The headless statue is all dressed in Han Chinese attire. One hand is clasped behind its back, its body is slightly bowed, and the other hand is placed in front of it as if looking out. Even though the years have left countless traces on it, it still stands silently.
The empress stood in front of the statue with her hands behind her hands and looked around at the destroyed buildings.
"This place has obviously been abandoned for many years."
Chi Meng put her finger on her chin as if thinking: "But this is where my mother said..."
Li Jing silently recalled the plot in the anime, slowly retreated in front of the statue, and carefully searched the ground with his eyes.
"Xiao Guo Guo, do you see where he is looking?"
Chi Meng climbed up the statue, placed his head where the stone statue's head originally belonged, and shouted excitedly to Li Jing.
As soon as she finished speaking, there was the sound of a stone slab being shattered by a punch from behind the empress. Hou Qing, who was always carving a bone flute, looked up and saw a shallow pit at Li Jing's feet.
"Huh?"
Chi Meng jumped down curiously, walked over in three or two steps, and looked into the shallow pit.
"Xiao Guo Guo, this shape is similar to the sword you are carrying."
Chi Meng gestured at the shape of the sword in the pit with his hand and looked up at the sword box behind Li Jing.
The Empress frowned: "Does anyone know that we will get here early?"
Li Jing took a deep breath, took out the Longquan Sword from the sword case, put it down when it fit perfectly, and pressed it lightly.
"Click"
Behind the few people, the stone base under the statue began to slowly move backwards, revealing a deep underground entrance.
The bluestone steps extend downward step by step until they are invisible to the naked eye.
Hou Qing raised his head and looked at the stone statue: "Did he leave this mechanism behind?"
Li Jing recalled carefully and walked down first.
"Let's talk after we go in. All the secrets of the Twelve Cave should be inside."
The empress nodded and walked slowly behind Li Jing.
After Chi Meng also followed, Hou Qing looked around behind him, frowned, and walked down.
After a while, the base of the stone statue moved slowly, covering the entrance of the cave.
...
Although the cave is hidden deep underground, it has obviously been carefully designed. Even though I don't know how many years have passed, there is even a slight cool breeze blowing on my face inside, without a trace of moisture.
After going down the stone stairs and passing through a dark corridor, Li Jing stepped into a circular secret room, and the surroundings suddenly lit up with light.
Five stone lamp buildings are regularly placed in five directions, forming a pentagon.
The lampstands on the surrounding walls were also dimly glowing with candlelight.
"Wow, that's amazing!"
Chi Meng held his face in his hands, his eyes sparkling, and he looked at the objects in the room curiously: "These things are very beautiful, not like the things from our Miao territory..."
"Objects from the Central Plains."
Hou Qing touched the animal-shaped stone statue curiously, then turned to look at the five gates scattered around: "It seems that the people who built this place are from the Central Plains... I just don't know what these five gates mean."
The empress put her hands behind her hands and looked at the five stone lanterns, then frowned and looked at Li Jing: "Could it be the Five Elements Formation of gold, wood, water, fire, and earth?"
Li Jing hesitantly glanced at the copper bell hanging in the center of the room, then walked to one of the doors and looked at the empress.
"I wonder, could it be Wuyin?"
"Gong, Shang, Jiao, Zheng, Yu?"
The empress frowned, looked around the five doors, and found a small bell hanging in front of each door.
Li Jing nodded: "Among us, you are the only one who has the deepest understanding of music. It seems that it is right to come with you..."
The empress nodded, placed her hands behind her back, and closed her eyes lightly.
"clang..."
The bells in front of the five doors, including the one in front of Li Jing, all began to shake in an instant, making an ethereal tinkling sound.
"This door."
The empress opened her eyes, raised her chin slightly, and signaled Chi Meng to open the door behind her.
"Huh? These sounds are all the same..."
There was a puzzled expression on Chi Meng's face, but he still put his hands on the two copper buttons without hesitation. With a little force, the wooden door slowly opened.
Behind the door is a slightly narrow passage, and the candles on the two walls are lit one after another as the wooden door is opened.
"Wow, what's behind those doors!"
Chi Meng exclaimed in admiration, and wanted to pull the door next to him with both hands curiously.
"do not move!"
The empress and Li Jing spoke at the same time, leaving Chi Meng stunned in place.
The empress glanced at Li Jing and pointed to the opened door: "Among the five copper bells, only the sound here is the correct sound, and the other four are all altered sounds. If the prediction is correct, behind the other four doors, There must be an agency..."
"organ!"
Chi Meng was startled and took a step back: "It was such a close call, I almost died!"
Li Jing laughed, walked to the passage first, and looked at the other door at the end of the secret passage.
"There must be more behind you. Everyone, follow up and remember not to touch randomly..."
Hou Qing and Chi Meng nodded together and asked the empress to follow Li Jing into the secret passage.
Behind the door of the secret passage, the layout is exactly the same as that of the secret room just now, with five stone lanterns, five wooden doors, and five bells.
Li Jing looked at the empress, who nodded and closed her eyes lightly.
"clang..."
The wooden door was opened, and another secret passage appeared.
Several people looked at each other and continued walking inside.
Going back and forth like this, everyone passed through several dark rooms. Time continued to pass, and ethereal bells kept ringing in the deep underground cave. The footsteps of several people finally stopped in front of another door.
"There are so many more..."
Chi Meng lowered his head listlessly and began to drag his steps. He put his hands on the brass buckle of the door and muttered to himself listlessly.
A smile appeared on Li Jing's face: "I guess there isn't much left, just hold on for a while."
Chi Meng sighed and pushed open the wooden door.
The breeze blew across everyone's cheeks, and the candlelight in the four corners of the secret room in front of them lit up, shining on the copper bell hanging in the center, reflecting a faint golden light.
Chi Meng's eyes widened with surprise on his face.
"There's no door inside!"
A smile appeared on the empress's face, and she walked in and looked around: "What instructions are hidden here?"
Li Jing pointed at the copper bell, and everyone saw a red brocade hanging underneath the bell.
I saw four words written on it.
"Don't pull me."
Chi Meng curiously looked at the words on the brocade: "Where are the instructions hidden..."
A smile appeared on Li Jing's face, and she asked the others to move away, then stretched out her hand to pull heavily on the brocade silk.
"Bang!"
A deafening crash sounded, and the huge copper bell fell to the ground, hitting the ground hard.
An ancient book with a dusty cover also fell to the ground.
Chi Meng picked up the ancient book, patted the dust on it, pointed to the writing on the cover and read out.
"You have found the wrong one, they have already moved away..."
"Huh? This person really knows that we are going to find this place!"
The empress frowned and listened as Chi Meng turned the page and continued reading.
"Although I am dead, I still ordered people to build this place a hundred years later, which shows that I have good intentions..."
"People surnamed Li, are you ready to accept my gift..."
Chi Meng raised his head in surprise and looked at Li Jing with the empress.
"Xiao Guo Guo, he is talking about you!"
