The silence that settled over the chamber after the portal's closure was as heavy as the weight of their recent ordeal. Chen Jiuzhang's legs trembled as he tried to stand, the merged crystal - key in his hand still radiating a warm, pulsating glow. His gaze swept over his companions: Shen Qingluan was leaning against the wall, her face pale and smeared with blood, the fragment of the Imperial Jade Seal now duller than before; Zhang Chengying lay sprawled on the ground, his broken peachwood sword beside him, chest heaving with each ragged breath; Su Nian sat cross - legged, eyes closed, attempting to regain her strength, while Wu Laogou carefully relit his pipe, the tobacco crackling providing the only sound in the otherwise still room."Is... is it really over?" Zhang Chengying finally managed to croak, pushing himself up on his elbows. His voice echoed hollowly through the chamber, as if afraid to break the fragile peace.Chen Jiuzhang shook his head slowly. "Yuki said the Gui Xu Secret Realm was created as a prison. If that's true, who knows what other sealed - away horrors we might encounter? And this..." He held up the crystal - key, watching as strange, minuscule runes began to crawl across its surface like glowing insects. "It's far from ordinary. I can feel its power thrumming, as if it's waiting for something."Just then, a soft, almost inaudible humming filled the air. It started as a faint vibration, a tingle in the back of their necks, and gradually grew louder. The walls of the chamber began to shift once more, not in the chaotic manner of the Enchanted Labyrinth but with a slow, deliberate movement. Stone panels slid aside, revealing a narrow passageway bathed in an otherworldly blue light. The light seemed to pulse in time with the hum, like the steady heartbeat of some ancient, slumbering giant.Wu Laogou took a long drag from his pipe, the smoke curling up into the strange light. "Well, I reckon this passage ain't gonna open itself for just any ol' reason. I'd say it's inviting us in, whether we like it or not."Su Nian stood up, her chains clinking softly as she did so. Her face was still drawn, but determination had replaced the exhaustion in her eyes. "We've come this far. If there are more secrets to uncover, more threats to face, we'll do it together."With that, the group cautiously entered the passageway. The air grew colder with each step, and the blue light became so intense that it was almost blinding. Suddenly, the hum reached a crescendo, and words seemed to form within the sound, a language none of them could understand but that sent shivers down their spines.As they rounded a bend, they came upon a vast chamber filled with rows and rows of crystal sarcophaguses. Each sarcophagus was filled with a figure, their forms blurred by a strange, misty substance. The figures seemed to be in some sort of stasis, their chests barely rising and falling with each breath."Who... or what are these people?" Shen Qingluan whispered, her hand instinctively reaching for Chen Jiuzhang's arm.Before anyone could answer, a figure materialized at the far end of the chamber. It was a woman, but she was unlike any they had seen before. Her skin was as white as snow, and her eyes glowed with a deep, violet hue. She wore a gown made of what appeared to be woven starlight, and her long, silver hair flowed down her back like a waterfall of liquid mercury."You dare to disturb the slumber of the ancient ones?" her voice was cold and melodious, echoing through the chamber. "You carry the key that can either restore balance or bring about the final destruction. What is your purpose here?"Chen Jiuzhang stepped forward, holding the crystal - key high. "We're here to restore the balance of the Gui Xu Secret Realm. We've faced betrayal and chaos, and we won't stop until we've completed our mission."The woman's eyes narrowed, and she glided forward, her feet not touching the ground. "Your determination is commendable, but do you truly understand the weight of your actions? The secrets you seek are buried deep, and the path ahead is paved with sacrifices. Are you prepared to pay the price?"As she spoke, the crystal sarcophaguses began to shake, and the mist within them started to swirl violently. Figures began to stir, and a new, menacing energy filled the chamber. It seemed that their arrival had awakened something far more powerful than they had anticipated, and the true test of their resolve was only just beginning.
Chapter 35 - Chapter 36 ：The Whispering Depths
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