Zhang Tian's hand landed on the wooden door.
With a gentle push, the wooden door opened directly.
As the red wood door swung open, a faint, elegant fragrance wafted out.
Zhang Tian and the others took a deep breath.
The scent was subtle, like the delicate fragrance of spring flowers in nature.
It evoked a feeling of bathing in forests and grasslands.
"The smell in here is so good, Boss. Are we sure we're not entering someone's private room?"
The fatty said, a lewd expression appearing on his face.
This guy, the princess had only been gone for a short while, and he was already letting loose.
If the princess were to never return, wouldn't Fatty start seducing all the beautiful wives in the world?
Zhang Tian found the thought terrifying.
What if Fatty became a killer of married women in the future?
"The architecture here, and likely the interior, are all made from some unique kind of wood, which is why it smells so pleasant."
"This doesn't feel like a tomb at all; it's more like a place for someone to meditate."
Shirley Yang's clear voice rang out.
Her eyes swept across their surroundings.
Just as she said, it really didn't resemble a tomb in the slightest; it was an excellent place for cultivation.
"This was originally the place where the Queen Mother of the West cultivated. After her death, she was naturally buried here. This place is less a tomb and more like returning to the Queen Mother of the West's home."
"Similarly, if this is a place like home, then there must be many treasures. Let's go in and take a look first."
Zhang Tian said repeatedly.
From previous rumors to legends, the Queen Mother of the West was said to reside in the Kunlun Divine Palace. This implied that the architecture of the Kunlun Divine Palace would be of the highest standard.
And it would be very suitable for Daoist practitioners.
As everyone stepped into the main hall.
The torchlights on the wall sconces ignited.
The fuel was likely corpse oil from a Jiaoren, which burns without odor and is long-lasting.
Thus, many wealthy and noble individuals would use it.
This was also the primary reason for the eventual extinction of the Jiaoren.
As the lights brightened, the entire main hall came into view.
At the top of the hall, there was a very high wooden platform, with many incense burners on it.
Next to the incense burners, a meditation cushion caught Zhang Tian's attention.
Lotus flowers flanked the cushion, and above it hung a colossal painting of the Dao Ancestor, making the entire hall appear magnificent.
The Dao Ancestor's cultivation diagram was enormous, extending dozens of meters, depicting an old man in the act of cultivating.
Below it were incense burners, and beneath those, the meditation cushion.
It was clear that the Queen Mother of the West would typically sit below the Dao Ancestor to cultivate.
The implication was obvious: she cultivated alongside the Dao Ancestor.
Zhang Tian took a breath, realizing he had used the Dao Ancestor's power to slay the disciple who had been cultivating beneath him.
Was this considered an act of extreme disrespect?
Zhang Tian shook his head again, pondering that the Dao is fundamentally about following nature, the naturalness of the Dao. It wasn't the naturalness of magic, but the naturalness of the heart, where everything returns to nature.
The Queen Mother of the West had come to kill him. Zhang Tian had tried to negotiate, but she refused, and he ended up killing her in self-defense. He couldn't blame himself for that.
"Boss, this place looks so huge. What is that painting? It looks incredibly powerful."
Fatty also noticed the painting hanging above.
"The Dao Ancestor."
Zhang Tian said slowly.
"What is that?"
Fatty looked clueless.
"It's not a 'what,' ptooey! It's the progenitor of the Daoist sect."
Zhang Tian nearly misspoke.
"Old Hu, let's go pay our respects. Fatty, you guys look around for any good items, but remember not to touch anything carelessly, be careful of triggering any mechanisms."
Zhang Tian said, looking at Hu Bayi.
Hu Bayi was also a Daoist, so paying respects to the progenitor was necessary.
Fatty and the others hadn't officially joined; wait, Fatty had joined under Master Dan He.
"Hey, Fatty, wait. You come back and pay respects too. Didn't you also join the sect?"
Zhang Tian pulled Fatty back.
Fatty, however, reluctantly followed Zhang Tian.
The guy was still thinking about finding treasures and hadn't expected to be involved in this bowing ceremony.
Instead, Zhang Qilin and Shirley Yang went to scout the surroundings.
Zhang Qilin was more familiar with mechanisms, so Zhang Tian felt somewhat at ease.
"Really, Boss, Fatty also wants to find treasures."
"What progenitor? I'm not bowing."
Fatty muttered, even uttering words of extreme disrespect.
As soon as Fatty finished speaking, he slipped and fell flat on his face.
"Damn it! The progenitor has shown divine power! I'll bow, I'll bow, Fatty must kowtow three times!"
Fatty quickly got up.
He said excitedly.
He was a living example of "seeing is believing" or rather, "only when faced with the coffin will one shed tears."
Zhang Tian and the other two came before the meditation cushion.
Zhang Tian took out the incense from beneath the incense burner.
"This incense is made of red sandalwood. What exquisite craftsmanship."
Zhang Tian murmured, then lit three sticks of incense.
The incense sticks were thick and long, the kind used in the large tripods outside grand temples.
As the incense was lit, a pleasant aroma once again filled the air.
"Disciple Zhang Tian pays his respects to the progenitor."
Zhang Tian said, performing a deep bow, prostrating himself fully.
Hu Bayi and Fatty exchanged glances, then followed Zhang Tian's lead and performed a similar prostration.
After the ceremony, the air around them seemed to have become even more pleasant.
Meanwhile, Zhang Qilin and Shirley Yang had also discovered something different.
Zhang Qilin held a small gourd, while Shirley Yang held a very peculiar lady's handkerchief.
"Did you find anything?"
Zhang Tian and the other two descended from the platform.
"There's not much here."
Zhang Qilin said simply, then presented the gourd.
Zhang Tian examined it carefully.
"Item: Red sandalwood gourd, low-grade magic tool."
"Item function: Can be used to hold water."
A voice sounded in his mind.
Zhang Tian's gaze shifted to the item in Shirley Yang's hand.
"Item: Queen Mother of the West's personal belonging, possesses protective properties."
"Supreme-grade magic tool."
Another voice echoed in his mind.
Zhang Tian was stunned.
A silk scarf, a supreme-grade magic tool.
This was even more incredible than outright snatching a magic tool.
And what did "personal belonging" mean?
Zhang Tian's mind conjured some images.
This thing, could it be...
Ahem, got carried away.
"Brother Zhang, I found this in another room. There was only a stone bed in there, and this was all else."
Shirley Yang said, holding the silk scarf, a hint of frustration in her voice.
Zhang Tian said calmly.
"This silk scarf is very useful, you can keep it."
Zhang Tian said, and Shirley Yang looked at him with confusion.
It was just a silk scarf, not something particularly amazing, was it really that powerful?
Curious, Shirley Yang still nodded.
Things that Zhang Tian said were powerful might indeed be very powerful.
"This gourd is just for holding water. Perhaps there's something else inside, you can take it with you."
"This main hall is likely just for cultivation and rest. Let's go check out other places."
Zhang Tian said. As for the silk scarf, he couldn't be bothered to explain.
If he explained, Fatty would likely snatch it away.
"How strange, is there really nothing of value in this entire hall?"
Fatty grumbled, his face filled with disappointment.