Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
The group of black mist roared as they flew towards the Rift Valley, completely ignoring our presence. We ran forward, catching a whiff of a fragrance that was rich yet elegant; with each step, it became more intense. After running about seventy or eighty meters, I felt as if I were enveloped in a sweet and cloying aura.
The Dung Beetles moved even faster than us, darting towards a patch of the Enchanting Red Sea like Moths. The scent must have originated from there.
As we stepped into the Rift Valley, a burst of bright light pierced my eyes, and I quickly covered them. After being in darkness for so long, my eyes were unaccustomed to the sudden brightness and needed time to adjust. Maintaining my habit of careful observation in unfamiliar environments, I paused to take in the surroundings of this Rift Valley.
I raised my hand to shield my eyes and looked up at the cave ceiling. I was stunned; the scene was overwhelmingly breathtaking, as if time itself had been refined, leaving my mind blank.
Under the scorching sunlight, an incredibly narrow Rift Valley stretched before me, about ten meters wide, with both ends disappearing into the distance. Near the valley's top, yellow sand occasionally fell. The valley walls were steep and sheer, resembling a colossal wall that shot straight up into the clouds. Not only was I dumbfounded, but even Zhengyang and the others were equally astonished.
Looking down from the steep walls revealed a bottomless crevice formed entirely by towering Gray Basalt cliffs. The cliffs were remarkably smooth, as if cleaved by a sword. We stood on a slightly protruding platform on one side of the cliff, feeling like mere specks in an ocean.
On this slightly elevated ground lay a thick layer of red soil, roughly the size of two football fields. A sea of flowers bloomed there, vast and boundless; clusters of enchanting red flowers swayed in the breeze, releasing an alluring fragrance that was intensely familiar. Beneath the dazzling floral expanse hid their green leaves and stems, tightly connecting them to the blood-red earth.
Though it seemed lengthy, it had only been a moment. The Dung Beetles vibrated their wings and surged towards the flower sea like oil meeting fire. Under the chaotic assault of the swarm, those flowers began to rustle and bloom even more vibrantly, their petals dripping with what appeared to be blood. In less than fifteen minutes, not a single living Dung Beetle remained in sight. We all stood frozen at the cave entrance, too stunned to take another step forward.
"How incredible! I can't believe there's such a place in the desert; it's simply unimaginable!" I was not only awestruck by the magnificent scenery but also terrified by this sea of flowers—what kind of monster was this?
In fact, this geographical phenomenon is relatively easy to explain. The crust consists of strata and soil layers; when desertification occurs on the surface, if a Rift Valley is shallow and wide enough over time, it can easily become buried. This particular Rift Valley is deep and narrow with caves running through its base, constantly filled with cool breezes. Sand is either carried across by winds or falls into the valley where it is blown around; if I'm not mistaken, there must be a river flowing at the bottom.
As for why there are clusters of flowers here, it's statistically plausible. The vast loess plateau is formed from soil swept up by winds. Over years of accumulation from dust carried by winds, soil naturally forms on this elevated ground; some winds carry seeds from plants that occasionally land here and grow into a field of flowers—it’s not surprising at all. It’s just that these flowers are particularly strange and leave one puzzled.
"What kind of flowers are those?" I asked.
“Burial Flower!” a voice softly spoke. I thought, “Saffron? That doesn’t seem right. Although I’ve never seen real Saffron, that flower is purple-blue, with a slender red thread emerging from its petals, like a lit torch. After drying, that’s what we recognize as Saffron!” I then concluded, “No, this isn’t Saffron. Saffron is also known as Saffron, with one or two gold pieces for one or two flowers.”
“Daiyu’s Burial Flower!” Dong Tong interjected, emphasizing the word ‘burial.’ “After the heir dies, the remaining blood coagulates. If it absorbs the gloomy energy from the earth, it can grow into a Burial Flower. The enchanting petals are nothing but human blood. During King Wu's Campaign Against Zhou, blood flowed like a river, and soon a patch of Burial Flower sprouted on Muyu. Jiang Taigong was filled with dread and set up the Seven Deadly Traps to uproot this demonic flower… Later on, it was said that Tang Dynasty Lu Chunyang Ancestor Master once obtained a Burial Flower, but there were no further reports!”
“What’s so strange about this flower that even Jiang Taigong and Lu Dongbin are afraid?”
“One thought can lead to enlightenment, another to madness! This flower is the embodiment of all the world’s sins. It emerges with original sin and is a manifestation of greed and malice. Once any living thing approaches it, they will be completely devoured; not only can it annihilate the body, but even the Three Souls and Seven Spirits will be trapped within the bud until the flowers are destroyed!”
“Wow! That’s incredible… Let’s turn back; I don’t want to die like this. There are plenty of beautiful women chasing after me!” Bald Qiang scratched his bald head and took two steps back. “Bah! Qiang, you’re being shameless; you’re not even that young anymore… Bah!” Upon hearing this, Big Mouth Lee burst into laughter.
“Brother Li, I want to see how you plan to get past!” I looked at Big Mouth Lee.
“It’s simple; just chop down those wildflowers, and we can pass through. What’s so difficult about that?” Bald Qiang blurted out foolishly.
“Foolish Qiang, you need to use your brain for everything. Brother Li, while you may lack in other areas, your mind is particularly sharp. Not to brag, but back in the day, my old man and I flattened an entire patch of Burial Flower, leaving it intact!” After saying this, Big Mouth Lee walked toward the patch of flowers.
“What are you going to do?”
“I hear the sound of drums and horns echoing, stirring my ambition to break through barriers. Back in the day, riding my horse through peach blossoms was awe-inspiring; enemy blood splattered on my Pomegranate skirt. While I live, I must fulfill my duty; how can any land belong to others? The barbarian king is nothing worth discussing; with one sword, I can take on a hundred thousand soldiers…” As he hummed “Mu Guiying Takes Command,” he seemed completely entranced. He thought to himself, “Finally, it’s my turn to shine.”
With his hands behind his back and humming a tune, Big Mouth Lee swaggered closer to the flower patch. The nearest cluster of flowers suddenly burst open like a swarm of bloodthirsty mosquitoes; their petals fluttered like butterfly wings. The closer he got, the more agitated the flowers became. The entire patch of red flowers seemed to come alive like demons, baring their fangs and claws. Suddenly, the whole sea of flowers rolled as if countless blood-red waves were surging in the ocean. Goodness! Even flowers have turned into monsters!
“No, no! That’s not how a Burial Flower behaves!” Dong Tong shouted repeatedly. “ Big Mouth Lee, watch out for the Blood Spider among those flowers!” At that moment, I didn’t pay attention to his last sentence and thought, “The style of a Burial Flower, that metaphor is interesting!” In fact, such expressions could be described more professionally as “endowments,” like snakes swallowing people or bees injecting venom or frogs flicking their tongues. The style of a Burial Flower only activates upon contact. Clearly, Big Mouth Lee was still some distance away from them. The predatory principle of a Burial Flower is fundamentally similar to that of a Venus flytrap or a carnivorous plant.
As I reflected on the moment, I saw Big Mouth Lee striding back, a torrent of blood surging behind him. My heart dropped; I was terrified. On the ground, there were clusters of Blood Spiders, each the size of a fingertip. Although it was my first time seeing one in person, I had long heard of their notorious reputation from Mausoleum Secrets!
(To be continued)
Comment 0 Comment Count