Zhang Tian's expression changed.
Rouzhi was an extremely rare substance, the primordial ancestor of all things, growing in places where feng shui was greatly disturbed and yin and yang were out of balance.
However, Zhang Tian had never expected the rouzhi before him to be so large.
And the entire tomb chamber of King Xian was made of rouzhi.
"It must be that punch just now that disturbed the sleeping rouzhi, causing the entire tomb chamber to change," Zhang Tian muttered. The others looked on with disbelief.
"Boss, what kind of creature is this? It's so big, and it can support the entire tomb chamber?" Fatty asked, looking at the gradually reddening walls of the tomb chamber that were now exuding an unknown liquid, his face full of confusion.
"Rouzhi is not a creature, but a plant. This plant is very rare, basically legendary," Zhang Tian shook his head, his expression serious. This was the first time Zhang Tian had seen such a thing; he had only heard of it.
At this moment, the entire tomb chamber began to shake. The rouzhi looked like a person's stomach, fleshy and soft underfoot. Hu Bayi steadied himself and spoke slowly.
"Legend has it that rouzhi has a black, eye-like core that resembles a void. If we can find that, perhaps we can be saved!" Hu Bayi's voice echoed.
At this moment, Zhang Qilin's figure had already arrived in front of the coffin. With a sudden lift of his hand, Zhang Qilin overturned the coffin that had been placed in the tomb chamber. Immediately, a chrysanthemum-like circular hole appeared before them.
"That hole, it's here," Zhang Qilin said, and everyone rushed towards the opening. However, after only a few steps, hissing sounds emanated from the rouzhi walls around them. In the next moment, countless human figures appeared on the walls of the entire tomb chamber! The figures were extremely similar to dried corpses, small and thin, with their mouths agape, appearing to be in agony. Seeing this, everyone stopped in their tracks.
"What are those things?" Shirley Yang frowned. Zhang Tian looked around the walls. The group of monsters, like blood corpses, were approaching Zhang Tian and the others, hissing as if they wanted to bite them to death.
"Those should be the offerings King Xian sacrificed to the rouzhi. The rouzhi survives by consuming these corpses," Zhang Tian said calmly, observing the situation. "I didn't expect these corpses, abandoned in the rouzhi, to not be completely dead yet."
"Boss, Fatty will stop those monsters. You guys hurry and find a way out," Fatty said, running towards the wall. As Fatty moved, the Princess from his jade pendant emerged. Their attacks continuously landed on the rouzhi, and the group of corpses let out wails.
Seeing this, Zhang Tian no longer paid attention to their surroundings. The priority was to leave here. Who knew what other properties the rouzhi possessed if they didn't leave? Most importantly, a yellow, unknown liquid was constantly dripping from the interior of the rouzhi. This liquid was corrosive, likely a form of stomach acid from within the rouzhi.
"Look inside here!" "There seems to be something inside!" Suddenly, in front of the hole, Hu Bayi and Shirley Yang spoke almost simultaneously. After they spoke, Zhang Tian turned his gaze to the interior of the hole. Within the chrysanthemum-like hole, it was dark and blurry, but a faint red attracted Zhang Tian's attention.
"Legend has it that rouzhi has a black, eye-like part that resembles a void. Its form varies; one eye is a Tai Sui, two eyes are Qing Hu. Only when it develops complete facial features does it become a Wu Tou." "This should be a Wu Tou," Zhang Tian muttered. He guessed that the space within this Wu Tou likely contained King Xian's coffin. However, Zhang Tian was unsure if anything strange would occur within the coffin.
Fatty and the Princess were holding back the corpses, seemingly with ease. "There are so many Tai Sui here," Hu Bayi said, looking around. Besides the rouzhi walls, there were also some jelly-like fleshy bodies. These were called Tai Sui. Tai Sui were rumored to have the power to resurrect the dead, but their abilities were merely exaggerated. Still, it was a precious medicinal ingredient.
"This rouzhi has already revived. In less than an hour, the entire cave will collapse. We need to leave quickly," Hu Bayi said. However, Zhang Tian noticed something amiss. If the entire tomb chamber was formed from rouzhi, then the Princess's location also had a Wu Tou eye. This meant that King Xian not only intended for the Princess to block intruders but also to open the Wu Tou eye! As everyone entered, the air would circulate. With the Princess moved aside by Zhang Tian and the others, the Wu Tou eye would naturally open, allowing air to circulate and revive the rouzhi, thus causing the collapse of the entire tomb chamber. This was King Xian's final stratagem. Thinking this, Zhang Tian took a breath. King Xian had truly made extensive plans for his tomb. From the Lingyun Heavenly Palace to this underground palace, every step was fraught with danger, all to protect the final resting place.
"Look, the rouzhi meat is gradually opening and closing! It looks like it's breathing!" "Wait, there seems to be another hole over there!" Shirley Yang pointed to a spot not far away. Within the rouzhi, there was another circular hole that seemed to be breathing, opening and closing. Zhang Tian also felt an extremely strong aura of death.
"No way." Zhang Tian's heart sank. If King Xian were to revive here, they would be trapped and die within an hour. "Let's go see," Zhang Tian said without hesitation, rushing to the hole Shirley Yang had pointed out. As the hole opened and closed, Shirley Yang shone her flashlight inside. Upon seeing the situation within, Zhang Tian, Zhang Qilin, and Hu Bayi exchanged glances. Inside the rouzhi, a shimmering red-gold coffin with intricate golden patterns appeared before them. This coffin was incredibly luxurious. Pure gold was used to craft coiling golden dragons above it. The wood used to build the coffin was ten-thousand-year-old Xuyuanzi wood and red blood wood, forming a Xuyuan Hongguan! From the value of this coffin alone, it was clear that it was priceless. Sensing the aura emanating from the coffin, Zhang Tian took a breath. The powerful aura of death was far beyond what the Xuan Shi outside could compare to. Moreover, this aura had a sense of oppression. Zhang Tian felt that if the being inside were released, they might truly not be its match.
"This must be King Xian's coffin," Shirley Yang said with a serious tone, looking at the Xuyuan Hongguan below.
"Boss! Hurry! The walls are closing in! Fatty can't hold them off!" Fatty shouted from the rouzhi wall. To escape now, they would either have to blow through the rouzhi or find an exit. However, time was running out for Zhang Tian. If he wanted the Muchen Bead, he would have to take this risk!