Chapter Three: The Palace Counterfeit

“Something’s wrong! Don’t touch anything without permission!” At the captain’s command, Danzi and Longzi froze as if petrified, their fingertips hovering a mere millimeter or two from the golden casket shaped like a phoenix and dragon. Sweat began to pour down their cheeks in nervous torrents.

Danzi muttered, “Could there be a trap? Don’t scare me!” His innocent expression betrayed the anxiety in his heart, hoping nothing truly dangerous would happen, for if trouble arose, no one would escape.

“With something this precious, you think the creators wouldn’t set traps? How foolish!” Longzi withdrew his hand and began mocking Danzi, calling him silly and naive.

“Then why did you reach out too? Why didn’t you say anything before? Always wise after the fact!” Danzi replied disdainfully, shooting Longzi a look.

The captain finally spoke, “Longzi’s right—don’t touch anything carelessly. Judging by the era and its splendor, this is likely from the height of the Tang Dynasty.” He paused, stroked his beard, and continued, “Looking at the patterns on the main gate and the surrounding jade lychee trees, it’s probably built during Emperor Xuanzong’s reign.”

“Could this be the love nest of Li Longji and Yang Guifei?” Danzi interjected, never missing a chance for a dramatic remark.

“What are you thinking about all day? This place is probably filled with tools for ascending to immortality!” Longzi turned to the captain for confirmation.

The captain nodded slightly. Longzi was overjoyed, slapping Danzi’s shoulder repeatedly while muttering, “See, I guessed right! See, I guessed right!”

“Don’t be so careless, the ‘immortal energy’ of this dragon ship might be disturbed. We could end up buried forever on this unknown island,” the captain warned. What he called immortal energy was, in fact, hidden mechanisms.

“Rather than an island, it’s more like a floating yacht—one can ascend to immortality, watch the sunrise and sunset, even bathe in seawater. Everything you could want is here! The emperor’s fate is truly enviable!” Danzi’s eyes sparkled with visions of wealth, as if glimpsing his own future.

“Let’s go! Hurry up, don’t forget our team is still on the ship. We must return before sunset!” Longzi suddenly ruined the mood with a practical reminder.

“Such beautiful scenery, with riches and delicacies, gold and jewels—anything you want! Take anything, and you’ll never spend it all in several lifetimes!” Danzi was lost in his own reverie again.

Seeing the two refrain from actually touching anything inside, the captain began to carefully observe the surroundings. Though not formally trained in history, he had a passion for antiques and some familiarity with them. He calculated, noting they’d moved along the island’s coast since landing, and from the radar image before disembarking, the island’s perimeter was nearly a quarter traversed.

The island was shaped like a gourd. The captain took out his usual notebook, spread it on the ground, pressed down the middle to flatten it, and sketched a shape resembling a gourd. He added details meticulously, seriously recording everything.

After finishing his notes, he turned a page, which documented everything that had happened since yesterday—the events, the islands encountered, every detail with times and locations. If fortune allowed him to return home safely, perhaps he could one day reveal all this to the world. It would be a miracle greater than the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

“Pfft,” the captain tore out the two pages he’d just written. Although Danzi and Longzi were busy examining their surroundings, they kept an eye on the captain. It was routine for him to record everything, but they had never seen him tear pages from his notebook—not even for mistakes. Everyone knew that notebook was his story, his life.

Danzi and Longzi hurried over, exchanging glances. For once, their thoughts aligned: they wanted to pick up the captain’s discarded pages.

But the captain carefully folded the pages and tucked them into an inner pocket in his jacket, the sound of a zipper audible. The two were stunned. Danzi said, “Is that pocket waterproof?”

“Probably,” Longzi nodded in agreement.

Seeing them approach, the captain calmly asked, “Did you discover anything?”

Danzi, a little flustered, replied, “It’s all treasure! Gold hairpins, jade ornaments, rain-seeking cranes in gold, dragon-patterned carvings—everything you see on TV!”

“Don’t touch anything. Reverence for these ancient relics is reverence for our ancestors, and for your own life. Do you understand?” The captain spoke with gravity, glancing outside from time to time.

The weather on this island was truly unpredictable: from scorching sun at landing, to pitch-black passages where you couldn’t see your hand, and now to the cloudy halls of the Tang imperial palace—it felt like entering the Jade Emperor’s palace, more a paradise than the mortal world.

“Danzi, Longzi, you go inside and look around later. I’ll check the other side of the island. If anything happens, return to the ship immediately. Remember: don’t look at what you shouldn’t, don’t touch what you shouldn’t. Beware—what you take may cost you your life!” The captain’s final words were, “It’s already eleven fifteen. Remember to meet at the disembarkation point before five this afternoon. We set sail for home tonight!” With that, he hurried off, as if burdened by secret thoughts.

“Danzi, the captain just warned us—” Longzi was cut off as Danzi raised a sword, examining it closely and clicking his tongue in admiration.

“Don’t touch!” Longzi snatched the sword from Danzi’s hands. The sword gleamed, its brilliance obvious even in poor light. Its sharpness was unmistakable.

Longzi had intended to scold Danzi, but as he held the sword, he couldn’t help but marvel. The ancient swordsmiths’ craft had reached its zenith; even after countless years, the sword remained formidable. The blade had two grooves, resembling entwined dragons, wrapping around the sword and meeting at the tip. The hilt was not gold nor silver, but jade, emitting a faint green glow.

“This is truly extraordinary—such a strange feeling, cold to the touch, as if it has a soul,” Longzi murmured in awe.

Danzi grinned triumphantly, saying, “I knew you’d say that. I’ve been eyeing it for ages. This is a real treasure—don’t try to take it from me, I’m claiming this one!”

“No way! The captain said not to touch anything. Beware—what you take may cost you your life!” Longzi suddenly grew stern.

“Get out of the way! If something were to happen, it would have happened already! Besides, I’ve taken more than just one thing. Look!” Danzi sneered, lifting his shirt to reveal himself adorned with jade hairpins and bracelets, golden hair ornaments, and even his belt replaced with a golden dragon-patterned sash—he was fully decked out in gold and jade.

Longzi was bewildered. Danzi had pilfered so much; temptation stirred in him too. After all, no one was watching, and they were the first to discover this place—taking a little seemed reasonable.

Longzi, feeling the pull, took off his jacket, stabbed the sword through his vest, easily piercing it, then wrapped it around his waist.

“Hey, who was it just now warning not to touch, not to take?” Danzi wanted to laugh but couldn’t resist stroking Longzi’s sword, feeling its smooth, icy sensation—an indescribable pleasure.

“I’m just keeping you from taking things. I’ll return it soon!” Longzi glared at Danzi.

“Who’d believe that? I bet you won’t return it!” Danzi stuck out his tongue. Suddenly, a shadow flickered before his eyes.

“Someone’s here! Who?!” Danzi broke into a cold sweat. Even humans can frighten each other, especially now when no one else should be here—could it be a ghost?

Longzi, startled by Danzi’s outburst, felt goosebumps all over.

“What is it?” Longzi asked cautiously.

“I just saw a shadow, flashed by! Right there!” He pointed at the dragon throne, which showed no sign of change, no unusual sound or light.

“You’re seeing things! Maybe you’ve fooled around with so many women, their spirits have come to haunt you!” Longzi teased, tapping Danzi’s head.

“Don’t joke—beauty aside, I’m serious, I really saw a shadow! More than a shadow, actually—”

“Ah! What is that?!” Danzi suddenly took a step back. For someone usually bold, he was now so frightened he retreated two steps, his legs trembling.

Perhaps there really were ghosts here, guarding the island and the imperial ship that carried the Tang emperor to immortality. When Longzi looked toward the direction of Danzi’s trembling hand, his legs collapsed, his whole body went weak, and no matter how he tried, his limbs wouldn’t obey. What did the two of them see?