Before he could finish speaking, Li Xi suddenly exclaimed, "Look! There's a change on the lake!"
Everyone's attention refocused on the lake surface, where the originally slight ripples gradually gathered into concentric circles. At the center of the circles, there seemed to be an invisible force surging, causing the lake water to slowly rotate.
As the rotation accelerated, a clear pattern gradually emerged in the center of the lake, and that pattern was exactly the same as a totem on the stone wall!
"That's it! This is 'Sun and Moon Shining Together, Totem Awakening'!" A look of realization flashed in Xu Shanzhang's eyes. "We must activate the corresponding totems on the stone wall at the same time to open the gate to the secret realm."
The three quickly divided the work, each responsible for activating a totem on a section of the stone wall.
Xu Shanzhang is well-versed in classical Chinese and has a thorough understanding of the meanings of the totems. Qin Xiaolin uses his keen insight to find the connections between the totems, while Li Xi operates various mechanisms.
As they touched and activated the totems on the stone wall one by one in a specific order, the entire valley seemed to tremble.
Those ancient totems seemed to come alive, emitting a faint light, intertwining to form a vast network of spiritual energy, which eventually converged on the surface of the lake.
At that very moment, the patterns on the lake surface suddenly shone brightly.
Immediately afterwards, a portal leading underground slowly opened, revealing a deep and mysterious passage.
"It's a success!"
As they ventured deeper, the surrounding scenery began to change.
The originally dark passage gradually became brighter, and a vast underground space appeared ahead.
The place is filled with all kinds of exotic flowers and plants, and the air is filled with a faint fragrance.
After a thorough exploration, a magnificent underground palace suddenly appeared before our eyes!
This palace is like a dream, constructed entirely of crystal.
The crystals shimmered with dazzling light, like countless brilliant stars gathered here, exuding a captivating charm, their beauty simply breathtaking.
In the very center of this magnificent palace, an ancient altar, weathered by the passage of time, stands silently.
On the altar, there was a gem that emitted a soft blue light.
The gemstone shone like the brightest star in the night sky, or a pearl in the deep sea.
It seems to be the core of the entire space, like a beating heart, constantly radiating powerful and mysterious energy.
These energies flow like gentle streams through every corner of the palace, nourishing everything here and maintaining the vibrant life and boundless vitality of this secret realm.
Qin Xiaolin stared wide-eyed at the incredible sight before him, his mouth slightly agape as he murmured to himself, "It's truly... unbelievable! I never imagined such a magical place existed in the world!"
He was deeply shocked by the scene before him.
However, in stark contrast to Qin Xiaolin, Li Xi and Xu Shanzhang, who were standing to the side, appeared unusually calm.
The two of them merely glanced at the astonishing sight, their faces showing little surprise.
For them, who came from the demon realm, such strange sights were nothing out of the ordinary.
Soon, they placed all the rare and precious stones they had brought around the altar.
These rare and precious stones, reflected in the sapphires, made the entire altar seem to be enveloped in a light, flowing mist, adding to its otherworldly aura.
Qin Xiaolin stared in disbelief. He slowly approached, reaching out to touch the light, but stopped mid-air, afraid of disturbing this rare tranquility and harmony.
"What...what kind of stones are these? Why do they have such wondrous power?" Qin Xiaolin finally couldn't contain his curiosity and turned to ask Li Xi and Headmaster Xu.
"It's nothing but a mirage, the magic of sapphire."
Master Xu smiled slightly and added, "These stones each have their own history and are all rare treasures of the world. Alright, it's getting late, you may sit down by the altar."
Following Xu Shanzhang's instructions, the two accompanied Li Xi to the altar.
They sat cross-legged, and as soon as they were settled, they immediately felt a warm and mysterious energy slowly flowing out from the rare and precious stones placed around them.
This energy, as if it possessed a life of its own, gently permeated their bodies, bringing an indescribable sense of peace and tranquility wherever it passed.
At that moment, as if they had been subjected to some kind of magical spell, their eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and their consciousness gradually blurred.
Before long, they drifted off to sleep...
Chi Yan, who had been observing silently from the sidelines, immediately began preparing to replace the inner cores of the two after seeing that they had successfully entered the dream world.
His face was solemn, and his hands quickly formed a series of intricate hand seals while he chanted a string of obscure incantations in a low voice.
As he moved and chanted incantations, runes of strange light and intricate shapes appeared one by one in front of him, like fireworks blooming in the night sky.
What Qin Xiaolin didn't know was that the stones in this hall were all top-grade spirit stones.
It was precisely because of these numerous top-grade spirit stones as support and energy supply that Chi Yan was able to unleash his incredibly powerful spells without any scruples.
As he began chanting the incantation, the surrounding air seemed to ignite, and a scorching heat quickly spread.
As he continuously formed hand seals, dazzling flames erupted from his body, like fire dragons swirling and dancing in the air.
It's a pity Li Xi drugged him; even with spirit stones, Chi Yan couldn't break free of the restraints...
Now he can only obediently help her complete the pill-changing process.
To force out Qin Xiaolin's inner core, it is necessary to first guide the spiritual energy in his body to its limit using special techniques, and then use external force to catalyze it, so that his inner core can loosen.
However, how could the dragon's inner core be easily extracted? It was not only the source of power but also the core of the dragon's life. But now that things had come to this, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and proceed.
He took a deep breath, quickly formed hand seals, and chanted incantations.
Li Xi, who had been imprisoned in a dream by another version of herself, sensed Qin Xiaolin's presence. Her heart trembled violently; the familiar yet distant energy was like a call from across time, gradually bringing her back to a sliver of clarity from her chaotic dream.
Her consciousness struggled in the endless darkness, trying to break free from the cage woven by illusion, but all to no avail.
"Lingxi, Lingxi..." The call from afar pierced through the thick fog.
Li Xi's heart was shaken by the call, and a long-lost sense of familiarity welled up in her heart.
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