Chapter 13991 Treasure
Some of these people sat in a corner, idly fiddling with their weapons; others gathered together, whispering about the battle at the front, their faces showing a hint of worry; still others leaned against the wall, dozing off, completely unaware that danger was quietly approaching.
They were like a group of pawns forgotten in a corner, completely unaware that they were about to become victims of a storm.
The night was like thick ink, spreading wildly across the world.
The dense darkness seemed like solidified matter, heavy and oppressive, tightly enveloping the vast earth, as if shrouding everything in the world in a mysterious and eerie veil.
Everything around was swallowed up by the darkness, leaving only blurry outlines, as if hiding countless unknown secrets and dangers.
Shangguan Yue and Ling Xiao moved silently through the mountains and forests like two ghosts.
The forest was eerily quiet, as if time itself had frozen.
Only the occasional chirping of insects echoed in the silent night sky. The sound was crisp yet somewhat eerie, as if it came from another world, breaking the suffocating silence, but making the silence seem even more profound.
The withered leaves beneath their feet gleamed an eerie gray-white in the cold moonlight.
With each step they took, the withered leaves made a soft rustling sound, as if countless eyes were watching them from the darkness, or as if ancient ghosts were whispering unknown stories.
The sound was exceptionally clear in the silent mountain forest, each one seeming to strike their hearts, causing their nerves to involuntarily tense up.
"Coming."
Shangguan Yue suddenly lowered her voice and spoke, her voice sounding particularly abrupt in the quiet night.
Her eyes sparkled with excitement, a light that shone like stars in the night sky, shining brightly in the darkness.
She tilted her head slightly, a look of anticipation curving her lips, as if she could already see the surprise that was about to arrive.
Ling Xiao nodded slightly, his hand unconsciously tightening around the Heavenly Punishment Sword at his waist.
The scabbard was icy cold, and the chill spread from his palm to his whole body, but it did nothing to ease the tension in his heart.
His eyes scanned his surroundings warily, and his ears were perked up, not missing a single slight sound.
In this unknown mountain forest, danger could strike at any moment, and he had to remain vigilant at all times to protect himself and Shangguan Yue.
After passing through a dense thicket of thorns, a hidden cave entrance appeared before the two.
The cave entrance was partially obscured by vines and weeds, which acted like loyal guardians, protecting this mysterious cave.
If Shangguan Yue hadn't been familiar with this place, she probably wouldn't have been able to discover this cave entrance hidden deep in the mountains.
The cave entrance was pitch black and bottomless, like a bottomless abyss that could swallow a person at any moment.
A faint heat wave rose from within, carrying a pungent sulfurous smell that made one's throat itch, making one wonder what terrifying thing might be lurking deep within the cave.
Ling Xiao frowned, watching the cave entrance warily, his eyes filled with worry and vigilance.
He knew that this place had an eerie atmosphere, and that it might be hiding countless dangers and traps.
"This place has an eerie atmosphere; it's best to be careful."
He reminded him in a low voice, his tone carrying a hint of seriousness.
Shangguan Yue, however, was unconvinced. Her eyes were full of eagerness, as if she couldn't wait to enter the cave and find out what was going on.
"Don't worry, there's a huge surprise waiting for you inside."
As she spoke, she stepped into the cave entrance first, her steps light and firm, as if she had no fear of the unknown danger.
Ling Xiao sighed helplessly, looking at Shangguan Yue's stubborn back, he knew he couldn't persuade her otherwise.
Helplessly, I followed closely behind, cautiously entering the cave entrance, taking each step with extreme care, for fear of triggering some dangerous mechanism.
The passageway inside the cave is as narrow as a sheep trail, rugged and uneven, full of bumps and depressions of varying sizes.
The two could only crouch down and move forward cautiously, each step extremely difficult.
Every now and then, scalding water droplets dripped from the stone wall. The droplets were like hot steel balls, burning painfully when they landed on the skin, as if they would scald it through.
Shangguan Yue hissed as she was burned, instinctively shrinking her neck, but dared not stop, and could only grit her teeth and continue forward.
The surrounding rocks had an eerie dark red color, as if they had been soaked in blood, and looked particularly ferocious and terrifying under the dim torchlight.
The textures of those rocks are twisted and deformed, like faces contorted in pain, silently screaming in the darkness.
Occasionally, a breeze would blow from the depths of the passage, carrying a pungent sulfurous smell that made it difficult for the two of them to breathe.
Ling Xiao felt his breathing becoming more and more rapid, and with each breath he took, it felt like he was swallowing a ball of fire.
Sweat kept sliding down his forehead, soaking his clothes and his back, which was also drenched in sweat, sticking to his body and feeling very uncomfortable.
But he dared not slacken his vigilance in the slightest, gripping the torch tightly and observing the surroundings warily.
About half an hour later, the passage suddenly opened up, as if we had entered a completely new world.
A vast underground space appeared before them, an extremely expansive space that resembled a forgotten underground kingdom.
Countless stalactites hang upside down from the top, each with a different shape. Some resemble sharp swords piercing downwards, some look like fairies dancing gracefully, and some resemble giant dragons coiling around.
They emitted a faint red glow, as if ignited by some mysterious force, casting shadows throughout the space and filling it with a fantastical atmosphere.
In the center of the space, a bright red well stands out.
The wellhead emitted a dazzling light, like a burning flame, illuminating the entire space as bright as day.
The flames flickered and danced, like a group of joyful sprites dancing, or perhaps demonstrating their immense power to the people.
Shangguan Yue's face flushed with excitement, her eyes sparkling with joy. Pointing at the well, her voice trembled slightly: "Look!"
Her voice became sharp with excitement, echoing in the silent space.
Ling Xiao slowly walked to the well and leaned down to look.
About half a meter below the surface, a round sphere floated silently.
The sphere was as red as congealed blood, and looked like a bright red peach, only rounder, with a smooth, mirror-like surface that reflected a fiery red light.
The sphere has several slender grooves, the lines of which are smooth yet strange, like some kind of mysterious runes.
Inside the ditch, a tiny red lotus was slowly drifting down from above.
The petals of the red lotus were exquisitely beautiful, as if dyed with fresh blood, and shimmered with an eerie light in the firelight. (End of Chapter)
