Xu Yuehuai stepped forward and gently supported Bai Yu, who seemed to be struggling due to the continuous battles, and prepared to walk around the giant octopus that was controlled by iron chains.
Suddenly, a metallic cracking sound rang out, and both of their gazes fell simultaneously on the giant octopus bound by ancient iron chains.
"Did the person who set up this mechanism never expect it to last this long? It's been in disrepair for years!" Xu Yuehuai's words carried a hint of self-deprecation.
The sound of the chains snapping suddenly shattered the peaceful situation, like a cruel joke of fate.
Bai Yu quickly regained his senses, his eyes becoming unusually firm. He pointed to a faint light in the northwest corner: "There's an exit over there, let's go!" He pushed Xu Yuehuai hard, trying to get her to escape this dangerous place first.
Xu Yuehuai stood still, then turned around and said, "You've held off the octopus for so long, you should leave. I'll hold it off."
Having said that, she rushed forward without hesitation, brandishing her longsword, and began to fight the octopus that had broken free of its restraints.
Bai Yu paused for a moment, looked at Xu Yuehuai's imposing aura of "one man guarding the pass, ten thousand cannot pass", laughed, picked up his weapon and returned to Xu Yuehuai's side.
The two drew dazzling arcs in the cave, cooperating very smoothly.
But the octopus suddenly went berserk, and with a casual swing of its claws, it could sweep up a large amount of rubble to use as projectiles to attack them.
At first, the two of them were able to evade, but gradually, they were surrounded and forced to defend themselves back to back, with no way to fight back.
However, if one remains in this situation for too long, let alone survive, one might not even be able to keep a whole body intact.
Xu Yuehuai has been observing the situation, hoping to find a loophole to reverse the current predicament.
"Splash!"
But then an unexpected event occurred. At this critical moment of life and death, a strange sound of seawater came from afar!
The voice seemed to carry an indescribable majesty, instantly causing the originally ferocious octopus to panic. It hastily retreated and shrank into the crevice of the rock, leaving behind only a messy battlefield and two people panting heavily.
"If there really is seawater, why are octopuses so afraid? There's probably something terrifying in that water!" Xu Yuehuai immediately increased vigilance and searched for possible refuge.
A short while later, they also hid in a crevice.
Then, they quietly watched how things would unfold.
As the sea level slowly rose, some strange creatures appeared in the water.
Bai Yu quickly transmitted his voice to Xu Yuehuai, "These are poisonous jellyfish! They came with the seawater, so there must be an underground river here connected to the ocean."
Xu Yuehuai replied telepathically, "It seems this place is much more complex than we imagined. There are ancient mechanisms and underground rivers connected to the ocean. We are sure to make a great discovery here." She looked up at the approaching seawater, her heart filled with an unprecedented sense of urgency.
The seawater rose rapidly, carrying coldness and the unknown. Glowing, poisonous jellyfish swam in the water, their tentacles occasionally touching the poisonous insects floating on the surface, turning all the threats that had once been hidden in the shadows into corpses.
The densely packed corpses emitted a foul stench and almost covered the entire surface of the water, creating a terrifying and chilling scene.
Seeing this, Bai Yu didn't hesitate to stand in front of Xu Yuehuai, forming a defensive line with his body to prevent anything disgusting from getting close to her. His actions were domineering yet gentle, and his eyes were full of concern and protection for Xu Yuehuai.
"We must find a higher place or a more secluded crevice as soon as possible, because we don't know how high the sea level will rise," Xu Yuehuai said as she searched for possible ways out.
As the seawater pressed closer, the two finally found a relatively secluded and slightly elevated crevice. They quickly crawled inside, barely avoiding the surging water. Although the crevice was narrow, it became their only refuge at that moment.
Xu Yuehuai leaned against the stone wall, still catching her breath, while the seawater rose faster and faster.
The seawater relentlessly pounded against the edges of the rock crevices, each impact like the booming of war drums, deeply shaking the hearts of Xu Yuehuai and Bai Yu.
Although Xu Yuehuai's gaze was calm, she still felt a little apprehensive. She knew that the tranquility before her was merely the calm before the storm, and a more severe challenge was silently waiting for them.
"Bai Yu, we must find a higher refuge as soon as possible, or, more importantly, find the legendary Demon-Trapping Mirror directly." Every word Xu Yuehuai spoke seemed to carry a weighty determination.
Bai Yu agreed, "That's right. The Demon-Trapping Mirror is not only our target, but also our only hope. The surging seawater must mean something unusual is happening, and we must race against time."
There was no light to illuminate them; only the faint light filtering through the cracks in the rocks allowed them to barely see the path. They moved their bodies little by little through the narrow, winding crevices.
The crevice was sometimes so narrow that only one person could pass sideways, and at other times it opened up, revealing strange and unpredictable caves.
They carefully avoided every possible trap while remaining wary of the strange little creatures in the sea.
After searching for more than an hour, they finally arrived at a relatively spacious stone chamber.
In the center of the stone chamber, a clear spring flows quietly, forming a stark contrast with the surging sea outside, creating a tranquil scene reminiscent of a secluded paradise.
Within the spring, a strange light flickered, drawing them closer.
"That is—" Xu Yuehuai pointed to the center of the spring, her voice trembling slightly with excitement. Her gaze was fixed on that ray of light, and she felt an overwhelming surge of excitement and anticipation.
Bai Yu followed her finger and saw an ancient bronze mirror floating in the center of the spring. The mirror's surface shimmered with a faint light, exactly like the Demon-Trapping Mirror described in ancient texts.
"The Demon-Trapping Mirror!" the two exclaimed in unison, their eyes brightening simultaneously.
They approached the spring cautiously, afraid of disturbing its tranquility and mystery.
Xu Yuehuai slowly reached out her hand, her fingertips gently touching the edge of the bronze mirror. In an instant, a warm and powerful force surged into her body, giving her an unprecedented sense of peace and strength.
"Is this the power of the Demon-Trapping Mirror?" She was a little incredulous that she had found the Demon-Trapping Mirror so easily.
Seeing this, Bai Yu also reached out and grasped the handle of the bronze mirror together with Xu Yuehuai. As they touched it, the light on the bronze mirror suddenly intensified, illuminating the entire stone chamber as brightly as day.
A powerful energy fluctuation emanated from the bronze mirror, creating a strong resonance with the surrounding environment.
"We found it! We finally found it!" Bai Yu shouted excitedly. His voice echoed in the stone chamber, as if even the roar of the sea outside was diminished.
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