Across from the stone pillar, there was a circular altar, which was the spiritual platform used to resolve the inherited curse.
Several skeletons surrounded the altar, all of them Zhang Qi Ling who died on the spot when they came to resolve the curse in the past!
Their bodies had been here for many years, and no one had buried them because only the successive Zhang Qi Ling could enter this place.
Zhang Yun Feng glanced at the iron chain and leaped forward, landing on one of the chains.
The chain, as thick as a wrist, swayed violently, emitting a grinding sound of metal friction.
He steadied himself, and with a swift movement, he used his light footwork, taking two steps at a time, and stepped on the chain to reach the stone platform across from him.
Reaching the platform, he bowed to the several skeletons.
Looking at these skeletons, he felt an inexplicable sadness.
This was called sharing the same fate, the destinies of these people were the same as his, tortured by the inherited curse for a lifetime.
After paying his respects, he walked to the iron plate in the center of the altar.
The iron plate shimmered with a dark greenish metallic luster. In fact, this thing was made of meteorite copper!
At the center of the iron plate, there was a Kirin-shaped groove, perfectly matching the jade pendant of the Zhang family head.
There were also several blood grooves beneath the groove, leading to the bottom of the iron plate. It was clear that this was a mechanism hub that required blood and the jade pendant to activate.
Without hesitation, Zhang Yun Feng took the head's jade pendant from his system inventory and placed it on the groove.
Then he bit his middle finger, squeezing out blood and dripping it onto the jade pendant. The blood flowed down the blood grooves to the bottom of the iron plate.
In an instant, the several rotating disks on the iron plate slowly began to turn, a mysterious force spread from the center of the altar, and Zhang Yun Feng suddenly felt his mind go blank, his consciousness blurred, and he was extremely tired!
“The curse is starting, don't fall unconscious!”
Zhang Yun Feng bit his tongue to keep himself awake.
This was the most critical step in resolving the curse.
And it was the most dangerous step!
It tested willpower. If he fell unconscious now, it would mean death, the same ending as the bones on the ground.
Not only that, the Zhang family members would also suffer the backlash of the curse!
Fortunately, his soul level was intermediate, and his willpower was much stronger than ordinary people. The feeling of falling unconscious only lasted for a short while before gradually fading.
But it didn't completely disappear and continued to affect his consciousness.
This meant that he had passed the initial test of the curse.
Having passed the first step, the rest of the process was much safer.
He only needed to observe the several rotating disks, which were engraved with the twelve hours, the twenty-four solar terms, the thirty-six celestial symbols, and the seventy-two earthly symbols.
After the four disks had all rotated once, he would drip blood again to make them continue rotating.
After 108 rotations, the curse would be completely resolved.
This was a dangerous and lengthy process.
He stood silently in place, staring at the four disks, calculating the time it took for them to rotate once.
This would allow him to calculate how long he would need to wait here. In the end, he had to wait for five days!
Five days later, the rotation speed of the four disks gradually slowed down.
Zhang Yun Feng did not dare to delay, he quickly bit his middle finger again, squeezed out blood, and dripped it onto the jade pendant, causing it to continue rotating.
After doing this, he sat cross-legged on the ground to recover his strength.
At the same time, he took out some food and water and ate a little.
“The rotation time for one cycle is five days, 108 × 5 = 540 days.”
“So, I'll have to stay here for a year and a half……”
This result was better than he had expected.
In the past, Zhang Qi Ling had to spend at least two years to complete the curse, some even took three years.
To complete it within a year and a half, that would definitely be considered the fastest!
“It seems that the completion time of the curse is related to the soul, the higher the soul level, the faster the rotation speed.”
Zhang Yun Feng speculated.
He wasn't sure if that was the case.
While he had some free time, he looked around.
He was surprised to find that there were plants near the altar.
It was a peculiar plant that grew on cliff faces, with purple fruits growing on it.
And there were more than one or two of these plants, they were densely growing on the cliff faces.
He even saw a crimson-colored ganoderma lucidum.
“This must be the legendary Chi Xue Ling Zhi (Blood Ganoderma)!"
Zhang Yun Feng immediately recognized the origin of this ganoderma lucidum.
This thing was recorded in the ancient books of Siguniang Mountain, it only grew in desolate places, rare to see in ordinary places.
Legend has it that eating this thing could bring back the dead and heal broken bones, and could also strengthen the body, prolong life.
Ancient emperors regarded it as an elixir of immortality and sent out numerous people to search for it in all the desolate places in the world.
Unexpectedly, the most core area of the Zhang family ancient building had Blood Ganoderma growing, had the Zhang family planted it? Or was it wild?
“No matter, good things must be acquired!”
Thinking about this, he immediately stepped on the chain and reached the cliff face, leaping up and plucking the crimson ganoderma lucidum.
Then he used his light footwork to return to the platform.
After getting his hands on it, he carefully examined it.
The ganoderma lucidum was quite heavy, it weighed about two to three kilograms and gave off a characteristic plant fragrance, smelling it made him feel refreshed.
He broke off a piece and put it in his mouth to taste.
The ganoderma lucidum flesh tasted a little bitter when it entered the mouth, but after chewing, it had a hint of sweetness.
It wasn't delicious, but it wasn't hard to eat either.
After eating a piece, he immediately stored the ganoderma lucidum in his system inventory, which would allow it to be preserved longer.
Then he sat cross-legged on the ground, running the Longchun Technique, circulating his true qi in the Grand Cycle.
From then on, this monotonous life continued day after day.
……
Three months later, July 1961.
Siguniang Mountain, the Old Nine Gates' camp.
The heads of the Nine Gates gathered together again to discuss important matters.
“I received its warning, it told us to find clues about immortality within a year, otherwise there will be consequences...”
Zhang Da Fo Ye said to everyone with a serious expression.
After listening, Huo Xian Gu's face turned cold: “Who knows if there are clues about immortality in these ancient books! If not, are we just going to wait for death?”
“I say... we fight them head-on, we might as well die!” Hei Bei Lao Liu said angrily.
The faces of the others were not looking good either.
Of these people, the one with the most ideas was Xie Jiu Ye, he was known as the Military Strategist of the Nine Gates!
He was also the most cultured of the Nine Gates. When he was younger, he studied abroad and was a real intellectual.
Zhang Qi Shan looked at Xie Jiu Ye and asked, “Old Nine, you always have the most tricks up your sleeve, what do you think we should do?”
Xie Jiu Ye pushed his glasses and said calmly: “Don't worry, it won't kill us all……”