Chapter 3 The Third Cluster

The content of the third cluster recorded how Zhang Jiao and his two companions used their respective magical artifacts to divide the kingdom into two parts. One part was lifted from the desert into the sky, where people lived and worked in peace in the heavenly kingdom.

Professor Chen was immersed in thinking about the content of the third cluster, seemingly contemplating the relationship between the ancient Loulan Kingdom and the current underground ancient city, or perhaps how the ancient city flew into the sky and later ended up under the desert.

The content of the fourth cluster recorded Zhang Jiao, wearing a yellow Daoist robe and carrying a nine-section staff, leaving the heavenly kingdom on a crane.

The entire mural content about Zhang Jiao ended there.

Professor Chen suddenly realized and said to Duan Pengfei and the others, "We got the order wrong. Zhang Jiao didn't first attain enlightenment in the Central Plains and then come to the Western Regions to preach. Zhang Jiao first came to the Western Regions and then obtained some kind of power. Based on the teachings of Huang-Lao, he founded the Taiping Dao. In other words, the Taiping Dao was a tool he used to conceal the source of his power."

"Zhang Jiao's power did not come from the three volumes of heavenly books in unofficial history, but from the 'heaven' on the mural. It was 'heaven' that bestowed the three artifacts upon them, allowing them to gain extraordinary power. But what exactly 'heaven' is, we don't know," Professor Chen added.

Duan Pengfei followed up on Professor Chen's words and asked, "Zhang Jiao was such a powerful person, and he obtained powerful magical artifacts, so how could he have suddenly died of illness shortly after launching the Yellow Turban Rebellion? After his death, where did that nine-section staff with boundless magic power go?"

Professor Chen sighed, "That is unknown. However, after Zhang Jiao suddenly died of a serious illness, Huangfu Song sent someone to break open the coffin and desecrate the corpse, cutting off Zhang Jiao's head and transporting it back to the capital. During this process, Zhang Jiao's nine-section staff was not found, and no relevant historical books recorded it. I think Huangfu Song did not obtain Zhang Jiao's nine-section staff. If Huangfu Song had obtained Zhang Jiao's nine-section staff, then Huangfu Song would definitely have been the most powerful contender for the throne when the heroes rose up later."

The murals in the Taiping Temple completely subverted the understanding of Professor Chen, Duan Pengfei, and others. If the content of the murals was true, and if Zhang Jiao had not suddenly died, then with the blessing of the powerful force of the nine-section staff, Zhang Jiao would inevitably have been unstoppable, capturing cities and territories, and directly seizing the Han Dynasty. There would no longer have been the tripartite division of the Central Plains, and history might have been rewritten in an instant.

Rou Yi suddenly tugged at Fatty, pulled him to the side, and whispered, "Don't you feel like Zhang Jiao's experience is familiar?"

"Familiar?" Fatty scratched his head, indicating that he had no clue.

Rou Yi reminded him, "The Kingdom of Gakye, the first king, Dakan."

"Damn! I remember!" Fatty said excitedly, his voice a little loud, attracting the attention of Professor Chen and the others.

Rou Yi made a shushing gesture and quickly told Fatty to control his volume. Fortunately, Professor Chen and the others were still immersed in the discussion of the murals and did not pay too much attention to Fatty and Rou Yi.

Fatty lowered his voice and said, "Is that the one who was known as the undying God of War, extremely brave, and finally died outside?"

Rou Yi nodded, "Yes!"

Fatty pressed his temples, trying to recall that memory: "What was that crystal called again?"

"Rebirth Crystal," Rou Yi replied.

"Right! Right! Right!" Fatty said, "Are you saying that Zhang Jiao's nine-section staff might have a similar effect to the Rebirth Crystal?"

Rou Yi nodded again and said, "Think about it, the metaphor of 'heaven' in the murals is very likely to be a meteorite. Dakan obtained the Rebirth Crystal from a meteorite, and Zhang Jiao obtained the nine-section staff from 'heaven'. If you say that 'heaven' has nothing to do with meteorites, I don't believe it."

Fatty very much agreed with Rou Yi's statement. If Rou Yi's guess was true, then the danger they faced would naturally be no less than the danger in the underground palace in the Himalayas.

Professor Chen and the others were still discussing whether the "Yellow Heaven" in Zhang Jiao's slogan for launching the uprising, "The Azure Heaven is dead, the Yellow Heaven shall rise, the year is Jiazi, great fortune for the world," referred to the yellow sand of the Western Regions. Fatty interrupted their association and said to Professor Chen and the four others, "Let's hurry up and find a way out now. Being trapped here is useless no matter what we say."

Professor Chen wrote and drew everything he saw in his notebook before leaving the Taiping Temple.

After leaving the Taiping Temple, everyone found that the water level of the underground river had risen somewhat, and was almost overflowing the riverbank. Everyone was puzzled, why did the water level suddenly rise?

However, the doubts were answered not long after – dried corpses successively crawled ashore from the water of the underground river. They were wearing coarse woolen fabrics and sheepskins, dressed like ancient people. Although their skin was still reddish-brown, the color gradually faded and disappeared. Due to the absorption of water, their skin became much fuller.

More and more dried corpses crawled out of the river and gathered on the shore.

Fatty pointed at the group of people and said, "Damn, aren't those the dried corpses from just now? Is resurrection not enough, and they have to turn back into people again?"

Fatty's words came true. The reddish-brown color on the skin of the first few people who came ashore had completely disappeared, turning into normal skin color. After absorbing water, their bodies gradually became plump. Judging from their appearance, they were indeed characteristic of people from the Western Regions.

These could no longer be called dried corpses, but living people.

The people who came ashore from the river looked at each other, revealing a bewildered expression.

At this time, someone on the shore discovered Fatty and the others who came out of the Taoist temple. He pointed at Fatty and the others and seemed to say something to his companions in a gibberish language. More and more people noticed Fatty and the others. Their heads turned towards the Taoist temple in unison, their eyes staring fixedly at Fatty and the others, with an expression of glaring at invaders.

"Trouble..." Fatty murmured.

Fatty looked around, his gaze finally stopping on the largest and most magnificent temple in the entire kingdom. If they were to find a hiding place in a closed space, they would either hide in a small, unattended space, or find a larger space to maneuver with the enemy. Obviously, the people on the shore had already noticed Fatty and the others. Hiding in a small space would be tantamount to throwing themselves into the net, so finding the largest building was the best choice. Moreover, Fatty hoped to find a way out in that temple.

After thinking for a moment, Fatty said to Duan Pengfei and Wang Tieman beside him, "You two are physically strong. In a moment, carry Professor Chen and run towards that largest temple. The speed must be fast, and don't fall behind."

Then he said to Rou Yi and Liu Xiaojuan, "You two are thin and flexible. You two will scout the way ahead, find the shortest path, and let the three of them follow behind you."

"I'll cover you from behind and be responsible for stopping them. No matter what happens to me, don't look back, keep running, run to the temple and find a way to survive."

Fatty issued the order in an unquestionable tone, then took out his gun, loaded it, shielded Rou Yi and the others behind him, and said, "Go."