South of the Southern Ridge Mountains.
The path forward ended abruptly. A wall of mountains, towering and vast, stood before them, blocking their way. It was a natural barrier, stretching for thousands of miles, instantly dispelling any thought Fan Li had of finding a way around it.
Fly over?
That seemed impossible as well.
Dense fog shrouded the mountains above them and swirling mists accompanied by the rumbling of thunder.
The sight was ominous – a sky choked by dark clouds, a landscape devoid of even a single bird in flight.
Fan Li couldn't imagine attempting to fly over these mountains. Would they be struck down by lightning?
Bai Shijiu, however, looked delighted.
"We've arrived. This is Nanchao!"
Fan Li suspected he had misheard.
This was Nanchao?
Bai Shijiu retrieved a crudely drawn map that depicted Nanchao region. The terrain and its features, as portrayed on the map, were so bizarre that Fan Li felt dizzy just looking at it.
"This was once an ancient kingdom?" he said incredulously. "It looks more like an ancient prison!"
Nanchao's geography consisted of a vast basin, surrounded by a ring of towering mountains.
From the crude map, it resembled a volcanic crater, or perhaps the remnants of a giant, dried-up lake.
But in this moment, Fan Li saw the mountains as prison walls with its peak reaching towards the heavens and obscured by thick clouds.
And the dense thunderclouds above… they were the prison's roof!
Fan Li thought of the perfect word to describe Nanchao:
A heavenly prison!
"Sage Ruler Bai, how much information about Nanchao are you still withholding from me? Even if it's just to increase our chances of success, surely you can tell me?"
Seeing the suspicion in Fan Li's eyes, Bai Shijiu felt a flicker of amusement.
"Duke Jin, you worry too much. I am grateful for your assistance. Why would I deceive you? Aside from this crude map, I truly possess no further knowledge about Nanchao."
She looked at Fan Li with a seemingly sincere expression.
However, the fleeting amusement in her eyes hadn't escaped Fan Li's notice.
Lying?
Before the Great Chu's most notorious traitor, the Sage Ruler of Chess's acting skills were inadequate.
Perhaps only the Pure Land's hypothetical Sage Ruler of Deception or Sage Ruler of Drama could truly challenge Fan Li in a battle of wits.
But this was enough.
Fan Li's primary goal had been to confirm whether Bai Shijiu was still hiding information. Having obtained the answer he sought, he could now prepare accordingly.
Bai Shijiu, believing she had deceived him, even offered a "helpful" suggestion. "Duke Jin, why not ask this Master Huang? He's a Confucian scholar from Lu City. He must possess a wealth of knowledge. Perhaps he knows something about Nanchao."
Before Fan Li could ask, Huang Longshi shook his head repeatedly.
"This humble… this lowly… this junior… I am ashamed. My knowledge is inadequate. I never knew such a place existed. Even the name 'Nanchao,' I've never heard it before…"
Bai Shijiu nearly laughed out loud.
This was it?
This was Fan Li's backup plan?
Huang Longshi was clearly an ordinary Nascent Soul Realm Confucian scholar. There was no hidden depth to him.
Did Fan Li truly believe this man could assist them?
'The ancient Go game within Nanchao will surely help me dispel my heart demon. Then, I will personally kill Fan Li and this Huang fellow!' Bai Shijiu thought.
Following the crude map's guidance, the three finally found Nanchao's only entrance. A gap in the wall of mountains, a valley opening.
They looked inside, but they couldn't see anything. It was as if Nanchao was filled with white fog.
"Sage Ruler Bai, the fog obscures our vision. There could be danger within," Fan Li said. "Should we wait until the fog clears before entering?"
Coward!
Bai Shijiu felt nothing but contempt for Fan Li's cautiousness.
She had been to Nanchao once before, a brief visit. She had already traversed the sea of fog and knew there was no danger within. She was even tempted to kill Fan Li right here.
Unfortunately, her heart demon hadn't been dispelled. She not only couldn't harm him, but she also had to ensure he remained alive and well.
"Do not worry. I will lead the way. Duke Jin, Master Huang, please follow closely behind me. I will guarantee your safety."
Bai Shijiu didn't give Fan Li a chance to refuse. She leaped from the carriage and walked into the fog.
Fan Li and Huang Longshi exchanged glances and followed her.
They entered the valley and were immediately engulfed by the fog. Even with Fan Li's Golden Core Realm cultivation, his vision was limited to a radius of ten meters.
The scene before them resembled an ordinary mountain valley. Beneath their feet was soft grass and earth. Fallen leaves, petals, and rotten fruit lay scattered about.
Occasionally, they encountered a few animal bones, the remains of ordinary beasts, likely trapped within the valley and unable to find their way out of the fog. They had starved to death.
The three continued for about an hour. Fan Li noticed that Bai Shijiu hadn't stopped once. She seemed to know exactly where she was going.
So, it was a familiar path? How many times had she been here?
"Ah! We're out of the fog!" Bai Shijiu suddenly exclaimed.
Her voice and expression, however, seemed somewhat forced.
Before them lay a vast, open plain. Scattered across the plain were countless stones, clearly bearing the marks of human craftsmanship. Upon closer inspection, they were the remnants of buildings.
Were these the ruins of the ancient kingdom?
Fan Li turned and looked back. He could now clearly see the sea of fog. It was a natural protective layer, covering only the valley entrance.
"This must be Nanchao," Bai Shijiu declared.
Fan Li, however, squatted down and began examining the ground.
"Duke Jin, what have you found?" Bai Shijiu asked dismissively.
She had already explored the area during her previous visit. This wasn't Nanchao's core region. She had found nothing of value here.
"This used to be farmland."
Fan Li stood up and brushed the dirt from his hands.
"How do you know?"
Bai Shijiu didn't believe him.
The Nanchao kingdom had existed thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, of years ago. How could he possibly claim to know, with such confidence, that the ground beneath their feet had once been farmland?
"These…"
Fan Li gestured towards the unkempt grass.
"Among them are grains."
Bai Shijiu's eyes widened in disbelief. She looked at Fan Li, then at Huang Longshi.
Huang Longshi, also intrigued, squatted down and began examining the grass.
"Duke Jin is right! Millet, foxtail millet… even soybeans and wheat. This must have been farmland!"
The Nanchao kingdom had been deserted for countless years. The seeds, planted long ago, had slowly integrated with the wild grasses. But without a farmer's care, their growth was stunted.
"Farmland?" Bai Shijiu said coldly. "Such information is useless."
Useless?
Fan Li had a suspicion, but he kept it to himself.
Nanchao was isolated and desolate with perpetual thunderclouds hanging above it… What Emperor or vassal king would willingly choose to live in such a place?
Fan Li was even more convinced that Nanchao wasn't a kingdom, not even a vassal state. It was a giant prison. And he couldn't help but wonder:
Who was imprisoned here?
What crimes had they committed?
And who had established this prison?
"If farmers worked this land, then someone of higher status must have been living here. Ordinary farmers aren't worthy of being imprisoned in this place. Someone of higher status… a prisoner…"
The possibilities were too bizarre! Ancient history was a mixture of myths, legends, and facts.
Who could truly discern between them?
Even in his previous life, Fan Li had suspected that many of the mythical creatures described in ancient texts, such as the "Classic of Mountains and Seas," might have been real creatures, perhaps even extinct animals.
But their descriptions were so fantastical that they had become legends, blurring the line between reality and myth.
"Duke Jin, we must continue onward," Bai Shijiu said coldly. "This isn't Nanchao's core region. We need to find the ancient Emperor's tomb."
Fan Li nodded.
This time, Bai Shijiu was right.
Discovering the farmland meant they hadn't reached their destination.
"Sage Ruler, where do you think we should go next?" Fan Li asked with a smile.
Bai Shijiu assumed he was testing her. Her expression turned smug. Clearly, she had a plan.
"If we seek an ancient Emperor's tomb, then we must follow the principles of imperial tomb selection to determine its location.
Throughout history, the selection of such sites has followed specific methods: analyzing the soil, studying the terrain, and utilizing geomancy. Imperial tombs were typically built on sites with mountains behind them and water before them, locations where the tomb wouldn't be easily eroded or damaged by the elements.
I have also heard that in ancient times, the west was considered the most auspicious direction for imperial tombs.
Based on these standards, if we search westward, seeking a location with mountains behind it, water before it, and a stable terrain, we should find the Emperor's tomb."
Bai Shijiu finished her explanation, expecting the two men to praise her wisdom and insight. Instead, she was met with silence.
She felt annoyed. "What's wrong? Am I mistaken?"
Fan Li smiled but didn't answer.
Huang Longshi, however, cautiously spoke up. "Sage Ruler, the methods you described – analyzing the soil, studying the terrain, and utilizing geomancy – all originate from the 'Rites of Zhou.'
If the ancient Nanchao Emperor predates the Zhou Dynasty, those methods might be useless."
Bai Shijiu was speechless.
But Huang Longshi wasn't finished.
"As for the west being considered the most auspicious direction, that's a pre-Qin custom.
Building tombs with mountains behind them and water before them, ensuring a stable terrain, also originated from the Qin Dynasty. The ancient Nanchao Emperor… surely he predates the Qin Dynasty, doesn't he?"
He spoke softly, unsure of the specifics.
The Qin Dynasty had abolished the system of vassal states, establishing a centralized government.
Bai Shijiu's face flushed red. She felt incredibly annoyed. If this were any other time, she would have slapped Huang Longshi, a mere Nascent Soul Realm cultivator, to death for daring to contradict her!
But the moment she felt a surge of murderous intent, a wave of chaotic energy erupted within her.
'Heavens! Am I crippled? Even with Fan Li by my side, simply feeling murderous intent towards an unrelated person can trigger my heart demon?!'
Bai Shijiu was terrified. She quickly suppressed her anger.
She gritted her teeth. "Thank you for reminding me, Master Huang. It seems my knowledge is inadequate."
"This humble… this lowly… I was being presumptuous."
Huang Longshi was also nervous. He couldn't believe he had dared to point out the Sage Ruler's mistakes.
But… he secretly glanced at Bai Shijiu. Although she was beautiful, her intellect seemed… ordinary.
In truth, Huang Longshi feared her status as a Sage Ruler far more than he feared her strength.
"I was mistaken," Bai Shijiu said.
"Then, please, the two of you, determine the Emperor's tomb's location. I won't embarrass myself any further!"
She was incredibly annoyed. She would simply observe and wait to see how Fan Li and Huang Longshi would find the tomb.
The Nanchao basin was vast. Although it couldn't compare to the kingdoms of the Central Plains, it was at least larger than a prefecture or a province.
To search aimlessly would be a fool's errand.
"Very well."
Fan Li agreed readily. He turned to Huang Longshi.
"Please, Master Huang, find the most ominous, the most yin, the most desolate location. I believe that will be the Emperor's tomb."
"What?!"
Before Huang Longshi could even begin his search, Bai Shijiu screamed.
Most ominous?
Most yin?
Most desolate?
Was this even an Emperor's tomb?
Anyone buried in such a place would surely bring disaster upon their descendants, perhaps even leading to the extinction of their entire family line!
Huang Longshi was also puzzled. "Duke Jin, you want to find a place of great misfortune? That's not difficult, but are you certain?"
Even with his extensive knowledge, Huang Longshi wasn't particularly skilled in feng shui, the art of geomancy. But having studied under Marquis Lu, he had at least a basic understanding of it.
"I'm certain," Fan Li said with a smile. "Go ahead and find it."
In truth, Fan Li himself was a renowned scholar, familiar with countless arts and sciences.
Finding an ominous location was a simple task for him. But if he didn't assign Huang Longshi some work, if he remained idle, Fan Li worried that Bai Shijiu might become suspicious.
"Fan Li!"
Bai Shijiu addressed him directly by his name.
"Are you deliberately trying to sabotage our mission? We're searching for an Emperor's tomb, not a place of great misfortune! I have no intention of wasting my time with you!"
"Sage Ruler, please calm yourself."
Fan Li smiled faintly. He pointed towards the sky, then gestured towards the towering mountains that surrounded them like a wall.
"Have you not noticed, Sage Ruler? This Nanchao is no ordinary kingdom.
It is a giant prison. I believe that even if an ancient kingdom once existed here, they didn't choose to live in this place. They were forced to relocate to Nanchao."
Bai Shijiu was stunned, and Huang Longshi nodded in agreement. It was true.
From within the Nanchao basin, it truly resembled a prison.
The sky was perpetually covered in dark clouds, thunder rumbling ominously, as if Heaven was unleashing its wrath upon this desolate land!
Bai Shijiu couldn't deny the truth. Her face paled, and she spoke with difficulty.
"Even if Nanchao is a prison, surely an Emperor would still possess dignity. Why would he be buried in a desolate location?
We passed by farmland earlier. Clearly, the ancient Emperor had his own subjects. Wouldn't they have chosen a more auspicious location to pay their respects to their deceased ruler?"
Even she could hear the weakness in her own argument.
Fan Li shook his head. "If he was the ruler of a fallen kingdom, what dignity could he possibly possess?"
That the Nanchao kingdom had fallen was undeniable. As for whether the ancient Emperor they sought was the ruler of this fallen kingdom, Fan Li could only speculate. But the probability was high.
Finally, they decided to search for the most desolate location.
It was surprisingly easy to find.
A barren mountain. Not a single blade of grass grew within a ten-mile radius. It was a desolate wasteland.
The three stood at the foot of the mountain. Bai Shijiu felt a chill run through her body. Even with her cultivation, she couldn't help but shiver.
"This… This must be the place, right?" Bai Shijiu asked with difficulty.
Before Fan Li could answer, the scene before them revealed the truth.
They had found the Emperor's tomb. On a lower slope of the mountain, they saw a tombstone and a simple, unadorned grave.
Inscribed upon the tombstone were few characters:
"Tomb of King Jie."