In the deepest part of the tomb, the air seemed to solidify into substance, making it so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.
A beam of flashlight penetrated tenaciously in the darkness and finally stopped on an ancient and solemn coffin.
Shangguan Qing approached slowly, taking every step with extreme caution, as if he was afraid to disturb the tranquility that had slumbered for a thousand years.
She stared at the heavy coffin lid, which was carved with intricate totems. After years of baptism, it still revealed a majesty that should not be underestimated.
She stretched out her trembling hand and gently touched the edge of the coffin. An indescribable chill came from her fingertips and penetrated her heart.
As she approached, a strange feeling arose spontaneously - the coffin seemed to be empty.
She took a deep breath, adjusted her breathing, and then slowly pushed a corner of the coffin lid.
With a low "creaky" sound, the coffin lid slowly opened, and a faint beam of light penetrated into the coffin, but failed to illuminate any corpse.
Shangguan Qing stuck his head out and looked inside, only to see an empty space with nothing else except the dust of time and a few wisps of decay.
This scene made her heart beat faster for no reason, and an indescribable emotion surged in her chest.
It was so quiet that the only sound I could hear was my own breathing and the echo of water drops falling in the distance, as if the whole world had stopped at this moment.
Shangguan Qing frowned slightly, his eyes wandering between the empty coffin and the man's face.
The flashlight swayed gently in her hand, casting mottled shadows and reflecting her complex expression.
She lowered her voice, with a barely perceptible nervousness: "You really don't dare to open the coffin by yourself?"
The man swallowed, his eyes flickering, as if recalling some disturbing memory.
"There are many strange things in the tombs. I have heard that some ancient tombs contain the curse of the guardian. Once it is triggered, there will be no peace."
His words echoed in the small space, adding a bit of eeriness.
The beam of the flashlight danced on the coffin, illuminating the tiny beads of sweat on his face and the flash of fear in his eyes.
Shangguan Qing's eyes grew more determined in the darkness. She took a deep breath and focused the flashlight into the empty coffin. The light seemed to carry a certain determination, trying to penetrate the thousand years of silence.
She slowly exerted force with both hands, and the coffin lid was completely pushed open, making a dull and long echo that echoed in every corner of the tomb.
Inside the empty coffin, there was no trace of life except for the dust of time dancing gently.
She bent down, her eyes searching every inch of the coffin, as if she could penetrate the void and see directly into the secrets of the past.
A man's voice sounded at the side, with a bit of disbelief and admiration: "Shangguan Qing, you are really braver than me, a wandering wanderer. This empty coffin may hide some secrets that we can't see."
There was both amazement and a hint of self-mockery in his tone. The light of the flashlight danced on his face, illuminating his complex expression - awe of the unknown and admiration for Shangguan Qing's courage.
Inside the tomb, the breathing sounds of the two people and the occasional sound of water dripping in the distance intertwined, forming a strange and quiet picture.
Shangguan Qing's brows flashed with thought when she heard this. The light of her flashlight moved slowly inside the empty coffin and finally stopped at a corner of the bottom of the coffin, where there seemed to be a barely perceptible dark color.
"It may not be a cover-up,"
She whispered, squatted down, and gently brushed away the surface dust with her fingertips. A faint reflection flickered in the dimness.
"Look here, there are tiny scratches, like they were caused by long-term friction."
The man took a closer look and saw that there were indeed a few fine lines on the edge of the coffin bottom that were almost merged with the dust. His eyes widened in surprise.
"Could it be that..."
Before he finished speaking, Shangguan Qing stood up and swept the flashlight beam across the surrounding tomb walls, paying special attention to any possible secret doors or mechanisms.
Shangguan Qing frowned when he heard this. The light of the flashlight drew sharp tracks in the dim tomb, and every time it swept through a place, it seemed to be exploring the hidden secrets.
She suddenly stopped and the beam of light stopped on a seemingly ordinary bluestone on the tomb wall. The subtle textures on the stone seemed to hide a luster that was different from the surrounding area.
She touched the stone lightly, and felt a slight vibration at her fingertips. Then, a piece of stone slab slowly sank, revealing a deep crack, as if it was a portal to another world.
An even more ancient and heavy breath emanated from the cracks, making people involuntarily feel awe.
The man's eyes widened and he exclaimed, "This... This is really a cover! The real tomb is hidden so secretly!"
The beam of the flashlight followed his line of sight into the gap, and he saw that it was pitch black inside, bottomless and seemed to be connected to an unknown abyss.
The two looked at each other, with fear of the unknown and desire for adventure in their eyes. Without any prior agreement, they embarked on a journey of exploring the unknown and stepped into the mysterious gap.
As Shangguan Qing and the man stepped into the deep crevice, a cold wind blew past their faces, carrying an ancient breath that made people shudder.
The light of the flashlight flickered in the narrow passage, barely illuminating a few feet ahead.
On the wall, the mottled ancient text gradually emerges under the faint light. The handwriting is simple and vigorous, as if it is the whisper of time.
Shangguan Qing's heart beat faster, and she involuntarily moved closer to the wall, gently stroking the uneven words with her fingers.
Every time she touched it, a picture emerged in her mind: General Shangguan in his childhood, sweating profusely on the martial arts training ground, with an unyielding light in his eyes; in his youth, he rode a horse on the battlefield, bravely resisting foreign enemies; later, he became a famous general with great military exploits, but also experienced vicissitudes in the vortex of power.
These words are not just General Shangguan's autobiography, but more like a vivid historical picture scroll that slowly unfolds before Shangguan Qing's eyes.