Everyone agreed with Xu Yuehuai's plan, and soon they split up and got to work.
In the blink of an eye, several days slipped by like quicksand. Lu Li and Xiao Rui slowly returned in the morning light, carrying heavy prey on their shoulders and clear water in their hands. This was the hope of survival they had obtained by risking their lives to fight against ferocious beasts countless times.
“This is enough. You can all get some rest.” Xu Yuehuai stood at the entrance of the cave, her eyes filled with gratitude and heartache. She gently took the prey with both hands, as if she were taking the weight of the entire team.
Lu Li patted his chest: "Master, I'm not tired. As long as everyone is safe, I'm willing to do anything."
Xiao Rui followed up, saying, "Yes, I can hunt even more ferocious beasts. We need to plan for the future."
Xu Yuehuai looked at them, filled with great anticipation for their future lives.
The Ghost Doctor never stopped; he immersed himself day and night in ancient texts and array diagrams, trying to find a clue to break through the barrier at the edge of the region.
Xu Yuehuai would occasionally bring him warm meals and then quietly watch him work. Although they didn't talk much, their interactions were full of unspoken understanding and support.
"This formation is too ancient, as if it contains the mysteries of heaven and earth, making it particularly difficult to unravel," said the Ghost Doctor.
Xu Yuehuai watched the Ghost Doctor's focused back and wanted to help, but she knew nothing about formations, so she could only leave him alone.
Normally, Xu Yuehuai, Bei Ye, and Bai Yu take turns keeping watch at night, remaining extremely vigilant at the slightest disturbance. They are the guardians of this team, and no matter the risks, they must ensure everyone's safety.
"You've all done very well, we need to keep up the good work." Qi Guze's voice broke the silence of the night as he walked into the crowd, encouraging everyone.
His arrival seemed to inject an invisible force into this small team, and everyone was invigorated.
Despite their best efforts, the barrier formed by ancient runes remained unbreakable, trapping them firmly in this unknown land.
The roars of ferocious beasts outside the cave rose and fell, seemingly tireless, constantly reminding them of the hardships of survival.
"Aze, do you think we'll be stuck here forever?" Xu Yuehuai's gaze was fixed on the distance, the direction of home, where her loved ones, whom she missed day and night, were.
Qi Guze held her hand tightly. "Even if we can never get out, I will always be with you. We are family. No matter where we are, we will support each other and face everything together."
Xu Yuehuai's eyes welled up with tears. She nodded vigorously, burying this deep affection deep in her heart. But then, a touch of sadness crept onto her brow: "It's just a pity that I won't be able to see the children for a long time." These words were as light as a sigh, yet as heavy as a broken heart.
Qi Guze hugged her tenderly, saying, "You still have me."
But it was precisely in this abyss of despair and hardship that fate quietly opened a new door to hope for them.
One day, the Ghost Doctor inadvertently discovered a set of runes on a mottled stone wall, with a faint glow flowing around them, as if they contained some profound and unknown secret.
He silently recited the ancient incantation, trying to unravel the mystery, and in the next instant, a strange transformation indeed occurred.
"Come here, all of you!" The Ghost Doctor called out to his companions, unable to contain his excitement.
Upon hearing the sound, Xu Yuehuai and the others quickly gathered around, their eyes focused on the strange stone wall.
Holding a torch, Xu Yuehuai saw a winding passage ahead.
"This place might be the clue that leads us home," Qi Guze said with a hint of barely perceptible expectation.
"Follow me!" Xu Yuehuai was fearless and went in first.
No one was afraid, and they all followed behind Xu Yuehuai.
Along the way, they were pleasantly surprised to find many ancient carvings depicting long-lost myths and strange creatures, which aroused their curiosity and longing for the history and culture of this place.
They arrived at a huge underground palace, where the patterns on the palace gates echoed the runes on the cave walls.
"Could this be the ruins of some ancient civilization?" Bei Ye's eyes widened.
Xu Yuehuai calmly said, "We may have inadvertently uncovered a secret that has been sealed for thousands of years."
The group pushed open the palace gates and walked in together. Inside, the palace was spacious and bright, with all sorts of strange artifacts and ancient books arranged in an orderly fashion. What was even more eye-catching were the dazzling treasure chests and jewels scattered throughout the palace, which emitted an alluring light and whispered ancient secrets and legends.
"So many treasures are hidden here!" Lu Li exclaimed in amazement, a look of greed flashing in his eyes.
However, Xu Yuehuai quickly stopped him: "Never forget our original intention. These treasures may be tempting, but they are insignificant compared to the freedom we yearn for."
Beside him, Bai Yu said in surprise, "Look, this ancient book seems a bit strange."
The crowd gathered around and saw that the ancient book was no different from anything else.
With extreme caution, the Ghost Doctor slowly opened the ancient book and discovered that it contained profound secrets about the underground palace and the entire ancient civilization behind it, recorded in ancient script.
More importantly, the book also clearly indicates the route to leave this place.
"This underground palace is actually an ancient burial complex, and those ferocious beasts are actually spirit beasts guarding this sacred place," the Ghost Doctor translated for everyone. "To leave here, we must solve the final mystery of the burial complex."
The ancient books led them through a series of intricate tomb passages until they arrived at a hidden burial chamber forgotten by time.
Inside the tomb chamber, it was cold and silent, with only an ancient and weathered statue in the center.
The Ghost Doctor gently stroked a seemingly inconspicuous stone slab next to the ancient statue. "There is a hidden mechanism here, which requires the strength of four people to open."
Xu Yuehuai: "I'll do it."
Qi Guze, Bei Ye, and Bai Yu also walked over. Together with Xu Yuehuai, the four of them slowly approached the ancient statue, each finding the button on the mechanism and pressing it simultaneously.
At that moment, as everyone held their breath, a surging torrent of water, like a long-imprisoned beast, suddenly gushed out from the ground, instantly flooding the entire tomb chamber.
"What?!" Xu Yuehuai exclaimed in surprise, her face changing drastically as the surroundings were now a vast expanse of water.
Qi Guze pushed aside the floating debris around him to prevent Xu Yuehuai from getting hurt, saying, "The method described in the ancient book might be a trap!"
Bei Ye and Bai Yu quickly gathered around Xu Yuehuai, the four of them back to back, in case of any unforeseen circumstances.
"If there are no problems with the ancient books, are we also experiencing what we are going through now recorded?"
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