Chapter 29: Behind the Stone Door

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

The two Array Breakers had barely slept, studying the runes on the stone door day and night without rest. On the third evening, as the last wisp of sunlight vanished beneath the distant mountain ridge, the gray-robed Array Breaker let out a long sigh, rubbed his bloodshot eyes, stood up, and walked over to Kalun.

"My Lord, it is ready." His voice was hoarse, yet filled with relief.

Kalun nodded, his gaze sweeping over the group: "Prepare to enter. Badun and Bali in front, the two Mages in the middle, the Array Breakers at the rear, and everyone else in the formation arranged earlier. Once inside, stay alert and do not touch anything."

Everyone rose, checked their equipment, and adjusted their states. The clashing of armor, the friction of weapons being drawn, and low murmurs blended together, standing out sharply in the silent wilderness.

Aikesi stood in the middle of the formation, with Lao Chen on his left and that Wind-type Mage on his right—a man who had spoken little throughout the journey, known only by the surname Zhou, Level 9, and taciturn. At this moment, Lao Zhou sat with eyes closed, regulating his breath, with faint breezes flowing around him, clearly adjusting his Magic state. Lao Chen, meanwhile, was checking the Magic Potion Bag at his waist, confirming bottle by bottle while muttering to himself. Tiantian Kan Xiaoshuo Chao Tixin, ttkk. tw, waiting for you to find.

On the open ground before the stone door, the two Array Breakers began their final preparations. The gray-robed one took several Magic Crystals, each the size of a fingernail, from his robes and carefully placed them in specific positions around the stone door. The blue-robed one squatted on the ground, using a small silver knife dipped in some fluorescent powder to draw complex patterns.

The gray-robed Array Breaker stood at the very front, placed both hands on the stone door, and closed his eyes. His lips moved rapidly, chanting something silently. Moments later, he opened his eyes, and a faint blue light glowed in the palms of his hands.

The runes on the stone door began to glow.

At first, it was just a faint red light, but gradually the red light grew brighter, flowing along the patterns of the runes until, finally, the entire stone door was shrouded in a crimson glow.

"Step back!" the gray-robed Array Breaker shouted sharply, his figure retreating swiftly.

Everyone stepped back several paces in unison, the sound of weapons being drawn rising up in waves.

Boom—

A dull, thunderous roar echoed as the stone door slowly swung open to both sides.

Kalun was the first to walk inside.

Badun and Bali followed closely behind, their great swords already drawn, the blades gleaming with a cold, chilling light in the darkness. The others followed in succession, and Aikesi stepped through the door with the flow of people.

Darkness enveloped his vision, then returned to normal.

Behind the door lay a long corridor, with a Magic Lamp on each side wall every few steps, now automatically lighting up and stretching forward into the distance.

"The Magic Array is still operating," the blue-robed Array Breaker said in a low voice, his words echoing in the narrow space. "This place is at least a thousand years old. The fact that these lamps still work indicates a stable energy source beneath the ground."

The group advanced along the corridor, their footsteps sounding exceptionally clear in the narrow space. Aikesi paid attention to the ground beneath his feet; the stone slabs were laid flat, but fine cracks were visible in some places. Dark red substances were congealed within the cracks, resembling dried bloodstains that shimmered with an eerie luster under the light. He reached out to touch the wall; the stone surface was cool and smooth, with obvious signs of artificial polishing, yet where his fingertips touched, he could feel an extremely slight vibration.

The corridor was not long; after walking for about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, they reached the end.

The view suddenly opened up.

This was a massive Underground Hall, hundreds of meters in diameter and twenty to thirty meters high. At first glance, Aikesi could not even see the opposite wall—it was simply too large, like a naturally formed cave that had been artificially modified. The floor of the hall was paved with neat stone slabs, each identical to the next, with seams fitting so tightly that traces of joining were almost invisible. Twelve massive stone pillars stood around the perimeter, each thick enough for three people to embrace, carved with intricate reliefs. In the very center of the hall stood a raised platform, about two meters high, upon which rested a stone statue depicting a demonic beast roaring at the sky—the Chiyan Shiwan. However, its size was far greater than those seen outside, standing three to four meters tall, lifelike; its posture of roaring at the sky made it seem as if it would come to life at any moment to unleash a deafening roar.

"First Layer." Kalun stood at the entrance of the hall, his gaze sweeping the surroundings. "Stay vigilant."

Everyone dispersed, beginning to explore every corner of the hall. Footsteps echoed within the hall, stirring up hollow reverberations.

Aikesi followed Lao Chen toward the nearest stone pillar. The relief on the pillar was rich in content, divided into several layers spiraling upward. There were demonic beasts, humans, scenes of battle, and depictions of sacrifices. Lao Chen examined it very carefully, occasionally reaching out to touch the patterns of the relief, sliding his fingertips along the carved lines, and sometimes closing his eyes as if sensing something.

"These are records," Lao Chen said in a low voice, his tone carrying the focus of a professional. "They should be the life story of the owner of this ruin. Look here—"

He pointed to a section of the relief: a human in long robes stood on high ground, while below him countless demonic beasts knelt in worship. That human held a staff, its top burning with a raging fire, the flames carved with extreme detail, almost showing their leaping form. The demonic beasts were of many varieties, from the lowest-level Fire Hounds to the high-tier Chiyan Shiwan and Fire Lizards, all prostrate on the ground in submissive postures.

"Saint Domain Magus," Lao Chen said, his tone certain. "At least Sanctuary Peak, perhaps even higher. To make so many demonic beasts submit is not something an ordinary Saint Domain can achieve."

Aikesi nodded, his gaze falling on that flame. The flame carved at the top of the staff was very detailed; vaguely, it could be seen that it was not an ordinary fire, but a special form, like some living creature slowly twisting atop the staff.

His heart stirred slightly.

But he said nothing more, continuing to observe the other reliefs. The subsequent scenes recorded the Magus's process of taming various demonic beasts, including battles, standoffs, and final submission. Further on were scenes of the construction of this ruin—countless demonic beasts serving as laborers, moving massive stones and carving runes, a grand spectacle.

The hall was very quiet, with only the faint footsteps of the group and occasional whispers. Aikesi walked around and discovered that the reliefs mostly recorded the life of that Magus—how he broke through to the Saint Domain, how he tamed demonic beasts, and how he built this ruin. But the most crucial parts—why he built this place and where he went in the end—were not recorded. The final scene stopped with the Magus standing on the high platform, the demonic beasts below kneeling in worship, and then there was nothing more, as if the last few pages of a book had been torn out.

"Have you all finished looking?" Kalun's voice came.

Everyone gradually returned to the center of the hall, assembling before that stone statue. The statue was so tall that one had to look up to see its top while standing below. The eyes of the Chiyan Shiwan looked down upon the group; although it was merely a stone carving, it gave people a sense of intangible oppression.

"Any discoveries?"

The two Array Breakers exchanged glances, and the gray-robed one spoke: "My Lord, this First Layer should only be the entrance; the true ruin lies below. But the entrance to the next layer is sealed, and a method to open it must be found."

"Can it be found?"

"Yes, but it will take time," the blue-robed one interjected, pointing to the surroundings. "According to past experience, the mechanism to open it is likely right here in this hall. It could be one of the pillars, this statue, or a certain stone slab on the ground. This kind of design is very common—hiding the key on the first layer and letting those who enter find it. It is both a test and a filter."

Kalun nodded: "Then search. Work in pairs, search carefully, and do not miss any suspicious place. Check the reliefs on the pillars, the cracks in the stone slabs on the ground, and every inch of the walls thoroughly."

Everyone dispersed, beginning a more meticulous search.

Aikesi and Lao Chen formed a pair, responsible for the three stone pillars on the east side. Lao Chen was in charge of checking the bases of the pillars and the ground; he was practically lying on the floor, tapping the stone slabs inch by inch with a dagger, judging by the sound whether there was hollow space beneath. Aikesi carefully examined every inch of the reliefs on the pillars.

Time passed bit by bit.

Suddenly, a cry of surprise rang out.

Aikesi turned to look; it was that silent Wind-type Mage, Lao Zhou. He stood before a pillar on the west side of the hall, his expression not looking good.

Everyone gathered around.

A stone slab at the base of the pillar was obviously loose, with the gap at its edge slightly wider than elsewhere. After Lao Zhou lifted it, a skeleton was revealed underneath. The skeleton wore tattered long robes, still wearing a ring on its finger, maintaining the posture of holding a staff, clearly having been casting a spell at the moment of death. The skeleton lay half-reclined in a shallow pit, its posture twisted, as if it had undergone extreme pain before dying.

"An adventurer who entered before," Kalun said, squatting down to look without reaching out to touch, merely observing carefully. "He has been dead for at least several hundred years."

Everyone's expressions became somewhat grave.

This skeleton dying here indicated that the First Layer was not as safe as it appeared. Yet there were no traces of battle around; how did he die? If it were a demonic beast attack, there should be signs of a fight; if it were a trap, there should be signs of the mechanism being triggered. But there was nothing; he simply died quietly beneath the pillar.

Aikesi's gaze swept over the skeleton, and he suddenly noticed something amiss—the bones of the skeleton were an abnormal black, as if burned by something, charred black from the inside out.

"Poison?" Lao Chen noticed it too.

Kalun reached out and lightly touched the skeleton, not applying force, just letting his fingertips make contact. The black bones instantly turned to powder, crumbling down. Among the powder was a faint dark red glow; Kalun, quick-eyed and fast-handed, used Magic to lift it up. It was a tiny crystal, only the size of a grain of rice, yet it shimmered with an eerie red light in the darkness.

"A fragment of a demonic beast's poison sac," Kalun said, examining it closely and bringing the crystal near his eyes. "Level 9 or above, carrying fire poison. He died from poisoning, and it was a chronic poison—the poison sac remained in his body, slowly corroding him. His corpse was corroded for several hundred years after death before becoming like this. He must have suffered greatly when he died."

"Fire poison..." Lao Chen frowned. "Where did the demonic beast come from here? The First Layer is empty; there is nothing at all."

No one could answer.

Kalun stood up and put the poison sac fragment into a small box: "Continue searching, but be doubly careful. If you encounter anything suspicious, do not touch it; retreat first. The presence of fire poison demonic beasts here means either there are hidden passages, or these demonic beasts can turn invisible—either way, it is not good news."

Everyone dispersed, and the atmosphere of the search became much more tense than before. Everyone's footsteps were lighter, their gazes more vigilant, and their hands rested on their weapons, ready for battle at any moment.

Another half hour passed before news came from Bali's side—she had found something strange about the stone statue on the raised platform.

Everyone gathered around. Bali pointed to the base of the statue, which was a huge square pedestal, about half a meter high and over three meters on each side: "Look here."

The base was carved with a ring of runes, very similar to those on the stone door, but far more complex and intricate. The runes were densely packed, encircling the base like some kind of seal or restriction. In the very center of the runes was a recess, irregular in shape and palm-sized, resembling some kind of vessel. The edges of the recess were smooth, bearing obvious marks of manual polishing, clearly indicating frequent use—or rather, that it was designed from the outset to be used repeatedly.

"A keyhole," the Blue-Robed Array Breaker declared at a glance, his tone certain. "Something must be placed inside to open the next layer. This design is very common—hide the key item in the First Layer, find it, place it in the recess, and the passage opens."

"Place what?" Kalun asked.

The Blue-Robed man shook his head. "I don't know."

Before his words had fully faded, a low rumble suddenly echoed through the hall.

The sound came from all directions, as if something deep beneath the earth was awakening. Everyone immediately went on guard, forming a defensive circle back-to-back with weapons facing outward. But the rumbling lasted only a few breaths before stopping, so brief it seemed like an illusion.

Immediately after, light suddenly flared on the walls at the four corners of the hall, and the four stone doors opened simultaneously.

Countless black shadows surged from behind the doors—

Magic Beasts.

Dense swarms of Magic Beasts poured out from the four doors. Fire Lizards, Magma Spiders, Flame Scorpions, and several other unidentifiable species, some resembling giant crimson wolves, others like massive pythons wreathed in smoke, numbering at least a hundred. Their eyes glowed red in the darkness, roars rising and falling in a wave of terrifying sound.

"Form a formation!" Kalun shouted, his figure flashing as he charged forward. His speed was astonishing, leaving several afterimages in the air; a second later, he appeared amidst the foremost pack of Magic Beasts. Sword light flashed, and the heads of three Fire Lizards flew off simultaneously.

Badun and Bali stood back-to-back, their two great swords swinging like the wind, forming an impenetrable sword net. Any Magic Beast charging in was shredded by the net, flesh and blood flying everywhere. Lao Chen and the Zhou-surnamed Wind Mage immediately began chanting spells, magical light flickering—around Lao Chen floated green halos, auxiliary magic for healing and detoxification; around Lao Zhou, fierce winds raged, Wind Blades already taking shape. The Archers and Thieves also found their positions: Archers took the high ground, arrows raining down; Thieves moved along the battlefield's edge, daggers targeting the vital points of the Magic Beasts.

Aikesi hesitated not; the Falling Heart Flame instantly surged forth, forming a Fire Wall before him. That Fire Wall was no ordinary flame, but near-white scorching fire. The moment it appeared, the surrounding temperature soared sharply, and the air began to distort.

The Magic Beasts charged into the Fire Wall; the first dozen or so, unable to stop in time, crashed straight in. The terrifying temperature of the Falling Heart Flame instantly burned them to charcoal, leaving them no time even to scream. The stench of burning spread, and the Magic Beasts behind instinctively paused, driven by instinct to avoid that deadly Fire Wall and circle around from the sides.

In that brief pause, Aikesi's second wave of attacks had already arrived.

The Falling Heart Flame split into dozens of tiny flame arrows, shooting toward the Magic Beast pack like a rainstorm. The precision of the flame arrows was terrifying; under Aikesi's spiritual control, every arrow struck a vital point of a Magic Beast—eyes, throats, bellies, those weak spots in their defense. The hit Magic Beasts screamed as they fell, rolling on the ground, yet unable to extinguish that strange white fire.

A dozen or so Magic Beasts fell, but more charged forward. There were simply too many Magic Beasts; the four doors continued to pour out new ones endlessly, as if inexhaustible.

"Good!" Badun praised, sweeping his great sword horizontally and cleaving three Fire Lizards in two simultaneously. But he was also knocked back two steps by a Magma Spider; Bali immediately stepped in, pinning the spider to the ground with her great sword.

The battle lasted the entire duration of a stick of incense.

When the last Magic Beast fell, the hall was covered in corpses. The stench of blood mixed with the smell of burning, choking everyone so they could barely breathe. Rivers of blood flowed on the ground; the dismembered remains of Magic Beasts were everywhere, some still twitching.

Aikesi panted heavily, his internal Magic depleted by nearly half. The Falling Heart Flame consumed immense amounts; that previous round of dense attacks had almost drained thirty percent of his Magic. But he did not relax his vigilance, his gaze sweeping the four stone doors at the corners to confirm no new Magic Beasts were charging out. Those stone doors, after the last Magic Beast fell, slammed shut with a boom, returning to become complete walls once more.

"Count the casualties," Kalun's voice rang out, still steady. He was drenched in blood, but not a single drop was his own; his sword was still dripping with the blood of Magic Beasts.

Everyone began to check. Fortunately, no one had died—only two Mercenaries had sustained minor injuries. One Archer had been swept by a Flame Scorpion's tail, a gash opening on his arm with flesh turned outward; the wound edges had already turned black. The poison spread quickly, but Lao Chen had treated it in time, cleaning the wound with antidote potion and catalyzing it with magic, so there was no major issue.

"These Magic Beasts are guardians," the Blue-Robed Array Breaker said, squatting to examine a Magic Beast corpse. "They must have been automatically activated when we triggered something. This design is very common—to prevent invaders from searching slowly, a trigger condition is set; once met, the guardians appear."

"Will the next trigger bring them again?" someone asked, their tone carrying worry.

The Blue-Robed man shook his head. "I don't know. It could be once, or multiple times, depending on the ruin's design. Some ruins trigger only once, and once the guardians are killed, they are gone; others trigger infinitely, refreshing a new batch every set period."

Kalun pondered for a moment, looking at the recess. "The question now is, what is the key? We must find it as soon as possible; our supplies are limited, we cannot linger here too long."

Aikesi stood aside, his gaze sweeping over the floor littered with Magic Beast corpses, when suddenly something stirred in his heart.

He walked to the nearest Fire Lizard corpse, squatted down, and used his dagger to cut open the Magic Beast's head. The Magic Core was dug out; it was Level 8, warm, glowing red, and still pulsing faintly. He wiped the bloodstains on his clothes, stood up, and looked toward the recess on the high platform.

The shape of that recess seemed...

Aikesi walked over and placed the Magic Core into the recess. The size was wrong, far off. He tried the Magic Cores of several different Magic Beasts—the Fire Lizard's, the Magma Spider's, the Flame Scorpion's—but none worked. Either too large or too small; not a single one fit perfectly.

"Not a Magic Core," he shook his head and stood up.

Lao Chen walked over, staring at the recess for a long time. "Could it be blood? Some ancient arrays require blood to activate, and not just any blood; it must be the blood of a living creature, fresh blood just shed."

Kalun nodded, sliced his finger, and let a few drops of blood fall in. The fresh blood dripped into the recess, flowing along the patterns, but quickly coagulated without any reaction. The recess remained cold, and the runes showed no change.

"Not ordinary blood," the Blue-Robed man said. "It might require a specific bloodline, or the blood of a Magic Beast. Some masters of ancient ruins like to use Magic Beast blood to activate mechanisms, symbolizing Strength or Conquest."

Aikesi's gaze swept over those reliefs, and suddenly he recalled the scene he had seen earlier—that Magus holding a staff, with Magic Beasts kneeling below. The flame atop that staff, the posture of the submissive Magic Beasts, that towering Momentum.

He looked at the stone statue.

The stone statue depicted the Chiyan Shiwan, lifelike. But upon closer inspection, the Shiwan's eyes did not seem to be stone, but some special material—dark red, with faint light flowing, like gemstones, or like solidified fire. Deep within those eyes, something seemed to be slowly rotating.

"Those eyes..." he spoke, pointing at the statue.

Everyone followed his gaze.

Kalun flashed forward, leaping onto the high platform to stand at the height of the Shiwan's head. He reached out to touch the Shiwan's left eye; the instant his fingertip made contact, he felt a warmth—that was not the temperature of stone, but of a living creature. He pressed lightly, and the eye actually sank in, as if pressing a mechanism.

Boom-boom-boom—

The base emitted a dull sound; the ground around that recess cracked open, and a slender stone pillar rose. The pillar was only arm-thick, entirely black, with a palm-sized Crystal Bottle resting on its top.

"The key!" the Blue-Robed Array Breaker's eyes lit up, and he nearly jumped. "It's this!"

Kalun picked up the Crystal Bottle and examined it closely. The runes on the bottle were identical to those on the base, clearly a matching set. He pulled out the stopper, and a scorching breath surged from the bottle.

He poured the liquid from the bottle into the recess.

The instant the liquid flowed into the recess, the entire hall began to shake violently. This was not the slight tremor from before, but a true quake; the stone slabs beneath their feet shook, and debris fell from the ceiling. The high platform slowly sank, emitting a huge booming sound, revealing a spiral stone staircase descending below. The staircase was very narrow, allowing only one person to pass, extending downward and disappearing into the darkness.

The entrance to the Second Layer had opened.

Kalun stood before the entrance, glanced down, and saw faint red light flickering in the deep darkness, like flames burning beneath the earth. He turned to face everyone.

"The Second Layer," his voice was calm, yet exceptionally clear amidst the lingering tremors. "It will be more dangerous than the First Layer. Anyone wishing to withdraw may stay here and wait."

No one moved.

Kalun's gaze swept over each person, lingering for a moment on every face. No one retreated, no one averted their eyes.

He nodded. "Then let's go."

He was the first to descend the stone stairs.

Everyone followed in turn. Badun and Bali followed closely behind, then the Array Breaker, then the Mages, and finally the Mercenaries.

Aikesi walked in the middle of the group; beneath his feet were ancient stone steps, some already worn, trembling slightly underfoot. The Magic Lamps on the walls on both sides automatically lit up, illuminating the path downward. The air grew hotter and drier, making breathing somewhat difficult.

Behind them, the tremors of the First Layer hall gradually subsided. The corpses of the Magic Beasts lay quietly in pools of blood, casting eerie shadows under the light of the Magic Lamps.