Wan Yunting tore off a corner of his ripped black cape, wrapped it around a wooden stick, and lit it to create a makeshift torch, though it wouldn't last long…
“Let’s go take a look…”
Wan Yunting struggled to stand up, and Zhou Ruoxi quickly supported him. Wan Yunting shook his head and smiled at her, indicating he could walk…
The two arrived at the cave entrance and broke off the grass branches blocking it, revealing the full view of the opening. Wan Yunting surveyed the ground at the entrance, noticing animal droppings…
Zhou Ruoxi looked a bit nervous, staying close behind him. Wan Yunting turned back and smiled reassuringly, “Senior Sister Zhou, those are rabbit droppings on the ground. There should only be rabbits inside, no dangerous animals. At most, there might be a few snakes. But don’t be afraid. Just follow me and watch your step.”
“Okay…”
Zhou Ruoxi nodded and followed closely behind Wan Yunting.
He said nothing further, raising the torch and slowly stepping into the cave. Wan Yunting’s pupils flashed with an eerie green light, and the pitch-black cave instantly became much clearer, as if he were wearing night-vision goggles. Even the minute details in the cave corners were not missed by his eyes. He held the torch merely to provide light for Zhou Ruoxi.
“This indeed looks like a cave where people have lived. Senior Sister, look here, there are chisel marks…”
Wan Yunting held up the torch, pointing to the chisel marks on the cave walls. Zhou Ruoxi nodded, her autumn eyes constantly vigilant of the ground, fearing a snake might slither out from somewhere…
“Ah…”
Instead of a snake, a long centipede crawled out of the soil on the stone wall and onto Zhou Ruoxi’s shoe. Startled, she let out a scream, immediately shook her left foot, and rushed to Wan Yunting’s left side, instinctively clutching his arm tightly…
“Don’t be scared, Senior Sister, it’s just a centipede. It crawled away…”
Wan Yunting was startled by her sudden scream, thinking she had encountered a venomous snake. Seeing it was only a centipede, he quickly burrowed into the loose soil nearby.
“You scared me to death…”
Zhou Ruoxi’s face was pale with fright, her heart pounding. She hadn’t even realized her hands were tightly gripping Wan Yunting’s arm, her voice trembling with fear…
Wan Yunting smiled and comforted her, “Don’t be afraid, Senior Sister. Just stay by my side and watch your step.”
“Mhm, mhm…”
Zhou Ruoxi nodded. After calming down slightly, she realized her hands were still clinging to Wan Yunting’s arm. She immediately let go, her pretty face flushing, and she lowered her head shyly.
Wan Yunting smiled, said nothing, and continued to lead her deeper into the cave…
As they ventured further into the cave, the space gradually widened. Soon, they entered a space resembling a living room. In the center of the floor stood a bronze brazier, like the large incense burners or alchemical furnaces seen in ancient dramas!
“It’s so spacious here…”
Zhou Ruoxi’s beautiful eyes widened as she surveyed the cave’s interior. Wan Yunting looked up at the ceiling, where ancient bronze chandeliers hung. To the left of this cave-like living room was a very low wooden bed.
Wan Yunting approached and found that this low wooden bed furniture was intricately carved with patterns and covered with a layer of matting. In the center was a small table, upon which sat an oil lamp, a plate, and a small incense burner. Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust and cobwebs.
It was evident that no one had entered this place for a long time.
“Junior Brother Wan, look over there! It’s a bookshelf!”
Zhou Ruoxi spotted a full row of bookshelves on the east wall, with many books neatly arranged on them, all also covered in a thick layer of dust…
Seeing that the torch was almost burnt out, Wan Yunting picked up the oil lamp from the small table. He saw there was still some lamp oil inside and lit it with the torch. Then, to the right of the low wooden bed, he saw a waist-high bronze oil lamp with several oil chambers, all of which Wan Yunting lit.
Instantly, a dim, yellowish light illuminated the vast cave-like living room. Zhou Ruoxi turned her head, saw Wan Yunting toss the torch on the ground and stomp it out, and noticed the rabbit droppings on the floor. Behind the low wooden bed furniture, she also saw a rabbit hole…
“Junior Brother Wan, give it to me.”
Zhou Ruoxi said, and Wan Yunting nodded, handing her the oil lamp in his hand. He then looked at the wall of bookshelves, made of some unknown wood and carved with intricate patterns, all covered in a thick layer of dust. The books on the shelves were similarly dusted.
Wan Yunting took out a book, shook off the dust, which made him cough repeatedly. He opened the book and muttered in surprise, “Tales of the Martial World…!”
Hearing this, Zhou Ruoxi also held her oil lamp over and looked at the book in Wan Yunting’s hand. The script was all traditional Chinese characters. “This book should be from the Ming and Qing dynasties, detailing events in the martial world back then…”
Zhou Ruoxi nodded and also took a book from the bookshelf, blew off the dust to reveal a blue cover. The script on it was also traditional Chinese characters, and the cover was damaged by insects. She opened it and saw it was an ancient novel called “The Laughing Mansion.”
Wan Yunting took out another book and opened it. It turned out to be an ancient edition of the Compendium of Materia Medica!
Then Wan Yunting took out another book, shook off the dust, and saw the yellowed, tattered cover inscribed with the Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon, also a medical book. This surprised Wan Yunting, who remarked, “It seems the person who lived here before was also an ancient individual knowledgeable in medicine!”
“Mm.”
Zhou Ruoxi put her book back. With a sudden thought, she turned to Wan Yunting and said, “Perhaps it was an expert who grew tired of the martial world, chose to live in seclusion here, leading a life detached from the world, a quiet existence?”
Wan Yunting cleared his throat twice and nodded, “Senior Sister Zhou, your guess is reasonable. Look at the furnishings and items in the cave; it’s evident that the person who lived here previously also had a taste for life.”
Zhou Ruoxi turned back, holding the oil lamp, and looked at the waist-high bronze brazier in the center of the living room, asking, “Junior Brother Wan, is this an incense burner, or a furnace for making pills?”
Wan Yunting went up and carefully examined the bronze brazier. He felt its temperature and detected a faint, lingering special fragrance. “It should be an alchemy furnace. It has a unique medicinal aroma!”
Zhou Ruoxi walked over and said, “Daoist Ziyang of the Wudang Sect knows how to make pills. His alchemy skills are the most impressive among the masters of alchemy in our major sects. It is said that the pills he refines can enhance internal energy and increase cultivation.”
“Oh.”
Wan Yunting listened with surprise and laughed, “I rarely know about the affairs of your major sects.”
Zhou Ruoxi nodded. Seeing the north stone wall ahead, she pointed and said, “Junior Brother Wan, look there! There’s a door.”
Wan Yunting had already seen it. He nodded, “Let’s go take a look…”
Saying that, the two arrived at the door. In fact, there was no door, but another space inside, like a room, but very large, at least forty to fifty square meters.
In the center of this cave-like room was a round stone table, upon which sat an oil lamp, a tea set, a fan, and two round stone stools.
On the north side was a very large wooden bedstead. This was an ancient eight-step bed, and it was very large, like a small wooden house. It was intricately carved with exquisite wooden patterns, depicting dragons and phoenixes, the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, and various other delicate carvings, exuding an ancient and grand atmosphere.
Such eight-step beds were only affordable to wealthy households in ancient times. Stepping inside, they found a dressing table at the front, and a bronze mirror with many wooden boxes, all covered in a layer of dust.
Wan Yunting opened a wooden box and found it filled with women’s jewelry. Another wooden box contained rouge and powders, which had deteriorated due to age, but the colors were still vivid. It was unclear if they could still be used.
The large bronze mirror was also covered in a layer of dust. To the left of the dressing table was a bronze water basin, and on the wooden stand in front, two ancient towels hung, covered in dust. If touched, they would likely crumble.
“It seems this place wasn’t inhabited by just one person, but by a man and a woman!”
Wan Yunting surveyed the bedstead. Inside, there was a large wardrobe, and further in was the sleeping platform. Even bedding was present, but a foul smell emanated from within – the smell of animal droppings.
It was likely that the interior had long been occupied by rats or other animals. Therefore, Wan Yunting and Zhou Ruoxi did not go closer to the bedstead. Instead, they opened the wardrobe and found neatly folded men’s and women’s clothes, all in the style of the Ming Dynasty…
From this, it could be inferred that the people who lived here were likely a married couple…