Following the faint, flickering clues, the group made their way through a deep, narrow path. The surrounding darkness was like thick ink, seeming to swallow them whole. An icy wind howled in their ears, carrying a bizarre, whimpering sound that made their hair stand on end. At long last, at the end of what felt like an endless darkness, a mysterious ruin appeared before them.
The ruin lay dormant upon the earth like a sleeping behemoth. Some of the massive stone-built structures had already collapsed, rubble scattering the ground, while others teetered precariously, as though they might come crashing down at any moment. Vines crawled over the walls, resembling ancient spells or the wrinkles of time, as if whispering of past glories and vicissitudes.
Zhang Yue gripped the longsword in his hand tightly. The blade trembled slightly, as if sensing the mysterious power permeating the ruins. The light upon the sword's edge seemed so faint in this gloomy environment, yet so resolute. He stepped cautiously onto the moss-covered steps, taking every step with vigilance, terrified of triggering a taboo of this slumbering place.
Chapter 116