"It seems the entire tomb chamber is covered by star lines. Anyone capable of designing such a tomb must have exceptional insights into feng shui and formations," Zhang Tian remarked, admiring the lines beneath his feet.
"I only managed to decipher the second star line before. There are three in total here, and they are incredibly difficult to crack," Daoist Dan He whispered, shaking his head slightly with a hint of regret.
Zhang Tian quickened his pace, and soon, the group reached the very bottom of the tomb.
Upon looking around, they found the entire chamber devoid of darkness, operating in a manner almost opposite to other tombs. The tomb was brightly lit, with walls adorned with red glowing crystals.
However, when Zhang Tian saw the center of the chamber, he couldn't help but be astonished. Despite having explored numerous tombs and witnessed many breathtaking sights, this one would undoubtedly rank among the very best.
The countless red crystals within the chamber seemed to illuminate a single object at its center. At the heart of the tomb, a giant golden dragon's tail coiled at the base, its body connected to the walls and spiraling up to the highest point of the ceiling. The dragon's body, bathed in the faint glow of the crystals, appeared exceptionally radiant. The tomb was approximately thirty meters high, and the carved golden dragon occupied the entire space, a testament to its immense size and grandeur.
"It truly is the Golden Dragon Bestowing Blessings," Hu Bayi exclaimed, his eyes reflecting the same shock as he beheld the scene.
"Old Hu, why is there a chain tied to the dragon's mouth?" Fatty's gaze fixed on the coffin held within the golden dragon's jaws at the very top. The Black Gold Ancient Coffin now gleamed with an unusual brilliance.
"Golden Dragon Bestowing Blessings, also known as the Golden Dragon Coffin Locking Formation. It utilizes the dragon's energy to secure the coffin, then employs the coffin as the center for the formation," Hu Bayi explained in a raspy voice, his compass pointer continuously shifting, likely affected by the surrounding magnetic field. "This allows the person within the coffin to completely control the formation and also absorb the dragon's energy, drawing from the dragon's脉 (mài - vein/energy line), to achieve the blessing."
"Such a massive golden dragon! Tianzhen, this is the biggest dragon I've ever seen. Too bad I don't have a camera," Wang Banyue gasped, swallowing hard.
"Indeed, it's worthy of ancient architecture. It truly captures the essence of celestial craftsmanship. I wonder how such a structure was built," Wu Tianzhen echoed in admiration.
"Uncle, there's such strong killing intent! What should we do now?" Taro and the other little ghosts, who had emerged, asked nervously, looking at the giant dragon with fear.
"Don't worry, let's break the formation first," Zhang Tian said, turning his attention to the star lines on the ground. The three star lines were tangled and messy, failing to form any constellations, let alone any recognizable celestial patterns. It was clear that to break the formation, the surrounding star lines needed to be connected first.
"Boss, it seems these star lines are connected by bricks! They can be removed!" Fatty, crouching down, was already prying at the star lines.
"To decipher it, we need to rearrange their positions and calculate the correct orientations to connect them into the main constellations," Hu Bayi mused, having already considered countless solutions. Zhang Tian, as a formation master, was also contemplating the problem, seeing it as an opportunity to expand his knowledge.
"These three star lines should correspond to Bai Hu (White Tiger), Zhu Que (Vermillion Bird), and Xuan Wu (Black Tortoise), the three great constellations," Zhang Tian stated. "And the tombs we passed through earlier also involved these three. The only one missing is Qing Long (Azure Dragon), which seems to have transformed into this golden dragon," Hu Bayi continued.
"A golden dragon is no ordinary creature. Boss, I have an idea!" Hu Bayi's eyes lit up.
Zhang Tian's lips curved into a smile; he had thought of something too. "I have one as well. Shall we say them together?"
"Yes." Hu Bayi nodded.
Zhang Tian counted to three. "Use the star lines to connect the constellations, then set up a killing formation to ambush the Azure Dragon!" Zhang Tian and Hu Bayi spoke in unison. They exchanged a knowing smile, their synergy reaching its peak.
Zhang Qilin, however, remained silent, his gaze fixed on the coffin. A hint of wariness flickered in his eyes. Zhang Qilin possessed acute senses and could feel the presence of an extremely powerful being within, likely surpassing him in cultivation.
"Boss, shall we break the formation now?" Hu Bayi inquired.
Zhang Tian shook his head. "No, let's set up our own first!" A smile played on Zhang Tian's lips; this had become a tradition. Leaving a fallback plan before opening a coffin was a habit Zhang Tian had cultivated.
"Set up a formation?" Wu Tianzhen and the others looked puzzled, having not witnessed Zhang Tian setting up formations before opening coffins. Daoist Dan He watched the younger generation with keen interest. "I never expected today's youngsters to be so meticulous. Not only are they not arrogant about their powerful abilities, but they also understand the importance of leaving a way out. I can't fathom how Yimei managed to deceive them," Dan He thought, his admiration for Zhang Tian and his companions growing with every passing moment. They were indeed ideal candidates for disciples.
"Old Hu, let's first set up a Qilin Capturing Formation and a Golden Light Formation. The Golden Light Formation can temporarily weaken anyone entering it," Zhang Tian instructed. "Combined with the Qilin Formation, it will yield better results. This tomb has a self-destruct system. We must find an exit before the tomb is destroyed. If there isn't one, we'll create our own," Zhang Tian said, looking at Wu Tianzhen. "Young Master Wu, you and Brother Banyue, find the weakest point in the tomb chamber and plant explosives. We'll withdraw after we're done."
Wu Tianzhen glanced at his backpack, the explosives conveniently placed at the top. "Young Master Zhang, Fatty and I will get the explosives. You guys be careful." Wu Tianzhen then led Wang Banyue upwards. Meanwhile, Zhang Tian and the others began setting up their formations. The materials used for the formations were, of course, talismans.
Soon, Zhang Tian had completed his formations. Concurrently, Wu Tianzhen and Wang Banyue, using their knowledge of tomb structures, identified the weakest points. At this moment, everything was ready, awaiting the crucial element.
"Young Master Wu, Brother Wang, and Uncle-Master, for your safety, please stand outside the formation," Zhang Tian said. Daoist Dan He's current strength was limited, being merely a skeleton. He was slightly stronger than Wu Tianzhen and the others, and Zhang Tian was concerned they might get injured.
"Alright, you be careful," Dan He replied without hesitation, leading the others to a safe distance. Zhang Tian then turned his gaze to the star lines. "We'll draw the diagrams first. Taro, please provide cover for us." Zhang Tian glanced at Taro and the others. Taro gritted his teeth and nodded, and the children quickly formed a tight circle around the entire tomb chamber.
"Boss, let's start with the first star line. According to the Bagua, advancing one from Qian leads to Kui Mu Lang," Hu Bayi explained. "That's the Bai Hu constellation. Based on the star lines, starting from the west and moving east, we advance one from eight." Zhang Tian nodded slightly; he now understood how to break the formation. With minimal communication from Hu Bayi, Zhang Tian fluidly began rearranging the star lines. Hu Bayi was also busy, and their figures moved rapidly across the floor tiles.
Meanwhile, Wang Kaixuan, who had been observing from the sidelines, took a candle out of his backpack. "Brother Kaixuan, what's this for?" Wu Tianzhen asked curiously.
"A Mojin Xiaowei (Tomb Raiding Officer) lights a lamp when raiding. If the lamp goes out, we leave," Fatty said, lighting the candle. The candle flame flickered and then, in the next moment, turned green.