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

"Boom!"

The stone door slowly opened, revealing a mysterious space inside. The three exchanged a smile, knowing they had found the core area of ​​the ruins.

As the stone gate opened, an ancient and mysterious aura wafted out. The three cautiously stepped into this mysterious space, where glowing gems were embedded in the surrounding stone walls, illuminating the entire area. In the very center, an ancient stone platform stood silently, upon which rested a yellowed ancient book.

Han Feng stepped forward, gently picked up the ancient book, and opened it. He discovered that it contained many lost cultivation techniques and secret arts. A look of shock flashed in his eyes: "This...this is the legendary 'Ancient Secret Scripture'! I never expected to find it here."

Shi Ji also stepped forward, looked at the ancient book in Han Feng's hand, and exclaimed, "This is truly an unexpected gain. With this 'Ancient Secret Scripture,' our cultivation path will be much smoother."

Liu Yan looked around and suddenly noticed a small stone box on the other side of the stone platform. She walked over and carefully opened the stone box, inside which was a gem that shimmered with seven-colored light.

"This is... a seven-colored spirit crystal!" Liu Yan exclaimed. "Legend has it that the seven-colored spirit crystal contains powerful spiritual energy and is a treasure that cultivators dream of."

Liu Yan's voice echoed in the empty stone chamber; her exclamation seemed to have triggered some kind of mechanism. Suddenly, the entire stone chamber began to shake, and the surrounding gemstones flashed sharply, as if some ancient power had been awakened.

"Oh no, we may have triggered some kind of defense mechanism!" Han Feng shouted. He quickly put away the "Ancient Secret Scripture" and looked around warily.

Shi Ji gripped her longsword tightly and stood in front of Liu Yan and Han Feng, saying, "Be careful, be prepared for any unexpected situations."

Liu Yan reacted quickly, clutching the seven-colored spirit crystal tightly in her hand while chanting incantations, ready to unleash a spell at any moment.

The tremors grew more and more intense, and the stone platform in the center of the chamber suddenly cracked open, revealing a huge mechanical device that slowly rose up, covered with sharp blades and mechanisms that flashed with electricity.

"This is... an ancient automated mecha?" Shi Ji exclaimed in surprise.

A hint of seriousness flashed in Han Feng's eyes: "This should be the guardian of the ruins. We accidentally triggered it. Everyone be careful, this mech may have powerful attack capabilities."

The mech roared and began to move slowly, its blades and lightning flashing with a dangerous light. The three quickly scattered to avoid the mech's attacks.

Liu Yan tried to cast a spell using the seven-colored spirit crystal, but the mecha seemed to have a high resistance to spiritual attacks, and the spell only stirred up a faint layer of electricity on its surface.

"We need to find a way to shut down this mech, otherwise we'll run out of spiritual energy," Han Feng shouted.

While dodging the attacks, Shi Ji carefully observed the structure of the mecha: "I see a glowing core on the mecha's chest, which may be its energy source. We need to find a way to destroy it."

"I'll draw its attention; you guys find an opportunity to attack the core," Han Feng said, then launched an attack on the mecha. Although his attack didn't cause much damage to the mecha, it successfully drew its attention.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Shi Ji and Liu Yan circled around to the side of the mecha. Shi Ji leaped into the air, her longsword brimming with powerful spiritual energy, and thrust it fiercely towards the core of the mecha's chest. Liu Yan, meanwhile, chanted incantations to support Shi Ji.

With a loud "bang," Shi Ji's longsword successfully struck the core of the mecha, instantly paralyzing it and rendering it immobile.

The three breathed a sigh of relief, but did not let their guard down completely. They knew that in this mysterious ruin, any carelessness could lead to danger.

"Is everyone alright?" Han Feng asked with concern.

"I'm fine." Shi Ji shook her head, looking at the malfunctioning mecha on the ground. "This mecha is really powerful. Luckily, we cooperated well and managed to shut it down."

Liu Yan nodded: "Yes, we really owe a lot to Brother Han and Shi Ji this time."

Han Feng smiled slightly: "This is our joint effort. Without you, I could not have succeeded."

They smiled at each other, and the atmosphere became much more relaxed. But just then, a strange sound suddenly came from the other side of the stone chamber.

"Huh? What's that sound?" Liu Yan asked in confusion.

Han Feng and Shi Ji also heard the sound, and they immediately looked warily in the direction from which it came. They saw a stone door on the wall of the stone chamber, previously unnoticed, slowly opening, revealing a dark passage inside.

"It seems there are still many secrets waiting for us to explore in this ruin." A glint of excitement flashed in Han Feng's eyes. "Shall we go in and take a look?"

Shi Ji nodded: "Now that we're here, we can't let any opportunity slip by. Let's be careful and go in to explore."

Liu Yan agreed, saying, "Maybe there are even more precious treasures hidden inside."

So, the three of them prepared their gear and cautiously entered the dark passage. Faint fluorescent stones embedded in the stone walls on either side of the passage provided them with a sliver of light. They moved slowly forward, unaware of the challenges and surprises that awaited them.

As they ventured deeper, the passageway gradually widened. The faint sound of water ahead suggested an underground river. They quickened their pace and soon arrived at the entrance to an underground cave.

The cave was dimly lit, but a huge stone disc could be vaguely seen in the center, engraved with intricate patterns and characters. Surrounding the disc were several underground rivers, their waters shimmering eerily in the dim light.

“This… seems to be an ancient altar,” Han Feng said in a deep voice, carefully observing the patterns and inscriptions on the stone slab.

Shi Ji also stepped forward to examine them: "These characters and patterns seem to record some kind of ancient ritual or incantation. Perhaps we can try to decipher them."

Liu Yan looked around and said, "The atmosphere here is so mysterious. I can feel a powerful force spreading around us."

The three lingered for a long time in front of the ancient altar, trying to decipher the complex characters and patterns.

Just as they were engrossed in studying the contents of the altar, the stone disc in the center of the altar suddenly began to slowly rotate, accompanied by a deep rumbling sound, which shook the entire cave.

"Watch out!" Han Feng shouted, quickly pulling Liu Yan and Shi Ji back to the edge of the cave.

The stone disc spun faster and faster, and the surrounding underground river began to surge. The river water even flowed upstream, forming water spheres in the air that swirled around the stone disc.

"This is... the formation has been activated?" Shi Ji said in surprise. Liu Yan stared intently at the stone disc. She noticed that as the stone disc rotated, the characters and patterns seemed to have a flowing light, as if guiding the direction of some kind of power.

“These characters and patterns are actually an ancient array diagram. The strange phenomena we are seeing now are the manifestation of this array being activated,” Liu Yan explained.

A resolute glint flashed in Han Feng's eyes: "Now that we've come this far, we can't give up. There must be a huge secret hidden in this formation, and we have to find a way to unravel it."

As the stone disc rotated, the atmosphere inside the cave grew increasingly oppressive, as if an invisible force was gradually intensifying. The three knew they had to find a way to break the formation as soon as possible, or the consequences would be unimaginable.

Liu Yan closed her eyes, clasped her hands together, and began to chant an ancient incantation in a low voice. Her voice echoed in the cave, as if resonating with the mysterious power around her.

Han Feng and Shi Ji stayed close to Liu Yan, vigilantly observing their surroundings. They understood that at this crucial moment, any disturbance could cause Liu Yan to fail.

Liu Yan's incantations grew louder and louder, filling the entire cave with a mysterious light. Suddenly, the stone disc stopped spinning, and the surrounding underground river returned to calm.

Liu Yan slowly opened her eyes, a tired but satisfied smile on her face: "The formation has been broken."

Upon hearing this, Han Feng and Shi Ji exchanged a smile, a great weight lifted from their hearts. They knew Liu Yan's abilities well; since she said the formation had been broken, she couldn't be wrong.

"Miss Liu, we really owe you a lot," Han Feng said sincerely.

Liu Yan smiled slightly and shook her head: "This is the result of our joint efforts. Without you, I would not have been able to successfully break this formation."

Shi Ji stepped forward and carefully examined the stone disc that had stopped rotating: "Now that the formation has been broken, can we continue exploring this ruin?"

“Wait,” Liu Yan stopped her, “Although the formation has been broken, we still need to be careful. This ruin is full of unknowns, so we must not act rashly.”

Han Feng nodded in agreement: "Miss Liu is right, we should proceed with caution. Now, let's examine this stone disc and see if there are any other clues."

The three of them examined the stone disc carefully again. This time, they discovered new characters and patterns appearing on the edge of the disc.

“These words and patterns seem to be clues to solving the next puzzle,” Shi Ji said.

Liu Yan gently touched the words, her eyes sparkling: "These words contain some kind of power; they seem to be guiding us."

Han Feng pondered for a moment, then said, "Now that we have solved the first formation, let's continue exploring along this clue."

So the three of them embarked on their exploration once again. Following the clues on the stone slab, they traversed mysterious passages and stone chambers, solving one puzzle after another.

In this process, they not only acquired countless treasures and ancient books, but also comprehended many lost cultivation techniques. Their strength increased rapidly during this time.

Finally, after overcoming numerous difficulties, they reached the deepest part of the ruins. There, they discovered a huge stone tablet.

The stone tablet bears an ancient inscription: "The brave are fearless, the wise are without doubt. Where the heart leads, there lies the other shore."

The three stood before the stone tablet in silence for a long time, each contemplating the profound meaning conveyed by the inscriptions.

"This statement seems to be telling us that as long as we have a firm belief in our hearts, we can reach the place we want to go," Han Feng said thoughtfully.

Shi Ji nodded: "That's true. If it weren't for our belief in exploring ruins and seeking the truth, we probably would have given up long ago.

Liu Yan said softly, "The brave are fearless, and the wise are without doubt. This saying is not only an affirmation of us, but also an encouragement. The road ahead is still long, and we must continue to maintain this courage and wisdom."

"That's true. The trials we've faced along the way have helped us all grow a lot," Han Feng remarked. "However, the most important thing now is that we need to rest. After so many battles and puzzle-solving sessions, everyone is exhausted."

Shi Ji agreed: "That's right, we need to find a safe place to rest and recover our strength. The ruins are important, but our safety is more important."

Liu Yan pointed to a stone chamber not far away: "That stone chamber looks quite secluded; we can rest there."

The three then walked toward the stone chamber, and upon entering, they found it to be dry and spacious, indeed a good place to rest.

Han Feng took out some dry food and water from his backpack: "Everyone, eat something first to replenish your strength."

Shi Ji then began to inspect the equipment and weapons to ensure they were in optimal condition.

Liu Yan found a corner and began to meditate and regulate her breathing to restore her spiritual power.

The air inside the cave was still, broken only by the soft sounds of breathing and the occasional dripping of water. Han Feng, Shi Ji, and Liu Yan each adjusted their state, preparing for the exploration to come.

"Brother Han, although the formation has been broken, we must be even more careful." Liu Yan opened her eyes, her gaze filled with worry.

“Yes, this ruin is fraught with danger; a single misstep could mean certain death.” Han Feng nodded, his face growing more serious. “However, we cannot back down. The secrets and power contained within this ruin are enough to change our destiny.”

While inspecting her longsword, Shi Ji said, "I agree. Opportunity and risk go hand in hand. Now that we've come this far, there's no turning back."

Liu Yan smiled slightly: "That's right. The brave are fearless, and the wise are without doubt. We must maintain this courage and wisdom in order to survive in this mysterious ruin."

After a short rest, the three decided to continue. They returned to the center of the cave, following new clues to find their next target. The passage became increasingly narrow, the fluorescent stones embedded in the stone walls gradually decreased, and the light grew dimmer.

Suddenly, an open area appeared ahead, the ground covered with various complex runes and patterns. Liu Yan crouched down and carefully observed the runes: "These runes seem to be some kind of teleportation array, which can teleport us to another area of ​​the ruins."

"A teleportation array?" Shi Ji frowned. "This thing is very dangerous. If something goes wrong, we might be teleported to an even more dangerous place." (End of Chapter)