Chapter 11: The Nameless Cave
ββββββββββββ
If it is true, it is also illusory in the clouds and the moon,
It seems that there is also an empty water sky.
Ask me who I was when I was alive,
The wind was silent, and there was no word.
ββββββββββββ
However, it was said that Li Yuan led three hundred Dingjia and went straight to Qingniuling, and the yellow dust was rolling and murderous along the way. On Yang Ao's side, although he was already in a hurry, the caravan was cumbersome, and compared to the wolf-like cavalry, the speed was much slower.
As the saying goes: the house leak happened to rain overnight, and the ship was late and encountered a head wind.
Because he was worried about his own young lady who was robbed, Uncle Zhang didn't sleep all night last night, and now the young lady has been rescued for the rest of his life after the robbery, so the originally tense heart is relaxed. If this relaxation is not tightened, the whole person is like being poured with lead water, his limbs are heavy, and his whole body is sore. In addition, the sun is past noon, and he is old, and he is sleepy unconsciously.
Yang Ao is also a strong fighting spirit, riding a Xuanxue horse to open the way in front. Although there is a mountain road in this Qingniuling, but there was a rain last night, the weather is sunny and hot this morning, the mountain rocks become more loose and floating, there are landslides in many places along the way, the carriages and horses almost rub the cliff, let you be careful, or the danger is everywhere.
Fearfully, we came to a narrow bend and saw a cliff on the side of the ear, like a knife and an axe, which was difficult for apes to climb, and a steep slope at the foot of the mountain, below which was a deep valley full of towering ancient trees, lush and green, like a green ocean. Yang Ao couldn't help slowing down, and secretly said in his heart: The mountain road is so dangerous, there must be no mistakes.
Sure enough, it was "whatever you are worried about, you will come", and while she was still praying that something would not go wrong, she heard an exclamation behind her, followed by a roar! When she looked back, it was Uncle Zhang who couldn't help but be sleepy, and the reins were not held firm, and although the mules and horses in front had turned the corner, the caravan behind had its wheels slippery, and in the blink of an eye, even the people and the cart overturned under the cliff!
Yang Ao hurriedly retracted the horse's head and clamped his foot! The Xuanxue horse was naturally humane, and when he saw this, he took a leap and rushed straight down the steep slope.
Fortunately, there was a mountain forest not far from the slope, which blocked the momentum of the caravan's slide, and Uncle Zhang and the little sister in the car only suffered some skin injuries, but they were also scared. Moreover, after this incident, the frame of the cart fell apart and could not be repaired, and a mule and horse also broke its neck, and fell to the ground and wailed in pain, which was very pitiful.
The car has been destroyed, the horse has also been damaged, and the road behind it is still long, and it seems that the only way to let my sister ride the horse with me is to do so. Yang Ao comforted the old and young, counted the luggage, and planned to regroup and rush back to the original way. Just as he turned his head and walked past a mess of weeds, he suddenly found a mountain rock next to him, and there seemed to be a stone door underneath, which was supposed to be sealed, but it happened to be smashed by the caravan that rushed down, revealing a Hessian hole inside.
The familiar gravitational pull, like a strong magnet sucking through broken iron, appeared around again.
Affected by this, Yang Ao seemed to be enchanted, and couldn't help but draw out the broken sword, push aside a few vines, and lean over and walk into the half-human-high hole. These few actions without warning made Uncle Zhang, who was sitting on the ground behind him, persuade for a while.
As soon as he entered the cave, Yang Ao heard a very wonderful sound of drums and strings. Distinguish its rhythm, like a fairy song outside the sky, unheard of, and like a mother's hand, soft as a syrup, let people have a hundred veins and a heart is fascinated.
Yang Ao narrowed his eyes, and through the light that penetrated from outside the cave, he dimly saw that the cave was about two zhang square, more than one zhang high, like a secret room for meditation. The rocks overhead are sunken, forming a caisson well, as if a dried oil lamp is still hanging. On the stone wall facing the entrance of the cave, there are many water marks hanging on the ground because of the gaps in the mountain rocks, all of which are merged into the stone trough that is hewn close to the ground. The rocks on both sides are densely mixed with many mineral crystals such as quartz and mica, which reflect colorful light, just like the sparkling water surface under the sunset.
"In this Qingniu Ridge, there is such a wonderful place?" Yang Ao was a little surprised, and couldn't help but say to himself. And the haunting and comfortable music also stopped abruptly with the voice.
Looking at the shape of this cave, it seems to be natural, but the oil lamp and the stone trough are clearly artificial. Moreover, this barren mountain and wild mountain will not be a residence opened by a high-ranking official and nobleman who is greedy for enjoyment for leisure and vacation, but a person who is an outsider who cultivates asceticism, or an idle cloud and wild crane who lives alone in the world, and opens up by the mountains to settle down.
The huge curiosity led Yang Ao, making him forget the embarrassment of fleeing for a while, and instead like a shrewd hound, he excitedly looked around the cave wall, hoping to get more information to unlock the secret of this stone cave.
It should also be a coincidence, and the way of heaven is not deceitful, just like the time when he killed his clone at the gate of Jianxin Villa, the broken sword in his hand was like chicken blood, first it shook like chaff, and then let out a faint dragon groan. Before he could react, the sword rushed to the stone trough in the corner, and even Yang Ao, who was tall and tall, dragged it over.
"Hey?!" Yang Ao stood firm, looked down and saw that the broken sword had been inserted into the stone trough, splashing a large splash of cold water. Looking closely in the direction of the sword, I saw that at the bottom of the stone trough, there seemed to be a strangely shaped stone, emitting a faint white light.
Yang Ao secretly rejoiced, pulled out the broken sword and put it on his waist, rolled up his sleeve, and scooped up the strange stone from the water, but it was the size of a palm, the thickness was like a flat jade, and the shape was similar to a key.
Could it be the key to open the door?
Who, for what reason, and when, the key made of this stoneβor possibly some other special materialβwas still in the sink, and the magical glimmer of light was a surprise.
Suppose it's a key, then which lock does it open, and which door does it lock?
And what awaits me inside that door?
Looking around the cave, there are no doors except stones, not even a decent lock!
Is this key used for another purpose? Or is it not used here?
Question marks one after another, challenging Yang Ao's insight and critical thinking ability. He couldn't help but keep his eyes on the oil lamp above his head.
The lamp, about two feet wide, was round, and seemed to be made of some kind of metal, covered with cobwebs and dust. Four thin, seemingly black iron chains are symmetrical in pairs, one end connecting to the edge of the lamp, and the other end merging all the way into the natural caisson at the top of the cave.
Although this was the only metal tool in the cave, it should have been more conspicuous, but at first, he only cared about searching his side and feet, and was fascinated by the mineral crystals on the walls, and the lamp was facing upward, so he didn't care.
Yang Ao mustered up all his strength, moved a mountain stone to step on, raised his hand to grab the lamp like an iron pot, and reversed it.
A handful of old dust, sandwiched with the debris inside, shaken off one after another.
When the dust settled, and then I looked at the lamp, there was a lock! Moreover, the size of the keyhole was basically the same as that of the strange stone "key".
It's really a good idea!
With the joy and excitement of solving the puzzle, of course, there was also curiosity and excitement about various unknown results, Yang Ao slowly inserted the "key" made of strange stones into the lock hole with some trepidation, and then turned it gently...... The stone with its own glimmer suddenly brightened, emitting a pearl of the night fluorescence, and the four iron chains slid up violently, pulling the lamp and quickly rising about three feet, followed by the whole stone cave rumbling and shaking, and the sand and gravel dust fell everywhere!
Yang Ao was horrified, thinking that this hole was about to collapse, and was about to pull out his legs and flee out, when he heard a gurgling sound from the stone wall on his right, as if there was an internal organic spring movement, and then, a slightly opened stone door was revealed!
It seems that a well-choreographed and well-arranged series of actions takes place in an unnamed stone cave.
Because of a chance accident, an accidental time, an accidental place...... All the accidental factors are superimposed, and in the end, an inevitable result is produced.
A result that has waited for countless cold and summer, and missed countless karma.
Now, Yang Ao patted the dust off his body, pulled out his broken sword, and walked into the stone gate to face the result that belonged to him.