"Then let's hurry inside, finish what we need to do here, and go back." Jian Ning was also quite anxious, so she turned around and led the way into the ancient temple.
They continued until they reached the altar.
"Where is the formation? I couldn't even find it with my skill level." Jian Ning walked around the altar but didn't find any trace of spiritual energy fluctuations.
"It's not an outer formation, but an inner one. I must say, this saintess is quite cunning. If the formation were openly displayed outside the altar, it would have been discovered by the evil spirits long ago."
As Xiao Wuyu spoke, he reached out and gently pressed a corner under the altar.
With a creak, the altar rotated ninety degrees and then split in the middle.
It revealed an underground passage large enough for one person to pass through, with a faint light inside, which looked like it was emanating from a luminous pearl.
The light was very soft.
"Come on, follow me down, don't step on the wrong step."
After Xiao Wuyu finished speaking, he took the lead and walked into the passage, with Jian Ning and Xiao Lingfeng following closely behind him.
The further down the passage went, the wider it became, soon enough for two people to walk side by side.
The ground beneath their feet was a smooth stone slab, and they had to step on it carefully with each step, for fear of stepping on the wrong step and triggering the array mechanism.
Every few steps along the surrounding stone walls, there is a luminous pearl, about the size of a pigeon egg, whose soft light shines exceptionally brightly in the darkness.
After walking for a while, the passage began to curve, almost forming a circle.
Xiao Wuyu stopped and turned to Jian Ning, saying:
"This place may look simple, but it is actually full of arrays and mechanisms."
Each luminous pearl is a crucial node in the formation. If someone accidentally touches one, the formation will activate, destroying everything within.
"This saintess is quite cunning!" Jian Ning remarked.
Xiao Wuyu continued walking forward. Although he had never been here before, he acted as if he was very familiar with the passage.
As he walked, he explained, "This formation is meant to prevent evil spirits from entering, but for us, as long as we know the correct way to walk, we can pass through safely."
Jian Ning nodded in understanding. He continued walking with Xiao Wuyu, becoming more cautious and trying his best not to touch the seemingly harmless luminous pearls.
After walking for a while, the passage finally came to an end. A stone door appeared before them, with a golden rune embedded in it, emitting a faint light.
Xiao Wuyu tapped the runes a few times, then gently pushed open the door, revealing the world behind it.
It was a spacious stone chamber with a stone platform in the center, upon which sat a huge white jade basin. Beside it was an ever-burning lamp, its flame flickering and illuminating the entire chamber.
"Is that the spiritual liquid? Besides saving these people, shouldn't it have other effects?" Jian Ning asked, without moving forward.
"There are no more formations here, it's fine to go and take a look. The Holy Maiden didn't say what kind of spiritual liquid this is."
It was simply said that if the curse was diluted with water at a ratio of ten to one and given to the people to drink, the negative effects of the curse on them could be removed, and they could return to their normal state.
But I'm quite skeptical; after all, thousands of years have passed. Don't the organs in people's bodies eventually fail?
Xiao Wuyu had long ago realized that the people in the city were all ordinary people, and they didn't have any spiritual energy in their bodies, which was completely different from them, the cultivators.
"Since we're already here, let's give it a try. I'll put some of this spirit liquid away first."
What if it comes in handy for alchemy someday? Judging by its milky-white color, it's probably tens of thousands of years old; it's almost solidified into an energy paste.
Jian Ning didn't stand on ceremony at all. She took out two jade boxes from her spatial storage, each filled to the brim with spirit liquid ointment. Then she handed one box to Xiao Wuyu.
"You can't come empty-handed, and you can't expect us to work for free, right?"
"The Holy Maiden has given us a reward, but she's not here. She'll appear naturally after we've rescued the people. This is written in the book." Xiao Wuyu smiled as he took the jade box and explained to Jian Ning.
"I knew we couldn't come here for nothing. The Holy Maiden is quite capable. Let's go. I have plenty of this water in my space. Let's dilute some and find someone to test its effects."
As Jian Ning spoke, she took out a large red plastic bucket and, following Xiao Wuyu's instructions, diluted the spiritual liquid ointment with water in a 10:1 ratio. She even stirred it with a spoon.
"Brother Xiao, did you say how much each person should drink? Will drinking too much have any side effects?"
"One bowl's worth is enough. This big spoon of yours is enough for one bowl too." Xiao Wuyu looked at the long-handled spoon that Jian Ning took out, guessing it was the kind used in the student cafeteria, and it was quite large.
"Let's go then," Jian Ning bent down to pick up the bucket, but Xiao Lingfeng took it from her.
"I'll do it, you just need to feed them in a bit."
"We don't know how many people are in this city. Let's start by saving the government officials and the city guards. After that, we can go and save the ordinary people."
Jian Ning didn't want to feed them one by one like that. It was too much trouble.
"Alright, let's go to the government office first. I saw it not far to the west when I came over earlier."
Xiao Lingfeng also thought Jian Ning's suggestion was excellent and immediately agreed. The three of them went to the government office together.
The houses here are very ancient. The guards standing at the door are no longer recognizable. Jian Ning scooped up a spoonful of spiritual liquid and poured it down the throat of the one on the east side.
Let's get a test subject first and see how it goes. If it doesn't work, then we won't bother.
Unexpectedly, just two or three minutes later, the guard who had been standing ramrod straight suddenly moved his head slightly. Although the movement was very slight, the yellow sand and dust on his helmet fell off and landed on the ground with a soft rustling sound.
"It actually works! Ling Feng, I'll give some to him too."
As Jian Ning spoke, she poured another spoonful of spiritual liquid into the other guard's mouth. Ten minutes later, the two opened their eyes one after the other. However, their limbs were still not very coordinated, and as soon as they tried to take a step, they fell to the ground with a thud.
"Who are you? What brings you to the government office?" Although he was lying on the ground, the guard still gripped his weapon tightly and struggled to get up.
The tone of the question was a little strange, but it was still barely understandable.
"Don't get agitated. You've just woken up, and your bodily functions haven't fully recovered yet. We're not bad people, we're just passing by." Xiao Lingfeng put down the bucket and, together with Xiao Wuyu, helped him up.
"How did this place become like this?" Another guard looked around, his eyes filled with disbelief. How could it have changed so much in just one nap?
The roads here are covered with thick yellow sand. Where has that beautiful city, which used to be spring-like all year round and full of flowers, gone?
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