Murong Jing He watched as Mei Lin held the torch and moved forward. The path she illuminated was paved with smooth green bricks, flanked by stone statues of bird-headed, leopard-bodied creatures. As the torchlight swept across them, the statues stood guard, but beyond them, there was nothing but impenetrable darkness. The road seemed to stretch infinitely, as if reaching out to the very ends of the universe.
He felt a growing sense of unease. Then, Mei Lin stopped. Before her stood two white stone pillars, each taller than a person, standing like a gate. Between the pillars, a stone staircase ascended. Unlike the green bricks of the path, these steps were made of white stone that glowed faintly red under the torchlight.
Mei Lin stood there for a moment, not daring to proceed. She then stuck the torch into the mouth of one of the stone creatures and returned to Murong Jing He.
Murong Jing He let out a sigh of relief.
“It’s all stone up there, like… like the stone forest outside. I didn’t dare go in,” Mei Lin said as she began to gather their belongings.
Murong Jing He felt a surge of interest, wishing he could investigate this place thoroughly, but his inability to move frustrated him.
The stone steps were not very high, but they were steep, and Murong Jing He’s legs were too long. Mei Lin struggled greatly to get him safely to the flat ground above. Once they reached it, they both collapsed in a heap, drenched in cold sweat.
“It seems like a tomb,” Murong Jing He said, his head resting on Mei Lin’s soft stomach, his eyes half-closed as he stared into the darkness above. His expression grew solemn with the weight of his speculation.
Regardless of which dynasty’s ruler this tomb belonged to, the grandeur of this place suggested it was filled with traps and dangers. The fact that they had made it this far unscathed was likely due to sheer luck.
Mei Lin considered this and then gently moved him off her. She got up and returned to the tunnel entrance to retrieve their pack and the torch stuck above. Then she did something that shocked Murong Jing He—she threw the torch high into the air, watching as it spun and fell beyond the stone path. Leaning forward, she tried to see what lay above and below.
Her curiosity mirrored Murong Jing He’s unspoken thoughts, but he found her method reckless. Before he could stop her, it was too late. They heard a loud boom as a column of fire shot up into the air, spreading like a tidal wave, engulfing the surrounding area. Even though Mei Lin reacted quickly, a small portion of her hair and eyebrows were singed by the flames.
She stumbled back to Murong Jing He, still shaken by the sudden inferno, unsure of what to do next.
The flames illuminated the vast space around them, but they also brought an intense heat.
Murong Jing He was initially startled as well but soon found her reaction amusing. He couldn’t help but laugh. As his eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness, he began to take in their surroundings.
They were in a massive cavern, with stalactites hanging from the ceiling, suggesting it was a natural formation. However, aside from the ceiling and the two ends of the passage, he couldn’t see much else from his lying position.
The passage connected to the low tunnel they had come through at one end and to where Mei Lin had placed the torch at the other. What he had initially thought were just two white stones and a staircase turned out to be an entire forest of stone pillars. The scene resembled the stone forest above ground but on a smaller scale. The stones were only about as tall as a person, and thick enough for one person to wrap their arms around.
Could this really be man-made? His suspicions deepened. He couldn’t understand why anyone would construct such a grand structure, far more elaborate than the mausoleums of the Murong dynasty’s emperors, yet devoid of any imperial symbols like dragons or phoenixes. If it wasn’t an imperial tomb, then who could have built it?
While he was lost in thought, Mei Lin snapped out of her shock, scooping him up to drag him back toward the upper tunnel.
“Head for the center,” he quickly instructed, his gaze fixed on the far end of the stone path. The white stone forest, bathed in the glow of the surrounding fire, stood like a cold, serene island amidst a sea of flames. The stones reflected the firelight with a faint rose-colored hue, stunning in their beauty.
Though Mei Lin felt that heading toward the center was risky, and feared they might not be able to climb back down, she had never been wrong following his advice. Despite her doubts, the oppressive heat left her little time to think, and she quickly made her way to the center.
With Murong Jing He elevated above the ground, he finally had a clear view of the situation beyond the stone path.
On either side were seas of fire, and at some distance beyond them, more stone paths were visible, each lined with different stone carvings of strange beasts. Beyond those paths, separated by similar distances, were more stone paths, all leading to narrow tunnels, some sealed with stone doors, others guarded by grotesque statues.
The scorching air assaulted them in waves, making it feel as though even their throats were on fire. Murong Jing He withdrew his gaze and glanced at the bird-headed creature beside him, unable to suppress a wry smile.
“Foolish woman!” he sighed in exasperation.
Mei Lin, dragging him as fast as she could, was practically running, although her pace was slowed by his weight. She didn’t even have the energy to be annoyed. “What did I do now?” she asked, puzzled.
Murong Jing He sighed again. He wanted to lift his hand to gesture but could only imagine it, leaving him even more deflated.
“These statues beside us are oil lamps. Why did you do something as foolish as throwing the torch?” he scolded, though there was a hint of affection in his tone. While they could now see more clearly, they had also cut off their escape route.
The statues had grooves that could hold a wick, and the size of the flames suggested there was oil stored beneath.
Mei Lin glanced at the statues briefly, realizing he was right. She felt a bit speechless but didn’t stop moving. Her forehead and nose were slick with sweat from the heat.
“What’s the use of saying that now? It’s already done,” she replied, a bit frustrated. Only now did she realize she was capable of rash decisions, too.
Murong Jing He chuckled softly, shaking his head. Just as he was about to say something more, his body came to a halt as she set him down. To his surprise, they had reached their destination.
Unexpectedly, inside the two stone pillars, it was as if an invisible barrier shielded them from the heat. The temperature here was neither too hot like outside nor too cold like in the previous tunnel—it was just right, perfectly comfortable.
What a strange place, they both thought simultaneously, their curiosity mingling with a sense of awe.
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