章節 73: Venturing Deeper into the Relam
Juanxiu carefully descended the Wandering Stair, taking in the magnificent view of the realm as he went. As he neared the 40th step, he noticed Li Bai and Zhang Heng making their way up. The other students pf Hongpuhui were not far behind, their cultivation noticeably improved since they began their journey. They are almost catching up to the students of the Irexerra University.
Realizing that it may take a while before they all reach the top, Juanxiu decided to speak to Zhang Heng. "I'll return here after two days, whether you were able to make it to the top or not, we should leave. There are more things for us to see. I will scout the area for our next destination. In the meantime, take advantage of this opportunity. Be patient and avoid conflicts. Focus on what matters more."
Zhang Heng and the others nodded in agreement, understanding the importance of their mission and the need to stay focused. Juanxiu continued his descent, determined to find their next destination and lead them to success.
Juanxiu finally reached the bottom of the stairs, his feet landing firmly on the ground. He took a deep breath, feeling the relief of finally finishing the task. As he looked around, he noticed that the other students were looking at him, but he didn't pay much attention to them. Instead, he communicated with the Curse Striker through his mind.
"Where do you think we should go?" he asked.
The Curse Striker replied, "There are a lot of concentrated energy that I can feel. The furthest north has the strongest scent, perhaps that should be our final destination. Let's head to the southwest area first. I can feel something different there."
Juanxiu nodded and began to walk towards the southwest direction.
He moved swiftly to the southwest, his cultivation and prowess on full display. He moved with a grace and agility that left other students in awe, but he made sure to avoid their presence as much as possible. As he moved further southwest, the landscape began to change, and he noticed that the once lush forests and greenery had given way to barren terrain.
Furrowing his brow, Juanxiu asked the Curse Striker, "Are you sure we're going the right way?"
The Curse Striker replied confidently, "Trust me on this."
Despite his reservations about the barren landscape, Juanxiu continued his journey. The ground was hard and cracked, with the occasional shrub dotting the landscape. The air was dry and hot, and the sun beat down on him mercilessly.
As Juanxiu approached the sea, the salty tang of the ocean air filled his nostrils. He gazed out at the shimmering expanse of water, the endless blue stretching out as far as the eye could see. But his attention was soon drawn to the strange structure standing just ahead of him, erected along the rocky shore.
The well was weather-worn, its rough stone walls slick with the green and brown hues of algae. The sound of water echoed up from its depths, a cool and eerie whisper. Juanxiu stepped closer, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end as the Chaos Striker hummed with energy.
He searched for something to aid his descent, his eyes scanning the well's surroundings for any possible foothold or handhold. But there was nothing, no rope or ladder, nothing but the slick, damp walls of the well.
He hesitated, considering the risks of jumping down into the unknown. But he knew that time was of the essence, and the Chaos Striker's sense of urgency pushed him forward. With a deep breath, Juanxiu leapt down into the well, the cool water closing over him with a shock.
As Juanxiu landed on the ground, his feet sank into solid earth. That was odd, he could swear that he could hear the rush of water a while ago. The darkness of the well was soon replaced by a dimly lit hallway stretching out before him, leading who knows where. The Chaos Striker had transformed into a tamed beast once again and gazed toward the end of the hallway. "Follow this path," it spoke. Juanxiu nodded and walked forward, the Chaos Striker leading the way.
As he progressed down the hallway, the walls were made of ancient stones, covered in moss and cobwebs. The air was heavy with the scent of age and mustiness. The sound of dripping water echoed through the corridor. The hallway seemed endless, but Juanxiu continued forward with determination.
Eventually, the path split into multiple pathways, forming a confusing maze. The Chaos Striker guided Juanxiu through the labyrinth, warning him of potential traps and pitfalls. Without the guidance of the Chaos Striker, Juanxiu would have found it impossible to navigate the ever-changing paths.
The walls and floors shifted and changed as he walked, creating new twists and turns. The path sometimes led him up and sometimes down, adding to the confusion of the maze. But Juanxiu remained vigilant and followed the Chaos Striker's directions, carefully making his way through the maze.
The twisting path Juanxiu was taking finally led him to a massive hall. As he stepped into the hall, the blue flames illuminating the place, he saw a massive sculpture of a minotaur holding an aimed spear at the center. He couldn't help but stare in awe at the intricate details of the sculpture.
But then he realized that they had hit a dead end. "What do we do here? We're at a dead end," he muttered to the Chaos Striker.
The tamed beast remained silent for a moment, then spoke. "I don't know. It's here, I know it. I can sense it here."
Juanxiu tried to search for any clues or hidden mechanisms, but there was nothing he could find. The walls and floors seemed solid and seamless, with no sign of any entrances or exits. He walked around the room, examining every inch of the place, but his efforts were fruitless.
Frustration began to settle in. They had come so far and faced many challenges, only to reach a dead end. Juanxiu let out a deep sigh and turned to the Chaos Striker. "What now? Where do we go from here?"
The tamed beast remained silent for a while, as if contemplating its next move. Then, it spoke. "There must be a way out of here. We just have to find it. Keep searching, Juanxiu."
Juanxiu felt the weight of his exhaustion settle in his bones as he leaned against the Minotaur sculpture, his eyes heavy with fatigue. He hadn't rested in weeks, dedicating himself to helping the other six students with their cultivation and martial arts. Even entering this place had been a grueling journey, with no breaks or moments of respite.
But as he closed his eyes, his thoughts drifted away from his weariness and towards the mysterious hall he found himself in. What was the purpose of this place? What secrets lay hidden within its walls?
Suddenly, he felt a jolt of energy surge through his body as his eyes snapped open, drawn to the tip of the Minotaur's spear. It was pointing towards something, urging him to follow. Without hesitation, he began to make his way across the room, his gaze locked on the direction indicated by the weapon.
As he approached the section of the room where the spear was pointing, his eyes fell on a lone sconce, unlike the others in the room, which held torches. He moved closer to it, his hand reaching out to touch the cool surface. Experimentally, he applied weight to the sconce, and with a soft click, it moved downwards.
Suddenly, the room was filled with the sound of grinding gears, and Juanxiu turned to see a hidden staircase descending downwards. Excitement and anticipation surged through his body as he took his first steps down the staircase.
As they emerged from the stairway, Juanxiu blinked in disbelief. The world outside was a stark contrast to the dimly lit dungeon he had just left behind. He could feel the cool breeze of the sea and the warmth of the sun on his skin. Was he still inside the well or had they exited to the outside world? His confusion was interrupted by the appearance of a phantom-like cultivator, who floated towards him with a curious expression.
The cultivator had a ghostly appearance, with wispy white hair and translucent skin. Juanxiu couldn't tell if it was male or female, but it had an otherworldly aura about it. It examined Juanxiu and the Chaos Striker with interest.
"Hmm, you managed to solve the maze?" it asked in a curious tone.
Juanxiu shrugged, "Perhaps I'm lucky."
The phantom-like cultivator continued to examine him, "Boy, that maze needed more than just luck. Did you manage to avoid all the traps? You look unscathed."
Juanxiu was puzzled by the question, "What traps?"
"That's odd," the cultivator remarked, "I designed this maze to guarantee that no one would enter this place. You are the first person to ever reach this place. Did you know that?"
Juanxiu scratched his head, feigning innocence.
Yan Yan introduced himself to Juanxiu and the Chaos Striker, and they couldn't help but notice the irony in his name - he looked nothing like a Yan Yan. But his serious demeanor and the way he carried himself commanded respect.
As if to showcase his power, Yan Yan waved his hand, and suddenly, the surroundings changed. They were no longer outside, but inside a room where the universe was in full view. Juanxiu was in awe, taking in the breathtaking view.
Yan Yan spoke with authority, "The owner of this Xuanwu realm is a magnificent alchemist, and I will give you a puzzle related to alchemy. If you manage to solve it, I will hand you a gift. The puzzle is about creating heavenly body through alchemy. Are you ready?"
As Yan Yan spoke, the universe around them seemed to shift and change. The stars glowed brighter and the planets orbited in perfect harmony.
"The puzzle is related to the creation of the galaxy," Yan Yan continued. "To create the heavenly body, the alchemist needed to combine three elements in precise proportions. The first element is a rare metal found only in the heart of a star. The second is a liquid that can only be harvested from the depths of a black hole. And the third is a gas that is released during a supernova."
Yan Yan paused for a moment, allowing Juanxiu to take in the information. "The alchemist had just enough of each element to create the heavenly body, but they could not be mixed directly," Yan Yan said. "In order to combine the three elements, the alchemist had to use a special device that could hold each element separately until they were ready to be combined."
"As you can see, the creation of the universe was no small feat," Yan Yan said, gesturing to the vast expanse of space around them. "Now, your puzzle is this: What was the special device that the alchemist used to combine the three elements and create the heavenly body?"
As Yan Yan finished speaking, the universe around them shifted again, the stars and planets becoming fainter as if awaiting Juanxiu's answer.
As the puzzle unfolded, Juanxiu could feel his mind working hard, trying to piece together the clues and solve the challenge. He felt like he was being transported into a world of alchemy, where the laws of science and nature were different.
The universe around them continued to change, shifting and morphing in response to the puzzle. Juanxiu could see the stars and planets forming and aligning, all while trying to make sense of the puzzle in front of him.
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