Volume Three – The Fox Spirit's Tomb Chapter Forty-Three – Two Passages, Dividing Heaven and Earth

Li Kun stared at the walls and floor, his face filled with overwhelming shock. "Damn, Old Xu, are these floors and walls made of jade?"

Xu Tian crouched down to examine them. "That’s right. Both the floor and the walls are crafted from jade. The construction costs for this chamber must have been astronomical. Even if jade prices were lower back then, such a vast sum would be beyond the means of a single village. It seems whoever built this Fox Immortal Tomb wasn't just the villagers from Goutou Village; there must have been outsiders involved."

After Xu Tian finished speaking, we couldn't help but marvel. The value of this single room alone could likely fund the construction of another tomb of similar scale.

With the room now brightly illuminated, we could see everything clearly. If this was indeed where the Fox Immortal bathed, it was unlikely to contain any traps.

Xu Tian and I walked together to observe the room, while Da Gou, clearly drawn to Li Kun’s personality, was already chatting and laughing with him.

We approached the walls to examine the three rows of jade rabbit lamps. Xu Tian sighed in admiration, "It seems the entire room is made of jade; even these lamps are carved from it."

As he spoke, he clicked his tongue. Meanwhile, Li Kun turned to Da Gou and said, "Da Gou, pull out the entrenching tool from my back."

Da Gou nodded hesitantly. "Brother Li, shouldn't we avoid messing around? This is where the Fox Immortal bathes. If we break something, she might come looking for us to settle the score."

Li Kun waved him off. "What are you afraid of? If anything happens, Brother Liu is here. He’ll take the heat if the sky falls. Let’s see if we can pry one of these lamps loose. Just this one lamp must be worth tens of thousands."

Da Gou looked at the rows of lamps in astonishment, utterly stunned. "Brother Li, can these really be sold for that much money?"

Li Kun nodded. "Of course."

Finding Da Gou too dithering, Li Kun glanced at Xu Tian and me. Seeing we were still busy observing the lamps, he stealthily pulled out his entrenching tool. He weighed it in his hand, then aimed the tip at the base of a lamp. He bit his lip, furrowed his brows, and strained his arm, but to his bewilderment, the base wouldn't budge.

He pulled his right hand back, shaking his aching web of his thumb, and muttered, "I refuse to believe I can't pry you out."

With a sudden surge of strength, he lunged again. Da Gou and I heard a metallic clatter, and a few small shards of jade chipped off the base. Li Kun’s face lit up—his strategy was working.

He gave one final, violent heave. With a sharp *crack*, the tool slipped from the base, sending the entrenching tool flying—a testament to the force he had used.

The moment the tool slipped, Li Kun stumbled, lost his footing, and tipped straight back toward the hot spring in the center of the room.

Da Gou’s heart skipped a beat. Although the room was warm, it was winter. If Li Kun fell in, he’d have to wait for his clothes to dry, and by then, the Fox Immortal might return, which would be disastrous.

Da Gou lunged forward, grabbing Li Kun’s legs with all his might. Li Kun’s upper body had already slid over the wooden frame, his head plunging into the spring water.

Da Gou managed to drag him back. Li Kun shook his head, spat out some spring water, and heard me ask, "Old Li, what are you doing?"

Li Kun scratched his head, glancing at the entrenching tool on the floor. "Nothing, nothing at all."

Seeing his expression, then looking at the tool and the damaged lamp on the wall, we knew his greed had flared up again.

"Old Li," I said, "how could you be so reckless? This is the Fox Immortal’s bathing chamber. If she finds out, we’re dead regardless of whether she’s a benevolent or malevolent spirit. Don't be so rash again."

Li Kun wiped the water from his face and nodded quietly.

Seeing him acknowledge this, I added, "Alright, let’s not linger. Since this room was built near the entrance, it seems the two Fox Immortals never expected anyone to find them, or perhaps they never intended to leave. Let’s move quickly. If the Fox Immortal returns, we’ll be in serious trouble."

They nodded, and we all turned toward the grand door, also made of red agate, standing before us.

Li Kun wiped his hair and stowed the entrenching tool in his pack. As he turned, he noticed a fragment of the jade lamp had been pried loose and was lying on the smooth floor. His face lit up with joy; he quickly snatched the shard, shoved it into his pocket, and hurried to join us.

We reached the door. Li Kun and I gripped the bronze rings, exchanged a nod, and pulled with all our might. To our surprise, the stone door swung open effortlessly.

We breathed a sigh of relief—at least this door wasn't as difficult as the first.

Just as we prepared to shine our flashlights inside, the lamp stands along the passage ignited as they made contact with the air, instantly bathing the corridor in light. We exhaled—at least we wouldn't have to navigate in the dark anymore.

The passage walls were lined with uniform sky-blue stone tiles, incredibly smooth and beautiful. Bathed in the glow of the flickering flames, the corridor was a sight to behold.

We were taken aback; this was nothing like any tomb we had ever seen. It felt more like a manor—spotless and illuminated the moment the door opened.

We exchanged glances. Xu Tian sighed, "I never imagined the Fox Immortal Tomb would look like this. We haven't encountered any danger; it feels more like we’re on a sightseeing tour."

Li Kun nodded. "Old Xu is right. This isn't grave robbing—it’s a day trip."

"Don't get careless," I warned. "The danger is still ahead."

The others nodded, and we stepped into the passage.

We hadn't gone far before we encountered a black stone door, this one lacking any bronze rings.

I stood before it, nodded to Li Kun, and we braced our bodies against the cold stone, pushing with all our strength until it slowly gave way.

We expected another room with lights, but after waiting a few seconds, there was no reaction.

We clicked on our flashlights, and Li Kun activated his Blood Eyes to scan the surroundings.

We were in a small chamber with two long corridors branching off to the left and right. The two paths were starkly different. To the left, the passage was pitch black, constructed of dark stone blocks, roughly a meter and a half wide, with no doors in sight.

The corridor to the right, however, was built of sky-blue stone tiles, nearly three meters wide. As we approached, the lights inside flickered to life, creating a warm and harmonious scene.

We looked at each other. Li Kun pointed to the right. "Let’s check that one. I don't feel any danger there."

Xu Tian nodded. "I agree. But I suspect the left passage leads to the three focal points of the formation."

"And this one?" Li Kun asked, pointing to the illuminated passage.

"If we enter this one," Xu Tian replied, "there is an eighty percent chance we will encounter the two Fox Immortals."

I nodded. "Exactly. This passage should lead to their lair. Our objective is clear: destroy the three focal points of the Twin Dragon Yin-Severing Formation, then find the benevolent spirit to obtain the Fox Corpse Blood Scab."

Li Kun nodded. "Then let’s move. Let’s break the formation before that malevolent spirit realizes what’s happening."

"Right," Xu Tian added. "If I’m correct, once we destroy the formation, the malevolent spirit's power will be greatly diminished. That will improve our odds."

He stopped there, leaving unspoken the reality that our odds would only improve by a fraction.