From a loser to an immortal sage

Chapter 242 Exploring the Ruins: Xiao Yao's Perilous Journey

The sound came abruptly, making my scalp tingle.

maze?

I looked around and saw that the once open ground had been replaced by towering stone walls, forming the entrance to a huge circular maze.

Strange runes were carved on the surface of the stone wall, shimmering with an eerie green light. An unsettling aura permeated the air, instantly dispelling the joy brought by their companions and replacing it with endless unease.

I took a deep breath. The air was filled with an indescribable smell, like rotten wood mixed with damp soil, which made me want to vomit.

The air around seemed to freeze, making it hard to breathe.

Senior Brother Xuanfeng noticed my unusual behavior and asked with concern, "Junior Sister Xiao Yao, what's wrong?"

I shook my head and pointed to the maze in front of me. "The trial begins."

"A labyrinth?" Frostmoon exclaimed in surprise. "There's a labyrinth inside these ruins?"

“It seems this is the real test.” Elder Yan appeared behind us at some point, his face solemn and his tone serious. “Be careful, this maze is probably fraught with danger.”

I nodded and stepped into the maze first.

The cold touch of the stone wall sent a chill down my spine. Under my feet was an uneven stone path, each step producing a dull echo that was particularly clear in the silent maze.

A light mist filled the maze, reducing visibility to less than five meters.

I moved forward cautiously, constantly alert to any movement around me.

Suddenly, I saw an oasis in front of me, with lush green grass, birds singing and flowers blooming, completely out of place in this gloomy maze.

"It's an illusion!" Elder Yan's voice rang out behind me, carrying a hint of warning.

I quickly looked away and continued walking forward.

But no matter how long I walk, it feels like I'm going around in circles.

The surrounding scenery constantly changes, sometimes an oasis, sometimes a desert, sometimes a glacier, each scene so lifelike that it's hard to tell the difference between reality and illusion.

My head was spinning more and more, my body was getting more and more tired, and my heart was filled with confusion and despair.

Am I going to be trapped and die in this maze?

Just when I was about to give up, I saw a stone door appear in front of me.

I was overjoyed and quickly ran towards the stone gate.

"Junior Sister Xiao Yao, be careful!" "Junior Sister Xiao Yao, be careful!" Before Senior Brother Xuan Feng's exclamation had subsided, the stone slab beneath his feet suddenly sank.

My heart skipped a beat, and before I could react, I was already plummeting down.

The feeling of weightlessness made my stomach churn, and I could hear the wind whistling in my ears. Then, with a "thud," I fell heavily onto the cold ground.

Before I could catch my breath, countless sharp stone spikes pierced my body, like countless knives cutting into my flesh.

Intense pain instantly spread to every part of my body, and I couldn't help but let out a painful groan.

"what……"

Fresh blood gushed from the wound, staining the ground beneath him red.

I struggled to get up, but the excruciating pain left me powerless.

The bottom of the trap is a narrow space, with walls covered in dense spikes, where one could easily get injured again if not careful.

I knew I couldn't go on like this any longer; I had to find a way to escape as soon as possible.

But I felt weak all over, and my consciousness was gradually fading. Was I going to die here like this?

A feeling of despair enveloped me like a large net.

Just then, I vaguely heard Ziyun's sharp, mocking voice coming from afar above, "Hmph, I thought she was so powerful, but she can't even get out of a maze. What a piece of trash!"

Her shrill voice was like sharp needles piercing my eardrums, and anger and frustration surged into my heart like a tide.

I struggled to lift my head, wanting to argue back, but found that my throat felt like it was blocked by something, and I couldn't make a sound.

The physical pain, the maze's predicament, and Ziyun's sarcastic remarks—all of these weighed heavily on me like mountains, making it hard for me to breathe.

The air around me seemed to freeze, and I could feel every pore of my skin screaming helplessness.

I clenched my fists tightly, my nails digging deep into my palms, as if trying to relieve the pain in my body.

No, I can't fall here!

I told myself I had to persevere.

I started groping around, trying to find the exit of the trap. The cold stone walls stung my fingertips, but I couldn't feel it anymore. I focused all my attention on finding a way out.

Suddenly, my hand touched a stone that seemed to be able to rotate, and a glimmer of hope ignited in my heart.

I spun the stone hard, and with a "click," the surrounding stone walls suddenly began to vibrate.

With the screeching sound of stones scraping against each other, I felt weightless again beneath my feet. A stream of icy water poured over my head, and at the same time, I felt as if I had fallen into an even darker abyss.

The icy water stung every inch of my skin, and I choked on several mouthfuls of water. The force of the fall made my internal organs churn.

Damn it, there's a second layer of trap!

I gritted my teeth and tried my best to keep my body steady in the water.

The biting cold made me shiver, but what chilled me to the bone more than the physical pain was Ziyun's mockery and this endless predicament.

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and suppressed all my negative emotions.

Instead of living in fear and anxiety in this boundless darkness, why not take a gamble!

Instead of blindly searching for a way out, it's better to find another way.

A crazy idea flashed through my mind: if we can't find the exit, then let's not look for it!

I sat cross-legged in the icy water, circulating the little spiritual energy I had in my body, and began to cultivate.

The icy pool water soaked through my clothes, chilling me to the bone, but I seemed oblivious, completely absorbed in my cultivation.

Everything around me disappeared, and all that remained in my world was the sound of spiritual energy flowing and my own breathing.

"What...what is she doing?" came the incredulous voice of Frost Moon from above.

"Are you crazy? How can you still be thinking about cultivation at a time like this?" Zi Yun's sharp and sarcastic voice followed closely behind, full of mockery.

I ignored them and continued to circulate my energy, absorbing the sparse spiritual energy around me.

As time went by, I gradually discovered that the spiritual energy in this pool was not as thin as I had imagined; on the contrary, it was exceptionally pure and flowed continuously into my body.

Even more amazingly, I felt that the space around me seemed to fluctuate with my breathing, and a strange pattern was faintly visible in the water.

I opened my eyes, and that's how it is!

The workings of this maze are not fixed, but are closely related to the spiritual energy fluctuations of those who enter!

I had been trying to solve the maze with brute force, but I overlooked the connection between my spiritual power and the maze.

I closed my eyes again, channeled my spiritual energy to its maximum, felt the fluctuations in the surrounding space, and adjusted my breathing rhythm.

Gradually, I felt myself becoming one with the maze, and everything around me became clear.

I know, I've found the way out.

I stood up and took a step in a certain direction. Suddenly, the scene before me changed. I left the cold pool and stood in a dry passage.

Ahead, a light appeared faintly.

I quickened my pace and ran towards the light, a sense of indescribable pride welling up inside me.

"Junior Sister Xiao Yao, you...you're out?" Senior Brother Xuanfeng's surprised voice came from ahead, his tone tinged with disbelief.

I smiled and nodded, glancing at Shuangyue and Elder Yan behind him, who were equally surprised. Ziyun stood to the side, her face ashen.

I ignored her and walked straight to the end of the passage.

There, I saw an ancient stone gate, its surface intricately carved with patterns that emitted a faint golden glow.

My hand involuntarily reached towards that stone door...

Pushing open the stone door, a dazzling light poured out instantly. I instinctively raised my hand to shield my eyes, and only after my eyes adjusted to the light did I slowly lower my arm.

The sight before me took my breath away—it was a spacious stone chamber, with luminous pearls embedded in the walls, illuminating the entire chamber as if it were daytime.

In the center of the stone chamber, there was an ancient treasure chest, emitting a faint golden light.

My heart raced, and I hurried toward the treasure chest.

The treasure chest is made of neither gold nor wood; it feels cool to the touch, and its surface is engraved with intricate patterns, subtly exuding an ancient aura.

I took a deep breath and slowly opened the treasure chest.

With a soft "click," the treasure chest opened, and a dazzling golden light shot out, illuminating my face.

Inside the treasure chest lay a jade slip, its surface crystal clear and radiating a soft light, trembling slightly as if it were alive.

I carefully picked up the jade slip, and a warm current instantly flowed through my body. A powerful energy fluctuation emanated from the jade slip, making my heart pound.

I closed my eyes and probed the jade slip with my divine sense.

Images flashed through my mind: ancient characters, mysterious runes, and complex formations, like exquisite paintings slowly unfolding before my eyes.

My mind was completely captivated by the contents of the jade slip, as if I were in a completely new world.

I don't know how much time passed before I slowly opened my eyes, my eyes sparkling with excitement.

This is an extremely profound cultivation technique called the "Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden Technique." Upon mastering it, one can control the power of heaven and earth and become a true immortal!

I gripped the jade slip tightly, a surge of indescribable excitement welling up inside me.

This is such a pleasant surprise!

With this cultivation technique, my cultivation speed will be greatly increased, and I will be one step closer to becoming an Immortal Venerable!

I could even feel the spiritual energy within my body cheering and eager to cultivate this powerful technique.

I couldn't wait to begin cultivating the "Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden Technique." The words in the jade slip transformed into golden light, surging into my mind and merging into my body.

I feel my body undergoing a dramatic transformation. Every cell is greedily absorbing energy, and my strength, speed, and perception are all increasing at an astonishing rate.

Time passed second by second, and the spiritual energy in the stone chamber became more and more concentrated, as if forming a huge vortex that enveloped me.

I was so engrossed in my practice that I completely forgot myself.

Suddenly, the light in the stone chamber vanished, plunging everything into darkness.

I was startled and quickly opened my eyes, but I couldn't see anything.

"What's going on?" I muttered to myself, a sense of unease rising in my heart.

"Heh, I didn't expect anyone to actually find this place..." A cold voice suddenly rang out in the darkness, carrying a hint of mockery and sarcasm.

My heart sank, and a chill ran from the soles of my feet to the top of my head. Who was it?

"Who are you?" I asked sharply, glancing around warily at the same time, gripping the jade slip tightly in my hand, ready to deal with any sudden attack.

In the darkness, a pair of scarlet eyes slowly lit up, like two will-o'-the-wisps, emitting a chilling light that sent shivers down one's spine.

Those eyes were staring intently at me, as if trying to see right through me.

"I am..." the voice rang out again, tinged with arrogance and disdain, "the guardian of this place."