"According to unofficial historical records, the imperial mausoleum was heavily guarded, with ambushes set up everywhere. If anyone rashly broke in, they would lose their heads! Therefore, they often set up some hidden codes outside the mausoleum to warn future generations."

He looked around with a burning gaze: "So, we are really not far from the Imperial Mausoleum!"

After hearing these words, Yang Mi and Liu Tianxian couldn't help but clench their fists, their eyes filled with surprise.

Is the trek of days finally going to bear fruit?
However, Lin Qiye did not relax at all.

Now that we are close to the mausoleum, the danger will inevitably increase.

If you are not careful, you may lose your head!
"I have a feeling that there will be another tough battle to fight next."

He said calmly, his tone serious.

An Ye frowned deeply, pondered for a moment, and then said faintly: "That's right. According to the layout of the ancient imperial tombs, there are often layers of defenses, which are linked together. If you really want to enter the tomb, I'm afraid you will have to go through ninety-nine eighty-one difficulties."

After these words were spoken, everyone looked at each other in shock.

Knowing that this journey would not be easy, everyone was on edge.

"Let's go, keep moving forward."

Lin Qiye took a deep breath and took another step forward.

Everyone followed closely behind him.

After twisting and turning all the way, we finally arrived at a clearing.

Looking around, you can see towering ancient trees and green shade.

In this quiet atmosphere, there is even a hint of elegance.

"Is this the Peach Blossom Spring?"

Liu Tianxian muttered to herself, stunned for a moment.

I saw an old man with white hair and beard sitting cross-legged under an ancient tree not far away.

He was wearing a gray robe, had a desolate look in his eyes, and held a bamboo stick in his hand. He was dressed like a hermit, and looked very elegant and otherworldly.

"Senior, my name is Lin Qiye, and I'm honored." Lin Qiye bowed with a respectful look.

However, the old man just nodded slightly and did not speak.

Instead, a few light butterflies suddenly flew out from beside him and danced gracefully in the woods.

Everyone was amazed and said it was a fairyland.

"what?"

At this moment, An suddenly frowned, as if thinking about something.

"What's wrong?" Lin Qiye asked.

"Look carefully, are the trajectories of these butterflies flying strange?"

He lowered his voice secretly.

Upon hearing this, Lin Qiye looked carefully and found that the flight paths of the colorful butterflies actually showed some mysterious patterns.

Looking closely, it is clearly a maze!
They sometimes circled and sometimes turned, actually drawing the direction of the entire maze in the air.

"Is this a map of the maze?"

Lin Qiye murmured, feeling confused and uncertain.

He nodded and was about to speak when his vision suddenly blurred.

With a buzzing sound, all the colorful butterflies disappeared into the bushes, as if they had never appeared.

Looking at the old man again, he was now sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed, as motionless as a sculpture.

[I didn’t expect that there was a secret hidden in this peaceful scene! I see that this old man was clearly waiting for them here on purpose!]

[That’s right, they kept it a secret first, and then played tricks on everyone to confuse them. Isn’t this just a joke?]

[But the paths of the fluttering butterflies seem to contain some mysteries. Could they be clues to the mausoleum?] [That makes sense! What if this is the secret code that the old man left for future generations? That would be amazing!]

[Tsk, I don't think so. Maybe he was just bored and played some magic tricks. Don't be fooled!]

[How is that possible! This is a critical moment, there is no time for jokes. Besides, Inspector Lin is not a pushover, how could he be easily fooled?]

[That’s right! With Master Lin protecting me, why worry about taking the wrong path? I guarantee you’ll be able to overcome all obstacles and reach the target!]

[Tsk, just him? Doesn’t he still rely on Grandpa An for advice? If he really encounters danger, he will definitely run away in panic!]

[Bullshit! If you have the guts, why don’t you rush over and show us your skills? I think you are just a big shot who can only watch the fire from the other side!]

[Go to hell! I am a hero, full of heroic spirit! If we really fight, I will beat you black guys to a pulp in a minute!]

Netizens were fighting each other, and for a while they were arguing with each other.

Lin Qiye just stared intently at the maze drawn by colorful butterflies.

"There must be something fishy going on here!"

He muttered to himself and walked quickly forward, wanting to confirm his guess.

However, before he got closer, the old man suddenly opened his eyes.

The old man's face was full of a kind smile: "Young man, why rush? This adventure is destined for you and me. If it is destined, the bright road will naturally open up before you."

“Senior, what you said is absolutely right.” Lin Qiye clasped his fists respectfully.

"I'm just curious, are the patterns drawn by those butterflies pointing to the location of the treasure?"

"Haha, my friend really has a keen eye." The old man smiled without saying anything.

"It's a long story. You might as well sit cross-legged with me and let me tell you slowly."

He waved his hand, and a bonfire suddenly lit up in front of him.

The firelight was as warm as spring, illuminating everyone's faces.

Lin Qiye couldn't help but sit next to the old man, his eyes sparkling.

"I am all ears. I hope you will give me some advice."

The old man stroked his snow-white beard and glanced at Lin Qiye meaningfully.

"Young man, do you know where the song 'Phoenix Perched on the Wutong Tree' came from?"

“This…” Lin Qiye shook his head and said sincerely: “Please explain it to me, Senior.”

"Haha, it's normal not to know." The old man took a sip of tea and said slowly: "This ballad was originally only circulated among the royal family. It was later passed on to the people by the gravekeeper."

"The saying 'the phoenix rests on the phoenix tree, and the phoenix rests on the mulberry tree' is a metaphor for the selection of the site for the emperor's mausoleum. The phoenix tree is the king of trees, and the mulberry tree is also a noble tree, symbolizing the eternal power of the emperor and the endless life."

Lin Qiye suddenly realized: "So that's it. What do the last two lines of the song mean, 'It's a golden and silver hairpin, filling my hair'?"

The old man smiled without saying anything and pointed to a corner of the open space.

But there stood an ancient tree with swaying crown and luxuriant branches and leaves.

At the top of the tree, several colorful butterflies are dancing.

"This tree is called 'Tongling', and it has the ability to sense the spirit of heaven and earth. Whenever something happens in the imperial mausoleum, it will show strange signs, attracting a flock of butterflies to dance."

Lin Qiye couldn't help but take a breath and murmured: "Could it be that those colorful butterflies are guiding us to the location of the imperial tomb?"

"Haha, with such spiritual enlightenment, you are indeed a genius!"

The old man laughed heartily, his tone praising.

"However, this matter still needs to be considered in the long run. If the imperial mausoleum is so easy to enter, wouldn't it be a waste of the gravekeeper's efforts?"

He changed the subject and said seriously: "The most urgent task now is to understand the direction of this maze. Only by finding the right path can we move forward. Don't rush and ruin your future."

After saying this, he deliberately glanced at An, then clasped his hands together, closed his eyes, and said no more. (End of this chapter)