NOVEL WEB Chapter 769: Secretary, Celestial Lock!
The three continued their discussion until late at night.
They decided to set out early the next morning, aiming to reach the ruins by nightfall.
The next day, just as dawn was breaking, Luo Chen, Qing Shuang, and Hong Ling set off towards the ruins.
Along the way, they took turns on watch to guard against unforeseen dangers.
After several days of trekking, they finally arrived at the legendary ruins.
The ruins were littered with broken walls and remnants, gigantic stone pillars lay toppled on the ground, inscribed with ancient runes.
Luo Chen carefully examined these runes, trying to uncover some clues from them.
"These runes seem to record some kind of sealing," Luo Chen said in a low voice.
Qing Shuang and Hong Ling also came over to look closely.
Suddenly, Hong Ling pointed at a pattern on one of the steles, "Look, this pattern is exactly the same as the one on the cover of the Ancient Tome mentioned in our mission."
Luo Chen nodded, "It seems we've found the right place. The Ancient Tome should be nearby."
The three began to search meticulously among the ruins and finally discovered a hidden underground chamber entrance in an inconspicuous corner.
"Be careful, there might be traps below," Luo Chen reminded them.
They cautiously entered the underground chamber, which was pitch black, with only the faint glow of their torches illuminating the space.
The chamber was covered in dust, clearly untouched for a long time.
At the end of the chamber, they found a stone platform with an old book placed upon it.
Luo Chen stepped forward and carefully picked up the book.
"This is the Ancient Tome we are looking for," Luo Chen said with a touch of excitement in his voice.
However, just as they prepared to leave, the chamber suddenly shook violently, as if something had been triggered.
"Not good, we might have set off a trap!" Qing Shuang exclaimed.
The three quickly gathered together, ready to face any imminent danger.
At that moment, a wall behind the stone platform slowly opened, revealing a staircase leading further underground.
"Clearly, this Ancient Tome isn't so easy to obtain," Luo Chen said calmly.
They exchanged glances and decided to delve deeper into the exploration.
Descending the staircase, they arrived at an even older underground chamber.
This area was filled with various complex mechanisms and formations.
"These formations look very ancient and powerful," Hong Ling remarked with a frown.
Luo Chen carefully surveyed the surroundings, "We need to find a way to break these formations, or we won't be able to leave safely."
Qing Shuang and Hong Ling understood Luo Chen's words; if they couldn't break these ancient formations, not only would they fail their mission, but they might be trapped in this mysterious chamber forever.
Luo Chen took out a piece of Talisman Paper from his pouch, beginning to draw intricate runes upon it.
He planned to use his knowledge of runes to attempt to break the formations.
Qing Shuang stood guard while Hong Ling carefully observed the surrounding mechanisms, trying to pinpoint their weaknesses.
As time passed, Luo Chen finally completed the complex Talisman Paper.
He gently tossed the Talisman Paper, which ignited in mid-air, emitting a dazzling light.
The light gradually spread, enveloping the entire chamber in a warm glow.
The complex formations seemed to be affected by the Talisman Paper, starting to tremble slightly.
"Quick, now's the time!" Luo Chen shouted, and the three hurriedly traversed the trembling formations, reaching the deepest part of the chamber.
Before them appeared a gigantic Stone Gate.
The Stone Gate was engraved with various peculiar patterns, seemingly recounting an ancient tale.
Luo Chen moved forward, carefully examining the patterns on the Stone Gate, trying to find a way to open it.
"These patterns seem related to the content in the Ancient Tome," Qing Shuang reminded.
Luo Chen nodded; he took out the old book from his pouch and began to read through it.
The book contained much history and knowledge about this ancient Sect, with some content appearing to correspond to the patterns on the Stone Gate.
After some research, Luo Chen finally found the way to open the Stone Gate.
He followed the instructions in the book, placing his hand on a specific spot on the Stone Gate and chanting ancient words.
As the chant concluded, the Stone Gate slowly opened with a heavy rumbling sound.
Behind the gate was a spacious secret chamber, with a massive stone platform in the center, and on the platform was a golden box.
The box was embedded with various gemstones, emitting a dazzling light.
"Is this the resting place of the Ancient Tome?" Hong Ling asked curiously.
Luo Chen nodded; he stepped forward and carefully opened the golden box.
Inside the box, as expected, was an Ancient Tome, its cover engraved with the same pattern found on the Stone Gate.
"We've found it!" Luo Chen exclaimed excitedly.
Yet, as they were about to take the Ancient Tome, the secret chamber suddenly began to shake violently, as though the entire ruins were trembling.
The three exchanged looks, realizing that a greater danger might be looming.
"Quick, we need to get out of here!" Luo Chen shouted.
They swiftly grabbed the Ancient Tome and turned to run towards the exit.
However, just as they were about to reach the exit, a massive crack suddenly appeared before them, blocking their path.
"What do we do?" Qing Shuang asked anxiously.
Luo Chen contemplated for a moment, then took out another piece of Talisman Paper and began to draw new runes on it.