Chapter 1096
Contempt
Liu Yan looked around, trying to find a way out: "We can no longer trust the elder's words; he is clearly using us."
Shi Ji clenched her fists and said angrily, "He must have had other motives and deliberately led us into this trap. We must find a way to escape."
Just then, a low laugh came from the shadows. The three looked warily toward the source of the sound, and a familiar figure slowly emerged from the darkness—it was the elder.
"You have indeed lived up to my expectations, managing to break through that mechanism," the elder's voice was laced with mockery. "But do you think you can escape my grasp so easily?"
Han Feng glared angrily at the elder: "Why are you doing this to us? We have always trusted you and followed you."
The elder sneered, "Trust? Follow? You are nothing more than pawns in my plan. The real secret lies deep within this trial ground, and you are merely scouting the way for me."
Liu Yan said angrily, "We won't let you succeed. Even if you've used us, we'll find a way to expose your conspiracy."
The elder gave them a disdainful look: "Then give it a try. But I advise you not to make a futile struggle. This place is not as simple as you think."
Having said that, the elder turned and disappeared into the darkness, leaving the three of them in an even deeper predicament.
Han Feng's anger reached its peak, almost uncontrollable: "You hypocrite!" he said through gritted teeth, "We've always regarded you as our mentor, but we never expected you to be so despicable."
The elder's laughter echoed in the darkness, sounding even more ironic: "Hypocrites? Perhaps, but it is precisely your naiveté that allows me to manipulate you so easily."
Liu Yan clenched her fists, her eyes filled with determination: "We will find your weakness and make you pay the price."
The elder snorted softly, "Good luck to you. However, I advise you to conserve your energy, as this trial grounds hold many unexpected dangers."
As the elder's voice faded into the distance, Shi Ji slammed her fist on the iron bars of the cage, making a dull thud: "We can't just stay trapped here like this."
Han Feng calmed down and began to observe every detail of the cage: "The elder said there are many dangers here, so we have to be more careful. Although these iron bars are sturdy, we will definitely find a way to break through."
Liu Yan took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down: "Yes, although the elder's words were insidious, he wouldn't reveal information without reason. The dangers he mentioned might be our breakthrough point."
Shi Ji nodded, her gaze sharpening: "We need to use his words to find a way to escape."
Han Feng carefully examined the cage's lock, his brow furrowed: "This lock is ingeniously designed; it would be difficult to open using ordinary methods. The elder's words might contain clues to opening this cage."
Liu Yan pondered for a moment, then her eyes lit up: "He said there are many unexpected dangers here. Perhaps this is not only a warning, but also an indication that some mechanisms or traps may be related to our escape."
Shi Ji rubbed her hands together, looking rather impatient: "Then let's split up and search to see if there are any mechanisms or unusual places. Maybe we can really find clues to get out."
Han Feng nodded in agreement, while reminding them, "Be careful. Since the elder could set such a trap, everything here could be hiding something. Let's stay in touch and notify each other immediately if we discover anything."
The three split up. Han Feng focused on studying the locks, trying to find a flaw; Liu Yan carefully searched along the edge of the cage, not missing any possible mechanisms; and Shi Ji shook the cage vigorously, trying to feel for any loose parts or hidden mechanisms.
Soon, Liu Yan found a stone of a slightly different color in one corner of the cage. She pressed it gently, and with a soft "click," a small door slowly opened on one side of the cage.
"Found it!" Liu Yan exclaimed excitedly. "It seems that the elder's 'danger' was indeed the key to guiding us to a way out."
Han Feng rushed over upon hearing the commotion, a hint of surprise and joy flashing in his eyes: "Liu Yan, you're amazing! It seems that the elder's words did indeed have a deeper meaning."
Shi Ji also came over, her face full of excitement: "Great, we can finally leave this awful place. But speaking of which, who exactly is this so-called 'elder'? Why is he impersonating a real elder to frame us?"
After a moment of contemplation, Liu Yan slowly said, "I suspect that this fake elder is impersonating the real elder for some purpose. Perhaps he wants to take advantage of our trust in the real elder to achieve his ulterior motives."
Han Feng nodded, a cold glint in his eyes: "No matter what, we must find the real elder as soon as possible. He must be imprisoned somewhere by this fake elder. Only by finding the real elder can we completely uncover this conspiracy."
Shi Ji clenched her fists, her face resolute: "Yes, we have to act quickly. This fake elder is too cunning; we can't let him get away with it any longer."
Liu Yan added, "Moreover, Elder Zhen may possess crucial information about this trial ground, or even the true way to leave. We not only need to rescue him, but also obtain more clues from him."
Han Feng nodded, his brow furrowed: "That's right, we must speed things up. The fact that the fake elder could set up such a complex trap shows that he has considerable strength. With the real elder in his hands, the situation could be very dangerous."
Shi Ji was impatient: "Then what are we waiting for? Let's set off now and rescue Elder Zhen!"
The three quickly reached an agreement and decided to venture deeper into the trial grounds to search for the true elder's whereabouts. They knew that the journey would be fraught with unknowns and dangers, but in order to uncover the truth and rescue the true elder, they had no other choice.
Four colossal towers, each representing an element, suddenly rose around the arena, each radiating the same powerful energy as the four elemental guardians from before. Shi Ji, Han Feng, and Liu Yan exchanged glances, understanding that this would be the greatest test they faced.
"Whatever awaits us ahead, we are prepared." Shi Ji gripped the hilt of her sword, her tone full of determination.
Led by Shi Ji, the three split up, each facing an elemental tower. Their gazes were resolute, ready to utilize their accumulated experience and the power of Newfound to meet this challenge. The fire elemental tower was the first to attack, spewing out countless flames that illuminated the entire arena as if it were daytime. Han Feng stepped forward, waving his staff and guiding the surrounding wind elements, condensing them into a massive storm that dispersed the flames layer by layer, absorbing the heat and converting it into his own energy.
At the same time, the water elemental tower began to gush forth a large amount of water, attempting to flood the arena. Shi Ji used her swordsmanship to unleash a series of sword energies, cleaving the water flow in two. Each sword strike precisely hit the surging water column, breaking it into harmless droplets.
Liu Yan faced an earth elemental tower, from which boulders and sand spewed forth. She chanted a powerful incantation, and the ground responded to her call, rising into small hills that forcefully blocked the oncoming boulders. At the same time, her magic caused vines to grow from the ground, firmly anchoring the sliding sand.
Finally, the wind elemental tower began to rage, and a powerful storm attempted to blow the three of them away. Shi Ji and Liu Yan quickly moved closer together, forming a triangular formation with Han Feng. The three of them combined their strength to form a huge protective shield, steadily resisting the onslaught of the gale.
After a series of fierce battles, the four elemental towers gradually calmed down and ceased their attacks. The goddess statue in the center also slowly descended, and the arena returned to tranquility.
"Very good, you have demonstrated unparalleled courage and wisdom." The goddess statue's voice rang out again, its tone filled with approval and gentleness. "You have passed the final trial of the elements, and now, the final gift awaits you."
As she finished speaking, the ground in the center of the arena began to crack open, and a huge treasure chest made of pure gold slowly rose up. The chest was inlaid with various gems, radiating a dazzling light.
Shi Ji stepped forward and gently touched the treasure chest with her sword. The lid opened with a click. Inside was a thick ancient book and three small gem bottles, each containing a different colored liquid that shimmered with a mysterious light.
"This ancient book records the secrets of ancient civilizations and profound knowledge of elemental power," the goddess statue explained. "And these three bottles of spiritual liquid contain the essence of water, fire, and earth, respectively, which can further awaken your power."
Shi Ji was patrolling the secret realm alone at this moment. The secret realm under the cover of night was full of mystery and danger, but Shi Ji was calm and walked lightly.
"Something's not right here," Shi Ji muttered to himself, a hint of seriousness flashing across his brow. He slowed his pace, sensing his surroundings more carefully.
Suddenly, a dark figure darted out from the shadows, attacking Shi Ji with lightning speed. Shi Ji reacted quickly, but the attacker's cultivation was clearly superior. A sharp sword aura instantly pierced through his protective spiritual energy, severely injuring his body.
"Pfft—" Shi Ji spat out a mouthful of blood, her body swaying precariously.
"Haha, Shi Ji, you've finally met your match!" The attacker revealed himself to be a sinister-looking man. He sneered at Shi Ji, "Your cultivation is nothing special after all."
Despite the pain, Shi Ji glared at the attacker and demanded, "Who are you? Why did you attack me?"
"Hmph, you ask who I am?" the attacker sneered. "Telling you won't hurt. I am a cultivator from the Shadow Fiend Sect. I have long heard of your great name and have come here today to meet you."
Shi Ji's heart sank. The Shadow Fiend Sect was an evil force in the cultivation world, making a living by assassination and plundering cultivation resources. He never expected to be ambushed by the Shadow Fiend Sect here.
"I see." Shi Ji took a deep breath, trying to calm her injuries. "What do you want?"
"Haha, of course I'm going to take your life!" the attacker grinned maliciously and launched another attack.
Shi Ji dodged the attack with a swift movement, but his injuries were already serious. He knew he had to find a way to escape as soon as possible, or he might not escape death today.
"Hmph, trying to escape? Not so easy!" The attackers pursued relentlessly, their sword energy crisscrossing, forcing Shi Ji into perilous situations.
Shi Ji fought and retreated, his heart filled with anxiety. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. There was a teleportation array not far ahead; perhaps he could escape through it. He charged towards the array with all his might, simultaneously throwing out a magical artifact to restrain the attacker.
"Where do you think you're going!" the attacker shouted, shattering the magical artifact with a wave of his hand, and continued his pursuit of Shi Ji.
However, Shi Ji had already seized the opportunity to rush into the teleportation array. With a flash of light, his figure disappeared from the spot. By the time the attacker arrived at the array, it was too late. He angrily swung his sword at the array, but could only watch helplessly as Shi Ji escaped.
"Shi Ji, I will find you sooner or later and take your life!" The attacker's roar echoed through the secret realm.
Meanwhile, Shi Ji had already escaped the danger zone through the teleportation array. He slumped to the ground, panting heavily, his heart filled with the relief of surviving a disaster.
Shi Ji's injuries were extremely severe, and conventional treatments were proving ineffective, causing Han Feng and Liu Yan great anxiety. At this critical juncture, an elder in the town mentioned a legendary healer named Bai Yunzi, who was said to live in seclusion in the remote Yunding Mountain, possessing miraculous healing techniques that had been lost for a long time.
Without a moment's hesitation, Han Feng and Liu Yan immediately decided to head to Cloud Peak Mountain to seek Bai Yunzi's help. They carefully placed Shi Ji in a floating vehicle powered by spiritual energy, ensuring his stability and safety during the journey.
After a long journey, they finally arrived at Yunding Mountain. The mountain was shrouded in mist and ethereal beauty, the scenery along the way like a painting, but their minds were too preoccupied to appreciate it. On a secluded mountain path, they encountered an elderly man who appeared to be quite old—the legendary Baiyunzi.
Bai Yunzi appeared old, but his eyes gleamed with a sharp light, revealing his extraordinary nature. After inquiring in detail about Shi Ji's injuries, he shook his head: "This injury is no small matter. It not only damages the physical body, but more importantly, it damages the soul. Ordinary treatments will naturally be ineffective; it requires the cleansing of the hidden wounds within with the water of the soul."
Bai Yunzi then led them to a secluded spiritual spring. The water there was not only crystal clear but also emitted a faint glow. Bai Yunzi took out a precious pearl containing powerful spiritual energy and immersed it in the spring. The spiritual energy within the pearl merged with the spring water, triggering a series of peculiar and shimmering movements of light.
"Immerse him in the spiritual spring; the spiritual water can cleanse the impurities in his body and help his soul recover," Bai Yunzi instructed. Han Feng and Liu Yan followed his instructions and gently placed Shi Ji into the spiritual spring. The water in the spring immediately reacted, rippling with layers of light.
As time passed, Shi Ji's complexion gradually changed from pale to rosy, clearly demonstrating the remarkable effects of the spiritual spring. In the water, Shi Ji's breathing gradually became even, and her injuries showed significant improvement. (End of Chapter)