Chapter 9: The Thirtieth Person in the Copper Coffin
Peng Bo was Ye Fan's best friend during university. Due to some personal matters, he was unable to attend the gathering, but now he has suddenly appeared, leaving everyone with doubts.
"It is not that there is a coffin within a coffin; this one is the true coffin, which is the vessel for placing the deceased. The large bronze coffin outside is called a 'gua', which serves as an outer coffin. Together, the two are referred to as 'guan gua'." Pang Bo explained to those few who did not fully understand the meaning of 'guan gua'.
The shadow moved closer while continuing to speak, saying: "It is I, Pang Bo."
Peng Bo had no choice but to stand still. In order to prove his identity, he made every effort to explain, recounting many stories from his university days
What kind of person could possibly be buried in such a mysterious bronze ancient coffin? The crowd felt both astonishment and fear within their hearts
The voice was somewhat weak, and one could sense that the shadow was extremely fatigued as it swayed its body in an attempt to stand up
The bronze giant coffin measures twenty meters in length and over eight meters in width, and what the crowd sees is merely a corner of it. They did not continue to observe, as at that moment, they sensed that there seemed to be some objects existing deep within the coffin.
The bronze carvings, covered in verdigris, depict some of the ancient fierce beasts recorded in the "Shan Hai Jing," such as Tao Tie, Qiong Qi, and Tao Wu. These creatures are massive, with fearsome visages, vividly brought to life, instilling a sense of dread in those who behold them
Upon hearing these words, many people felt a slight chill in their bodies
Are you a human or a ghost
In the very center, there lies another bronze coffin, measuring less than 4 meters in length and less than 2 meters in width. It is ancient and dim, engraved with archaic patterns, covered in verdigris, and etched with the wear of time, evoking a chilling sensation and instilling a sense of dread.
Everyone felt as if they had fallen into an ice cellar, many were filled with fear, and some female classmates even let out piercing screams, crying loudly, nearly collapsing to the ground
The crowd gathered together, using the faint light of their phones to survey the surroundings. They pressed against one side of the bronze coffin, where they could see a series of blurred bronze engravings, depicting a ferocious nine-headed divine bird soaring high, as well as a gigantic beast covered in one-foot-long hard spines roaring towards the sky
I believe he is Pang Bo," Ye Fan said in a firm tone, and then he strode over to Pang Bo's side. The two had not seen each other for some time, yet even in this situation, they embraced each other tightly.
How could there be one more person!
Overall, he was quite fortunate. Before the nine dragon corpses and the bronze giant coffin collided with Mount Tai, he safely reached the Jade Emperor Peak via the cableway. Instead of fleeing down the mountain with the crowd, he clung tightly to a large tree, waiting until Mount Tai calmed down, and he emerged unscathed
"What a ... ... haunted place this is, are we ... ... in a copper coffin?" The shadow in the corner slowly stood up, voicing this somewhat perplexed question, as the tone gradually grew stronger.
It is uncertain whether it was due to being outside the Five-Color Altar, but when Pang Bo fell into the bronze coffin, he was directly knocked unconscious.
"Can't you even recognize my voice?" In the darkness, the glow of a phone screen illuminated, revealing a familiar figure holding the phone, with thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a robust physique
I am naturally Pang Bo, does anyone have water? I'm about to die of thirst. The shadow continued to walk forward.
We must find a way to save ourselves, being trapped in this copper coffin is unsettling, and I always have a bad feeling... Li Xiaoman's face was somewhat pale, her beautiful eyes gazing into the dark depths of the copper coffin. Compared to the other female classmates and the books, she and Lin Jia both appeared very calm.
At that moment, everyone finally confirmed that there was indeed an additional person, leaning against the corner not far away
Upon hearing that the coffin ahead was the true vessel for interring the deceased, many people immediately began to retreat with hurried steps, their hearts filled with utmost fear
The person who spoke to inquire had a trembling voice
Stop, do not come any closer! Everyone raised their phones, peering forward with the faint light.
All the mobile phones were raised together, and the crowd, emboldened, took a few steps forward. In the dim light, they could vaguely see a blurred rectangular object in the center of the dark bronze giant coffin.
I do not believe it, Pang Bo did not come to the gathering at all, you... who exactly are you?
Who ... ... is who
Who are you
Inside the coffin, there was another coffin, surprisingly a bronze one! When many people finally saw the object ahead clearly, they couldn't help but gasp in shock
As they walked along the inner wall of the bronze coffin for some distance, everyone noticed numerous engravings of figures, resembling ancient ancestors and some primordial deities. Subsequently, they discovered a vast expanse of peculiar patterns, densely packed with countless dots, resembling a starry sky.
Initially, due to some matters at home, I was unable to attend the gathering in a timely manner. Later, I heard that everyone was coming to Mount Tai. After I took care of my family affairs, I naturally hurried over
Ye Fan separated the crowd and slowly walked forward, saying: "Are you really Pang Bo?"
Subsequently, he saw from a distance Ye Fan and the others fall into the giant pit. When he ran over, he happened to witness ancient characters shining in mid-air. He was immobilized outside the pit, unable to move a single step. It was not until the bronze coffin shook and the lid shifted from its position that he was drawn into the coffin, following the others.
The archaeological secrets I have heard about in the past, the various royal tombs and ancient graves, pale in comparison to this bronze coffin before me; they are simply insignificant and do not amount to anything
Stop! Yet, the crowd still found it hard to believe
Who has seen a twenty-meter-long bronze coffin? Who has witnessed a mysterious giant coffin descending from the sky? Who has seen nine dragon corpses pulling a coffin? It raises doubts about whether what is buried inside is indeed a human body, making it almost unimaginable what lies within the coffin
A person who should not have appeared at all stood in the bronze coffin, causing quite a few people present to feel a tingling sensation on their scalps
Until this moment, the crowd gradually reached a consensus - the doubts regarding the image and the book were dispelled, and the tense strings of their hearts finally relaxed
Peng Bo took the bottle of mineral water that Ye Fan handed over and gulped down several large mouthfuls before recounting the experience of entering the copper coffin
Upon seeing that tall dark figure stand up, many people instinctively stepped back
Everyone should gather together and not separate. Zhou Yi suggested this.
It was evident that it was neither a corpse nor a living entity, which somewhat reassured the crowd as they continued to move forward a few steps
A harsh cough emanated from the dark corner, and the shadow shifted its body, then produced a deep and hoarse voice, saying: "Ghost... ghost..."
The hoarse voice echoed within the bronze coffin, and at that moment, everyone felt a chill running from their heads to their feet, their hair standing on end, as a bone-chilling coldness spread throughout the air
All the mobile phone screens lit up, and the crowd anxiously surveyed the people around them, deeply fearful of encountering a stranger's face.
Within the mysterious bronze coffin, anything malevolent could occur, leaving the attendees in a state of extreme unease
By the time he arrived, everyone had already ascended the mountain; he took the cable car along the ropeway to get up.
Acquainted individuals strive to draw closer together, cautiously surveying their surroundings.