Chitterfang gave a smug squeak as if agreeing with Han Yu's assessment, his belly jiggling proudly as he continued forward, leading them through the narrow gaps between traps without so much as brushing against the danger.

They carefully followed behind, stepping exactly where Chitterfang's tiny paws touched or simply jumped if the trap was short enough.

For Fatty Kui, who was not particularly light-footed, it was a nerve-wracking dance, sweat beading on his forehead as he tried not to misstep. At one point he nearly wobbled too far left, but Han Yu grabbed his sleeve and yanked him back just in time.

He could've just jumped too, but with his weight they did not have full assurance that the trap might not just activate due to the vibrations.

"Careful, Fatty Kui," Han Yu whispered.

Fatty Kui forced a laugh, though his face had gone pale. "Ha… ha… don't worry, I was just testing my balance."

Wu Shuan muttered under his breath, "Testing your balance in front of spikes is not courage. It is idiocy."

They pressed on for another minute before the corridor widened, and suddenly the oppressive darkness gave way to brightness. The group blinked, their eyes adjusting to the strange sight before them.

The tunnel opened into a vast chamber, easily several times larger than the previous rooms they had passed. The air was warmer here, filled with a faint earthy fragrance that was wholly out of place in the tomb's otherwise stale atmosphere.

The moment they stepped into the new room, everyone's jaws collectively dropped.

The ceiling glowed like a false sky, faint arrays carved into its surface pulsing with golden light that imitated the warmth of the sun. Beneath it, a lush spread of green covered the soil, dotted with clusters of strange plants whose leaves shimmered faintly with spiritual energy.

Vines hung low, fat fruits glowing faintly like lanterns, while herbs with crystalline petals seemed to exhale a fragrance that soothed the mind. For a group that had trudged through nothing but dust, rubble, and shadowy corridors, the sudden change was enough to feel like stepping into another world.

Senior Brother Duan's eyes glimmered, his normally composed expression softening into open excitement. "A Spirit Garden," he muttered, as if naming it would make it more real. His grip on his spear even loosened. "I didn't think the tomb's owner would have one so well preserved…"

Fatty Kui practically started drooling, both at the sight of the glowing fruits and at the implication of wealth. He rubbed his palms together like a merchant who had just seen a bag of gold walk into his shop.

"Heaven's mercy! We've struck a vein of fortune! Just look at those fruits, glowing like little nuggets of treasure! My grandmother always said plants that glow are either poisonous or priceless. Either way, they're worth something!"

Wu Shuan's gaze was far less greedy.

He narrowed his eyes, surveying the garden with caution. "Don't get too excited. If this has survived intact while everything else crumbled, then it's definitely protected. Either by formations… or by something worse."

Han Yu nodded slightly at his words.

He too found it strange. The altars had been reduced to rubble, jade slips shattered into meaningless shards, even metal corroded. Yet here was a lush garden blooming as if the years had been nothing but a spring breeze.

Meanwhile, Chitterfang was already running about, squeaking happily like he had just stumbled into paradise. The little rat sniffed at the herbs and then leaped up to paw at a cluster of spirit fruits hanging from a vine.

He gave Han Yu an expectant look, squeaking insistently, as if saying, "Come on, boss, stop gawking and pick the snacks already!"

Han Yu chuckled. "Seems like he wasn't lying. There really was food."

Fatty Kui's eyes lit up brighter than the fruits themselves. "Food is food! Forget traps, formations, or beasts, I'm ready to risk my life right now!" He took one eager step forward.

Duan immediately raised his hand, stopping him in place. "Don't be a fool." His voice cut through the greedy excitement like a sharp blade. "This is a Spirit Garden. Its worth is immeasurable. Tomb builders did not leave such treasures unprotected."

He swept his spirit sense across the garden, his brows furrowing. "I cannot sense any killing intent… but that only makes it more suspicious."

Wu Shuan crossed her arms. "Then what do we do? Sit here and stare at the plants until they wilt?"

Han Yu tilted his head thoughtfully. "Perhaps… we let Chitterfang test it."

The rat perked up at the mention of his name, tail flicking like a whip.

He squeaked, puffing out his tiny chest as if declaring, "Leave it to me!"

Without hesitation, he darted into the garden, weaving between stalks and vines like an expert thief.

Fatty Kui gasped dramatically. "You can't just send the little guy in alone! What if he gets roasted by a hidden formation? Or worse, turned into rat stew?"

Han Yu shook his head calmly. "They won't."

"Perhaps he's fat enough that it would still work?" Fatty Kui said.

"Nah..." Han Yu didn't think so.

Chitterfang, as if proving his point, ignored the low-growing herbs and went straight for the vine bearing plump, glowing fruits. He leapt up, nibbled one, and then squeaked so loudly it echoed through the room.

He waved his paws at Han Yu furiously as though yelling, "Get over here! This is the good stuff!"

Fatty Kui nearly sprinted. "If even the rat says it's good, it must be divine!"

Senior Brother Duan finally relented, though his eyes were still sharp. "Fine. But stay alert. If there is danger, it will reveal itself the moment we touch the plants."

They moved cautiously into the garden, the soil soft beneath their boots, the fragrance of herbs thickening in the air. Han Yu couldn't help but feel a strange calm settle over him. The arrays above cast warm light, making it easy to forget that they were still deep inside a dangerous tomb.

It felt almost… homely.

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