Chapter 26: Ancient Star Maps

**Chapter 26: Ancient Star Map**

Ye Fan stood motionless, his hand resting on the ancient bronze coffin. An otherworldly aura emanated from him, making him appear serene and transcendent, like the moon reflected in a calm lake. At that moment, he seemed an ethereal, exiled immortal, as if he might at any moment ride the wind away, untouched by worldly cares.

Yet, his inner world was far from the tranquility of his physical form. The divine sounds of the Great Dao, profound and boundless like an abyss or a vast ocean, resonated within him. Each word that sounded was like a surging sea or a splitting chasm, reverberating through heaven and earth. Like ancient Buddhist chants or the prayers of primordial deities, the sounds ceaselessly pierced the eternal firmament, slowly flowing into Ye Fan's heart. His mind vibrated, and his thoughts surged, leaving him disoriented and unaware of his surroundings.

From a distance, the others watched him, silent and unmoving. They all looked perplexed, unsure of what was happening, yet they sensed an aura of pure, ethereal transcendence, like that of a dust-free, exiled immortal. Ye Fan stood still, as the divine sounds, vast and resonant like distant bells, filled the air. They were profound and difficult to grasp, their meaning completely unclear. At times, he felt as if he were at the edge of an abyssal hell; at others, as if he had stepped into a divine pure land. A myriad of inexplicable sensations surfaced in his mind, leaving him both alert and bewildered.

These profound divine sounds were not lengthy; on the contrary, they were remarkably concise, comprising only a few hundred words in total. They possessed an ancient simplicity, akin to the Great Dao reduced to its essence, where all grandeur has faded, and only unadorned truth remains. The heavenly sounds, resonating like grand temple bells, rang out repeatedly. Each word, as it settled into Ye Fan's heart, first stirred like an earthquake shaking mountains and rivers, then subsided into a calm akin to the moon rising over a tranquil sea. Hundreds of ancient characters were now clearly etched into Ye Fan's mind, yet the divine sounds persisted, continuously echoing in his ears. Throughout this experience, the Bodhi seed in Ye Fan's embrace became incredibly warm, infusing his entire body with a comforting warmth. It was precisely because of this seed that Ye Fan was able to perceive these profound and mystical sounds. Legend has it that the Bodhi tree can awaken one's divine nature, facilitate self-realization, and allow one to perceive the rhythm of the Dao throughout the universe. Clearly, this Bodhi seed, buried beneath the ancient Bodhi tree in front of the Great Thunder Sound Temple, possessed an extraordinary origin.

While Ye Fan remained motionless, the others grew uneasy. Someone suggested pulling him away, as his posture against the ancient bronze coffin did not inspire positive thoughts. Pang Bo circled Ye Fan twice. He observed no signs of distress on his friend's face; instead, Ye Fan exuded a transcendent aura. Moreover, a faint, almost imperceptible divine presence seemed to emanate from the bronze coffin. Ultimately, Pang Bo decided against any rash actions, choosing instead to stand guard and wait quietly by his side.

"Surely no malevolent spirit has possessed him, has it?" Li Changqing asked, his gaze fixed first on the ancient bronze coffin, then on Ye Fan. Hearing this, the others tightened their grip on the divine relics they carried, and several instinctively took a few steps back. The mysterious ancient coffin, brimming with unknowns, filled them with unease.

"Your brain is clearly in your backside! Would it kill you not to slander Ye Fan? What kind of thoughts even cross your mind?" Pang Bo felt an inherent dislike for Li Changqing; ever since their confrontation at the Five-Color Altar, the man had consistently targeted him and Ye Fan, so Pang Bo held nothing back.

"Alright, that's enough arguing," Zhou Yi interjected, frowning slightly as he scanned their surroundings. "We can't be certain there aren't more divine alligators within this colossal bronze coffin. Let's proceed with caution and conduct a thorough search." Hearing this, everyone's hearts immediately tightened. It was a valid point; having found one divine alligator, there was no guarantee there weren't a second, third, or even more. Their lives were at stake; fourteen individuals had already perished because of these creatures, and such ferocious and terrifying beasts filled them with dread.

The group did not disperse widely, only splitting into two teams to ensure mutual support. They illuminated the space with their phones, gripped their divine relics tightly, and began their search in the dim light. Despite searching every corner until both teams reunited, they found nothing. Even so, no one dared to let their guard down. The bronze coffin was immense and spacious, easily large enough to conceal several divine alligators. Moreover, there was no guarantee that some weren't clinging to the higher parts of the coffin walls, which remained shrouded in darkness and impossible to see.

"Let's remain highly vigilant; it's always wise to be cautious," Lin Jia advised everyone, then added reassuringly, "I believe even if there are more divine alligators, they must be wary of the Buddhist artifacts we hold, or they would have attacked us again by now."

Suddenly, the group heard a strange sound. Although very faint, almost inaudible, it profoundly stirred their spirits. Muffled, sorrowful drumbeats seemed to emanate from a distant time and space, followed by the mournful chime of a bell, its melancholic sound pervading the air, both ethereal and tangible.

"Where is that sound coming from?" Everyone was startled, looking around but finding nothing. The somber drumbeats and mournful bell tolls seemed to permeate the very walls of the coffin, sending shivers down their spines.

"Could this... be the lament played during the burial of an ancient emperor?"

Suddenly, more sounds joined in, like an endless chorus of lamentations, as if tens of thousands of people were worshipping and praying at a single funeral. Funeral bells tolled and mournful drums resonated, as if an immensely grand funeral was unfolding before their eyes, with an endless sea of people across heaven and earth grieving and praying. Just then, nine consecutive, high-pitched dragon roars suddenly reverberated through the heavens, shaking mountains and rivers, and echoing across the land, as if a tangible image was being etched into the starry expanse of history...

In that very instant, everyone experienced a strange sensation, as if they were witnessing firsthand an ancient emperor's reign over the vast land, followed by a funeral of unprecedented scale. In truth, there were no actual visuals; it was all an association triggered by the dragon roars and the multitude's prayers. The group quickly regained their composure, but the ethereal sounds of mourning still lingered, sending shivers down their spines.

"The divine relics in our hands are glowing again..."

At this moment, divine radiance cascaded down. The Buddhist artifacts in everyone's hands began to glow, not from renewed divine power, but as if their brilliance was draining away, nearing depletion. Thousands of divine rays streamed forth, all converging on the colossal bronze coffin's walls, dissolving into the ancient bronze engravings. The coffin walls were covered in green verdigris, yet it failed to obscure the ancient engravings of primeval people and primordial deities. At this moment, these figures shimmered brightly, as if on the verge of resurrection. The carvings of fierce beasts and divine birds also became remarkably lifelike. These ancient bronze etchings pulsed with a mysterious power.

"Look, that star map engraving is flickering..."

Everyone noticed the anomaly: the largest of the ancient bronze engravings, a vast star map, was now flickering with all its stars shining. The dim coffin wall, serving as the background, remained unchanged, like the deepest night sky, truly appearing as if countless real, brilliant stars were scattered across its boundless expanse.

"There's a thin, flickering line on this star map. Could that be the ancient star path we've traveled?" The group gathered closer, observing together and exclaiming in astonishment. This star map was as vast as an ocean, with countless stars appearing as tiny as dust motes. Yet, among them, several particular stars shone with exceptional brightness, far more prominent and eye-catching than the others.

"These seven stars are exceptionally bright; they seem to be the Big Dipper!" Hearing Wang Ziwen's observation, everyone gazed intently. Indeed, just ahead of the suspected ancient star path, the Big Dipper shone with captivating brilliance. Many other stars shone as brightly as the Big Dipper, and after careful observation, a few individuals expressed surprise. Zhou Yi, known for his refined appearance and extensive reading, immediately identified these particularly bright stars. "Those are all ancient Chinese constellations," he stated. Ancient Chinese astronomy divided the sky into various regions, each with distinct names, summarized by the "Three Enclosures, Four Symbols, and Twenty-Eight Mansions" to outline the celestial map. The ancient bronze engravings before them adhered to this precise method of division, specifically highlighting several well-known stars.

"Observing this star map and then examining the ancient star path is truly astounding," one person remarked. "It's likely that the ancients weren't driven by superstition when they delineated this map. Different constellations representing distinct star fields seem to carry exceptionally special and profound significance..."

"Precisely," another agreed. "At present, it appears related to the ancient star path. Perhaps it even connects to the source of life itself..."

Everyone was utterly astonished, rendered speechless for a long while.

"Look, the flickering thin line on the star map is extending! Does that represent our direction of travel, an extension and manifestation of the ancient star path?"

"This thin line is getting infinitely closer to the Big Dipper!" The group stood dumbfounded. They had originally been on Mount Tai on Earth, yet in such a short time, they might already be nearing the Big Dipper! It felt dreamlike and utterly surreal. Given humanity's current technology, reaching the vicinity of the Big Dipper would be impossible even after millions of years of flight; the distance was simply too immense. All of them were wide-eyed and dumbfounded, their hearts filled with profound shock.

"Ahead of the Big Dipper, there's an even brighter star—the Ziwei Star," someone mused. "Could our destination be a planet within that star field? Remember, the Ziwei Star held particular significance in ancient times." This conjecture arose because the Ziwei Star indeed shone exceptionally brightly on the star map, appearing as one of the most dazzling celestial bodies.

"It's hard to say," another replied. "We might still be heading towards even more distant star fields."

Just then, someone exclaimed, "That shimmering thin line isn't extending anymore! It's stopped right there, in the star field of the Big Dipper!" Simultaneously, the colossal bronze coffin began to shake violently, as if the very heavens and earth were trembling.

"We seem to have reached our destination..."

"Have we truly arrived at the resting place of the gods?"

"Could it be the legendary Immortal Realm..."

"Perhaps it's a realm of incredibly advanced technological civilization."

"If immortals and Buddhas truly exist, perhaps we'll encounter legendary figures."

"Having followed the ancient star path forged by the gods to its end, what kind of world awaits us?!"

Everyone felt a mix of intense nervousness and eager anticipation. They no longer wished to remain inside the bronze coffin.