System: Infinite Evolution into Qilin Bloodline

The fat man quickly found the source of the golden light. A golden mask lay quietly on a somewhat out-of-place stone platform. Its surface was not as magnificent and splendid as one might imagine; instead, it exuded an indescribable gloom and ugliness.

The mask's outline is distorted and exaggerated, with deep-set eyes that seem to see into the deepest fears of the human heart.

A sinister smile played at the corners of his lips, sending chills down one's spine.

This is not just a work of art, but more like a container that carries ancient curses and secrets.

"Tianzhen, come look at this!"

The fat man excitedly called out to Wu Tianzhen.

Upon hearing the sound, Wu Tianzhen quickly came to the fat man's side, her gaze instantly drawn to the golden mask.

He crouched down, examined it closely, and a look of surprise and contemplation flashed in his eyes.

“This is indeed a mask used in the sacrificial rites of the Diannan Kingdom.”

Wu Xie's voice was deep and firm: "The Diannan Kingdom, an ancient country almost forgotten in the long river of history, has a unique and mysterious culture, especially their sacrificial rituals, which are often accompanied by various strange phenomena and unfathomable meanings."

The patterns on this mask, each symbol containing a specific meaning, coincide with the sacrificial culture of the Diannan Kingdom recorded in ancient texts.

At this point, Wu Tianzhen's gaze involuntarily shifted to the crystal coffins scattered around.

He slowly stood up, looked around, and continued, "Besides a king, it's hard to imagine anyone else having the honor of being buried with a sacrificial offering. It seems that the person lying in this crystal coffin is very likely a very important king in the history of the Diannan Kingdom, and his tomb is our target for this trip."

Zhang Hao's face lit up with joy after hearing Wu Tianzhen's analysis.

After overcoming countless hardships, traversing dense forests and crossing treacherous peaks, they were finally approaching their destination.

The Phoenix Feather, that legendary treasure that could unravel ancient mysteries and reverse fate, seemed to be right before my eyes, within reach.

"Great! We're one step closer to our goal!"

The fat man excitedly patted Zhang Hao on the shoulder, and the two smiled at each other, their eyes sparkling with boundless anticipation for the future.

As the first rays of sunlight completely dispelled the gloom of the night, the group quickly packed their belongings, shared some of their food and water, and prepared to continue their adventure.

However, just as they were about to get up and leave, Wu Tianzhen suddenly felt a strange sensation under her feet.

He looked down and saw a beautifully carved tiger-head scepter lying quietly at his feet, as if it had suddenly emerged from the ground.

"Look everyone, there's something else here!"

Wu Tianzhen picked up the scepter and held it up to show everyone.

This scepter is about half a meter long and is made entirely of an unknown metal. Its surface is covered with fine patterns. The most eye-catching feature is the lifelike tiger head carving, which is both ferocious and majestic, as if it is about to wake up from its slumber and let out a deafening roar.

"This is a symbolic object used in ancient sacrificial rites."

Wu Xie explained, "In the culture of Yunnan, the tiger's head is regarded as a symbol of strength and courage, and only priests or kings of extremely high status can possess such a scepter."

Its existence further confirms our speculation about the identity of the tomb's occupant.

Upon hearing this, the fat man's eyes widened to be bigger than copper bells, and he almost drooled.

He snatched the scepter, weighed it in his hand, and muttered to himself:

"This thing must be worth at least a few million, right? Hehe, what a windfall!"

However, Wu Tianzhen gently shook her head, a serious look flashing in her eyes:

"Fatty, don't forget why we're here. These treasures are valuable, but more important are the historical and cultural values ​​behind them."

Moreover, when exploring unknown territories, we must remain vigilant at all times and not let greed blind us.

Upon hearing this, the fat man paused for a moment, then scratched his head sheepishly and handed the scepter back to Wu Tianzhen.

"Hey, I was just kidding."

"You're right, we need to keep going; finding the Phoenix Feather is the most important thing."

So the group set off again on their journey to find the Phoenix Feather.

In that ancient and mysterious jungle, Zhang Hao, Wu Tianzhen, Fatty, and Zhang Qilin quickly traversed through it.

Having learned from the previous encounter with the thick white fog, no one was afraid of this sudden fog again.

Zhang Hao possesses the ability to locate objects on celestial bodies; even without the aid of any instruments, his instincts will guide him out of the fog.

At his command, the four followed closely, and Zhang Hao, relying on instinct, traversed the seemingly boundless fog step by step.

As the first rays of sunlight pierced through the thin mist and shone on their tired yet resolute faces, a strange building suddenly appeared before them.

A dilapidated temple carved out of the trunk of a giant banyan tree.

This banyan tree seems to have weathered many vicissitudes, with its gnarled branches and lush green leaves providing ample shade, while the temple is cleverly integrated into it, appearing both ancient and mysterious.

Zhang Hao pushed open the slightly heavy wooden door, which creaked open as if opening a portal to another world.

The temple was dimly lit, and the air was filled with the smell of ancient dust. In the center, only a solitary statue pedestal remained, telling the story of its past glory and decline.

The walls are mottled and the murals are blurred, but you can still vaguely make out that they depict ancient myths, adding to the mystery.

Just as everyone was preparing to explore further, Zhang Hao suddenly felt a strange sensation under his feet.

He looked down and discovered an exquisite mechanism hidden in the center of the ground, completely out of place with the rough surroundings.

Out of caution, he cautiously probed with his toe. The mechanism clicked softly, and then a deep and complex mechanical sound echoed throughout the temple, as if a giant beast that had been sleeping for thousands of years had been awakened.

As the mechanical sounds gradually became clearer, the ground began to tremble slowly. Eight stone pillars, each half a foot square and half a person tall, slowly rose from eight different directions. They were arranged in an orderly manner, as if they were laid out according to some ancient formation.

The stone pillars are carved with intricate totems and symbols, shimmering with an eerie glow in the dim light, giving them a sense of both solemnity and mystery.

"It seems we've triggered some kind of mechanism."

Zhang Hao said in a deep voice, his eyes showing both wariness and curiosity.

He signaled everyone to remain vigilant and to slowly back away in case of any unforeseen circumstances.

Fatty also stopped smiling and stared wide-eyed around, afraid of missing any details.

"This place is amazing, it's like a movie set!"

Although he said that, he was already gripping the entrenching tool tightly in his hand, ready to deal with any unexpected situation.

Wu Tianzhen, on the other hand, appeared more composed. He carefully observed the totems on the stone pillar, trying to find clues from them.

"These totems seem to be related to some ancient civilization recorded in ancient books..."

He muttered to himself, a thoughtful glint in his eyes.

Zhang Qilin stared at the stone pillars and said coldly, "Look at what's on top of them."