284: Pearls and precious stones: a different interpretation

Yang Mi and Meng Ziyi were eager to hear Ye Bai's interpretation. "Hurry up and tell us, what kind of story do these Murals actually tell?"

Ye Bai pointed to a Mural: "This Mural depicts an ancient kingdom that possessed great power and a mysterious Treasure Trove. However, this kingdom perished due to a catastrophe."

"Before the king died, he hid the Treasure Trove in a mysterious place and left behind a map."

Meng Ziyi asked curiously: "Then is this mysterious place the Ancient Tomb we are currently in?"

Ye Bai nodded: "It is very likely. The map on the crystal ball is the one left by the king. As long as we decipher the symbols on the map, we will be able to find the Treasure Trove."

Yang Mi said excitedly: "Then let's hurry up and decipher the map!"

Ye Bai continued: "From the perspective of Feng Shui Metaphysics, these symbols on the map might represent different elements and directions. We need to combine this with the surrounding environment and Qi to interpret them."

The three of them began to carefully study the symbols on the map, analyzing them in conjunction with the surrounding environment. After some time and effort, they finally deciphered some key information.

"I know now, this symbol represents water, which might mean we need to find a place with water," Ye Bai said.

Yang Mi and Meng Ziyi looked around: "Where is there water here?"

Ye Bai thought for a moment: "We can walk back along the Passage and see if it's possible to find a water source."

The group immediately left this space along the Passage and ran towards another Passage.

Sure enough, they successfully found a small stream.

"Wow! How beautiful!" Meng Ziyi couldn't help but exclaim. She lay down by the stream and cupped the stream water in her small hands to take a drink.

The sweet stream water slid down her throat, making Meng Ziyi feel incomparably refreshed. She stared at the stream water before her with a smile: "It's really delicious."

Ye Bai also tasted a sip of the stream water, feeling it crisp and sweet, and very refreshing. "The quality of this stream water is quite high; it should be safe to drink."

Meng Ziyi suddenly raised her head: "Ye Bai, I've discovered that you like drinking water just like me. We really have a connection!"

Ye Bai coughed twice and changed the subject: "Let's collect some water first. We still have to pass through a Cave later."

The three of them took out their tools, preparing to dig the soil next to the small stream.

Then they transported the soil into the Passage. Ye Bai led Meng Ziyi and Yang Mi to dig forward all the way until they reached the end of the small stream.

They found a rock blocking their path.

Ye Bai knocked on the rock, but there was no reaction at all.

"There's actually a rock here!" Yang Mi said in surprise.

"The rock is covered in moss and vines, blocking our view. Let's move it aside first and see if there is anything else inside," Ye Bai said.

"Okay." The two women began to laboriously move the rock aside.

As soon as the rock was moved half a meter, it revealed a pitch-black round Bead. Yang Mi picked up the round Bead and examined it. "Huh, why does it look a bit like a pearl?"

Ye Bai looked at the Bead: "A Bead of this shape is indeed the appearance of a pearl. If my guess is correct, then this Cave might be the Cave where the owner of the pearls lived."

Meng Ziyi asked doubtfully: "Then what do these Murals mean?"

Ye Bai shook his head: "I can't be sure for now. We must continue digging."

Ye Bai and the two women moved the rock away together. At the end of the Cave was a wall. The wall surface was smooth and clean, without any gaps. They continued to dig forward and finally dug up a Stone Door.

A peony flower was carved onto the Stone Door, appearing vivid and lifelike. Five red gemstones were embedded in the Stone Door, flashing with an enchanting and dazzling light.

Ye Bai took out the crystal ball and shone it on the peony gemstones. Seeing the red light pass through the peony gemstones, it emitted a soft radiance, and the entire Stone Chamber was filled with a warm and gentle light. Ye Bai immediately breathed a sigh of relief: "Fortunately, there is a light source here."

"It looks like we found the right place!" Meng Ziyi said with relief.

Yang Mi patted Ye Bai's shoulder with a grin and teased: "You didn't let me down after all!"

Ye Bai touched his nose awkwardly: "You two aren't bad either!"

"There must be a Treasure Trove here, right behind the Stone Door," Meng Ziyi said confidently.

Ye Bai said appreciatively: "Hmm, I also think there is a Treasure Trove behind the Stone Door. As long as we push open the Stone Door, the treasures will be within our grasp!"

The three of them looked at each other and worked together to push open the Stone Door.

The moment the Stone Door was pushed open, a piercing scream spread throughout the entire Cave.

The three of them followed the sound and saw a rotting corpse lying in a pool of blood.

Yang Mi was so scared that she hid behind Ye Bai: "Big Brother Ye, why is there suddenly a dead person here?"

"I don't know, let's get out of here first."

Ye Bai walked out of the Stone Chamber first. The space outside the Stone Chamber was huge, with various chests, porcelain, jade, and other precious treasures piled up like a mountain.

Meng Ziyi excitedly rushed to the side of the chests and began to rummage through them.

She took out a few pieces of jewelry from the chest and played with them, unable to put them down: "So beautiful! These are antiques!"

Yang Mi also leaned over to help search, and the two became more and more excited.

Ye Bai stood outside the Stone Chamber, observing the surrounding situation. He saw two coffins placed on one side of the stone room, with two yellow talismans stuck on the coffins, on which were written: Heaven and Earth Universe, Yin and Yang Myriad Phenomena.

Ye Bai's heart sank: "These two lines of poetry seem to contain some kind of law. I have read relevant records in the 'I Ching', but because it was too profound, and there was no evidence to indicate whether it was correct, I cast it to the back of my mind."

He remembered that it was mentioned in the 'I Ching' that there existed a strange thing in the world—a floating coffin; this kind of coffin could keep a corpse from rotting. But every time it is opened, a huge price must be paid.

Ye Bai frowned and thought for a moment, then took out his divination compass and walked in the direction of the coffins.

"Big Brother Ye, what are you doing?" Meng Ziyi shouted.

Yang Mi hurriedly stopped her: "Are you crazy! Those are two coffins!"

"I want to go take a look," Ye Bai said firmly.

Meng Ziyi grabbed his sleeve worriedly and said: "Big Brother Ye, listen to me. Please don't do anything foolish."

Ye Bai pinched her cheek in a soothing manner: "Don't be afraid, I won't do anything reckless."

Meng Ziyi was still worried; she tugged at Ye Bai's clothes: "Big Brother Ye, promise me you won't be impulsive. Only then will I let you go over."

"Alright, alright, I promise you. Rest assured, I am not a reckless man, and I won't act rashly," Ye Bai patiently coaxed Meng Ziyi.

The two talked for a while longer, and only then was Meng Ziyi willing to let Ye Bai go. Ye Bai silently circled to the back of the coffins. He reached out and touched the coffin board, and the Coffin Lid slowly opened, revealing a pitch-black Passage.

He poked his head in and looked inside. He saw that the Passage was deep and dim, and he couldn't see the bottom.