The First Appearance of the Ruins and the Mysterious Crisis
The group wound their way forward along the valley, seeming to travel upstream in the river of time to chase after secrets sealed away by the ages. According to the Mysterious Traveler's conjecture, the ancient ruins were most likely concealed deep within the valley. Along the way, the surroundings were eerily quiet, as if the entire world had been muted. Only their footsteps echoed alone in the empty valley, like the beating drums of fate. Occasionally, a biting cold wind swept through like sharp ice blades, carrying an unyielding chill that mercilessly grazed everyone's skin, making them shiver involuntarily—a shudder that seemed to crawl straight from their spines down into the depths of their hearts.
After walking for a long time, a vast and boundless stone forest abruptly appeared ahead. The stones within the forest took on various shapes, resembling masterpieces meticulously carved by nature, that master artisan. Some stones stood like sharp swords piercing the sky, as if striving to puncture the firmament and displaying an aggressive, arrogant momentum; others crouched on the ground like giant beasts, their massive bodies seemingly harboring endless power, ready at any moment to devour someone. With sharp eyes, the Mysterious Traveler carefully observed the layout of the stone forest and soon discovered that these stones were not arranged haphazardly. Instead, they seemed to follow some ancient and mysteriou…
Chapter 354