The three filed in and stepped into the mysterious passage.
The passage was pitch black, with only the flickering light of their torches.
They ventured deeper into the passage, where the surrounding stone walls appeared unusually cold and hard, as if guarding some secret.
After walking for a long time, the passage finally came to an end, where a huge stone gate blocked their way. The gate was carved with an intricate pattern, seemingly an ancient rune.
The man in black robes stared at the runes, his eyes gleaming with contemplation.
Xu Yuehuai and Qin'er waited anxiously for his judgment.
The man in black robes slowly spoke: "This is the password to open the stone gate." As he spoke, he began to touch the runes in a certain order.
His fingers slid gently across the stone door, each touch showing exceptional care and caution.
As the runes were activated one by one in sequence, the stone gate rumbled and slowly rose upwards.
A dazzling light burst forth from behind the door, illuminating the entire passageway. Within the light, an ancient parchment scroll could be vaguely seen—the very edict they had been searching for.
The three of them were overjoyed and wanted to go forward to retrieve the imperial edict.
However, just as they were about to touch the will, the entire passage suddenly trembled, and the stone door crashed down, separating them from the will.
At the same time, a huge burst of flames erupted from the entrance of the passage, turning the entire ancestral hall into a sea of fire.
"Oh no!" Xu Yuehuai shouted, "We're trapped!"
"Everyone, quickly think of a way to escape!"
Qin'er and the man in black robes also became worried. Struggling in the sea of fire, they were filled with endless fear. They did not want to be buried in the flames.
The surrounding air grew hotter and hotter, and the firelight reflected on their terrified faces. Qin'er and the man in black robes breathed more and more rapidly.
They instinctively covered their mouths and noses with their hands, trying to prevent the scorching air from entering their lungs.
The man in black robes was filled with despair, and his eyes revealed deep fear. He kept scanning his surroundings, trying to find a way to escape, but the area was already engulfed by a sea of fire, and there was no other exit.
"Miss Xu! I haven't found any other exits from here!"
"We're completely trapped here!"
His handkerchief was completely dry, but he still covered his mouth and nose tightly, trying to stay awake.
"So what should we do?"
"Are we really not going to leave here alive today?"
Qin'er felt an unprecedented fear; her eyes filled with tears, which she tried her best to keep from blurring her vision. She prayed incessantly, hoping someone would arrive in time to rescue them from the inferno.
Looking at their terrified expressions, Xu Yuehuai felt a pang of sorrow in her heart. She knew that if they couldn't find a way out in time, they might be trapped in this sea of fire forever.
She tried to stay calm and find a way to escape.
"Everyone, hide in the corner first. Maybe someone will come to rescue us?"
Qin'er and the man in black robes were already resigned to their fate, thinking that with such a huge fire, no one would come to save them.
At that moment, a commotion arose outside the ancestral hall in the distance, and many soldiers rushed to the scene. They quickly surrounded the area but did not immediately begin firefighting operations.
The soldiers didn't intend to fight the fire; they planned to wait for it to extinguish itself. Time passed, and the fire grew larger and larger.
Qin'er and the man in black robes grew increasingly agitated, shouting incessantly in an attempt to attract attention. But all around them was thick smoke and raging fire; no one could hear their cries for help.
Xu Yuehuai's anxiety grew; she knew time was running out. If the fire spread into the tunnel and no one came to their aid, they would never be able to leave this terrifying place.
Amidst the intense flames, Xu Yuehuai and Qin'er were about to lose consciousness, and everything around them seemed to sink into endless nothingness.
Their bodies were utterly exhausted, their souls seemingly swallowed by a thick darkness. Yet, in this moment of despair, a strange sound broke the silence—the sound of fierce fighting. Its appearance was like a ray of dawn, illuminating the hope in their hearts.
A strange excitement welled up in Xu Yuehuai's heart. She tried to struggle to open her eyes, but exhaustion and darkness pressed down on her tightly.
She thought it was just a hallucination from her near-collapse, and that the voice was just a figment of her imagination.
However, the sound was so real that it pierced through the darkness, bringing a touch of comfort to her soul.
As her consciousness began to fade, a figure suddenly burst into the flames and sped toward them.
It was a man, a brave and fearless man, whose sword gleamed brightly in the firelight. His arrival was like a miracle, rekindling Xu Yuehuai's hope.
In the instant before Xu Yuehuai lost consciousness, she saw the man's face clearly. His face was resolute and decisive, and his bright eyes shone with a determined light.
His figure appeared so tall and imposing in the firelight, like a guardian angel descending upon them.
Many days later, Xu Yuehuai slowly opened her eyes. She thought the lamp was not lit and that it was still dark around her.
However, as she reached out to touch the ground, her hand was firmly grasped by a pair of icy hands.
Those were Ah Qi's hands; his palms were slightly damp, clearly from nervousness and concern.
Ah Qi's face showed fatigue and worry, but when he saw Xu Yuehuai wake up, his eyes immediately brightened. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, revealing a relieved smile.
He asked Xu Yuehuai with concern, "How are you? Is anything bothering you?"
Xu Yuehuai felt a surge of warmth and care from Aqi. She gently shook her head and replied with a smile, "I feel fine, there's nothing wrong with my body."
Despite teetering on the brink of death and enduring a prolonged coma, Xu Yuehuai maintained an optimistic and resilient attitude. Her eyes shone with unwavering determination.
"That's good!" Ah Qi breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing Xu Yuehuai's words.
They were now in a simple wooden hut, surrounded by miscellaneous items and medicinal herbs. Ah Qi had clearly been waiting here for several days to ensure Xu Yuehuai could wake up safely.
Xu Yuehuai was filled with gratitude. She looked at Aqi and said, "Aqi, thank you for staying by my side all this time. If you hadn't arrived in time, we probably wouldn't have survived."
Ah Qi gently shook her head and said with a smile, "Don't say that. You were hurt because of me, so of course I will do my best to protect you."
At that moment, Xu Yuehuai clearly felt Aqi's sincerity and friendship.
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