Xu Yuehuai then walked to the side, closed her eyes and concentrated, trying to communicate with the power of the red rose stone again.
This time, she was no longer in a hurry to achieve results. Instead, she slowly guided that power, letting it flow gently through her meridians and gradually merge with her own internal energy.
As time went by, Xu Yuehuai felt the power surging within her body become smoother, as if the whole world was trembling beneath her feet.
She opened her eyes, which shone with a dazzling light, a symbol of the perfect fusion of the power of the red rose stone and her own cultivation.
"Is everything ready?" she asked the leader.
"The food and weapons are all ready." The leader clutched the stone bearing Acai's mark tightly in his hand, as if it were their only guide.
He turned to Afu and the other tribesmen and said, "You stay here and take good care of our unconscious brothers. We will definitely come back with good news."
Although Afu and the others were filled with worry, they knew this was the best arrangement for the time being. They nodded and watched their leader and Xu Yuehuai leave together.
The journey was long and fraught with danger, but Xu Yuehuai and the leader's will was as firm as a rock, and their strength was extraordinary. Every step they took flattened thorns and overcame numerous obstacles.
Deep in the dense forest, dappled sunlight dappled through the trees, and they moved about as if on flat ground; atop the high mountain, amidst wind and snow, they supported each other and proceeded cautiously.
Finally, on a bright, early morning, the legendary Heavenly Lake appeared before them like a dream.
Tianchi Lake lies serenely nestled in the embrace of mountains, surrounded by swirling clouds and mist, resembling a delicate ink painting, breathtakingly beautiful.
However, beneath this beauty lurks an unknown crisis.
Xu Yuehuai and the leader slowly approached the Heavenly Pool. Suddenly, strange ripples appeared in the center of the pool, and an unprecedented power surged out from it, making their hearts jump into their throats.
In the center of the Heavenly Lake, a huge vortex quietly formed, slowly rotating as if it were a gateway to another world, attracting everything around it with an irresistible force.
"Is this... the truth behind the disappearance of those innocent women?" Xu Yuehuai seemed to glimpse the phantom images of some of the women within.
The leader clenched his fist, veins bulging on his forehead. "I will enter this vortex, find them, and bring them home!"
"We'll go in together, through thick and thin."
The power of the red rose stone within Xu Yuehuai's body also sensed her determination and began to stir.
The leader nodded, and the two stood side by side, resolutely leaping into that unknown vortex.
Inside the vortex, they seemed to be in endless chaos, with the sky and earth spinning wildly around them, and the boundaries of time and space becoming blurred.
Every passing second was accompanied by intense dizziness, making them almost lose themselves in this endless vortex.
When the first rays of light pierced the darkness and shone on their faces again, they were astonished to find themselves in a completely different space.
This space is tightly surrounded by crystal-clear ice walls, the surface of which emits a faint blue light, like the brightest star in the night sky, yet it also carries an undeniable chill.
In this icy world, they were astonished to discover that the missing women were imprisoned in a water dungeon by mysterious lights. Their bodies were exposed, and their skin was covered with complex and eerie runes that shimmered with an ominous light.
A fierce rage instantly ignited in Xu Yuehuai's eyes, and her voice trembled with anger: "How dare they use these innocent women as sacrifices for the formation! It's utterly insane and deserves to die!" Her hands clenched into fists, her nails digging deep into her palms, yet she felt no pain whatsoever.
Just then, a gust of cold wind swept by, and a figure draped in a black robe quietly appeared in their sight.
The man wore a silver mask that gleamed coldly, and he was scrutinizing them with a chilling gaze.
He spoke, his voice slightly hoarse, with a hint of barely perceptible amusement: "You've finally arrived, much faster than I expected!"
Xu Yuehuai's eyes widened in anger as she stared directly at the man in black robes. "It was you! You're the one who kidnapped these innocent women? Was your purpose to lure me here?"
The man in black robes chuckled softly, his laughter tinged with amusement and disdain: "Purpose? Naturally, it's to pursue supreme power—the power of the Crimson Rose Stone. However, what I didn't expect was to actually meet the Holy Maiden here. This is truly an unexpected surprise."
Upon hearing the words "Holy Maiden," a hint of vigilance and wariness flashed in Xu Yuehuai's eyes.
She was well aware of her special status and understood the deeper meaning behind the man in black's words.
"Whatever your purpose is, I will never let you succeed!"
The man in black robes didn't seem to take her threat to heart. He simply shook his head and smiled faintly, "That depends on whether you have the ability to do it."
As soon as he finished speaking, he waved his hand lightly, and the entire space immediately trembled violently.
The once static runes seemed to come alive, flashing with black light blades, transforming into sharp attacks that hurtled towards Xu Yuehuai and the leader.
The power originating from the red rose stone within Xu Yuehuai's body erupted instantly, enveloping her entire body in red light. She moved freely through the space, nimbly dodging attacks and protecting the leader from time to time.
She is like a phoenix soaring in the night sky, displaying breathtaking strength and grace.
The leader gripped his long sword tightly and, as Xu Yuehuai shielded him, rushed through the gap to the side, weaving between the black-robed man and the light sword, and slashed at the black-robed man!
The attacks and defenses between Xu Yuehuai and the leader were perfectly timed, catching the man in black robes completely off guard.
However, a strange smile suddenly appeared in the black-robed man's eyes.
The power of the red rose stone within Xu Yuehuai's body suddenly trembled. Startled, she quickly looked towards the direction of the water prison.
Suddenly, the runes on the women's bodies began to glow, and a black vortex gradually expanded in the center of the water prison.
"Leader! Let's go!" Xu Yuehuai shouted.
But the vortex seemed to possess boundless power, and in an instant, it rushed towards them.
When they opened their eyes again, they were back on the shore of Tianchi Lake.
However, the Heavenly Pool in front of them had vanished without a trace, replaced by a bottomless, enormous fissure.
A chilling aura emanated from the crack, as if it connected to another unknown world.
"What on earth is going on?" The leader was somewhat bewildered, exchanging bewildered glances with Xu Yuehuai.
But they are the hope of the tribe, the only salvation for those missing women, and no matter what, we must remain calm.
"The water prison might still be inside the crack. We have to find a way back. We absolutely cannot give up!" Xu Yuehuai said in a deep voice.
The leader agreed, "Yes! We must rescue them!"
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