He walked confidently to the huge, heavy stone door and skillfully reached out to feel for a hidden mechanism on it.
With a soft "click," the stone door slowly opened, as if a long-dormant beast had been awakened.
Li Xi followed closely behind, curiously observing this mysterious place.
They walked along a narrow, dimly lit passageway, the stone slabs beneath their feet slightly damp and exuding an old, worn smell.
After walking for an unknown amount of time, we finally arrived at an incredibly spacious stone chamber.
The walls of this stone chamber are covered with ancient and mysterious patterns and symbols, which inspire endless imagination.
On one side of the stone chamber, there was a pool of crystal-clear water.
The water was as still as a mirror. When a gentle breeze blew, ripples appeared on the surface, reflecting the changing light and shadow on the surrounding stone walls.
Li Xi approached the pool, squatted down, and gently touched the water with her fingers, feeling its coolness and tranquility.
Looking up, she was surprised to find a huge hole above her, through which she could clearly see the azure sky, as blue as a jewel.
Warm sunlight streamed down from the cave, illuminating the entire stone chamber and instantly transforming the previously somewhat gloomy atmosphere into a bright and cozy one.
In the very center of the stone chamber, there was an ancient stone table. On it were many strange stones.
Headmaster Xu took out a formation diagram and went forward to compare it with the diagram, fiddling with the stones.
Li Xi wandered around the stone chamber, her gaze drawn to the mottled murals on the walls.
The murals depict ancient legends and myths, with lifelike figures and animals.
I don't know how much time passed, but it was already dark, and the moonlight shone through the stone cave onto the surface of the pool.
The water surface was dappled with silvery reflections, a stark contrast to the sunlight, adding a touch of mystery and tranquility.
At this point, Master Xu had finally arranged all the stones into a formation.
Moonlight shone on the array, and the strange stones seemed to come alive, beginning to glow faintly, emitting a soft and mysterious light that echoed the murals inside the stone chamber.
"It's done!" Headmaster Xu exclaimed softly, a satisfied smile on his face.
As the light grew brighter, the floor of the stone chamber began to tremble, and the surrounding stones seemed to be drawn by some force, falling down one after another.
"Let's leave here first. It seems that the spiritual vein is located beneath this stone chamber."
As soon as they stepped out of the stone chamber, a deafening roar came from behind them, followed by billowing dust rising into the sky.
The surrounding mountains were also struck by a powerful earthquake, causing boulders to roll down and trees to fall.
Then came an even more violent tremor, as if the entire earth was shaking, and there seemed to be faint thunder rumbling in the sky.
The two quickened their pace, weaving through the dense forest, with collapsing rocks and raging winds behind them.
After running for an unknown amount of time, when the first rays of dawn pierced through the clouds and shone upon them, the two finally stopped and leaned against a thick, sturdy tree, panting heavily.
As far as the eye can see, the once majestic and lush mountains have been completely transformed.
The billowing dust rose into the air like a surging wave, obscuring the sky and making it almost impossible to see what was ahead.
The once solid and stable mountain is now a jumble of rocks and boulders, as if it had been kneaded by an invisible giant hand, appearing dilapidated and broken.
The scene was so eerie, it was as if the entire mountain range had just experienced an apocalyptic catastrophe.
"I never expected the power of this spiritual vein to be so strong." Headmaster Xu couldn't help but exclaim in sincere admiration.
His eyes widened as he stared intently at the scene of devastation before him, his gaze filled not only with shock but also with barely concealed excitement.
After the earthquake stopped, the ground, which had been shaking violently, gradually returned to calm, but unsettling dust and debris still lingered in the air.
Amidst this chaos, above the collapsed stone chamber, a faint yet exceptionally bright light appeared.
"Look, that's..." Headmaster Xu's eyes widened, his finger trembling slightly as he pointed to the source of the light, his voice trembling with extreme excitement.
Li Xi looked in the direction he pointed and saw that although the light was faint, its brightness was enough to penetrate the thick dust.
However, what was strange was that although the earthquake had stopped, the spiritual veins did not continue to expand as they had expected.
"Lingxi, take that bronze sword, use your inner strength to drive it, and then forcefully insert it into the light!" Master Xu suddenly shouted.
As he spoke, he quickly took out some crystal stones from the cloth bag he carried with him, then squatted down and began to fiddle with something on the ground.
At the same time, the subtle spiritual energy gently brushed across Li Xi's back like a breeze, causing the bronze sword she carried to tremble slightly, as if responding to the call of the mysterious light.
As Li Xi approached the light, she felt an unprecedented energy fluctuation, albeit a subtle one.
She took a deep breath, concentrated her energy, and continuously poured her inner strength into the bronze sword.
Driven by internal energy, the bronze sword began to emit a faint light.
When the bronze sword approached the mysterious light, a strong resonance occurred between them.
Li Xi gripped the bronze sword tightly, trying to steady herself, but the powerful resonance she felt was overwhelming.
In an instant, a dark figure appeared silently behind Li Xi like a ghost.
A flash of cold light appeared, and an extremely sharp blade pierced straight through her back, instantly piercing her chest.
With this fatal blow, crimson blood gushed out of the wound like a flood bursting its banks.
Chi Yan (Xu Shanchang) gripped the sword hilt tightly, overjoyed.
Because he saw the spraying blood flowing continuously towards the spiritual vein not far away, his long-planned scheme was about to succeed.
Thinking of this, Chi Yan couldn't help but laugh triumphantly: "Hahahaha... Lingxi, Lingxi, after all these years, you are still so foolish! It was not in vain that I went to great lengths to lure you here! When I ascend the throne of the King of All Demons, I will surely grant you a glorious funeral to comfort your spirit in heaven!"
Although they are now all mortals, she is a descendant of the ancient people in this life.
The ancient race, thousands of years ago, were the guardians of the human realm, the most talented cultivators! Their blood is a rare spiritual blood, capable of stimulating and nourishing the purest spiritual energy in the world. This blood is the key to breaking the seal and awakening the spiritual veins!
Li Xi endured the excruciating pain, her eyes wide open, filled with disbelief and anger.
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