749 The Qinling Sacred Tree (Part 2)
Lin Yu and the others peered cautiously around the ancient tree. After the eerie rustling breeze, the surroundings fell into an eerie, deathly silence. Lin Yu took a deep breath, suppressing his instinctive fear. He pondered rapidly, "This ancient tree's anomaly is no accident. Every detail could be the key to solving the mystery. These seemingly chaotic patterns might hold a secret code. Once deciphered, perhaps the secret behind them could be revealed." He once again cast his gaze upon the strange patterns on the tree, his eyes revealing determination and focus.
Ouyang Zhenghao's palms were slick with sweat, and he gripped his weapon ever tighter, his knuckles turning white from the exertion. He couldn't take his eyes off the ancient tree for a moment, as if something terrifying would suddenly leap out if he wasn't careful. He whispered to Lin Yu, his voice trembling with nervousness, "Lin Yu, this place is so eerie! I feel like something's watching us from the shadows. This rustling sound gives me the creeps, as if countless pairs of eyes are watching our every move from the darkness."
Lin Yu nodded slightly, signaling him to be quiet. He also understood that this tense atmosphere could easily cloud everyone's judgment. He needed to find a clue quickly to break this suffocating situation. He continued to study the lines intently, his eyes fixed on the trunk, slowly following one of the clearer lines, trying to reconstruct the complete pattern. His fingers gently traced the lines, feeling their undulations and directions, as if he were engaging in a conversation with this ancient tree across time and space.
At this moment, Professor Chen suddenly pointed to a pattern on the tree trunk and exclaimed in surprise: "Look, this pattern seems very similar to the sacrificial patterns we have seen in some ancient documents before." His voice seemed particularly abrupt in the silent environment, like a bolt from the blue.
Lin Yu and Ouyang Zhenghao immediately leaned over to examine it carefully. Sure enough, the pattern formed by the lines had a unique style. In the center was a humanoid symbol, surrounded by mysterious lines. These lines twisted and intertwined, as if performing some solemn and mysterious ritual. These lines seemed random, yet they seemed to follow a specific pattern, imbued with an inexplicable sense of order.
Lin Yu's heart moved, and he said, "If this is really a sacrificial pattern, then this ancient tree is likely to be related to some ancient sacrificial ritual. Perhaps, those strange phenomena are because some kind of power related to sacrifice has been touched. But what exactly is this power? Why is it connected with this ancient tree? There must be a huge secret behind this." His brows were furrowed, and his eyes revealed deep doubts. At the same time, he was full of anticipation and worry about the truth that was about to be revealed.
Ouyang Zhenghao frowned and asked in confusion: "But what is the purpose of this sacrificial ceremony? Why are there traces left on this tree? Could it be that this tree was a sacred object for sacrifice in ancient times?" His mind was full of various speculations, but each speculation was accompanied by more questions.
Lin Yu shook his head, indicating he didn't know. Just as everyone was lost in thought, a faint light suddenly began to flicker from the trunk of the ancient tree. Those strange veins seemed to illuminate, emitting a mysterious halo. The light was faint at first, like a faint star twinkling in the night sky, but it quickly grew stronger, piercing everyone's eyes. The light took on a strange color, neither red nor blue, but something in between, a hue that defied precise description, as if it didn't belong to this world.
"Oh no, everyone be careful!" Lin Yu shouted loudly, and quickly shielded his eyes with his hands, trying to see the surrounding situation clearly in the strong light. He had an ominous premonition in his heart, not knowing what terrible thing would happen next.
As the light faded slightly, everyone was astonished to discover a series of dynamic images emerging from the ancient tree. In them, a group of ancient figures dressed in bizarre attire surrounded the tree, performing a grand yet eerie sacrificial ritual. Their attire was vibrant, yet exuded a simple and mysterious aura. Embroidered with strange symbols and patterns, their garments mimicked the patterns on the ancient tree. These figures danced and chanted, their voices deep and distant, echoing through the air as if from a distant time and space. The ancient tree, in turn, continuously absorbed a mysterious energy, and the patterns on its trunk flickered and shifted, subtly echoing the figures' movements and incantations.
Ouyang Zhenghao opened his mouth in surprise, his eyes widened, and said, "This... what is going on? Is the ancient tree showing us what happened in the past? But why does it suddenly show these pictures? This is incredible!" His heart was filled with shock and fear, and the scene before him was completely beyond his cognition.
Lin Yu stared at the screen and said solemnly: "It is very likely. It seems that this ancient tree carries an unknown history. But why do these pictures suddenly appear now? There must be some connection between them. Maybe our arrival triggered a certain mechanism, or maybe this ancient tree sensed some danger and wants to convey some information to us." There was a hint of worry in his eyes, realizing that the things behind this were far more complicated than they had imagined.
As the scene progressed, everyone saw that at the climax of the sacrificial ceremony, a huge crack suddenly appeared in the sky. From the crack, an intense light emanated, like countless sharp swords, slicing through the previously tranquil sky. From this crack, a powerful force surged, like a raging torrent, rushing towards the ancient tree and pouring into it. Then, the scene abruptly stopped, the ancient tree's light gradually faded, and everything returned to calm. But the eerie atmosphere still enveloped everyone, and their hearts could not calm down for a long time.
Lin Yu fell into deep thought. He felt that the power surging from the crack in the sky might be the root cause of the strange symptoms among the archaeological team members. But what exactly was this power, and why was it connected to the ancient tree? This series of questions swirled in his mind, giving him a headache.
At this moment, a team member suddenly shouted in horror: "Oh no, Professor Chen is missing!" The voice was sharp and rapid, breaking the brief silence.
Everyone came to their senses and realized that Professor Chen had disappeared without a trace. Lin Yu's heart tightened, and an ominous premonition came over him. He shouted, "Don't panic, everyone! Split up and search! We must find Professor Chen, and at the same time, pay attention to your own safety. There may be unknown dangers lurking around here. Everyone stay alert and keep in touch at all times!"
So, everyone quickly dispersed and began searching the forest surrounding the ancient tree. As Lin Yu searched, he vigilantly observed his surroundings, secretly worried about Professor Chen's safety. Horrible thoughts kept popping up in his mind, but he forced himself to remain calm, pondering where Professor Chen might have gone. At the same time, he was filled with doubts about these increasingly bizarre events, wondering what terrifying things would happen next. This seemingly peaceful forest now seemed to be hiding countless pairs of eyes, watching their every move, waiting for the right moment to devour them...
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
