If I, a death row inmate, am not to become a demon, am I to become a member of the Imperial Guard?

Blood-red light enveloped the entire altar.

The light curtain, like a giant water mirror, extended upwards and then converged at the top. Finally, the light solidified, transforming into a three-dimensional landscape painting.

Zhou Yang tilted his head back, his neck stiff. The scene before him was beyond ordinary comprehension. It wasn't a painting. It was light.

The interplay of light outlined the continuous mountain ranges, undulating hills, and winding rivers. Everything was so clear, as if it were a miniature landscape casually sculpted by the Creator.

"What...is this?" he murmured to himself, his voice hoarse. The intense exertion had left his throat parched.

Qin Shuang did not answer. Her entire mind was drawn to the image of light. Her eyes reflected the blood-red landscape, and her pupils contracted slightly.

The light pattern is rotating slowly.

As it rotated, more details emerged. Tiny, shimmering runes appeared on the mountains and rivers. Some runes were red, some were black.

Zhou Yang squinted, trying to make out the runes. He felt dizzy. He shook his head, forcing himself to concentrate.

He saw that a black line representing a canyon was densely covered with red runes. On another seemingly flat road, there were only a few scattered black runes.

"The red ones are traps," Qin Shuang finally spoke. Her voice was calm, but carried a subtle, underlying seriousness. "The black ones are relatively safe paths."

Zhou Yang's heart skipped a beat. This thing was actually a map. A dynamic map marked with dangerous areas.

His gaze followed Qin Shuang's direction, looking towards the end of the map. There, stood a towering mountain peak. The mountain's shape was peculiar, resembling the spine of a crouching behemoth.

At the summit, a huge, constantly flashing red dot caught his full attention.

The red dot was so dazzling, it seemed to be the only source of light in the entire darkness. Every time it flashed, Zhou Yang's heart skipped a beat.

He recognized that feeling.

This is the sensation from the Dragon Spine fragment.

"Ancient Dragon Spine Tomb..." Qin Shuang murmured, reading a line of ancient characters that appeared on the map. The characters were distorted, as if written in blood, exuding an ancient and malevolent aura.

So, the ultimate treasure was right there.

Zhou Yang felt a sudden dryness in his mouth. It wasn't fatigue, but excitement. An excitement mixed with greed and fear. He subconsciously licked his lips, tasting a hint of blood.

He turned to look at Qin Shuang.

Qin Shuang had already taken out a small scroll from her bosom. The scroll was neither paper nor silk, but a transparent, crystal-like substance. She unrolled the scroll and aimed it at the holographic map in front of her.

Her fingers flew across the scroll.

As she moved, pale blue dots began to appear on the surface of the scroll, one after another, forming a route map almost identical to the light map before her. She was not only replicating the map, but also recording the coordinates of the red runes that represented traps.

"Hey, is this a treasure of the Embroidered Uniform Guard?" Zhou Yang leaned closer and asked curiously. He had never seen such a magical recording tool before.

Qin Shuang didn't look at him, but simply replied in a low voice, "The 'Kunyu Map' specially made by the Thousand Households can record spatial coordinates and energy fluctuations."

Her fingers never stopped. Her profile, illuminated by the blood-red light, appeared exceptionally focused. Her long eyelashes trembled slightly, casting a faint shadow beneath her eyelids.

Zhou Yang looked at her and suddenly felt thirsty. He picked up the water pouch at his waist, tilted his head back, and took a big gulp. The cool water slid down his throat, slightly relieving the burning sensation.

He handed the water bag to Qin Shuang.

Qin Shuang stopped what she was doing and took the water bag. She didn't drink immediately, but just glanced at Zhou Yang. His face was still pale, his lips were chapped, but his eyes shone with an undeniable light.

She unscrewed the water bag and took a sip. Then she handed it back.

"There's still a lot," she said.

Zhou Yang followed her gaze. On the map, the path leading to the "Dragon's Spine Tomb" was divided into several levels. The first level was the surface route, covered with red trap runes. Beneath the surface, there was another dark passage. That passage was more hidden and more dangerous.

Every entrance and every corner was clearly marked. Even the trap triggering mechanism was annotated with smaller symbols.

For example, next to a spiral-shaped red rune is a depiction of a collapsed pavilion. Next to an arrow-shaped rune is a cluster of icicles emitting a chilling aura.

"This... is far too detailed." Zhou Yang clicked his tongue. "Giving you this map is like exposing the very secrets of the ancient tomb."

Qin Shuang ignored his crude analogy. She simply said, "Thanks to it. Otherwise, even if we reached the door, we wouldn't be able to get in."

She pointed to a path on the map that ultimately led to the heart of the mountain. The path was shrouded in a thick, ever-changing purple light curtain. There were no markings on the curtain.

"This is the core area. The final layer of defense in the closed loop of the formation." Qin Shuang frowned. "It didn't provide a path."

Zhou Yang's heart sank. In other words, the biggest challenge still needed to be overcome by themselves.

He shifted his gaze from the map to the center of the altar. The stone slab that had held all the fragments of the dragon's spine had returned to calm. Only its surface was now covered with fine cracks, like a tattered spiderweb.

It was this spider web that gave birth to the holographic map before us.

"It seems the guy who set up the tomb didn't intend for future generations to get in easily." Zhou Yang stretched, and his bones cracked again. He felt like he had been disassembled and reassembled, with every part protesting.

He walked to the stone steps and plopped down. He pulled out the remaining half of a dry ration from his pocket and stuffed it haphazardly into his mouth. It was so dry it crumbled, so he could only swallow it with water.

Qin Shuang finished recording. She put away the scroll of "Kunyu Map" and sat down next to Zhou Yang.

The wind was kept out by the shield. In this small space, only the flowing light of blood and the faint sound of the two chewing their food could be heard.

"Take a break," Qin Shuang said. "You're not feeling well."

"I won't die," Zhou Yang answered vaguely. He finished his dry rations in a few bites, leaned against the cold stone wall, and closed his eyes.

He needed to recover. Not just physically, but mentally as well. The price of burning through his lifespan was greater than he had imagined. It was a weakness that felt like his very essence had been drained away, something that couldn't be replenished simply by eating a few bites.

Qin Shuang looked at him curled up, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes. She took out a slender silver needle from her bosom and walked behind Zhou Yang.

"Don't move," she whispered.

A silver needle was gently inserted into an acupoint on the back of Zhou Yang's neck. A cool sensation flowed slowly into his meridians through the needle. Zhou Yang's tense body instantly relaxed.

"What good stuff is this now?" he asked weakly.

"A calming acupuncture. It'll help stabilize your heart." Qin Shuang's voice was soft, carrying a hint of gentleness. "You pushed yourself too hard just now."

Zhou Yang didn't speak again. He simply felt the cool sensation flowing through his body. The fatigue seemed to have been somewhat relieved.

He suddenly realized that having such a partner wasn't so bad. Although she was cold and "expensive," at least she would hand him a needle when he was about to collapse.

This feeling was unfamiliar. He was used to being alone, used to all transactions having clear prices. But what Qin Shuang gave him seemed immeasurable in monetary terms.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhou Yang opened his eyes. He felt much better. Although his body was still exhausted, his mind was much clearer.

He stood up and stretched his arms and legs.

"Let's go," he said.

Qin Shuang nodded and withdrew the silver needles.

She walked to the edge of the altar, reached out, and gently touched the blood-red shield. The shield rippled, then slowly faded, eventually disappearing into thin air.

A gust of wind rushed in from outside, carrying the chill of the mountain peak and the smell of dust.

The holographic map remained suspended in mid-air, like a will-o'-the-wisp that would never go out.

Zhou Yang took a deep breath. The air was cold, but it brought him a sense of clarity.

He glanced at the route on the map leading to the "Ancient Dragon Spine Tomb," then at Qin Shuang beside him, who was holding a scythe.

"According to the map, we need to cross that 'Misty Swamp' first." Qin Shuang pointed to a gray area on the map, which was covered with red runes. "It has the most traps and the strongest energy reactions."

"That doesn't sound like a good place." Zhou Yang grinned, revealing a set of white teeth. "But fortune favors the bold. Let's go see what kind of grand gift the owner of this ancient tomb has prepared for us."

He took the first step and descended the steps of the altar.

Qin Shuang followed behind him, her gaze never leaving the floating map.

Their shadows, stretched long and thin in the crimson light, appeared as they walked towards the first danger zone marked on the map.