But all of this was limited to small-scale mausoleums. In a massive Qin Mausoleum like this one, the hidden mechanisms were beyond ordinary comprehension. At the very least, Qing Xia had nearly lost her life here before.

The Qin Mausoleum’s architecture was very similar to the Ming Dynasty tombs Qing Xia had seen later, extensively using ink-black colors, massive in scale, imposing with imperial majesty. Beyond its magnificence, there was also a trace of eeriness and mystery.

Walking on the main thoroughfare wide enough for twenty horse carts to travel side by side, they lit the eternal lamps along the corridor, and the entire great hall immediately became brilliantly illuminated. All around was magnificent splendor, with huge ancient inscriptions and patterns carved on the side walls.

“Four paths to the Polo Rebirth Hall, Nine-bend Underworld River crossing dry boats, Eighteen Celestial Dogs devouring sun and moon, Five-colored Immortal Carriage leading to Yellow Springs.”

Looking at these towering majestic hall doors, Qing Xia knew this was the first of the Four Polo Halls among the thirty-six ear chambers. Just from the imposing presence of this first hall, one could imagine what magnificent inner chambers lay hidden beyond.

Master Quan stood at the entrance sighing for quite a while before leading everyone inside.

Just then, one of the men following behind suddenly cried out “Aiya!” and fell heavily to the ground. With a bang, having lost the support of one corner, that huge wooden box suddenly crashed to the ground with a loud thud!

Everyone was startled and turned back in unison. Ousi Lanya immediately flew into a rage, running forward several steps. The man’s face suddenly turned deathly pale as he trembled and crawled up, kneeling at Ousi Lanya’s feet. Just as he was about to speak, Ousi Lanya kicked him away viciously.

“Open it! Open it quickly!” Ousi Lanya was greatly alarmed, ordering her subordinates to open the box. Qing Xia had long been curious about what was inside that made her so nervous. Standing on tiptoe and glancing sideways, she watched. With two muffled creaking sounds, the box lid was slowly pried open. Qing Xia’s eyes were sharp – with one look, she couldn’t help but be greatly shocked.

“How are you? Does it hurt from the fall?” Ousi Lanya’s expression was gentle, her palm gently stroking inside the box. As she spoke, tears actually rolled down, saying with infinite grievance, “You’re angry, aren’t you? It’s my fault for letting you suffer.”

Qing Xia opened her mouth, staring at the box in disbelief, feeling that even if Li Yang suddenly jumped in front of her saying he wanted to take her back to the 21st century wouldn’t be as horrifying as what she saw before her eyes. In that huge box lay a person with a pale complexion, eyes tightly closed, wearing an ink-green brocade robe, with slanted sword-like eyebrows, looking as if he were merely asleep – handsome and imposing like a jade gentleman with divine bearing. Only in the center of his forehead was a black bloody hole, clearly pierced by a sharp arrow. It was unmistakably Prince Qi’an, who had died at the walls of Loulan that day!

“Useless!” Ousi Lanya, who had been tearfully distressed the moment before, suddenly turned around, her eyes coldly staring at the man who had made the mistake, saying in a deep voice, “You can’t even handle such a small matter – what use is keeping you?” Before the man could even beg for mercy, a small blue snake suddenly flew out, biting his neck with a swoosh. Her strike was like lightning, swift and fierce. The man didn’t even have time to groan before blood flowed from all seven orifices, and with a bang, he fell dead.

“Ah!” Master Quan cried out in alarm, “How can you kill someone here? What if you disturb the spirits of the dead?”

Ousi Lanya’s gaze swept coldly over Master Quan as she said in a deep voice, “I only asked you to guide the way. If you can’t do it, I may not be unable to walk in myself.”

Master Quan mumbled timidly a few times before turning away.

One of the men behind stepped up to replace the dead one, covered the box, lifted it, and continued walking. Everyone was extremely careful, afraid of making the slightest mistake.

Qing Xia’s heart was in turmoil. What exactly was the relationship between this Ousi Lanya and Qi’an? Qi’an was already dead – why had she gone to such great lengths to carry him in here? What was her purpose?

However, just as Qing Xia was speculating about Ousi Lanya’s motives, a scratching sound suddenly came from overhead. Almost everyone heard it simultaneously and looked up collectively. The pitch-black ceiling suddenly began cracking inch by inch, and hair-raising scraping sounds came down from above, as if something was clinging to the hall’s roof, gnawing at those fragile glazed tiles in large mouthfuls. The quantity was simply unimaginable.

Everyone’s faces immediately changed drastically. Master Quan frowned and suddenly shouted, “Run quickly! This place is going to collapse!” With that, he took the lead running ahead, with everyone following closely behind. One man violently cracked his whip on Lie Yun Ji’s shoulder, roaring, “Run!”

Lie Yun Ji was furious and about to speak when Qing Xia grabbed her and ran forward with all her might.

At this moment, cracking sounds suddenly came from overhead, and large glazed tiles fell down like rain with clattering sounds, sharp as knives. Several men running behind screamed – they had clearly been struck by the glazed tiles. But this wasn’t the most terrifying part. Along with the tiles, countless black furry things fell down and pursued everyone with all their might. Each was as large as a small pig, extremely fast and fierce. They immediately climbed onto the last injured man and swarmed over him. Piercing screams instantly rang out, and after just a moment, only a bloody skeleton remained.

Lie Yun Ji breathed rapidly, shouting while running, “What are those?”

Qing Xia frowned deeply, saying in a heavy voice, “They seem to be rats.”

“This big?”

“Stop talking and run!”

Just then, a sharp whistle suddenly rang out, and the giant rats behind immediately stopped in their tracks. Qing Xia and the others looked back to see Ousi Lanya surrounded by a group of giant rats. More than ten giant rats were covered in festering wounds and toxins – clearly they had fallen into Ousi Lanya’s trap. Ousi Lanya stood guard beside the box containing Qi’an’s corpse, unwilling to retreat even half a step. She held a pitch-black whip in her hand, her gaze sharp and her face cold as frost.

Seeing this, Lie Yun Ji suddenly laughed charmingly and said, “Serves her right! Heaven has finally opened its eyes, producing such a group of big rats to deal with this little bitch. It couldn’t be better!”

One of the men guarding them glared and raised his whip to charge forward. Qing Xia raised her hand and blocked his arm, coldly throwing him aside, saying in a deep voice, “If you really have such strength, go save your master.”

“Beasts!” Just then, Ousi Lanya suddenly shouted coldly. The small blue snake in her sleeve immediately flew out, but instead of biting the opposing giant rats, it bit one of her own subordinates. Everyone was greatly shocked. Ousi Lanya’s long whip wrapped around the man’s waist and threw his body into the rat swarm. The rats squealed shrilly and scrambled for him, immediately opening up a path.

“What are you standing there for? Go!” The two men suddenly understood, lifting the box from front and back and rushing out. However, several rats on the outskirts couldn’t squeeze in. Seeing them now, they swarmed forward. Ousi Lanya’s whip reversed, and for a moment she couldn’t protect everything. A giant rat tore a large piece of clothing from her waist along with bloody flesh – she was clearly seriously injured.

Seeing this, Lie Yun Ji actually frowned and was about to rush forward. Seeing this, Qing Xia grabbed her and shouted, “What are you doing? You want to save this woman?”

Lie Yun Ji was greatly anxious, frowning, “If she dies, no one will ever know Yang Feng’s whereabouts.”

Qing Xia’s heart trembled. After thinking carefully for a moment, she said in a deep voice, “Don’t be rash. I’ll do it.”

With that, she ran a few steps to a nearby eternal lamp and pushed over the lamp stand with a bang. Lamp oil immediately flowed out. Master Quan was quick-thinking. Seeing this, he immediately called for everyone to help together. In no time, the ground was covered with slippery lamp oil. Qing Xia took out the hook and chain from her waist, spun it twice, and threw it out, hooking it firmly onto the box and pulling hard.

The ground was full of lamp oil, wet and slippery everywhere. The box was immediately dragged back like a kite. Seeing this, Lie Yun Ji whipped out her whip, wrapped it around Ousi Lanya’s waist, and shouted, “Bitch, run quickly!”

Seeing the box was safe, Ousi Lanya grabbed the whip and suddenly leaped up. Before landing, she shouted to Qing Xia, “Light the fire!”

Qing Xia frowned and said, “There are still two people inside!”

Ousi Lanya raised an eyebrow and angrily said, “Woman’s kindness!” She took out the fire starter from her waist and threw it down. With a whooshing sound, huge flames immediately roared up, mixed with countless screams and wails.

“Run quickly! This place is about to collapse – the glazed tiles will melt!” Master Quan shouted and led several disciples in taking the lead to leave. Ousi Lanya only had five subordinates left. Four people carried the box and ran ahead.

Qing Xia, Lie Yun Ji, and Ousi Lanya looked at each other. No one spoke, and no one was interested in looking back even once. They all ran away together.

Fleeing all the way, huge flames danced menacingly behind them. The entire great hall was wooden structure, and with the addition of concentrated acid, the fire became even more uncontrollable. Suddenly with a bang, one man was suddenly injured in the eyes by sulfuric acid falling from above. The man screamed, and the huge box fell down.

Ousi Lanya cried out in alarm, took his place, and lifted the box. However, the great fire behind them arrived in an instant. At this life-or-death moment, those subordinates abandoned the box one after another, shouting and fleeing for their lives. Ousi Lanya was furious, strangling one man’s neck with her whip, but where would the others still listen to her commands? In no time, they all disappeared.

Seeing the flames about to engulf her, Ousi Lanya still held onto the box and wouldn’t let go. She tried to open the box and carry Qi’an inside on her back, but in her panic and confusion, she couldn’t even open the box lid.

Lie Yun Ji anxiously shouted, “Run quickly! Are you seeking death?”

Ousi Lanya shook her head frantically, continuously saying, “I must save him. The Shangqiu clan is inside. Once I get inside, I can save him.” Her sanity seemed to have become somewhat mad. Her body was on fire everywhere, her hair already burned, yet she still kept murmuring, “I must save him, I must save him.”