241: Going around in circles, which path is the true one?

A Stone Stele stood before the door.

"Ceiling Stone Platform!"

These seal script characters were carved on the Stone Stele.

Meng Ziyi and Ye Bai supported each other as they walked toward the stone platform.

Knock, knock! They tapped on the Stone Stele, but there was no response.

A creaking sound came from the Stone Stele, and a gap slowly opened.

"Quick, get inside!" Meng Ziyi said urgently.

Ye Bai pushed open the Stone Door, and the two entered.

The Stone Door closed.

The stone steps still led straight up.

Ye Bai and Meng Ziyi walked for about five minutes before finally seeing a glimmer of light.

It was a brightly lit hall. Directly ahead sat a massive coffin with its lid open, revealing a Female Corpse. The Female Corpse wore a red robe and a phoenix crown.

"Ah!" Meng Ziyi couldn't help but let out a scream. "Is it a reanimated corpse?"

Ye Bai stared at the coffin. He vaguely recognized the Female Corpse inside.

She was none other than the Imperial Concubine from the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor.

She lay in the outer coffin, peaceful and beautiful. However, those beautiful eyes had long since lost their luster.

Meng Ziyi clutched her head and shouted, "Save me, quickly save me..."

She trembled all over.

Ye Bai walked over, patted Meng Ziyi on the shoulder, and said, "Don't be afraid. She isn't a zombie; she's just asleep."

With that, he took out a Dagger and cut the rope around Meng Ziyi's neck.

The rope snapped. Meng Ziyi slumped to the ground.

"Let's go," Ye Bai called out. "Be careful. There are definitely hidden weapons here, so be extremely cautious!"

Meng Ziyi nodded.

The two continued walking forward.

It was very dim, with occasional flickers of firelight.

After walking for ten minutes, they finally reached the end.

*Rumble—*

The Stone Door closed automatically.

"This Stone Door is very thick. How do we get out?" Meng Ziyi frowned.

This was a sealed, large prison cell.

"Don't worry, leave it to me," Ye Bai said with a confident smile, then pulled a Grenade out of his bag.

He pressed the switch.

*Boom!* The Grenade exploded, turning into powder that scattered around. A cloud of dust filled the air and then gradually dissipated.

Ye Bai and Meng Ziyi held their breath, staring nervously at the dust, fearing that some poisonous substance might drift in.

After a while, the smoke slowly receded.

"Let's go," Ye Bai said.

He led Meng Ziyi to the center of the Stone Chamber.

This Stone Chamber wasn't large, only big enough for two people to stand in.

In the very center of the Stone Chamber was an Altar carved with intricate patterns.

"It really is a place for sacrifices," Ye Bai said.

The two stood at the edge of the Stone Chamber.

Inside the Stone Chamber, there were no hidden weapons, mechanisms, or mechanical parts. Only the sacrificial Altar.

"Do we need to do something?" Meng Ziyi asked in a low voice.

She was a bit scared because the Altar was too eerie.

"Of course, we need to move the sacrificial platform out," Ye Bai said.

Meng Ziyi's lips twitched.

Move it out? Move it where?

"This sacrificial platform should be a Passage to another world. If we move it, maybe we can get out," Ye Bai explained.

"You know where the exit is?"

"Of course!" Ye Bai said confidently. "Follow me."

As he spoke, Ye Bai was the first to step onto the Altar. He touched the platform, pinched the mysterious patterns carved on it, and then jumped off.

"What are you doing?" Meng Ziyi asked.

"You come over here too, I'll carry you on my back."

Meng Ziyi hesitated for a moment before climbing onto the Altar and lying on Ye Bai's back.

"Here we go!"

Carrying Meng Ziyi on his back, Ye Bai rushed outward.

His steps were steady and powerful, his back as resolute as a mountain.

*Clatter!* Just as they rushed out of the Stone Chamber, they heard the sound of the Stone Door falling behind them.

Ye Bai quickly stopped.

"This Stone Door is locked tight," Ye Bai said with a bitter smile. He jumped off the sacrificial platform with Meng Ziyi on his back and said, "With this Stone Door locked, neither of us can get out."

"We really can't get out?" Meng Ziyi was shocked.

"Yes," Ye Bai nodded. "So the only way now is to destroy the Stone Door and leave this place."

"Then I'll go find some tools!" Meng Ziyi said excitedly.

Ye Bai shook his head and pointed into the distance. "Over there. Go take a look."

He looked in that direction. In a corner over there lay a hoe.

It was a tool used by farmers to till the land.

Meng Ziyi ran over excitedly.

She bent down to pick up the hoe and shouldered it.

She swung the hoe, smashing it against the Stone Door with all her might.

This Stone Door was clearly made of a special material; it was very hard and couldn't be broken at all.

*Bang!* Meng Ziyi was panting from exhaustion, but she still hadn't succeeded.

Ye Bai walked over and crouched down.

"Come and help," Ye Bai said.

"Okay," Meng Ziyi said.

Together, they pried the Stone Door open.

It was an ordinary wooden door.

With the Stone Door pried open, they walked out.

"Phew—" Meng Ziyi let out a long sigh of relief.

She looked up and was instantly scared out of her wits, nearly fainting.

They were now in the middle of a wilderness, with nothing but vast emptiness in all directions.

"Are we... are we still alive?" Meng Ziyi asked, dazed.

"We're not dead," Ye Bai said with a smile.

Meng Ziyi froze for a moment, then suddenly burst into wild laughter.

She laughed until tears fell, crying, "We're alive, we actually made it out alive."

She threw her arms around Ye Bai and sobbed, "Brother Ye, thank you, thank you! If it weren't for you, I would have turned into a zombie long ago! Thank you for saving my life!"

She was so emotional that she hugged Ye Bai and kissed him frantically.

Lines of black appeared on Ye Bai's face.

He tried to pry Meng Ziyi's arms off, but she was holding him so tightly that he couldn't break free.

*Cough, cough...*

A faint coughing sound came from nearby.

"Who's there?" Meng Ziyi asked in a panic.

Ye Bai said calmly, "It's fine. Let go of me."

"Oh," Meng Ziyi said sheepishly as she released Ye Bai.

The group turned to look.

At some point, a girl had appeared standing ten meters away. She was dressed in ancient clothing and wore a veil.

The eyes of Ye Bai, Meng Ziyi, and Yang Mi all fell upon the mysterious girl in ancient dress. She stood quietly, her figure graceful; despite the veil, one could still feel her unique aura.

Ye Bai frowned slightly, took a step forward, and asked cautiously, "Who are you?"

The girl didn't answer immediately, just watching them quietly. After a moment, her voice rang out like a silver bell: "I am the Tomb Guardian."

Meng Ziyi's eyes widened, and she said in surprise, "Tomb Guardian? There's a Tomb Guardian here? Have you been here all this time?"

The girl nodded slightly. "My family has guarded this place for generations; I have never left."

Yang Mi looked the girl over curiously and said, "Why do you guard this place? Is there something special here?"

The girl was silent for a while before slowly saying, "This is the site of the Imperial Tomb, hiding countless secrets. My mission is to guard these secrets and prevent outsiders from intruding."

Ye Bai thought to himself that this girl's appearance was no accident; she must know more about this place. So, he continued to ask, "Then do you know how we can leave this place?"

The girl shook her head slightly. "I do not know the way to leave. However, this place is full of dangers. If you continue to wander aimlessly, your lives may be at risk."