Chapter Twenty-Four

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The Hour of the Rabbit; as the rooster crowed, the sky was already beginning to pale into a dim, murky light. As the tomb passage gradually widened, the candles held by the two flickering in the windless, lightless tomb seemed to be both signaling to them and warning them. Drawing closer to the center of the Five Dwellings marked on the map, a narrow corner appeared ahead. Upon turning the corner, a bottomless stairway came into view. Built of blue bricks, the path was lined with endless rows of candles; those on the left burned with a ghostly blue flame, while those on the right glowed with a normal yellow hue.

Mu Xiangming said, "In the Bagua formation, there is the concept of the unity of void and substance. What you see is false, yet it is also true. What you believe to be true is precisely what is false, and what you believe to be false is precisely what is true."

Lin He nodded. "The map indicates this is the center of the Five Dwellings. Logically, this should be the location of the martial arts manual."

After a moment of contemplation, Mu Xiangming replied, "Looking at the differing colors of the candles along the tunnel, this is indeed the center of the Five Dwellings."

Lin He said gravely, "Let us go down and see..."

Without lingering, they descended into the tunnel. Lin He walked on the left, his candle burning with a ghostly blue flame; Mu Xiangming walked on the right, her candle emitting a normal yellow light, reflecting the dual nature of the candles.

The tunnel was exceptionally deep—a depth that seemed to have no end. The fear of that bottomless void made every step feel as though they were treading into an abyss. Fortunately, it was about ten feet wide, so walking side by side did not feel cramped.

Half a joss stick of time passed.

The tunnel remained bottomless. Rows of candles were placed every ten feet or so, set upon bronze stands on either side, leaving stretches of the path relatively bright and others relatively dark.

Lin He paused and glanced back; they were already some distance from the top. Mu Xiangming spoke up, "It is best not to look back. Doing so might cause the Yin-Yang cycle to reset."

Lin He used his fingers to measure the height of the ceiling. "Just in case, I will measure the height and leave a candle here as a marker for when we return."

Mu Xiangming understood his intention. After measuring the distance, they placed a candle on the steps.

"Very well, let us continue down for a while!"

One behind the other, they stepped further into the fathomless abyss. A single misstep could send one tumbling down, with no hope of survival.

Another joss stick of time passed, but the stairs below remained endless. Mu Xiangming’s knees began to ache, and she slowly lowered her posture. Yet, she forced herself to endure; she must not be a burden to Lin He.

Lin He noticed. Ignoring her protests, he turned back and took her hand.

Mu Xiangming resisted. "No! You will tire yourself out as well!"

"Do not strain yourself at such a great height."

"There is still such a long way to go; you won't be able to hold out for long like this!"

Lin He’s cheeks puffed out slightly as he smiled. "Don't worry! I am not the person I used to be!"

That smile shattered the last of Mu Xiangming’s resistance. She knew Lin He always had a way to persuade her, and she could never win an argument against him. This was why, deep down, she had always trusted him unconditionally.

Seeing she no longer resisted, Lin He wrapped his other arm around her back and hoisted her onto his shoulder, alleviating most of the weight from her body. He glanced back; the candle they had placed earlier was gone, proving that a new Yin-Yang cycle had begun.

"The road is not much longer. Let us walk carefully to avoid disrupting this cycle of Yin and Yang again." As he spoke, Lin He turned, and at that moment, Mu Xiangming happened to stand up. Their faces were suddenly inches apart—so close that their noses brushed, and they could hear each other’s heartbeats and breathing.

Lin He’s gaze darted away, and he lifted his head. "Let us pick up the pace; the sun should be rising soon!"

Before long, the end of the tunnel came into view. Lin He did not dare to speed up, yet Mu Xiangming slowly pulled her hand away from his. As he looked away, she seemed to gradually rely on him less.

Entering a burial chamber, they were met by a massive stone door.

Unlike the tunnel, this chamber was constructed of blue bricks and felt more like a room. In the four corners stood four bronze statues of mythical beasts: the Azure Dragon, the White Tiger, the Vermilion Bird, and the Black Tortoise, arranged from east to west and north to south. Their heads all faced the stone door. Candles were placed in each corner, their flame colors corresponding to the Yin-Yang properties of the respective beasts, crossing over one another.

In the center of the chamber sat a massive square stone. Lin He walked over, placed his candle on it, and pulled out the map. The map did not show the existence of this chamber.

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Lin He said, "This is not the center of the Five Dwellings! It seems we have come to the wrong place."

Lin He approached the stone door to inspect it. Carved upon the door was a mountain with a line of people beneath it—some holding hoes, some pulling ox carts to haul earth up the mountain, and others carrying heavy burdens on their shoulders. The mountain looked remarkably like White Cloud Peak.

"This scene must depict the construction of this tomb a hundred years ago!" Lin He frowned. "Perhaps there is something inside the door." He reached out to touch the stone; it was rough and hard. He knocked on it, hearing a faint, dense sound.

Lin He looked at Mu Xiangming. "The door seems quite thick."

Mu Xiangming said, "I suspect the mechanism lies in these four statues."

Lin He looked at the statues. "These four bronze figures are all there is in this room."

Mu Xiangming continued, "I have been thinking. The four beasts represent the four directions—East, South, West, and North—yet we have not utilized the directions at all, relying only on the map and the incantations to get here."

Lin He seemed to understand. He walked to the Vermilion Bird statue, placed both hands on it, and tried to move it. To his surprise, the statue turned!

"These statues can indeed be rotated!" Lin He said, his voice brimming with excitement.

Mu Xiangming added, "The blue flame is Yin; the Azure Dragon and the White Tiger are Yin. The Vermilion Bird and the Black Tortoise are Yang, which is why their flames are the normal color."

Lin He nodded. "Then how should we rotate them?"

Mu Xiangming continued, "In fact, the four cardinal directions also have Yin and Yang divisions: the Azure Dragon is Yin-East, the White Tiger is Yin-West, the Vermilion Bird is Yang-South, and the Black Tortoise is Yang-North."

Lin He looked at the four statues. "There is no opening here, so we cannot determine the directions!"

Mu Xiangming shook her head. "No need; the positions of the statues have already told us the directions." She walked toward the Black Tortoise statue and looked at Lin He. "If I am not mistaken, we just need to make these statues face each other in opposition."

Lin He nodded. Since the Vermilion Bird and the Black Tortoise happened to be in the South and North, they turned the two statues to face each other. Then, moving to the Azure Dragon and White Tiger, Lin He turned the dragon toward the tiger. As the final statue clicked into place, a booming sound echoed throughout the chamber. The room began to shake, and the stone door rattled violently. Lin He moved to Mu Xiangming’s side, fearing a collapse.

Finally, the booming stopped. Accompanied by the harsh grinding of stone, the door slowly rose, and a sliver of white light pierced through the gap. The stone door, unopened for a century, stirred up thick dust that obscured their vision.

As the grinding sound ceased, the two waved away the dust and walked toward the white light.

What greeted them was a massive Bagua formation, at least a thousand feet wide and ten feet high. One half was illuminated by countless candles, while the other half was a vast, frigid pool of water. Together, they formed an immense Taiji diagram—a magnificent sight. Half-submerged in the icy pool lay a stone sarcophagus.

Mu Xiangming realized with a start that the tomb was divided into two levels. The formation on the first level was not the true face of the tomb but merely a deception. The "center of the Five Dwellings" on the upper level was not the location of the manual, but the entrance to the true tomb.

Mu Xiangming said, "This is the heart of the entire formation. We must not extinguish a single candle here, or the Yin and Yang of the entire tomb will fall into chaos, and we will never be able to leave."

Lin He nodded and looked at the coffin in the icy pool. "If the sarcophagus is in the Yin-polarized icy pool, could the manual be among the candles of the Yang pole?"

The two exchanged a look. It was a sound theory. Mu Xiangming nodded slowly. "Then be careful!"

Lin He replied, "Rest assured!" He adjusted his stance, looked up to gauge the angle, spread his arms, and leaped into the air, flying toward the other side of the formation.

The leap was over fifty feet high, allowing Lin He to take in the full scope of the burial palace. Below, the vast field of mermaid-fat candles was the Yang pole of the formation, while the icy pool on the other side was the Yin pole. Fire and water, Yin and Yang, were in perfect opposition.

In mid-air, Lin He’s movements were as light as a falling leaf. His "Nine Heavens of Desire" technique had reached the final stage; even without a foothold, he could soar through the air once or twice. He carefully observed the Yang zone and noticed a small area without light. Because of the height, he couldn't see clearly, so he decided to descend to investigate.

Unfortunately, he couldn't see it clearly even after flying over the area. He no longer had enough height to return, but fortunately, there was a landing spot on the other side.

Lin He chose to land there and fly back to check again. Just as he landed and prepared to take off, he saw Mu Xiangming flying toward him. Lin He waved his hands frantically.

"Here! It’s here!" Lin He looked closer and realized something was wrong. Mu Xiangming’s technique was only at the noon stage; she couldn't cross this massive formation at such a height. Sensing the danger, Lin He leaped forward to meet her.

In the air, Mu Xiangming drifted like a fairy, dancing gracefully, while Lin He moved like an eagle, swooping and rising. They met above the thousands of candles. Lin He circled her to adjust their trajectory; his lightness skill was far superior to hers. Taking her hand, he flew toward the landing spot.

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Mu Xiangming looked at his back. It was so familiar, yet so strange. She suddenly felt she was unworthy of him. If only he could tell her, she might not feel so inferior—even a hint would have sufficed. Yet, he was so sincere and selfless toward her.

They landed successfully outside the formation, and Lin He’s face lit up. He had seen it clearly.

"I have confirmed the location of the manual!"

Mu Xiangming looked in the direction he pointed. "Is it there?"

Lin He nodded. "Watch me!"

With that, he flew off again. This time, he carefully managed his height and speed. In this massive formation, there were no footholds, meaning he had only one chance.

As he drew closer to the manual, Lin He tilted his body and lowered his altitude. Just as the candle flames were inches from his face, he reached the spot.

The manual was a thick book with wooden covers, upon which four large characters were carved: "All Things Return to Dust."

Lin He struck quickly, his left hand snatching the book while his right hand struck the pedestal that held it. With a move called "Dragonfly Skims the Water," a soft thud echoed. Lin He’s body reacted like a piece of paper caught in a breeze; he performed a mid-air somersault, landed one foot on the pedestal, and leaped back. The entire sequence was a marvel to behold—the surrounding candles didn't even flicker.

He landed.

Lin He took out the manual, a wave of excitement washing over him. The book was three inches thick, a foot wide, and weighed half a catty. Having been stored for a century, the covers were soft, and it carried a faint musty smell.

Mu Xiangming said, "It is fortunate this manual was stored here; otherwise, it would have rotted away over the century."

Lin He nodded. "It seems this is the manual the Three-Fur Robbers were after."

He carefully opened the cover, knowing the century-old pages could not withstand any accidents. The first page was filled with dense characters and a drawing of a man in a long gown demonstrating each move. As he turned to the second page and prepared to read, Mu Xiangming whispered, "We should hurry and take the manual to trade for the antidote!"

Lin He came to his senses and immediately closed the book. He felt the terrifying allure of the manual; even he had inadvertently felt a surge of greed.

Lin He sighed, "This book truly holds a powerful temptation."

Mu Xiangming said, "Possessing this book is equivalent to being the greatest in the world; the temptation is understandable."

Lin He nodded slightly, tucked the book into his clothes, and looked at the massive Taiji formation.

"Indeed... that mere basic moves alone could drive the martial arts world to risk their lives every year in duels here shows just how terrifying the martial arts of Senior Wu Qianjun must have been in his day."

Mu Xiangming also looked out. "The world has moved on. I suspect Senior Wu hid the manual not wishing for his successors to surpass him."

Lin He turned to Mu Xiangming. "Let us pay our respects to Senior Wu Qianjun."

Mu Xiangming nodded.

They went to the stone sarcophagus. On the lid was a giant dragon clutching a tiger in its claws, with a dragon pearl in its mouth. The sides of the coffin were carved with phoenixes, every feather etched with lifelike detail.

Lin He bowed to the coffin.

"We two have intruded upon your tomb today without ill intent. We take your secret manual only to save the life of our master. If the opportunity arises in the future, we shall return to pay our respects and offer our apologies. We hope you will not hold this against us."

After bowing, the two headed toward the exit.

The stone door slowly closed.