Zombie Bodyguard

Chapter 1895 - 1892: Trapped in the Maze

"Greetings, Martial Uncle!" The two young people respectfully saluted Zhang Ruyan in the manner of juniors, which greatly intrigued Lin Tian.

What is a Martial Uncle? The master’s younger brother or sister is called Martial Uncle, which means they are of the same generation as the master. But Zhang Ruyan looked about the same age as the two young people, probably around twenty-five or six, yet their seniority was worlds apart.

In these ancient and hereditary families, hierarchy is extremely strict, and jokes cannot be made lightly. So, the two young people were definitely not joking among peers.

Moreover, Lin Tian could see that the two young people were somewhat afraid of Zhang Ruyan. It was unclear whether it was due to a difference in strength, or Zhang Ruyan’s more flamboyant personality, or both.

She described her former self with a term, ’sharp-edged.’ Back then, she was the number one in the Zhang Family among peers!

"Hmm!" Zhang Ruyan just gave a nasal hum, fully displaying the demeanor of a Martial Uncle.

After passing through the main gate, a stone-paved path lined with lush green trees on both sides came into view. The environment was tranquil, and under the night, it was like a celestial paradise amidst the mist.

The dominant trees here were camphor trees, and Lin Tian felt that any tree on either side of the road was older than him.

A few hundred steps forward, there stood an archway made of white marble, inscribed with the words "Ceremonial Gate." Beside the Ceremonial Gate was a stele etched with the phrase "Dismount and Unload Swords"!

This means that in ancient times, regardless of whether they were civil officials, military generals, or noble dignitaries, anyone arriving at the Zhang Family had to dismount and detach their swords to pass through this gate.

Daring to erect such a stele signified that the Zhang Family wasn’t afraid of offending noble dignitaries, indicating just how high their status was in ancient times. But by modern times, as people gradually stopped believing in such customs, the Zhang Family retreated from public view.

Of course, the "Dismount and Unload Swords" rule no longer applies in modern times, since no one uses horses for transportation or carries swords around unless they are Ancient Martial Artists or Demon Exorcists visiting.

Lin Tian glanced at his wrist, where the Heavenly Tribulation Sword rested, but nobody here could tell. Thus, he boldly carried the Heavenly Tribulation Sword inside.

Past the Ceremonial Gate, there was yet another gate, no less imposing than the main gate itself. Twelve massive columns supported it, with three passageways and six doors, each painted with depictions of door gods.

These were painted, not pasted, like murals. Though the colors appeared ancient, they remained clear and vibrant, hinting at the exceptional materials once used.

The gate also bore a plaque inscribed with "Mandate of the Decree" in gold on a black background. This phrase meant it was consecrated by divine command, more distinguished than the "Dismount and Unload Swords" stele by the Ceremonial Gate. The gate had wooden beams and green tiles, with several ridge beasts on the roof that appeared lifelike and majestic in the moonlight.

"From here on, the paths ahead are arranged according to the Eight Diagrams, forming a maze. Follow me, or else you’ll get lost and won’t find your way out," Zhang Ruyan suddenly stopped and instructed.

"Really? These walls don’t seem that high. At worst, I could climb over them. I don’t believe I couldn’t get out." Lin Tian was skeptical, recalling the maze on Charlotte Island, which was also formidable, but he managed to get out.

Zhang Ruyan glanced at him and shook her head, "This is a formation; if you try to climb the walls, you’ll find that all you see is mist, with not a hand in front of your face. Moving would be even harder than on the ground."

Lin Tian raised an eyebrow, not refuting her, but inwardly thought, "Could mist block my X-ray vision?" Of course, he had no intention of testing it recklessly to avoid any complications.

Seeing Lin Tian’s indifference, Zhang Ruyan didn’t pay any more attention and continued walking inside, passing through the door on the right, leading to a large courtyard.

Lin Tian looked around and discovered that the courtyard was filled with camphor trees. He counted and found a total of twelve. These camphor trees were enormous, with large crowns providing dense shade, and stood proudly under the moonlight, their leaves shining brightly. It was evident that despite being ancient, their vitality remained robust.

What surprised Lin Tian the most was that these camphor trees weren’t aligned in neat rows; instead, they formed a unique shape interlocking at angles.

"These twelve camphor trees are arranged in a certain pattern," Lin Tian said curiously but couldn’t pinpoint what that pattern was.

"It’s good you noticed. Every camphor tree here wasn’t planted randomly; they are integrated with the maze. You’ll find out soon," Zhang Ruyan explained with a faint smile. Lin Tian squinted slightly but said nothing.

Due to the obstruction of the camphor trees, the courtyard’s specific layout couldn’t be seen, but three additional archways were visible aside from the main entrance.

The archways were octagonal, forming an Eight Diagram shape, with flying cranes painted on the walls flanking the Eight Diagrams Gate.

Zhang Ruyan headed towards an Eight Diagrams Gate on the right. Opening the gate, she entered, and Lin Tian followed. But as he walked through the Eight Diagrams Gate, he was stunned because in front of him was another identical courtyard!

"This... why is this courtyard exactly the same?" Lin Tian exclaimed in surprise.

Twelve camphor trees, the same arrangement, the same Eight Diagrams Gate, even the grassy ground and stone paths were identical. He thought he had returned to the previous courtyard.

With this thought, he stepped back a few steps, retreating to the previous courtyard to see if it was indeed the same.

"Don’t..." Zhang Ruyan shouted anxiously, but it was too late; Lin Tian had already passed through the Eight Diagrams Gate.

Returning, Lin Tian indeed found the courtyard to be the same, but immediately realized something was wrong—the grand entrance was gone!

There were only four Eight Diagrams Gates in the courtyard, but not one entrance.

Seriously, could this be time travel? Space conversion? Or an Illusion Technique? Clearly, I was just walking; it was only a wall apart. Lin Tian was quite puzzled.

Frowning, he turned to go back and interrogate Zhang Ruyan, only to find the door behind him had somehow shut. Though it wasn’t locked, he pushed it open easily and walked through, but Zhang Ruyan was nowhere to be found in the courtyard!

Darn, I’m caught in a maze! An idea flashed in Lin Tian’s mind, and he quickly understood.

This Eight Diagrams Maze of the Zhang Family was dynamically changing. Each passage through an Eight Diagrams Gate would lead to a different courtyard, and even going through the same gate wouldn’t return him to the original location.

He suddenly realized why Zhang Ruyan had shouted "don’t" earlier—to stop him from wandering. Having experienced many bizarre happenings, Lin Tian quickly calmed down.

So you have a maze, and I have super X-ray vision; let’s see if you can trap me or if I can see right through you, Lin Tian thought to himself.

With a flicker in his eyes, he activated his super X-ray vision. His gaze swept across the courtyard wall effortlessly, without obstruction or interference, penetrating easily to see the adjacent courtyard.