The surroundings were filled with strangely shaped, vibrantly colored corals, and in the very center of these corals lay a coffin.
This coffin was entirely golden, adorned with various intricate carvings.
Even from these carved patterns alone, one could tell this object was no ordinary thing.
The carved flowers seemed to emit fragrance, and the carved animals appeared to possess life.
Everything looked so real, yet so unreal.
"What on earth is this?" Lin Chun's face was filled with shock.
"To be honest, I'm not sure either..." I examined the surroundings, confirming the absence of any traps or mechanisms, before cautiously approaching.
There were no tombstones or memorial tablets around, so it was unclear whose coffin this was, or why it was placed here.
"How about we open the coffin and take a look?" Lin Chun asked.
"Let's check the surroundings first, see if there's anything else..." I said.
Although coffins weren't as terrifying as I'd imagined, a part of me still held a certain aversion to such things.
However, after searching the vicinity several times, we found absolutely nothing.
This place felt more like a specially constructed garden.
And the sole reason for this garden's existence seemed to be this coffin.
"Let's open it!" I said.
Lin Chun glanced at me, then nodded, "Alright!"
Together, we slowly opened the coffin.
We had expected to find decaying bones or perhaps an uncorrupted corpse inside.
But upon opening it, we discovered it was empty.
"This..." Lin Chun frowned. "Such a place, with such a beautiful environment and such a fine coffin, yet completely empty... What's going on?"
I remained silent, carefully examining the inside of the coffin.
It was evident that this coffin was crafted from extremely precious wood. Though I couldn't identify the type of wood, even as I touched it, it felt as if it were alive, emitting a faint, pleasant fragrance.
This scent was invigorating, making one feel refreshed with just a single whiff.
Just then, I noticed that the bottom of the coffin seemed to be movable.
I stepped inside and tapped the bottom board.
At that moment, the coffin vibrated, and then the bottom board flipped open, sending me falling.
As I fell, I heard Lin Chun's panicked cry.
However, I didn't have the leisure to concern myself with that. I forcefully condensed my Wood God power to protect myself.
I had to ensure I wouldn't be injured during the fall.
The descent wasn't long before I landed on the ground, stepping onto what appeared to be a floor made of special stone.
But what surprised me most was the arrangement of this place.
This was clearly a much larger space, filled with various objects. However, I didn't examine them closely.
Just then, another sound echoed from above, and then, Lin Chun also fell.
Once he stabilized himself and saw I was unharmed, he visibly relaxed.
"What's going on? Why so complicated..." Lin Chun complained a little.
I could only smile helplessly, wondering what the person who built this place intended.
But one thing was certain: the items here were likely very important!
"Let's look around..." I said, "See if we can find anything useful..."
Lin Chun nodded, and we separated to search.
The moment we took our first steps, a rumbling sound filled the air. In the next instant, from the previously flat ground, a thick wall slowly rose.
Seeing this, we both rushed towards each other without hesitation.
In such a situation, we absolutely could not act separately, lest some danger await us.
Fortunately, by the time these walls were fully formed, Lin Chun and I were standing back to back.
At this moment, a light suddenly appeared overhead, followed by countless more, illuminating the entire area as if it were daytime.
While our vision didn't require this, the descending light made the place feel even more sacred.
"What's happening..." Lin Chun asked.
"It's probably a trial," I said.
Elder Yu had mentioned that this place was extremely perilous, and the danger most likely stemmed from here.
As I was contemplating this, a large door suddenly appeared directly in front of us.
The surroundings were completely enclosed by walls, and the only way forward was through this door!
"Let's go, we've come this far..." I said with a smile, then stepped towards the door.