Chapter 1458: The Six-Layer Underground Palace

Chapter 1458: Chapter 1458: The Six-Layer Underground Palace

Regarding the Luban lock, Lin Tian had already informed Xv Jiazhi about it. For this reason, they both had specially researched the object.

In fact, through the internet, one can find many enthusiasts who love mechanical skills. To them, the Luban lock is a highly interesting puzzle. It is said to have appeared as early as the Spring and Autumn period. It has survived until today, with a total of 13 common types. Creating a model simulation using a computer is not a difficult task.

The Luban lock that the Wang Family brought from Tianya Haijiao City supposedly sets off mechanisms and destroys the items within if not opened in the correct sequence and brute force is used.

As far as Lin Tian knows, apart from being a toy, the Luban lock is also an intangible cultural heritage. Without the Luban lock, there would be no mortise and tenon joints, which played an essential role in ancient architecture and remains an indispensable technique today.

Neither Lin Tian, Chen Moxiang, nor Xv Jiazhi had heard before that the Luban lock could be used for storing items. Perhaps it was just a mechanical skill and not a Luban lock.

What puzzled Lin Tian even more was why the Luban lock was brought to the underground palace. It’s truly perplexing.

Looking at the thirty-six giant stone doors in front of him, Lin Tian felt a headache.

These stone doors were very similar to the ones from before, presumably 15 centimeters thick. They couldn’t be opened with brute force and weren’t suitable for explosives. The mechanisms had to be triggered in sequence, and with so many doors in front, who could guarantee that the mechanism corresponded to just one door?

"There’s no other way, let’s first look for any markings. Better than running around like a headless fly," Chen Moxiang said.

Xv Jiazhi cautiously turned in a circle and said, "I think there are other stone chambers in this underground palace. We have seen that offering table before, with at least a hundred placards. Which means more than a hundred Wang Family ancestors lie here. With thirty-six stone chambers, we don’t know what’s behind them, so we can’t open them recklessly."

Suddenly, Chen Moxiang nudged Lin Tian with his elbow and asked, "Why do you think the Wang Family brought the Luban lock here?"

"I have no idea, could it have been included as a burial item?" Lin Tian replied indifferently.

"A burial item?" Chen Moxiang pondered and then grabbed Lin Tian’s hand: "Come on, let’s go back to the offering table for a look. It’s unlikely to be a burial item; maybe it’s an offering."

"Really? There was nothing in front of the offering table earlier."

"I still think it’s better to go back and check."

Just then, Xv Jiazhi shouted, "Come and see, there’s a mark here."

The two exchanged a glance and put the affair of the offering table aside, quickly walking towards Xv Jiazhi.

Lin Tian knew that this underground palace was not simply a tomb for the Wang Family ancestors. It also stored many priceless treasures of the Wang Family; the Thousand Jin Rock was previously stored in this underground palace. Thus, it was very likely the Luban lock was placed here.

Xv Jiazhi pointed to the bottom of a stone door, indeed showing signs of corrosion.

"But where is the mechanism to this door?" Chen Moxiang questioned.

"I don’t know, let’s keep looking."

Lin Tian didn’t move; he stood in front of the stone door, squinted his eyes slightly, and activated his perceptive abilities.

Through the stone door, he discovered stairs behind it, leading to a second layer!

Turning to look at the other stone chambers, some contained clay pots with beetle-like creatures inside, entirely green, undoubtedly highly toxic!

Some chambers held suspended sword arrays, precisely crafted, with each sword lacking a hilt, only the blade, shining coldly. For sure, opening the stone door would trigger the sword array; Lin Tian wasn’t confident he could evade it.

Other chambers were completely empty, containing nothing, but whether they contained poison was unknown.

Lin Tian didn’t believe that behind the thirty-six stone doors, there were only traps except for the stairs ahead. Finally, he found that three of the chambers contained books and wooden racks, along with elixirs. Those were indeed treasures.

Another chamber also had stairs, but they led upward, potentially another exit from the underground palace.

Looking down, through the stone layer, he found there wasn’t only a second layer but a third, fourth... a total of six layers!

And each layer had a slightly different structure, full of twists, turns, and countless traps. If outsiders intruded, even if they got past the initial traps, descending further would be uncertain. It could be called a situation of narrow escapes.

The Wang Family’s ancestors truly invested great efforts, erecting a vast underground palace beneath such a sizable Wang Family, not only as a tomb but as a repository for treasures and more secrets.

Suddenly, Lin Tian’s interest in this underground palace grew stronger.

Suddenly, someone patted Lin Tian’s shoulder. Turning, he saw it was Chen Moxiang.

"Standing here, turning your head this way and that, did you find out anything?"

Lin Tian shook his head, "No."

He couldn’t reveal about the stairs behind the stone door, at least not now. It involved his perceptive abilities, one of his most private secrets. Not even Chen Moxiang, nor Bai Shishi or Liou Qingcheng would he tell. It’s not because of distrust, but because there’s no need. What’s the significance?

"Mr. Xv, did you find the mechanism for opening the stone door?" Chen Moxiang asked.

Xv Jiazhi was crouched in front of the stone door, looking around and using his hands as he explored, saying, "Haven’t found anything. There are no decorative elements here; it fits just right, even if there’s a mechanism it won’t be easy to find."

He didn’t just feel around; he even used 3D glasses, but still without any results.

Suddenly, Lin Tian’s hand reached for the stone door, finding an iron pull ring at the connection between the stone door and stone wall. Because it was hidden behind the stone wall, it wasn’t visible on the surface. He had just discovered it with his perceptive abilities.

Inserting his ring finger into the pull ring, utilizing Spiritual Qi to pull heavily, he heard the iron chain scrape against the stone wall, producing a ’ka ka’ sound, making the corridor feel eerie.

The pull ring only pulled ten centimeters before it stopped, and after releasing it to retract, the heavy stone door slowly opened with a rumble, revealing the stairway behind it.

Xv Jiazhi was dumbfounded, touching his head and asking, "Master, how did you find it?"

"There was a gap between the stone door and the stone wall, so I just tried my luck, didn’t expect to find something," Lin Tian said casually.

Xv Jiazhi raised his thumb in admiration and praised, "Indeed, Master is wise and adaptable."

Lin Tian snorted softly, cocked his head arrogantly, and said, "There’s a reason I’m the master."