A day is neither long nor short. For most of the team members at the base, this short day felt like an eternity.

Some of them stayed up all night, their eyes bloodshot, sweating profusely on the training field as if trying to vent all their anxiety and fear; others gathered in small groups, whispering and analyzing, trying to find a glimmer of hope in Ning Yu's words; still others locked themselves in their rooms, praying silently for a miracle to happen.

As the last rays of the setting sun bathed the training ground once more, Ning Yu arrived as promised. His face was paler than yesterday, and his steps were somewhat unsteady, but his eyes were exceptionally firm, as unwavering as a rock.

The team members arrived at the training ground one after another. They looked at Ning Yu with complex emotions—expectation, fear, and a hint of barely perceptible doubt. In the end, except for a few who chose to leave, most of the team members stayed. They chose to believe in Ning Yu, the man who had led them out of their confusion and given them hope.

"Very good." Ning Yu looked around at everyone, a relieved smile on his lips. "You have made your own choices, and I believe you will not regret them."

After speaking, Ning Yu no longer hesitated and led everyone to a hidden cave deep within the base. At the entrance of the cave, an ancient and mysterious stone door stood quietly, exuding an aura of vicissitudes, as if connecting to another time and space.

"This is the entrance to the ancient ruins." Ning Yu pointed to the stone gate and said in a deep voice, "I will open the stone gate in a moment and guide you into the ruins. Remember, the power inside is very strong, but it is also full of danger. You must be careful and act according to your abilities."

The team members nodded and walked solemnly through the stone gate. As the last team member entered, Ning Yu also stepped through the stone gate.

The scene before them suddenly changed; the narrow cave vanished, replaced by a vast, boundless space. In the center of this space stood an ancient altar, its surface carved with mysterious runes and radiating a dazzling light.

"This is the power of ancient civilizations..." a team member murmured to himself, his eyes filled with awe and longing.

Ning Yu remained silent. He closed his eyes, his hands forming a strange hand seal. An invisible force surged from his body, slowly flowing into the altar. As the force was injected, the runes on the altar began to flicker, and powerful energy fluctuations spread out, filling the entire space.

"Concentrate your mind and feel the power!" Ning Yu shouted, his voice echoing through the space.

The team members dared not slack off, and they all sat cross-legged, closed their eyes and concentrated, trying to feel that powerful energy.

Time ticked by, and the team members' faces gradually flushed, large beads of sweat rolling down their foreheads. Ning Yu, however, grew increasingly pale, and his body began to tremble slightly. To maintain the stability of the altar, he had to continuously channel his supernatural power, a tremendous burden for him.

"Team... Captain..." A team member couldn't help but open his eyes, looking at Ning Yu with a tone full of worry, "Are you... are you alright?"

"I'm fine, I'll focus on my cultivation!" Ning Yu said through gritted teeth, his voice tinged with pain.

"But..." The team member wanted to say something, but was pulled back by the person next to him.

"Don't disturb the captain!" the man hissed. "The captain is doing all this for us; we can't let him down!"

Upon hearing this, the team member had no choice but to shut his mouth and continue his cultivation. However, he was filled with unease, because he clearly saw that a trace of blood had seeped from the corner of Ning Yu's mouth...

"Just a little longer...it'll be almost there..." Ning Yu said silently to himself, but the next second, everything went black before his eyes, his body swayed twice, and he almost fell to the ground.

"team leader!"

"Captain!" the team members exclaimed, jumping up and surrounding Ning Yu. His face was deathly pale, his lips bloodless, and large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, soaking his clothes.

"I'm fine..." Ning Yu tried to stand up, supporting himself on the edge of the altar, but he slumped back down, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

"Captain, you're already like this, don't push yourself!"

"Yes, Captain, we're stopping our training. You should stop now!"

The team members offered their advice in a flurry of voices, their tone filled with worry. However, some expressed their dissatisfaction.

"Cultivation is never without hardship. If you can't even endure a little hardship, how can you talk about becoming stronger!"

"That's right, the captain became like this because of us. Instead of seizing the time to cultivate, how can you face the captain?"

Hearing these questions, the team members who had previously tried to persuade Ning Yu were speechless and could only lower their heads and grit their teeth to persevere.

"Stop arguing!" Ning Yu suddenly opened his eyes and shouted sternly, "This is an ancient ruin, a rare opportunity, so all of you should seize the time to cultivate!"

The team members were startled by Ning Yu's tone and shut their mouths, not daring to say anything more. They could only endure the dual pressure on their bodies and minds and continue their cultivation.

Time passed second by second, and the light on the altar grew brighter and brighter. Powerful energy waves surged towards the team members like a tide, washing over their bodies and transforming their potential.

Finally, one team member broke through the bottleneck, unleashing a powerful aura that forced those around him to retreat. Then came the second, the third… more and more team members broke through their limits, gaining immense power.

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