chsdbacks Chapter 243 The Forgotten Idol
Chapter 243 The Forgotten Idol
Nie Lingfeng's sharp eyes scanned the area around the cave entrance. Outside, the vines showed signs of having been cleared by sharp blades or flames, and the rubble had been slightly pushed aside, revealing a narrow crevice just wide enough for a person to bend down and pass through. Inside the crevice, it was pitch black and bottomless, with only a denser, more complex, chilling current of air—a mixture of ancient dust, dampness from the rocks, the stench of blood, and that blasphemous, polluted aura—slowly blowing out of the cave.
"Nie Lingfeng, that cave... it's so dark, and it smells really strange," Chen Duo whispered, her emerald green eyes fixed on the dark entrance, her small face full of vigilance. "There's definitely something really smelly inside. Should we go in?"
"We need to go in," Nie Lingfeng said in a deep voice, his gaze sweeping over the three massive, broken stone pillars, especially the charred ends at their tops. "However, before we go in, let's take a look at those three pillars first. The markings given by the mountain guardian might be useful there."
He led Chen Duo, using the scattered boulders on the impact beach as cover, and silently approached the solitary peak. The closer they got, the more they could feel the overwhelming, contradictory "field" that mingled with the sacred and the profane, the ancient and the frenzied. The three stone pillars, like three silent, severely wounded ancient giants, even in their broken state and stained with filth, still exuded a soul-stirring, heavy pressure stemming from time and faith. And the carvings on the pillars, observed up close, were even more lifelike, as if they might come to life at any moment, telling that long-forgotten, glorious yet tragic past.
The "Qilin Star Body" within Nie Lingfeng's body was unusually active at this moment, even emanating a complex emotional fluctuation mixed with excitement, sorrow, and anger. He could "see" that in those carvings, the parts about the Qilin depicted scenes of the Qilin guarding the earth, blessing all living beings, dancing with auspicious beasts such as the phoenix and the dragon, and holding grand ceremonies. But some carvings depicted terrifying, indescribable shadows descending from the sky, the earth cracking, life devastation, and the Qilin fighting bloodily, ultimately falling mortally wounded... a tragic scene that perfectly matched the mountain guardian's account!
He suppressed the turmoil in his heart and, following the instructions of the mountain guardian, searched for the "specific location." His gaze finally settled on the base of the tallest stone pillar in the center.
There, amidst countless intricate carvings, lies a relatively smooth area, roughly the size of a washbasin. In the center of this area, there is a shallow, deep indentation, exactly the same as the mark the mountain guardian drew on the ground with mineral powder—a circle with a dot in the center surrounded by undulating mountains! However, this indentation has long been filled with dust and dark red, rust-like stains, almost blending into the surrounding rock, making it virtually invisible without close inspection.
This is it!
Nie Lingfeng took a deep breath and whispered to Chen Duo, "Duo Duo, keep watch on our surroundings for me. No matter what you see or what happens, don't go near it or make a sound."
Chen Duo nodded vigorously, immediately turned around, facing outwards, her emerald eyes warily scanning the impact shoal and the river surface. A golden flame reignited at her fingertips, ready to respond to any unexpected situation. (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧
Nie Lingfeng walked to the dent, squatted down, and extended his right index finger. After a moment's hesitation, he didn't use the Phoenix True Fire (its attributes might not be a perfect match), but instead, with a slight thought, he mobilized the purest wisp of Qilin power within his body, which he had already begun to control, and concentrated it at his fingertip. At the same time, he gently traced a line on his left palm with his fingernail, causing a drop of bright red blood, imbued with the aura of Qilin, to seep out.
He dripped the drop of blood into the center of the indentation at the base of the stone pillar. At the same time, his right index finger, imbued with the power of the Qilin, gently touched the drop of blood.
"Buzz—!"
The instant the blood and the power of the Qilin at the fingertips simultaneously came into contact with that ancient, dented mark—
A sudden change has occurred!
Centered on that indentation, a faint, dark golden light, carrying the weight and majesty of the earth, suddenly shone forth! The light, like ripples on water, rapidly spread, flowed, and connected along the seemingly broken carvings on the surface of the stone pillar base, which had long been buried by dust!
Immediately afterwards, the bases of the two shorter stone pillars beside them also lit up with a similar dark golden light! The three stone pillars seemed to be "reactivated" by an invisible force. The ancient, broken carvings seemed to come alive under the flow of the dark golden light, radiating a hazy and sacred glow! Although the light was faint and intermittent, it instantly dispelled the blasphemous and cold aura surrounding the stone pillars. In its place was a long-lost, calming, and majestic aura of "protection" and "order"!
At the same time, Nie Lingfeng felt that the drop of blood he had dripped into the dent and the guiding Qilin power seemed to have opened an extremely small "portal" that connected to some profound existence. A fragmented, blurry message full of ancient charm, mixed with some scattered fragments of images that seemed to have been projected across time and space, rushed into his mind through the connection between the blood and the power!
"...Calamity...from beyond the heavens...indescribable...polluted...eroded..."
"...Guardians...Rise up...The Qilin's horn is broken...The Phoenix's feathers are burned...The Divine Dragon's halberd is shattered..."
"...The altar...the final...barrier...communication...the bridge between heaven and earth...drawing...the power of origin...purification..."
"...Failure...Contamination...Infiltration...Altar...Defiled...Pillar...Broken..."
"...The spark...must...be preserved...hope...for the future..."
"...Mark...the inheritor...with blood and fire...awaken...the remaining...memories and...blessings..."
"...Be careful...the contamination...has not...completely...cleared...deep within the altar...a...greater...shadow...is...growing..."
Shattered thoughts, fragmented images—a terrifying shadow falling from the sky, the tragic struggle of the divine beast, the final purification ritual of the altar, the failed explosion and collapse, scattered embers and hope, and... a warning and blessing for those who come after.
Finally, the dark golden light intertwined and condensed between the three stone pillars, transforming into a clearer and more complex light and shadow mark composed of countless tiny runes, resembling a three-dimensional star map. It hovered in mid-air, flickered a few times, and then turned into specks of light rain. Some of them dissipated into the air, while others, as if possessing a spirit, slowly fell and merged into Nie Lingfeng's body, especially the core area on his chest where the three divine artifacts had been fused.
Nie Lingfeng shuddered! He felt the light rain merging into his body, like the purest, most primal essence of the earth and the will of "protection," rapidly blending seamlessly with the Qilin power within him. This not only deepened his understanding and control of the Qilin power instantly, but also made the fusion core in his chest seem more stable and solid. Furthermore, his ability to suppress and harmonize the other two "divine objects" (Phoenix Blood and Dragon Essence) also subtly strengthened! After absorbing this ancient "blessing," his power had actually experienced a small but solid leap! Although he was still far from fully mastering the three divine objects, at least his foundation was stronger, and his path ahead was clearer!
As the light and shadow markers dissipated and the rain of light merged in, the dark golden light that had illuminated the three stone pillars quickly dimmed, eventually returning them to their dilapidated, dusty state. It was as if everything that had just happened was merely a brief and illusory dream.
But Nie Lingfeng knew that it was not a dream. It was the altar, or rather, the last "guardian" will left here, which, after sensing the arrival of the "inheritor" (who possessed the bloodline of the Qilin), carried out the final "handover" and "gift" with the help of the "key" (that mark) left by the mountain guardian.
He slowly stood up, feeling the more solid and profound power surging within him. The dark golden light in his eyes gradually subsided, replaced by a more serene understanding.
"Nie Lingfeng, are you alright?" Chen Duo had been anxiously watching them. Seeing the light disappear and Nie Lingfeng stand up, she rushed over, grabbed his arm, and looked him up and down, her emerald eyes full of concern. "That light just now... it was warm, and it didn't smell. You... seem a little different?"
"I'm fine, I even benefited a little." Nie Lingfeng gently ruffled her hair, his tone mild. "This altar used to be good, a sacred place protecting this land. Later, it was polluted and destroyed by evil things. Just now, it was its last bit of 'good' power that gave me a little help."
Chen Duo seemed to understand, but upon hearing that the power of "good" had helped Nie Lingfeng, a happy smile immediately appeared on her little face: "That's great! The place the bad guy damaged can still help us!"
"Hmm." Nie Lingfeng nodded, his gaze returning to the dark entrance, his eyes sharpening. "However, things inside are probably not so 'good.' The information I just received tells me that the contamination hasn't been completely eliminated, and a greater shadow is growing deep within the altar. Moreover, that group has already gone in. We need to follow them in to see what they're up to, and also to see what that 'greater shadow' really is."
"Okay! Let's go in! Let's drag out all the stinky stuff inside, and any bad guys who might have gone in!" Chen Duo waved her little fist, looking "highly motivated." However, she glanced at the pitch-black entrance that seemed capable of swallowing everything, and subconsciously moved closer to Nie Lingfeng, adding softly, "It's just... it's so dark in there. My 'fire' can light it up, but... won't it attract the bad guys?"
"When it's time to shine, shine." Nie Lingfeng took out a powerful flashlight from his backpack, checked the battery, and said, "Stay close to me. Once inside, follow my instructions. Your 'fire' is one of our best weapons for dealing with the 'stinky stuff' inside. Don't hesitate to use it when necessary. Understand?"
"Understood!" Chen Duo nodded vigorously and took out her small flashlight (given by Azanji; it was rather simple, but it worked), and with her other hand, she once again formed the Phoenix Seal.
Without further hesitation, the two carefully parted the vines that partially obscured the entrance to the cave, one after the other, and slipped sideways into the dark, unknown, and ominous entrance to the ancient altar.
Darkness instantly engulfed the two of them.
Only two faint beams of flashlight light, like two slender daggers, struggled to cut through the thick, inky darkness ahead, a mixture of dust, moisture, blood, and blasphemy.
As they entered, outside the cave entrance, the three silent, dilapidated ancient stone pillars cast long, twisted, sigh-like shadows under the midday sun, silently pointing towards the surging river, as if silently telling the story that another storm concerning the fate of this land had quietly begun deep within this forgotten altar…