Zhang Enpu stroked his whiskers, which bristled like pine needles under his chin, and said, “Of course, this Shihun isn’t a ghost, but neither is it human—it’s essentially a human soul. According to Taoist records, the process of creating a Shihun is extremely mysterious. Maoshan sorcerers would use a soul-summoning banner to draw a living person’s soul out of their body. Then, they would seal the soul and finally store it inside a coffin. Since the Shihun exists in a spiritual state, it doesn’t occupy physical space within the coffin. It can only remain inside, forever accompanying its deceased master.”
“What the hell! How can these nobles think of such twisted methods? Even in death, they want servants. Truly rotten to the core!” Tian Guoqiang said angrily.
A vague thought flickered in Liu Dashao’s mind—soul-summoning banner?
“Hey, these chains are wrapped so tightly, how are we supposed to get them off?” Tian Guoqiang asked, staring at the stone coffin in confusion.
Liu Dashao raised his rifle butt and said, “Let me try!” With a grunt, he swung the shovel hard onto the chain, producing a sharp ‘ding’ and a shower of sparks. The shock traveled up his arms, numbing his palms as he staggered back and forth. Yet, when he looked down at the chain, aside from a faint mark, it remained completely undamaged.
Examining his rifle butt, he saw a visible crack had formed. This military-grade rifle was forged from high-quality steel, known for its resilience. Yet it had cracked from the impact, proving just how much tougher the chain on the stone coffin was.
Liu Dashao stared at the shovel in disbelief, muttering, “The old tortoise finally met a hawk—this time, we’re really stuck!”
Suddenly, Tian Guoqiang exclaimed, “Hey, Dashao, look! The chains on the stone coffin seem to form some kind of pattern!”
Liu Dashao squinted hard at the coffin. With Tian Guoqiang reminding him not to blink, after about ten seconds of intense staring, Liu finally saw something strange—the previously chaotic chains now formed a distinct pattern.
He gasped aloud, “A ladle! It’s a ladle!”
Rubbing his aching eyes, the ladle pattern vanished, and the chains returned to their tangled mess.
Staring blankly at Zhang Enpu, Liu asked, “Old Taoist, what’s going on? Did something happen to my eyes?”
“No!” Zhang shook his head. “This chain is made of Xuantie, a legendary metal known for its extreme hardness. It’s said to be the best material for crafting superior weapons—any weapon infused with even a tiny amount of Xuantie can cut through iron like mud.”
“At first, I wondered why such valuable Xuantie chains were used to bind this stone coffin. I originally thought they were just randomly wrapped around it, but after your observation, I finally understood—the chains on this coffin form the ‘Seven Malevolence Everlasting Lock!'”
“The Seven Malevolence Everlasting Lock?”
Liu Dashao and Tian Guoqiang exchanged puzzled glances, waiting for Zhang Enpu to continue.
Zhang explained, “This Seven Malevolence Everlasting Lock was believed to have vanished over a thousand years ago. I never expected to encounter it here today, meaning this ancient tomb must be at least a thousand years old. The Seven Malevolence Everlasting Lock creates a unique optical illusion, somewhat similar to the three-dimensional science studied by foreigners. At first glance, it appears meaningless, but the true secret lies hidden within!”
“Three-dimensional…立体? Could it really be that ancient people a thousand years ago already understood such concepts?” Liu and Tian stared at each other, unable to find words to express their astonishment.
Zhang continued, “Perhaps. We often assume that the world is constantly progressing, that modern people are smarter and more knowledgeable than those in the past. But reality doesn’t always support that view. I once read a report stating that during the excavation of the First Emperor’s mausoleum, an incredibly sharp and resilient sword was discovered. National testing revealed that the sword’s durability came from a rare metallic element. What astonished scientists was that even with the most advanced methods, this element couldn’t be extracted. So how did the ancients manage to extract it and incorporate it into the sword? Tell me, is that progress or regression in civilization?”
Zhang’s words reminded Liu Dashao of a phrase he once read: “Civilization develops like a circle, eventually returning to its starting point.”
He thought, perhaps this is what Buddhism means by reincarnation.
Tian Guoqiang murmured, “Then… how do we unlock this Seven Malevolence Everlasting Lock?”
Zhang replied, “Disarming mechanisms and formations is usually the specialty of tomb raiders. However, as a direct disciple of the Celestial Master sect, I can’t disgrace our ancestors. Although this Seven Malevolence Everlasting Lock is extremely intricate and challenging to dismantle, I’m willing to give it a try.”
Liu Dashao began to admire this thin-faced Zhang Enpu more and more, reminding him of the saying: “One shouldn’t judge a person by appearance, just as one shouldn’t measure the sea with a dipper!”
Tian Guoqiang asked doubtfully, “Master Zhang, can you really unlock this Seven Malevolence Everlasting Lock?”
Zhang smiled confidently, “If I can recognize it as the Seven Malevolence Everlasting Lock, I can definitely unlock it. Let me recall—there should be records about it in the notes of past Celestial Masters!”
With that, Zhang walked aside, sat down, and closed his eyes in deep thought.
Liu Dashao and Tian Guoqiang dared not interrupt, silently waiting nearby while the white-headed Bai Erlaizi simply lay down and fell asleep.
Minute by minute passed, Zhang seemingly entering a meditative state like a monk in deep contemplation, motionless.
Tian Guoqiang grew impatient, but Liu Dashao quickly held him back, whispering, “Wait a little longer!”
Just as he finished speaking, Zhang suddenly opened his eyes, confidence gleaming in his pupils. He swiftly stood up and wordlessly approached the stone coffin to begin unlocking it.
The Seven Malevolence Everlasting Lock was extremely complex. Zhang pulled and threaded the chains, occasionally retreating to ponder deeply, his brows furrowed, his expression solemn.
Tian Guoqiang quietly asked Liu Dashao, “Do you really think this old Taoist can unlock it?”
Liu replied, “I believe he can. You know, since dealing with the Jiangshi and Lingguan, I’ve grown increasingly impressed with him. He’s like a treasure trove of knowledge, knowing everything!”
“Dashao, come quickly!” Zhang excitedly called them over.
Liu Dashao and Tian Guoqiang hurried over. “Did you unlock it?”
Wiping sweat from his forehead, Zhang said, “Just one final step remains. Strong, go to that corner and grab that chain. Dashao, you take this corner and hold the chain too.”
“Alright, listen carefully. On the count of three, we all pull backward together. Understand?”
They both nodded.
“One!”
“Two!”
“Three!”
Together, they pulled the chains. With a loud clinking sound, the incredibly sturdy Xuantie chain actually slid off the stone coffin.
Liu Dashao exclaimed in admiration, “No wonder you’re the top Taoist master—you really do have some skills!”
Zhang smiled while rubbing his hands, “Humble thanks! If my father were here to unlock the Seven Malevolence Everlasting Lock, he might have finished it in half the time!”
“Alright, it’s getting late. Let’s hurry and open the coffin!” Tian Guoqiang said, reaching for the lid—but it wouldn’t budge.
Zhang crouched down to examine it. “Strong, go over there and push forward hard!”
Skeptical but obedient, Tian moved to the other side of the stone coffin and pushed. With a deep rumbling sound, the lid slowly slid forward.
Surprised, Tian asked, “Why couldn’t I lift it from the side earlier?”
Zhang pointed to a hidden groove on the top of the coffin. “This lid uses a latch mechanism, similar to the back cover of a flashlight!”
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