1168

**Chapter 1168: New Mysteries, The Sleeping Coffin**

Thick, ancient books were neatly arranged on the bookshelves. Lin Moyu looked around, feeling a strong sense of age.

In the current great world of the human race, books had long faded from the historical stage. Most information was now transmitted in more direct ways. Finding a few books had become very difficult.

People from the small world might not be unfamiliar with books, but many born in the great world had never seen a book.

The study's structure was simple, with bookshelves on three sides, each about two meters high, filled with books. In the center of the study was a large desk, also covered with books, as well as paper, pens, and other items.

Lin Moyu entered the study, which was covered in a thick layer of dust, indicating it had been unoccupied for a long time. His arrival left footprints on the floor. As he entered, the outside air was brought in, and a breeze blew into the study. The balance inside was disrupted, and the bookshelves in front of him suddenly collapsed into dust. This triggered a chain reaction, causing all the bookshelves and the books on them to turn to dust. Time had taken its toll, and these materials had long decayed.

They had only appeared intact because they had remained undisturbed. Once the balance was broken, they turned to dust, disappearing completely.

Lin Moyu felt a bit helpless. He could tell that these books had been preserved using special methods and were made of high-quality materials, not ordinary wood and paper. But they still couldn't withstand the passage of time.

Dust filled the study, swirling around before finally dissipating. The last thing to disintegrate was the desk. However, Lin Moyu noticed a piece of beast skin falling from the desk, which did not turn to dust.

With quick reflexes, he reached out and grabbed the beast skin. Like the previous piece of beast skin he had obtained, this one could withstand the corrosion of time and remain intact.

There were words on it, written in ancient Chinese, which Lin Moyu could understand. However, the passage of time had taken its toll. Although the beast skin could endure time, the ink could not. The ink had dried up, and only a few words were still legible.

"They still attacked, taking advantage of the master's absence..."

"Where did the master go? He should be fighting too, battling their strongest."

"Don't know if it's a win or a loss. I can't do much, just hold on..."

"To kill me, they must pay a price..."

The information was fragmented. After reading it, Lin Moyu fell into deep thought.

The same type of beast skin, but recorded from different perspectives. The first piece of beast skin was written by the invaders. The second piece was written by the owner of the manor.

It was strange that both the invaders and the manor's owner had the same type of beast skin. Moreover, the manor's owner was described as very powerful by the invaders, having killed their marshal and suppressed their ruler, even summoning the Great World Rune.

Yet, in the manor owner's record, there was an even more powerful master. If the manor's owner was already so strong, how powerful must his master be?

"The beast skin mentions that his master was fighting their strongest..."

"What is the master's identity, and who is their strongest?"

"How strong is their strongest? Compared to the old man riding the green ox, who is stronger?"

Lin Moyu couldn't help but think of the old man riding the green ox, who had wiped out countless strong individuals with a wave of his hand. The world seemed full of mysteries.

In the small world, he had solved one mystery after another, thinking he had seen through the entire world and was no longer a frog in a well. But in the great world, as his understanding deepened, he realized how vast and mysterious it was.

The Vermilion Bird Star Region was now somewhat clear to him, and he thought the other three star regions wouldn't be much different. But the Divine City remained mysterious, as did the human race's Divine Path.

Unexpectedly, new mysteries had emerged, seemingly even more terrifying.

After pondering for a moment, Lin Moyu sighed helplessly, "In the end, it's still a matter of insufficient strength."

"No rush, I'll figure it out eventually."

Leaving the study, he walked down the corridor and into the light.

Sunlight poured down from above, revealing a small garden. In the center of the garden was a stone table. Beside it was an artificial pond, and next to the pond was a vibrant tree.

The tree's branches and leaves were lush, blocking the sunlight and casting dappled shadows. The scene looked harmonious and beautiful. But upon closer inspection, it was clear that something was off.

The edge of the artificial pond was not lined with stones but with skulls. The garden's perimeter was also decorated with white bones. The stone table was fixed in place with bones, and even the stools beside the table were made of refined bones.

Amidst the dense death aura, the vibrant tree, blooming flowers, and forest of bones created an eerie scene.

On the stone table was a set of tea utensils, and beside them were books. Lin Moyu immediately understood that this was where the manor's owner liked to read.

Taking books from the nearby study, he would sit here, drink tea, and read, enjoying a leisurely time.

As Lin Moyu entered the garden, a breeze followed him. The books on the stone table instantly turned to dust, but the tea utensils and stone table remained intact.

The stone table was made of the same material as the fortress, able to withstand the passage of time. The tea utensils seemed unusual too, likely some kind of treasure. Otherwise, they would have turned to dust long ago.

As Lin Moyu reached for the tea utensils, his body suddenly tensed.

Whoosh!

Several black shadows whipped down from the air, and Lin Moyu quickly retreated, avoiding them.

The black shadows missed and changed angles to strike again.

In his retreat, Lin Moyu saw that the black shadows were the branches of the tree.

"Has it gained sentience? Or has it always been like this?"

Lin Moyu's mind raced, and ten Skeleton God Warriors appeared, charging forward.

Several Skeleton God Warriors leaped high, wielding axes to cut the attacking branches.

The remaining warriors rushed towards the tree.

As the Skeleton God Warriors appeared, the tree trembled violently, and its branches retracted at an astonishing speed, causing the warriors to miss their targets.

Lin Moyu was slightly stunned, "What's going on?"

The tree had retreated before the fight even began. Was it scared or aware it wasn't a match?

Or perhaps...

Lin Moyu glanced at the Skeleton God Warriors, noticing they seemed different from the skeletons in the manor.

However, the tree clearly had its own consciousness. It had existed for countless years, so perhaps it could be questioned. The key was whether it could communicate.

The branches swayed slowly, and the tree trunk leaned forward slightly, as if bowing in greeting.

Lin Moyu found it even stranger, "Do you recognize me?"

The branches shook, indicating it didn't.

It couldn't speak or communicate through soul transmission. Although it had consciousness, it couldn't interact with the outside world.

But the tree had its own way. It extended a branch, wrapped it around the stone table, and pulled hard.

The stone table lifted, revealing a hole beneath it.

Inside the hole was a black box.