Filled with an intense yearning for the unknown, the four companions felt a mixture of tension and excitement. Their hands trembled slightly as if they were holding the most precious treasure in the world, carefully picking up the mysterious book and the ring from the treasure chest. The cover of the mysterious book was made of an unknown, rough hide. As their fingertips brushed across it, a rustic texture rushed over them, and the strange symbols carved upon it seemed to carry a thousand years of time, silently recounting an untold, ancient legend. The ring emitted a profound luster, its face bearing mysterious symbols that seemed to hide endless secrets, with every subtle pattern resembling an obscure clue leading to another mysterious world.
They continued deeper into the castle, their footsteps echoing through the empty corridor, clear enough to strike a chord in anyone's heart. Along the way, Lin Xiu clutched the ring tightly, his gaze never leaving it for a moment as he examined it repeatedly, trying to unearth more information from the mysterious symbols. Sometimes he held the ring up to his eyes, using the dim light as he wished he could etch every symbol into his very eyes; other times, he gently rubbed it with his fingers, full of anticipation that he could trigger the hidden secret through touch. Yet, apart from clearly feeling a steady stream of power pouring into his body from the ring, making his arm slightly numb, he gained nothing, and a trace of frustration …
Chapter 16