Primordial Era: The Holy Maiden Shiji, a woman of exceptional talent and beauty

In the center of the palace stood a colossal stone statue. Its face was indistinct, yet it exuded an aura of majesty and mystery, inspiring awe in all who beheld it.
"What exactly is this place?" Shi Ji finally couldn't help but ask. Qing Yangzi just shook his head, indicating that he didn't know either. "It seems that we can only find the answer by continuing to explore."

They exchanged a glance, both reading the unwavering determination in each other's eyes. They knew that the adventure to come would be even more thrilling and exciting!

So they continued their exploration of the palace together, hoping to find the secrets and treasures hidden within...

After an unknown amount of time, the two finally arrived at the depths of the palace.

Atop a high platform stood a radiant crystal ball.

The crystal ball was crystal clear, as if it contained endless mysteries.

"This must be the most precious treasure from the ancient ruins!" Shi Ji exclaimed excitedly. "Let's take it quickly!"

As he spoke, he reached out his hand, wanting to touch the crystal ball.

However, at that moment, a cold laugh suddenly entered their ears, sounding particularly eerie and terrifying in the confined space.

A black figure suddenly darted out from the shadows and launched a fierce attack on Shi Ji!
Shi Ji reacted quickly and dodged the attack in time, but was still forced back several steps by the powerful force.

"Who goes there?!" Shi Ji shouted sharply after regaining her balance, while warily looking around.

A man dressed in black robes with a ferocious face emerged from the shadows. He stared coldly at the two men, a cruel smile curling at the corner of his mouth: "Hmph! You think you can take the treasures here? What a pipe dream! You two ignorant brats, today I'll send you on your way!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than the man in black robes brandished his weapon and launched another attack on the two men.

He was incredibly fast, and in the blink of an eye he rushed in front of Shi Ji and slashed at his head with his sword!

Shi Ji was startled, but remained calm.

He dodged the black-robed man's attack with a swift movement, and at the same time thrust his sword at the man's chest!
However, the man in black robes seemed to have anticipated this, and easily dodged Shi Ji's counterattack by turning his body to the side.

"Hmph! A mere trick!"

The man in black robes sneered and launched another fierce attack on Shi Ji.

His swordsmanship was fierce and ruthless, with each strike concealing a deadly intent!
Shi Ji dared not be careless and focused all her attention on dealing with the opponent's attacks, trying to find a breakthrough.

But the black-robed man's strength far exceeded his expectations, and every attack was easily neutralized by him.

Qingyangzi also realized the black-robed man's strength and quickly stepped forward to help him.

The two joined forces to fight against the man in black robes, engaging in a thrilling and intense battle.

Their figures clashed, sword energy surged, and they engaged in fierce combat within the palace.

Each collision produced a deafening roar, terrifying everyone present!
Time ticked by, and the two sides were locked in a stalemate, neither able to gain the upper hand. Although Shiji and Qingyangzi were fighting together, they still felt somewhat overwhelmed by the black-robed man's formidable strength.

The man in black robes didn't seem to be in a hurry to win. He seemed to be enjoying the thrill of the battle, and each attack became increasingly fierce and ruthless!

"This can't go on!"

Shi Ji thought to herself, "I must find a way to break this deadlock!"

A determined glint flashed in his eyes, and he suddenly changed his attack method.

He no longer confronted the man in black head-on, but instead began to use a combination of movement and swordsmanship to deal with him.

His figure became elusive, making it difficult for the man in black robes to catch him.

At the same time, his swordsmanship became increasingly unpredictable, sometimes attacking fiercely like a storm, and sometimes as gently and gracefully as a breeze.

This caught the man in black off guard, disrupting his attack rhythm!
"A good opportunity!" Qingyangzi's eyes lit up, and he seized the opportunity to launch a fatal attack on the man in black robes!
A dazzling sword aura ripped through the sky, aiming straight for the black-robed man's throat!

The man in black robes was terrified and hurriedly swung his sword to defend himself, but it was too late!

Qingyangzi's sword energy instantly pierced through his defenses and struck him hard in the chest!

With a muffled "thud," a large hole was pierced through the black-robed man's chest, and blood gushed out!

He stared wide-eyed at Qingyangzi, his face full of disbelief, as if he couldn't believe that he had been defeated by his opponent.

His body swayed a few times, then he fell heavily to the ground and remained silent.

"Phew..." Shi Ji and Qing Yangzi breathed a sigh of relief at the same time, looked at each other and smiled, both feeling a lingering fear.

The battle just now was too dangerous. If one had been careless, one would probably have lost one's life at the hands of the man in black!
Fortunately, they ultimately defeated their opponents and successfully protected the crystal ball.

This made them extremely happy and proud!
After resting for a while, the two began to examine the crystal ball carefully.

It was crystal clear and shimmering with light, as if it contained endless mysteries and power.

They secretly wondered what the crystal ball was for, but couldn't come to a definitive conclusion.

However, one thing is certain: this must be an extraordinary treasure!

Otherwise, the man in the black robe wouldn't have been so desperate to snatch it.

So they decided to take the crystal ball with them and study its uses later when they returned to their sect.

Who knows, we might discover some amazing secrets from it!

Thinking about this, both of them were filled with anticipation and excitement.

They smiled at each other, then left the mysterious ancient ruins hand in hand.

In the days to come, they will continue their adventures and trials, seeking more opportunities and treasures.

This experience will become an unforgettable and beautiful memory in their lives!
After leaving the ancient ruins, Shiji and Qingyangzi did not immediately return to their sect.

They decided to continue their training in the nearby mountains, hoping to use this opportunity to improve their cultivation and lay a solid foundation for their future cultivation path.

So the two wandered around the mountains, searching for a suitable place to cultivate.

After a careful search, they finally found a secluded valley as a place for cultivation.

This valley is filled with incredibly rich spiritual energy, making it an ideal place for cultivation.

Moreover, there are no powerful monsters lurking nearby, making it relatively safe.

The two were very satisfied with this and immediately decided to go into seclusion here for a period of time to cultivate.

After setting up the defensive formation, they sat cross-legged and began to cultivate with their eyes closed. With each breath, the surrounding spiritual energy flowed into their bodies, nourishing their meridians and dantian. Their cultivation level was slowly increasing, albeit at a very steady pace.

Both were so immersed in this wonderful state of cultivation that they seemed to forget the passage of time. It wasn't until a month later that they both awoke from their meditative state.

The two exchanged a smile, both sensing the change in the other.

"Congratulations, Brother Shi, on breaking through your bottleneck and entering a new realm!" Qingyangzi cupped his hands in congratulations to Shiji.

Shi Ji smiled and said, "Congratulations! Brother Qingyang, you've also successfully broken through!"

It turns out that during this month of cultivation, both of them successfully broke through their cultivation bottlenecks and entered a completely new realm!
This filled them with immense joy and excitement.

"Yes! I never expected to break through my cultivation bottleneck here! This ancient ruin is truly a treasure trove!" Qingyangzi exclaimed.

“That’s right! Let’s come back here for more training when we have the chance in the future!” Shi Ji nodded and said.

"Great idea!" The two looked at each other and smiled, their eyes full of anticipation and determination.

They knew that although this experience was thrilling, it was also very rewarding.

Not only did he improve his cultivation level, but he also obtained a precious ancient relic—that mysterious crystal ball.

"Brother Qingyang, what secret do you think this crystal ball holds?" Shiji asked, fiddling with the crystal ball in her hand, her face full of curiosity.

Qingyangzi shook his head: "I can't explain it either, but I can feel the powerful force contained within it. Perhaps we need to find a senior who understands ancient secrets to decipher it."

“That’s right. Let’s go look for it after we return to the sect.” Shi Ji said, carefully putting the crystal ball away.

The two decided to set off again to return to their sect.

However, they were unaware that news of the crystal ball had already spread throughout the entire cultivation world, and an even greater storm was quietly brewing.

On their way back to the sect, Shiji and Qingyangzi encountered various challenges and dangers.

There were attacks from demonic beasts, as well as interceptions from other cultivators.

But thanks to their outstanding skills and tacit cooperation, the two managed to escape danger time and time again.

On this day, they arrived at a desolate desert.

The sun blazed fiercely over the desert, and waves of heat rolled in. Although the two were cultivators, they found it somewhat strenuous in this harsh environment.

"This desert is really hard to traverse!" Shi Ji wiped the sweat from her forehead and sighed, "I wonder how much longer it will take to get out of here."

"It should be soon." Qingyangzi looked up at the sky. "We've been walking for most of the day. According to the map, we shouldn't be far from the exit."

As the two were talking, a rumbling sound suddenly came from the depths of the desert. Immediately afterwards, a massive sandstorm swept towards them!

"Not good! Get out of the way!" Shi Ji shouted, pulling Qing Yangzi towards a nearby sand dune. However, the sandstorm was too fast, and before they could even reach the back of the dune, they were swept up in it!
During a sandstorm, sand and stones fly everywhere, and the sky darkens.

Shiji and Qingyangzi were blown about by the strong wind and could barely stand.

They could only hold each other tightly to prevent the wind from blowing them apart.

At the same time, they circulated their internal energy to form a protective shield around their bodies, resisting the invasion of flying sand and stones.

However, as time went on, they felt their internal energy being rapidly depleted.

This can't go on! We must find a way to get rid of this sandstorm! Shi Ji thought to herself.

He looked around and suddenly noticed a faint light flickering at the edge of the sandstorm.

what is that?
A thought struck him, and he quickly pulled Qingyangzi towards the light.

After a difficult journey, they finally arrived at the location of the light.

There stood a huge stone tablet!
The stone tablet is covered with ancient runes and patterns, and it still stands firm despite the sandstorms!
And that faint light was emanating from the stone tablet!
"This is... the entrance to an ancient ruin?!" Qingyangzi exclaimed in surprise. "We actually found the entrance to an ancient ruin in the middle of a sandstorm!"

"That's right! This must be fate!" Shi Ji exclaimed excitedly. "Let's go in quickly! Maybe there's something inside that can help us get rid of the sandstorm!"

After saying that, he pulled Qingyangzi toward the stone tablet.

However, at this moment, an unexpected change occurred!

The stone tablet suddenly trembled, and then a crack slowly appeared!
Immediately afterwards, a powerful suction force came from the gap, instantly pulling the two of them in!
When they opened their eyes again, they found themselves in an unfamiliar space!
This space is filled with mystery and an ancient atmosphere, as if it were a forgotten world!
Before them stood a magnificent palace!
The palace doors were open, as if inviting them to enter and explore its unknown mysteries...

Shi Ji and Qing Yangzi exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise and curiosity in each other's eyes.

Without hesitation, they entered the palace, eager to find out what was going on.

The palace's interior was luxuriously and mysteriously decorated, with walls carved with intricate patterns and runes, seemingly telling an ancient and enigmatic story. In the center of the palace stood a massive stone table, upon which rested a heavy ancient book and a gleaming sword!

"What exactly is this place?" Shi Ji couldn't help but ask. "And who left these treasures here?"

Qingyangzi shook his head, indicating that he didn't know: "It seems that we can only find the answer in this ancient book."

As he spoke, he reached out to take the ancient book, but just as he was about to touch it, an invisible force suddenly struck, repelling his hand! At the same time, the entire palace shook, as if some kind of mechanism had been triggered!
"Watch out!" Shi Ji shouted, and quickly pulled Qing Yangzi back.

Suddenly, countless arrows shot out from the palace walls and attacked them!
The two figures moved swiftly, dodging the arrow attacks while vigilantly observing their surroundings.

They discovered that the palace seemed to be a huge trap, and once the trap was triggered, endless attacks would come!
"We must solve this trap before we can get the treasure!" Shi Ji said. "Come with me and see if we can find any clues!"

So Shiji and Qingyangzi began to search the palace carefully, trying to find clues to break the trap array.

They examined the wall inch by inch, not missing a single possible detail.

"Brother Shi, look here!" Qingyangzi suddenly shouted, pointing to a wall.

Upon hearing the sound, Shi Ji looked over and saw a complex pattern carved on the wall, which seemed to contain some kind of hidden pattern.

"Could this be a way to break the trap?" Shi Ji wondered.

“Very likely!” Qingyangzi nodded. “Let’s examine this pattern carefully and see if we can find any clues.”

The two leaned closer to the wall and carefully examined the pattern.

After careful study, they finally discovered the secret in the pattern!

It turns out that this pattern is an ancient formation diagram, with detailed markings on how to arrange the formation and how to break it.

"Great! We've finally found a way to break the trap!" Shi Ji shouted excitedly. (End of Chapter)