“Rumble!”
A deep, muffled boom echoed from the direction of the fissure they had entered through. The ground trembled faintly, and bits of gravel rained down from above.
“What’s going on?!” the guard captain exclaimed, looking toward the fissure in alarm.
To their shock, the narrow gap that had only allowed one person to pass earlier was now completely sealed by an enormous boulder—wedged tightly into place.
It was as if an invisible giant hand had reached out and sealed their only way out from the outside.
“Not good! Our retreat’s been cut off!”
One of the guards rushed forward and pushed hard against the boulder, but it didn’t budge an inch—it was far heavier than anyone had imagined.
Panic rippled through the group as several men took turns striking it with swords and axes, but their blows only left a few shallow white marks.
This was no ordinary stone. A faint spiritual pattern flickered across its surface—it was clearly protected by a formation.
“It’s an array! We’re trapped here!” Qingzhu said, her voice rising in alarm.
Margaret’s expression darkened.
The path ahead was unknown, and now their only exit was gone—they were like fish trapped in an urn.
“Stay calm,” Dustin said evenly, his tone steady as ever.
He walked up to the sealed fissure, pressing his palm against the cold surface of the rock. He could sense the dense earthen spiritual energy within it, and a faint trace of restrictive power.
“This barrier seals the passage, but its range is limited. Someone led us here and deliberately blocked the way out. There must be a purpose behind it. If there’s an exit, it’s likely beneath that pool.”
His gaze shifted once more to the crystal-clear pool in the middle of the cavern.
This time, he looked closer, sending his divine sense down into the depths, tracing the current of the spring.
The pool was deeper than he had expected. After extending his sense roughly ten zhang below the surface, he detected the bottom—and there, hidden among weeds and rocks, was a concealed underwater tunnel.
From within the tunnel, he felt a steady current flowing outward, vanishing into the unknown darkness.
“There’s a passage under the water,” Dustin said simply.
All eyes turned toward the tranquil-looking pool.
A hidden route beneath the water? No one knew what dangers might lurk below.
“I’ll go first to scout ahead. Stay here and wait. If there’s danger, I’ll return immediately.”
As he spoke, Dustin took a deep breath, a faint blue glow shimmering over his body as he formed a thin layer of energy that kept the water at bay.
Then, without hesitation, he dove straight into the pool—his figure vanishing swiftly into the dim depths.
The waiting that followed felt excruciatingly long.
The cavern was utterly silent, broken only by the sound of their anxious breathing and the soft gurgle of the spring. Every second dragged on like an eternity.
About one stick of incense later, just as unease began to grip everyone’s hearts—
“Splash!”
Dustin broke through the water’s surface, landing steadily on the shore. His clothes were dried instantly by a surge of inner energy, and his expression remained calm.
“The passage leads somewhere else,” he said succinctly. “No immediate danger detected. It’s short—ends in a larger space with light ahead. Prepare yourselves. We’ll dive one by one. Hold your breath, stay calm, and keep close to me.”
With clear instructions and their trust in Dustin, no one hesitated further.
Led by him, the surviving guards—along with Margaret and Qingzhu—entered the cold pool one by one, following the narrow underwater tunnel toward the unknown.
The passage wasn’t long, only about ten zhang in length.
Soon, a faint light appeared ahead. They swam toward it with all their strength, broke through a thin, invisible membrane of water—and one after another, their heads emerged above the surface.
Before them stretched a vast, natural cavern.
From the ceiling hung countless stalactites, each glowing with a soft white light that illuminated the whole cave. In the center was another pool, connected to the one they had come from.
Along the stone walls grew patches of luminous moss and low, bioluminescent plants. The air was filled with a faint sandalwood-like scent that calmed the heart and cleared the mind.
But what caught their attention most was the sight in one corner of the cavern.
There were several leather pouches, sealed with special oil to preserve them, a few old but sharp weapons, and even a small box of healing pills—all neatly placed together.
These were clearly left behind by someone.
“Someone’s been here before? And left supplies?” Qingzhu said in disbelief.
Margaret stepped forward and carefully inspected the pouches and pills. After confirming there was no poison and that they were still usable, she frowned slightly. “Judging from the materials and how well they’re preserved, they can’t be more than a few decades old. But who could it be?”
The guards, weary and hungry, looked at the supplies as though they’d found treasure. They quickly, but cautiously, distributed the clean water and dried rations.
For their nearly exhausted team, these provisions were a gift from heaven.
Dustin, however, did not touch the supplies. His gaze was fixed on a series of engravings etched into the stone wall nearby.
The carvings were crude, not written in any known script—rather, they were simple pictographs, depicting a kind of record.
He studied them closely.
The wall depicted a small group of cultivators battling grotesque monsters. Then, the survivors discovered this very cavern and left behind their supplies.
At the end, the carvings pointed toward a narrow crack on the far side of the cavern—marked deliberately.
Beyond the crack was a depiction of a swirling mass of clouds and lightning, suggesting a vast but perilous region.
Below the carvings, there were several hastily scratched characters—uneven, yet filled with a sense of grim determination:
“To those who come after: take these supplies freely. The road ahead is perilous—nine deaths for every life. Be warned. Be warned. —Liyun Tian.”
“Liyun Tian?” Margaret murmured, her eyes widening in surprise.
Liyun Tian was a legendary rogue cultivator from eighty years ago—renowned across the land for his unmatched strength. It was said he had reached the very limits of cultivation before venturing into the overseas secret realms in search of ascension. He had never been heard from again.
Could it be… he had also reached this very Penglai Island?
The realization sent a chill through the group.
Even one as powerful as Liyun Tian had left behind such a dire warning—“nine deaths for every life.”
Their brief relief from finding supplies was instantly replaced by dread.
If someone of his level had barely survived—or perhaps hadn’t—what chance did they have?
Everyone’s gaze slowly shifted toward the narrow crack the carvings pointed to.
From beyond it came faint sounds—wind and distant thunder, echoing from the unseen depths.
Was that where they were meant to go next?
Dustin looked once more at the final words on the wall, then at the narrow fissure ahead, his eyes dark and thoughtful.
He could feel it now—the pure aura of water energy emanating from beyond the crack, clearer than ever.
But mingled with it was another force—wild, violent, and heart-shaking.
The Jade Pool… might lie just beyond. - Marinien
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