The group moved slowly along the edge of the beach, the pebbles underfoot crunching with each step.
Li Wenxing walked at the very front, one hand resting on the hilt of his sword, eyes sweeping the surrounding plants with constant vigilance.
After the scare from the man-eating flowers, nobody dared relax. Even their breathing grew quieter, each man fearful of alerting whatever hidden danger lay on the island.
Qian Jin stayed at Li Wenxing’s side, holding a branch and using it to push aside obstructing vines. His gaunt fingers brushed the vine surfaces as he worked, his expression wary.
“Your Highness, the vegetation here is even denser than before, and I can’t shake the feeling that something’s wrong. Besides the scent of plants, there’s a faint, elusive chill in the air,” Qian Jin said quietly.
“Uncle Qian, what do you make of it?” Li Wenxing asked softly.
“I can’t say for sure,” Qian Jin replied, shaking his head. “Only that things on this island feel abnormal. An ordinary Immortal Island may have rare flora, but it wouldn’t radiate danger everywhere like this. We should move out of this flower region quickly and head into the woods — perhaps we’ll find a safer path.”
As he spoke, the sky darkened abruptly; the sunlight that had filtered through scattered clouds vanished in an instant.
Everyone looked up and saw a blinding streak of golden light plunging down from the depths of the clouds, dragging a long, gilded tail like a meteor as it fell inland.
The light was so dazzling no one could look directly at it. The soldiers instinctively shielded their eyes with their arms, faces full of astonishment.
“What is that?!”
“Could it be some treasure fallen from the heavens?!”
Men murmured and exchanged surprised looks.
Li Wenxing’s eyes shone; he could not hide his excitement. He had a premonition that whatever had come down from the sky was no ordinary object.
“Quick! Head to where the strange treasure landed!”
Without hesitation, Li Wenxing ordered the men to run. Qian Jin watched their eager faces with misgiving, but it was impossible to stop them now; he hurried to keep up, warning constantly, “Be careful! Don’t rush — there may be traps!”
They had not gone far when a deafening boom erupted ahead like thunder, shaking the ground violently.
An overwhelming blast of energy rolled toward them like a crushing wave, and it sent Li Wenxing — who was farthest ahead — flying.
He crashed painfully to the ground; his brocade robe was cut by flying stones lifted by the blast, and a sharp pain flared across his back.
The other soldiers fared no better. The blast threw men and gear into chaos — some slammed into tree trunks, others tumbled into shallow pools. Cries and shouts rose in a chaotic chorus.
Qian Jin, running a step behind, was shoved back and back by the gusts until he barely managed to grasp a sturdy trunk and steady himself, his cloudy eyes wide with terror.
The shockwave lasted a full three breaths before subsiding. When the light returned, the air reeked faintly of scorched earth.
Li Wenxing struggled to his feet, wincing at the pain in his back, but he didn’t pause to inspect the wound; his gaze snapped toward the origin of the blast.
“Are you all alright? Get up — come with me and see!” he shouted.
The men rose, nursing minor injuries but none seriously hurt. After a quick regroup they pressed on.
The closer they went, the more fissures appeared in the ground, and the stronger the burnt smell became.
When they reached the center of the blast, everyone froze.
A massive, deep pit had been smashed into the earth. Its walls were smooth; the surrounding plants were charred and smoked in curling wisps.
And in the exact middle of that pit rested a crystalline coffin — a coffin of clear, flawless crystal.
The coffin’s surface shimmered with a faint blue glow. Sunlight refracted through it into dazzling light, bathing the pit in an otherworldly radiance as if it were a mirage.
Li Wenxing stood at the rim, frowning in bewilderment.
He had expected the golden light might herald an Immortal Pill or some rare treasure — who would have thought the “treasure” would be a coffin?
“This… how is it a coffin?” Li Wenxing’s face showed disappointment.
After all their pursuit, the reward turned out to be a single crystal coffin — hardly the prize they had hoped for.
Qian Jin walked close to the pit and examined the coffin carefully. A complex expression flickered across his clouded eyes.
“Your Highness, this crystal coffin is not ordinary,” Qian Jin said, pointing. “Look at its material — perfectly clear and without impurity. The surface seems to be engraved with patterns; they resemble array formations.”
Li Wenxing followed Qian Jin’s finger and saw the dense, intricate markings on the coffin’s surface. The patterns interwove into a complicated design, but from this distance the exact forms were hard to make out.
“Uncle Qian, who do you think could be inside? Why would a coffin fall from the sky?” Li Wenxing asked, puzzled.
Qian Jin shook his head, brow knitted. “I don’t know. But Penglai Island is full of mysteries — the appearance of a crystal coffin suggests matters are more complex than they seem. For safety’s sake, it’s best not to open it.” - Marinien
Comments