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墨書 Inktalez
Danger!
At the critical moment, Xuan Yang suddenly sidestepped, his body twisting at an incredible angle like a leaf caught in a wild wind, narrowly evading the deadly strike.
It was a dagger glimmering with a cold blue light, its blade as thin as a cicada's wing, clearly poisoned. The dagger grazed his ribs, sending a chilling gust of wind through the air, as if the surrounding atmosphere had frozen.
Xuan Yang broke out in a cold sweat, beads of perspiration forming on his forehead. He hadn’t anticipated the enemy's speed to be so swift and their strikes so ruthless; each move was lethal, clearly indicative of a trained assassin.
He dared not hesitate any longer and immediately activated "Reverse Control."
An invisible force instantly wrapped around the shadowy figure that had ambushed him. This power felt like unseen chains or countless invisible hands tightly binding the figure's limbs and body.
The shadow's body suddenly went out of control, and the once menacing expression on his face was now filled with terror and disbelief. The dagger in his hand shifted direction as if manipulated by an invisible force.
With a sickening sound, the dagger plunged deep into his own thigh. The sharp blade sliced through flesh and severed blood vessels, causing blood to spurt forth like a fountain, staining the ground and filling the air with a heavy scent of iron.
"Ah!" The shadow let out a heart-wrenching scream, stumbling to the ground as intense pain caused his body to convulse, his face contorted in agony.
Seizing the opportunity, Xuan Yang broke free from the encirclement of other shadows. Carrying Qu Si Yang on his back, he quickly dashed deeper into the forest. He knew he could not afford to linger; he needed to find a safe place quickly to ensure Qu Si Yang's safety.
He was aware that the trial grounds lay deep within the forest, hidden within an ancient ruin.
After a difficult trek, Xuan Yang finally found the entrance to the ruins.
It was a massive stone door, towering ten meters high and five meters wide, its surface adorned with ancient and mysterious carvings. These designs resembled some form of archaic script or mystical symbols, exuding an aura of age and mystery as if they were recounting a long-buried history.
The stone door stood firmly closed, seemingly unchanging through time, guarding the secrets within the ruins.
Xuan Yang attempted to push open the stone door; his arms bulged with muscle as he strained with all his might, but it didn’t budge at all—seemingly fused with the mountain itself, it was impervious.
"It seems that entering the ruins is not going to be easy," Xuan Yang thought to himself, furrowing his brow.
He carefully examined the patterns on the stone door, trying to find a way to unlock it. The intricate designs were labyrinthine and dizzying.
Suddenly, he noticed that the patterns on the door seemed to resonate with the power of Shadow Puppet within him; an inexplicable connection surged in his heart.
He placed his hand on the stone door, channeling his inner strength into it, attempting to establish a connection.
Suddenly, the patterns on the stone door illuminated, radiating a dazzling light as if infused with life. A powerful force surged from the door, overwhelming and vast, like a mountain torrent, pushing Xuan Yang back several steps and causing fine cracks to appear in the ground beneath him.
A rumbling sound echoed as the stone door slowly opened with a deep, grinding noise, reminiscent of a slumbering giant awakening. It revealed a passage leading into the depths of the ruins, shrouded in darkness and unfathomable depth.
Xuan Yang, carrying Qu Si Yang on his back, cautiously stepped into the passage, each movement deliberate and careful.
The passage was pitch black, where one could not see their own hand in front of their face. A chilling dampness filled the air, sending shivers down his spine as if he had stepped into the depths of hell.
Xuan Yang fished out a torch from his backpack and lit it with a lighter. By its faint glow, he saw that the walls of the passage were adorned with various strange carvings. These patterns were vivid; some resembled ferocious beasts, others bizarre runes, and some twisted human faces that seemed ready to spring to life and devour anyone who dared approach.
Suddenly, a gust of cold wind swept from the depths of the passage. The flame of the torch flickered violently, making a "whoosh" sound as if it might extinguish at any moment. The surrounding darkness thickened, as if something sinister lurked within.
A chill ran down Xuan Yang's spine as he sensed an approaching danger—an icy and malevolent presence that filled him with unease.
He immediately heightened his vigilance, carefully observing his surroundings while keeping Qu Si Yang shielded behind him.
At that moment, several shadowy figures darted out from the depths of the passage like phantoms, silently lunging toward Xuan Yang with astonishing speed. In the dim light of the torch, he could only make out vague silhouettes.
"More shadow forces!" Xuan Yang thought grimly; he never expected them to have tracked him down here, relentless as ever.
He quickly summoned Shadow Puppet, a dark humanoid creature appearing beside him, exuding a powerful aura and ready to engage in battle against their foes.
However, just then, countless sharp arrows shot out from both sides of the passage walls like a torrential rainstorm, aimed directly at Xuan Yang and Shadow Puppet. The sound of arrows slicing through the air was piercingly sharp and made one's scalp tingle.
Xuan Yang was taken aback; he hadn’t anticipated that there would be traps here—so intricately designed that they were nearly impossible to evade.
He hurriedly commanded Shadow Puppet to block the arrows while he dodged left and right with Qu Si Yang still on his back, trying to avoid the onslaught.
Yet there were too many arrows coming from all directions at incredible speed—dense as a spider’s web. Although Shadow Puppet was powerful, it couldn’t withstand such concentrated fire for long; it was soon riddled with arrows and dissipated into a cloud of black mist.
Xuan Yang sustained several minor injuries as well; sharp arrows tore through his clothing and left streaks of blood across his body. Despite the pain, he paid no mind to it and continued to protect Qu Si Yang fiercely.
"Damn it, what kind of place is this? What the hell is going on?" Xuan Yang couldn't help but mutter under his breath.
At that critical moment, Qu Si Yang suddenly woke up. She opened her eyes and saw Xuan Yang in danger, injured and in distress. A flash of concern crossed her eyes, and without hesitation, she activated her powers.
A fiery red shield instantly enveloped both Xuan Yang and Qu Si Yang. This shield resembled a giant eggshell, its surface ablaze with fierce flames, blocking all the arrows that rained down upon them, creating a clattering sound as they struck.
"Si Yang, you're awake!" Xuan Yang exclaimed with surprise. Seeing Qu Si Yang conscious eased his worries considerably.
"Yes, I'm fine," Qu Si Yang replied weakly, her face pale and beads of sweat dotting her forehead. "We need to leave here quickly; it's too dangerous. These traps are terrifying."
"Alright!" Xuan Yang nodded. He carried Qu Si Yang on his back and continued deeper into the passage, each step taken with utmost caution.
The traps in the corridor became increasingly dense and perilous. In addition to arrows, there were poisonous smoke, spikes from the ground, and various traps that emerged one after another, overwhelming them.
Thanks to their tacit cooperation, Xuan Yang and Qu Si Yang managed to escape danger time and again. Although Qu Si Yang's fire shield was powerful, maintaining it for an extended period drained her significantly. Her complexion grew paler, and her breathing became more rapid.
"Si Yang, can you hold on?" Xuan Yang asked with concern.
"I... I'm fine; I can still hold on," Qu Si Yang gritted her teeth as she spoke, her voice trembling.
"Damn it, these guys just won't quit!" a rough voice rang out from the group, clearly filled with dissatisfaction. "If it weren't for protecting this burden, we wouldn't be in this mess!"
"Exactly! If I had known, I wouldn't have brought her along; she's just bad luck!" another voice chimed in, laced with resentment.
These words pierced Qu Si Yang's heart like sharp thorns. Her body trembled slightly as she pressed her lips tightly together, nearly biting them until they bled.
Xuan Yang's gaze turned icy in an instant. He turned his head and shot a cold glare at the Trialists who had spoken. His voice was low but filled with menace: "You better shut your mouths! If I hear another word from you lot, I'll leave you here to feed the traps!"
The Trialists shuddered at Xuan Yang's fierce gaze and quickly fell silent, not daring to utter another word.
"Si Yang, don’t listen to their nonsense," Xuan Yang said softly to comfort her. "You've done great; without you, we would have perished here long ago."
"But... but I..." Qu Si Yang's voice choked up as tears welled in her eyes.
"There's no 'but' about it; you are our hero," Xuan Yang said firmly. "Trust me, we will make it out together."
Suddenly, a vast chasm appeared ahead, resembling the gaping maw of a monstrous beast, stretching out before them. The bottom of the abyss was shrouded in darkness, unfathomably deep, as if it were a gateway to hell itself. A chilling wind whistled up from the depths, carrying an eerie howl.
Xuan Yang and Qu Si Yang halted in their tracks, realizing they had encountered their greatest challenge.
On the other side of the chasm lay the central area of the ruins, where the Heart of the Puppet Master was hidden—this was their objective and the key to passing the trial.
"What should we do?" Qu Si Yang asked, her voice tinged with despair. Faced with such a wide chasm, she couldn't fathom any way to cross it.
Xuan Yang pondered for a moment, surveying the width of the abyss and the surrounding environment. His gaze swept across the stone walls on either side of the chasm as if searching for something. "It seems our only option is to jump across. This chasm is at least twenty meters wide; what's there to fear? Worst case, we die!"
"Jump across?" Qu Si Yang exclaimed, her voice rising in pitch. "That's too dangerous! We could fall to our deaths—twenty meters! Are you crazy?"
"We have no other choice," Xuan Yang replied resolutely, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "I believe we can succeed. I don't want to die here; what about you?"
He took a deep breath to steady himself, adjusting his stance as he prepared to carry Qu Si Yang on his back. With his legs slightly bent like a coiled cheetah ready to spring, he leaped toward the other side of the chasm, his body tracing an arc through the air like a bird in flight.
Below them lay an enveloping darkness.
Would this lead them to the heart of the ruins or into the depths of death?
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