Ch. 6 - Mount Tai

In the silent and dark void of space, nine massive dragon corpses lay suspended. The ancient bronze coffin, majestic and austere, seemed to coexist with the eternal, primordial universe.

Days had passed, yet the mysterious signals transmitted by the bronze carvings remained undeciphered. There was still no safe method to "retrieve" the coffin and bring it to Earth.

"It's moving!"

"It's veering off course, it's descending!"

At that moment, several elite astronauts aboard the International Space Station felt their pupils contract sharply, the Nine Dragons Coffin was drifting from its trajectory, slowly descending.

Mount Tai, vast and imposing, grand in scale and heavy with history, is hailed as the foremost of the Five Great Mountains of China, revered as the “Number One Mountain Under Heaven.”

Since ancient times, Mount Tai has symbolized sanctity. Located at the easternmost edge of the ancient Central Plains, flanked by the Yellow River and the Wen River, it was once regarded as the place where the sun first rose and all things were born.

No mountain is greater; no history is older.

Mount Tai is grand and majestic, rich in historical heritage, tracing back to the era of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, an ancient sacred site believed to connect humans with deities.

"Heaven is high and unreachable, so one ascends Mount Tai to offer sacrifices and seek communion with the divine."

Qin Shi Huang, the unifier of China, and Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, known for his far-reaching ambition, both held grand ceremonies of heaven and earth sacrifices on Mount Tai.

Long before them, during the ancient era, seventy-two monarchs were said to have performed the sacred rites on Mount Tai.

The pre-Qin text Guanzi, in the chapter Fengshan, records: "Long ago, Wu Huai performed ancestral rites on Mount Tai... Fuxi, Shennong, the Yellow Emperor, Yao, Yu the Great, they all performed the sacred rites..."

Throughout ancient times, none of the sage-kings and legendary emperors deviated, all chose Mount Tai for their sacred rituals. As a result, the mountain is shrouded in layers of mystery, exuding an aura of profound antiquity.

During the Spring and Autumn period, Confucius himself made repeated pilgrimages to Mount Tai, searching for traces of the ancient ceremonies, but he found nothing, and left only regret. When his disciples asked, he could not give an answer.

Later generations uncovered fragments of the past.

In 1931, General Ma Hongkui stationed troops at the foot of Mount Tai and, by chance, discovered an altar made of five-colored soil. Inside were two sets of jade scrolls, sealed with "stone, mud, and golden cords", hidden underground.

Why ancient rulers chose Mount Tai for their sacrifices remains a mystery, even today. It may never be solved.

Ye Fan and the others rested at a hotel overnight, then began their ascent of Mount Tai the next morning.

For many in the group, this was their first time climbing the sacred mountain. Only by being there in person could one truly grasp its grandeur and majesty.

The mountain's geological structure was layered in three giant terraces, like stairways to the heavens. Facing south and rising from the north, the entire mountain opened up, with a 10-kilometer-long ascending path leading toward the peak.

Whether viewed from afar or up close, its sheer scale inspired awe, stirring strong emotions.

Standing before Mount Tai, people felt a strange illusion, as though they were mere ants. Even the sun, moon, and stars above seemed insignificant by comparison.

It was a profoundly shocking and humbling experience, shaking one’s soul.

When the tour guide spoke about the ancient rituals, imaginations soared. Humanity has always been drawn to the mysterious and unknown.

Li Xiaoman walked beside Cade, translating and explaining for him. The American was increasingly astonished, asking question after question about Mount Tai.

Liu Yunzhi cast a playful glance at Ye Fan, then looked at the pair ahead. But Ye Fan completely ignored him, showing no reaction, which disappointed him.

In truth, Ye Fan hadn’t even noticed him, he remained perfectly calm.

Having finished reading the Esoteric Scripture of The Yellow Emperor, Ye Fan thought of how all the sage-kings had performed rituals here. A wild thought crossed his mind, could a lost ancient civilization really have existed? If so, Mount Tai was surely a sacred site of that era.

But he quickly shook his head. He figured he was just bored lately, which had led to such absurd fantasies.

Mount Tai’s ancient pines were dense, and streams and waterfalls were abundant. Amid its solemn grandeur, it still held a sense of grace. The floating clouds and mist added layers of mystery and depth.

As they climbed, the group passed countless cultural relics and stone inscriptions carved into cliff faces, each inspiring awe.

From the altar of sacrifices to the imperial palace complex of Dai Temple, and finally to the Jade Emperor Peak, it formed a ten-kilometer vertical axis representing the underworld, the human world, and the heavens.

By evening, the group finally reached the summit, the Jade Emperor Peak. Overlooking the mountains below and gazing toward the Yellow River, they suddenly understood what Confucius meant by: “One who climbs Mount Tai feels the world grow small.”

The poet Du Fu also left behind his timeless verse: “I shall climb to the utmost summit and see all other mountains beneath me.”

At that moment, the setting sun dipped toward the horizon. The clouds around the peaks were edged with gold, gleaming like rare treasures.

Such a magnificent scene left everyone in awe.

Suddenly, black dots appeared on the horizon, growing larger. The sound of wind and thunder followed.

Nine colossal beings descended from the sky, like nine black rivers falling. At that moment, everyone on Mount Tai froze in disbelief, stunned.

It was the nine enormous dragon corpses, pulling an ancient bronze coffin, descending upon the peak of Mount Tai!

Dragons, mythical creatures, said to rival gods and defy nature. But with the advancement of modern science, who still believed they could be real?

Tourists on the mountain were too shocked to even breathe, let alone scream.

After a brief moment of silence, Mount Tai erupted into chaos. People fled in all directions, desperately trying to avoid the approaching dragon corpses.

It was a jaw-dropping sight: in the blood-red sunset, Nine Dragons pulling a Bronze Coffin, descending upon Mount Tai!

Screams of terror, cries of panic, people scattered in fear.

The descent wasn’t particularly fast, but when the massive forms landed, they caused a violent tremor across Mount Tai’s summit.

BOOM!

The nine gigantic beasts slammed down like mountain ranges, cracking the Jade Emperor Peak with deep fissures. Rocks flew, dust filled the air.

The bronze coffin crashed down with a thunderous clang, shaking the entire mountain like an earthquake. Boulders rolled down the slopes with a thunderous roar, like thousands of warhorses charging.

Many people were caught in the chaos, struck by falling stones, injured or knocked off the mountain. The air was filled with screams of terror.

After the impact, the shaking subsided and the mountain grew quiet again, but Mount Tai had fallen into total chaos. People tripped and fell as they fled. Bloodied and panicked, they ran downhill in desperation.

The hundred-meter-long dragon corpses lay still. Half their bodies rested atop the summit, while the other half hung over the cliffs, like a black steel wall, exuding overwhelming power and assaulting the senses.

The Jade Emperor Peak was shattered, with massive cracks gouged into the ground.

That 20-meter-long bronze coffin, plain and ancient, bore faint, timeworn carvings. A mysterious aura swirled around it, ancient, solemn, and unknowable.

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