Exploring the Illusory Tomb Part 1 [Ancient Times Version] - Chapter 13: Heaven and Earth in the Formation

Chapter 13: Heaven and Earth in the Formation

There was not a single good place on this handsome man’s body. The wounds that were cut open were constantly oozing fresh bl00d. They showed just how fierce the attack from that group of monsters had been.

I was shocked. I quickly took out some wound medicine powder and sprinkled it on the man’s wounds. I then simply bandaged the wound for him. The man was in so much pain that he couldn’t say half a word. He was only letting out low, painful groans. Strangely, though, his eyes didn’t blink even once. He only stared dead at Luo Shen, which was truly strange.

Seeing the look in this man’s eyes, I asked curiously: 

“Luo Shen, do you know him?”

Luo Shen faintly shook her head and said: 

“I don’t know him.”

“Then why is he looking at you like that?”

“Don’t know.” 

This woman, it’s better when she doesn’t speak—once she does, the cold aura could freeze someone into an ice lump.

I was helpless. So I decided to change the subject: 

“Then what do we do now? We can’t just leave this man behind, right? Those monsters are still nearby… Right, what are those things?”

Luo Shen bent down. She seemed to take notice of the red lotus on the man’s chest, and was dazed for a second. She then answered me: 

“They are Taotie beasts. Their hearing is very sharp, and their appetite extremely large. They are forbidden beasts from the Southern Barbarians.”

Southern Barbarians again? The incense used in the ancient Yaksha lamp was already a Southern Barbarian item. And now some Taotie beast I’ve never even heard of shows up. Could it be that this ancient tomb has some kind of entanglement with the Southern Barbarians?

But this tomb clearly follows the specifications of Central Plains burial traditions. Since ancient times, the Central Plains and border tribes have had deep divisions. Plus, the Southern Barbarians specialize in witchcraft and poison—people from the Central Plains have always feared them. Logically, they shouldn’t be mixed together.

While I was lost in thought, Luo Shen had already helped the man up. He was not avoiding it at all. He placed his hand on her own shoulder. She said coldly: 

“Bear the pain, or be left here to meet the King of Hell.”

I was just admiring her righteousness in saving someone when the next thing she said almost choked me—you’re already saving, why scare people too? Can’t you say something nice? But then again, if you really expected this ice cube to say something tender, I’d probably be scared to death myself.

The man leaned against Luo Shen. He was slowly moving with her steps. He must have been severely injured—only coughed a few times intermittently, and didn’t say much. Judging from the red lotus on his body and that of the dead person earlier, they probably belonged to the same organization. But having lived in seclusion for years, I had no idea what new forces had emerged in the martial world. I figured the other party probably brought a large group into this place. Were they here for the same purpose as us—for the mysterious gold foil—or for some other reason? But seeing the man so badly injured he couldn’t speak, I couldn’t bear to ask. I had to swallow my questions.

Because we were carrying an injured person, we walked very slowly. We twisted and turned through the narrow passage. Fortunately, the route Luo Shen picked was very good. And we didn’t run into any danger along the way. Suddenly, the path opened up—it was no longer that cold and endless corridor. Only then did I realize we had entered a tomb chamber.

The range of the firestick’s light was limited. So I couldn’t see how big the chamber was. I could only see that a high platform had been built in the center of the chamber. On top of it was placed a stone coffin. At the east, west, south, and north positions, four smaller high platforms had also been set up. Each of them had something placed in the center. I curiously went over to take a look—and it turned out to be demon-suppressing plaques made from Yuan-ya wood. It had cinnabar-painted flying dragons and phoenixes, carved in Han Dynasty seal script.

“If I’m not mistaken, this is a Ghost-Subduing Formation?” 

I asked in surprise.

“Miss Shi speaks rightly. This is indeed a Ghost-Subduing Formation.” 

Just as I finished speaking, a familiar old voice rang out. Then several figures emerged from the darkness—it was Qing Songzi, Xiao Jian, Xie Long, and Cheng Yun.

I was both shocked and delighted. I stepped forward and said: 

“So everyone’s here!”

Xiao Jian jumped in front of me in a few steps. He was almost tearing up. He grabbed my hand excitedly and said: 

“Shishi, you unlucky girl, how did you get lost? You made Brother Xiao so worried!”

Cheng Yun, on the side, laughed and said: 

“Xiao-zi, stop using this chance to get handsy—I know what you’re thinking. Move your hand away!”

I quietly pulled my hand back from Xiao Jian’s grasp. I then smiled awkwardly and changed the topic: 

“Is there something vicious in this stone coffin? Worth the trouble of setting up a whole Ghost-Subduing Formation to trap it?”

Ghost-Subduing Formation—as the name suggests, is a formation used to suppress evil spirits. When setting it up, it must use the spiritual energy from the east, west, south, and north. It then uses cinnabar as ink and Yuan-ya wood as plaques. Moreover, Yuan-ya wood is extremely rare. Unless there’s deep hatred, such a formation usually wouldn’t be used lightly.

Luo Shen set the injured man down. She walked to my side and said: 

“We accidentally ended up here and found you missing. So we stayed here for a while. This tomb chamber feels completely out of place in the entire tomb. If this was meant for the tomb owner to rest in, a Ghost-Subduing Formation would never be placed here. Such an arrangement is extremely fierce—it would completely ruin the tomb’s feng shui and dragon energy. Now that everyone is here, we should leave this place immediately, to avoid unnecessary trouble.”

“You hear that, Xiao-zi? You ghost brat, still thinking of messing with that coffin? Be careful, or you won’t die a good death!” 

Cheng Yun jabbed Xiao Jian with a sinister look.

Xiao Jian scratched his head and smiled: 

“See, I held back, didn’t I? This really is freaky—anything that looks valuable, you can’t touch. Do you think I’m possessed by the White Tiger this year, with zero luck?”

Qing Songzi said: 

“Since we’re all together now, let’s move out early. This place truly isn’t safe for long.” 

Suddenly, he glanced at the injured man resting to the side. He asked curiously: 

“Who is this? Could it be that apart from us, others have also entered this tomb?”

I quickly explained: 

“Taoist priest, indeed, another group has entered the ancient tomb. This young man was seriously injured, and Luo Shen and I brought him over.”

Qing Songzi heard this, slightly narrowed his eyes, and looked the man up and down—his gaze sharp like a blade. Suddenly, as if he saw something, his eyes turned extremely fierce. In the blink of an eye, the longsword on his back was in his hand. And he thrust it toward the man. I was so shocked by his sudden action that I froze, forgetting to move. Only a loud *clang* was heard—the longsword was suddenly deflected. Qing Songzi was forced back by some force. Once he steadied himself, he furiously shouted at Luo Shen: 

“Lady Luo, why did you stop me from taking my revenge!”

At this moment, Qing Songzi was like a mad beast—his eyes bloodshot. He was completely different from his usual calm elder appearance.

Luo Shen stood in front of the injured man. There was frost in her eyes behind her mask. She coldly said: 

“Taoist priest, he is already seriously injured. No matter what deep grudge you have, taking advantage of someone’s weakness is disgraceful.”

“*Cough… cough…*” 

The injured man had just taken a walk at death’s door. He gritted his teeth and barely squeezed out a few words. He was seemingly in great pain: 

“Taoist priest… Feng Jun has no… no enmity with you… why would you… attack me…”

“Hmph, no enmity?” 

Qing Songzi glared at him, flicked his sleeve, and asked sternly: 

“Tell me—aren’t you from Mo Yin Valley?”