In the icy water, Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er faced the enormous python swimming towards them, daring not to relax for a moment. The currents created by the python's movements made them unsteady in the water, but there was no fear in their eyes.
Xiao Yichen was the first to react. He gave Lin Wan'er a wink, and the two swam off in different directions, trying to distract the python. The python seemed somewhat confused; its massive head swayed in the water before it turned to chase after Xiao Yichen. Its gaping maw revealed sharp fangs, each one like a dagger, gleaming coldly in the dim light emanating from the seashell.
Xiao Yichen swam nimbly in the water, using his surroundings to maneuver around the python. When the python got close, he suddenly dived downwards, circling behind a huge rock. The python's massive body couldn't turn quickly enough, and it crashed straight into the rock with a dull thud. This impact angered the python, and it frantically lashed its tail, the resulting surge of water nearly knocking Xiao Yichen unconscious.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Lin Wan'er swam up from behind the python. Her sword arced through the water as she thrust it towards the python's tail. The blade pierced the python's scales, splattering a small amount of blood, but the scales were too hard, and the sword only penetrated a small portion. Sensing the attack from behind, the python suddenly turned and lunged at Lin Wan'er. Lin Wan'er quickly retreated, her movements as light as a fish, skillfully avoiding the python's attack.
"This python is tough to deal with; we need to find a way to attack its vital points," Xiao Yichen said as he swam to Lin Wan'er's side.
“Its eyes and abdomen might be its weak points; let’s try them when we have the chance,” Lin Wan’er replied.
They separated again, swimming towards the python from different directions. Xiao Yichen deliberately attracted the python's attention, swimming quickly in front of it and adopting an attacking posture. Enraged, the python lunged at Xiao Yichen. Just as it was about to bite him, he suddenly swam upwards, and the python followed suit. At that moment, Lin Wan'er seized the opportunity and thrust her sword from below into the python's abdomen. She channeled her inner strength into the sword, and the strike successfully pierced the python's belly. Black blood gushed from the wound, spreading in the water.
The python let out a painful roar, its body writhing violently in the water. Taking advantage of the moment, Xiao Yichen thrust his sword towards the python's eye, striking its left eye precisely. A stream of black liquid spurted from the python's eye, and it struggled even more frantically. Under their combined attack, the python gradually lost its strength, its massive body slowly sinking.
“We need to get out of here quickly; the python’s blood might attract other dangers,” Xiao Yichen said.
They continued swimming along the passage, their wounds stinging in the icy water, but they had no time to tend to them. After swimming for a while, they spotted an upward passage ahead, with what seemed like flowing air within it. They swam towards the passage and finally surfaced.
Upon reaching the shore, they found themselves in a small cave. The cave walls were damp, with water droplets constantly dripping from above. The air was extremely humid and filled with a putrid stench. Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er wrung out their clothes and cautiously surveyed their surroundings.
"We should be close to Murong Xuan now, so we need to be extra careful," Xiao Yichen said.
They proceeded through the cave, its narrow passage only wide enough for one person to pass at a time. Xiao Yichen led the way, tapping the walls and floor lightly with his sword to check for any traps. After walking for a while, they came to a fork in the road. The left passage emitted a whistling sound, while the right passage offered a faint glimmer of light.
"Which way?" Lin Wan'er asked.
Xiao Yichen thought for a moment and said, "There's light on the right, which might be a clue, but it could also be a trap. The wind on the left sounds dangerous, but perhaps Murong Xuan thinks we're afraid to go that way and has deliberately set a trap. Let's check the right side first, but be careful."
They walked towards the light-filled passage on the right, which gradually widened. At the end of the passage, they saw a huge room. The room was filled with all sorts of boxes and shelves, on which were placed bottles and jars containing colorful liquids and powders. In the center of the room was a table, on which lay an open ancient book and some strange tools.
Xiao Yichen entered the room and picked up the ancient book on the table. He found that it contained information about mysterious spells and mechanical arts. One page depicted the pool with pythons they had just passed, along with some annotations that seemed to explain how to control the creatures in the pool.
“It seems this is where Murong Xuan researches traps. We need to look for clues about his next plan,” Xiao Yichen said.
Lin Wan'er searched the room. She opened a box and found it filled with gold and silver treasures. "These treasures are useless to us. Murong Xuan probably wouldn't have left such important clues here."
As they searched the room, they suddenly heard the sound of a mechanism being activated. They quickly looked around and saw small holes appearing in the walls, from which tiny needles began to shoot out. These needles were densely packed, raining down on them.
Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er quickly dodged, hiding behind tables and boxes, but there were too many needles, and some still hit them. They felt a numbness in their bodies; clearly, the needles were poisoned.
"We must find an antidote as soon as possible, otherwise..." Lin Wan'er hadn't finished speaking when she felt dizzy.
Xiao Yichen gritted his teeth, trying his best to stay awake. He quickly searched through the ancient books, hoping to find a way to detoxify. Finally, he found a record of the poison and its antidote on the last few pages of the book. The antidote required a blue powder found in the room and a special herb.
They searched the room for blue powder and herbs. In a corner, they found a bottle containing the blue powder, but the herbs were nowhere to be found. Xiao Yichen remembered seeing some herbs on a shelf when they entered the room. They searched carefully and finally found the herbs they needed.
Following the method described in the ancient texts, Xiao Yichen mixed the blue powder with herbs and applied it to their wounds. After a while, they felt the numbness in their bodies gradually lessen, and the toxins were slowly being cleared away.
"Murong Xuan is truly treacherous, setting traps at every turn," Lin Wan'er said angrily.
"We can't fall for his tricks again; we need to get out of here quickly," Xiao Yichen said.
They left the room and returned to the fork in the road. This time, they decided to take the left-hand path where they could hear the wind. A fierce wind howled through the path, making it almost impossible for them to stand. Struggling against the wind, they discovered some enormous fans spinning ahead; these fans were the source of the gale.
“We need to find a way to stop these fans,” Xiao Yichen said.
They searched the walls of the passage for the mechanism to control the fan, and after some effort, they found a button hidden under a rock. Xiao Yichen pressed the button, and the fan's speed gradually decreased until it finally stopped.
After passing through the fan-shaped area, they found themselves facing a massive stone gate. The gate was covered in intricate patterns and runes, seemingly telling an ancient story. Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er approached the gate, attempting to decipher its contents.
They discovered that some of the patterns on the stone gate were similar to the murals they had seen in the cave, all depicting a battle between good and evil. One of the patterns showed a special key, which appeared to be the key to opening the stone gate.
“We need to find this key to move forward,” Lin Wan’er said.
They searched the surrounding area for clues to the key, and in a small cave near the stone gate, they found some strange symbols carved on the cave wall. These symbols were related to the runes on the stone gate, and upon examination, they discovered that the symbols were a clue pointing to a loose rock on the right side of the stone gate.
Xiao Yichen walked to the rock, pushed it aside, and found a uniquely shaped key behind it. A blue gemstone was embedded in the key, emitting a soft glow.
"This should be the key," Xiao Yichen said.
They took the key and walked to the stone door, inserting it into a keyhole. As the key was inserted, the runes on the stone door began to glow, and the door slowly opened. A powerful current emanated from within, and they felt a mysterious force drawing them in.
They cautiously entered through the stone gate, which led to a vast circular hall. The hall had a high ceiling, from which hung enormous crystal chandeliers that emitted a soft glow that illuminated the entire space. On the floor was a large circular design, at the center of which sat a stone platform upon which rested a box radiating a black light.
“Where is this place? That box looks dangerous,” Lin Wan’er said.
“Whatever it is, we must be cautious. Murong Xuan’s conspiracy may be unfolding around this box,” Xiao Yichen replied.
They walked towards the stone platform, each step cautious and wary of potential new traps. They knew that the closer they got to Murong Xuan, the greater the danger, and they had to find the truth amidst the many conspiracies to stop Murong Xuan's evil deeds.
Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er slowly walked towards the stone platform, their gazes fixed on the box emitting a black light. The surrounding air seemed to become heavy due to this mysterious aura. However, just a few steps away from the stone platform, the ground beneath their feet suddenly trembled slightly.
Xiao Yichen was startled and immediately realized the situation was dire. "Watch out, there's a trap!" he shouted, grabbing Lin Wan'er and trying to back away. But it was too late. Cracks began to appear in the ground around them, and black iron chains rapidly emerged from them. The chains coiled around them like serpents, moving with incredible speed, binding their hands and feet in the blink of an eye.
Lin Wan'er struggled desperately, but the chains tightened more and more, and the cold touch sent a chill down her spine. "Yi Chen, what should we do?" she asked anxiously.
Xiao Yichen tried to break the chains with his internal force, but the chains seemed to be made of a special material. His internal force only caused the chains to tremble slightly, but he couldn't break free. "Don't panic, let's see if there's any way to untie these chains," he said, his eyes searching for possible clues around him.
Just then, the crystal chandelier in the hall began to flicker, its light flashing and creating an eerie atmosphere. As the light changed, projections appeared on the walls of the hall, displaying a series of images: the tragic fate of innocent civilians who had been harmed by Murong Xuan, scenes of chaos in the martial arts world caused by Murong Xuan's evil deeds, and mysterious symbols and patterns flashing rapidly across the screen, dazzling the viewer.
“Murong Xuan is trying to disrupt our minds,” Xiao Yichen said, closing his eyes to try and block out the distractions.
Lin Wan'er followed his example and concentrated. But the impact of those images was too great, especially the suffering faces of those innocent people, which kept flashing through her mind, causing a surge of anger and sorrow in her heart.
"We can't let him succeed, we must stop him," Lin Wan'er said through gritted teeth.
Suddenly, a powerful suction force emanated from the direction of the stone platform, seemingly pulling them towards it. Bound by chains, they were powerless to resist and could only let themselves be dragged along the ground. As they approached the platform, they noticed that the circular patterns around it began to glow, the light containing a mysterious power that made them feel a sense of oppression.
As they were pulled to the edge of the stone platform, the lid of the box shimmering with black light opened automatically, and a plume of black smoke billowed out. Within the smoke, some blurry figures seemed to be struggling, accompanied by piercing screams, as if imprisoned souls were suffering.
"What kind of evil thing is in this box?" Xiao Yichen frowned, he could feel this evil power eroding their will.
As they struggled against the encroaching smoke, the chains binding them began to change. Sharp barbs appeared on the chains, gradually lengthening and piercing their skin, causing blood to flow down their sides.
"Ah!" Lin Wan'er couldn't help but cry out in pain, the stinging pain causing cold sweat to break out on her forehead.
Seeing Lin Wan'er injured, Xiao Yichen was extremely anxious. He tried again to break free of the chains using his internal energy. This time, he concentrated his energy in one place and struck a single point on the chains with all his might. Under the impact of his powerful internal energy, the chains finally loosened slightly.
"Wan'er, hold on!" Xiao Yichen shouted, continuing to exert force, trying to loosen the chains further.
Lin Wan'er gritted her teeth, enduring the pain, and tried to circulate her internal energy to fight against the chains alongside Xiao Yichen. After some effort, they finally broke free of some of the chains, regaining some freedom of movement for their hands and feet.
However, the danger around the stone platform was not yet over. The black smoke grew thicker and thicker, gradually forming a huge vortex. From within the vortex, an even stronger suction force pulled them towards its center.
"We have to get out of here!" Xiao Yichen shouted, grabbing Lin Wan'er's hand and trying to run back. But the vortex's suction was too strong, and every step they took was extremely difficult, as if countless hands were holding them back.
Just when they were in dire straits, Xiao Yichen suddenly remembered some records in the ancient book he had seen in the previous room about dealing with evil forces. It mentioned that by using one's own righteous energy and the power of the five elements in the surrounding environment, one could resist the erosion of evil to a certain extent.
He looked around and found that there were items representing the five elements in the four corners of the hall: in the east corner there was a huge water vat filled with water, representing the water element; in the west corner there was a pile of burning flames, representing the fire element; in the south corner there was a huge rock, representing the earth element; and in the north corner there was a bellows, blowing out wind continuously, representing the wind element.
"Wan'er, let's use the power of the Five Elements to fight against this evil force," Xiao Yichen said.
They trudged toward the water vat in the eastern corner, each step a struggle against the immense suction. When they finally reached the vat, Xiao Yichen dipped his hand into the water, attempting to channel the power of the water element. He circulated his inner energy, fusing the water element's power with his own, and then pushed this force toward the black vortex.
Lin Wan'er followed his example, scooping a ladle of water from the vat and channeling her inner energy into it to form a water curtain, attempting to block the vortex's suction. Under the influence of the water element's power, the vortex's suction seemed to weaken somewhat.
“Let’s go to other corners and gather the power of the five elements,” Xiao Yichen said.
They then headed towards the flames in the western corner, feeling an intense heat as they approached. Xiao Yichen carefully guided the power of the fire element, combining the flames with his inner strength, and then released it into the vortex. The flames crackled and popped within the vortex, and the black smoke began to dissipate as the flames burned.
Then, they arrived at a rock in the southern corner. Xiao Yichen placed his hand on the rock, feeling the weight and stability of the earth element. He guided the power of the earth element, merging it with his inner force, and pressed it towards the center of the vortex. The power of the earth element further slowed the vortex's rotation.
Finally, they arrived at the bellows in the northern corner. Xiao Yichen pulled the bellows, amplifying the power of the wind element. He fused the wind element with his internal energy, creating a powerful airflow that blew towards the vortex. Under the combined effect of the five elements, the vortex finally began to collapse, the black smoke gradually dissipated, and the suction disappeared.
They breathed a sigh of relief, but by this time their strength was completely exhausted, and their wounds were still bleeding. However, they knew they couldn't stay here for long; they had to leave this dangerous place as soon as possible and continue searching for Murong Xuan to stop his conspiracy.
As they untied the remaining chains and prepared to leave the hall, a low laugh suddenly echoed through the space. "You think you can leave so easily? This is just the beginning." Murong Xuan's voice came from all directions, making it impossible to pinpoint his location.
Immediately afterwards, the stone doors of the hall began to slowly close, and many small holes appeared in the surrounding walls, from which green venom began to spray out. The venom fell to the ground, making a sizzling sound and corroding the ground.
"Murong Xuan, you despicable scoundrel!" Lin Wan'er shouted angrily.
As Xiao Yichen watched the approaching venom and the closing stone door, a wave of despair washed over him. They had just escaped one predicament, only to find themselves in an even more dangerous one. They had to find another way to survive, escape this place, and continue their mission.
As Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er watched the approaching green venom and the gradually closing stone door, despair filled their hearts, but their eyes remained resolute. They knew they had to stay calm and utilize every available resource to escape their predicament.
Xiao Yichen quickly scanned his surroundings, trying to find something to block the venom. His gaze fell on the stone platform in the center of the hall and the box emitting a black light. Although the evil creature inside the box was extremely dangerous, the stone platform might serve as their temporary refuge.
"Wan'er, let's get to the stone platform first!" Xiao Yichen shouted, pulling Lin Wan'er up and running towards the platform. Their footsteps splashed venom on the ground, but fortunately they managed to leap onto the platform in time. The platform wasn't large, only big enough for the two of them to stand on, but it temporarily protected them from the venom.
However, a new problem arose. The black box on the stone platform still exuded an eerie aura, and as the venom spread around, the stone platform seemed to be affected as well, beginning to tremble slightly, as if some force was trying to destroy its structure.
“We can’t stay here any longer. We need to find a way to open the stone door or find another exit,” Lin Wan’er said, her eyes fixed on the stone door, trying to find the mechanism to open it.
Xiao Yichen stared at the black box, recalling the black smoke and evil creatures that had poured out when it was opened. He guessed that this box might be the core of the entire trap, perhaps connected in some way to the mechanism of the stone door.
“This box might be the key; we need to be careful,” Xiao Yichen said, slowly approaching the box. He carefully examined the box’s exterior and found that it was engraved with some complex patterns and symbols. These symbols were similar to those he had seen on the cave murals and stone doors, but also had some differences.
Lin Wan'er also came over and studied the box with Xiao Yichen. "These symbols look like an ancient sealing technique. Perhaps we need to break these seals to control this box and find the exit."
They began trying to decipher the symbols, and Xiao Yichen, relying on his knowledge accumulated from ancient texts, recognized the meanings of some of them. These symbols seemed to be related to the power of the Five Elements and the balance of Yin and Yang, and his experience of using the power of the Five Elements to fight the black vortex in the corner of the hall just now gave him an idea.
"Wan'er, let's try using the power of the Five Elements and the principle of Yin-Yang balance to break these seals," Xiao Yichen said.
Following the sequence indicated by the symbols, they began to guide their inner strength and the power of the Five Elements. Xiao Yichen stood in the position representing Yang, guiding the power of the Fire and Metal elements; Lin Wan'er stood in the position representing Yin, guiding the power of the Water and Wood elements. Earth, as the center of the Five Elements, was the focus of their combined inner strength, which they channeled into the stone platform to resonate with the Earth element.
As they channeled their inner energy, the symbols on the box began to shimmer, the black light gradually softening. Suddenly, several small compartments popped out of the box, each containing a gem of a different color, engraved with different runes.
“This should be the key to the next step; we need to place these gems in the correct order,” Xiao Yichen said.
They studied the symbols on the box and the runes on the compartments again, and after some deduction, they determined the order in which the gems should be placed. Xiao Yichen carefully picked up the gems and placed them into the compartments in order. When the last gem was placed in, the box emitted a strong light, which shot straight towards the stone door.
The stone gate, illuminated by the light, stopped closing, and new patterns appeared on its surface. These patterns resembled a map, guiding them towards one side of the gate.
"It seems we've found a way out," Lin Wan'er said. They jumped off the stone platform, dodging the venom, and headed towards the stone gate.
As they reached one side of the stone gate, they discovered a hidden passage. The entrance was small, allowing only one person to pass at a time. Just as they were about to enter, they suddenly heard a tremendous roar behind them. The venom had corroded most of the hall's floor and walls, causing the entire hall to collapse.
"Hurry up!" Xiao Yichen shouted. He first pushed Lin Wan'er into the passage, then quickly crawled in himself. The passage was very narrow, and they could only crawl forward. As they crawled, they discovered some sharp stones on the walls of the passage, which could easily cut them.
Lin Wan'er crawled forward with difficulty, her clothes torn by the stones, and her skin abraded. Xiao Yichen kept reminding her to be careful from behind, while also keeping an eye on the movements behind them, worried that the collapse of the hall might affect them.
After climbing for an unknown amount of time, they finally saw a glimmer of light at the end of the passage. They quickened their pace and climbed towards the light. When they emerged from the passage, they found themselves in a new cave. This cave was smaller than the previous hall, but it was filled with all sorts of strange devices and mechanisms.
On one side of the cave was a huge gear mechanism, the gears constantly turning, driving chains and levers. On the other side were some objects resembling crossbow launchers, aimed in all directions within the cave, sending chills down one's spine.
“It’s not safe here either; we need to be careful of these traps,” Xiao Yichen said.
They moved slowly along the edge of the cave, trying to find a way out. Suddenly, Lin Wan'er accidentally touched a rope hidden in the ground. The rope triggered a mechanism, and the crossbows began firing. Bolts rained down on them, and they hurriedly sought cover.
Xiao Yichen saw a huge gear nearby, and he pulled Lin Wan'er behind it. Crossbow bolts struck the gear, making a clanging sound.
“We need to find a way to stop these crossbow launchers,” Lin Wan’er said.
Xiao Yichen observed the structure of the crossbow launcher and discovered that its power seemed to come from the huge gear mechanism. If the rotation of the gears could be stopped, perhaps the crossbow launcher could be rendered inoperable.
"I'll sabotage the gear mechanism; you stay here and cover me," Xiao Yichen said.
He seized his opportunity, dashing out from behind the gears and running towards the gear mechanism. As he ran, he constantly dodged crossbow bolts. When he reached the gear mechanism, he used his lightness skill to leap onto its top. He swung his sword at the gear's vital parts, but the gear was extremely sturdy, and his sword could only leave shallow marks.
Seeing Xiao Yichen in trouble, Lin Wan'er rushed out as well. She unleashed her ultimate technique, channeling her inner strength into her sword and slashing a sword aura at the chain connecting the gears. The sword aura severed the chain, causing the gear mechanism to malfunction, its rotation gradually slowing down, and the crossbow bolt launcher to stop firing.
"Well done, Wan'er," Xiao Yichen said, and they continued searching for an exit in the cave. Deep inside the cave, they discovered an upward passage with steps and strange symbols carved on them.
They walked up the steps, and the symbols seemed to possess a mysterious power; each time they passed a symbol, they felt their bodies being scanned by a force. Halfway up, Xiao Yichen suddenly stopped.
“These symbols might be a detection mechanism; if we don’t meet its requirements, it could trigger a new trap,” Xiao Yichen said.
They carefully observed the symbols and discovered that they seemed to be related to their internal energy attributes and the skills they possessed. They tried to adjust their internal energy circulation to match the power represented by the symbols. After some effort, they finally made it across the steps and reached the top of the passage.
At the top of the passage was a wide platform with a stone bridge leading to a cave on the other side. However, the stone bridge looked precarious, and below it was a bottomless abyss, from which a sinister atmosphere emanated.
“We need to be careful crossing the bridge; it might have some problems,” Lin Wan’er said.
They cautiously stepped onto the stone bridge, which immediately creaked and groaned. Xiao Yichen walked in front, testing the bridge's sturdiness with his sword with each step. When they reached the middle of the bridge, a sudden gust of wind blew, making it almost impossible for them to stand.
Lin Wan'er slipped and nearly fell into the abyss. Xiao Yichen quickly reached out and grabbed her, pulling her back. They clung tightly to the stone bridge railing, waiting for the strong wind to pass. On this dangerous stone bridge, relying on their wit and courage, they continued towards the cave on the other side, getting one step closer to Murong Xuan's trail.
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