Currently, Professor Wang and Miss Leng are stable for now. Ahead of us lies something, be it spirit or ghost, and it's certain not to be easy. Zha Wenbin instructed Yichao and Zhuo Xiong to move those they were carrying to a corner at the back, leaving them with medicine, food, and water. They arranged their bags as pillows, leaning against the cliff wall. After finishing these tasks, they turned back to see Zha Wenbin lighting three large sticks of yellow incense. Even before getting close, they could smell the peculiar mix of sandalwood and a strong odor. Zha Wenbin handed each of them a stick, indicating for them to follow his lead.
Standing in the middle, with the two behind him holding incense just below their foreheads, Zha Wenbin began to chant, "Awesome is the virtue, merits already achieved; descend for guidance, the treasures of the master provide. Mercifully wash away confusion, crossing over to the shore of the Three Pure Ones, ever departing the mire of the Five Impurities." After that, he faced a bronze coffin missing its lid, bowed three times, and the two behind copied his solemn behavior. Zha Wenbin placed his incense in front of the coffin, then stepped back. Yichao and Zhuo Xiong followed suit silently. After setting the incense, Zha Wenbin respectfully stated, "Today, we've come to this resting place, disturbing the ancestor graves; the younger generation apologizes and promises a ritual offering upon leaving this well. Kindly allow us passage." He bowed again, seeming to expect a response. Yichao and Zhuo Xiong were not aware of the ritual's meaning but continued to mimic his actions. Shortly after, Zha Wenbin looked up, noticing all three incense sticks had extinguished.
With a stern expression, Zha Wenbin warned them, "You two better be on your toes. Looks like someone plans to have us as gravemates. If things go south, head back to Professor Wang. You still got those Celestial Master Talismans I handed you, right?" He unsheathed the Seven Stars Sword and revealed the Celestial Master's Seal, displaying them to the pair.
They inspected their outfits, verifying they still had the talisman papers. Zha Wenbin drew a line in the dirt with his sword. "Stay here. Don't cross this line, no matter what. Got it?" With that, he advanced.
Yichao, eyeing the faint white line from the sword, asked Zhuo Xiong, "Can you hit something 50 meters out with this shotgun?"
Zhuo Xiong squinted, gauging the bronze coffin with his thumb. "This shotgun sprays like a flower bloom; hitting one target isn't tough but could nail Wenbin too. Ten meters closer might be safer."
Yichao smacked Zhuo Xiong's head, "What a lousy gun! Give me an '81 rifle,' I'd wager on hitting at 200 meters."
Zhuo Xiong shrugged, tapping the shotgun, "This isn't an army base! No '81s here. Consider yourself lucky it's not homemade. With an '81,' I'd charge straight in, ghost or not."
Annoyed yet conscious of their limited resources, Yichao gripped his single-barrel shotgun as Zha Wenbin handled ancient weapons. "Enough chatter. If something goes up, follow my lead and shoot. Don't buy into ghosts fearing bullets."
"But Wenbin said not to cross the line," Zhuo Xiong pointed at the mark Zha Wenbin left.
"Don't take it so seriously. Remember when Wenbin said not to come down the well, but what did you do? Scared? Keep an eye out, I'll take the lead."
"Okay! I'm with you!" Zhuo Xiong exclaimed.
"That's the spirit, bro!"
Zha Wenbin approached within 5 meters of the central bronze coffin, observing intricate designs yet unable to identify its internals, nor were the others showing unease. "If you won't move, then I will!" he declared, stepping forward with a Seven Stars step and scattered glutinous rice. Before the grains touched the earth, a coffin lid whooshed toward Zha Wenbin, posing a direct threat. He swiftly dodged, the lid grazing his scalp before smashing and shattering a huge rock.
As Zha Wenbin rolled aside, debris struck him. Before recovering his bearings, another lid came at him, skimming past, nearly smashing his toes. Clearing his vision, Zha Wenbin withdrew, ready for another attack. Upon hearing chains jingling, he spotted movement in the fourth coffin lid chain, prompting a relieved call to his companions.
Ingenious devices projected flying lids, activated by ancient innovation. The turning of small discs sent heavy lids flying. Zha Wenbin pondered admirably, "A brilliant weight-shifting contraption. Let's unveil what's inside."
Standing tall while dusting off, wielding his sword, and carrying the seal on his back, Zha Wenbin stepped carefully toward the largest bronze coffin. With each step, Yichao and Zhuo Xiong tightened their grips, anxious yet eager. Zha Wenbin mentally prepared for the encounter. The bravest lacks fear when aware of mortality; this thought lifted Zha Wenbin's spirits—should appearances deceive, clarity remains in intent.
After circling the unopened coffin once more, Zha Wenbin finally noticed the pattern. The five coffins were positioned at the cardinal points—east, west, south, north—with the central one at the core. The mystery lay in the carvings on them!
The four smaller bronze coffins, roughly four meters long and two meters wide, seemed mysterious, each unique in design.
The eastern coffin bore a vivid dragon motif, differing slightly from the central design. Resembling a python with a qilin-like head, its form spoke of the Azure Dragon, renowned ruler of eastern constellations.
Inside this coffin sat a block of wood: golden nanmu wood, a prized element once reserved for royalty.
To the west lay another coffin adorned with a roaring tiger, distinguishing itself by elongated hair and sharp fangs, identifying it as the White Tiger, ruler of western constellations. Inside was a golden "bamboo pole," meticulously carved, shimmering with value.
The southern coffin featured a vibrant bird with unique feathers and an upright neck—a legendary Vermilion Bird, believed to rule southern skies in legends. This coffin, surprisingly, housed everyday items: charcoal, dry grass, and a fire striker.
The northern coffin, still unopened, showed a turtle intertwined with a snake, signaling the Black Tortoise, a symbol of northern constellations and water deity. Zha Wenbin could only speculate its contents, sure it contained elements tied to water.
The central bronze coffin glowed with gold, its carvings opulent, harboring only earth.
Examining further, Zha Wenbin recognized the entire formation was an intricate Daoist marvel, drawing upon the principles of the I Ching. The coffins arranged according to the Five Elements—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—with each artifact inside representing these elements.
It was an overwhelming epiphany for Zha Wenbin. Part of this formation might be disrupted, but its essence and intention remained. He turned his focus to the unopened northern coffin, realizing they had little time before its mysteries might unfold.
The mechanisms above strained with metallic sounds, boulders precariously resting could fall anytime. Realizing danger loomed, Zha Wenbin shouted for his comrades to escape swiftly. Together they moved, aware the opening of the last coffin might bear unimaginable consequences.
Zha Wenbin turned and shouted, "Yichao, Brother Zhuo Xiong, grab those two and follow me out immediately! Move quickly! We might not have much time left."
Hearing this, they moved faster than rabbits—who wanted to stay in this ghostly place surrounded by mysterious coffins? Stumbling and scrambling, they hoisted Professor Wang and Leng Yiran onto their backs and hurried to Zha Wenbin's side.
Yichao asked, "Wenbin? Which way out?"
Zha Wenbin pointed toward the bend ahead: "We leave the same way we came in!" Though the bones were gone, the scattered rocks made progress difficult, especially for the two carrying unconscious companions. They feared missteps in the crevices, and some gaps required jumping across. Their pace was noticeably slower than when they had entered.
Zha Wenbin led the way, stopping occasionally to wait for them. Each pause included a glance at the ceiling to check for changes. He urged them to hurry while also warning them to be careful. Not only was the ground littered with rocks, but the darkness was nearly complete. Their tactical flashlights couldn't match natural daylight, inevitably leaving blind spots.
They were about to leave the water pool area. Ahead lay the massive boulder they had fallen past earlier. Once they climbed this rock and rounded the corner, they would reach the ancient well shaft. Zha Wenbin climbed up first, then turned to help Zhuo Xiong, who carried Professor Wang. Looking at the ceiling not far away, he saw small rocks continuously falling. Zhuo Xiong plus the hefty Professor Wang weighed over 300 pounds combined. The boulder stood two meters tall. Though Zhuo Xiong was nimble, he couldn't find proper footing for leverage and failed several attempts. Yichao heard the sound of falling rocks growing louder behind them, realized the danger, and grew frustrated at being stuck midway.
Zha Wenbin lay flat, extending both hands to pull Zhuo Xiong upward with all his strength. Below, Yichao pushed up with his hands, straining to lift them. Zha Wenbin gritted his teeth as he pulled: "Yichao, put more strength into it! One more push—hurry, there's no time!" Zhuo Xiong stood on Yichao's shoulders, and with their combined effort, they finally pulled him up.
Good—now only Yichao and Leng Yiran remained below. Without anyone to help from underneath, Yichao had to manage alone. He first threw all his equipment up in one bundle, then untied Leng Yiran from his back and positioned her across his neck. With one mighty heave, the young woman was successfully grabbed by Zhuo Xiong and Zha Wenbin, who pulled her up by her hands.
Just as Zha Wenbin laid Leng Yiran flat on the ground, the enormous boulder on the ceiling finally collapsed.
A thunderous "BOOM" echoed through the chamber, followed by rocks flying in all directions. Then came the "clank" of ancient metal mechanisms. Zha Wenbin knew they had less than five seconds before the coffin would open. What would happen next was anyone's guess!
Yichao heard the massive crash and understood what was happening. Without even looking back, he made a running start, leaped upward, and managed to grab Zhuo Xiong's hand. With a strong pull from above, he scrambled up to join them. Now fully alert, he grabbed his backpack with one hand, scooped up Leng Yiran with the other, and took off running, shouting: "What are you two waiting for? Run!"
Zhuo Xiong and Zha Wenbin snapped out of their daze at the sight of Yichao sprinting away and quickly followed. Just as they rounded the bend, a loud "THUD" echoed behind them—the bronze coffin had finally opened.
The three men focused solely on escape, not daring to linger a moment longer. Even if the Monkey King himself had jumped out, they wouldn't have stopped for an autograph.
Yichao was the first to reach the bottom of the well shaft. He looked up with despair—the rope was gone! Searching frantically, he found nothing but slick stones.
Zha Wenbin and Zhuo Xiong arrived shortly after. Seeing the smooth walls of the ancient well, Zha Wenbin glared at Yichao with bloodshot eyes: "Where's the rope?"
Zhuo Xiong's expression darkened with hopelessness. Climbing by hand was impossible—the well had a trumpet shape, with the opening several meters wide at the bottom. "Before I came down, I tied that rope to the big tree with a secure knot. Someone must have pulled it up!"
The three deflated like punctured balloons. Their only exit had been cut off. Yichao was on the verge of breakdown, grabbing Zhuo Xiong's collar and shouting: "Damn it! I told you not to come down! I told you to keep watch up there! If you'd stayed above, would this have happened? Now all five of us will die here!"
Zha Wenbin slapped Yichao across the head: "Yichao, you idiot! What right do you have to blame him? Zhuo Xiong had nothing to do with this mess originally. I told YOU to stay up there, but YOU decided to come down and dragged brother Zhuo Xiong into this death trap with you. Are you even a man?"
This rebuke snapped Yichao back to his senses. Weren't they supposed to be brothers? His own guilt weighed heavily—if he hadn't ignored Zha Wenbin's advice and come down, he wouldn't have bumped into Zhuo Xiong and triggered that mechanism. They wouldn't all be in mortal danger now. Yichao, former reconnaissance soldier, should have been more vigilant, especially after what happened to Leng Yiran and Professor Wang. Lost in self-recrimination, Yichao slapped his own face: "I'm the idiot. It's all my fault. Blind One, I was wrong to blame you. I've failed as a brother! I apologize to you and to Wenbin! If we're going to die, I'll be the first in line to protect you both!"
Zhuo Xiong, seeing Yichao's eyes moisten, extended his right hand to Yichao's chest: "Yichao, we're comrades, brothers. Wenbin is our big brother. Fighting alongside you all today—even if I stay here forever, it was worth it!"
"Slap!" Their palms clasped tightly together. Watching these two loyal young men, Zha Wenbin felt his frustration dissipate. He reached out and gripped both their hands firmly: "Such brotherhood in life and death! Good brothers, don't be afraid. Since someone has condemned us to die, we won't make it easy for them! From the moment I entered these mountains, this was all a trap. Someone deliberately kidnapped Professor Wang and Miss Leng, then deliberately led us to discover this ancient well. Even if some of you had remained above, you might not have been safe—you'd have been easier to pick off one by one. Together, united as one, we might still have a chance! Since they're determined to trap us here to die, then even in death, we'll turn this place upside down! You two, watch over Professor Wang and Miss Leng. Follow me back inside. From now on, no one abandons anyone. Even in battle, we stay together. If we're separated again, we might never have another chance!"
"Agreed!" the two answered in unison.
"That water pool ahead contains an extremely powerful formation within a formation. Even this entire village, including this ancient well, is probably just one component of a greater formation. Before you came down, I accidentally broke one part of it, but it seems to have had little effect on the overall formation. Pay attention, you two—your knives and guns won't do much damage against ghostly entities, especially formations. Only by breaking the formation's eye can we have any hope of survival. The rope is gone, and with it our escape route. It seems we can only go back and find another way out. There's air coming in, so there must be other exits. By now, that last bronze coffin has certainly been opened. When we go back, don't let your attention wander. Whatever you see, treat it as an illusion. Don't try to communicate with anything. Keep your hearts steady! Don't use the talismans I gave you unless absolutely necessary. Understood?"
"Understood!"
"Let's go!"
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Chinese Words/Phrases in Chapter 15 The Five Bronze Coffins
Daoist Practitioners and Sects
- "Celestial Master" (天师) - A title for high-ranking Daoist priests who could commune with deities and perform exorcisms
Divination Tools and Objects
- "Celestial Master Talismans" (天师符箓) - Paper talismans used for protection against malevolent spirits
- "Celestial Master's Seal" (天师印) - An official seal used by Daoist practitioners to authorize talismans and rituals
Ritual Practices and Techniques
- "Seven Stars step" (七星步) - A ritual walking pattern based on the Big Dipper constellation used in Daoist ceremonies
- "Formation's eye" (阵眼) - The central point or vulnerability of a magical formation
Cultural and Historical References
- "Three Pure Ones" (三清) - The three highest deities in Daoism representing different aspects of the Dao
- "Five Impurities" (五浊) - The five negative influences that create suffering in the mortal world
- "I Ching" (易经) - Ancient Chinese divination text also known as the Book of Changes
- "Supreme Ultimate" (太极) - The source of all creation in Daoist cosmology
- "Two Forces" (两仪) - Yin and Yang, the dual forces that emerged from the Supreme Ultimate
- "Four Images" (四象) - Four symbols representing different cosmic forces derived from Yin and Yang
- "Eight Trigrams" (八卦) - Eight symbols used in Daoist cosmology to represent the fundamental principles of reality
- "Nine Palaces" (九宫) - A cosmological arrangement of nine sectors used in Feng Shui and Daoist practices
- "Five Elements" (五行) - The five fundamental elements in Chinese philosophy: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth
Mythological Creatures
- "Azure Dragon" (青龙) - One of the Four Images, guardian of the East, associated with spring and the Wood element
- "White Tiger" (白虎) - One of the Four Images, guardian of the West, associated with autumn and the Metal element
- "Vermilion Bird" (朱雀) - One of the Four Images, guardian of the South, associated with summer and the Fire element
- "Black Tortoise" (玄武) - One of the Four Images, guardian of the North, associated with winter and the Water element
- "Qilin" (麒麟) - A mythical creature resembling a dragon-headed deer with scales
- "True Warrior Great Emperor" (真武大帝) - Daoist deity associated with the Black Tortoise and the North
- "Monkey King" (孙悟空) - A reference to the famous character from "Journey to the West"
Weapons and Tools
- "Seven Stars Sword" (七星剑) - A ritual sword used by Daoist practitioners for ceremonies and protection
Character Names and Titles
- "Zha Wenbin" (查文斌) - Main character with knowledge of Daoist practices
- "Yichao" (易超) - Character, former reconnaissance soldier
- "Zhuo Xiong" (卓雄) - Character, nicknamed "Blind One"
- "Professor Wang" (王教授) - Academic character who is unconscious during this chapter
- "Leng Yiran" (冷一然) - Female character, referred to as "Miss Leng"
Materials and Objects
- "Golden nanmu wood" (金丝楠木) - A precious wood type historically reserved for imperial use