Below them, vast golden mountains of gold appeared before everyone's eyes, illuminated by the signal flare.
Beyond the mountains of gold, there were countless treasures, antiques, burial objects, and more.
The sheer scale of it all left the onlookers stunned.
Even the expert team, accustomed to grand spectacles, found themselves swallowing hard.
The dazzling expanse of glittering jewels, antiques, and even national treasures made everyone's eyes water.
Soon, Professor Li was the first to react.
"We've truly met someone noble."
"These jewels, and this mountain of gold, show no signs of being tampered with, except for that one path that has been walked."
"And for the great rejuvenation of our Xia nation, this wealth is more than enough!"
Professor Li's voice was filled with excitement.
Who wouldn't be mesmerized by this sight?
Even Zhang Tian had been momentarily stunned when he first saw it.
He had even considered taking some with him.
What more could be expected from these experts? Ordinary people had never seen such a quantity of wealth.
"We're rich," whispered Xiao Guang, his eyes burning with a fervent light.
Professor Chen's hands trembled.
"No, these do not belong to us. They belong to Xia. The legends were true, the Jingjue ancient city truly collected resources from surrounding countries."
"If all of this is handed over, it will amount to an immense sum!" Professor Chen murmured, already envisioning himself receiving a first-class merit award for his contribution.
A first-class merit award in Xia was not easily obtained unless one had made an exceptionally significant contribution.
Donating all of this would be more than just a first-class merit; it might even earn a special commendation.
The thought alone was exhilarating.
"There's so much here. I wonder if it would be alright to take just a little?" Chen Dongping harbored a fleeting desire to pocket some of the treasures.
After all, faced with such immense wealth, anyone would be tempted by greed.
Even Zhang Tian had almost succumbed to it.
Fortunately, he hadn't voiced his thoughts, or he would have been ostracized by everyone.
"Wonderful, Professor Chen! We've finally found it. The secret of the Jingjue Queen is right before our eyes. Shall we go down?" Hao Aiguo said with burning enthusiasm.
However, Professor Li frowned slightly.
"I've examined this map. It ends here, with no further indication. It seems they didn't want us to proceed further."
"I don't recommend going any deeper. We should be content with what we have." Professor Li stated.
In truth, he was already quite satisfied. He had no desire to delve deeper into the secrets of the Jingjue ancient city, as the treasures they had found were more than enough.
"Professor Li, we are here for archaeology. We not only need to find these antiques but also to understand the secrets of each tomb chamber's era."
"Don't you want to know why the Jingjue Queen died?" Professor Chen interjected, his face alight with fervor.
Professor Li was about to say something more, but seeing Chen's expression, he hesitated.
"Then let's just take a brief look inside." Professor Li conceded, and the others readily agreed.
With the light of the signal flare, they followed the small path and soon reached the expanse of gold coins.
"This is Western Regions silk, this is ancient Western Regions pottery, this is..." Hao Aiguo identified the various items surrounding them.
"Aiguo, look, there's a path ahead. Perhaps it leads to the Jingjue Queen's tomb. We must find the true reason for the downfall of the Jingjue ancient city."
"This glorious kingdom, its burial sites are filled with such glorious civilizations. We must find it." Professor Chen said to his beloved disciple.
Meanwhile, Chen Dongping was lost in a daze, captivated by the multitude of artifacts and treasures.
Further behind, Xiao Li, with Huang Shulang, also descended into the tomb.
Huang Shulang's eyes gleamed as he surveyed the surroundings.
It wasn't the gold coins that excited him, but the curse imbued within them.
Huang Shulang was skilled in curses and various strange magical arts.
The curses on these gold coins were of a low level, easily dispelled by him.
He also possessed the ability to absorb the curse power of others for his own use, as long as the curse was of a lower level than his own.
These gold coins, though cursed, had a low-level, almost imperceptible curse.
Despite the low level and weak potency of the curses, their sheer quantity was impressive.
"Once I absorb all of this, my strength will surely increase significantly," Huang Shulang mused, a smile gracing his lips.
However, just as he was about to begin absorbing, something on the wall caught his attention.
"Is this... a talisman?"
Upon seeing this, Huang Shulang felt a surge of anger.
He had a strong aversion to such items, and seeing one here only fueled his displeasure.
But then, he reasoned that the talisman must be there for a reason, so he refrained from acting. Instead, he lay on Xiao Li's hand, closed his eyes, and began to absorb the surrounding energy.
By this time, the expert team had finished surveying the immediate area.
"It's truly astonishing. I never imagined the Jingjue Queen could amass such a wealth," Professor Li murmured, his gaze drifting towards Professor Chen and his group, who were venturing deeper into the tomb.
Professor Chen and the others were now moving further away.
"Professor Li, Professor Chen is too persistent," Xiao Guang commented from the side.
Professor Li nodded in agreement.
"Alas, he is like that. Once he finds an ancient tomb, he will investigate it thoroughly." Professor Li sighed, then turned his attention to Xiao Li.
"Xiao Li, wait for us here. We're going to catch up to them." Professor Li instructed. Xiao Li nodded.
"Don't worry, I'll keep a close watch," Xiao Li assured him. Professor Li, seeing no issues, followed by Xiao Guang, hurried after the others.
"Look! What is that?" Hao Aiguo pointed towards a passageway in the distance after passing through the tomb passage.
During the battle between Zhang Tian and the Jingjue Queen, although the Corpse Incense Magic Lotus died, the surroundings had bloomed with Lycoris radiata.
Later, during the fight with the Serpent God, the area had begun to collapse, but some of the Lycoris radiata had persisted.
The effects of the Lycoris radiata had spread throughout the tomb.
While these effects might have been negligible to Zhang Tian, they were fatal to ordinary people, especially those with greedy hearts.
"What beautiful flowers," Chen Dongping murmured. Suddenly, he seemed to see a beautiful figure in his vision.
It was someone he knew intimately.
"Is this... Xuelian?"
"You've come back to life?"
Xuelian was a woman Chen Dongping had deeply loved, but she had tragically died in the war.
He had met his current wife only after her death.
Yet, Chen Dongping had never forgotten Xuelian.
Had she truly been resurrected? Chen Dongping whispered, his eyes filled with emotion.
"Come back to life, my love!"
Seeing Chen Dongping's wavering state, Professor Chen shouted from the side.
But Chen Dongping seemed not to hear, his steps already carrying him forward.
"No! He's hallucinating!"
"Stop him quickly!" Professor Li, who had just arrived, shouted, rushing forward.
Not far ahead lay the Ghost Eye of the Ghost Tribe. If Chen Dongping fell into it, there would be no chance of survival.
At this moment, Professor Chen also realized the danger and rushed towards Chen Dongping, along with the others.
But Chen Dongping, as if beckoned by a call, suddenly sprinted forward.
He ran like a mad dog, rushing towards the bones.
"Xuelian, don't go!" he cried out, and the next moment, he plunged into the Ghost Eye.
Just before he leaped, a strange smile appeared on his lips.
Professor Chen was utterly stunned by this sight, his face turning deathly pale.
His son was dead? Just like that?
Meanwhile, Chen Xi's eyes widened. Xuelian wasn't her mother's name.