Chapter 96: Rune Mystery

"These runes... they seem to have come alive!" Ji Chen's pupils constricted sharply. The previously static runes were as if imbued with life; their flickering light began to flow, pulsing like breathing, now bright, now dim.

Ceng Yue also sensed this anomaly. Subconsciously, she gripped Ji Chen's hand tightly, a thin layer of sweat forming on her palms.

The surrounding air felt as if it had solidified, suffocatingly oppressive.

The light of the runes reflected on their faces, appearing eerie and mysterious.

"Be careful!" Ji Chen whispered a warning, pulling Ceng Yue back a few steps to maintain a distance from the runes.

The two observed the runes cautiously, attempting to discern a pattern within them.

The frequency of the runes' flickering grew faster, and their light intensified. The surrounding air began to vibrate slightly, emitting a low, humming sound, as if an ancient incantation were being chanted.

"Let's see if we can touch them." Ji Chen pondered for a moment, deciding to take the initiative.

He took a deep breath, slowly extended his hand, and reached his fingertip toward the rune closest to him.

Just as his fingertip was about to touch the rune, a powerful energy shockwave erupted violently!

With a loud "Bang!", Ji Chen's body was sent flying backward, crashing heavily to the ground, a metallic, fishy taste surging up his throat.

"Ji Chen!" Ceng Yue cried out in alarm, rushing to his side to help him up. "Are you alright?"

Ji Chen clutched his chest, his face pale, and shook his head: "I'm fine, it's just... this energy..."

He looked up at the rune; its light was even more dazzling, as if mocking his overestimation of his own abilities.

The surrounding runes also began to resonate, their flickering frequency becoming more chaotic, and the vibrations in the air grew more intense.

"It seems these runes... are not as simple as we imagined." Ceng Yue's tone also became grave.

Ji Chen slowly stood up, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and a flash of determination crossed his eyes: "Let's... try again!" He extended his hand once more, and this time, a faint golden light flickered at his fingertip...

Ji Chen extended his hand again, his fingertip flickering with a faint golden light.

He took a deep breath, focusing all his attention on that rune.

This time, he did not touch it directly, but slowly extended the golden light from his fingertip, attempting to establish some form of communication with the rune's light.

The rune seemed to sense his sincerity; its light became softer, no longer so blinding.

Ji Chen's heart rate accelerated, his forehead covered in beads of sweat.

He continued to slowly permeate the rune with the golden light, and the rune's light gradually stabilized, no longer flickering erratically as before.

"Great!" Ji Chen murmured to himself. He felt the rune resonating with his own energy, as if the rune were guiding him to the next step.

Just then, the surrounding runes also began to change.

The previously disorganized runes began to combine according to a certain pattern, forming complex Rune Arrays.

Ji Chen and Ceng Yue's eyes lit up, and the surrounding light became even more brilliant and dazzling.

"Look, these runes are changing!" Ceng Yue's voice carried a hint of surprise as she stared intently at the transformation of the Rune Array.

Ji Chen nodded, his brow gradually smoothing out.

He discovered that the changes in these runes seemed to follow a certain pattern, but this pattern was extremely complex and required careful observation to be fully understood.

"We must continue down this path!" Ji Chen said firmly. He took Ceng Yue's hand and walked toward the center of the Rune Array.

The light within the Rune Array grew brighter, as if guiding their direction.

Ji Chen's heart beat faster; he felt an unprecedented sense of tension and excitement.

Just as they were about to touch the core of the Rune Array, a piercing alarm suddenly sounded, and the entire space began to shake violently.

"Careful!" Ji Chen shouted, pulling Ceng Yue back rapidly.

A massive energy wave erupted from the core of the Rune Array, tearing the surrounding air into fragments.

Ji Chen and Ceng Yue were pushed back repeatedly by the powerful shockwave, clinging to each other for mutual protection.

Despite this, their eyes remained filled with determination and defiance.

"This is only the beginning; we will definitely solve this puzzle!" Ji Chen looked at Ceng Yue firmly, his eyes flashing with intense light.

The energy wave dissipated, and dust filled the air.

The figures of Ji Chen and Ceng Yue were faintly visible amidst the flickering rune light.

Suddenly, the rune energy surged, condensing into Guardians of various forms.

These Guardians stood like statues, exuding an ancient and powerful aura.

"Damn, what is this? Has the Boss arrived?" Ji Chen muttered, clenching his fists, the golden light at his fingertips becoming even more dazzling.

The Guardians moved, fast as lightning, attacking the pair with fierce energy.

Ji Chen was quick-witted; he pulled Ceng Yue behind him, the golden light transforming into a shield to block the attack.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!" The deafening sound of energy colliding shook the entire space.

"Hide behind me!" Ji Chen growled, meeting the attack head-on.

He moved with agility, weaving through the Guardians like a swimming dragon. Every punch and kick contained powerful energy, forcing the Guardians to retreat step by step.

Ceng Yue stood behind Ji Chen, her eyes filled with admiration. This guy was truly cool in a critical moment!

The battle intensified, and Ji Chen felt the energy within him surging endlessly, as if it were inexhaustible.

He fought with increasing bravery, his moves becoming more refined.

He discovered that the Guardians' attack patterns were closely related to the flickering frequency of the runes.

"So that's it!" Ji Chen felt a surge of joy; he had finally found the key to cracking the rune puzzle.

He no longer dodged, but charged toward the Guardians' attacks.

He fused the energy within his body with the rune energy, attacking the Guardians with a peculiar rhythm.

Every attack landed precisely on the Guardians' weak points.

The Guardians began to slow down, and the light on their bodies gradually dimmed.

Ji Chen seized the opportunity, concentrating all his energy into one point to deliver a fatal blow!

"Boom!" With a loud bang, the Guardians dissipated into specks of light, and the surrounding runes stopped flickering.

The Rune Space began to collapse, energy surging violently.

Ji Chen felt a powerful suction pulling him toward an unknown place.

When Ji Chen opened his eyes again, he found himself and Ceng Yue standing in a place of light.

The Rune Mystery had vanished, replaced by a sense of peace and tranquility.

"We... succeeded?" Ceng Yue's voice carried a hint of disbelief.

Ji Chen smiled slightly: "Of course, don't you know who I am?"

However, before they could enjoy the joy of victory, the sky suddenly turned dim...

"What's going on?" Ji Chen narrowed his eyes and looked at the sky. ===== CHAPTER 97 =====