Chapter 106: The Talisman (2/2)

If we don't get the relic, Shiyu has no chance. Judging by time, the underworld's grim reapers will flood here within a day. When that happens, nothing I say will matter.

"Master Yuan, if we have to go, what will happen?" I took a deep breath.

Yuan Beitang's face grew serious. "The divination only shows rough fortune and misfortune. I can't say exactly. But today's truly a bad omen. You must think carefully. This 'army of corpses' means it's not just you at risk—many might die."

I looked around at the many vengeful spirits, the moonless, pitch-black sky feeling eerie. Mystical arts don't mean you can see Heaven's plan. At the end of the day, I'm just a normal man, with selfishness like anyone else. That's why I was doing something reckless.

"Master Yuan, are you sure the relics lie beneath the pagoda? And does the divination really mean now, today?" I asked seriously.

"You know magic has specialties. I can only foresee today's calamity. Whether it points to this underground chamber trip, I'm not sure. Honestly… I'm conflicted. Cultivators follow Heaven's will. If the divination means the underground chamber, it tells us going forward is ill-fated and we must retreat immediately. Otherwise, it's defying Heaven." He sighed again.

Even if there's a one-in-ten-thousand chance, I want to gamble on it. After a fierce mental battle, emotion won over reason.

"I'll go alone. You wait here," I told Yuan.

He tried to stop me but shook his head, muttering "Heaven's will" twice, then walked into the dark woods. I headed to the pagoda.

There were real security cameras—if caught stealing relics, I might be locked up for life.

I believed Yuan knew the way, or he wouldn't have brought me here. He just didn't say because the divination's image made him reluctant to get involved.

Yuan already helped me enough. I didn't want to trouble him further, so I searched carefully around the white pagoda.

The underground chamber must have ventilation or drainage.

After searching about 20 meters around, I was about to give up when I tripped over a stone slab.

My body twisted, avoiding a faceplant. That motion let me see the cause—a raised stone slab, almost invisible.

I examined the slab, shining my phone's flashlight.

On the edge was a faint carving of Buddha's fingers. Excited, I cleared the dirt. The huge slab emerged—over one meter wide.

On it was an angry Buddha carving—a rare sight, as usually Buddhas have compassionate eyes. This one glared fiercely, holding something with one hand. Beside him was a golden-haired mythical beast also glaring ahead.

Strange.

I lay my ear on the slab. To my delight, I heard wind beneath—this must be a ventilation shaft.

But why cover it with such a heavy stone?

I sat quietly for ten minutes. The slab weighed four to six hundred jin (approx. 200-300kg), far beyond my strength. Night deepened; wandering ghosts were now somewhat familiar.

But how to move the slab?

Yuan had left, no one to consult.

I promised myself: if there's even the slightest chance, I wouldn't give up.

I inspected the slab for cracks. If I found one, I could hire help to pry it open.

But the slab was perfectly embedded in the ground.

Time was short. Growing anxious and weak from earlier energy loss, I suddenly coughed up blood—my blood splattered on the slab.

At that moment, the slab emitted a faint red glow, almost imperceptible, but my spiritual eyes and intuition were sharp.

Ignoring weakness, I rushed to the slab.

The golden beast's eyes on the carving turned red; the outline sharpened—as if it came alive.

A thought struck me: this was a talisman in a feng shui formation—a spiritual seal, not just an ordinary anti-evil charm.

The Buddha's angry glare, the beast's roar—it was a powerful seal suppressing evil.

At that moment, the spirits kneeling before the pagoda all fell prostrate.

Suddenly, the pitch-black sky roiled with wind and clouds.

Thunder rumbled like crashing waves.

Lightning, like a giant red serpent, slammed down, shattering the stone slab in front of me.

Stones flew, knocking me down.

When I stood, I was stunned by the scene before me!