Reign of the Phoenix - Chapter 67

Chapter 67 – There is No Such Thing as the Legendary “Secrets of Emperor Qin”
After a brief exchange of glances, Tuoba Zhi tacitly understood Chiyun Yuexuan’s idea. It was then that Chiyun Yuexuan took out a paper sheet from his chest and began to discuss with Tuoba Zhi. The left side of the paper recorded the music score with 12 zodiac signs translated from Xianbei’s language, and on the right side were the 12 divinatory symbols hidden in Biwu.

Gao Chenghao went over and glanced at the paper. “You guys use my dictionary to decipher the Xianbei characters on the score? The left pillars are simple, just step on the in the order of the 12 animals on the score. As for these 12 hexagrams, I have no idea where you even got them from.”

Chiyun Yuexuan gave him a provoking glare. “None of your business where we got them from. I wonder if Fourth Prince has the courage to play stepping on these pillars with me? We each take a side, do you dare? After all, you have to take risks if you want to enter.”

Murong Zhining tugged on Gao Chenghao’s clothes and shook her head at him. Gao Chenghao laughed heartily. “Since Princess is worried about my safety, it’s better that I stay to take care of her.”

Chiyun Yuexuan viciously spat, “Wimp!”

Tuoba Zhi shook his head. “General shouldn’t put yourself in danger, this is no laughing matter. Although we know the left side are the 12 zodiac animals and the right are the divinatory hexagrams, we don’t know how we should press them. Should we step on them in sequence? Left and right separately or together? We’re in the dark about almost everything, we just can’t take this risk.”

Chiyun Yuexuan pondered, “It should be two people stepping on both sides together at the same time. Don’t worry, I won’t take my own life as a joke. Otherwise, what would my Ning’er do without me?”

As he said so, he playfully blinked at Murong Zhining.

“Bring some big stones over.” Chiyun Yuexuan then ordered and glared at Gao Chenghao. “You go fetch the stones as well. What makes you think you can sit back and enjoy the fruits of others’ labor?”

Gao Chenghao glanced at him scornfully and pulled Murong Zhining’s hand. “Sorry, I’m busy taking care of Princess.”

Tuoba Lan took this chance to instigate, “Big Sis, did you hear that? He called you Princess. He took you hostage and has been lying to you that you have no family, can’t you remember? You belong on our side.”

Like an angry little animal, Murong Zhining scolded Tuoba Lan, “You’re not allowed to slander Master! It’s you guys who are bad people!”

Tuoba Lan felt so wronged that her eyes brimmed over with tears.

Everyone moved about the tunnels to fetch various rocks over and piled them in the chamber. Chiyun Yuexuan picked one up and looked at Tuoba Zhi. “Zhun in correspondence with Rooster. We’ll throw at the same time. First adjust your aim, then throw on my count to three. We must be quick and accurate.”

Tuoba Zhi took a deep breath. Picking up a rock, he nodded. “I’m ready.”

When Chiyun Yuexuan said “three,” the two threw their stones at the same time and hit the decided upon pillars.

Whoosh whoosh! Two stone spears jabbed out before quickly shrinking back.

Chiyun Yuexuan and Tuoba Zhi frowned. They looked at the symbols on the paper again and mulled them over.

Gao Chenghao sneered. “As a descendant of the Xianbei people, Mister Tuoba doesn’t even know that their language reads from left to right?”

In unison, Chiyun Yuexuan and Tuoba Zhi swept him a disgruntled look, but still adopted his advice and readjusted the order of the symbols.

Chiyun Yuexuan nodded and said, “The hexagrams on Biwu are from top to bottom, which should be the correct sequence. Let’s try the zodiac in reverse.”

The two men each picked up a stone. Chiyun Yuexuan threw it at Zhun and Tuoba Zhi at Monkey. Right after, two clicks were heard and the two pillars sank down to ground-level.

The two glanced at each other in excitement and continued to throw at the pillars. Everyone’s eyes gleamed with expectation.

As the last pair of pillars went down, a rumble ran through the stone chamber. With the stone pillars having sunk, the huge chess board was now a piece of flat ground, and the stone door behind automatically opened.

Worried that there were still traps, Chiyun Yuexuan threw several stones at the stone array. Only after making sure there was no more danger did he say, “The door is opened. It’s unknown what lies beyond.”

Gao Chenghao pulled Murong Zhining, heading for the door. Chiyun Yuexuan blocked him. “I don’t care that Fourth Prince wants to risk your life, but Princess must remain out here.”

Gao Chenghao suddenly took out a dagger and placed it on Murong Zhining’s neck. “Stand back. I dare you to try it.”

Chiyun Yuexuan furiously shouted, “You animal! You’ve completely disregarded her safety! Stop, I’ll go first. You can take Ning’er in after it’s safe.”

Hearing this, Tuoba Zhi slightly nodded in approval. Chiyun Yuexuan’s obvious concern for Murong Zhining somewhat changed his opinion about the man.

Holding a torch, Chiyun Yuexuan led at the front as he entered the cavern and lit up the torches inside.

Following behind him, everyone saw the interior of the spacious cavern. Neat piles of gold ingots shone with an enchanting dazzle under the torchlight. The sheer quantity of gold ingots made them gasp. Aside from the gold, there were five huge chests with dragon and phoenix sculptures sitting against the wall.

Gao Chenghao leaned back on the rock wall, the dagger in his hand still pressed against Murong Zhining’s neck. He couldn’t suppress his excitement. “Please, General Chiyun, open that biggest chest and put the contents on the ground one by one.”

Chiyun Yuexuan angrily opened the chest, then placed the calligraphy and paintings as well as all sorts of imperial antiques on the ground. Everyone marveled in their hearts as they recognized the rarity of these treasures.

Gao Chenghao, however, didn’t spare a glance for the wealth on the ground. He shouted an order at Chiyun Yuexuan, “Proceed with the other chests. Be quick about it!”

Chiyun Yuexuan’s hands stopped. “How do I know what is it that you’re looking for? If Your Highness is impatient, come find it yourself. Except for Your Highness, no one here has any intention of hurting Princess, so you can just search at ease.”

Gao Chenghao’s hand holding the dagger trembled a little, leaving a small bloody cut on Murong Zhining’s porcelain white neck.

Chiyun Yuexuan anxiously retreated outside the door. “Alright alright, I’m standing back. No one can threaten you now, you can search without worry. Just don’t hurt Princess.”

Gao Chenghao took Murong Zhining to a chest. “Good Ning’er, help your master find a book.” He moved the dagger away from her neck while vigilantly watching the door in case someone would barge in.

Murong Zhining picked up an old book with deep-red covers. “Is this the one you want, Master?”

From the door, Chiyun Yuexuan looked at the book and secretly marveled. It was Wang Xizhi’s hand-written “The Wonder Way of Lotus Bodhisattva Sutra,” a peerless collection piece.

Yet Gao Chenghao cast it aside like an old shoe after just one glance. “Not this one, throw it aside. What we’re looking for is a set of bamboo slips.” Beside himself with excitement, the dagger in his hand quivered dangerously, threatening Murong Zhining’s safety.

Tuoba Zhi quickly exchanged glances with Chiyun Yuexuan, then poked Tuoba Lan. Getting his idea, Tuoba Lan looked behind Murong Zhining with a frightened expression. “Snake! There’s venomous snakes!”

Gao Chenghao instantly looked in the direction of her gaze in panic. Grasping the opportunity, Chiyun Yuexuan flung the noose he’d prepared, which accurately fell on Murong Zhining, and pulled her to him.

Realizing that he had been tricked, Gao Chenghao growled between gritted teeth, “Don’t think you can keep her life by just taking her back. She was poisoned by me. Without the antidote, she won’t live for more than a month!”

Murong Zhining struggled like a trapped little animal. She flashed her teeth and snapped at Chiyun Yuexuan’s arm. Helplessly shaking his head, Chiyun Yuexuan tied her up with the rope and covered her mouth firmly with a handkerchief to prevent her from hurting people.

Then, Chiyun Yuexuan pushed the bound Murong Zhining over to Tuoba Zhi and walked up to Gao Chenghao with murderous intent. “I’ll spare your dog life if you hand over the antidote, now!”

Gao Chenghao was well-prepared. Bursting into a crazy laughter, he pulled out a bamboo tube bomb and stretched it towards the nearest torch. “Take another step if you dare, and I’ll take all of us, along with this treasure, into the river.”

In a towering rage, Chiyun Yuexuan shouted, “Hurry and find the damn thing you want then leave the antidote. I’ll give you half an incense stick of time!”

As if granted amnesty, Gao Chenghao urgently opened the chests one by one, tossing the treasures about as he sorted through them. After the very last chest had been searched, the man limply sat on the ground in despair. None of the chests had contained the book “Secrets of Emperor Qin.”

The dazed Gao Chenghao seemed driven to insanity. He just sat there and mumbled, “Impossible, where’s my unique, extraordinary book? If the treasure exists, that book should be here too… Impossible… How can there not… Liars, you’re all liars…”

Taking this chance, Chiyun Yuexuan rushed over and pressed him onto the ground while Lian Kun tied him up with a rope. Searching his body, Chiyun Yuexuan only found a few pills for Tuoba Lan’s poison.

Chiyun Yuexuan loudly interrogated, “Where is the antidote for Ning’er?! Hand it over and I’ll let you die a straightforward death. Or else, I swear I’ll make you suffer a life that makes you want to beg for death!”

Unfortunately, Gao Chenghao only mumbled nonsense to himself as if he was possessed.

Helpless, Chiyun Yuexuan said blandly, “This is the treasure you looked for. Do whatever you want with it.”

Yuan Dong and Tuoba Zhi entered the cavern and looked around in suspicion. Yuan Dong knitted his brows. “This old man will keep my word and won’t take anything. General Huyan, please send your people in to take an inventory of the treasure. Since this belongs to the Murong clan, it should be returned to the empress.”

Tuoba Zhi looked at Yuan Dong with a gratified smile.

Lian Kun and Tuoba Zhi cooperated with Huyan Qi to sort out the piles of treasures. Among them, there was even a dragon robe once worn by the Emperor of Beiyan, an exquisite phoenix crown and gown worn by the Empress of Beiyan, and a pure green Imperial Seal sculpted from jade.

Until the end of the clean-up, there had been no sign of the legendary “Secrets of Emperor Qin” at all. Yuan Dong’s eyes were filled with a kind of relief. “That book is too dangerous to exist in this world. It’s not a bad thing that we don’t find it.”

The rest nodded in approval, except for a dazed Chiyun Yuexuan whose mind was completely worried about the antidote for Murong Zhining.

Once again, he walked up to Gao Chenghao and stamped the guy’s face on the ground with his foot, his voice furious to the point that it frightened everyone. “I’ll give you one last chance. Where is the antidote?”

Murong Zhining, who was tightly bound by the rope, looked resentfully at Chiyun Yuexuan with tears in her eyes. “Please, Mister General, don’t hurt my master. Ning’er is willing to exchange my life for his.”

Gao Chenghao suddenly laughed hysterically. The crazed laughter ran a chill down everyone’s spine.