Volume One, Chapter 83: The Archaeologists in Peril

Black mist seeped out, a sight that would terrify most spirit masters. The black energy surrounding the ancient tomb had become so dense it was nearly tangible. If it spread, the entire Qinghu Province would become a breeding ground for evil, and everyone would perish.

Jin Feng swallowed hard and called out with a trembling voice, “What are you all standing around for? Hurry, set up the formation!”

The others snapped out of their shock and scrambled to set up the array, but with no clear leader, chaos reigned.

Chi Xingwan quickly counted the group; with Jin Feng and Chu Fangfei, the number was just right.

“Listen to my command,” she ordered. “Arrange yourselves around the tomb and set up the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Formation. Each of you will be a node. Until I deal with what's inside, no one is to move a single step.”

She turned to Jin Feng. “There’s one extra person. Jin Feng, you’re not a node. You’ll be our mobile support—adapt to whatever happens.”

Jin Feng nodded solemnly.

No one questioned her. They all knew the power of a super-class Alpha spirit master. Suddenly, everyone had found their backbone and calmed down to await orders.

Chi Xingwan assigned everyone their positions and taught them the necessary seals. Soon, the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Formation was complete.

She stood within the array, but that was not enough. From her inner world, she retrieved the Universal Net, a magical artifact, and set up an additional formation at the center, using the artifact as its core.

With double protection, Chi Xingwan finally felt somewhat at ease.

She approached the tomb robber’s tunnel and peered down into the darkness, where she could almost smell the tang of blood.

The scent made Chi Xingwan’s hair stand on end—not out of fear, but excitement.

It was as though she had returned three millennia into the past, to an era where she often faced such formidable opponents.

“Still, in this age, foes like this shouldn’t appear too often,” she murmured to herself, then leapt into the tunnel.

All around was pitch black, but she didn’t mind. Using her spiritual energy to feel her way, she caught more details than her eyes could ever reveal.

She moved from the tunnel into the burial passage; the space opened up instantly.

On both sides of the passage, murals depicted the life of the tomb’s master—a king from a thousand years past. This king lived to his thirties and died of illness, but in those years, his life was brilliant, and many of his deeds were carved into the walls.

Chi Xingwan, however, paid the murals little attention.

Her passage was unimpeded; nothing attacked her.

After a short walk, she stopped—three corpses lay ahead.

Judging by their attire, they were tomb robbers who had opened the tunnel. They had made it this far before something inside killed them.

Their deaths were gruesome; blood covered the floor, as if every drop had been drained from their bodies.

The blood scent wafted from here.

Chi Xingwan didn’t even frown. She stepped over the corpses and continued forward.

She soon reached the first burial chamber, where the smell of blood thickened.

Inside, she found one of the archaeologists who had entered the tomb unauthorized.

She approached, drew a luminous pearl from her inner world, and its glow nearly lit the entire chamber.

“So young—what a pity,” she sighed.

“Help… help me…”

The archaeologist suddenly spoke. This chamber held piles of gold and jewels, and he had been hiding in a chest of treasure.

“You’re here to save me, aren’t you? There’s a bad person here—must be a tomb robber. He attacked us from hiding. I was terrified, but luckily, I hid quickly.”

Chi Xingwan looked at him with sympathy. “I’m here to take you out. You don’t have to hide anymore.”

The archaeologist breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness, I can finally leave this cursed place. But…”

His tone shifted. “There’s still Xiao Hu. She and I came together, but we got separated when the tomb robber attacked. I don’t know where she is. We have to find her.”

“Xiao Hu?”

He nodded vigorously. “That’s right, Xiao Hu. We’re classmates, assigned to the same professor. We came here with him.”

Chi Xingwan asked, “Didn’t your professor warn you not to enter the tomb on your own? Why did you come down?”

He replied with regret, “At first we didn’t want to. But I was too curious. It was my first excavation. I’d waited so long, day after day, and we still weren’t allowed to start.”

“I didn’t mean to enter the tomb. I just wanted to see the tunnel, so Xiao Hu came with me. We slipped past the guards and reached the tunnel entrance. Really, we didn’t plan to go down.”

Chi Xingwan remained calm. “Then why did you go in?”

“It was Xiao Hu—she accidentally dropped her bracelet into the tunnel. It was important to her, so we went in just to retrieve it. We meant to come right back up.”

“But…” he clutched his head in pain. After a moment, he continued, “But then it was like we were possessed. Before we knew it, we’d followed the tunnel into the burial passage. Then… I don’t remember. Not until you arrived did some things come back.”

“We were attacked. I heard Xiao Hu scream, but it was so dark. After we got separated, I couldn’t find her. I was terrified. I found a chest, opened it, and hid inside.”

“You’ve been hiding there the whole time, until I arrived?” Chi Xingwan asked.

He nodded hurriedly. “Yes, but now’s not the time to chat—we need to find Xiao Hu and get out together.”

Chi Xingwan shook her head. “I’ll find her myself. You should go up first.”

“What?” He frowned. “No, there might still be tomb robbers here. You can’t go alone—it’s too dangerous. You’re just a girl. If we stick together, we have a better chance. Wait…”

He seemed confused. “Are you a police officer? But why are you alone?”

Chi Xingwan shook her head. “I’m not a police officer. And I can’t save you.”

“What do you mean? If you’re not a police officer, why are you here? There are tomb robbers—you need the police.”

“There are no more tomb robbers. There were three; they’re dead. No one else has come in.”

“That’s impossible,” he retorted instinctively. “Xiao Hu and I were definitely attacked—maybe not by tomb robbers, but by something evil.”

“Let’s not discuss this. You should leave first.” Chi Xingwan raised her hand and pointed. “Normally, you’d remain by your body, waiting to enter the Underworld on the seventh day. But something vicious dwells in this tomb. If your soul stays, it will be affected. So, you must leave your body behind and go now.”

He stared blankly at her, then stiffly turned his head—to see his own corpse lying in a pool of blood.