Chapter 590: You're awesome!

The dusk deepened, and the last glimmer of daylight in the forest was also blocked by the dense canopy.

Ning Ya followed behind Yu Lin, walking with uneven steps—deep then shallow.

The surroundings grew darker and darker, with only a few faint glimmers occasionally flashing in the distance, like the gaze of some unknown creature.

"How much farther?"

"Almost there, almost there." Ning Ya pointed ahead, "Just over that slope and we'll be there."

Yu Lin didn't speak, just kept walking.

After crossing the slope, the view ahead suddenly opened up.

It was a huge depression, as if something had fallen from the sky and blasted it out.

In the center of the depression stood an ancient structure—rather than calling it a building, it was more like a pile of massive stones stacked into ruins.

The stones were covered in moss and vines, and ancient runes could be faintly seen in the cracks.

Those runes glowed faintly in the twilight, exuding an ancient, weathered aura.

The entrance to the ruins was a pitch-black hole, like a giant maw gaping open, waiting to devour any intruder.

"This is the place." Ning Ya said, "We came in here before."

Yu Lin nodded and stepped toward the opening.

Ning Ya hurried to follow.

……

Just as they entered the cave, a chilling, cold gust hit them.

All around was pitch black; you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

Ning Ya shivered and instinctively moved closer to Yu Lin.

"This creepy place still feels as gloomy as ever…"

Before the words even finished—

Boom—

Suddenly, strips of eerie blue light flared up on the stone walls on both sides of the passage!

The light spread along the runes on the walls, instantly illuminating the entire passage.

The blue light was dim and ghostly, casting everything in an eerie hue!

At the same time—

The ground trembled.

Heavy footsteps sounded from ahead.

A huge figure slowly emerged from the depths of the passage.

It was a stone statue.

About three meters tall, humanoid, wielding a massive axe.

Its body was made of pieced-together boulders, and its joints flickered with the same eerie blue light as the runes.

With each step it took, the ground shuddered!

"We've never run into this thing before!" Ning Ya shouted, "There was nothing like it last time we came!"

Yu Lin glanced at the stone statue.

"Now there is."

He continued walking forward.

The stone statue raised its giant axe and swung it down at him!

Boom—

A deafening roar.

She opened her eyes to see the stone statue shattered into a pile of rubble.

The rubble rolled everywhere, and the eerie blue light went out completely.

Yu Lin stepped over the rubble without looking back.

"Let's go."

Ning Ya: "…Okay."

She hurried to catch up.

……

They continued forward.

Branching paths began to appear on both sides of the passage, one after another, forming a labyrinthine maze.

"We got lost here last time." Ning Ya said, "These paths shift on their own; last time we wandered for hours and could only retreat the way we came—"

She hadn't finished speaking when she saw Yu Lin stride straight ahead.

When he reached a fork, he didn't look, didn't choose—he just walked.

Those branching paths, as he passed by—

disappeared.

Indeed, they disappeared!

It was as if they had never existed!

Ning Ya's mouth fell open.

"Is… this even possible?"

Yu Lin didn't turn his head.

"Why wouldn't it be?"

Ning Ya: "……"

All right, you're awesome, you're badass!

……

Not long after walking, movement appeared ahead again.

This time it was a group of Black Shadow.

They emerged from the walls, rose from the ground, and hung down from the ceiling.

Pitch-black outlines, no facial features, exactly the same as the monsters that had chased Ning Ya earlier!

Dense and numerous, at least over a hundred.

"Go, Yu Lin, you're the chosen one!!" Ning Ya instinctively stepped back, putting Yu Lin in front of her.

Yu Lin: ".............."

"Hey hey, don't treat me like a pet spirit.........."

He continued walking forward.

Those Black Shadows lunged at him——

Then they all stopped.

Holding their attacking poses, they hovered in midair, like black sculptures.

No different from those outside.

Yu Lin walked through them, and the Black Shadows automatically made way.

Ning Ya followed behind, carefully watching the stationary monsters as she passed through them.

As she passed, she could even see the claw of one monster clearly, less than ten centimeters from her face.

She held her breath and walked quickly past.

Only after passing through the group of monsters did she let out a long breath.

Looking back, the group of monsters remained still, like a black forest.

Ning Ya couldn't help but remark:

"It's still better to have a big brother lead the way!"

She quickly caught up to Yu Lin, her face full of excitement.

"It's like a vacation! So awesome!"

Yu Lin glanced at her.

"A vacation?"

"Yeah!" Ning Ya counted on her fingers, "No need to lead the way, no need to fight monsters, no need to think—just follow along. Isn't this much better than our panicked escape last time?"

Yu Lin didn't speak.

Ning Ya continued to chatter:

"You don't know how miserable it was when we came in last time."

"As soon as we entered, we were chased; we couldn't outrun them, and after barely escaping, we almost lost our lives."

"This time, following you, we don't have to do anything—it's like strolling in a park……"

She chattered on, and Yu Lin just listened, occasionally grunting.

The two continued forward.

After passing through the group of stationary monsters, the passage gradually widened.

Up ahead, a door appeared.

A huge Bronze Gate!

The door was ten meters high and five meters wide, made entirely of bronze, its surface covered with the marks of time.

The door was carved with intricate patterns and ancient Runes, which faintly glowed, emanating immense pressure!

Most striking were the two paintings on the door.

The left one depicted a tall, upright man.

He stood on the clouds, with a sun behind him.

The sun's rays shone brilliantly, illuminating the whole carving; even as a mere engraving, it conveyed that heat and splendor!

The right one showed a handsome-faced man.

He stood amidst endless flames, which leaped, burned, and revelled around him.

The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, bearing a faint smile that held a hint of mischief, a hint of cunning, and something indescribable……

Danger!

Ning Ya stood before the door, head tilted back, stunned by the two paintings into speechlessness.

That aura, that momentum, that ancient pressure pressing upon her——

"What…… what place is this?"

Yu Lin stroked his chin.

"God of Light Bader," he pointed to the left one, "and that Loki guy."

Ning Ya froze.

"Those two from Northern European mythology?"

"Hmm."

Yu Lin looked at the right painting, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly.

"Doesn't that mean," Ning Ya stared wide-eyed:

"These ruins are from the Twilight of the Gods era?"

"Probably, just look and you'll know." Yu Lin replied casually.

He stared at the Bronze Gate, as if thinking about something.

Ning Ya watched him nervously.

"Can it be opened?"

Yu Lin withdrew his gaze.

"Let's try."

He stepped forward, stood before the Bronze Gate, raised his hand, and lightly pressed it against the door.

Then——

Boom——

A tremendous roar!

That sound was not the noise of the door being pushed open, but rather some kind of older, grander, more shocking sound!

Like the first thunderclap when heaven and earth were first split!

Like the final sigh when the World Tree collapsed!

The runes on the Bronze Gate suddenly lit up, bursting out blinding golden light!

That golden light shot up into the sky, piercing the rocks overhead, piercing the entire ruins, piercing the sky shrouded in twilight!

The entire ruins trembled!

The ground shook, walls cracked, and rubble rained down from above!

Ning Ya couldn't open her eyes from the golden light's glare, and the shaking made her unable to stand steady.

She instinctively clung to a nearby boulder, barely managing to steady herself.

Then——

The door opened.

It burst open with a boom!

It was as if an invisible hand had flung open that ten-meter-tall Bronze Gate in one sweep!

The golden light surged forth like a tide, bathing the whole space in daylight!

Ning Ya opened her mouth wide.

Her mouth opened wide enough to fit an egg.

She stared wide-eyed at the Bronze Gate flung open, at the runes still trembling, at the man standing in the doorway with a calm back, her mind going blank.

After a long, long while.

Only then did she finally find her voice.

"Holy crap, you're playing this big?"

Yu Lin turned his head and gave her a grin.

"Come on, why are you just standing there?"

Ning Ya nodded dumbly.

She stepped up to follow, and when she reached Yu Lin's side, she couldn't help but ask:

"You… you just opened it like that?"

"What else?"

"I… I thought we had to solve a puzzle or something…"

Yu Lin shrugged.

"What puzzle? Just opening it is enough, right?"

Ning Ya: "……"

She remained silent for three seconds.

Then she gave a thumbs-up.

"You're awesome!"