A comprehensive overview of tombs: starting with the Yellow Weasel's Tomb

At that time, cinemas in Northeast China had to show one or two of these encore films before showing any other movie. Some of these films depicted the peaceful and prosperous land of the emperor, while others showed the imperial army suppressing bandits, who were known as "bandits" in Northeast China.

These Manchukuo photographers were assigned to a punitive expedition team. It was said that there was a group of Jin bandits in the deep mountains who, relying on the high mountains and dense forests, repeatedly resisted the Imperial Army's attacks.

And these punitive expeditions entered

After reaching the mountain, they couldn't find the village where the bandits were located. When they arrived, they discovered that the mountain where the bandits had been was now a vast swamp, and the village where the bandits were located was likely submerged.

These troops were nominally sent into the mountains to suppress the Jin bandits, but their real purpose was to covet the gold veins hidden within.

For this reason, the Japanese also brought in the Moth River gunboat, which was the same ship they had seen before.

The Moth-class river gunboat searched everywhere on the river for three days, but found nothing. In the end, the river collapsed, creating a large hole underwater, and the Japanese soldiers of the punitive expedition, along with the river gunboat, fell into the crevice.

As the saying goes, "like a moth drawn to a flame, there is no way to return." Once you fall in, how can you possibly get out?

The records written by the photographer from the Man-Ming News Agency contain detailed information about the Jin bandit village, including the fact that the Jin bandits worshipped the Gray Immortal and threw living people into the Golden Cave as offerings, and even knew exactly how many guns and ammunition the village had.

Bai Jing recalled that the data above matched the figures in the ledger they had found in that village.

It is clear that this group of Japanese soldiers came prepared.

What they didn't expect was that not only did they fail to find the village, but the Moth River gunboat also got stuck in a crevice.

Because of the obstruction caused by the water flow, the Japanese punitive expedition could only go deeper into the area and therefore did not pass through the village that had been sank into a fissure in the ground.

The expeditionary force discovered ancient rock paintings in the crevice, depicting a sun totem symbolizing a giant plant.

This plant's tendrils can penetrate the earth and absorb sunlight from the mountains through the forest, eventually reaching the underground, which is how grass and even forests grow in this underground world.

Ancient people called this underground light-gathering plant "fragments of the sun," which is the Buddhist legend of the precious flower, and also called the Buddha flower.

There are many records of Buddhist flowers in Buddhist scriptures since the Tang Dynasty, and the Baoxiang flower is the first of the twenty-four Buddhist flowers. It is said to be a fragment of the sun, growing underground, but it can emit a great light that illuminates the ten directions of the world.

Generally speaking, there are eight directions, while ten directions means there are two more: above and below, with above referring to the sky and below referring to the earth.

The legend of the peony flower was introduced to Japan during the Tang Dynasty, so this reporter from Manchuria Film Association was somewhat familiar with it.

The expeditionary force that went to find a way out never returned, and the rest of the personnel were either dead or wounded. Several wounded, including this Manchurian Film Secretary, were trapped in the river gunboat that had been half-submerged in the water until they ran out of ammunition and food.

And the notes end there.

The rest is history; the Japanese punitive expedition was completely wiped out and ultimately trapped and died underground.

After deciphering the notes, everyone looked at the glowing 'cables' in the distance and understood that these were the vines of the peony.

The murals and stone reliefs they saw in the tomb of the Liao Dynasty Empress Dowager were not eyeballs, but rather the lotus flower described in Buddhist scriptures.

The beams of light around the vortex were actually the vines of the peony flower extending in all directions.

For a moment, everyone fell into deep thought.

If this vine is so thick that it would take several people to hug it, then how big must the lotus flower in the middle be?

For a moment, everyone's thoughts drifted off to who-knows-where.

Chapter 108 Rest and Start Anew

After reading the notes, everyone had different thoughts.

To be honest, Bai Jing doesn't have a good way to deal with Bao Xiang Hua right now. It's good enough that he can escape from the illusion set up by Bao Xiang Hua, let alone deal with Bao Xiang Hua.

Are you dreaming?

The peony flower can create illusions. The fruit of the peony flower, which is rooted deep in the earth's veins, forms a huge crystal. When someone passes by, they only need to hear its sound and see its shape to be captivated by it without realizing it.

In other words, the peony flower can absorb a person's consciousness, immersing them in a boundless vortex, causing their soul to become lost in layer upon layer of dreams, until it is ultimately devoured.

Even if you know it's a dream and that there are boundless dangers within, you can't wake up from it, and dying in a dream will also mean dying in the real world.

Let alone getting rid of this Baoxianghua, even getting close to it is an extremely difficult task.

Although Bai Jing has never been pulled into the illusion by anything, even Bai Pi couldn't pull Bai Jing's consciousness into the illusion.

But Bai Jing wasn't confident enough to say that Bao Xianghua couldn't deal with him or pull him into the illusion.

Bai Jing didn't know if the Treasure Flower had consciousness, but he was certain that its abilities were probably comparable to those of the Nine-Headed Insect, which could drive the Wheel of Life and Death.

As far as Bai Jing knew, the Mojin Jue could resist the illusion of the Baoxiang Flower, but it could not guarantee that everyone would not fall into the illusion.

Therefore, Bai Jing was somewhat worried. If so many people entered the area where the lotus flower was located, even he would not be able to protect everyone.

Although the fat man said that the Japanese punitive expedition was a puppet of militarism and could not be compared with everyone else.

What does it mean to be able to reach for the moon in the heavens and capture turtles in the deep sea?

The opportunity to conquer nature is right in front of us. Why should we retreat instead of charging forward? We might as well go all the way down this path!

Although the fat man spoke with great enthusiasm, Bai Jing thought about it carefully and decided that it was better not to send so many people.

He wasn't entirely confident about this trip.

Bai Qi naturally saw Bai Jing's concerns, and he understood Bai Jing.

When Bai Jing says something is feasible, it means he is absolutely certain of its success. But when Bai Jing says something he is not certain of, it's best not to do it.

Immediately, Bai Qi joined Bai Jing's side and began persuading the others.

Fatty was familiar with Bai Jing and Bai Qi, and knew their situation as well. After thinking it over carefully, he decided to go and see the peony flower.

In his words, being able to see this precious peony flower is like dying under its blossoms—even as a ghost, it would be a romantic endeavor!

However, he also knew that this trip was probably very dangerous, as there were female comrades in the team.

Ultimately, everyone decided to return the way they came, rest properly, and then decide who should come next.

And so, when the heavy rain subsided, everyone retraced their steps and returned. As they passed through the village, they discovered that most of the rats in the village were dead, but a few could still be seen here and there.

No one paid much attention to these rats,

Continue back the way we came.

To be honest, the underground world is really huge. Even just traveling, it took more than an hour for everyone to return to the tomb of the Liao Dynasty Empress Dowager.

Afterwards, everyone climbed out of the tunnel, and when they looked at the sky, it was already evening.

To be honest, the experience of this day is something that everyone present will remember for a lifetime.

Bai Jing and the others eventually parted ways with Zhenzi at the foot of the mountain.

By the time everyone returned to Farm 17, it was completely dark.

Fortunately, Bai Jing and his group took advantage of the night to collect everything they had gathered.

In no time, the floor of the dugout was covered with all sorts of funerary objects made of gold and jade.

Looking at the pile of items on the ground, everyone smiled happily.

These things are related to the future of everyone present.

If they bring out these funerary objects and report the matter of the Liao Dynasty empress dowager's tomb, they will likely be able to enlist in the army and attend university normally in the future.

So everyone is very excited right now.

After everyone calmed down, Bai Jing seriously brought up the matter of going to explore the Treasure Flower.

After discussion, everyone decided to take a good rest tomorrow, and then Bai Jing, Bai Qi, and Fatty would go to explore the Treasure Flower.

The army and the elite troops remained in place.

According to Bai Jing, even if he encounters any danger while only bringing two people, he is confident that he can bring them out alive.

If there are too many people, I'm not confident I can get away unscathed.

This view was accepted by everyone.

And so, the group chatted until very late that night, so excited that they didn't fall asleep until the moon was high in the sky.

The next day, everyone killed and ate the pheasant that Bai Pi had caught earlier, which helped them replenish their strength. Then, Bai Jing and the other two made their final preparations.

Around noon, Hazelnut came to find the group with some food.

The group then indulged in another round of eating and drinking.

Time flew by, and soon it was the morning of the third day after they came out of the Liao tomb. On this morning, Hazel also came to the farm to see Bai Jing and the other two off.

Bai Jing and his two companions, each carrying a gun, were all fully dressed and armed.

Of course, besides the three of them, Bai Pi would also be going along.

Along the way, Bai Jing and the other two followed the route they took on their return journey that day, heading towards the location of the Liao Dynasty Empress Dowager's tomb.

Since it was a repeat of the same route, everyone was familiar with it and it didn't take them long to get back to the place they had reached before returning.

Bai Jing had roughly remembered some of the plot. If they continued forward, they would enter the vortex sea where the treasure flower grew.

Bai Jing and his group followed the growth of the peony vines deeper into the area.

As Bai Jing and his companions ventured deeper into the area, they unknowingly entered a grand hall.

This place is enormous, like a mysterious and magnificent underground palace. It seems to stretch endlessly, with rows of huge, orderly stone pillars that appear to go on forever.

Moreover, each side is three to five zhang wide, and wherever the torchlight can reach, whether it is a stone pillar or the ground, there are swirling patterns of various sizes and shapes carved everywhere.

The chaotic vortex and the neatly arranged boulders make this eerie and mysterious cave seem even more unpredictable.

Although we had torches to light our way and searchlights to look after us, we were as small and helpless as fireflies falling into a dark sea.