As night deepened, the two drifted off to sleep. In their dream, they returned to that familiar world, laughing and playing with Zixin, Ziang, and Chunsheng…
The first rays of morning sunlight, like fine threads, filtered through the gaps in the towering ancient trees, dappling Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze.
The two woke up, still a little dazed. They smiled at each other and began to tidy up the campsite from the previous night, carefully erasing any possible traces.
Xu Yuehuai gently wrapped the leftover roasted meat from last night in leaves, then carefully wrapped it in her outer robe, and handed it to Qi Guze who was standing next to her.
Qi Guze took the package and carried it steadily on his back. His movements were both powerful and skillful, as if demonstrating a silent understanding.
The two embarked on a new journey to find their lost relatives.
However, as they ventured deeper into this unknown territory, the surrounding scenery gradually became increasingly bizarre.
The once tranquil forest was now occasionally disturbed by the low growls of ferocious beasts. These sounds were deep and terrifying, sending chills down one's spine.
Suddenly, a huge beast burst out of the bushes, its eyes gleaming with ferocity and its fangs bared, clearly indicating that it was up to no good.
Upon seeing this, Xu Yuehuai quickly drew the dagger from his waist, gripped it tightly in his hand, and prepared to fight back.
Qi Guze drew the long sword from his back, its blade gleaming coldly in the sunlight, his eyes resolute and calm.
“I’ve never seen these beasts before. They seem to be a mutated species,” Xu Yuehuai said as she observed the beast’s movements.
Its limbs were thick and strong, and its fur was covered with strange patterns, clearly indicating that it was not an ordinary wild animal.
“Yes, I’ve never seen such a beast before.” Qi Guze swung his sword at the beast while replying, “Perhaps this area is somewhat different. After all, at the bottom of such a deep cliff, they often don’t see the light, so it’s normal for them to undergo some mutations.”
The two worked together seamlessly and quickly killed the beast.
However, as they ventured deeper, they encountered more and more ferocious beasts, which grew larger and more powerful.
“This place seems really unusual,” Xu Yuehuai said, panting, using her dagger for support. “Could it be that these beasts were deliberately raised and kept like this?”
Qi Guze frowned, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Are you saying that these ferocious beasts might have been deliberately created by someone?"
“Hmm,” Xu Yuehua nodded, “It’s also possible that these ferocious beasts were created here to guard against outsiders and prevent them from going inside.”
A hint of surprise flashed in Qi Guze's eyes. He said in a deep voice, "If that's the case, there might be something unusual here. And the bottom of this cliff borders the Wuling Kingdom. Could it be people from the Wuling Kingdom?"
Xu Yuehuai shook her head and said, "It's not impossible that it's someone from our Great Zhou. After all, this land was once the border between our two countries, and the struggle between our two countries for resources has never stopped. Perhaps, someone is conducting some kind of shady experiment here."
The two exchanged a glance and instantly made a tacit decision. Whether fate had brought them to this place, or someone had deliberately lured them here...
But regardless, under these circumstances, they must continue onward and uncover the secrets of this land.
As they had predicted, the journey ahead became increasingly treacherous.
They seemed to have stepped into a forbidden land forgotten by time, each step like walking on a knife's edge, a slight misstep would plunge them into an abyss of no return.
After a fierce battle with countless ferocious beasts, they finally found the entrance to a cave.
Inside the cave, the air was filled with an indescribable stench, pungent and nauseating. They had to cover their mouths and noses tightly to avoid being overwhelmed by the foul odor.
They moved forward cautiously, each step filled with vigilance. Yet, even so, they continued to trigger the hidden mechanisms lurking in the shadows.
The ground suddenly collapsed, revealing a bottomless abyss of darkness; the walls instantly cracked, unleashing deadly poisoned arrows. Each incident terrified them, but it also strengthened their resolve to uncover the truth.
Finally, after countless life-or-death trials, they arrived at a spacious area.
This place is completely different from the caves we've seen before. The walls are as smooth as jade, the floor is covered with a thick carpet, and a huge stone table is placed in the center.
The stone table was covered with strange runes, as if it contained some kind of mysterious power, which made people feel awe involuntarily.
Suddenly, the runes on the stone table began to flash, emitting a dazzling light. The two were startled and quickly took a few steps back.
Then they saw the runes begin to move slowly, eventually forming a huge magic circle.
At the center of the magic circle, a transparent sphere of light slowly rose. Within the sphere, a blurry figure appeared and disappeared.
It was a woman dressed in ancient clothing, with a sorrowful smile on her face, as if she were telling a story of a forgotten history.
Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze were both stunned. They couldn't believe what they were seeing. It was like a scene from a myth or legend.
However, they knew it was all true.
The woman spoke, her voice gentle and melodious: "Welcome here, my children. I am the guardian of this magic circle and the witness to this secret."
Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze both held their breath and listened quietly to the woman's story.
It turns out that thousands of years ago, this continent did indeed experience a war of life and death.
At that time, nobles killed each other in the struggle for resources, and the entire continent was shrouded in the shadow of war.
Just then, a group of people with special abilities appeared.
They used their power to summon a powerful race to help one of the noble factions achieve victory.
However, this race was too powerful; they created many strange weapons, bringing disaster and destruction.
The entire continent was plunged into chaos and suffering, with countless lives lost!
Ultimately, the nobles, in alliance with other forces, exterminated that race.
However, they also realized that this power was too dangerous to allow it to reappear in the world.
So, they used their wisdom and strength to create this magic circle. This magic circle can lure those who are summoned to this place, and then secretly eliminate them!
This woman was one of those lured here. She is trapped here, with no way to escape.
She could originally sustain her life with her special powers, but as time went by, her powers gradually weakened, and she could no longer keep herself alive.
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