The local villagers led the way, with Leo following behind Professor Orlando. Since it was a mountainous path, rough and challenging, everyone except the villagers and Leo began to feel a bit out of breath.
This provided Brook and Frederic with the perfect opportunity to showcase their abilities. For instance, when crossing small ditches and hills, both of them would gallantly assist Rita.
However, Leo noticed that Rita had the best stamina among the four. While Brook and Frederic were busy flirting, she took the initiative to help Professor Orlando.
Given Professor Orlando’s age, he was somewhat fatigued, and Leo ran up to inform the leading villager, and everyone took a break to catch their breath.
Sitting on a large rock, Professor Orlando seemed invigorated. “Do you know why this mountain is called Trainhead Mountain?”
After asking, Professor Orlando glanced at the villager, who was sitting on the side, smoking a pipe, as if afraid he’d reveal the answer.
The villager, however, seemed uninterested in their conversation.
Rita, being playful, answered first, “Professor Orlando, this mountain looks like a train head, so it’s called Trainhead Mountain!”
Professor Orlando nodded with a smile.
After a sufficient rest, the group continued on their way.
About an hour later, the villager led everyone to the place where they originally discovered the blue bricks.
“Professor Orlando, this is the place where we found the blue bricks when reclaiming the land. I can’t help you with the rest. I have chores at home, so I’ll be heading back now.” The villager spoke, hanging his pipe on his waist, ready to leave.
Before leaving, Professor Orlando gave him two hundred dollars. The villager didn’t refuse, took the money, told them to be careful, and left.
After examining the terrain, Professor Orlando’s gaze fell on Leo. He patted Leo’s shoulder, smiling, “Master Bloomer, I’m afraid we’ll need your help in finding the dragon’s den.”
“Professor Orlando, I’m the junior here. I can’t accept such an address from you. Just call me Leo.” Leo replied, not out of politeness but respect for someone knowledgeable and esteemed like Professor Orlando.
Leo, looking around at the surrounding environment, marveled at what he saw. The north offered a vast view, surrounded by mountains to the east, west, and south, with mist lingering between them. It was undoubtedly a Feng Shui treasure trove for cultivating vital energy and accumulating blessings.
“Professor Orlando, did you bring a compass?” Leo inquired.
“Brook, give the compass to Leo,” Professor Orlando instructed.
Brook took a compass from his backpack and handed it to Leo. Then, he started chatting with Rita.
Frederic pushed his glasses up and, with curiosity, approached Leo.
Leo, after observing the terrain, turned to Professor Orlando and said, “Searching for a golden place involves observing the entangled mountains. Each entanglement represents a connection. Professor Orlando, this is a naturally blessed location for nurturing dragon energy. In my opinion, the ancient tomb must be right under our feet.”
Professor Orlando nodded, contemplating, “Deciphering the tomb is easy, but finding the entrance is challenging. Let’s hope the tomb hasn’t been visited by tomb raiders. Do you have a way to locate the entrance to the ancient tomb?”
Frederic assembled a folding shovel from his backpack, eager to try it out. “Professor, leave finding the tomb entrance to me.”
Elroy Orlando and Leo couldn’t help but laugh simultaneously, while Rita teased, “Frederic, are you planning to use that little shovel to dig and explore bit by bit? You have incredible perseverance, you might be the modern Foolish Old Man who Moved the Mountains.”
Leo didn’t want to waste time here. He took out the remaining talisman from his pocket, raised it to the sky, and loudly recited, “Heaven and earth have spirits, all things have beginnings. Days and months are numbered, sizes are predetermined. Sacred accomplishments are born here, gods emerge here. Search!”
As he finished the last word, he released the talisman, letting it float away with the wind.
The talisman drifted into the air, carried by the wind, and after a while, it descended towards the cliff on the west. Leo, pleased, led the group in that direction.
Reaching the edge, they peered down and sucked in a breath.
Below was an abyss, shrouded in mist so thick it obscured the depths, making even standing at the edge induce dizziness.
It was strange; Trainhead Mountain wasn’t particularly high, yet it birthed such a chasm on its western side.
Things out of the ordinary often hinted at the supernatural, reinforcing Leo’s conviction that the tomb’s entrance must be here!
Professor Orlando also discerned something peculiar and instructed Frederic to retrieve the climbing rope from his backpack.
“Professor, is the tomb entrance beneath this cliff? It’s terrifying,” Rita, shrinking in fear, glanced over the edge and quickly withdrew.
Professor Orlando nodded, secured one end of the climbing rope to a large rock, threw the other end down the cliff, and then fetched safety gear from his backpack to put on.
Everyone was surprised this time. Frederic’s speech even became somewhat stuttered, “Pr-Professor, you’re g-g-going down!?”
Professor Orlando nodded, smiling, “What’s the matter? Don’t think an old bone like me can handle it?”
With things at this point, someone had to go down first to explore. Depending on these graduate students, who probably hadn’t done any farm work, was clearly impossible. Leo decided to take the lead.
“Professor, let me go down first to check. If it’s safe, you can follow.” Leo walked to the edge, grabbed the climbing rope, and started descending without even asking for safety gear.
When he reached about four or five meters, his footing gave way.
In such a situation, without climbing gear, he could only rely on arm strength to continue downward. For Leo, this was not a difficult task.
After landing, a cave appeared before Leo’s eyes.
He looked up and shouted, “Professor Orlando, the entrance to the tomb is right below. Come down one by one; I’ll be down here to assist.”
Ten minutes later, the first to come down was surprisingly Professor Orlando. Leo couldn’t help but marvel at his physical agility at this age; it was truly remarkable.
Next was Brook, followed by Frederic, and finally, Rita.
Fortunately, they all had climbing gear, making their descent relatively easy. However, for a girl, it still required courage.
Leo took out a flashlight from his backpack, and the five ventured into the cave.
A cold wind blew, sending shivers down their spines.
Holding the flashlight, Leo scanned the surrounding rock walls and noticed no signs of artificial carving. Could this be a natural passage?
Professor Orlando found it a bit strange but didn’t say anything. The group continued forward.
The passage was long, taking more than ten minutes to reach the end.
Before them was a stone staircase leading downward. Seeing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
The presence of stairs indicated they were in the right place. The end of the stairs should lead to the entrance of the tomb; they had to continue downward.