Chapter 323: This Place Is Not a Tomb

That evening, the group enjoyed a delicious meal of grilled fish.

The two special forces soldiers were both outdoor survival experts. Their movements as they caught the fish, cleaned them, and built the fire were crisp and efficient.

However, they ate rather casually. From the looks of it, they merely wanted to cook the fish and fill their stomachs, caring little about the taste.

Ning Fei, on the other hand, had always focused on the quality of life. Even when venturing deep into the mountains, he liked to carry some seasonings with him so his grilled fish actually had flavor.

The four members of the expedition team ate their fish on one side, while Ning Fei and Bai Yi ate on the other. Everyone minded their own business without interfering with one another.

"Brother, are we going down into the tomb tomorrow?" Bai Yi asked as she ate her fish. "In the movies, it always looks so scary down there, full of weird traps and creatures."

"Whether we go down or not is still up in the air," Ning Fei explained. "This expedition team is just the vanguard. To put it plainly, their main task is to find out if there's actually a tomb and pinpoint its location. A larger force will come later to excavate."

"It's highly likely the tomb is buried deep within the mountain. Just the few of us wouldn't be able to dig it out."

Hearing this, Bai Yi replied in dismay, "Oh, I see."

"But it's not set in stone. We'll see how things look tomorrow,"

Ning Fei added.

He pondered over the map.

The map indicated the location of the burial pit and the main tomb.

The burial pit was located in a cave at the top of a high mountain. Inside was a waterfall with a subterranean river below, home to many salamander-like creatures.

But why would the main tomb be situated on such an ordinary-looking small mountain?

The Qinshan Mountain range was one of the three great dragon veins of Huaxia, steeped in mystery since ancient times.

"Brother, are there really a lot of ancient tombs in Qinshan?" Bai Yi asked.

"That part is true. Earlier on, explorers came to Qinshan and crawled into any caves they found. They discovered remains and a lot of blue brick tiles inside. Though by now, most of that stuff has been completely cleared out,"

Ning Fei explained.

Qinshan Village also had plenty of stories about tombs in the Qinling region, and Ning Fei had heard his fair share.

That night, the expedition team went to sleep early.

Online, discussions about the expedition team remained lively.

Some felt it was just deliberate mystification, others thought the Archaeology Channel was pulling a stunt for views, while some believed this would be the discovery of the century.

All the answers would be revealed tomorrow.

The next day.

Ning Fei and Zhang Ke both woke up early, their minds entirely focused on the tomb.

"Temple Master Ning, do you think the tomb is really on this mountain?" Zhang Ke asked when he saw him come out.

"The map marked it very clearly. The locations of the two tombs were even designated with special symbols, so it shouldn't be wrong," Ning Fei said.

"It's just... what exactly is so special about this mountain? Why would the main tomb be placed here?" Ning Fei murmured thoughtfully.

"The ancients might have had a different understanding of feng shui than we do now. In their eyes, this place might be some treasured feng shui land," Zhang Ke remarked casually.

The members of the expedition team gradually began their preparations.

Ning Fei also turned on his stream.

The moment the stream went live, a massive crowd of viewers instantly flooded in. Live-streaming a tomb exploration was far more exciting than watching a grave-robbing movie.

"Temple Master Ning, have you found the spot for the robber's hole? When are you going down?"

"Seeking dragon veins and dividing gold requires observing the entangling mountains, one fold of entanglement is one fold of barrier. If the barrier doors have a thousand locks, there must be royalty residing within. Take this chant and use it, you're welcome!"

"This mountain doesn't look too treacherous, and the environment is actually quite nice. Could a tomb really be here?"

"Hard to say. Who really understands feng shui?"

"This used to be a secret art of Huaxia. It's a shame it gradually became lost."

"Let's see how the expedition team searches for it. They might have a way."

At that moment, the expedition team prepared to start their search.

Ning Fei and Bai Yi stood off to the side, not joining in.

It had been agreed upon before they came that Ning Fei's primary duty was to lead them into the mountains and reach this location. He was acting more like a local guide.

The task of finding the tomb was mainly Zhang Ke's responsibility.

"The art of feng shui may be lost now, but there are still traces to follow."

"And what novels write isn't necessarily fake. In the past, when grave robbing was prevalent, there were many different sects, and there really was one grave-robbing sect that used the dragon-seeking chant."

Ning Fei said to the viewers, recalling the ancient texts he had read in Qingfeng Temple.

Qingfeng Temple held many ancient texts left behind by the previous Temple Masters. Among them was a book on the feng shui dragon-seeking chant, and its contents were quite fascinating.

Ning Fei found it rather strange how the previous masters had managed to get their hands on the secret manuals of other sects and stash them away in Qingfeng Temple.

"According to the five elements, this mountain belongs to the Metal Element."

"The five elements are Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. Wood and Fire cultures produce nobles and sages; the Earth element often yields extreme wealth; while the dragons of Metal and Water possess both wealth and nobility."

"Those of the Wood and Fire elements usually bury sages, the Earth element mostly buries the immensely rich, while Metal and Water are mostly used for high officials and dignitaries."

"Therefore, the tomb on this mountain should belong to someone who wielded great power in life."

Hearing Ning Fei's words, the viewers were extremely surprised, and a flurry of "666" swept across the chat.

Zhang Ke, who was searching nearby, also heard him. Unable to hold back, he walked over and asked, "Temple Master Ning, according to your observations, where is the most likely location for this main tomb?"

Ning Fei looked up and said, "The summit!"

"I read an ancient text before that had some records regarding pinpointing tomb locations."

"Geomancy pinpoints locations by embracing the mountains and rivers, whether high peaks or flat lands, the natural acupoint is best. Just look for the halo's perfection and where it settles, the mountain's crest and precious peak must be perfectly round and square."

"Simply put, if you want to place a tomb on a mountain, you need to find a natural high peak where the summit is perfectly rounded and unified. That is the best natural burial site."

"Moreover, the tomb in the stalactite cave is also at the summit, so the greatest possibility lies at the top of this mountain as well."

Hearing this, Zhang Ke also looked up.

He threw another glance at Ning Fei, a deep shock hidden in his eyes.

He realized he couldn't see through this young man in front of him at all.

This youth seemed to know everything. At a glance, Ning Fei gave people a feeling like a gentle spring breeze—handsome, elegant, and filled with a vast, righteous aura.

But if one tried to look deeper, he felt like a bottomless abyss.

The viewers, however, grew excited upon hearing Ning Fei recite the two chants.

"Good heavens, now it really feels like a movie."

"Why does this chant sound so profound coming from Temple Master Ning's mouth?"

"I'm already on my knees. Exactly how much does Temple Master Ning know? Is there anything he doesn't know?"

"Didn't Temple Master Ning say it before? He just likes to read books when he has nothing else to do."

"I like reading books too, but compared to Temple Master Ning, I feel like completely useless trash who knows nothing."

The viewers' discussions grew increasingly heated.

Many experts watching this scene were also deeply shocked.

"Let's go, up the mountain!"

Zhang Ke also felt Ning Fei made a lot of sense. He planned to start from the summit and search downwards.

"Look over there, there's a cave."

"There's one there too!"

"There are a lot of caves in this mountain!"

After walking for a while, the members of the expedition team suddenly cried out in surprise.

Yesterday, they had only reached the foot of the mountain.

It wasn't until they climbed higher that they realized there were about a dozen caves of various sizes scattered near the summit.

These caves looked exceptionally eerie.

Bai Yi unconsciously grabbed Ning Fei's hand. When people were afraid, they naturally sought out the person they were closest to and trusted the most for protection.

Ning Fei held her hand in return, comforting her not to be afraid.

"With so many caves, it looks like the tomb must be in one of them!"

Zhang Ke's eyes lit up, and he quickened his pace.

The rest of the expedition team did the same. After all, their mission was to protect the researchers as they searched for the tomb; finding it would be a true accomplishment.

The cameraman similarly sped up to follow them.

Ning Fei, bringing up the rear, appeared rather unhurried.

"Brother, what's wrong?" Bai Yi asked.

"I just feel something isn't quite right. I don't think this place is a tomb," Ning Fei said in a low voice, gazing ahead.

"If it's not a tomb, then what is it?"

"This place... it looks a bit more like a barrow!"