Chapter 66: Strange Happenings in the Mountains

Chapter 66: The Strange Mountain

"You mean to say there are many such caves here? And all of them were constructed by human hands?" Zhang Sanlu was stunned. To carry out such large-scale works on these sheer cliffs would be difficult even in a world with advanced engineering, let alone in this primitive, agrarian society.

Zhang Zhi Dao nodded. "This armored corpse is the most unusual, and the metallic object you saw was found in its throat. It appears to have been lodged there during swallowing."

Zhang Sanlu paused. If the object was found in the throat, then it was likely hidden intentionally, to keep others from discovering it.

Such an immense undertaking, employing so many people—was it all just to carve out these caves in the natural fissures of the cliff and place these corpses inside? It seemed far too unreasonable.

No, Zhang Sanlu thought, what he was witnessing was surely just a façade, perhaps even a deliberate deception. Yet the more he searched for answers, the more questions arose.

He carefully examined the groove in the stone wall behind the corpse, hoping to find some clue.

"Exactly!" Zhang Zhi Dao suddenly exclaimed, excitement in his voice. "You noticed it too!"

Zhang Sanlu was taken aback; he hadn't really discovered anything yet. But with Zhang Zhi Dao's words, he realized the anomaly must lie within these grooves.

He crouched down and, by the flickering firelight, reached out to feel along the grooves. He discovered many strange marks within them.

"This—"

Zhang Sanlu was shocked. He realized that the stone wall behind the corpse was not naturally formed.

He dug at the dirt and dust with his fingernails.

Behind the indentation in the stone wall, he uncovered traces of masonry—marks of poured mortar!

Yes, someone had poured mud into these grooves!

Could the entire mountain be built this way?

He immediately dismissed the idea. For such a towering mountain to be artificially constructed would require far more than a few thousand people. Even tens of thousands would not suffice. Moving mountains and filling seas was a feat beyond human capability, even in the other world. No one could build such a majestic peak by hand.

There was only one possibility—the stone wall behind the cave entrances had been constructed with local mud, stone, and water, built by human hands. According to Zhang Zhi Dao, many caves were like this, completely sealed off.

"Have you found that all the caves are like this?" Zhang Sanlu asked gravely.

"Yes, every single one."

Zhang Sanlu looked at the stone walls in disbelief, shivering. Such a massive, labor-intensive method of sealing—was it meant to keep outsiders from entering, or something inside from escaping?

Did it mean that there was something inside, something so dangerous it had to be sealed away?

What was really hidden in this mountain?

Zhang Sanlu recalled the Daoist temple, the hollowed mountain, and the colossal shadow projected within.

What was truly happening in this world?

"Brother Dao, forgive my asking, but what is your purpose in investigating all this?"

"Keep watching," Zhang Zhi Dao said, picking up a rock and striking the artificial stone wall. Chunks of mud fell away.

Then Zhang Sanlu saw the color beneath the surface change—it was a deep, dark red, like dried blood stains on a Daoist robe.

On that dark red wall, Zhang Sanlu saw faint cracks.

"This..." Zhang Sanlu wasn't sure if he was supposed to notice the color or something else.

"The cracks run from inside outward," Zhang Zhi Dao said with a grave expression.

"From the inside out?"

"Yes. The deeper you go, the larger the fissures become. Every stone wall is like this. What do you think causes it?"

Zhang Sanlu thought for a moment. "Erosion from sand and stone? No, that would go from outside in." Suddenly he froze, a chill running down his spine, his hair standing on end.

"It couldn't be... Could something inside be trying to break out?" Chang Hui involuntarily stepped back, distancing herself from the wall.

"I hope not..." Zhang Zhi Dao shook his head. "But this stone wall, cast from blood-mixed mortar, is a method of sealing—proving that whatever is inside is far from ordinary."

"Is it truly blood?" Zhang Sanlu had suspected as much, but couldn't believe it. If all this work was done with blood-mixed mortar, how much blood would it require? Was it from animals... or people?

"Perhaps they poured it on after construction?" Zhang Zhi Dao turned over a piece of cement on the ground. "The deeper we dig, the more blood stains appear, frighteningly so, though none are visible on the surface. It suggests that the blood may have seeped outward from within."

"Seeped from inside?" Zhang Sanlu wondered what could cause that. An uneasy feeling spread through him.

These old blood stains were even more oppressive than fresh blood. If entire stone walls were this color, and the deeper they went, the darker it became, approaching true red—perhaps it was psychological, but Zhang Sanlu thought he could smell the heavy scent of blood in the air.

"What should we do now? Reinforce it from the outside?"

Zhang Zhi Dao shook his head. "That would be like drinking poison to quench thirst."

Zhang Sanlu pressed on. "Brother Dao, what do you think? Is this connected to the metal ring you found?"

"I thought you knew," Zhang Zhi Dao replied, his eyes reflecting the flickering firelight.

"I'm ignorant, truly. I've never encountered such things. Best to follow your lead," Zhang Sanlu said, forcing a laugh.

Chang Hui suddenly asked, "Master, couldn't we simply ignore it?"

Zhang Zhi Dao turned to her with unprecedented solemnity. "Why do demons run rampant and people suffer in this world? Because everyone sweeps only their own doorstep, avoids trouble, and flees hardship. If we were ignorant, it would be one thing. But now that we know, how can we turn a blind eye and let disaster spread? Such reckless words must never be spoken again!"

Chang Hui's face stiffened, and she bowed her head in silence, her feelings unreadable—shame, perhaps, or something else.

Seeing her silent, Zhang Zhi Dao continued, "As cultivators, we draw upon heaven and earth's power, and even in our use of magic, strive not to disturb life. It is our duty to protect the Dao and banish evil. How can we let temporary comfort make us forget our purpose?"

Zhang Sanlu thought to himself, whatever Zhang Zhi Dao's true intentions, his actions over these days and the words just spoken were indeed stirring and righteous.