The stone gate stood firm, its ancient runes shimmering eerily in the dim light, as if telling a story of forgotten history. Ning Yu's fingers traced the last groove, the cold touch making him increasingly uneasy. The groove's shape was complex and bizarre, resembling a strange bird about to take flight, or a hideous face, filled with an ominous premonition.

“I can’t find it…” Ning Yu said in a low voice, his tone tinged with anxiety. He had tried every stone he could find around him, but none of them matched the final groove.

Mu Xue frowned, pacing back and forth around the stone door. The grooves on the stone door were already mostly filled; only this last piece was needed to unlock this long-sealed secret.

"Could it be... that we were going in the wrong direction from the start?" Mu Xue said hesitantly. "Maybe this last groove doesn't need a stone."

Ning Yu pondered for a moment and realized that Mu Xue's words were not without merit. He carefully examined the last groove again, trying to find some clues. The edges of the groove were smooth and flat, but the inside had fine textures, like the skin of some kind of creature.

“Skin…” Ning Yu murmured to himself, a terrifying thought flashing through his mind.

Just then, a faint rustling sound came from behind the stone door, breaking the silence of the cave. Ning Yu and Mu Xue both became alert, their eyes scanning their surroundings warily.

"What's that sound?" Mu Xue asked in a low voice, gripping the dagger in her hand tightly.

Ning Yu didn't answer. He pricked up his ears and listened carefully to the source of the sound. The rustling sound grew clearer and clearer, as if something was crawling on the ground, slowly approaching them.

"It's behind us!" Mu Xue suddenly exclaimed, turning around abruptly.

Ning Yu quickly turned around and saw a dark shadow slowly wriggling in the darkness behind them, approaching them. The shadow's shape was indistinct, and only a few thin tentacles could be vaguely seen waving in the air, making a chilling "rustling" sound.

"Watch out!" Ning Yu pulled Mu Xue behind him and drew a sharp dagger from his waist.

The shadowy figure moved faster and faster, arriving before them in the blink of an eye. Ning Yu brandished his dagger, stabbing fiercely at the shadowy figure. The dagger pierced the figure's body, but there was no resistance as expected; instead, it felt like piercing a lump of mud, without any sensation.

The dark figure let out a piercing scream, and its body suddenly expanded, engulfing Ning Yu and Mu Xue in darkness.

"Ning Yu!" Mu Xue cried out in terror.

Ning Yu felt a powerful force binding him tightly, rendering him unable to move. He struggled desperately, but to no avail.

"Don't move..." a cold voice rang in Ning Yu's ear, "Your blood... is exactly what I need..."

Ning Yu felt something cold and sticky touch his skin. He turned his head sharply and met a pair of eyes that were flashing a scarlet light...

“It seems…we’ve found the last ‘key’…” The voice was hoarse and deep, carrying a chilling excitement.

Ning Yu was stunned by those scarlet eyes, a chill running from his feet to the top of his head. The sticky sensation made him want to vomit, and he knew he had to break free from the monster's grasp as soon as possible.

"Ning Yu!" Mu Xue's voice was filled with anxiety and fear. She struggled to swing her dagger, trying to attack the dark figure, but she could never reach its core.

"Don't come any closer!" Ning Yu shouted, worried that Mu Xue would also fall into the monster's trap. He felt the forces binding him tightening, and breathing became difficult.

Mu Xue tensed up, sensing impending danger. She knew she couldn't just sit and wait to die; she had to find a way to rescue Ning Yu. She looked around, hoping to find something she could use.

At the same time, Ning Yu was struggling desperately. He could feel the monster's tentacles sucking his blood, and his body was growing weaker and weaker. He knew that if he didn't find a way to escape, he would surely die.

Ning Yu quickened his search, frantically feeling every stone on his body, hoping to find the one that matched the last groove. His fingers trembled, almost losing all feeling.

Suddenly, his fingers touched a strangely shaped stone. He had casually stuffed it in his pocket, and it hadn't caught his attention before. Now, however, he felt as if the stone was radiating a warmth that seemed out of place in the cold air around him.

Ning Yu took out the stone and examined it carefully in the dim light. The stone's shape was complex and bizarre, resembling a strange bird about to take flight, or a ferocious face, and its shape matched the last groove in a striking way!

"That's it!" Ning Yu was overjoyed and pressed the stone into the last groove without hesitation.

With a soft click, the runes on the stone door suddenly shone brightly, illuminating the entire cave. The dark figure let out a piercing scream, its body trembling violently as if it were in great pain.

But the stone door did not open.

Ning Yu and Mu Xue were both stunned; they didn't understand what had happened. Could it be that this stone wasn't the key to open the stone door?

Just then, countless cracks suddenly appeared in the walls surrounding the stone gate, and streams of scorching flames shot out from the cracks, sweeping towards Ning Yu and Mu Xue.

"What's going on..." Mu Xue cried out in terror, feeling a wave of heat rushing towards her, almost engulfing her.

Ning Yu also felt a suffocating heat wave. He instinctively shielded Mu Xue behind him, his eyes fixed on the gushing flames.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!