Chapter 52: The Journey

The smoke cleared, and the dust settled.

Ji Chen and Ceng Yue stood side by side, like gods descending to earth, bathed in the radiance of victory.

The surrounding Ability Users cheered and jumped, the mountain-shaking shouts almost flipping the sky.

Praises like "Brother Chen is amazing!" and "Sister Yue is mighty!" followed one after another, even livelier than a concert scene.

Ji Chen's lips curled slightly, and he took a deep breath, savoring the taste of victory.

This feeling, it's great!

Ceng Yue maintained her cold demeanor, only the slight smile at the corner of her eyes revealing her good mood at the moment.

Just as the two were immersed in joy, an old man with a crane-like appearance and a childlike face, possessing the demeanor of an immortal, walked over slowly. His aura was imposing without anger, as if he brought his own background music, and the crowd automatically cleared a path.

"Congratulations to you both for successfully stopping this catastrophe." The old man's kind voice carried unquestionable majesty.

Ji Chen and Ceng Yue hurriedly restrained their smiles and responded respectfully: "Senior, you flatter us; this is what we should have done."

The old man nodded slightly, but his eyes became serious: "Although the catastrophe has been quelled, a greater crisis is approaching. According to reliable intelligence..." The old man paused and lowered his voice. "An ancient and mysterious relic is about to appear in the world, containing massive energy and lurking with unknown dangers. We need you to go and explore it to find out the truth."

The surrounding cheers stopped abruptly, and a tense atmosphere permeated the air.

According to common sense, Ji Chen and Ceng Yue, who had just experienced a great battle, should rest well and enjoy the glory.

However, Ji Chen answered without hesitation: "We accept this mission."

Ceng Yue looked at Ji Chen with slight surprise, but immediately understood his thoughts and nodded lightly.

The surrounding Ability Users looked at each other, not understanding why Ji Chen would so decisively accept this dangerous mission.

The old man smiled with satisfaction: "Very good, worthy of being the new generation of leaders. In three days, I will send someone to pick you up." After speaking, the old man turned and left, leaving behind only a meaningful sentence: "Remember, this mission is extraordinary..."

Ji Chen and Ceng Yue looked at each other, a hint of unease rising in their hearts.

They had a premonition that the peaceful days were about to end...

"Brother Chen, this time..." Ceng Yue just started to speak, but Ji Chen interrupted her.

"I know what you want to say," Ji Chen said with firm eyes. "Some things, we must do."

After speaking, he looked up into the distance, where something seemed to be calling to him...

Three days later, Ji Chen and Ceng Yue rode in a special vehicle, moving along a narrow mountain road.

The sky was covered with dark clouds, and the wild wind whistled, as if it were about to devour them.

The rugged road made it difficult for them to move, every step like a struggle against the fury of nature.

Ji Chen clenched his fists, feeling the cold sweat coming from his palms.

He knew this was a tough battle, but the firmness in his heart made him fearless of any challenge.

Ceng Yue followed silently by his side, her expression still cold, but a hint of firmness added to her eyes.

"This kind of weather, it's enough!" Ji Chen couldn't help but complain, his voice drowned out by the wild wind.

Ceng Yue patted Ji Chen's shoulder lightly.

The wild wind continued to rage, as if mocking their insignificance.

But Ji Chen and Ceng Yue didn't stop their steps; they encouraged each other and moved forward firmly.

Suddenly, Ji Chen's brow furrowed slightly; his Golden Finger sensed an energy source not far ahead, radiating intense fluctuations.

"Ceng Yue, there's a situation," Ji Chen whispered.

Ceng Yue nodded, and the two quickly adjusted their pace, moving toward the direction of that energy source.

"This ghost weather, is it trying to blow us back home?" Ji Chen wiped his hair, which had been messed up by the wind, and complained.

He felt like a small boat in a wild wind, ready to be flipped over at any moment.

Ceng Yue still spoke very little, just saying a light "Hmm," but her eyes were as sharp as a leopard's, scanning the surroundings.

Ji Chen knew that although she looked calm, she was actually ready for battle.

"There's a strong energy reaction ahead, the energy fluctuation is very intense!" Ji Chen suddenly stopped, his tone carrying excitement, his lips curling slightly; this feeling was like discovering a hidden giant monster in a game, full of the thrill of challenge.

He could feel his special ability stirring; this intense energy fluctuation was simply the best supplement for it.

Ceng Yue's eyes also became sharp; she understood Ji Chen's meaning—this was the key to their entry into the relic.

The two looked at each other, and without needing to say more, they tacitly accelerated their pace, rushing toward the direction of the energy fluctuation.

The oppressive atmosphere in the surroundings seemed to be broken by their firm footsteps.

Soon, the two arrived in front of a massive cave; the entrance was deep and dark, like the wide-open mouth of a giant beast, ready to devour everything at any moment.

The surroundings of the cave entrance radiated a bizarre light, and the air was filled with an unsettling aura.

Just as they stepped into the cave entrance, several black shadows darted out from the darkness, moving extremely fast, carrying sharp hisses as they pounced directly at the two.

These black shadows were actually creatures similar to bats, but their bodies were several times larger than ordinary bats, their wings flashing with a metallic luster, their sharp claws like knives.

"My god, are these relatives of Batman?" Ji Chen exclaimed, dodging a pounce from a bat with a sidestep, condensing energy in his hand and blasting it directly at another.

Ceng Yue's reaction wasn't slow either; her figure moved like a ghost, the energy in her hands turning into several light blades, slashing a bat into several segments.

These bats were too fast, and their coordination was very tacit, like a well-trained army.

They launched attacks continuously, every collision carrying massive power, making both Ji Chen and Ceng Yue feel a wave of pressure.

The surrounding space seemed to be trembling, and the air was filled with the smell of blood.

The battle lasted for a while, and both Ji Chen and Ceng Yue were wounded; the attacks of these bats were indeed very tricky.

Just as they were preparing to counterattack with all their might, a powerful force fluctuation came from deep within the relic; this force was like the roar of an ancient giant beast, shaking the entire cave.

Ji Chen and Ceng Yue's expressions instantly became solemn; the power of this force had already exceeded their expectations. What exactly was hidden deep within the relic?

"Interesting." Ji Chen licked his lips, excitement flashing in his eyes; he felt his blood boiling.

They looked at each other tacitly, without too many words, and walked firmly toward the depths of the relic... ===== CHAPTER 53 =====