Jia Zhuangyuan must have been startled, hastily stepping back a few paces and cautiously staring at the opening temple gate. A few seconds later, the stone door stopped sliding, and the Yama Hall fell into a silent, pitch-black darkness.
After hesitating briefly, Jia Zhuangyuan slowly stepped across the stone threshold, holding his antique dagger with its colorful patina, and ventured into the Yama Hall. Everyone else followed closely behind.
Just as everyone entered the Yama Hall, a sudden, violent tremor shook the ground, causing everyone to lose balance and fall to the floor. Dust, shaking, and deafening noise filled the air, plunging everyone into panic. The entire Yama Hall was like a wound-up alarm clock, rapidly spinning and swaying, making it impossible for anyone to even stand upright.
After what seemed like an eternity—perhaps ten or more minutes—the surroundings gradually quieted down. As everyone stood up, shaken and covered in dust, they realized that although the Yama Hall had stopped shaking, the open temple door revealed a moving cliffside outside, indicating that the entire Yama Hall was slowly descending. This realization startled everyone.
Even more shocking was the sudden illumination of the temple’s interior. Everyone saw now that on both sides of the temple were over a dozen bronze lampstands shaped like wolf heads. The walls on either side were carved with grayish-black bas-reliefs, their patterns slightly blurred by time. At the front of the temple stood a stone altar, upon which was 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 others and said, “This sculpture depicts a saber-toothed tiger.”
Liu Dashao furrowed his brow and asked, “Could the saber-toothed tiger be a totem from another world?”
Cai Qingchong suddenly interjected, “Then what is its relationship with the Builders?”
Liu Dashao shook his head, suddenly feeling a wave of confusion in his mind, as if many things were swirling around, trying to surface but slipping away again.
At that moment, a loud noise suddenly erupted, followed by a prolonged shaking and tremor of the entire Yama Hall, before it seemed to finally stabilize.
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 Wuji Daozang.”
Cai Qingchong shook his head and said, “If the Wuji Mozang were simply a straightforward passage to the Wuji Daozang without any dangers, it wouldn’t be called the Wuji Mozang. Think about it—since we entered this place, if the Guge ruins were the entrance, there were insect puppets, man-eating leeches, the red moon, and the Shiva Buddha statue; in the volcanic lake, there were water monsters like the plesiosaur; on the Yuyao Path, there were drought spirits and map traps. Would the final trial of the Wuji Mozang really allow us to pass unchallenged?”
Liu Dashao countered, “But didn’t we encounter both insect swarms and a pack of saber-toothed tigers in the stone forest? It was only because I understood the ancient Nanzhao insect curse techniques, broke the ‘insect corpse’ to lure the saber-toothed tigers, and understood beast language that we barely made it through.”
Just as Liu Dashao finished speaking, a piercing howl suddenly came from outside the temple, followed by the responding roars of a pack of tigers.
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 looked toward the temple entrance and saw a golden saber-toothed tiger with blood-red eyes already standing at the threshold. Behind it, several more saber-toothed tigers seemed to be trying to squeeze into the temple.
Yang Weidong, quick to react, opened fire with his Type 56 submachine gun, “Rat-tat-tat!” The saber-toothed tiger let out a pained cry and fell to the ground. Jia Zhuangyuan shouted, “Don’t shoot! Close the door quickly!”
But it was too late. A golden shadow suddenly darted like lightning toward Yang Weidong, who was still holding the submachine gun. More golden shadows appeared inside the temple.
Yang Weidong hadn’t even had time to aim his gun before the saber-toothed tiger lunged at him, its sharp white teeth bared, heading straight for his throat.
Just then, Cai Qingchong beside him roared, and with a flash of his dagger, he stabbed the saber-toothed tiger in the head. A low growl followed as the tiger twisted mid-air and crashed onto the floor of the Yama Hall.
At this point, everyone had regained their senses. Those with guns aimed at the saber-toothed tigers that had already entered and opened fire. The bursts of gunfire quickly eliminated the intruding tigers and blocked the entrance. Several more saber-toothed tigers that had just peeked through the doorway were also shot dead.
Saber-toothed tigers were prehistoric animals, but their intelligence was not low. As soon as the tigers inside and at the entrance were killed, the others outside no longer dared to approach. The group quickly rushed forward and shut the stone door of the Yama Hall.
Outside, the growls of tigers echoed faintly. Looking at the fallen saber-toothed tigers, everyone felt their hearts pounding. A few saber-toothed tigers weren’t too terrifying—modern weapons could handle them easily. But if hundreds of them surrounded the group and engaged in close combat, they would have no chance of survival.
After a moment of silence, Fan Debiao looked up and asked, “Big Brother, 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 know—they’re just slightly larger.”
At that moment, Jia Zhuangyuan suddenly interrupted, somewhat abruptly, “You’re all too naive! These saber-toothed tigers are indeed a species of extinct feline that lived in North America and parts of Europe about ten thousand years ago. You can see that their bodies are slightly larger than modern wolves, with slender and short limbs, longer fur, and resemble hyenas more closely. But their large lower jaw structure allows them to crush bones. These creatures aren’t skilled hunters—they are scavengers.”
At this point, Jia Zhuangyuan nervously glanced at the wolf corpses on the ground once again and continued, “Do you remember when I once shot at some rocks in the stone forest, and human-shaped objects fell out? Those were actually the mummified remains of ancient Nanzhao people dating back thousands of years. The stone-like substances surrounding them weren’t truly stone—they were similar to modern-day plaster. The ancient Nanzhao tribes possessed a form of sorcery known as the ‘corpse-wrapping technique,’ commonly used to preserve bodies for millennia without decay. However, it also served as a defense against tomb robbers, as we witnessed in the stone forest. In reality, that wasn’t a stone forest—it was a ‘corpse forest.’ Each massive stone within was, in fact, a damp corpse. The method involved wrapping the body in a plaster-like material after death, and once the outer layer was nearly dried, many holes would be drilled into it and dormant insect curses placed inside. This corpse-wrapping technique not only prevented decay but also ensured that under specific conditions, the insects could revive and attack grave robbers.”
After saying this, Jia Zhuangyuan once again looked at the wolf corpses on the ground with an uneasy expression and said worriedly, “I don’t know by what medium or method these insect curses are revived or spread. I hope it’s not through the wolf corpses. I have a bad feeling—these wolves were too easily killed. It seems like a trap.”
Fan Debiao looked confused and asked, “Master Jia, we don’t understand how what you’re saying relates to our current situation. What insect curses? What trap?”
Jia Zhuangyuan gave a bitter smile and said, “Yunnan is home to numerous ethnic minorities. There are as many as seventeen major groups alone, including the Yi, Miao, Bai, Hani, Dai, Lisu, Lahuli, Wa, Naxi, Jingpo, Blang, Pumi, Achang, Nu, Jinuo, De’ang, and Dulong peoples. There are even more smaller ethnic groups. The ancient Nanzhao tribes were a collective term used to refer to these various ethnicities. Insect curses, as a traditional form of sorcery among these minority groups, come in countless varieties. There are thousands of different types of insect curses, each with its own unique methods of application and activation. We don’t yet know what specific medium activated the insect curses we encountered within the stone forest. I truly hope it isn’t a parasitic method—meaning the curses lay dormant inside the Nanzhao wet corpses and were reactivated after these giant wolves consumed them.”
Liu Dashao looked at Jia Zhuangyuan in surprise and asked, “Master Jia, are you saying that these saber-toothed tigers might become the medium for the insect curses? Could they trigger the revival of the curses?”
Jia Zhuangyuan’s face darkened slightly as he nodded. Everyone looked at the saber-toothed tiger corpses on the ground, which were currently still and unchanged, but a chill crept up their spines. If what he said was true, and the insect curses were revived inside the saber-toothed tigers, no one could imagine what would happen.
Everyone’s eyes turned to the saber-toothed tiger corpses on the floor of the Yama Hall. Suddenly, the lampstands on both sides of the hall flickered as if their oil was running out, and the light inside dimmed significantly.
Just as everyone’s eyes were momentarily dazzled by the flickering lights, the saber-toothed tiger corpses on the ground began to change. Their golden fur, which had been lying flat, suddenly stood on end, quivering slightly.
Jia Zhuangyuan’s expression changed instantly, and he shouted, “No good!” A chill ran through everyone’s hearts—had the insect curses truly been activated through the tiger corpses?
What followed was an even more horrifying sight. The saber-toothed tiger corpses, which had been clearly dead, slowly and unsteadily began to rise. They opened their mouths wide, revealing their gleaming white teeth.
A cry of horror rang out, “Good heavens! These saber-toothed tigers have come back to life!”
Jia Zhuangyuan shouted loudly, “Everyone, step back! The saber-toothed tigers haven’t truly revived—the insect curses inside them have!”
Upon 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.
As the tigers opened their mouths, their throats began to tremble, as if something were convulsing inside. Jia Zhuangyuan, visibly tense, said, “If I’m right, the insect curses are crawling from the tiger’s abdomen toward their open mouths. They’re about to emerge. Everyone, be careful!”
As soon as he finished speaking, strange sounds indeed came from one of the saber-toothed tiger’s mouths, like something scraping against its teeth.
Liu Dashao whispered to Jia Zhuangyuan beside him, “Master Jia, what should we do? We don’t know how dangerous these insect curses are. We can’t stay trapped here forever. Outside there are saber-toothed tigers, which we can handle. Maybe we should try to break out!”
Jia Zhuangyuan’s lips trembled as he was about to speak, when suddenly a buzzing sound filled the air. A strange white beetle emerged from the saber-toothed tiger’s mouth. It looked like a round ladybug, with a white shell the size of a human thumbnail. It had two long, thin red antennae and a pair of transparent, circular wings that buzzed as it flew. Its body was crystal clear, and inside it, red internal organs could be seen flowing like a small, flickering flame. As soon as it emerged, it spun in the air and flew directly toward the group.
Fan Debiao cursed, “Hey, do you think I’m easy prey? I don’t believe such a tiny bug can be that dangerous.” He raised his submachine gun and aimed at the flying insect, ready to shoot it down.
In a flash, Jia Zhuangyuan suddenly shouted, “Don’t touch it! Dodge!”
But it was too late. Fan Debiao’s gun struck the white beetle with a loud smack. The beetle fell to the ground, shook its wings, and flew back up. Then, in an eerie twist, it split into four identical beetles mid-air, each flying toward the group.
Jia Zhuangyuan stomped his foot in frustration and shouted, “Avoid them! These things cannot be touched!”
Upon hearing this, everyone quickly scattered, desperately dodging the four beetles. At that moment, more beetles flew out of the mouths of the other saber-toothed tigers, buzzing in the air as they searched for targets. Soon, they spotted Liu Dashao and the others and, flapping their transparent wings, charged toward them.
Soon, about a dozen of these beetles filled the Yama Hall, chasing the group relentlessly. Everyone scrambled desperately, recalling the strange scene when one beetle was struck and split into four. No one dared to hit these bizarre insects.
Suddenly, an unknown voice let out a scream of agony. All the flying beetles immediately turned and flew toward the source. Everyone turned to look and saw Yang Weidong clutching his head, howling in pain. To their horror, his hair was on fire, and his face seemed to be corroded by something. His facial muscles made a “hissing” sound and rapidly withered. A smell of something burning filled the Yama Hall.
Before anyone could react, all the beetles swarmed toward him. Yang Weidong’s body suddenly burst into flames, writhing in agony. His piercing screams chilled everyone to the bone. With a loud “boom,” he collapsed to the ground, still struggling in the fire. It seemed he wouldn’t die anytime soon.
The sight of a living person burning alive was too cruel to bear. Everyone turned away, unable to watch. Fan Debiao was so terrified that her mouth hung open, unsure whether she wanted to cry or scream.
At that moment, tears in his eyes, Cai Qingchong stepped forward, raised his gun, and fired at the writhing, burning figure. The gunfire rang out, and Yang Weidong finally stopped moving and screaming. The flames still burned, and the strange beetles hadn’t yet flown away from his body. Jia Zhuangyuan whispered, “We must leave immediately. If 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 saber-toothed tigers everywhere, and inside the temple are these ghostly 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 terrifying beetles!”
Liu Dashao nodded and said, “Master Jia is right. These beetles are impossible to fight. Compared to them, 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 finished speaking, two white beetles suddenly flew out from the burning pile where Yang Weidong lay and quickly flew toward the group.
At this point, there was no choice left. Without hesitation, everyone 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 and louder. It seemed the beetles had all flown out and were chasing right behind them.
Outside the door was an extremely long underground canyon, stretching endlessly without end. On both sides of the canyon were countless tall, sharp pillars, like knife-edged peaks. However, to everyone’s surprise, there was not a single saber-toothed tiger in sight.
At this point, they no longer cared whether they would encounter saber-toothed tigers or not. The white beetles following them were the most terrifying threat. With a determined direction, everyone ran desperately down the canyon.
The steep cliffs on both sides whizzed past their sides, but those hated white beetles relentlessly pursued them, buzzing ominously behind.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage