growing rapidly, reaching seven or eight centimeters in an instant.
Everyone watched in tense silence, unsure of what would happen next, deeply concerned for Jia Zhuangyuan.
Jia Zhuangyuan stopped about a meter and a half from the ghosts, letting out a cold laugh, “Little ghosts, trying to transform, are you? Old Jia specializes in capturing little ghosts.”
With a flick of his wrist, the whip-like rope flew out, looping around the neck of the girl in red. He yanked her toward him, swiftly shoving the black object into her open mouth.
The girl’s wails turned into muffled sobs as Jia Zhuangyuan pulled her back, shouting, “Shoot the boy! Don’t let him join hands with the girl!”
Yang Weidong and Fan Debiao immediately opened fire on the boy in green. The girl, now gagged and pulled by the rope, began to stagger. Her body started to change, her pale skin turning black and purple, spreading from her face and neck downward.
She struggled fiercely, her small hands gripping the rope around her neck, shaking her head in an attempt to break free. The little ghost’s strength was astonishing, forcing Jia Zhuangyuan to exert all his might, sweating profusely as he struggled to hold her.
Meanwhile, the boy in green bared his teeth, waving his small hands—now more like claws—and let out a hissing cry as he charged toward Jia Zhuangyuan with incredible speed. The barrage of bullets only slightly hindered his advance.
As he neared the girl in red, Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Find a way to stop him! If they join hands, all my efforts will be wasted!”
At that moment, Cai Qingchong darted forward with a dagger, aiming for the boy’s head. The boy swiftly dodged, grabbed the dagger with his claws, and let out a piercing cry, pulling the dagger toward him and lunging to bite Cai Qingchong’s hand.
Cai Qingchong, startled, tried to pull the dagger free, but it wouldn’t budge. The boy’s sharp teeth were inches from his hand. In a panic, Cai Qingchong let go of the dagger.
The boy in green, seemingly pleased, tossed the dagger aside, let out another cry, and glared at Jia Zhuangyuan with blood-red eyes, charging toward him with arms outstretched.
At that moment, Liu Dashao let out a clear shout, leaping into the air and landing between the boy and Jia Zhuangyuan. He raised a talisman he had just drawn, his aura bursting forth, the talisman straightening with a hiss.
The boy seemed to recognize the Daoist aura, as Daoists were known for exorcising demons. With a graceful backflip, he dodged Liu Dashao’s strike.
Landing on the ground, the boy began to cry again, but this time, the sound was different—less shrill but more unsettling. As the crying echoed, the cold wind intensified, and the head-like spheres on the ground rose into the air, their faces contorted, flying toward the group like a storm.
Liu Dashao snorted, raised his hands, and chanted a long incantation. The spheres lost their power, falling to the ground around them.
Liu Dashao turned back to face the boy in green, who, for some reason, began to whimper and retreat, seemingly terrified of Liu Dashao.
Liu Dashao watched as the boy retreated into the white building before walking over to where Jia Zhuangyuan was struggling with the girl. He said, “Senior, let her go. These two little ghosts are pitiful.”
Jia Zhuangyuan hesitated but released the rope. The girl in red, her eyes bloodshot, glared at Liu Dashao, tore the rope from her neck, and ran toward the white building with the black object still in her mouth.
At that moment, the doors and windows of the white building silently closed, and the cold wind ceased. Except for the scattered head-like spheres, it was as if nothing had happened.
Jia Zhuangyuan silently shook his head, picked up the rope and Cai Qingchong’s dagger, and handed the dagger back to him. He then said, “Those two little ghosts won’t stop us anymore. Let’s leave the yin residence and continue our journey.”
Cai Qingchong walked to the gate and gently pulled it open.
Beyond the gate lay a long street paved with rectangular bluestones, flanked by ancient, uneven houses.
Everyone filed out of the yin residence, and the black gate silently closed behind them. Standing on the long bluestone street, they realized they had entered a dead-end alley, surrounded by uniform brick walls painted blue. In one corner stood a thick stone door.
“Does anyone know how to open this stone door? If we can’t, we’ll be trapped here,” Jia Zhuangyuan said after a moment of thought.
No one had any knowledge of ancient underground structures, so they remained silent.
Jia Zhuangyuan looked at them helplessly and shook his head, “It seems I’ll have to solve this mystery on my own. You’re of no help to me.” With that, he walked to the bare stone door and began to examine it closely.
Everyone stood behind him, exchanging glances, feeling utterly useless. None of them had any experience with ancient underground structures and couldn’t offer any valuable advice.
Jia Zhuangyuan circled the door, then said, “Whoever installed this door was a master. Opening it will require finding a mechanism, and it’s likely both intricate and dangerous.”
He asked everyone to shine their flashlights on the stone walls as he ran his hands over them.
After a while, he exclaimed, “Found it!”
Everyone gathered around, eager to see how the ancients had designed a mechanism to open such a heavy stone door.
Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Focus the flashlights on where my hand is!”
At that moment, the sound of intense gunfire erupted in his ears. It seemed their companions on the shore had spotted the dangerous creature trailing behind them and had opened fire.
Liu Dashao and Fan Debiao struggled to climb out of the water, and Yang Weidong quickly pulled them ashore.
When they turned to look back, they were startled to see a black, spindle-shaped aquatic creature, squealing in pain as it was struck by bullets, sinking rapidly into the depths. It sank so fast that Liu Dashao couldn’t get a clear look at what it was. Only after it disappeared into the water did they take a moment to survey their surroundings.
The place where they had emerged was a massive circular pool, resembling a well. The area they stood in seemed like a courtyard, surrounded by walls several meters high. Beyond the walls, the beam of their flashlights revealed an open, empty space.
What surprised them even more was a black door on the wall directly in front of them, likely the exit of this courtyard. On either side of the door grew two thick trees. When they turned around, they saw a small white building standing prominently in the depths of the courtyard. Fan Debiao muttered, “What kind of place is this? It feels like we’ve wandered into someone’s backyard. How could such a place exist a thousand meters underground?”
Jia Zhuangyuan snorted coldly, “The ancients believed in treating death as life, especially the wealthy or powerful. They would build their tombs to resemble their living quarters. Some emperors even replicated entire palaces underground, like Qin Shi Huang. Seeing a small courtyard like this is nothing unusual.”
Fan Debiao nodded, “That’s true, but how do these trees grow without photosynthesis?”
Jia Zhuangyuan replied with a sinister tone, “Go take a closer look, and you’ll find out.”
Fan Debiao grabbed Yang Weidong, “Dongzi, let’s go check it out. This place gives me the creeps. Come with me.”
Yang Weidong, being straightforward and fearless, accompanied Fan Debiao as they slowly approached the trees. As soon as they got close, they let out a startled cry and ran back, muttering, “Holy hell, there are so many heads!”
Seeing their pale, terrified faces, Jia Zhuangyuan chuckled, “Did you see what those trees really are?”
Fan Debiao and Yang Weidong shook their heads, “No, we didn’t get a good look. We just saw a bunch of round heads hanging from the trees. It was terrifying.”
Jia Zhuangyuan explained, “In the study of feng shui and burial practices, this place is called a ‘Yin House,’ and these two symmetrical trees are known as ‘Yin Trees.’ These aren’t ordinary trees but are made from extremely hard materials like iron or copper, shaped to resemble trees. Some extremely wealthy individuals even use rare ‘Yin Chen Wood’ to craft these trees.”
Fan Debiao asked, “What’s Yin Chen Wood? And why are there heads hanging from these trees?”
Jia Zhuangyuan replied, “Yin Chen Wood is said to be a long-extinct tree. Some believe it grows in the underworld, while others think it grows in the depths of the Kunlun Mountains, where sunlight never reaches. Legend has it that this wood grows only a few centimeters every ten thousand years. It’s incredibly hard and heavy, so valuable that it’s said to be worth its weight in gold. The round objects hanging from the trees aren’t actual heads but are carved from some material to resemble them.”
Seeing Fan Debiao about to ask more questions, Jia Zhuangyuan waved his hand, “Enough. We don’t have time to delve into feng shui and burial theories. This Yin House is likely someone’s resting place in the underworld. It’s best we don’t enter. Let’s open the courtyard gate and find our way out.”
Everyone agreed and headed toward the black gate.
Suddenly, Jia Zhuangyuan called out, “Wait, something feels off.”
Everyone turned to look at him, puzzled. He stood there, frowning, as if deep in thought. After a moment, he looked up, his gaze distant, and said, “A Yin House appearing in the passage to the entrance of the Wuji Demon Vault doesn’t align with typical burial practices. What’s going on here? Could my judgment be wrong?” It seemed he was beginning to doubt the expertise he had relied on for over twenty years, even feeling a hint of confusion.
Liu Dashao stepped forward and stood in front of Jia Zhuangyuan, saying, “Senior Jia, the Wuji Dao Vault is just a legend. We can’t explain it with our current knowledge and experience. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Finding the entrance through the volcanic lake already proves your judgment and experience were crucial. Now, we’re facing something no one has ever encountered before. We should work together to unravel this ancient mystery.”
Jia Zhuangyuan looked at Liu Dashao, took a deep breath, and smiled, “You’re right, young Liu. Whether this is the Wuji Demon Vault or not, it’s likely one of the three great hidden treasures. The Wuji Dao Vault might be right in front of us.” With that, he signaled everyone to open the courtyard gate. The man at the front, Cai Qingchong, placed his hand on the black door and turned to say, “For safety, everyone step to the sides. I’ll open it.”
Everyone nodded and stood on either side of the door. Cai Qingchong pulled the ring on the door, and a low, eerie creak echoed as the door slowly opened. Outside, there was complete silence.
Just as they were about to step out of the courtyard, a sudden gust of cold wind swept through, and the black door creaked again, slamming shut on its own. Everyone immediately felt an eerie presence slowly emanating from the Yin House.
Jia Zhuangyuan muttered, “This is bad!” Before he could finish, the red doors and windows of the white building slowly opened in the cold wind. The two Yin Trees began to rustle like ordinary trees.
Everyone huddled together, pressing against the sides of the gate, weapons in hand, nervously watching for any sudden changes in the Yin House.
The cold wind grew stronger, and suddenly, a clear, childlike cry echoed from the white building. In this eerie environment, it sent a chill down everyone’s spine.
Suddenly, the crying seemed to grow closer, and two children with their hair tied in topknots emerged from the red door of the building, holding hands. One was a girl in red, the other a boy in green, their faces pale, hopping and wailing as they approached the group.
Jia Zhuangyuan gritted his teeth and cursed, “What heartless person would use two little ghosts to guard a Yin House?”
At that moment, the round, head-like objects hanging from the trees began to fall, rolling across the courtyard.
The two little ghosts suddenly stopped crying, bent down, and each picked up a black, round object, shoving it into their mouths.
Everyone watched in shock as the two ghosts revealed sharp, white teeth, gnawing on the head-like objects. Dark red liquid dripped from the corners of their mouths.
Jia Zhuangyuan suddenly shouted, “Shoot! Don’t let them finish eating, or we’re in danger!”
Hearing this, everyone panicked and quickly aimed their guns at the two little ghosts, opening fire.
The two ghosts, likely from ancient times, didn’t expect modern weapons to strike them from such a distance. They were instantly knocked down by the bullets, dark red liquid oozing from their bodies.
Just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief, thinking the ghosts had been defeated, the two children suddenly sprang up, shoving the remaining round objects into their mouths and swallowing them. Despite the bullet holes in their bodies, dark red liquid still oozed out as they continued to wail and approach the group.
Everyone was terrified. These two little ghosts couldn’t be killed—what was going on? They fired again, but this time, the ghosts weren’t knocked down by the bullets. They only staggered slightly before continuing to advance. Everyone was at a loss.
Jia Zhuangyuan shook his head, “I didn’t expect these two little ghosts to be sated by just one Yin Fruit. Looks like I’m really out of luck. Guess I’ll have to handle this myself.”
With that, he pulled out a black, round object with his left hand and a whip-like rope with his right hand from his backpack and walked toward the two little ghosts.
The two ghosts continued to wail, their sharp, blood-stained teeth exposed as they reached out with their four small hands, as if asking Jia Zhuangyuan to hold them. Suddenly, everyone noticed the children’s hands slowly curling into claws, their nails growing rapidly, reaching seven or eight centimeters in an instant.
Everyone watched this bizarre scene nervously, unsure what would happen next, deeply concerned for Jia Zhuangyuan.
Jia Zhuangyuan stopped about one and a half meters from the ghosts and let out a cold laugh, “Little ghosts, trying to transform, are you? Old Jia specializes in dealing with your kind.”
With that, he swung the whip-like rope in a circle, accurately looping it around the neck of the girl in red. He quickly pulled her toward him and shoved the black, round object into her open mouth.
The girl’s wailing turned into muffled sobs as her mouth was sealed. Jia Zhuangyuan swiftly dragged her back, shouting, “Shoot the boy! Don’t let him join hands with the girl again!”
Yang Weidong and Fan Debiao immediately raised their guns and opened fire on the boy in green. The girl, now restrained by Jia Zhuangyuan’s whip and with her mouth stuffed, began to stagger. Her body underwent a noticeable change—her pale skin turned black and purple, starting from her face and neck, spreading downward.
She struggled fiercely, her small hands gripping the whip around her neck, shaking her head in an attempt to break free. The little ghost’s strength was astonishing, forcing Jia Zhuangyuan to exert all his strength, sweating profusely as he struggled to hold her.
Meanwhile, the boy in green bared his teeth, waving his two small hands—now more like claws—and let out a hissing cry as he charged at Jia Zhuangyuan with incredible speed. The barrage of bullets only slightly hindered his movement.
As he was about to reach the girl in red, Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Find a way to stop him! If these two ghosts join hands, all my efforts will be wasted!”
At that moment, Cai Qingchong darted forward, dagger in hand, and charged at the boy in green. His dagger gleamed with an odd light as he aimed for the ghost’s head.
The boy swiftly sidestepped, dodging the attack, and then bared his teeth, his two small hands reaching out with incredible speed to grab the dagger. With a shrill cry, he pulled the dagger toward his chest, extending his neck to bite Cai Qingchong’s hand.
Cai Qingchong was startled and tried to pull the dagger free, but it wouldn’t budge. The boy’s sharp teeth were inches from his hand. In a panic, Cai Qingchong let go of the dagger.
The boy in green seemed pleased as he tossed the dagger aside, let out another shrill cry, and glared at Jia Zhuangyuan with blood-red eyes, spreading his arms as he lunged forward.
At that moment, Liu Dashao let out a clear shout, leaped into the air, and landed between the boy in green and Jia Zhuangyuan. He shouted, “Evil creature, cease your rampage!” He raised a talisman he had just drawn, and a surge of Daoist energy erupted from him. The talisman straightened, emitting a hissing sound.
The boy seemed to recognize the Daoist energy, as Daoists were known for exorcising demons and ghosts. It performed a graceful backflip, dodging Liu Dashao’s lightning-fast strike.
Upon landing, the boy began to cry again, but this time the sound was different—less shrill but more unsettling, sending a chill through everyone. As the crying echoed, a fierce cold wind swept through the courtyard, and the head-like objects on the ground suddenly rose into the air, revealing grotesque faces as they flew toward the group like a storm.
Liu Dashao snorted coldly, raised his hands, and chanted a long incantation. Instantly, all the heads lost their power and fell to the ground around the group.
Liu Dashao then turned to face the boy in green, who, for some reason, began to whimper softly and slowly retreated, as if terrified of Liu Dashao.
Liu Dashao watched as the boy in green retreated into the white building before walking over to where Jia Zhuangyuan was struggling with the girl in red. He said, “Senior, let her go. These two little ghosts are also victims.”
Jia Zhuangyuan hesitated but released the whip. The girl in red glared at Liu Dashao with blood-red eyes, tore the whip from her neck, and ran toward the white building, still clutching the black, round object in her mouth.
At that moment, the doors and windows of the white building silently closed, and the cold wind in the courtyard ceased. Except for the scattered head-like objects on the ground, it was as if nothing had happened.
Jia Zhuangyuan silently shook his head, bent down to pick up the whip and Cai Qingchong’s dagger, and handed the dagger back to him. He then said to the group, “Those two little ghosts won’t bother us anymore. Let’s leave the Yin House and continue our journey.”
Cai Qingchong walked to the door and gently pulled it open again.
As the door opened, a long street came into view, paved with rectangular bluestones, flanked by ancient houses of varying heights.
Everyone filed out of the Yin House, and the black door silently closed behind them. Standing on the long bluestone street, they realized they had entered a dead end, surrounded by uniform brick walls painted blue. In one corner stood a thick stone door.
“Does anyone here understand mechanisms? This stone door seems tricky. If we can’t open it, we’re trapped here,” Jia Zhuangyuan said after a moment of contemplation.
No one had any knowledge of ancient underground structures, so they remained silent.
Jia Zhuangyuan looked at everyone helplessly and shook his head, “Looks like I’ll have to solve this mystery on my own. You’re no help at all.” With that, he walked to the bare stone door and began examining it closely.
Everyone stood behind him, exchanging glances, feeling helpless. Indeed, none of them had any experience with ancient underground structures and couldn’t offer any valuable advice.
After circling the stone door for a while, Jia Zhuangyuan said, “Whoever installed this door was a master. Opening it will likely require finding a mechanism, and it’s probably both ingenious and dangerous.”
He then asked everyone to shine their flashlights on the stone walls beside the door as he began to carefully feel around with his hands.
After a while, he exclaimed, “Found it!”
Everyone gathered around, eager to see how the ancients had designed a mechanism capable of opening a door weighing thousands of pounds.
Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Focus the flashlights on where my hand is!”
At that moment, the sound of rapid gunfire echoed in his ears. It seemed their companions on the shore had spotted the dangerous creature behind them and opened fire.
Liu Dashao and Fan Debiao struggled to climb out of the water, and Yang Weidong quickly pulled them up onto the shore.
When they turned to look, they were shocked to see a black, spindle-shaped aquatic creature, squealing in pain as it was hit by bullets, sinking rapidly into the depths. Due to its swift descent, Liu Dashao didn’t get a clear look at what it was. Everyone watched as it disappeared into the water, leaving no trace, and then began to survey their surroundings.
The place where they emerged was a massive circular pool, resembling a well. The area they stood in was like a courtyard, surrounded by walls several meters high. Beyond the walls, the beam of their flashlights revealed an open, empty space.
What surprised them even more was a black door on the wall directly in front of them, likely the exit of this courtyard. On either side grew two thick trees. When they turned around, a small white building stood prominently in the depths of the courtyard. Fan Debiao muttered, “What kind of place is this? It feels like we’ve entered someone’s backyard. How could such a place exist a thousand meters underground?”
Jia Zhuangyuan sneered, “The ancients believed in treating death as life, especially the wealthy or those in power. They would build their tombs to resemble the places they lived in while alive. Some emperors even replicated entire palaces underground, like Qin Shi Huang. Seeing a small courtyard like this is nothing special.”
Fan Debiao nodded, “That’s true, but how do these trees grow without photosynthesis?”
Jia Zhuangyuan replied ominously, “Go take a closer look and you’ll find out.”
Fan Debiao grabbed Yang Weidong and said, “Dongzi, let’s go check it out. This place feels eerie, and I need you to come with me.”
Yang Weidong, being straightforward and fearless, accompanied Fan Debiao as they slowly approached the trees. As soon as they got close, they let out a startled cry and ran back, muttering, “Good heavens, there are so many heads!”
Seeing their pale, terrified faces, Jia Zhuangyuan chuckled, “Did you see what those trees really are?”
Fan Debiao and Yang Weidong shook their heads, “We don’t know. We didn’t get a good look, but there were many round heads hanging from the trees. It was terrifying.”
Jia Zhuangyuan explained, “In the study of feng shui and burial practices, this place is called a ‘yin residence,’ and these two symmetrical trees are known as ‘yin trees.’ These aren’t ordinary trees but are made from extremely hard materials like iron or copper, shaped to resemble trees in a living person’s courtyard. Some extremely wealthy individuals even use rare ‘yin wood’ to craft these trees.”
Fan Debiao asked, “What’s yin wood? And why are there heads hanging from these trees?”
Jia Zhuangyuan replied, “Yin wood is said to be a type of tree that has long been extinct. Some say it grows in the underworld, while others claim it grows in the dark valleys of Kunlun Mountain. Legend has it that yin wood grows only a few centimeters every ten thousand years, and its wood is incredibly hard and heavy, so valuable that it’s said to be worth its weight in gold. The round objects hanging from these trees aren’t actual heads but are instead carved from some material to resemble human heads.”
Seeing Fan Debiao about to ask more questions, Jia Zhuangyuan waved his hand and said, “Alright, we don’t have time to delve into the intricacies of feng shui and burial practices. This yin residence is likely someone’s underworld resting place, and it’s best we don’t enter. Let’s open the courtyard gate and find our way out.”
Everyone agreed and headed toward the black courtyard gate.
Suddenly, Jia Zhuangyuan called out, “Wait, everyone. Something feels off.”
They turned to look at him, puzzled. He stood there, frowning, deep in thought. After a moment, he looked up, his gaze distant, and said, “A yin residence appearing in the entrance passage of the Wuji Demon Vault doesn’t align with typical burial practices. What’s going on here? Could my judgment be wrong?” It seemed he was beginning to doubt the expertise he had relied on for over twenty years, even feeling a sense of confusion.
Liu Dashao stepped forward, standing in front of Jia Zhuangyuan, and said, “Senior Jia, the Wuji Dao Vault is just a legend. We can’t explain it with our current knowledge and experience, so don’t be too hard on yourself. Finding the entrance through the volcanic lake already proves your judgment and experience were crucial. Now, we’re likely facing a realm no one has ever entered before. We should work together to unravel this ancient mystery.”
Jia Zhuangyuan looked up at Liu Dashao, took a deep breath, and smiled. “Young Liu, you’re right. Whether this is the Wuji Demon Vault or not, it’s at least one of the three great secret vaults. I think the Wuji Dao Vault might be right in front of us.” With that, he signaled for everyone to open the courtyard gate.
Cai Qingchong, who was at the front, placed his hand on the black gate and turned to say, “For safety, everyone stand to the sides. I’ll open the door.”
Everyone nodded and stood on either side of the gate. Cai Qingchong pulled the ring on the door, and a low, eerie creak echoed as the door slowly opened, revealing a silent, empty space outside.
Just as they were about to step out of the courtyard, a sudden cold wind rose from the ground, and the black gate creaked again, slamming shut on its own. Everyone immediately felt a strange, ominous aura slowly emanating from the yin residence.
Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Not good!” Before he could finish, the vermilion doors and windows of the white building slowly opened in the cold wind. The two yin trees began to rustle as if they were alive.
Everyone huddled together, leaning against the sides of the gate, weapons in hand, nervously watching for any sudden changes in the yin residence.
The cold wind grew stronger, and suddenly, a clear, childlike cry came from the white building. In this eerie environment, it sent chills down everyone’s spines.
Suddenly, the crying seemed to grow closer, and two children with their hair tied in topknots emerged from the red door of the building, holding hands. One was a girl in red, the other a boy in green, their faces pale and ghastly. They hopped and wailed as they approached the group.
Jia Zhuangyuan cursed under his breath, “What heartless person would use two little ghosts to guard a yin residence?”
At that moment, the round, head-like objects hanging from the trees began to fall one by one, rolling across the courtyard.
The two little ghosts suddenly stopped crying, bent down, and each picked up a black, round object, shoving it into their mouths.
Everyone watched in horror as the two ghosts revealed sharp, white teeth, gnawing on the head-like objects, dark red liquid dripping from their mouths.
Jia Zhuangyuan suddenly shouted, “Open fire! Don’t let them finish eating, or we’re in danger!”
Panicked, everyone raised their guns and began shooting at the two little ghosts.
The ghosts, likely from ancient times, seemed unprepared for modern weapons. They were instantly knocked down by the bullets, dark red liquid oozing from their bodies.
Just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief, thinking the ghosts were defeated, the two children suddenly jumped up, shoving the unfinished objects into their mouths and swallowing them. Despite the bullet holes in their bodies, they continued to wail and stagger toward the group.
Everyone was stunned. How could these ghosts be unkillable? They fired again, but this time the bullets only caused the ghosts to sway slightly before they continued their advance. The group was at a loss.
Jia Zhuangyuan shook his head, “I didn’t expect these two little ghosts to be so powerful after consuming a yin fruit. It seems I’m out of luck. I’ll have to deal with them myself.”
With that, he pulled out a black, round object from his bag with his left hand and a whip-like rope with his right, stepping forward to confront the ghosts.
The two ghosts continued to wail, their sharp teeth stained with dark red blood, reaching out with their small hands as if asking Jia Zhuangyuan to hold them. Suddenly, their hands began to twist into claws, and their nails grew rapidly, reaching several centimeters in length.
Everyone watched in tense silence, unsure of what would happen next, worried for Jia Zhuangyuan.
Jia Zhuangyuan stopped about a meter and a half away from the ghosts and sneered, “Little ghosts, are you trying to transform? Old Fei here specializes in dealing with ghosts.”
With that, he swung the whip-like rope in a circle, accurately looping it around the neck of the girl in red. He quickly pulled her toward him and shoved the black, round object into her open mouth.
The girl’s wails turned into muffled sobs as her mouth was sealed. Jia Zhuangyuan began to retreat, shouting, “Shoot the boy! Don’t let him join hands with the girl again!”
Yang Weidong and Fan Debiao immediately raised their guns and opened fire on the boy in green. The girl, now restrained by Jia Zhuangyuan’s whip and with her mouth stuffed, began to stagger. Her body started to change dramatically—her pale skin turned black and purple, spreading from her face and neck downward.
She struggled fiercely, her small hands gripping the whip around her neck, shaking her head in an attempt to break free. The ghost’s strength was astonishing, forcing Jia Zhuangyuan to exert all his strength, sweating profusely as he struggled to hold her.
Meanwhile, the boy in green bared his teeth, waving his small hands—now more like claws—and let out a hissing cry as he charged toward Jia Zhuangyuan with incredible speed. The group’s bullets only slightly hindered his movement.
As he was about to reach the girl in red, Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Find a way to stop him! If the two ghosts join hands, all our efforts will be wasted!”
At that moment, Cai Qingchong dashed forward with a dagger, aiming for the boy in green. The dagger glowed with an eerie light as he swung it toward the ghost’s head.
The boy dodged swiftly, then grabbed the dagger with his claws, letting out a piercing cry. He pulled the dagger toward his chest, extending his head to bite Cai Qingchong’s hand.
Cai Qingchong, startled, tried to pull the dagger back, but it wouldn’t budge. The boy’s sharp teeth were inches from his hand. Terrified, Cai Qingchong let go of the dagger.
The boy in green seemed pleased, tossing the dagger to the ground. He let out another shrill cry, his blood-red eyes glaring at Jia Zhuangyuan as he spread his arms and lunged forward.
At that moment, Liu Dashao let out a clear shout, leaping into the air and landing between the boy in green and Jia Zhuangyuan. He shouted, “Evil spirit, cease your rampage!” and raised a talisman he had just drawn, his aura bursting forth. The talisman straightened, emitting a hissing sound.
The boy seemed to recognize the Daoist aura, as Daoists were known for exorcising ghosts. It performed a graceful backflip, dodging Liu Dashao’s swift attack.
Upon landing, it began to cry again, but this time the sound was different—less shrill but more unsettling. As the crying began, a fierce wind swept through the courtyard, and the head-like objects on the ground suddenly rose into the air, their faces twisted in rage, flying toward the group like a storm.
Liu Dashao snorted, raised his hands, and chanted a long incantation. The flying heads lost their power and fell to the ground around the group.
Liu Dashao then turned to face the boy in green, who, for some reason, began to whimper and slowly retreat, as if terrified of Liu Dashao.
Liu Dashao watched as the boy in green backed into the white building, then walked over to where Jia Zhuangyuan was still struggling with the girl in red. He said, “Senior, let her go. These two little ghosts are also pitiful.”
Jia Zhuangyuan hesitated but released the whip. The girl in red, her eyes bloodshot, glared at Liu Dashao, tore the whip from her neck, and ran toward the white building, still clutching the black, round object in her mouth.
At that moment, the doors and windows of the white building silently closed, and the cold wind in the courtyard ceased. Except for the scattered head-like objects on the ground, it was as if nothing had happened.
Jia Zhuangyuan silently shook his head, bent down to pick up the whip and Cai Qingchong’s dagger, and handed the dagger back to him. He then said to the group, “Those two little ghosts won’t bother us anymore. Let’s leave the yin residence and continue our journey.”
Cai Qingchong walked to the gate and gently pulled it open again.
Beyond the gate stretched a long street paved with rectangular bluestones, flanked by ancient, uneven houses of various heights.
As they stepped out of the yin residence, the black gate silently closed behind them. Standing on the long bluestone street, they realized they had entered a dead end, surrounded by uniform brick walls painted blue. Only in one corner stood a thick stone door.
“Does anyone here know about mechanisms? This stone door has some tricks to it. If we can’t open it, we’ll be trapped here,” Jia Zhuangyuan said after a moment of contemplation.
No one in the group had any knowledge of ancient underground structures, so they remained silent.
Jia Zhuangyuan looked at them helplessly and shook his head. “It seems I’ll have to solve this mystery on my own. You’re of no help to me.” With that, he walked over to the bare stone door and began examining it closely.
The group stood behind him, exchanging glances, feeling helpless. None of them had any experience with ancient underground structures and couldn’t offer any useful advice.
After circling the stone door for a while, Jia Zhuangyuan said, “Whoever installed this door was a master. Opening it will require finding a mechanism, and it’s likely both intricate and dangerous.”
He asked everyone to shine their flashlights on the stone walls beside the door as he began to feel around with his hands.
After a while, he exclaimed, “Found it!”
Everyone gathered around, eager to see how the ancients had designed a mechanism capable of opening a door weighing thousands of pounds.
Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Focus the flashlights on where my hand is!”
Seeing Fan Debiao about to ask more questions, Jia Zhuangyuan waved him off and said, “Alright, we don’t have time to discuss ancient burial customs now. This yin residence is likely someone’s underground sleeping quarters. It’s best we don’t enter. Let’s just open this courtyard gate and find our way out.”
Everyone agreed and moved toward the black gate.
Suddenly, Jia Zhuangyuan called out, “Wait! Something feels off.”
Everyone turned back in confusion, watching him as he furrowed his brow, deep in thought. After a moment, he looked up with a dazed expression and muttered, “A yin residence appearing inside the passageway leading to the entrance of the Wuji Magic Vault? That doesn’t fit any known burial style. What’s wrong here? Could my judgment be wrong?” He seemed to be questioning the decades of expertise he had relied on, feeling a rare sense of doubt and confusion.
Liu Dashao stepped forward and said to Jia Zhuangyuan, “Master Jia, the Wuji Dao Vault is just a legend. We can’t use our current knowledge or experiences to explain it. You shouldn’t doubt yourself. Finding the entrance from the volcanic lake already proved your skills and experience were crucial. Now, what we’re facing might be a place no one has ever entered before. We all need to work together to uncover this ancient mystery.”
Jia Zhuangyuan looked at Liu Dashao, took a deep breath, and smiled slightly. “You’re right, young Liu. Whether this is truly the Wuji Magic Vault or not, it must be one of the three legendary hidden treasures. The Wuji Dao Vault might be right in front of us.” He gestured for everyone to proceed. Cai Qingchong, standing at the front, placed his hand on the black gate and turned back to say, “To be safe, everyone stand to the sides. I’ll open the gate.”
Everyone nodded and moved aside. Cai Qingchong cautiously pulled the ring on the gate. A low, eerie creak echoed through the air as the gate slowly opened. Outside, there was an unsettling silence.
Just as they were about to step out of the courtyard, a sudden gust of cold wind rose from nowhere. The black gate slammed shut with a loud “creak” and a bang. A strange, eerie atmosphere began to seep from within the yin residence.
Jia Zhuangyuan muttered, “This is bad!” before the red doors and windows of the white house began to creak open slowly on their own. The yin trees also rustled like ordinary trees in the wind.
Everyone huddled together beside the gate, weapons raised, eyes fixed nervously on the ominous changes unfolding inside the yin residence.
The cold wind grew stronger. Suddenly, a clear, high-pitched sound like a child crying echoed from the white house. In the eerie atmosphere, it sent chills down everyone’s spines.
Then, the crying seemed to grow closer. Everyone watched in horror as two children emerged from the red door of the house, holding hands. One was a boy and one a girl. The girl wore a red dress, the boy a green one. Their faces were pale and greenish, hopping forward as they cried loudly and desperately.
Jia Zhuangyuan muttered through clenched teeth, “Whoever did this was truly heartless, using two child ghosts to guard a yin residence!”
At that moment, the spherical objects hanging from the trees began to fall one by one with loud popping sounds, rolling across the courtyard.
The two child ghosts suddenly stopped crying. They bent down and picked up a few of the black spheres, stuffing them into their mouths.
Everyone watched in shock as the two child ghosts revealed sharp, white teeth and began chewing on the spheres. Dark red liquid dripped from the corners of their mouths.
Suddenly, Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Fire your guns! Don’t let them eat too much or we’ll all be in danger!”
Everyone panicked and immediately opened fire on the child ghosts.
The two child ghosts, likely from ancient times, hadn’t expected modern weapons to attack from such a distance. They were shot down instantly, dark red liquid slowly oozing from their wounds.
Just as everyone began to relax, thinking the ghosts were defeated, the two children suddenly jumped to their feet. They shoved the remaining spheres into their mouths and swallowed them. Despite the bullet wounds still oozing dark red liquid, they continued to wail and hop toward the group.
Everyone was stunned. These child ghosts were immortal? Their guns fired again, but this time the bullets barely slowed the ghosts down. They just staggered slightly and kept coming. Jia Zhuangyuan shook his head and muttered, “I didn’t expect these two child ghosts to be full after just one yin fruit. Looks like I’m really unlucky. Well, I guess I’ll have to handle this myself.”
He pulled a black, round object from his backpack with his left hand and a long, whip-like rope with his right. He stepped forward to confront the child ghosts.
The two child ghosts opened their mouths, crying loudly with blood-stained teeth, stretching out four pale hands toward Jia Zhuangyuan as if wanting him to hug them. Suddenly, everyone saw the children’s hands begin to twist into claw shapes, their nails growing rapidly to about seven or eight centimeters long.
Everyone watched in horror, unsure what would happen next, deeply worried for Jia Zhuangyuan.
Jia Zhuangyuan approached to within about a meter and a half of the child ghosts. He sneered coldly, “So you want to mutate, huh? Uncle Fei is the expert for catching little ghosts like you.”
With that, he swung his whip-like rope in a wide arc, accurately ensnaring the red-dressed girl’s neck. He yanked her toward him and quickly shoved the black object into her open mouth.
The girl’s cries immediately turned into a muffled “wailing” sound as her mouth was blocked. Jia Zhuangyuan quickly pulled her back while shouting, “Shoot the boy! Don’t let him join hands with the girl again!”
Yang Weidong and Fan Debiao immediately opened fire on the green-clad boy. The red-dressed girl, now struggling violently with the whip around her neck, began to stagger. Her pale skin started turning black and purple, spreading from her face and neck downward.
She thrashed wildly, grabbing the rope around her neck and shaking her head desperately to escape. Her strength was astonishing, pulling Jia Zhuangyuan into a fierce tug-of-war, drenched in sweat.
Meanwhile, the green-clad ghost boy snarled, waving his now-clawed hands toward Jia Zhuangyuan at high speed. Even the barrage of bullets only slightly slowed him down.
As the green ghost neared the red girl, Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Stop him! If they join hands again, all my effort will be wasted!”
Suddenly, Cai Qingchong darted forward with his dagger, aiming for the green ghost. The dagger gleamed strangely as it struck toward the ghost’s head.
The ghost dodged with a quick sidestep, snarled at Cai Qingchong, and grabbed the dagger with both clawed hands. With a shriek, it pulled the dagger toward itself, extending its neck to bite Cai Qingchong’s hand.
Cai Qingchong panicked and tried to pull the dagger away, but it wouldn’t budge. The ghost’s sharp teeth were already near his hand. Horrified, he let go of the dagger.
The green ghost threw the dagger to the ground with a smug expression, let out a piercing shriek, and glared at Jia Zhuangyuan with blood-red eyes. It spread its arms and charged again.
At that moment, Liu Dashao let out a sharp whistle, leaped into the air, and landed between the green ghost and Jia Zhuangyuan. He shouted, “Evil spirit, your recklessness ends here!” He waved a freshly drawn talisman, and a sudden surge of martial energy erupted from his body. The talisman snapped straight with a hissing sound.
The ghost seemed to sense the Daoist energy and, knowing that Daoist priests were ghost hunters, performed a graceful backflip to evade Liu Dashao’s lightning-fast strike.
After landing, it began to cry again—not as loudly as before, but with a sound that made everyone’s hearts race. As it cried, the courtyard was suddenly engulfed in violent winds, and the fallen head-like spheres shot into the air, their faces twisted in grotesque expressions. They flew toward the group like a storm.
Liu Dashao snorted, raised both hands, and began chanting a long incantation. Instantly, the flying heads lost their power and crashed to the ground with loud thuds.
Liu Dashao turned back toward the green ghost. For some unknown reason, the ghost began whimpering and slowly retreating, clearly terrified of Liu Dashao now.
Liu Dashao watched as the green ghost retreated into the white house before walking over to where Jia Zhuangyuan was still struggling with the red ghost. He said, “Master, let her go. These two ghosts are pitiful souls.”
Jia Zhuangyuan hesitated but released the rope. The red ghost glared at Liu Dashao with bloodshot eyes, tore the rope from her neck, and fled toward the white house with the black object still in her mouth.
At that moment, the doors and windows of the white house closed silently. The cold wind inside the yin residence stopped. Except for the scattered head-like spheres, everything seemed to return to normal.
Jia Zhuangyuan shook his head silently, picked up the rope and Cai Qingchong’s dagger from the ground, and handed the dagger back to Cai Qingchong. He said, “Those two ghosts won’t bother us anymore. We can leave the yin residence and continue our journey.”
Cai Qingchong approached the gate and gently pulled it open again.
As the gate opened, the first thing they saw was a long street paved with rectangular bluish stones. On both sides stood ancient, unevenly sized houses.
One by one, they exited the yin residence. The black gate closed silently behind them as they stepped out.
Standing on the long stone street, they realized they had entered a dead-end alley—identical brick walls and blue paint everywhere, except for a thick stone door in one corner.
“Does anyone here understand ancient mechanisms? This stone door seems to have a trick to it. If we can’t open it, we’ll be trapped here forever,” Jia Zhuangyuan said thoughtfully.
Everyone was clueless about ancient underground architecture and remained silent.
Jia Zhuangyuan looked at the group helplessly and sighed, “Looks like I’ll have to figure this out on my own. None of you can help me.” He walked toward the plain stone door and began examining it carefully.
Everyone stood behind him, exchanging helpless glances. Indeed, none of them had any experience with ancient underground structures and couldn’t offer any useful suggestions.
After inspecting the stone door from all angles, Jia Zhuangyuan said, “The person who installed this stone door was definitely a master. Opening it will require finding a hidden mechanism—and it’s likely to be both intricate and dangerous.”
He asked everyone to shine their flashlights on him while he slowly ran his hands over the stone walls on both sides of the door.
Soon, he exclaimed excitedly, “I found it!”
Everyone rushed over, eager to see how the ancients had designed a mechanism capable of opening such a massive stone door.
Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Focus the flashlights on where my hands are!”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage