Chapter 141: Dividing the Treasure

He Zhixing, Master Jinyun, and the others fought desperately against the agile clay figures. Aside from the magical artifacts held in their hands, everything else—including the mounts—was fashioned from clay. Their relentless struggle finally began to yield a glimmer of hope.

Perhaps due to the passage of time or some other factor, these clay figures were no longer the impenetrable, copper-headed, iron-armed entities they once seemed. As He Zhixing and his companions pounded them with sharp stones, small fragments of clay began to flake off their bodies.

Everyone pushed themselves to their absolute limit. One hour, two hours... until five hours had passed. It seemed the clay figures were animated by internal spiritual energy, which, over time, gradually dissipated, causing the figures to crumble into useless mounds of dirt.

As the five fighters saw one of the clay figures collapse and shatter, their spirits soared. They tapped into their hidden potential, pushing their bodies to the brink to strike down these once-invincible foes. The battle was exceptionally fierce.

The cave was soon littered with scattered dry earth and shards of various shapes. After five full hours, every last clay figure—be they true immortals, Daoists, venerable deities, heavenly masters, or even Manjushri Bodhisattvas—had been thoroughly demolished.

Exhausted, they began to scavenge for treasures among the debris. He Zhixing recovered a Taiji Illusion Map, a Golden Bell Heavenly Seal, a Bagua Robe, a Yin-Yang Mirror, and a Universe Bag. Between the five of them, they collected over a dozen magical artifacts, each person securing at least three. Overjoyed by these divine weapons, they momentarily forgot their fatigue and discomfort, steadying their swaying bodies to gather their prizes.

They could not fathom how so many treasures had been gathered in one place. Once in their hands, they immediately tried to activate the artifacts, but to no avail; even channeling their spiritual energy into them produced no result. It was no wonder the clay figures had not displayed much power during the fight—could these all be mere forgeries?

Yet, the sensation of holding these objects was strangely profound. It was impossible that they were crafted from mere dark iron, bronze, or celestial silk. He Zhixing and the others were utterly baffled. Could Master Taiyi have orchestrated this elaborate scene merely to toy with them?

Giving up on the recalcitrant treasures, they stowed them away and stood up, battered and bruised, to examine the cave walls. The walls were adorned with murals of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maidens and various other immortals. On the eastern wall, a statue of Master Taiyi himself was carved, with a long inscription beneath it. Upon closer inspection, they realized it was the legendary collection of physiognomy passed down to the world: The Book of Master Taiyi.

The text was extensive, covering the majority of the wall. It began with detailed observations on facial features: from the proximity to heavenly grace and the shape of the brow, to the lines indicating wealth, poverty, longevity, and character. It described the auspicious signs of a high forehead and a well-defined nose, as well as the warnings found in short philtrums or poorly defined mouths.

The final lines were written in a peculiar, elegant script: "One must examine with care. Do not judge fortune solely by beauty, nor misfortune by ugliness. This is known as the Book of Master Taiyi, the divine appraisal of the immortal realm."

The text was a discourse on the art of physiognomy. The five of them could grasp the general meaning, and He Zhixing, having studied the subject deeply, understood every word. Finding nothing else of note in the cave, they departed one by one. Yufang and the others, as if guided by a silent understanding, had prepared a long rope. Hearing He Zhixing’s whistle, they pinpointed the location and lowered the line.

It was already eight or nine o'clock in the evening.