The Tomb of Qin Shi Huang

Chapter 34

"Yes! Lucy is right, this is what you call a hidden master, a hermit living in seclusion." Everyone nodded in agreement.

I'm speechless. Everyone's saying the exact same thing; they're practically of one mind. I looked around, puzzled. "Huh! Where am I? Where's the undead army?"

The eldest brother laughed and said, "Back in the underworld, it was fortunate that you struck in time, otherwise we would all be left in the underworld as wandering ghosts. Now we have entered the city gate, and this is the city of death."

So that's how it is. No wonder everyone was so relaxed and didn't seem tense at all. It seems we've successfully passed through the underworld. I turned around and saw that this city of the dead was truly vast, with towering walls. Even a single step was as tall as a person. If an ordinary person were to climb up, they would probably exhaust themselves and still not reach the middle of the wall. Within this city, we were like ants on the ground, and the city itself was like a continuous mountain range. Even just walking around would probably take forever.

The city is so big that Pheasant exclaimed, "If the treasures in the city, such as an ornament or a piece of jade, were as big as the steps, we would be rich."

Upon hearing this, the muscular man was dumbfounded and said, "Chicken, how come I've never heard of such a large piece of jade?" The muscular man even gestured with his hand.

The know-it-all stared wide-eyed and said, "Hunky, didn't you hear that Chicken was just making a hypothetical scenario? If there really was such a big piece of jade, how could we possibly move it? Don't you even consider how big your equipment bag is?"

The muscular man said excitedly, "Let's smash it to pieces with a hammer, and we'll take as many as we can back."

The eldest brother waved his hand, dissuading him, "Alright! Alright! The important thing now is to find a way out, and also to find the Heavenly Dragon Treasure as soon as possible, so that we don't go back empty-handed."

It seems even the boss is tempted. He hadn't mentioned the treasure before, but now he's suddenly thinking about it. I was thinking the same thing. Now that we're here, there's no way we're leaving empty-handed. Besides, we haven't even found our way back yet. This lord is so wicked, if his treasure doesn't fall, whose will it be? Hehe… A surge of smugness filled me. If we find it, I'll definitely have the boss summon dozens more pterosaurs to carry away all the treasure. We'll be rich and powerful in no time.

The city is enormous. Just imagine the sight of those seven- or eight-meter-tall Behemoths climbing the steps. We all have to look up to them. Princess Jenny beckoned the Big-Headed Bird and instructed, "There may still be some dangers in this city, so everyone be careful. Stay behind me and don't get lost."

The cry of the great bird carried us into the sky. Looking down from above, we couldn't see the whole city. I was shocked. This city of death was much larger than I had imagined. What we were seeing now was just a corner of the city. I was about to pull the great bird to fly higher, because only by flying higher could we see more. But Princess Jenny shouted, "Tenglong, come down. Be careful, there are taboos up there."

Upon hearing the taboo, I quickly descended. Looking up, I saw no clouds or sun in the sky, which seemed to contradict the natural order of the heavens. Looking down at the city, I saw thousands of houses, but strangely, none of them had roofs, like empty spaces. Could it be that the roofs of the city had been weathered away? Or perhaps they were never roofed at all?

The city's layout was very simple, with houses and roads in a row, but no other buildings. Judging from the situation, this stone city did not seem to be used for living. So, wouldn't it be meaningless for him to spend so much manpower and resources to build this city?

Princess Jenny seemed to have discovered something and kept flying towards the back corner of the city before suddenly stopping. "What's going on?" the eldest brother asked as he stepped forward.

We were also taken aback, but what we saw before us was a misty mountain peak shrouded in smoke and clouds, a corner of a forest. This familiar feeling was as if we had seen it with the mysterious person in our dream, but it was different. We couldn't quite put our finger on what was different, but it felt quite familiar, and we were sure we had seen it somewhere before.

Princess Jenny took out the blood-red map and kept comparing it to the map. I finally realized that the scene in front of me was exactly the same as the blood-red map. Although I had only glanced at it at the time, the impression was deeply etched in my memory. No wonder it looked so familiar!

It seems everyone has figured it out. Chicken couldn't help but ask, "Princess Jenny, have you found the Heavenly Dragon Treasure?"

Princess Jenny turned around and smiled, saying, "Yes! We found it, it's right in front of us." Everyone was overjoyed. Speaking of treasure, if it were really found, what human wouldn't be tempted by money? However, it seems that Lian was an exception. He didn't show any expression at all, still with a cold and serious face, as if the current matter had nothing to do with him. I'm afraid I couldn't cultivate to that level even in ten years.

Upon landing, Princess Jenny raised her hand to stop everyone's restless hearts. If she hadn't been there, we probably would have rushed up. At the foot of the mountain was a blank space, shrouded in mist and clouds, adding to the mystery of the place. In particular, there was a square altar about a meter high in front of us, which looked like a rainmaking ritual. On the altar lay a corpse, long since decomposed, and judging from the appearance, it had been exposed to the sun for at least a thousand years. Only a thin, transparent human skin remained, and the skeleton inside was clearly visible. The torn skin revealed the cold, white sternum, which made us shudder: What was this used for?

Without Princess Jenny's permission, none of us dared to move. Princess Jenny stepped forward to observe, examining the body carefully, leaving no trace. Then she took out a pair of white gloves, put them on, and actually reached out to rummage through the corpse on the altar. We were disgusted by what we saw. I turned to her and asked, "Boss, what does Princess Jenny do?" I felt that she was very interested in archaeology and corpse research, and knew a lot about it. I really suspected that she was also a tomb raider.

The eldest brother laughed and said, "Princess Jenny's family has been archaeologists and historians for generations, so they have first-hand information about history and things unknown to humankind."

"Archaeologists and historians?" If she's a princess, then her father must be an emperor? I was surprised. "Then isn't the current emperor of the Kaiyue Empire a tomb raider?"

The eldest brother patted my shoulder and said, “Princess Jenny is not related to the current royal family by blood. The reason why her father was able to be made a king and she was able to become a princess is because her ancestors converted antiques into money and raised important military funds for the Kaiyue Empire. Later, when the Kaiyue Empire was founded, it specially granted the Jenny family the title of eternal king and princess. However, these are just honorary titles and have no real power. Nevertheless, the Jenny family has been a tool for the empire to raise funds for generations.”

"Oh, I see. I finally understand. No wonder the boss has always been reluctant to mention the Kaiyue Empire. It seems that the emperor of the Kaiyue Empire is no good either."

The Tomb of Qin Shi Huang (Side Story): The Dragon's Treasure - Chapter Sixty-Nine: The Zombie General

Chapter word count: 2317 Update time: 08-05-02 10:21

Princess Jenny seemed to have found something, her face beaming with delight. "Lian, come here quickly, turn this body over."

Without hesitation, Lian stepped forward and pushed the corpse to the ground, where it shattered into pieces. It seemed Lian had no compassion whatsoever, as she had used too much force. Suddenly, streaks of blue light emanated from the corpse, causing it to float up. Everyone quickly dodged, fearing another monster might appear! The blue light rose higher and higher, eventually scattering golden rays across the sky. What was that? We were stunned. A kaleidoscope of colors shot down from the sky, and in an instant, calm returned.

Before I could react, Xin and Sally were already shouting, "Look! Sunshine and clouds!"

Sunlight, clouds—have we returned to the mortal world? Everything happening before our eyes is truly wondrous. Everyone exchanged bewildered glances, and Lian smiled. Princess Jenny smiled too, saying, "The sorcerer used the evil curse of the underworld to separate heaven and earth, using the City of Death as a sacrificial offering to the yang spirits, massacring orcs to infuse them with resentment. Thus, the underworld was formed. But how could such a massive castle be concealed? So the sorcerer built an altar on the outskirts of the city and in the land of the spiritual veins. If I'm not mistaken, the corpse on the altar is that of a woman, a pure and holy young girl. Then, a blood sword was plunged into her chest, the blood flowing into the altar along with the blade. A spell was then cast to seal the earth's veins, creating this isolated space."

The eldest brother nodded, seemingly agreeing with Princess Jenny's statement. They were all very knowledgeable, and we couldn't understand them no matter how we listened. Anyway, knowing that we had returned to the mortal world was enough. As for other reasons, we could only talk about them later. Although we were happy, there was still one more important thing: the treasure of the Heavenly Dragon. After going through so many life-and-death situations, it would be unreasonable not to bring back some spoils of war. Also, we wanted to see the treasure that could make our dreams come true.

At this moment, Princess Jenny finally found the location of the mechanism, and we saw it too. There was a groove on the square altar, and its shape looked like it was used to insert something. Could it be the sword that Princess Jenny had mentioned earlier?

"Lian, quickly bring out the Blood Sword!" Princess Jenny couldn't hide her excitement; it seemed the Heavenly Dragon Treasure would soon see the light of day again.

Princess Jenny took out the Blood Sword and held it in her hand. Then, she frowned and said, "Everyone, step back a little. Be careful, there might be traps."

Even without Princess Jenny saying it, we all know that ancient tombs, especially those hiding important treasures, are always equipped with traps and mechanisms. Take that small coffin, for example; you never know what kind of hidden weapon might fly out and kill someone when you open the lid.

Everyone stepped back a few meters, staring intently at the altar, confident they could handle any unusual situation. Princess Jenny, seeing us retreat, carefully inserted her blood sword. The moment the sword was inserted, it transformed into a streak of light and shot out. Although we were prepared, we were momentarily at a loss in the face of this situation. A loud "boom" resounded, and the ground shook violently before we could even regain our footing.

"ah……"

Princess Jenny screamed. The altar was empty. Everyone rushed forward, and everything returned to calm. Behind the altar was a large hole, about ten meters in diameter. Needless to say, Princess Jenny must have fallen through. Xin and Sally called out down, "Princess Jenny...Princess Jenny..."

The pitch-black abyss offered no response to Princess Jenny, and no one knew how deep it was. The group exchanged glances, and the leader shouted, "Down!" He summoned a large bird, and the nine of them leaped onto its back. The bird let out a long cry and swooped down with astonishing speed. Once below, something strange happened: the space below seemed to expand endlessly, and the light was abundant, without a trace of darkness. Strange! What was going on? Just moments ago, it was pitch black looking down, but now it was completely different. Was this what they called a hidden paradise? This abyss was enormous, almost like a different world itself.

"Princess Jenny!" Xin had already seen it, and we had seen it too. Princess Jenny had fainted on the ground, apparently from fright. The eldest brother stepped forward to take her pulse, his face lighting up with joy, and said, "It's alright, she's fine! She was just frightened."

Strange, he fell from such a height and was unharmed. The ground is soil; even grass wouldn't be like this. The know-it-all thought the same as me. He pushed off the ground with his foot, and his whole body floated up as if there was no weight, before slowly falling back to the ground. The boss was surprised: "Could this be a floating space?"

"Floating space?" I was curious to know what was going on, but there were ten huge armored orcs in front of me. They weren't stuck in the city wall, so how did they get here? Could these be their souls?

The leader noticed and signaled everyone to be careful. Xin and Sally quickly picked up Princess Jenny and retreated behind them. Ten huge armored orcs walked towards us, holding various weapons. At this moment, we really wanted to know who they were. However, Princess Jenny was still unconscious, so it seemed that we could only rely on strength to deal with them.

I have already circulated my inner energy, ready to draw my sword at any moment. Lian has already gripped the hilt of her sword and is about to pull it out. Lucy has placed her harp in her hand, and the boss has already gripped his fist. A great battle is about to break out.

Ten enormous armored orcs, completely different from the black chainmail warriors of the undead legion encountered before. Not only were they clad in armor, but their flesh was also intact, evident from their joints. They were incredibly tall, two meters taller than the black chainmail warriors. To them, the armored orcs were about five meters tall and two meters wide. They were covered in a suit of golden armor, and their exposed flesh had long hair. It seems that the orcs of the Triassic period had the bodies of wild beasts, only their skeletons and faces resembled human features.

The pheasant was captivated by the gleaming golden armor and exclaimed, "Tenglong, don't damage the armor! It looks like it's made of gold!"

"Yeah! It must be made of gold. We've struck it rich! Everyone be careful, don't break it!" the know-it-all chimed in.

I was both amused and exasperated. I turned around and glared at Chicken and Know-It-All. “What time is it now? You’re still thinking about money. You should be more careful to save your lives.”

These armored orcs seem difficult to deal with. They are armed with various weapons: swords, knives, spears, clubs, and so on. Strange, could it be that they already possessed the ability to forge and use ironware in ancient times? The swords are very wide and long, about the same size as humans, yet they fit perfectly in their hands. I wonder what kind of power they possess when they strike.

Strangely, the ten huge armored orcs stopped when they were about thirty meters away from us, standing in a row. I wonder what their scheme was.

Princess Jenny woke up and, upon seeing the scene before her, her expression changed drastically. "They're zombie generals! Everyone, be careful!"

Upon hearing the name "Zombie General," I was surprised. Looking around, I saw that they were the legendary zombies.

The Tomb of Qin Shi Huang (Side Story): The Dragon's Treasure, Chapter Seventy: The Black Current

Chapter word count: 2181 Update time: 08-05-04 10:24

Speaking of zombies, I've seen them in the dark space of the courtesan's consciousness, but those zombies were human zombies. Although there were monsters, compared to the beastman zombies before me, they were worlds apart. I've never heard of a zombie wearing armor before. Zombies are immortal and indestructible, not belonging to the six realms of reincarnation, nor to the five elements. I'm afraid killing one will not be an easy task.

Since Princess Jenny calls them zombie generals, it's safe to assume they must be very powerful. Anyone who can become a general is not someone to be trifled with. However, they are already dead, so it's unknown how much their preserved corpses can be enhanced, or whether they still have the same thoughts and consciousness they had in life. It's best if they are just corpses.

The most feared thing by the know-it-all is zombies. Everyone heard Princess Jenny's words clearly: a zombie, and a general at that. It seems to be of high rank. Everyone stared wide-eyed, but they couldn't make out anything. The golden armor covered its entire body, and it also wore a helmet that covered its face, so its appearance and expression were impossible to know.

Aside from their size and the weapons they were carrying, everything else was a complete mystery. Then they made their move. At a distance of thirty meters, they charged at us with the spirit of knights. Their frontal assault was completely devoid of any tactics. Were they going to take us down on their own?

At this moment, there was no time to think. Lian drew her sword first. With the "Soul-Stealing Shadow" technique, the sword light flashed and sparks flew. It was the sound of the wooden sword's blade clashing with the armor. The zombie general was unharmed, and his armor was completely intact. It seemed that Lian's fighting technique "Soul-Stealing Shadow" had no effect. After Lian finished using the skill, she flew back. Judging from his expression, he looked very ugly.

The zombie generals charged forward. This time, the boss made his move. The "Eight Trigrams 256 Palms" palm shadow was unleashed, rushing into the group of zombie generals like a hurricane. Several "bang" sounds rang out, and all ten zombie generals were knocked to the ground. A clearly visible palm was pressed against their golden armor. It seemed that it had struck their chest. The palm force was blocked by the golden armor and penetrated through it, leaving a mark on the golden armor. If this palm had hit a living person, their internal organs would have been shattered.

Unfortunately, zombies are different from ordinary species. They do not feel any pain, fear, or dread. Even if you chop a corpse into mincemeat, it will not even flinch.

Sure enough, all the fallen zombie generals stood up again, grabbed their weapons, and charged forward. The leader, enraged, unleashed his full power and delivered a fierce blow. This time, all ten zombie generals were sent flying ten meters away. The massive bodies crashed heavily to the ground, raising clouds of dust. This palm technique was indeed powerful; even a five-meter-tall zombie general could be struck in the chest by a palm shadow. It seemed that the leader's demonic energy had reached a superior level, allowing him to unleash his full power. No wonder swords and blades could not harm him in the slightest.

Bagua Palm is a form of ultra-close-quarters combat that relies entirely on physical strength, magical energy, and the coordination of various parts of the body. The boss had been using this palm technique extensively in the cave, and now he's using it at an excessive intensity, leaving him breathless and exhausted. Ultra-close-quarters combat is completely different from magical attacks. It relies on physical strength and muscle coordination, requiring constant training to strengthen the physique. While magical attacks also require training, the range of motion is far less than in ultra-close-quarters combat. Over the years, the boss seems to have only displayed his skills in these last few days; he's never used them in front of us before. It seems he's now struggling to withstand the strain on his muscles.

The ten zombie generals rose from the ground again, finally experiencing the abnormal power of their immortal bodies. They charged forward once more, this time raising their weapons. Were they enraged? How could they have emotions without consciousness? We didn't have time to think further. The weapons were about to fall; ten weapons would chop our leader into mincemeat. Lucy's piano began to play, unleashing powerful sonic blades—clearly overlapping blades. We had already seen Lian's attack clearly; a single sonic blade couldn't cause damage. So, she spread her fingers, playing a series of overlapping notes, creating a giant blade that, with a "crack," pierced deeply into the zombie general's body. The momentum of the attack sent them flying five or six meters.

I quickly pulled the boss back. Just then, ten zombie generals jumped up, floated in the air, and pounced on us. Strange? They could come and go freely, while we had to be very careful. If we lost our footing, we would float up first and become lambs to the slaughter in the air.

Without hesitation, I concentrated my true energy and swallowed it, revealing the demonic blade. I raised the blade and swung it at the ten zombie generals in the sky. The blade was as fast as lightning, and the blade energy swirled in the sky. The ten zombie generals made "crack" "crack" "crack" sounds as their bodies were torn apart by the blade energy. The broken pieces of flesh and limbs fell lightly to the ground. There was no blood spilling out, but it still made us feel a chill.

"What amazing swordsmanship!" Lian couldn't help but exclaim.

At this point, Pheasant and Know-It-All finally snapped out of their surprise and shouted at me, "Tenglong, I told you to go easy on him! Look, the golden armor is shattered. It looks like it's worthless now."

The armor was the first to come into contact with the sword energy and was completely torn to shreds. It was only because of the armor that the corpse was not destroyed. Even so, the corpse could not escape the fate of being torn apart by the sword energy.

I was filled with emotion. Once this power was unleashed, I couldn't control it either. All I knew was to unleash the condensed true energy. It seems this is what the courtesan once told me: first, to control the speed and amount of true energy; second, to quickly open the Small Intestine Meridian of Hand-Taiyang so that Yin and Yang can communicate and the cycle of heaven and earth can continue endlessly; and third, that third strike...

Everyone looked at me without saying a word. I was deep in thought when suddenly, the severed limbs of the zombie generals began to move. I was shocked. Could it be that even my sword energy couldn't destroy them? In an instant, the severed limbs were reattached, and the ten zombie generals stood up again, brandishing their weapons and charging forward.

It was too fast. My companions were right behind me. If I fell, they definitely wouldn't be able to leave either. I didn't back down. The sword technique of Avici Hell flashed in my mind. Instinctively, I raised my sword to block the weapons of the ten zombie generals. A black stream of energy shot out, passing over the gleaming demon sword and flowing continuously through the weapon. The ten zombie generals trembled. The black energy had already entered their arms and bodies. In an instant, they raised their heads and screamed, turning into a wisp of smoke and disappearing completely.

My legs gave way and I collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, utterly exhausted. What... happened?

The Tomb of Qin Shi Huang (Side Story): The Dragon's Treasure, Chapter 71: The Seven-Story Demon Tower

Chapter word count: 2445 Update time: 08-05-07 19:53

What just happened felt like a dream, it all happened so fast. Princess Jenny and Lucy finally came to their senses and helped me up, checking me over constantly. Thankfully, I wasn't hurt. I smiled, even though I was exhausted and felt like I had no strength left. But I had protected the people around me. But Lucy's expression changed. "Still smiling? I was so worried about you! If you hadn't blocked the zombie general's attack, ten weapons could have chopped you into mincemeat."

"You're just as cute when you're angry," I said helplessly.

Lucy turned her face away, ignoring me, but I saw a blush rise to her cheeks. Just then, Pheasant ran over, grabbing me and saying repeatedly, "Tenglong, you almost scared me to death! Do you know how much my heart nearly broke when the zombie's weapon came down..."

Pheasant's face was full of pretense, and it was obvious that he was being very fake. I said, "Come on, Pheasant, the way you're saying things is so disgusting that it gives me goosebumps. People who don't know better might think that our relationship is more than just friendship."

Upon hearing this, Lucy laughed and said, "You guys! Maybe it really isn't friendship after all!"

Oh dear, even Lucy said so. I cried out that I was innocent. The know-it-all and the tough guy came over too. For a while, we were chatting and laughing. It felt so good to be able to see the people around me after surviving such a disaster. I smiled and continued to blend into the atmosphere.

Princess Jenny decided to wait until the boss and I had rested enough before setting off. The boss lay down next to me and said, "Tenglong, I never imagined you had such great power. I'm so happy for you."

Having gained power, I don't know how to express the emotions in my heart. For so many years, our leader has always hoped that we could make something of ourselves, but we don't have any magical source power. There are so many feelings involved, I really don't know where to begin.

The eldest brother rummaged in his pocket for a long time, took out a jade pendant and held it in front of his eyes, saying, "Tenglong, this is the jade pendant I found in your clothes when I picked you up back then. You were still young at the time, so I never told you about it. Now that you've grown up and have the power to protect yourself, it's time to return it to you. Perhaps in the future you can use it to find your family and also find out your identity."

I saw a jade dragon carved on the pendant, soaring through the clouds, lifelike, while the other side was blank. Just as I was about to reach out, Pheasant grabbed me first. "Hey, Pheasant, that's a family heirloom, give it back to me." I tried to get up, but couldn't move. It seemed I was indeed severely exhausted.

“Tenglong, it must be very valuable! It’s white jade.” Shanji waved the jade rope in front of me. Princess Jenny pulled the jade into my hand and tapped Shanji with her finger. “All you care about is money. You even bully Tenglong. You call him a brother who has been through thick and thin with you. I think even a brother who has been through thick and thin with you can’t resist the temptation of money.”

Chicken cried out that he was wronged, "I was just joking. How can money compare to the bond between us brothers?"

Princess Jenny helped me put the jade pendant around my neck. I felt a cool sensation, which was very comfortable. Princess Jenny seemed to feel it too. After taking a closer look, she looked surprised. I asked, "What's wrong?"

Princess Jenny lightly stroked the jade pendant with her hand and said, "This jade does not belong to the West. Judging from the dragon carving, it should belong to the East. How did it end up in the West?"

"Is there a difference between dragons in the West and those in the East?" Lucy asked.

“Yes, there is a difference.” Princess Jenny nodded and continued, “Eastern dragons are more beautiful and simple, while Western dragons are more complex in appearance. To give a basic example, the dragon is a belief that originated in ancient times. In the East, the dragon does not have wings, while in the West, the dragon has wings. Although I don’t know why there is such a big difference, it may be due to different cultural histories. However, this is the biggest feature that distinguishes Eastern and Western dragons.”

"So you mean Tenglong is an Easterner, not a Westerner? Then how did Tenglong get here?" the know-it-all said from the side, looking as if he had just realized something.

Princess Jenny slapped the know-it-all and said, "How would I know? Maybe I'm wrong. There are no absolutes in this world. Maybe some Western family bought Eastern items, thought they were beautiful and passed them down to their descendants. That's possible too. If I could predict the future, I'd rather be a god myself."

Everyone else found it boring and stopped discussing the topic. I didn't mind either. The debt of gratitude I owe my boss for raising me is beyond words. All I can say is thank you to express my heartfelt thanks. My boss patted my head, smiled, and didn't say anything more.

Although I also really want to know about my origins, why haven't they come looking for me all these years? Do they have some unspeakable difficulties? Thinking of this, I sighed.

After resting for an unknown amount of time, it was as if there was no night here. Riding on a large flying bird, they suddenly spotted a blurry shadow ahead. Princess Jenny waved her hand, and everyone flew towards it.

As they drew closer, they finally saw clearly that it was a tower. Princess Jenny's expression changed. "The Seven-Story Demon Tower!"

A seven-story demon tower? We were also shocked. The tower stood alone on the ground, with no buildings around it. It was a vast expanse of white, which looked extremely desolate. The tower had seven stories, but the layers had peeled off and it was unrecognizable. We could still vaguely make out the details. The tower was about seventy meters high and about thirty meters wide. A thin mist shrouded it. Could that be demonic energy?

Everyone stood at the foot of the tower, looking up at it. The leader exclaimed excitedly, "The Seven-Story Demon Tower..."