“The map shows the location is around here, but... there’s nothing,” Li Lian muttered, her brows furrowing as she scanned the surroundings.
Noah crouched down, inspecting the ground. His gaze sharpened as he spotted a corner of a stone marker peeking out from beneath some dense shrubs.
“There’s something here!” he exclaimed. “We need to clear it off.”
Together, they pulled away the tangled grass and dug out the soil around it. Slowly, an ancient stone stele emerged, covered with faded inscriptions and intricate patterns of trigrams. At the center of the stone was a noticeable circular indentation, surrounded by delicate engravings of the Eight Trigrams.
“What is this?” Li Lian brushed away the dirt and carefully traced the carved lines with her fingertips, trying to make sense of the symbols.
Noah narrowed his eyes, studying the shape of the indentation. A sudden realization struck him.
“It matches the size of the fragments we’ve been collecting! Maybe this is where they’re meant to fit.”
Quickly, they took out the Eight Trigram fragments from their backpacks. Each fragment was exquisitely carved, as though it carried untold stories from a distant past.
“We need to assemble them into a complete disk,” Li Lian noted, closely examining the fragments and their patterns. She knelt by the stone and began aligning the pieces.
“This one’s Kan... it goes in the northern position. And here’s Qian...” Noah murmured as he carefully placed each fragment according to the sequence of the trigrams.
Nearby, Xiaolong sat patiently, occasionally letting out a soft bark as if urging them to hurry.
When the final fragment clicked into place, the pieces formed a flawless circular disk. In its center was a complex design surrounded by softly glowing golden symbols.
“It’s done!” Noah’s excitement bubbled over as he gently lifted the disk.
They slowly set it into the indentation on the stele. The moment it was fully inserted, a deep rumble echoed through the ground, and the stone trembled as if waking from a centuries-long slumber.
“Boom—”
The golden glow of the trigram symbols spread outward along the engraved lines, concentrating in the center of the disk.
“It’s turning!” Li Lian gasped, her eyes wide with wonder.
The disk rotated slowly, accompanied by the steady sound of ancient gears shifting. Moments later, the ground beneath the stele split open, revealing a rising bronze platform. It was intricately decorated with motifs from the Qin Dynasty. In the center stood a massive bronze gate, flanked by towering stone walls adorned with the solemn figures of Terracotta Warriors. The soldiers appeared to stand guard, silent and vigilant.
The bronze gate creaked open, releasing a low, echoing groan. Beyond the gate, a torch-lit passage stretched forward, its flickering light dancing across the ornate bronze reliefs on the walls.
Taking deep breaths, Noah and Li Lian stepped through the gate, their forms swallowed by the shifting firelight. The gate slowly closed behind them, sealing off the outside world. Inside, the warmth of the torchlight cast a soft orange glow, revealing elaborate carvings on the walls—scenes of Qin soldiers in battle formations, craftsmen laboring on vast constructions, and serene landscapes of mountains and rivers.
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“These carvings... they look exactly like what’s described in history books about the Qin era,” Li Lian whispered in awe, shining her flashlight across the intricate artwork.
Xiaolong sniffed the ground as he trotted ahead, his ears alert and tail wagging slightly, as though confirming that the path was safe.
The passage twisted and turned, deepening as they walked. The air grew heavier, filled with the presence of ancient times long past. The flickering torchlight painted shadows on the stone walls, bringing the reliefs to life.
“Look at this!” Noah called out, pointing to a large section of the wall.
The carving depicted an enormous tomb surrounded by rivers and mountains. Li Lian examined it closely, speaking softly.
“This is a map of Lishan... the layout of the Qin Emperor’s tomb was designed to mirror this landscape.”
They continued along the passage, which gradually widened. Overhead, crystal-studded bronze lanterns glimmered softly, casting a ghostly blue light. The illumination created an ethereal atmosphere, as if they were walking under a starlit sky.
“These lights... they’re still working? What kind of technology could do this?” Li Lian marveled, gently touching one of the lanterns.
Noah shook his head. “It must be some ancient mechanism. The craftsmanship here is beyond anything I expected.”
At the end of the corridor, they found a towering archway. Dragons were carved in elegant coils across the arch, their scales shimmering faintly in the light. Beside the arch stood two enormous statues of Qin warriors, their eyes embedded with ruby stones that gleamed ominously.
Pushing open the archway, Noah and Li Lian held their breath—
Before them stretched a vast underground chamber.
A colossal luminous pearl hung from the ceiling, casting a soft white light across the space, as bright as daylight. The walls were adorned with vibrant murals depicting the life and achievements of Qin Shi Huang: uniting the warring states, building the Great Wall, and establishing the grandeur of the Qin Empire.
At the center of the chamber rested a magnificent bronze coffin, surrounded by eight winding rivers of what seemed like liquid mercury. Under the lights, the rivers sparkled, as if truly flowing.
“The legendary mercury rivers...” Li Lian whispered reverently.
Encircling the coffin were rows of Terracotta Warriors, more lifelike than any they had seen before. Each face was uniquely detailed, with a commanding presence that seemed to watch the intruders silently.
“This must be the heart of the tomb,” Li Lian murmured, shining her flashlight across the chamber. The walls glittered with embedded jewels arranged in celestial patterns, matching the trigram positions on their map.
Xiaolong sniffed near the bronze coffin, his tail wagging as if he sensed a familiar energy in the air.
At the far end of the chamber stood a massive stone platform in the shape of an octagon. It had eight slots, each perfectly shaped to hold the trigram fragments. Symbols on the platform faintly glowed, waiting to be activated.
“This is where the fragments belong,” Noah said, his eyes filled with determination.
“Let’s do it,” Li Lian agreed, retrieving the Qian fragment from her bag.
One by one, they placed the fragments in the slots:
- First: Qian, the Heaven Trigram—strength and resilience.
A deep mechanical click echoed, and a gentle wind stirred around them. - Second: Kun, the Earth Trigram—stability and support.
Golden light began to spread along the edges of the platform. - Third: Zhen, the Thunder Trigram—vitality and renewal.
A blue spark shot outward, resonating like distant thunder. - Fourth: Xun, the Wind Trigram—freedom and flow.
A soft breeze whispered through the chamber. - Fifth: Li, the Fire Trigram—light and warmth.
A red glow illuminated the platform’s center. - Sixth: Kan, the Water Trigram—wisdom and danger.
The sound of flowing water echoed in the chamber. - Seventh: Gen, the Mountain Trigram—calm and immovability.
A deep, grounding force stilled the air. - Eighth: Dui, the Lake Trigram—joy and harmony.
With a final resounding click, golden light surged from the platform, enveloping the entire chamber.
The central pillar rose, rotating slowly as brilliant light radiated from the trigram symbols. At its peak, a bronze disk emerged, glowing with an intense, unified Eight Trigram pattern.
“This is it... the final gate,” Noah whispered.
The great archway at the far end of the chamber opened, revealing a pathway bathed in radiant light.
With resolute steps, Noah, Li Lian, and Xiaolong ventured into the unknown depths, their shadows stretching long behind them as the gate slowly sealed shut. The mysteries of the Qin Emperor’s tomb were finally within reach...