Tomb Robber: I, Chen Yulou, am dedicated to cultivating immortality!

She seemed confident.

Chen Yulou couldn't help but secretly breathe a sigh of relief.

The black desert is vast and endless, and it is now the windy season. It snows nine out of ten days. When you finally get a sunny day, there are strong winds, and it is impossible to identify the direction by ordinary means.

Along the way, I relied on her for guidance.

And her performance was worthy of the promise made by Chief Wutu.

Although there may be some ambiguity between us on some matters, it will not be too much of an obstacle.

As for the Zidu Dark River, he had also heard of it.

It is said that the snow melted by the Kunlun Glacier flows from the top of the mountain to form a large river, but the Black Desert is in extreme drought most of the year and water cannot remain on the ground.

The river flows underground.

Thus forming a dark river.

In ancient Uyghur language, "Zidu" means shadow.

Describes it as elusive and difficult to find.

But where exactly it is located is unknown.

But from what Una said, she seemed to have seen it before.

After a simple breakfast, we packed our tent and luggage.

The group set out again from Xiye Ancient City.

After a treasure hunt in the ancient city, the team's atmosphere was obviously much more enthusiastic than in the previous few days, especially the young people, whose faces were full of expectations and longings.

From time to time, he would take out the artifacts he had found and show them off like trophies.

There are fragments of jade, thumb-sized gold beans, and some strange antiques with a Western style.

Although not as valuable as expected.

But after all, I dug it out of the yellow sand with my own hands, and the sense of accomplishment cannot be simply described by geometric value.

After passing Yumen Pass and entering the Western Regions.

I don't know how many times I have heard that there is gold everywhere in the desert.

Now they finally got a glimpse of it.

They rode on camels and scanned the surroundings, hoping to discover another ancient city.

After all, didn’t the shopkeeper say so?

Along the ancient riverbed of the Peacock River below, dozens of ancient countries once existed one after another. If we could find another one, it would be a windfall. Anyway, we have nothing to do anyway.

However, the ancient city is not so easy to find.

Most of them have long been covered by wind and sand.

Sealed deep underground.

At first glance, the landscape machine looks like a copy, unless you are a tomb raider who has lived in the black desert for many years and can calculate it based on subtle changes.

Otherwise, you wouldn’t even notice it even if you walked over the ancient city.

but……

There are also some unexpected surprises.

On the way to the ancient well, you can often see black shadows floating on the sand dunes.

At first, no one paid attention to it, thinking it was just a dead saxaul tree or a pile of iron sand and gravel.

Until the time to rest halfway, a few young people could not sit still and walked together. When they got closer to the black shadows, they found that it was actually a stone tomb buried under the sand dunes with half of the roof exposed.

Because the desert is always moving.

No matter how deep the coffin is buried, it will be blown out of the ground by a sandstorm after a few years.

It might even attract ferocious beasts in the desert, which would break open the coffin and eat the corpse.

In order to prevent this situation.

Therefore, the ancient people of various countries in the Black Desert would adopt this method, mining rocks to integrate the coffin and the tomb chamber into one, and using fish glue to glue the gaps between the stone slabs.

Buried deep in the desert.

It's like an ancient ship sunk in a sea of ​​sand.

Even the most ferocious wolf pack cannot destroy the coffin.

However, a sandstorm a few days ago blew away a thick layer of yellow sand, allowing the top of the stone tomb to float out of the sea of ​​sand.

Several people shouted loudly in excitement.

The movement quickly attracted a lot of attention.

Hua Magui brought people over to take a look and a look of surprise appeared on his face.

The stone coffin tomb may be difficult for ordinary people to start with, but Changsheng Mountain is the lair of Xiangling. Even a newcomer who has just entered the world of martial arts knows at least three or five ways to break into the tomb and open the coffin.

There were about ten people in the group.

It took less than half a quarter of an hour to dig the entire coffin out of the sand dune.

Pieces of rock are connected to each other.

Seeing this, Hua Maguai decisively took out the Yin-probing Claw.

The sharp claws scratched along the crack of the sarcophagus.

The already weathered fish maw instantly shattered, with tiny cracks appearing from the inside out. After a short while, the fish maw shattered into pieces like broken glass.

The Yin-probing claw changes direction.

Insert it and hook it hard.

The entire stone slab was removed with incredible ease.

The guys nearby were itching to try their hand at it, so they rushed forward and in no time they opened a hole in the coffin that was big enough for two people to enter and exit.

A lantern was hung on a bamboo stick and went deep into the room.

Fire dispels darkness.

A group of people stood on tiptoe to look.

The tomb chamber is not very large, like a gourd lying horizontally, with two tombs in front and back, each containing a coffin.

The wood used is willow and poplar, which are common in the Western Regions.

After just a quick glance, Hua Maguai felt a little bored. From the style of the coffin, it could be seen that the burial standard was not high. It was estimated that at most he was just a low-level official.

If it was before, he might have been interested.

But I just bought an entire ancient city of Xiye.

Both my vision and appetite have been raised a lot.

"Okay, go ahead."

"Hurry up and don't delay the trip."

He glanced at the young guys around him.

Hua Maguai waved his hand.

Hearing the hidden meaning in his words, they understood it clearly.

"Thank you, boss."

Bow thank you.

The group quickly rushed into the tomb.

Two wooden coffins were opened one after another.

Apart from two mummies, a man and a woman, there were very few burial objects, mostly pottery and jade pieces.

But any little is better than nothing.

If several people share the money, each of them can exchange it for a few silver dollars, which is better than nothing.

When they walked out of the tomb, they did not forget to seal the stone door again.

There are strong winds howling in the Black Desert all day long, and within half a day at most, the quicksand will bury the entire coffin again.

Wait for the group to return.

Everyone in the team had almost rested.

Seeing the guys' unconcealable smiles on their faces, Chen Yulou asked casually. When he heard that it was a stone tomb, he couldn't help but nodded in understanding.

In the vast black desert.

There are at least eight hundred of those stone tombs, if not a thousand.

In the Thirty-Six Kingdoms of the Western Regions, the real tombs of the nobility were often built with large tombs and large trees like those of the Han people.

They are either buried very deep underground or in the city, where they will not be affected by wind and sand erosion.

It is extremely difficult to find valuable artifacts from an ancient tomb like this one, which is like an ancient ship in the sand sea.

Without further ado, the group continued on their way.

After noon, the heavy snow that had been falling intermittently for several days finally stopped, but the sky was still gloomy, with leaden clouds hanging low, making it hard to breathe.

"There will be a snowstorm tomorrow at the latest."

"Shopkeeper Chen, it's better to plan ahead. Should we stop or go?"

During the break, Una approached the group of people, with a deep sadness in her eyes.

"Snowstorm?"

Chen Yulou is still studying the route with Partridge Whistle.

According to the ancient atlas left by Zagrama's ancestors, the Holy Mountain is located in a barren land with no grass in the depths of the Black Desert, with two huge black magnetic mountains facing each other in the distance.

But how far is it from here?

They really have no idea in their minds.

After hearing Una's words, the two of them no longer cared about the Holy Mountain. They subconsciously looked up at the sky above their heads, with a thoughtful look in their expressions.

"How did you know this? Can you confirm it?"

Yang Fang looked strange.

In his opinion, the current weather was almost the same as usual.

"It can't be wrong."

"I have been learning how to identify weather changes since I was a child by Ata's side."

Una nodded seriously.

The wizards in the village not only have the duties of offering sacrifices to gods, performing witchcraft and divination, but they also need to observe the four seasons and changes in weather with their naked eyes.

Although they are a nomadic people, they do not rely on the weather for their livelihood.

But if they encounter extreme weather when going out hunting, it would be a fatal crisis for them.

Chen Yulou knew this very well.

I already believe it about 70% in my heart.

Since she specifically mentioned the snowstorm, it must not be comparable to the current snowy day.

"Miss Una, the ancient well you mentioned earlier may be surrounded by shelter from the wind?"

"There are low broken walls around the ancient well. If we are quick enough, we can dig out a sand valley along the broken wall and squeeze in. It should be fine."

See him and he will point out the key.

Moreover, in such a short period of time, he thought of a way to break the impasse.

When Una looked at Chen Yulou, a bright light flashed in her eyes.

However, that hint of surprise was quickly suppressed, and after a moment of contemplation, he responded seriously.

"Then don't wait."

Chen Yulou nodded, having already made up his mind, and turned to look not far behind him.

"Knapper, pass the order down, tell the brothers to cheer up. If they come across those stone tombs again, don't just open them like they were treasures. Speed ​​up and try to get there as soon as possible."

"Yes, from the shopkeeper."

I have been with the shopkeeper for so many years.

His character and habits have long been deeply engraved in his bones.

Hua Maguai could hear the seriousness in his tone, so he immediately clasped his fists and accepted the order. He patted the camel under him and quickly hurried towards the long team behind him.

Got the news.

No one dared to hesitate.

One is the strict order from the shopkeeper, and the other involves one’s own life.

Along the way, they had seen countless dead bodies, from ancient times to the present. Most of them had not rotted, but had dehydrated and turned into mummies. Almost without exception, they had died from getting lost.

In the vast desert.

Once you lose your way.

There is no food and water supply.

The only way left for them is death.

Between petty gains and life and death, which is more important? Anyone with a normal brain can figure it out.

Next.

Taking advantage of the brief break in the weather, everyone ate and drank on the camels' backs, not daring to rest at all, and hurried on as fast as they could.

I saw those old camels were so tired that they were foaming at the mouth.

Pat was heartbroken.

The team has about a hundred camels, many of which he raised himself, and the rest were rented from various families. He has poured countless efforts into each of them.

He even thought about it.

Wait for this trip to return successfully.

Once you've escaped from slavery, you can use your savings of many years to buy one and use it to transport goods for others, or do some small business yourself, so that you don't waste the rest of your life.

But now run like this.

It's simply killing them in advance.

But he didn't dare say much.

After all, the boss surnamed Chen paid a lot of money.

Although he didn't know exactly how much it was, when he received the money, he smiled so hard that he couldn't stop.

Even that picky guy couldn't find any fault with it. You can imagine that it is definitely a temptation that ordinary people cannot refuse.

Fortunately, this rapid run did not last long.

It took about half an hour.

Una, who was walking in the front, raised her hand and signaled the team to stop.

The team behind didn't understand what this meant.

But news soon came.

It is said that they have arrived at Baluka.

This was obviously an ancient place name, and a bunch of rough warriors couldn't even imagine how to write those three words.

But Chen Yulou understood as soon as he heard it. Balujia was the ancient name of Gumo, also called Jimo, which was the old name during the Tang Dynasty and was under the jurisdiction of the Qiuci Protectorate.

Wait for them to cross the sand dunes.

An ancient city no smaller than Xiye appeared in sight.

There were ruins everywhere, as well as corner tower tops buried in yellow sand.

Gumo Prefecture!

Chen Yulou looked around and took a rough measurement. Just in the area that he could see, the ancient city had about three thousand households, which was considered a big city among the thirty-six countries in the Western Regions.

The only city as big as this in Gumo is Gumo Prefecture.

It was established during the Tang Dynasty and was the most important town in the Qiuci Protectorate.

However, thousands of years have passed, and the prosperous towns on the Silk Road, which were once crowded with camels and horses and merchants, have turned into ruins and are dead silent, without any sign of life.

“Ancient city.”

"There are more funerary objects to be exchanged."

"I heard that the chief is planning to stay here for a few days to avoid the wind and sand. Isn't this a good time for us to show our skills?"

"Hush, be quiet, the only thing on your mind is the artifacts, right?"

The guy who followed him up the sand dune looked at the ancient city at the foot of the mountain with a look of surprise on his face.

"Let's set up camp in the city first."

Chen Yulou ignored the exclamations behind him.

Instead, he looked up at the sky.

Compared with before, the leaden clouds in the sky are thicker and lower, revealing a suffocating sense of oppression.

Everything was moving in the direction that Una had said.

It is estimated that a snowstorm will arrive tonight.

How could he dare to delay any longer? Once the order was given, everyone did not hesitate and led their camels into the city. After choosing a place to set up camp, nearly three hundred people began to work busily.

Take advantage of this opportunity.

Chen Yulou and several others went deep into the city.

Under a broken wall, they finally saw the ancient well that Una had mentioned.

Only the well curb was left around it, and the ancient pavilion had long been eroded by wind and sand. However, a thick bluestone slab had been built on the well, probably by the passing teams.

Kunlun stepped forward and moved the manhole cover away.

The well mouth was about one meter square, and it was pitch black underneath. No one knew how deep it was, and the bottom was completely invisible.

However, standing by the well, one can clearly feel a strong smell of water.

There were ropes and barrels hanging on the side.

It is probably left by our ancestors.

Hua Maguai took the initiative to step forward and put the wooden barrel down, thinking of getting a bucket of water up to see if it was drinkable.

After almost half of the rope, which was dozens of meters long, was let out, the sound of water splashing was finally heard from below. Guaizi's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly pulled it back after it was filled with water.

Ever since I started practicing martial arts.

His health is much better than in previous years.

In a few moments he pulled the wooden barrel filled with water out of the well.

With a bang, it was placed next to the well.

The clear well water spilled all over the ground.

Seeing this, Hua Maguai's heart finally settled down.

It’s so clear, drinking it will definitely not be a problem.

The key is this ancient well.

The little clean water they had left was finally replenished.

“I have to try it again.”

He rubbed his hands with a smile.

Hua Maguai pretended to reach out to scoop up the water.

"wrong!"

"Kidnapper, get out of the way!"

only……

Before he could go deeper into the barrel.

A shout rang in my ears.

He paused subconsciously as he stretched out his hand.

At the same time, out of the corner of his eye, a black shadow suddenly jumped out from the depths of the wooden barrel. Before it got close, a foul stench and murderous intent enveloped it.

Hua Maguai's brain buzzed.

Without time to think, he rolled forward and barely avoided the fishy wind.

next moment.

Chen Yulou returning from the ancient city wall.

He stepped on the yellow sand with his right foot, picked up a stone, and kicked it out with a bang.

Hua Maguai felt a chill on the back of his head.

A puff of pungent blood exploded out of nowhere.

Fortunately, he reacted quickly and crawled and rolled away several meters without being stained with blood.

Took a few deep breaths.

After finally suppressing his palpitations, he turned around.

Lying on the sand beside the ancient well was a strange snake that was as black as ink and almost half a meter long. Its neck was broken into two parts, so its head could not be seen.

Hua Maguai was stunned at first, then he reacted.

The snake's head was clearly smashed to pieces by the shopkeeper's kick with a stone.

The black snake's blood fell like rain.

And where it falls.

There was a loud hissing sound on the yellow sand, black smoke billowed, and in the blink of an eye, a deep pit was eroded out.

This scene made Hua Maguai feel even colder down his spine.

Having escaped death, he looked extremely ugly and couldn't help cursing.

"What the hell is this?"