This was the first time Ye Liuxi had heard someone from the interior of the kingdom call her by name. The old man spoke with a calm tone, his eyes and brows serene, as though he already knew her past and future. Ye Liuxi asked him, "Who are you? And who am I?" The old man didn't answer immediately; instead, he glanced at Changdong's vehicle and paused, saying, "Those—your friends from beyond the frontier, aren't they?" ... Changdong felt a bit tense, not out of fear of physical confrontation—after all, the odds were clearly against him, and a fight would surely end in defeat—but because the atmosphere felt strange: neither close nor distant, neither warm and welcoming nor cold and reserved. Fei Tang asked Ding Liu to shield him, quietly holding a telescope and peering out from the vehicle toward the other side, "It's definitely the Yulin Guard. The birds depicted on these banners are all different. The feathers on the shoulders of the people beside them vary too. That one—eagle, wow, he must be impressive. And over there—parrot?" Ye Liuxi returned quickly. She sat down in the vehicle, her cheeks flushed from the sudden shifts between The old man's name is Zhao Guanshou, one of the foremost figures in the Yulin Guard. The main gate of Black Stone City closes at sunset and opens at dawn, never deviating from this routine—vehicles enter through the side gate, one after another. The streets are wide yet empty, with no shops lining the sidewalks, only tall, solid black walls standing in solemn rows. At intervals along the walls, stone carvings of various birds stand guard, their flowing light shimmering like street lamps. The snow has not yet accumulated, and the black stone roads are damp. Occasionally, groups of seven patrol officers appear, forming a line and standing at attention as soon as they see the lead vehicle, straightening up and holding their heads high, watching the convoy pass before resuming their patrol. The journey seems to take a long time. Chang Dong drives steadily, following the lead vehicle either straight or turning, while Fei Tang is visibly excited, speaking softly and continuously— "This is modeled after the Han dynasty... no, actually, after the Tang dynasty's Chang'an—square and orderly, with perfectly horizontal and vertical lines, like a chessboard. Even the Japanese city of Nara copied this style from us." "Look at this high wall—Xiang Chang'an had 108 walled neighborhoods, each a square city with gates on all four sides. At night, there was a curfew: people couldn't leave their neighborhood to stroll around the streets. If spotted by patrol officers, they'd be arrested and even executed on the spot—so it's no wonder the streets are empty." "The height of these walls holds significance—higher walls and grand gatehouses indicate that the residents within are more prominent. Have you visited the Shaanxi Museum? They have a detailed reconstruction of Tang Chang'an there, explaining everything thoroughly." Ding Liu frowned: "Then, how could people not feel suffocated just staying indoors all night?" "Actually, within each neighborhood, you could move freely—like a small community. There might even be commercial streets, card games rooms, or movie theaters. You could enjoy whatever you liked, as long as you didn't leave the neighborhood." Fei Tang suddenly remembered something and beamed excitedly: "East Brother, do you still remember the market in Xiao Yangzhou?" The Tang capital Chang'an also had dedicated markets known as Dongshi and Xishi—what a bustling scene! It's said that Xishi alone hosted over forty thousand shops, with merchants from Persia, Korea, and Japan among them. Back then, it was truly an international business district, much like today's "shopping" concept—this very term is believed to have originated from Dongshi and Xishi. Since Black Stone City emulates Tang Chang'an, it must surely have a large market too. Ding Liu was impressed: "How do you know so much?" Fat Tang gave a sniff: "Am I not a native of Xi'an? How many times do I visit the Shaanxi Museum each year—far from frequent, I assure you." ... Then, the path took another turn, and suddenly, the atmosphere grew more pressing. The street walls were now taller than those previously seen, with watch towers at each corner, and massive stone-carved murals inscribed along the walls. Changdong's first impression of the murals was of people being led in chains, entering through the grand Yu Men Pass. A steady stream of figures passed through the towering pass—some walked with blank expressions, others clutched their faces and wept uncontrollably, while a few carried smiles, perhaps believing that in times of turmoil, heroes emerge and that a new life, though delayed, would eventually unfold. Once the figures became three-dimensional and their expressions vivid, Changdong found himself as if hearing the cries echoing in his ears. Moved by the scene, he refused to turn his face away. Fei Tang stretched his neck to look. The Azure Dragon, the White Tiger, the Vermilion Bird, and the Black Tortoise were China's four ancient divine creatures. The White Tiger stood in the west, associated with the metal element—so it made sense that this building was constructed there. Still, he wondered: what was it for? As a businessman by training, Fei Tang was particularly attentive to feng shui. The idea of having to pass through the "tiger's mouth" seemed rather unfortunatе. Zhao Guanshou got off the vehicle first, holding a black iron walking stick with an eagle's head at the top, polished smooth by years of use. Chang Dong and the others followed, and Li Jinao, who had never seen such a grand scene, was excited, clutching a chicken in each arm and continuously swallowing his saliva. Zhao Guanshou turned to Ye Liuxi and asked, "Shall we send your friends to rest first?" Ye Liuxi pointed to the building and asked, "What is this place? Is it particularly confidential?" Zhao Guanshou responded with a calm expression, "It's just like a museum outside the capital." Fei Tang quickly whispered to Ye Liuxi "Yexiau replied, 'My friends are with me.' Zhao Guanshou nodded in agreement, then slowly ascended the stairs with his cane. Li Jinao, eager to follow, was stopped by someone at the side and could only watch Chang Dong and the others enter, feeling deeply envious—having heard that the grand museum within Black Stone City boasts an extensive collection, even featuring a dedicated hall for mythical creatures. Truly a once-in-a-century opportunity, yet fate seemed to have failed him, as he was finally blocked at the entrance. "He indicated the map: "When we first entered the pass, Black Stone City was the oldest and largest of the outposts, thanks to its outstanding terrain—two mountains, like two arms, encircling a broad valley. One mountain, Black Stone Mountain, provided the stone we used to build the city; the other, Golden Mountain Mine, produced valuable resources—no need for me to elaborate." Truly, it's been a gift from heaven: even today, gold remains a globally accepted hard currency. Chang Dong recalled the shadow puppet caravans traveling across the passes—what businesspeople were they, really? They were clearly wealthy patrons, each carrying fortunes in their own right. Zhao Guanshou led them forward, and this time they saw a glass display case housing about a dozen shadow puppets, just like those found in the shadow puppet coffin. They wore various costumes—Han dynasty short robes, Tang dynasty silk round-collar robes, Qing dynasty horse coats—and some dressed in white shirts with workwear over them, standing or standing, each with distinct expressions." And the background of the display case is... a cluster of yellow loess platforms forming the Sima Road, with several eyes open in the sky, as if watching and warning. Zhao Guanshou spoke in a flat tone: "For a long time now, our lives in the interior haven't been much different from those in the borderlands—we've even been doing better. Old Li's secret shadow puppetry technique allows the puppets to resemble human beings almost perfectly. The new and ingenious items, the mechanical wonders—we could afford them. But over the past century or so, we have indeed fallen behind. The outside world's technological advancements have been so rapid that some things are hard to master, others only learned superficially, and still others can only be used as finished products." Seeing him about to move forward, Chang Dong couldn't help asking, "Um... what exactly is going on with the Sima Road?" Zhao Guanshou glanced at him. "You're referring to the burial site of the shadow puppets, aren't you?" "The shadow puppets resemble humans, yet they are more delicate and fragile. Exposed to wind and rain, they inevitably suffer wear and tear. Changes in temperature cause them to warp, and if they get damp and "We cherish their contributions, though they are not human—after being laid to rest in coffins, the Sand-Burial Eyes build their tombs for them. The Sand-Burial Eyes care for the dead, guarding the graves much like watchmen. Should wind or water cause erosion, they promptly repair the damage." Ah, that makes sense. Chang Dong felt a sense of admiration: so many isolated graves across the world are eroded by beasts and water, neglected and left untended, with grass growing tall enough to reach the midsection of the mound. In comparison, with the Sand-Burial Eyes protecting them, their fortune is quite favorable. Next came a large, square stele, one that had also appeared on the shadow-coffin: Emperor Wu of Han, standing behind a curtain, his face solemn and sorrowful, while a beautiful woman on the other side covers her face with her sleeve, weeping softly. Beside them, six horizontal characters in seal script read: "Flow West, bones; look East, soul." Ye Liuxi found her lips slightly dry. Zhao Guanshou said: "These six characters can be read either way—forward, they mean 'Flow West, bones; look East "Back then, Li Shaong summoned the spirit of Li Lady. Knowing Emperor Wu's plan to 'eliminate demons and ghosts at Yumen,' Li Lady asked the emperor whether the connection between the interior and exterior of the pass had truly been severed. Emperor Wu replied, 'The bones flowing westward can break the spirits lingering eastward.' 'These six words are the essence of the Li family’s shadow puppetry secret.' Ye Liuxi couldn't help but ask, 'What does "bones flowing westward" have to do with me?' Zhao Guanshou answered without addressing the point, 'Let's keep going.' This time, they stood before a bronze relief mural stretching nearly ten meters in both length and width. The scene was chaotic, tense, as if the molten bronze had been instantly dried by a strong wind, leaving the viewers feeling overwhelmed and suffocated. Zhao Guanshou gazed upward at the mural, his gray-white beard gently trembling, his fingers gripping his falcon cane, veins standing out beneath the dry, wrinkled skin. Ye Liuxi asked, 'What is this?' Zhao Guanshou's voice was reflective and weathered: 'This painting depicts the " At the beginning, when there were no Wu-Zi Tian-Qian (uninscribed heavenly tablets), the Sign Family used rushes and turtle shells to cast divination for Emperor Wu of Han. The prediction was: "The Southern Dipper will break through the Yumen Pass—when the stars of the Southern Dipper appear, the shadow puppet art will fail, and the entire shadow puppet caravan will collapse. The combined essence of the westward bones and eastward souls will converge upon one person, who will be able to enter and exit the Yumen Pass, and who will inevitably cause upheaval." "This is a great calamity within the pass—we call it the 'Westward Journey through Yumen.'" Ye Liuxi asked him, "In what way will the upheaval unfold?" Zhao Guanshou pointed to a man in the center of the painting. "This man is named Li, Li Wangdong. Those born under the influence of the Southern Dipper keep their original surname; men are named Wangdong, women Liuxi." "Li Wangdong has long been determined to reopen the Yumen Pass. While strengthening his own force of beast-headed warriors, he frequently ventured out of the pass to seek external allies. At that time, the regions beyond Ye Liuxi asked, "What were the terms of the exchange?" Li Wei Dong believed that since Emperor Wu of Han had been able to seal the Jade Gate Pass with the full strength of the nation, Emperor Tang could do the opposite—revere Daoism, recruit numerous scholars and alchemists, and thus break the Jade Gate Pass. "Did it ultimately succeed?" Zhao Guanshou sneered, "Li Wei Dong used eloquent words to make Emperor Taizong feel that the emperor was divinely ordained, that the dynasty was entering a new era of prosperity, and that spirits and deities were duly impressed. With Daoist practitioners spread throughout the land, he believed there would be no fear of supernatural disturbances. Yet, fate proved otherwise—because of a single dream, Emperor Taizong changed his mind." "What dream?" "Right when Emperor Taizong decided to open the Jade Gate Pass, he began suffering from recurring nightmares, filled with countless demons and spirits. A minister suggested that Generals Qin Qiong and Wulitong be stationed daily, armed and armored, outside the imperial palace. Only then did peace return." Fei Tang exclaimed, "I know this story well—later on, ordinary Zhao Guanshou nodded. "Emperor Taizong changed his mind, leaving Li Wangdong deeply disappointed. The golden treasure was lost, and he hoped to recover the priceless jade deer heads. But with only his personal strength, he could not stand against the emperor. After much effort, he managed to retrieve only one of the two, returning to Yumen Pass in a rather humbled state. After Li Wangdong's passing, the Yulin Guard and the court alchemists jointly suppressed the unrest over the jade deer heads, yet they were unable to locate the missing one. The family's diviners examined the unmarked celestial scroll and predicted that the next time the sun appears in the southern constellation, a new crisis will arise at Yumen—this person, they said, will be the owner of the jade deer head." Twenty years ago, you were born in a village near the Shui Du Yan Dan, and since your birth, no shadow puppet from the interior has ever stood upright again.