Ultimate Note: You Are Worthy

The Underground Entrance

Wu Xie

Standing in front of the relief, Wu Xie stared at the wall, while Pangzi came close to also have a look at it. He was impatient to find the Queen Mother's palace as soon as possible so Pangzi was actually quite prone to urge Wu Xie into find the next clue to where they should head out.

"Tianzhen, you are the expert here so go do your scholar thing and get us in the right track." Pangzi hurry him and Wu Xie started analyzing what he was seen.

"The lost civilization of this place used to worship snakes, which is not surprising giving the fact this basin forest is plagued with them and the Queen Mother use them also as a symbol in her palace. Here the tiger keelback is worship... look at this. Here they pour the snakes into the pagoda, while the priest host a ceremony and the people kneel down around it." Wu Xie started.

"Seriously, what kind of crazy people worship deadly snakes, as gods? Did they not fear death? I mean they are damn deadly and all..." Pangzi said as he shudder.

"Precisely because they are deadly is why they worship them. Here in this part you can see the people in here were not strangers to war and judging by how they dress they should be the Queen's Mother people warring against some other civilization that lived close or came here to in search of what we are looking now. Here and here, you can see clearly that they were losing the fight... but then, the snakes came out of the pagoda and help them defeat their enemies." Wu Xie said as he pointed the carvings.

"So the damn things were actually warriors of the Queen Mother." Pangzi concluded.

"Most likely... but I think it was more than just that..." Wu Xie said as he moved to the next relief.

"Looking at the structure of the city, it seems that the whole thing is connected underground, from where the snakes can move freely all around the tunnels. In times of need, the people here lure them out from the underground to fight the Queen Mother's enemies. It's an efficient way to take care of their enemies, giving the fact that the keelbacks are fast and deadly, thus the worship is quite fitting." Wu Xie told him.

"Hum, I guess it makes sense, they should have the antidote ready at all times, so there should not be as troublesome to them as they are for us... let's look at what Xiaoge is seen in his side." Pangzi suggested and the both of them turned to join Zhang Qiling.

"Okay, Tianzhen, what about this one?" Pangzi urged him.

"Here is someone of superior position, sitting in a carriage while pulled with eight horses and it's coming here not as an enemy... but... judging by the style of the chariot, it resemble the Western Zhou and if I remember well, it was said in a legend that King Mu came to this land with his imperial army for a banquet with the Queen Mother to seek for the longevity secret." Wu Xie ended and Pangzi smiled while tapping his shoulder.

"Not bad, Tianzhen. I guess your intelligence makes up for your bad luck." Pangzi teased.

"Why you! Is not like I have back luck all the time!" Wu Xie protested.

"Don't kid with me, tall that to Xiaoge who even have an exclusive radar to get you out of dangerous situations at whatever tomb you decide to go... wait, is not limited to tombs, right Xioge?" Pangzi asked at the quiet man, but Xiaoge was not paying attention to them, but at a part of a relief he was trying to clean. Both Wu Xie and Pangzi then join him.

"Okay, Tianzhen what about this one. This is different from the others." Pangzi pointed.

"This one should be about the Great Pythons that we saw before. I think is quite possible both snakes were here a long time ago and the Pythons preyed on the keelbacks." Wu Xie said, but to Xiaoge it looked differently.