Little Pink Starfish

The main burial chamber was like a palace, lavishly adorned with treasures and furnishings.

However, there was an eerie atmosphere hanging in the air. Zhang Qiu had no interest in admiring these thousand-year-old antiques. Instead, he secretly observed his second cousin, Zhang Yu Shui. Ever since seeing the murals, Zhang Yu Shui’s expression had turned colder. Occasionally, he would stare at the paintings in a daze. Although Zhang Qiu hadn’t spent much time with him, he could tell that Zhang Yu Shui was someone who rarely showed emotions and handled everything with an air of indifference.

Now, seeing his second brother’s face identical to that of the young emperor, and standing in this extravagant tomb of Prince Hui of Xiapi, Zhang Qiu couldn’t shake the feeling that fate was at play.

At this point, his belief in modern science was nowhere to be found.

“Don’t touch anything in the hall,” Zhang Yu Shui suddenly warned.

Neither Zhang Qiu nor Zhang Zuo Jiu had any interest in the vast wealth of the tomb. Their goal was to retrieve the artifact. Hearing this, Zhang Yu Shui glanced at Li Shu. Before Zhang Qiu could think, his mouth spoke on its own. “Li Shu isn’t the type to be greedy for riches.”

Li Shu gave Zhang Qiu a sidelong glance. Zhang Qiu, remembering the Gumu Kingdom’s tomb, quickly avoided his gaze.

Seeing this, Li Shu sneered coldly. “I’ll take what I need.” Without hesitation, he walked straight toward the inner sleeping quarters.

Zhang Yu Shui immediately followed, appearing somewhat anxious, as if afraid that Li Shu would disturb something. Zhang Qiu and Zhang Zuo Jiu hurried after them. The chamber was brightly lit, almost like daylight. The furnishings had decayed over the centuries, leaving only the jade framework, which made the place feel cold and unwelcoming.

The outermost layer was a yellow jade coffin, intricately carved with a dragon motif. The lifelike dragon coiled around the entire sarcophagus, its eyes glaring fiercely in their direction, as if ready to lunge at them at any moment. Zhang Qiu had never seen such exquisite craftsmanship—it was truly grand. But—

“Prince Hui of Xiapi’s sarcophagus is carved with dragon motifs?”

That was outright rebellion!

Then again, Zhang Qiu thought, He’s already dead, so it’s not really treason anymore. But even after death, using such an over-the-top design—wasn’t he afraid the emperor would have his entire family exterminated?!

Glancing at Zhang Yu Shui’s profile beside the coffin, a sudden thought crossed Zhang Qiu’s mind. Maybe this tomb wasn’t built by Prince Hui himself, but rather by Emperor Zhang of Han.

The outer coffin was nearly two meters tall—imposing and grand.

“Where exactly is the artifact?”

Zhang Zuo Jiu cast a glance at his younger brother and replied casually, “Inside Prince Hui’s mouth.”

The moment he said that, Zhang Qiu felt a chill run down his spine. He looked up to see Zhang Yu Shui’s eyes flash with a cold light, staring at them. For a moment, Zhang Qiu didn’t know what to say. This version of Zhang Yu Shui felt completely unfamiliar, like he had become a different person.

“Xiao Di, ever since you saw the murals, you’ve been acting strangely. People can resemble each other, especially someone who lived a thousand years ago. But Xiao Qiu is our real, living blood relative,” Zhang Zuo Jiu reasoned, seeing that his younger brother’s stubborn streak was flaring up again. He suggested, “How about we borrow it first and return it later?”

Hearing the words “a thousand years ago,” Zhang Yu Shui inexplicably felt a pang in his heart. He remained silent for a moment. Just as Zhang Zuo Jiu was worrying about how to convince him, Zhang Yu Shui’s mind cleared. He opened his mouth and said, “Big Brother, I don’t know why, but ever since entering the main tomb chamber, I’ve been losing focus. But you’re right—saving Xiao Qiu is more important.”

Zhang Zuo Jiu let out a breath of relief. Without wasting more time, he and Zhang Yu Shui stepped onto the lower layer of the outer coffin and tried to push the lid off. However, the jade cover didn’t budge an inch. Zhang Qiu, attempting to help, pushed with all his might, his face turning red from the effort.

Seeing this, Li Shu finally walked over, his voice cold. “Step aside.”

Zhang Qiu knew Li Shu was angry. He felt a little guilty, but his suspicions still gnawed at him. Unsure of how to face Li Shu, he obediently took two steps back.

Li Shu placed a single hand on the heavy jade lid. His posture remained straight, and his grip didn’t seem particularly forceful. Yet, with a low, rumbling sound, the outer coffin’s lid slid open effortlessly.

“Be careful,” Zhang Yu Shui instinctively called out when he saw Li Shu about to push the lid onto the floor.

Li Shu didn’t respond. However, a flicker of impatience crossed his eyes as he adjusted his movements, letting the lid slide down gently without causing any damage.

Zhang Zuo Jiu frowned slightly at his younger brother’s odd behavior. When we get back, I’ll need to draw a calming talisman for him.

The inner coffin was now exposed. Its black and red lacquered surface was adorned with intricate carvings, showing no signs of decay. The vibrant colors made it look as if it had been crafted yesterday rather than a thousand years ago. Zhang Yu Shui’s heart pounded in his chest, though his expression remained composed. He turned to Zhang Zuo Jiu, cutting him off before he could speak. “I’ll take it.”

He then glanced at Li Shu, wary of what the other man might be after.

“Relax, I’m not interested in what’s in his mouth.”

With that, Li Shu placed his hand on the edge of the inner coffin lid. With just a slight push, the cover slowly slid open. Before Zhang Yu Shui could react, he had already leaned halfway inside.

From a short distance away, Zhang Qiu was watching intently when he suddenly saw a hand reach out from inside the coffin.

“Watch out!”

At that exact moment, the chamber’s bright lights extinguished with a snap, plunging everything into darkness. A gust of wind swept past, carrying an icy chill. Zhang Qiu shuddered, catching a familiar scent as something cold pressed against him.

Tentatively, he called out, “Li Shu?”

There was no response.

Instead, a strong arm wrapped around his waist, pinning him against the wall. Gunshots rang out—bang, bang, bang—echoing through the tomb.

“Xiao Di! Xiao Qiu!” Zhang Zuo Jiu’s voice called out.

“I’m here!” Zhang Qiu managed to reply before something slammed into him, and an icy hand pulled him into an embrace.

“Don’t move.”

It was Li Shu’s voice. The tension in Zhang Qiu’s body eased slightly. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he could hear the sounds of fighting and agonized screams.

“Lao Si, do you have it?”

“Big Brother, let’s go! Ahhh!” Lao Si’s scream rang out.

It was Jin Lao Da’s missing group! Zhang Qiu was trying to make out their figures in the darkness when a wet, blood-covered hand suddenly grabbed him. The overwhelming stench of blood assaulted his nose. Instinctively, he lashed out with a kick.

A cold arm wrapped around his waist—Li Shu again.

The blood-soaked hand disappeared.

In the next moment, the chaotic battle and screams abruptly ceased. A flashlight beam cut through the darkness from another direction. Zhang Qiu squinted and finally made out the figure holding the light.

“Big Brother Mao!”

Zhang Zuo Jiu sighed in relief upon seeing Zhang Qiu unharmed. He quickly scanned the area, calling for Zhang Yu Shui, but there was no answer.

Zhang Qiu’s heart skipped a beat.

Just then, beside the inner coffin, Zhang Yu Shui was found unconscious on the ground, his lips covered in blood—as if he had been bitten.

Zhang Qiu frowned. Who the hell bites someone on the mouth? Was it Lao Si or Jin Lao Da?

“Where’s Jin Lao Da?”

“He ran,” Li Shu said, his tone laced with hostility.

Zhang Qiu suddenly remembered that during the scuffle, Jin Lao Da had mentioned something about “taking it.” He grabbed Li Shu’s sleeve. “Did Jin Lao Da take what you were looking for?”

“No.”

Then why do you look like you’re about to kill someone? Before Zhang Qiu could ask further, Li Shu coldly added, “Someone else took it.”

“There are others in this tomb?” Zhang Qiu asked, puzzled. Since Li Shu didn’t answer, he assumed that Jin Lao Da must have had an accomplice. Hesitating for a moment, he then asked, “Is that thing really important to you?”

Li Shu glanced toward the tomb entrance, his half-lidded eyes flashing with a chilling aura. But his response was indifferent: “It’s nothing crucial.”

The two of them returned to the outer coffin chamber. Curious, Zhang Qiu peeked inside the inner coffin and was shocked. “Huh? It’s empty?!”

Apart from layers of silk lining the interior, there was no sign of a body. The silk was thick and appeared to have been disturbed, but it hadn’t decayed—highly unusual.

Zhang Yu Shui was still unconscious. Zhang Zuo Jiu, hearing that the coffin was empty, sighed. “A wasted trip. Let’s head back first.” He hoisted Zhang Yu Shui onto his back. With both hands occupied, he casually tossed the Five Emperor Coin Sword to Li Shu. “Brother, hold onto this for me.”

Zhang Qiu’s mind jolted. Wait! The Five Emperor Coin Sword is specifically used to ward off Jiangshi! He was about to protest when he saw Li Shu effortlessly catch the sword and even spin it idly in his hand. Nothing happened.

Zhang Qiu felt a mix of emotions—part disappointment, but mostly relief.

Li Shu isn’t a Jiangshi. He’s just an incredibly strong and skilled normal person.

Zhang Zuo Jiu, seeing Li Shu holding the sword without issue, also relaxed a little.

As they exited the tomb, Zhang Qiu glanced at Lao Si’s corpse on the ground. The contrast between the beautifully intricate burial chamber and the grisly death made him hesitate before suggesting, “Should we take him out with us? Leaving him here feels… off.”

Li Shu had no objections. With a single hand, he picked up the large man’s body and carried it out. Exiting through the mural-adorned corridor, he casually tossed the corpse into a corner filled with sharp blades.

They followed the decade-old smuggler’s tunnel out. Along the way, they encountered several Jiangshi and scattered human bones—remnants of past tomb raiders. Li Shu easily dispatched the creatures with the Five Emperor Coin Sword.

A thought struck Zhang Qiu. “Why did Lao Si go crazy in the tomb corridor? And how did Lao Wu turn into a Jiangshi?”

“They were poisoned by spider venom,” Li Shu replied.

Zhang Qiu suddenly recalled their encounter with the venomous spiders on the mountain. Back then, only three people had been bitten—Lao Si, Lao Wu, and Jin Lao Da. Lao Wu had suffered the worst, his flesh turning purple and oozing black blood. But after disinfecting the wound and getting an antivenom shot, he had seemed fine, so no one paid further attention to it.

“In the tomb, the venom worsens, causing hallucinations. Those most affected are at risk of corpse transformation.”

“That explains why Lao Si looked at me with both fear and murderous intent back then.” Zhang Qiu sighed, glancing at Li Shu. By now, they had exited the tomb and reached Zhang Zuo Jiu’s parked car. He turned to Li Shu and asked, “Where are you going? We can give you a ride.”

Li Shu shook his head. “No need.”

For some reason, Zhang Qiu felt an unexpected pang of disappointment. He scuffed a rock on the ground and insisted, “It’s a long way to the county town. Let us at least take you that far.”

Li Shu suddenly reached out and touched Zhang Qiu’s face. The unexpected gesture startled Zhang Qiu, making his heart pound wildly. He froze, body stiff as a board.

“I have things to take care of. I’ll come find you,” Li Shu said.

By the time Zhang Qiu snapped out of his daze, Li Shu’s figure was already growing distant.

Wait, wait, wait! You don’t even know where I live!!!

Feeling distracted, Zhang Qiu climbed into the car. Almost immediately, a wave of exhaustion washed over him. He had been perfectly fine and alert inside the tomb, but now that he was outside, the sunlight made him feel sluggish and drained.

---

“The tomb’s Yin energy helped suppress your condition,” Zhang San Lian said gravely. “Now that you’re out, the thing in your belly is trying to absorb Yin energy directly from you.” He sighed. “I don’t know how, but it seems to be converting your Yang energy into Yin. Originally, I planned to send your brothers to retrieve an artifact to help stabilize you, but with this unexpected twist, your condition has worsened. Right now, it’s not even about removing the fetus—it’s about keeping you alive. Otherwise, you…” He trailed off and sighed again. “And to make things worse, the tomb was empty. The Yin Soul Pearl—where could it be?”

Zhang Qiu saw how worried everyone was for him, and his heart softened. He wanted to tell them not to worry, that whatever happened, happened. But seeing them work so hard to find a solution for him, he knew he couldn’t just give up on himself.

“Uncle—”

Before he could finish, Zhang Zuo Jiu rushed in, holding a small wooden box. “Dad, someone just delivered this. Could it be the Yin Soul Pearl?”