Siheyuan: tomb robbing? I am serious about hunting.

Chapter 1168 1 Tight

Mirror Flower Domain: Secrets of the Kingdom of Women, Chapter 1: Fog shrouds the Flowing Sand River, and the Mirror Flower Domain veers off course. Yellow sand, swirling with gravel, crackles like countless tiny knives against the mottled planking, making a crackling sound. Lin Yanzhi's hand, gripping the oar, had long since developed a thin layer of calluses. Tiny cracks had formed around the edges, and the river breeze pierced it with a stinging pain. He glanced down at his palm. The calluses from years of holding a brush were still there, but now he had to hold the oar, struggling in this unfamiliar river. He was a scholar from Jiangnan, immersed in poetry and literature since childhood, his small calligraphy a master in his region. If it weren't for his quest for the lost "Yujitu," he would be reading in a Jiangnan courtyard by moonlight, instead of sailing alone up the Yellow River in this old, black-sailed boat. The "Yujitu" is a remarkable ancient map, rumored to not only chart the terrain of the Nine Provinces but also hold clues to a "secret realm." Lin Yanzhi's grandfather, a former editor at the Hanlin Academy, left him a bronze fragment inscribed with the characters "Yu Ji" before his death, saying, "This map concerns the entire world. If found, it will alleviate the suffering of the people." Determined to fulfill his grandfather's wish and uncover the map's secrets, Lin Yanzhi sold part of his family's land to purchase this black-sailed boat. With a simple bag and a box of books, he embarked on a quest for the map. For three months, he journeyed along the ancient course of the Yellow River, encountering storms but remaining unscathed until three days ago, when a strange storm suddenly struck. That day, the previously clear sky suddenly darkened. Dark clouds, like a smudge of ink, rolled in from the horizon. The Yellow River surged, and huge waves pounded against the boat, threatening to rip the small vessel apart. Lin Yanzhi struggled to steady the rudder, but was swept along by a tremendous force, plunging him into a tributary never before seen on maps: the Flowing Sand River. This Flowing Sand River was even more bizarre than the Yellow River itself. During the day, there is always a layer of light purple mist floating on the river. The mist is very thin, but it will not dissipate, like a layer of gauze covering the water. The mist is filled with tiny silver scales, sometimes bright and sometimes dim, like countless pairs of eyes peeping in the dark. Lin Yanzhi once tried to use the oars to push away the mist, but the mist seemed to have life. As soon as it was pushed away, it immediately gathered again. Even the oars were stained with a light purple color, emitting a strange fragrance. If you smell it for a long time, it will make people feel drowsy. At night, the fog will be lighter, but the sound of a woman's singing will be heard from the shore again. The singing is very light, like a silk thread mixed with water vapor, floating along the river breeze, drilling into people's ears, and making people's bones tremble. Lin Yanzhi once moored his boat at night to see the source of the singing. However, just as he rowed the boat to the shore, he saw a dark shadow flash through the reeds on the shore. Then, the singing stopped abruptly, leaving only the rustling sound of the wind blowing through the reeds, which was indescribably strange. From then on, he never dared to dock again. He could only use the faint light of the stars to determine the direction, but the boat seemed to be pulled by an invisible force, drifting further and further away, farther and farther away from the old course of the Yellow River. "Bang--" A loud noise suddenly came, and the boat slammed into the reef. Lin Yanzhi had no time to react and fell forward, almost falling into the icy river water. He subconsciously grabbed the side of the boat to stabilize his body. The wound on his palm was rubbed by the rough wood and it hurt, and blood oozed out. "Damn it!" Lin Yanzhi cursed softly, rubbed his painful shoulder, and looked up at the front. At this moment, the lavender mist on the river suddenly dissipated, as if it was pushed away by an invisible hand. Where the mist had cleared, a lush forest appeared. The forest was incredibly dense, its branches intertwined, blocking out the sun. The leaves were a rare emerald green, gleaming in the sunlight. At the end of the forest, the outline of a city wall could be vaguely seen. The wall was tall, built of sapphire stone, and shimmered faintly in the sunlight. Atop the tower hung a vermilion plaque, inscribed with three large, gilded characters. The characters were vigorous and powerful, exuding a sense of antiquity: Mirror Flower Domain. "Where is this?" Lin Yanzhi rubbed his eyes, suspecting he was hallucinating from days of fatigue. He looked more closely, and the city wall and plaque were still clear. He could even make out the pink vines crawling across the wall, bearing lotus-like flowers, which the locals call "entangled lotus." But closer still, the petals resembled a woman's fingertips, delicate and trembling gently, as if they would shatter at the slightest touch. This scene was too bizarre, not like a place that should exist in the human world. It was more like a fairyland in a painting, and it was also a bit weird and indescribable. Lin Yanzhi gripped the oars tightly, feeling a little uneasy - he had read countless ancient books, but he had never seen the place called "Mirror Flower Domain" in any of them. Just when he was wondering, there was a sound of footsteps on the shore. The footsteps were light, but very clear, and were carried by the river breeze. Lin Yanzhi's heart tightened, and he subconsciously hid at the stern of the boat, hiding himself in the shadow of the awning. He held his breath and looked out through the gap in the awning. He saw three women in light green dresses walking slowly along the river bank. Their dresses were made of some soft fabric, the color of willow leaves in early spring, and the hem of their skirts was embroidered with small white patterns, swaying gently with their footsteps. Pearl hairpins were inserted in their buns. The pearls were round and full, and they glowed softly in the sun. Each woman was holding a bamboo basket in her hand. The basket was woven from thin bamboo strips and wrapped with pink ribbons. The basket was filled with some crystal clear fruits. The fruits were light pink in color, like small gems, and exuded a faint fragrance. "Look, there are people on that boat!" The woman on the far left suddenly stopped and pointed at Lin Yanzhi's black-sailed boat. The sound was as clear as a bell, like the sound of a spring in a mountain stream. The other two women immediately surrounded them. Their eyes were full of curiosity, but not hostility at all. The woman in the middle was taller. She narrowed her eyes slightly, carefully observing the movements on the boat, and said softly: "It looks like they are outsiders. This boat is rare." The woman on the right seemed to be more lively. She took two steps forward and shouted at the boat: "People on the boat, who are you? Why are you here?" Seeing that they had no ill intentions, Lin Yanzhi walked out from the stern of the boat. He straightened his somewhat disheveled clothes and bowed to the three women, speaking respectfully, "My name is Lin Yanzhi, a scholar from Jiangnan. I've been lost here due to a storm. May I ask, ladies, is this the Mirror Flower Domain?" A dense web of news headlines popped up. Chen Mo's eyes quickly scanned the scene, quickly locking onto a financial news item published three days ago: "Shengda Technology Plans to Collaborate with Overseas Giants to Develop New Energy Sector; Share Price May See Potential Upside."