279: The wisdom of our ancestors is truly amazing.

"Shouldn't there be plants like that here?" Ye Bai asked.

Yang Mi said, "Let's go look for them."

"Mm, let's go!" Ye Bai immediately led the women to search through the jungle.

About an hour later, they actually found the lycoris radiata.

In this jungle, there were countless exotic flowers and rare herbs.

However, these lycoris radiata were bright red, growing in dense clusters. Ye Bai picked a few stalks and gave them to Meng Ziyi and the other women for protection.

Afterwards, everyone dove down again.

Before long, they entered a massive cavern. It was like a karst cave, surrounded by pitch-black darkness and incredibly deep.

However, they could still barely see.

The cavern was about thirty zhang high and over a hundred zhang wide. Standing in such a vast space, people seemed incredibly small.

Ye Bai and the others cautiously scouted the perimeter.

Soon, Yang Mi found another type of plant. "Brother Ye, is it this kind of vine?" Yang Mi walked toward Ye Bai holding a tree vine.

Her face was flushed red from the cold.

Ye Bai took a look and nodded, saying, "That's it."

Then, Yang Mi gathered some of the vines, put them in her pocket, and kept them close to her body.

Afterwards, the group continued forward.

During this process, Ye Bai discovered two corpses. These bodies had long since rotted, but their clothes were intact; it was clear they had died after suffering immense torture. A wave of towering rage rose in Ye Bai's heart.

Although these soldiers were war criminals in ancient times, the way they died was truly hair-raising. They had been skinned and de-sinewed alive; their deaths were tragic in the extreme.

"Are... are there still people here?" Meng Ziyi couldn't help but ask.

Ye Bai said, "Of course there are, and not just people. There are animals too. I'm afraid there are also insects, ants, and wild beasts."

"Oh my god!" Meng Ziyi couldn't help but feel a chill down her spine.

As they walked along, the women were all trembling with fear.

Finally, they arrived at the location of the Life Gate. It was a pile of rubble, filled with withered branches, fallen leaves, and other debris.

Ye Bai first squatted down, brushed aside the withered branches on the ground, and revealed a brass key.

Ye Bai picked up the brass key, turned to Yang Mi, and said, "This brass key can open the mechanism."

Yang Mi quickly took the key and began to fiddle with it. Soon, she pressed down a mechanical trigger.

The rubble on the ground suddenly moved, and after a moment, a bronze-colored door was revealed.

"This is the entrance!" Meng Ziyi said excitedly.

"Let's go in!" Yang Mi called out.

They supported each other and entered one by one.

At that moment, a bone-chilling sensation swept over them. The inside was truly a world of its own!

luminous pearls were embedded in the inner walls of the grotto, their radiance flowing. This was a typical basement!

In the center of the cave sat a Crystal Coffin. The color of this Crystal Coffin was blood-red. Inside the Crystal Coffin lay a woman, peaceful and beautiful.

"Is she... dead?" Meng Ziyi couldn't help but ask.

"Yes, she is dead—or more accurately, she isn't dead. She has just fallen into a state of suspended animation."

"She can only wake up when a certain opportunity arises, or when a miracle occurs," Ye Bai said.

"A miracle? What kind of miracle?" Meng Ziyi asked.

"The Ghost Festival!"

Ye Bai said, "Legend has it that every December is the Ghost Festival. When the Ghost Festival arrives, ten thousand souls return to their nests, ten thousand ghosts weep, and a multitude of demons dance wildly."

"At that time, all spirits will gather in the mountains and great marshes to absorb the yin-sha qi of those places. The resentment of those vengeful spirits and fierce ghosts will transform into a surge of yin-sha essence that merges into the ground. This place was already overflowing with Yin Qi to begin with."

Yang Mi and Meng Ziyi were immediately frightened out of their wits.

"You don't need to be afraid!" Seeing the two women like this, Ye Bai couldn't help but smile and say, "I will never mistreat anyone who follows me."

Meng Ziyi said, "Brother Ye, if those vengeful spirits gather, will we still have a way to survive?"

Ye Bai was slightly startled, his brows furrowing. After a long while, he said, "That is indeed hard to say. But this is the only way!"

Meng Ziyi and Yang Mi fell silent.

Ye Bai sighed and said, "Don't worry, I will do my best to protect you. As for myself, I have already prepared for the worst."

Everyone's spirits inevitably sank.

Ye Bai added, "Let's go inside and see what's actually in there."

Meng Ziyi nodded and said, "Okay!"

So, the group continued their exploration further inside.

As they walked, Ye Bai explained to Meng Ziyi, "A feng shui master from the Qinhuai River once calculated the presence of this Dragon Vein. Back then, he said that to build a civilized nation, a Great Wall must be constructed."

"But the flaws of the Great Wall were too great; it would be difficult to withstand enemy forces during years of famine. So he said that while the Great Wall should be built, it wasn't something that could be completed in a short time."

"It was a vast project that required immense manpower and financial resources. He also suggested establishing some summer resorts near the Qinhuai River."

Meng Ziyi and Yang Mi listened with great interest.

Ye Bai said, "Back then, this feng shui master from the Qinhuai River found a Feng Shui treasure land in Weinan City called the Dragon King Temple. This temple covered three thousand mu, was grand in scale, and had beautiful scenery—it was truly the number one Feng Shui holy land in Weinan City."

"The Dragon Vein of the Dragon King Temple was formed on the banks of the Qinhuai River. It's said that the Dragon King protects Weinan City, keeping it peaceful and harmonious for hundreds of years."

"This feng shui master chose the site for the Dragon King Temple behind the Dragon King Hall and used the Bagua Formation to guard it. Thus, the Feng Shui layout was formed, and the history and Cultural Fortune of Weinan City have been steadily increasing."

"Furthermore, Weinan City has indeed never suffered from floods or plagues."

"So that's how it is. No wonder Weinan City has stood tall all this time," Yang Mi said.

Meng Ziyi said, "Brother Ye, since this master knew the Feng Shui layout of the Dragon King Temple, he must have had a way to break it. Do you understand these Feng Shui arts?"

Ye Bai smiled faintly and said, "I know a thing or two!"

His gaze fixed upon the Dragon King Temple.

Yang Mi and the others' attention also became solemn.

Ye Bai said thoughtfully, "The Way of Feng Shui is mysterious and profound. It appears to be naturally formed, seemingly without a trace."

"But upon careful observation, one will find that the Dragon King Hall, the Dragon King Temple, the pond in front of the temple, and the surrounding geographical layout all contain great hidden profoundities."

"How were all these things formed?" Yang Mi couldn't help but ask.

Meng Ziyi added, "Yeah!"

The rest of the group pricked up their ears to listen upon hearing this.

Ye Bai continued, "The wisdom of ancient humans was terrifyingly profound. They understood all kinds of physical knowledge of the universe."

"Including electromagnetic energy, fireballs, engines, fantasies of spaceships, and various weapons. So, in such an era, if there were no wars, their technology would not be inferior to today's."