Jia Zhuangyuan was probably startled and quickly stepped back a few paces, adopting a vigilant stance as he stared at the slowly opening palace doors. After a few seconds, the stone doors ceased their sliding motion, and the interior of the Yama Hall fell into a silent, pitch-black darkness.
Hesitating for a moment, Jia Zhuangyuan, clutching his ancient, ornate dagger, cautiously stepped over the threshold and ventured into the Yama Hall. The others followed closely behind.
The moment everyone entered the hall, a sudden, dizzying tremor shook the ground. Caught off guard, everyone was thrown to the floor. Dust, vibrations, and deafening roars instantly plunged them into panic. The entire Yama Hall seemed like a tightly wound alarm clock, spinning and swaying rapidly, making it impossible for anyone to stand.
After what felt like an eternity—perhaps ten minutes—the surroundings finally began to quiet down. As the group, disheveled and frightened, stood up and brushed off the dust, they realized that although the tremors had stopped, the moving cliffs visible through the open doors suggested that the entire Yama Hall was slowly descending. This revelation left them all in shock.
Even more astonishing was the sudden illumination of the hall. They now saw that both sides of the Yama Hall were lined with over a dozen bronze wolf-headed lanterns. The walls were adorned with gray-black relief carvings, their patterns somewhat blurred by the passage of time. At the front of the hall stood a stone altar, upon which rested a single statue of a tiger-headed humanoid figure.
Jia Zhuangyuan composed himself and approached the altar, carefully examining the peculiar statue. Suddenly, he turned to the group and said, “This statue is of a saber-toothed tiger.”
Liu Dashao furrowed his brow and asked, “Could this saber-toothed tiger also be a totem from another world?”
Caiquingchong interjected abruptly, “Then what’s its relationship with the builders?”
Liu Dashao shook his head, feeling a sudden confusion in his mind. It seemed as though many thoughts were swirling around, almost within reach, only to vanish just as quickly.
At that moment, a loud roar echoed through the hall, followed by intense shaking and tremors. Then, everything seemed to come to a halt.
Jia Zhuangyuan said, “It seems the Yama Hall has descended to the bottom of the cliff. Perhaps when we step outside, we’ll find another mysterious place—the Wuji Dao Repository.”
Caiquingchong shook his head and replied, “If the Wuji Demon Repository were merely a simple passage to the Wuji Dao Repository without any dangers, it wouldn’t be the Wuji Demon Repository. Think about it—from the ancient Guge ruins as the entrance, with its insect statues, man-eating ants, and the red moon, to the volcanic lake with its water monster, the Plesiosaur, and the drought demon and map traps on the Nether Path—do you really think the final challenge of the Wuji Demon Repository would let us pass without any obstacles?”
Liu Dashao countered, “But didn’t we also encounter insect traps and a pack of saber-toothed tigers in the stone forest? It was only because I understood the ancient Nanzhao insect techniques and broke the ‘corpse trap’ to lure the saber-toothed tigers, and because I’m fluent in animal language, that we narrowly made it through.”
As soon as Liu Dashao finished speaking, a piercing howl echoed from outside the hall, followed by the responding roars of a pack of tigers.
He smiled bitterly at Caiquingchong and said, “It seems you’re right. Those saber-toothed tigers are the guardians of the Yama Hall, and they’re not going to let us go.”
At that moment, Fan Debiao suddenly shouted in alarm, “A tiger’s coming in!”
Everyone hurriedly looked toward the entrance of the Yama Hall. Sure enough, a golden saber-toothed tiger, its blood-red eyes glaring, stood at the doorway. Behind it, several more tigers seemed ready to force their way in.
Yang Weidong, quick on the trigger, fired his Type 56 assault rifle, and the tiger let out a howl as it fell to the ground. Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Don’t shoot! Close the door!”
But it was too late. A golden blur darted toward Yang Weidong, who was still holding his rifle, and several more golden shadows appeared inside the hall.
Before Yang Weidong could swing his rifle around, the tiger lunging at him bared its sharp white fangs, aiming straight for his throat.
At that critical moment, Caiquingchong, standing beside him, let out a roar and slashed with his dagger, a flash of light striking the tiger’s head. The beast let out a low growl, tumbled in mid-air, and crashed to the floor of the Yama Hall.
By then, everyone had reacted. Those with guns aimed at the tigers that had already entered the hall and opened fire. The bursts of gunfire quickly dispatched the intruding tigers and sealed the entrance. Several tigers that had just poked their heads through the doorway were also killed on the spot.
Though saber-toothed tigers were prehistoric creatures, their intelligence was far from low. With the deaths of the tigers inside and at the entrance, the remaining ones dared not approach the door. The group quickly rushed forward and shut the stone doors of the Yama Hall.
The distant roars of the tigers outside echoed faintly. Looking at the fallen tigers on the floor, everyone felt their hearts racing. A few saber-toothed tigers might not be terrifying, and their modern weapons were more than enough to deal with them. But if a hundred of these beasts surrounded them, engaging in close combat, they would stand no chance.
After a moment of silence, Fan Debiao looked up and asked, “Dashao, Elder Jia, what do we do now?”
Everyone turned their eyes to Liu Dashao and Jia Zhuangyuan. At that moment, Liu Dashao noticed that Jia Zhuangyuan seemed somewhat dazed, staring at the bodies of the fallen tigers.
Seeing that Jia Zhuangyuan remained silent, Liu Dashao smiled and said, “These saber-toothed tigers aren’t actually that scary. Our modern weapons were able to kill them easily, which means they’re not much different from the tigers we’re familiar with, just a bit larger in size.”
Suddenly, Jia Zhuangyuan abruptly interrupted Liu Dashao, “You’re all being too naive! These saber-toothed tigers are indeed an extinct species of feline that lived in North America and parts of Europe ten thousand years ago. They’re called saber-toothed tigers. You can see that their bodies are slightly larger than modern wolves, with slender and short limbs, and long fur, more like hyenas. But their jaw structure is massive, allowing them to crush bones. These creatures aren’t actually skilled hunters—they’re scavengers.”
At this point, Jia Zhuangyuan nervously glanced at the wolf corpses on the ground and continued, “Do you remember when I shot and shattered the stones in the stone forest, and some humanoid objects fell out? Those were actually the decayed corpses of ancient Nanzhao people from over a thousand years ago. The stone-like material covering them wasn’t stone but something similar to modern plaster. The ancient Nanzhao barbarians had a form of witchcraft called ‘corpse wrapping,’ typically used to preserve bodies for thousands of years without decay. But it was also used to protect tombs from grave robbers, like what we saw in the stone forest. That wasn’t a stone forest—it was a ‘corpse forest,’ with every boulder containing a preserved corpse. The method involved wrapping the body in a plaster-like substance after death, then, once it had dried, drilling numerous holes into it and inserting a type of dormant insect that had been enchanted with witchcraft. This corpse-wrapping technique not only preserved the body but also allowed the insects to revive under certain conditions and attack grave robbers.”
After saying this, Jia Zhuangyuan once again looked uneasily at the wolf corpses on the ground and said with concern, “I’m not sure what medium these insects use to revive and spread, but I hope it’s not through these wolf bodies. I have a bad feeling—the fact that these wolves were so easily killed might be a trap.”
Fan Debiao, confused, asked, “Elder Jia, I don’t understand how what you’re saying relates to our current situation. What insects? What trap?”
Jia Zhuangyuan sighed and explained, “Yunnan is home to many ethnic minorities, with at least 17 major indigenous groups, including the Yi, Miao, Bai, Hani, Dai, Lisu, Lahu, Wa, Naxi, Jingpo, Bulang, Pumi, Achang, Nu, Jino, De’ang, and Dulong. There are even more smaller subgroups. The ancient Nanzhao barbarians were a collective term for these peoples. Insect witchcraft, a traditional form of sorcery among these minorities, is incredibly diverse, with thousands of variations of insect spells alone. The methods of casting these spells and the mediums that trigger the insects’ activation vary widely. We don’t know what medium triggered the insects we encountered in the stone forest. I hope it’s not the ‘parasitic method’—where the insects reside within the Nanzhao preserved corpses and are activated after being consumed by these giant wolves.”
Liu Dashao looked at Jia Zhuangyuan in surprise and asked, “Elder Jia, are you saying that these saber-toothed tigers might become the medium for the insects? That they could trigger the revival of these insects?”
Jia Zhuangyuan nodded grimly. Everyone looked at the wolf corpses on the ground, which remained still and unchanged, but a sense of dread washed over them. If what he said was true, and the insects within these saber-toothed tigers were activated and revived, the consequences would be unimaginable.
All eyes turned to the saber-toothed tiger corpses on the floor of the Yama Hall. Suddenly, the lanterns on both sides of the hall flickered as if running out of oil, and the light in the hall dimmed significantly.
As everyone’s eyes adjusted to the flickering lanterns, the tiger corpses on the ground began to change. The golden fur on their bodies seemed to stand on end, quivering slightly.
Jia Zhuangyuan’s face paled, and he shouted, “This is bad!” Everyone’s hearts sank. Could it be that the insects were indeed using the tiger corpses as a medium to activate?
What followed was even more horrifying. The supposedly dead saber-toothed tigers slowly and unsteadily rose to their feet, opening their mouths to reveal rows of sharp, white teeth.
Someone gasped, “Heavens, these tigers have come back to life!”
Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Everyone, step back! These tigers haven’t come back to life—it’s the Nanzhao insects inside their bodies that have revived.”
Hearing this, the group quickly retreated to a corner of the Yama Hall, watching in fear as the tigers wobbled to their feet.
As the tigers opened their mouths, their throats convulsed as if they were gagging. Jia Zhuangyuan said urgently, “If I’m not mistaken, the insects are crawling up from the tigers’ stomachs toward their open mouths. They’re about to emerge. Be careful!”
No sooner had he spoken than a strange sound came from one of the tigers’ mouths, as if something was scraping against the inside.
Liu Dashao whispered to Jia Zhuangyuan, “Elder Jia, what do we do? We don’t know how dangerous these insects are. We can’t just stay trapped here. Outside, there are saber-toothed tigers, but they’re easier to deal with. Should we make a run for it?”
Jia Zhuangyuan’s lips moved as if he was about to say something, but a buzzing sound suddenly filled the air. A strange white beetle emerged from the tiger’s mouth. It looked like a round ladybug, covered in a white shell, about the size of a human thumbnail. It had two thin red antennae on its head and a pair of round, transparent wings. As it flew, it buzzed loudly, its body translucent, with red internal organs visible, pulsing like a tiny flame inside its body. It spun in the air for a moment, then darted straight toward the group.
Fan Debiao cursed, “Oh, you think I’m an easy target, huh? I don’t believe a tiny bug like you can do much.” He raised his assault rifle and swung it at the beetle, trying to swat it away.
In the blink of an eye, Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Don’t touch it! Get out of the way!”
But it was too late. Fan Debiao’s rifle struck the white beetle, and with a loud “crack,” the insect was knocked to the ground. It fluttered its wings and took off again, but in mid-air, it split into four identical beetles, each darting toward the group.
Jia Zhuangyuan stomped his foot in frustration and shouted, “Everyone, try to avoid them! You can’t touch these things!”
Hearing this, the group scattered, ducking and weaving to avoid the four beetles. At the same time, more beetles emerged from the mouths of the other tigers, flying around the hall, seemingly searching for targets. Soon, they spotted the humans and began darting toward them.
By now, there were about a dozen of these beetles in the Yama Hall, relentlessly chasing the group. Everyone was in a panic, dodging left and right. The bizarre incident with the first beetle had made it clear that no one dared to strike these strange insects.
Suddenly, someone let out a scream. All the beetles in the air instantly veered toward the source of the sound. The group turned to see Yang Weidong clutching his head, howling in agony. To their horror, his hair was on fire, and his face seemed to be corroding, the flesh on his cheeks sizzling and rapidly shrinking. The hall was filled with the smell of something burning.
Before anyone could react, all the beetles swarmed onto Yang Weidong’s body. In an instant, he burst into flames, becoming a human torch. Yang Weidong writhed in agony, his screams sending chills down everyone’s spines. The fireball that was his body collapsed to the ground, the human figure still struggling within the flames. It seemed he wouldn’t die immediately.
The sight of a living person being burned alive was too gruesome. No one could bear to watch, and they all turned away. Fan Debiao was so terrified that his mouth hung open, unsure whether to cry or scream.
At that moment, Caiquingchong, tears in his eyes, stepped forward, raised his gun, and fired at the writhing figure in the flames. After a series of gunshots, Yang Weidong finally stopped moving and screaming. The fire continued to burn, and the strange beetles showed no signs of leaving his body. Jia Zhuangyuan whispered urgently, “We have to get out of here now. If those beetles fly out again, we’ll all be burned alive.”
Fan Debiao, trembling with fear, asked, “But… outside are all those saber-toothed tigers, and inside this hall are those demonic beetles. Where can we go?”
Jia Zhuangyuan roared, “I’d rather face ten thousand saber-toothed tigers outside than these terrifying beetles!”
Liu Dashao nodded and said, “Elder Jia is right. These beetles are impossible to deal with. Compared to them, the saber-toothed tigers are just animals. If we charge outside, we might have a chance. Staying here with these beetles means certain death.”
Before Liu Dashao could finish speaking, two white beetles flew out of the burning pile that was Yang Weidong and darted toward the group.
At this point, the group had no choice. They all rushed toward the entrance of the Yama Hall, pushed open the heavy stone doors, and ran outside.
As they emerged, the buzzing sound of the beetles followed closely behind. It seemed the insects had all flown out and were hot on their heels.
Outside was an extremely narrow underground canyon, stretching endlessly into the distance. The canyon walls were lined with towering, knife-edged peaks. To their surprise, there was no sign of any saber-toothed tigers.
At this moment, the group couldn’t care less about encountering tigers. The white beetles chasing them were the real threat. They quickly chose a direction and began sprinting down the canyon.
The cliffs on either side flashed past as they ran, but the relentless white beetles continued to pursue them, their buzzing growing louder.
Jia Zhuangyuan hesitated briefly before slowly stepping across the stone threshold, holding his antique, multicolored dagger, and entered the Yama Hall. The others followed closely behind.
Just as everyone entered the Yama Hall, a sudden, violent tremor shook the entire hall. Unprepared for the shock, everyone was thrown violently to the ground. Dust, shaking, and deafening noise instantly threw everyone into panic. The entire Yama Hall seemed like a tightly wound alarm clock, rapidly spinning and swaying, making it impossible for anyone to even stand upright.
Not knowing how long had passed—perhaps around ten minutes—the surroundings gradually quieted down. As everyone stood up, shaken and covered in dust, they discovered to their astonishment that although the Yama Hall had stopped shaking, the cliffs outside the open entrance were constantly moving, indicating that the entire hall was slowly descending.
Even more shocking was that suddenly the hall was illuminated from side to side. Only then did they see that on both sides of the hall stood over a dozen bronze lamp stands shaped like wolf heads. The walls were carved with grayish-black bas-reliefs, their patterns somewhat blurred by time. At the front of the hall stood a stone altar, on which was placed a statue of a tiger-headed humanoid figure.
Jia Zhuangyuan steadied himself and approached the altar, carefully observing the strange statue. Suddenly, he turned to the others and said, “This sculpture is of a saber-toothed tiger.”
Liu Dashao furrowed his brows and asked, “Could the saber-toothed tiger also be a totem from another world?”
Cai Qingchong suddenly interjected, “Then what is its relationship to the builders?”
Liu Dashao shook his head, suddenly feeling a wave of confusion in his mind, as if many things were turning over inside his head, trying to surface, yet vanishing before he could grasp them.
At that moment, a deafening roar shook the hall, followed by a prolonged tremor and shaking, before everything seemed to come to a halt.
Jia Zhuangyuan said, “It seems the Yama Hall has descended to the bottom of the cliff. Perhaps when we exit, we will see another magical place—the Wujie Daozang.”
Cai Qingchong shook his head and replied, “If the Wujie Macang were merely a simple passage to the Wujie Daozang without any dangers, it wouldn’t be called the Wujie Macang. Think about it—along our journey, if the Guge ruins were the entrance, we encountered insect puppets, man-eating leeches, a red moon, and the Shiva Buddha statue; in the volcanic lake, we faced a water monster, the elasmosaur; on the path of the underworld, we met the drought demon and map traps. Could the final trial of the Wujie Macang really allow us to pass without any obstacles?”
Jia Zhuangyuan was likely startled, quickly stepping back a few paces in a vigilant stance, his eyes fixed on the slowly opening palace doors. After a few seconds, the stone doors ceased their movement, leaving the interior of the Yama Hall in complete silence and darkness.
After a moment of hesitation, Jia Zhuangyuan, clutching his ancient, ornate dagger, cautiously stepped over the threshold into the Yama Hall, with the others following closely behind.
The moment they entered, a sudden, disorienting tremor shook the ground. Caught off guard, everyone was thrown to the floor. Dust, vibrations, and deafening noise plunged them into panic. The entire Yama Hall seemed like a tightly wound alarm clock, spinning and swaying uncontrollably, making it impossible for anyone to stand.
After what felt like an eternity—perhaps ten minutes—the surroundings gradually quieted. As the group, disheveled and frightened, got to their feet and brushed off the dust, they realized that although the tremors had stopped, the moving cliffs visible through the open doors suggested the Yama Hall was slowly descending, which left them all astonished.
Even more shocking was the sudden illumination of the hall. They now saw that both sides of the Yama Hall were lined with over a dozen bronze wolf-head-shaped lamps, and the walls were adorned with gray-black reliefs, their patterns somewhat blurred with age. At the front of the hall stood a stone altar, upon which rested a single statue of a tiger-headed humanoid figure.
Jia Zhuangyuan steadied himself and approached the altar, carefully examining the peculiar statue. Suddenly, he turned to the group and said, “This statue is of a saber-toothed tiger.”
Liu Dashao furrowed his brow and asked, “Could it be that the saber-toothed tiger is also a totem from another world?”
Caicai Qingchong interjected abruptly, “Then what’s its relationship with the builders?”
Liu Dashao shook his head, feeling a sudden confusion in his mind, as if many thoughts were swirling around, almost surfacing but then disappearing again.
At that moment, a loud crash echoed through the hall, followed by a series of violent shakes and tremors, before everything seemed to come to a halt.
Jia Zhuangyuan said, “It seems the Yama Hall has descended to the bottom of the cliff. Perhaps when we step out, we’ll find another mysterious place—the Wuji Dao Repository.”
Caicai Qingchong shook his head and replied, “If the Wuji Demon Repository were merely a simple passage to the Wuji Dao Repository without any dangers, it wouldn’t be the Wuji Demon Repository. Think about it—from the ancient ruins of Guge, with its insect puppets, man-eating ants, red moon, and the Shiva Buddha; the volcanic lake with its water monster, the plesiosaur; the Nether Path with its drought demons and map traps—do you really think the final challenge of the Wuji Demon Repository would let us pass without any obstacles?”
Liu Dashao retorted, “But didn’t we also encounter insect traps and a pack of saber-toothed tigers in the stone forest? It was only because I understood the ancient Nanzhao insect techniques and broke the ‘corpse trap’ to lure the saber-toothed tigers, and because I’m fluent in animal language, that we managed to get through.”
As soon as Liu Dashao finished speaking, a piercing howl echoed from outside the hall, followed by the responding roars of a pack of tigers.
He smiled wryly at Caicai Qingchong and said, “It seems you’re right. Those saber-toothed tigers are the guardians of the Yama Hall, and they’re not going to let us go.”
At that moment, Fan Debiao suddenly shouted in alarm, “A tiger’s coming in!”
Everyone hurriedly looked toward the entrance of the Yama Hall. Sure enough, a golden saber-toothed tiger, its blood-red eyes glaring, stood at the doorway. Behind it, several more tigers seemed ready to push their way in.
Yang Weidong, quick on the trigger, fired his Type 56 submachine gun, and the tiger let out a howl as it fell to the ground. Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Don’t shoot! Close the door!”
But it was too late. A golden blur darted toward Yang Weidong, who was still holding his gun, and several more golden shadows appeared inside the hall.
Before Yang Weidong could swing his gun around, the tiger lunging at him bared its sharp white teeth, aiming straight for his throat.
At that critical moment, Caicai Qingchong, standing beside him, let out a roar and slashed with his dagger, a flash of light striking the tiger’s head. With a low growl, the tiger tumbled in mid-air and crashed to the floor of the Yama Hall.
By then, everyone had reacted. Those with guns opened fire on the tigers that had entered the hall, the bursts of gunfire quickly dispatching the intruders and sealing the entrance. Several tigers that had just poked their heads through the doorway were also killed on the spot.
Though saber-toothed tigers are prehistoric creatures, their intelligence is not to be underestimated. With the death of the tigers inside and at the entrance, the remaining tigers dared not approach the door. The group quickly pushed the stone doors shut.
The faint roars of the tigers outside and the sight of the fallen tigers inside left everyone shaken. A few saber-toothed tigers might not be terrifying, and their modern weapons were more than enough to handle them. But if a hundred tigers surrounded them, engaging in close combat, they would stand no chance.
After a moment of silence, Fan Debiao looked up and asked, “Dashao, Elder Jia, what do we do now?”
Everyone turned their eyes to Liu Dashao and Jia Zhuangyuan. At that moment, Liu Dashao noticed that Jia Zhuangyuan seemed to be in a daze, staring at the bodies of the fallen tigers.
Seeing that Jia Zhuangyuan remained silent, Liu Dashao smiled and said, “These saber-toothed tigers aren’t actually that scary. Our modern weapons can easily kill them, which means they’re not much different from the tigers we’re familiar with, just a bit larger.”
Suddenly, Jia Zhuangyuan interrupted Liu Dashao, saying, “You’re all being too naive! These saber-toothed tigers are indeed an extinct species of cat that lived in North America and parts of Europe ten thousand years ago. You can see that their bodies are slightly larger than modern wolves, with slender, short limbs and long fur, more like hyenas. But their massive jaws give them the ability to crush bones. These creatures aren’t skilled hunters; they’re scavengers.”
At this point, Jia Zhuangyuan nervously glanced at the wolf corpses on the ground and continued, “Remember when I shot those stones in the stone forest, and humanoid objects fell out? Those were actually the mummified remains of ancient Nanzhao people, wrapped in something that looked like stone but was actually a substance similar to modern plaster. The ancient Nanzhao tribes had a form of witchcraft called ‘corpse wrapping,’ typically used to preserve bodies for thousands of years. But it was also used to deter tomb robbers, like what we saw in the stone forest. That wasn’t a stone forest—it was a ‘corpse forest,’ with each massive stone containing a mummified body. The method involved wrapping the corpse in a plaster-like substance, then, once it had dried, drilling holes into it and inserting dormant insect larvae enchanted with witchcraft. This ‘corpse wrapping’ not only preserved the body but also allowed the larvae to revive under certain conditions and attack grave robbers.”
After saying this, Jia Zhuangyuan looked again at the wolf corpses on the ground with a troubled expression and said, “I’m not sure what medium these larvae use to revive and spread, but I hope it’s not through these wolf bodies. I have a bad feeling—these wolves were too easily killed, as if it’s a trap.”
Fan Debiao, confused, asked, “Elder Jia, I don’t understand what this has to do with our current situation. What larvae? What trap?”
Jia Zhuangyuan sighed and explained, “Yunnan is home to many ethnic minorities, with over 17 indigenous groups, including the Yi, Miao, Bai, Hani, Dai, Lisu, Lahu, Wa, Naxi, Jingpo, Bulang, Pumi, Achang, Nu, Jinuo, De’ang, and Dulong, not to mention numerous smaller groups. The ancient Nanzhao tribes were a collective term for these peoples. Insect witchcraft, a traditional form of sorcery among these minorities, is incredibly diverse, with thousands of insect-based techniques alone. The methods of implanting and triggering these larvae vary widely. We don’t know what medium triggered the larvae we encountered in the stone forest. I hope it’s not the parasitic method—meaning, I hope the larvae weren’t implanted in the Nanzhao mummies and then ingested by these wolves, triggering their revival.”
Liu Dashao looked at Jia Zhuangyuan in surprise and asked, “Elder Jia, are you saying these saber-toothed tigers might become a medium for the larvae? That they could trigger the revival of these larvae?”
Jia Zhuangyuan nodded grimly. Everyone looked at the wolf corpses on the ground, which remained still and unchanged, but the thought sent shivers down their spines. If what he said was true, and the larvae were triggered and revived within these saber-toothed tigers, the consequences were unimaginable.
Everyone’s eyes were now fixed on the saber-toothed tiger corpses on the floor of the Yama Hall. Suddenly, the lamps on both sides of the hall flickered as if running out of oil, and the light in the hall dimmed significantly.
As everyone’s eyes adjusted to the flickering lamps, the tiger corpses on the ground began to change. Their golden fur seemed to stand on end, quivering slightly.
Jia Zhuangyuan’s face paled, and he shouted, “This is bad!” Everyone’s hearts sank. Could it be that the larvae were indeed being triggered through the tiger corpses?
What followed was even more horrifying. The supposedly dead saber-toothed tigers slowly began to rise, their mouths opening to reveal their sharp, white teeth.
Someone gasped, “My God, these saber-toothed tigers have come back to life!”
Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Everyone, step back! It’s not the tigers that have revived—it’s the Nanzhao larvae inside their bodies!”
Hearing this, the group quickly retreated to a corner of the Yama Hall, watching in terror as the tigers staggered to their feet.
As their mouths opened, their throats seemed to convulse as if gagging. Jia Zhuangyuan urgently warned, “If I’m not mistaken, the larvae are crawling up from the tigers’ stomachs toward their mouths. They’re about to emerge. Be careful!”
No sooner had he spoken than a strange noise came from one of the tigers’ mouths, as if something was scraping inside.
Liu Dashao whispered to Jia Zhuangyuan, “Elder Jia, what do we do? We don’t know how dangerous these larvae are. We can’t just stay trapped here. Outside, there are saber-toothed tigers, but they’re manageable. Should we make a run for it?”
Jia Zhuangyuan’s lips moved as if to respond, but a buzzing sound suddenly filled the air. A strange white beetle emerged from the tiger’s mouth. It resembled a round ladybug, covered in a white shell, about the size of a human thumbnail. It had two thin red antennae and a pair of round, transparent wings. As it flew, it buzzed loudly, its body translucent, revealing red internal organs that pulsed like a tiny flame. It spun in the air and then darted straight toward the group.
Fan Debiao cursed, “Oh, you think I’m an easy target? I don’t believe a tiny bug like you can do much.” He raised his submachine gun, aiming to swat the beetle with the barrel.
In that split second, Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Don’t touch it! Get out of the way!”
But it was too late. Fan Debiao’s gun struck the white beetle, and with a loud “crack,” the beetle was knocked to the ground. It fluttered its wings and took off again, but in mid-air, it split into four identical beetles, each darting toward the group.
Jia Zhuangyuan stomped his foot in frustration and yelled, “Everyone, avoid them at all costs! These things can’t be touched!”
Hearing this, the group scattered, ducking and weaving to avoid the beetles. Meanwhile, more beetles emerged from the mouths of the other tigers, flying around as if searching for targets. Soon, they seemed to spot the humans and began charging toward them.
By now, there were about a dozen beetles in the Yama Hall, relentlessly chasing the group. Everyone was in a frantic scramble, having witnessed the bizarre consequences of striking one of the beetles. No one dared to attack them.
Suddenly, someone let out a scream. All the beetles in the air immediately veered toward the source. The group turned to see Yang Weidong clutching his head, howling in agony. To their horror, his hair was on fire, and his face appeared to be corroding, the flesh sizzling and rapidly shrinking. The hall was filled with the acrid smell of burning flesh.
Before anyone could react, all the beetles swarmed onto Yang Weidong, and his body burst into flames. He writhed in agony, his screams chilling everyone to the bone. The fireball collapsed to the ground, the human figure within still struggling. It seemed he wouldn’t die quickly.
The sight of a living person burning alive was too gruesome. Everyone turned away, unable to bear it. Fan Debiao was so terrified that his mouth hung open, unsure whether to cry or scream.
At that moment, Caicai Qingchong, tears in his eyes, stepped forward, raised his gun, and fired at the burning figure. After a burst of gunfire, Yang Weidong finally stopped moving and screaming. The flames continued to burn, and the strange beetles showed no signs of leaving his body. Jia Zhuangyuan whispered, “We have to get out of here now. If those beetles come out again, we’ll all be burned alive.”
Fan Debiao, utterly terrified, asked, “But… outside are the saber-toothed tigers, and inside are these demonic beetles. Where can we go?”
Jia Zhuangyuan roared, “I’d rather face ten thousand saber-toothed tigers than these horrifying beetles!”
Liu Dashao nodded and said, “Elder Jia is right. These beetles are impossible to deal with. Compared to them, the saber-toothed tigers are just animals. If we make a run for it, we might have a chance. Staying here with these beetles means certain death.”
Before Liu Dashao could finish speaking, two white beetles flew out of the burning remains of Yang Weidong and darted toward the group.
At this point, the group had no choice. They all rushed toward the entrance of the Yama Hall, forced the heavy stone doors open, and ran outside.
As they fled, the buzzing sound followed them closely, indicating that the beetles had emerged and were hot on their heels.
Outside, they found themselves in a long, narrow underground canyon, stretching endlessly into the distance, with towering, knife-edged peaks on either side. To their surprise, there was no sign of the saber-toothed tigers.
At this point, the group couldn’t afford to worry about encountering tigers. The white beetles chasing them were the real threat. They quickly chose a direction and began sprinting down the canyon.
The steep cliffs on either side blurred past them, but the relentless white beetles continued to pursue, their buzzing growing louder.
Just as Liu Dashao finished speaking, a piercing howl suddenly came from outside the hall, followed by the responding roars of a tiger pack.
He smiled bitterly at Cai Qingchong and said, “Looks like you were right. Those saber-toothed tigers are the guardians of the Yama Hall, and they won’t let us go.”
At that moment, Fan Debiao suddenly cried out in alarm, “A tiger has come in!”
Everyone quickly turned their gaze to the entrance of the Yama Hall. Indeed, a golden saber-toothed tiger, its eyes blood-red, had already reached the threshold. Behind it, several more saber-toothed tigers seemed to be trying to squeeze their way in.
Yang Weidong, quick to react, raised his Type 56 submachine gun and fired a burst. The saber-toothed tiger let out a shriek and fell to the ground. Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Don’t shoot! Close the door quickly!”
But it was already too late. A golden shadow darted like lightning, lunging straight at Yang Weidong, who was still holding the submachine gun. More golden shadows appeared inside the hall.
Yang Weidong hadn’t even had time to adjust his aim when the saber-toothed tiger’s mouth opened, revealing sharp white teeth, and it leaped through the air directly at his throat.
At that moment, Cai Qingchong beside him roared, and with a swift motion, thrust his dagger in a flash of light straight into the tiger’s head. A low growl was heard as the saber-toothed tiger twisted midair and crashed onto the stone floor of the Yama Hall.
By then, everyone had regained their senses. Those with guns aimed at the saber-toothed tigers that had already entered the hall and opened fire. The bursts of gunfire quickly eliminated the intruding tigers and blocked the entrance, killing several more that had just appeared outside.
Saber-toothed tigers were prehistoric creatures, but their intelligence was not low. As soon as the tigers inside and at the entrance were killed, the others no longer dared to approach. Several people rushed forward and quickly closed the stone door of the Yama Hall.
Outside the hall, the growls of tigers could still be faintly heard. Looking at the fallen saber-toothed tigers, everyone felt their hearts pounding from the near-death experience. A few saber-toothed tigers weren’t too terrifying; their modern weapons could easily deal with them. But if hundreds of saber-toothed tigers surrounded them and engaged in close combat, they would be completely helpless.
After a moment of silence, Fan Debiao looked up and asked, “Big Liu, Master Jia, what do we do now?”
Everyone turned their eyes toward Liu Dashao and Jia Zhuangyuan. At that moment, Liu Dashao noticed that Jia Zhuangyuan seemed somewhat dazed, staring blankly at the saber-toothed tiger corpses on the ground.
Seeing that Jia Zhuangyuan didn’t respond, Liu Dashao smiled slightly and said, “These saber-toothed tigers aren’t really that scary. Our modern weapons can easily kill them, which shows that these saber-toothed tigers aren’t much different from the tigers we commonly see—they’re just slightly larger in size.”
At that moment, Jia Zhuangyuan suddenly interrupted, saying somewhat abruptly, “You’re all too naive! These saber-toothed tigers are indeed a species of extinct feline that lived around ten thousand years ago in North America and parts of Europe. You can see that their bodies are somewhat larger than modern wolves, with slender and short limbs, longer fur, and more closely resemble hyenas. However, their lower jaw structure was large, giving them the ability to crush bones. These creatures weren’t actually skilled hunters—they were scavengers.”
Jia Zhuangyuan was probably startled and quickly stepped back a few paces, assuming a vigilant stance as he stared at the slowly opening palace doors. After a few seconds, the stone doors ceased sliding, and the interior of the Yama Hall fell into a silent darkness.
Hesitating for a moment, Jia Zhuangyuan, holding his ancient, intricately patterned dagger, cautiously stepped through the stone doors and ventured into the Yama Hall. The others followed closely behind.
The moment everyone entered the Yama Hall, a sudden, dizzying tremor shook the ground. Caught off guard, everyone was thrown to the floor. Dust, vibrations, and deafening roars instantly plunged them into panic. The entire Yama Hall seemed like a tightly wound alarm clock, spinning and swaying rapidly, making it impossible for anyone to stand.
After what felt like an eternity—perhaps ten minutes—the surroundings finally began to quiet down. As everyone scrambled to their feet, dusting themselves off, they realized that although the Yama Hall had stopped shaking, the moving cliffs visible through the open doors suggested the entire hall was slowly descending. This discovery left everyone in shock.
Even more astonishing was the sudden illumination of the Yama Hall’s interior. Torches on both sides of the hall flared to life, revealing dozens of bronze wolf-head-shaped lamps. The walls were adorned with dark gray relief carvings, their patterns somewhat blurred by the passage of time. At the front of the hall stood a stone altar, upon which rested a statue of a tiger-headed humanoid figure.
Jia Zhuangyuan steadied himself and approached the altar, carefully examining the peculiar statue. Suddenly, he turned to the group and said, “This statue is of a saber-toothed tiger.”
Liu Dashao furrowed his brow and asked, “Could it be that the saber-toothed tiger is also a totem from another world?”
Caicai Qingchong interjected abruptly, “Then what’s its relationship with the builders?”
Liu Dashao shook his head, feeling a sudden confusion in his mind, as if many thoughts were swirling around, almost within reach, but then vanishing just as quickly.
At that moment, a loud rumble echoed through the hall, followed by a series of violent shakes and tremors, before everything seemed to come to a halt.
Jia Zhuangyuan remarked, “It seems the Yama Hall has descended to the bottom of the cliff. Perhaps when we step outside, we’ll find ourselves in another mysterious place—the Wuji Dao Repository.”
Caicai Qingchong shook his head and said, “If the Wuji Demon Repository were merely a passage to the Wuji Dao Repository without any dangers, it wouldn’t be the Wuji Demon Repository. Think about it—from the ancient ruins at the entrance, with the insect statues, man-eating ants, the red moon, and the Shiva Buddha; the volcanic lake with its water monster, the plesiosaur; the Nether Path with its drought demons and map traps—do you really think the final challenge of the Wuji Demon Repository would let us pass without any obstacles?”
Liu Dashao countered, “But didn’t we also encounter insect traps and a pack of saber-toothed tigers in the stone forest? It was only because I understood the ancient Nanzhao insect techniques and broke the ‘corpse trap’ to lure the saber-toothed tigers, and because I’m fluent in animal language, that we narrowly escaped.”
Just as Liu Dashao finished speaking, a piercing howl echoed from outside the hall, followed by the responding roars of a tiger pack.
He smiled wryly at Caicai Qingchong and said, “It seems you’re right. Those saber-toothed tigers are the guardians of the Yama Hall, and they’re not about to let us go.”
At that moment, Fan Debiao suddenly shouted in alarm, “A tiger’s coming in!”
Everyone quickly turned to the entrance of the Yama Hall. Sure enough, a golden saber-toothed tiger, its blood-red eyes glaring, stood at the doorway. Behind it, several more tigers seemed ready to force their way in.
Yang Weidong, quick on the draw, fired his Type 56 submachine gun, and the tiger let out a howl as it fell to the ground. Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Don’t shoot! Close the door!”
But it was too late. A golden blur darted toward Yang Weidong, who was still holding his submachine gun, while several more golden shadows appeared inside the hall.
Yang Weidong hadn’t had time to adjust his aim when the tiger lunging at him bared its sharp white fangs, aiming straight for his throat.
At that critical moment, Caicai Qingchong, standing beside him, let out a roar and slashed with his dagger, sending a flash of light that struck the tiger’s head. With a low growl, the tiger tumbled mid-air and crashed to the ground.
By then, everyone had reacted. Those with guns opened fire on the tigers that had already entered the hall. The barrage of bullets quickly dispatched the intruders and sealed the entrance, killing several more tigers that had just appeared outside.
Though saber-toothed tigers were prehistoric creatures, their intelligence was far from low. With the death of the tigers inside and at the entrance, the remaining ones dared not approach. The group quickly rushed to close the stone doors of the Yama Hall.
The distant roars of the tigers outside and the sight of the fallen ones inside left everyone shaken. A few saber-toothed tigers might not be terrifying, especially with modern weapons at their disposal. But if a hundred of them surrounded them, engaging in close combat, they would stand no chance.
After a moment of silence, Fan Debiao looked up and asked, “Dashao, Elder Jia, what do we do now?”
Everyone turned their gaze to Liu Dashao and Jia Zhuangyuan. Liu Dashao noticed that Jia Zhuangyuan seemed distracted, staring blankly at the bodies of the fallen tigers.
Seeing that Jia Zhuangyuan remained silent, Liu Dashao smiled and said, “These saber-toothed tigers aren’t actually that scary. Our modern weapons easily took them down, which means they’re not much different from the tigers we know, just slightly larger.”
At that moment, Jia Zhuangyuan abruptly interrupted, “You’re all being naive! These saber-toothed tigers are indeed an extinct species of cat that lived in North America and parts of Europe ten thousand years ago. They’re called saber-toothed tigers. As you can see, they’re larger than modern wolves, with slender, short limbs and long fur, resembling hyenas. But their massive jaws gave them the ability to crush bones. These creatures weren’t skilled hunters; they were scavengers.”
Jia Zhuangyuan paused, glancing nervously at the wolf corpses on the ground, then continued, “Remember when I shot those stones in the stone forest, and humanoid objects fell out? Those were actually the preserved corpses of ancient Nanzhao people, wrapped in a stone-like substance that wasn’t stone but something similar to modern plaster. The ancient Nanzhao tribes had a form of witchcraft called ‘corpse wrapping,’ used to preserve bodies for thousands of years. But it was also used to protect tombs from grave robbers, like what we saw in the stone forest. That wasn’t a stone forest—it was a ‘corpse forest,’ with each massive stone containing a preserved corpse. The method involved wrapping the body in a plaster-like substance, then, once it had dried, drilling holes into it and inserting dormant insect larvae enchanted with witchcraft. This ‘corpse wrapping’ not only preserved the body but also allowed the larvae to revive under certain conditions and attack grave robbers.”
After saying this, Jia Zhuangyuan looked even more uneasy as he stared at the wolf corpses on the ground. “I’m not sure what triggers the revival and spread of these insect larvae, but I hope it’s not through these wolf bodies. I have a bad feeling that these wolves were so easily killed because it’s a trap.”
Fan Debiao, confused, asked, “Elder Jia, I don’t understand how this relates to our current situation. What insect larvae? What trap?”
Jia Zhuangyuan sighed. “Yunnan is home to many ethnic minorities, with at least 17 major groups, including the Yi, Miao, Bai, Hani, Dai, Lisu, Lahu, Wa, Naxi, Jingpo, Blang, Pumi, Achang, Nu, Jino, De’ang, and Dulong. The ancient Nanzhao tribes were a collective term for these groups. Insect witchcraft, a traditional form of sorcery among these minorities, is incredibly diverse, with thousands of variations. The methods of implanting and activating these insect larvae vary greatly. I’m not sure what triggered the larvae we encountered in the stone forest. I hope it’s not the ‘parasitic method,’ where the larvae reside in the Nanzhao corpses and are ingested by these giant wolves, triggering their revival.”
Liu Dashao looked at Jia Zhuangyuan in surprise. “Elder Jia, are you saying these saber-toothed tigers could become carriers for the insect larvae? That they could trigger the revival of these larvae?”
Jia Zhuangyuan nodded grimly. Everyone stared at the wolf corpses, which remained still and unchanged, but a sense of dread crept over them. If what he said was true, and the larvae within these saber-toothed tigers were activated and revived, the consequences would be unimaginable.
All eyes turned to the saber-toothed tiger corpses on the floor of the Yama Hall. Suddenly, the torches on both sides of the hall flickered as if running out of oil, and the light in the hall dimmed significantly.
As everyone’s eyes adjusted to the flickering torches, the tiger corpses on the ground began to change. Their golden fur seemed to stand on end, quivering slightly.
Jia Zhuangyuan’s face paled, and he shouted, “This is bad!” Everyone’s hearts sank. Could it be that the insect larvae were indeed being activated through the tiger corpses?
What followed was even more horrifying. The supposedly dead saber-toothed tigers slowly and unsteadily rose to their feet, opening their mouths to reveal rows of sharp, white teeth.
Someone gasped, “My God, these tigers have come back to life!”
Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Everyone, step back! These tigers haven’t come back to life—it’s the Nanzhao insect larvae inside their bodies that have revived!”
Hearing this, everyone quickly retreated to a corner of the Yama Hall, watching in terror as the tigers swayed on their feet.
As their mouths opened, their throats convulsed as if they were gagging. Jia Zhuangyuan said urgently, “If I’m not mistaken, the larvae are crawling up from the tigers’ stomachs toward their mouths. They’re about to emerge. Be careful!”
No sooner had he spoken than a strange sound came from one tiger’s mouth, as if something was scraping inside.
Liu Dashao whispered to Jia Zhuangyuan, “Elder Jia, what do we do? We don’t know how dangerous these larvae are. We can’t just stay trapped here. The tigers outside are manageable. Let’s make a run for it!”
Jia Zhuangyuan’s lips moved as if he was about to say something, but a buzzing sound suddenly filled the air. A strange white beetle emerged from the tiger’s mouth. It looked like a round ladybug, covered in a white shell, about the size of a human thumbnail. It had two thin red antennae and a pair of round, transparent wings. As it flew, it buzzed loudly, its body translucent, with red internal organs that looked like a tiny, flickering flame. It spun in the air for a moment before darting straight toward its target.
Fan Debiao cursed, “Oh, you think I’m an easy target? I don’t believe this little bug can do much.” He raised his submachine gun and swung it at the beetle, trying to swat it away.
In that split second, Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Don’t touch it! Get out of the way!”
But it was too late. Fan Debiao’s gun struck the beetle, and with a loud “crack,” it fell to the ground. After a moment, it fluttered its wings and took off again, but this time, it split into four identical beetles, each darting toward the group.
Jia Zhuangyuan stomped his foot in frustration. “Everyone, avoid them at all costs! These things can’t be touched!”
Hearing this, everyone scattered, ducking and weaving to avoid the beetles. Meanwhile, more beetles emerged from the mouths of the other tigers, flying around as if searching for targets. Soon, they seemed to spot the humans and began darting toward them.
By now, about a dozen of these beetles were buzzing around the Yama Hall, chasing the group. Everyone was scrambling to avoid them, having seen what happened when Fan Debiao struck one. No one dared to attack the strange insects.
Suddenly, someone let out a scream. All the beetles in the air instantly veered toward the source. Everyone turned to see Yang Weidong clutching his head, howling in pain. To their horror, his hair was on fire, and his face seemed to be corroding, the flesh hissing and shrinking rapidly. The hall filled with the smell of burning flesh.
Before anyone could react, all the beetles swarmed onto Yang Weidong, and his body burst into flames. He writhed in agony, his screams chilling everyone to the bone. The fireball collapsed to the ground, the human figure still struggling within the flames. It seemed he wouldn’t die quickly.
The sight of a living person being burned alive was too gruesome. Everyone turned away, unable to bear it. Fan Debiao stood frozen, mouth agape, unsure whether to cry or scream.
Tears in his eyes, Caicai Qingchong stepped forward, raised his gun, and fired at the writhing figure in the flames. After a series of shots, Yang Weidong finally stopped moving and screaming. The fire continued to burn, and the strange beetles showed no signs of leaving his body. Jia Zhuangyuan whispered, “We have to get out of here now. If those beetles come out again, we’ll all be burned alive.”
Fan Debiao, terrified, asked, “But… there are saber-toothed tigers outside, and these demonic beetles inside. Where can we go?”
Jia Zhuangyuan roared, “I’d rather face ten thousand saber-toothed tigers than these horrifying beetles!”
Liu Dashao nodded. “Elder Jia is right. These beetles are impossible to deal with. Compared to them, the saber-toothed tigers are just animals. If we make a run for it, we might have a chance. Staying here with these beetles means certain death.”
Before Liu Dashao could finish speaking, two white beetles flew out of the burning pile that was Yang Weidong, darting toward the group.
At that moment, everyone had no choice. They rushed to the entrance of the Yama Hall, pried open the heavy stone doors, and ran outside.
As they fled, the buzzing sound grew louder. The beetles had emerged and were hot on their heels.
Outside, they found themselves in a long, narrow underground canyon, stretching endlessly into the distance. Towering, knife-edged peaks lined both sides of the canyon. To their surprise, there was no sign of the saber-toothed tigers.
At this point, the group couldn’t afford to worry about encountering tigers. The white beetles chasing them were the real threat. They picked a direction and ran for their lives along the canyon.
The steep cliffs flashed by on either side, but the relentless white beetles continued to pursue them, their buzzing growing louder.
Scholar Jia was likely startled, hastily retreating several steps and assuming a vigilant stance as he stared at the slowly opening palace doors. After a few seconds, the stone doors ceased their movement, and the Hall of the King of Hell fell into a deep, dark silence.
After a moment of hesitation, Scholar Jia, clutching his ancient, ornate dagger, cautiously stepped over the threshold and ventured into the Hall of the King of Hell. The others followed closely behind.
The moment they entered, a sudden, dizzying tremor shook the ground. Caught off guard, everyone was thrown to the floor. Dust, vibrations, and deafening noise plunged them into panic. The entire hall seemed like a tightly wound alarm clock, spinning and swaying uncontrollably, making it impossible for anyone to stand.
After what felt like an eternity—perhaps ten minutes—the surroundings gradually quieted down. As the group, disheveled and frightened, got to their feet and brushed off the dust, they realized that although the hall had stopped shaking, the moving cliffs visible through the open doors suggested the entire structure was slowly descending. This revelation left them in shock.
Even more astonishing was the sudden illumination of the hall. They now saw that both sides of the hall were lined with over a dozen bronze wolf-head-shaped lamps. The walls were adorned with dark gray reliefs, their patterns somewhat blurred by the passage of time. At the front of the hall stood a stone altar, upon which rested a statue of a tiger-headed humanoid figure.
Scholar Jia composed himself and approached the altar, carefully examining the peculiar statue. Suddenly, he turned to the group and said, “This statue is of a saber-toothed tiger.”
Liu Dashao furrowed his brow and remarked, “Could it be that the saber-toothed tiger is also a totem from another world?”
Caicai Qingchong interjected abruptly, “Then what’s its relationship with the builders?”
Liu Dashao shook his head, feeling a sudden confusion in his mind, as if many thoughts were swirling around but vanishing before he could grasp them.
At that moment, a loud rumble echoed through the hall, followed by intense shaking and vibrations. Then, everything seemed to come to a halt.
Scholar Jia said, “It seems the Hall of the King of Hell has descended to the bottom of the cliff. Perhaps when we step outside, we’ll find another mysterious place—the Infinite Dao Repository.”
Caicai Qingchong shook his head and said, “If the Infinite Demon Repository were merely a passage to the Infinite Dao Repository without any dangers, it wouldn’t be the Infinite Demon Repository. Think about it—from the ancient ruins at the entrance, with the insect statues, man-eating ants, the red moon, and the Shiva Buddha; the volcanic lake with the water monster, the plesiosaur; the Path of the Underworld with the drought demon and the map traps—do you really think the final challenge of the Infinite Demon Repository would let us pass without any obstacles?”
Liu Dashao retorted, “But didn’t we also encounter the insect traps and the saber-toothed tiger pack in the stone forest? It was only because I understood the ancient Nanzhao insect techniques and broke the ‘corpse trap’ to lure the saber-toothed tigers, and because I’m fluent in animal language, that we narrowly made it through.”
As soon as Liu Dashao finished speaking, a piercing howl echoed from outside the hall, followed by the roaring responses of a pack of tigers.
He smiled wryly at Caicai Qingchong and said, “It seems you’re right. Those saber-toothed tigers are the guardians of the Hall of the King of Hell, and they’re not going to let us go.”
At that moment, Fan Debiao suddenly shouted in alarm, “A tiger’s coming in!”
Everyone quickly turned to the hall’s entrance. Sure enough, a golden saber-toothed tiger, its blood-red eyes glaring, stood at the doorway. Behind it, several more tigers seemed ready to force their way in.
Yang Weidong, quick on the draw, fired his Type 56 assault rifle, and the tiger let out a pained roar before collapsing to the ground. Scholar Jia shouted, “Don’t shoot! Close the door!”
But it was too late. A golden blur darted toward Yang Weidong, who was still holding his rifle, while several more golden shadows appeared inside the hall.
Before Yang Weidong could adjust his aim, the tiger lunging at him bared its sharp white fangs, aiming straight for his throat.
At that critical moment, Caicai Qingchong let out a roar and, with lightning speed, slashed his dagger through the air, striking the tiger’s head. The beast let out a low growl, tumbled in mid-air, and crashed to the floor.
By then, everyone had reacted. Those with guns aimed at the tigers that had already entered the hall and opened fire. The barrage of bullets quickly dispatched the intruders and sealed the entrance, killing several more tigers that had just appeared at the doorway.
Saber-toothed tigers, though prehistoric, were far from unintelligent. With the deaths of the tigers inside and at the entrance, the remaining ones dared not approach. The group quickly worked together to shut the heavy stone doors.
The distant roars of the tigers outside and the sight of the fallen beasts left everyone shaken. A few saber-toothed tigers might not be terrifying, and their modern weapons were more than enough to handle them. But if a hundred of these beasts surrounded them, engaging in close combat, they would stand no chance.
After a moment of silence, Fan Debiao looked up and asked, “Dashao, Scholar Jia, what do we do now?”
Everyone turned their gaze to Liu Dashao and Scholar Jia. Liu Dashao noticed that Scholar Jia seemed distracted, staring at the bodies of the fallen tigers.
Seeing that Scholar Jia remained silent, Liu Dashao smiled and said, “These saber-toothed tigers aren’t that scary. Our modern weapons can easily kill them, which means they’re not much different from the tigers we’re familiar with, just a bit larger.”
Suddenly, Scholar Jia interrupted him, “You’re all being naive! These saber-toothed tigers are indeed an extinct species of cat that lived in North America and parts of Europe ten thousand years ago. They’re called saber-toothed tigers. You can see that they’re larger than modern wolves, with slender, short limbs and long fur, more like hyenas. But their massive jaws give them the ability to crush bones. These creatures aren’t skilled hunters; they’re scavengers.”
At this point, Scholar Jia nervously glanced at the wolf corpses on the ground and continued, “Remember when I shot those stones in the stone forest, and humanoid objects fell out? Those were actually the mummified remains of ancient Nanzhao people, encased in what appeared to be stone but was actually a substance similar to modern plaster. The ancient Nanzhao barbarians had a form of witchcraft called ‘corpse wrapping,’ typically used to preserve bodies for thousands of years. But it was also used to protect tombs from grave robbers, like what we saw in the stone forest. That wasn’t a stone forest—it was a ‘corpse forest,’ with each massive stone containing a mummified body. The process involved wrapping the corpse in a plaster-like substance, then, once it was nearly dry, drilling numerous holes into it and inserting dormant insect larvae enchanted with witchcraft. This ‘corpse wrapping’ not only preserved the body but also allowed the larvae to revive under certain conditions and attack grave robbers.”
After saying this, Scholar Jia looked again at the wolf corpses on the ground with a troubled expression and said, “I’m not sure what medium these larvae use to revive and spread, but I hope it’s not through these wolf bodies. I have a bad feeling—the fact that these wolves were so easily killed might be a trap.”
Fan Debiao, confused, asked, “Scholar Jia, I don’t understand how this relates to our current situation. What larvae? What trap?”
Scholar Jia sighed and explained, “Yunnan is home to many ethnic minorities, with at least 17 major indigenous groups, including the Yi, Miao, Bai, Hani, Dai, Lisu, Lahu, Wa, Naxi, Jingpo, Bulang, Pumi, Achang, Nu, Jino, De’ang, and Dulong. The ancient Nanzhao barbarians were a collective term for these groups. Insect witchcraft, a traditional form of sorcery among these minorities, comes in countless varieties, with thousands of different insect techniques. The methods of casting and triggering these insect larvae vary widely. The larvae we encountered in the stone forest—I’m not sure what medium triggered them. I hope it’s not the ‘parasitic method,’ where the larvae reside in the Nanzhao mummies and are ingested by these giant wolves, causing them to revive.”
Liu Dashao looked at Scholar Jia in surprise and asked, “Scholar Jia, are you saying these saber-toothed tigers could become a medium for the larvae? That they could trigger the revival of these larvae?”
Scholar Jia nodded grimly. Everyone looked at the wolf corpses, which remained still and unchanged, but a sense of dread washed over them. If what he said was true, and the larvae within these saber-toothed tigers were triggered and revived, the consequences would be unimaginable.
All eyes turned to the saber-toothed tiger corpses on the floor of the Hall of the King of Hell. Suddenly, the lamps on both sides of the hall flickered as if running out of oil, and the light in the hall dimmed significantly.
As everyone’s eyes adjusted to the flickering lamps, the tiger corpses on the ground began to change. Their golden fur seemed to stand on end, quivering slightly.
Scholar Jia’s face paled, and he shouted, “This is bad!” Everyone’s hearts sank. Could it be that the larvae were indeed using the tiger corpses as a medium to revive?
What followed was even more horrifying. The supposedly dead saber-toothed tigers slowly, unsteadily rose to their feet, their mouths opening to reveal sharp, white fangs.
Someone gasped, “Heavens, these saber-toothed tigers have come back to life!”
Scholar Jia shouted, “Everyone, step back! It’s not the tigers that have revived—it’s the Nanzhao larvae inside their bodies.”
Hearing this, the group quickly retreated to a corner of the hall, watching in terror as the tigers swayed on their feet.
As their mouths opened, their throats convulsed as if they were gagging. Scholar Jia said urgently, “If I’m not mistaken, the larvae are crawling from the tigers’ stomachs toward their open mouths. They’re about to emerge. Be careful!”
As soon as he finished speaking, a strange sound came from one of the tigers’ mouths, as if something was scraping inside.
Liu Dashao whispered to Scholar Jia, “Scholar Jia, what do we do? We don’t know how dangerous these larvae are. We can’t just stay trapped here. Outside, there are saber-toothed tigers, but they’re easier to deal with. Let’s make a run for it!”
Scholar Jia’s lips moved as if he was about to say something, but a buzzing sound suddenly filled the air. A strange white beetle emerged from the tiger’s mouth. It resembled a round ladybug, covered in a white shell about the size of a human thumbnail. It had two thin red antennae and a pair of round, transparent wings. As it flew, it buzzed loudly, its body translucent, with red organs visible inside, pulsing like a tiny flame. It spun in the air and then darted straight toward the group.
Fan Debiao cursed, “Oh, you think I’m an easy target? I don’t believe this little bug can do much.” He raised his assault rifle and swung it at the beetle, trying to swat it away.
In that split second, Scholar Jia shouted, “Don’t touch it! Get out of the way!”
But it was too late. Fan Debiao’s rifle struck the beetle with a loud “crack,” sending it tumbling to the ground. The beetle shook its wings and took flight again, but in a bizarre twist, it split into four identical beetles, each darting toward the group.
Scholar Jia stomped his foot in frustration and shouted, “Everyone, avoid them at all costs! These things can’t be touched!”
Hearing this, the group scattered, ducking and weaving to avoid the four beetles. Meanwhile, more beetles emerged from the mouths of the other tigers, flying around as if searching for targets. Soon, they seemed to spot the humans and began charging toward them.
By now, about a dozen of these beetles were in the hall, relentlessly chasing the group. Everyone was scrambling to evade them, having witnessed the bizarre consequences of striking one of the creatures.
Suddenly, someone let out a scream. All the beetles in the air instantly veered toward the source. The group turned to see Yang Weidong clutching his head, howling in agony. To their horror, his hair was on fire, and his face seemed to be corroding, the flesh sizzling and rapidly shrinking. The hall filled with the smell of burning flesh.
Before anyone could react, all the beetles swarmed onto Yang Weidong’s body. In an instant, he became a blazing fireball, writhing and screaming in agony. The fireball collapsed to the ground, the human form within still struggling. It was clear he wouldn’t die quickly.
The sight of a living person being burned alive was too gruesome to bear. Everyone turned away, unable to watch. Fan Debiao stood frozen, mouth agape, unsure whether to cry or scream.
Tears in his eyes, Caicai Qingchong stepped forward, raised his gun, and fired at the writhing figure in the flames. A series of shots rang out, and Yang Weidong finally stopped moving and screaming. The flames continued to burn, and the strange beetles showed no signs of leaving his body. Scholar Jia said in a low voice, “We have to get out of here now. If those beetles come out again, we’ll all be burned alive.”
Fan Debiao, terrified, asked, “But… outside are saber-toothed tigers, and inside are these demonic beetles. Where can we go?”
Scholar Jia roared, “I’d rather face ten thousand saber-toothed tigers than these horrifying beetles!”
Liu Dashao nodded and said, “Scholar Jia is right. These beetles are impossible to deal with. Compared to them, the saber-toothed tigers are just animals. If we make a run for it, we might have a chance. Staying here with these beetles means certain death.”
Before Liu Dashao could finish speaking, two white beetles flew out of the burning pile that was Yang Weidong and darted toward the group.
At this point, the group had no choice. They rushed to the hall’s entrance, pried open the heavy stone doors, and ran outside.
As they fled, the buzzing sound followed them closely, indicating that the beetles had emerged and were hot on their heels.
Outside, they found themselves in a long, narrow underground canyon, its end not visible in the distance. The canyon was flanked by towering, knife-edged peaks. To their surprise, there was no sign of the saber-toothed tigers.
At this point, the group was too focused on escaping the deadly beetles to worry about the tigers. They sprinted down the canyon, the cliffs whizzing past them, the relentless beetles buzzing close behind.
Scholar Jia, presumably startled, quickly retreated several steps, assuming a vigilant stance as he stared at the slowly opening palace doors. After a few seconds, the stone doors ceased their movement, leaving the Hall of the King of Hell in complete silence and darkness.
After a moment of hesitation, Scholar Jia, clutching his ancient, ornate dagger, cautiously stepped through the stone doors and into the hall. The others followed closely behind.
The moment they entered the hall, a sudden, dizzying tremor shook the ground. Caught off guard, everyone was thrown to the floor. Dust, vibrations, and deafening roars instantly plunged them into panic. The entire Hall of the King of Hell seemed like a tightly wound alarm clock, spinning and swaying rapidly, making it impossible for anyone to stand.
After what felt like an eternity—perhaps ten minutes—the surroundings gradually quieted down. As the group, disheveled and frightened, got to their feet and brushed off the dust, they realized that although the hall had stopped shaking, the moving cliffs visible through the open doors suggested that the entire hall was slowly descending. This realization filled them with astonishment.
Even more shocking was the sudden illumination of the hall. They now saw that both sides of the hall were lined with over a dozen bronze wolf-headed lamps, and the walls were adorned with dark gray relief carvings, their patterns somewhat blurred by the passage of time. At the front of the hall stood a stone altar, upon which rested a single statue of a tiger-headed humanoid figure.
Scholar Jia, steadying himself, approached the altar and carefully examined the peculiar statue. Suddenly, he turned to the group and said, “This statue is of a saber-toothed tiger.”
Liu Dashao furrowed his brow and asked, “Could it be that the saber-toothed tiger is also a totem from another world?”
Caiquingchong interjected abruptly, “Then what’s its relationship with the builders?”
Liu Dashao shook his head, feeling a sudden confusion in his mind, as if many thoughts were swirling around, almost within reach, only to vanish again.
At that moment, a loud rumble echoed through the hall, followed by intense shaking and vibrations, before everything seemed to come to a halt.
Scholar Jia remarked, “It seems the Hall of the King of Hell has descended to the bottom of the cliff. Perhaps when we step out, we’ll find another mysterious place—the Wuji Dao Repository.”
Caiquingchong shook his head and said, “If the Wuji Demon Repository were merely a simple passage to the Wuji Dao Repository, without any dangers, it wouldn’t be the Wuji Demon Repository. Think about it—from the ancient Guge ruins as the entrance, with insect statues, man-eating ants, the red moon, and the Shiva Buddha; the volcanic lake with its water monster, the plesiosaur; the Nether Path with drought demons and map traps—how could the final challenge of the Wuji Demon Repository be so easy?”
Liu Dashao argued, “But didn’t we also encounter insect traps and a pack of saber-toothed tigers in the stone forest? It was only because I understood the ancient Nanzhao insect techniques and broke the ‘corpse trap’ to lure the saber-toothed tigers, and because I’m fluent in animal language, that we narrowly escaped.”
As soon as Liu Dashao finished speaking, a piercing howl echoed from outside the hall, followed by the responding roars of a tiger pack.
He smiled bitterly at Caiquingchong and said, “It seems you’re right. Those saber-toothed tigers are the guardians of the Hall of the King of Hell, and they’re not letting us go.”
At that moment, Fan Debiao suddenly shouted in alarm, “A tiger’s coming in!”
Everyone hurriedly looked toward the hall’s entrance, where a golden saber-toothed tiger, its blood-red eyes glaring, stood at the doorway. Behind it, several more tigers seemed ready to force their way in.
Yang Weidong, quick on the trigger, fired his Type 56 submachine gun, and the tiger let out a howl as it fell to the ground. Scholar Jia shouted, “Don’t shoot! Close the door!”
But it was too late. A golden shadow darted like lightning toward Yang Weidong, who was still holding his gun, while several more golden shadows appeared inside the hall.
Yang Weidong’s gun hadn’t even had time to swing around before the tiger lunging at him bared its sharp white fangs, aiming straight for his throat.
At that moment, Caiquingchong, standing beside him, let out a roar and slashed with his dagger, sending a flash of light that struck the tiger’s head. With a low growl, the tiger tumbled in mid-air and crashed to the ground.
By then, everyone had reacted. Those with guns aimed at the tigers that had entered the hall and opened fire. The bursts of gunfire quickly dispatched the intruding tigers and sealed the entrance, killing several more tigers that had just appeared at the doorway.
Saber-toothed tigers, though prehistoric, were far from unintelligent. With the death of the tigers inside and at the entrance, the remaining tigers dared not approach the door. The group quickly rushed forward and shut the stone doors.
The distant roars of tigers echoed outside. Looking at the fallen saber-toothed tigers, everyone felt a chill from the recent close call. A few saber-toothed tigers might not be terrifying, as their modern weapons were more than enough to handle them. But if a hundred tigers surrounded them, engaging in close combat, they would stand no chance.
After a moment of silence, Fan Debiao looked up and asked, “Dashao, Scholar Jia, what do we do now?”
Everyone turned their gaze to Liu Dashao and Scholar Jia. At that moment, Liu Dashao noticed that Scholar Jia seemed dazed, staring at the bodies of the fallen saber-toothed tigers.
Seeing that Scholar Jia remained silent, Liu Dashao smiled and said, “These saber-toothed tigers aren’t actually that scary. Our modern weapons easily killed them, which means they’re not much different from the tigers we’re familiar with, just slightly larger.”
Suddenly, Scholar Jia abruptly interrupted Liu Dashao, saying, “You’re all being too naive! These saber-toothed tigers are indeed an extinct species of feline that lived in North America and parts of Europe ten thousand years ago. They’re slightly larger than modern wolves, with slender, short limbs and long fur, resembling hyenas more than tigers. However, their massive jaw structure allows them to crush bones. These creatures aren’t skilled hunters; they’re scavengers.”
At this point, Scholar Jia nervously glanced at the wolf corpses on the ground and continued, “Do you remember when I shot and shattered the stones in the stone forest, and humanoid objects fell out? Those were actually the decayed corpses of ancient Nanzhao people, wrapped in a stone-like substance that wasn’t stone but something similar to modern plaster. The ancient Nanzhao barbarians had a sorcery called ‘corpse wrapping,’ typically used to preserve bodies for thousands of years without decay. But it was also used to protect tombs from grave robbers, like what we saw in the stone forest. That wasn’t a stone forest—it was a ‘corpse forest,’ where every boulder was a preserved corpse. The method involved wrapping the body in a plaster-like substance, then, once it was nearly dry, drilling numerous holes into it and inserting dormant insect larvae enchanted with sorcery. This corpse-wrapping technique not only preserved the body but also allowed the larvae to revive under certain conditions and attack grave robbers.”
After saying this, Scholar Jia once again looked uneasily at the wolf corpses on the ground and said with concern, “I’m not sure what medium these larvae use to revive and spread, but I hope it’s not through these wolf bodies. I have a bad feeling that these wolves were so easily killed because it’s a trap.”
Fan Debiao, confused, asked, “Scholar Jia, I don’t understand how this relates to our current situation. What larvae? What trap?”
Scholar Jia smiled bitterly and said, “Yunnan is home to many ethnic minorities, with at least 17 major indigenous groups, including the Yi, Miao, Bai, Hani, Dai, Lisu, Lahu, Wa, Naxi, Jingpo, Bulang, Pumi, Achang, Nu, Jinuo, De’ang, and Dulong, not to mention numerous smaller groups. The ancient Nanzhao barbarians were a collective term for these peoples. Insect sorcery, a traditional form of witchcraft among these minorities, is incredibly diverse, with thousands of variations of insect larvae techniques alone. The methods of implanting and triggering these larvae vary widely. The larvae we encountered in the stone forest—I’m not sure what medium triggered them. I hope it’s not the parasitic method. That is, I hope they weren’t implanted in the Nanzhao corpses and then ingested by these giant wolves, triggering their revival.”
Liu Dashao looked at Scholar Jia in surprise and asked, “Scholar Jia, are you saying that these saber-toothed tigers might become a medium for the larvae? That they could trigger the revival of these larvae?”
Scholar Jia nodded grimly. Everyone looked at the wolf corpses, which remained still and unchanged, but a sense of dread crept over them. If what he said was true, and the larvae were triggered and revived within these saber-toothed tigers, the consequences were unimaginable.
All eyes turned to the saber-toothed tiger corpses on the floor of the Hall of the King of Hell. Suddenly, the lamps on both sides of the hall flickered as if running out of oil, and the light in the hall dimmed significantly.
Just as everyone’s eyes were adjusting to the flickering lamps, the tiger corpses on the ground began to change. Their golden fur inexplicably stood on end, with a slight quiver.
Scholar Jia’s face paled, and he shouted, “This is bad!” Everyone’s hearts sank. Could it be that the larvae were indeed using the tiger corpses as a medium to revive?
What followed was even more horrifying. The supposedly dead saber-toothed tigers slowly rose to their feet, swaying unsteadily, and opened their mouths to reveal their sharp, white fangs.
Someone exclaimed, “Heavens, these saber-toothed tigers have come back to life!”
Scholar Jia shouted, “Everyone, step back! It’s not the tigers that have revived—it’s the Nanzhao larvae inside their bodies!”
Hearing this, the group quickly retreated to a corner of the hall, watching in fear as the tigers swayed to their feet.
As their mouths opened, their throats convulsed as if they were gagging. Scholar Jia said nervously, “If I’m not mistaken, the larvae are crawling up from the tigers’ stomachs toward their mouths. They’re about to emerge. Be careful!”
As soon as he finished speaking, a strange noise came from one of the tigers’ mouths, as if something were scraping inside.
Liu Dashao whispered to Scholar Jia, “Scholar Jia, what do we do? We don’t know how dangerous these larvae are. We can’t just stay trapped here. The saber-toothed tigers outside are manageable. Should we make a run for it?”
Scholar Jia’s lips twitched, but before he could respond, a buzzing sound filled the air. A strange white beetle emerged from the tiger’s mouth. It resembled a round ladybug, covered in a white carapace, about the size of a human thumbnail, with two thin red antennae and a pair of round, transparent wings. It buzzed as it flew, its body translucent, revealing red internal organs that pulsed like a tiny flame within its cavity. After emerging, it spun in the air and then darted straight toward the group.
Fan Debiao cursed, “Oh, you think I’m an easy target? I don’t believe this little bug has much power.” He raised his submachine gun and swung it at the beetle, intending to swat it away.
In that split second, Scholar Jia shouted, “Don’t touch it! Dodge!”
But it was too late. Fan Debiao’s gun struck the white beetle, and with a “crack,” the beetle was knocked to the ground. It fluttered its wings and took flight again, but in mid-air, it split into four identical beetles, each darting toward the group.
Scholar Jia stomped his foot in frustration and shouted, “Everyone, try to avoid them! You can’t touch these things!”
Hearing this, everyone scattered, ducking and weaving to avoid the four beetles. At the same time, more beetles emerged from the mouths of the other tigers, flying around as if searching for targets. Soon, they seemed to spot the humans and, flapping their transparent wings, charged toward them.
By now, about a dozen of these beetles were in the hall, relentlessly pursuing the group. Everyone scrambled to evade them, having witnessed the bizarre consequences of striking one of the beetles.
Suddenly, someone let out a scream. All the beetles in the air instantly veered toward the source. Everyone turned to see Yang Weidong clutching his head, howling in agony. To their horror, his hair was on fire, and his face seemed to be corroding, the flesh on his cheeks hissing and rapidly withering. The hall filled with the smell of something burning.
Before anyone could react, all the beetles swarmed onto Yang Weidong, and his body burst into flames. He writhed in agony, his screams chilling everyone to the bone. The fireball collapsed to the ground, the human figure within still struggling. It seemed he wouldn’t die immediately.
The sight of a living person being burned alive was too gruesome. Everyone turned away, unable to bear it. Fan Debiao stood frozen, his mouth agape, unsure whether to cry or scream.
At that moment, Caiquingchong, tears in his eyes, stepped forward, raised his gun, and fired at the writhing figure in the flames. After a burst of gunfire, Yang Weidong finally stopped moving and screaming. The flames continued to burn, and the strange beetles showed no signs of leaving his body. Scholar Jia whispered, “We must leave immediately. If they fly out again, we’ll all be burned to death.”
Fan Debiao, terrified, asked, “But… outside are the saber-toothed tigers, and inside are these demonic beetles. Where can we go?”
Scholar Jia roared, “I’d rather face ten thousand saber-toothed tigers than these horrifying beetles!”
Liu Dashao nodded and said, “Scholar Jia is right. These beetles are impossible to deal with. Compared to them, the saber-toothed tigers are just animals. If we charge out, we might have a chance. Staying here with these beetles is certain death.”
Before Liu Dashao finished speaking, two white beetles flew out of the burning pile that was Yang Weidong and darted toward the group.
At this point, the group had no choice. They all rushed toward the hall’s entrance, forced open the stone doors, and ran outside.
Once outside, the buzzing sound followed them closely, indicating that the beetles had emerged and were hot on their heels.
Beyond the doors stretched a long, narrow underground canyon, its end unseen, with towering, knife-edged peaks on either side. To their surprise, there was no sign of the saber-toothed tigers.
At this point, the group couldn’t care less about encountering tigers. The white beetles chasing them were the real terror. They picked a direction and sprinted down the canyon for their lives.
The cliffs on either side flashed by as they ran, but the relentless white beetles buzzed behind them, closing in.
Jia Zhuangyuan was probably startled and quickly stepped back a few paces, adopting a vigilant stance as he stared at the slowly opening palace doors. After a few seconds, the stone doors ceased their movement, leaving the interior of the Yama’s Hall in complete silence and darkness.
After a moment of hesitation, Jia Zhuangyuan, holding his ancient, ornate dagger, cautiously stepped over the threshold and ventured into the Yama’s Hall. The others followed suit.
The moment everyone entered the hall, a sudden, dizzying tremor shook the ground. Caught off guard, everyone was thrown to the floor. Dust, vibrations, and deafening noises instantly plunged the group into panic. The entire Yama’s Hall seemed like a tightly wound alarm clock, spinning and swaying rapidly, making it impossible for anyone to stand.
After what felt like an eternity—perhaps ten minutes—the surroundings gradually quieted down. As the group, disheveled and frightened, stood up and brushed off the dust, they realized that although the hall had stopped shaking, the moving cliffs visible through the open doors suggested that the entire Yama’s Hall was slowly descending. This realization left everyone in shock.
What surprised them even more was that the hall suddenly lit up on both sides. Only then did they notice that dozens of bronze wolf-head-shaped lamps were placed along the walls, and the walls themselves were adorned with dark gray reliefs, their patterns somewhat blurred by the passage of time. At the front of the hall stood a stone altar, upon which rested a single statue of a tiger-headed humanoid figure.
Jia Zhuangyuan steadied himself and approached the altar, carefully examining the peculiar statue. Suddenly, he turned to the group and said, “This statue is of a saber-toothed tiger.”
Liu Dashao furrowed his brow and asked, “Could it be that the saber-toothed tiger is also a totem from another world?”
Caiquingchong interjected abruptly, “Then what’s its relationship with the builders?”
Liu Dashao shook his head, feeling a sudden confusion in his mind, as if many thoughts were swirling around, almost within reach but then vanishing just as quickly.
At that moment, a loud boom echoed through the hall, followed by a series of violent tremors. Then, everything seemed to come to a halt.
Jia Zhuangyuan said, “It seems the Yama’s Hall has descended to the bottom of the cliff. Perhaps when we step out, we’ll find ourselves in another mystical place—the Wuji Dao Repository.”
Caiquingchong shook his head and said, “If the Wuji Demon Repository were merely a passage to the Wuji Dao Repository without any dangers, it wouldn’t be the Wuji Demon Repository. Think about it—from the ancient Guge ruins as the entrance, with its insect puppets, man-eating ants, the red moon, and the Shiva Buddha; the volcanic lake with its water monster, the plesiosaur; the Nether Path with its drought demons and map traps—do you really think the final challenge of the Wuji Demon Repository would let us pass without any obstacles?”
Liu Dashao retorted, “But didn’t we also encounter insect traps and a pack of saber-toothed tigers in the stone forest? It was only because I understood the ancient Nanzhao insect techniques and broke the ‘corpse trap’ to lure the saber-toothed tigers, and because I’m fluent in animal language, that we narrowly escaped.”
As soon as Liu Dashao finished speaking, a piercing howl echoed from outside the hall, followed by the roars of a pack of tigers.
He smiled wryly at Caiquingchong and said, “It seems you’re right. Those saber-toothed tigers are the guardians of the Yama’s Hall, and they’re not about to let us go.”
At that moment, Fan Debiao suddenly shouted in alarm, “A tiger’s coming in!”
Everyone quickly turned to the entrance of the hall. Sure enough, a golden saber-toothed tiger, its blood-red eyes glaring, stood at the doorway. Behind it, several more tigers seemed ready to force their way in.
Yang Weidong, quick on the trigger, fired his Type 56 assault rifle. The tiger let out a howl and fell to the ground. Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Don’t shoot! Close the door!”
But it was too late. A golden shadow darted like lightning toward Yang Weidong, who was still holding his rifle. Several more golden shadows appeared inside the hall.
Before Yang Weidong could adjust his aim, the tiger lunging at him bared its sharp fangs, aiming straight for his throat.
At that critical moment, Caiquingchong, standing beside him, let out a roar and slashed with his dagger, striking the tiger’s head. The tiger let out a low growl, tumbled in mid-air, and crashed to the ground.
By then, everyone had reacted. Those with guns opened fire on the tigers that had entered the hall. The barrage of bullets quickly killed the intruding tigers and sealed the entrance, killing several more tigers that had just appeared at the doorway.
Saber-toothed tigers, though prehistoric, were far from unintelligent. With the death of the tigers inside and at the entrance, the remaining tigers dared not approach the door. The group quickly rushed forward and shut the stone doors.
The distant roars of the tigers outside and the sight of the fallen tigers inside left everyone shaken. A few saber-toothed tigers might not be terrifying, and their modern weapons were more than enough to handle them. But if a hundred tigers surrounded them, engaging in close combat, they would stand no chance.
After a moment of silence, Fan Debiao looked up and asked, “Dashao, Elder Jia, what do we do now?”
Everyone turned their gaze to Liu Dashao and Jia Zhuangyuan. Liu Dashao noticed that Jia Zhuangyuan seemed distracted, staring at the bodies of the fallen tigers.
Seeing that Jia Zhuangyuan remained silent, Liu Dashao smiled and said, “These saber-toothed tigers aren’t actually that scary. Our modern weapons can easily kill them, which means they’re not much different from the tigers we’re familiar with, just slightly larger.”
Suddenly, Jia Zhuangyuan interrupted Liu Dashao, saying, “You’re all being too naive! These saber-toothed tigers are indeed an extinct species of cat that lived in North America and parts of Europe ten thousand years ago. They’re slightly larger than modern wolves, with slender, short limbs and long fur, more like hyenas. But their massive jaws gave them the ability to crush bones. These creatures weren’t skilled hunters; they were scavengers.”
At this point, Jia Zhuangyuan nervously glanced at the wolf corpses on the ground and continued, “Remember when I shot those stones in the stone forest, and humanoid objects fell out? Those were actually the mummified remains of ancient Nanzhao people, wrapped in a substance similar to modern plaster. The ancient Nanzhao barbarians had a form of witchcraft called ‘corpse wrapping,’ typically used to preserve bodies for thousands of years. But it was also used to protect tombs from grave robbers, like what we saw in the stone forest. That wasn’t a stone forest—it was a ‘corpse forest,’ with each boulder containing a mummified body. The method involved wrapping the corpse in a plaster-like substance, then, once it had dried, drilling holes into it and inserting dormant insects enchanted with witchcraft. This ‘corpse wrapping’ not only preserved the body but also allowed the insects to revive under certain conditions and attack grave robbers.”
After saying this, Jia Zhuangyuan looked again at the wolf corpses on the ground, his expression troubled. “I’m not sure what medium these insects use to revive and spread, but I hope it’s not through these wolf bodies. I have a bad feeling—the fact that these wolves were so easily killed might be a trap.”
Fan Debiao, confused, asked, “Elder Jia, I don’t understand how this relates to our current situation. What insects? What trap?”
Jia Zhuangyuan sighed and said, “Yunnan is home to many ethnic minorities, including the Yi, Miao, Bai, Hani, Dai, Lisu, Lahu, Wa, Naxi, Jingpo, Blang, Pumi, Achang, Nu, Jino, De’ang, and Dulong, among others. The ancient Nanzhao barbarians were a collective term for these groups. Their witchcraft, known as ‘insect techniques,’ is incredibly diverse, with thousands of variations. The methods of implanting and activating these insects vary greatly. The insects we encountered in the stone forest—I’m not sure what medium triggered them. I hope it’s not a parasitic method. That is, I hope they’re not residing in those Nanzhao mummies and then being ingested by these wolves, triggering their revival.”
Liu Dashao looked at Jia Zhuangyuan in surprise and asked, “Elder Jia, are you saying these saber-toothed tigers might become a medium for the insects? Could they trigger the insects’ revival?”
Jia Zhuangyuan nodded grimly. Everyone looked at the wolf corpses, which remained still and unchanged, but the thought sent shivers down their spines. If what he said was true, and the insects were activated and revived within these saber-toothed tigers, the consequences were unimaginable.
Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the saber-toothed tiger corpses on the floor of the Yama’s Hall. Suddenly, the lamps on both sides of the hall flickered as if running out of oil, and the light in the hall dimmed significantly.
As everyone’s eyes adjusted to the flickering lamps, the tiger corpses on the ground began to change. Their golden fur seemed to stand on end, quivering slightly.
Jia Zhuangyuan’s face turned pale, and he shouted, “This is bad!” Everyone’s hearts sank. Could it be that the insects were truly being activated through the tiger corpses?
What followed was even more horrifying. The supposedly dead saber-toothed tigers slowly began to rise, their mouths opening to reveal sharp, white fangs.
Someone gasped, “My God, these tigers are coming back to life!”
Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Everyone, step back! It’s not the tigers that are reviving—it’s the Nanzhao insects inside their bodies!”
Hearing this, the group quickly retreated to a corner of the hall, watching in fear as the tigers shakily rose to their feet.
As their mouths opened, their throats seemed to convulse as if retching. Jia Zhuangyuan said nervously, “If I’m not mistaken, the insects are crawling up from the tigers’ stomachs toward their mouths. They’re about to emerge. Be careful!”
As soon as he finished speaking, a strange noise came from one of the tigers’ mouths, as if something was scraping inside.
Liu Dashao whispered to Jia Zhuangyuan, “Elder Jia, what do we do? We don’t know how dangerous these insects are. We can’t just stay trapped here. The tigers outside are manageable. Should we make a run for it?”
Jia Zhuangyuan’s lips moved as if he was about to speak, but a buzzing sound suddenly filled the air. A strange white beetle emerged from the tiger’s mouth. It looked like a round ladybug, covered in a white shell, about the size of a human thumbnail. It had two thin red antennae and a pair of round, transparent wings. As it flew, it buzzed loudly, its body translucent, with red internal organs visible, pulsing like a tiny flame. It spun in the air and then darted straight toward the group.
Fan Debiao cursed, “Oh, you think I’m an easy target? I don’t believe this little bug can do much.” He raised his assault rifle and swung it at the beetle, trying to swat it away.
In that split second, Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Don’t touch it! Dodge!”
But it was too late. Fan Debiao’s rifle struck the beetle, and with a loud “crack,” the beetle was knocked to the ground. It shook its wings and flew up again, but this time, it split into four identical beetles, each darting toward the group.
Jia Zhuangyuan stomped his foot in frustration and shouted, “Everyone, avoid them at all costs! Don’t touch these things!”
Hearing this, the group scattered, ducking and weaving to avoid the beetles. Meanwhile, more beetles emerged from the mouths of the other tigers, flying around as if searching for targets. Soon, they spotted the humans and began to swarm toward them.
By now, there were about a dozen beetles in the hall, relentlessly chasing the group. Everyone was scrambling to avoid them, having witnessed the bizarre consequences of striking one of the beetles.
Suddenly, someone let out a scream. All the beetles in the air immediately veered toward the source. The group turned to see Yang Weidong clutching his head, howling in agony. To their horror, his hair was on fire, and his face seemed to be corroding, the flesh sizzling and rapidly shrinking. The hall filled with the smell of burning flesh.
Before anyone could react, all the beetles had latched onto Yang Weidong. His body burst into flames, and he writhed in agony, his screams chilling everyone to the bone. The fireball collapsed to the ground, the human figure within still struggling. It seemed he wouldn’t die quickly.
The sight of a living person being burned alive was too gruesome. Everyone turned away, unable to bear it. Fan Debiao stood frozen, his mouth agape, unsure whether to cry or scream.
Caiquingchong, tears in his eyes, stepped forward, raised his gun, and fired at the burning figure. After a burst of gunfire, Yang Weidong finally stopped moving and screaming. The flames continued to burn, and the strange beetles showed no signs of leaving his body. Jia Zhuangyuan whispered, “We must leave now. If they fly out again, we’ll all be burned to death.”
Fan Debiao, terrified, asked, “But… outside are the saber-toothed tigers, and inside are these demonic beetles. Where can we go?”
Jia Zhuangyuan roared, “I’d rather face ten thousand saber-toothed tigers than these terrifying beetles!”
Liu Dashao nodded and said, “Elder Jia is right. These beetles are impossible to deal with. Compared to them, the saber-toothed tigers are just animals. If we make a run for it, we might have a chance. Staying here with these beetles means certain death.”
Before Liu Dashao could finish speaking, two white beetles flew out of the burning pile that was Yang Weidong and darted toward the group.
At this point, the group had no choice. They rushed to the entrance of the Yama’s Hall, pried open the stone doors, and ran outside.
As they fled, the buzzing sound followed them closely. The beetles had emerged and were hot on their heels.
Outside, they found themselves in a long, narrow underground canyon, with towering, knife-edged peaks on either side. To their surprise, there was no sign of the saber-toothed tigers.
At this point, the group couldn’t afford to worry about the tigers. The white beetles chasing them were the real threat. They sprinted down the canyon, the cliffs whizzing past them, but the relentless beetles continued to pursue them, their buzzing growing louder.
Jia Zhuangyuan was likely startled and quickly stepped back a few paces, adopting a vigilant stance as he stared at the slowly opening palace doors. After a few seconds, the stone doors ceased their movement, leaving the interior of the Yanluo Hall in complete silence and darkness.
Hesitating for a moment, Jia Zhuangyuan, clutching his ancient, ornate dagger, cautiously stepped over the threshold and ventured into the Yanluo Hall. The others followed closely behind.
The moment they entered, a sudden, dizzying tremor shook the ground. Caught off guard, everyone was thrown to the floor. Dust, vibrations, and deafening noise instantly plunged them into panic. The entire Yanluo Hall seemed like a tightly wound alarm clock, spinning and swaying rapidly, making it impossible for anyone to stand.
After what felt like an eternity—perhaps ten minutes—the surroundings finally began to calm. As the group, disheveled and frightened, got to their feet and brushed off the dust, they realized that while the hall had stopped shaking, the moving cliffs visible through the open doors suggested the entire structure was slowly descending. This revelation left them in shock.
Even more astonishing was the sudden illumination of the hall. They now saw that both sides of the Yanluo Hall were lined with over a dozen bronze wolf-headed lamps. The walls were adorned with dark gray reliefs, their patterns somewhat blurred by the passage of time. At the front of the hall stood a stone altar, upon which rested a single statue of a tiger-headed humanoid figure.
Jia Zhuangyuan steadied himself and approached the altar, carefully examining the peculiar statue. Suddenly, he turned to the group and said, “This statue is of a saber-toothed tiger.”
Liu Dashao furrowed his brow and asked, “Could it be that the saber-toothed tiger is also a totem from another world?”
Caiquingchong interjected abruptly, “Then what’s its relationship with the builders?”
Liu Dashao shook his head, feeling a sudden confusion in his mind, as if many thoughts were swirling around, almost within reach but then vanishing just as quickly.
At that moment, a loud rumble echoed through the hall, followed by a series of violent shakes and tremors, before everything seemed to come to a halt.
Jia Zhuangyuan remarked, “It seems the Yanluo Hall has descended to the bottom of the cliff. Perhaps when we step out, we’ll find ourselves in another mysterious place—the Wuji Dao Repository.”
Caiquingchong shook his head and said, “If the Wuji Demon Repository were merely a passage to the Wuji Dao Repository without any dangers, it wouldn’t be the Wuji Demon Repository. Think about it—from the ancient Guge ruins as the entrance, with insect statues, man-eating ants, the red moon, and the Shiva Buddha; the volcanic lake with its water monster, the plesiosaur; the Nether Path with drought demons and map traps—do you really think the final challenge of the Wuji Demon Repository would let us pass without any obstacles?”
Liu Dashao countered, “But didn’t we also encounter insect traps and a pack of saber-toothed tigers in the stone forest? It was only because I understood the ancient Nanzhao insect techniques and broke the ‘corpse trap’ to lure the saber-toothed tigers, and because I’m fluent in beast language, that we narrowly made it through.”
As soon as Liu Dashao finished speaking, a piercing howl echoed from outside the hall, followed by the responding roars of a tiger pack.
He smiled wryly at Caiquingchong and said, “It seems you’re right. Those saber-toothed tigers are the guardians of the Yanluo Hall, and they’re not about to let us go.”
At that moment, Fan Debiao suddenly shouted in alarm, “A tiger’s coming in!”
Everyone quickly turned to the entrance of the Yanluo Hall. Sure enough, a golden saber-toothed tiger, its blood-red eyes glaring, stood at the doorway. Behind it, several more tigers seemed poised to enter.
Yang Weidong, quick on the draw, fired his Type 56 submachine gun, and the tiger let out a howl as it fell to the ground. Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Don’t shoot! Close the door!”
But it was too late. A golden blur darted toward Yang Weidong, who was still holding his gun, while several more golden shadows appeared inside the hall.
Yang Weidong’s gun hadn’t even had time to swing around before the tiger lunging at him bared its sharp white fangs, aiming straight for his throat.
At that moment, Caiquingchong, standing beside him, let out a roar and slashed with his dagger, sending a flash of light that struck the tiger’s head. With a low growl, the tiger tumbled in mid-air and crashed to the floor of the Yanluo Hall.
By now, everyone had reacted. Those with guns opened fire on the tigers that had entered the hall, and the barrage of bullets quickly dispatched the intruders, sealing off the entrance. Several tigers that had just poked their heads through the doorway were also killed on the spot.
Saber-toothed tigers were prehistoric creatures, but their intelligence was far from low. With the tigers inside and at the entrance dead, the remaining pack dared not approach the door. The group quickly rushed forward and shut the stone doors of the Yanluo Hall.
The distant roars of the tigers could still be heard outside. As they looked at the fallen tigers on the floor, the terrifying scene left everyone’s hearts racing. A few saber-toothed tigers might not be so frightening—their modern weapons were more than enough to handle them—but if a hundred of them surrounded them, engaging in close combat, they would be utterly defenseless.
After a moment of silence, Fan Debiao looked up and asked, “Dashao, Elder Jia, what do we do now?”
Everyone turned their eyes to Liu Dashao and Jia Zhuangyuan. At that moment, Liu Dashao noticed that Jia Zhuangyuan seemed to be in a daze, staring at the bodies of the fallen saber-toothed tigers.
Seeing that Jia Zhuangyuan remained silent, Liu Dashao smiled and said, “These saber-toothed tigers aren’t actually that scary. Our modern weapons easily took them down, which means they’re not much different from the tigers we’re familiar with, just slightly larger in size.”
At that moment, Jia Zhuangyuan abruptly interrupted Liu Dashao, saying, “You’re all being too naive! These saber-toothed tigers are actually an extinct species of feline that lived in North America and parts of Europe ten thousand years ago. They’re called saber-toothed tigers. You can see that their bodies are slightly larger than modern wolves, with slender, short limbs and long fur, more like hyenas. But their massive jaw structure allows them to crush bones. These creatures aren’t actually skilled hunters—they’re scavengers.”
At this point, Jia Zhuangyuan nervously glanced at the wolf corpses on the ground and continued, “Do you remember how I once shot at the stones in the stone forest, and some humanoid objects fell out? Those were actually the decayed corpses of ancient Nanzhao people from over a thousand years ago. The stone-like material covering them wasn’t stone but something similar to modern plaster. The ancient Nanzhao barbarians had a form of witchcraft called ‘corpse wrapping,’ typically used to preserve bodies for thousands of years without decay. But it was also used to deter grave robbers, like what we saw in the stone forest. That wasn’t a stone forest—it was a ‘corpse forest,’ with each massive stone containing a preserved corpse. The method involved wrapping the body in a plaster-like substance after death, then, once it had dried, drilling numerous holes into it and inserting dormant insect larvae enchanted with witchcraft. This corpse-wrapping technique not only preserved the body but also allowed the larvae to revive under certain conditions and attack grave robbers.”
After saying this, Jia Zhuangyuan once again looked uneasily at the wolf corpses on the ground and said with concern, “I’m not sure what medium these insect larvae use to revive and spread, but I hope it’s not through these wolf bodies. I have a bad feeling—the fact that these wolves were so easily killed by us might be a trap.”
Fan Debiao, confused, asked, “Elder Jia, I don’t understand how what you’re saying relates to our current situation. What insect larvae? What trap?”
Jia Zhuangyuan smiled bitterly and said, “Yunnan is home to many ethnic minorities, with 17 major indigenous groups alone, including the Yi, Miao, Bai, Hani, Dai, Lisu, Lahu, Wa, Naxi, Jingpo, Blang, Pumi, Achang, Nu, Jino, De’ang, and Dulong, not to mention countless smaller groups. The ancient Nanzhao barbarians were a collective term for these peoples. Insect witchcraft, as a traditional form of sorcery among these minorities, comes in a vast array of forms, with thousands of different insect techniques. The methods of casting and triggering these insect larvae vary widely. We don’t know what medium triggered the larvae we encountered in the stone forest. I hope it’s not a parasitic method—meaning, I hope the larvae aren’t residing within those Nanzhao corpses and then being consumed by these giant wolves, triggering their revival.”
Liu Dashao looked at Jia Zhuangyuan in surprise and asked, “Elder Jia, are you saying that these saber-toothed tigers might become a medium for the insect larvae? That they could trigger the revival of these larvae?”
Jia Zhuangyuan nodded grimly. Everyone looked at the wolf corpses on the ground, which remained still and unchanged, but the thought sent shivers down their spines. If what he said was true, and the insect larvae were indeed revived within the bodies of these saber-toothed tigers, the consequences were unimaginable.
As everyone’s eyes fixed on the wolf corpses in the Yanluo Hall, the lamps on both sides of the hall suddenly flickered as if running out of oil, dimming the light inside.
Just as the flickering lamps momentarily blurred their vision, the wolf corpses on the ground began to change. The golden fur on their bodies inexplicably stood on end, quivering slightly.
Jia Zhuangyuan’s face paled, and he shouted, “This is bad!” Everyone’s hearts sank. Could it be that the insect larvae were indeed about to be triggered through the wolf corpses?
What followed was even more horrifying. The supposedly dead saber-toothed tigers slowly began to rise, wobbling unsteadily, and opened their mouths to reveal rows of gleaming white fangs.
Someone gasped, “Heavens, these saber-toothed tigers have come back to life!”
Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Everyone, step back! These tigers haven’t come back to life—it’s the Nanzhao insect larvae inside their bodies that have revived!”
Hearing this, the group quickly retreated to a corner of the Yanluo Hall, watching in fear as the saber-toothed tigers wobbled to their feet.
As their mouths opened, their throats convulsed as if they were gagging. Jia Zhuangyuan said tensely, “If I’m not mistaken, the insect larvae are crawling up from the tigers’ stomachs toward their mouths. They’re about to emerge. Be careful!”
As soon as he finished speaking, a strange sound indeed came from one of the tigers’ mouths, as if something was scraping inside.
Liu Dashao whispered to Jia Zhuangyuan beside him, “Elder Jia, what do we do? We don’t know how dangerous these insect larvae are. We can’t just stay trapped here. The saber-toothed tigers outside are manageable. Let’s make a run for it!”
Jia Zhuangyuan’s lips moved as if he was about to say something, but a sudden “buzzing” sound interrupted him. A strange white beetle emerged from the tiger’s mouth. It looked like a round ladybug, covered in a white shell, about the size of a human thumbnail. It had two thin red antennae on its head and a pair of round, transparent wings. As it flew, it buzzed loudly, its body translucent, with red internal organs faintly visible, pulsing like a tiny flame within its cavity. It spun in the air for a moment before darting straight toward its target.
Fan Debiao cursed, “Oh, you think I’m an easy target, huh? I don’t believe a tiny bug like you can do much.” With that, he raised his submachine gun and swung it at the beetle, intending to swat it away.
In the blink of an eye, Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Don’t touch it! Dodge!”
But it was too late. Fan Debiao’s gun struck the white beetle with a loud “crack,” sending it tumbling to the ground. After a moment, it fluttered its wings and took off again, but in a bizarre twist, it split into four identical beetles, each darting toward the group.
Jia Zhuangyuan stomped his foot in frustration and shouted, “Everyone, try to avoid them! These things can’t be touched!”
Hearing this, the group scattered, ducking and weaving to evade the four beetles. At the same time, several more beetles emerged from the mouths of the other saber-toothed tigers, flying around the hall as if searching for targets. Soon, they seemed to spot Liu Dashao and the others and began darting toward them.
By now, there were about a dozen of these beetles in the Yanluo Hall, relentlessly chasing the group. Everyone was scrambling to avoid them, having witnessed the bizarre consequences of striking one of the beetles.
Suddenly, someone let out a scream, and all the beetles in the air instantly veered toward the source. The group turned to see Yang Weidong clutching his head, howling in agony. To their horror, his hair was on fire, and his face appeared to be corroding, the flesh on his cheeks sizzling and rapidly shriveling. The hall was soon filled with the acrid smell of burning.
Before anyone could react, all the beetles had descended upon Yang Weidong. In an instant, his body burst into flames, becoming a roaring fireball. Yang Weidong writhed in agony, his screams chilling everyone to the bone. The fireball collapsed to the ground, the human form within still struggling in the flames. It seemed he wouldn’t die quickly.
The sight of a living person being burned alive was too gruesome. Everyone turned away, unable to bear the sight. Fan Debiao, in particular, stood frozen, his mouth agape, unsure whether to cry or scream.
At that moment, Caiquingchong, tears in his eyes, stepped forward, raised his gun, and fired at the writhing figure in the flames. A burst of gunfire ended Yang Weidong’s suffering, and he fell still, no longer screaming. The flames continued to burn, and the strange beetles showed no signs of leaving his body. Jia Zhuangyuan whispered urgently, “We have to get out of here now. If those beetles fly out again, we’ll all be burned to death.”
Fan Debiao, terrified, looked at Jia Zhuangyuan and asked, “But… outside is full of saber-toothed tigers, and inside this hall are those demonic beetles. Where can we go?”
Jia Zhuangyuan roared, “I’d rather face ten thousand saber-toothed tigers outside than these horrifying beetles!”
Liu Dashao nodded and said, “Elder Jia is right. These beetles are impossible to deal with. Compared to them, the saber-toothed tigers are at least living creatures. If we make a run for it, we might have a chance. Staying here with these beetles is certain death.”
Before Liu Dashao could finish speaking, two white beetles flew out of the burning remains of Yang Weidong and darted toward the group.
At this point, the group had no choice. They all rushed toward the entrance of the Yanluo Hall, forced open the heavy stone doors, and ran outside.
As they emerged, the buzzing sound of the beetles followed closely behind. It seemed the beetles had all flown out and were now hot on their heels.
Outside was a long, narrow underground canyon, stretching endlessly into the distance, with towering, knife-edged peaks on either side. To their surprise, there was no sign of any saber-toothed tigers.
At this point, the group couldn’t afford to worry about encountering tigers. The white beetles chasing them were the real terror. They quickly chose a direction and began sprinting down the canyon.
The cliffs on either side flashed past as they ran, but the relentless white beetles continued to pursue them, their buzzing growing louder.
Jia Zhuangyuan was probably startled and quickly stepped back a few paces, adopting a vigilant stance as he stared at the slowly opening palace doors. A few seconds later, the stone doors ceased their movement, and the interior of the Yama’s Hall fell into a silent, pitch-black darkness.
After a moment of hesitation, Jia Zhuangyuan, clutching his ancient, ornate dagger, cautiously stepped through the stone doors and ventured into the Yama’s Hall. The others followed closely behind.
The moment they entered the hall, a sudden, dizzying tremor shook the ground. Caught off guard, everyone was thrown to the floor. Dust, vibrations, and deafening roars instantly plunged them into panic. The entire Yama’s Hall seemed like a tightly wound alarm clock, spinning and swaying rapidly, making it impossible for anyone to stand.
After what felt like an eternity—perhaps ten minutes—the surroundings finally began to quiet down. As the group, disheveled and frightened, got to their feet and brushed off the dust, they realized that although the hall had stopped shaking, the moving cliffs visible through the open doors suggested that the entire structure was slowly descending. This revelation left them all in shock.
Even more astonishing was the sudden illumination of the hall’s interior. They now saw that both sides of the hall were lined with over a dozen bronze wolf-head-shaped lamps, and the walls were adorned with gray-black relief carvings, their patterns somewhat blurred by the passage of time. At the front of the hall stood a stone altar, upon which rested a single statue of a tiger-headed humanoid figure.
Jia Zhuangyuan steadied himself and approached the altar, carefully examining the peculiar statue. Suddenly, he turned to the group and said, “This statue is of a saber-toothed tiger.”
Liu Dashao furrowed his brow and asked, “Could it be that the saber-toothed tiger is also a totem from another world?”
Caique Qingchong interjected abruptly, “Then what’s its relationship with the builders?”
Liu Dashao shook his head, feeling a sudden confusion in his mind, as if many thoughts were swirling around, almost within reach, but then vanishing just as quickly.
At that moment, a loud rumble echoed through the hall, followed by a series of violent shakes and tremors, before everything seemed to come to a halt.
Jia Zhuangyuan remarked, “It seems the Yama’s Hall has descended to the bottom of the cliff. Perhaps when we step out, we’ll find another mysterious place—the Wuji Dao Repository.”
Caique Qingchong shook his head and said, “If the Wuji Demon Repository were merely a passage to the Wuji Dao Repository without any dangers, it wouldn’t be the Wuji Demon Repository. Think about it—from the ancient ruins of Guge with its insect statues, man-eating ants, red moon, and the Shiva Buddha; to the volcanic lake with its water monster, the plesiosaur; and the Nether Path with its drought demons and map traps—how could the final challenge of the Wuji Demon Repository be so straightforward?”
Liu Dashao retorted, “But didn’t we also encounter insect traps and a pack of saber-toothed tigers in the stone forest? It was only because I understood the ancient Nanzhao insect techniques and broke the ‘corpse trap’ to lure the saber-toothed tigers, and because I’m fluent in animal language, that we managed to get through.”
As soon as Liu Dashao finished speaking, a piercing howl echoed from outside the hall, followed by the responding roars of a pack of tigers.
He smiled wryly at Caique Qingchong and said, “It seems you were right. Those saber-toothed tigers are the guardians of the Yama’s Hall, and they’re not about to let us go.”
At that moment, Fan Debiao suddenly shouted in alarm, “A tiger’s coming in!”
Everyone quickly turned to the entrance of the hall, where a golden saber-toothed tiger with blood-red eyes stood at the doorway. Behind it, several more tigers seemed ready to force their way in.
Yang Weidong, quick on the trigger, fired his Type 56 submachine gun, and the tiger let out a pained roar before collapsing to the ground. Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Don’t shoot! Close the door!”
But it was too late. A golden blur darted past the doorway and lunged at Yang Weidong, who was still holding his gun. Several more golden shadows appeared inside the hall.
Before Yang Weidong could swing his gun around, the tiger’s sharp white teeth were already aimed at his throat.
At that moment, Caique Qingchong, standing beside him, let out a fierce cry and slashed his dagger with lightning speed, striking the tiger’s head. With a low growl, the tiger tumbled in mid-air and crashed to the floor of the hall.
By then, everyone had reacted. Those with guns opened fire on the tigers that had entered the hall, and the barrage of bullets quickly killed the intruders and sealed the entrance. Several more tigers that had just appeared at the doorway were also shot dead.
Saber-toothed tigers, though prehistoric, were far from unintelligent. With the death of the tigers inside and at the entrance, the remaining pack dared not approach the door. The group quickly rushed forward and shut the stone doors of the Yama’s Hall.
The distant roars of the tigers could still be heard outside. Looking at the dead tigers on the floor, everyone was still shaken by the terrifying encounter. A few saber-toothed tigers might not be too frightening, and their modern weapons were more than enough to handle them. But if a hundred tigers surrounded them, engaging in close combat, they would stand no chance.
After a moment of silence, Fan Debiao looked up and asked, “Dashao, Elder Jia, what do we do now?”
Everyone turned their eyes to Liu Dashao and Jia Zhuangyuan. At that moment, Liu Dashao noticed that Jia Zhuangyuan seemed to be in a daze, staring at the bodies of the dead tigers on the floor.
Seeing that Jia Zhuangyuan remained silent, Liu Dashao smiled and said, “These saber-toothed tigers aren’t actually that scary. Our modern weapons easily took them down, which means they’re not much different from the tigers we’re familiar with, just a bit larger.”
Suddenly, Jia Zhuangyuan interrupted Liu Dashao, saying, “You’re all too naive! These saber-toothed tigers are indeed an extinct species of feline that lived in North America and parts of Europe ten thousand years ago. They’re called saber-toothed tigers. You can see that their bodies are slightly larger than modern wolves, with slender, short limbs and long fur, more like hyenas. But their massive jaws gave them the ability to crush bones. These creatures weren’t skilled hunters; they were scavengers.”
At this point, Jia Zhuangyuan nervously glanced at the wolf corpses on the floor and continued, “Do you remember when I shot and shattered the stones in the stone forest, and some humanoid objects fell out? Those were actually the decayed corpses of ancient Nanzhao people from over a thousand years ago. The stone-like material covering them wasn’t stone but something similar to modern plaster. The ancient Nanzhao tribes had a sorcery called ‘corpse wrapping,’ typically used to preserve bodies for millennia. But it was also used to protect tombs, like what we saw in the stone forest. That wasn’t a stone forest; it was a ‘corpse forest,’ with each massive stone containing a preserved corpse. The method involved wrapping the body in a plaster-like substance, then, once it had dried, drilling holes into it and inserting dormant insects enchanted with sorcery. This ‘corpse wrapping’ not only preserved the body but also allowed the insects to revive under certain conditions and attack grave robbers.”
After saying this, Jia Zhuangyuan looked again at the wolf corpses on the floor with a worried expression and said, “I’m not sure what medium these insects use to revive and spread, but I hope it’s not through these wolf bodies. I have a bad feeling that these wolves were so easily killed because it’s a trap.”
Fan Debiao, confused, asked, “Elder Jia, I don’t understand how this relates to our current situation. What insects? What trap?”
Jia Zhuangyuan sighed and said, “Yunnan is home to many ethnic minorities, with 17 major groups including the Yi, Miao, Bai, Hani, Dai, Lisu, Lahu, Wa, Naxi, Jingpo, Blang, Pumi, Achang, Nu, Jino, De’ang, and Dulong, along with countless smaller groups. The ancient Nanzhao tribes were a collective term for these peoples. Insect sorcery, a traditional form of witchcraft among these minorities, is incredibly varied, with thousands of different insect techniques. The methods of casting and triggering these insect spells are all unique. We don’t know what medium triggered the insects we encountered in the stone forest. I hope it’s not the ‘parasitic method,’ where the insects reside in the Nanzhao corpses and are triggered after being consumed by these giant wolves.”
Liu Dashao looked at Jia Zhuangyuan in surprise and asked, “Elder Jia, are you saying that these saber-toothed tigers might become the medium for the insects? That they could trigger the revival of these insects?”
Jia Zhuangyuan nodded grimly. Everyone looked at the wolf corpses on the floor, which remained still and unchanged, but the thought sent chills down their spines. If what he said was true, and the insects were triggered and revived within these saber-toothed tigers, the consequences were unimaginable.
Everyone’s eyes were now fixed on the saber-toothed tiger corpses on the floor of the Yama’s Hall. Suddenly, the lamps on both sides of the hall flickered as if running out of oil, and the light inside dimmed significantly.
Just as everyone’s eyes were adjusting to the flickering lamps, the tiger corpses on the floor began to change. Their golden fur seemed to stand on end, and there was a slight trembling.
Jia Zhuangyuan’s face turned pale, and he shouted, “This is bad!” Everyone’s hearts sank. Could it be that the insects were truly being triggered through the tiger corpses?
What followed was even more horrifying. The supposedly dead saber-toothed tigers slowly began to rise, their mouths opening to reveal sharp, white teeth.
Someone exclaimed, “My God, these saber-toothed tigers have come back to life!”
Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Everyone, step back! It’s not the tigers that have revived—it’s the Nanzhao insects inside their bodies!”
Hearing this, the group quickly retreated to a corner of the hall, watching in fear as the tigers staggered to their feet.
As their mouths opened, their throats seemed to convulse as if they were gagging. Jia Zhuangyuan urgently warned, “If I’m not mistaken, the insects are crawling up from the tigers’ stomachs toward their mouths. They’re about to emerge. Be careful!”
As soon as he finished speaking, a strange sound came from one of the tiger’s mouths, as if something was scraping inside.
Liu Dashao whispered to Jia Zhuangyuan, “Elder Jia, what do we do? We don’t know how dangerous these insects are. We can’t just stay trapped here. The saber-toothed tigers outside are manageable. Let’s make a run for it!”
Jia Zhuangyuan’s lips moved as if he was about to say something, but a buzzing sound suddenly filled the air. A strange white beetle emerged from the tiger’s mouth. It looked like a round ladybug, covered in a white shell, about the size of a human thumbnail. It had two thin red antennae and a pair of round, transparent wings. As it flew, it buzzed loudly, and its translucent body revealed red internal organs that seemed to pulse like a tiny flame. After emerging, it spun in the air and then darted straight toward the group.
Fan Debiao cursed, “Oh, you think I’m an easy target? I don’t believe a tiny bug like you can do much.” He raised his submachine gun and swung it at the beetle, trying to swat it away.
In a flash, Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Don’t touch it! Get away!”
But it was too late. Fan Debiao’s gun struck the beetle, and with a loud “crack,” it was knocked to the ground. After a moment, it fluttered its wings and took off again, but this time, it split into four identical beetles, each darting toward the group.
Jia Zhuangyuan stomped his foot in frustration and yelled, “Everyone, try to avoid them! You can’t touch these things!”
Hearing this, everyone scattered, ducking and dodging the four beetles. At the same time, more beetles emerged from the mouths of the other tigers, flying around the hall as if searching for targets. Soon, they seemed to spot the humans and began flying toward them.
By now, there were about a dozen of these beetles in the hall, relentlessly chasing the group. Everyone was scrambling to avoid them, having witnessed the bizarre outcome of Fan Debiao’s attempt to swat one. No one dared to strike the strange insects.
Suddenly, someone let out a scream, and all the beetles in the air instantly flew toward the source. Everyone turned to see Yang Weidong clutching his head and howling in pain. To their horror, his hair was on fire, and his face seemed to be corroding, the flesh on his cheeks sizzling and rapidly shrinking. The hall was filled with the smell of something burning.
Before anyone could react, all the beetles had landed on Yang Weidong, and his body burst into flames. He writhed in agony, his screams sending chills through everyone present. The fireball collapsed to the ground, and the humanoid figure continued to struggle within the flames, showing no signs of dying quickly.
The sight of a living person being burned alive was too gruesome, and everyone turned away, unable to bear it. Fan Debiao stood frozen, his mouth agape, unsure whether to cry or scream.
At that moment, Caique Qingchong, tears in his eyes, stepped forward, raised his gun, and fired at the writhing figure in the flames. After a series of gunshots, Yang Weidong finally stopped moving and fell silent. The fire continued to burn, and the strange beetles showed no signs of leaving his body. Jia Zhuangyuan whispered, “We have to get out of here now, or when those beetles fly out again, we’ll all be burned to death.”
Fan Debiao, terrified, looked at Jia Zhuangyuan and asked, “But… there are saber-toothed tigers outside, and these demonic beetles inside. Where can we go?”
Jia Zhuangyuan roared, “I’d rather face ten thousand saber-toothed tigers than these horrifying beetles!”
Liu Dashao nodded and said, “Elder Jia is right. These beetles are impossible to deal with. Compared to them, the saber-toothed tigers are at least living creatures. If we make a run for it, we might have a chance. Staying here with these beetles is certain death.”
Before Liu Dashao could finish speaking, two white beetles flew out of the burning pile that was Yang Weidong and darted toward the group.
At this point, the group had no choice. They all rushed toward the entrance of the Yama’s Hall, forced open the heavy stone doors, and ran outside.
As they emerged, the buzzing sound of the beetles followed closely behind. It seemed the insects had all flown out and were now hot on their heels.
Outside was a long, narrow underground canyon, stretching endlessly into the distance, with towering, knife-like peaks on either side. To their surprise, there was no sign of any saber-toothed tigers.
At this moment, the group couldn’t care less about the tigers. The white beetles chasing them were the real threat. They quickly chose a direction and began running for their lives along the canyon.
The steep cliffs flashed by on either side, but the relentless white beetles continued to pursue them, their buzzing growing louder.
Everyone’s eyes turned to the saber-toothed tiger corpses on the floor of the Yama Hall. Suddenly, the lamps on both sides of the hall flickered as if their oil was running out, and the light in the hall dimmed significantly.
As everyone’s eyes were momentarily dazzled by the flickering lights, the saber-toothed tiger corpses on the ground suddenly began to change. Their golden fur, which had been lying flat, began to stand up, quivering slightly.
Jia Zhuangyuan was probably startled and quickly stepped back a few paces, adopting a vigilant stance as he stared at the slowly opening palace doors. A few seconds later, the stone doors ceased their movement, leaving the interior of the Yama Hall in complete silence and darkness.
After hesitating for a moment, Jia Zhuangyuan, holding his ancient, ornate dagger, cautiously stepped over the threshold and ventured into the Yama Hall. The others followed closely behind.
The moment everyone entered the hall, a sudden, dizzying tremor shook the ground. Caught off guard, everyone was thrown to the floor. Dust, vibrations, and deafening noise instantly plunged everyone into panic. The entire Yama Hall seemed like a tightly wound alarm clock, spinning and swaying rapidly, making it impossible for anyone to stand.
After what felt like an eternity—perhaps ten minutes—the surroundings finally began to quiet down. As everyone scrambled to their feet, dusting themselves off, they realized that although the tremors had stopped, the moving cliffs visible through the open doors suggested that the entire Yama Hall was slowly descending. This discovery left everyone in shock.
Even more astonishing was the sudden illumination of the hall. Only then did they notice that dozens of bronze wolf-head-shaped lanterns lined the walls, and the walls themselves were adorned with gray-black reliefs, their patterns somewhat blurred by the passage of time. At the front of the hall stood a stone altar, upon which rested a single statue of a humanoid figure with a tiger’s head.
Jia Zhuangyuan composed himself and approached the altar, carefully examining the peculiar statue. Suddenly, he turned to the group and said, “This statue is of a saber-toothed tiger.”
Liu Dashao furrowed his brow and asked, “Could it be that the saber-toothed tiger is also a totem from another world?”
Caiquingchong interjected abruptly, “Then what’s its relationship with the builders?”
Liu Dashao shook his head, feeling a sudden confusion in his mind, as if many thoughts were swirling around, almost within reach but then vanishing just as quickly.
At that moment, a loud rumble echoed through the hall, followed by a series of violent shakes and tremors, before everything seemed to come to a halt.
Jia Zhuangyuan remarked, “It seems the Yama Hall has descended to the bottom of the cliff. Perhaps when we step outside, we’ll find another mysterious place—the Wuji Dao Repository.”
Caiquingchong shook his head and said, “If the Wuji Demon Repository were merely a passage to the Wuji Dao Repository without any dangers, it wouldn’t be the Wuji Demon Repository. Think about it—from the ancient ruins of Guge, with its insect statues, man-eating ants, red moon, and the Shiva Buddha; to the volcanic lake with its water monster, the plesiosaur; and the Nether Path with its drought demons and map traps—do you really think the final challenge of the Wuji Demon Repository would let us pass without any obstacles?”
Liu Dashao retorted, “But didn’t we also encounter insect traps and a pack of saber-toothed tigers in the stone forest? It was only because I understood the ancient Nanzhao insect techniques and broke the ‘corpse trap’ to lure the saber-toothed tigers, and because I’m fluent in animal language, that we managed to get through.”
As soon as Liu Dashao finished speaking, a piercing howl echoed from outside the hall, followed by the responding roars of a pack of tigers.
He smiled wryly at Caiquingchong and said, “It seems you were right. Those saber-toothed tigers are the guardians of the Yama Hall, and they’re not going to let us go.”
At that moment, Fan Debiao suddenly shouted in alarm, “A tiger’s coming in!”
Everyone quickly turned to the entrance of the hall, where a golden saber-toothed tiger, its blood-red eyes glaring, stood at the doorway. Behind it, several more tigers seemed ready to force their way in.
Yang Weidong, quick on the trigger, fired his Type 56 assault rifle, and the tiger let out a howl as it fell to the ground. Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Don’t shoot! Close the door!”
But it was too late. A golden blur darted toward Yang Weidong, who was still holding his rifle, and several more golden shadows appeared inside the hall.
Before Yang Weidong could react, the tiger lunging at him bared its sharp fangs, aiming straight for his throat.
At that moment, Caiquingchong, standing beside him, let out a roar and slashed his dagger with lightning speed, striking the tiger’s head. The tiger let out a low growl, tumbled in mid-air, and crashed to the ground.
By then, everyone had reacted. Those with guns opened fire on the tigers that had entered the hall, and the barrage of bullets quickly dispatched the intruders, sealing the entrance. Several tigers that had just appeared at the doorway were also killed on the spot.
Saber-toothed tigers, though prehistoric, were far from unintelligent. With the death of the tigers inside and at the entrance, the remaining ones dared not approach. The group quickly rushed forward and shut the stone doors of the Yama Hall.
The distant roars of the tigers could still be heard outside. Looking at the fallen tigers on the ground, everyone was still shaken by the terrifying encounter. A few saber-toothed tigers might not be too frightening, especially with modern weapons at their disposal, but if a hundred of them surrounded them, engaging in close combat, they would stand no chance.
After a moment of silence, Fan Debiao looked up and asked, “Dashao, Elder Jia, what do we do now?”
Everyone turned their eyes to Liu Dashao and Jia Zhuangyuan. At that moment, Liu Dashao noticed that Jia Zhuangyuan seemed distracted, staring blankly at the bodies of the fallen tigers.
Seeing that Jia Zhuangyuan remained silent, Liu Dashao smiled and said, “These saber-toothed tigers aren’t really that scary. Our modern weapons easily took them down, which means they’re not much different from the tigers we’re familiar with, just a bit larger.”
Suddenly, Jia Zhuangyuan interrupted Liu Dashao, his tone urgent, “You’re all being too naive! These saber-toothed tigers are indeed an extinct species of cat that lived in North America and parts of Europe ten thousand years ago. They’re larger than modern wolves, with shorter, thinner limbs and longer fur, resembling hyenas. However, their massive jaws allowed them to crush bones. They weren’t skilled hunters but scavengers.”
At this point, Jia Zhuangyuan nervously glanced at the wolf corpses on the ground and continued, “Remember when I shot those stones in the stone forest, and humanoid objects fell out? Those were actually the preserved corpses of ancient Nanzhao people, encased in what appeared to be stone but was actually a substance similar to modern plaster. The ancient Nanzhao tribes had a form of witchcraft called ‘corpse wrapping,’ used to preserve bodies for thousands of years. But it was also used to protect tombs, like what we saw in the stone forest. That wasn’t a stone forest but a ‘corpse forest,’ with each boulder containing a mummified body. The process involved wrapping the corpse in a plaster-like substance, allowing it to dry, and then drilling holes into it, filling them with dormant insects enchanted with witchcraft. This ‘corpse wrapping’ not only preserved the bodies but also allowed the insects to revive under certain conditions and attack tomb raiders.”
After saying this, Jia Zhuangyuan looked at the wolf corpses on the ground with a troubled expression and added, “I’m not sure what triggers the revival of these insects or how they spread. I hope it’s not through these wolf corpses. I have a bad feeling that these wolves were so easily killed because it’s a trap.”
Fan Debiao, confused, asked, “Elder Jia, I don’t understand what this has to do with our current situation. What insects? What trap?”
Jia Zhuangyuan sighed and explained, “Yunnan is home to many ethnic minorities, with at least 17 major groups, including the Yi, Miao, Bai, Hani, Dai, Lisu, Lahu, Wa, Naxi, Jingpo, Bulang, Pumi, Achang, Nu, Jino, De’ang, and Dulong, not to mention numerous smaller groups. The ancient Nanzhao tribes were a collective term for these peoples. Insect witchcraft, a traditional form of sorcery among these minorities, is incredibly diverse, with thousands of variations. The methods of implanting and activating these insects vary greatly. We don’t know what triggered the insects in the stone forest. I hope it’s not through parasitism—meaning, I hope these insects aren’t residing in the Nanzhao mummies and then being consumed by these giant wolves, triggering their revival.”
Liu Dashao looked at Jia Zhuangyuan in surprise and asked, “Elder Jia, are you saying that these saber-toothed tigers could become hosts for the insects? That they could trigger the revival of these insects?”
Jia Zhuangyuan nodded grimly. Everyone looked at the wolf corpses on the ground, which remained still and unchanged, but the thought sent chills down their spines. If what he said was true, and the insects were revived within the bodies of these saber-toothed tigers, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the wolf corpses in the Yama Hall when suddenly, the lanterns on both sides of the hall flickered as if running out of oil, dimming the light inside.
As everyone’s eyes adjusted to the flickering lanterns, the wolf corpses on the ground began to change. Their golden fur seemed to stand on end, quivering slightly.
Jia Zhuangyuan’s face turned pale, and he shouted, “This is bad!” Everyone’s hearts sank. Could it be that the insects were indeed using the wolf corpses as hosts and were about to be activated?
What followed was even more horrifying. The supposedly dead wolves slowly began to rise, their mouths opening to reveal sharp, white fangs.
Someone gasped, “Oh my God, these wolves are coming back to life!”
Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Everyone, step back! These wolves aren’t coming back to life—it’s the Nanzhao insects inside their bodies that are reviving!”
Hearing this, everyone quickly retreated to a corner of the hall, watching in fear as the wolves staggered to their feet.
As their mouths opened, their throats seemed to convulse as if they were choking. Jia Zhuangyuan urgently warned, “If I’m not mistaken, the insects are crawling up from the wolves’ stomachs toward their mouths. They’re about to emerge. Be careful!”
As soon as he finished speaking, a strange sound came from one of the wolves’ mouths, as if something was scraping inside.
Liu Dashao whispered to Jia Zhuangyuan, “Elder Jia, what do we do? We don’t know how dangerous these insects are. We can’t just stay trapped here. The wolves outside are manageable. Let’s make a run for it!”
Jia Zhuangyuan’s lips moved as if he was about to say something, but a buzzing sound suddenly filled the air. A strange white beetle emerged from the wolf’s mouth. It looked like a round ladybug, covered in a white shell, about the size of a human thumbnail. It had two thin red antennae and a pair of round, transparent wings, buzzing as it flew. Its body was translucent, and inside, its red organs pulsed like a tiny flame. It hovered in the air for a moment before darting straight toward the group.
Fan Debiao cursed, “Oh, you think I’m an easy target? I don’t believe a tiny bug like you can do much.” He raised his assault rifle and swung it at the beetle, trying to swat it away.
In that split second, Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Don’t touch it! Dodge!”
But it was too late. Fan Debiao’s rifle struck the beetle, and with a loud “crack,” the beetle was knocked to the ground. It fluttered its wings and took off again, but in mid-air, it split into four identical beetles, each darting toward the group.
Jia Zhuangyuan stomped his foot in frustration and yelled, “Everyone, try to avoid them! Don’t touch these things!”
Hearing this, everyone scattered, ducking and weaving to avoid the four beetles. Meanwhile, more beetles emerged from the mouths of the other wolves, buzzing around the hall, searching for targets. Soon, they seemed to spot the humans and began flying toward them.
By now, there were about a dozen of these beetles in the hall, relentlessly chasing the group. Everyone was scrambling to avoid them, having witnessed the bizarre transformation of the beetle Fan Debiao had struck. No one dared to attack the strange insects.
Suddenly, someone let out a scream, and all the beetles in the air instantly flew toward the source. Everyone turned to see Yang Weidong clutching his head, howling in agony. To their horror, his hair was on fire, and his face seemed to be corroding, his flesh sizzling and rapidly withering. The hall was filled with the smell of something burning.
Before anyone could react, all the beetles had swarmed onto Yang Weidong, and his body burst into flames. He writhed in agony, his screams sending shivers down everyone’s spines. The fireball collapsed to the ground, the human figure within still struggling. It seemed he wouldn’t die immediately.
The sight of a living person being burned alive was too gruesome. Everyone turned away, unable to bear it. Fan Debiao was so terrified that his mouth hung open, unsure whether to cry or scream.
At that moment, Caiquingchong, tears in his eyes, stepped forward, raised his gun, and fired at the writhing figure in the flames. After a series of shots, Yang Weidong finally stopped moving and screaming. The flames continued to burn, and the strange beetles showed no signs of leaving his body. Jia Zhuangyuan whispered, “We have to get out of here now, or we’ll all be burned alive when those beetles fly out again.”
Fan Debiao, terrified, asked, “But… there are saber-toothed tigers outside, and these demonic beetles inside. Where can we go?”
Jia Zhuangyuan roared, “I’d rather face ten thousand saber-toothed tigers than these terrifying beetles!”
Liu Dashao nodded and said, “Elder Jia is right. These beetles are impossible to deal with. Compared to them, the saber-toothed tigers are just animals. If we make a run for it, we might have a chance. Staying here with these beetles is certain death.”
Before Liu Dashao could finish, two white beetles flew out of the burning pile that was Yang Weidong and darted toward the group.
At this point, everyone had no choice. They rushed to the entrance of the Yama Hall, forced open the stone doors, and ran outside.
As they fled, the buzzing sound followed them closely, indicating that the beetles had also flown out and were hot on their heels.
Outside, they found themselves in a long, narrow underground canyon, stretching endlessly into the distance. The canyon was flanked by towering, knife-edged peaks. To their surprise, there was no sign of any saber-toothed tigers.
At this point, the group was more concerned about the white beetles chasing them than the possibility of encountering tigers. They sprinted down the canyon, the cliffs whizzing past them on either side, but the relentless beetles continued to buzz behind them, closing in.
What followed was an even more terrifying sight. The saber-toothed tigers, which had been dead, slowly began to rise unsteadily, opening their mouths to reveal their gleaming, sharp teeth.
A cry of shock rang out: “Heavens! These saber-toothed tigers have come back to life!”
Jia Zhuangyuan was probably startled, quickly stepping back a few paces in alert, staring at the slowly opening palace door. A few seconds later, the stone door stopped sliding, and the interior of the Yama Hall fell into a silent darkness.
After hesitating for a moment, Jia Zhuangyuan, holding his ancient, ornate dagger, slowly stepped over the stone threshold and walked into the Yama Hall, with everyone following behind.
The moment everyone entered the Yama Hall, a sudden, dizzying tremor shook the ground. Caught off guard, everyone was thrown to the floor. Dust, tremors, and deafening noise instantly plunged everyone into panic. The entire Yama Hall, like a tightly wound alarm clock, began to spin and sway rapidly, making it impossible for anyone to stand.
It felt like an eternity, perhaps ten minutes, before the surroundings gradually quieted down. As everyone scrambled to their feet, dusting themselves off, they realized that although the Yama Hall had stopped shaking, the moving cliffs visible through the open door suggested that the entire hall was slowly descending, which left everyone astonished.
What shocked them even more was that the entire Yama Hall suddenly lit up with bright lights on both sides. Only then did they see that dozens of bronze wolf-headed lamps were placed along the walls, and the walls themselves were carved with gray-black reliefs, their patterns somewhat blurred with age. At the front of the hall stood a stone altar, on which rested a single statue of a tiger-headed humanoid figure.
Jia Zhuangyuan steadied himself and walked up to the altar, carefully examining the peculiar statue. Suddenly, he turned to the group and said, “This statue is of a saber-toothed tiger.”
Liu Dashao furrowed his brow and asked, “Could it be that the saber-toothed tiger is also a totem from another world?”
Caicai Qingchong interjected abruptly, “Then what’s its relationship with the builders?”
Liu Dashao shook his head, feeling a sudden confusion in his mind, as if many thoughts were swirling around, almost within reach but then vanishing.
Just then, a loud rumble echoed through the hall, followed by a series of violent shakes and tremors, before everything seemed to come to a halt.
Jia Zhuangyuan said, “It seems the Yama Hall has descended to the bottom of the cliff. Perhaps when we step out, we’ll see another miraculous place—the Wuji Dao Repository.”
Caicai Qingchong shook his head and said, “If the Wuji Demon Repository were just a simple passage to the Wuji Dao Repository, without any dangers, it wouldn’t be the Wuji Demon Repository. Think about it—on our journey, we’ve encountered the ancient Guge ruins as the entrance, with insect puppets, man-eating ants, the red moon, and the Shiva Buddha; the volcanic lake had the water monster plesiosaur, and the Nether Path had drought demons and map traps. Do you really think the final level of the Wuji Demon Repository would let us pass without any obstacles?”
Liu Dashao retorted, “But didn’t we also encounter insect swarms and saber-toothed tigers in the stone forest? It was only because I understood the ancient Nanzhao insect techniques and broke the ‘corpse lure’ to attract the saber-toothed tigers, and because I know animal language, that we narrowly made it through.”
As soon as Liu Dashao finished speaking, a shrill howl echoed from outside the hall, followed by the responding roars of a pack of tigers.
He smiled bitterly at Caicai Qingchong and said, “It seems you’re right. Those saber-toothed tigers are the guardians of the Yama Hall, and they’re not going to let us go.”
At that moment, Fan Debiao suddenly shouted in alarm, “A tiger’s coming in!”
Everyone hurriedly looked toward the entrance of the Yama Hall. Sure enough, a golden saber-toothed tiger, its blood-red eyes glaring, stood at the doorway. Behind it, several more saber-toothed tigers seemed ready to push their way in.
Yang Weidong, quick on the draw, fired his Type 56 submachine gun, and the tiger let out a howl as it fell to the ground. Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Don’t shoot! Close the door!”
But it was too late. A golden shadow darted like lightning toward Yang Weidong, who was still holding his submachine gun, while several more golden shadows appeared inside the hall.
Yang Weidong’s gun hadn’t even had time to swing back when the saber-toothed tiger lunging at him bared its sharp white fangs, aiming straight for his throat.
At that moment, Caicai Qingchong, standing beside him, let out a roar and slashed with his dagger, sending a flash of light that struck the saber-toothed tiger’s head. With a low growl, the tiger tumbled in mid-air and crashed to the floor of the Yama Hall.
By then, everyone had reacted. Those with guns aimed at the saber-toothed tigers that had already entered the hall and opened fire. The bursts of gunfire quickly killed the newly intruding tigers and sealed the entrance, with several more tigers that had just poked their heads in also being shot dead.
Saber-toothed tigers were prehistoric animals, but their intelligence was not low. With the death of the tigers inside and at the entrance, the remaining ones dared not approach the door. The group quickly pushed the stone door of the Yama Hall shut.
The distant roars of the tigers outside echoed faintly. Looking at the dead saber-toothed tigers on the floor, everyone felt their hearts racing. A few saber-toothed tigers might not be terrifying—modern weapons were more than enough to deal with them—but if a hundred of them surrounded the group, engaging in close combat, there would be no way to fight back.
After a moment of silence, Fan Debiao looked up and asked, “Dashao, Elder Jia, what do we do now?”
Everyone turned their eyes to Liu Dashao and Jia Zhuangyuan. At that moment, Liu Dashao noticed that Jia Zhuangyuan seemed to be in a daze, staring at the bodies of the dead saber-toothed tigers.
Seeing that Jia Zhuangyuan remained silent, Liu Dashao smiled and said, “These saber-toothed tigers aren’t actually that scary. Our modern weapons just easily killed them, which shows they’re not much different from the tigers we’re familiar with, just a bit larger.”
At that moment, Jia Zhuangyuan suddenly interrupted Liu Dashao, saying, “You’re all too naive! These saber-toothed tigers are actually a species of cat that went extinct ten thousand years ago, living in North America and parts of Europe. They’re called saber-toothed tigers. You can see they’re larger than modern wolves, with slender, short limbs and long fur, more like hyenas. But their jaw structure is massive, giving them the ability to crush bones. These creatures aren’t actually skilled hunters—they’re scavengers.”
At this point, Jia Zhuangyuan nervously glanced at the wolf corpses on the ground and continued, “Do you remember how I once shot at the stones in the stone forest, and some humanoid objects fell out? Those were actually the decayed corpses of ancient Nanzhao people from over a thousand years ago. The stone-like material covering them wasn’t stone but something similar to modern plaster. The ancient Nanzhao barbarians had a sorcery called ‘corpse wrapping,’ typically used to preserve bodies, keeping them from decaying for millennia. But it was also used to protect against tomb raiders, like what we saw in the stone forest. That wasn’t a stone forest—it was a ‘corpse forest,’ with every boulder being a wet corpse. The method was to wrap the body in a plaster-like substance after death, then, once it was nearly dry, drill many holes into it and insert certain insect larvae that had been put into a sorcery-induced dormancy. This corpse-wrapping technique not only preserved the body but also allowed the larvae to revive under certain conditions and attack grave robbers.”
After saying this, Jia Zhuangyuan once again looked at the wolf corpses on the ground with a troubled expression and said, “I don’t know what medium these larvae use to revive and spread. I hope it’s not through these wolf corpses. I have a bad feeling—these wolves were too easily killed, as if it’s a trap.”
Fan Debiao, confused, asked, “Elder Jia, we don’t understand what you’re saying or how it relates to our current situation. What larvae? What trap?”
Jia Zhuangyuan smiled bitterly and said, “Yunnan has many ethnic minorities, with at least 17 major groups like the Yi, Miao, Bai, Hani, Dai, Lisu, Lahu, Wa, Naxi, Jingpo, Bulang, Pumi, Achang, Nu, Jino, De’ang, and Dulong, and even more smaller groups. The ancient Nanzhao barbarians were a collective term for these peoples. Insect sorcery, as a traditional form of witchcraft among these minorities, comes in countless varieties, with thousands of insect-based techniques alone. The methods of implanting and triggering these larvae vary widely. We don’t know what medium triggered the larvae we encountered in the stone forest. I hope it’s not a parasitic method—meaning, I hope the larvae aren’t residing in those Nanzhao wet corpses and then being ingested by these giant wolves to trigger their revival.”
Liu Dashao looked at Jia Zhuangyuan in surprise and asked, “Elder Jia, are you saying that these saber-toothed tigers might become a medium for the larvae? That they could trigger the revival of these larvae?”
Jia Zhuangyuan nodded grimly. Everyone looked at the wolf corpses on the ground, which were still quiet and unchanged, but a chill ran down their spines. If what he said was true, and the larvae were triggered and revived within these saber-toothed tigers, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Everyone’s eyes turned to the saber-toothed tiger corpses on the floor of the Yama Hall. Suddenly, the lamps on both sides of the hall flickered as if running out of oil, and the light inside dimmed significantly.
As everyone’s eyes were momentarily dazzled by the flickering lamps, the bodies of the saber-toothed tigers on the ground began to change. Their golden fur inexplicably stood on end, with a slight quiver.
Jia Zhuangyuan’s face changed, and he shouted, “Not good!” Everyone’s hearts sank. Could it be that the larvae were indeed being triggered through the tiger corpses?
What followed was even more horrifying. The supposedly dead saber-toothed tigers slowly, unsteadily rose to their feet, opening their mouths to reveal their sharp, white fangs.
Someone exclaimed, “Heavens, these saber-toothed tigers have come back to life!”
Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Everyone, step back! These tigers haven’t come back to life—it’s the Nanzhao larvae inside their bodies that have revived.”
Hearing this, everyone quickly retreated to a corner of the Yama Hall, watching in fear as the saber-toothed tigers wobbled to their feet.
As their mouths opened, their throats twitched as if they were gagging. Jia Zhuangyuan said nervously, “If I’m not mistaken, the larvae are crawling up from the tigers’ stomachs toward their open mouths. They’re coming out. Be careful!”
As soon as he finished speaking, a strange noise indeed came from one of the tiger’s mouths, as if something was rubbing against the inside.
Liu Dashao whispered to Jia Zhuangyuan beside him, “Elder Jia, what do we do? We don’t know how dangerous these larvae are. We can’t just stay trapped here. Outside, there are saber-toothed tigers, but they’re easier to deal with. Let’s make a run for it!”
Jia Zhuangyuan’s lips moved as if he was about to say something, but a sudden “buzzing” sound interrupted him. A strange white beetle emerged from the tiger’s mouth. It looked like a round ladybug, covered in a white shell, about the size of a human thumbnail. It had two thin red antennae on its head and a pair of round, transparent wings. As it flew, it buzzed loudly, its body translucent, with red internal organs faintly visible, like a small flame flickering inside its cavity. It spun in the air and then darted straight toward the person in front of it.
Fan Debiao cursed, “Oh, you think I’m an easy target? I don’t believe a tiny bug like you can do much.” He raised his submachine gun and swung it at the beetle, trying to swat it away.
In that split second, Jia Zhuangyuan suddenly shouted, “Don’t touch it! Dodge!”
But it was too late. Fan Debiao’s gun slammed into the white beetle, and with a “smack,” the beetle was knocked to the ground. It shook its wings and flew up again, but in mid-air, it split into four identical beetles, each darting toward the group.
Jia Zhuangyuan stomped his foot in frustration and shouted, “Everyone, try to avoid them! You can’t touch these things!”
Hearing this, everyone scattered, ducking and dodging the four beetles. At the same time, several more beetles flew out of the mouths of the other saber-toothed tigers, buzzing around in the air as if searching for targets. Soon, they seemed to spot the humans and, flapping their transparent wings, charged toward them.
By now, there were about a dozen of these beetles in the Yama Hall, relentlessly chasing the group. Everyone was scrambling around in a panic, having seen the bizarre outcome of Fan Debiao’s attempt to swat one. No one dared to try hitting the strange beetles.
Suddenly, someone let out a scream, and all the beetles in the air instantly flew toward one direction. Everyone turned to see Yang Weidong clutching his head, howling in agony. To their horror, his hair was on fire, and his face seemed to be corroding, the flesh on his face “sizzling” as it rapidly shriveled. The Yama Hall was immediately filled with the smell of something burning.
Before anyone could react, all the beetles had landed on Yang Weidong, and his body burst into a blazing fireball. He writhed in agony, his screams chilling everyone to the bone. The fireball collapsed to the ground, and the humanoid figure within continued to struggle in the flames, seemingly not yet dead.
The sight of a living person being burned alive was too cruel. Everyone turned away, unable to bear watching, while Fan Debiao stood frozen, mouth agape, unsure whether to cry or scream.
At that moment, Caicai Qingchong, tears in his eyes, stepped forward, raised his gun, and fired at the writhing figure in the flames. A burst of gunfire silenced Yang Weidong’s screams, and he finally stopped moving. The flames continued to burn, and the strange beetles showed no sign of leaving Yang Weidong’s body. Jia Zhuangyuan whispered, “We have to get out of here now. If those beetles fly out again, we’ll all be burned to death.”
Fan Debiao, terrified, looked at Jia Zhuangyuan and asked, “But… outside are all those saber-toothed tigers, and inside this hall are those demonic beetles. Where can we go?”
Jia Zhuangyuan roared, “Even if there are ten thousand saber-toothed tigers outside, I’d rather face them than these horrifying beetles!”
Liu Dashao nodded and said, “Elder Jia is right. These beetles are impossible to deal with. Comparatively, saber-toothed tigers are at least living creatures. If we rush out, we might have a chance. Staying here with these beetles means certain death.”
Before Liu Dashao could finish speaking, two white beetles flew out of the burning pile that was Yang Weidong and darted toward the group.
At that point, everyone had no choice. They rushed toward the entrance of the Yama Hall, pushed open the heavy stone door, and ran outside.
As they ran out, the buzzing sound behind them grew louder, indicating that the beetles had followed them out.
Outside was an extremely narrow underground canyon, stretching endlessly, with towering, knife-sharp peaks on either side. To their surprise, there was no sign of any saber-toothed tigers.
At that moment, the group couldn’t care less about encountering saber-toothed tigers. The white beetles chasing them were the real terror. They picked a direction and began sprinting down the canyon.
The cliffs on either side flashed by as they ran, but the relentless white beetles continued to pursue them, buzzing loudly.
Hearing Jia Zhuangyuan’s words, everyone quickly retreated to a corner of the Yama Hall, watching in fear as the saber-toothed tigers slowly stood up.
Scholar Jia was likely startled, quickly stepping back several paces in a guarded stance, his eyes fixed on the slowly opening palace doors. After a few seconds, the stone doors ceased their movement, leaving the Hall of the King of Hell in complete silence and darkness.
After a moment of hesitation, Scholar Jia, clutching his ancient, ornate dagger, cautiously stepped over the threshold into the Hall of the King of Hell, with the others following closely behind.
The moment they entered, a sudden, dizzying tremor shook the ground. Caught off guard, everyone was thrown to the floor. Dust, vibrations, and deafening noise instantly plunged them into panic. The entire hall, like a tightly wound alarm clock, began to spin and sway violently, making it impossible for anyone to stand.
After what felt like an eternity—perhaps ten minutes—the surroundings gradually quieted down. As the group, disheveled and frightened, got to their feet and brushed off the dust, they realized that although the hall had stopped shaking, the moving cliffs visible through the open doors suggested that the entire structure was slowly descending, which left them in shock.
To their further astonishment, the hall suddenly lit up on both sides. They now saw that along the walls were dozens of bronze wolf-headed lamps, and the walls themselves were adorned with gray-black reliefs, their patterns somewhat blurred with age. At the front of the hall stood a stone altar, upon which rested a single statue of a tiger-headed humanoid figure.
Scholar Jia composed himself and approached the altar, carefully examining the peculiar statue. Suddenly, he turned to the group and said, “This statue is of a saber-toothed tiger.”
Liu Dashao furrowed his brow and asked, “Could it be that the saber-toothed tiger is also a totem from another world?”
Caicai Qingchong interjected, “Then what’s its relationship with the builders?”
Liu Dashao shook his head, feeling a sudden confusion in his mind, as if many thoughts were swirling around, almost within reach but then vanishing just as quickly.
At that moment, a loud crash echoed through the hall, followed by a series of violent shakes and tremors, before everything seemed to come to a halt.
Scholar Jia said, “It seems the Hall of the King of Hell has descended to the bottom of the cliff. Perhaps when we step out, we’ll find ourselves in another mystical place—the Wuji Dao Repository.”
Caicai Qingchong shook his head and replied, “If the Wuji Demon Repository were merely a simple passage to the Wuji Dao Repository without any dangers, it wouldn’t be the Wuji Demon Repository. Think about it—from the ancient ruins of Guge, with its insect statues, man-eating ants, the red moon, and the Shiva Buddha; to the volcanic lake with its water monster, the plesiosaur; and the Path of the Underworld with its drought demons and map traps—do you really think the final challenge of the Wuji Demon Repository would let us pass without any obstacles?”
Liu Dashao retorted, “But didn’t we also encounter insect traps and a pack of saber-toothed tigers in the stone forest? It was only because I understood the ancient Nanzhao insect techniques and broke the ‘corpse trap’ to lure the saber-toothed tigers, and because I’m fluent in animal language, that we managed to get through.”
As soon as Liu Dashao finished speaking, a piercing howl echoed from outside the hall, followed by the roars of a pack of tigers.
He smiled bitterly at Caicai Qingchong and said, “It seems you’re right. Those saber-toothed tigers are the guardians of the Hall of the King of Hell, and they’re not about to let us go.”
At that moment, Fan Debiao suddenly shouted in alarm, “A tiger’s coming in!”
Everyone turned to look at the entrance of the hall, and sure enough, a golden saber-toothed tiger with blood-red eyes stood at the doorway. Behind it, several more tigers seemed ready to push their way in.
Yang Weidong, quick on the draw, fired his Type 56 assault rifle, and the tiger let out a cry before collapsing to the ground. Scholar Jia shouted, “Don’t shoot! Close the door!”
But it was too late. A golden blur darted into the hall, pouncing toward Yang Weidong, who was still holding his rifle. Several more golden shadows appeared inside the hall.
Yang Weidong barely had time to react before the tiger’s sharp teeth were aimed at his throat. Just then, Caicai Qingchong, standing beside him, let out a roar and slashed with his dagger, striking the tiger’s head. The beast let out a low growl, tumbling in mid-air before crashing to the ground.
By now, everyone had regained their composure, and those with guns opened fire on the tigers that had entered the hall. The barrage of bullets quickly dispatched the intruders and sealed the entrance, killing several more tigers that had been lurking outside.
Saber-toothed tigers, though prehistoric, were far from unintelligent. With several of their pack dead inside and at the entrance, the remaining tigers dared not approach. The group quickly pushed the stone doors shut, sealing themselves inside.
The distant roars of the tigers outside and the sight of the fallen beasts left everyone shaken. A few saber-toothed tigers might not be terrifying, especially with modern weapons at their disposal, but if a hundred of them surrounded them, engaging in close combat, they would stand no chance.
After a moment of silence, Fan Debiao looked up and asked, “Dashao, Scholar Jia, what do we do now?”
All eyes turned to Liu Dashao and Scholar Jia. Liu Dashao noticed that Scholar Jia seemed distracted, staring at the bodies of the fallen tigers.
Seeing that Scholar Jia remained silent, Liu Dashao smiled and said, “These saber-toothed tigers aren’t that scary. Our modern weapons easily took them down, which means they’re not much different from the tigers we know, just a bit larger.”
Suddenly, Scholar Jia interrupted, “You’re all being naive! These saber-toothed tigers are indeed an extinct species of cat that lived in North America and parts of Europe ten thousand years ago. They’re larger than modern wolves, with slender, short limbs and long fur, more like hyenas. But their massive jaws allowed them to crush bones. These creatures weren’t skilled hunters; they were scavengers.”
At this point, Scholar Jia glanced nervously at the wolf corpses on the ground and continued, “Remember when I shot those stones in the forest, and humanoid objects fell out? Those were actually the preserved corpses of ancient Nanzhao people, encased in a stone-like substance similar to modern plaster. The ancient Nanzhao tribes had a form of witchcraft called ‘corpse wrapping,’ used to preserve bodies for thousands of years. But it was also used to protect tombs, like what we saw in the stone forest. That wasn’t a forest of stones—it was a forest of corpses, each boulder containing a preserved body. The method involved wrapping the corpse in a plaster-like substance, then, once it dried, drilling holes into it and inserting dormant insect larvae enchanted with witchcraft. This technique not only preserved the body but also allowed the larvae to revive under certain conditions and attack grave robbers.”
After this explanation, Scholar Jia looked again at the wolf corpses on the ground, his expression uneasy. “I’m not sure what triggers the revival of these larvae or how they spread, but I hope it’s not through these wolf bodies. I have a bad feeling—the fact that these wolves were so easily killed might be a trap.”
Fan Debiao, confused, asked, “Scholar Jia, I don’t understand how this relates to our current situation. What larvae? What trap?”
Scholar Jia sighed and said, “Yunnan is home to many ethnic minorities, with 17 major groups like the Yi, Miao, Bai, Hani, Dai, Lisu, Lahu, Wa, Naxi, Jingpo, Bulang, Pumi, Achang, Nu, Jino, De’ang, and Dulong, plus countless smaller groups. The ancient Nanzhao tribes were a collective term for these peoples. Their witchcraft, particularly insect techniques, is incredibly diverse, with thousands of methods for implanting and activating larvae. The larvae we encountered in the stone forest—I’m not sure what triggered them. I hope it’s not through parasitism, meaning I hope they weren’t dormant inside the Nanzhao corpses and then revived after being consumed by these wolves.”
Liu Dashao looked at Scholar Jia in surprise and asked, “Scholar Jia, are you saying these saber-toothed tigers could become hosts for the larvae? That they might trigger the revival of these insects?”
Scholar Jia nodded grimly. Everyone stared at the wolf corpses, which remained still and unchanged, but the thought of the larvae reviving inside the tigers sent shivers down their spines. If that happened, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Their eyes were drawn to the saber-toothed tiger corpses on the floor of the hall when suddenly, the lamps on both sides flickered as if running out of oil, dimming the light in the hall.
As their eyes adjusted to the flickering lamps, the tiger corpses began to change. Their golden fur seemed to stand on end, quivering slightly.
Scholar Jia’s face paled, and he shouted, “This is bad!” Everyone’s hearts sank. Could it be that the larvae were indeed using the tiger corpses as hosts to revive?
What followed was even more horrifying. The dead saber-toothed tigers slowly began to rise, their mouths opening to reveal sharp, white teeth.
Someone gasped, “My God, these tigers are coming back to life!”
Scholar Jia shouted, “Everyone, step back! It’s not the tigers that are reviving—it’s the Nanzhao larvae inside their bodies.”
At his words, the group quickly retreated to a corner of the hall, watching in terror as the tigers staggered to their feet.
Their mouths opened, and their throats convulsed as if gagging. Scholar Jia said urgently, “If I’m right, the larvae are crawling up from the tigers’ stomachs toward their mouths. They’re about to emerge. Be careful!”
As soon as he spoke, a strange sound came from one tiger’s mouth, as if something was scraping against its teeth.
Liu Dashao whispered to Scholar Jia, “Scholar Jia, what do we do? We don’t know how dangerous these larvae are. We can’t just stay trapped here. The tigers outside are manageable. Should we make a run for it?”
Scholar Jia’s lips moved as if to respond, but a buzzing sound interrupted him. A strange white beetle emerged from the tiger’s mouth. It resembled a round ladybug, covered in a white shell about the size of a human thumbnail, with two thin red antennae and transparent wings. It buzzed as it flew, its body translucent, revealing red internal organs that pulsed like tiny flames. After emerging, it spun in the air and then darted straight toward the group.
Fan Debiao cursed, “Oh, you think I’m an easy target? I don’t believe a tiny bug like you can do much.” He raised his assault rifle and swung it at the beetle, trying to swat it away.
In that instant, Scholar Jia shouted, “Don’t touch it! Get away!”
But it was too late. Fan Debiao’s rifle struck the beetle, and with a loud “crack,” it fell to the ground. After a moment, it fluttered its wings and took off again, but now it had split into four identical beetles, each darting toward the group.
Scholar Jia stomped his foot in frustration and yelled, “Everyone, avoid them at all costs. These things can’t be touched.”
Hearing this, the group scattered, ducking and weaving to avoid the beetles. Meanwhile, more beetles emerged from the mouths of the other tigers, buzzing through the air as if searching for targets. Soon, they seemed to lock onto the humans and began to charge.
By now, there were about a dozen beetles in the hall, relentlessly pursuing the group. Everyone was scrambling to avoid them, having witnessed the bizarre consequences of striking one. No one dared to attack the strange insects.
Suddenly, someone screamed, and all the beetles in the air veered toward the sound. The group turned to see Yang Weidong clutching his head, howling in agony. To their horror, his hair was on fire, and his face appeared to be corroding, the flesh hissing and rapidly withering. The hall filled with the stench of burning flesh.
Before anyone could react, all the beetles swarmed over Yang Weidong, and his body burst into flames. He writhed in agony, his screams chilling everyone to the bone. The fireball collapsed to the ground, the human form within still thrashing. It seemed he wouldn’t die quickly.
The sight of a living person burning was too gruesome to bear. Everyone turned away, unable to watch. Fan Debiao stood frozen, mouth agape, unsure whether to cry or scream.
Caicai Qingchong, tears in his eyes, stepped forward, raised his gun, and fired at the burning figure. After a burst of gunfire, Yang Weidong finally stopped moving and screaming. The flames continued to burn, and the strange beetles showed no signs of leaving his body. Scholar Jia whispered, “We have to get out of here now. If those beetles fly out again, we’ll all be burned alive.”
Fan Debiao, terrified, asked, “But… there are saber-toothed tigers outside, and these demonic beetles inside. Where can we go?”
Scholar Jia roared, “I’d rather face ten thousand saber-toothed tigers than these horrifying beetles!”
Liu Dashao nodded and said, “Scholar Jia’s right. These beetles are impossible to deal with. At least the saber-toothed tigers are living creatures. If we make a run for it, we might have a chance. Staying here with these beetles means certain death.”
Before Liu Dashao could finish speaking, two white beetles flew out of the burning pile that was Yang Weidong and darted toward the group.
At that moment, the group had no choice. They rushed to the hall’s entrance, forced open the heavy stone doors, and ran outside.
As they fled, the buzzing sound followed them closely, indicating that the beetles had emerged and were hot on their heels.
Outside, they found themselves in a long, narrow underground canyon, its end unseen, with towering, knife-like peaks on either side. To their surprise, there was no sign of the saber-toothed tigers.
But at that moment, the group couldn’t care less about the tigers. The white beetles pursuing them were the real threat. They sprinted down the canyon, the cliffs rushing past them, the relentless buzzing of the beetles echoing behind them.
As soon as he finished speaking, strange sounds indeed came from one of the saber-toothed tiger’s mouths, as if something was rubbing against its teeth.
Scholar Jia was likely startled, hastily retreating several steps in alarm, his eyes fixed on the slowly opening palace doors. After a few seconds, the stone doors ceased their movement, leaving the Hall of the King of Hell in complete silence and darkness.
Hesitating for a moment, Scholar Jia, clutching his ancient, ornate dagger, cautiously stepped over the threshold into the hall, with the others following closely behind.
The moment they entered, a sudden, dizzying tremor shook the ground. Caught off guard, everyone was thrown to the floor. Dust, vibrations, and deafening noise instantly plunged them into panic. The entire hall seemed like a tightly wound alarm clock, spinning and swaying rapidly, making it impossible for anyone to stand.
After what felt like an eternity—perhaps ten minutes—the surroundings finally quieted down. As they scrambled to their feet, dusting themselves off, they realized that although the hall had stopped shaking, the moving cliffs visible through the open doors suggested the entire structure was slowly descending, which left them all astonished.
Even more shocking was the sudden illumination of the hall’s interior. They now saw that both sides of the hall were lined with over a dozen bronze wolf-headed lamps, and the walls were adorned with dark gray reliefs, their patterns somewhat blurred with age. At the front of the hall stood a stone altar, upon which rested a single statue of a tiger-headed humanoid figure.
Scholar Jia composed himself and approached the altar, carefully examining the peculiar statue. Suddenly, he turned to the group and said, “This statue is of a saber-toothed tiger.”
Liu Dashao furrowed his brow and asked, “Could it be that the saber-toothed tiger is also a totem from another world?”
Caicai Qingchong interjected, “Then what’s its relationship with the builders?”
Liu Dashao shook his head, feeling a sudden confusion in his mind, as if many thoughts were swirling around but vanishing just as quickly.
At that moment, a loud rumble echoed through the hall, followed by intense shaking and vibrations, before everything seemed to come to a halt.
Scholar Jia remarked, “It seems the Hall of the King of Hell has descended to the bottom of the cliff. Perhaps when we step out, we’ll find another mysterious place—the Wuji Dao Repository.”
Caicai Qingchong shook his head, “If the Wuji Demon Repository were merely a simple passage to the Wuji Dao Repository without any dangers, it wouldn’t be the Wuji Demon Repository. Think about it—from the ancient Guge ruins with its insect statues, man-eating ants, red moon, and Shiva Buddha; to the volcanic lake with its water monster, the plesiosaur; and the Nether Path with its drought demons and map traps—how could the final level of the Wuji Demon Repository let us pass without any obstacles?”
Liu Dashao retorted, “But didn’t we also encounter insect traps and a pack of saber-toothed tigers in the stone forest? It was only because I understood the ancient Nanzhao insect techniques and broke the ‘corpse trap’ to lure the saber-toothed tigers, and because I’m versed in animal language, that we narrowly escaped.”
As soon as Liu Dashao finished speaking, a piercing howl echoed from outside the hall, followed by the roars of a tiger pack.
He smiled wryly at Caicai Qingchong, “It seems you’re right. Those saber-toothed tigers are the guardians of the Hall of the King of Hell, and they’re not letting us go.”
At that moment, Fan Debiao suddenly shouted in alarm, “A tiger’s coming in!”
Everyone rushed to look at the hall’s entrance. Sure enough, a golden saber-toothed tiger with blood-red eyes stood at the doorway, with several more seemingly ready to push their way in.
Yang Weidong reacted swiftly, firing his Type 56 submachine gun. The tiger let out a cry and fell to the ground. Scholar Jia shouted, “Don’t shoot! Close the door!”
But it was too late. A golden blur lunged at Yang Weidong, who was still holding his gun, while several more golden shadows appeared inside the hall.
Yang Weidong’s gun hadn’t even had time to swing back when the tiger’s sharp fangs were already aimed at his throat.
At that moment, Caicai Qingchong roared, his dagger flashing like lightning as it struck the tiger’s head. With a low growl, the tiger tumbled through the air and crashed to the ground.
By then, everyone had reacted. Those with guns opened fire on the tigers that had entered the hall, the bursts of gunfire quickly killing the intruders and sealing the entrance. Several tigers that had just appeared at the doorway were also shot dead.
Saber-toothed tigers, though prehistoric, were far from unintelligent. With the death of the tigers inside and at the entrance, the remaining ones dared not approach. The group quickly pushed the stone doors shut.
The distant roars of tigers echoed outside. Looking at the fallen tigers, everyone felt a chill from the harrowing experience. A few tigers might not be terrifying, as their modern weapons were more than enough to handle them. But if a hundred tigers surrounded them, engaging in close combat, they would be utterly defenseless.
After a moment of silence, Fan Debiao looked up and asked, “Dashao, Scholar Jia, what do we do now?”
Everyone turned their gaze to Liu Dashao and Scholar Jia. Liu Dashao noticed that Scholar Jia seemed dazed, staring at the bodies of the fallen tigers.
Seeing that Scholar Jia remained silent, Liu Dashao smiled and said, “These saber-toothed tigers aren’t that scary. Our modern weapons easily took them down, which means they’re not much different from the tigers we’re familiar with, just slightly larger.”
Suddenly, Scholar Jia abruptly interrupted, “You’re all too naive! These saber-toothed tigers are indeed an extinct species of cat that lived in North America and parts of Europe ten thousand years ago. They’re larger than modern wolves, with slender, short limbs and long fur, resembling hyenas. But their massive jaws allow them to crush bones. These creatures aren’t skilled hunters—they’re scavengers.”
At this point, Scholar Jia nervously glanced at the wolf corpses on the ground and continued, “Remember when I shot those stones in the forest, and humanoid objects fell out? Those were actually the preserved corpses of ancient Nanzhao people, encased in a substance similar to modern plaster. The ancient Nanzhao tribes had a form of witchcraft called ‘corpse wrapping,’ used to preserve bodies for thousands of years. But it was also used to deter grave robbers, like what we saw in the stone forest. That wasn’t a forest of stones—it was a forest of corpses, with each boulder containing a preserved body. The method involved wrapping the corpse in a plaster-like substance, then drilling holes into it after it dried, filling them with dormant insects enchanted by witchcraft. This technique not only preserved the bodies but also allowed the insects to revive under certain conditions and attack grave robbers.”
After saying this, Scholar Jia looked at the wolf corpses with a troubled expression and added, “I’m not sure what triggers the revival of these insects, or how they spread. I hope it’s not through these wolf bodies. I have a bad feeling—these wolves were too easily killed, as if it’s a trap.”
Fan Debiao asked, confused, “Scholar Jia, I don’t understand how this relates to our current situation. What insects? What trap?”
Scholar Jia sighed, “Yunnan is home to many ethnic minorities, with 17 major groups like the Yi, Miao, Bai, Hani, Dai, Lisu, Lahu, Wa, Naxi, Jingpo, Bulang, Pumi, Achang, Nu, Jino, De’ang, and Dulong, and countless smaller ones. The ancient Nanzhao tribes were a collective term for these groups. Insect witchcraft, a traditional form of sorcery among these minorities, is incredibly varied, with thousands of types of insect spells. The methods of casting and triggering these spells are diverse. The insects we encountered in the stone forest—I’m not sure what triggered them. I hope it’s not through parasitism. That is, I hope they weren’t residing in those Nanzhao corpses and then ingested by these wolves, triggering their revival.”
Liu Dashao looked at Scholar Jia in surprise, “Are you saying these saber-toothed tigers could become hosts for the insects? That they could trigger the insects’ revival?”
Scholar Jia nodded grimly. Everyone looked at the still, unchanged wolf corpses on the ground, feeling a chill. If what he said was true, and the insects were revived within these tigers, the consequences were unimaginable.
Their eyes turned to the saber-toothed tiger corpses on the hall floor. Suddenly, the lamps on both sides of the hall flickered as if running out of oil, dimming the light significantly.
As their eyes adjusted to the flickering lamps, the tiger corpses began to change. Their golden fur seemed to stand on end, quivering slightly.
Scholar Jia’s face paled, and he shouted, “This is bad!” Everyone’s hearts sank. Could it be that the insects were indeed using the tiger corpses as hosts to revive?
What followed was even more horrifying. The supposedly dead saber-toothed tigers slowly, unsteadily rose to their feet, opening their mouths to reveal sharp, white fangs.
Someone gasped, “My God, these tigers have come back to life!”
Scholar Jia shouted, “Everyone, step back! It’s not the tigers that have revived—it’s the Nanzhao insects inside them!”
Hearing this, the group quickly retreated to a corner of the hall, watching in fear as the tigers swayed to their feet.
As their mouths opened, their throats seemed to convulse as if retching. Scholar Jia said urgently, “If I’m right, the insects are crawling from the tigers’ stomachs toward their mouths. They’re about to emerge. Be careful!”
As soon as he finished speaking, a strange sound came from one tiger’s mouth, as if something was scraping inside.
Liu Dashao whispered to Scholar Jia, “What do we do? We don’t know how dangerous these insects are. We can’t just stay trapped here. The tigers outside are manageable. Let’s make a run for it!”
Scholar Jia’s lips moved as if to speak, but a buzzing sound suddenly filled the air. A strange white beetle emerged from the tiger’s mouth. It resembled a round ladybug, covered in a white shell, about the size of a human thumbnail, with two thin red antennae and transparent, round wings. It buzzed as it flew, its body translucent, revealing red internal organs that glowed like a tiny flame. It spun in the air before darting straight toward them.
Fan Debiao cursed, “Oh, you think I’m an easy target? I don’t believe this little bug can do much.” He raised his submachine gun, aiming to swat the insect away.
In a flash, Scholar Jia shouted, “Don’t touch it! Dodge!”
But it was too late. Fan Debiao’s gun struck the white beetle, and with a “crack,” it fell to the ground, fluttered its wings, and took off again. In mid-air, it split into four identical beetles, each charging toward the group.
Scholar Jia stomped his foot in frustration, “Everyone, avoid them at all costs. These things can’t be touched.”
Hearing this, the group scattered, ducking and weaving to avoid the four beetles. Meanwhile, more beetles emerged from the mouths of the other tigers, flying around as if searching for targets. Soon, they spotted the humans and darted toward them.
By now, about a dozen beetles were buzzing around the hall, chasing the group. Everyone was in a frantic scramble, having witnessed the bizarre consequences of striking one of the creatures.
Suddenly, someone screamed. All the beetles in the air instantly veered toward the source. The group turned to see Yang Weidong clutching his head, howling in agony. To their horror, his hair was on fire, and his face seemed to be corroding, the flesh sizzling and rapidly withering. The hall filled with the smell of burning.
Before anyone could react, all the beetles swarmed over Yang Weidong. In an instant, his body burst into flames, writhing and screaming in unbearable pain. The fireball collapsed to the ground, the human shape within still thrashing. It seemed he wouldn’t die quickly.
The sight of a living person burning alive was too gruesome. Everyone turned away, unable to bear it. Fan Debiao stood frozen, mouth agape, unsure whether to cry or scream.
Caicai Qingchong, tears in his eyes, stepped forward, raised his gun, and fired at the burning figure. With a burst of gunfire, Yang Weidong finally stopped moving and screaming. The flames continued to burn, and the strange beetles showed no signs of leaving his body. Scholar Jia whispered, “We must leave now. If they fly out again, we’ll all be burned alive.”
Fan Debiao looked at Scholar Jia in terror, “But… outside are the saber-toothed tigers, and inside are these demonic beetles. Where can we go?”
Scholar Jia roared, “I’d rather face ten thousand saber-toothed tigers than these horrifying beetles!”
Liu Dashao nodded, “He’s right. These beetles are impossible to deal with. Compared to them, the tigers are just animals. If we make a run for it, we might have a chance. Staying here with these beetles means certain death.”
Before Liu Dashao could finish speaking, two white beetles flew out of the burning pile that was Yang Weidong, darting toward the group.
At this point, they had no choice. Everyone rushed to the hall’s entrance, forced the heavy stone doors open, and ran outside.
Once outside, the buzzing sound followed them closely. The beetles had emerged and were hot on their heels.
The path outside was a narrow underground canyon, stretching endlessly, with towering, knife-like peaks on either side. To their surprise, there was no sign of the saber-toothed tigers.
But the group couldn’t afford to worry about tigers now. The white beetles chasing them were the real threat. They sprinted down the canyon, the cliffs flashing past on either side, the relentless beetles buzzing behind them.
Jia Zhuangyuan’s lips trembled, about to say something, when suddenly a buzzing sound filled the air. A strange white beetle emerged from the mouth of the saber-toothed tiger. It looked like a round ladybug, with a white shell, about the size of a human thumbnail. It had two long, thin red antennae and a pair of round, transparent wings that buzzed as it flew. Its body was translucent, and inside, its red internal organs could be faintly seen, glowing like a small flame pulsing within its body. As soon as it emerged, it spun in the air and then darted straight toward its target.
Fan Debiao cursed and said, “Oh, so you think I’m easy prey? I don’t believe such a small insect could be that dangerous.” He raised his submachine gun and aimed at the flying beetle, intending to swat it away with the gun barrel.
In a flash, Jia Zhuangyuan suddenly shouted, “Don’t touch it! Get out of the way!”
But it was too late. Fan Debiao’s gun barrel struck the white beetle with a loud smack. The beetle fell to the ground, flapped its wings once, and flew back up. Then, in a strange twist, it split into four identical beetles midair, each flying toward the group.
Jia Zhuangyuan stomped his foot in frustration and shouted, “Everyone, try to dodge! These things cannot be touched!”
Hearing this, everyone quickly scattered, ducking and dodging the four beetles. At that moment, more beetles emerged from the mouths of the other saber-toothed tigers, flying in the air as if searching for targets. Soon, they spotted Liu Dashao and the others and darted toward them with their transparent wings shimmering.
Soon, there were about a dozen of these beetles inside the Yama Hall, chasing after the group. Everyone scrambled to avoid them, recalling the strange scene when one beetle had been struck. No one dared to try hitting them now.
Suddenly, someone let out a scream of pain. All the flying beetles instantly turned and flew toward the source. Everyone turned to look and saw Yang Weidong holding his head and screaming in agony. To their horror, his hair was on fire, and his face seemed to be corroded by something. His facial muscles twitched and made a sizzling sound as they rapidly withered away. A smell of burning filled the Yama Hall.
Before anyone could react, all the beetles had already swarmed onto him. Yang Weidong’s body suddenly burst into flames. He twisted and screamed in agony, and then with a loud thud, he collapsed to the ground, still writhing in the fire. It seemed he wouldn’t die anytime soon.
The sight of a living person burning alive was too cruel for anyone to bear watching. Everyone turned their heads away, unable to look. Fan Debiao stood frozen, mouth agape, unsure whether to cry or scream.
At that moment, tears in his eyes, Cai Qingchong stepped forward, raised his gun, and, gritting his teeth, fired at the writhing figure in the flames. After a burst of gunfire, Yang Weidong finally stopped moving and screaming. The flames continued to burn, and the strange beetles didn’t seem to be leaving his body anytime soon. Jia Zhuangyuan whispered, “We must leave here immediately, or once they fly out again, we’ll all be burned alive.”
Fan Debiao, trembling with fear, looked at Jia Zhuangyuan and stammered, “But… outside there are only saber-toothed tigers, and inside the temple are these ghostly beetles. Where can we go?”
Jia Zhuangyuan roared, “Even if there were ten thousand saber-toothed tigers outside, I’d rather face them than these terrifying beetles!”
Liu Dashao nodded and said, “Master Jia is right. These beetles are simply unbeatable. Compared to them, the saber-toothed tigers are at least living creatures. If we break through, we still have a chance. Staying here facing these beetles means certain death.”
Before Liu Dashao had even finished speaking, two white beetles suddenly flew out from the burning body of Yang Weidong and darted toward the group.
At that moment, there was no time for any choices. Everyone ran toward the entrance of the Yama Hall, opened the heavy stone door, and fled outside.
As they ran out the door, the buzzing sound behind them grew louder and louder. The beetles had already flown out and were chasing them closely.
Outside the door was an extremely long underground canyon, stretching endlessly. On both sides of the canyon stood countless tall, sharp pillars, like knife-edged peaks. Surprisingly, however, there was no sign of any saber-toothed tigers.
At this point, the group no longer cared whether they would encounter saber-toothed tigers or not. The white beetles chasing them were the real terror. They chose a direction and began running desperately down the canyon.
The cliffs on both sides whizzed past their sides, but the hateful white beetles seemed determined to follow them closely, buzzing relentlessly behind.
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